ã€ŠFirst Assistant&#x27;s Petite Wife Has Spaceã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Get the Hell Out

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she moving?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that she¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°She deserves to die. Nobody will hit us anymore once she¡¯s dead!¡±

    Lu Jiao heard those boastful whispers before she could get her eyes to open.

    She slowly opened her eyes and saw the little fes who spoke beside her. These young boys appeared jaundiced and skinny without an inch of fat on their bodies. They almost looked like baby chickens.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, the four little brats realized that she had awakened and their expressions changed. The four of them snapped their bodies around and ran away. As they dashed, they screamed.

    ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s going to hit me!¡±

    ¡°Daddy, help!¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t steal her eggs!¡±

    Confused, Lu Jiao watched the boys run away. She then nced at her surroundings.

    She found herself in a dpidated and mottled courtyard. In the center of the courtyard were three cracked-up mudbrick shacks. Hay was used to cover up these rooms and acted as roofs. To the east of the main building were two more cracked-up y buildings. Other than these few rooms, there was nothing else in the courtyard. Its barren state made it appear especially dested.

    Where was she? Shouldn¡¯t she be dead?

    As a female military doctor from the 21st century, she was on her way to rescue a team of soldiers when she was struck by the enemy¡¯s grenade. Matter of factly, there was no way she could still be alive.

    As Lu Jiao searched her brain, a flood of memories overwhelmed her head. Very quickly, she realized what had happened to her.

    She had transmigrated. She had transmigrated to the Xie Vige, Qili Town within the Qinghe District in the Great Zhou Empire. She was the schr, Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife, Lu Jiao.

    This person, Lu Jiao, was quite a character. Not only was she vile in the way she spoke, but she was also very violent. She hit people and cursed at people ¨C even her own quadruplet boys could not escape her viciousness. The four little boys were frequently beaten up by her and thus were terrified of her.

    This morning, Lu Jiao got up and boiled two eggs. Since they were too hot, she didn¡¯t get to eat them. Instead, she went to the washroom and when she returned, the eggs were gone.

    She was certain that her sons had stolen her eggs so she picked up a stick and started to strike the boys. However, she applied too much strength, lost her bnce, and slipped. When she fell, her head hit a rock and she died ¨C this allowed the transmigration to happen.

    Lu Jiao was speechless as she raised an eyebrow. Then, she struggled to pick herself off of the ground. The fat on her body quivered. The simple movement of getting off the ground somehow managed to tire her out and make her sweat.

    With a dark face, Lu Jiao looked down at her chubby self. She felt a wave of pitypared to those four skeleton boys who didn¡¯t have the slightest fat on them.

    Due to the blood loss, she felt dizzy and decided to go back to her room to rest up first.

    Just as she stepped into the old and broken mudbrick home, she heard voices croak from the east bedroom.

    ¡°Daddy, we didn¡¯t eat her eggs.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t steal anything. Daddy, you taught us that if we take something without informing the owner, we¡¯d be thieves. We don¡¯t want to be thieves.¡±

    ¡°But she didn¡¯t believe us and med us for taking her eggs. She picked up a stick and hit us.¡±

    The noises in the east room intensified. These cries weren¡¯t like regr children¡¯s loud cries. They sounded more like suppressed and wronged squawks. The sound of it was hard to bear for anyone who heard it.

    Lu Jiao subconsciously walked towards the east bedroom. The moment she peeked in, however, the four little boys silenced themselves. Their jaundiced faces turned pale as they ducked toward the head of the bed. It appeared that they wanted to somehow crawl into the wall.

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when someone on the bed opened their mouth, ¡°Lu Jiao, you think that because I am now paralyzed, I can no longer deal with you? Is that why your old habits came back?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked over to the bed and lost herself as she stared at the man.

    There was a slender man on the old and broken bed. Though slender, his features were delicately beautiful. His hair was dark like ink and his skin was smooth like jade. The coldness he carried on his brows was threateningly handsome.

    Though he was gravely injured, he didn¡¯t appear at all depleted.

    The only issue was the bone-deep bitterness that reflected out of his deep and dark pupils. He stared at Lu Jiao with such coldness.

    If he was able to move, Lu Jiao had no doubt in her mind that he would snap her neck.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin noticed that Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t moved. Exasperated and disgusted, he spoke again, ¡°I had demanded that you stop beating them. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±

    Lu Jiao heard him and automatically wanted to exin herself, ¡°I..?¡±

    Before she could speak, however, there was the sound of footsteps at the door. Before the person entered, a caring voice was heard first.

    ¡°Third little brother, how are you feeling today? Are you better?¡±

    Everyone in the room looked over at the person who just entered. He was dark and thin, with a hunchback. Though he wasn¡¯t yet 30, he looked as old as someone in their 40s.

    This was Xie Yunjin¡¯s second eldest brother, Xie Erzhu.

    Three days ago, Xie Yunjin got injured after he was stomped on by a horse carriage while in town. His parents, Xie Laogen and Xie Laotai, reacted fast and hired a doctor from Baohe Tang to look after Xie Junjie.

    The initial prognosis was that due to the graveness of the injury, a lot of money was required to treat Xie Junjie. However, even after treatment, he may be disabled and would have to spend the rest of his life paralyzed in bed.

    Xie Laogen and Xie Laotai¡¯s faces dropped upon those words. They then started to discuss whether or not they should pay for treatment. Was there a point to treatment? Plus, with Xie Junjie paralyzed, who would take care of him and his family?

    Xie Laogen and Xie Laotai birthed four sons and one daughter. Xie Yunjin was their third child. Xie Laogen liked his eldest son the best while Xia Laotai favored the youngest pair of twins.

    Xie Yunjin and his second brother were never their parents¡¯ favorites.

    However, when Xie Yunjin was eight, his tutor hired from town discovered him to be extremely intelligent. The tutor went to his family and managed to convince Xie Laogen and Xie Laotai to send Xie Yunjin to school.

    He performed shockingly well at school. First, he was chosen as the top pupil, thenter, the schr.

    He was the only educated member of the Xie family over thest several decades. The vige where the Xie family lived was extremely proud of him. Xie Laogen and Xie Laotai became respected because of him and therefore started to treat him well. Who knew that the sudden ident and grave injury would once again knock him into the abyss.

    In the end, the Xie family discussed and decided to move Xie Yunjin¡¯s family out. They gave Xie Yunjin five taels of silver for treatment. Whether the treatment would turn out to be a sess or failure, they would ept that as his fate.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife didn¡¯t agree to this. However, the Xie family didn¡¯t care about her opinion. They moved them into the old house anyway.

    She was angry and refused to spend any money on Xie Yunjin¡¯s treatment. In the end, it was Xie Erzhu who took out the money Xie Yunjin gave him as support from before. He bought medicine from Baohe Tang and snuck into the mountains to brew it. Only after he fed Xie Yunjin that medicine, did Xie Yunjin manage to survive.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin heard Xie Erzhu¡¯s words, and his brows softened somewhat.

    ¡°Second brother, I am much better.¡±

    Xie Erzhu sighed in relief and rushed to his bedside, ¡°Third little brother, drink up the medicine. Later, I will change the medicinal gel on you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was tempted to ask if they needed help.

    Before she could ask, however, Xie Yunjin snapped his head around. The look in his eyes was cold like icicles that formed over nine different winters, ¡°Get the hell out.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chastise the White Lotus

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened. She yed with her fingers and then turned to leave. It wasn¡¯t the right time to say anything so it would be better to stay quiet.

    Plus, the entire family hasn¡¯t eaten all morning. It would be better for her to check out the kitchen and make some food.

    She then walked towards the kitchen in giant leaps.

    There was quite some stuff in the kitchen. Other than the food the Xie family gave them when they were forced out, which included 50kg of brown rice and 25kg of cornflour, Lu Jiao¡¯s own family dropped off 2kg of white rice, eggs, and sugar. The glutinous rice and soybeans were all gifts from the vigers.

    Ah, there was also a hen in the corner. This hen was stolen by the original Lu Jiao from the Xie family when they were moved out.

    Back then, the eldest daughter-inw, Chen Liu, rushed out to take it back, but Xie Laogen stopped her.

    Lu Jiao scanned around the kitchen and immediately came up with an idea. She made porridge with the rice, then took three eggs and made savory crepes with the cornflour.

    By the time she was done, she had sweated from exhaustion. She very much wanted to sit on the ground and rest.

    However, she thought about the four starved brats and the paralyzed Xie Yunjin, epted her fate, and wiped the sweat off her face. She walked towards the east bedroom.

    Before she could enter, she first heard some soft and weak voices.

    ¡°Third brother Xie, you must be hungry. I made this porridge, especially for you. Hurry and have a bowl. Or else your body will get too weak.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to these soft and tactful words. Subconsciously, she stood by the door and peered inside to see who it was.

    Other than Xie Yunjin, Xie Erzhu, and the four little boys, there was now a delicate-looking woman in the room. She was slender and she wore a long white dress with a tied-up band as the belt. This cinched her waist and made her outline appear like a skinny willow tree branch. Her silhouette from the back alone left a lot of room for imagination.

    Lu Jiao stared at her and quickly dug her out of her memories. This woman was one of the vigers from the Xie vige. Her name was Shen Xiu.

    The rumor was that Shen Xiu and Xie Yunjin were childhood friends who had always liked each other. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Jiao¡¯s interference, Shen Xiu most likely would¡¯ve married Xie Yunjin.

    Due to this rumor, the original Lu Jiao got into a huge fight with Xie Yunjin. Only when Xie Yunjin made it clear that he did not intend to marry Shen Xiu, did she let this go.

    After Shen Xiu learned that there was no hope of marrying Xie Yunjin, Shen Xiu¡¯s family arranged for her to marry someone else. Sadly, after four years of marriage, her husband passed away and she became a widow with a daughter.

    The Su n thought that the widow was easy to take advantage of and so they kicked her and her daughter out. These days, Shen Xiu lived with her own family, which wasn¡¯t far from here.

    Lu Jiao was lost in her own thoughts when Xie Yunjin¡¯s crips and weakened voice arose, ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Take it back.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words flustered Shen Xiu, who quickly argued, ¡°Third brother Xie, how can you not eat?¡±

    Beside the bed, Xie Erzhu, who had changed the medicinal gel on Xie Yunjin, nced at Shen Xiu, ¡°I will cook for my brother in a bit. You should take that with you and go home.¡±

    Shen Xiu was a widow. How could a young widow go to someone else¡¯s home and act attentive? Third brother was an honorable schr. Nobody had the right to ruin his reputation.

    Shen Xiu was about to argue more when Lu Jiao walked in. Furious, she stared at Shen Xiu, ¡°Why are you in my home?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want toe in originally. But the entire family hasn¡¯t eaten since morning. She, herself was hungry so the four young boys must be too.

    In order to stay true to her character, Lu Jiao got angry at Shen Xiu right away. She thought this reaction made sense given the original host¡¯s personality.

    Those words made Shen Xiu speak unkindly, ¡°I came over to bring food for my third brother. He¡¯s wounded badly and he has to eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned devious as she continued to gawk at Shen Xiu. She yelled angrily, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯re a widow whose husband died so you run around to other people¡¯s homes? Are you still thinking of seducing my husband?¡±

    Shen Xiu¡¯s eyes turned red after she heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words. She then nced over to Xie Yunjin and started to cry.

    ¡°Third brother Xie, how can she use me so? I simply cannot bear the thought of you going hungry.¡±

    Those sporadic sobs could invite pity from anyone.

    If this was any other man, they may grow to pity her. However, the person she faced was the cold-hearted Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows didn¡¯t even flinch as he muttered, ¡°Take your stuff and go home.¡±

    Shen Xiu wanted to say more but Lu Jiao started to curse, ¡°You want me to drag you out? If you aren¡¯t going to be embarrassed, I¡¯d be happy to drag you out.¡±

    She then started to roll up her sleeve. Shen Xiu¡¯s face turned white. Though she was a widow, she still needed to save her face. Before Lu Jiao could act, Shen Xiu picked up her basket and left.

    Afterward, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t acknowledge Shen Xiu and simply looked at Lu Jiao with disgust, ¡°Get out.¡±

    Lu Jiao was somewhat angry to hear that. However, when she remembered all the sins the original hostmitted, she endured. Instead, she peered at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°I made porridge and egg crepes. Should I bring some in here for you?¡±

    Her words made everyone in the room look over and stare at her. Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was so cloudy that raindrops might fall from it. His voice was cold, ¡°What trick are you ying now?¡±

    Then, a bloody and hostile air engulfed his gaze. The most tragic event in his life was when he met this woman. She was like a demon who wed onto him.

    Ever since he married her, she would find all sorts of irrational ways to bother him. He originally thought that after she had four kids, he would shift her focus onto the kids and the family would live in harmony.

    Who knew that after giving birth, this woman¡¯s behavior worsened. Not only did she strike other people¡¯s kids, but she also hit and cursed at her own.

    Three days ago, he was so worried that this woman would beat the children while he was away, that he rushed his way home and was hit by the horse carriage. This was the reason why he was gravely injured.

    If he wasn¡¯t so worried about his children, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten so hurt. He may never stand up again in this lifetime.

    That thought brewed bloody intent in him and it surged in his eyes.

    As a military doctor, Lu Jiao sensed Xie Yunjin¡¯s killer¡¯s intent right away. She tapped her fingers. If this man was able to move around easily, there was no way he would let her go.

    Lu Jiao wanted to remain in character and so she howled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Yunjin, what¡¯s the meaning of this? I kind-heartedly cooked you a meal yet you are doubting me? Me?¡±

    Lu Jiao moved her fat body as if she was going to lie on the ground. This was amon tactic the original host used. When there was a conflict, she would start rolling on the ground and curse.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin watched as Lu Jiao got ready to m onto the ground. His forehead throbbed and his expression became terrifyingly dark. Then, he ordered through gritted teeth, ¡°Go bring in the food.¡±

    Lu Jiao instantly stopped herself. She turned around and rolled her eyes.

    [So there is something you are scared of.]

    She walked into the kitchen in giant leaps and quickly poured out five bowls of porridge. She put those on an old and broken table and ced the crepes onto a chipped te. Then, she carried the little table into the east bedroom.

    Lu Jiao was smart enough not to stay. After she put down the table, she brandished her arms and left angrily.

 Chapter 3

    Slow Down, Don¡¯t Panic

    In unison, the people in the room looked over to the porridge and crepes on the table. The four little boys stared at the steaming white porridge and the fragrant egg crepes. They couldn¡¯t help but gulp.

    It¡¯s been a long time since they¡¯ve had such fresh porridge and they¡¯ve definitely never eaten crepes this delicious.

    The Xie family had a lot of people and there was never enough food left over for them. Normally, the food they did get was taken away by that evil woman. So, most of the time, they never got to eat until everyone else was full and this was why they were so boney and pale.

    Though the four little ones were hungry enough to gulp down their saliva, they didn¡¯t move. They all stared at their dad who was in bed.

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes and pondered over Lu Jiao¡¯s abnormal behavior today.

    That woman used to try and please him once upon a time. However, today was the first time she acted so generously. He was suspicious that she had other intentions.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and said to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, can you bring me the food and let me check them out?¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded at the suggestion. It was a good idea to carefully investigate; that woman may just poison the porridge and the crepes.

    Honestly, he himself had never seen her so generous. Unusual urrences normally meant something was up. So, it was better to look into this.

    After Xie Yunjin checked out the food, he realized that there was no poison in the food. Just what was that woman nning?

    An eerie coldness shed across Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. However, he quickly turned his head to look at the four little ones by his bedside, ¡°You all should eat.¡±

    The four little ones said in unison, ¡°Daddy, you eat first.¡±

    Their words softened Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart a little. These boys were the people who could truly touch him at his softest spot.

    ¡°Yes, I will eat with you guys. Go ahead.¡±

    The four little ones nodded happily and then walked to the table. Inside the room, Xie Erzhu took a bowl to feed it to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin wounded his head so he couldn¡¯t move well. Every movement made him dizzy and nauseous.

    Other than his head, he had three broken ribs and internal bleeding from the spleen. Luckily, the volume of blood he lost was low, which allowed him to be able to take medicine and heal slowly. As for his legs¡­

    The thought of his legs turned him gloomy.

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao efficiently ate a bowl of porridge. Honestly, she wanted to eat more because she was so hungry. However, when she looked at her bby belly, she decided to portion control from now on.

    As Lu Jiao started to do the dishes, she remembered the people in the east bedroom, who should be done eating by now, she decided to go and get their dirty dishes as well.

    Outside the east bedroom window, she suddenly heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s maic voice.

    ¡°Xie Wenyao, Xie Wenjia, Xie Wenshao, and Xie Wenyu, take your own bowls to the kitchen and wash them.¡±

    Since half a year ago, Xie Yunjin had trained his four little guys to do what they could around the house. So these four little beans didn¡¯t object when they heard their dad¡¯s orders and agreed right away.

    ¡°Yes, daddy.¡±

    Outside the window, Lu Jiao heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words and reacted as if thunderstruck. She was petrified from shock.

    Because now, she had confirmed something. Not only did she travel through time, but she also transmigrated into a novel.

    Not long ago, a wounded woman was treated in the hospital. She brought a novel with her to read. In the novel, there were four viins whomitted all sorts of evil crimes. They would kill people without batting an eye. However, in the novel, the four viins were killed after the male and female protagonists cooperated. The four viins had a dad, who was the First Assistant and in order to avenge his sons, the First Assistant turned into the big boss in the novel and was only killed by the protagonists at the end of the novel.

    The four viins had a devious mother ¨C the wife of the First Assistant. Their evil mother died young and her name was Lu Jiao. The four viins were named Xie Wenyao, Xie Wenjia, Xie Wenshao, and Xie Wenyu. That First Assistant was named Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face grew unpleasant.

    She had transmigrated into the future viins¡¯ devious mother and the wife of the First Assistant who died young. How unfortunate.

    Lu Jiao was going crazy when the four little ones came out of the room with their bowls and chopsticks. One of the boys held onto two tes and one of them was therge one that contained the eggs crepes.

    The moment the four kids saw her, they started to edge away out of fear. Their careful manners were not at all like viins who would kill without blinking.

    Lu Jiao looked at these four little beans who were only up to her knees, then she looked into the room to see the paralyzed man who will one day be the First Assistant. Silently, she told herself.

    [Slow down. Don¡¯t panic.]

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Erzhu caringly asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, do you need to pee?¡±

    Xie Erzhu was amoner who¡¯d never read a single book in his life. The way he spoke was also very straightforward. However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    ¡°Not right now. Second brother, you should go back and do your own thing.¡±

    Xie Erzhu and his wife were theborers of the Xie family. They were in charge of all the dirty and tiring tasks around the house. Their two daughters, despite their young age, were also asked to feed the chickens and the ducks.

    Before, Xie Yunjin had warned Xie Erzhu and his wife to slow down and work less. However, those two were honest hard workers.

    Due to this, Xie Yunjin would sneak some silver to those two just so they could buy some good food in private and nourish their bodies.

    He had no idea that there woulde a day when his kindness would be rewarded. When everyone else had given up on him, his second eldest brother used all the money he had to seek advice from the doctor.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s emotions were unspeakablyplex. As Xie Erzhu turned to leave, he muttered, ¡°Third younger brother, I¡¯ll go home first to do some work and I¡¯lle and check up on you in the afternoon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin silently watched him leave and he wondered whether or not he¡¯d be able to stand up again in this lifetime. If he could, he promised to treat his second eldest brother¡¯s family well.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao saw Xie Erzhue and she weakly greeted, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re going back?¡±

    Xie Erzhu stared at his sister-inw in awe. Was she possessed? This was so scary.

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t dare to stay and headed out of the courtyard right away. However, after a few steps, a crash came from the kitchen.

    Someone had broken a bowl in the kitchen.

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s expression changed and he nced at Lu Jiao speedily. Lu Jiao walked towards the kitchen and afraid that she would hit the kids again, Xie Erzhu followed her.

    Inside the kitchen, the youngest one, the Fourth Born, identally broke his bowl while washing it. He was now in tears because he was so startled.

    The moment Lu Jiao got into the kitchen, the First Born stood up, ¡°Me. I was the one who broke it.¡±

    The Second Born chimed in, ¡°I broke it.¡±

    The Third Born was quick to follow, ¡°I broke it. It was me.¡±

    Those three were obviously scared as their little legs quivered. However, they refused to retreat.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think much of this but she didn¡¯t go up to them tofort them. Right now, she wasn¡¯t sure how she should deal with this situation.

    ¡°Enough, get out of here.¡±

    The four little ones thought they heard wrong and they exchanged nces. The First Born was the first to react. He grabbed the Fourth Born¡¯s hands and lifted his legs to run. Behind them, the Second and Third born escaped in a hurry as well.

    Lu Jiao walked over to start washing the bowls. Those four little guys were like baby chickens. Why would they bother washing the dishes?

 Chapter 4

    The Reappearance of the Space

    Before the door, Xie Erzhu watched everything unfold. Suspicious, he wondered why his third sister-inw acted like a different person? If she could always act this way, that would be wonderful. However, her current state terrified him. He had a feeling that she had suppressed herself just to make a big moveter.

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t dare to speak and turned to leave.

    Later, Lu Jiao washed the dishes and thought, what should she do now? It was impossible to stay put in the Xie family. Not only was her rtionship with Xie Yunjin and the four kids very tense, she had also never thought she¡¯d take someone else¡¯s man and children.

    Thus, she didn¡¯t think she should stay. However, how should she get out of here?

    Lu Jiao thought about it. In the Great Zhou Empire, women were allowed to be the head of the household. She could peacefully separate from Xie Yunjin and then head over to Yamen to start her own household. There, she could stay with the original host¡¯s family at the Apricot Flower Vige.

    But it was not the right time to separate from her husband. Xie Yunjin was paralyzed and the four weaklings were no stronger than baby chickens. If she brought up separation now, the future First Assistant would never forgive her. Especially when she remembered how he wound up the ultimate viin in the book! Therefore, the best choice was not to leave now.

    It would be better to first cure Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs.

    That idea brightened Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes.

    That was right. If she could cure Xie Yunjin and raise the four little ones to be chubby and healthy, Xie Yunjin may just hate her less. If she leaves him then, he may just spare her life.

    Then, they could each walk their own roads and never cross paths ever again. As for those four little viins and that one big viin¡¯s fate, there was nothing she could do to change that. Even if she wanted to alter their fate, nobody would humor her and she may just lose her own life in the process.

    Lu Jiao very quickly started to think about Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. His legs were heavily injured. The doctor had said that the horse carriage had crushed his bones. In order to heal his legs, they must find the best military doctor to perform surgery on him.

    That was right. There were military doctors in the Zhou Empire¡¯s army who knew how to perform this surgery. However, those who knew were far too few and that was why the doctor from Baohe Tang said treatment would be difficult.

    Lu Jiao naturally wasn¡¯t worried about surgery. She had the knowledge to perform it. However, in the world she was in now, surgery should only be performed if she could ensure no hups.

    Just as she thought of that, she felt her palm grow hot.

    Instinctively, she looked down and saw a flickering me-cloud pattern show up on her palm. That was her space¡­

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart started to tremble. Her space transmigrated with her?

    Lu Jiao quickly opened her space and found that her world truly did follow her here. Everything in her space was left untouched.

    Her space was modest in size but it was very incredible. Inside, there was a stream and a piece of farnd. Beside the stream was a three-roomed bamboo house.

    The bamboo house contained much medical equipment and somemonly used medicine. In the east room of the house, there was a bookshelf filled with all sorts of books.

    On the plot ofnd outside her home, she had nted many medicinal herbs. They included ginseng, ganoderma and astragalus. On the edges of thend, she grew a variety of fruits. Currently, there were even some hanging on the branches.

    On the most inner corner of thend were green onions, ginger, garlic, and other simr nts. She nted these so it would be convenient when she cooked.

    Lu Jiao stared at all of this and felt her energy was restored. With all these, she won¡¯t have any trouble with Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs and would be able to feed those four little ones. She had no reason to worry about her life being difficult going forward.

    The gods were truly kind to her. Lu Jiao smiled and all the worry that was on her face vanished.

    She did the dishes and efficiently picked up the hen from the corner of the kitchen. She was going to kill it to make chicken soup and fatten up the four little ones.

    The porridge and egg crepes for breakfast had already shocked the four little beans yet somehow, for lunch, they were fed brown rice and chicken soup.

    Though the brown rice was crunchy, Lu Jiao mixed some white rice with the brown so it was easier to chew. Plus, the chicken soup was fresh out of the pot.

    The four little beans were stunned and they couldn¡¯t believe what they saw.

    Rice? Chicken soup? Was this New Year¡¯s? No. Even during New Year¡¯s, they didn¡¯t get to eat this well. This was rice! And chicken soup! And there was so much meat in the soup.

    The four boys looked up at Lu Jiao then turned to look at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were narrowed as he gloomily stared at Lu Jiao. Just what was this woman nning?

    There was no way Xie Yunjin would believe that this woman had changed. How could someone¡¯s core traits change? So this woman must be up to something.

    Could it be that the good food was used to numb them so that when the opportunity came, she could poison them?

    Xie Yunjin felt a rush of hatred in his heart as he gawked at Lu Jiao in disgust, ¡°Just what are you doing? You want to poison us so you can escape?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words scared the four little boys and their expressions changed. The four of them flew to the head of the bed.

    Lu Jiao had no energy for this. This situation was difficult to smooth out. However, no matter how hard it was, she had to try.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, what¡¯s wrong with you? I give you good food yet you call me a bad person? If I knew this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have cooked. Poison? I sure want to poison you all. But where do I get poison from?¡±

    Lu Jiao leaned over angrily and spooned out some rice. She shoved it in her mouth, then drank from the soup bowl.

    ¡°Did I die from poison?¡±

    Then, furious, she left the room. At the door, she ran into Xie Erzhu, who had brought taro and fish soup.

    Lu Jiao red at him and walked out. Xie Erzhu retreated to the side to let her through. He never dared to provoke this sister-inw. She was some character.

    After Lu Jiao left, Xie Yunjin said to the four little ones, ¡°Go eat then.¡±

    If Lu Jiao dared to hurt these four boys, he would die himself before he let her escape. He would skin her alive and make her regret her life.

    The four little ones heard their dad and said nicely, ¡°Daddy, you eat too.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and asked Xie Erzhu toe in and feed him.

    Xie Erzhu saw the rice and soup and was very surprised, ¡°Sister-inw killed the hen? That¡¯s the right thing to do. Your health isn¡¯t great so you need the nutrition.¡±

    Xie Erzhu ced the taro and fish soup onto the table and poured a bowl to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Towards Lu Jiao¡¯s behavior, Xie Erzhu was very confused. He had always thought that Xie Yunjin was smart so he couldn¡¯t help but to mumble.

    ¡°Third brother, what¡¯s up with the sister-inw?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark eyes were brewing a storm as he said in a low voice, ¡°She must be plotting something.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if she was getting them to put their guards down by giving them good food. Then, once their guards were down, she would poison them and run away.

    Logically, Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t dare to do that. Because she would be executed if she poisoned her husband and her children. However, that woman was as stupid as a pig and she would never think of that.

    Regardless, Xie Yunjin had no intention of giving her the opportunity to seed!

 Chapter 5

    Why not kill him

    Inside the east bedroom, the father and sons ate lunch while Lu Jiao had her meal inside the kitchen. The chicken soup was a little oily so she spooned out the oil and drank the clear soup.

    Scared that those four little beans would break another bowl while they cleaned up, Lu Jiao carefully listened to any noises from inside the east bedroom. The moment it sounded like they were done, she went into the room to clean up the dishes.

    This time, the four little ones stood as far away from her as possible. However, they didn¡¯t react as scared as they were when she woke up this morning.

    Lu Jiao ignored them. She didn¡¯t nce at Xie Yunjin either and simply picked up the dirty dishes.

    Behind her, Xie Erzhu mumbled in confusion, ¡°Third brother, your wife seems to be different now. She hasn¡¯t bothered you all day. Normally, she would be all over you asking for praises andpliments.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought her behavior made sense. As he had previously stated, she was plotting something.

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t stay long in the afternoon. After he fed Xie Yunjin and helped him to pee, he went home.

    In the afternoon, Lu Jiao napped in the west bedroom. She had been busy all morning and was exhausted.

    Though she wanted to lose weight, she couldn¡¯t be impatient and had to do it slowly.

    After her nap, she did a yoga routine designed to lose weight. After she was drenched in sweat, she went to the kitchen to boil some water for a bath.

    At night, she boiled some chicken porridge with vegetables. She shredded the leftover chicken from lunch and added some vegetables. It tasted great.

    However, Lu Jiao secretly added some water from the stream from her space. This water helped condition the body. She didn¡¯t dare to add too much of it as too much of the stream water would cause the porridge to taste sweet and she didn¡¯t want to get caught.

    Xie Yunjin carefully checked the food for poison. After he made sure it was clean, he allowed the kids to eat.

    The meals today made the four little ones feel like they were in a dream. They even suspected that Lu Jiao had gone dumb.

    The four of them murmured to each other and hoped that she would stay stupid. That way, they would continue to get yummy food.

    Lu Jiao heard their conversation and didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Just what went on inside their heads?

    After dinner, she went to clean up the dishes. There, Xie Yunjin suddenly spoke up, ¡°Lu Jiao, stay in the east bedroom tonight and help take care of us.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao and Xie Erzhu both raised their heads.

    For the past three days, it was Xie Erzhu who slept in the east bedroom and helped out throughout the night.

    Who knew that today, Xie Yunjin would ask Lu Jiao to stay and take care of him.

    Xie Erzhu was shocked and said, ¡°Third brother, just let me do it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve been here for days now. It¡¯s better for you to go home and spend some time with my sister-inw. Tomorrow, you cane back.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was still worried and carefully shot Lu Jiao a look.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face was a little heavy as she narrowed her eyes at Xie Yunjin. Why did this guy ask her to spend the night? There was no way she would agree to sleep in the same room as him.

    Could it be that he wanted to kill her? But he couldn¡¯t even move.

    Or maybe he simply wanted Xie Erzhu to go home and spend time with his wife. After all, Xie Erzhu did stay here for three nights by now.

    That was a reasonable exnation.

    Despite her thoughts, she remained cautious. However, she didn¡¯t decline out loud.

    After all, this guy will be the final boss. She had to make sure their rtionship wasn¡¯t too tense.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed and Xie Erzhu couldn¡¯t say much else. After he helped Xie Yunjin clean up, he left.

    When Lu Jiao went to wash the dishes, the four little boys crowded Xie Yunjin and mumbled unhappily inside the bedroom.

    ¡°Daddy, why would you let her sleep in our room?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her in our room.¡±

    ¡°Tell her to get out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were as dark as the night sky and his gaze could suffocate anyone.

    ¡°Enough. We need your uncle to rest well tonight. Tomorrow, I will tell her to get out.¡±

    The four little ones finally stopped and quietly crawled into bed to sleep beside Xie Yunjin. For the past few days, they¡¯ve slept like this. Only when they were beside Xie Yunjin, did they feel safe.

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao washed all the dishes and went to retrieve bedding from the west bedroom. As she headed to the east bedroom, she cautioned herself to be careful tonight and not get harmed by Xie Yunjin. She didn¡¯t want to be the wife who died young.

    Despite her ns, the moment sheid down, she realized just how tired she was. Plus, it was easy for her giant body to fall asleep. As sheid down, her eyelids dropped.

    Despite this, Lu Jiao pretended to be asleep and waited quietly for Xie Yunjin¡¯s movement. She wanted to see what he would pull off.

    Given Xie Yunjin¡¯s intelligence, he must know that murder came with consequences. If he killed his wife, it would tarnish his reputation and he would be incriminated. Once she was dead, he would be executed. Where would that leave those four little beans?

    So, the most likely scenario was that he would kill her and make it look like she had killed herself.

    The more Lu Jiao about it, the colder her heart grew. She did everything she could to stay awake but the man in the bed didn¡¯t move an inch.

    Lu Jiao carefully listened to his breathing and discovered that he wasn¡¯t faking it ¨C he had truly fallen asleep.

    So was all of this her imagination?

    Although Lu Jiao endured untilte into the night, in the end, she really couldn¡¯t stay awake anymore and fell deep asleep.

    The moment she fell asleep, the man on the bed opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp like daggers that could sh all in sight.

    Lu Jiao was soundly asleep and didn¡¯t notice the noise. She even dreamt of her other life. After her death, herrades mourned her in pain, and her parents, who each found their own true love, attended her funeral.

    Lu Jiao was engrossed in her dreams when she felt someone strangling her neck, hard. It suddenly became hard to breathe.

    She jolted awake and lifted her arm to hit the person guilty of choking her.

    With a loud bang, the person mmed into the wall. Lu Jiao was now fully awake as she stared at the person.

    It waste into the night and the moonlight shone through the window and reflected directly onto the man.

    The man¡¯s handsome visage appeared unspeakably troubled. His eyes were somewhat red as he stared at her with absolute disgust.

    Right now, he acted like a demon who had just crawled into this world from hell. All he wanted was to eat Lu Jiao¡¯s flesh and drink Lu Jiao¡¯s blood.

    Lu Jiao finally caught sight of the person who choked her. It was the heavily wounded and paralyzed Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Are you crazy? Why aren¡¯t you sleeping and why are you strangling me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes turned redder at Lu Jiao¡¯s words. His gaze was ridden with killer¡¯s intent.

    ¡°Yes, I am crazy. I am crazy because of you. You have ruined my supposedly great life. So, I am going to kill you.¡±

    He felt dizzy and he wanted to vomit, but he gritted his teeth and endured as he crawled toward Lu Jiao. It appeared that unless he achieved what he came here for, he would not give up.

    Lu Jiao got up and pped him unconscious.

    Xie Yunjin finally silenced as he fell onto the ground quietly and unmoving.

    Lu Jiao stared at him. A dark thought sprouted inside her heart. Why not kill him? If he was dead, then she wouldn¡¯t need to worry he¡¯d seek revenge in the future.

 Chapter 6

    Poison to Kill Mother

    Lu Jiao quickly erased her devious thoughts. If she killed him right here and now, she would be no different than those criminals who kill without batting an eye. Plus, if she killed Xie Yunjin now, what would the kids do?

    On top of that, Xie Yunjin was the viin in the novel. If he was dead, the book would no longer make sense. Once the book stopped making sense, she would die.

    Lu Jiao helped Xie Yunjin up and carried him onto his bed.

    It was easy for her to carry him. Somehow, she did not need to use a lot of strength to carry this grown man. This was the benefit of her space. In her previous life, after she gained her space, she also grew very strong. In this life, her space followed her. So naturally, she was strong here too.

    The sky had started to turn bright. Lu Jiao needed this opportunity to sleep. She hadn¡¯t slept all night and her body was exhausted.

    By the time she opened her eyes again, it was morning. The four little boys had run off to god knows where.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin had woken up as well. He stared at her quietly as if everything that happenedst night was simply a dream. As if nothing unusual went on.

    Lu Jiao was speechless and pursed her lips. She decided to go out and make some breakfast. On the bed, Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°Get me a cup of water.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to ask him if he was thirsty because of his midnight workout. But in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything and went to fetch some cold water from the kitchen.

    ¡°There¡¯s no hot water. Do you drink it cold?¡±

    The man in the bed had no objection, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lu Jiao carried the water over and was troubled. How did this work?

    ¡°Do I feed you?¡±

    Though this free husband had a handsome face, he was a stranger to her. Plus, most importantly, he wanted to kill her. So Lu Jiao didn¡¯t dare to step too close to him.

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    He took over the water and struggled to drink it while lopsided.

    Xie Yunjin hurt his head, chest, and legs but his arms were fine. He was capable of carrying some objects. However, his movements remained limited as moving caused headaches and nausea.

    Lu Jiao noticed that his hands shook while he drank and it dripped everywhere. Subconsciously, she looked for something she could use to wipe him off.

    The moment she turned around, the man in bed threw the bowl onto the ground. He then quickly grabbed onto one of the broken porcin pieces and struggled his way towards Lu Jiao. With one hand, he tried to grab Lu Jiao¡¯s neck while his other hand with the porcin shard aimed to sh the major artery on Lu Jiao¡¯s neck.

    Lu Jiao sensed the violent movement behind her right away. She leaned to the side to dodge the attack and swung her arm. Her punch knocked Xie Yunjin back into the bed.

    As a military doctor, she was military trained. Her movements were quick and efficient. There was no way Xie Yunjin could sneak up on her. Plus, he was very much injured, and no matter how fast he was, his movements were blunt and dyed.

    Lu Jiao was angry this time. She went up to the bed and ced her hands around Xie Yunjin¡¯s neck. Furious, she cursed, ¡°You want to die? If you want to die, I can grant you your wish.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin stopped. The choking motion made it hard for him to breathe as he stared at her with his eyes wide open.

    ¡°If you kill me, you will die too.¡±

    Lu Jiao was clear in the head. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to gain this life. She didn¡¯t want to die. She loosened her grip a little but the words she breathed out remained harsh.

    ¡°If you dare to try and kill me again, don¡¯t me me for defending myself and killing you first.¡±

    Even if he was going to be the final boss, she wasn¡¯t going to sit around and do nothing.

    After she warned him, she heard footsteps by the door.

    Lu Jiao thought of the four little ones and let go of Xie Yunjin.

    No matter what, they shouldn¡¯t fight in front of the kids. Parents were the children¡¯s mirror. If they fight in front of the kids, the kids would be traumatized.

    Lu Jiao turned to look at the door and found the First Born had stumbled in with a bowl of water.

    He was obviously very scared but he did his best to remain calm. He walked his way to Lu Jiao, ¡°Water for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao strangely nced at the little fe. He didn¡¯t like her so why would he give her water? That was too good to be true.

    Given that this little guy couldn¡¯t even stand still while he held the big bowl, she took the bowl over. Observing it, she instantly saw through their trick. The water had been poisoned.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed right away. They dared to poison her? And he had used jasmine grass.

    No wonder these kids grew up to be viins.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have any intention of educating the four kids. However, for this to happen right in front of her meant she couldn¡¯t just say nothing.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and headed to the bed with the bowl of water. As she walked, she said, ¡°Your dad is thirsty. Let¡¯s give this water to him.¡±

    Her words made the First Born¡¯s face drop. He shouted quickly, ¡°No! Don¡¯t let dad drink it.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Lu Jiao stopped her steps and turned to stare at the First Born. The little guy started to tremble then. This woman was very evil. If she found out that he tried to poison her, she would for sure beat him to death.

    The First Born started to cry. Lu Jiao restarted her walk to the bed, ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a story behind the water. Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s give your dad a taste.¡±

    The First Born started to scream, ¡°Don¡¯t. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s poisoned.¡±

    With a cold grin on her face, she looked at Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°You father and son duo surely share the same heart. The old one wants to kill me, the little one wants to poison me. You two are great.¡±

    Lu Jiao paused before she continued, ¡°I want to ask Schr Xie, for your son to poison his mother at such a young age, how much more capable will your son grow up to be in the future? Do you want your son to be an evil thief whomits all sorts of crimes?¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face changed color. He yelled at the First Born with a dark expression, ¡°First Born, tell me, where did you get the poison?¡±

    With tears in his eyes, the First Born said, ¡°Last time, I sawdy Shen eat this. She almost died after.¡±

    So, after he witnessed his father¡¯s failed attempt to kill this evil womanst night, he got up early to find this poison.

    He didn¡¯t think the evil woman would find out. The First Born started to cry out of sadness.

    Lu Jiao watched Xie Yunjin, ¡°As a father, you¡¯ve set a great example. If he didn¡¯t see you do what you didst night, he never would¡¯ve thought to do this. Poison his own mother? If this information got known, you think your son would have a future?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped. With his eyes gloomy and heavy, he stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°He¡¯s just a child.¡±

    ¡°A child who knows how to poison his own mother. Once he grows up, god knows how much worse he¡¯ll be.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t give Xie Yunjin another look and said to the First Born, ¡°Go get a stick.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed and he shouted, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao angrily screamed back, ¡°Something like this deserves punishment. If you don¡¯t punish him, he will get the nerve to kill others and set buildings on fire.¡±

    She continued to stare at the First Born. Before he could answer, the Second, Third, and Fourth Borns all rushed inside.

    ¡°We did it. Hit us instead.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit brother, hit us.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Daddy, Don¡¯t Hit Him

    Lu Jiao continued to stare at them with a long face. Once again, she ordered, ¡°Go get me a stick.¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t stop her. For the First Born to do what he did today, he deserved punishment. Or else he truly won¡¯t learn just how high the heavens were.

    At this moment, Xie Yunjin felt regretful. He shouldn¡¯t have done what he did in front of the kids. He should¡¯ve thought of another way.

    The First Born¡¯s eyes were red as his legs trembled. He didn¡¯t know how to walk properly anymore as his body swayed with each step forward.

    He would be beaten to death by that evil woman. Waaaa, he was going to die.

    Though scared, he still found the stick the original host used to hit them with.

    Lu Jiao took over the stick and while she watched the four lined up kids, she lectured expressionlessly, ¡°You three, watch this. If you do what you did today again, you will receive the same punishment.¡±

    She ordered the First Born, ¡°Give me your hands.¡±

    The First Born extended his boney hands. The sight of his hands made Lu Jiao quite sad. But she remembered how evil and ruthless they¡¯ll turn out and pped the First Born¡¯s palm with the stick.

    As she hit his hand, she lectured in a low voice, ¡°Yes, it was my fault for hitting you in the past, but I am simply amon woman from the vige. If my reputation gets tarnished, nothing will happen to me. However, you guys are going to get educated and you¡¯re going to get honorable jobs. If anyone finds out that you once poisoned your mother, what path would be left for you? How do you be good citizens then?¡±

    That one strike on the First Born¡¯s hand made the other three cry. As they cried, they begged.

    ¡°Stop hitting him. We won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t try to hurt you again. We¡¯ll let you hit us in the future.¡±

    Their words made it impossible for Lu Jiao to hate them and strike hard. The strikes grew soft and after 20 strikes to the palm, she looked at the First Born.

    ¡°Remember, think before you do something. If you want to do something, consider whether or not you should. Until you¡¯re certain, it¡¯s best not to do it.¡±

    The quadruplets were only four years old. They were still unsure what those words meant and only nodded as they listened.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin kept his gaze on this woman.

    She sure appeared capable while she educated his sons ¨C not at all stupid like before. However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t believe that this capability was hers to have. Someone must have taught her behind their back. Was it his mother-inw?

    His mother-inw was once a servant for a rich family in town. She had seen and experienced much more than normalmoners.

    His mother-inw must¡¯ve taught her all this. Xie Yunjin smiled sarcastically as he coldly stared at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao nced around the room and spoke slowly, ¡°Now I finally know how much you all hate me.¡±

    She paused, then looked at Xie Yunjin on the bed, ¡°Let us have a serious chat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t answer so Lu Jiao continued steadily, ¡°Xie Yunjin as you should know, I wasn¡¯t always like this. When I lived with my parents, I wasn¡¯t like this. Back then, I may have been a little spoiled but I never would¡¯ve acted so unreasonably.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t lie. Back at her parents¡¯ ce, she would have some harsh requests, but to the outsiders, she had always been somewhat good and she never rolled around angrily or hit people without a good reason.

    The reason why she turned out this way was partially because of Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°I am now the way I am because I wasn¡¯t able to receive what I wanted. I married into the Xie family with high hopes. I wanted you to like me and be nice to me. Sadly, not only am I not in your heart, you even hate me.¡±

    She married into the Xie family with the expectation of having a good husband. The result was that her husband was cold and aloof. This was why the original host got more and more unreasonable as time went on. She started to roll on the ground and scream and even hit her own sons. The reason for that was because that was the only thing that could cause Xie Yunjin to show some emotions.

    The original host saw that Xie Yunjin would get angry when his sons were hit. So she started to feel a rush of happiness as if she had avenged herself. Therefore, she started to hit them harder.

    Of course, the original Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t all good. She didn¡¯t care as much and had an attitude that she didn¡¯t care about what happened to her.

    Lu Jiao wanted to treat today as an opportunity to change her personality. It would be difficult for her to continue to act like a devious b!tch.

    ¡°I am exhausted so I have decided to stop bothering you. I have decided to separate from you.¡±

    ¡°Separate?¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin finally showed some emotions. Not only did he frown coldly, his lips also formed a mocking smile.

    So this woman did so much just to separate from them.

    It was because he was paralyzed and she didn¡¯t want to take care of him anymore.

    The mocking grin on Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips intensified and his face got so gloomy it just might rain.

    Lu Jiao saw the heavy look in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes and found it hard to continue. However, she forced herself to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t worry though. I¡¯m not talking about separating now. I will separate from you once your legs are healed. Before, the doctor from Baohe Tang said the best army doctor can cure your legs. I will find that doctor and ask him to perform surgery. Once you are healed, we can separate. What do you say?¡±

    Xie Yunjin snickered, ¡°Finding me the best doctor? From where? How?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I will be able to find one.¡±

    ¡°What if you can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave until I find one. I will for sure cure you before I leave.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t at all worried. She knew how to perform surgery. With all the medicine and equipment in her space, surgery was a none issue.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin continued to stare at Lu Jiao. This dumb woman seemed to have smartened up a little. The way she spoke and acted was now logical. His mother-inw must¡¯ve spent mad energy when she taught her.

    Without any expression, Xie Yujie nced at Lu Jiao and said coldly, ¡°If you can really find a doctor who can cure my legs, I will agree to separate. I will sign the paper.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao was ecstatic. This was great. Now, she just needed to find the opportunity to perform surgery and then take care of him for two to three months after. After that, she would get to leave the Xie family.

    With her improved mood, she turned to look at the four little ones. Slowly, she said, ¡°See this? Your dad and I are going to separate soon. So you no longer have to worry about me hitting you.¡±

    The four little ones exchanged nces. They had no idea how to react to the current situation.

    They should be happy that this evil woman will be. But for some reason, they couldn¡¯t get themselves to feel happy.

    The four little ones were a little scared. On her way out of the house, Lu Jiao saw the First Born¡¯s swollen hands. She wanted to bandage him up but the memory of him poisoning his own mother made her think better of it. He needed to be taught a lesson.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make breakfast.¡±

    Behind him, Xie Yunjin watched her leave with a sarcastic grin. He sure wanted to see how she¡¯ll manage to find him a doctor.

    As he thought about it, he looked over the First Born.

    ¡°First Born, give me the stick.¡±

    The baby was terrified. His hand hurt a lot. The evil woman had just hit him, was his dad going to hit him as well?

    Second, Third, and Fourth Borns pleadingly looked up to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t hit him.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Four Beautiful Babies

    Xie Yunjin stared at the four pitiful kids. Though they were already four, due to poor nutrition, their limbs were tiny. When they walked, they couldn¡¯t even support themselves properly. All this was because of ack of good food.

    This made Xie Yunjin hate Lu Jiao. Even tigers feed their children. That woman was worse than an animal. But today, the First Born was in the wrong and had to be punished.

    ¡°Get the stick.¡±

    The First Born never dared to disobey his father. Though he was scared, he took the stick and brought it to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Dad, you can hit me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin took over the stick. He didn¡¯t hit the First Born¡¯s hand. Instead, he struggled to pick up the stick and hit his own hand.

    The four babies were in shock. The First Born then started to cry, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t! Don¡¯t!¡±

    Xie Yunjin hit himself with much difficulty and lectured, ¡°The son¡¯s wrongdoing is his father¡¯s fault. I am responsible for your actions today. You have been punished. As your father, I should be punished as well.¡±

    The quadruplets all started to cry. Their dad was heavily injured but still hit his own hand. This was all their fault.

    ¡°Daddy, we don¡¯t dare anymore. We don¡¯t dare.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said in a low voice, ¡°Remember today. If you ever do something wrong again, you will get punished and I will get punished as well.¡±

    This statement became imprinted in the quadruplets¡¯ brains. Over the next few days, they really didn¡¯t do much wrong.

    However, Xie Yunjin, who had wrestled around during the night and again in the morning, finally could no longer hold on and passed out.

    The four babies cried out loud. In the kitchen, Lu Jiao heard their cries and rushed over. When she saw the passed-out Xie Yunjin, she flew over and felt Xie Yunjin¡¯s pulse. He passed out due to anger and strong emotions.

    He was already so wounded yet he still remained restless. This was deserved.

    Lu Jiao got him to lie properly and snuck a few drops of the stream water from her fingertips into his mouth.

    The quadruplets were far too sad to notice this.

    After she took care of Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao said to them, ¡°Stop crying. He¡¯ll be fine. You guys stop making mistakes that make him so angry. His illness takes time to heal and he can¡¯t afford to get so emotional. Alright?¡±

    The quadruplets listened to her and said in unison, ¡°We got it.¡±

    Luo Jiao stared at them and found all words to becking.

    Not only were they jaundiced without any fat, but they were also very dirty. Their hair was all tangled and there was dust and mud all over their faces. Their fingernails were also dark with dirt underneath them.

    Luo Jiao felt a headache as she looked at them. She decided that she won¡¯t do anything else today except bathe the babies and get them changed. Once those four little ones were clean, she could do the other stuff she wanted to do slowly.

    ¡°Alright, the porridge is almost done. Come out and eat.¡±

    The quadruplets shook their heads, ¡°We¡¯ll wait and eat with daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to say something when footsteps approached and Xie Erzhu¡¯s voice was heard, ¡°Is the third brother awake?¡±

    Lu Jiao speedily stared at the babies and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t say a word to your second uncle, alright? Or else your daddy will get so mad he¡¯ll pass out again.¡±

    The quadruplets nodded with much strength, ¡°We got it.¡±

    This was for the benefit of the First Born. The matter of poisoning his mother could ruin his life. This was an era where filial ties were everything. If people heard of what the First Born did, nobody would offer him an opportunity in his lifetime. He will be burdened with this sin for the rest of his life.

    Outside the door, Xie Erzhu walked in. When he saw the four kids and their red eyes, he was certain that his sister-inw had hit the children again.

    Xie Erzhu had a problem with this, ¡°Sister-inw, you cannot keep hitting the kids. They are still so young.¡±

    Before he could answer, Xie Yunjin woke up and said weakly, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s attention was diverted and he looked over to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, how are you feeling? Are you feeling any difort? Have you eaten?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored the brothers and left the room. This morning, she made some corn and cooked some leafy greens.

    One of these boys was paralyzed in bed while the other four were malnourished. Corns were great but they weren¡¯t too nutritious. She had to figure out a way.

    Luo Jiao brought some corn to the room to feed Xie Yunjin and the four little ones.

    After breakfast, Lu Jiao boiled two giant pots of hot water to bathe the four little ones. The basin she used to bathe them was the one she used for herself.

    The wooden basin was huge. With water in them, one basin could fit two of the kids.

    The four little beans very much rejected the idea of a bath. Since they were born, Lu Jiao had never bathed them so the boys weren¡¯t used to this.

    However, they couldn¡¯t avoid Lu Jiao¡¯s persistence and agreed in the end despite their unwillingness.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin focused on the noises outside. He knew Lu Jiao had bathed the kids and didn¡¯t say much.

    Before, he was the one who bathed the kids. That woman would never do it. She herself was toozy to wash up, let alone wash the kids.

    To bathe the children was very unlike her. Could it be that with the separation, she wanted to behave well and show off to him? Or maybe she didn¡¯t want to separate and did this to improve their rtionship.

    Thatst possibility made Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze turn cold. The sarcastic grin returned to his lips. To improve her behaviors now was far toote.

    Outside the room, the First and Second Born originally detested the idea of a bath. After some time, however, they started to enjoy it. To be inside hot water was trulyfortable.

    The evil woman never washed them before. It had always been daddy who washed them. Who knew she¡¯d bathe them now?

    The Second Born peeked at Lu Jiao and saw her look back. He quickly turned his gaze elsewhere.

    Lu Jiao naturally caught his small movement. She feigned ignorance and continued to wash these little guys meticulously.

    There were lots of old and new wounds on these boys. She cursed at the original host. She truly was no better than an animal.

    Since the First Born¡¯s hand was injured, Lu Jiao washed him up first, ¡°All done. Get out now.¡±

    The First Born was a little unwilling but he was too scared to object. He took his time to gett out. Lu Jiao said almost angrily, ¡°You didn¡¯t want to wash up at first and now you refuse to get out. Enough now, your hands are injured today so get out. In a few days, you can bathe for longer.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Really?¡±

    He quickly restored his serious little expression afterward. Lu Jiao used an old cloth to dry him and as she wiped him, she suddenly stopped.

    The clean version of the First Born looked so much like Xie Yunjin. Not only were his features delicate, but his expressions also mimicked his father¡¯s. He was just too skinny and malnourished. Once healthy, he will for sure be one attractive baby.

    Lu Jiao had always liked beautiful children. It was a surprise to suddenly have four of them. Sadly, they weren¡¯t fated to be with each other long.

    However, she was more than willing to fatten them up.

    Lu Jiao dried up the First Born and had him change into an old shirt. However, there were no pants. Luckily, it was summer and for a four-year-old to be pantsless was no big deal.

    After the First Born was done, it was the Second Born¡¯s turn. After he was done, the water could not get any dirtier. Grossed out, Lu Jiao poured out the water and got a fresh batch for the Third and Fourth Born.

    The Fourth Born was such a scaredy-cat that he didn¡¯t dare to look at her. When she held onto him, he even started to shake uncontrobly.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Just how scared was he? She didn¡¯t me him though as the original host hit the Fourth Born the most.

 Chapter 9

    Who was This? Who was This?

    Lu Jiao felt guilty. Though she wasn¡¯t the one who hit them, she was in the body of the woman who did.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I won¡¯t hit you.¡±

    She took out her hand and patted the Fourth Born¡¯s head. The Fourth Born shuddered but seemed to have felt better. There was now some light in the way he looked at Lu Jiao. He couldn¡¯t help but touch Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, though he then retreated his hand before Lu Jiao could speak.

    Then again, he extended his hand to touch it as if he had discovered a fun toy.

    Lu Jiao let him y his own game.

    After the Third and Fourth Born were done with their bath, Lu Jiao realized that the four quadruplets did not look identical. The First Born looked like Xie Yunjin. While the Second and Third Born looked a lot like each other, they didn¡¯t look like their father. Still, they were very handsome.

    Lu Jiao stared at them and discovered that they actually looked very much like the self she was in her previous life.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but touch her fat face. Could it be that after she lost weight, she would look like the person she was in her previous life? If that was the case, then there was no need to worry. She was very pretty in her previous life.

    Out of the four kids, the most beautiful was the Fourth Born. The Fourth Born hadrge eyes and the end of his eyes slightly pointed upwards. Though young, he appeared very chivalrous.

    Just how deviously handsome will this child grow up to be? Lu Jiao thought about it and couldn¡¯t help but pinch this little guy¡¯s face.

    The Fourth Born lifted his head and innocently looked at Lu Jiao. That loveable face of his made her want to put him in her pocket.

    Lu Jiao pondered if Xie Yunjin would allow her to take Fourth Born when they separated. However, she decided there was no way he could let that happen and gave up.

    She sighed and her gazended on the First Born¡¯s wounded hand. She took some antibiotics and applied them to his hand. Then, she found a clean cloth and bandaged him up.

    Logically, the First Born was injured and shouldn¡¯t take a bath. But he was far too dirty and it was difficult to even look at him. There was dirt on his hand and if that got into his skin, he may get an infection.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve applied some medicine. Remember, don¡¯t get it wet again. Only use your hand once it heals, got it?¡±

    Right now, Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes appeared kind and her tone was gentle. The First Born got lost in her eyes and couldn¡¯t react for a long time. Who was this? Who was this?

    Afterward, Lu Jiao got up to wash the children¡¯s dirty clothes. These little boys didn¡¯t have many clothes and if she didn¡¯t wash them now, they won¡¯t have clothester on. So, she better wash them and hang them to dry. Luckily it was summer and they¡¯ll dry quickly.

    In the future, she¡¯ll go into town and get each of them two new sets of clothes.

    Lu Jiao got up and was ready to wash the clothes when a group of people outside the walls started to march in. These people spoke loudly as they gossiped, ¡°That woman, Lu Jiao, is taking it too far. She has money but isn¡¯t using it to help Yunjin? She¡¯s also starving Yunjin? Does she want to kill him so she can remarry?¡±

    ¡°That woman was evil to start with. She¡¯s just gotten worse over the years. The Xie vige will not allow such women to exist.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s throw her out. Throw her out!¡±

    ¡°The Xie family cannot have its reputation ruined because of that woman. If our reputation is ruined, we won¡¯t be able to marry our sons and daughters off in the future.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph, she refused to use her money. My second brother had to take out our family¡¯s money to treat my third brother. I caught him red-handed.¡±

    The woman speaking was Xie Yunjin¡¯s youngest and only sister, Xie Lan.

    Xie Lan¡¯s words made Xie Erzhu blush. He blushed, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal our family¡¯s money. I didn¡¯t. I¡­¡±

    Xie Lan didn¡¯t let him finish before he went off, ¡°If you didn¡¯t steal our money, where did you get the money to buy third brother medicine? I heard that woman doesn¡¯t use her own money to buy third brother medicine.¡±

    Just then, the crowd looked over to the shortest woman in the group, the wife with the maiden name Ruan.

    Lady Ruan had her hair brushed back and her thin face was tense. Her triangr eyes drooped down and she appeared very unhappy.

    ¡°Mother, you must teach that woman a lesson this time. Also, tell that woman to pay up her five taels of silver.¡±

    Lady Ruan heard her daughter¡¯s words and her face got even darker. The moment she entered the courtyard, she saw the fat Lu Jiao.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face was full of disgust.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, how dare you! You have the money yet you don¡¯t buy my son medicine? Tell me, what is your intention? Are you trying to kill my son?¡±

    Lady Ruan was furious as she stared at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes and scanned the crowd. Other than members of the Xie family, there were some people from the vige. These people all stared at her with much unfriendliness. Some even sneered.

    Lu Jiao nced around and ignored those from the vige. She focused on Lady Ruan, the leader of the pack.

    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re talking to me about the five taels of silver you gave us when you forced us out? Yes, I didn¡¯t use that money to buy medicine. The reason why I didn¡¯t use that money was all because of your family. Your son was heavily injured and instead of taking out money to pay for your son¡¯s treatment, you moved your son out. You only gave us five taels of silver. Let me ask you ¨C how much medicine can we get with that?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t let Lady Ruan speak. She then looked over to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, how much medicine can you get with five taels of silver?¡±

    Xie Erzhu became flushed and didn¡¯t dare to look at those around him. He felt extremely embarrassed by all of this. Their third brother was chosen as a schr, so the whole family grew glorious. Yet the moment their third brother was hurt, their parents shunned him from the family and only gave him five taels of silver.

    If it weren¡¯t for his own savings, only death awaited their third brother.

    After he heard what Lu Jiao had asked, he whispered, ¡°That¡¯s enough for three days of medicine ¨C the most basic kind. If you want to buy higher quality medicine, the doctor said one portion is five taels.¡±

    Inside the courtyard, all the vigers gasped.

    Three days of medicine costs five taels of silver? And that was the most basic type? If good medicine cost five taels for one day alone, just how much would Yunjin¡¯s injuries cost the family? His injury was an endless hole.

    Though they were shocked to hear how expensive Yunjin¡¯s injury was, the fact that the Xie parents shunned their son still felt uneptable.

    Yunjin was very unlucky to have such parents. Many people sighed for him.

    Lu Jiao looked over to Lady Ruan and stated at a slow pace, ¡°Mother, look at my family. There¡¯s one man injured and four young boys. If I used all that silver for medicine, the rest of us would starve to death.¡±

    The crowd looked over to Lu Jiao and the four unsettled little boys. The sight of the boys shocked them.

    Not only was Lu Jiao herself squeaky clean and looked fresh from her bath, but the four little boys were also squeaky clean.

    Lu Jiao appeared a little different now?

    Everyone shared that thought. At the front of the crowd, Xie Lan spoke up, ¡°Lu Jiao, even if you only had five taels of silver, you should hurry and buy medicine for my third brother first. My second brother had to steal money from our family to buy medicine. How¡¯s that eptable?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked over to Xie Erzhu in shock. The money he used to buy medicine was stolen?

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s face instantly turned red. He couldn¡¯t help but get angry, ¡°I told you, I didn¡¯t take money from the family.¡±

    Xie Lan furiously screamed, ¡°Then where did you get the money to buy third brother medicine?¡±

    Frustrated, Xie Erzhu stared at Xie Lan, ¡°Third brother gave me that money as support from before. He saw that I was exhausted from working all day and slipped me some money to buy food. I didn¡¯t buy food and saved the money instead.¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s words changed the expression on Xie Lan¡¯s face. She acted as if she had just discovered evidence to use against him.

    ¡°Well, well, well, second brother. It is our family rule that nobody should have a secret stash of money. You dare to hide money.¡±

    Just then, Lu Jiao spoke up.

    ¡°Xie Lan, your second brother has a good conscience. I want to ask you, where is your conscience? Your third brother has always spoiled you and your fourth brother. When your third brother got injured, you guys shunned him and until now, none of you came to visit him. Do you have any conscience?¡±

    Xie Lan¡¯s face dropped as her gaze threw daggers at Lu Jiao.

    This fat b!tch. Statements like that would tarnish her reputation.

    The more Xie Lan thought about it, the angrier she got. She wanted to speak but Lu Jiao gave her no opportunity, ¡°It is no wonder that you¡¯re already 17 yet still unmarried. I see it¡¯s because you have no heart and nobody dares to marry you.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Wasn¡¯t this Woman Afraid?

    The reason why Xie Lan was 17 and still unmarried was that she had very high standards and wanted to marry into the city.

    Not only did she want the man to be rich, but she also wanted him to be good-looking. In the end, it caused everything to drag on for this long.

    Lu Jiao had twisted the situation and made it sound like it was because she had no good heart and nobody wanted her.

    Xie Lan started to cry while her mother¡¯s face became squished together. She clenched her teeth, ¡°Lu Jiao, you dare to ruin your sister-inw¡¯s reputation. You¡¯re an awful woman. The Xie family does not tolerate women like you. I¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, someone else rushed into the courtyard. The moment this person entered, she exploded.

    ¡°I see how it is, you witch. You are here bullying my daughter again! You think the Lu family is all dead? You good for nothing old woman. Every day, you torture your daughter-inw just because you¡¯re bored. For my daughter to marry into your family is her misfortune! Why should she be tortured and taken advantage of by you? Today, I am going to teach you a lesson so you know that the Lu family isn¡¯t to be screwed with.¡±

    This person lunged on top of Lady Ruan. She had a tall and thin build ¨C an entire head taller than Lady Ruan. Therefore, Lady Ruan had no chance to counterattack. Even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t have won the fight. There was nothing she could do but be pulled by the cor and dragged across the ground.

    Everyone in the courtyard was stunned by this scene. Everyone forgot how to respond.

    Lu Jiao identified this woman who was teaching Lady Ruan a lesson. That was her mother by title, Lady Tian. Lady Tian was the opposite of Lu Jiao. She was thin and tall with long limbs. It was obvious that she was an efficient woman.

    However, from her memories, Lu Jiao knew that this mother truly loved the original host.

    The original host was often sick as a child and had to take a lot of medicine. If she was born into any other family, she would¡¯ve been tossed out given that she was a girl and unhealthy. Lady Tian, however, was willing to spend the money to raise her daughter. This was why the original host got chubby. It was due to all the medicine she had as a child.

    In Lu Jiao¡¯s previous life, her parents married through an arranged marriage. They didn¡¯t love her very much after they havd her. Afterward, her parents each found their own true love and sent Lu Jiao to a boarding school. Therefore, Lu Jiao was often jealous of girls who were spoiled by their parents.

    She never expected that in her transmigrated life, she would get this woman as her mother. Lu Jiao instantly decided to love Lady Tian the best way she knew how in the future.

    In the courtyard, Lady Ruan got dragged around by a full circle. By then, she finally reacted and started to scream, ¡°Help, help!¡±

    Xie Lan responded and started to shout anxiously, ¡°Someone, save my mother. This old woman dares to bully my mother on the Xie family turf. She¡¯s taking it too far.¡±

    This sentence effectively garnered the Xie vigers¡¯ attention.

    Lu Jiao saw that the vigers were about to attack so she walked over to stop Lady Tian.

    ¡°Mother, let my mother-inw go.¡±

    She didn¡¯t feel bad for Lady Ruan. If she died from this, then she deserved it. She was worried that the vigers would avenge her and hurt Lady Tian.

    Hearing her daughter¡¯s words, Lady Tian finally lets go of Lady Yuan. By now, Lady Yuan was dusty in the face and looked like a beggar. She was born ugly and after suchmotion, she almost didn¡¯t look human.

    Xie Lan rushed to her side to help, ¡°Mother, are you okay?¡±

    Lady Yuan sat down on the ground and started to howl, ¡°What sins have my Xie familymitted to have weed such an unpleasant woman into the family? My perfectly good son was dragged down by her and now I just got beat up. Where¡¯s the justice?¡±

    Her cry infuriated Lady Tian. She wanted to go up and beat up this old demon again. She had stopped considering they were inws a long time ago. She dragged her around was just to teach her a lesson. But she had cursed her daughter. What was the point in being nice now?

    Lady Tian was about to go up to her when Lu Jiao dragged her back. She looked at Lady Yuan and said slowly, ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we go to the judges if you want to talk justice. Let¡¯s ask the county magistrate, what kind of parents would move out their son when their son gets injured? The son that was forced out of the family was also an honorable schr, the examiner who ranked number one in all of the Qinghe Prefecture. I believe the country magistrate likely still remembers my husband. Why don¡¯t we pay a visit to the county magistrate at his office.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words silenced the crowd. Everyone stared at her as if they no longer recognized her.

    This woman felt different from before. Before, she would roll around in the mud and curse at people with all sorts of ugly words.

    She now did not curse and spoke logic.

    Her words somehow imposed power over these people. Nobody in the crowd dared to underestimate her after they heard her speak.

    Especially when she said she wanted to go to the county magistrate for justice. There wasn¡¯t a single trace of fear on her face. Themoners didn¡¯t fight against those with titles. Wasn¡¯t this woman afraid?

    Lady Yuan was sessfully scared off. Of course, she remembered that when her son was chosen as the schr, the county magistrate personally visited. Back then, he had gifted the family 100 taels of gold. If the county magistrate found out that they shunned their son after he got hurt, they may get punished.

    Lady Yuan was scared and didn¡¯t dare to argue now.

    Just then, outside the trellis, the Vige Leader, Xie Caigui, and Xie Yunjin¡¯s father, Xie Laogen, rushed over.

    When they heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, their faces turned dark.

    Xie Fugui didn¡¯t want to take this as far as Lady Ruan. If that happens, their entire vige¡¯s reputation may be tarnished.

    Xie Laogen wanted that even less. Because he knew that they were wrong when they moved their son out.

    When those two people entered the courtyard, they shouted at Lady Yuan instead.

    ¡°What are you yelling for? Is there an end to this?¡±

    Xie Laogen helped his wife up, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Why are you causing a scene.¡±

    Lady Yuan didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore and got up to leave.

    Before Xie Laogen left, he looked over to Lu Jiao with a troubled face, ¡°Third daughter-inw, I didn¡¯t want this to happen this way. But this is the condition of the family and there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    Lu Jiao faked a smile and looked at Xie Laogen, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t regret this one day.¡±

    Behind them, Xie Fugui nced around and became angry, ¡°What are you all fighting for? You must have too much time. Everyone, get back!¡±

    Everyone was already stunned by what Lu Jiao had to say and so they no longer dared to kick Lu Jiao out. Instead, they all left.

    Xie Erzhu however, didn¡¯t leave. While others were distracted, he went to check up on Xie Yunjin.

    For their family to pull this stunt and not even end see their third brother, third brother must feel terrible. He needed to go andfort him.

    The crowd left very quickly. However, Shen Xiu, who stood at the back, didn¡¯t want to give up. She originally wanted to use the Xie family to kick out Lu Jiao. That way, she could marry third brother Xie.

    Though third brother Xie was now disabled, she didn¡¯t mind. She would take care of him for the rest of his life. Who knew that she would end up failing. Shen Xie left in a rage.

    Inside the courtyard, Lu Jiao looked over at the right time and saw Shen Xiu grit her teeth.

    Her eyes narrowed and she carefully calcted the situation. She was almost certain that what happened today was set up by Shen Xiu, who influenced that idiotic Xie Lan to act out.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but snicker. That woman truly loved Xie Yunjin. Despite the fact that he was paralyzed, she still wanted to marry him. However, since Shen Xiu tried to drag down Lu Jiao, Lu Jiao was not going to forgive her easily.

    Just she waits!

 Chapter 11

    Mentally Exhausted

    As Lu Jiao thought this over, Lady Tian hurriedly went up to her and started to check Lu Jiao¡¯s hands. After she made sure her daughter was fine, she sighed in relief.

    ¡°Thankfully I arrived on time. Or else you would¡¯ve been taken advantage of.¡±

    To Lady Tian, her daughter will forever be the young wife who got bullied by her mother-inw.

    Lu Jiao sensed Lady Tian¡¯s sadness deeply and naturally pulled on Tian¡¯s hand, ¡°Mother, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was worried so I came to check in on you.¡±

    Then, Lady Tian reached out her hand and took something from her younger son¡¯s hand. She handed it to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°I brought you a chicken and 20 eggs. My son-inw isn¡¯t well. Remember to kill the chicken and feed it to him.¡±

    The Lu family wasn¡¯t rich. On the contrary, they were actually very poor. However, Lady Tian had always left the best for Lu Jiao. The original host was used to that.

    To Lu Jiao however, this made her feel awful. Since she decided to love Lady Tian, she didn¡¯t want a bad rtionship between the inws. Plus, her little brother, Lu Gui, was already 18 years old.

    Because they were too poor, he still hasn¡¯t gotten a wife. However, since Lu Gui knew how to read, he got a job at a restaurant in town. Every month, he would receive a decent ie.

    ¡°Mom, bring these home. You don¡¯t need to give these to me. I haven¡¯t been filial and continued to take from you. That¡¯s uneptable.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words made Lady Tian stare at her. She didn¡¯t speak for a long time.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that she had blown her cover?

    Tears started to form in Lady Tian¡¯s eyes as she patted her daughter¡¯s head, ¡°My Jiaojiao has finally learned to care for her mother. I am so happy.¡±

    She then wiped her tears dry and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have more at home.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew the situation at home. However, since Lady Tian brought these over, there was no way she¡¯d admit that they didn¡¯t have this at home. Oh well, Lu Jiao will think of another way to repay her family. Better yet, she¡¯ll figure out a way for the family to make a living.

    Lu Jiao decided not to reject this and took over the eggs and the chicken.

    ¡°Mom, let me put these in the kitchen.¡±

    She then hollered at Lu Gui, her little brother, ¡°Brother, go sit inside with mom. I¡¯ll get you some water.¡±

    Though the Lu family lived in the neighboring vige, there was a mountain between the viges. For Lady Tian and Lu Gui toe here today, it must¡¯ve taken them two hours. The love Lady Tian felt for her daughter softened Lu Jiao¡¯s heart.

    She poured some sugar water for Lady Tian and Lu Gui. As she poured, she caught the four little ones sneaking a peek. When she caught them, they all retracted their heads.

    Lu Jiao found this funny and took out two more bowls. She poured them some sugar water and said to them, ¡°Alright, I made two bowls for you guys. You four can share.¡±

    She took the water to the main hall but discovered that her mother and Lu Gui went to the east bedroom.

    That made sense. The mother-inw and brother-inw should check out their injured son-inw when they visited.

    Lu Jiao took the water into the east bedroom. At the door, she heard her mother speak to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Son, Jiaojiao knows better now. In the future, she will live a settled life with you. The past is in the past. I just want you two to live harmonious and raise your four children into honorable people. That¡¯s the most important thing.¡±

    Lady Tian remembered to ask Xie Erzhu for his opinion, ¡°Second uncle, am I right?¡±

    What else could Xie Erzhu say? He nodded and quickly agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Tian nced at her expressionless son-inw. Honestly, she was a little scared of this man. However, for her daughter, she forced herself to continue.

    ¡°Jiaojiao was too young before. She¡¯s grown up now and will do better and better. Son, please forget all the unpleasantness from the past.¡±

    Outside the door, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer. She had already agreed with Xie Yunjin that they¡¯d separate once his legs heal. Wouldn¡¯t he think otherwise if her mother vouched for her like this?

    Lu Jiao quickly stepped in, ¡°Mom, brother, you¡¯ve traveled far. Come and have some water.¡±

    Lu Gui took it over but Lady Tian didn¡¯t take it. She said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Go and feed some to your husband.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to get too close to Xie Yunjin since that guy wanted to kill her.

    But Lu Jiao shouldn¡¯t worry about him killing her now. Because of what happened with their son, Xie Yunjin must now be considerate of their sons. In the future, as long as she didn¡¯t ask for it, he likely won¡¯t kill her.

    Despite this, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to be too close to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Mom, you drink this. He¡¯s not thirsty.¡±

    Lady Tian refused and insisted that she fed her husband.

    Helpless, Lu Jiao looked over to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, can you feed Yunjin some water.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was about to take over the water when Lady Tian stopped him, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t bother the second uncle with everything. Do everything yourself. Go feed my son-inw some water.¡±

    Her son-inw was injured. This was the best time to mend this young couple¡¯s rtionship.

    Though her son-inw was paralyzed, he was a schr. It may be tiring in the short term, but things will get better once their kids grow up. They have four kids after all.

    Lu Jiao nced at Lady Tian then nced at Xie Yunjin. She signaled to Xie Yunjin to decline this offer.

    Sadly, Xie Yunjin acted like an idiot and didn¡¯t move. Instead, his eyes were fixated on Lu Jiao.

    Lady Tian rushed, ¡°Kid, I¡¯m telling you to feed your man some water. What are you standing around for?¡±

    Lu Jiao had no way out and forced herself to go over there. Just then, the four little beans burst in and as they walked, they licked their sweetened lips, ¡°The water¡¯s sweet. Yummy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, before, daddy used to feed us sugar water. But it¡¯s been so long since west had it.¡±

    The four little ones rushed over to Xie Yunjin¡¯s bedside, ¡°Daddy, the water is sweet. It¡¯s so yummy.¡±

    ¡°Drink it. It¡¯s sweet.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened somewhat. He remembered everything Lu Jiao had said in the courtyard just now.

    She was logical, fearless, and didn¡¯t back down.

    This woman seemed to havepletely transformed. How did his mother-inw educate her so sessfully?

    Xie Yunjin thought it over as he soundless stared at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao felt his gaze on her and felt ufortable. She then helped feed him water.

    Lady Tian smiled in satisfied then waved her hand at the quadruplets, ¡°Babies,e to grandma.¡±

    The four little ones liked Lady Tian because Lady Tian always brought them snacks when she visited. However, normally, the moment grandma left, the evil woman would take away their food.

    ¡°Grandma.¡±

    Lady Tian hugged the children and kissed each and every one of them. These four beautiful babies were truly good-looking. They all looked like her son-inw.

    Though they were poor, having these four kids around and educating them were more valuable than everything else.

    Lady Tian took out four candies from her pocket.

    ¡°Here, let me feed you some candy.¡±

    On the side, Lu Gui put down his bowl and took out two rice cakes from his pocket, and handed them to the First and Second Born.

    ¡°Here, this is a gift from your uncle. You guys share.¡±

    Lu Gui loved the quadruplets but he disliked his sister. She was so annoying. Every time he visited the Xie vige, he would hear bad things about her. Lu Gui found her humiliating. So every time he visited her, he would stay quiet.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he worried for his mother, he wouldn¡¯t evene with her. However, his four nephews truly brought him joy.

    He held onto their hands and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll feed you rice cakes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    The four little ones were taken outside. Inside the room, Lu Jiao had fed Xie Yunjin the entire bowl of sugar water. She was now covered in sweat from exhaustion.

    How mentally tiring!

 Chapter 12

    Real love appears in times of Cmity

    Lu Jiao fed him the water but didn¡¯t want to even look at Xie Yunjin. As she turned to leave, she wondered how stupid he was to not have seen her signal for him to decline this offer.

    ¡°Mom, let me pour you another cup.¡±

    Lady Tian said, ¡°Pour your second uncle one too.¡±

    Xie Erzhu felt unsettled. He stood up and brandished his arm, ¡°No need. There¡¯s no need.¡±

    He tried to leave but Lady Tian stopped him, ¡°Second uncle, stay and have some water. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something valuable. First of all, I must thank you for taking care of my son-inw. This is really Jiaojiao¡¯s responsibility. Thank you for going through all the trouble.¡±

    Xie Erzhu shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I am doing what I should be doing.¡±

    His tone was somewhat sullen. After what happened today, he was scared that his mother wouldn¡¯t let him out to take care of his third brother anymore. So he was very worried.

    Lady Tian had thought of that too. However, she wasn¡¯t worried, and instead, she was secretly overjoyed. Her own daughter could now personally take care of her son-inw.

    Only real rtionships survive hardships. This young couple¡¯s rtionship would only get better from now on.

    As Lady Tian thought about it, she said to Xie Erzhu gently, ¡°Second uncle, after what happened today with your family, I don¡¯t doubt that you will no longer be allowed toe out here to take care of my son-inw.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s body exuded coldness. Even the temperature in the room dropped.

    He remembered that over the past three days, none of his parents or siblings came to pay him a visit.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but snicker. Honestly, he was more than nice to his twin siblings. In the end, it was all for nothing. Plus, the reason why he was forced out after he got injured was partially due to his fourth brother.

    Recently, his fourth brother set his eyes on this family ¨C this girl from a neighboring vige. Rumor has it that she was rather pretty but demanded much silver. His brother didn¡¯tck that since he often took silver from the family.

    But to marry, his fourth brother also needed a house. He wanted his third brother¡¯s house. So, he used third brother¡¯s injury as an excuse and convinced his parents to move out his brother and his family.

    That thought truly pierced Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart. These people were his family.

    Inside the room, Lady Tian¡¯s voice rose again, ¡°But, second uncle, don¡¯t worry. From now on, the responsibility of taking care of my son-inw will fall on Jiaojiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao, who just arrived with two more cups of sugar water almost stumbled. What happened?

    Lu Jiao rushed inside to stop her mother before she could continue. When Lady Tian saw her, however, she waved her hand to get her toe over.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, your mother-inw lost face today and I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t let the second uncle visit anymore. The task of taking care of your man will now fall on you.¡±

    At once, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. Logically, she should take care of him. Plus, to her, it won¡¯t be difficult to take care of him. The difficult part was that she had brought separation up to Xie Yunjin. For her to take care of him now would make him overthink.

    Lady Tian was determined, ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s decided. Second uncle, drink up.¡±

    Lady Tian took a bowl of water and handed the other one to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second uncle, drink.¡±

    Xie Erzhu took it over and drank it. It was sweet. How rare for his sister-inw to put sugar in this.

    He nced at Lady Tian and thought that this was all thanks to her. If it weren¡¯t for her, his sister-inw wouldn¡¯t have put sugar in his water.

    Inside the room, Lady Tian finished her drink and looked up to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Son, don¡¯t worry and rest up. Don¡¯t worry about money. We will think of a way.¡±

    She then got up and dragged Lu Jiao outside. Lu Jiao took the chance to take Xie Erzhu¡¯s empty bowl.

    Once they left, Xie Erzhu looked over to Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Your mother-inw is rather nice.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was cold. After he saw Lady Tian and remembered his own mother, he smirked mockingly.

    He looked back at Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, only visit when you¡¯re free from now on. Lu Jiao will take care of me.¡±

    After this series of events, Xie Yunjin had a hunch that even if Xie Erzhu could no longere, Lu Jiao would take care of him.

    This woman seemed to bepletely different now. But that face of hers still disgusted Xie Yunjin.

    He was now toozy to think about why that woman changed so much. As long as she took care of him, he was good. As for the fact that she would find him a doctor to treat his legs¡­ Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t believe that one bit.

    After he heard his third brother¡¯s crestfallen words, Xie Erzhu felt bad. He was very sad on the inside as well and he himself wasn¡¯t very liked by his family.

    ¡°Third brother, then off I go.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, go home now.¡±

    In the kitchen, Lady Tian was about to talk to Lu Jiao when she saw Xie Erzhu leave. Lady Tian came out to greet him, ¡°Second uncle, you¡¯re going back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s work to be done. I cannot stay any longer. I must go back.¡±

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t ask Lady Tian to visit sometime. After all, his own mother must hate Lady Tian very much right now.

    After bidding farewell, Lady Tian went back to the kitchen to lecture Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Do you remember anything I taught you? Take care of your man. Before he didn¡¯t like you but now, it¡¯s a great opportunity to get him to like you. Don¡¯t be stupid and forego this opportunity. Real love appears in times of cmity. My son-inw isn¡¯t heartless. You better treat him well so you can live in harmony.

    Plus, you have four kids together. Look at how beautiful they are. Once they grow up, they will be as handsome as my son-inw. At that time, you will have an endless fortune to enjoy. So, you better treat your husband and your children well.¡±

    Others may not understand their daughters but Lady Tian thought she knew her daughter well. Back then, when her daughter was about to marry Xie Yunjin, she was over the moon.

    Who knew that after marriage, her mood got worse and worse. She knew it was because she wanted her husband¡¯s love but her husband didn¡¯t think much of her.

    Lady Tian was angry too. But what was there to do? Right now, there was an opportunity.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s scalp felt fuzzy but she didn¡¯t want to tell Lady Tian the fact that she had agreed to separate from Xie Yunjin. Oh well, she will tell her motherter on.

    ¡°Mom, I will take care of him. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lady Tian nodded in satisfaction. Then, carefully, she took out five taels of silver and handed it to Lu Jian.

    ¡°This is for my son-inw¡¯s treatment. We gathered our money and borrowed some from our neighbors. This is all we have for now. Don¡¯t worry, we will find ways to get more.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the silver and was stunned. She knew that the Lu family was very poor and had very little ie. She didn¡¯t expect her mother to give her silver at a time like this.

    She could imagine just how much her sisters-inw would hate her mother if they knew.

    Lu Jiao shoved back the silver, ¡°Mom, you already gave me silverst time. I¡¯m not taking it this time.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t care what she wanted and shoved it back, ¡°Enough. Once you make money, you can repay me. Get my son-inw treated. Even if he never walks again, he may get to sit up in the future. You can get him a chair and life will go on.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to argue more but Lady Tian had turned to leave. As she left she spoke, ¡°Alright, I have some stuff to do at home so I will go back now.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze. She wanted to go and stop Lady Tian but Lady Tian was very speedy, ¡°Okay, I have to go now. You go back. Go back.¡±

    Lady Tian got to the main door and shouted at Lu Gui, who was ying with his nephew, ¡°Lu Gui, let¡¯s go home now.¡±

 Chapter 13

    I¡¯m not Hungry

    Lu Jiao chased Lady Tian all the way to the gate, ¡°Mom, eat something before you leave.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t pause and continued to walk forward in giant leaps as if terrified that Lu Jiao would chase after her.

    Behind her, Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes were wet. Lady Tian truly loved her daughter and her maternal love was so intense.

    Lu Jiao knew that Lady Tian lied when she said she had stuff to do at home. At least, she knew there was enough time to have a meal together. The reason she wanted to leave so soon was because she wanted to save Lu Jiao¡¯s food for Lu Jiao¡¯s family.

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the sadder she got. Soon, tears started to roll down her cheeks.

    Outside the trellis, the quadruplets watched the woman cry. They were unbelievably shocked that this evil woman knew how to cry.

    The smallest of the four, the Fourth Born, carefully walked over and extended his hand to touch Lu Jiao¡¯s.

    Lu Jiao lowered her gaze and saw the skinny little man peer up at her. He was so astonishingly cute. When he realized that she saw him, he quickly retreated his hand. When Lu Jiao looked back up, he poked at her again.

    Thanks to his silliness, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t feel sad anymore. Since Lady Tian was so nice to her, she will repay the favor in the future. Ah no, she had to make money fast and return that five taels of silver. Or else it will be difficult for Lady Tian to exin this to the Lu family.

    Lu Jiao thought of the herbs she had in her space. The ginseng and the ganoderma grew rather sessfully. One of the ginseng was a century-old while the other was 50 years old. Out of all the ganoderma, the oldest was 50 years old.

    Tomorrow, she will go into the mountains and pretend that she found two bunches of ganoderma. She¡¯ll sell one of them to Baohe Tang and use the other on Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin¡¯s current prescriptioncked medicine that nourished the body.

    His prescription asked for a medicinal herb that could help circte the blood and treat infections. A good medicinal herb with such effects would cost them at least five taels of silver per portion.

    That prescription didn¡¯t even include ginseng, ganoderma, or other rarer medicinal herbs.

    Before, Xie Erzhu was right to say that he had been buying the most basic andmon medicine. Xie Yunjin would need to take those for a very long time in order to see any effects.

    As Lu Jiao thought about it, she picked up the Fourth Born. Fourth Born¡¯s boney body instantly tensed up.

    Behind them, the First, Second, and Third Born all fixated their gazes on her, afraid that she would hit the Fourth Born.

    Lu Jiao ignored them and turned to walk back into the courtyard.

    She originally wanted to wash some clothes. But it waste now so she decided to cook first. After they ate, she could do theundry.

    Lunch was rice, fried eggs with green onions, leafy greens, and mushrooms.

    The rice was cooked using what Lady Tian had given them before. There wasn¡¯t much to begin with and after she fed it to the family twice, there wasn¡¯t much left. In the end, Lu Jiao cooked all of it.

    When she goes into town to sell the herbs, she¡¯ll buy some more rice and flour. It wasn¡¯t good for the kids to eat too much brown rice.

    Since brown rice was not peeled, it had a hard texture. The rice must be soaked in water for two to three hours before it was cooked. If the rice was not soaked, it would be too hard to eat.

    Lu Jiao finished cooking and saw that Xie Erzhu was nowhere in sight.

    She checked the time and decided Xie Erzhu likely would note. So today, it was her turn to feed Xie Yunjin his lunch.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and decided it was no big deal. It was just feeding a patient. As a military doctor, it was more than normal for her to take care of the wounded¡­

    Lu Jiao went to the east bedroom and found Xie Yunjin to be asleep. He was greatly injured and didn¡¯t restst night. At this point, he looked really ill and his face was extremely pale.

    If she didn¡¯t use the stream water to condition his body, he may never awaken.

    His poor recovery was also due to theck of good medicine. Though very injured, he could only afford the cheapest medicine and that was why he was barely healed.

    Even the cheapest medicine cost one to two taels of silver. This proved just how valuable medicinal ingredients were in historic times.

    Since Xie Yunjin was asleep, Lu Jiao left the room. However, the four little ones didn¡¯t leave the doorway. She couldn¡¯t help but call out to them, ¡°Your daddy is asleep. Let¡¯s go eat something first. Once he¡¯s awake, I will feed him.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t move and reacted as if they didn¡¯t trust her. Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and threatened, ¡°Let me tell you something ¨C from today on, your grandma will no longer let your second unclee over to look after your dad. So you can only count on me to take care of him. If you don¡¯t listen to me and behave, I won¡¯t take care of your dad.¡±

    The four little ones exchanged nces. They only now realized that their second uncle didn¡¯t show up today at noon.

    The First Born was the first to walk towards Lu Jiao and stare at her, ¡°We will listen to you. We won¡¯t run away if you hit us, or curse at us. In return, you take care of daddy.¡±

    The other three little ones followed with much docility, ¡°We will listen to you. Don¡¯t just leave daddy there.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction. It was a rare peaceful moment between the boys and their mother.

    Though the four little ones only went to the kitchen for lunch after Lu Jiao threatened them. However, the sight of white rice and eggs widened their eyes.

    White rice and eggs were valuable on their own. Lu Jiao¡¯s great cooking skills made this food taste even more delicious.

    The quadruplets grinned ear to ear as they ate. The four little ones were cute like four puppies. Lu Jiao stared at them and didn¡¯t want to give up these four cuties to Xie Yunjin anymore.

    But these four didn¡¯t like her much. So she gave up on that thought.

    After lunch, Lu Jiao washed the clothes while she told the four little ones to take their afternoon nap. However, these four little ones were stubborn and stayed awake in order to protect Xie Yunjin.

    The second Xie Yunjin woke up, Second Born rushed out to call Lu Jiao, ¡°Daddy is awake. He is awake.¡±

    Lu Jiao put thest shirt out to dry and headed to the east bedroom.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin really was awake and chatted with the four little ones. When Lu Jiao walked in, he paused before he continued, ¡°Go to sleep. I will be okay.¡±

    First Born said with a stern face, ¡°Daddy, you haven¡¯t eaten. You can¡¯t heal without eating.¡±

    He then turned his head to peer at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao instantly opened her mouth, ¡°I will go get some rice and veggies and feed you.¡±

    She was in a rush today and didn¡¯t get to make chicken soup.

    Lu Jiao was about to head out when Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped and looked back to find the man did not look at her. Instead, his eyes were half-closed as if he wanted to rest more.

    She thought that he acted this way because he hadn¡¯t gotten enough sleep. Therefore, she didn¡¯t think much of it, ¡°Alright, then you sleep a little longer.¡±

    She then asked the four little beans to apany their dad and nap with him.

    The four little ones wanted to speak but Xie Yunjin gentlyforted them, ¡°Enough now. Go to sleep. I am not hungry right now. When I get hungry, I will eat.¡±

    The four little ones nodded and fell asleep soon after they closed their eyes.

    Lu Jiao looked over to Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Keep an eye on them. I am going up to the mountain. We are out of firewood so I will pick some up. Plus, I will try to see if I can find some things to eat up there.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much housework left here so she had the time to make a trip up the mountain. She¡¯ll use this opportunity to take the two bunches of herbs from her space. But, it was true that they were almost out of firewood and she needed to fetch some.

    The original host had used chopped-up old tables and chairs as firewood. By now, there wasn¡¯t much furniture left in the house to burn.

 Chapter 14

    A Troublesome Man

    Lu Jiao only told Xie Yunjin this so he knew to watch over the little beans. She did not intend to discuss her ns with him.

    She then turned to leave. Behind her, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes narrowed. This woman was still overweight. But her steps were steady, calm, and unrushed. The way she moved now exuded confidence ¨C this was so unlike her.

    Xie Yunjin continued to feel like this woman was now a brand new person. This likely was thanks to his mother-inw. However, if his mother-inw was this capable, why didn¡¯t she seed before? There were so many suspicious matters but that woman¡¯s face was exactly the same as before.

    Xie Yunjin was confused.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for Xie Yunjin. After she left the room, she searched around the home but failed to find the ax used to chop wood. However, she did find a rather old and broken basket she could wear as a backpack.

    But without an ax, how could she go up the mountain to chop wood? Lu Jiao put on the basket and went to borrow an ax.

    Her reputation was rather damaged here and it was likely that nobody would lend it to her. Lu Jiao stood by the gate, troubled.

    Not far from here was another courtyard. A skinny olddy saw the troubled way Lu Jiao looked and so she walked over. As she approached, she asked, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared and searched her brain to figure out who this olddy was. She was her father-inw, Xie Laogen¡¯s second sister-inw, Lady Xia. Everyone here called her ¡°Second Grandma¡±.

    Second Grandpa died young and left Second Grandma behind as a widow. The two of them bore two sons and two daughters. She was a very kind woman. When Xie Yunjin was exiled here, Second Grandma even brought them some boiled eggs.

    Lu Jiao smiled and asked, ¡°Second grandma, do you have an ax at home? We are out of firewood and I want to go up the mountain to get some.¡±

    Second Grandma felt bad when she heard her words, ¡°Why would a young woman go chop wood by herself up in the mountain? Bring my Huzi up there to help you.¡±

    Huzi was Second Grandma¡¯s biological grandson. He¡¯d been married for two years but the couple hasn¡¯t had any children.

    Naturally, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t going to summon Huzi to get her firewood. That wasn¡¯t a sustainable solution.

    ¡°Second Grandma, there¡¯s no need. I will walk around the mountain and gather some usable wood. I won¡¯t go up deep into the mountain.¡±

    Second Grandma didn¡¯t insist then. She led Lu Jiao home to find her the ax.

    The Second Grandma¡¯s family now lived separately and she lived with her oldest son. When her oldest daughter-inw saw Lu Jiao, she expressed an obvious discement and barely acknowledged Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t say much and left after she got her ax.

    Second Grandma was worried and continued to tell Lu Jiao to be careful. Lady Zhao saw this and couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Mother, why would you lend her our own ax? She can chop wood? That must be a joke.¡±

    Second Grandma turned to look at her daughter-inw, ¡°Enough now. She¡¯s one woman taking care of an injured man and four babies. It¡¯s hard for her. We should help out when we can. You shouldn¡¯t be so harsh and act like your Fourth Grandma and Grandpa.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored those two. After she obtained her ax, she headed straight up the mountain. The Xie family was established right next to the mountain and since Lu Jiao¡¯s ce was the most west of the vige, they lived closest to the mountain.

    But her physical body was truly useless. The climb up the mountain made her sweat bean-sized sweat that soaked up her entire outfit. Luckily it was summer now and she drew no attention.

    After Lu Jiao climbed up the mountain, she first observed her surrounding. There truly were a lot of resources here, with medicinal herbs being the most abundant. Other than that, there were many wild fruits and fungi.

    She originally thought that there wouldn¡¯t be much up here in the mountains. After all, many viges had settled around here. However, after she looked around, she realized that there was so much stuff around.

    Lu Jiao was first confused but then sheter understood. The vigers weren¡¯t educated and didn¡¯t have much experience. There were things on the mountain that should not be eaten. This is why they didn¡¯t dare to randomly collect anything ¨C in case they encounter something poisonous.

    Normally, the vigers would only harvest the wild vegetables and mushrooms that they recognize. Those they didn¡¯t recognize, they didn¡¯t dare to even touch them.

    Lu Jiao smiled at that thought. She made a simple trap and tossed in the stream-washed bamboo rat that she caught.

    Once that was done, she took her ax to chop up some wood.

    Lu Jiao was very strong so chopping wood wasn¡¯t much work for her. Shepiled a lot very quickly.

    But as she chopped, she thought of the paralyzed Xie Yunjin. Due to the concussion and internal spleen bleeding, he couldn¡¯t dorge movements. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t get out of bed. That meant it was easy to take care of going to the washroom for number one. They simply needed a bucket. But what about going number two?

    Lu Jiao pondered and decided to make a simple toilet using bamboo. She chopped up some bamboo and then attached them together using natural rubber she found on trees.

    Once she was done, it had gottente. Lu Jiao went to check her trap and saw that two wild chickens and one wild rabbit fell for it. They were all still alive.

    Lu Jiaoughed out of joy. These were all proteins!

    She took the chickens and the rabbit and along with her firewood, she descended the mountain.

    The night had fallen so she didn¡¯t run into anyone here. By the time she got home, she saw four little heads pop through the window in the main living room. When those four saw here, they disappeared quickly with a ¡°whoosh¡±.

    Lu Jiao shook her head andughed as she found this funny. She put down the firewood, which was taller than her. Since the wood she chopped was wet, she could only burn them after they have dried for a few days.

    It waste and time to prepare dinner. Before she started, she visited the east bedroom.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin was awake. The sight of her darkened his eyes. Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Are you thirsty? How about I get you a cup of water for your throat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly declined, ¡°No need. You should go cook. The children are hungry.¡±

    Since he didn¡¯t want to drink, Lu Jiao left to go outside.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin subconsciously licked his lips. His entire being was unspeakably sullen and there was much coldness in his eyes.

    He never expected to find himself in such a difficult situation. To need care from a woman who disgusted him, made him hate himself inside out.

    Outside the door, Lu Jiao suddenly stopped and peered backward. She saw Xie Yunjin lick his lips and it was obvious that he was thirsty.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. This man surely was troublesome.

    So the future First Assistant was a troublesome man.

    Lu Jiao did not say anything and went to fetch a bowl of sugar water. While she did that, she also self-reflected. Xie Yunjin was very injured and needed much hydration. She was at fault for not supplying him with it.

    Lu Jiao went into the room with sugar water, ¡°Drink this first.¡±

    Xie Yunjin instantly declined, ¡°I said I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him and went up to him with the water. She helped him sit up and ordered with a stern attitude, ¡°Enough, drink this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin red at her coldly but in the end, lowered his head to drink the water. The sweet water washed down his throat and brought him instantfort.

    As he drank, Lu Jiao said slowly, ¡°Today, I went up the mountain to chop some firewood. I caught two wild chickens and a wild rabbit. Tomorrow, I will make you some soup. I also found two ganoderma up there today. Tomorrow, I will sell one to Baohe Tang. As for the money¡­¡±

 Chapter 15

    Then get your Revenge

    Before Lu Jiao could finish, Xie Yunjin choked on the water. She caught two wild chickens and a wild rabbit? Along with two bunches of ganoderma? Howe he never knew there were so many goodies in the mountains?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect her words to make Xie Yunjin choke. She quickly went to find something to wipe his mouth with. She failed to find anything nearby and in the end, wiped his mouth with her own sleeve.

    Lu Jiao only did it out of convenience but Xie Yunjin was stunned by her action, ¡°You, you¡­¡±

    When Lu Jiao realized that she had just wiped Xie Yunjin¡¯s mouth with her sleeve, she felt awful.

    ¡°Haha, it¡¯ste. I¡¯m going to cook for the four babies.¡±

    She then took the bowl and left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin angrily stared at her, ¡°Lu Jiao, you dare to wipe my mouth with your sleeve.¡±

    Outside the door, Lu Jiao sneered. Ha, he minded the fact that she wiped his mouth? It was a luxury that someone wiped his mouth in the first ce.

    She walked to the kitchen to cook for the four little ones. For dinner, she made porridge with glutinous rice and vegetables. Honestly, glutinous rice was hard to digest, but they were out of white rice and she didn¡¯t soak the brown rice. Cornmeal wasn¡¯t nutritious and shouldn¡¯t be eaten too frequently.

    So, Lu Jiao made glutinous rice and vegetable porridge. The glutinous rice was a gift from the vige leader.

    After she was done, she poured the food into four bowls and set them on the table. She went to the east bedroom to call the four little ones to dinner.

    ¡°Come out and eat.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t move. Lu Jiao grunted and the four little guys remembered what she said at noon and quickly came out.

    The First Born walked to her and looked up at her, ¡°Then, feed daddy some food.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw his determined face and how he was doing his best to mimic Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold demeanor. In actuality, however, he was very much anxious.

    Lu Jiao found this hrious. He was only a silly kid yet he pretended to be an adult. She raised her hand and rubbed the First Born¡¯s head.

    ¡°Enough now. I will feed your daddy. You guys go and eat.¡±

    The First Born was in shock. This evil woman dared to touch his head.

    Behind him, the Fourth Born walked over. He gawked at her, then gawked at her hand.

    Lu Jiao understood him immediately. He wanted a pat on the head as well.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s grin widened. What an amazing baby he was. She raised her hand and patted the Fourth Born¡¯s head, ¡°Good boy. You guys go eat and I will get some food to feed your dad.¡±

    The four little beans finally went to eat. Lu Jiao fetched a bowl of glutinous rice and vegetable porridge to feed Xie Yunjin,

    Because Xie Yunjin wouldy in bed all day, he didn¡¯t digest well. So, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t get too much food.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to make chicken soup. I¡¯ll make it for you tomorrow.¡±

    However, the man in the bed ignored her words and slightly nudged his body away.

    ¡°You get out and eat. I don¡¯t need you to feed me.¡±

    Dark lines appeared on Lu Jiao¡¯s face. In hindsight, she realized why Xie Yunjin acted so strange. She thought about it carefully and realized that after this guy got injured, he¡¯d eaten very little. Why was that?

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, what are you ying at? You¡¯re critically wounded, how can you not eat? I remember now ¨C for thest few days, you¡¯ve only eaten very little as well. You also always have a lot of leftovers.¡±

    The air around Xie Yunjin turned colder. Depression started to cloud his eyes as he spat in anger, ¡°That¡¯s not your business. Get out and eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him. The sick had the right to act unreasonably.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, what will happen to the four babies? If something were to happen to you, who would take care of them?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart quivered a little as his fingers quietly tightened into a fist. He remained silent and his entire being appeared solemn and dejected.

    Lu Jiao stared at him and a light flicked off in her head. Could it be because of the washroom issue?

    The once glorious schr was now paralyzed in bed and needed assistance to relieve himself. It was a given that he wouldn¡¯t befortable with that.

    Lu Jiao blinked. That must be a hard knot to untie for many paralyzed patients.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, could it be that you are not eating because of your inability to use the washroom?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s body trembled. His handsome and slender face was now full of dark lines. He snapped his head around and gawked at Lu Jiao cruelly.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t understand what she meant by ¡°going to the washroom¡±, he could vaguely guess what she meant. His expression was now indescribably ugly.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t get scared off by him. With a heavy heart, she said, ¡°Xie Yunjin, you are already heavily wounded. Though you¡¯re enduring by taking the medicine and you may be feeling somewhat alright, your physical body is actually doing very poorly. Do you know how unwell your face looks? You are not showing any signs of color. If this state continues, not only will you not heal, you will likely die due to your own doing.¡±

    ¡°I understand why you¡¯re doing this. The once glorious schr is now paralyzed in bed and requires assistance to use the washroom. This situation is far too embarrassing. But think about it, everyone gets sick sometimes. This is nothing. You need to think more about the quadruplets. They¡¯re worried daily about your health and don¡¯t dare to leave your side, terrified that something might happen to you. If something does happen to you, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll be traumatized?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words somewhat changed the expression of the man in bed. However, when he looked up and saw Lu Jiao, his face quickly turned gloomy. He frowned and said in a heavy voice, ¡°Lu Jiao, I am in this state all because of you. If I wasn¡¯t so worried that you¡¯d hit the kids while I was away, I never would¡¯ve taken an overnight trip to rush home. I wouldn¡¯t have run into a horse carriage in town and gotten hurt like this.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to his furious words and didn¡¯t exin herself. She nodded, ¡°Yes. This is all my fault. Since you me me, then why not take this chance to revenge yourself? Why not make me take care of your meals and help you go pee? Isn¡¯t that the best revenge against me?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words strike Xie Yunjin¡¯s brain like thunder.

    That was right. He was paralyzed in bed. This woman had to take on most of the responsibilities. It was her responsibility to take care of him.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and looked over to the porridge in Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak more, terrified that he would find something else to argue over. She quickly started to feed him.

    After the majority of the food went into his tummy, she stopped. He had barely eaten for several days and wouldn¡¯t digest well if he ate too much at once. That would cause bloating.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to brew your medicine. If you need to pee or something, call me. I¡¯ll be in the kitchen next door.¡±

    Lu Jiao got up to leave. Behind her, Xie Yunjin stared at her unkindly. This woman continued to talk about peeing. How indecent.

    In the kitchen, the four little ones finished eating. When they saw Lu Jiao enter with an empty bowl, their faces instantly rxed.

    They got up and started to run outside. Behind them, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but warn them, ¡°Slow down.¡±

    She washed the dishes in the kitchen and started to brew medicine in a crock. As she sat and waited, she felt her body ache all over. There wasn¡¯t a single spot on her body that felt well. Once she sat down, she didn¡¯t want to move.

    This body of hers has been far toozy. It caused her to be in pain every time she moved. Even though it hurt, she did not n to give up on her diet.

 Chapter 16

    A Blind Cat Caught a Dead Rat

    Lu Jiao brewed the medicine as she thought it over. Outside the courtyard, much noise appeared. The noise was also mixed with heart-wrenching cries.

    Lu Jiao focused and listened and realized that the noise came from Second Grandma¡¯s house. What happened over there?

    Lu Jiao remembered how kind the Second Grandma was and decided to go check it out. Efficiently, she put out the fire underneath the crock.

    Just as she stepped outside, she found the four little ones peeking out the door in terror.

    Lu Jiao quicklyforted the four little ones, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go back inside and stay with daddy. I¡¯ll go and see what happened.¡±

    The four little ones retreated right away. Lu Jiao walked to her neighbor¡¯s in giant steps.

    By the time she arrived, she saw that many people from the vige were there. They stood around in the yard and chitchatted.

    ¡°I heard Xiaobao got a fish bone stuck in his throat.¡±

    ¡°If a fish bone is stuck, you have to eat something dry to push it down.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to the vigers as they chatted and peeked inside the room. Inside the room, the Second Grandma and her oldest daughter-inw had begun to cry from anxiety.

    Xie Xiaobao was the youngest son of Lady Zhao. He was only 13 years old and was very spoiled in this family. This young man had a rather good reputation.

    When he had some free time, he would go up the mountains to hunt birds or go into the rivers to catch fish. He never bullied little kids nor did he ever steal or sneak around. He was rather likable. Nobody could expect him to get hurt like this today.

    Inside the room, the Second Grandma¡¯s eldest son, Xie Laifu, gritted through his teeth, ¡°Let¡¯s bring Xiaobao to Chuntang Hospital immediately.¡±

    Xie Laifu¡¯s eldest son, Xie Hu, hurriedly left to borrow an ox cart.

    Lu Jiao watched everything unfold before her and couldn¡¯t help but step forward. For a fish bone to get stuck wasn¡¯t exactly a big deal. But it wasn¡¯t a small matter either. If the fishbone slid into the esophagus, it would be troublesome. It would be fine if the fishbone slid into the stomach though.

    The vigers noticed Lu Jiao the moment she stepped out. Each one of them started to mumble.

    ¡°What is that woman doing out here?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s here to gossip. Xiaobao is in pain yet she came to watch the show. How heartless.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s always been like this. Stop talking about her. If you provoke her, she¡¯ll make a scene again.¡±

    People said all sorts of things. Within the crowd, a soft and thin voice arose, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even care about her own man and children. Let alone other people¡¯s.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head just in time to watch Shen Xiu nonchntly say this to the others.

    The person beside Shen Xiu instantly cursed, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate for the Xie Vige to have such a scourge.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze was unspeakably cold. She cooly red at Shen Xiu and then turned back to walk into the Xie main room.

    Inside the Xie family¡¯s main room, everyone had perspired from stress. The moment Lady Zhao saw Lu Jiao walk in, she started to curse angrily.

    ¡°You jinx. What are you doing inside my home? Are you happy to see my Xiaobao in pain?¡±

    Lady Zhao¡¯s words earned a re from the Second Grandma, ¡°Just what are you saying?¡±

    The Second Grandma looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, is something the matter?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°I can help Xiaobao and take out the fish bone.¡±

    Her words made everyone inside the room freeze. Only Xie Xiaobao continued to cry.

    Outside, people didn¡¯t hear clearly and asked, ¡°What did Lu Jiao say?¡±

    Someone repeated, ¡°She said she can help Xiaobao take out the fish bone.¡±

    Her words made everyone inside the yard sarcastic.

    ¡°She sure dares to speak. I hope she doesn¡¯t hurt Xiaobao.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s trying to show off again.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s only been good at bullying the kids before. Now she¡¯s pretending to know how to treat kids?¡±

    Lady Zhao heard what everyone was saying and her face grew ugly. She pointed at Lu Jiao and screamed, ¡°Get the **** out of here!¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Lady Zhao. She didn¡¯t try to persuade her. She had spoken honestly and if Lady Zhao didn¡¯t want to believe her, then that¡¯s not her problem.

    Lu Jiao turned to leave. Behind her, the Second Grandma chased after Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, tell me, can you really take out the fish bone?¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped walking and turned back to look at the Second Grandma. This Grandma has had a hard life to have lost her husband young and to have raised her four children by herself. Despite the hardships, she managed to maintain her kind heart.

    ¡°I can.¡±

    The Second Grandma instantly turned to look at Lady Zhao. Lady Zhao had her arms around Xiaobao as if someone was there to hurt him.

    ¡°Mom, you cannot treat Xiaobao as a joke. Do you not know what that woman was like? She takes pleasure in causing others pain and is known to be a bully. Look at how much she¡¯s hit her own four children. You really believe she¡¯s kind enough to help Xiaobao with the fish bone?¡±

    Lady Zhao then shouted at Lu Jiao, ¡°You, leave right now!¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to leave. She had to get back and brew medicine anyway.

    Behind her, Xie Laifu stopped her, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can you really take out the bone?¡±

    Lu Jiao was now impatient and frowned, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xie Laifu clenched his teeth and looked over at Lady Zhao, ¡°Let Yunjin¡¯s wife try.¡±

    Lady Zhao didn¡¯t agree and held onto Xiaobao. She directed her anger at Xie Laifu, ¡°You want our Xiaobao to die?¡±

    Xie Laifu was angry as well, ¡°Look at how much pain Xiaobao is in. Who knows what will happen once he¡¯s at the hospital. What if he bes mute and can no longer speak? Would you be satisfied then?¡±

    Lady Zhao silenced and started to cry while he held onto her son. However, she no longer insisted Lu Jiao should leave.

    Lu Jiao walked over to Xie Xiaobao, ¡°Endure for a moment. Open your mouth and let me see where the bone is.¡±

    While Xie Xiaobao was in a great deal of pain, he was 13 after all. After Lu Jiao¡¯s instructions, he opened his mouth despite the pain.

    Lu Jiao stared but couldn¡¯t see well. The lighting here was far too dim. She indicated for someone toe over with an oilmp. But still, it wasn¡¯t clear.

    Lu Jiao took out a mouth stretcher from her space and ced it into Xiaobao¡¯s mouth. Lady Zhao instantly started to scream, ¡°What are you doing? What is that?¡±

    Lu Jiao answered leisurely, ¡°A mouth stretcher. This can hold his mouth open so I can see clearly where the bone is.¡±

    She then located the fish bone, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The bone didn¡¯t slide into the esophagus. I will take it out for him.¡±

    Lu Jiao then secretly took out a thin and long tweezer. Then, she followed the light and extracted the fish bone.

    No wonder he was in so much pain. The fish bone wasrge and was stuck on the bottom of his throat. That would¡¯ve made it very painful.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s over. The fish bone is out.¡±

    Lu Jiao then put away the mouth stretcher and the tweezer.

    The Xie family¡¯s faces were all in disbelief. It was that simple? It was that easy?

    Xie Xiaobao swallowed a few times. Since the pain was gone, he had stopped crying.

    Lady Zhao rubbed his neck, ¡°My son, does it still hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. I¡¯m not in pain.¡±

    Outside the room, everyone was stunned to watch this happen. Such a big problem was resolved just like that?

    When did that fat woman be so capable?

    Lu Jiao had her mind on Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine. She left right after she took out the bone. The Xie family was so happy they didn¡¯t even notice.

    The vigers in the yard, however, cleared a path for Lu Jiao. This was because her actions shocked everyone.

    As people watched her leave, someone said, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife feels different now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think she¡¯s different from before as well.¡±

    Shen Xie listened to thesements and her heart burned like a me. Angrily, she sputtered, ¡°A blind cat caught a dead rat, that¡¯s all. Do you really expect something from her?¡±

 Chapter 17

    Disheartened

    Lu Jiao heard her and turned her head around to look at Shen Xiu. With a fake smile, she said, ¡°Ergou¡¯s wife, I ask that you stop bringing food to my Yunjin. You¡¯re a widow. For you to bring other men food is bad taste.¡±

    Lu Jiao left after she said those words. Behind her, everyone from the Xie vige was confused, ¡°Ergou¡¯s wife? Who¡¯s Ergou¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the widow? Who brings Yunjin food?¡±

    Everyone chit-chatted and then thought of Shen Xiu¡¯s husband. His name was Su Ergou. That meant Ergou¡¯s wife was Shen Xiu. Shen Xiu¡¯s husband died which made her a widow.

    Everyone stared at Shen Xiu and remembered what Lu Jiao had said. Their faces grew unpleasant.

    Everyone knew this woman wanted to marry Yunjin and self-proimed to be his best childhood friend. However, Yunjin never promised to marry her and they were never officially together.

    Because of this, Lu Jiao once threw a fit. Who knew that even after this woman¡¯s husband died, she would still bring Yunjin food.

    She had definitely crossed the line.

    Shen Xiu listened to thements made around her and started to cry out of anger. She then ran away while others continued to mumble criticism about her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care about any of this. She went home and continued to brew Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine.

    Once she poured out the brewed medicine, a few people came to visit.

    It was the Second Grandma¡¯s family.

    The Second Grandma, Xie Laifu, Lady Zhao, and Xie Xiaobao.

    But the family didn¡¯t enter. They stood outside the fence and asked, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, are you around?¡±

    Lu Jiao was on her way out of the kitchen with the medicine when she saw the Second Grandma¡¯s family. She quickly went to greet them, ¡°Second Grandma, what are you doing here?¡±

    The Second Grandma smiled and said, ¡°We are here to thank you for taking the fish bone out of Xiaobao.¡±

    Lu Jiao opened up the bamboo door and indicated for them to enter, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I only did what I could.¡±

    Xie Laifu gave Lady Zhao a look. Lady Zhao remembered how unfriendly she was towards Lu Jiao and walked up to apologize.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, I did you wrong and I want to apologize. Don¡¯t be angry at me. I am just a farmer and I don¡¯t know how to speak properly.¡±

    Lady Zhao then took out 50 copper coins from her sleeve and shoved them into Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. Lu Jiao declined it instantly, ¡°Sister, I was just passing by and helped with what I could. I don¡¯t need money. You should take it back.¡±

    Lady Zhao continued to shove but the Second Grandma spoke up, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just remember what Jiaojiao did for us and remember to repay the favorter.¡±

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed and smiled, ¡°It really was no big deal. You don¡¯t need to do this.¡±

    Xie Laifu and Lady Zhao started to look at Lu Jiao differently now. Yunjin¡¯s wife truly has changed. She was much nicer now. Not bad, not bad at all.

    Xie Laifu stared at Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Yunjin doing?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡±

    Xie Laifu said, ¡°Let us go visit him.¡±

    Lu Jiao led them to the east bedroom. Once they entered, they didn¡¯t even have a ce to sit.

    Xie Laifu looked at this poor home and was not at all happy with how cold-hearted Xie Laogen¡¯s family was. The way he looked at Xie Yunjin was full of pity.

    ¡°Yunjin, how are you feeling? Are you better now?¡±

    Xie Yunjin naturally saw the pity in Xie Laifu¡¯s eyes. A rush of coldness subconsciously engulfed him and his brows grew sullen.

    These people used to all stare at him with admiration. They used to look at him as if they belonged in different worlds.

    Now, he was being pitied by these people. These thoughts made Xie Yunjin feel like something had been shoved up his heart.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness. I am fine.¡±

    Xie Laifu sighed. How could he be fine when he was wounded like this? Though he looked okay on the outside, it wasn¡¯t certain whether or not he would survive this. Plus, the color of his face truly was a point of concern.

    Xie Laifu wanted to help, but when he remembered how expensive each portion of medicine was, he felt helpless. All he could do was tofort him despite his heavy heart.

    ¡°Yunjin, don¡¯t overthink it. The heavens will bless those who are good. It will get better.¡±

    Behind him, Lady Zhao nodded in agreement. The Second Grandma walked over and held onto Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Good child, you will be okay. Everything will get better.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Mhmm.¡±

    Xie Laifu and Lady Zhao then asked about their four children. They then lectured Xie Xiaobao to take good care of the quadruplets in the future. Xie Xiaobao was eager to agree.

    The family then left. After Lu Jiao sent them away, she returned to feed Xie Yunjin medicine.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin lied on the bed with his face gray. He didn¡¯t move for a long time and he acted like a dead tree trunk. Disheartened, he looked towards Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Lu Jiao, if something were to happen to me, you would treat the four children kindly, right?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could respond, the quadruplets, who slept on the inner corner of the big bed, started to cry out of fear.

    ¡°Daddy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want daddy to die.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, quickly take the medicine. You¡¯ll be fine after taking the medicine.¡±

    Lu Jiao had an unpleasant expression as she stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°What are you talking about sote at night? Look at how much you¡¯re scaring the kids.¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned to look beside him and saw how sad the quadruplets looked. It was obvious that they were scared witless.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart ached and he cursed at himself for being stupid.

    Why did he think that he could leave the four kids to Lu Jiao? He knew the kind of person Lu Jiao was. She was only nice to the kids now because she either wanted to separate from him, or she wanted to make up with him.

    If he died, she wouldn¡¯t treat the quadruplets kindly. So, he wasn¡¯t allowed to die.

    Xie Yunjin had been enlightened. Life returned to his body and emotions reappeared on his visage. Like a winter plum that¡¯s been watered by cold dew, he now appeared dignified and frosted.

    Then he softened his gaze and looked over at the quadruplets.

    ¡°Alright, stop crying now. Nothing will happen to me. I will have my medicine. Once I¡¯m better, I¡¯ll have to teach you all how to read.¡±

    The First Born wiped his tears and pointed at the medicine bowl in Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Then hurry up and have your medicine.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at Xie Yunjin and used her arm to help him sit straight. Then, she fed him the medicine.

    This time, Xie Yunjin was cooperative and quickly drank it all.

    The quadruplets finally stopped their tears after he took the medicine. However, those four pairs of eyes were red from crying and their faces were full of worry. Anxious and unsettled, they sat by Xie Yunjin.

    Their reaction pinched Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart. They were his children, how could he have the heart to leave them behind?

    Even if he did be paralyzed or disabled, he needed to stay by their sides. Children without a father were pitiful.

    Xie Yunjin used all his strength to pat the quadruplets on the heads, ¡°Alright, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have said those things to scare you. It¡¯ste. Go to sleep now.¡±

    The four little ones carefully tucked themselves in beside him. Each one of them took out a hand to grab onto his clothes, terrified that he would leave them behind.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart hurt when she saw this. She looked over to Xie Yunjin and said angrily, ¡°I told you, I will find someone to cure your legs. I will do what I promised. Don¡¯t scare them like that anymore.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Strictly on Guard

    Lu Jiao then walked out with the empty bowl. Behind her, Xie Yunjin nced at her silhouette but didn¡¯t take her words seriously.

    Because Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t show up, Lu Jiao worried that Xie Yunjin may need something overnight. So she grabbed some sheets and slept in the east bedroom.

    This time, neither Xie Yunjin nor the quadruplets fought her over it. They had silently epted her decision.

    The moment Lu Jiao lied down, her eyelids started to fight themselves. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

    However, up on the bed, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t seem to be able to sleep. He tossed and turned asionally, which forced Lu Jiao to ask, ¡°Are you thirsty?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Am I a pig?¡±

    ¡°Then why are you moving?¡±

    ¡°Did I bother you?¡±

    Lu Jiao was toozy to pay attention to this troublesome man. She closed her eyes and was ready to sleep. Then, her brain flickered and she thought that Xie Yunjin moved around like this because he needed to use the washroom but was too shy to ask for help.

    She quickly turned her head and looked at the man on the bed, ¡°Could it be that you need to use the washroom but are too embarrassed to ask?¡±

    By now, Xie Yunjin knew what she meant by ¡°washroom¡±. It was true, he wanted to pee but didn¡¯t want to tell Lu Jiao. This was why he continued to toss around and couldn¡¯t sleep.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t speak but Lu Jiao knew that he wanted to use the washroom. Speechless, she made a face. What an annoying man. Would he die if he asked for help? Why did he have to be difficult?

    Lu Jiao yawned as she crawled off the floor. She walked to the bed and took out the urinal from underneath the bed. She then extended her arm to pull up Xie Yunjin¡¯s clothes.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face drastically changed and he grabbed onto his clothes.

    With his eyes dark and cloudy, he stared at Lu Jiao and sneered, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao was confused, ¡°I¡¯m helping you pee.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows subconsciously grew tense, ¡°Give me the urinal. I will do this myself.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless as she stared at him. This delicate and handsome face of his was almost frosty and those dark eyes on him exuded with cold air. The angry way he looked at her was like she was a pervert who provoked a young woman.

    Lu Jiao was unhappy as she continued to stare. Was he so strictly on guard because he thought of himself as some kind of a prize? Did he think she wanted to take care of him?

    Annoyed, Lu Jiao handed Xie Yunjin the urinal.

    [If you can do it yourself, do it yourself.]

    Lu Jiao retreated two steps and turned around. That would be enough for him, right?

    Sadly, she waited for a long while but heard no noises.

    No longer able to suppress herself, she asked angrily, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing it?¡±

    She was so sleepy after such a hard day.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face clouded over. It took him some time to finally speak through his teeth, ¡°I can¡¯t do it with you in this room. Get out.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes and walked out. The moment she left the room, she heard noises from inside, and only when all sounds subsided, did she return. She took the urinal back from Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand.

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t object and gave it back to her.

    He was wounded because of her. So it was natural that she took care of him. She should take care of him.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t find this dirty. As a military doctor, she frequently dealt with this stuff. This was very normal.

    Lu Jiao took the urinal outside and dumped it. Then, she rinsed it in the yard with water and left it there to air out the smell.

    Once she was done, she cleaned her hands and went back to sleep.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin saw that Lu Jiao was ready to sleep and said unhappily, ¡°I haven¡¯t washed my hands.¡±

    Lu Jiao very much wanted to say, enough already!

    But she recalled how violent the future First Assistant could get and epted her fate. She fetched some water and washed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hands. By the time she was done, it waste into the night and the family finally slept in silence.

    The next day, when the sun had just started to rise, Lu Jiao got up to go up the mountains. Not only could she lose weight this way, but she could alsoe back with some firewood.

    Up on the mountain, she went to check out the trap she set up yesterday to see if there¡¯s been any more prey.

    Who knew that there really was an animal inside the trap. A wild boar that was over 100 pounds and hasn¡¯t been dead for too long.

    Lu Jiao was ecstatic and she pulled up the wild boar.

    She won¡¯t find firewood today then. Instead, she¡¯ll bring the boar to the market and sell it.

    This boar was so big it would be impossible for the family to finish. So it would be better to sell it.

    Since she has space, the boar wouldn¡¯t go bad if she ced it there. However, she didn¡¯t want to kill this animal, so it was better to sell it.

    Should she put this boar into her space and then secretly sell it, or should she make a big deal out of this by bringing this boar back home?

    Lu Jia thought it over and decided to bring this boar back home. Because she will need to buy Xie Yunjin medicine and buy food for the four little ones right after.

    If people didn¡¯t see how she made her money, the vigers would make up all sorts of rumors as to how she got it.

    Lu Jiao happily went down the mountain with the boar on her back. Once she was close to her home, she heard an excited crye from her front gate.

    ¡°Oh my god, is¡­ is that a wild boar?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up and found Lady Zhao staring at her and her wild boar with an astonished expression.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, the neighbors heard themotion and all rushed out to see.

    Everyone was in awe and Xie Xiaobao happily ran around while he screamed, ¡°Wow, third aunt, you¡¯re so great. Did you hunt this wild boar?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Xiaobao and smiled, ¡°I set up a trap earlier. I didn¡¯t expect it but I caught a wild boar.¡±

    Just then, Lady Zhao snapped back to reality. She stared at how easily Lu Jiao was carrying this wild boar and her scalp went numb. Just how strong was she? How strong could she get if she was in a physical fight?

    Lady Zhao¡¯s heart trembled as she mumbled silently to never wrong Lu Jiao. If Lu Jiao ever punches her, she may just lose half her life.

    Lady Zhao thought about it and started to wave around the eggs in her hand, ¡°I brought you some eggs.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined instantly, ¡°Ah, sister, there¡¯s no need.¡±

    Lady Zhao insisted, ¡°You saved our Xiaobao yesterday and refused to take any money. Don¡¯t reject these few eggs. If you don¡¯t ept them, then you don¡¯t see me as family.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and did not decline again. It was true that she saved Xie Xiaobao. And it was not a big deal to eat a few of their eggs.

    Lu Jiao walked into her yard with the boar on her back. Behind her, Lady Zhao followed with an unexined troubled expression.

    Xie Xiaobao didn¡¯t understand why his mother was so scared. He followed Lu Jiao into the yard and pursued, ¡°Third aunty, how did you make your trap? You¡¯re so capable. Can you teach me?¡±

    Lady Zao¡¯s face went dark. There was no way someone would share their hunting strategy.

    Lady Zhao was about to scold Xie Xiaobao when Lu Jiao said, ¡°Sure. I will teach youter.¡±

    The reason why she was able to catch a wild boar wasn¡¯t only because of the trap. It was also due to the baits she used that had been brushed with the spiritual stream. That water had the ability to draw in prey.

    Lady Zhao didn¡¯t know that and was touched, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, ignore him.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao angrily turned his head to re at his mom, ¡°Mother.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Suspicions

    Up in front, Lu Jiao tossed the wild boar onto the ground with a thump. Inside the east bedroom, the four little ones heard the noise and dashed outside. The sight of the boar on the ground shocked them. They stood by the door as they were too stunned to leave.

    Outside the Xie family¡¯s gates, a lot of nearby vigers heard the mor and rushed over for the show.

    ¡°Oh my, what a big boar.¡±

    ¡°Did Yunjin¡¯s wife catch that? She has such a skill?¡±

    ¡°I heard that she made a trap to capture it.¡±

    ¡°What kind of trap is that great?¡±

    ¡°The hunters from our vige can¡¯t even get a boar this big.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about the others? The point is that she caught it.¡±

    There were all sorts of voices in the crowd. Someone raised their voice and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, are you going to kill this boar?¡±

    Those words unlocked lots of people¡¯s imaginations. Even Lady Zhao started to have some selfish thoughts.

    If Lu Jiao killed the boar, then they could take some of that meat back home. It¡¯s been so long since people here ate meat.

    Though the Xie Vige was established right by the mountains, since most vigers did not know how to read, they didn¡¯t recognize the stuff that was found on the mountains. Therefore, they didn¡¯t dare to touch most of the things there.

    The only thing the vigers could count on were the agriculture in the field. However, since the Xie Vige was next to the mountains, the humidity was high and the sunlight was never direct. Therefore, they rarely had a full harvest.

    Because of these factors, the Xie Vige was very poor. So poor that many families couldn¡¯t eat a full meal. They didn¡¯t even have enough grains, let alone eat meat.

    Lu Jiao scanned the vigers who stood around the gates. A portion of the people here weren¡¯t very nice, but the majority of them were good enough. Though some of them had fought against the original host before, they¡¯ve always been nice towards Xie Yunjin and the four children.

    Xie Yunjin was born into the Xie Vige. The Vige will always be his roots even if he does leave in the future.

    This was a generation that focused on filial ties. If they didn¡¯t emphasize their care for their n, Xie Yunjin may get impeached even if he does be an official in the pce.

    Xie Yunjin had ns to go through the Imperial Examination, be the number one Schr, thenter the First Assistant. So, the Xie Vige was important to him. Plus, if the four children wanted to leave here one day, their reputation was very important.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and smiled at everyone by the gate. In a bright voice, she announced, ¡°Since everyone wants to eat meat, then I will ask someone to kill this boar.¡±

    Just then, she looked over to Lady Zhao, ¡°Laifu¡¯s wife, I remember that Xie Hu knew how to kill a boar. Can you ask him to kill this boar for me?¡±

    Lady Zhao nodded happily, ¡°Alright, alright.¡±

    She looked up to her daughter-inw, who stood outside the gates, and ordered, ¡°Chunyan, go get your man and ask him to help Yunjin¡¯s wife with the boar.¡±

    Xie Hu¡¯s wife was named Lin Chunyan. After marrying Xie Hu, she hasn¡¯t borne any children and thus had to live with her head down at her inw¡¯s. She never dared to disobey her mother-inw¡¯s words. After she heard Lady Zhao¡¯s words, she instantly responded, ¡°Yes, mother.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced around the vigers outside the gate and said, ¡°After we kill the boar, whoever wants meat cane and get some. Since we are all neighbors, I won¡¯t ask for much in return ¨C only 15 copper coins per pound.¡±

    Pork on the market were normally 20 copper coins per pound. Since wild boars were rarer, the market rate was sometimes even higher.

    Who knew that Yunjin¡¯s wife would give them a discount right off the bat? Each viger was overjoyed.

    ¡°Alright, I wille and get a pound.¡±

    ¡°My family will also get a pound so we can satisfy our cravings.¡±

    Everyone happily went home first toe backter. Of course, there were some people who were not happy.

    Widow Li was very displeased and said angrily, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, we are all neighbors from the same vige. How can you charge us when you¡¯ve got such a big boar?¡±

    Widow Li¡¯s words gathered some support. Some others chimed in, ¡°Yeah, we all live in the same vige. Why would she charge us?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised her head to look at Widow Li, who was outside the gate. This woman was the mother of Shen Xiu, who was after Xie Yunjin. Not only did this mother have an evil tongue, she was also cheap and greedy. Her behavior was not exactly good.

    Rumor had it that a lot of men from the vige had rtionships with her. All because she wanted to gain something from those men.

    Lu Jiao snickered and stared at Widow Li, ¡°My Yunjin is gravely wounded. As neighbors, howe I don¡¯t see youing over with silver to help him with treatment? I have a critically ill person at home, and four little ones to feed, howe I don¡¯t see you helping out one bit?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words gained some support. Outside the gates, many started to curse at Widow Li. That woman truly was good for nothing.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she want any face? Her greed has no limit.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s hungry for others¡¯ meat. She sure didn¡¯t consider that family¡¯s situation at all. How shameless.¡±

    Those people¡¯s words made Lu Jiao feel a little better. With a kind tone, she said, ¡°I can also sell this wild boar to a restaurant for at least three taels of silver. Once I kill this boar, I can only get half of what I could gain. But as a member of this vige, I should not forget my roots. The days have been hard for everyone. Since I hunted down this boar, I should benefit a little from it. So, if you guys still want it, it will be 15 copper coins per pound. You cer to buy it.¡±

    Afterward, Lu Jiao did not pay any attention to the others. It waste. Xie Yunjin and the four little ones haven¡¯t eaten breakfast yet.

    Lady Zhao took some eggs and followed Lu Jiao into the kitchen. There, she ced the eggs down.

    ¡°Ignore that short-sighted woman. She lives as if she¡¯s never seen anything good in her life. She wants to take home even the weed by the road, let alone meat.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t pay attention to her. The more attention you give her, the further she crosses the line.¡±

    After some chit-chat, Lady Zhao left. Behind her, Lu Jiao boiled a pot of water for Xie Hu to use with the boar. She then made some cornmeal porridge and added boiled eggs to it. Lady Zhao gifted her 20 eggs. Lu Jiao boiled six of them ¨C one for each person in the family.

    Once breakfast was made, Xie Lu came over to help her kill the boar. A lot of kids gathered in the garden, this included the four little ones who ran out of the house to watch.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind any of this. She made some sugar water and brought it to the east bedroom. Xie Yunjin was hurt badly and needed to stay hydrated. Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to add some spiritual stream water in there to help condition his body.

    Xie Yunjin was still very fragile. If he didn¡¯t make the effort to get better, it would be difficult to go through surgery. So, he must heal well enough before surgery can smoothly ur.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin heard themotion outside. It was like New Year¡¯s or something.

    By now, he had already learned that Lu Jiao caught a wild boar this morning.

    Xie Yunjin remembered how Lu Jiao caught two wild chickens and a rabbit yesterday. She even found two ganoderma. Today, she went out and managed to catch a boar.

    Was there that much good stuff up in the mountains?

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes. The more he thought about it, the stranger he found Lu Jiao to be.

    Outside the door, Lu Jiao arrived with sugar water, ¡°You must be thirsty. Drink some water. Breakfast is cooking. Once it¡¯s done I¡¯ll bring it in and feed you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t speak. After Lu Jiao fed him the water, he looked up and stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°How did you catch a wild boar?¡±

    The stare made Lu Jiao nervous. However, when she spoke, her tone was nonchnt, ¡°I made a trap. The wild boar ran into the trap and was stabbed to death by bamboo sticks. I carried it back.¡±

    ¡°Yesterday, you got a rabbit, chickens and ganoderma. Today, you got a wild boar. Howe I never knew of this skill of yours?¡±

 Chapter 20

    The Four Little Ones Made Lu Jiao Empty Promises

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze fixated on Lu Jiao and refused to let any changes in her expression slip by. This woman looked the same as usual. However, the way she handled everything was not at all the same as before.

    If it weren¡¯t for this face of hers, he was certain that this was not the same woman. But the face on her looked the same as ever. Was there a second person in this world who looked like that?

    Lu Jiao saw how Xie Yunjin stared at her. This man must suspect that she wasn¡¯t the same person as before. After all, their personalities were so different.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to exin to him so she simply sneered, ¡°When have you ever cared about me? Don¡¯t act as if you know me better than everyone else. I have always been like this. Before, I lost myself and acted crazy. I¡¯m awake now.¡±

    She then red at Xie Yunjin before she left.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin stared at her silhouette and discovered that even the way she walked was different. Before, despite her roughness and ruthlessness, she was insecure and acted very fidgety and scared.

    But now, confidence exuded out of her pores. Everything she did was kind and cheery in nature.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t figure out how someone could change so drastically.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think twice about Xie Yunjin¡¯s suspicions. Right now, she just needed to feed them good food and good drinks. When the right timees, she will perform surgery on Xie Yunjin. Once he is healed, they will no longer cross paths. What was the point of thinking too much?

    Lu Jiao went into the yard and found Xie Hu had shaved down the boar. Since the boar was dead, there wasn¡¯t much blood to drain. He only needed to shave it and then cut open its belly.

    Xie Xiaobao excitedly circled the boar while he chatted with the four little ones. This was because Lu Jiao had just helped Xie Xiaobao get out the fish bone in his throat.

    So, Xie Xiaobao was very keen to take care of the quadruplets and talked to them non-stop.

    Lu Jiao was very happy to see that. The four little ones stayed home all day and never left the gates. That wasn¡¯t ideal.

    With Xie Xiaobao taking the lead, he could bring them into the vige to yter.

    Lu Jiao then called out to the four little ones for breakfast, ¡°First, Second, Third, and Fourth Born, it¡¯s time to eat breakfast.¡±

    The four little ones were reluctant to leave. However, they didn¡¯t dare to defy Lu Jiao¡¯s orders so they hesitantly went to the kitchen for food.

    Lu Jiao found this funny, ¡°You cane out and watch after you eat. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not letting you look.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes brightened. They rushed into the kitchen to eat their breakfast. By the time Lu Jiao entered, the four of them had drank half their porridge.

    However, nobody touched the eggs that were ced in the middle of the table. Lu Jiao took the eggs to peel and then ced four peeled ones into the bowl.

    ¡°After the cornmeal, each one of you should eat an egg.¡±

    The four little ones were stunned and stared at Lu Jiao in shock. The eggs were for them?

    Though thest few days they¡¯ve eaten well, without Lu Jiao¡¯s orders, they didn¡¯t dare to peel the eggs to eat. They were certain that the evil woman boiled the eggs for herself to eat.

    They didn¡¯t expect that the eggs were for them. Plus, who knew that the evil woman would peel the eggs for them?

    The four little ones gawked at the white eggs and then carefully looked up to Lu Jiao. She didn¡¯t appear as evil as she used to be.

    Lu Jiao ignored their thoughts and patted their heads. With a gentle voice, she said, ¡°Once we get more money, all of you can eat an egg every morning.¡±

    The First Born heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words and raised his head to speak loudly, ¡°We will not eat the eggs. Sell the eggs and buy daddy medicine.¡±

    Then, his dad would be cured.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart felt so sour. These boney kids who looked like baby chickens were more worried about their dad¡¯s injuries.

    These children have big hearts. Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t understand how these children would end up as viins whomit all sorts of evil.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and continued to speak gently, ¡°As you can see, I can hunt. From now on, our family no longercks the money. We have enough to buy your daddy medicine. So you need to stop worrying and eat whatever you are given.¡±

    The four little ones quickly looked up to her, ¡°If you can help cure dad, we will let you hit us in the future.¡±

    ¡°Even if you hit us, we won¡¯t curse at you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We will be good and listen to you.¡±

    ¡°When we grow up, we will also take care of you.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this hrious. Were these all empty promises? Their brains sure were sharp.

    ¡°Enough now. Didn¡¯t you want to watch the boar get shaved? You can go and watch once you¡¯re done eating.¡±

    The four fes instantly forgot how they made Lu Jiao empty promises. With a super speed, they finished their porridge and eggs. As they ate, they wondered. This evil woman is no longer evil Should they call her ¡°mom¡± if she continues to be nice?

    They didn¡¯t have time to think too much before a loud shout outside interrupted their thoughts, ¡°I¡¯m opening up the belly! Opening up the belly!¡±

    The four little ones hurriedly finished breakfast and dashed outside.

    Behind them, Lu Jiao sat down to eat. After she ate her cornmeal and egg, she washed the dishes. She scooped out some more food to take to the east bedroom and feed Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°I made cornmeal porridge and egg for breakfast. Today, I¡¯ll go into town to sell the ganoderma. With the money, I¡¯ll buy some rice and flour. You and the babies aren¡¯t healthy enough to only eat cornmeal. It doesn¡¯t have much nutrition.¡±

    Lu Jiao then started to peel the egg. Xie Yunjin remained on his bed and squinted his eyes at her. She acted at ease and confident. The person was still the same but inside that body, she didn¡¯t appear to be that person anymore.

    Xin Yunjin narrowed his eyes subconsciously. Just who was she? Her appearance was the same as before but everything else appeared to be different.

    Lu Jiao ignored Xie Yunjin. No matter how wild his thoughts were, there was no way he would think that she was transmigrated here.

    At the most, he suspected that she had devious intentions. So she didn¡¯t care what he thought of her.

    After she fed him the cornmeal and egg, Lu Jiao offered kindly, ¡°If you need anything, just call for me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin softly agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao left with the dirty dishes. However, before she could get out of the room, she heard a thin voice call to her, ¡°Third sister-inw? Are you here?¡±

    Lu Jiao recognized this voice to be Xie Yunjin¡¯s sister, Xie Lan. That woman was just as mean as her mother. In the past, Xie Yunjin treated her extremely nicely. However, ever since Xie Yunjin was wounded, Xie Lan never came to visit.

    For her to visit now meant she had selfish intentions.

    Lu Jiao faked a smile and nced at Xie Yunjin. In the past, Xie Yunjin treated his sister way better than he treated the original host.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows were heavy as coldness exuded off him.

    Lu Jiao shouted towards the door, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Outside, Xie Lan pursed her lips. She wasn¡¯t too willing to go inside. The third brother was paralyzed, which meant his room must be dirty and smelly. Should she go in?

    But if she didn¡¯t go in, how could she tell her third sister-inw to give them the boar¡¯s hindlegs? The thought of pork made Xie Lan salivate. It¡¯s been a long time since she had pork.

    With that as her motivation, Xie Lan didn¡¯t think further about the mess and the scent.

    She lifted her leg to go into the east bedroom. Once she was there, she found Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold stare. Xie Lan found this version of her third brother to be a little unfamiliar. However, she remembered that Xie Yunjin was paralyzed and figured it was normal for him to behave this way.

 Chapter 21

    So Shameless

    Xie Lan grinned and greeted Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, how are you doing? Are you better?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up sarcastically. So this was the little sister he spoiled in the past. She sure had a wolf heart.

    ¡°What do you think? Do I look better?¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked Xie Lan instead, which stumped Xie Lan. She was a little frustrated at her third brother¡¯s tone. Whatever, since he was injured, his sister decided not to fight him on this.

    Xie Lan ignored Xie Yunjin and turned to speak to Lu Jiao, ¡°Third sister-inw, I heard you hunted down a wild boar. Mom had spoken ¨C keep the hindlegs of the boar for the family. Sell the rest and keep the money for third brother¡¯s treatment.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless as she stared at Xie Lan. Just how shameless did she have to be to say something so sick and delirious? That family forcefully moved them out and now they have the audacity toe over here and ask for meat?

    Lu Jiao bluntly snickered, ¡°Xie Lan, I want to ask you, where do you get the audacity to speak such words?¡±

    Xie Lan¡¯s expression changed as she stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Lu Jiao sarcastically continued, ¡°I hunted the boar. Why do I have to give you the hindlegs? I have to do that just because you have a big face with thick skin? You moved us out and gave us only 5 taels of silver. Now, I don¡¯t even have enough money to get treatment for your third brother. Despite all this, you have the audacity toe here and ask for meat?¡±

    Xie Lan¡¯s face dropped after she heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words. She red at Lu Jiao and angrily said, ¡°Lu Jiao, you are being unfilial. You captured a wild boar and as your parents, they only asked for the hindlegs. You are refusing that small request from them? If this news gets around, aren¡¯t you afraid that others would curse you as disobedient?¡±

    Then, Xie Lan turned to look at Xie Yunjin and said angrily, ¡°Third brother, why aren¡¯t you setting her straight?¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly snickered. There was no warmth in his eyes.

    ¡°If you want meat, pay for it. Alternatively, you can carry me back and treat my legs. Then I will give you the whole pig.¡±

    Xie Lan was furious and her eyes spat out fire. However, when she thought that she would lose out on the taste of pork, Xie Lan spoke without filter.

    ¡°I see how unfilial and disobedient you are. You have meat yet you do not give any to your parents. Your rudeness is going to be a joke to others.¡±

    Lu Jiao was exasperated and shouted at Xie Lan, ¡°Get the hell out of here.¡±

    Why would Xie Lan leave when she failed to get the pork she came for? Dirty words started to shoot out of her mouth, ¡°You ungrateful rats! You eat meat and you are not even letting your mom and dad drink the soup. I¡¯m going to go out there and tell everyone just how you treat your parents.¡±

    Lu Jiao was toozy to speak to this shameless piece of crap. She walked up to Xie Lan and pulled her hair to drag her outside.

    ¡°You want to tell everyone how we are ungrateful? Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s speak outside.¡±

    Xie Lan was defenseless towards Lu Jiao¡¯s violence and was forcefully dragged out by the hair. She felt like her scalp was almost torn off and started to scream in pain.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you fat woman! Let me go! Let me go this instant!¡±

    She struggled and tried to hit Lu Jiao. However, instead of her strikesnding on Lu Jiao, Lu Jiao pped her a few times. Lu Jiao smartly avoided her face and hit the back of her head instead.

    Xie Lan stopped. She was being dragged out and was hit, this made her begin to cry uncontrobly.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you b!tch! Let me go, ahhh, let me go.¡±

    Inside the yard, a lot of vigers came out to buy pork. When they saw the fight between the sisters-inw, they started to gossip, ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°Why is Lu Jiao hitting Xie Lan?¡±

    While Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t the best person, the vigers also disliked Xie Lan. This woman was obviously a countryside woman with her being dark, skinny, and ugly.

    However, she loved makeup and was very prideful. She thought since she was the sister of a schr, she didn¡¯t want to marry amoner and wanted to marry into town.

    She was even picky with the people from town. She wanted the person to be from the city, but also wanted a lot of money and an endowment. With her ugly face, nobody from the city wanted her. In the end, she ended up unmarried at 17 and she was very mean to everyone she talked to.

    When everyone saw her getting hit, everyone thought she deserved it. However, there were some people who came out to break up the fight.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, let go. What¡¯s happening here?¡±

    Lu Jiao let go and pointed at Xie Lan. Towards the crowd in the yard, she said, ¡°This shameless woman came running asking me to give her the boar¡¯s hindlegs.¡±

    Xie Lan started to cry, ¡°It¡¯s for mom and dad, not for me. As the daughter-inw of the Xie family, it¡¯s within your responsibility to give your mother and father-inw the hindlegs of the boar you hunted.¡±

    Lu Jiao ruthlessly fought back, ¡°The audacity to even speak those words¡­ Xie Yunjin was wounded and the family forced him out of the house. There is absolutely nothing useful and of value where we live now. All we can do is for me to get something good and trade it for money so I can buy him medicine and food.¡±

    ¡°You guys open your mouths and ask for hindlegs¡­ howe you didn¡¯t know to bring money to help your brother get treatments?¡±

    ¡°Today, I, Lu Jiao, am going to make a statement here. From today onwards, do not dream of getting anything from my family. Xie Yunjin is wounded. We have a critically ill and four babies who rely on me to figure out a way to keep them alive. Yet somehow, you guys have the face toe here and ask for food. I¡¯d rather hit my head and die.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words caused some chatters to go around the yard. Most of the vigers were on her side.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were so gravely hurt yet his parents only gave him five taels of silver. Lu Jiao had to make money to buy him medicine and keep the four children alive. It was so difficult for her.

    The Second Grandma walked into the yard and said to Xie Lan, ¡°Go home and tell your parents: if they want Yunjin to be filial in the future, they should bring him and his family back home.¡±

    Many people in the crowd nodded in agreement. That was a reasonable request. If they pick him up now and treat his legs, Xie Yunjin will continue to respect them in the future.

    Xie Lan heard the murmurs and her face dropped. She continued to cry as she picked herself off the ground and left. At the entrance, she turned her head to stare at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, just you wait. Sooner orter, I will ask my parents to tell my third brother to get rid of you.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes. She wished that Xie Yunjin would get rid of her. That would save her a lot of trouble.

    Many people in the yard started tofort Lu Jiao and told her to ignore Xie Lan.

    The Second Grandma came as well. Lu Jiao thanked everyone with a kind and respectful attitude. Many people from the vige didn¡¯t like her before but found her to have changed.

    Just then, Xie Lu had cleaned up the entire boar. After he opened up the belly, he pulled out all the organs and chopped the meat into pieces.

    Lu Jiao said to the vigers, ¡°Alright, the boar is prepped. However much you guys want, just let Xie Hu know.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t count too much on the money she¡¯d make from the pork. If she wanted to make the most money, she would¡¯ve taken the boar to the restaurant, or sold it to a wealthy family.

    She would have earned more money by selling the pig whole. A dead boar¡¯s meat wasn¡¯t worth as much money ¨C at most, it was worth half a whole boar.

    She didn¡¯t count on the boar to make her money. She counted on the ganoderma from her space to do that.

 Chapter 22

    Leave it up to the Heavens

    After hearing what Lu jiao had said, Xie Lu started to manage the sale of the meat.

    Lu Jiao brought the dirty dishes to the kitchen to wash. She then brewed medicine for Xie Yunjin. As she brewed, she thought about how she¡¯ll go into the city to sell the ganoderma this afternoon and would returnte, she brewed an extra portion for tonight.

    Outside, Xie Hu was more than upied with the sale of the pork. These days, the peoplecked oil, and therefore, the fatty parts of the boar were the easiest to sell. The ribs, legs, and organs were harder to sell.

    Though the boar wasrge in size, it couldn¡¯t meet all the demand. It didn¡¯t take long for the entire boar to almost be sold. Thest bit was snatched by Lu Jiao.

    ¡°This part isn¡¯t for sale.¡±

    The part Lu Jiao managed to take was around one pound. It wasn¡¯t right for Xie Hu to leave with nothing after he helped her with the boar and all.

    Lu Jiao gave Xie Hu the pound of pork she snatched, then gifted him an additional two pounds of ribs and a pork hock.

    ¡°Thank you for your help today.¡±

    The reason why Lu Jiao killed the boar and sold the meat was that she wanted to establish good rtionships with the vigers. After all, she¡¯ll live here for a while and her four little ones will need to y around with the other kids.

    This ce was Xie Yunjin¡¯s roots. If any bad rumors about him get out, it may negatively affect his future.

    As for Xie Laogen¡¯s family¡­ Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried. They were the ones who exiled Xie Yunjin here.

    Xie Hu looked at the meat Lu Jiao gave him and searched for his money. Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Just take it. Or else I¡¯ll be too scared to ask you for help in the future.¡±

    The Second Grandma noticed Lu Jiao¡¯s personality and knew how she hated to owe anyone favors. She was good-natured so why did she act like that in the past?

    The Second Grandma couldn¡¯t understand this and said to Xie Hu, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a gift from your third aunty-inw. Just take it.¡±

    Xie Hu happily responded, ¡°OK.¡±

    After Xie Hu left, the Second Grandma noticed something. Lu Jiao had sold the entire boar and there was no meat left for the family.

    ¡°You¡¯re all out of meat?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze. She lifted her head and saw the four little ones pout in the corner and stand around sadly.

    The four little ones met Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze and ran away. It appeared that they were angry.

    Lu Jiao found this funny and said to the Second Grandma, ¡°We still got the head, ribs, hocks, and the organs.¡±

    All the stuff the vigers didn¡¯t want.

    The Second Grandma sighed, ¡°Those aren¡¯t anything good. There¡¯s no fat on those parts.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think so. Braised pork ribs, pork hock stew with beans, braised pig head, and braised intestines¡­ All those dishes were yummy.

    It was true that shecked spices though. Where would she find peppercorn, bay leaves, and anise?

    Lu Jiao smiled at the Second Grandma, ¡°All those can be made into tasty dishes. Once I cook it, I will give you some to try.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then you should clean this up.¡± The Second Grandma looked at the pile of mess and asked caringly, ¡°Should I ask Chunyan toe and help?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°No it¡¯s okay. I can do it.¡±

    Xie Hu did a good job and there wasn¡¯t that much left to clean.

    After some more chitchats, the Second Grandma left. Lu Jiao turned to go to the east bedroom and found the four little ones listless by the head of the bed. When they saw Lu Jiaoe in, they looked away and avoided her. It was obvious that they were mad but they didn¡¯t dare to say it.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°You¡¯re angry? There¡¯s still meat left.¡±

    The First Born shed her a look and whispered, ¡°Those are meat nobody else wanted. They don¡¯t taste good.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°If I cook it, you still think it wouldn¡¯t taste good? Did you find anything I made you these few days bad tasting?¡±

    The four little ones shook their heads. This evil woman¡¯s cooking was delicious ¨C much better than what the Xie family was capable of making.

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°I can make what we have into really tasty food. Do not worry. Plus, did you forget that we also have two chickens and a rabbit? Today, I¡¯ll make you chicken soup first.¡±

    Her words brightened the four little ones¡¯ eyes. They stopped being mad.

    Lu Jiao was about to leave since that¡¯s been dealt with. When she turned and saw Xie Yunjin¡¯s tense expression and frigid body, she went up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you ufortable somewhere?¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at her, opened his mouth but then shook his head. His expression, however, remained unpleasant.

    Lu Jiao remembered how he acted when he needed to use the washroom before. Could it be that he needed to pee again?

    ¡°You need to pee?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head but remained speechless. Lu Jiao thought about it and remembered that these past few days, Xie Yunjin hasn¡¯t pooped. He likely wanted to poop.

    ¡°You want to poop?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words changed Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression. His face turned from green to ck, then back to green.

    Lu Jiao understood based on his reaction. However, she hasn¡¯t had a chance to make a simple toilet with the bamboo leaves she got from the mountains. What should she do?

    Lu jiao stared at Xie Yunjin and thought about it. Currently, the biggest issue was that Xie Yunjin had a concussion and couldn¡¯t move. Every little movement resulted in extreme dizziness and nausea. His broken ribs and internal bleeding, on the other hand, could be endured.

    ¡°What if I bring a bucket inside? I¡¯ll help you and you can sit on it.¡±

    That was the only way.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t decline. He had no other option and he was sure he couldn¡¯t hold it in much longer.

    Lu Jiao went outside to get a bucket.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin was hopeless and epted his fate. With his eyes closed, he decided to leave everything up to the heavens.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯tugh at him. This was a critical issue with most disabled patients. Some people were unable to do it while bedridden so they just held it in.

    Lu Jiao walked to the bed and picked Xie Yunjin up.

    Xie Yunjin widened his eyes in shock, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless and her lips stretched out, ¡°Helping you up. How do you get down otherwise?¡±

    Xie Yunjin struggled, ¡°Put me down. I can do it myself.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered the night when this man got out of bed to kill her. Her face froze a little.

    However, she didn¡¯t let Xie Yunjin go and continued to hold him. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to do it, it was that this man was so injured that any major movement could worsen the situation.

    ¡°Enough now. If you struggle any more, you are going to pass out.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the spiritual stream water that¡¯s been conditioning him, he would¡¯ve died or became fully paralyzed after that night¡¯s chaos.

    The only reason he was still alive was because she¡¯s been secretly feeding him the stream water.

    Lu Jiao then picked up Xie Yunjin princess style.

    Xie Yunjin was in shock. This was the first time he first hand experienced Lu Jiao¡¯s strength. This woman was this strong? Howe he never noticed this before?

    Lu Jiao carried Xie Yunjin to the bucket and put him down. She then started to untie Yunjin¡¯s pants.

    Xie Yunjin was astonished and pressed onto her hands. His lips were pursed as he stared at Lu Jiao coldly.

    It was as if Lu Jiao was an ill-willed female pervert.

 Chapter 23

    Blessed by the Gods

    Lu Jiao was speechless and her lips twitched, ¡°Can we please hurry up and finish this? I still need to go and kill the chicken.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t move and shouted angrily, ¡°You, get out. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at him, then at his legs. His legs were crushed into pieces and he could not stand up. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she held onto him, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to stand still. How could she just leave and let him take care of this himself?

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when Xie Erzhu¡¯s voice arose from outside, ¡°Third brother, how are you doing?¡±

    When he walked in, he found Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao wrapped around each other tightly.

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s face instantly turned red as he subconsciously walked backward.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin called out, ¡°Second brother, wait a second.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was between a rock and a hard ce as he peeked back into the room. Xie Yunjin called out again, ¡°Second brother,e and help me out.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how persistent Xie Yunjin was and knew that this guy truly didn¡¯t want her help. If that was the case then Xie Erzhu could help.

    This time, Lu Jiao also spoke up, ¡°Second brother, help us out.¡±

    Since both of them asked for him, Xie Erzhu walked in.

    When he saw the bucket behind Xie Yunjin, Xie Erzhu understood right away. So he was just trying to use the washroom. Not sneaking around doing the other thing.

    Lu Jiao asked Xie Erzhu, ¡°Hold onto him until he¡¯s on top of the bucket. His legs are broken and he cannot stand up. He¡¯ll have to rely on you holding him.

    Xie Erzhu instantly nodded, ¡°Sister-inw, no worries. I know what to do.¡±

    Lu Jiao handed Xie Yunjin over to Xie Erzhu and left the room. As she left, she took the four little ones.

    The four little ones were nice enough to know that their dad didn¡¯t want to be watched. So they followed.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t rush into dealing with the pig organs. She first ughtered a chicken before she cleaned up everything. The pig head and hocks were nicely cut by Xie Hu. Most of the boar could be boiled but the intestines were difficult to clean.

    Lu Jiao used wood ash to clean the intestines. Flour and salt were precious to be used to clean but wood ash was just as effective.

    After she cleaned up the intestines, she snuck everything into her space when nobody was paying attention. It was summer so they could go bad easily if not dealt with.

    It was times like this when Lu Jiao realized how great having a space was. In the summer, it could be used as a fridge.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin was done. Xie Erzhu carried him to bed and cleaned him up. He then took out the bucket.

    Lu Jiao very much wanted to give Xie Erzhu some good food. However, since he lived with the other Xie¡¯s, whatever food she gave him likely will end up with the rest of the family.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and said, ¡°Second brother, I should give you some pork ribs. But if I give it to you, I doubt you will get to eat much of it. How about youe visit again tonight. I¡¯m going to braise the pork and I¡¯ll pack you a box to bring home for your wife and kids.¡±

    Xie Erzhu waved his hand, ¡°No, no need. Save everything for my third brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I have a lot of food. Plus, tell your daughters, Da Ya and Er Ya toe and y. I have good food to give them. If they don¡¯te, it¡¯s impossible for me to give those to you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu instantly shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no need. They¡¯re eating at home.¡±

    Lu Jiao unhappily stared at Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, are we strangers? I originally wanted to ask a favor from you. If you act like this, it¡¯s hard for me to ask.¡±

    Xie Erzhu asked right away, ¡°Sister-inw, what do you need?¡±

    Lu Jiao eyed Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need much help taking care of Yunjin. But it¡¯s a hassle to help him use the washroom. I hope it¡¯s not too much trouble for you toe every night and help out with that.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was in a daze, ¡°Washroom?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to look at Xie Yunjin, whose face was pressed into a line as he stared at her coldly.

    His reaction made Xie Erzhu understand what ¡°washroom¡± meant. He nodded, ¡°Okay, I wille over every night.¡±

    ¡°Great, then remember toe tonight.¡± Xie Erzhu was about to wave his hand to decline and say that the third brother had already gone today so there was no need.

    However, on the bed, Xie Yunjin opened his mouth, ¡°Second brother,e tonight. In the future, tell Da Ya and Er Ya toe and y with the quadruplets.¡±

    Xie Erzhu had always respected Xie Yunjin. He had always found the third brother to be smart and he was always willing to listen to him. The moment Xie Yunjin asked, Xie Erzhu agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Then get back. Don¡¯t let them find out and curse at you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t even mention his parents by their titles. Xie Erzhu wanted to take their parents¡¯ side and say something nice but in the end, he said nothing and left.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao walked to the bed and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯m going to the market this afternoon to sell the ganoderma. We are also running out of your medicine and grains. Plus, the four little ones don¡¯t have much to wear so I n on getting each one of them two new sets of clothes.¡±

    Lu Jiao paused there before she cautioned Xie Yunjin, ¡°Keep an eye on the four babies. Don¡¯t let them run around too much.¡±

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes at the woman by the bed. Her face was obviously the samerge face as before.

    But these days, she¡¯s been kind and bright. The words that came out of her mouth have been anything but exasperating. These days, when calm, he could tell that she cared about the four children. The way she cared for them wasn¡¯t fake, but very genuine.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t understand how the same person could have such two different sides. He couldn¡¯t help but to frown and respond lightly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    After he responded, he suddenly remembered what Lu Jiao said before. She was so delirious in the past because she loved him one-sidedly and received no affection back.

    He quickly denied that thought in his head. The woman before him exuded confidence. That confidence was deep in her bones. Her every movement disyed her excellent upbringing and education. She definitely was not raised by a regr rural family.

    Xie Yunjin felt like even the girls from the cities could not match her graceful mannerism. So there was no way that this woman was the Lu Jiao from before.

    After she spoke to Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao turned and left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin stared at her rxed, elegant, and fearless silhouette.

    A silhouette like that confirmed something in his head. This woman wasn¡¯t Lu Jiao. So who was she?

    Xie Yunjin pondered and finally, something clicked.

    He thought of something he¡¯s read before. There once was an idiot who woke up one day and was no longer stupid. This man ended up being the smartest of his ss and went to school.

    In foreign religion, there was a story that a mute one day suddenly started to speak. Not only so, the mute knew how to articte every word, had perfect speech, and understood how tomunicate clearly.

    People called these cases people who¡¯ve been blessed by the Gods.

    When Xie Yunjin read those stories, he thought that those people were possessed by wandering souls. Could it be that Lu Jiao¡¯s body had been inhabited by one of those lost souls?

 Chapter 24

    Bamboo Copter

    Xie Yunjin thought it over carefully and suddenly remembered how Lu Jiao hurt her head until it bled. That day was when she started to behave irregrly. The Lu Jiao today may really not be who she was before.

    That possibility garnered much hostility inside Xie Yunjin as his dark eyes reflected with coldness.

    Very quickly, however, he recalled that Lu Jiao was not cruel and violent like she was before. On the contrary, she didn¡¯t seem to possess much maliciousness. Towards the quadruplets, she even showed affection and love.

    Those thoughts calmed Xie Yunjin down. He rxed a little but remained guarded.

    Even if that person has no poor intentions now, who knows what she¡¯ll be like in the future? He had to be careful. If she remains the way she was, he may consider the possibility of sparing her life.

    After Xie Yunjin thought this through, Xie Yunjin closed his eyes to rest up.

    Outside, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of any of this. She took some bamboo and glue and started to make a portable toilet that Xie Yunjin could use in bed.

    The quadruplets curiously watched her work.

    Since the four little ones were bored, Lu Jiao casually made four bamboo copters.

    ¡°Come here. This is a bamboo copter. This is for you to y with.¡±

    The four little ones stared at the bamboo copter in her hand. Lu Jiao spun it between her palms and the copter flew upwards.

    The quadruplets¡¯ eyes flickered as they excitedly gawked at the suspending bamboo copter.

    ¡°You guys canpete and see who¡¯s bamboo copter flies the highest.¡±

    The four little ones were no longer terrified of Lu Jiao so they took over the toys and started to y around with them. It only took a little while before they all started tough

    The secluded and lonely yard became lively right away. Lu Jiao kept an eye on them while she made the portable toilet. She also made a list of what she¡¯ll need to buy when she visits the town.

    Lu Jiao made a mental list and finished the portal toilet. After she put everything away, the day was still early so she decided to make a visit to the vige leader.

    Since she made enemies with the Xie family, it would be good for her to befriend the leader.

    Lu Jiao packed up a pork hock and one of the wild rabbits she caught yesterday. She covered them with arge cloth.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make a trip to the Vige Leader¡¯s home. Do you want toe along?¡±

    Lu Jiao asked the four happily ying children while holding her basket.

    The four little ones quickly exchanged nces. The Second, Third, and Fourth Borns hesitated but the First Born shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep daddypany.¡±

    The other ones also shook their heads when they heard his response. ¡°We are going to stay with daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t persist and walked away with her basket. The Fourth Born took a look at his brothers and then suddenly ran towards Lu Jiao. he then grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    In shock, Lu Jiao lowered her head to look at him and found him blinking hisrge eyes at her.

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°Are you saying you want toe with me?¡±

    The Fourth Born once again nced at his brothers before he nodded aggressively to show her that he wanted to go.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Alright, then you can have some fun outside.¡±

    Behind them, the Second and Third Born angrily shouted, ¡°Brother, look at the Fourth Born!¡±

    The First Born peeked at Lu Jiao before he peeked at the Fourth Born. He thought that the woman likely won¡¯t sell the Fourth Born so he nodded, ¡°If he wants to go, then he can go.¡±

    He then said to the Second and Third Born, ¡°If you guys want to go, you can too. I¡¯ll guard daddy.¡±

    The Second and Third Born wavered. They wanted to go outside and y too. However, it wasn¡¯t nice to leave their brother alone.

    Lu Jiao ignored the hesitating boys and walked out the gate with the Fourth Born. Behind her, the Second and Third Born were flustered. Without any capacity to think about their brother anymore, they chased after Lu Jiao.

    ¡°I, I want to go too.¡±

    ¡°I want to go.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to look at the Second and Third Born and found much anxiousness in their giant eyes. She saw how their faces looked simr to her own face from her previous life and her heart softened.

    In her previous life, she didn¡¯t even have a man, let alone children. To suddenly see children who looked like herself was a strange feeling.

    ¡°Okay,e then. After we visit the Vige Leader, I¡¯ll need toe back and cook.¡±

    The Second and Third Born giggled but suddenly felt bad that they¡¯d leave their brother behind. They turned back around.

    The First Born had already gone into the bedroom. So the Second and Third Born followed Lu Jiao and headed to the Vige Leader¡¯s home.

    The Vige Leader, Xie Fugui, was considered to be the same generation as Xie Yunjin. With his wife, they had two sons and a daughter. They were fair and just with a good reputation in this vige.

    Before Xie Yunjin got injured, Xie Fugui ced a lot of hope on him. He thought that if one day, Xie Yunjin could leave the Xie Vige and be an official, then the Xie Vige could, in turn, get wealthy.

    He never imagined for a minute that Xie Yunjin would get injured.

    Xie Fugui was sadder about that than Xie Yunjin¡¯s mom and dad.

    Due to how Xie Laogen and his family reacted to their son¡¯s injuries, Xie Fugui very much pitied Xie Yunjin.

    When Xie Fugui saw Lu Jiao, he asked with concern, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, are you having trouble with anything? If you need help, you can speak up and I¡¯ll try to help.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Vige Leader, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve been relying on you for everything and never did anything in return. There was only a boar hock left so I wanted to give it to you. Leader, please don¡¯t mind it.¡±

    Xie Fugui instantly declined, ¡°Take it back and use it to help Yunjin recover. We don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Inside the room, Xie Fugui¡¯s wife, Lady Zhang, nodded in agreement, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, take it back. We bought a pound of pork from you and we haven¡¯t eaten it.¡±

    Since Lu Jiao brought it, of course, she wasn¡¯t going to take it back. Determined, she said, ¡°Leader, sister, as you know, I know how to hunt in the mountains. So really, this isn¡¯t anything valuable. Whatever Yunjin wants to eat, I will hunt it down in the mountains. So please ept this. Or else I will be too shy to speak up when I need your help in the future.¡±

    Xie Fugui and his wife exchanged nces. In the end, Xie Fugui asked Lady Zhang, ¡°Take it then. See what vegetables we have that can be given to her. They don¡¯t have much vegetables.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. She was worried that if she did, they could reject the gift.

    Lady Zhang took the basket to the kitchen and ended up finding a wild rabbit. She screamed.

    Xie Fugui unhappily walked in, ¡°What are you screaming about?¡±

    Lady Zhang showed him the injured rabbit, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife also gave us a rabbit.¡±

    From the garden, Xie Fugui¡¯s two grandsons cheered and dashed over, ¡°Rabbit! A fat rabbit! We finally have some meat to eat.¡±

    They had just bought some pork and now they have rabbit meat. Wow, amazing.

    Lady Zhang saw how her grandsons reacted and wanted to keep the rabbit. However, that might not be appropriate. She looked towards Xie Fugui.

    Lu Jiao walked inside and smiled, ¡°If you are ufortable epting this, then please trade me with more vegetables. We are very low on vegetables.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Picking Bones Out of Eggs

    Lady Zhao instantly smiled, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She ced the rabbit back into the kitchen and took the basket to pick out some vegetables from her backyard.

    By the front door, Xie Fugui asked about Xie Yunjin¡¯s conditions caringly, ¡°Though Yunjin¡¯s going through a major crisis, it doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t do well in the future. Talk to the doctors from Baohe Tang about his legs and see if they can perform surgery. You should treat him well so that once he seeds, you can enjoy life with him.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched at those words. She did not intend to enjoy life with him. She would be happy if he would leave her alone and not hurt her.

    ¡°I got it, Leader.¡±

    Inside the garden, Xie Fugui¡¯s two grandsons, Datou and Maomao, stared at the three children¡¯s bamboo copters.

    Lu Jiao ordered her children, ¡°Second, Third and Fourth Borns, let the older brothers y with the copters.¡±

    The three children frowned at once. This was the first time they¡¯d ever received toys and they didn¡¯t want to share.

    However, due to Lu Jiao¡¯s powerful tone, they didn¡¯t dare to say no, but their faces were full of unwillingness.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s voice softened as she exined, ¡°You should share your toys with friends. Only then will Datou and Maomao share what they have with you in the future.¡±

    The three children finally agreed. The group of kids soon started to have fun together and the garden filled withughter.

    Xie Fugui watched all this happen and turned back to stare at Lu Jiao. Yujin¡¯s wife seemed to have changed. Before, she truly acted like an unreasonable shrew. These days, she turned into a different person.

    Could it be that she changed after Yunjin¡¯s cmity?

    That was the only thing that made sense to Xie Fugui. On the inside though, he felt grateful. He heard that Yunjin¡¯s wife could read and knew how to educate her children. That meant the two families could arrange ydates.

    Just then, Lady Zhao walked back with the basket full of vegetables.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, once you¡¯re done eating these,e back and get more. I nted a lot of vegetables and they need to be harvested before they get over-ripe.¡±

    She handed the basket back to Lu Jiao and suggested, ¡°I saw that your garden was rather empty. You could nt some vegetables.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded right away, ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. This afternoon, I n on heading into town and getting some pickaxes. I will plow thend and nt ordingly. It¡¯ll be easier for us to get vegetables that way.¡±

    Lady Zhao agreed, ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡±

    Lady Zhao remembered that the bullock cart was going to town this afternoon and offered, ¡°Our bullock cart is going to town this afternoon. Come back then.¡±

    Xie Fugui owned a bullock. When farming was busy, the bullock would help with the ntation. Other times, the family would give rides to the vigers. Of course, they normally charged a small fee of two tokens. If five to six people ask to go into town, they would make the trip.

    Xie Fugui also said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Thene this afternoon and get a ride from Tieniu. It¡¯ll save you a lot of time.¡±

    Xie Tieniu was Xie Fugui¡¯s son. He was normally the person who steered the bullock to and from town.

    ¡°Alright. Thank you both. I am going to head back first and prepare some food to eat.¡±

    ¡°Go back now.¡±

    The mother and the three children got ready to leave. Datou and Maomao, however, continued to stare at the bamboo copters.

    Lu Jiao took a look at the children and found they had held tightly onto their bamboo copters. Obviously, they were terrified she¡¯d asked them to give the copters to Daotou and Maomao.

    Lu Jiao understood them. It was the first time they received toys and they didn¡¯t want to just give them away. Even if she made new ones, they wouldn¡¯t mean the same thing to the children. So she didn¡¯t ask them to give the bamboo copters away.

    ¡°Datou, Maomao, how about I make you two new ones this afternoon?¡±

    Lu Jiao calcted in her head and realized that technically, Datou and Maomao should refer to her as ¡°grandma¡±.

    That thought made her depressed. How could she be a grandma at such a young age? She quickly shut up.

    Datou and Maomao, on the other hand, were very happy. They nodded violently and continued to call out to her.

    ¡°Third grandma, don¡¯t forget to bring those this afternoon!¡±

    ¡°Third grandma, don¡¯t forget!¡±

    Lu Jiao then left with the three children, who were very happy.

    On the way back, a lot of people greeted Lu Jiao and Lu Jiao responded to them politely.

    Of course, there were also a lot of people who didn¡¯t like the sight of her and continued to speak poorly.

    ¡°Wow, the schr¡¯s wife just gifted presents to the Vige Leader. Hehe, so she doesn¡¯t give anything to her parents but gives out things to outsiders.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked over and saw that the person who spoke was neighbor Luo Guihua. She never got along with the original host.

    The reason why they didn¡¯t get along was because Luo Guihua and the original host¡¯s mother never got along.

    When they were younger, Luo Guihua had her eyes on the original host¡¯s father. However, the mother of the host got to him first, which resulted in Luo Guihua and the host¡¯s mother hating each other. Afterward, Luo Guihua married into the Xie Vige.

    That should¡¯ve been the end of it. Except, the original host also ended up marrying into the Xie Vige ¨C the only schr from the Vige at that. Luo Guihua was angry then. Every time she ran into the original host, she would mock and taunt her. Of course, the original host never treated her kindly either.

    Every time Luo Guihua said anything, the original host would curse back, which resulted in a very vile rtionship between them.

    Lu Jiao recalled this woman from her memories and sarcasticallymented, ¡°It¡¯s not news that sons are not filial to unkind fathers. As the parent, you need to act like a guardian if you want the next generation to respect you. Growing up, I¡¯ve never run into an instance where the parents would force their injured son to move out of their home. Of course, Aunty Guihua is that kind of person so you naturally don¡¯t know what it feels like to be on the receiving end.¡±

    Lu Jiao then walked away with her children. Behind her, Luo Guihua cursed loudly, ¡°You dumb fat b!tch! You think you¡¯re in heaven just because you married a schr?! Don¡¯t y coy with me! You¡¯re a skank who stole another woman¡¯s man!¡±

    After she finished cursing, she walked to Xie Laogen¡¯s home.

 Chapter 26

    How Cunning

    At Xie Laogen¡¯s home, Lady Ruan was in a fit because her daughter failed to bring back the pork hock she wanted. Furious, Lady Ruan raged.

    Later, Luo Guihua came over and vented more about their daughter-inw, which made Lady Ruan throw another fit.

    Her eldest daughter-inw, Chen Liu, and her youngest daughter, Xie Lan, agreed with her and added fuel to the fire.

    Inside the yard, Xie Laogen was tired of such ugly words and stopped them from talking so vilely.

    Of course, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of this. She took her children and returned home to make lunch.

    For lunch, she made eggs with chives, chicken soup, and brown rice.

    Since Lu Jiao soaked the brown rice ahead of time, it tasted decent after it was steamed.

    The quadruplets were more than satisfied. As they ate, they told the First Born how much fun they had at Xie Fugui¡¯s home. The atmosphere was rather chatty and morous.

    Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin watched all this happen and his heart couldn¡¯t help but to soften. Now when he looked at Lu Jiao, there was way less coldness.

    While Lu Jiao fed him food, she told him what happened in the vige.

    ¡°It looks like to me that the families in the vige are rather poor?¡±

    Now, Xie Yunjin no longer detested Lu Jiao like before. The person he hated was the original Lu Jiao. The person before him was most certainly not the old Lu Jiao. So the hate he felt in his chest was rather depleted.

    ¡°Yes, the Xie Vige is near the mountains. There¡¯s not much hydration in the air so crops are hard to grow and the days are hard.¡±

    Originally, he had nned to work hard and pass the exams required to be an official. Then, he would be able to provide some support for the vige. What he didn¡¯t n for was that he would get very much injured and may never seed.

    The thought of that made Xie Yunjin lose his appetite.

    Lu Jiao noticed that he didn¡¯t want to eat and fed him half a bowl of chicken soup.

    As she cleaned up, she suggested, ¡°If there¡¯s an opportunity for everyone¡¯s lives to get better, do you think they should go for it?¡±

    Lu Jiao had thought about this on her way back from the Vige Leader¡¯s home.

    The Xie Vige was at the foot of the mountain and there were so many medicinal herbs on the mountains. A lot of what she saw was also well-aged. Since the vigers didn¡¯t recognize them, they naturally were too afraid to touch them.

    If she could teach everyone how to identify the different herbs, the vigers would be able to harvest those and sell them. That way, their lives would get easier.

    Of course, she was willing to teach in order to earn some brownie points for Xie Yunjin and the four little ones. Since they now have a poor rtionship with the Xie family, they needed to be on the Xie n¡¯s good side.

    She just didn¡¯t know whether or not Xie Yunjin wanted the Xie n to have an easier time?

    Right after Lu Jiao spoke, Xie Yunjin looked up at her with skepticism.

    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±

    At this point, Lu Jiao hesitated. She wanted to teach the vigers how to identify herbs. However, what if Xie Yunjin asks her how she learned about herbs?

    Since she didn¡¯t speak, Xie Yunjin started to speak slowly.

    ¡°Though there are some bad people in this vige, the majority of them are nice people. Originally, I thought of going to school and then figuring out a way to help them make a living. I wanted to open a school in the vige so all the children can go to school. Who knew I would wound up being disabled.¡±

    Thest sentence made Xie Yunjin appear extremely sullen and depressed.

    With him being like this, Lu Jiao somehow felt guilty. Though it wasn¡¯t her problem, she still felt bad.

    She did her best tofort him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I told you, I will find you a doctor who can cure you. You¡¯ll get better.¡±

    Just then, Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°What have you thought of that could help the people?¡±

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°There are a lot of herbs up in the mountains. I can teach them¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, she realized that she had fallen for Xie Yunjin¡¯s trap. He first made himself sound pathetic just to ask her what he wanted to know. She had no time to defend herself.

    Angry, Lu Jiao red at Xie Yunjin. It was no wonder that he would be the viin. How cunning.

    Without batting an eye, Xie Yunjin asked her, ¡°How do you know which herb is which?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s scalp felt numb and she found an excuse, ¡°I learned some from when I lived at home. I don¡¯t know a lot.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes burned into hers and he chuckled, ¡°I heard that your family has a difficult time as well?¡±

    If Lu Jiao knew all about herbs, then why didn¡¯t her own family harvest them and sell them? If they did that, then her family would be wealthier now.

    Lu Jiao frowned and she frustratedly admitted, ¡°Before, I didn¡¯t know anything about being sick or the difficulties of the world. All I knew was to hide at home and enjoy my days. In hindsight, I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

    She then took the dirty bowls and was ready to leave.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re not interested, forget it.¡±

    That would save her the effort of exining everything.

    Just as she was about to exit, the person in the bed spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s great.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around, ¡°What is?¡±

    Xie Yunjin said in a calm voice, ¡°You can teach them how to identify the different herbs. The Xie Vige is far too poor.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips trembled as she thought, why was this all up to him?

    But since her goal was to make sure the viin doesn¡¯t hate her, she decided to go the soft way.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell the Vige Leader to send a few representatives from each family. I won¡¯t introduce all the varieties of herbs to them. I think teaching around 10 is enough.¡±

    There were hundreds of species of herbs. It would be far too tiring for her to teach everyone everything.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t object, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao added, ¡°But, I¡¯m not teaching those who give me a hard time.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t that big-hearted.

    ¡°As for your Xie family, tell them to send the second sister-inw. I¡¯m not teaching the others anything.¡±

    Especially not Xie Lan. The sight of her made Lu Jiao feel disgusted.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t have a problem with that. For some reason, this woman before him didn¡¯t make him exasperated.

    Lu Jiao again tried to leave but suddenly she found the four little ones staring at her wide-eyed. The four little ones nced in her direction, then at Xie Yunjin.

    For a moment there, they were extremely happy that their mommy and daddy spoke nicely to each other.

    But very quickly, they realized that they had acknowledged this evil woman as their mother. How dare they? That was uneptable.

    The four little ones¡¯ faces hardened.

    Lu Jiao found them to be so strange. She ced the dirty bowls on the little table, then carried the table out along with the bowls on top.

    Behind her, the four little ones dashed to Xie Yunjin¡¯s bed and showed off their bamboo copters.

    ¡°Daddy, look at this! This is called a bamboo copter. It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    ¡°Let me show you how it works.¡±

    The four little ones started sending the bamboo copters into the air. As the bamboo copters flew, the four little ones ran around the room and giggled.

    Xie Yunjin watched over these four and thought that if Lu Jiao had no poor intentions, she could stay and take care of the little ones. This woman here today seemed to know how to educate children well.

 Chapter 27

    Going to sell Ganoderma

    Lu Jiao had no idea as to what was on Xie Yunjin¡¯s mind. She efficiently cleaned the dishes and then made two bamboo copters for Xie Fugui¡¯s grandsons.

    Once she was done with the toys, Xie Hu¡¯s wife, Lin Chunyan came over so they could visit the town together.

    Lu Jiao took the bamboo copters and took a basket from the kitchen. She had a lot of stuff she wanted to buy in town today so she needed something to carry them in.

    Before she left, Lu Jiao visited the east bedroom, ¡°Xie Yunjin, I¡¯m going into town. Keep an eye on the four little ones and make sure they don¡¯t run around too much.¡±

    Since the quadruplets were malnourished, they could only get bullied if they ran into trouble. This was why Lu Jiao wanted to make sure Xie Yunjin was careful.

    Xie Yunjin nodded. Lu Jiao then smiled at the quadruplets.

    ¡°Stay here today and keep an eye on our home for me. There¡¯s chicken and some eggs in the kitchen. If you watch our home well, I¡¯lle back and reward you with candy and desserts.¡±

    The Fourth Born batted his heart eyes and confirmed in surprise, ¡°Really?¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but pat his head, ¡°Of course.¡±

    She then put on therge basket on her back and left.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin and the four little ones watched her leave.

    After some time, the four little ones surrounded Xie Yunjin and whispered, ¡°Is it possible that she¡¯s noting back?¡±

    Xie Yunjin saw how the children were worried and he couldn¡¯t help but frown. Was that a possibility?

    They haven¡¯t separated. So no way she wouldn¡¯te back, right?

    Plus, she had assured him that she would find him a surgeon. Though he didn¡¯t believe her, if she did run away today, there was no way he would forgive her.

    Darkness shed across Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes and heforted the four little ones, ¡°No way. She said she would bring you treats once she¡¯s back so she will be back. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Oh right. She asked you to keep an eye on the chicken and the eggs. Don¡¯t forget to do that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted the four little ones to find something to do so they don¡¯t focus all their time thinking about that woman.

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°Yes, we will do our job and keep the chicken and eggs safe.¡±

    They then ran out to guard the goods.

    On the other side, Lu Jiao, Lin Chunyan, and Xie Hu walked to the Vige Leader¡¯s home.

    The moment they arrived, Xie Fugui¡¯s two grandsons dashed out.

    ¡°Third grandma, did you make the bamboo copters?¡±

    ¡°Third grandma, did you bring them?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face froze when she heard them refer to her as a grandma. She quickly took out the bamboo copters and handed them to the two children.

    ¡°Here you go. Go y.¡±

    Datou and Maomao shrilled in excitement and ran away with the bamboo copters.

    Lady Zhang walked out and helplessly exposed them, ¡°They¡¯ve been mumbling about those all day and even missed their naps. They¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°All children are like that.¡±

    The two of them chatted when Xie Fugui¡¯s son, Xie Tieniu, took out the bullock cart and asked everyone to get on.

    Xie Fugui¡¯s young daughter, Xie Xiaojuan also got into the bullock cart with a basket of eggs. She nned to sell some eggs in town and buy some salt.

    Everyone chatted inside the cart. However, in the front, Xie Tieniu¡¯s face became long. Angry, he turned his head around.

    ¡°The other two still aren¡¯t here? If they don¡¯te soon, I¡¯m going to leave without them.¡±

    Just then, there was a noise of people breathing heavily and someone shouting, ¡°Wait, wait.¡±

    Two people ran over holding hands. They were Shen Xiu and Xie Lan.

    When they saw Lu Jiao, their expressions changed.

    Xie Tieniu unhappily scolded, ¡°Hurry up. It¡¯s gettingte.¡±

    Shen Xiu and Xie Lan climbed into the cart but stayed as far away from Lu Jiao as possible. They had no intention of acknowledging her.

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at them. As if she wanted to talk to them.

    The bullock cart started to elerate then. Xie Lan checked out Lu Jiao and recalled the time she hit her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. What made her even more furious was that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t give them any pork.

    She thought no matter how poor their rtionship was, Lu Jiao would¡¯ve given them some. However, in the end, Lu Jiao gave nothing. And today, there was a rumor that Lu Jiao talked poorly of the Xie family.

    The more Xie Lan thought about it, the angrier she got. She red at Lu Jiao but was too scared to say anything out loud.

    Shen Xiu on the other hand, was full of rage as she stared at Lu Jiao. She wanted to figure out the fastest way to get this woman out of the Xie Vige. If this woman stayed and took care of third brother Xie for a long time, he may end up not kicking her out.

    Shen Xiu silently plotted.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for these two and only thought about all the things she nned to buy.

    The cart continued on and picked up two additional vigers on the way.

    The Xie Vige was close to town and only took around an hour to get there.

    Xie Tieniu parked the cart and said to everybody, ¡°Don¡¯t spend too much time here. Come back early.¡±

    Everyone nodded.

    Lu Jiao went to Baohe Tang first to sell her ganoderma and also to get Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine.

    Xie Lan and Shen Xiu walked out after her and red at her. The two of them continued to mumble about her even after they walked for a long time.

    ¡°That fat b!tch sold pork and decided to waste her money here in town. It¡¯s so sad that my third brother is so injured and nobody¡¯s there to take care of him.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Two Hundred Taels of Silver, we have Money now

    Lu Jiao was speechless as she watched Xie Lan walk by.

    What an odd statement to make. Why wasn¡¯t she over there taking care of her brother?

    Behind her, Xie Xiaojun came up tofort Lu Jiao, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They¡¯re not good people.¡±

    She didn¡¯t like those two women. Every day, one of them pretended to be fragile and weak while the other thought of herself as a rich princess when she was actually dumb and ugly.

    Even Xie Xiaojun couldn¡¯t find the right words to describe them.

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re unreasonable. No reason to talk to them.¡±

    The two of them chatted and strolled. Xie Xiaojun asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Would it be okay if Ie over sometimes to hang out with you?¡±

    Xie Xiaojun was a little bit anxious. All the vigers thought of her as a cursed woman who brought cmity onto men. Though they would never say that in front of her face, they kept their distance. Because of that, she was afraid to go out these days.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind her at all. She never believed in those superstitions.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Xie Xiaojun¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Alright, then I will hang out with you when I¡¯m free.¡±

    The two then separated as Xie Xiaojun needed to sell eggs and buy salt, while Lu Jiao wanted to go to Baohe Tang.

    Lu Jiao checked out the town as she strolled. The town wasn¡¯t too big but it was rather popted.

    Other than the vendors with shops set up, there were lots of street vendorsid out all over. There were lots of viges around this town and nobody who lived around here was too well off.

    Therefore, people were inclined to sell anything worthy they have at home. This made this town rather morous with different people selling all sorts of things.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t waste time and headed straight to Baohe Tang.

    Not a lot of people were there at the moment. Medicine was expensive and therefore, lots of people simply endured and some even asked for a shaman.

    Inside the store, the appearance of Lu Jiao invited much excitement.

    ¡°Lady, what are you looking for?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the worker and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Doctor Zhou?¡±

    Doctor Zhou was the doctor who tended to Xie Yunjin before.

    The worker smiled, ¡°Doctor Zhou is old in age and has retired.¡±

    The reality was that Doctor Zhou took side jobs in secret and was caught so Baohe Tang fired him. Of course, nobody here would tell that to people.

    He looked at Lu Jiao and continued to smile, ¡°Lady, are you looking for Doctor Zhou to get a diagnosis? We recently hired an amazing doctor from the Capital City. If you want to see a doctor, you can ask for Doctor Qi.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t persist in seeing Doctor Zhou. She was here to sell her ganoderma. As for Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine, she still had the prescription from Doctor Zhou.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to sell medicinal herbs. I wonder if you are willing to buy it?¡±

    Lu Jiao tilted her body to show him her basket. The worker didn¡¯t grow rude right away when he heard that she wasn¡¯t here to buy.

    ¡°We do buy those. I wonder what you are selling?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced around and then whispered, ¡°I¡¯m selling a 50-year-old ganoderma.¡±

    The worker was surprised. He took a look at Lu Jiao and then said, ¡°Please wait a second. I will go to the back and get the manager.¡±

    Fifty-year-old ganoderma was extremely rare and was very expensive. There was no way he could make the final call.

    Lu Jiao waited outside. Baohe Tang has been established for a long time and was a big shop. The variety of medicine there was also satisfactory.

    Lu Jiao remembered how she wanted to buy peppercorn and star anise. ording to ancient literature, those ingredients were considered medicinal. She wondered if this shop had it.

    As she thought that, she walked to the counter and looked carefully. However, each little drawer wasbeled with traditional writing and she didn¡¯t recognize those characters.

    Though not a lot of people were inside the store, every one of them checked her out in secret. She was just so fat. During a difficult era like this, most people were skinny and jaundiced.

    Lu Jiao, on the other hand, was nourished and full of fat. She naturally attracted so much attention.

    However, Lu Jiao was collected and not at all insecure.

    The worker came out very soon, ¡°Lady, the manager asked to see you in the back.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow but she wasn¡¯t afraid of the manager pulling up any tricks. She was strong, had medical knowledge, and had tools in space. So she wasn¡¯t worried.

    In front of Baohe Tang were four different vendors and there was arge yard in the back. Lots of medicinal herbs were being dried in the yard and there were some peoplebining medicine. At the very back, there was a small building with a resting area. Three people sat there, chatting.

    Lu Jiao walked over and the three of them all turned their heads toward her.

    The first person was a kind-looking middle-aged man wearing a gray long robe. The other two were good-looking young men, one appeared very friendly and happy, while the other appeared more aloof and seemingly from a wealthier tribe. It was obvious that thest guy was no ordinary person.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, the aloof man standing in the middle spoke up calmly, ¡°You are selling a 50-year-old ganoderma?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She put down the basket and took out the ganoderma to ce them on the table.

    The kind-looking young man checked it out and quickly turned to look at the others happily.

    ¡°Ling Feng, this truly is a 50 year old ganoderma. It¡¯s also of the highest quality. This sure is a rare find.¡±

    Ling Feng raised an eyebrow and checked out Lu Jiao from a distance, ¡°How much silver do you want for this?¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t familiar with the value of ganoderma but knew that they weren¡¯t cheap. So she said, ¡°You guys can make me an offer. But if the offer is not a good one, I will go to a different town to sell it.¡±

    Ling Feng¡¯s eyes darkened. He didn¡¯t expect this woman to be tactful. However, it wasn¡¯t that he nned on conning her. Fifty-year-old ganoderma was difficult to find so he didn¡¯t want to scam her.

    ¡°How about 200 taels of silver? Even if you sell this in a big city, you won¡¯t get an offer like this. Of course, if you go to the Capital City, you may get a different price.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and found the offer to be reasonable. She didn¡¯t have the time to travel all the way to the Capital City.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s settle on that price. I have some other herbs as well. You can count those.¡±

    Ling Feng nodded and said to the middle-aged man, ¡°Manager Li, go cash her out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Manager Li walked Lu Jiao out. Even after some time, Lu Jiao could still hear the excited sounds from behind her.

    ¡°This ganoderma appears the highest quality. It must be far more effective than normal herbs.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips curled up. This ganoderma was from her space, how could it be of poor quality? It¡¯s been nourished by spiritual energy for such a long time. If she didn¡¯t need money, she wouldn¡¯t have sold it. At least the price the man offered was reasonable.

 Chapter 29

    The Great Viin Vomited Blood

    Lu Jiao asked Manager Li, ¡°Does your shop sell peppercorn or star anise?¡±

    Manager Li looked over curiously, ¡°We do. Miss, what do you need those for?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    In this era, peppercorn and star anise were used for medicine so she couldn¡¯t just say she used them to cook. They would treat her like she was crazy if she answered honestly.

    Lu Jiao walked on a bit then asked, ¡°What about gypsum?¡±

    In ancient times, gypsum was also used as a medicinal ingredient. She wondered if Baohe Tang had it.

    She wanted some gypsum to make tofu. She had been thinking about what the Lu family can do to make a sustainable living. In the end, she decided to teach them how to make tofu. It was just that tofu recipes needed brine or gypsum. Brine didn¡¯t exist then so only gypsum could be used. She wasn¡¯t sure if this store had any.

    Manager Li stared at Lu Jiao and found this rural woman weird. Why did she ask for strange and rare ingredients?

    ¡°Yes, miss.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips stretched into a smile right away. Now in a good mood, she took out the prescription Doctor Zhou gave her before.

    ¡°Use your best ingredients. I want to buy 10 portions. Then, I want half a pound of peppercorn, star anise, and bay leaves. Also, give me as much gypsum as your store has.¡±

    The manager didn¡¯t know what to say given the weird mix of things, ¡°Miss, what are you using these for?¡±

    ¡°To make medicine.¡±

    Manager Li was in disbelief. There was no way thebination of those could be good. However, since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to tell him, he didn¡¯t ask.

    Lu Jiao took this opportunity to ask, ¡°Does Baohe Tang ept all sorts of herbs?¡±

    Manager Li nodded, ¡°Yes, we ept all herbs. Better quality ingredients that have been cleaned and sorted of course will get you more money. Raw herbs brought straight here would get you less money. Miss, you want to sell herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, Manager Li, please treat me kindly in the future.¡±

    Manager Li remembered how Lu Jiao just sold them a 50-year-old ganoderma and his expression brightened up, ¡°Of course.¡±

    The two of them went to the counter and Manager Li started to pick out the ingredients for Lu Jiao. As he worked, he tried to get information out of Lu Jiao to see what she would use these for. Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t reveal anything.

    The manager was surprised. While this woman appeared chubby and stupid, she was really sharp.

    ¡°The total is 70 taels of silver and 20 tokens. I¡¯ll give you a discount and just take 70 taels.¡±

    Lu Jiao blinked and already spent 70 taels. She eximed over the value of ancient medicine, ¡°Thank you Manager Li.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned as she packed up the medicine into her basket and carefully took the 130 taels of silver the manager gave her. Originally, the manager wanted to be nice and give her a bank note instead of silver and tokens.

    However, Lu Jiao declined. She has her space and wasn¡¯t worried about too much silver and coins. The manager, however, shared a few worried nces but didn¡¯tment further.

    While she put away the medicine, Lu Jiao snuck the silver into her space.

    She then picked up her basket and got ready to leave. She had a lot of shopping to do.

    Since she now had money in her pocket, she quickly turned into a shopaholic. She bought 30 pounds of white rice, 30 pounds of white flour, oil, salt, and vinegar¡­ she wasn¡¯t afraid of anything being expensive. Just buy! Clothes? Buy!

    Sadly the clothing store didn¡¯t sell children¡¯s clothing so she bought some fabric to bring home. She did end up finding two outfits for Xie Yunjin.

    For herself, however, she didn¡¯t even bother to buy fabric. She was determined not to buy anything until she lost some weight. With her current weight, she didn¡¯t look good in anything.

    She bought some candy and baked goods for the little ones. Then she ran to the cksmith to buy an ax and a pickaxe. She didn¡¯t realize how expensive those tools would be. Despite the cost, she gritted her teeth and bought them.

    After this shopping spree, she was 10 taels of silver lighter. However, Lu Jiao felt highly satisfied. To be able to buy without worry just felt so good!

    It was gettingte and she had gotten everything she wanted, so she went back to where the bullock cart was.

    Everyone had already arrived and all of them were waiting for her.

    Xie Lan saw her and started to get angry, ¡°I wonder what kind of weird and useless things you bought. Could it be that you already wasted all my brother¡¯s money?¡±

    Lu Jiao was not kind when she responded, ¡°If I relied on the five taels of silver your family gave us, your third brother would be dead. Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself? Why do you keep on bringing up those five taels of silver? Today, I bought 10 portions of his medicine. Do you n to reimburse me?¡±

    Lu Jiao had hidden the rice, flour, candy, and baked goods in her space. Her basket now only contained Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine, oil, salt, and vinegar. Everyone in the cart saw what was in her basket.

    Everyone remembered that Xie Erzhu had said five teals of silver can only get three portions of medicine. That meant these 10 portions would cost more than 10 taels of silver.

    What they didn¡¯t know was that the medicine actually cost 50 taels of silver.

    Everyone sighed. Vigers here couldn¡¯t afford to get sick. Xie Lan stayed silent then and only red at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao was toozy to acknowledge her. Beside her, Xie Xiaojuan squeezed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand to remind her that Xie Lan was stupid. Her own brother could only count on this sister-inw now, yet she continued to butt heads with her. Wasn¡¯t that just so stupid?

    The bullock¡¯s cart rushed its way back. Since the town wasn¡¯t far, they got back to the vige very quickly. The moment the cart arrived, a small silhouette rushed over and shouted.

    ¡°Third grandma, my grandma told you to go home right away. Something had happened.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced over right away and saw that it was Datou who shouted. She asked, worried, ¡°Datou, what happened?¡±

    Datou huffed and puffed from running and couldn¡¯t talk clearly, ¡°Daniu¡­ stole¡­ First Born and them¡­ got hit¡­¡±

    Xie Tieniu saw Lu Jiao was worried and offered, ¡°Let me give you a ride home.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. The others in the cart didn¡¯t object with the exception of Shen Xiu. She heard Datou talk about Daniu. Could it be that her brother¡¯s kid, Daniu, had hit third brother Xie¡¯s children?

    Shen Xiu was flustered and her hand subconsciously squeezed into a fist.

    The cart quickly arrived at the west side of the vige. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even wait for the cart to fully stop before she jumped out. Xie Tieniu was shocked, ¡°Slow down.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care and ran back home with her basket. She saw that a bunch of people were outside her home and there were sounds of children crying from the inside.

    Lu Jiao went over and before she could get into her home, she heard children¡¯s furious cries and cursing.

    ¡°Shen Daniu, you¡¯re a b!tch! You came to my home to steal my things and you hit us. You shameless b!tch! You¡¯re a waste of money and energy! You¡¯re a b!tch without a mother who educates you. Once I grow up, I am going to skin you and rip out your tendons! I¡¯m going to make sure your eyes remain open when you die!¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, my life is over. Every one of youes here to hurt us. We might as well just bang our heads and die.¡±

    Before these two cries fully dissipated, another cold and exasperated voice erupted, ¡°Widow Li, are you taking advantage of my family because nobody¡¯s home? I am not dead yet.¡±

    Lu Jiao got to the main gate. When the vigers saw her, they parted ways for her to enter. Someone yelled, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife¡¯s home.¡±

    ¡°This woman¡¯s capable these days. I wonder if she knows how to deal with Widow Li¡¯s family.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored the vigers and looked around her yard.

    Xie Yunjin was on the ground by the east building¡¯s door, with his arms supporting his body. His eyes were deadly fixated on Widow Li as if he was ready to kill her.

    His face was without any color. Not only was he scary pale, but as he shouted those words, a stream of fresh blood rolled down his chin from his mouth.

 Chapter 30

    Scamming

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face subconsciously turned cold. Xie Yunjin was internally bleeding yet still struggled his way out of bed and into the yard. The damage to his body grew more severe and that was why he vomited blood.

    Lu Jiao then saw the four little ones who stood in the yard. Each one of them had messed-up hair and ripped-up clothes. There were also cuts and bruises on their faces.

    When the four little ones saw Lu Jiao appear, they suddenly felt so wronged and sad and exploded into cries. They shrieked and wept, heartbroken.

    In giant leaps, Lu Jiao went up to the four little ones and rubbed their heads. She then turned and went to Xie Yunjin and carried him back into the east bedroom.

    When she showed up, Xie Yunjin suddenly felt relieved and his mind went nk.

    While he fought to stay awake, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nice to them.¡±

    Lu Jiao was strong, Xie Yunjin knew that. His statement meant he wanted Lu Jiao to teach Widow Li a hard lesson.

    Obviously, Lu Jiao understood what he meant and with a heavy expression, she nodded, ¡°I know what to do. You need to rest. Don¡¯t worry, I will teach them a lesson.¡±

    With another sigh of relief, Xie Yunjin passed out.

    Lu Jiao knew he¡¯d been fighting to move and now, he had finally used up all his energy.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had nourished him with the spiritual stream water, he probably would¡¯ve died moving around like that.

    But she was here now and he would be fine.

    With a quick movement, Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin some more stream water. This time, she was generous with the amount. Since Xie Yunjin was passed out anyway, he wouldn¡¯t know that she fed him water.

    The stream water was highly effective so Xie Yunjin¡¯s body will repair itself very quickly.

    Just then, outside the room, Widow Li¡¯s shrill voice spread.

    ¡°You dead fat woman, this isn¡¯t over. Look at how your four bastards wounded my Daniu and Erniu! You will need topensate me with money. Until youpensate me, this isn¡¯t over. We are not going to let this go.¡±

    Right after she spoke, Lu Jiao heard the Second Born¡¯s crying voice, ¡°You cursed old widow! Don¡¯t you dare think about scamming us. Our money is saved to cure daddy¡¯s sickness. It¡¯s your Daniu who came over today to steal our stuff. She deserved to be hit!¡±

    After the Second Born cursed, the Third Born¡¯s angry voice arose, ¡°Oh my god, lord do you even want me to be alive? I cannot live like this. Lord, just take me away!¡±

    While Lu Jiao was furious, the curses the little ones spat out made her temples jolt.

    She felt like the way the children cursed and cried sounded familiar. She thought about it and realized that the original host often spoke like that. Therefore, these two little fes learned from her.

    Lu Jiao left the room.

    Outside the room, Widow Li jumped towards the two young boys and cursed dirtily at them, ¡°You bastards, how dare you speak to me like this? I am going to beat you two sons of b!tches. Your dad is disabled and your mom is going to abandon you soon. How dare you scream at me? Watch me beat you two to death!¡±

    Widow Li then raised her arm to hit the boys but the vigers pulled her away. The Second Grandma¡¯s family then went to protect the quadruplets.

    Xie Xiaobao was enraged and pointed his finger at Widow Li, ¡°You¡¯re here to con us! Your Daniu and Erniu came here today to steal yet you think you¡¯re in the right? Also, Daniu and Erniu hit the four children, and Wang Gousheng from your family also came to hit the children. Gousheng is already 10 years old yet he hits little kids. Are you not embarrassed? Even I am embarrassed for you.¡±

    Widow Li heard Xie Xiaobao¡¯s words and jumped up three inches. She spat out, ¡°You are talking trash! Who saw my Gousheng hit anyone? Who? I only saw my Daniu and Erniu getting hurt. So this family must pay up!¡±

    Lu Jiao coldly asked Widow Li, ¡°You want my family to pay you?¡±

    Before Widow Li could speak, her daughter, Shen Xiu grabbed her hand, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go back. Stop this.¡±

    Widow Li fought off Shen Xiu¡¯s hand and cursed, ¡°Get away!¡±

    Then, she dragged Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu out.

    The quadruplets may be hurt, but Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu were in way worse conditions. Not only were their bodies bruised, but there was blood on their faces. One of them lost a tooth while the other had a cracked nose. They looked miserable and couldn¡¯t even stand up steadily while they were dragged by Widow Li.

    Lu Jiao could tell by one nce that there was no way these two girls were hurt by the quadruplets. The quadruplets were malnourished and very weak. There was no way they had enough strength to hurt two girls like this.

    It was most likely the Shen family who had hit their children and med it on the quadruplets. They did this to scam their money.

    Widow Li pointed at Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Look at the state my children are in. Their faces are hurt, they¡¯ve lost teeth, and their eyes are swollen. You have to pay up so we can go see a doctor.¡±

    Lu Jiao peeked at the girls and remembered that they beat her four children. For them to be hit by the Shen family was deserved.

    She ignored Widow Li and turned to the quadruplets, ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡±

    The First Born stepped out and spoke first.

    ¡°You asked us to keep an eye on our home today, so we squatted in the kitchen. We saw Shen Daniu sneak into our backyard and into the kitchen. She ran in, took our eggs and chicken, and ran out. I stopped her from escaping so she screamed for her cousin Wang Gousheng and Shen Erniu.¡±

    ¡°Then, the three of them beat us together. We couldn¡¯t defend ourselves so we screamed until they ran away. After that, their grandma came over to ask us for money.¡±

    Though the First Born was very young, he spoke clearly. His words made the vigers understand what had happened.

    A lot of people had guessed what Widow Li intended. She likely thought that since Yunjin¡¯s wife sold a boar and earned some money, she could scam that money out of her. Also, Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu were so wounded. How could the little quadruplets hit them that hard?

    It was just that Widow Li was very difficult to deal with. She obviously wanted money from Yunjin and that was why she hit her grandchildren so hard.

    The crowd worriedly looked over to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao remembered the day she transmigrated here because the original host died. That day, the original host suspected the quadruplets stole her eggs. It looked like those eggs were stolen by Shen Daniu. Shen Daniu seeded once and so she came back for a second time.

    Lu Jiao coldly looked at Widow Li and said in a low voice, ¡°Widow Li, where are you standing right now?¡±

    Widow Li was thrown off, ¡°Your home.¡±

    Lu Jiao snickered, ¡°Ignoring whether or not your grandchildren were hurt by my children, your grandchildren were thieves first. They deserved to be hit. They deserve to get hurt and even deserve to be hit to death.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the judge and ask what happens to thieves? Thieves caught in the act are often struck to death. Those who kill the thieves are considered to be innocent. The ones who caught the thieves today were these four young children.¡±

    As Lu Jiao continued, she walked up to Widow Li, ¡°You sent thieves to another person¡¯s home. Then afterward, you shamelesslye over to deceive people in that person¡¯s home? Haha, you sure dare to dream big.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Who didn¡¯t know how to be a Scammer?

    Widow Li was only a countryside woman and didn¡¯t understand any of the words said. After she heard Lu Jiao speak, she simply extended her neck long and screamed, ¡°Children y around all the time. What do you mean they stole? Your kids hurt my grandchildren so you need to pay up.¡±

    Just then, her son, Shen Xiaoshan jumped to his feet, ¡°Pay up! Your four children are boys. My children are girls. Your boys are stronger. Pay up!¡±

    Many people from the crowd judged Shen Xiaoshan at this point.

    Shen Xiaoshan was Widow Li¡¯s son and was very spoiled growing up. He never worked and got by through cheap tricks and scams. Many people hated him.

    Lu Jiao snickered and stared at Widow Li. Then, slowly, her gazended on Shen Xiaoshan, and the curl on her lips deepened.

    ¡°The fault of the children is the fault of their father. Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu learned to steal at such a young age all thanks to you. Your daughters hit my sons and now you¡¯re asking me for money? Come,e, let me give you money.¡±

    Then, she extended her hand and pulled on Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s cor.

    She stomped her foot towards Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s knee, which caused him to kneel. Then, she pressed into Shen Xiaoshan and started to hit him.

    Everyone in the yard was stunned. Widow Li was the first to react. She screamed and grabbed onto Lu Jiao¡¯s hair. Lu Jiao pped her and shoved her away. Widow Li then fell to the ground.

    Lu Jiao raised her hand and continued to hit Shen Xiaoshan, ¡°Your daughters are little so I cannot hit them. But that doesn¡¯t mean I cannot hit their father. Hehe, you hit my sons and have the audacity toe over here to scam me? Just look at how capable you are. Come,e, you want money? Let me disable you then we can talk money.¡±

    Lu Jiao continued to strike and aimed her fists at all the most painful points on Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s body.

    She was a medical doctor and knew which spots would cause the most pain and wouldn¡¯t leave a scar.

    Shen Xiaoshan started to cry then. As he cried, he cursed, ¡°Damn you fat b!tch! Let me go! Ahhh, it hurts, let me go!¡±

    Widow Li cursed and wanted to rush over. However, the aggressive way Lu Jiao acted scared her.

    She turned her head and saw her daughter Shen Xiu and pushed her forward, ¡°Are you a dead woman? Go stop her! Do you want your brother dead?¡±

    Shen Xiu didn¡¯t dare to go up there. Right now, Lu Jiao¡¯s behavior terrified her. Her chubby cheeks quivered with every violent movement and the way she mmed her fat fists made her look like a yaksha. When she shoved Widow Li, Widow Li practically flew away. If Shen Xiu went over there right now, she would be hit.

    Shen Xiu could only stand on the side and howl, ¡°Lu Jiao, let go of my brother. Hitting people is illegal.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored her and continued to beat him. At this point, Shen Xiaoshan was rolling around in pain and shrieked ufortably. In the end, he started to beg.

    ¡°Fat b!tch, stop hitting me. I won¡¯t ask for money anymore. I won¡¯t. Let me go!¡±

    Outside the yard, the Vige Leader, Xie Fugui came over. Terrified that someone might die today, he shouted, ¡°Yunijn¡¯s wife, stop!¡±

    Lu Jiao respected the Vige Leader and therefore stopped. She then picked up Shen Xiaoshan like he was a dead dog.

    Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s entire body was in pain. His pale face produced much tears and sobs and he appeared extremely tired.

    But the arrival of the Vige Leader made him want to curse again. Just then, unexpectedly, Lu Jiao reached into her sleeves and pulled out a small de and held it against his neck.

    ¡°Pay up.¡±

    Who didn¡¯t know how to be a scammer? Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s all scam each other. Let¡¯s see who ends up with more money.

    Inside the yard, everyone watched in a daze and nobody dared to move. All they could think about was how terrifying Yunjin¡¯s wife was.

    Everyone stared at Lu Jiao and thought thatpared to now, the old Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t considered scary.

    Shen Xiaoshen instantly started to cry out of fear. As he cried, he begged, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, put down the knife. I don¡¯t want the money anymore. I don¡¯t.¡±

    The Vige Leader raised his head and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised her head and said, ¡°His children stole from my home today and hurt my children. Afterward, she came to my door asking for money. Yunjin was worried and managed to struggle his way out of bed. His condition had worsened as a result. This means all the money I spent on his medicine has gone to waste.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s now unconscious and it¡¯s not clear how he¡¯s doing. So I cannot just let go of what happened here today. The Shen family can pay up, or they can go to the judge with me to see how the judge will rule this situation.¡±

    Widow Li trembled at the thought of going before a judge. However, she didn¡¯t want to pay anything so she screamed, ¡°You hurt my son like this and you want money? We are not going to pay.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved around the surgery de in her hand and coldlyughed, ¡°You¡¯re not paying up? Then let¡¯s go to the judge. You im my quadruplets hurt your Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu? I¡¯m sure the judge can tell right away whether or not my children hurt yours.¡±

    Widow Li¡¯s face turned white. She nced at her granddaughters then at the four little beans. Only now did she realize the position she was in.

    However, she refused to pay up so with a thump, she sat onto the ground and screamed, ¡°You hit my son and you ask us for money? We have no money to give you. Oh my god, heavens, how can someone be like this? I might as well die.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored her. Today, she nned to make it clear to every viger here that she was not someone to be taken advantage of.

    Lu Jiao snickered and said, ¡°No money? Then let¡¯s go to the judge. You said I hit your son? Then let¡¯s let the judge see if your son is injured.¡±

    At those words, Widow Li stood up and walked to Shen Xiaoshan.

    Shen Xiaoshan started to cry, ¡°Mom, it hurts. My entire body hurts. Everything is swollen.¡±

    Widow Li started to check out her son but did not see any flesh injuries.

    She couldn¡¯t believe this and continued to search. In the end, she found nothing.

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m a woman who just saw her husband vomit blood and her own children get hurt. Out of fury, I hit him a few times. How could he be swollen all over?¡±

    Widow Li was in a daze. The vigers were also stunned.

    Shen Xiaoshan continued to shriek in pain.

    Vige Leader Xie Fugui narrowed his eyes at Lu Jiao. She has changed. She was so different from before and was now so capable. The Vige Leader didn¡¯t need to think too hard to realize what Lu Jiao intended.

    She didn¡¯t really want to fight the Shen family or go to a judge. She simply wanted to use the Shen family as a case study so the vigers know not to mess with her.

    Xie Fugui eximed silently how strategic and tactful this woman was. Though Xie Yunjin is now disabled, his family will continue to do well. He must make peace with this woman. After all, he didn¡¯t want today¡¯s fight to alert the judge.

    Xie Fugui made his decision and said to Widow Li, ¡°You need to pay Yunjin¡¯s family.¡±

    Widow Li would never ept this and wailed, ¡°No! We have no money. She hurts my son and then asks for money? We have none!¡±

 Chapter 32

    Lu Jiao Shares Silver

    Xie Fugui was angry. The Xie Vige was rather peaceful but there had been these few rats who infuriated others.

    Xie Fugui stared at Widow Li coldly and said in a low voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t pay up, then you need to get out of the Xie Vige. This vige refuses to house families like you. You might lead the vige children astray.¡±

    The color drained from Widow Li¡¯s face right away. She wanted to argue more but Xie Fugui¡¯s heavy expression stopped her. The Vige Leader was determined to go through with his threat. Just where would the Shen family go if they¡¯re shunned out?

    The Xie Vige was the home of the Xie bloodline. They may have epted others with different surnames, but these people will never root in the same way as the Xie¡¯s.

    Xie Fugui ignored Widow Li and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, how much do you want?¡±

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes at Widow Li and faked a smile, ¡°One tael of silver is enough. Leader, as you know, Yunjin¡¯s medicine is around one and a half taels of silver per portion. The good quality one costs as much as five taels of silver. This one tael of silver from her cannot even buy us medicine.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even really want her silver. I want her to learn a lesson and stop taking advantage of my family.¡±

    Everyone originally thought she was being greedy by asking for one tael of silver. However, once they heard that it wasn¡¯t even enough to get medicine, they suddenly thought of her as kind.

    Many people spoke up on her behalf, ¡°Yunjin did get hurt today. He vomited blood. One tael of silver isn¡¯t enough. It¡¯s really not.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t ask for too much. With Widow Li hurting Yunjin like this, Yunjin¡¯s family will need to spend so much more money.¡±

    Widow Li refused to give out any money and frowned, ¡°We don¡¯t have money. We don¡¯t.¡±

    Just then, she saw Xie Lan on the side and grabbed her hand, ¡°Xie Lan, go beg your third sister-inw and ask her to stop asking us for money. You know what my situation is like at home.¡±

    Xie Lan heard Widow Li¡¯s words and thought that given she was friends with Shen Xiu, she needed to take a side and act now in order to make herself look like a kind soul.

    Xie Lan turned her head. However, before she could speak, Lu Jiao had snapped, ¡°Shut your mouth. The sight of you annoys me.¡±

    Then, she grabbed Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s hand and started to drag him out, ¡°Since your family refuses to give us money, I¡¯ll take your mother and daughter to the judge. I will tell them you attempted to scam our money. Logically speaking, you will have to sit behind bars for a while.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. I remember now that you have a long history of bad habits. Since we are going to a judge, I will tell him all about it. It¡¯s better for society if he sends his investigators around and digs into everything. That way, you can stay behind bars for two more years.¡±

    Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s face was now pale with fright. Coupled with his physical pain, his whole existence felt like a burden.

    He shrieked with his face nk, ¡°Mother, give it to her. Go get money and give it to her. I don¡¯t want to go to jail.¡±

    Widow Li didn¡¯t dare to argue now that her son had spoken, ¡°Don¡¯t take my son away. I will go get your money.¡±

    She then walked away in a hurry. Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t afraid of her running away and so she reasonably put away the de in her hand.

    Everyone in the yard sighed in relief. Yunjin¡¯s wife with a de was a rather scary picture.

    Widow Li quickly delivered that one tael of silver. She felt like her heart had been carved out when she gave up that money.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even take over the money. She gestured for Xie Xiaobao to take it. Then, she nced at her quadruplets.

    ¡°First Born, who helped you out today?¡±

    The First Born quickly pointed out the Second Grandma¡¯s family, the Vige Leader¡¯s family, as well as this hunter family with thest name Xu.

    Lu Jiao nodded and said to the Vige Leader, ¡°I don¡¯t want this one tael of silver. You three family take it and share it.¡±

    Her words stunned everyone in the yard. Everyone there started to discuss this.

    ¡°Oh my god, for real?¡±

    ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t think to help her children before?¡±

    ¡°One tael of silver split three ways is more than 300 copper tokens. That¡¯s enough for a couple of pounds of pork. Oh my goodness.¡±

    Xie Fugui stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, there¡¯s no need to be like this. Yunjin is in need of money.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I will figure out a way to get money for his medicine. Vige Leader, as you saw, I know how to hunt, and I also know how to identify herbs. I don¡¯t have to worry about Yunjin¡¯s medicine. Please split the money. I¡¯m giving it to you to thank your lot for helping my children today.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to expand on what she already said, and she shoved away Shen Xiaoshan, ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    Widow Li helped her son stand up and they didn¡¯t dare to stay.

    Behind everyone, Shen Xiu¡¯s gaze threw daggers at Lu Jiao before she walked away. Xie Lan remembered Lu Jiao¡¯s words and angrily red at her before she left.

    Everyone left the yard while the three families who helped the quadruplets came over to convince Lu Jiao to take the money back.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t let them give the money back to her. She had to threaten someone in order to get the money. If she took it, the vige would view her poorly but if she didn¡¯t take the money, their opinions of her would be positive. Lu Jiao asked the Vige Leader to handle the matter of splitting the money. She honestly didn¡¯t care for that one tael of silver.

    Vige Leader Xie Fugui took on the task and left with everyone.

    His daughter, Xie Xiaoju however, didn¡¯t leave. She stayed and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Third sister, third brother, and the children are all hurt. I will stay and help you cook dinner while you tend to them.¡±

    It was ratherte now, and it was time to cook dinner. However, Xie Yunjin and the four little ones got hurt and needed tending.

    In the end, she thanked Xie Xiaoju and brought the four little ones into the living room.

    ¡°Wait for me. I will take out some rice for sister Xiaoju. Then, I wille back to clean your wounds.¡±

    The four little ones were anxious as they stayed in the living room. The moment Lu Jiao left, they ran to the east bedroom.

    They knew that their father just vomited blood. As they stood by his bedside and watched him lie there unconscious, they felt terrified and tears started to roll down their cheeks.

    Lu Jiao hid and took out half a bowl of rice from her space and handed it to Xie Xiaoju, ¡°Xiaoju, thank you for this.¡±

    ¡°No problem. You go and be busy.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She first got a bucket of water before she headed to the east bedroom.

    Before she could enter, she heard the four little ones cry, ¡°Daddy, wake up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep. We won¡¯t fight anymore.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t ever fight anyone in the future. Don¡¯t get mad.¡±

    Lu Jiao entered and found the four of them in a line as they wiped tears off their faces.

    Lu Jiao called them, ¡°Come here and wash up first. Look at how dirty you all are.¡±

    The quadruplets turned their heads towards her. They remembered how she protected them before and felt close to her.

    The First Born walked over in a hurry, ¡°You feed daddy medicine first.¡±

    Lu Jiao took the only small seat in the house and sat down. She said to the First Born, ¡°I already checked him out. He¡¯s fine. You guys stop worrying.¡±

    The Four Little ones were in disbelief, ¡°Then howe he¡¯s not waking up?¡±

    ¡°He was already injured, and he got too angry, so he cannot wake up right at this moment. Don¡¯t worry though, he will be fine.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Lu Jiao Educating her Sons

    Lu Jiao then checked out the four little ones and found cuts on all of their faces and bodies. Luckily, there were no broken bones or sprained muscles. Since they were so young and their skin was so tender, they scarred and bruised very easily.

    Though they appeared very hurt, they were rtively okay. The two daughters from the Shen family were way more hurt.

    Lu Jiao had no time to pity others. Everyone has their fate and she was no saint.

    ¡°If this stuff happens again, don¡¯t fight them on the spot. Just let her take the eggs and wait for me toe home to deal with her. You are all so small and if they hit you, they¡¯re likely to win the fight.¡±

    The First Born looked up at her and said with a serious expression, ¡°You asked us to watch the chicken and the eggs before you left today. So we couldn¡¯t just let her take them.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze. This was all because she asked something of them? She felt a little bitter.

    ¡°Ah, I understand. You guys did well today. In the future, don¡¯t put yourself in a disadvantageous position again.¡±

    Then, she pulled eight candies out of her sleeve and handed them to the four little ones, ¡°Here is the candy I promised you. Two each.¡±

    The four little ones stared at them. Wow, this really was candy.

    All the sour spots on their bodies suddenly stopped hurting. The Fourth Born raised his head in surprise, ¡°Mommy, you really brought us candy?¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s words petrified the room, including Lu Jiao.

    The other three children red at the Fourth Born.

    The Fourth Born was surprised as well. He quickly shot Lu Jiao a look and realized that she wasn¡¯t angry.

    He then turned to look at the other three. Before, they had agreed never to call this evil woman their mother. He had broken that pact just now and wondered if his brothers were mad at him.

    The Third Born was obviously pissed. He stared down at the Fourth Born angrily before he turned away to ignore him.

    The Fourth Born wasn¡¯t sure what to do now. However, when he saw Lu Jiao, he smiled. He called her ¡°mommy¡± and she didn¡¯t tell him to not do that. He has a mommy now!

    ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought he needed something and answered, ¡°What is it? Do you need something?¡±

    The Fourth Born shook his head and called again, ¡°Mommy.¡±

    By now, Lu Jiao knew he just wanted to call out to her so she let him. Every time he called out, she responded.

    The other three were getting madder and madder and refused to move for a while. Lu Jiao ignored them.

    She wiped down their bodies using an old towel and left with the water once the four little ones were clean.

    Afterward, the three children all red at the Fourth Born, ¡°Hmmph, you dare to call her your mom. We agreed to never call her that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ignore you now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ignore you now too.¡±

    None of the other three children acknowledged the Fourth Born afterward.

    Later, Lu Jiao returned with their clothes that she had previously washed and dried for the kids to change into.

    It was obvious to her that there was a conflict between the children. However, she pretended not to notice. After she changed them, she took out anti-inmmation medicine and applied it to their wounds. Then, she gathered their old clothes and walked out.

    Since the brothers now ignored the Fourth Born, the Fourth Born ran out and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao lowered her gaze and looked into his heart-shaped eyes. His eyes were full of affection and admiration. That look softened her heart into mush.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, I want to spend time with you.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiao walked out holding his hand. She originally didn¡¯t mind that the children didn¡¯t refer to her as their mother, because she had no n to stay here long term. However today, the Fourth Born called her ¡°mom¡±. This lifted and brightened her mood greatly.

    The First Born frowned deeply as he watched this. It was as if he contemted a life-changing decision.

    The Second and Third Born watched him and waited for him to make a decision.

    Outside, Lu Jiao fetched a fresh bucket of water to clean Xie Yunjin with. She had no idea how he managed to make his way outside, but his entire body was dusty and dirty. He even got blood on it. It was for the best to clean him up and get him into new clothes.

    Luckily today, she bought him two new sets of clothes.

    Lu Jiao, along with the Fourth Born, got to the east bedroom and heard the First Born make an important announcement, ¡°If he wants to call that woman mom, then let him. We can just ignore him.¡±

    Lu Jiao entered with the water and said in an unpleasant tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you refer to me as, I am your mother. Don¡¯t bully the Fourth Born.¡±

    The Second and Third Born felt they have been wronged, ¡°You were the one who told us not to call you that.¡±

    Their words reminded Lu Jiao of all the bad things she¡¯s done before. That was true, the original host didn¡¯t allow them to call her mom. When they did, she would hit them. In the end, the children collectively decided to not call her their mother and would refer to her as ¡°the evil woman¡±.

    Lu Jiao remembered that and dryughed, ¡°Then I was wrong.¡±

    She was terrified that the children would drag out that conversation, so she changed the subject.

    ¡°Second and Third Born, I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask you two ¨C Second Born, who taught you to speak such ugly words? Words like b!tch¡­ who taught you that?¡±

    Lu Jiao was serious as she stared at the Second Born, which scared him a little. However, he had to defend himself, ¡°Those are words you always used to curse at people.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned dark, ¡°I am simply a woman from the countryside who doesn¡¯t know better. Therefore, I sometimes speak rather poorly. You boys are men, why learn from a woman how to curse at people? Do you ever see grown men curse at people the way I do?¡±

    The Second Born thought about it and quickly chimed in, ¡°Shen Daniu¡¯s dad curses like that too.¡±

    This angered Lu Jiao, ¡°Shen Daniu¡¯s dad is not a good man. Nobody in the vige thinks anything of him. You want to be a man that¡¯s hated by everyone, even dogs?¡±

    The Second Born shook his head. He wanted to be someone like his father. Before, everyone in the vige was so nice to his father.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then don¡¯t go around cursing like that. Of course, I will stop cursing like that too.¡±

    Lu Jiao confirmed with the Second Born, ¡°Do you hear me?¡±

    Unconvinced, the Second Born peeked at Lu Jiao, ¡°You really won¡¯t curse anymore?¡±

    ¡°Have I been cursing thesest several days?¡±

    The Second Born shook his head. Thesest few days, the evil woman didn¡¯t curse at anyone and she¡¯s been so nice. She cooked them nice meals, protected them, and even bought them candy.¡±

    The Second Born mumbled, ¡°I got it. I won¡¯t curse anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction. She then looked over to the Third Born. The Third Born lifted his chest high, ¡°I didn¡¯t curse at anyone.¡±

    Lu Jiao snickered, ¡°Haha, you sure didn¡¯t curse. You sat on the ground and rolled around, saying your life is over.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered that the original host used to do that and that was where he learned it. So she quickly shut up and hissed, ¡°Don¡¯t do that anymore in the future. You¡¯re a man, so act like one. Have you ever seen your father cry and roll around like that?¡±

    The Third Born shook his head and promised, ¡°I won¡¯t lie on the ground anymore.¡±

    Satisfied, Lu Jiao took the water and walked up to the bed.

 Chapter 34

    The Fourth Born has a Sweet Mouth

    Xie Yunjin was still unconscious but his face and body had to be cleaned.

    Lu Jiao used an old rag to wipe down his face and hands. Then, she nned to take off his clothes and clean up his body.

    Just as she was about to untie the belt around his waist, an arm reached out and grabbed her hand. Then, a weak and cold voice demanded, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up and saw that Xie Yunjin was awake. Right now, he stared at her unkindly as if she was an up-to-no-good hoodlum, and he was a proper woman about to be ruined.

    Lu Jiao speechlessly raised an eyebrow, ¡°Because you got out of bed, you got yourself really dirty. You also haven¡¯t bathed in a while. I want to clean you up a little and change you. Aren¡¯t you ufortable lying on the bed in your dirty clothes?¡±

    She was a doctor and was used to all this. She never thought much of it.

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes, hard.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t let her go even after she exined. Instead, he grabbed onto his own belt. Though he was weak, he still struggled, ¡°I will do this myself.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t force him, ¡°Okay, okay, you do it yourself. Untie your belt first.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t move and simply stared.

    Lu Jiao realized what he meant by this and turned around, so she couldn¡¯t see him.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin sighed in relief and struggled with difficulty to get out of his clothes. He had vomited blood and his body was incredibly weak. His hands shook and even after several minutes, he couldn¡¯t unbutton his shirt.

    The quadruplets were anxious as they watched this and all eagerly volunteered.

    ¡°Daddy, let me help you.¡±

    ¡°Let me help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao rubbed her temples helplessly as she wondered how she could solve this.

    Outside, Xie Erzhu¡¯s voice echoed, ¡°Third brother, how are you doing?¡±

    His voice made Lu Jiao sigh in relief. She called out, ¡°Second brother,e on in.¡±

    Xie Erzhu entered and was asked to help Xie Yunjin get cleaned up. Lu Jiao then went to the storage room to take out a new set of clothes, ¡°Change Yunjin into this. It¡¯s morefortable.¡±

    Xie Erzhu carefully checked out Lu Jiao. He had always been terrified of his sister-inw but today, he feared her more. He had heard that today, his sister-inw dealt with someone as difficult as Widow Li and managed to get silver out of her.

    In the end, she split the money and paid the three families who helped the quadruplets. This event was heavily gossiped about by everyone in the vige and a lot of people regretted that they did not help the quadruplets. Mostly, however, peopleplimented Lu Jiao¡¯s generosity.

    When his own mother heard the story, however, she cursed for an hour at how her son was a failure.

    Xie Erzhu answered carefully, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and turned around. Behind her, the Fourth Born shot his father onest look and decided to follow Lu Jiao. As he ran, he shouted, ¡°Mommy, Ie with you.¡±

    Behind him, the other three children angrily red at him. Then, they started to tattletale to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, the Fourth Born calls that evil woman ¡®mom¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph, we are going to ignore him from now on. We won¡¯t y with him anymore and we won¡¯t talk to him anymore.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t protect him anymore.¡±

    Xie Yunjin frowned and scolded, ¡°What are you talking about? She¡¯s your mother no matter what. Just because you don¡¯t want to call her your mom, doesn¡¯t mean others shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    The Second and Third Born said sadly, ¡°She told us not to call her that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes shed with exasperation. However, he quickly remembered that Lu Jiao was different now and felt better.

    ¡°She¡¯s treating you nicely now, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    The Second and Third Born did not speak further. Xie Yunjin stared at the three little beans and said meaningfully, ¡°You don¡¯t have to call her ¡®mom¡¯. I won¡¯t force you. But you cannot get mad just because the Fourth Born wants to call her ¡®mom¡¯. Remember, you guys are supposed to be good brothers to each other.¡±

    The three children exchanged nces and nodded, ¡°Okay, we got it, dad.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know about this as she headed to the kitchen with the Fourth Born.

    The pig head, organs, and hocks from this morning haven¡¯t been dealt with. Though they won¡¯t go bad while in her space, they shouldn¡¯t be left there forever.

    Lu Jiao decided to leave the ribs there for now and make the other parts first. However, since they only had one pot, she had to wait until after dinner before she could cook.

    Inside the kitchen, Xie Xiaoju had cooked the rice into porridge.

    ¡°Third sister, the porridge is ready. Should I scoop some out for the four little ones?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and said, ¡°You should stay for dinner as well. There are no other dishes for dinner so it¡¯s simple. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Xie Xiaoju shook her head and headed outside right away, ¡°Third sister, I¡¯ll go home first. If you need me, just call for me.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to ask her to stay but she ran away really quickly.

    Helpless, Lu Jiao went back into the kitchen and ced the scooped-out porridges onto the small table. Since it waste, she didn¡¯t have time to cook vegetables. She decided to take out the red bean baked goods she bought today.

    The Fourth Born was stunned as he stared at the red bean cake, ¡°mommy, what is this?¡±

    ¡°Red bean cake. I bought it for you guys. Later, each one of you can have a slice of that and a bowl of porridge.¡±

    The little man¡¯s eyes lit up and he raised his head topliment Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, you are so great.¡±

    This mommy of his was so nice, so much better than the mom he had before.

    His cute little face made Lu Jiao giggle. She couldn¡¯t help but bend down and pinch his cheeks, ¡°You think I¡¯m nice when I have food for you. If I have no food for you, you wouldn¡¯t say these nice words.¡±

    The Fourth Born shook his head and his eyes turned into crescents from smiling so big, ¡°Mommy is great with or without food.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart popped like popcorn. She couldn¡¯t help but kiss the Fourth Born on the cheek.

    The Fourth Born was shocked. He covered his face and started tough. His mommy kissed him, she kissed him.

    Lu Jiao started to giggle as well. Since it waste, she took the table with the food outside. As she walked, she reminded, ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t fall.¡±

    ¡°I know, mommy.¡±

    The Fourth Born had forgotten that his brothers were mad at him. His mommy was so great. She bought them candy, red bean cake, and even kissed him. What a happy day.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Erzhu had cleaned Xie Yunjin up and changed him into clean clothes.

    Xie Yunjin feltfortable right away. Though Xie Erzhu had cleaned him before, he¡¯d worn that same old set of clothes for weeks. Now that he had changed into clothes made out of cotton, he felt veryfortable.

    The aura that emitted from Xie Yunjin softened as a result.

    Lu Jiao entered with the table of food. His face didn¡¯t turn cold right away. It didn¡¯t matter where this woman came from, so far, everything she¡¯s been has been nice. Therefore, for now, he will not ask her to reveal her true identity.

 Chapter 35

    The Apple doesn¡¯t Fall Far from the Tree

    Just then, the Fourth Born skipped his way to the other three children and shouted excitedly, ¡°First, Second, and Third Born, not only did mommy buy us candy, but she also got us red bean cake.¡±

    The three children looked at the table in surprise and really saw the cake there. There were even multiple pieces.

    Their eyes brightened and their heads snapped towards Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin gently said, ¡°Go and eat.¡±

    The First Born ran to the table and picked up a piece of cake, ¡°Daddy, you eat.¡±

    Once daddy eats cake, he will lighten up.

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want it. You guys eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°Try a piece. I bought more than two pounds of those. Second brother, you should try a piece as well.¡±

    Those words made Xie Erzhu stand up. This red bean cake must have been expensive. How could he eat that? He should save those for his third brother.

    ¡°I¡­ I will go home and eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Second brother, stay here for dinner. However, we only have porridge and red bean cake. I had no time to make other dishes. I will need some time to clean up the pig organs and pig head.¡±

    Though she had her space, if she doesn¡¯t clean those up today, Xie Yunjin may get suspicious. It was summer, and the pig would stink up if not dealt with properly.

    Lu Jiao then asked, ¡°Second Brother, do me a favor and feed Yunjin. After he¡¯s done, you should stay and eat with us.¡±

    Lu Jiao then left the room. She was in a rush because she really needed to clean the pig organs and head. It was alreadyte and she needed to cook them separately one after another.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin nced at the table. There were six bowls of porridges there which indicated that one of them was for Xie Erzhu.

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Second brother, you eat first.¡±

    How could Xie Erzhu do that? He picked up a bowl and started to feed Xie Yunjin.

    The quadruplets also sat down and started dinner happily. The Fourth Born mumbled as he ate with a smile, ¡°Mommy is so great. She got us candy and red bean cake.¡±

    This young boy¡¯s heart-shaped eyes squinted into crescents as he smiled. His cute face made everyone feel fuzzy and warm.

    The other three children, however, were very unhappy with him. Hmmph, he made it sound like that woman was his mom only when they shared that mother!

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao put the cleaned-up pig organs into the pot. After she added in the ingredients she bought from town this morning, she lit up a fire and started to boil it.

    While the firewood burned, she used the time to eat her dinner.

    What a busy day today was.

    Though it exhausted her, she also felt fulfilled. Especially when she remembered how cute the Fourth Born was when he called her mommy, she was over the moon happy.

    As she thought about it, she heard the Fourth Born¡¯s sticky voice, ¡°Mommy, have you had dinner?¡±

    Ah, he remembered to care about her. Lu Jiao felt even happier.

    ¡°I just ate. Have you eaten?¡±

    The Fourth Born entered slowly. The oilmp in the kitchen wasn¡¯t the brightest and Lu Jiao was terrified that he would fall, so she went to pick him up and ced him on a rock behind the giant burner.

    The mother and son duo sat down together. The Fourth Born extended his arm and reached for Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, here¡¯s the red bean cake, I brought it for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart was now in a disarray.

    ¡°You eat, I don¡¯t need to eat.¡±

    The Fourth Born grinned ear to ear, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ve already eaten. I saved this piece for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and took a bite, ¡°Yum, this is good.¡±

    The mother and son duo then consecutively took bites until the piece of cake was gone.

    Outside the kitchen, the Second and Third Born peeked in. When they saw how the Fourth Born acted, their eyes darkened, and they mumbled, ¡°Kiss @ss.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that she only likes the Fourth Born, and not us?¡±

    The Second Born was not happy to hear what the Third Born had to say and ran away. The Third Born followed him.

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao naturally heard those two but didn¡¯t mind it.

    The smell of braised pig intestines quickly expanded throughout the yard. Luckily, Xie Yunjin¡¯s ce was very east of the vige so not a lot of people smelled it. Their neighbor, the Second Grandma¡¯s house, however, smelled it. Everyone inside their home sucked in the air and discussed, ¡°What is this? It smells delicious.¡±

    ¡°It really does. I¡¯ve never smelled anything like it.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao wrinkled his nose, ¡°I think third aunty is cooking. I will go check it out.¡±

    Xie Laifu wanted to scold his son but he had run off at lightning speed. He arrived soon and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunty, what are you cooking? It smells great.¡±

    Lu Jiao had always liked Xie Xiaobao and knew that he protected the quadruplets today, she liked him even more now.

    ¡°I¡¯m making pig intestines. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll give you some to try.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±

    Xie Xiaobao was greedy for food and circled around the stove. Lu Jiao found this funny.

    Since she made the intestines first, it didn¡¯t take long for them to cook. It was reallyte now so Lu Jiao took out the intestines once they were cooked through, instead of slow cooking them.

    Once she fished out the intestines, she cut a piece and fed it Xie Xiaobao.

    ¡°How is it? Is it good?¡±

    Xie Xiaobao nodded his head aggressively, ¡°Delicious! Third aunty, how did you make this? It¡¯s so yummy.¡±

    The Fourth Born watched this and pulled on Lu Jiao¡¯s clothes, ¡°Mommy, I want a piece. I want to eat too.¡±

    Lu Jiao cut a piece for him as well.

    The Fourth Born ate in satisfaction. As he ate, he evaluated, ¡°Delicious. Mommy, you are a great cook.¡±

    Outside the room, Second and Third Born saw this and bolted in like little bullets. Without thinking too much, they asked straight away, ¡°Mommy, I want some, I want some.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, I want.¡±

    The two of them opened their mouths like baby birds as they waited to be fed. Lu Jiao was too stunned to move.

    These two had also called her ¡°mommy¡±. That meant out of the quadruplets, three of them had epted her as their mother. Only the First Born hasn¡¯t.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood continued to lighten. This feeling truly made her lightheaded.

    She efficiently cut up some more intestines to feed her sons.

    After she fed the Second and Third Born, she found the First Born by the door. However, this guy simply pouted and appeared to be unwilling to speak.

    Lu Jiao wanted tough but didn¡¯t give him a hard time. She waved for him toe in.

    ¡°First Born,e on in, I will give you a piece.¡±

    The First Born, with a straight face, thought about it. Then with a serious expression, came in and opened his mouth.

    Lu Jiao giggled at his seriousness.

    However, she didn¡¯t tease him, just in case he got embarrassed and angry. She quickly cut some up for the First Born and asked, ¡°How is it? Is it good?

    The First Born took his time to do the taste test before hemented, ¡°Meets expectation.¡±

    His mannerism reminded her of Xie Yunjin and she couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. The apple truly does not fall far from the tree.

 Chapter 36

    I Can¡¯t Say It

    Since the four little ones had both porridge and red bean cake, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want them to eat more so she told them, ¡°You cannot eat any more food today. If you eat more, your stomach will hurt. You can have more tomorrow. Go and y with brother Xiaobao.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao then brought the four little ones to y in the living room.

    Lu Jiao divided up the cooked pork intestines and started to boil the pork head with the seasoning. It usually took more time to get the vors into the pork head.

    Once the pot began to simmer, Lu Jiao went to chat with Xie Erzhu.

    ¡°Second brother, can you help me out?¡±

    Xie Erzhu stood up right away and asked, ¡°Third sister-inw, what do you need from me?¡±

    ¡°The weather is far too hot and it¡¯s bad to leave the cooked pig intestines around. So I want to ask you to deliver some to the families who helped us today. Once you¡¯re done, bring some back home so sister-inw can have some too.¡±

    Xie Erzhu heard that and started to brandish his hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need to give that to me. Leave it to my third brother and your kids.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°We have a pig head as well. You don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡±

    Xie Erzhu wanted to decline again but Xie Yunjin chimed in, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯ve helped us out tremendously so just take it. But be careful and don¡¯t get sister-inw and the kids in trouble.¡±

    He was cautioning Xie Erzhu to hide it from the Xie family. If they found out that they sneaked around food, the rest of the family would skin them alive.

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s pale and old face immediately turned bitter. The thought of his wife and kids pained him. Sometimes, he really wanted to just leave that family behind. However, he knew very well that that was impossible. His parents counted on his entire family to do all theboring work and there was no way they would let them go that easily.

    If he forcefully moved out, he was sure that his mom would stink up his reputation until it was unsalvageable.

    If that happened, nobody in the vige would ept him. The Xie Vige never housed anyone with an awful reputation.

    The only reason why his Third Brother was able to move out was that he was heavily wounded, and the family didn¡¯t want to spend a single cent on him.

    Xie Erzhu was in deep thought when Lu Jiao¡¯s voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Second brother, then please help me deliver these. I have divided them up.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Erzhu walked out then. Behind them, Xie Yunjin watched them leave with his eyes narrowed. The existence of this woman benefited his entire family. Like a ray of sunshine, she shone on them.

    Lu Jiao packed up the intestines into four portions. One for the Second Grandma, one for the Vige Leader, one for the Xu family, and thest one for Xie Erzhu¡¯s family.

    Once Xie Xiaobao saw there was food being delivered to his family, he ran back home.

    It waste so Lu Jiao brought the four quadruplets to the east bedroom. As she walked, she lectured, ¡°It¡¯ste and you should sleep right away.¡±

    She washed up these four little ones and applied some more medicine. When she brought the four little ones to sleep on Xie Yunjin¡¯s bed, the Fourth Born suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around her neck, ¡°Mommy, I want to sleep with you tonight.¡±

    The other three angrily red at the Fourth Born. Why was he everything?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t agree. She had slept on the ground in the east bedroom. The floor was humid and wasn¡¯t good for the children.

    ¡°I still have to cook the pig head. You guys go to sleep first.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyelids started to get glued together but he still mumbled, ¡°Then I will wait for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao patted his head, ¡°Okay, go to sleep then.¡±

    The Second and Third Born stared at Lu Jiao wide eyed. They suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, can we eat the braised thing you¡¯re cooking tomorrow?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew that they wanted to eat meat so she nodded, ¡°Okay, you can have it once you wake up.¡±

    The Second and Third Born cheered, ¡°Then we are going to sleep right away.¡±

    After she settled down the quadruplets, Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯m going to cook the pork head. If you need anything, just call.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao studied Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold gaze and nced at the First Born. They were speechlessly identical.

    She then left the room. After she left, the Second, Third, and Fourth Born fell asleep very quickly while the First Borny by his father with his eyes open. He couldn¡¯t sleep.

    Xie Yunjin was in a weakened state but he wasn¡¯t that exhausted. How strange. To have gone through the chaos he did today, he should be tired and require some time to recover.

    At the very least, he thought it would take two to three days until he could wake up. Who knew he woke up so quickly. Was his body this strong?

    Xie Yunjin pondered but had no answer. When he saw that his son hasn¡¯t slept, he asked gently, ¡°First Born, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±

    The First Born ced his hands behind his head and said bitterly, ¡°They all called her ¡®mom¡¯. But I can¡¯t say it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. He was not against the quadruplets calling Lu Jiao ¡°mom¡±, but if they didn¡¯t want to, he wasn¡¯t going to force them either.

    He wanted everything to happen naturally and he wasn¡¯t going to force the children to do anything.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t, then don¡¯t. Let it be. If therees a day when you want to, then you can call her ¡®mom¡¯.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s face rxed and he stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, do you think she¡¯ll be this nice always?¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted his children to be bright and optimistic so his eyes turned kind, ¡°Since she¡¯s changed for the better, she¡¯ll remain this way.¡±

    ¡°Mhmm, that¡¯s great.¡±

    Lu Jiao had no idea that these two had a deep conversation. When the pork head was half cooked, she remembered an important matter. Xie Yunjin hasn¡¯t had his medicine. She quickly took out the medicine she bought this morning.

    When she brought the medicine to the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin was just about to go to sleep. When his peripheral vision caught the chubby woman bringing in his medicine, he suddenly felt warmth flood over him.

    But when his vision focused on her face, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold. Though he knew this woman wasn¡¯t the same woman from before, her face still disgusted him.

    Even if that woman no longer existed, he still felt so much hatred toward her. If it weren¡¯t for her, he never would¡¯ve gotten paralyzed. He was angry, and that anger was difficult to control.

    A few years ago, he had fallen for someone¡¯s scheme. This woman snuck into his room in the middle of the night and being drugged and woozy, he had no idea what he did that night.

    In the end, he woke up in the morning with a fat woman beside him. Back then, she stared at him with much affection but he on the other hand, almost fainted from the sight.

    After that night, the woman became pregnant. Without an alternative, he had to marry her. Originally, he figured that he was okay with giving her a title and just having her live in his house. Who knew that the night of the wedding, the woman saw hisck of action and reached out to strip off his clothes.

    The history he had with this woman created so much hatred and disgust in him.

    When Lu Jiao entered with the medicine, she saw how the originally kind-looking man turned stone cold in an instant. The eerily unpleasant ways he looked made her shudder.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but silentlyin. What a greedy man. She¡¯d fed him food and water yet he constantly gave her the cold shoulder. He better heal soon so they could separate.

    She then decided to add two more ingredients to tomorrow¡¯s medicine, Ganoderma and ginseng.

    ¡°Drink up.¡±

 Chapter 37

    He Sure was Unappreciative

    The disgust in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dissipated after he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    Lu Jiao helped him sit up and fed him some medicine.

    Under the dim light, the man¡¯s eyes had gathered some liveliness. His already delicate eyes appeared especially structured. While he lowered his head, his longshes fanned up and down. His nose was high and straight. Though there was no color to his lips, they looked sexy.

    Him without his normal coldness looked just like a well-taken care wealthy young master.

    Lu Jiao watched him and suddenly remembered how the book described him: The First Assistant, even when he reached his middle age, was a rare handsome man in the Zhou Dynasty.

    Such an intelligent and good-looking man turned out to be a great viin.

    Lu Jiao mourned for the First Assistant when Xie Yunjin looked up in disdain, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±

    Lu Jiao instantly pulled back to reality. What was she being sad about? This guy hated her. The way he looked at her made it clear that he wanted her dead as soon as possible. So it was her priority right now to cure his legs.

    Lu Jiao took away the bowl and ced it on the broken side table. She then helped Xie Yunjin lie down.

    Just then, she asked thoughtlessly, ¡°Is the medicine bitter? Do you want a piece of candy?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at her and hissed, ¡°No.¡±

    Lu Jiao cursed at herself. However, when she remembered how Xie Yunjin forced himself out of bed and went outside, she lectured him in a serious manner.

    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t get out of bed. You need to heal and how do you do that if you are out of the bed?¡±

    Though she¡¯s decided to perform surgery on him, she needed to wait for his concussion and his internal bleeding to subside.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin heard her but said nonchntly, ¡°I think my body is much better. I should be fine.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned cold. That was not because his body was strong, it was because she fed him spiritual water. Spiritual water can only help nourish the body but it couldn¡¯t cure concussion or bleeding.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t speak of that of course, so she only warned Xie Yunjin, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are healed or not. From now on out, you must be bedridden and pee and poo in bed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face drastically changed. What did she say? Was that a phrase a woman should say?

    At that moment, Xie Yunjin suspected that there might be a man inside that person¡¯s body.

    ¡°Are you a woman?¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°What is it? A woman can¡¯t?say eat, pee and poo?¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at her. He realized that when she spoke, she sounded genuine and not fake. Now that he thought about it, this person never really acted like a man. So she really was a woman?

    Just then, Lu Jiao left the room. Xie Yunjin figured she had more chores to do.

    Later though, Lu Jiao came back in with a strange thing made out of bamboo. She waved it around, ¡°Do you see this? You can use this to poo while lying in bed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nced at the object and his face turned ck while coldness covered his eyes.

    ¡°What a weird thing.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t scared of the negative and dismissive way he acted. On the contrary, she felt rather happy about it.

    ¡°Ah, this. If I ce this below you, you can¡­?¡±

    Before she could finish, the man in the bed gritted his teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t need it, get it out of here.¡±

    He was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be able to go with that thing beneath him.

    Even if he got hurt, he could force himself to get out of bed. There was no way he would stay in bed and use that thing to relieve himself. It was obvious that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.

    Xie Yunjin suspected that this was a prank. With an emotionless expression, he asked, ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes. On purpose? To be nice, she made him a portable potty yet he suspected her intention? He sure was unappreciative.

    Lu Jiao unhappily took away the portable toilet and headed out, ¡°Whatever you want then.¡±

    As she got out of the door, she suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Xie Yunjin curiously.

    The look on her face signaled to Xie Yunjin that she got another idea and he wanted to shoo her away.

    But Lu Jiao managed to speak, ¡°Xie Yunjin, I want to ask you¡­ when you got out there from the east bedroom, did you crawl out of bed, onto the floor, then out the door, or did you walk to the door and then copsed?¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried that he had put too much weight on his legs and thus had broken them another time. So she preferred it if he crawled today. However, the moment she spoke, Xie Yunjin clenched his teeth, ¡°**** off.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t humor his ferocious response and walked away.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin drowned in fury. Today, his children got bullied right outside this room and he was too hopeless to help.

    He never expected there toe a day where he couldn¡¯t even protect his own sons. Therefore, he didn¡¯t think twice about his broken legs and tried to walk out while he used the wall as support.

    However, there was not the slightest strength in his legs. So he copsed. When he heard his sons cry out, he crawled out of the room.

    He imagined how awful and defeated he must¡¯ve looked and darkness eroded his mind and his eyes subconsciously turned red. For the first time, he was impatient to heal his legs. He needed his legs to get better so he could protect his sons. Then, he would be able to stand up again gloriously.

    Before, Doctor Zhou had told him that there were military doctors who could perform the surgery. Only then could his legs heal. So he must find such a person.

    Xie Yunjin suppressed the negativity he felt and pondered hard over ways to find the person he needed.

    Though Lu Jiao had offered to find him a doctor, Xie Yunjin just didn¡¯t trust her. Why would a stranger who came out of nowhere help him find a doctor? So he had to fend for himself with this.

    Inside the kitchen, the pig head was fully braised. Lu Jiao took out the pig head. Worried that the heat would make it go bad, she closed the kitchen door and snuck the braised pork into her space.

    Nothing in her space went bad. Just like the medicinal herbs, fruits, and vegetables she grew there. They will always be fresh and only grow stronger.

    Lu Jiao entered her space. She feltforted by the space she was in and rxed instantly. Not far away, she saw her peaches, grapes, watermelons, strawberries, and cherries.

    She couldn¡¯t help but pick off a few peaches to try. She ate a few grapes too. Honestly, she very much wanted to feed these to the four little ones.

    But it would be too hard to exin where she got this stuff from. These were all rare items that were hard to find in town.

    Lu Jiao ate her grapes and thought, tomorrow, she could pick a few peaches for the kids.

    She¡¯s been to town before, so she could say that she bought these there. Xie Yunjin wouldn¡¯t think too much of it.

 Chapter 38

    Tore his Eyelid

    After Lu Jiao ate, she bathed in the spiritual stream.

    Though her space was perfect, she couldn¡¯t stay there for long. She was capped out at three hours each time. Even if she didn¡¯t want to get out yet, the space would force her out. So normally, she would stay at most three hours before she left.

    After she bathed, she drank a cup of spiritual water. She felt her exhaustion disappear and felt every cell and every hair on her regenerate.

    It waste now so she quickly exited her space. She cleaned the kitchen and finally headed to the east bedroom.

    When she entered, Xie Yunjin, who was originally already asleep, opened his eyes to gawk at her. He looked cautious and defensive. However, when he realized it was Lu Jiao, his eyelids subsequently dropped.

    Now that he settled down and the annoyance he showed was gone, Lu Jiao rolled out her nket on the floor and went to sleep.

    The next morning, Lu Jiao woke up very early. The sun hasn¡¯t risen yet so she quietly got up to go into the mountains.

    The moment she headed out of her home, however, her neighbor, Xie Xiaobao rushed over to her.

    ¡°Third aunt, are you going into the mountains this early?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and asked Xie Xiaobao curiously, ¡°Do you not sleep in in the morning?¡±

    Xie Xiaobao giggled, ¡°Third aunty, the braised pork you made yesterday was so delicious. I want to go up to the mountains to hunt animals. If I can hunt something down, my mom can braise it for me. Ah right, third aunty, can you teach my mom how to cook that?¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°I saved the seasoning I usedst night. If you want, tell your mom toe and take some. You can just pour it into a pot and cook meat in there.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao skipped around in excitement, ¡°Hurray, third aunty, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this funny. What an innocent child.

    The two of them headed to the mountain. Since Lu Jiao already told Xie Xiaobao she would teach him how to make a trap, she didn¡¯t conceal any information and taught him as they walked.

    ¡°There are many different types of traps. The one I made before was the simplest one. You dig a hole that¡¯s small at the opening but big at the bottom. Then, you shave some bamboos until they¡¯re super sharp and stick them into the hole. Youy ayer of grass on top to conceal the hole, then finally, ce something bloody or meaty on top.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s another type of trap you can make. You can use barbed wire to trap animals. You shape the wire so there¡¯s only one opening for them to enter. You ce a piece of bait in the middle so theye in. Then, when they try to run with the food, they¡¯ll be strangled by the wire.¡±

    ¡°Another one is a trapping device. If you put meat in the middle of it, the animal would be lured to go eat it and the device would mp it and trap it. Of course, those devices need to be concealed by grass so the animals don¡¯t see them.¡±

    ¡°You can also make a trap using a fish. You put the fish on the ground and hang each corner of the onto different branches. You put meat in the middle of the and of course, conceal the fish. Animals can be very smart, and if they get a feeling that something¡¯s wrong, they wouldn¡¯t fall for the trap. When the animal runs into the fish trap, the four branches would get pulled and the fish would pull up. They then wouldn¡¯t be able to escape.¡±

    Lu Jiao taught him many different types of traps and the information made Xie Xiaobao dizzy. In the end, he asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunty, which type of trap did you choose?¡±

    ¡°I used the easiest one. I dug a hole and stuck in some sharp bamboo sticks. I used meat to lure in prey.¡±

    Honestly, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even dig a hole. She found a naturally formed hole and stuck sharp bamboos on over the bottom.

    The reason for her sess was mainly due to her spiritual stream water. That stuff was highly attractive to preys. Of course, she couldn¡¯t tell that to Xie Xiaobao.

    Xie Xiaobao was in shock, ¡°But I didn¡¯t bring a shovel. Third aunty, let me go get a shovel so I can dig a hole.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao then ran off. Lu Jiao wanted to call him and tell him to just use the hole she found. However, Xie Xiaobao ran faster than a rabbit and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    Lu Jiao continued to head up the mountain to gather firewood. Today, she wasn¡¯t interested in her traps. The squirrel that was in the trap before had disappeared so there was no way any prey would¡¯ve fallen for her trap.

    She didn¡¯t need meat anyway, so she wasn¡¯t interested.

    Lu Jiao was quick to gather the firewood. When she saw that it was ratherte, she put everything into her basket and started to descend the mountain.

    Before she could get down, however, she ran into a rather sly-looking man around a concealed corner.

    Lu Jiao recognized him right away. This man was one of the hoodlums in the vige who stole and tricked for a living. He was the same kind of person as Shen Xiaoshan. She remembered his name was Luo Wangcai.

    Though Lu Jiao knew this man, she didn¡¯t want to talk to him. So slowly, she tried to surpass this guy.

    However, the moment they got close, Luo Wangcai revealed a smile and posed in a way he thought was flirtatious.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you here to get firewood?¡±

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes at this man. Why did he stand like that? Did he have something nned?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop and nodded, ¡°Yes. You¡¯re up here because¡­?¡±

    The sun hasn¡¯t even risen so why would this dishonest man be up here if he had no ill intention?

    Her words widened Luo Wangcai¡¯s grin. He personally thought his smile was very attractive since several young wives from the vige had fallen for it before. A fat chick like Lu Jiao was basically his to have.

    He remembered what Shen Xiu had told him. If he could sessfully seduce this fat woman, Shen Xiu shall grant him 500 copper tokens.

    Luo Wangcai was happy with just the thought of it. Though he didn¡¯t find this fat woman attractive, the money made it worth it.

    He said in a tone that made him sound sad, ¡°My heart aches that you have to do this alone. I was nning on helping you with it.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. She was already done yet he said he wanted to help her?

    ¡°Are we close enough for you to ache for me?¡±

    Luo Wangcai raised an eyebrow and then winked at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s temples jolted. What was that wink? It looked more like he tore his eyelid. He must have thought of himself as attractive, but she almost wanted to puke.

    Luo Wangcai didn¡¯t know what was on her mind and said in a gentle voice, ¡°We may not have been close, but we will be. Jiaojiao, I want to spoil you.¡±

    He then lifted his arm to pull Lu Jiao close. Lu Jiao picked up her foot and stomped him away by more than three meters.

    Luo Wangcai was azy man who never did anything so he had no muscles. He couldn¡¯t handle this kick and his face turned white from pain.

    He angrily struggled his way up, ¡°Lu Jiao, damn you, you fat woman.¡±

    After he cursed, he remembered the money he was promised, and his expression changed, ¡°Jiaojiao, you are making me very sad. My heart aches for you that you have to take care of a disabled man. I wanted to help you so how could you treat me this way?¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to puke again after she heard his greasy words. Whatever, she had no time for this.

    She walked over and straight up lifted Luo Wangcai off the ground. Then, she shoved him into a tree and mmed her fist into his stomach.

 Chapter 39

    This Woman was a Little Stupid

    Luo Wangcai¡¯s face twisted up. He struggled and wanted to curse but Lu Jiao looked so mean he was too scared to.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care about him and punched him again. Luo Wangcai cried out in pain.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, stop it, stop it.¡±

    Lu Jiao hit him again. Luo Wangcai¡¯s body curled up like a shrimp and his face was now squished together.

    Lu Jiao raised her arm again. Terrified, Luo Wangcai hid his head behind his arms and cried.

    Speechlessly, Lu Jiao stopped and asked coldly, ¡°Speak, who asked you toe and seduce me. You better give me a good reason or else don¡¯t me me for hitting you again. Oh right, we are in the mountains and there aren¡¯t a lot of people around. If I hit you dead and throw you in a ditch, nobody would know.¡±

    Only now did Luo Wangcai realize how ridiculous this woman was. He didn¡¯t dare to hide anything from her and spilled the beans.

    ¡°Shen Xiu. She offered me 500 copper coins for me toe and seduce you. She told me to seduce you until you were willing and then find a time to get all the vigers to catch you red-handed. When that happens, you wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the Xie Vige anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed coldly with a dark face. She then said to Luo Wangcai, ¡°Luo Wangcai, so you want a wife.¡±

    It was Luo Wangcai¡¯s dream to have a wife. Though he was a dog and enjoyed fooling around with young wives, he wished he had a wife to take care of all his needs. He could also do it whenever he wanted. That was way more convenient than having to go out and hunt someone down.

    But nobody wanted to marry him. He was poor and he had a blind mother. Some days, he didn¡¯t even have the money to buy food. Who would want to marry into that family?

    ¡°Nobody wants to be with me.¡±

    Out of the goodness of her heart, Lu Jiao inspired him, ¡°Can¡¯t you think of a way? There¡¯s a perfect candidate right in front of you. You are close to her brother and often visit her home. If you spend some energy on figuring out a way, you could catch your prey.¡±

    Luo Wangcai immediately knew who Lu Jiao referred to.

    Shen Xiu?

    Luo Wangcai and Shen Xiaoshan were good friends and they often visited each other. Howe he¡¯s never thought of getting it on with his sister?

    Now that Lu Jiao had reminded him, he was highly tempted. He was more than willing to be with Shen Xiu. Her waist, her body¡­ if they do it, it must be an out-of-body experience.

    But Widow Li was not someone to be messed with. He had no money so where would he go to get the money?

    Luo Wangcai thought this suggestion was a no-go.

    Lu Jiao said with a smile, ¡°Can¡¯t you figure out a way to get yourself some money? If I¡¯m right, Shen Xiu has money. Or else there¡¯s no way she gets to stay with her mother withoutints. If you get money from her and give it to Widow Li, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get Widow Li¡¯s blessing to marry her daughter.

    ¡°If you ask her directly and she says no, then you can simply get the money in secret.¡±

    Luo Wangcai¡¯s eyes continued to brighten as Lu Jiao spoke. He had forgotten the physical pain he felt and excitedly shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll go take care of that now. If sessful, you cane and eat at our wedding.¡±

    Lu Jiao slowly let Luo Wangcai go and she pped her hands, ¡°You have to make it work even if you fail. Got it? If you fail¡­?¡±

    She brandished her fists in front of Luo Wangcai.

    Luo Wangcai was so scared his legs quivered. So she wanted to beat him? The pain returned to his body and he started to run away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯m going to seed.¡±

    As if he was chased by a wolf, he ran away at Olympic record speed. Lu Jiao ignored him and put the basket of firewood back onto her back.

    Towards Shen Xiu, she felt zero guilt about it. That woman deserved it. For her to plot against Lu Jiao? She had asked for death.

    The Sun was up by the time Lu Jiao got home. The four little ones were already up and about. When she got through the gate, three out of the four dashed towards her.

    ¡°Mommy, I want to eat that good-tasting thing from yesterday.¡±

    Lu Jiao was in a spectacr mood as she responded, ¡°Sure! You can eat braised meat and an egg for breakfast.¡±

    She had bought white flour from town, so she could make some noodles with that. That plus meat and an egg¡­ not bad at all.

    The three little boys cheered happily. They ran off to tell Xie Yunjin the good news while Lu Jiao went to cook.

    She added some spring onions andtro to the pork noodles and added an egg on top. The dish looked, smelled, and tasted great.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t even want to put down their chopsticks as they ate. The Fourth Born started to kiss @ss again.

    ¡°The noodles mommy makes is good looking and good tasting.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart flew due to all thepliments. Her gaze then fell to the Second and Third Born.

    They acted as if they received the signal and instantly chimed in as well.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. The food is delicious. The noodle is delicious. The candy is delicious and the cake is delicious.¡±

    They continued to tter.

    The Third Born added at the end, ¡°Not only is mommy a good cook, but mommy also got prettier as well.¡±

    Subconsciously, Lu Jiao went to touch her face. Was that true?

    On the other side of the room, Xie Yunjin found all this so embarrassing. How could an adult be tricked by a bunch of kids just because they ttered her? How speechless.

    Xie Yunjin and the First Born exchanged nces and silently signaled to each other.

    This woman was a little stupid.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood was over the moon. She scooped some noodles and fed Xie Yunjin. As she fed him, she said, ¡°I have something I want to tell you. Tomorrow, I want to go to my mother¡¯s.¡±

    Her words made everyone in the room stop in their tracks.

    Xie Yunjin nced at her but continued to eat. He knew this woman wasn¡¯t really the daughter of the Lu family so there was no way she would stay there long-term. He wasn¡¯t worried.

    The four little ones, however, were worried. What if their mommy neveres back?

    Suddenly, the food tasted nd to the children. The Fourth Born stopped and got up to stand by Lu Jiao. He pulled on her sleeve, ¡°Mommy, I go to grandma¡¯s house with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao shot that idea down. It was four hours of walking in the mountains. Of course, she could hold him but it wasn¡¯t ideal to just bring one child instead of all four.

    So it was better to not bring any of them. Plus, she was only going to go for a day and it wasn¡¯t convenient to carry a child.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you next time.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes fogged up. He wanted to cry but suppressed it hard.

    Lu Jiao felt bad and wondered if she could bring him along? However, if she did, what about the other three?

    As she thought about it, the Second and Third Born all rushed over, ¡°Mommy, when are youing back?¡±

    Lu Jiao only realized then that they were scared that she wouldn¡¯te back. Was that why they were worried? So they viewed her differently now.

    Lu Jiao was very happy and said to the kids, ¡°I will leave early in the morning and return at night. Don¡¯t worry. Eat your noodles. Once you¡¯re done eating, I have another treat for you.¡±

    The three of them instantly started to guess, ¡°Candy?¡±

    ¡°Red bean cake?¡±

    The Fourth Born grabbed onto her thighs and pouted, ¡°Mommy tell me, what is it?¡±

 Chapter 40

    The Viin is a Pretty Good Guy

    Lu Jiao patted his head and rushed, ¡°Eat up first. I¡¯ll give it to you after you¡¯re done.¡±

    To get more foodter, the Fourth Born went back to eat breakfast. Lu Jiao turned back to Xie Yunjin and he asked, ¡°Howe you want to go back?¡±

    This woman married into this family four years ago and it was rare for her to go home. Especially this person here now was not really someone from the Lu family. So why did she n to go back?

    Lu Jiao said quickly, ¡°Last time, my mother gave me five taels of silver so I could buy you medicine.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared with disbelief in his eyes. Sarcastically, his lips curled up.

    There truly was nothing bad he could say about his mother-inw. Due to Lu Jiao¡¯s behavior, he never once visited his mother-inw. However, when he got hurt, his mother-inw came over to give him money and asked Lu Jiao to behave.

    Look at his own parents. They¡¯ve never liked him since he was a child and only started to acknowledge him after he did well in his studies. What was the result of all that? The moment he got hurt, they disowned him.

    He thought about all the silver he¡¯d brought home the past few years, he felt like he had fed his blood and heart to the dogs. So to his family, he¡¯s never meant anything.

    The only reason they were ever nice to him was due to the silver he brought home and the honor he brought to the family. And there he was, thinking that he meant more to his parents now that he was older.

    Once again, his handsome face became coated with frost.

    Lu Jiao saw this change in him and realized this was bad. She stayed silent until he calmed down.

    ¡°As you know, my family doesn¡¯t have much money. The five taels of silver were likely money my mom borrowed. I¡¯m worried that the family isn¡¯t happy with her because of the silver so I want to return the money as soon as possible.¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened to this and nodded, ¡°As you should.¡±

    It was obvious that he didn¡¯t want to talk. He didn¡¯t want to eat the noodles either anymore because of his bad mood.

    He wondered if there¡¯de a day where his legs heal. If his legs never heal, he¡¯d never be able to repay the debt he owed to those who cared about him.

    Lu Jiao knew he lost his appetite and she didn¡¯t force it. She brought up something else.

    ¡°Before I go home tomorrow, I¡¯ll cook your lunch and tell the Second Grandma toe and take care of you. plus, I n on looking around the vige to see who has dogs to give away. I want to bring home one.¡±

    After she spoke, the four little ones all froze again and stared at her in unison.

    This time, even the First Born acted excited. The Second Born was the first to speak, ¡°Mommy, you want to raise a dog?¡±

    ¡°Yes, with a dog protecting you, I can worry less.¡±

    The Second Born nodded aggressively, ¡°Yes, I want one.¡±

    The Third Born happily skipped around and promised, ¡°Mommy, I will eat less so there¡¯s food for the dog.¡±

    The Fourth Born put down his noodles, ¡°Mommy, I won¡¯t eat this anymore. Save it for the puppy.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this funny. There was no dog in sight yet and these little boys were already so excited. So it appeared that puppies and kittens had their grip on children in every era.

    ¡°Eat up. After eating, I will go around the vige and ask.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The four little ones focused on their food then, scared that if they were too slow, Lu Jiao would ditch them.

    Since Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t object, Lu Jiao took out the leftover noodles and went to the kitchen. She also took out five peaches from her space, rinsed those, and brought them to the east bedroom.

    The reality was that she had a lot of different fruit in her space. Peach, grape, watermelon, strawberry, cherry¡­ sadly, there was no way she could take those out.

    The four little ones were stunned as they gawked at the peaches in Lu Jiao¡¯s hands. They recognized peaches. There were peach trees in the vige. But those peaches were small and green and very sour. Even if they do survive long enough to ripen, they were tiny.

    The peaches in their mom¡¯s hand were giant and red. It was obvious that they would be yummy.

    Lu Jiao indicated for the quadruplets to eat the peaches and said to the First Born, ¡°Give one to your dad.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t eat much today so she needed him to eat more to heal.

    The First Born instantly brought his dad a peach, ¡°Daddy, eat up.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at the peach. He knew what a peach was but he¡¯s never seen one this fresh, fuzzy, and red.

    There have been instances where vendors in the big cities sold these. However, they were really expensive. How could their little town get peaches like this?

    Lu Jiao saw Xie Yunjin¡¯s narrowed eyes and knew he was suspicious. So she quickly added, ¡°I went to sell the Ganoderma in town and saw the manager had some. I wasn¡¯t sure where he got these from but since he had these, I asked him to sell me a few. I wanted the four babies to try some.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it. The manager from Baohe Tang came from a big city. It was no surprise that he had peaches like this.

    He gently said to the First Born, ¡°First Born, eat it up.¡±

    The First Born shook his head, ¡°I have my own.¡±

    Xie Yunjin saw the four peaches on the table and said, ¡°Give it to your mom then.¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter where this woman came from, so far, she had done nothing to harm this family. On the contrary, she had been more than supportive and therefore, he had to be kind back.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow at his words. Woah, the big viin knew to save some food for her? Not bad at all.

    She had a lot more of these in her space so she really didn¡¯t care for this one peach.

    ¡°You eat it. I already ate one before. It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Lu Jiao then lowered her head to eat her noodles. The First Born persisted in feeding the peach to Xie Yunjin so Xie Yunjin took a bite.

    The First Born happily inquired, ¡°Daddy, how is it? Is it yummy?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was speechless due to shock. This peach was extremely sweet. The bite he had made him feel physically great. This was the first time he had a peach like this. What was this about?

    ¡°It¡¯s sweet. Go eat.¡±

    The First Born eagerly walked back to the table and the four children each took a peach to eat. All of their faces lit up as they chewed.

    Yummy. These were so sweet.

    The Fourth Born took the peach to Lu Jiao and held it by her mouth, ¡°Mommy, you eat too.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined, ¡°You guys eat. I have already eaten these.¡±

    The Fourth Born refused to move. Lu Jiao found this little guy to be very stubborn at times so she faked a bite.

    The Second and Third Born also came over to give her their peaches so Lu Jiao quickly said, ¡°You guys eat quickly. I¡¯m going to go around soon asking to see who has dogs to give us. I won¡¯t be bringing anyone who doesn¡¯t finish eating.¡±

    The children didn¡¯t dare to dy after that. Efficiently, they finished their peaches.

    Lu Jiao gathered the dirty bowls and the four little guys followed her out. The First Born was thest to leave. He was a little hesitant.

    If he left, what would his daddy do?

 Chapter 41 - Women should Protect the Children

    <h4>Chapter 41: Women should Protect the Children</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin realized what the child was worried about right away and said, ¡°First Born, you go as well. I¡¯m going to take a nap at home. We can spend some time together once you return.¡±

    The First Born thought about it and nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin watched the First Born leave. Out of the four children, the First Born looked like him the most. The First Born was also the most sensitive, so it was good for him to hang out with children his own age.

    After Lu Jiao cleaned up the dining utensils, she picked up her ax and went to the Second Grandma¡¯s ce with the quadruplets. She first returned the ax, chitchatted with the Second Grandma, then finally brought up the matter about the puppies.

    The Second Grandma was supportive of Lu Jiao¡¯s idea of getting a dog, ¡°You guys really do need a dog. Or else how can you sleep peacefully when the children are home without you? It¡¯s impossible to be with them all the time and your children might get hurt if someone with bad intentions trespasses.¡±

    ¡°Would you know someone from the vige who has dogs?¡±

    The Second Grandma smiled, ¡°Your Third Grandpa¡¯s family just got a new litter of three to four. They just turned a month old. Yesterday, they were asking around to see if anyone wanted one.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s father-inw, Xie Laogen, was born into a family of six children ¨C four boys and two girls. The eldest brother died young due to illness. One of the sisters also passed away a while back. Now, there were only three of the brothers and one of the sisters left.

    Xie Laogen was the youngest so Second Grandpa and Third Grandpa were his elder brothers. He also has an older sister. But due to Lady Ruan¡¯s distant and cold behaviors, the siblings didn¡¯t really keep in contact with Xie Laogen.

    This Third Grandpa¡¯s family mentioned here essentially treated Xie Laogen as their enemy.

    Rumor has it that before the family branched away from each other, one of Third Grandpa¡¯s sons got sick and so he asked his parents for money. Lady Ruan objected to that and threw a tantrum. The parents didn¡¯t have the guts to allocate money without everyone¡¯s approval and ended up not giving Third Grandpa the money needed to treat his son. In the end, their son died.

    Due to the death of their son, the Xie siblings branched off and lived separately. Third Grandpa¡¯s family and Xie Laogen¡¯s family became nemesis and never interacted with each other again.

    Lu Jiao bitterly grinned, ¡°It¡¯s probably better that we don¡¯t go?¡±

    Why would that family give up a dog to their nemesis?

    The Second Grandma took Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and sighed, ¡°Your Third Grandpa and Grandma are very kind people. It was your mother-inw who was in the wrong back then. For the money, she was willing to let someone die. Your Third Grandpa ended up having three daughters before having another son.¡±

    The Second Grandma sighed while she spoke about the past. But after a while, she smiled again, ¡°That was so long ago. Your Third Grandpa feels bad over what happened to you. Why would they hate the young generation?¡±

    Lady Ruan treated her own son so poorly, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine how poorly she treated others.

    The Second Grandma started to walk, ¡°Come,e, I¡¯ll bring you over to their ce and fetch you a puppy.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t confident and worriedly said, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    She was scared that a fight might break out. That would not be very pleasant.

    The Second Grandma patted her own chest and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That old man won¡¯t lecture you.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say something more but the four little ones all stared at her with high hopes. What else could Lu Jiao say at this point? She could only go and try to get those puppies.

    In recent years, people didn¡¯t even get to eat until they were full, let alone dogs. So, in this vige, it wasn¡¯t likely that another family had dogs.

    The Second Grandma lived close to the Third Grandpa¡¯s ce so the group quickly arrived.

    The Third Grandpa and Grandma had three daughters and two sons. Their first son died, their daughters all married off, and now, they lived with their youngest son here in the vige.

    Inside their home, the old man and his son weren¡¯t home. The Grandma and her daughter-inw were cleaning up the garden. When they saw the Second Grandmae in with Lu Jiao and her four children, the Third Grandma froze. Her face was a little numb but she didn¡¯t say anything over the line.

    The Second Grandma red at her, ¡°What are you doing? There are children here. Don¡¯t put on that stinky face.¡±

    It was obvious that these two Grandmas were ratherfortable with each other.

    The Third Grandma was skinny but appeared high energy. After she heard what the Second Grandma had to say, she smiled and waved, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, how rare for you to visit with the children.¡±

    She took out two little stools for the adults to sit on, then shouted into the room, ¡°Gousheng,e out and y with your little cousins.¡±

    A thin and dark boy ran out of the room. He was shocked to find the quadruplets here. However, he quickly rushed over and happily asked, ¡°I heard from Datou and Maomao that your bamboo copters were made by your mom?¡±

    The Fourth Born nodded, ¡°Yes, my mommy made it.¡±

    Gousheng looked at their hands and saw that they were empty. Disappointed, he turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunty, can you make me one too?¡±

    Children these days didn¡¯t have many toys to y with. A simple craft was enough to be a hotmodity.

    The Third Grandma angrily lectured, ¡°Do you want a beating?¡±

    Gousheng¡¯s mom pulled her son over and told him to stop asking for things.

    Lu Jiao checked out Third Grandma¡¯s daughter-inw. Her name was Jiang Zhaodi.

    Jiang Zhaodi also checked out Lu Jiao. She was there yesterday when themotion happened at Lu Jiao¡¯s ce. Lu Jiao¡¯s tactful behavior yesterday stunned Jiang Zhaodi. Due to that, she was scared to even look at Lu Jiao right now.

    The Third Grandma noticed how scared she acted and didn¡¯t like that.

    Lu Jiao smiled at the Third Grandma, ¡°Yesterday, Widow Li went to my house. I¡¯m sure you heard of that?¡±

    The Third Grandma nodded. She admired Lu Jiao very much for how she dealt with that woman. She¡¯d been thinking about it ever since she heard about it.

    If her son was Lu Jiao¡¯s son, would Lady Ruan dare to refuse them money? Lu Jiao would¡¯ve beaten Lady Ruan to death. At the end of the day, the death of her son was her own fault. She was too weak and that ended up costing her son¡¯s life.

    The Third Grandma looked at Lu Jiao and didn¡¯t find her actions to be at all too violent. Women should protect their children. Even the wildest animals knew to do that.

    ¡°You are a good kid.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect that from the Third Grandma and she felt relieved.

    ¡°Though I taught Widow Li a lesson yesterday, it¡¯s impossible for me to stay home to take care of my children every day. Yunjin also can¡¯t move around right now, so, when I heard that your dog gave birth, I wondered if I could take one of the puppies?¡±

    The Third Grandma agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    But Gousheng wouldn¡¯t have it, ¡°No way.¡±

    Hmmph, he had asked his third aunty to make a bamboo copter and his grandma got mad at him.

    The First Born heard that and walked over, ¡°Can I trade my bamboo copter for your puppy?¡±

    They had four bamboo copters at home. With his gone, they would still have three. He could share with his siblings.

    Gousheng instantlyughed joyously at that suggestion, ¡°Alright then! Let me bring you to the litter and you can pick.¡±

    He then ran to the dog¡¯s house while the four little ones followed.

    The Third Grandma speechlessly looked at her own grandson. So their puppy was only worth one bamboo copter?

 Chapter 42 - Take Responsibility for your Puppies

    <h4>Chapter 42: Take Responsibility for your Puppies</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The four little ones quickly picked their puppy. The puppy had ck fur all over its body with a ring of yellow fur around its neck. The First Born cuddled the puppy, overjoyed. The other three excitedly looked over at him.

    The funny thing was that the litter¡¯s mother followed the little ones around. She wasn¡¯t angry at all and followed around the children docilely.

    When Lu Jiao saw that the First Born had already taken his pick, she embarrassingly said to Third Grandma, ¡°Third Grandma, I¡¯m sorry for this.¡±

    The Third Grandma waved around her hand, ¡°We can¡¯t afford so many dogs. I even asked around to see if anyone wanted one. Since you want it, take it home with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised a brow and asked, ¡°Are you giving away the other puppies too?¡±

    The Third Grandma realized that Lu Jiao wanted another one and didn¡¯t decline. She really couldn¡¯t afford to have so many puppies. Her dog gave birth to four puppies. It would be too cruel to abandon any of them or starve them to death. It was good that someone wanted them.

    ¡°If you want, you can take home another one to raise.¡±

    The quadruplets excitedly looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mom, we get two?!¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Do you want two?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± The quadruplets turned their heads towards Gousheng. Gousheng was a little hesitant to let the puppies go but he knew that Grandma wanted the puppies gone. Rather than give them away to strangers, he preferred the quadruplets.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine to give you another one. However, if the third aunty makes any more fun toys, give me one.¡±

    The First Born thought about it and respectfully nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The young friends came to an agreement and the quadruplets ended up picking a white dog with ck spots.

    With the puppies picked, Lu Jiao prepared to leave with the four little ones. Before they left, she asked the four little ones to say bye to Third Grandma and Gousheng¡¯s mom.

    She decided that from now on, she was going to correct all the bad habits the four little ones had. She was going to teach them to be respectful and polite.

    Though she was going to separate from Xie Yunjin in the future, she could try to correct as many bad habits as possible.

    The mother and sons, along with the two puppies, walked their way home. Of course, Gousheng followed them because he wanted the bamboo copter.

    Lu Jiao thanked the Second Grandma. If it weren¡¯t for Second Grandma, she never would¡¯ve mustered the courage to go to the Third Grandma¡¯s house. She ended up getting two puppies and a good rtionship with Third Grandma. What a good deal.

    The quadruplets happily carried back the two puppies and went to gloat to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t believe that Lu Jiao agreed to bring back two puppies. These days, there wasn¡¯t even enough food to go around for people, let alone two dogs.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and asked the quadruplets, ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t get angry?¡±

    Lu Jiao walked in then and heard him. Angry, she exined, ¡°I was the one who suggested getting dogs. Why would I be angry? You think of me so lowly.¡±

    She red at Xie Yunjin and then said to the First Born, ¡°Give the bamboo copter to Gousheng.¡±

    Gousheng happily waved around the bamboo copter in his hand, ¡°Third aunty, I got it here.¡±

    He excitedly waved the toy around.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and decided to make more toys for the quadruplets. There wasn¡¯t a lot of fun entertainment for children during this era.

    As for the two puppies, they had to be the four little ones¡¯ responsibilities.

    Lu Jiao looked over to the four little ones and said seriously, ¡°From now on, you are responsible for the two puppies. Taking care of these puppies isn¡¯t just a temporary fun thing you do. You can¡¯t give up after just two days. Since you¡¯ve decided to take in these puppies, you have to take care of them forever. You have to feed them and clean their home, understand?¡±

    The four little ones nodded aggressively and promised, ¡°Mommy, we promise to take good care of Soot and Marble¡±

    Lu Jiao was surprised. They¡¯ve already named the dogs?

    ¡°Soot and Marble?¡±

    The First Born picked up the ck dog, ¡°This is Soot.¡±

    The Second Born picked up the white dog with ck spots, ¡°This is Marble.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you are free to name them. Just remember to feed them. You also have to remember to keep them clean. Once the dogs get ustomed to our home, give them a bath. You can only hug them after they¡¯re clean.¡±

    Gousheng instantly chimed in, ¡°Third aunty, there¡¯s no need to bathe dogs. They can go into the river to clean themselves.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and exined to them why dogs need bathing.

    Without bathing, the dogs could easily get fleas. The puppies are still young but once they¡¯re older, they¡¯ll get fleas when they get too unclean. After she exined, she let Xie Yunjin know of her ns before she left.

    ¡°Keep an eye on the kids. I¡¯m going to do some gardening.¡±

    Xie Yunjin watched her leave then looked over at the five happy children in the room. His feelings wereplex.

    She¡¯s only been here for so many days and now his children were fed with good food, good drinks, and even got puppies. No longer the anxious and unsettled four little ones, they were now happy and confident.

    All these changes were because of that woman.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but think that it might not be the worst thing if the woman stayed to raise the four little ones.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao found a thick wooden stick and made it into a hoe. She then started to loosen up the soil around the fence in preparation for gardening.

    She didn¡¯t go ask around for vegetable seeds as she had those in her space. She had onion, green onion, lettuce, spinach, dill, and so on. She even had long beans, eggnts, and tomatoes.

    She originally nned on nting all that into her space but she realized she had little room in there and it would be a waste to fill it with food. So in the end, she didn¡¯t nt those in there and only kept the seeds.

    Nothing rots in her space so nothing bad has happened to her seeds.

    After half a day, Lu Jiao managed to make two plots of soil work before going to the back and plowing two more.

    She was strong so using the hoe was easy peasy.

    After the soil was prepared, she ced the seeds into the soil and watered thend. For the water, she infused some of her spiritual stream water in there.

    With the nourishment from the spiritual stream water, the seeds would quickly sprout. She didn¡¯t dare to use too much, scared that it might cause unusualness and garner too much attention.

    For lunch, she made rice and cut up the already braised pig head. She also gave pig heart to Xie Yunjin but didn¡¯t give him too much of it. In addition to that, she made him a bowl of steamed eggs and a bowl of egg soup.

    The four little ones each had a bowl of soup.

    After lunch, the Fourth Born rubbed his belly and bloated to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mummy, my belly is looking like a drum.¡±

    Worried that he might get too bloated, Lu Jiao told him to stand up and walk around.

    ¡°Go take a stroll with Marble and Soot in the yard.¡±

    The four little ones felt energized by the idea and happily went on a walk with the dogs. Sadly, the puppies were unfamiliar with this ce and were very scared to walk around. In the end, the four little ones carried the dogs and went to build them a home.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin while she informed, ¡°When the four little ones napter, I n on going up the mountains to hunt some animals. I¡¯ll bring those to my mother¡¯s tomorrow. It¡¯s bad to go back empty-handed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin noticed how Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t even taken a break today and couldn¡¯t help but to check her out.

    He realized that Lu Jiao had slimmed down. Not only was she slimmer now, her skin was also better. Since they were so close to each other, he could smell the sweetness of her skin. How refreshing.

 Chapter 43 - Donâ€™t Flatter Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 43: Don¡¯t tter Yourself</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin suppressed that thought and scolded himself for even thinking that. With his eyes clear, he looked up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Do you need to rest?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t believe her. She has worked so much that she has gotten skinny. How could she not be tired?

    She was in charge of maintaining the entire household, no wonder she never rested.

    Xie Yunjin thought this over. She really could take it easier. It wasn¡¯t like he would me her for taking it easy. However, she¡¯s been working very hard to care for the four little ones. Just what was her intention?

    Could it really be that she wanted to take care of them before their separation? But if they were going to separate, there was no need for her to work so hard. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t believe in selfless deeds.

    Oh well, if shees up with some kind of demandter on, he will agree to it as long as it¡¯s not too ridiculous. Even if she asks to stayter, he may just agree to it.

    Xie Yunjin felt better after making that decision.

    Lu Jiao had no idea how much thinking he had done and continued to feed him.

    ¡°Before, I said I could teach the vigers how to identify herbs. Let¡¯s wait until you are better before doing that. I have to take care of you every day, and take care of the little ones every day. I don¡¯t have the time right now.

    Tomorrow, I will go back to my mother¡¯s and see how she¡¯s doing first. I don¡¯t want my mother to be in a bad situation because of five taels of silver.¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened to her suggestion and felt that it made sense. He nodded but then warned, ¡°Be careful on your way home. There are lots of venomous snakes on the way there. A lot of people died from those.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Okay, I will be careful.¡±

    She suddenly realized what he was saying and mumbled, ¡°Are you caring for me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold and muttered angrily, ¡°If something happened to you, what would this family do? Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±

    Lu Jiao pouted and ignored him. She honestly didn¡¯t overthink it and was just poking fun at him. She was aware that this First Assistant had a destined wife who will appearter in the book.

    ¡°Okay. I got it. I won¡¯t tter myself anymore going forward.¡±

    She then cleaned up her table. Behind her, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t look at her and closed his eyes.

    After she got things in order, Lu Jiao readied herself to go up the mountain to hunt. Before she left, she went to Second Grandma¡¯s house and asked her to look after the quadruplets while she made a quick trip up the mountain.

    The Second Grandma of course agreed and told her to tell Xie Xiaobao toe home and eat if she runs into him.

    Xie Xiaobao¡¯s been obsessed with trap setting and hasn¡¯t evene down for lunch.

    Lu Jiao nodded then went up the mountain with her basket.

    At the foot of the mountain, she ran into Xie Xiaobao, who was covered in dirt. Xie Xiaobao had a rabbit in hand. While it wasn¡¯t a big rabbit, it was enough to make Xie Xiaobao scream in happiness.

    ¡°Third aunty, look, I caught this! I caught it! When I go home, I will ask my mom to braise it for me.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the rtively small rabbit and apuded him, ¡°Go home and tell your mom to clean it up. Tonight, I will bring you the seasoning I put together. You can use it to cook the rabbit.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Xie Xiaobao carried the two-pound rabbit down the mountain. Before he left, he reminded in a friendly manner, ¡°Don¡¯t worry third aunty, I¡¯ll look after the babies when I get home.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Once I hunt down some animals, I will give you one.¡±

    Xiao Xiaobao felt even happier after that. With his third aunty¡¯s luck, she will for sure getrge prey and he will have meat to eat.

    Once Lu Jiao was up the mountain, she first went to the natural trap she discovered before. She took out the braised meat she made from her space and rubbed some spiritual stream water on it. Then, she tossed it in and left it alone.

    She went to the other side of the mountain to pick out some herbs.

    She wasn¡¯t nning on selling these herbs today. She was picking them in order to help the sick who lived in the vige. Since she was just waiting, she will harvest some herbs and keep them in her space.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Lu Jiao to get a whole bunch of herbs. She put a small amount into the basket and ced the majority of it into her space.

    By the time she was done, it was already prettyte so she hurried to her trap.

    Before she even reached the trap, she could hear amotioning out of the trap.

    Delighted, she rushed over.

    There was a wounded deer inside the trap! This deer was around the same size as a pig and weighed around 40 to 50 pounds.

    This deer was heavily wounded and it was obvious that it was near the end of its death.

    Lu Jiao saw the blood that sprayed out of its neck and she hurriedly carried it out of the trap. After she took out a stic bowl from space, she saved the deer¡¯s blood in it.

    Deer blood was a rare and great find. It was great for healing and an excellent medicine for Xie Yunjin.

    However, because the deer was so heavily hurt, the deer died after the bowl was only half full.

    She quickly put the deer and the deer¡¯s blood into her space. She looked down into the trap and saw two dead rabbits pierced by the bamboo sticks.

    Lu Jiao quickly took the dead rabbits. She ced one into her space, the other into her basket.

    She promised she would give Xie Xiaobao something. One wild rabbit was perfect.

    After this was all done, Lu Jiao descended the mountain. She gained a lot today and that put her in such a good mood.

    Before she got far, however, she heard a series of chaotic footsteps, followed by flustered screams, ¡°Brother Xu, hold on. You have to hold on!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Xiao, Brother Xu¡¯s face isn¡¯t looking right. I don¡¯t know if we can make it down the mountain.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, how was he so unlucky to be bitten by a ringneck snake?¡±

    ¡°If something happens to him, what will happen to the entire Xu family?!¡±

    ¡°Brother Xu came up the mountain today for brother Yunjin. If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t be suffering so much right now.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to all this from afar. Once she heard the mention of Xie Yunjin, she frowned and picked up her pace.

    Very quickly, she saw five to six people climbing down the mountain while carrying some prey. Two of those people were carrying a stretcher, where a many.

    Lu Jiao noticed who it was right away. It was the vige hunter, Xu Duojin, who made a living through hunting. Despite this, his family often remained hungry.

    Some time ago, Xie Yunjin introduced him to two wealthy families from the city. Only after that, did the Xu family¡¯s quality of life improve.

    To thank Xie Yunjin and repay him, he often brought gifts to the Xie family.

    Lu Jiao remembered that the Xu family was one of the families who protected the four little ones.

    What happened to him?

    Lu Jiao walked up to check and saw right away that this man had been bitten by a snake. His calf had swelled up to the same size as his thighs and the affected area was swelling.

    This kind of poison came from a snake that could destroy someone¡¯s nervous system. After being bitten, the patient had eight to 72 hours to be treated. The earlier the treatment was given, the better, due to the nature of the poison.

    If nothing¡¯s done to help right away, he will never fully rid himself of the poison in the future. He will age faster than normal, lose teeth, and may even be paralyzed from the waist down.

    All this information shed across Lu Jiao¡¯s brain and she quickly shouted, ¡°Hold on a second.¡±

    <strong>??</strong>

 Chapter 44 - Detoxifying Snake Venom

    <h4>Chapter 44: Detoxifying Snake Venom</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Those that rushed down the mountain heard Lu Jiao¡¯s voice and turned to look. It didn¡¯t take long for them to recognize Lu Jiao.

    Detest shed across each one of their eyes. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this woman refused to spend money on Xie Yunjin, Brother Xu never would¡¯vee up this mountain today to hunt animals and sell them for money.

    While they caught a big animal, who knew they¡¯d get attacked by a snake near the end of their trip? From the way Brother Xu was behaving, he wasn¡¯t going to make it. Those bitten by a ringneck snake normally don¡¯t get cured. Even if they do survive, they be disabled.

    Brother Xu¡¯s life was practically over.

    Everyone here grew more and more frustrated as they thought about it. There was so much rage in their eyes as they looked over at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t mind them and headed straight toward Xu Duojin.

    Before she reached the stretcher, someone blocked her, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up and saw that it was an older man who had stopped her. He was also a hunter for the Xie Vige and people called him old man Xiao.

    Right now, Lu Jiao was more concerned about Xue Duojin.

    ¡°We need to get the venom out of him. It¡¯s best not to dy it. If we dy it, he won¡¯t make it down the mountain. And even if he does make it, he¡¯ll be paralyzed waist down.¡±

    Old man Xiao froze at those words.

    Lu Jiao ignored him and stepped over him. Beside her, someone else cursed, ¡°You wanna die?¡±

    Old man Xiao stopped that man and in return, the man looked back in surprise, ¡°Uncle Xiao?¡±

    Old man Xiao had his eyes glued to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao now used small silver needles to stop the spread of poison by stabbing around the affected areas.

    Once she was done, she turned to ask old man Xiao, ¡°What kind of snake bit him?¡±

    Old man Xiao noticed how well practiced she appeared and knew right away that she had medical training, ¡°It was a ringneck snake.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She quickly took out a scalpel from her space inside her sleeve, then made cuts on the bitten area. She then squeezed out the poisoned dark blood.

    If she had an antidote, she could¡¯ve just given him a shot. Sadly, she didn¡¯t have that stored in her space. She did originally but once that was used up, she never replenished it.

    After the bad blood was squeezed out, Lu Jiao took out a water bottle and cleaned the wound again and again.

    Once clean, she quickly jumped and announced, ¡°You guys wait around here. I¡¯m going to pick some medicinal herbs to help with the poison. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    The truth was that she had some herbs in her basket that could be helpful. However, she didn¡¯t want to reveal her secret in front of everyone and she was missing some herbs. Therefore, she decided to pick some fresh ones.

    Lu Jiao quickly left.

    Behind her, the hunters all looked over to old man Xiao, ¡°Uncle Xiao, let¡¯s hurry and bring him down the mountain.¡±

    ¡°How could that fat woman know how to cure snake bites? She better not kill him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just get him down the mountain.¡±

    Old man Xiao studied Xue Duojin, who had fainted, and concluded that it was too dangerous to move him.

    He nced at the others and said with a heavy heart, ¡°Duojin is very hurt. If we keep moving him, he may die before we arrive. Right now, his best chance is Yunjin¡¯s wife. Maybe her way can save his life.¡±

    The others wanted to argue but the unconscious Xue Duojin made them have second thoughts.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t take long to find the herbs she needed. At the same time, she took out some of the herbs she put in her space.

    She crushed abination of herbs and applied them directly onto Xu Duojin¡¯s bite wound.

    At the same time, she crushed half a lotus stem, gentian, and some other herbs and shoved them into Xu Duojin¡¯s mouth.

    The others saw her work and voluntarily stepped up to help. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop them.

    Though passed out, Xu Duojin still involuntarily swallowed as Lu Jiao fed him the medicine she made.

    Seeking the perfect opportunity, Lu Jiao slipped a few drops of the spiritual stream water into his mouth.

    After all that, the darkness that gloomed Xu Duojin¡¯s face lightened up a little. This made Lu Jiao sigh in relief. She removed the needles around the wound and looked up to the others, ¡°Okay, he¡¯s no longer in critical condition. You can carry him down the mountain. Once I¡¯m back home, I¡¯ll write him a prescription and you can have someone put it together for him. He¡¯ll need to take the medicine three times a day for several days. Then he should recover.¡±

    She then stood up soaked in sweat. How exhausting.

    Old man Xiao and the others all gawked in disbelief, ¡°He¡¯ll really recover?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up to the sky ¨C it was gettingte. She hurriedly nodded, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Old man Xiao asked again, ¡°He won¡¯t be paralyzed?¡±

    ¡°No. Ringneck snake venom is a fast-working poison. As long as we give him the proper treatment quickly, he wouldn¡¯t be paralyzed or have any othersting symptoms.¡±

    She then put her basket back on and descended the mountain.

    Behind her, old man Xiao gestured for everyone to help carry Xue Duojin down the mountain.

    After the group left, three people walked out from behind the trees. The head of the group was a well-dressed young master. His features were handsome but his eyes carried some aloofness. His every movement made it apparent that he was born from a wealthy family.

    Beside him stood a kind-looking man, who excitedly said, ¡°Lingfeng, isn¡¯t that thedy who sold us ganodermast time? I didn¡¯t expect her to be so knowledgeable about medicine! She seemed to know how to cure ringneck snake bites. Do you think it¡¯s true?¡±

    Ringneck snakes¡¯ venom hurts the human nervous system. Even if there¡¯s a good antidote, there are usually longsting side effects such as fast aging, teeth loss, slumped back, or paralysis. Thatdy imed that he will be fine? Was that true?

    Qi Lei was tempted to chase after her to ask her if there truly won¡¯t be any longsting symptoms.

    Zhao Lingfeng turned to peek at his good friend. No matter what day it was, that friend of his was passionate about medicine.

    ¡°She simply made that im. We¡¯ll never know if it¡¯s true.¡±

    Qi Lei quickly grabbed Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Then, ask someone to keep an eye on the man who was bitten. If he truly makes out without major symptoms, then it¡¯s news for all the citizens. As you know, there are so many people who die from snake poison each year and even more who get paralyzed from it.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng realized the importance of this then, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep an eye on the wounded.¡±

    The three then chatted as they climbed down the mountain and left the Xie Vige.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what had happened. She headed home and went straight to the east bedroom to look for paper, brush, and ink.

    Xie Yunjin was a schr so they didn¡¯tck any of those. However, when they were being forced to move out, those stuff got packed away randomly by the original host.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin and the four little ones stared at Lu Jiao, uncertain what she was looking for.

    The Fourth Born was rather fearless these days. He stumbled his way to Lu Jiao and asked in a sticky voice, ¡°Mummy, what are you looking for? I will help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at him and asked, ¡°Have you seen your daddy¡¯s paper and brushes?¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 45 - I donâ€™t know how to Read

    <h4>Chapter 45: I don¡¯t know how to Read</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The Fourth Born heard Lu Jiao and in lightning speed, turned to look at the First Born.

    The First Born pursed his lips and went to the corner of the bed. He shoved his hand between the bed padding and the frame and searched. Soon, he found a set of paper, brush, and ink and brought them to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    These were daddy¡¯s stuff. Before, he was afraid the evil woman would throw them away so he hid them.

    Honestly, the First Born was still worried that she would throw this stuff out. But since this evil woman has been nice these days, he decided to give them to her. If she dared to throw them out, he would ignore her for the rest of his life.

    The First Born silently made a series of decisions.

    Lu Jiao lit up at the sight of the paper and brush. She took them over and ced them onto the little broken table in the middle of the room. She then fetched some water to mix with the ink, and readied herself to write the prescription.

    Once the brush and ink were all ready and she was ready to start writing¡­

    She blinked, stunned. As she stared at the nk sheet of paper, she couldn¡¯t write out a single character.

    She didn¡¯t know how to write traditional Chinese. She didn¡¯t even know how to read them so how was she going to write an entire prescription?

    Inside the east bedroom, everyone stared at Lu Jiao. They were all curious as to why she was so desperate to find writing utensils just to end up not doing anything with them.

    Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of the injured Xu Duojin and gritted her teeth. She looked over to Xie Yunjin, ¡°You know Xu Duojin? He got bitten by a ringneck snake.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed and his tone turned heavy, ¡°How¡¯s he doing now?¡±

    Brother Xu was a good friend. When Xie Yunjin first got hurt, Brother Xu visited with lots of food. At the time, Xie Yunjin was half conscious and thought he heard Brother Xu say things like, ¡°Going up the mountain to hunt¡± and ¡°Selling the meat for money for medicine¡±. Who knew he would get hurt today?

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the colder the air turned.

    Lu Jiao thought about it. If she told him that she knew how to treat snake venom, what would he think of her?

    But the situation didn¡¯t allow her to lie. So she exined, ¡°I ran into him at the foot of the mountain so I helped him contain the poison. His life isn¡¯t in danger anymore. I just need to write him a prescription.¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened to her and raised an eyebrow. His gaze was eerie and dark.

    Lu Jiao noticed it and her brain worked hard. What could she say now toplete the lie? Before she could say anything however, Xie Yunjin spoke, ¡°Then, hurry and write the prescription.¡±

    Lu Jiao carefully shot Xie Yunjin a look. That was it? He wasn¡¯t suspicious?

    Probably because the priority right now was to get the prescription.

    With a rather bitter smile, Lu Jiao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°I can¡¯t really read, so I don¡¯t know how to write.¡±

    This surprised Xie Yunjin and shock flooded his face.

    This woman carried much confidence with her and it was obvious that she was well educated. Now, she was telling him that she didn¡¯t know how to write?

    Howe he found that hard to believe? But if this woman knew how to write, why would she pretend that she didn¡¯t?

    Just then, Lu Jiao whispered, ¡°I can read some. But most I can¡¯t understand.¡±

    The original host¡¯s mom taught her some and she herself knew some. However, that knowledge wasn¡¯t enough to write out an entire prescription.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin had regrouped his feelings and calmed down. Right now, he was mostly worried about the snake poison, not whether or not this woman could read.

    ¡°Hand over the writing utensils. You speak and I write.¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried, ¡°Can you move enough to write?¡±

    Xie Yunjin clenched his teeth, ¡°Bring it over.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew that the snake venom couldn¡¯t afford to wait and very soon, someone woulde to get the prescription from her. So she better get the writing done and start treatment as soon as possible.

    So she picked up the writing utensils and walked towards the bed.

    Xie Yunjin pushed himself to turn his body and started writing while lopsided.

    Lu Jiao told him all the ingredients, ¡°Lotus stem, 10 grams. Wild chrysanthemum, gentian, arisaema, tendrilleaf fritiry bulb, parsnip, white aconite, raw licorice, 3 grams each. Aristolochia root and bunge auricte root, 4 grams each. Raw rhubarb, 6 grams. Whole scorpions and centipedes, 10 each. Boil everything in water before eating. Morning, afternoon, and night ¨C three times a day.

    Xie Yunjin only got through half the list before his expression started to look unbearable. His hand was shaking badly and couldn¡¯t even hold the brush properly. Lu Jiao could tell he was experiencing headache and dizziness and quickly ordered, ¡°Stop and take a break.¡±

    Xie Yunjin rejected the idea and ended up writing the whole list. Then, his body quivered and he copsed.

    The quadruplets surrounded him and started to shout, ¡°Daddy!¡±

    Xie Yunjin had been eating well and taking the good medicine along with the spiritual stream water. Therefore, despite his headache and dizziness, he didn¡¯t pass out. After breathing deeply a few times, he recovered quite a bit.

    Seeing the four little ones were worried, he weakly turned to look at them, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao checked him out and decided he was okay. So she put back the writing utensils.

    She thought the Xu family would send someone over right away for the prescription. However, nobody came.

    Lu Jiao was surprised but soon realized that it was because those people didn¡¯t trust that she helped treat the poison. It was very likely that they sent the wounded to the city to get emergency treatment.

    Lu Jiao put away the prescription and went to cook dinner.

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to save him. It was those people who didn¡¯t want to trust her. She had done everything she was supposed to do and owed the Xu family nothing.

    Lu Jiao went to cook dinner and gave a task to the four little ones.

    ¡°Give the rabbit to brother Xiaobao.¡±

    The Second Born volunteered, ¡°Mommy, I will go.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at him. The children were not scared of her anymore and started to reveal more and more of their unique personalities. She wondered what would happen in the future.

    Lu Jiao nced at them, ¡°You guys go together. Remember to be polite. You know what to say when you get there?¡±

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°We know.¡±

    ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡±

    Since the family didn¡¯tck meat these days, the four little ones didn¡¯t feel too bad giving up the rabbit. The Second Born held the rabbit and the four kids walked their way to the Second Grandma¡¯s house.

    Since the two were neighbors and so close to each other, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried.

    Due to the hot weather, she decided to make cold noodles for dinner. Cucumber with cold noodles, chives with eggs, and a te of chopped-up braised pork.

    Once she was done, the four little ones returned.

    Of course, they brought back Lady Zhao and Xie Xiaobao.

    When Lady Zhao saw Lu Jiao, she appeared embarrassed, ¡°I can¡¯t keep on eating the meat you give us.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao was grinning on the side, ¡°Third aunty, where¡¯s the seasoning you mentioned? Can we have some?¡±

    Lu Jiao said yes and took over the bowl Lady Zhao had in hand. She went to the kitchen and poured them a bowl of seasoned braising juice.

    ¡°Add some water and let it boil. The longer you boil, the softer and more vorful the meat.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    Lady Zhao then leaned in and whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Did you know? Xu Duojin was bitten by a snake today and his family sent him into town to get treated. I wonder how he¡¯s doing?

    I heard he was bitten by a ringneck snake. Normally, those bitten by that snake die or be paralyzed. How unfortunate for the Xu family!¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 46 - Lying with Eyes Open

    <h4>Chapter 46: Lying with Eyes Open</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lady Zhao sighed after she told the story. The worst thing about living by the foot of the mountain was that there were lots of poisonous animals and anyone could easily get bitten.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened. She had tended to Xu Duojin¡¯s wound so he shouldn¡¯t end up paralyzed. However, it looked like he was going to get some persisting symptoms.

    If he consumed the medicine as per her prescription, he would be fine. Sadly, the Xu family obviously didn¡¯t trust her and she had no reason to eagerly go to them with the prescription.

    Lu Jiao and Lady Zhao separated after they spoke briefly. Lu Jiao took the cold noodles and dishes to the east bedroom for the whole family to eat together.

    The four little ones ate on the table while Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin.

    As Xie Yunjin ate, he stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Your prescription actually works?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Xie Yunjin noticed that she was in a bad mood and blinked a few times, ¡°Something bothering you?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced over to Xie Yunjin. Under the dim light, the man¡¯s handsome face was engulfed by ayer of subtle coldness that made his skin appear as smooth as jade.

    Deep inside his gaze however, there were traces of warmth.

    Was he worried about her?

    Surprised, Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin, which caused him to look away.

    Lu Jiao suspected that she was overthinking and sighed, ¡°I am just annoyed. I wanted to help that family but they only found me bothersome.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need to exin for Xie Yunjin to know she was referring to Xu Duojin¡¯s family.

    Right after she came down the mountain, Lu Jiao went to look for paper and brush just so she could write out the prescription as soon as possible. In the end, the Xu family didn¡¯t believe her and sent the wounded into town to get treated.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s because you never revealed yourself to have such a skill before. That¡¯s why nobody believes you. If you give everyone more time, they will learn to trust you.¡±

    He then suddenly turned towards Lu Jiao again, ¡°Is your prescription really that effective? The wounded won¡¯t lose teeth, lose hair, or get a slumped back? He won¡¯t be paralyzed?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded confidently, ¡°As long as treatment targets the poison in question, the patient shouldn¡¯t suffer from long term symptoms. A lot of doctors are not able toe up with effective treatment because they don¡¯t have a good understanding of the type of snakes. For example, ringneck snakes are considered to have fast spreading venom that attacks others¡¯ nervous system. So, whening up with a treatment n, centipedes and scorpions must be used. Most people don¡¯t dare to use those and that¡¯s why they cannot get rid of the poison in their body fully.

    Other snakes, such as cobra, are considered inmmatory. Once bitten, the patient may get infected very easily and their wound can quickly evolve into another disease. When that happens, the doctor must pay attention to what the most deadly symptom is. From there, medicine can be prescribed.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes lit up as she spoke knowledgeably. Though her face was ratherrge, it didn¡¯t affect her confidence and dazzlingness.

    Xie Yunjin stared at her and could not at all remember how much he used to hate her.

    As he stared, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what kind of person was this woman in her previous life?

    Not only was she knowledgeable towards medicine, she was also an expert with snake venom. Ah, right, before, she also took the fishbone out of Xie Xiaobao¡¯s throat. All of this information indicated to him that this woman likely was a doctor before.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but to ask, ¡°Other than snake venom, what other illnesses can you cure?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze and started to ponder. Was this a good opportunity to tell him that she was a doctor? It started to feel like she was going to get exposed sooner orter.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and gawked at Xie Yunjin with much honesty, ¡°I know a little bit but not too much.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could ask more questions, she continued in her serious tone, ¡°Do you know how I know so much?¡±

    Xie Yunjin remained silent and raised an eyebrow. Then, he took a big bite of the noodles Lu Jiao was feeding him. Silently, he thought, ¡®Let me see just how many stories you can make up¡¯.

    Lu Jiao exined whole-heartedly, ¡°When I was young, there was a widowed grandma who escaped to my vige. Most of the vigers didn¡¯t like her and didn¡¯t speak to her. I noticed that she never had enough food so I would visit her with food regrly. After we became close, she started to teach me medicine. That grandma was a doctor and a good one at that.¡±

    The excited manner she exhibited while telling the story almost fooled Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips stretched up. Now he learned another skill of this woman¡¯s ¨C to lie with her eyes open. She was so good he almost fell victim.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what Xie Yunjin was thinking. Seeing that his expression didn¡¯t change, she thought her lies worked.

    She sighed in relief. So she managed to exin how she knew medicine.

    It was true that there was a widowed grandma who lived in the Apricot Flower Vige. It was also true that the original host enjoyed hanging out with her.

    The thing was, everyone who lived in the Apricot Flower Vige was very busy. Even children were asked to fetch hay for the pigs. Since the original host was often sick and had nobody to y with, she had no choice but to hang out with the grandma.

    Of course, the details as to what happened could be kept a secret. After all, that grandma died four to five years ago.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood lifted and she grinned at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I only know some surface level knowledge. I¡¯m no expert.¡±

    Just then, Xie Yunjin suddenly asked, ¡°If the grandma knew medicine, she must also know how to read. Howe she didn¡¯t teach you how to read? Reading can help with learning, right?¡±

    Lu Jiao was stunned as her brain worked extra hard to find an answer.

    ¡°I do know how to read. Really, I just don¡¯t know a lot. I was too focused on having fun when I was young so I didn¡¯t take learning too seriously. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know how to read well.¡±

    To prove that she knew how to read, she went to pull a book off the shelf and worked hard to find characters that she knew the meaning of.

    ¡°This is: man, book, painting, help, shell, pen, death, storage, car, long, insect, light.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly went over the characters she knew and smiled at Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°See, I can read.¡±

    Under the dim light, the woman¡¯s chubby face somehow softened and cuteness seeped through her visage.

    Xie Yunjin cursed at himself for having those thoughts. Just what kind of evil existed inside that woman¡¯s body? How could he find her cute? Was his brain damaged?

    But to silently watch this woman pull tricks out of her sleeve was rather fun.

    Intrigue and interest crawled up Xie Yunjin¡¯s normally cold face. His brows and eyes now looked like they had been carefully sketched.

    Lu Jiao became lost in his eyes but she quickly retracted her gaze. This man was not to be messed up ¨C she better watch how she behaved.

    The four little ones finished eating and were in a very good mood. The Fourth Born rushed over to butter up his mom.

    ¡°Mommy, your cooking is number one in the world!¡±

    Lu Jiao instantly giggled, ¡°How many people¡¯s cooking have you had? How can you im my cooking is number one?¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes shaped into crescents as he smiled. His gaze was full of soft light, ¡°Even if I end up eating many many people¡¯s cooking, mommy¡¯s cooking will remain the best.¡±

    He then called out the other three babies, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys agree?¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 47 - Kill Poison with Poison

    <h4>Chapter 47: Kill Poison with Poison</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The Second and Third Born started to tter as well, ¡°He¡¯s right. Mummy, everything you cook tastes good.¡±

    ¡°The stir-fry dishes are good. The noodles are good. The braised pork is good. Everything is good.¡±

    The three little ones continued to tter her and showed no sign of stopping.

    Behind them on the bed, Xie Yunjin was silent. He now had the feeling that his sons were starting to be simr to that woman ¨C dumb.

    Lu Jiao felt over the moon thanks to the three little ones. She smiled and said, ¡°Tomorrow morning, I have to go to your grandma¡¯s ce. Before I leave, I will make your lunch ¨C sweet and sour ribs with vegetables. I promise you that you will be happy with the food.¡±

    After she spoke, however, the originally happy four little ones went silent. They turned sullen and the color disappeared from their faces.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached at the sight. She went to sit by them, ¡°What happened? Why are you not happy?¡±

    The Fourth Born shot Lu Jiao a look and pouted. He looked to be on the edge of crying.

    It was obvious that he was sad but he refused to cry.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but pull him in for a hug, ¡°What¡¯s happened to you?¡±

    Behind them, the Second Born blurted out, ¡°Mommy, he¡¯s worried that you won¡¯te back.¡±

    The First Born pinched him.

    The Second Born turned his head towards the First Born, ¡°I¡¯m not lying though. He is worried that she won¡¯te back.¡±

    The Fourth Born started to cry after he was exposed. With his lips pointed down, he admitted his fear.

    ¡°Mommy, is it possible that you won¡¯t being back? Is it possible that you are going to abandon us?¡±

    Lu Jiao saw just how sad the little guy was and patted his back caringly, ¡°What crazy thoughts you¡¯re having? I¡¯m going toe back as early as tomorrow afternoon. I will bring back tasty treats for you.¡±

    The Fourth Born then said with red eyes, ¡°As long as mommyes back, we don¡¯t need food.¡±

    The Second and Third Born nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    This mommy was pretty decent. They were okay without eating as long as she came back.

    You might think they didn¡¯t know this, but they knew that children without mothers were pitiful.

    Of course, they didn¡¯t want that evil mother from before. They want this nice mother of theirs.

    Lu Jiao scanned the children and discovered that all four of them appeared very worried. She couldn¡¯t help but go ahead and soothe them.

    ¡°Stop worrying. I wille back. Your grandma¡¯s ce is not far from here. If I don¡¯te back, I¡¯m sure your father will send someone to go look for me. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask your daddy.¡±

    The four little ones looked over to Xie Yunjin, who now had a headache.

    He was thinking about his separation from Lu Jiao. If his legs heal and he separates from Lu Jiao, the four children likely would create havoc. So¡­?

    Xie Yunjin was thinking hard silently. However, he still nodded, ¡°Your grandma¡¯s house isn¡¯t that far from ours. Your mother wouldn¡¯t just leave you. Just what¡¯s going on inside your little heads?¡±

    The Fourth Born then asked sadly, ¡°If grandma¡¯s house isn¡¯t far, howe she isn¡¯t bringing me? I want to go too.¡±

    Lu Jiao was contemting how to exin to him why when the noises of a group of people approaching interrupted their conversion.

    Based on the sound of the footsteps, lots of people were here.

    Confused, Lu Jiao peeked through the window, and at the same time, someone walked in through the door.

    The person who led the group was Xu Duojin¡¯s wife, Zhang Chunhua. Her eyes were as swollen as peaches.

    Once she entered, she started to cry towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, do you have a way to save my Duojin? Please save my Duojin.¡±

    Lu Jiao was not happy with this. But before she could speak, a kind-looking man walked up from behind Zhang Chunhua.

    Lu Jiao recognized him right away. This was the man she met at Baohe Tang. She remembered that he was the newly hired doctor there.

    What was he doing here?

    Qi Lei now stood beside Lu Jiao and spoke emotionally, ¡°I heard from them that you have a way to get rid of ringneck snake poison. They said you can make sure the patient does not lose hair, and teeth, get slumped back or be paralyzed. Is that true?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Qi Lei was now excited and subconsciously, he started to rub his hands together, ¡°Can I take a look at the prescription you came up with?¡±

    Qi Lei was a little worried as he asked because many people were not willing to reveal their prescriptions.

    Would this woman be willing to share that knowledge?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Of course.¡±

    She then fetched for them the prescription she came up with earlier, ¡°Here it is. I had it written up this morning, thinking that they woulde for it. In the end, they didn¡¯te to me and sent him away to town.¡±

    Zhang Chunhua and the others from the Xu family were embarrassed. They never heard from anyone that Lu Jiao knew medicine so they didn¡¯t dare to waste time and sent Xu Duojin to Baohe Tang.

    They heard that Baohe Tang recently got an amazing doctor so they sent Xu Duojin there. Who knew that the doctor there said he could not promise that he could treat the patient fully.

    It was Old Man Xiao who kept telling them that Lu Jiao had a way to make sure the illness is fully treated.

    In the end, they came here. This doctor from Baohe Tang was more excited about the prospect of no long-term symptoms than the family itself and followed them here.

    Inside the room, Qi Lei took over the prescription Lu Jiao had. After he read it closely, he pointed at two of the items in shock, ¡°Ten scorpions and centipedes? Isn¡¯t that a little much?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken a look at brother Xu. The toxic level in his blood was very high so we must go heavy with the scorpion and centipede. It¡¯s using poison to kill poison. If we don¡¯t do that, we don¡¯t get to clear the poison fully. Ringneck snakes¡¯ venom is very fast spreading so the prescription will not cause harm. Follow the prescription for several days and the patient should be healed.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded continuously after hearing her words, ¡°I see.¡±

    Qi Lei then thought of other snakes and asked, ¡°Then, can the same prescription be used for other kinds of snake venom?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°Only for simrly fast spreading venom. You cannot use it for venom that causes inmmation. Snake venom can be categorized into different types and you must correctly typecast it first. If you get it wrong, you don¡¯t get to detoxify the venom.¡±

    Qi Lei seemed to have understood, ¡°Got it.¡±

    He then looked over to Lu Jiao hopefully, ¡°Can I take this back with me? Do not worry, Baohe Tang willpensate you for using your prescription. We wouldn¡¯t make you do all the work for free.¡±

    The most important thing here was that he wanted to be able to use her other prescriptions. With those, he could save a lot of lives.

    Those words of his delighted Lu Jiao. Right now, the one thing shecked was money. The look of thrill was now on her face, ¡°Go ahead then.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhang Chunhua and others from the Xu family all thanked her and left with Qi Lei.

    The Xie household quieted down again. In an even better mood now, Lu Jiao came back to the table to eat her cold noodles.

    Because of the interruption, the four little ones forgot to be sad.

    The Fourth Born came to stand by Lu Jiao and looked up to her with stars in his eyes, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 48 - Greedy for Food

    <h4>Chapter 48: Greedy for Food</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The Third Born also came over and asked in a hurry, ¡°Mommy, can you really cure snake venom?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, snake venom isn¡¯t the most difficult poison to cure.¡±

    The Second Born was in awe, ¡°Mommy, once I grow up, I want to be as great as you.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born all nodded and the atmosphere in the room lightened up.

    After Lu Jiao ate, she went to wash the dishes. While cleaning, she realized that their home didn¡¯t even have a proper table and several chairs.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Once shees back, she¡¯ll have to get some tables and chairs made.

    Though she was going to leave this ce in two to three months, she needed a ce to sit.

    The four little ones had been eating while standing since there were no proper chairs or a table with an appropriate height.

    After doing the dishes, Lu Jiao heated up Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine and went to feed it to him. While feeding, Xie Yunjin remembered to ask Lu Jiao about her morning trip up to the mountains.

    ¡°You went hunting this morning. Did you get anything?¡±

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered that she kept the deer and the deer¡¯s blood in her space.

    It would be difficult to secretly take it out now so she shook her head, ¡°No. I didn¡¯t get to hunt after running into Xu Doujin. It¡¯s okay. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll go up the mountain first and get something before I head home.¡±

    Xie Yunjin cautioned, ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I will.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished his medicine, he said, ¡°Once you get home, I will teach you how to read and write.¡±

    Lu Jiao was stunned. Teach her how to read and write? How great.

    Was this guy really that great?

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes at him and wondered what his intention was.

    Before she could speak however, the Second, Third, and Fourth Born all came running.

    ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t need daddy to teach you. We can teach you.¡±

    ¡°Daddy¡¯s already taught us how to read the Three Character ssic.¡±

    The Fourth Born hogged onto Lu Jiao¡¯s legs and refused to let go. His heart-shaped eyes were practically shooting out lights.

    ¡°Mommy, I know how to read, I know how. I will teach you.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was dark as he stared at the three little ones. He had so few things to look forward to and his own sons stole them away from him. Was this fun for them?

    Just then, the First Born walked over from the other side of the room and demanded, ¡°You want to teach others just because you know Three Character ssic? Aren¡¯t you ashamed? I think daddy should be the teacher. Once he¡¯s done teaching the Three Character ssic, he¡¯ll have to teach the Hundred Family Surnames, then the Thousand Character ssic.¡±

    Xie Yunjin chimed in, ¡°Exactly. Are you sure you are able to teach all that?¡±

    The three babies wilted, ¡°Fine, daddy can teach.¡±

    They only knew the Three Character ssic.

    Seeing how crestfallen they were, Lu Jiao giggled, ¡°What if we all learn from daddy together?¡±

    The three babies¡¯ eyes lit up. This time, even the First Born perked up as everyone started to gawk at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin thought that was doable. Before, he went into the county daily to study and had no time to teach his sons. Now that he was stuck at home, he could focus on them. Though he couldn¡¯t move much and was bed ridden, his lips worked well.

    Xie Yunjin agreed immediately, ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled.¡±

    Lu Jiao was happy about this. Once she learns how to read, she would be able to write her own prescription. Not bad at all.

    ¡°Once Ie back from my mother¡¯s, we can start studying.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After the family of six agreed on this, Lu Jiao took the four little ones out to get bathed.

    After several days of recuperation, the four little ones were no longer as jaundiced. Though still slender, their skin and hair had brightened up and gotten smoother. Lu Jiao was very much in love as she stared at them.

    She realized, after baths, that the four little ones were out of pants. For the summer, the children only had two sets of clothes. Ah no, more like one set of top and pants, then one simple shirt.

    She had to think of a quick way to get them some clothes.

    Lu Jiao put them in their clean shirts and asked them to sleep in the east bedroom.

    She then washed up their dirty clothes so they would have something to change into tomorrow.

    While washing the clothes, Xie Erzhu came over to help Xie Yunjin use the washroom.

    By the time Lu Jiao finished washing, Xie Erzhu was also done.

    Lu Jiao took out a bowl of pork and grabbed a handful of candy. She went to the east bedroom and shoved them to Xie Erzhu.

    ¡°Second brother, bring these back to your wife and daughters.¡±

    Xie Erzhu refused and continued to wave around his hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need, no need! They atest time and were pretty happy.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Take it, brother.¡±

    Xie Erzhu wanted to argue more but Lu Jiao had put everything in his hands, ¡°Alright. It¡¯ste. Go home and rest.¡±

    Xie Erzhu looked at Xie Yunjin then back at Lu Jiao. Since they both appeared genuine, he finally epted.

    ¡°Then¡­ then I will take these.¡±

    His sister-inw¡¯s cooking was far too delicious. After his daughters ate her foodst time, they mumbled for more.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°No problem. Go home and rest. Ah right, howe Daya and Erya haven¡¯t visited and yed with the kids?¡±

    Xie Erzhu sighed deeply, ¡°We have pigs and chicken at home. Daya and Erya have to gather hay and feed the animals. They have no time.¡±

    This topic dampened Xie Erzhu¡¯s mood. He felt ashamed when it came to his daughters.

    His own sister, Xie Lan, was sozy that his eldest daughter, Daya, had to wash clothes for the whole family.

    This depressed Xie Erzhu but he didn¡¯t know how to say no to his parents.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao observed Xie Erzhu¡¯s aging and stressed face. She felt bad for him and wondered if she could somehow help him.

    Since it waste, Xie Erzhu carefully left with the pork and candy.

    Behind him, Lu Jiao reminded him, ¡°Second brother, be careful. Don¡¯t be seen.¡±

    If the family saw, another fight would break out.

    Lu Jiao looked back at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin frowned deeply and the air around him was frigid. It was obvious that he was thinking about his ruthless parents.

    Despite the evilness of his parents, as their children, there wasn¡¯t much they could do to object.

    Xie Yunjin calmed himself down and slowly revealed, ¡°Honestly, I did suggest to Second Brother that he should go into town and start a business. I¡¯ve even given him money to kick it off and told him to take his family.

    My Second Brother, however, is far too honest and simple-minded. He¡¯s not meant to start a business. My second sister-inw is the same. They¡¯re meant to be farmers.¡±

    Lu Jiao suggested, ¡°If he is fit to farm, then you can buy somend and ask him to take ownership of it. That would take care of him financially; he would have something to do everyday; and he would be able to grow independent and get away from your parents.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s suggestion provided a very good direction for Xie Yunjin. He pondered deeply.

    Lu jiao ignored him and went to get a nket from the west bedroom so she could go to sleep.

    The moment she came back and put down the nket however, a weak and fragile voice suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°Mommy, I want candy too.¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 49 - What a Mom Stealer

    <h4>Chapter 49: What a Mom Stealer</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao turned her head and saw that none of the babies went to sleep. They all stared at her wide-eyed.

    Lu Jiao realized that it was because they saw her giving Xie Erzhu candy and wanted some as well. But, it waste at night. If they eat candy now, their teeth would rot.

    The boys, however, goggled at her like puppies, making it impossible for Lu Jiao to say no. So she ended up giving them a piece of candy each before she lectured them in a serious tone.

    ¡°From now on, I will give you two pieces of candy a day. But, you are not allowed to have it at night. If you eat candy at night, worms will eat out your teeth and your teeth will hurt. Got it?¡±

    Her lecture scared the four little ones and they stared at the candy they had in hand.

    They wanted to eat it but didn¡¯t dare. What a difficult position to be in!

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°Once is okay. But there won¡¯t be the next time, okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that it was really bad that there was no toothbrush or toothpaste yet. She wondered if she could make some herself so the whole family could start brushing their teeth.

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born instantly shoved the candy into their mouths.

    The First Born wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He took the package off the candy and delivered it to Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips, ¡°Daddy, you eat.¡±

    The other three babies felt bad then. They had already ate their candy. What to do?

    The three babies wanted to spit out their candies.

    Scared they might actually do it, Lu Jiao quickly jumped in, ¡°It¡¯s okay, your daddy doesn¡¯t eat candy. You guys eat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed, ¡°I don¡¯t like candy. You eat.¡±

    The four little ones obviously didn¡¯t believe that. How could daddy not like something as yummy as candy? The four children turned to Lu Jiao in unison. Though they didn¡¯t ask, their eyes told Lu Jiao that they wanted her to feed Xie Yunjin one.

    Helpless, Lu Jiao pulled another out of her sleeve and fed it to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin truly didn¡¯t really like candy ¨C he found it too sweet. But since the four little ones were staring and not letting this go, he had no choice but to take it.

    Lu Jiao then ordered, ¡°It¡¯ste. Finish eating your candy and go to sleep.¡±

    The four little ones were tucked into the bed by their dad. As they happily sucked on their candy, they discussed.

    ¡°This candy is so sweet.¡±

    ¡°Mommy said we get two a day starting tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I have decided that I will eat one tomorrow and save one forter.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind them and lied down to sleep. She¡¯s going to travel home tomorrow and it was going to be a long day.

    However, as she lied down, Xie Yunjin spoke up.

    ¡°You can sleep in the west bedroom.¡±

    He¡¯s been feeling much better these past few days. Plus, his brother helped him go to the washroom so he won¡¯t need Lu Jiao overnight. It wasn¡¯t good for her to sleep on the floor every day.

    His words excited Lu Jiao. She happily got up.

    The floor was damp and heavy. Sleeping on it everyday would get her sick so she preferred not to.

    Though the wooden bed in the west bedroom wasn¡¯t the mostfortable, it was better than sleeping on the floor.

    Lu Jiao got up and rolled up her nket.

    Up on the bed, the Fourth Born got up as well, ¡°Mommy, I go sleep with you.¡±

    The First, Second, and Third Born all turned to gape at him. What a mom stealer.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind that but she wasn¡¯t sure if Xie Yunjin would. She turned to him.

    He didn¡¯t end up objecting and simply said, ¡°Then, you take him and sleep in the west bedroom.¡±

    The other three didn¡¯t ask to go as well.

    Lu Jiao picked up the Fourth Born with one arm, took the nket with the other and went to the west bedroom.

    The Fourth Born put his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck and smiled sweetly. The other three babies couldn¡¯t help but bitterly re at him. Hmmph, all he knew how to do was hog their mom for himself.

    Inside the west bedroom, it was the Fourth Born¡¯s first time sleeping with Lu Jiao. Ever since he started having memories, he¡¯s never slept with his mother. The little guy was overly excited and couldn¡¯t fall asleep.

    They were sleeping on a wooden bed but somehow, he found this bed to be morefortable than the bed in daddy¡¯s room.

    He curled up beside Lu Jiao and his heart-shaped eyes squished into crescents as he admired her happily, ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Like a puppy, he pulled himself closer to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao sighed. The original host didn¡¯t treat the babies well but she was their mother after all. The moment she started to behave like a mother, the babies became defenseless toward her.

    It was telling just how important the mother figure was to children.

    Lu Jiao hugged onto the Fourth Born, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±

    But the Fourth Born couldn¡¯t fall asleep! He excitedly called out again, ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao answered, so he called her again. He just wanted to call out to her.

    When Lu Jiao saw how restless he was, she became a little troubled. She cuddled him and said, ¡°What if I tell you a story.¡±

    The little fe blinked, ¡°Okay mommy, tell me a story.¡±

    So Lu Jiao told him a short bedtime story, ¡°Then I will tell you the story of who is stronger.

    One day, a monkey ran into a deer. Both animals imed to be stronger and argued non-stop. Just then, a chicken walked over and said, ¡®You need to stop fighting. Tomorrow, we will hold apetition to see which one of you is stronger.¡¯

    The next day, they got an elephant to be the judge of thepetition. The elephant said, ¡®Do you see that river in front of us? Across the river is an apple tree. Whoever crosses the river first to pick an apple wins.¡¯

    The monkey and the deer ran to the river but the monkey didn¡¯t know how to swim across the river. The deer made it through but the deer didn¡¯t know how to climb the tree to get the apple. The monkey shouted at the deer, ¡®Get me across the river and I will go up the tree to get the apple¡¯.

    So the deer helped the monkey across the river. Once there, the monkey climbed up the tree and picked a giant apple. The elephant announced, ¡®You two tie in thispetition.¡¯¡±

    The intention of Lu Jiao telling this story was to teach the baby a lesson on how everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.

    Who knew that the little guy didn¡¯t care about that. He had sneakily put his own little legs on top of Lu Jiao¡¯s body and was now swaying them around. He thought Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice and was giggling in secret.

    ¡°Mommy, howe the monkey and deer can speak? I¡¯ve never seen that. Our puppies don¡¯t speak.¡±

    Lu Jiao grew frustrated, ¡°Enough now, go to sleep.¡±

    The Fourth Born was overly excited and grew tired. After he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, he cuddled against Lu Jiao¡¯s chest and went to sleep.

    Those in the east bedroom were ready to sleep but they heard talking from the west bedroom. The three babies quickly realized that Lu Jiao was telling the Fourth Born a story and became interested.

    The Second Born grunted, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know how to tell a story? Daddy knows.¡±

    The Third Born pouted, ¡°But it feels like the story is good. The Fourth Born isughing.¡±

    The First Born made an executive decision, ¡°Tomorrow, we ask her to tell the story to us too.¡±

    The Second and Third Born nodded, ¡°Good idea.¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 50 - Whoever Lies Becomes a Dog

    <h4>Chapter 50: Whoever Lies Bes a Dog</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    It waste and Xie Yunjin urged them, ¡°Go to sleep now.¡±

    The three babies stopped conversing and closed their eyes.

    Xie Yunjin listened hard to noises from the other bedroom. It was quiet so they must¡¯ve gone to sleep too.

    He then carefully checked out the three babies beside him. They now looked clean, their skin was no longer jaundiced, and they were much more active and gleeful now. So it appeared that children needed their mother¡¯s love the most.

    The next morning, Lu Jiao got up super early. She made some porridge and stir-fried some vegetables with mushrooms.

    After breakfast was done, she packed them and started to make lunch. She braised the ribs first, then stir-fried the eggnts and steamed some rice. Once the rice was done, she put the ribs and eggnt on top so the steam could keep everything hot.

    She really needed to get her hands on more pots and pans. She only had one usable pan and it was damaged. She had to get at least two good ones.

    She started to heat up Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine when she heard the babies¡¯ voices.

    The Third Born was chasing around the Fourth Born and asking him what bedtime story he heardst night.

    The Fourth Born retold the story very cleanly to the others.

    The four babies then started to discuss the story together in the yard.

    Soot and Marble made their way to their masters¡¯ feet and whimpered for attention asionally.

    At once, the home grew lively.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but smile. Just then, the four little ones ran to the kitchen and surrounded her.

    ¡°Mommy, howe the monkey and deer know how to speak?¡±

    Speechless, Lu Jiao stared at them. So the four of them had the same way of thinking.

    The Second Born very kindly provided exnations for her, ¡°Mommy, it is because they became possessed. Right?¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to roll her eyes but decided to maintain her respectful image as their mother and endured. She exined to the children.

    ¡°This is simply a story. The point isn¡¯t that the animals know how to talk. The story is made up by people. The reason why people make up stories is that people want to send a message. For example, the message from the story I told is that everybody has their own unique weaknesses and strengths. We cannot only see our strengths and deem ourselves the strongest.¡±

    The four little ones eximed after they heard the exnation. However, the Second Born was not satisfied, ¡°So that¡¯s what it is. Then why not use people in the story? Why must it be about monkeys and deers?¡±

    He then lowered his head to look at Soot and Marble and got an idea, ¡°Say, do you think Soot and Marble know how to speak?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored them. She poured out the medicine and divided it into two bowls. She put one bowl on the side to cool, and when the children weren¡¯t looking, she snuck the other bowl into her space.

    ¡°Okay, go wash face and wash hands so we can eat breakfast.¡±

    Lu Jiao had taught the children how to wash their own hands and faces earlier so they knew how to do that independently now.

    Lu Jiao carried breakfast to the east bedroom. She told the children to eat themselves so she could feed Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°After breakfast, I am going to leave for my mother¡¯s. As for lunch, I am keeping it in the pot. When I leave, I¡¯ll ask the Second Grandmother toe over and feed you when it¡¯s lunchtime.¡±

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered thest time she was away. She came back to the four children beaten and Xie Yunjin vomiting blood.

    She nced at Xie Yunjin and noticed that after conditioning him this past while, he was no longer as pale and his energy level had picked up. Even so, if someone were toe here to beat the four little ones, he couldn¡¯t exactly do anything about it.

    Lu Jiao was worried and Xie Yunjin noticed. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m away and leaving one wounded and four weak at home. What if bad guys invade again?¡±

    The Fourth Born stood up, ¡°Mommy, then don¡¯t go to grandma¡¯s.¡±

    The other three nodded in agreement and gaped at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao ignored them and continued to discuss with Xie Yunjin, ¡°What if I ask the Second Brother toe today?¡±

    After she said it, she decided against the idea. If Xie Erzhu was here, Lady Ruan would be the first toe.

    Lu Jiao added, ¡°Okay no. How about I go ask Xie Xiaobao toe over and spend some time here? If anyone tries anything, I¡¯ll ask him to run out and shout for people toe.¡±

    Last time, Lu Jiao divided up the silver she got from Widow Li. That event tempted many vigers. She was certain that if someone tried anything again, more vigers would think to step out and be on her side.

    Xie Yunjin saw how anxious she was and didn¡¯t stop her, ¡°Sure.¡±

    The four little ones were very disappointed.

    They didn¡¯t want her to go. What if she left and never came back?

    The babies were very worried and didn¡¯t find the porridge tasty anymore.

    Lu Jiao finished feeding Xie Yunjin and took out the dirty bowls. She then got some porridge for herself.

    The children weren¡¯t done eating yet. Lu Jiao scanned around and found all of them to be in a bad mood. She knew they were worried she would abandon them.

    Lu Jiao was secretly happy about that. They haven¡¯t spent that much time together but the children were already attached. Not bad at all.

    She didn¡¯t want to see them sad though so she calmlyforted them, ¡°Why are you acting like this? Are you worried I won¡¯te back?¡±

    The four little ones all looked up to her. Lu Jiao put down her bowl and patted their heads, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯lle back in the early afternoon.¡±

    The Fourth Born went to Lu Jiao and stared at her with watery eyes, ¡°Mommy, if you don¡¯te back. I will cry. I will cry until you¡¯re back.¡±

    The First, Second, and Third Born looked at him in shock. Was he for real?

    The Second and Third Born thought about it and then decided, ¡°We will cry with him.¡±

    The First Born walked to Lu Jiao and extended his hand. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t understand so she just stared at him.

    With a serious face, the First Born announced, ¡°Pinky promise me. Whoever lies bes a dog.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Who taught him all this?

    However, when Lu Jiao saw how serious he was, she knew that he wouldn¡¯t trust her if she declined. So she too extended her hand and hooked her pinky against his.

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all gaped at the First Born, ¡°First Born, are you lying or telling the truth? Liars be dogs?¡±

    The First Born was nothing but serious, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±

    The other three were no longer worried then. Happily, they requested, ¡°Mommy, can you bring us the next time you visit grandma?¡±

    They¡¯ve never visited.

    Lu Jiao agreed right away, ¡°Sure!¡±

    The four babies finally stopped obsessing over this. If their mom lies, she would be a dog. She wouldn¡¯t want that so she¡¯s definitelying back.

    Lu Jiao ate her food, washed the dishes, then fed Xie Yunjin medicine. She then left to ask Xie Xiaobao to keep an eye on the children in case someone causes trouble again.

    Xie Xiaobao agreed. Lu Jiao gave him three pieces of candy as a thank-you gift.

    Xie Xiaobao happily went to spend time with the quadruplets.

    Feeling better, Lu Jiao put on her basket and left for her mother¡¯s home.

    The Fourth Born, who was already ying with Xie Xiaobao, suddenly rushed out of the front gate and started crying out loud. While crying, he waved around his little arm, ¡°Mommy, promise you wille back!¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 51 - Trouble Caused by Money Lending

    <h4>Chapter 51: Trouble Caused by Money Lending</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The Second and Third Born were ying with Soot and Marble. Due to themotion the Fourth Born made, they grew scared and ran to the front gate as well to cry, ¡°Mommy, if you don¡¯te back you¡¯re going to be a dog.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped and she quickened her steps. She was only visiting her mother. Why did they act like it was life and death?

    The next time she goes home, she will bring them to save herself the emotional hassle.

    The Apricot Flower Vige was the neighboring vige. The two viges, however, were separated by a mountain. In order to go home, Lu Jiao had to detour by taking the small road on the north side of the mountain. Because of the detour, it took at least two hours for her to get home.

    The original host did not have the physical capacity to make the trip. Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t mind. She roamed her way to the Apricot Flower Vige.

    Nothing unexpected happened on her journey.

    Simr to the Xie Vige, the Apricot Flower Vige was arge vige. The Lu surname was prominent here so the moment Lu Jiao appeared, everyone greeted her.

    Lu Jiao answered them without rushing, earning her manypliments. Everyone praised her to be the fitting image of a schr¡¯s wife andmented that she was very different from before.

    Lu Jiao followed her memories. Her home was right in the center of the vige and it was easy to find.

    The Lu family yard wasrge. The building itself, however, was rather damaged. There were three old mud houses in the middle, and three small rooms on each side. At the front of the yard was a fenced area where chickens were raised.

    Lu Jiao was checking out the yard when someone walked out from the center mud house.

    This guy was her younger brother, Lu Gui. The moment Lui Gui saw Lu Jiao, he frowned unpleasantly, ¡°What are you doing back home?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped. Honestly, she knew that this brother didn¡¯t like her and she didn¡¯t have much to say about him either. If it weren¡¯t for Lady Tian, she likely wouldn¡¯te back.

    Towards these Lu family members, she didn¡¯t feel any familial ties.

    Collected, she started to walk towards him, ¡°This is my home. Why can¡¯t Ie back?¡±

    Lu Gui was angry to hear those words, ¡°Because of you, the entire family is unhappy. What more do you want?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away that the family found out Lady Tian gave her money in private.

    Silently, Lu Jiao sighed in relief. Thank god she came back today with money. If she didn¡¯t, Lady Tian would get bullied even more.

    Lu Jiao strolled into the living room. Lu Gui extended his arm to block her path but she red at him, which scared him off.

    The family, however, was astounded at her arrival. Everyone from the different rooms all converged together in the living room.

    Someone came out of the east bedroom ¨C Lu Jiao¡¯s father, Lu Danian.

    Lu Danian was a little angry when he saw Lu Jiao. However, he still greeted her, ¡°Jiaojiao, what are you doing home?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even acknowledge him.

    Lady Tian from the east bedroom heard the noise and sat up straight right away, ¡°Jiaojiao? Is Jiaojiao back?¡±

    Lu Jiao walked to the bedroom with her basket, ¡°Yes, mother, I¡¯m home.¡±

    Lady Tian was on the bed and looked a little weakened. Her eyes were very red, a sign that she had cried.

    Lu Jiao grabbed her hand and asked, worried, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±

    Lady Tian shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. My health is good. It¡¯s been tiring doing housework these days so I¡¯m lying down to rest.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to talk about it and merely checked out Lu Jiao from head to toe. She found Lu Jiao to be slimmer and her heart ached, ¡°Jiaojiao, why have you lost weight?¡±

    Lu Jiao rubbed her own face. She¡¯s been eating less and moving more so she lost a little weight. However, since she was very chubby before, the weight loss wasn¡¯t obvious. Who knew Lady Tian could tell right away?

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s good to be thinner. Thinner looks better.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes reddened even more, ¡°Jiaojiao, life must¡¯ve been hard for you. That entire household now relies on you. It must be hard.¡±

    She then patted Lu Jiao¡¯s head and asked, ¡°Howe you found time toe here today? What about Yunjin? What about the four babies?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve asked others to take care of them. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao then pulled out 10 taels of silver from her sleeve and put it in Lady Tian¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, I was worried that the family isn¡¯t happy with you because of the five taels of silver you gave me. So I came to return the money the moment I earned something.¡±

    Why would Lady Tian ept that? Determined, she shoved it back.

    ¡°Yunjin needs medicine. Take it back and buy him medicine. I have money.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew very well that Lady Tian was so exhausted because the family had been treating her poorly. Or else there was no way she would be lying here in the middle of the day.

    Lu Jiao leaned in and whispered into Lady Tian¡¯s ear, ¡°Mom, I found a ganoderma up in the mountains and sold it for 200 taels of silver. I have money now. Here¡¯s 10 taels of silver ¨C five to return the ones you gave me, and five for you to spend on yourself.¡±

    Lady Tian was in disbelief and gawked at Lu Jiao, ¡°Really?¡±

    Lu Jiao convincingly nodded and Lady Tian was overjoyed. Her face shed with color.

    But she didn¡¯t take the whole 10 taels of silver, ¡°I¡¯ll just take the five.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to argue with Lady Tian, but she frowned at her, ¡°Just give me five for now. You are in need of silver. Once Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, I will keep whatever money you give me.¡±

    Since Lady Tian appeared so serious, Lu Jiao knew she wouldn¡¯t take the money. No choice, she put the silver back.

    Lady Tian got out of bed and went outside. Currently, in the Lu family¡¯s yard, stood Lu Danian, their three sons and two daughter-inws.

    Lady Tian showed off the five taels of silver to Lu Danian, ¡°Here you go. Jiaojiao came to return the money.¡±

    She then added, ¡°I must¡¯ve been blind back then to think that you would protect me if we married.¡±

    Lu Danian didn¡¯t expect Lady Tian to get so angry publicly. Awkwardly, he stuttered, ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to help. We are just too poor.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eldest sister-inw, Sun Mei, sighed in relief at the sight of silver. She smiled, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s just that mother didn¡¯t tell us before lending out money. We only lectured her a little.¡±

    The second sister-inw, Hu Xiang chimed in as well, ¡°We know we were wrong. We didn¡¯t necessarily mean that you needed to return the money right away.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the original host¡¯s brothers, Lu Ping and Lu An. It looked like everyone here today had med Lady Tian over five taels of silver.

    The expression on Lu Jiao¡¯s face was no longer pleasant. So the whole family came together to bully Lady Tian.

    She scanned around the yard and said, ¡°Mom lent me five taels of silver behind your backs ¨C that is wrong. If you want to me someone, me me. I am here today to apologize to all of you. After all, this whole thing started because of me.¡±

    Lu Jiao apologized in a serious manner to the entire Lu family, making everyone¡¯s face redden. Everyone here felt like they¡¯d been pped.

    After Lu Jiao issued the apology, she spoke up again. This time, however, her voice was cold.

    ¡°I have more to say. If mom lent me five taels of silver for me to spendvishly on unnecessary food and drinks, you can me her. However, she lent me the money to help out her son-inw, who¡¯s bedridden due to injuries. What kind of crime did shemit for lending me that money?

    You are my family. Since you are not willing to help during my rough patch, then I will offer you nothing when my situation improves.¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 52 - Teach them a Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 52: Teach them a Lesson</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes reddened. Other than the fact that she lent her daughter money to help out her son-inw, she had another intention. If her son-inw could heal enough to sit up straight, then as a schr, he would be able to ept pupils in the future and be a teacher. All the children from the Lu family could go study under him. Even if they don¡¯t end up schrs, they would have more options in life if they learned how to read.

    Sadly, the entire family was short-sighted and all med her for lending out money.

    She could make peace with her sons and daughters-inw whining. But her own husband med her too.

    That was the part that hurt Lady Tian the most. She married Lu Danian back then because he was a humble and responsible man who treated her well. If he didn¡¯t, she never would¡¯ve married him. She knew from a young age that this man wasn¡¯t going to be good at making big money.

    All she wanted was a tranquil life. Yet in the end, not only was he incapable, he evenined and med her when something bad happened.

    The more Lady Tian looked at Lu Danian, the less attractive she found him.

    Lu Jiao skimmed across the yard and continued coldly, ¡°Since you are so unhappy with mother, I am going to take her away. Other than her three sons, she also has a daughter. I will take care of her from now on.¡±

    This time, Lu Ping, Lu An, and Lu Gui¡¯s faces all dropped. If their mother ended up being taken care of by her only daughter instead of her three sons, the whole world would curse them to death.

    Lu Jiao turned to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom,e and live with me.¡±

    Lady Tian was angry and only wanted to get away so she nodded, ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    This time, Lu Danian¡¯s face changed, ¡°Tian Hua, what are you doing? I simplyined a little. Do you have to react this way?¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him angrily, ¡°Those closest to you hurt you the most. Your whining is the reason why mom is so sad. She¡¯s been with you for so many years and neverined about you. But in the end, youined about her.¡±

    Lu Danian¡¯s expression changed as he didn¡¯t expect his own daughter to lecture him. But he didn¡¯t dare to curse in front of Tian Hua.

    Lu Jiao went back to the east bedroom and got her basket. She originally brought with her a basket full of stuff ¨C a deer, a wild rabbit, over five pounds of rice and flour, plus a pound of candy.

    Who knew the Lu family treated her mother so poorly? Why should she give them all this good stuff now? She rather toss all this food to dogs.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lady Tian went to her room to pack. Inside the yard, everyone became flustered. Lu Danian went inside the bedroom to sweet-talk his wife.

    Pity that Lady Tian was really furious this time. She only packed two sets of clothes and headed out with Lu Jiao.

    The Lu family¡¯s three sons blocked them. Lu Gui angrily criticized Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, you should be talking sense into mother instead of fueling the fire. Just what are you doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao was impatient as she shouted back, ¡°As mother¡¯s sons, you make her sad. From now on, she lives with me.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t truly want to cut ties with the Lu family. She just wanted to teach them a lesson so they stop taking advantage of Lady Tian.

    If she didn¡¯t do this, they may get into the habit of ming Lady Tian when anything goes wrong.

    Of course, she had to set them straight today.

    Lu Jiao pushed Lu Gui away and then left with Lady Tian.

    Behind them, second sister-inw Hu Xiang sharply saw Lu Jiao¡¯s basket full of stuff. She even managed to see that there was meat in there.

    Hu Xiang was greedy for the goods and jumped in to soothe, ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t be angry. We were wrong. It was our fault. Sister, stop being angry. Help us calm down mom.¡±

    Lu jiao didn¡¯t even acknowledge her and walked on

    Behind them, Lu Danian¡¯s face was scrunched up and he was extremely anxious. He¡¯s been married to Lady Tian for so many years and they¡¯ve never separated. Now, Lady Tian was leaving out of the blue and he didn¡¯t know what to do with himself.

    Lu Gui decided to pursue Lu Jiao.

    But this time, he didn¡¯t dare to stop them and only followed from a distance.

    In the front, the adrenaline for her own impulsive decision wore off, and Lady Tian started to worry.

    If she went to her daughter¡¯s ce, wouldn¡¯t her son-inw get angry? What if he got mad at her own daughter?

    Lady Tian regretted her own decision. Everything was okay so why did she freak out in front of Lu Jiao? Back then, when she saw the silver, all she could think of was to hit the men with it.

    Lady Tian looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, is it bad for me to go to your home with you?¡±

    Behind them, Lu Gui heard that and instantly opened his mouth, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go home. Come, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Lu Jiao, however, grabbed onto Lady Tian and acted spoiled, ¡°Mom, your son-inw is bedridden. I have to take care of him and my four children. It¡¯s so tiring. Can youe and help me out? Ah right,st time, I went into town to buy things and because nobody was home, the four babies got beaten up by someone. If you cane with me, you can help keep an eye on everyone when I¡¯m away.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s heart ached after she learned of that. She agreed immediately and ignored her son.

    Her eldest and second eldest sons were prime examples of men who forget their mothers after they married.

    Only her daughter would fight on her behalf.

    Lady Tian knew that her daughter offended the whole family to help her out.

    ¡°Okay, then I will go and help you out.¡±

    Behind them, Lu Gui¡¯s face turned ugly. Just what was happening? By now, he had realized that his sister was not to be messed with.

    Lu Jiao continued to pretend Lu Gui didn¡¯t exist. She pretended to dig into her basket, and took out two pieces of baked goods from her space. She handed Lady Tian a piece and kept one for herself.

    ¡°Mom, eat some. I bought some red bean cakest time.¡±

    Lady Tian declined, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Save it for the babies.¡±

    Lu Jiao forcefully pushed it into Lady Tian¡¯s hand, ¡°Eat. We don¡¯tck food at home.¡±

    She then exined, ¡°Mom, I now know how to set traps and hunt. See, this is a deer that fell into my trap. And that is a wild rabbit. I originally brought all this for you guys but since they have been treating you poorly, I am taking all of this back. Tonight, I will make a spicy rabbit dish for you.¡±

    Lady Tian stared at the deer in Lu Jiao¡¯s basket in awe. So her daughter managed to earn money from ganoderma and she learned to hunt? Oh wow, how amazing.

    When did her daughter be so amazing?

    Lady Tian inquired while still in awe, ¡°Jiaojiao, when did you learn all this? Tell me.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°I learned it all from Yunjin¡¯s books.¡±

    ¡°No wonder people need to learn how to read. Books are great things. Even my own daughter is learning from them and making money.¡±

    Lu Jiao pushed the cake into Lady Tian¡¯s mouth, ¡°Mom, eat. We really don¡¯tck food at home.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±

    Lady Tian ate happily and didn¡¯t even peek at her own son.

    Lu Gui watched them eat in jealousy. He himself was famished and felt like his front stomach was touching his back.

    Because of that five taels of silver, nobody even cooked a proper meal these past few days. He was a young man and he¡¯s been starving.

    Now, these two women acted like he didn¡¯t exist, he sure was sad.

    He marched towards them and tried to befriend Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, do you have more? Give me one.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him and snickered, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I¡¯m not your sister.¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 53 - How Shameless are you

    <h4>Chapter 53: How Shameless are you</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Gui was dumbfounded and looked over to Lady Tian. Lady Tian chortled and shoved the rest of the cake into her mouth.

    Lu Gui turned bitter. Was she his birth mother? He must¡¯ve been adopted, that must be it.

    Lady Tian finished her cake. Lu Jiao then snuck out two giant peaches for herself and Lady Tian.

    Just to spite her son, Lady Tian didn¡¯t decline and the two ate happily.

    Before, Lu Gui was hungry and felt like he needed food. Now, he simply wanted the peach. The peach smelled sweet and he could see how juicy it was. How tempting.

    He¡¯s never had such a giant peach before and was certain that this didn¡¯te cheap. Did his sister get rich?

    The daughter and mother ate red bean cake and giant peaches and were no longer hungry. They walked back to the Xie Vige without another break.

    Behind them, Lu Gui was starving and didn¡¯t even have the strength to walk anymore. Like a puppy, he called out to Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, my best sister, please pity your brother. I was wrong before. I was at fault. I won¡¯t ever act unreasonably in front of you anymore. I promise you that I will respect you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped walking and stared at Lu Gui, ¡°You think I am angry because you don¡¯t treat me well? No. I don¡¯t care that you never treated me well. You don¡¯t have to like me. I don¡¯t like you either. We are really not that different. The key is that you disrespected mother and that makes me so angry.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words touched Lady Tian, who wiped away her tears.

    See, she was right to spoil Jiaojiao. At the end of the day, daughters were the ones who stuck around. If it weren¡¯t for her daughter today, she may end up getting bullied to death.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n on truly ignoring Lu Gui for the rest of her life. She just wanted to teach Lu Gui a lesson so he stops disrespecting Lady Tian.

    She didn¡¯t care how Lu Gui treated herself. After all, she never considered him to be a real brother.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you a piece of cake. If you ever hurt mom again, I will truly cut you off.¡±

    Since they were close to the Xie Vige now, Lu Jiao took out a piece of red bean cake and gave it to Lu Gui. So thankful, Lu Gui almost kelt down. Ahh, red bean cake was just so delicious.

    The three of them walked all the way back to the Xie Vige.

    Before she reached home, she saw a crowd in front of her yard.

    Her face changed color instantly and she subconsciously formed fists.

    Could it be that someone came over again to bully Xie Yunjin and the four babies?

    If that were the case, she won¡¯t be so forgiving today.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face was dark. Beside her, Lady Tian also noticed the group of people by Lu Jiao¡¯s house.

    Along with Lu Jiao, Lady Tian rushed towards the gate.

    The moment the three of them got up there, someone noticed Lu Jiao and updated her.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you have guests visiting. They appear to be very honorable guests, as they came on a horse carriage.¡±

    The Xie vigers were poor so it was already a luxury to get a ride on the ox cart. Visitors whoe in on a horse carriage always end up being a spectacle.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. It was okay as long as they weren¡¯t here to take advantage of Xie Yunjin and the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have time to check out the horse carriage. She led Lady Tian and Lu Gui into the garden.

    The Xie Vigers gossiped loudly. Someone from the crowd said, ¡°I think they¡¯re Yunjin¡¯s ssmates.¡±

    ¡°They brought so much stuff. I saw food and textile.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s mother and sisters all came as well.¡±

    ¡°They must be getting ideas. They shunned out their son and now they¡¯re here after seeing visitors with gifts.¡±

    When these people saw Lu Jiao, they shouted at her, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, hurry and go inside.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded at everyone as a way to greet them. She then brought Lady Tian and Lu Gui inside.

    There was a pile of items on the ground.

    Inside the east bedroom, Lady Ruan¡¯s sullen voice could be heard, ¡°Thank you so much for visiting my third son. To have you as his ssmates made his study journey worth it.¡±

    She then started to sob as if she was really sad.

    Right after that, Xie Lan¡¯s voice arose, ¡°Yeah, after my third brother got injured, my mother couldn¡¯t sleep well and could barely eat. She¡¯s lost weight.¡±

    Outside the room, Lady Tian exploded. Unable to contain herself, she busted inside and unloaded her anger on Lady Ruan.

    ¡°You old hag, how shameless are you? You moved out your injured son and now you¡¯re ying the victim? Where do you get the audacity?

    Look around this home, there¡¯s absolutely nothing here! How can you talk like this?!¡±

    Inside the east bedroom, the four little ones saw Lu Jiao and excitedly dashed over. The Fourth Born hugged onto Lu Jiao¡¯s leg, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back!¡±

    His heart-shaped eyes blinked with much joy.

    The Second and Third Born were also smiling. Though the First Born didn¡¯t express much, the relief in his eyes was hard to hide.

    Lu Jiao patted the four little ones¡¯ heads and then went to greet the visitors.

    There were four young men here today, all around the same age as Xie Yunjin. One wore a robe made of brocade, and his hair was neatly brushed back. It was obvious that this was the young master of a wealthy family. The other three looked rathermon. However, without exceptions, they all carried a studious and educated demeanor with them.

    When the visitors saw Lu Jiao, they were taken aback. Given how outstanding Xie Yunjin was, they expected his wife to be extraordinary. Who knew she turned out to be a chubby woman.

    The four of them showed signs of sympathy. However, very quickly, they politely stood up to greet Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and greeted back calmly, ¡°Thank you, young masters, for visiting my husband.¡±

    The four of them were surprised at how confident she appeared. If it weren¡¯t for her appearance, they would¡¯ve believed her to be a youngdy of a good family.

    Lu Jiao ignored them and looked over at Xie Yunjin.

    She saw that Xie Yunjin looked annoyed and the air around him was cold.

    Lu Jiao asked him, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face rxed a little and he waved at Lady Tian, ¡°Mother-inw, you are here.¡±

    Lady Tian nodded. On the other side of the room, Lady Ruan¡¯s face appeared rather ugly. With fury resting in the corner of her eyes, she red at Lu Jiao and Lady Tian.

    She only came to pick up things after she heard that Lu Jiao left home today.

    She thought that she could take the gifts Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought and use them for Yunhua and Xie Lan¡¯s dowry.

    She didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao toe back so quickly. It didn¡¯t matter though. Her being here wasn¡¯t going to stop Lady Ruan from taking the stuff. If Lu Jiao dared to object, she would teach her a lesson.

    Lady Ruan frowned deeply as gloom clouded her.

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 54 - Itâ€™s Better to have a Dog

    <h4>Chapter 54: It¡¯s Better to have a Dog</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao ignored Lady Ruan. After she greeted the ssmates, she left the room.

    First, she put her basket into the kitchen and snuck the deer and rabbit into her space. She didn¡¯t dare to ess her space in front of Lady Tian and Lady Ruan before. However, if she waited any longer, her meat would spoil.

    After she was done, she poured a few cups of sugar water.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates took a long journey here and should at least get some water.

    Though the cups were old and chipped, it was the thought that mattered.

    Lu Jiao ced the cups on the small table and brought everything into the east bedroom.

    ¡°Young masters, please drink up. Our living conditions are not the best ¨C please forgive us.¡±

    The ssmates checked out the stuff Lu Jiao brought and found the cups to be exceptionally clean. The table also was without dust or stains.

    Though their house was missing lots of normal household objects, everything was organized and clean. Even the clothes Xie Yunjin wore were freshly washed.

    He was bedridden but there was no foul smell.

    This meant his wife was diligent and a good person.

    The four men thanked Lu Jiao and each poured themselves a cup of water.

    It was rude to refuse water when it¡¯s been brought to you.

    After everyone took a cup, she poured some to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Inside the room, Lady Ruan and Xie Lan rolled their eyes and silently cursed at how fake she was being.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eldest son-inw, Chen Liu, said loudly, ¡°Third-sister-inw, you should pour some water for mom at least.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and looked back at her, ¡°I am out of cups. Should I take some from your house?¡±

    Chen Liu was taken aback. The four ssmates noticed the strange vibe and decided it wasn¡¯t wise to stay. They stood up to pay respect.

    ¡°Yunjin, then we will get back first. We¡¯ll find another time to visit you.¡±

    Darkness shed across Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. Since they were leaving, he gestured to Lu Jiao, ¡°Send off our guests.¡±

    Lu Jiao stood up. The leader of the pack, the young man in a brocade robe, said kindly, ¡°I am Yunjin¡¯s ssmate, Han Tong. I currently study at Qinghe County School. If you need anything, you cane and find me.¡±

    Lu Jiao thanked him, ¡°Thanks. Once Yunjin is healed, I will ask him to personally visit you and thank you.¡±

    Some hope shed across Han Tong¡¯s eyes. The others, however, didn¡¯t take her seriously. How could a handicapped man heal?

    They didn¡¯t say much else and left the room. Outside, the vigers started to chitchat.

    Han Tong and his ssmates then rode away in their horse carriage.

    Lu Jiao turned to go back to the living room. Before she even entered, she heard Xie Lan¡¯s delighted voice, ¡°Mom, this textile looks lovely. Give it to me as my dowry, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°This multi-colored desert is perfect for your brother. Also, this tea. I can tell these are quality products.¡±

    The mother and daughter duo acted like everything here was theirs and picked their favorites.

    Lu Jiao entered the room and coldly ordered, ¡°Put everything down and get out of my house.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face changed color. With fury, she snapped at Lu Jiao, ¡°You want to take possession of my son¡¯s stuff?¡±

    Lu Jiao was so angry sheughed, ¡°At your age, can you be less shameless? You didn¡¯t take care of your paralyzed son and now you have the audacity to take his stuff?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face was insanely cloudy as she gritted through her teeth, ¡°He cannot use this stuff. If he could, I wouldn¡¯t take them.¡±

    Then, she pointed at some medicinal ingredients from the pile, ¡°He could use the medicine. We won¡¯t touch that. The other stuff won¡¯t be useful for him so why is it wrong to give everything to his brother? That¡¯s his blood-rted brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled yet again, ¡°It¡¯s better to have a dog than to have a brother like that.¡±

    Lady Ruan loved her youngest son the most. To have himpared to a dog made her lunge violently at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao was toozy to talk reason. They were shameless bastards and nothing could get through to them.

    Lu Jiao grabbed Lady Ruan with one hand and started to drag her outside.

    Xie Lan screamed, ¡°Lu Jiao, you dare to disrespect your mother-inw.¡±

    She then chased after them and whilst chasing, she still remembered to hold onto the roll of textile she had her eyes on.

    Lu Jiao got Lady Ruan outside and turned around to block Xie Lan. She grabbed the roll of textile out of her hand and then dragged her outside.

    ¡°Get the **** out of here.¡±

    Behind them, Chen Liu was greedy for all the goods in the room but didn¡¯t dare to move. She could tell that Lu Jiao was not to be messed with and decided to do what she could with words.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you¡¯re a daughter-inw. Your husband¡¯s mom is your mom. How can you hit your mom?

    Those gifts from ssmates¡­ keep what you need. You may as well give what¡¯s useless to you to mom to show respect.¡±

    Lu Jiao coldly stared at Chen Liu and pointed outside as a way to tell her to leave.

    Chen Liu¡¯s heart ached but didn¡¯t dare to stay. She knew if she stayed, that woman would beat her out.

    Inside the yard, Lady Ruan had copsed onto the ground and now pped her own thigh while she cryied, ¡°Everyone,e here and watch a daughter-inw hit her mother-inw. She eats all the good food and leaves nothing to her mother-inw. Such unfilial women should be fed to the pigs.

    Oh my lord, how can my life be so hard? I worked so hard raising my children just to be bullied by my daughter-inw. I may as well die.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao could hear Lady Ruan speak disgustingly. She was angry and wanted to step out to teach her a lesson. Suddenly, Xie Yunjin¡¯s voice arose.

    ¡°Lu Jiao,e in here.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned and went to the east bedroom. She then unpleasantly looked over at Xie Yunjin.

    How did this paralyzed man end up with a mother like that? How unfortunate.

    Even if he does end up bing the First Assistant, it must be exhausting to have a mother like that.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were frigid and so was the air around him. He stared at Lu Jiao and said in a low voice, ¡°Lu Jiao, that¡¯s my mother out there.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped. What did he mean by that? Was he implying that she needed to treat his mother better and give her all those goods?

    Ha¡­ Well, if that was what he wanted, she could make it happen.

    Lu Jiao angrily tried to walk out, but Xie Yunjin continued to speak, ¡°She¡¯s your elder. If you fight against her, you¡¯re at a disadvantage. No matter how right you are, as a daughter-inw, your reputation will be tarnished. It¡¯s not worth it for you to get hurt over someone like that.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. So he wasn¡¯t worried about his mother but was worried about her reputation.

    Lu Jiao knew that what Xie Yunjin said was logical. No matter how out of line Lady Ruan was being, as her daughter-inw, she will get a bad reputation for fighting back.

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao darkly and whispered, ¡°Hit her where it hurts. Everyone has a weakness. My mother loves my fourth brother the most.¡±

    He then closed his eyes as if resting.

    At the door, Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes brightened. That was true. She couldn¡¯t do much to Lady Ruan but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t beat up Xie Laosi. Xie Laosi was a deadbeat who always hid behind his mother. If she beat him up, nobody could say she did anything wrong. After all, she was Xie Laosi¡¯s third eldest sister-inw.

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 55 - Leave you Sooner or Later

    <h4>Chapter 55: Leave you Sooner or Later</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao smiled brightly at the thought and left the room. Once she reached the door, however, she made a sad face.

    In front of the door, Lady Tian watched Lady Ruan in disdain, ¡°You witch, what right do you have toe over here and ruin my daughter¡¯s reputation? My daughter has such a bad rep because of you! I don¡¯t understand how you have the audacity toe over here and ask for things. Look around, look at this home, there¡¯s practically nothing here.¡±

    Sadly, Lady Ruan had rolled to the ground and was whimpering with her eyes closed.

    ¡°I cannot live like this anymore. My son and daughter-inw are so unfilial. Just let me die!¡±

    In front of the gates, a lot of vigers watched the show.

    Lots of people criticized Lady Ruan but of course lots of people med Lu Jiao. They saw how much stuff Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought ¨C it seemed fair to distribute some of that to Lady Ruan. She was the mother after all.

    Back inside the yard, Lady Tian wanted to say more. However, Lu Jiao walked over and grabbed her hand. She then stared at the crying Lady Ruan.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give you anything. It¡¯s just that I need to sell everything in town so I can buy Yunjin medicine. Right now, the most important thing is to treat Yunjin¡¯s legs.¡±

    Her words made many vigers sigh and they stopped ming Lu Jiao.

    Yunjin¡¯s wife had a hard life ¨C having to take care of a paralyzed husband.

    Lu Jiao ignored the vigers and continued, ¡°Mom, tell me honestly, it was your fourth son who asked you toe here and take all the gifts, right? He refuses to leave his brother alone until he dies! In order to prepare for his marriage, he manipted you into shunning your own son.

    And now, he saw his brother¡¯s ssmatese with gifts so he manipted you toe and get those gifts.¡±

    Just then, the noises of crying came from behind.

    Lu Jiao turned around and saw that the four little ones were all crying. Even the First Born, who never cried, teared up.

    The First Bornined, ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t like us, do you? You only like our fourth uncle. Before, the fourth uncle had eggs to eat every day but we never got to eat any. Fourth uncle got sugar water every day, but we never got to drink any. Fourth uncle had new clothes to wear, but we never got to wear any.¡±

    The quadruplets got sadder as they talked. Seeing them sad made Lu Jiao sad. She leaned down andforted them.

    ¡°Good boys, don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    As she hugged them, the First Born whispered in her ear, ¡°We are pretending.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face went dark. The four of them were all crying!

    Before the door, the mother and boys looked miserable, which made many vigers sad. All of them started toin about the Xie family¡¯s fourth son, Xie Yunhua.

    In the past, the Xie grandparents always talked trash about Lu Jiao and said Lu Jiao stole food from her sons, hit her sons, and refused to make them new clothes.

    In the end, it was all Xie Yunhua¡¯s fault.

    Lady Ruan heard their words and immediately fell into a bad mood. Her face turned dark and she screamed at the quadruplets.

    ¡°Shut up, you heartless boys! Did you forget how your fourth uncle used to give you food?!¡±

    The quadruplets cried harder. How sad!

    The four little ones were already articte for their age. Now, under duress, they somehow became even more well-spoken.

    Enduring through the sorrow, the First Born stared at Lady Ruan with his eyes red, ¡°That food was bought using silver my father gave you. My father gave you silver so you can buy us food. Yet you used it all to buy fourth uncle food. The fourth uncle ate eggs, drank sugar water, ate cakes, and wore new clothes. We didn¡¯t even get basic food.¡±

    The Second Born wiped away his tears using his own sleeve, ¡°Grandma, you have such a poor heart. All the good things we had were given to the fourth uncle and the little aunt. We never got to eat anything! Ahhh, our lives are so hard. How did we end up with such a grandma?¡±

    The Third Born added, ¡°The fourth uncle got to dress pretty every day yet we had nothing to change into. We look so ugly.¡±

    The Fourth Born saw what was happening and it scared him. However, his brothers were all acting so he had to too.

    He nced at his mother and the sight of her calmed him down. He chimed in and howled, ¡°The fourth uncle never did anything. Every day, he just ate and yed. Ahh, grandma, you told us to dig for worms and feed them to the chickens. If we didn¡¯t do it, we didn¡¯t get food.¡±

    Inside the yard, Lady Ruan¡¯s face could not get any darker. She clenched her teeth and she got off the ground to hit the quadruplet.

    ¡°You bastards! I am going to hit you to death! How dare you ruin your uncle¡¯s reputation!¡±

    The quadruplet ran to the back to hide. Lu Jiao protected them from the front and yelled, ¡°Mother, your fourth son is trying to destroy my family. If he dares to treat us this way, as his older sister-inw, I dare to teach him a lesson. I am going to beat up that greedyzy bum.¡±

    She then walked towards the gate, obviously going to find Xie Yunhua and hit him to death.

    Lady Ruan chased after her and cursed, ¡°Lu Jiao, I dare you to hit my fourth son! I dare you!¡±

    Lu Jiao temporarily stopped so Lady Ruan could catch up. Lu Jiao stared at her, ¡°If he dares to manipte you to cause trouble on my turf, I dare to teach him a lesson.¡±

    In front of the trellis, the Second Grandma came over to soothe down Lady Ruan, ¡°Go home, stop this. This is ridiculous. Yunjin¡¯s still bedridden.¡±

    Lady Ruan wanted to fight more but the Second Grandma pulled her away. This way, Lady Ruan didn¡¯t fight it.

    She was really scared that Lu Jiao would actually beat up her son. She heard that Lu Jiao beat up Shen Xiaoshanst time and he ended up lying in bed for three full days. The key thing was that there was no open wound on his body as evidence. If Lu Jiao really did run to her house, then her youngest son may suffer.

    Lady Ruan left angrily and cursed as she walked.

    Behind her, Xie Lan and Chen Liu stared in disbelief. They were leaving already? What about the stuff? They weren¡¯t going to try to get the stuff anymore?

    Lu Jiao red at Xie Lan and Chen Liu.

    These two women were scared but didn¡¯t want to give up on the goods. So they spoke up in turn.

    ¡°Third sister-inw, look at how much stuff you got. Just give some to mother ¨C it¡¯s no big deal. If you guard them without sharing, others may me you.¡±

    ¡°Sister-inw, I saw a lot of food in that pile. You should give half of it to your parents-inw. That¡¯s what good wives would do.¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at those two women mockingly, ¡°I told you, I am going to sell everything. Get out of here. If you don¡¯t, I will throw you out.¡±

    Xie Lan and Chen Liu were furious but helpless. They walked outside the gate and cursed, ¡°You heartless b!tch. Sooner orter, I will convince my brother to leave you.¡±

    ¡°What an unfilial daughter-inw. The Xie family has no room for you. You have so much good food to eat and refuse to share with your parents.¡±

    Behind them, Lu Jiao responded unpleasantly, ¡°I have no objections to paying respect to my parents. But everything they have, they feed it to you and their fourth son. Are you my mother or are you my father?¡±

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 56 - More Silver!

    <h4>Chapter 56: More Silver!</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Outside the gate, the vigers gradually left. As they left, they discussed Xie Yunhua.

    They¡¯ve never heard much about Xie Yunhua. Though today, they learned that he was azy character who never worked.

    At 17, he never worked and only ate the best food and wore the best clothes.

    The vigers searched their memories and realized that Xie Yunhua was white and fat. Meanwhile, Xie Yunjin¡¯s quadruplets were as skinny as chickens.

    The vigers used to believe Lady Ruan and thought Lu Jiao ate everything. However, now that they thought about it, Lu Jiao was already chubby when she married into the Xie family.

    She was fattened up by her own parents. Xie Yunhua however, was the only chubby and pale one in the entire Xie family.

    Plus, all this information was exposed by the quadruplets. The children were so little and there was no way they would lie. So, the conclusion was, Xie Yunhua was azy and greedy man.

    After everyone left, Lu Jiao got some water for the quadruplets to wash their faces with.

    The four little ones did well today. Lu Jiao was satisfied.

    The Fourth Born happily crowded Lu Jiao and asked for praise.

    ¡°Mommy, was my acting convincing?¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled and pinched his nose, ¡°Convincing. It was so convincing. But, who asked you to do all that?¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all looked over to the First Born. The First Born sneered and left.

    Lu Jiao watched him go and thought of Xie Yunjin. So this father and son pair were sly and tactful.

    The memories of Lady Ruan made Lu Jiao pity Xie Yunjin. How did he end up with such a mother?

    Could it be that they weren¡¯t biologically rted? Or else why would a mother treat her own son this way?

    Just then, Lady Tian and Lu Gui walked over and worriedly stared at the three kids, ¡°Are you guys okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re very clever.¡±

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao thought it was time to cook dinner.

    She went into the kitchen, took out some deer and rabbit meat from her space, then came out. She asked Lu Gui, ¡°Lu Gui, help me kill the deer. We¡¯ll eat deer and rabbit for dinner.¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s eyes brightened at the mention of meat. He nodded, ¡°Sis, I will help you right away.¡±

    Lady Tian went to help Lu Gui with the animals.

    Lu Jiao brought the three kids to the living room so they could organize the gifts Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought. When she reached the room, she heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold voice.

    ¡°Was everything you said true? Your fourth uncle ate eggs, candy, and cake at home but didn¡¯t give you anything? Your grandma made you dig worms for the chickens and refused to feed you unless youplied?¡±

    The First Born responded properly, ¡°You never asked us about the fourth uncle. You¡¯ve only ever asked if our mom hit us or stole our food. You never asked us about uncle specifically. Plus, grandma told us not to say anything about the fourth uncle. She told us if we said anything, we wouldn¡¯t get food.¡±

    His son¡¯s words made Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face lose color.

    He always thought his boys were skinny because the original host stole the children¡¯s food. Now, he realized it was because of his own mother¡¯s ruthlessness.

    To make sure his children had enough to eat, he often brought money home.

    However, every time he went home, his mother would tell him that the children were skinny because Lu Jiao stole their food.

    Only now did he find out that all the silver he brought home was fed to his fourth brother. It was no wonder he ended up chubby and bright-skinned.

    Xie Yunjin felt like he¡¯s been living like a blind man. He focused all his negative energy on Lu Jiao and overlooked so many other aspects and details in his life ¨C such as why his children were so skinny yet his brother was so chubby.

    Since he studied in the county, he only got one day off a month and never fully saw through the situation. On top of normal school work, he also made some friends with ssmates and would travel with them to other cities in order to study more knowledge. When he took those trips, he would leave home two to three months at a time.

    Those thoughts pained Xie Yunjin. Only now did he realize that he had contributed to his children¡¯s suffering.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I can¡¯t believe I never noticed.¡±

    Outside the bedroom, Lu Jiao organized the pile of gifts. She discovered that everything Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought was beneficial. There was a lot of food such as cake, candy, and tea. There were also textile and medicinal ingredients.

    The medicinal ingredients were of high quality, such as ginseng, fallopia, apiaceae, and red sage.

    Lu Jiao took all the medicine to the bedroom, ¡°The gifts your ssmates gave you are very expensive. Other than all the food, these medicinal ingredients are worth quite some money.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up at Lu Jiao. The sight of her face made him frown so deeply that the atmosphere turned horrifying.

    It took him a moment to remember that she was no longer the woman she used to be. That thought rxed him a little.

    He nced at the medicine and said mindlessly, ¡°My ssmate Han likely brought those. Don¡¯t mind it. He doesn¡¯tck money.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood right away that ssmate Han was from a wealthy family and he had a close rtionship with Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao searched her memories. When she read the novel, there was one character known as ssmate Han. Sadly, she never read this novel too carefully and it focused on the protagonists. Xie Yunjin was the antagonist and not that many details were written about him.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Come over here.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. Thinking that maybe he needed water, she walked over to him, worried.

    ¡°Do you need some water?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and then fetched something from under the pillow to give to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao took it over. Ah, it looked to be a bandars note.

    She carefully checked out the amount and found it to be 150 taels of silver.

    She was shocked, ¡°Where did you get so much money?¡±

    Xie Yunjin exined to Lu Jiao, ¡°Three years ago, I partnered with ssmate Han and opened up a bookstore across from our school in the county. This is my share of the profit. We go over our books once every six months. That¡¯s when he pays me my half. This note was brought by him today.¡±

    He actually has always kept some money with ssmate Han. He knew there mighte a day where he¡¯d need it.

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t know Xie Yunjin was wounded by a horse carriage and therefore, didn¡¯t know toe to visit with his money.

    When he received the news, he immediately showed up with the money.

    Originally, he brought 500 taels of silver. However, Xie Yunjin only took 150. He decided to keep the rest with ssmate Han.

    <strong></strong>

 Chapter 57 - Go Ahead, Take the Money and Run

    <h4>Chapter 57: Go Ahead, Take the Money and Run</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao was astounded, ¡°If you had money, why didn¡¯t you ask someone to get the money when you got hurt?¡±

    Xie Yunjin responded unpleasantly, ¡°I was injured and passed out at the time. When I woke up, I couldn¡¯t find the appropriate person to do the leg work.¡±

    The reason why he partnered up with ssmate Han to start a business was that he wanted a backup n for himself and his children. He didn¡¯t want others to know.

    He never trusted his own parents and that second brother of his was far too na?ve. If he knew about it, he likely would¡¯ve exposed it to his parents. Plus, when he was paralyzed in bed, he barely had the will to live, let alone get treatment.

    As for the money that was being kept by ssmate Han, he was not at all worried.

    He¡¯s told ssmate Han before that he was making money for the four little ones. He nned on sending them to school once they were older. If he really did die, ssmate Han would¡¯ve used the money to get the kids an education.

    But now, for his four little ones, he has decided to get his legs treated. Even if treatment fails, he will need to stay alive and take care of his children until they¡¯re adults.

    Lu Jiao listened to all this and didn¡¯t say anything. She was mostly surprised that Xie Yunjin would reveal his backup n to her. Wasn¡¯t he worried she would have evil intentions?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared that I would take this money and escape?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and give that a try?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s scalp felt numb. Though she was here through transmigration, after these days here, she has learned that she would not win in a game against the future First Assistant.

    Lu Jiao dryly chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just joking. Just where could I possibly run to?¡±

    However, if Xie Yunjin was willing to give her the money, it meant he didn¡¯t hate her as much as before. Then, once his legs heal, they can separate in peace.

    That thought made Lu Jiao very happy. She smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take any of this for myself. I¡¯m going to spend it all on this family.¡±

    If there are any left over when they separate, she will return it to him.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t say much and reminded her, ¡°We have nothing at home. You can buy whatever is deemed necessary. If the money¡¯s not enough, I can get more.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°It¡¯s more than enough.¡±

    She still had over 100 taels of silver left from selling her ganoderma. That plus today¡¯s money, she had over 200 taels of silver. That was more than enough tost her until their separation.

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin while her mood was over the moon, ¡°Are you hungry? I will bring you something to eat.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could answer, she turned to leave. At the same time, she waved at the four little ones, ¡°Children,e. I will give you some yummy snacks.¡±

    The four little ones peeked at Xie Yunjin, who kindly said to them, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    The four little ones happily followed Lu Jiao. Very quickly, happy chatters started to spread throughout the yard.

    ¡°Take a look and let me know what you want to eat. This is a walnut cookie, these are different vors of jelly, this is red dates cake, and this is glutinous rice flour cake.¡±

    Lu Jiao introduced the different types of snacks to the four little ones. Growing up, the four little ones had never seen such well-packaged goods. They felt overwhelmed and didn¡¯t know what to eat first.

    So Lu Jiao made their decision for them, ¡°Let¡¯s eat the walnut cookie first then.¡±

    The quadruplets violently nodded, ¡°Okay!¡±

    Lu Jiao gave each of them half a cookie, ¡°It¡¯s easy to get bloated eating cookies, so we will eat half each. That way, we save some stomach for dinner as well. Tonight, I will make you deer meat and spicy rabbit. What do you say?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up like stars in the constetions. Their little faces radiated with happiness.

    ¡°Sounds good, mommy!¡±

    Lu Jiao first broke a cookie in half and gave it to the First Born, ¡°Give half to your daddy so he can try it out.¡±

    The First Born nodded and ran to give it to Xie Yunjin. Once there, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t decline and carefully tasted the walnut cookie.

    Earlier today, his mother¡¯s actions made him feel dejected. But now, the atmosphere at home made him feel rxed and happy.

    This was what a home should look like ¡ª a kind and gentle mother with her obedient and filial sons.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao continued to divide up the cookies. She herself ate half as well. She had no intention to save everything for the children and not enjoy anything.

    After that, she took some to Lady Tian and Lu Gui.

    Lady Tian declined and said she was too busy dealing with the rabbit and had no time. So Lu Jiao shoved it into her mouth.

    Lady Tian¡¯s heart felt so sweetened by her daughter¡¯s actions. This was why everyone rmended having daughters over sons.

    Lu Gui didn¡¯t think so much and simply ate his share. At the same time, he silently eximed over how his sister was living the good life and eating the good food.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for Lu Gui¡¯s thoughts and ended up organizing all the gifts.

    Xie Yunjin remembered how he saw Lady Tian and Lu Gui and asked, ¡°Howe the mother-inw and brother-inw are here?¡±

    Lu Jiao naturally didn¡¯t want to tell him about the fight back home. She grinned, ¡°I¡¯m scared of the four little ones getting bullied while I¡¯m not at home so I asked my mom toe and help me for a few days.¡±

    Xie Yunjin squinted his eyes. He knew very well that she was lying.

    No matter how lovely his mother-inw was, there was no way she would ditch everything ande help her daughter. Something must¡¯ve happened to the Lu family. Was it all because of the five taels of silver?

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t ask anymore. That was the Lu family¡¯s business and he had no right to interfere.

    Dinner was extravagant. Not only were there braised deer meat and spicy rabbit, but there was also stir-fried pork with leek, as well as sweet and sour cabbage.

    Lu Jiao also made Xie Yunjin a bowl of steamed eggs.

    The food was great. The only w was theck of furniture at home. The family only had a small and broken table ¨C they didn¡¯t even have chairs.

    This afternoon, the long benches Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates sat on were borrowed from the Second Grandma¡¯s ce. At night, Lu Jiao had to return them.

    It was not like every family had benches to spare, she had to return them so they could sit.

    Because of that, other than Xie Yunjin, who ate in bed, everyone else ate standing up.

    Xie Yunjin felt like this was ridiculous and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Tomorrow, go to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce to see if they have any logs. If they do, ask uncle Youcai to make us some tables and chairs.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Uncle Youcai is a carpenter?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and apologetically looked over to Lady Tian and Lu Gui, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for this poor hospitality.¡±

    Lady Tian and Lu Gui shook their heads, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Lady Tian had experienced it all. She could tell that her daughter and her son-inw were now at peace. This made her very happy. She didn¡¯t care if she ate standing up or sitting down.

    After dinner and cleaning up, another problem arose. Lady Tian could sleep with Lu Jiao in the west bedroom, but what about Lu Gui?

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to sleep with Xie Yunjin just for the night.

    However, Lu Gui refused, ¡°My brother-inw is wounded. To sleep beside him would poorly affect him.¡±

    Lu Jiao suspiciously stared at Lu Gui. She was almost certain that Lu Gui refused the suggestion because he was scared of Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t sleep with your brother-inw, where will you sleep?¡±

 Chapter 58 - Calamity Tests Sincerity

    <h4>Chapter 58: Cmity Tests Sincerity</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Gui thought about it, ¡°Get me a mat. I¡¯ll sleep outside for the night.¡±

    It was summer and it would be fine to sleep outside.

    But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have any mats he could use. Out of the two here, one of them was as old as the house and could not be used. The other one was just as pathetic.

    Lu Jiao once again eximed over how poor this family was.

    In the end, Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to crash with Xie Xiaobao in the Second Grandma¡¯s house.

    Lu Jiao, Lady Tian, and the Fourth Born shared one bed, while the other three slept with Xie Yunjin.

    It was ratherte so Lu Jiao brought in the Fourth Born to get ready to sleep. However, behind her followed three little tails.

    How weird. Lu Jiao stared at them. They¡¯ve decided to sleep with her tonight instead of their dad?

    ¡°You want to sleep with me tonight?¡±

    The First Born shook his head and said, ¡°We want to listen to the story. We¡¯ll go after.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood. So they heard how she told the Fourth Born a storyst night and now they want the same treatment.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. She crawled onto the bed and asked the four kids to do the same.

    Since there were too many bodies, nobody could lie down and they sat in a circle.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and told them a story about a three-legged animal who loved to sing.

    ¡°There lived a frog who had three legs in the grass. Every day, it would sing a happy song while preying on pests¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao had to pause here, as the Fourth Born blinked at the three other babies and exined, ¡°This is a made-up story. Frogs do not really know how to sing.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped. The First Born red at the Fourth Born in a serious manner, ¡°No talking.¡±

    The Fourth Born stuck out his tongue then quieted down.

    Lu Jiao continued. This was a really short story and she finished quickly.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t get enough of it and wanted more. The First Born said to Lu Jiao, ¡°This story isn¡¯t as long as yesterday¡¯s.¡±

    So he wanted another one.

    Lu Jiao ignored him and ordered them to sleep, ¡°I will tell you guys a story every night. Don¡¯t get greedy! If you do, I¡¯ll stop telling you stories. Go sleep now!¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t dare to object and went separate ways to sleep.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao finallyid down but found Lady Tian to be staring at her. She didn¡¯t seem to recognize this daughter of hers anymore.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that she realized something?

    Just then, Lady Tian eximed, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re so much smarter now than before. You have even learned to tell stories. Even I thought the story was interesting.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s all from books.¡±

    Lady Tian couldn¡¯t help butpliment, ¡°No wonder the rich send their kids to school. Those who know how to read are just different from those who don¡¯t. Ah, Jiaojiao, how many characters do you recognize now?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face froze. Could she say that she¡¯s forgotten all the characters the original host learned? Though she had memories from the original host, those memories weren¡¯t hers. So it hurt her head trying to remember a few characters. She was lucky that Xie Yunjin offered to teach her.

    Lu Jiao grumbled, ¡°Yunjin said once he gets better, he¡¯ll teach me how to read. Then, I¡¯ll learn all the characters I don¡¯t know now.¡±

    Lady Tian was sessfully distracted. Now, she only cared about how her daughter was going to learn from Xie Yunjin. Did that mean her son-inw now cared for her daughter?

    Lady Tian¡¯s mouth stretched into a smile. She knew it! Cmity tests the sincerity of a marriage. Her daughter was doing all she could to care for her husband, how could her husband not be touched?

    ¡°That¡¯s so great. So great.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t hear a response. Looking back, she saw that Lu Jiao and the Fourth Born had both fallen asleep cuddling.

    Lady Tian closed her eyes and slept with a smile.

    The next day, Lu Jiao got up and heard Xie Yunjin call for her from the east bedroom, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    She thought he wanted water and went over quickly, ¡°What is it? Do you need water?¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin leaned to the side and stared at her excitedly.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m leaning forward and I don¡¯t feel nauseous. Do you think my head injury is starting to heal?¡±

    Lu Jiao was truly happy to hear that. This meant Xie Yunjin¡¯s concussion had subdued.

    This was great news! This meant they could perform surgery very soon.

    ¡°Your head injury is getting better. That¡¯s such good news.¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t even express how happy he was. His normally calm and handsome face was painted with liveliness. It made his visage look jade smooth and shiny.

    However, that onlysted a little while. Soon, the color on his face faded.

    Xie Yunjin remembered how Doctor Zhou from Baohe Tang told him that his legs were the most injured. If they don¡¯t find a doctor who could perform surgery, he would be paralyzed for life.

    Lu Jiao observed the change in his expression and knew he felt terrible. She stepped up and said to him, ¡°This is very big news. It means your life is no longer in danger. Without nausea, you can do some light exercises.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s brain raced hard to figure out a way to perform surgery on Xie Yunjin.

    She could tell him straight like it was. He may not believe her and may think she was there to hurt him. Or worse, he may suspect that she was not the real Lu Jiao.

    After all, in the Zhou Dynasty, doctors who could perform surgeries were as rare as a phoenix¡¯s feathers.

    Even if she did know medicine, logically, there was no way she would know how to perform surgery.

    She had to figure out a way to do this.

    Lu Jiao grinned ear to ear, ¡°I¡¯ll go pour you some sugar water.¡±

    Inside the room, the four little ones happily surrounded Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, are you all healed?¡±

    ¡°You are going to be okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at the four wide-eyed children, who gaped at him with anticipation. A smile found Xie Yunjin¡¯s face.

    Even if he never walked again in this lifetime, as long as movements no longer made him nauseous or made him puke, he could sit up straight slowly. Then, after some time, he could start a tutoring business. It won¡¯t be a problem for him to raise the four children.

    Xie Yunjin felt his anxiety subside. With gentle light in his eyes, he softly said to the four little ones, ¡°I will be okay. You don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore.¡±

    The four little ones cheered in response. Outside, Lady Tian and Lu Gui had heard the good news from Lu Jiao. They too were over the moon.

    ¡°Son-inw, this is great news. No nausea means your head is healed. After more medicine, I¡¯m sure you can start to sit up straight.¡±

    The more Lady Tian thought about it, the happier she got. Once he could sit up, he would be able to start a teaching business. Then, this household would be able to generate ie and they could properly raise their children.

    Xie Yunjin nodded at Lady Tian. Everything his mother-inw¡¯s done has earned his respect.

    Everyone here was happy today.

    Lu Jiao thought they needed to celebrate. So not only did she make porridge for breakfast, but she also made egg crepes and some side dishes including wood ear mushroom sd, and eggs with peas.

    She didn¡¯t have enough pots. If she had an extra one, she would¡¯ve cooked more.

    Though breakfast was delicious, everyone still ate standing up. This time, before Xie Yunjin could speak, Lu Jiao spoke up.

    ¡°After breakfast, I will go and ask Uncle Cai if he has any wood or logs. If he does, I will ask him to make us a table and eight chairs.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Would Saying more Words Kill

    <h4>Chapter 59: Would Saying more Words Kill him?</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin nodded. There was now much less coldness on his face. His entire persona appeared gentler and softer. He was born handsome, and now with warmth around his eyes, he was truly enjoyable to look at.

    Despite his good looks, Lady Tian and Lu Gui found him too scary to get close to.

    Lu Jiao had no idea why they were so afraid.

    After breakfast, Lady Tian helped heat up Xie Yunjin¡¯s medicine.

    Lu Jiao nned to bring the four kids to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce to look for Uncle Youcai.

    However, the mother and her children didn¡¯t even get to leave their gate when a horse carriage arrived. Behind the horse carriage was a crowd of people.

    Lu Jiao remembered what happened yesterday and her temples pulsed. Who was it now? Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates again?

    The man who stepped out of the carriage wasn¡¯t Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmate ¨C it was Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang.

    Other than Doctor Qi, there was also Xie Duojin. Though Xie Duojin hasn¡¯t fully healed, he could already walk with someone¡¯s help. The darkness on his skin had faded enough that nobody could tell he was bitten by a snake.

    The sight of Xu Duojin triggered lots of discussions.

    ¡°I heard Duojin was bitten by a snake?¡±

    ¡°I heard that too. But he looks fine right now?¡±

    ¡°I heard that many people be disabled due to snake poison. Even those who don¡¯t end up losing hair or teeth.¡±

    Everyone gossiped while Xie Duojin and his family went up to Lu Jiao.

    Xue Duojin¡¯s wife, Zhang Zhaodi, supported him as he walked. She bowed towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you Yunjin¡¯s wife for helping my husband with the ringneck snake venom.¡±

    Many others started to thank Lu Jiao as well.

    Lu Jiao brandished his hand, ¡°I¡¯m d you are okay. Go home and rest. I¡¯m sure the poison hasn¡¯t been fully expelled. If you take your medicine as instructed, I think it¡¯ll only take you another three days to heal up.¡±

    Xu Duojin thanked her again. Then, he waved at his wife, Zhang Zhaodi. Zhang Zhaodi took out some silver, around five to six taels, and shoved it into Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    Lu Jiao declined, ¡°I don¡¯t want money. I only did what was right.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want money because Xu Duojin was one of the vigers and her neighbors. Plus, he was so poor. She was certain that the money here was all his savings and there was no way she would take that. She wasn¡¯t in desperate need of money right now. She had more than 100 taels of silver from her ganoderma and Xie Yunjin just gave her another 150 taels.

    Ah right, Doctor Qi also said he wouldpensate her for sharing her prescription.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gazended on the soft-spoken Doctor Qi.

    Doctor Qi responded with a smile.

    Xu Duojin listened to Lu Jiao but didn¡¯t take back the silver. He tried to convince her, ¡°Use this money to help brother Yunjin. Once you get more money, you can return it to me.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I can make my own money. If I run out, I will go borrow some from you. How about that?¡±

    The Xu family took back the silver then. Zhang Zhaodi helped Xu Duojin walk home.

    Outside the trellis, many vigers greeted the Xu family. A portion of the crowd went to the Xu family while the rest remained outside Lu Jiao¡¯s house. They all spoke about Lu Jiao, surprised.

    Lu Jiao knew how to cure snake venom? Ringneck snake at that.

    Someone remembered how Lu Jiao helped Xie Xiaobao with the fishbone that was stuck in his throat. Back then, she easily took out the fishbone for him.

    So it appeared that Yunjin¡¯s wife knew medicine and was a doctor.

    Qi Lei ignored the vigers and continued to talk to Lu Jiao, ¡°Ms. Lu, can we talk?¡±

    Lu Jiao invited Qi Lei into her home. The vigers knew this young man was a doctor from Baohe Tang and thought Lu Jiao invited him in to check out Xie Yunjin. They all stood outside to watch the show.

    Qi Lei said to Lu Jiao as they walked inside, ¡°Last time, you mentioned that there are many types of snake venom.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded.

    Qi Lei then genuinely requested, ¡°I want to buy more prescriptions from you. I wonder if that¡¯s okay? Ms. Lu, rest assured, I¡¯m not buying the right to your prescriptions. You can of course continue to use them. I just want to be able to use them as well.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I can give you three different prescriptions.¡±

    ¡°Then, how about I give you 300 taels of silver for those?¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed. Why would she say no to money that was already on her door? That would earn her a lightning strike!

    Plus, these prescriptions could help save lives. Even if she wasn¡¯t getting paid for them, she would let Doctor Qi use them. But, since he offered money, she wasn¡¯t going to say no.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Of course. Doctor Qi,e on in.¡±

    Since the paper and brushes were in the east bedroom, Lu Jiao invited him into the east bedroom.

    The moment they walked in, Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold voice arose, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    Lu Jiao walked to the bed and exined, ¡°This is Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang. He wants to buy my prescriptions so I brought him in here.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Xie Yunjin checked out Qi Lei. This doctor sure was young and appeared kind. His face radiated with happiness and friendliness.

    Though friendly, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t care for him at all. So, coldly, he muttered.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched. Would saying more words kill him?

    If it weren¡¯t for the people around, she would¡¯ve rolled her eyes at him

    Inside the room, Qi Lei stared at Xie Yunjin in shock.

    He had asked Ling Feng to look into Lu Jiao¡¯s background and therefore knew she had a husband who was bedridden. He also knew her husband was a schr.

    However, he never expected her husband to be so handsome. Though bedridden, he remained graceful. He leaned against the headboard and his ck hair draped around his shoulders. His features were exquisite and his eyes almost appeared painted.

    However, the look in his eyes was rather sharp, which made it impossible for people to undermine him.

    If this man wasn¡¯t injured so gravely, he could¡¯ve gone far.

    Qi Lei pitied him.

    Lu Jiao had retrieved some paper, ink, and brushes. She ced them on the small broken table and said to Qi Lei.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk, you write.¡±

    Qi Lei was in shock and thought he heard wrong, ¡°I write?¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin shifted his gaze to Lu Jiao and his lips curled up sarcastically, obviouslyughing at her.

    Lu Jiao was terrified that he would sell her out and let everyone know that she couldn¡¯t read. She red at Xie Yunjin and then said to Qi Lei, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the ingredients, you can write them down.¡±

    Qi Lei no longer doubted his hearing and responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    He sat down on the little chair made out of rock and started to write.

    Lu Jiao first introduced to him the different types of poison, ¡°You need to first identify the type of snake poison. For example, coral snake, ringneck snake, and many banded krait venoms are neurotoxic. Those bitten would experience severe neurological symptoms that you will need to counter with a heavy load of scorpions and centipedes.

    Gloydius and cobras venoms are cytotoxic. Those bitten may quickly develop infections that can eventually evolve into worse diseases.

    Rattlesnake, vipers, and copperhead venoms are considered hemotoxic. Those bitten get disoriented and have severe nausea .¡±

 Chapter 60 - A Nice Surprise

    <h4>Chapter 60: A Nice Surprise</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    After Lu Jiao exined the types of poisons, she exined how to detoxify each type. After Qi Lei wrote everything, she continued, ¡°If the snake poison is mild andmon, then use the recipe for neurotoxic snakes minus the centipedes and the scorpions.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded. The recipes she¡¯s shared could help him cure basically all snake bites. This was remarkable.

    Qi Lei was overwhelmed with happiness and generously took out a bandars note worth 300 taels of silver.

    Lu Jiao was happy to see that and kissed the bandars note.

    More money. Not bad at all.

    In front of the door, the quadruplets peeked into the room. Lu Jiao gestured for them toe inside and patted their heads.

    ¡°I have money now. Whatever you want to eat, whatever you want to y with, just tell me.¡±

    The four little ones smiled. Ah, their mommy has made money! How amazing!

    Qi Lei watched this peaceful image of a mother with her children. He felt somewhat envious.

    Behind them, Xie Yunjin wanted to hide his face behind his hands. How stupid looking. This was embarrassing.

    Now that Qi Lei had gotten what he came for, he had no ns to stay. He gave Lu Jiao another look and said, ¡°Ms. Lu, I will get back to it then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡±

    After giving Xie Yunjin a nod, Qi Lei walked out of the house with Lu Jiao behind him. Xie Yunjin watched the two leave and for some reason, found the image of them irritating. His face turned cold.

    Lu Jiao had no idea what he was thinking and walked Qi Lei all the way to the gate.

    In front of the trellis, several people rushed over and knelt before Qi Lei.

    ¡°Are you Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang? Please help me save my Erdan.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Qi, my Erdan has had a high fever for days. We brought him to Huichun Clinic and they gave him some medicine. However, he got better only for a few hours before heating up again. My child is dying. Doctor Qi, please save my child.¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Qi Lei listened to them and gently responded, ¡°Please get up. I will go take a look with you.¡±

    He then nced at Lu Jiao, ¡°Do you want toe with?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head. Xie Yunjin hasn¡¯t even had his medicine yet. She needed to take care of him.

    Plus, a child with fever was not an illness Qi Lei couldn¡¯t handle.

    Lu Jiao walked back to the kitchen. Inside, Lady Tian and Lu Gui gaped at her in awe.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you know how to cure snake bites?¡±

    ¡°Sister, when did you learn all this?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened a little, but she was quick to answer, ¡°Mom, do you remember Grandma Huang, who lived behind us?¡±

    Lady Tian nodded, ¡°You used to go over to her house frequently.¡±

    Back then, her daughter was often sick and she didn¡¯t want her to help with farming. So, whenever Lu Jiao got bored at home, she would go visit Grandma Huang.

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t want her to go. Grandma Huang was very weird and isted. She was also a refugee from somewhere far away. Lady Tian was scared that her daughter would get badly influenced or even get hurt.

    Who knew that her daughter would end up hanging out with that Grandmother for several years.

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao continued calmly, ¡°Grandma Huang knew medicine. All those years I went to hang out with her back then was so I could learn medicine.¡±

    Lady Tian was shocked, ¡°Howe you never told us that?¡±

    Lu Jiao grabbed Lady Tian¡¯s arm, ¡°Grandma Huang asked me not to tell anyone. She didn¡¯t want to spend time seeing patients.¡±

    Grandma Huang was no longer around so there was no way for anyone to fact check.

    It was true that Grandma Huang enjoyed gathering and picking strange and unknown flowers. She would make tea or cook with them. That part of her lifestyle fit the story Lu Jiao told.

    Lady Tian was shocked for a while but that quickly turned into happiness, ¡°That means, Jiaojiao, you can treat patients?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, mom.¡±

    Lady Tian was ecstatic, ¡°That¡¯s great! Once Yunjin can start sitting up and teaching, you can earn money by helping the sick. Ah, your lives will get so much easier.¡±

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Gui looked over to Lady Tian and then back to Lu Jiao. Something felt wrong. If this sister of his that such a skill, howe she never showed it off before?

    Lu Jiao gave Lu Gui no chance to speak, ¡°Ah, right, you should go back after lunch. Mom can stay with me.¡±

    Lu Gui tried to butter her up, ¡°My dear sister, I can stay and help you out. I¡¯m in no rush to go back.¡±

    It was better for him to stay and help convince mother to go home than going back home alone. His father may just beat him up if he went back alone.

    Lu Jiao found this odd, ¡°Aren¡¯t you working in town? How can you just not show up? Does your boss know you aren¡¯t going to be there?¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s face darkened and he said, depressed, ¡°That job was over for me a while ago. The boss reced me with one of his rtives.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him. She remembered her n of teaching the Lu family how to make tofu. If she could make that happen, Lu Gui could just help out at home rather than work for someone else.

    However, Lu Jiao had no ns on sharing that just yet. Let this little guy be depressed for a while.

    Lu Jiao took the heated-up medicine and went outside, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go feed Yunjin his medicine.¡±

    Inside the east bedroom, the four little ones crowded around Xie Yunjin and happily chatted.

    ¡°Daddy, mommy made money. We have money now. Now she can afford you a doctor.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re going to heal soon. Once you¡¯re healthy, you can go back to studying and eventually get a good job.¡±

    ¡°You can then y with us again and take us into town.¡±

    The four littles were over the moon as they chitchatted, oblivious to the fact that having money didn¡¯t mean their dad¡¯s legs would heal.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was a little dark but he faked a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao came in with the medicine. The four little ones ran to her happily and raised their heads towards her, ¡°Now that we have money, daddy will get better?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, so you should happy! Go outside and y with Soot and Marble. I¡¯m going to feed your daddy medicine.¡±

    The four little ones aggressively nodded. Their delicate soft faces were full of joy and the fear they used to carry evaporated.

    Once they left the room, Lu Jiao went up to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°After another two to three days of taking medicine, you¡¯ll likely be able to sit up. Then, you can do some light exercises in bed instead of doing nothing like now.¡±

    These days, Xie Yunjin¡¯s been taking high-quality medicine. She¡¯s also added some red sage, ganoderma, and spiritual stream water in there. That was why he healed faster than usual.

    After the medicine was downed, Lu Jiao suddenly remembered the deer blood she kept in her space. She chuckled, ¡°Wait for me, I have a nice surprise to give you.¡±

    She then left with the empty bowl. Behind her, Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and pondered what the nice surprise Lu Jiao referred to could be?

    He pondered until Lu Jiao returned with a giant bowl of blood.

 Chapter 61 - Human Blood? Deer Blood?

    <h4>Chapter 61: Human Blood? Deer Blood?</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes fixated on the bowl of blood. The nice surprise was blood?

    ¡°That is blood? Is it human blood?¡±

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes and slowly raised his head to look at Lu Jiao. Could it be that this woman before him drank human blood?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face nked out, ¡°Human blood? This is deer blood. You know how I hunted a deer? Before the deer died, I collected this bowl of its blood. Deer blood can nourish the stomach and increase blood flow. Drink up. This is good for your health.¡±

    Lu Jiao shoved the blood into Xie Yunjin¡¯s face. The smell of metal rushed to Xie Yunjin¡¯s head.

    His face froze and he subconsciously retreated. He said to Lu Jiao faintly, ¡°I think you need it more than me.¡±

    Who knew where this woman came from? He¡¯s heard that certain ghosts or goblins enjoy drinking blood. So it appeared to him that she needed this blood more than him.

    Xie Yunjin pushed the bowl away, ¡°You drink it.¡±

    He then stopped looking. It didn¡¯t matter which animal¡¯s blood it was, he couldn¡¯t stomach it.

    Lu Jiao was confused, ¡°Why would I drink deer blood? I got it for you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was full of disgust. Even his body disyed signs of rejection.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m not going to drink it. You should drink it.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to p this guy. Why would she drink deer blood when she was healthy?

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Hurry up and drink it.¡±

    Her tone was alluring, simr to the devils who try to lure souls into hell.

    Xie Yunjin was determined, ¡°I¡¯m not drinking it. If you want it, you drink it.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how resolute he was at not wanting to drink this. She looked into the bowl and stared at the red liquid. True, it did look gross. Oh well, she will just cook it with the deer meat then.

    Lu Jiao left the room with the deer blood. Behind her, Xie Yunjin watched her leave and fell deep into his thoughts.

    Could it be that that woman was going to a dested ce to drink the blood? Deer blood was still blood.

    Lu Jiao had no idea what was going through Xie Yunjin¡¯s head. If she knew, she would hit him to death.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao handed the deer blood to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, this is deer blood. Pour it into the pot and we¡¯ll cook it with the deer meat for lunch.¡±

    Beside her, Lu Gui asked excitedly, ¡°Sister, we¡¯re eating deer meat again for lunch?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yeah, that deer is huge, we have so much meat left. If the weather was cooler, I¡¯d make us deer hot pot.¡±

    As excited as Lu Gui was, he felt bad for his dad and his siblings. He remembered that Lu Jiao brought this deer to the Lu family for them. However, because of how they treated Lady Tian, Lu Jiao brought the deer back.

    Just then, some people walked in through the gate. They were the Lin family who were just here to ask to see Qi Lei.

    The Lin¡¯s saw Lu Jiao and anxiously shouted, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can you pleasee with me and take a look at Erdan?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that was weird, ¡°Isn¡¯t Doctor Qi there?¡±

    Erdan¡¯s mother, Lady Sun, started to cry, ¡°Doctor Qi said he¡¯s not sure what medicine to prescribe. He¡¯s worried that whatever medicine he gives Erdan, won¡¯t help with the fever. If the fever keeps on going, Erdan¡¯s brain may get damaged.¡±

    The thought of her son bing an idiot made Lady Sun cry out loud.

    Everyone from the Lin family stared at Lu Jiao expectantly.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline and said to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to go with them. Keep an eye on Yunjin. If he needs anything, ask Lu Gui to help.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t speak. Lu Gui however, happily epted, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of my brother-inw.¡±

    By now, he could tell that his sister was a capable being that needed his ttery.

    Lady Tian worriedly looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, are you sure you can handle this?¡±

    Though her daughter told her she learned medicine from Grandma Huang, she still felt like it was just a dream. Her daughter¡¯s never mentioned that before!

    Lu Jiaoforted Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Doctor Qi is there. I¡¯m only going to take a look.¡±

    Inside the yard, Soot and Marble were ying with the four children. When they heard themotion, they all rushed over, ¡°Mom, we¡¯reing with you.¡±

    ¡°I want to go too!¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t bring them. Where the Lin family lived was rowdy and she didn¡¯t want the children to get hurt, ¡°I have stuff to do and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going. I¡¯ll bring you next time when I go for fun.¡±

    Lu Jiao then left with the Lin family. The four little ones were sad as they stood inside the yard and watched their mom leave pitifully. The look on their face was as if they¡¯ve been abandoned. Lady Tian felt bad and gathered them around tofort them.

    There were lots of people gathered inside the Lin family¡¯s yard. Right now, everyone was talking about Erdan¡¯s fever.

    The Xie Vige wasn¡¯t big, and news circted fast.

    Of course, other than the select few who wanted chaos, most people came over out of worry.

    Everyone here knew that the Lin family went to get Lu Jiao.

    Now, they were all betting whether or not Lu Jiao could cure Erdan.

    ¡°I think Yunjin¡¯s wife can do it. She managed to get rid of a ringneck snake¡¯s venom. A fever is nothing inparison.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s unlikely that she can do anything. Even Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang isn¡¯t confident, how could Yunjin¡¯s wife know what to do? If she knows what to do, then I would be mind blown.¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if she can figure it out. Or else the child¡¯s brain will melt soon.¡±

    Once Lu Jiao arrived, everyone parted a path for her. The Lin family and she walked into the Lin family¡¯s bedroom.

    The Lin family was big. Erdan¡¯s parents were the second child of the family and lived in the west room.

    Inside the room, Qi Lei was doing a physical exam. When Lu Jiao arrived, he nodded at her and continued his exam.

    Once he was done, Lu Jiao asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    ¡°His fever keeps oning back. I¡¯m worried it may be caused by something more serious. I checked to see if there are any rashes, but he has none.¡±

    Qi Lei stepped aside so Lu Jiao could take a look. Lu Jiao walked up and first checked Erdan¡¯s pulse, then did a physical exam as well. Once she was done, she turned to look at Qi Lei.

    Qi Lei sighed, ¡°Nothing?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°If I figured it out, would you be embarrassed?¡±

    The Lin family nervously asked, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you figured it out? What¡¯s wrong with Erdan?¡±

    Lu Jiao lifted Erdan¡¯s shirt and pressed his stomach with one hand while her other hand gently hit it. Everyone heard rather loud thuds from the hitting.

    Lu Jiao asked the Lin family, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since he¡¯s used the washroom?¡±

    The family didn¡¯t understand and exchanged nces. Lu Jiao rified, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since he took a dump?¡±

    Erdan¡¯s mother, Lady Sun, nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Have you been eating a lot of meattely? This caused him to be constipated. Due to constipation, a lot of heat is trapped inside his body, which caused a fever. To heal, he must take somexatives. Once he poops, his temperature will drop. You don¡¯t need medicine that tackles a fever directly.¡±

 Chapter 62 - Ready for Surgery! Translator: Coke

    <h4>Chapter 62: Ready for Surgery!</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words made Qi Lei exim, ¡°No wonder the medicine he took was useless. This exins it.¡±

    There was so much astonishment in Qi Lei¡¯s eyes as he stared at Lu Jiao. Lady Lu¡¯s knowledge of medicine was beyond his expectation.

    ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    The Lin family was frantic, ¡°Then, Yunjin¡¯s wife, please prescribe some medicine for my Erdan. We are going to buy it right away.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Erdan, whose face was bright red due to difort.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but offer, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go into town to buy medicine. I have some raw rhubarb at home. You take it, boil it, and then feed him the water. He should be able to poop after that. Once he poops, make sure he sweats a lot to get rid of the heat. He should be fine after that.¡±

    The Lin family listened to Lu Jiao and was more than appreciative. Lady Sun walked out with her to get the raw rhubarbs.

    Behind them, Qi Lei assured the Lin family, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be okay.¡±

    He then followed Lu Jiao as well.

    Outside in the yard, everyone¡¯s caught up with what happened. They were all so excited, even more so than the Lin family.

    ¡°Oh my, Yunjin¡¯s wife is amazing. She just took one look and figured out why Erdan got his fever. She¡¯s a better doctor than those from the Huichun Clinic and Baohe Tang.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if her method will actually work. Let¡¯s judge after Erdan¡¯s fever goes away.¡±

    ¡°If it works, then Yunjin¡¯s wifewould be considered a miracle doctor.¡±

    There were all sorts of discussions going on. Lu Jiao ignored all the vigers and brought Lady Sun home.

    On the way back, she remembered the matter of Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery. Suddenly, she snapped her head around to look at Qi Lei. He was a doctor from the Capital City. What if she asked him for help?

    That idea gave Lu Jiao energy. She smiled at Qi Lei and asked, ¡°Doctor Qi, can I ask you for a favor?¡±

    Qi Lei admired Lu Jiao very much. Her request made him nod, ¡°Please speak of it.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t in a rush to tell. Since Lady Sun was there as well, she couldn¡¯t tantly ask him about Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery.

    ¡°We can chatter.¡±

    The three of them went back to the Xie house. Lu Jiao went to fetch the rhubarbs¡¯ from the kitchen. In reality, she took it out of her space.

    She kept stuff like this in her little storage unit in her space. The rhubarb she looked for had been concocted.

    Lu Jiao took out a little and gave it to Lady Sun, ¡°Rhubarbs are somewhat toxic, so this much is enough. Go home and boil enough liquid for two bowls. Let him have one bowl and see if he poops. If he does, then don¡¯t give him the second bowl. If the first bowl doesn¡¯t do the job, then feed him the second bowl. After two bowls, he will for sure get better.¡±

    Lady Tian took the rhubarbs and thanked Lu Jiao profusely before she left.

    After she left, Qi Lei asked Lu Jiao, ¡°You need a favor from me?¡±

    Lu Jiao whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything and don¡¯t ask me anything. Just cooperate with me in a bit.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded. Lu Jiao led Qi Lei to the east bedroom. As she led the way, she excitedly conversed, ¡°Doctor Qi, so you are the famous doctor from the Capital City. This is so great. I will have to rely on you to help with my husband¡¯s injuries.¡±

    Qi Lei felt all the hair on his body stand up. He was getting a bad vibe.

    By now, the duo had entered the east bedroom.

    Agitated, Lu Jiao headed straight to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Husband, let me share some good news with you. Doctor Qi here is a doctor from the Capital City. His knowledge base is deep and he says he knows how to perform surgery.¡±

    Inside the room, Qi Lei froze out of shock. What was the meaning of this? He wasn¡¯t a surgeon so why was this woman making such ims?

    Qi Lei wanted to speak.

    Lu Jiao snuck him a re to remind him that he agreed to cooperate.

    Qi Lei started to perspire. He didn¡¯t know how to do surgeries though!

    Oh my goodness, thisdy sure knew how to dig a hole for someone.

    Lu Jiao ignored him and stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Did you hear me? Doctor Qi said he can perform surgery on you!¡±

    Xie Yunjin was astounded. He suppressed all the emotions he felt and asked, ¡°Doctor Qi, you really know how to perform surgery?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know! He¡¯s never done it! He didn¡¯t dare!

    Beside the bed, Lu Jiao stared into Qi Lei¡¯s soul and silently warned him that if he ruined her n, she would kill him.

    Qi Lei sweated harder and whimpered. Why did he agree to cooperate? This was a scam.

    Lu Jiao once again spoke up, ¡°Doctor Qi, hurry and examine my husband. Tell us, can you really treat him?¡±

    While being stared at by Lu Jiao, Qi Lei walked up to Xie Yunjin to examine him.

    This Lady Lu was a devil.

    Howe he was so sure before that she was harmless? That was poor judgment on his part.

    After he examined Xie Yunjin, Qi Lei confirmed, ¡°Your legs have high hopes of making full recovery after surgery.¡±

    He didn¡¯t lie. The problem was that he didn¡¯t know how to do surgery!

    Qi Lei¡¯s words made Xie Yunjin think that he was now operable! Overwhelmed with happiness, his cold and jade-like skin reddened a little.

    There was much happiness on his face as his dark pupils lightened up. The once aloof and cold man now appeared kind and warm.

    ¡°This is great news.¡±

    Lu Jiao chimed in, ¡°Yes! This is an unexpected surprise. We can finally cure your legs.¡±

    By the bed, Qi Lei was flustered and he paled. Oh my god, why did hee to this vige? He should¡¯ve checked his horoscope before he left his home today.

    He wasn¡¯t meant to be out here today. What should he do now?

    Lu Jiao ignored Qi Lei and continued to smile, ¡°Doctor Qi, do you think you can do the surgery in two days? After Yunjin gets a little better?¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to get the surgery this second! So he burst out impatiently, ¡°We can arrange for surgery right now!¡±

    Lu Jiao disagreed. She needed at least two days to get things in order. She hasn¡¯t evenmunicated with Baohe Tang. How could she just rush into surgery?

    Her expression didn¡¯t change as she replied, ¡°Yunjin, surgery is a serious matter. You should leave it to Doctor Qi to n and execute.¡±

    Lu Jiao then looked up to Qi Lei and indicated to him that it was his turn to speak.

    Qi Lei¡¯s face was rather sour. He wanted to cry. What should he do now? He wanted to cry to the man stuck in bed and tell him that he really shouldn¡¯t be hopeful as surgery was an unknown field to Baohe Tang.

    Against Lu Jiao¡¯s threatening gaze, however, he quivered, ¡°You should rest for at least two more days. Once I¡¯m ready, I will send someone to inform you.¡±

    He wanted to get into his horse carriage and leave this vige. He shall never return! What bad luck for him to have met this woman!

    Her doing was digging him a hole! Worse, she was digging a hole for her husband!

    She was giving her husband false hope. Once he found that the surgery was a no-go, he would likely go insane. This woman was scamming many people at once ¨C was she trying to set up her husband because she hated him?

    As Qi Lei pondered in darkness and silence, Lu Jiao was busyforting Xie Yunjin, ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of a few more days. You should rest well and prepare for surgery over the next two days.¡±

    Xie Yunjin once again did his best to suppress the excitement he felt. Not even in his wildest dreams did he think he would sessfully meet a surgeon.

    How wonderful.

 Chapter 63 - The Village Turned Restless

    <h4>Chapter 63: The Vige Turned Restless</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the happier he became. His entire face glowed and his hands quivered.

    Perhaps he was far too excited at the moment because hepletely overlooked the doctor¡¯s perspiring face. If he was calmer and more observant at that moment, he would¡¯ve caught that.

    Terrified that Qi Lei may blow this, Lu Jiao grinned at him.

    ¡°Doctor Qi, then I leave everything to you. Let me walk you out. Once Yunjin¡¯s physical health improves, we will do the surgery.¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s face was tense and he couldn¡¯t find any words to say out loud. All he could do was slowly walk outside.

    If one observed closely, one would notice that his walk was extremely awkward.

    Lu Jiao walked him to his horse carriage that was parked outside the trellis.

    Qi Lei¡¯s head cleared then and angrily gawked at Lu Jiao, ¡°You¡¯re setting me up for failure and hurting your husband. I do not know how to do this surgery.¡±

    Lu Jiao said slowly, ¡°I know how. Enough now, I will go find you in two days in town to prepare.¡±

    She then turned to leave.

    Inside the carriage, Qi Lei was still furious but Lu Jiao¡¯s words echoed inside his mind.

    ¡°I know how.¡±

    What did she know?

    Surgery?

    This time, Qi Lei¡¯s face changed color. Oh my god, Ms. Lu knew how to perform surgery? Was that true?

    For a woman to be a surgeon was unbelievable to him. What kind of woman on this earth dared to do such a thing?

    There were surgeons in the Zhou dynasty, but all those doctors were sent to work in the military. After every battle, there were usually many wounded, so the doctors there were able to practice and try out new methods to help patients. The only reason they were able to get good at surgeries was because of the high number of patients who needed surgeries.

    Normal doctors rarely got to meet patients who needed surgeries and therefore, had no experience to gain.

    Yet Ms. Lu told him she could perform surgery?

    Qi Lei¡¯s heart beated quickly. If what she said was true, then she must be one hell of a doctor.

    Before, Ling Feng had wanted to hire another doctor for Baohe Tang. However, after he tried out several, he felt like their skills were not up to par.

    If Ms. Lu was a surgeon, then her skills must be up to Ling Feng¡¯s standards.

    In a daze, Qi Lei returned to town.

    Back in the Xie house, Lu Jiao was all smiles and congratted Xie Yunjin, ¡°I want to be the first to congratte you. I wish you a fast and speedy recovery. I¡¯m sure your health will go back to normal in no time.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was now much calmer but still very much thrilled. As if he pleaded for a firm answer, he looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, that Doctor Qi, can he really perform surgery on my legs and cure me?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, another excited scream entered the room.

    ¡°Yunjin, is that for real?¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao turned their heads toward the door and found the Vige Leader, Xie Fugui there.

    Xie Fugui was noticeably delighted as he gaped at the two inside the room in disbelief.

    ¡°The doctor from Baohe Tang can treat Yunjin¡¯s legs?¡±

    Lu Jiao was calm as she nodded, ¡°Yes, Doctor Qi said he can do it. He said Yunjin needs surgery, then needs two to three months of rest. After that, he should be able to walk.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. Doctor Qi said he needed two to three months of rest? Howe he didn¡¯t hear that?

    Just then, Xie Fugui marched to the bed and grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hands, ¡°This is great news! Doctor Qi is our vige¡¯s savior!¡±

    Xie Yunjin dropped his suspicion. As he stared at the excited Xie Fugui, he did his best to calm his excited heart, ¡°Even if I do get surgery, I may not be able to walk again.¡±

    Xie Fuguiughed, ¡°If Doctor Qi agreed to treat you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to walk again. This is such good news! I must tell the others.¡±

    Xie Fugui then left and did not give others any chance to speak more.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao wanted to stop him but he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    After he left, Lady Tian and Lu Gui rushed in, followed by the four little ones.

    Just as delighted, Lady Tian stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Jiaojiao, can Doctor Qi really cure Yunjin?¡±

    Lady Tian nervously stared at Lu Jiao and Lu Gui did the same.

    The four little ones surrounded her and looked up.

    Lu Jiao smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes, Doctor Qi can cure Yunjin¡¯s legs. As long as the surgery is performed, Yunjin will be able to walk again after two to three months of rest.¡±

    Lady Tian was over the moon, ¡°This is great!¡±

    Lu Gui nodded as well, ¡°My brother-inw can walk again soon. This is the best news!¡±

    The four little ones now crowded Xie Yunjin and tried to get a word in.

    ¡°Daddy, once you start walking again, you can go back to studying in the county!¡±

    ¡°Daddy, you can lift us up again!¡±

    ¡°You promised you would bring us to your school and show us.¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re going to get a really big job in the city. A really really big job.¡±

    The fourth born formed a big circle with his arms as if to show how ¡°big¡± of a job his daddy was going to get.

    Xie Yunjin saw how overjoyed everyone was and couldn¡¯t help but be influenced. His handsome face was now soft, as beautiful as emerald water and faraway mountains. His originally dark and sullen eyes now showed emotions that rippled like spring water, moving and sensitive.

    Lu Jiao scanned the room and her lips curled up. This was nice.

    Lady Tian felt the same way. However, when she caught sight of her daughter, she became worried.

    Once her son-inw heals and finishes his studies, would he abandon her daughter?

    Though Lady Tian was worried, she didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment. She said to Lu Jiao, ¡°This is good news. We need to make some nice dishes tonight.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao also felt the need to celebrate.

    The mother and daughter pair went to the kitchen to make lunch, while the four little ones stayed to keep Xie Yunjinpany.

    After the Vige Leader Xie Fugui left the Xie family home, he roamed throughout the entire vige and informed every viger of the news.

    Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang would perform surgery on Xie Yunjin.

    Once that¡¯s done, Xie Yunjin will be able to walk again after two to three months of healing.

    This meant Xie Yunjin could return to school, do his exams, and get a government job.

    Oh my goodness, this was wonderful!

    The entire Xie Vige turned restless when they heard the news. Many families stopped making lunch just to get together and talk about this turn of events.

 Chapter 64 - When I Lie, I Blush

    <h4>Chapter 64: When I Lie, I Blush</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Of course, Xie Laogen¡¯s household received this news as well.

    Compared to other families, who were happy to hear the news, Xie Laogen¡¯s family was deep in bitterness. Lady Ruan continued to rumble in disbelief.

    ¡°How¡¯s that possible? That old doctor from Baohe Tang said even if he gets treatment, he will be bedridden for life. Did that doctor lie to us?¡±

    Xie Laogen was frustrated, ¡°That doctor was a doctor who studied in town. Doctor Qi is from the Capital City and he was trained there. His skills are of another level. If he says he can do surgery, then he can.¡±

    Xie Laogen recalled how he forced his son to move out after he sustained injuries.

    If his son did heal, would he still consider them family?

    Inside the yard, the eldest son grinned, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good news if the third gets cured? If he does well, then we will all do well.¡±

    Chen Liu nodded, ¡°Exactly. What are you so worried about, mom and dad?¡±

    Lady Ruan pped her leg after she heard those words, ¡°That is true. I gave birth to him. So what we made him live separately before? He is still my son. There¡¯s nothing he can do to change that. If he disobeys me, then he is unfilial. Then I will go to the judge and use him of disobedience.¡±

    Xie Laogen interrupted, displeased, ¡°Shut up. What are you going on about?¡±

    Xie Lan smiled and said to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t we ask the third brother to move back?¡±

    Lady Ruan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    She then ordered Xie Laogen, ¡°Go pick up the third this afternoon.¡±

    Xie Laogen sighed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t want toe back.¡±

    Lady Ruan lowered her gaze, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Xie Laogen thought about it and finally agreed, ¡°Okay, then I will go pick him up this afternoon.¡±

    In the corner of the room, the fourth son, Xie Yunhua¡¯s face dropped.

    If his third brother moves back, where will he live once he marries?

    Xie Yunhua wasn¡¯t happy with this idea and progressively got more depressed over how his third brother¡¯s legs were going to heal.

    At the moment, Lu Jiao had no idea how shameless the Xie family was being. She was currently happily preparing lunch with Lady Tian.

    For lunch, she made a whole pot of white rice and several dishes.

    Braised deer meat, pig tongue with napa cabbage, braised pig ears, leek with lettuce, and steamed eggs with spring onion.

    Lu Jiao wanted to cook more but realized that she didn¡¯t even have enough tes at home to put the food on. On top of that, she only had one pot, which made timing impossible. In the end, she gave up on cooking more.

    After she made everything, she remembered something very important.

    This morning, she didn¡¯t get a chance to ask Uncle Youcai to make them a table and chairs. So for lunch, the whole family had to eat standing up again.

    Lu Jiao helplessly went to tell Xie Yunjin, ¡°We have to eat standing up again today. I will go find Uncle Youcai right after lunch.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew how busy Lu Jiao was all morning and nodded, ¡°Apologies to your mother and brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    Just then, the Second Born ran inside like a rabbit. While panting heavily, he announced, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s a giant carriage outside our gate. There is a lot of stuff on there.¡±

    Lu Jiao was confused and turned to look out the window. As described, she saw a horse carriage outside the trellis. Two to three young people stepped off the carriage and were now looking around.

    Many children surrounded the horse and pointed curiously.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. Who was it now?

    She said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯ll go and check to see who it is.¡±

    Why did theye during lunchtime? She didn¡¯t have enough resources to ask them to stay and eat.

    She wasn¡¯t cheap. It was just that she didn¡¯t have enough utensils or space. How could she ask the guests to eat standing up?

    In front of the trellis, Lady Tian and Lu Gui chatted with the three strangers.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The oldest-looking person from the group stepped forward, ¡°We are from town. We are the apprentices of Carpenter Chen. Doctor Qi from Baohe Tang bought some drawers, closets, tables, and chairs from us. He had asked us to deliver everything here. Doctor Qi said that he feels indebted to you, given that you shared many prescriptions with him and therefore ordered these goods to show appreciation.¡±

    Many vigers have now gathered outside Lu Jiao¡¯s gates. Once they heard what they were here for, they started to chitchat.

    They weren¡¯t saying anything bad ¨C they merely were surprised at how generous Lu Jiao was. She gave prescriptions to Doctor Qi? She should¡¯ve asked him for money in exchange!

    Outside the trellis, Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. The vigers may not know the whole story, but she did.

    Qi Lei did take three prescriptions from her, but he paid for them.

    Why did he decide to gift her all this furniture now? Could it be because he thought he underpaid her?

    But moments ago, she didn¡¯t see any signs of him feeling bad.

    Lu Jiao pondered and quickly realized that Qi Lei appeared very enthusiastic when she revealed that she was a surgeon.

    Could it be that he wanted to learn that skill from her? That was why he sent her so many gifts? If he genuinely wanted to learn, then she had no issues teaching him.

    That thought made Lu Jiao feel okay with epting the gifts. She then smiled and responded to the strangers.

    ¡°What exactly did he purchase from you?¡±

    The other man from the group handed her a list.

    Lu Jiao took a look. Two bed frames plus bed stands. A desk and several boxes for storage. There was also a dining table and several chairs.

    Her home did not have a lot of furniture, and this shipment sure made up for most of it. This Doctor Qi was quite observant and considerate.

    Lu Jiao had no intention of declining this offer. This stuff was exactly what she needed. Since Qi Lei wanted her to have them, she will ept everything.

    ¡°Okay, thene on in and help me move everything.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    The three young men started to unload. Lu Jiao took the list and headed to the living room. Behind her, Lady Tian was worried.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, is it okay for you to ept everything? You should ask Yunjin.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Lady Tian and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Compared to Lady Tian, the four little ones reacted very differently. They were overjoyed at the new objects and watched as everything was being moved.

    ¡°We have beds now?¡±

    ¡°We even got a desk.¡±

    ¡°We have a table to eat on now. And chairs!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to eat while standing up anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao was happy to find the four little ones happy. She went to the east bedroom and told Xie Yunjin what happened.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was cold and his eyes were full of suspicion, ¡°Why would he give us all this stuff?¡±

    Lu Jiao did give him prescriptions, but she was paid for them.

    Logically, they were even now.

    Ah no, since Doctor Qi was performing the surgery in a couple of days, they should be the ones who were indebted to him. So why was he eager to send gifts over?

    Something was wrong.

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°You asked him to buy all this?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head.

    Xie Yunjin asked again, ¡°Did you make some kind of deal with him?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head again. What deal?

    Xie Yunjin continued to stare at her. He tried again, slowly, ¡°Are you lying to me?¡±

    Lu Jiao responded in a serious tone, ¡°Why would I lie to you? Growing up, I¡¯ve never lied. When I lie, I blush. When I lie, I get flustered. When I lie, I don¡¯t even dare to look the other person in the eye. Is my face red? Am I flustered? Am I afraid to look you in the eye?¡±

    She was gaping at Xie Yunjin the whole time as she made her speech.

    Xie Yunjinughed in anger.

    Now he knew another skill of this woman¡¯s ¨C to lie with her eyes open, to lie without needing a rehearsal, to lie without being flustered.

    He knew exactly the type of person she was! She imed to never lie? What a joke!

 Chapter 65 - Must you Act like this?

    <h4>Chapter 65: Must you Act like this?</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin faked a smile, ¡°Are you sure you never lie?¡±

    Lu Jiao was genuine as she looked back at him, ¡°Yes, I never lie.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gently nodded, as if he believed her. Then, he looked back up and slowly murmured, ¡°Lately, I get the feeling that you are a different person. You are not at all like who she used to be. Could it be¡­.?¡±

    Xie Yunjin suspiciously gawked at Lu Jiao, who tensed up instantly. Could it be that she had been uncareful and did something to reveal her identity? No way. This guy must be bluffing.

    She did her best to appear calm and responded in a confused manner, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Despite her best efforts, Xie Yunjin could still see the anxiety in her eyes.

    Satisfied, he grinned. Ha, so she enjoyed lying to him. Then he will return the favor for scaring her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to stay on this topic in case she really does reveal something about herself.

    As fast as she could, she changed the subject, ¡°Since the furniture¡¯s been delivered, let¡¯s just use them. We need them anyway. I¡¯ll ask them to put together the bed frame here first, then they can work on the bed frame for the west bedroom.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked closer. She nned to carry Xie Yunjin to the west bedroom until the bed here was ready.

    This time, Xie Yunjin was calmer than usual ¨C he was used to this.

    Before, he wasn¡¯t used to being carried, but now, he had epted it.

    Not only did he ept his fate, he even extended his arm to hold onto Lu Jiao.

    This time, it was Lu Jiao¡¯s turn to be ufortable. With her body rigid, she carried Xie Yunjin to the west bedroom.

    Her nervousness lifted Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood. Almost caringly, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Your arms look tense.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to drop this guy. He deserved it.

    She had to remind herself of his serious injuries in order to stop her urge. Somewhat furious, she almost threw Xie Yunjin onto the bed.

    The impact onnding made Xie Yunjin¡¯s ribs hurt. At once, his face paled.

    Sadly, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even acknowledge him and left. She first ordered Lu Gui to take apart the existing bed frame in the east bedroom which only had three legs. Then, she asked him to sweep the room.

    Carpenter Chen¡¯s apprentices then moved the parts into the room and started to assemble them.

    Other than those three, the vigers who were here for the show also started to help out. As they helped, they chatted with Lu Jiao.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you are so generous. How can you just give away prescriptions to that doctor?¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve asked him for money.¡±

    ¡°But, you truly have a good heart.¡±

    ¡°Right, I heard you gave medicine to Erdan, is Erdan okay now?¡±

    Lu Jiao answered to them one by one ¨C she didn¡¯t seem to mind them.

    She knew that the news of Xie Yunjin¡¯s soon recovery will only get the vigers to get friendlier and friendlier. After all, Xie Yunjin was a schr, someone who had hopes of leaving the vige and one day would take on an honorable job.

    Lu Jiao also didn¡¯t act arrogant. After all, she would one day separate from Xie Yunjin and she would one day have nothing to do with these vigers. She just needed to get through the next two to three months.

    The thought of her future separation made Lu Jiao think of the Lu family. Her original n was to escape back to her mother¡¯s Apricot Flower Vige. However, how the Lu family¡¯s been acting made her not want to do that anymore. She had to think of alternatives.

    After the boxes, chairs, and table were assembled, the apprentices left. The vigers who helped out also bid their farewells one by one. Lu Jiao gave everyone two to three pieces of candy as a thank you.

    Though it wasn¡¯t a lot, the vigers were happy to receive them. They silently thought of Lu Jiao as generous and once again remembered how Lu Jiao divided up the silver she received from Widow List time.

    She also gave prescriptions to Doctor Qi after she gave free medicine to Er Dan¡¯s family.

    This woman truly was different from before. Many people praised her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind all the chatter as she toured her home happily.

    Though her home was old, she had all the furniture she needed now. This ce now looked more like a home.

    Before, she didn¡¯t buy any furniture because she was afraid of the vigers would me her for spending money on things other than medicine.

    Qi Lei¡¯s gift truly solved a big problem of hers.

    Inside the living room, the four little ones climbed up and down the chairs and table. Their faces were bright red from too muchughter and their eyes were crescent shaped from smiling so big.

    ¡°This is our table.¡±

    ¡°These are our chairs.¡±

    ¡°From now on, we can start eating while sitting down.¡±

    ¡°Daddy can also start studying using this table.¡±

    Lu Jiao was so happy to see how excited everyone was, ¡°Okay, perfect. Today, we can dine using this table.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up. The First Born, however, slid down the chair and ran to the east bedroom, ¡°I will eat with daddy.¡±

    The other three heard him and also sled down their chairs and rushed to the east bedroom.

    ¡°We will also eat with daddy.¡±

    The Second Born even shouted out loud, ¡°If we all eat by the table while daddy lies in bed alone, he will look too pitiful.¡±

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin heard them and tried to convince them, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You guys eat outside.¡±

    The First Born rejected, ¡°No! I will eat with you.¡±

    The other three nodded. Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and stared at them seriously, ¡°Have you forgotten about grandma and uncle? They are our guests. How can you just leave our guests alone? I am stuck in bed and cannot spend time with our guests so you should be hosting them on my behalf.¡±

    Outside the room, Lady Tian heard this and wanted to interrupt and tell him it was okay.

    Lu Jiao stopped her. Xie Yunjin was educating the four little ones and should not be interrupted.

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born turned to look at the First Born, who was very conflicted. Xie Yunjin saw how troubled he was and kindlyforted him, ¡°My legs will be healed soon. Until then, you host grandma and uncle. Once I¡¯m healed, we can do it together.¡±

    The First Born finally agreed and nodded, ¡°Okay, we will host grandma and uncle.¡±

    Xie Yunjin praised, ¡°Good boy.¡±

    The four little ones smiled.

    At the door, Lu Jiao shouted, ¡°Okay,e out and eat now.¡±

    The four little ones headed to the living room. However, they remembered to look back every step of the way. It was difficult for them to separate from their father.

    Lu Jiao was speechless, ¡°It¡¯s just a meal, must you act like this? You can spend time with your daddy after.¡±

    Lu Jiao then went to the kitchen to get all the food. Honestly, every single te, bowl, and utensil was put to use for this meal. She even had to use a chipped bowl to get all the food out of the pan and onto the table.

 Chapter 66 - The Four Little Onesâ€™ Biggest Fear

    <h4>Chapter 66: The Four Little Ones¡¯ Biggest Fear</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao brought food into the east bedroom to feed Xie Yunjin. Before going in, she reminded the four little ones, ¡°Be a good host to grandma and uncle.¡±

    The First Born nodded in a serious manner, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    The other three copied him and nodded as well.

    The four little ones became more and more cute and adorable. Lady Tian and Lu Gui were head over heels in love with them and continued to put food in their bowls.

    The four little ones tried to copy their behavior and they too scooped food into Lady Tian and Lu Gui¡¯s bowls. Their actions made Lady Tian and Lu Gui very happy.

    Inside the bedroom, Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°How is it? Is the new bed framefortable?¡±

    The bed Xie Yunjin slept on before was very old. Half of it was essentially copsed due to a missing leg and therefore, tilted. When he wasn¡¯t cautious, he would find him on the other side of the bed.

    Though the new one they received was not of the best quality, it was smooth and t. They even ced a new mat on top of it, so Lu Jiao figured it was a lot morefortable than the old one.

    Xie Yunjin, however, wasn¡¯t delighted and simply warned her, ¡°Remember to give Doctor Qi the money for all this. We aren¡¯t too poor to afford this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao with a raised eyebrow. He wondered just why Qi Lei would suddenly buy furniture for them.

    What was his intention? Could it be that he was in love with Lu Jiao? That seemed impossible.

    Not only was Lu Jiao an average rural woman, but she was also married. No normal person would have those kinds of thoughts towards her.

    Xie Yunjin managed to make himself feel better. Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t respond, he repeated himself, ¡°Remember to give him the money.¡±

    Lu Jiao had no choice but to agree, ¡°Okay, next time I see him, I will.¡±

    Xie Yunjin finally stopped asking and silently ate.

    Since he may walk again soon, much of the sadness and anger that engulfed him before had dissipated. His entire aura was now gentler and more colorful, which made it obvious to bystanders that he was in a good mood.

    Lu Jiao continued to feed him and mindlessly muttered, ¡°Now, we are just missing some household essentials. When I get some time, I will go into town. Today, we even ran out of chopsticks.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Take the Vige Leader¡¯s ox cart when you go.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say more but there were sounds of footsteps and an excited voice approached.

    ¡°Third brother, I heard you found a doctor who can treat your legs?¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s old face glistened. His reaction was as if his own legs were getting cured.

    Since Xie Yunjin was done eating, Lu Jiao simply greeted Xie Erzhu and left.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin and Xie Erzhu chatted, ¡°Yes, Doctor Qi said he can operate on me. I¡¯m not sure if I will heal properly after yet.¡±

    Xie Erzhuughed. He was just as excited as Xie Fugui, ¡°Since he¡¯s willing to do the surgery, then naturally your legs will heal. He wouldn¡¯t dare to operate otherwise.¡±

    Xie Erzhu then started to pace around the room, ¡°Third brother, this is such good news. You can start studying again after!¡±

    Just then, Lu Jiao entered with a bowl of rice that was topped with deer meat and pork, ¡°Second brother, eat something.¡±

    Xie Erzhu declined, ¡°No, no, I will go home and eat.¡±

    He was farming when he heard the news. The news excited him so much that he rushed over right away.

    Lu Jiao shoved the bowl into his hand, ¡°How can you visit my home and leave without eating? Eat this.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Xie Erzhu hesitated, ¡°Do you have enough?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°We are all done.¡±

    That bowl of rice was originally hers.

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao with a pulsating gaze.

    He knew for a fact that the rice was Lu Jiao¡¯s. He didn¡¯t say that out loud, however, or else Xie Erzhu would decline.

    Lu Jiao left and Xie Yunjin asked Xie Erzhu to eat, ¡°Second brother, please eat.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Erzhu happily dug in. This sister-inw of his knew how to hunt and so there was always meat. Plus, her cooking skill was next level. How delicious.

    Outside, Lady Tian watched Lu Jiao give away her rice. So she went to the kitchen.

    Lu Jiao followed and they made some noodles together.

    The four little ones went after them with their own bowls.

    The First Born handed the bowl to Lu Jiao, ¡°For you to eat.¡±

    The other three also shoved their bowls into Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Mommy, for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao shushed then, ¡°Don¡¯t let your uncle hear. He would be embarrassed to eat if he heard. I¡¯m making noodles now. It¡¯s just as delicious.¡±

    The four little ones listened to her then whispered, ¡°Mommy, can we try the noodles?¡±

    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s all eat together.¡±

    The four little ones nodded. Lady Tian watched their interaction and her face blossomed.

    She was worried that her son-inw would abandon her daughter after he studied some more. However now, it looked like the children were very close to her daughter. For the children, Lady Tian was certain that her son-inw wouldn¡¯t abandon Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao put the noodles into a bowl and went to eat in the living room. She also gave a little bit to each of the quadruplets. She didn¡¯t dare to give them too much, in case they overeat.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Erzhu¡¯s voice could be heard, ¡°Third brother, everyone in the vige now knows about your legs. I¡¯m afraid our parents have heard as well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said coldly, ¡°So what now?¡±

    Xie Erzhu hesitated, ¡°Our parents may want you back.¡±

    He knew his parents¡¯ nature so well and could predict that the moment they found out about Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs, they would want him to move back.

    Xie Yunjin declined ruthlessly, ¡°Since I¡¯ve moved out, I have no reason to go back.¡±

    Xie Erzhu sighed, ¡°You know what our mother is like. If she wants you back, she¡¯ll find a way to cause a scene.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I will deal with it.¡±

    Since Xie Yunjin had a n, Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t pursue the matter further.

    In the living room, Lady Tian also whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Your mother-inw may want you to move back.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t answer. The quadruplets, however, had a change in expression. They were all so scared and all nced at Lu Jiao.

    If they go back, their mother may turn back to her violent and mean self. Also, if they go back there, all the good food will be eaten by Maodou and Caidou.

    The four little ones lost their appetite. They slid off their chairs and crowded Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, we are not going back.¡±

    ¡°All our food will be eaten by the fourth uncle, Maodou, and Caidou.¡±

    Maodou and Caidou were the eldest sons, of Xie Daqiang ¨C one was ten and the other was eight.

    They were once sent into town by Xie Laogen to study. However, Caidou was not made to study and ended uping back.

    Maodou was doing okay so he continued to study.

    Xie Yunjin heard his sons. His face turned unspeakably cold and his pupils were dark like the deep sea.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t stop because of the drop in temperature. On the contrary, they yelled out even moreints with fear on their faces.

    Their past must¡¯ve left many shadows in their little hearts. Plus, Lu Jiao was such a mean person when they lived with their grandparents.

    To the children, they thought their mother was mean because she hated living there. If they move back and all their stuff got stolen, would their mommy transform back into that evil woman?

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t bear the thought and started to cry.

    ¡°The fourth uncle gets to eat eggs and candy, and he gets new clothes. We have no food and no clothes there.¡±

    ¡°Brother Maodou and Caidou also get to eat. We are the only ones who don¡¯t get any food. They also hit us.¡±

    ¡°Grandma also told us never to tell anyone. She said if we tell anyone, we wouldn¡¯t get our next meal.¡±

    ¡°Wuuuu, we don¡¯t want to go back. We are scared.¡±

 Chapter 67 - Mom, Donâ€™t Tell

    <h4>Chapter 67: Mom, Don¡¯t Tell</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Outside, in the living room, Lu Jiao could hear the four little ones cry. She felt really bad and came in with her bowl.

    ¡°Enough now, what are you crying for? We are not going back. If your daddy dares to go back, I will stay here with you four and split from him.¡±

    The four little ones stopped crying and stared at her, ¡°Really?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    The four little ones finally stopped crying.

    Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t happy with Lu Jiao and nced at her coldly, ¡°Did I say I was going back?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him and only paid attention to the four little ones, ¡°Did you hear that? Your daddy isn¡¯t going back either. We will stay here as a family.¡±

    The four little ones sighed in relief and then went to hug their daddy happily.

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    The Fourth Born went to kiss his cheek.

    The Second and Third Born quickly copied him and kissed their dad¡¯s cheek.

    The First Born hesitated but ended up nting a kiss too.

    Xie Yunjin, with much saliva on his face, looked up to Lu Jiao. They must¡¯ve learned this from her.

    Though the four little ones were close to him, they¡¯ve never kissed him.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and beamed brightly at him. Those kisses must¡¯ve delighted him.

    She then left the room. The four little ones followed.

    Both their parents agreed to not go back. That was great news.

    Xie Erzhu watched this and realized that there was no way his third brother would go back.

    He asked, ¡°Third brother, since you don¡¯t want to go back, you should think about how you can break that news to mom.¡±

    Though their parents were awful, it was uneptable for a son to disobey their parents¡¯ orders. Now that his brother¡¯s legs were going to heal, he had to be even more careful with maintaining his reputation in this vige.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry second brother.¡±

    Xie Erzhu stood up to leave. Before he left, he said, ¡°Third brother, let me know when your surgery is. I will apany you into town.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao came in to take away the dirty bowls and asked, ¡°Second brother, do you want water?¡±

    Xie Erzhu shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going back now.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t try to keep him and left.

    In the afternoon, many different families came to visit Xie Yunjin, including the Vige Leader and the n Leader.

    Lu Jiao made them tea, greeted them, then went to make clothes for the four little ones in the west bedroom.

    Many of the wives saw what Lu Jiao was doing and ended up helping. Because of that, the clothes for the babies were quickly made.

    Lu Jiao made two sets of clothes for the quadruplets. One round neck and straight, and one cored robe.

    The four little ones knew these were made for them and were thrilled. They watched closely as the clothes were being made.

    Growing up, they have yet to receive any new clothes, making all this so much more exciting.

    Since so many people offered to help, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t contribute much. Honestly, it was because she wasn¡¯t good at sewing.

    She used the time to make hair bands for the four little ones so she could put their hair up.

    Young boys living in the rural area typically have their heads mostly shaved with only two strands of hair on each side that were put up in two buns.

    Some boys only keep a strand of hair in the middle and put it in a ponytail.

    Some others shave the sides and only keep some bangs in the front.

    The four little ones used to have their hair mostly shaved and two buns up top. However, over thest year, nobody cut their hair so they now had soft and somewhat yellow hair.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to shave their heads. She wanted to put them up in two knots. It was cuter that way.

    She never told the boys that she would shave them. However, the four children were worried, especially the Third Born.

    He touched his own hair and carefully went up to Lu Jiao. He grabbed her hand and whispered, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to be bald.¡±

    He thought he looked better with his hair. His daddy had a head full of hair and he looked great.

    All the other children in the vige, like Daotou and Maomao, were all shaved with only a tiny ponytail on top. How ugly!

    Lu Jiao found this funny. She discovered that out of the four children, the Third Born cared the most about his appearance. Though his clothes were old, he always made sure to tiptoe and check out his own reflection whenever possible. He also knew to brush out the tangles in his hair.

    ¡°Okay, you beauty king.¡±

    The Third Born happily walked away.

    Inside the room, Lady Zhao asked with a smile, ¡°What are you two whispering about?¡±

    The Third Born ran back to Lu Jiao and covered her mouth with his hands, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t tell!¡±

    Everyone in the roomughed, ¡°He already knows to be secretive with his mom at such a young age!¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and patted his head, ¡°I got it. I won¡¯t tell. It¡¯s our little secret.¡±

    The Third Born happily nodded. The Fourth Born rushed over and whispered, ¡°Mommy, I want to have a secret with you too.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but giggle, ¡°Okay, what¡¯s your secret?¡±

    The Fourth Born didn¡¯t know. However quickly, he thought of something and leaned into Lu Jiao¡¯s ears, ¡°Mommy, let me tell you,st time, I peed the bed.¡±

    His face then turned bright red. He quickly added, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t tell people.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed loudly and nodded, ¡°Ok, I won¡¯t tell.¡±

    All the vigers saw how smart the four little ones were and praised them profusely.

    While everyone here chatted and made clothes for the children, the Vige and n Leaders were having a conversation with Xie Yunjin.

    Just as everyone here enjoyed the moment, another group of people arrived outside the gate.

    Xie Laogen, Lady Ruan, and their children all came to visit. Even Xie Erzhu was called to be here.

    Xie Laogen felt a little ufortable. Lady Ruan however, acted like it was her right and led everyone through the door. Her eldest daughter-inw, Chen Liu, noticed theck of greeting from Lu Jiao and got angry. She said tody Ruan.

    ¡°Mother, does the third sister-inw not wee us?¡±

    Her mention of this infuriated Lady Ruan. She remembered how Lu Jiao and Lady Tian embarrassed her and dragged her out.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face was heavy as she frowned.

    Her youngest daughter, Xie Lan, recalled the time when she failed to get any of the gifts Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates gave. That memory made her hate Lu Jiao.

    She said to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mom if Lu Jiao is already behaving like this, can you imagine what will happen when my brother gets a job? She will power trip even more and t out ignore us.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s expression got uglier. She gritted her teeth, ¡°She doesn¡¯t dare!¡±

    Though she was saying the words, she knew that that b!tch had the guts to do so.

    For all these reasons, that woman should not be kept in the family. There was no way she was going to let that happen. The rewards her son reaps should be shared with her ¨C not with other women. Why should that fat b!tch enjoy the fruit of her son¡¯s hard work? Only in her dreams!

    Lady Ruan started to plot how she could get rid of Lu Jiao.

    There were so many people here so it was quite loud. Lu Jiao raised her head and saw them through the window, her gaze dimmed.

    She got up to greet the group.

    ¡°Mom, dad, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Lu Jiao faked a smile.

 Chapter 68 - A Shameless Family

    <h4>Chapter 68: A Shameless Family</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Laogen suddenly remembered what Lu Jiao once said to him, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t regret this one day.¡±

    He didn¡¯t expect this day toe so quickly. Even he himself felt embarrassed.

    Beside him, Lady Ruan stared her down. As if she heard nothing, she walked into the living room.

    Lu Jiao apanied them to the east bedroom. Behind Lady Ruan, Chen Liu saw that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t greet her and angrily demanded, ¡°Third sister-inw, do you not want us here?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head, ¡°We are a family that has been shunned out. How do we dare not wee honorable guests like you?¡±

    The sarcasm in that sentence turned Chen Liu¡¯s face ck.

    Xie Daqiang stared at Lu Jiao angrily, ¡°Just what do you want for you to speak to us like this? Mom and dad have their reasons for doing what they do. As an outsider, why do you use that tone?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer,dy Tian walked out and said to Xie Daqiang.

    ¡°The eldest, you have taken advantage of my son-inw and daughter back at your home. You wronged them enough to force them to move out. Today, you find the audacity to show up here to ask them to move back? You think this makes you look good?¡±

    Xie Daqiang¡¯s face turned dark. He wanted to argue back but given that she was from the older generation, he kept his silence.

    Xie Lan smiled and said to Lady Tian, ¡°Lady Tian, this only involves the Xie family. It¡¯s not good that you are interfering.¡±

    Lady Tian wasn¡¯t going to back off, ¡°Yeah, now I am an outsider. When my son-inw was the most hurt, I sure didn¡¯t see any of your faces.¡±

    Behind them, Xie Laogen didn¡¯t want any drama. He knew he was in the wrong before and may be the butt of the joke if uncareful, so he ordered, ¡°Speak less.¡±

    The Xie family red at Lady Tian.

    Lu Jiaoforted Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get mad. It¡¯s not worth it to waste emotions on unworthy people.¡±

    The Xie family was enraged.

    Lu Jiao led everyone to the east bedroom and then moved in some of the new chairs. She then left, ignoring everyone.

    Lady Ruan was fuming and continued to throw daggers at Lu Jiao with her gaze. Damn that fat b*tch, she will make sure his son leaves her sooner orter.

    Worried that she would cause another scene, Xie Laogen squeezed her arm.

    Other than Xie Yunjin inside the room, there were also the Xie n Leader and several other older generations. The oldest one here was considered to be in the same generation as Xie Laogen¡¯s grandpa. This elder was over 80 years old but remained full of energy. Everyone called him Elder Xie.

    Elder Xie saw Xie Laogen and said emotionlessly, ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±

    Xie Laogen nodded dryly.

    Beside him, Lady Ruan smiled in satisfaction and spoke up, ¡°I heard my son¡¯s legs can now be cured. As his mother, I am extremely happy and came to visit right away.¡±

    With a motherly gaze, she looked over to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Ah my third son, when I heard the news, I was over the moon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin heard her words and his lips curled up sarcastically.

    Xie Laogen noticed his son¡¯s reaction and felt his heart skip a beat. So his third son held a grudge.

    Xie Laogen regretted his past decisions very much now. Why did he listen to his wife and force his son to move out?

    He should¡¯ve spent the money to treat his illness. Once Xie Yunjin was healed and got a job, he would¡¯ve shared his wealth with the whole family. Now, their hearts were no longer in the same ce. Will Xie Yunjin still help out his family in the future?

    Xie Laogen didn¡¯t feel good.

    Lady Ruan was angry at the way Xie Yunjin reacted. Why was this bastard acting shady?

    He was so heavily wounded back then that even the doctor said he would be handicapped for life. How was that her fault? If they want to me someone, they should me that doctor.

    Lady Ruan was angry but in order to get Xie Yunjin back on her side, she smiled, ¡°As long as your legs heal, I am willing to die early.¡±

    As she spoke, her eyes somehow managed to turn red and she started to wipe away her tears.

    The elders in the room found her to be very fake and they were very annoyed at her act. They were very aware of the kind of person she really was.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s oldest brother, Xie Daqiang walked up to him and grabbed his hands.

    ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s been hard for you. I know you went through a lot. Why don¡¯t we go back home? Let us take care of you.¡±

    Behind them, the youngest son, Xie Yunhua chimed in whileughing, ¡°Yeah, brother, we are a family. A family should stick together and take care of each other.¡±

    Xie Yunjin closely checked out Xie Yunhua. He originally thought his youngest brother was born chubby and bright-skinned. He never thought too much of it until today.

    Today, he realized¡­ As a farmer, how was it possible that he was so clean and so well nourished? It was obvious that someone wealthy had fed him. If he worked in thend like his second brother, Xie Yunjin was sure he would look just as tired and aged.

    Xie Yunjin snickered. His eyes were full of coldness and annoyance. Mindlessly, he said, ¡°Fourth brother, you are not getting married anymore? If we move back, where will you stay?¡±

    Xie Yunhua¡¯s face dropped when he heard those words. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was trying to please his mother, he never would¡¯ve allowed his third brother to move back home.

    His mother told him to let his third brother move back. Once his brother got an honorable job in the city, he could then follow him there.

    He thought, that made sense, so he agreed to it.

    After he heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, however, he no longer wanted him back. The key thing was that he had promised his little girlfriend that once they marry, she would get to live in a big house.

    Other than his eldest brother¡¯s house, his third brother¡¯s house was the biggest.

    His second brother¡¯s house was small and was also north-facing. That meant in the summer, people could die from the heat and in the winter, people could freeze to death. He didn¡¯t want that.

    Inside the room, Lady Ruan filled the silence, ¡°We have a lot of space at home. If we really cannot find any, we can build two more on the west side.¡±

    Xie Yunhua¡¯s eyes brightened.

    Lady Ruan was plotting something. She recently heard that the fat b!tch knew medicine. Once they move back, she¡¯ll take all the money Lu Jiao earned from seeing patients. Then, she¡¯ll have the money to build those two houses she mentioned.

    Though Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t know exactly what that mother of his was plotting, he knew she was up to no good.

    In the future, he will be as filial as needed, but not more.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were unspeakably cold and his fingers formed a fist.

    Xie Lan followed up, ¡°Third brother, move back. We are so worried about you because you don¡¯t live at home.¡±

    Xie Yunjin sarcastically asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t worry about me in the past.¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan¡¯s expressions changed. Xie Laogen solemnly said, ¡°My third child, are you ming us?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up emotionlessly and stared right at Xie Laogen, ¡°What are you talking about? As your son, how can I me my parents? However, since I¡¯m already moved out, I will not be returning. Our home has always been crammed and the fourth needs space to get married.¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan knew then that he was determined not to go back.

    Lady Ruan opened her mouth to start crying, but Xie Yunjin beat her to it, ¡°Mom, I know what you are thinking. Whether or not I move back, it won¡¯t make a difference. If I don¡¯t move back, we are still rted and I will still help out when needed. If I move back, I will not help out with things I do not want to. Of course, I will remain your filial son.¡±

    Though his statement was well-spoken and considerate, there was not the slightest warmth in his tone.

 Chapter 69 - Who should Take the Credit?

    <h4>Chapter 69: Who should Take the Credit?</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Laogen was so stifled he couldn¡¯t even speak. In the end, out of all his sons, his most useful third son was no longer emotionally attached to the family.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°My third son, are you ming us for ¨C ¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t allow her to finish before he spoke up, ¡°Mother, why would I me you? You are my parents. Everything you do is right. What kind of son would argue with his parents? But since I have already moved out, what¡¯s the use of moving back? Our home is already crammed and the fourth needs room to get married. As his older brother, I cannot just consider my own situation, I have to prioritize his situation.¡±

    The Xie elders praisingly looked over at Xie Yunjin.

    Yunjin was such a good kid. How sad it was for his parents to continue to hurt him.

    Xie Yunjin nced back at the elders and smiled, ¡°Elder Xie, Third Elder Xie, Vige Leader, do you agree?¡±

    Elder Xie was the oldest one here at age 83. Despite his age, he had a lot of energy, good hearing, and good eyesight.

    The other elders were healthy as well. After they heard what Xie Yunjin said, they all nodded, ¡°You are right.¡±

    Vige Leader turned to Lady Ruan with an unpleasant look on his face. The words that came out of his mouth steamed with annoyance.

    ¡°Lady Ruan, since you made Yunjin move out already, don¡¯t ask him to go back. Your youngest son is getting married right? Stopplicating things.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face turned dark and she wanted to argue.

    Xie Laogen pulled onto Lady Ruan. He knew very well that his son was using the Xie elders to shut them up.

    Xie Laogen felt just as mad as his wife. But he knew arguing would be no use. After all, they were the ones who forced their son to move out.

    Xie Yunjin watched the interaction of his parents and narrowed his eyes. He turned to Elder Xie, ¡°Myst name is Xie. In the future, if I do make something out of myself, I promise to not forget the Xie n.¡±

    The Xie elders smiled. The Xie family, however, was not as happy. Xie Yunjin obviously made a stance that he will share his wealth with the Xie n, but not them specifically.

    Xie Yunjin ignored his family and continued.

    ¡°I have another matter to discuss with you, n Leader, Vige Leader.¡±

    Both the n and Vige Leaders looked over to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Speak of it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin responded, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have learned that my wife, Lu Jiao, knows medicine?¡±

    Of course, the n and Vige Leaders know that by now. They even know that Lu Jiao was decent at it and that even the doctors in townplimented her.

    Why did Yunjin bring this up?

    They looked over to Xie Yunjin, who continued softly, ¡°Lu Jiao knows a lot about medicinal herbs. She mentioned that she saw lots of useful herbs in the mountains. Those usually go to waste because the vigers don¡¯t recognize them and avoid them. She suggested that she can teach the vigers how to identify herbs. That way, the vigers can go into town and sell herbs to Baohe Tang. Then, every family gains an additional source of ie.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words stunned everyone in the room. Lady Ruan was the first to react and her reaction was to reject the idea.

    ¡°No! Why would she teach the vigers? Nobody in our family even knows how, why should others?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s words angered the Xie elders.

    Elder Xie scolded, ¡°Yunjin was showing his appreciation to the Xie n. What does that have to do with you?¡±

    Third Elder Xie also angrily responded, ¡°You¡¯re merely an old hag. You do nothing all day but cause chaos. We haven¡¯t asked you to pay for forcing Yunjin to move out, yet you have the audacity to make demands from us? If you dare to say anything more, we will ask your husband to leave you.¡±

    Lady Ruan froze.

    Because she was the mother of Xie Yunjin, the n acted very respectfully toward her. Now, they were not giving her any face.

    Lady Ruan wanted to cry out loud but Xie Laogen red at her, ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Pig-brained woman. Even now, she still hasn¡¯t recognized the fact that Xie Yunjin saw them as equals to others in the n.

    Their third son was no longer emotionally attached to them. It was now impossible for them to act arrogant in front of others like they did before.

    If they didn¡¯t have their third son¡¯s respect, their n wouldn¡¯t respect them either.

    Xie Laogen was angry. However, he knew they were in the wrong first. Plus, the elders were here and if Lady Ruan tries to make another scene, they would teach her a lesson.

    Nobody acknowledged Lady Ruan now. They all stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, are you for real?¡±

    The Vige and n Leaders were thrilled. If Yunjin¡¯s wife could teach the vigers, then everyone could gain an additional stream of ie.

    Xie Yunjin nodded and called for Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao heard him and walked over, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Xie Yunjin announced, ¡°You mentioned that you want to teach the n how to identify herbs. I just shared that suggestion with the elders.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to the elders. The Vige and n Leaders stared at her with much excitement, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, is it true that our mountains are full of medicinal herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, there are a lot. Many are rather old as well, making them more valuable. Since the vigers don¡¯t know what they are, they often treat them as poisonous and don¡¯t dare to touch them. This helped make sure the herbs flourish over the years.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s statement made everyoneugh in happiness, ¡°Ah, that is so great.¡±

    The Vige Leader was a little worried, ¡°You are willing to teach the n?¡±

    After all, the person who had the knowledge was Lu Jiao, not Xie Yunjin. If she wasn¡¯t willing, they couldn¡¯t force her.

    Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin, then said calmly, ¡°Yunjin told me that the vigers all have a hard time and he¡¯s always wanted to figure out a way to make everyone¡¯s lives easier. Once I told him I can identify herbs, he suggested I teach everyone.

    Since he¡¯s spoken, as his wife, of course, I will teach everyone. Do not worry.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was shocked to hear Lu Jiao make that im. He originally wanted Lu Jiao to take the credit for this.

    Who knew that Lu Jiao would give the credit back to him? The n would for sure appreciate him for this and think of him as a grateful man.

    Why would she do that?

    Xie Yunjin stared at her with his gaze dark. His heart fluttered a little.

    Inside the room, the eldersughed out of joy.

    Those in the west bedroom heard themotion and all walked over. Once they heard the news, they shared the same level of happiness.

    Everyone was having a good time except the Xie family.

    Chen Liu and Xie Lan were sly and quickly inched closer to Lu Jiao and buttered her up, ¡°My third sister sure is smart.¡±

    ¡°Third sister, you will teach me as well, right?¡±

    If Xie Lan could learn to identify herbs, then she could sell everything for money and use that money to get married.

 Chapter 70 - He Accepted this Favor

    <h4>Chapter 70: He epted this Favor</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao nced at Chen Liu and Xie Lan emotionlessly before she looked over to her skinny and honest second sister-inw.

    ¡°Second sister-inw, you cane and learn from me in the future.¡±

    She then looked over to the n and Vige Leaders, ¡°I¡¯m thinking one person from each household shoulde out and learn. Too many people could get too messy.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    The leaders agreed immediately. Lu Jiao added, ¡°Yunjin is getting surgery in a couple of days. After that, I will start teaching the vigers.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao then went back to the west bedroom with Lady Zhao and the others. The east bedroom became extremely boisterous. Most of the vigers praised Xie Yunjin for being appreciative of the vige.

    Xie Laogen family¡¯s faces were all indescribably ugly, especially Xie Daqiang. His cheeks were dark like the bottom of a pan and his eyes were wide from anger. It was obvious that he was refraining from dragging Xie Yunjin out of his bed and beating him.

    He knew that was inappropriate so, despite his hatred, he stopped himself.

    The Xie n vigers left after some time. Xie Laogen¡¯s family, however, stayed.

    Now that everyone was gone, Xie Daqiang let his anger out, ¡°Third brother, what¡¯s the meaning of this? You¡¯re teaching everyone but your own family?¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly responded, ¡°Lu Jiao said she will be teaching the second sister-inw. She will be collecting herbs and selling them. Of course, she will then give the money earned to the family. What do you mean I am not teaching my own family?¡±

    Xie Daqiang was furious, ¡°Why not teach your first sister-inw? She¡¯s much smarter than your second sister-inw.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could speak, Lu Jiao walked in and chortled.

    ¡°What are you doing, getting angry at your brother? I am the one who doesn¡¯t want to teach your wife. I¡¯m the one with the knowledge and I will teach whoever I want to. I¡¯ve never heard anyone threatening a teacher to teach. Your face sure is big.¡±

    Xie Daqiang had always been spoiled by Xie Laogen and therefore was headstrong. He had no actual useful skills but acted like he was the smartest.

    For Lu Jiao to talk back at him drove him crazy. He pointed at Lu Jiao and cursed.

    ¡°You b!tch! My family is going to tell you to f!ck off!¡±

    Lu Jiao shouted back, ¡°Come, try me. I am Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife. Without the proper words from him, none of you can make me leave.¡±

    Lu Jiao then pointed at the door, ¡°Get the f!ck out of here. This is my home.¡±

    Fury poured out of Xie Daxiang¡¯s eyes and he extended his arm to hit Lu Jiao.

    Inside the room, Xie Laogen yelled, ¡°Stop.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed as well, ¡°Xie Daqiang, if you dare to hit her, I will no longer ept you as my brother.¡±

    Xie Daqiang was a little afraid of Xie Yunjin¡¯s threat. He gritted his teeth at Xie Yunjin, ¡°You are not letting me hit a fat woman like her?¡±

    Lady Ruan started to weep, ¡°My third son, why keep such an unfilial wife? Leave her now.¡±

    Everyone from the west bedroom ran over after they heard themotion. The head of the crowd was Lady Tian, who started to curse.

    ¡°You witch. Would you die if you left your daughter-inw alone? You ask your son to leave his wife every day and tell my daughter to go away. My daughter devotes herself to taking care of your son. What did she do that was so wrong?¡±

    The quadruplets started to cry as well and went to protect Lu Jiao. The First Born pointed at Lady Ruan, ¡°This is my home. You are not wee here. Go away.¡±

    Lady Ruan scolded, ¡°You bastard! Who taught you to talk like that? You want to die?¡±

    She then raised her arm to hit the First Born.

    Xie Laogen stopped her and pulled her away, ¡°Enough! We are leaving.¡±

    If they keep this up, their son¡¯s heart will drift away further and may never talk to them again.

    Lady Ruan wanted to curse more but Xie Laogen carried her out.

    Xie Laogen was strong and Lady Ruan was very small. As he pulled her out, she had no strength to physically move but she continued to spit out dirty words.

    ¡°You bastards left home and started to learn bad things. You learned all those bad habits from that b!tch. You don¡¯t know how to respect the elders at all. No. This can¡¯t continue. That b!tch must leave this family.¡±

    Behind her, Chen Liu eyed Lu Jiao and said in a weird tone, ¡°Third sister-inw, you should stop disobeying our mother. She¡¯s your mother-inw after all. Disrespecting the mother-inw is more than a valid reason to be left by the husband.¡±

    Lu Jiao emotionlessly gawked at these two and simply challenged, ¡°Are you going to walk out yourself or should I beat you out?¡±

    Chen Liu and Xie Lan¡¯s faces froze. When they saw Lu Jiao¡¯s arm was already raised, they ran away scared.

    Xie Daqiang followed while he cursed as well.

    Xie Erzhu and his wife watched all this with bitter expressions. They didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Xie Yunhua on the other hand nced at his family, then at Xie Yunjin. He wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. In the end, he left as well.

    Inside the living room, Lady Zhao and others shared their opinion, ¡°That family has such a cruel heart.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they moved out their son and now they came here causing a scene.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t mind them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is over. That mother-inw of yours has been hard to deal with all her life. For so many years, the entire family had to listen to her.¡±

    Lady Zhao waved her hand, ¡°Okay, enough of that. Let¡¯s finish up the children¡¯s clothes.¡±

    The wives went back to the west bedroom and got busy with making the quadruplets¡¯ clothes.

    Inside the east bedroom, Lady Tian¡¯s heart ached as she stared at Lu Jiao. Just what was all this? Her daughter¡¯s mother-inw made her daughter¡¯s life so difficult.

    Lady Tian¡¯s head hurt and Lu Jiao walked her to the west bedroom, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Lady Tian nodded. Lu Jiao then went to fetch some water for Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t ask her to feed him and instead, took the bowl and drank it himself. He could move around now and drinking water was no big deal.

    After he drank, he looked up at Lu Jiao with a gaze that was somewhat gentle.

    ¡°Why did you tell everyone it was my idea to have you teach them?¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to tell him that she needed him to have a good reputation so he wouldn¡¯t cause her trouble after their separation.

    Those words, however, would cause much shock to the people around so she simply answered, ¡°You need the support of the Xie n in the future. It¡¯s better for you to take the credit.¡±

    Xie Yunjin passed the bowl to Lu Jiao, ¡°Okay.¡±

    He will ept this favor.

    Lu Jiao turned to leave. The thought of that senseless Lady Ruan made her speak more.

    ¡°Your mother is ridiculous. Even after you finish school and move away, you will not be able to get rid of her presence.¡±

    Xie Yunjin grinned slightly as he leaned against the bed frame with his eyes droopy.

    It appeared that his mother has had enough of the good and easy life. He will give her a taste of adversity.

    Lu Jiao left with the empty bowl.

    Within one afternoon, the two sets of clothes for the four little ones were done.

    The four little ones were over the moon and continued to y with the clothes. They even imagined themselves in them. The Third Born was the most careful out of them all. He treated the new clothes like they were rare treasures.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached because of it. She patted his head, ¡°I will make you so many more pretty clothes in the future. You don¡¯t need to feel bad for wearing this new set. Tonight, I¡¯ll put you all in your new clothes and let your daddy have a look.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes sparkled as they stared at their new clothes in anticipation.

 Chapter 71 - A Warm Jacket

    <h4>Chapter 71: A Warm Jacket</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao walked Lady Zhao and the others out. While she did this, she thanked everyone who helped her.

    The others happily returned the appreciation, ¡°We should be the ones thanking you. You agreed to teach us how to identify herbs. That is a huge favor.¡±

    After everyone left, Xie Xiaobao walked in from outside the gate. In his hand was a crucian carp that weighed more than two pounds.

    ¡°Third aunty, here¡¯s a fish for you. I caught a few but this one¡¯s the biggest one.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao¡¯s clothes were sticky with mud, but he was in a great mood.

    Lu Jiao saw the fish and realized a problem. Though they¡¯ve been eating well, they¡¯ve only been eatingnd animal meat, which could cause inmmation. The four little ones were small in size and were also short.

    Lu Jiao wanted the quadruplets to drink milk. That way, they could get the calcium needed to grow taller.

    Since the quadruplets were born together and were premature, they started off skinnier and smaller. The poor nutritionter didn¡¯t help their growth. At this rate, they may end up very short.

    Lu Jiao was worried. Sadly, there was no milk to be found. So, she thought, she could make more fish and have them drink fish soup. Later, she¡¯ll have to figure out how to get them some milk. If there was no cow¡¯s milk, she could get them some sheep¡¯s milk.

    Lu Jiao took over the carp and smiled, ¡°How much? I¡¯ll pay you for it.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao pouted unhappily, ¡°Third aunty, I don¡¯t want money. It¡¯s a gift.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t fight it and asked, ¡°Is it easy to catch fish in the vige?¡±

    Xie Xiaobao nodded, ¡°It¡¯s alright. But the fish usually tastes very fishy and has a strong scent. So most people don¡¯t want to eat it.¡±

    Though they were considered to be a source of protein, nobody liked fish due to the fishy smell.

    He only decided to catch some fish today because he had craved something meaty.

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°I will cook this and give you some to try. I promise you it won¡¯t have a strong scent.¡±

    She added, ¡°Ah, I want to discuss something with you. If you catch fish again, sell it to me. I will buy it at market price.¡±

    In town, fish were sold for 10 tokens per pound. Xie Xiaobao wavered. However, he still looked up to Lu Jiao and shook his head, ¡°No, third aunty, I want to give it to you for free.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed. How funny, this little guy was embarrassed. She thought about it and asked, ¡°What if I trade you meat for fish? When I hunt down animals from the mountains, I¡¯ll give you some in exchange for fish.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bad deal for you?¡±

    To Xie Xiaobao, meat was far more expensive than fish. Lu Jiao, however, had made up her mind, ¡°That settles it then. Bring over any fish you manage to catch. Any fish will do, eel¡­ loach¡­¡±

    Xie Xiaobao was shocked, ¡°How do you eat those things? They¡¯re so gross.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know how to make them tasty. I will let you try.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao nodded. Lu Jiao shoved him two pieces of candy to thank him for today¡¯s fish. Xie Xiaobao left excitedly.

    Lu Jiao took the fish and told Lady Tian that they¡¯ll have fish for dinner.

    Lady Tian nodded mindlessly. Lu Jiao noticed how she was distracted and asked caringly, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter? Do you feel sick? If you are sick, I can help.¡±

    Lady Tian shook her head. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again. It was as if she found it difficult to speak.

    Lu Jiao thought it through. Could it be that Lady Tian wanted Lu Jiao to teach her own family how to identify herbs? After all, it was brought up today that she would be teaching everyone from the Xie Vige that skill.

    ¡°Mom, you want me to teach my sisters-inw how to harvest herbs?¡±

    Lady Tian answered carefully, ¡°Though they have their problems, we shouldn¡¯t fight endlessly over five taels of silver. After all, we fought over money because our lives are hard. That is why I wonder if you can teach them all about herbs. That way, our lives can get easier.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t that angry at the Lu family. She simply wanted to teach them a lesson. Plus, she had already figured out a way to make sure the Lu family could get consistent ie. It was because of the fight that she didn¡¯t end up telling them about it.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and said to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine with that. But, even if they learn that skill, it¡¯s not a reliable source of ie. The only reason why there are so many herbs up on the mountain is that nobody harvested them for years. Once everyone learns what they are and starts to harvest, there won¡¯t be much left.

    I have already figured out a way for the family to earn consistent ie. I struggled with it for a while but decided to teach you tofu making. Once you learn that, you will have a source of ie and your lives will improve.¡±

    Lady Tian was in full shock after she heard what Lu Jiao said. She jumped up, ¡°Jiaoijao, you know how to make tofu?¡±

    She then thought of something and started to shake her head, ¡°No, no, no, tofu making is serious craftsmanship. You should save that skill to teach the quadruplets.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butugh. The father of the quadruplets will one day be the First Assistant. How could he let his children make tofu for a living?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t tell Lady Tian all that. Sheughed, ¡°Mom, I have other tricks up my sleeve that I will teach my childrenter. Tofu making is only the method I thought suited the Lu family well.¡±

    Before Lady Tian could answer, a person slipped in from the outside and hugged Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao subconsciously wanted to p him away but realized that it was her brother Lu Gui.

    Lu Gui excitedly held onto Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, you are truly my sister. We have been so wrong before. We never should¡¯ve treated you that way. Please don¡¯t be mad, sister. I will treat you so well going forward.¡±

    His sister knew how to save lives, knew how to identify herbs, and now told them she knew how to make tofu. More importantly, she was willing to teach that skill to the family.

    Lu Gui admired his sister so much right now. He was no longer like his old self who used to be scared toe and visit because all the vigersined about his sister.

    This time, all the vigersplimented his sister and described her as generous, kind, and caring.

    Those words were like sugar water to his ears.

    Lu Jiao pushed Lu Gui away, ¡°Keep your distance from me.¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s face dropped and he spoke carefully, ¡°Sister, are you still mad at me? I was in the wrong. Brother and sister-inw were also in the wrong. Don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯ll ask them to apologize to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao brandished her arm in annoyance, ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t care about your apology. You think I am angry because of your attitude? I am angry because of the way you treated mom. The only reason I¡¯m teaching you tofu making is because of mom, not because of you.¡±

    Lu Gui straightened his chest and promised, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t make mom mad anymore. I will be the first in line to object if someone pisses off mom.¡±

    Inside the kitchen, Lady Tian wiped away her tears. This was her Jiaojiao! She was considerate with everything she did. There was amon saying that having a daughter was the same as having a warm jacket. That saying sure was urate.

    Lu Jiao stared at Lu Gui and slowly stated, ¡°I am only going to teach mom how to make tofu. The rest of you can help her out. As for selling the tofu, the three of you go make sales, and mom distributes your sry. Each one of you gets three tokens for every 10 pounds sold. If you manage to sell 100 pounds in a day, you get 30 tokens. That makes up for 2 taels of silver a month or 12 a year.

    That money would be considered your personal money. The money needed to support the family¡¯s necessities would be paid for by mom. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 72 - The Second Born got Beat Up

    <h4>Chapter 72: The Second Born got Beat Up</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Gui¡¯s eyes shone. Of course that was okay! Twelve taels of silver a year for personal use? That was so great!

    ¡°Sister, we will listen to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, are you okay with what I suggested?¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s heart was soft from this conversation and she smiled warmly, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say.¡±

    The reason why Lu Jiao decided to do things this way was to prevent the Lu family from fighting over money.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve done the math. A pound of soybeans is worth four tokens and makes around three pounds of tofu. A pound of tofu is worth three tokens, which means you make nine tokens from one pound of soybeans. There¡¯s also tofu crumbs. If there¡¯s a buyer, sell it for a token. If nobody buys it, feed it to the pigs.¡±

    As Lu Jiao did the math for them, Lady Tian and Lu Gui¡¯s eyes brightened. Oh boy, just how much money would they earn if they keep up the business?

    Lu Jiao truly thought of a great business for them.

    Lady Tian softly said to Lu Jiao, ¡°How about I give you 10% of the money we make?

    Lu Gui nodded, ¡°I agree.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need. I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Lady Tian wanted to say more but Lu Jiao held onto her hands, ¡°Mom, I know herbs and I know medicine. I also have other skills I can put to use. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I just want you to be happy.

    As for tofu making¡­ If your three sons treat you well, you can give it to them. If any one of them treats you poorly, don¡¯t give him any.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes were red as she patted Lu Jiao¡¯s head. Just what did she do in her previous life to give birth to a daughter this caring?

    Inside the kitchen, Lu Gui hit his chest and promised, ¡°Sister, I promise you that I will treat mom well. I won¡¯t ever make mom sad.¡±

    Lu Jiao humphed, ¡°You better do what you promise.¡±

    She then ignored Lu Gui and said to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I will teach you tofu making tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make dinner then. It¡¯ste.¡±

    Lady Tian started to make dinner happily while Lu Jiao instructed Lu Gui to move the old bed to the small room in the east building. Lu Gui will sleep on that bed tonight.

    Lu Gui excitedly busied himself.

    Lu Jiao and Lady Tian went to prepare dinner. Tonight, they would have fish and pot stickers. Lu Jiao also made some cold cucumbers and stir-fried some eggs with chives. All these vegetables were gifted by the Vige Leader¡¯s family.

    Lu Jiao originally wanted to make pork hog with beans. But theck of pots once again made her give up.

    Now it became a pressing matter to get more pots.

    Just then, Lu Jiao heard children crying from the outside. She listened carefully and recognized the cries to be from one of the quadruplets.

    Her face dropped and she hurriedly stepped out of the kitchen.

    The crying came from outside the gate. Lu Jiao walked outside and saw one of the four little ones had copsed onto the ground. Two out of the other three wereforting the copsed one, while the other one pointed at the child who ran away and screamed, ¡°Caidou, you dare to hit the Second Born. I am going to make you pay!¡±

    Lu Jiao walked forward and saw that the Second Born had been pped in the face. On his swollen cheek, there was a faint palm print.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face got cold and she remembered what the First Born just screamed.

    Caidou was the son of the eldest Xie brother. He dared toe here to hit her children?

    ¡°First Born, why did Caidoue out of nowhere to hit the Second Born?¡±

    The First Born turned to Lu Jiao with fury on his face.

    ¡°He came up to our gates and waved at us. We thought he wanted something so we came out. He asked us to move back home with daddy, and we said no. He then got angry and pped the Second Born in the face.¡±

    The quadruplets didn¡¯t expect Caidou to suddenly hit them and were defenseless. The Second Born ended up getting pped square in the face.

    The Second Born looked up to Lu Jiao and croaked sadly, ¡°Mommy, my face hurts.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly took out some gel out of her sleeve and applied it. The Second Born felt coolness on his cheek ¨C the pain got better.

    He finally stopped crying and added to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, I can¡¯t win against him in a fight.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the four little ones. They were thin, small, and very weak. If they go outside to y, they would always be the ones that got beaten up.

    Worried, she nced at the children.

    ¡°Tomorrow I will teach you how to defend yourselves. If someone takes advantage of you again, you hit back. We shall never bully others but we refuse to be bullied.¡±

    As a military doctor, Lu Jiao knew how to hit others where it hurts. Though the four little ones were very little, if they hit the enemy in the right spot, they could still cause some damage.

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes brightened, ¡°Mommy, are you for real? Then we will start learning tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Looking at the palm print on the Second Born¡¯s face, she was enraged. Was she really just going to drop this and have her son get hit for nothing?

    She grabbed the Second Born¡¯s hand and said gloomily, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We are going to your first uncle¡¯s to ask him how he¡¯s been teaching his children.¡±

    She was going to teach that kid a lesson.

    The quadruplets nodded aggressively, ¡°Yes, he needs to pay.¡±

    The four little ones were eager to fight against their enemy.

    Behind them, Lady Tian and Lu Gui walked out. They heard that the Second Born was hit and they weren¡¯t happy about it.

    Lady Tian gritted her teeth, ¡°If the upper beam is bent, the lower one also gets nted. Just what kind family are they?¡±

    She then grabbed the First Born¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Grandma wille with you.¡±

    Lu Gui also chimed in, ¡°Uncle wille as well.¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried about Xie Yunjin and said to Lu Gui, ¡°Go take care of your brother-inw. I will go pay the Xie family a visit with mom.¡±

    Lu Gui was also worried, ¡°You need to be careful.¡±

    Lady Tian hissed, ¡°Why, are they going to hit us?¡±

    Lu Gui didn¡¯t speak and went back. Lu Jiao and Lady Tian brought the four little ones to the Xie family.

    Whenever someone on the street saw them and asked, Lu Jiao told them exactly what happened without concealing any information.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask big brother and big sister-inw just how they¡¯ve been educating their children. Their children show up at my house and order my children to go against their father and move back home. My children disagreed so Caidou hit my Second Born. Look, his cheek is swollen.¡±

    The Second Born¡¯s face truly was swollen with a visible palm print.

    Those who heard didn¡¯t take Xie Daqiang or Chen Liu¡¯s side. They knew that they were once again taking advantage of their third brother. What was wrong with them? They used to use their third brother¡¯s achievements for their own gains and now they were here to bully him?

    Now that Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs are healing, shouldn¡¯t they do their best to make peace? Why would they send their children to hit Xie Yunjin¡¯s children?

    As Lu Jiao walked, more and more people followed her and headed to the Xie family.

    Right now, the entire Xie family was lecturing Caidou for messing up a simple task.

    Chen Liu pushed her son away with her fingertips, ¡°You only eat and eat yet your brain never grows. Could you not have buttered up those four children? If your third uncle moves back, then you get more food to eat.¡±

 Chapter 73 - The Little Actor

    <h4>Chapter 73: The Little Actor</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Caidou unhappily grunted, ¡°I did butter them up. They ignored me, what else can I do? I even told them I have candy for them. Still, they rejected my idea.¡±

    Inside the room, Lady Ruan listened to this and was unspeakably mad, ¡°This is all because of that b!tchy mother of theirs. Their entire family is trash.¡±

    Just then, Lady Ruan¡¯s voice echoed from outside, ¡°Xie Daqiang, what¡¯s up with your child hitting mine?¡±

    Everyone inside the room heard themotion and all turned to Caidou.

    ¡°You hit your cousin?¡±

    Caidou angrily announced, ¡°They declined me while I was being nice. I got angry so I pped the Second Born. It was his fault for not listening to me. If this was before, would they dare to treat me this way?!¡±

    Inside the room, the adults were half dead from anger. He was sent to make peace with the quadruplets but he ended up hitting someone?

    Lady Ruan, however, didn¡¯t think this was a big deal, ¡°Whatever. He deserved it.¡±

    Just then, the Xie family¡¯s front door was kicked open.

    The door was unlocked and not fully closed so it was easy to kick it open.

    Lu Jiao walked in with the Second Born. Behind her was a group of vigers.

    Lu Jiao went to Xie Daqiang and Chen Liu right away, ¡°Brother, sister, what¡¯s the meaning of this? You send Caidou to tell my children to defy their father. When my children declined, your child pped my Second Born in the face.¡±

    Just then, the First Born nced at the Second Born, who immediately stretched out his lips and cried out, ¡°My face hurts. It hurts! Mommy, I¡¯m in so much pain!¡±

    The vigers all stared. He hadn¡¯t been crying at all while they walked. Why was he suddenly crying now?

    His pitiful and teary face, however, garnered much sympathy from the vigers.

    Xie Daqiang and Chen Liu looked at Lu Jiao in fury. Xie Daqiang in particr had the urge to beat up this woman.

    With a huge frown, he said thickly, ¡°The children get into a fight while ying, what can the adults do?¡±

    Lu Jiao coldly snorted, ¡°Your Caidou is an eight-year-old boy who came here to hit my four-year-olds. The audacity for you to speak to me like this.¡±

    Before Xie Daqiang could answer, Lu Jiao turned to Caidou and said in a low voice, ¡°Since you do not know how to educate your child, then I will do it for you. Young kids don¡¯t know better. They¡¯ll learn after they take a beating.¡±

    Caidou was scared off by Lu Jiao¡¯s serious expression and retreated.

    Xie Daqiang gawked at Lu Jiao with fury, ¡°You want to hit my Caidou?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°No, I want you to educate your child.¡±

    Xie Daqiang honestly beat his son pretty frequently. However, Lu Jiao was obviously threatening him so there was no way he was going to agree. His expression was heavy.

    ¡°I know how to educate my children. You better hurry up and get the hell out of here.¡±

    ¡°Your child hit mine. I¡¯m not going to let it go like that,¡± Lu Jiao responded sharply.

    Xie Laogen stood up and sighed at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Third daughter-inw, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s normal for children to fight; children often fight in the vige. This isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s as simple as children fighting, then it¡¯s no big deal. But Caidou came to my house asking my children to defy their father. This obviously means someone¡¯s asked him to do that. So, I am not going to let this go.¡±

    Xie Laogen¡¯s eyes went dark as he too grew angry at Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    This daughter-inw of his was out of line. His third son should leave her. She was unreasonable.

    As Xie Laogen thought about it, he said in an angry tone, ¡°You are making a joke out of my family by making a scene right now. Enough. We will educate Caidouter.¡±

    Xie Laogen yelled at Caidou, ¡°Don¡¯t hit your younger cousins in the future.¡±

    The Second Born started to cry, ¡°I don¡¯t have such a cousin. He¡¯s not my cousin!¡±

    Xiao Laogen now felt like he¡¯s been pped in the face by both his daughter-inw and his grandson, his expression grew extremely ugly.

    Beside him, Lady Ruan jumped up, ¡°You bastard! Even your father doesn¡¯t dare to speak like this. You sure grew gutsy. You deserve to be hit! Or else you don¡¯t even know to respect your elders!¡±

    Lady Ruan then tried to hit the Second Born. Lady Tian hopped out and pointed at Lady Ruan, ¡°Watch me kill you, you witch!¡±

    Lady Ruan instantly remembered how Lady Tian dragged her across the yard and stopped. She knew she couldn¡¯t win in a fight against Lady Tian.

    Xie Daqiang heard Lady Tian and angrily screamed, ¡°This is the Xie family, not yours! You dare toe on my turf to fight? You deserve a beating!¡±

    Lu Jiao sarcasticallyughed, ¡°Look at how capable you make yourself sound. Come at me, test me and see if I am scared of you. You think I am afraid of you because you¡¯re a man?¡±

    Xie Daqiang¡¯s eyes widened and he walked over to hit Lu Jiao. Beside him, Chen Liu stopped him.

    Chen Liu then grabbed her younger son by the ear and started to hit his butt. As she hit him, she furiously yelled, ¡°You should never hit your cousins! Your cousins are family! In the future, you and your cousins will need to help each other out!¡±

    Chen Liu hit him rather hard and Caidou started to cry instantly. As he cried, he screeched towards Xie Laogen, ¡°Grandma, save me.¡±

    This time, Xie Laogen didn¡¯t chime in. He knew that his third daughter-inw wasn¡¯t going to go away until her demand was answered.

    This woman was still married to his son. If they fight, the vigers would see them as a joke. Though Xie Laogen¡¯s heart ached for his grandson, he endured.

    As for Chen Liu, she only hit her son for Lu Jiao to see.

    She was different from Xie Daqiang. Xie Daqiang thought that Xie Yunjin was his brother and that no matter what happened, they would remain brothers.

    Chen Liu, however, knew that their brothership was conditional. If Xie Daqiang continued to treat Xie Yunjin poorly, Xie Yunjin wouldn¡¯t help them out once he was sessful. This was why she was now hitting her son.

    Lu Jiao watched as Chen Liu beat her own son and said coldly, ¡°This is the first time and thest time this shall happen. If this happens again, I will teach your children a lesson on your behalf.¡±

    She then walked away while holding onto the Second Born. Behind her, Lady Tian walked away with the other three children.

    Inside the Xie family yard, Xie Laogen watched Lu Jiao leave then red at Chen Liu, ¡°Enough, enough, the child doesn¡¯t know better.¡±

    Lady Ruan cursed out Lu Jiao inside the yard. Her words were ugly enough that Xie Erzhu and his wife couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore.

    ¡°Mom, you need to improve your rtionship with my third brother. You can¡¯t do this.¡±

    Lady Ruan stomped her feet, ¡°If you are so capable, you go talk to your brother and have him move home. I¡¯ll only admit you as capable then.¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s face was sour, ¡°I have no audacity to do that. You were the ones who forced him to move out before and now you want him back.¡±

    ¡°Your family is banned from eating tonight!¡±

    Lady Ruan roared.

 Chapter 74 - I do not like How Tainted Your Heart is

    <h4>Chapter 74: I do not like How Tainted Your Heart is</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for any of this and left with the quadruplets. On her way back, all the vigers tried to talk to her and tell her to not get angry at Xie Laogen¡¯s family. Nobody from that family was reasonable.

    Lu Jiao chatted with everyone as she walked home. At first, a whole group of vigers followed her, but near the end, only a few remained. Before Lu Jiao got home, she passed by the Shen family home. There was much noiseing from their home including someone crying.

    Lu Jiao saw how big the crowd was and remembered that before, she had convinced Luo Wangcai to marry Shen Xiu.

    She was intrigued and dragged the Third and Fourth Born to watch the show.

    Behind her, Lady Tian dragged the other two children along and followed. A lot of other vigers noticed the noise as well and went up to see what happened.

    Inside the Shen yard, Shen Xiu copsed on the ground, crying. Beside her was a young girl around three or four and she was crying as well.

    The mother and daughter duo appeared very pitiful. The vigers outside the gate were pointing and discussing.

    ¡°I heard Luo Wangcai gave Widow Li 10 taels of silver and asked to marry Shen Xiu.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xiu rejected him and now they are fighting.¡±

    ¡°Where did Luo Wangcai get all that silver? He doesn¡¯t even know where his next meal ising from. He normally steals or tricks others just to get food.¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s been saving.¡±

    In front of the Shen family home, Shen Xiu cried heartbreakingly. As she cried, she desperately yelled, ¡°I¡¯m not marrying him. There is no way. Don¡¯t you even think about it.

    If you don¡¯t want me to stay here, I will leave. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡±

    This scene made the vigers pity Shen Xiu.

    ¡°Widow Li is over the line. For that much silver, she¡¯s willing to marry off her daughter. Luo Wangcai is such a poor fe. If Shen Xiu marries him, there¡¯s no way her life will be easy. There¡¯s no way Luo Wangcai can take care of both her and her daughter.¡±

    ¡°Widow Li only ever sees money. She simply does not care. For 10 taels of silver, she¡¯s more than willing to marry off her daughter. This daughter of hers earned her big chunks of silver twice.¡±

    Behind the crowd, Lu Jiao peered into the yard with a cold grin on her face.

    This woman ordered Luo Wangcai to seduce Lu Jiao. Now that the same trick was being yed on her, she sure was making a big fuss out of it.

    However, this woman was no easy target. She chose to publicly make a scene in order to give her mother a hard time so she would refuse this marriage proposal.

    Sadly, she had underestimated her mother¡¯s shamelessness.

    Lu Jiao turned to leave. She¡¯d seen enough of this show. Her family hadn¡¯t even had dinner, she had to get back and eat.

    Who knew that the moment she turned around, Shen Xiu caught sight of her.

    She stood up, ran out the gate, and then knelt in front of Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, please save me. You have to save me, or else I have no reason to live.¡±

    The vigers had no idea what Shen Xiu was intending to do here.

    Why would she kneel in front of Lu Jiao?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze was cold as she stared at Shen Xiu. Then, she mockingly beamed.

    ¡°What can I do to help?¡±

    ¡°Allow me to be Third Brother Xie¡¯s concubine.¡±

    Shen Xiu¡¯s words made everyone gawk at her in disbelief.

    They weren¡¯t shocked that she was willing to be a concubine ¨C they were astounded that she was willing to announce that out loud.

    Even if Yunjin did want a concubine, he would only marry a young woman. Why would he ever take in a widow who¡¯s already had a child? Was she in her right mind to think she deserved to be his concubine?

    Shen Xiu didn¡¯t care about what others were thinking and continued to beg.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I don¡¯t want to take what¡¯s yours. I just want a concubine title. Please, let me live.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this hrious. She looked down at her and said, ¡°As the saying goes, a man marries the most virtuous woman to be his wife, the most good-looking to be his concubine. Tell me, where do you get the confidence to think that my Yunjin would take you in as a concubine? A once married woman with a child.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°You sure have a wild imagination.¡±

    Hatred flooded Shen Xiu¡¯s eyes. However, she didn¡¯t express it. She cried and continuously kowtowed, ¡°Please, let me live.¡±

    Lu Jiao sympathetically looked at her, ¡°I sure want to help you. But I cannot allow my Yunjin to take a widow as a concubine. Yunjin is going to take exams and get a government job. To have a widow as a concubine would make him theughing stock. Forgive me for being powerless.¡±

    Many people agreed with Lu Jiao¡¯s statement and nodded.

    Anyone with an above-average living situation in a rural area would refuse a widow as a concubine. Yunjin in particr was someone who had big ns ahead of him. If he has a widow as a concubine, he truly would be the joke of the town.

    This woman sure dared to dream big. She¡¯s always been like this.

    Everyone pointed fingers and talked about Shen Xiu.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with her brain?¡±

    ¡°I heard she always goes to Yunjin¡¯s home and gives him food.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s wanted to marry Yunjin even before she got married herself. She¡¯s someone else¡¯s wife now and she still hasn¡¯t given up. How shameless.¡±

    Shen Xiu heard everyone¡¯sments and felt like they were stomping on her face. Her heart bled.

    But if she could not manage to sessfully marry Yunjin as she wished today, her mother was going to make her marry Luo Wangcai. She¡¯d rather die than marry Luo Wangcai.

    Shen Xiu suddenly jolted off the ground and ran out.

    Everyone trembled in shock. Someone screamed, ¡°Is she going to hurt herself?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think so. That woman had many ideas in her head and there was no way she would go seek death.

    Quickly, however, her face dropped and she mumbled, ¡°Is she going to my ce to beg Yunjin? Yunjin¡¯s still wounded.¡±

    The vigers gasped at that idea.

    Lu Jiao pulled on her son and headed home. Lady Tian followed and the vigers followed as well.

    Everyone rushed to Lu Jiao¡¯s ce and what do you know? The moment they stepped into Lu Jiao¡¯s yard, cries from the east bedroom could be heard.

    ¡°Third brother Xie, please, save me.¡±

    The look of awe was found on most vigers¡¯ faces. Lu Jiao took the quadruplets and headed into the east bedroom. The vigers followed to watch the show.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin watched the crying woman with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Look at my situation. How do I save you?¡±

    Shen Xiu¡¯s voice was now scratchy, ¡°Third brother Xie, my mom wants to sell me to Luo Wangcai for 10 taels of silver. I don¡¯t want to marry him. I want to marry you, third brother Xie. I¡¯m okay with being a concubine.¡±

    Third brother Xie¡¯s legs were likely going to heal now. Even if she bes a concubine, she will end up doing better than others in the future.

    Plus, if she could sessfully marry third brother Xie as she hoped, she would be able to think of a way to get rid of Lu Jiao in the future. Then, she could step up and be the official wife.

    Shen Xiu was excited at all the possibilities. On the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes sparkled with unspeakable disgust. He gaped at Shen Xiu, who was still on the ground and asked coldly.

    ¡°Do you hate me?¡±

    Shen Xiu was flustered and looked up with her eyes red, ¡°Third brother Xie, why would I hate you? You are the man I like.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t appear to have heard thatst phrase as he continued to speak, ¡°If you don¡¯t hate me, then why do you keep on trying to harm me? Four years ago, you told everyone we grew up together and were emotionally involved when we barely talked.

    Today, you¡¯re someone else¡¯s widow. Yet you run over here and ask me to take you in as a concubine. Do you really think I am a junk collector?

    My legs now have a chance of making a full recovery. Even if I do not recover, I would detest you. There¡¯s no way I am going to have a widow as a concubine. I do not like how tainted your heart is!¡±

 Chapter 75 - We donâ€™t want you to have Children with other Women

    <h4>Chapter 75: We don¡¯t want you to have Children with other Women</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin¡¯sst sentence fatally attacked Shen Xiu. The color drained from her face as she lost all her energy and nearly fainted.

    She thought Xie Yunjin treated her differently from others. After all, he would speak to her sometimes when he rarely spoke to anyone else in the vige.

    She didn¡¯t know he thought of her as tainted.

    Shen Xiu¡¯s brain buzzed and she lost all her strength.

    Outside the room, someone squeezed through the crowd ¨C it was Luo Wangcai.

    The sight of Lu Jiao made Luo Wangcai¡¯s legs go numb. He raised his arm and pointed at Shen Xiu, ¡°I¡¯m here to take her away.¡±

    He then went into the room and dragged Shen Xiu out.

    Before, Luo Wangcai somewhat liked Shen Xiu and enjoyed the idea of having her as a wife. Today, however, he felt a knot in his heart. So, this woman had her heart set on Xie Yunjin.

    If she had silently admired him, that would¡¯ve been okay with Luo Wangcai.

    However, today, this woman asked to be Xie Yunjin¡¯s concubine and said she would rather be someone¡¯s concubine than be his wife. Just how much did she hate him?

    If he does marry her, he no longer cared too much about treating this rtionship seriously.

    Luo Wangcai dragged Shen Xiu out as if she was a dead dog.

    Behind them, Lu Jiao said to the crowd, ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern my family. Everyone, please go back now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. This doesn¡¯t concern you. Some people¡¯s brains don¡¯t work as well as others.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t get mad. No need to acknowledge those who are brainless.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked everyone out nicely and then waved for Lady Tian and Lu Gui to eat dinner.

    The four little ones were confused about the whole thing and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s a concubine?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched. Lady Tian nudged the little boys, ¡°You children shouldn¡¯t ask so much.¡±

    Sadly, the four little ones refused to leave and were determined to find answers.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to lie to them so she exined in simple terms, ¡°Concubine means your daddy marries someone else on the side as his little wife. That little wife will then bear his children.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say ¡°sleep with daddy¡±. But the four little ones were too young so she said ¡°bear his children.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ faces changed color. They did a full u-turn and ran back into the bedroom.

    Lu Jiao and Lady Tian carried all the prepared dishes into the living room and coincidentally heard the firm attitudes the four little ones disyed.

    ¡°Daddy, we do not want you to get a little wife.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, you cannot get another wife. You are not allowed to have children with her. When we grow older, we will take care of you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if you really want more children, you can have more with mommy. We will treat our little brother nicely.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, daddy, if you have children with your little wife, we will abandon you.¡±

    The four little ones felt that if their father had children with some other woman, he would no longer be their father. However, if he truly wanted more children, they could ept more siblings if he had them with their mother. To them, that would mean they were still family.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face darkened and he called out angrily, ¡°Lu Jiao¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao was setting the table outside. When she heard what the children had said, she tried to hide herself like a turtle. Oops, she was just casually exining to them what that term meant.

    Lady Tian noticed Xie Yunjin¡¯s anger and red at her daughter for speaking out of line.

    What else could Lu Jiao do but admit to the crime in the east bedroom?

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin unkindly stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Why are you saying such useless things to the kids?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°I spoke without thinking.¡±

    She then looked at the four little ones, ¡°You guys, don¡¯t be sad. Even if your daddy does marry another woman, you will all remain his favorite sons.¡±

    Her words made the four little ones cry out loud. So their daddy did want to have children with someone else.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want daddy to have children with someone else.¡±

    ¡°Daddy is ours. We don¡¯t want other kids to call him daddy.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, daddy, if you have children with your little wife, I will run away from this home. I will abandon you.¡±

    ¡°Wuuuu, daddy, didn¡¯t you say you loved us the most and didn¡¯t like other children?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s head pulsed. He red at Lu Jiao violently, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t bedridden, you would be learning your lesson right now.¡±

    He then ignored Lu Jiao and looked at the four little ones, ¡°Okay, stop crying. I won¡¯t marry anyone else. I will spend all my time with you.¡±

    The quadruplets stopped crying instantly. With their eyes red, they stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Are you for real?¡±

    ¡°You are not going to have babies with others?¡±

    ¡°If you do, we will run away from home.¡±

    The four children exchanged nces and nodded together, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The First Born looked at Xie Yunjin and said in a serious tone, ¡°If you want more children, have it with her.¡±

    Lu Jiao jumped at the mention of her. She quickly looked over to Xie Yunjin, who looked back with a fake smile.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. Did this guy think she plotted this and asked the First Born to say that to him?

    She quickly spoke up, ¡°My baby, I¡¯m not going to have more children. You four are enough.¡±

    The quadruplets nced at both of them, ¡°Really?¡±

    Both their mom and dad nodded at the same time, which finally put their four little minds at ease. Lu Jiao was terrified that Xie Yunjin would make a bigger deal out of this and dragged the four little ones.

    The Fourth Born whispered to the Third Born, ¡°If we get a younger sister, that might be nice?¡±

    The quadruplets pondered in a serious manner. In the end, they reached the conclusion that it would be nice to have a sister.

    The First Born turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°If you do have more babies with daddy, it should be a sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes. Did they really think having a sister was as easy asying an egg? Seriously¡­

    Outside the room, Lady Tian and Lu Gui heard the children and Lady Tian nodded in agreement, ¡°Once Yunjin heals, you can have a daughter. A daughter is the parents¡¯ warm cotton jacket.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Once Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, she will leave. Where did more babiese from?

    The Fourth Born was very interested in the cotton jacket and asked Lady Tian, ¡°Granny, what is a cotton jacket?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a jacket that is made out of cotton. It means having a daughter can keep you warm and fuzzy.¡±

    The Fourth Born sat up straight and indicated, ¡°Granny, do not worry. I am my mommy¡¯s warm cotton jacket.¡±

    He then turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and agreed. As long as the conversation leaned away from having babies.

    ¡°Yes, you are mommy¡¯s cotton jacket.¡±

    The family ate happily. Afterward, Lu Jiao poured some fish soup, grabbed some pot stickers, and went to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Though Xie Yunjin could move around more now and could drink water independently, eating was still too much work. Lu Jiao continued to feed him.

    As she fed him, she said, ¡°We only have one pot at home ¨C a broken one at that. I need to quickly get two good pots. That will make cooking so much easier.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t speak and only silently stared. Lu Jiao thought of before and thought Xie Yunjin suspected she taught the quadruplets to say such things. She exined herself.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t teach the quadruplets anything. Don¡¯t overthink and think I was the one who told them what to say.¡±

    Xie Yunjin calmly responded, ¡°What am I overthinking about? You tell me.¡±

    Honestly, Lu Jiao was a military doctor and only knew how to treat patients. When it came to mind games, she wasn¡¯t as skilled as Xie Yunjin. So she rather steers away from topics like this.

    ¡°Hahaha, good if you aren¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 76 - You donâ€™t seem to know how to Read

    <h4>Chapter 76: You don¡¯t seem to know how to Read</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>CokeZero <strong> Editor: </strong>Rainystars</h4>

    Xie Yunjin looked at her and decided to drop the matter. With a cold expression, he asked, ¡°What happened when you visited my brother? Did you get hurt?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew he was asking about when she took the children to the Xie family.

    Lu Gui must¡¯ve told him all about how the Second Born got hit.

    Lu Jiao told him what happened and coldly hissed, ¡°You didn¡¯t see just how sad your dad looked when Caidou was being hit. I don¡¯t understand. All the children are his grandchildren, why does he only care about your elder brother¡¯s children? Why doesn¡¯t he care about ours?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of a possible exnation and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Could it be that you are not biologically their children? Were you picked up off the street?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes gloomed over. He¡¯s had his fair share of suspicions about that. He even investigated in secret. However, in the end, it was concluded that he truly was Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan¡¯s child.

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked into that. I am my parents¡¯ child.¡±

    In this world, not all parents love their children.

    Under circumstances where there were multiple children in the same household, it wasmon for parents to have favorites.

    This was why he was determined to be a fair father after he had his four children.

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°This family of yours will drag you down in the future.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze, then shook her head, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I¡¯m worried about the quadruplets.¡±

    She really was. It was a misfortune to have grandparents like that. Those people were the elder generation and it was easy for them to mess with the younger generations.

    Xie Yunjin whispered, ¡°I have ways to make them quiet down. I¡¯m bedridden right now and cannot put up a fight. Once I heal, they won¡¯t have the energy to act like this.¡±

    He spoke so calmly and nonchntly it was as if this was nothing.

    Lu Jiao remembered how capable he was and decided not to worry.

    Xie Yunjin thought of the surgery he¡¯ll be having, ¡°The most pressing matter right now is my surgery. I need to get that done as soon as possible.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°Then, the day after tomorrow, I will go into town and talk to Doctor Qi about your surgery.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was impatient, ¡°Can¡¯t you go tomorrow?¡±

    If she goes tomorrow, then they could be ready to operate the day after. At the end of the day, he wanted to be able to stand as soon as possible.

    After this incident, he¡¯s learned the true personality and intentions of everyone around him. Going forward, he will repay those who deserve it and distance himself from others.

    Lu Jiao disagreed with his suggestion, ¡°Your concussion only just got better, you shouldn¡¯t rush it. I will go in the day after tomorrow to ask Doctor Qi about your surgery. I have something I need to do tomorrow. Tomorrow, I have to teach my mom how to make tofu.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao in astonishment. Strong physique, knew medicine, knew herbs, and now she revealed she knew how to make tofu? Just what kind of woman was she in the past?

    ¡°You know how to make tofu?¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°I learned it from reading.¡±

    Xie Yunjin chuckled lightly and reminded, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know how to read.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face darkened. After a long pause, she finally murmured, ¡°I listened to others read out loud.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then you are truly amazing. You learned so many skills by listening to others read books.¡±

    Lu Jiao was a little stunned. Was this man mocking her?

    Since Xie Yunjin finished eating, he said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Go out and eat. It¡¯ste.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked away with the empty bowls.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin softly grinned.

    The thought of Caidou hitting the Second Born made his face cold again. His fingers tapped gently. Once he could walk away, he will need to find something for the Xie family to do. That entire family was far too free.

    After dinner, Lady Tian washed the dishes and heated up medicine for Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao washed the four little ones and changed them into their new clothes. In the end, she brushed their hair and put them into two high pigtails. The boys¡¯ hair was shaved bare before and only started to grow over thest year. So, two little pigtails were all she could do. She tied them using hair bands that were the same color as their clothes.

    After this little dress-up, the boys were now the spitting image of cute babies found in drawings.

    Especially since the four of them were dressed exactly the same way ¨C the picture of them together was a blessing to the eyes.

    Lady Tian couldn¡¯t help herself and hugged each one of them and gave each one of them a fat kiss.

    ¡°Ah, whose babies are you? You¡¯re so good-looking. You¡¯re truly carved from the same mould.¡±

    Lu Jiao subconsciously checked out the four children. The quadruplets actually didn¡¯t look that much alike if one looked closely. It was because they were the same age, had the same haircut, and wore the same clothes, that most people couldn¡¯t tell them apart.

    Lu Jiao smiled at the four little ones, ¡°Okay, go show your daddy. You guys are so good-looking today.¡±

    The four little ones smiled so big their lips couldn¡¯t find each other anymore.

    Drowning in joy, they headed to the east bedroom.

    Lu Jiao poured the hot medicine into a bowl. Beside her, Lady Tian patted her head, ¡°My Jiaojiao is going to have such a good life.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. What good life? The man wasn¡¯t hers, and the babies weren¡¯t hers.

    How could she exin all this to Lady Tian? Lu Jiao was troubled and her head hurt.

    Oh well, she will leave this matter to deal with at ater date. She smiled at Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to feed Yunjin medicine. You should wash up.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lady Tian went to get clothes and get washed up. Lu Jiao went to the east bedroom with the medicine. Before she reached the door, she already heard the children chirping like little magpies.

    ¡°Daddy, do we look good?¡±

    ¡°My new clothes are sofortable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten new clothes before.¡±

    ¡°Mommy said she will make us a lot of new clothes in the future.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up as he watched how excited the four little ones were. When they were happy, he was happy.

    Lu Jiao came in with the bowl of medicine, ¡°Alright, stop showing off. Get up there and go to sleep. It¡¯ste.¡±

    The four little ones nodded. They suddenly thought of Soot and Marble and said, ¡°Mommy, we want to see Soot and Marble. We¡¯lle back soon to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡±

    Soot and Marble were pretty down because they¡¯d just been taken away from their mom. They enjoyed hiding in the little dog house that was built for them. Therefore, the four little ones visited them whenever they found the time.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop them.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin took over the medicine. However, he wasn¡¯t in a rush to drink it. He looked up at Lu Jiao, a little dazed.

    ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for the four little ones.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him in surprise. The great viin was thanking her? That sure was rare.

    Xie Yunjin then drank his medicine in silence.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood lifted, ¡°Why thank me? They¡¯re my sons as well!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened a little when he heard those words. Without flinching, he finished the medicine, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

 Chapter 77 - The Best General

    Chapter 77: The Best General

    Lu Jiao beamed ear to ear and took over the empty bowl, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of them.¡±

    She meant in the next two to three months.

    After the next two to three months, the four little ones will no longer be hers. Lu Jiao was depressed about that thought but also knew there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it.

    In this day and age, the mother never got to keep the children. Plus, Xie Yunjin really cared for the four little ones.

    So she wasn¡¯t going to even suggest to him to give her the children.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze darkened even more. He wondered silently. Did she mean, she wasn¡¯t going to leave anymore? That wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing.

    He¡¯s been closely observing these few days and has to admit that this woman truly did care about the quadruplets.

    If she could care for the children, then he would focus on his exams. As long as she helps him take good care of the four little ones, then he will treat her well once he achieves sess.

    Lu Jiao had no idea that her mindless statement would trigger so many thoughts in the future First Assistant¡¯s head.

    She left with her bowl and saw Xie Erzhuing over, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Xie Erzhu returned the greeting with aplex expression. He personally witnessed this sister-inw make a scene at his parent¡¯s. Somehow, he didn¡¯t find her so scary anymore.

    On the contrary, he felt satisfied. His parents, elder brother, and sister-inw needed to be taught a lesson by someone like his third sister-inw.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Lu Jiao caught sight of the four little ones showing off their new clothes to Soot and Marble. Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. Just how happy were they? They were showing off to their puppies?

    ¡°You four,e back and sleep. Why are you showing off to dogs? Hurry up.¡±

    The four little ones ran back. The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s sleep together. You tell me a story.¡±

    The other three ran over as well and gawked at her with their eyes wide. It was obvious that they wanted a story too.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t fight it. She went to the living room, put down the bowl, and led the four little ones into the west bedroom for a story.

    By the time Lu Jiao was done telling the story, Xie Erzhu was done helping Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°You three, go back to your dad¡¯s to sleep.¡±

    The Second Born looked at the First Born and whispered, ¡°First Born, I want to sleep with mommy.¡±

    Before the First Born could speak, Lu Jiao spoke up first, ¡°It¡¯s not good to sleep here. You go?and sleep with your dad.¡±

    The Second Born felt wronged and pointed at the Fourth Born, ¡°Howe he gets to sleep here then?¡±

    The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao¡¯s arm as if terrified that she would shoo him into the other bedroom as well.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. She patted the Second Born¡¯s head, ¡°Grandma¡¯s here. The bed¡¯s too small for all of us. Once grandma goes back home, you can sleep with whoever you want.¡±

    The Second Born was okay with this and nodded heavily. The First Born took the Second and Third Born back to the east bedroom. However, the Third Born wouldn¡¯t sleep. He sat on top of the bed and refused to lie down no matter what others said.

    Inside the west bedroom, Lu Jiao and Lady Tian were ready to sleep with the Fourth Born but when they heard themotion in the other room, they got up to check it out.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    The Second Born tattle-taled, ¡°Mommy, look at the Third Born. He¡¯s not sleeping and he¡¯s just sitting there. Daddy asked him why he¡¯s not sleeping and he refused to answer.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked over to the Third Born and asked him in a gentle voice, ¡°Third Born, why are you not sleeping? You can tell mom what you are thinking of.¡±

    The Third Born looked at Lu Jiao, then looked at his new clothes. Lu Jiao guessed what was in his little mind right away.

    ¡°You¡¯re worried about wrinkling your new clothes?¡±

    The Third Born nodded violently, ¡°Sleeping would press onto the clothes too hard and cause wrinkles. I¡¯m not sleeping.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart was bitter. This was all because these children never had much to wear growing up. Plus, by now, she¡¯s discovered that the Third Born was very into appearances and loved dressing up.

    Lu Jiao patted the Third Born¡¯s head, ¡°Go to sleep for tonight. Tomorrow, I will make you a set of pajamas.¡±

    The Third Born¡¯s never heard of that word, ¡°What is ¡®pajamas¡¯?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s clothes you wear to go to sleep. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about wrinkling the clothes you¡¯re wearing now.¡±

    The Third Born immediately smiled, ¡°Okay, mommy, then you make me one tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°For sure.¡±

    The Second Born sat up straight and shouted, ¡°Mommy, I want one too! I want one too!¡±

    Lu Jiao made him sit down, ¡°Okay, I will make each one of you a set. Go to sleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao settled the children down and left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin stared.

    Pajamas? That was a wild new word. Just where did shee from?

    The next morning, when the Sun had just risen and before Lu Jiao had gotten up, she hazily felt like someone was standing beside her. Scared, she jolted awake and found a little guy standing at the head of the bed.

    It was the Second Born.

    Lu Jiao rubbed her eyes and sat up. In a whisper, she asked, ¡°Second Born, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±

    The Second Born lowered his voice and whispered back, ¡°Mommy, you said you¡¯d teach us how to defend ourselves.¡±

    Since Lu Jiao brought it up, of course, she was going to teach them. However, wasn¡¯t this just a little too early?

    The Second Born seemed to have realized he was pushing it. Mommy didn¡¯t seem too pleased. Was she going to refuse to teach them now because she was angry?

    The little guy carefully observed Lu Jiao and grasped his hands together, ¡°I don¡¯t want others to take advantage of us anymore. They also take advantage of daddy. If I can learn how to defend myself, I can protect daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart softened and she hugged him, ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯m not mad.¡±

    She then gently and carefully got out of bed and took the Second Born outside.

    It was so early in the morning that it was still somewhat dark. The entire yard was silent without any traces of noise.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up the mountains first to collect some hay. We¡¯ll make a scarecrow out of the hay. Then, I can teach you how to defend against bad people.¡±

    The Second Born¡¯s eyes were as clear as water, ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao went to retrieve her basket from the kitchen. She ced the Second Born into the basket and put it on her back.

    Scared that he would fall, she warned him, ¡°Hold onto my neck, don¡¯t fall out.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    The Second Bornughed and quickly wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck. The mother and son duo went up the mountain quietly. This time, they didn¡¯t collect firewood because there was no space. They managed to get a stack of hay and Lu Jiao cut up some bamboo. She was going to teach her mom how to make tofu today. The bamboo could be used as a simple container for tofu making.

    Though the Second Born was very little, he did his best to help Lu Jiao with the hay. As he pulled them up, he asked curiously, ¡°Can we really make a scarecrow out of this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we can. We¡¯ll put it together once we get back.¡±

    The Second Born blinked stars at Lu Jiao and said stickily, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re so capable. You can do anything.¡±

    He felt so proud. This was his mother! He straightened his chest and decided to be as capable as his mother in the future.

    His mother got a hold of Shen Daniu¡¯s dad and beat him up enough that he cried. Plus, his mother attacked in a way that left no wounds. The more the Second Born thought about it, the more capable she appeared to him.

    Lu Jiao smiled at him, ¡°In the future, you are going to be far more capable than me.¡±

    The Second Born nodded. In the future, he will ride giant horses and be the best general there is.

 Chapter 78 - Teaching the Quadruplets how to Fight

    Chapter 78: Teaching the Quadruplets how to Fight

    As Lu Jiao tied up the hay and the bamboo, she asked the Second Born, ¡°What do you want to be when you grow up? Do you want to be a great schr like your daddy? If you want, ask your daddy to send you to study when you¡¯re a little older.¡±

    The Second Born instantly shook his head and straightened her back, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like to study. I enjoy riding horses and I want to be a general in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao cooperated by praising him, ¡°Okay, then work hard so you can be a great general in the future.¡±

    The Second Born was overjoyed to hear the encouragement, ¡°Mommy, when I be a general, I will look after you every day. Whoever dares you to hurt you, I will hit them to death.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened. Though she wasn¡¯t going to stay by them forever, she didn¡¯t want them to grow up with poor morals.

    She stared at the Second Born and said in a serious manner, ¡°Second Born, even if you do be a general one day, you cannot be a general who hurts people without good reasons, got it?¡±

    The Second Born exined, ¡°Mommy, I am saying I will hit those who hurt me. I will only beat people who take advantage.¡±

    ¡°Even if someone does hurt you, you have to judge if their crime is unforgivable or not. If they hurt you, you can protect yourself, but you cannot threaten to kill them every time, okay?¡±

    The Second Born thought about it and decided Lu Jiao was right. He should protect himself but he shouldn¡¯t kill others.

    ¡°Mommy, I understand.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled. She ced him into her basket and put it on. As for the hay and bamboo, she tucked them under each one of her arms.

    On her back, the Second Born felt that walking down the mountain must be too tiring for her and struggled toe down.

    ¡°Mommy, I can walk down the mountain. You can use the basket for hay and bamboo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can carry them. Don¡¯t move around too much. You might fall.¡±

    The Second Born didn¡¯t dare to move then. He extended his arms and wrapped them around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck and his little head reliantly pressed against Lu Jiao¡¯s back.

    The mother and son duo went home. Before they got there, however, they saw two people walk toward them. The sight of Lu Jiao made those two walk forward faster.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, Erdan poopedst night and his fever disappeared. It didn¡¯te back all night so I think he is fine now. I must thank you profusely.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded lightly and reminded Erdan¡¯s parents, ¡°Don¡¯t let your children eat too much meat in the future. They¡¯re young and their stomachs are weak. It¡¯s better for them to consume more vegetables and fruits. Plus, when you cook meat, cook it for a longer period of time so the meat is very tender. That way, the children can digest better.¡±

    Erdan¡¯s parents nodded, ¡°We understand. We will be more careful in the future.¡±

    Erdan¡¯s parents then took out some silver and said embarrassingly, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, we don¡¯t have much money so please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Lu Jiao straight away raised up her arm along with the hay in her hand to decline, ¡°Take that back. I don¡¯t want money.¡±

    Erdan¡¯s parents exchanged nces, ¡°How can we do that?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We are all neighbors after all. You guys should go back to take care of Erdan now.¡±

    Erdan¡¯s parents thanked her again. As they left, they still muttered words of appreciation.

    The Second Born felt very proud to have witnessed that. He silently eximed over how incredible his mother was. Not only did she cure Erdan, but she also refused the money.

    With the Second Born on her back and hay and bamboo under her arms, they reached home. Outside her trellis, the other three little ones had woken up and were ying with Soot and Marble.

    After they took some time to adjustment, the puppies now leisurely yed with the children.

    When Lu Jiao appeared, the three little ones came to greet the puppies. The Third Born was the first to speak, ¡°Mommy, where are those pajamas you promised to make me?¡±

    Still on Lu Jiao¡¯s back, the Second Bornined, ¡°No! Let mommy teach us how to fight bad guys first.¡±

    The Third Born wanted to argue but the First Born spoke up, ¡°We learn how to fight first so we don¡¯t get beat up by others. After that, you can get your pajamas.¡±

    The Second and Third Borns stopped talking then. The Fourth Born shot over like a bullet and hogged onto Lu Jiao¡¯s leg, ¡°Mommy, where did you take the Second Born? When I woke up, I didn¡¯t see you and I missed you!¡±

    Lu Jiao put down the hay and bamboo to pinch his cheek, ¡°I went up onto the mountain to get some hay.¡±

    The Second Born chimed in quickly, ¡°Mommy said she can make the hay into a scarecrow. Then use it to teach us how to fight.¡±

    The Third Born howled, ¡°Really?! Hay can be made into a scarecrow?¡±

    The others were intrigued by this. Lu Jiao put down the Second Born, put away the bamboo, and started to tie the hay together.

    The four little ones circled around her to observe. Lu Jiao took the time to exin every step of the process, ¡°See, this is the head.¡±

    ¡°This is the body. These are hands and these are legs.¡±

    By the time she was done putting everything together, a scarecrow was formed.

    The four little ones cheered, ¡°Ah, it really is a scarecrow! It looks just like a person!¡±

    ¡°It really does look like a person!¡±

    The Second Born was impatient, ¡°Mommy, teach us how to beat up bad people!¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She made the scarecrow stand up to demonstrate, ¡°First, observe if your opponent is bigger than you. If they are and you cannot beat them, then grab their legs first. Use your strength to make them fall and use your elbows to hurt them. There are a few spots that hurt more than others. Such as the lower body. You strike here¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao continued to teach her sons how to beat up bad guys. Lu Gui rushed over with interest.

    Lady Tian also came over after she cooked breakfast. She watched everything in fear and grabbed onto Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, why are you teaching the children how to fight?¡±

    The four little ones looked over to Lady Tian, confused. What was wrong with defending against bad guys?

    Lu Jiao stood up and smiled, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s to prevent others from hurting them.¡±

    ¡°If you teach them how to fight, they¡¯ll fight people all the time. It won¡¯t save them from any pain.¡±

    Lu Jiao reminded the four little ones with a grin, ¡°You are not going to randomly hit others. You will only defend yourself against those who hurt you. Once you are older, you will not take advantage of the weak.¡±

    The Second Born rified in a hurry, ¡°Who are the ¡®weak¡¯?¡±

    ¡°The weak are those who are smaller or weaker than you. Don¡¯t take advantage of others. If you do, you will be as annoying as Caidou.¡±

    The four little ones nodded to confirm they understood, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt the weak.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded but Lady Tian was still worried and whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°If you teach the children how to fight, wouldn¡¯t my son-inw be angry?¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried about that. Xie Yunjin was the greatest antagonist in the novel who fought against the protagonists for his sons. There was no way he would be angry at her for teaching his children how to defend themselves.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Lady Tian wanted to say more but Lu Jiao had already turned around to continue teaching.

    As the mother and sons trained, Lady Zhao approached the outer gate. Lu Jiao saw her and told the four little ones to practice themselves.

    She went to greet Lady Zhao, ¡°Is something up?¡±

    In a mysterious voice, Lady Zhao whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Did you hear? Last night, something else happened at the Shen family home.¡±

 Chapter 79 - To Requite Resentment with Justice; to Requite Kindness with Kindness

    Chapter 79: To Requite Resentment with Justice; to Requite Kindness with Kindness

    Lu Jiao grinned. Lady Zhao was here to gossip.

    Women often enjoyed gossiping and she was no exception. Or else why would she be so excited over these little things?

    ¡°What was the matter this time?¡±

    Lad Zhao found this news to be funny, ¡°After Luo Wangcai dragged her out of your home, she caused more chaos at home. She told Widow Li that she would give her 10 taels of silver and not marry Luo Wangcai.

    She went home to find the money but couldn¡¯t find it. So she came out to curse at Luo Wangcai and used him of stealing her money.

    Do you think it¡¯s true? Do you think the silver Luo Wangcai offered was actually Shen Xiu¡¯s? Or do you think she¡¯s using him?

    Luo Wangcai instantly denied it and said he borrowed silver from people just so he could marry her. He even brought some people over to prove it.

    Widow Li was angry as well and made the decision to marry Shen Xiu off to Luo Wangcai today.¡±

    Lu Jiao was shocked, ¡°Is there enough time today to prepare for a celebratory dinner?¡±

    Lady Zhao chuckled, ¡°Dinner? What dinner? It¡¯s a widow remarrying, it¡¯s no big deal. All it means is that Luo Wangcai gets to take her home today.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face continued to be astonished. She remembered how Luo Wangcai invited her to attend their marriage celebrationst time. What now? That wasn¡¯t happening?

    However, Shen Xiu¡¯s poor situation today was self-inflicted. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t pity her.

    After sharing the gossip of the day, Lady Zhao left in satisfaction. Right before she fully walked away, however, she warned Lu Jiao, ¡°You should be careful of her.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lady Zhao stared at her as if defeated, ¡°She¡¯s got her eyes on Yunjin.¡±

    Lu Jiao mindlessly addressed it, ¡°She¡¯s a widow who just remarried. Yunjin wouldn¡¯t be interested in her.¡±

    Lady Zhao warned Lu Jiao, ¡°She may get evil ideas. Yunjin is someone with a bright future. If she manages to ruin Yunjin¡¯s reputation, it will haunt him forever.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to that well and thanked Lady Zhao, ¡°Thank you for your reminder. I will be careful.¡±

    Lady Zhao finally left and Lu Jiao came back into the yard. The four little ones were practicing striking bad guys with much eagerness. Given the time of the day, Lu Jiao called out, ¡°Go eat breakfast before practicing more. Come and wash up.¡±

    The four little ones happily went to wash up before going to the living room to eat breakfast.

    Lu Jiao got a bowl of porridge and some cucumber to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Just then, Lin Erdan¡¯s mom came over. This time, she dropped off a basket full of eggs and ran away after she put it down.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you have to ept these eggs. If you don¡¯t, we won¡¯t have any humility left.¡±

    Lu Jiao eyed the eggs and didn¡¯t say much before going to the east bedroom to feed Xie Yunjin.

    After nourishment from the spiritual water and the good quality medicine, Xie Yunjin looked well. His once pale face had reddened up and light had returned to his dark eyes. As if he had just been bathed in water from the immortals, his entire body was shiny and bright, from hair to toe.

    Lu Jiao was happy with what she saw and agreed that he was ready for surgery.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and asked Lu Jiao gently, ¡°Were you teaching the quadruplets how to strike others this morning?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t hide anything from him and nodded, ¡°Yeah, do you not want me to?¡±

    Xie Yunjin remembered how his sons were beaten up yesterday and his gaze turned cold. By the time he looked at Lu Jiao again, they had warmed up. He said in a kind voice, ¡°As long as you are teaching them how to protect themselves and not telling them how to attack others, I won¡¯t object. You did well.¡±

    The way she raised his sons agreed with his own principles. These days, he had begun to want her to stay to take care of the children.

    Lu Jiao was very pleased to hear him say that. She disliked those people with out-of-date rotten views such as ¡°requite resentment with justice¡±.

    To requite resentment with justice; to requite kindness with kindness.

    Since Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t me her, Lu Jiao was in a great mood. The way she fed Xie Yunjin was gentler than usual.

    Xie Yunjin naturally noticed this. He nced at her and said, ¡°I feel my body improving every day. Can you go into town tomorrow and ask if Doctor Qi can operate on me?¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how impatient he was about this.

    ¡°Sure, I will go find him tomorrow and ask him to arrange this as soon as possible.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression rxed as hope flooded his face. He looked like a thirsty tree that had finally been watered, his demeanor lifted.

    He was apletely different person from the man Lu Jiao first met.

    As Lu Jiao fed him, she said, ¡°I will go tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t be hasty.¡±

    Xie Yunjin reminded, ¡°If the Vige Leader¡¯s ox cart doesn¡¯t go tomorrow, rent one by yourself. Don¡¯t walk.¡±

    This woman was fully dedicated to his quadruplets and he needed to treat her well.

    Lu Jiao was ttered to hear him say that. At the same time, she sighed in relief. It appeared that after their separation, he wouldn¡¯t seek her out for trouble and she won¡¯t have to die a brutal death. Not bad.

    Due to today¡¯s good news, the two¡¯s interaction was very peaceful.

    Outside the room, however, four people entered. Before they got in, they started to shout, ¡°Mother, we are here to visit you.¡±

    Lu Jiao heard the voice and peeked through the window. She discovered that her visitors were her big brother, his wife, and her second brother and his wife.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t move and continued to feed Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin peered at her and found her to be expressionless.

    After days of observation, Xie Yunjin thought he now understood Lu Jiao pretty well.

    Though she always appeared friendly and pleasant, she had a distinct personality. If she liked you, she would treat you with nothing but kindness. If she disliked you, she wouldn¡¯t even want to spare you a look. If you provoked her, she would beat you up.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dropped. It seemed like the Lu brothers had wronged her.

    Outside the room, both the brothers and their wives were apologizing to Lady Tian. Lady Tian¡¯s voice was emotionless but she didn¡¯t appear angry anymore.

    They were her children ¨C just how long could she stay mad?

    Lu Gui flew up to greet his older brothers and sisters-inw. He then whispered to them, ¡°Sister and brother-inw are inside the east bedroom. I will lead you to them.¡±

    The sisters-inw were a little scared of Lu Jiao. Last time, she came in in a rage.

    Lu Gui had led his brothers to the east bedroom by now.

    ¡°Sister, first and second brother are here to visit mom.¡±

    The brothers smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, we are here to take mom home.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up at them, ¡°If you want to take her home, you can. Just remember to not trouble mom so much. You only have one mom so why get so angry with her? She is old now and how can fighting be good for her age?¡±

    Lu Ping and Lu An remembered how their father asked them not to fight so they didn¡¯t say anything and only nodded.

    ¡°In the future, we will do everything mom says. We promise that we won¡¯t make her mad.¡±

    ¡°Sister, do not worry. We will do everything mom says from now on.¡±

    Their father wasn¡¯t used to being alone these days and was anxious every day. Every night, he wouldy on his bed, unable to sleep.

    All these years, he¡¯s been with their mom and they¡¯ve never separated.

    This was the first time they separated.

    Today, their dad couldn¡¯t lie still anymore and in the middle of the night, he asked them to go pick up their mom. He ordered that if they failed, they didn¡¯t need to return.

 Chapter 80 - The Four Little ones are so Obedient

    Chapter 80: The Four Little ones are so Obedient

    What else could Lu Ping and Lu An do other thane over here to pick up their mother? It wasn¡¯t good for their mother to live with their sister. They were asking to be cursed at by the vigers.

    Now that Lu Ping and Lu An had promised, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t argue further. She walked out with her empty bowl.

    Lu Ping and Lu An checked out Xie Yunjin, who lied on the bed and found their brother-inw to be bright in the face. His gaze was energetic and dazzling like the stars in the sky. No matter how they looked at him, he didn¡¯t look like a paralyzed patient.

    ¡°Brother-inw, your condition appears to have improved.¡±

    ¡°That is great news.¡±

    Lu Ping and Pu An were brothers. One of them was simple-minded while the other was sleek. The brothers were good-hearted and they usually spoke with sincerity. Because of Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin was also very respectful towards them.

    ¡°I am much better now. Have you eaten breakfast?¡±

    Lu Ping and Lu An haven¡¯t. They were kicked out by their father in the middle of the night. Where would they go to eat?

    They were too embarrassed to answer Xie Yunjin and only scratched their heads.

    Xie Yunjin called out, ¡°Lu Jiao?¡±

    Lu Jiao entered, ¡°What is it? You want to drink water?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked over to Lu Ping and Lu An, ¡°They haven¡¯t eaten. Fetch them some food.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at Xie Yunjin. This person was normally aloof yet today, he cared about her brothers? How rare.

    Xie Yunjin smiled slightly after he witnessed her reaction. This woman disyed all her thoughts on her face. If he left her, she would easily get scammed. So, it would be better for him to stay by her side to take care of her.

    Lu Jiao left the room. When she walked past Lu Ping and Lu An, their hearts strangely squeezed.

    Lu Jiao went to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s make some noodles for everyone.¡±

    Lady Tian sighed in relief. Did this mean Jiaojiao had forgiven her brothers?

    Lady Tian red at her daughters-inw, who received the message and smiled at Lady Tian.

    As Lady Tian and Lu Jiao walked, the brothers¡¯ wives surrounded the quadruplets and praised them.

    ¡°You four are so pretty and so cute.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met you before. I can¡¯t believe you four grew up so big already.¡±

    Women instinctively love cute things. Therefore, when they saw the four little ones, their maternal instincts exploded.

    ¡°What are your names?¡±

    The quadruplets had never met these people before and were a little dazed. Since they asked, the First Born answered ordingly, ¡°My name is Xie Wenyao, and my nickname is First Born.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenjia, my nickname is Second Born.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenshao, my nickname is Third Born.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenyu, my nickname is Fourth Born.¡±

    After they introduced themselves, Lu Jiao came back from the outside. She said to the quadruplets, ¡°These are your aunts, pay your respect.¡±

    Finally, the little ones learned how to call these adults.

    ¡°First aunty, second aunty.¡±

    The aunties nodded while they grinned ear to ear. They remembered that they didn¡¯t bring any gifts for the kids today.

    The adults were embarrassed and they silently med their father-inw. Why didn¡¯t he wait until morning to wake them up? They didn¡¯t get to prepare anything in the middle of the night.

    Lu Jiao said to the quadruplets, ¡°Your aunts forgot to bring you gifts. They will make it up to you next time.¡±

    The little ones bowed down to thank them, ¡°Thank you, aunties.¡±

    The aunties felt their defense copse as their hearts fluttered. Oh my, they were such good boys.

    The second aunty had one daughter, Taozi. She was only two and didn¡¯t know how to speak yet.

    The first aunty had a son named Huzi. He couldn¡¯t even bepared to the quadruplets. When something didn¡¯t go his way, he would roll around on the ground.

    With her eyes green, the first aunty swore to herself that the next time her son rolled around on the ground, she would skin him.

    As the group chatted outside, Lu Ping, Lu An, and Lu Gui walked out.

    These three were pressured to speak to Xie Yunjin and they felt ufortable in front of him. After all, they were merely farmers while their brother-inw was a schr. They felt like it took much effort to even understand some of the things their brother-inw was saying so they didn¡¯t want to spend any time with him.

    The moment Lu Ping and Lu An came out, Lu Jiao introduced, ¡°These are your uncles. You¡¯ve met your youngest uncle, but you haven¡¯t met your first and second uncles, right?¡±

    The quadruplets called in unison, ¡°First uncle, second uncle.¡±

    Lu Ping and Lu An also discovered that they forgot to prepare a gift. Oh man, how embarrassing. The first time they met their nephews, they came empty-handed. This was shameful.

    The second brother, Lu An, was sleek and exined quickly, ¡°I forgot to get you a gift today. I will make it up to youter.¡±

    The First Born shook his head, ¡°Uncle, you don¡¯t need to give me anything. I am happy as long as you are here.¡±

    Even Lu Ping and Lu An felt like the four little ones were far too obedient.

    Lu Jiao saw that the noodles Lady Tian was making were almost ready so she said to the four little ones, ¡°Okay, go y outside. Let your uncles and aunts eat.¡±

    The four little ones had already eaten breakfast so they all dashed outside to practice fighting.

    Inside the room, the aunties stared at Lu Jiao in jealousy, ¡°Sister, your four children are so obedient. How did you raise them this way?¡±

    The first aunty was quick toin about her own son, ¡°Huzi is already five, older than the quadruplets. But he rolls around on the ground when something doesn¡¯t go his way.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°You can simply ignore him if he does that again. If he doesn¡¯t get the attention he wants, he will get up himself. Children are smart. Don¡¯t spoil them just because they¡¯re little. You¡¯ll ruin them as a result.¡±

    The first aunty thought about it and decided Lu Jiao was right. She will ignore him from now on.

    Inside the living room, Lu Gui saw Lu Jiao talking so he dragged out his brothers and hid in the west bedroom to chat. He told his brothers all about Lu Jiao¡¯s idea of teaching them tofu-making.

    The brothers were touched ¨C especially when he heard that Lu Jiao asked their mother to give them pocket money. To think that they med their sister and mother over five taels of silver¡­

    The brothers started to me themselves.

    By the time Lu Jiao went to fetch them for breakfast, the brothers¡¯ eyes were red.

    Their wives stared at them, confused, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are your eyes red?¡±

    The first uncle looked at his wife, ¡°Sister had taught mom tofu making. She¡¯s asked mom to pay us money every month.¡±

    The wives were shocked, ¡°Making tofu? And paying us? What?¡±

    The wives also regretted their previous actions.

    Inside the yard, Lu Jiao had asked Lu Gui to go to the Second Grandma¡¯s house to borrow their stone mill.

    Once it arrived, she asked Lu Gui to grind the beans she soakedst night.

    Lu Jiao used the bamboo she collected this morning to make simple containers to press against the tofu.

    Once the beans were ground, she sifted the powder and then steamed it with water to make soybean milk. Once done, she poured it out to cool.

 Chapter 81 - The Master and his Lady

    <i>Chapter 81</i>: The Master and his Lady

    Lu Jiao kept some inside the pot to let it boil for longer. Then, she scooped out a bowl of soy milk for the four little ones and Xie Yunjin. As for everyone else, she only allowed them to try a sip. The remainder of the soy milk will be made into tofu by adding gypsum. If everyone got a bowl of soy milk, there wouldn¡¯t be enough to make tofu.

    As for the actual process of making tofu, Lu Jiao only taught that to Lady Tian. She also taught her what gypsum was.

    The finished mixture was ced inside the container Lu Jiao made to be pressed.

    The Lu family surrounded the containers and refused to leave. They wanted to be the first to witness whether or not this thing will turn into tofu.

    If sessful, the Lu family was going to be craftsmen in the future. Their family will never be as poor as before.

    The brothers were very happy.

    Lu Jiao took the soymilk to give to Xie Yunjin to try.

    ¡°This is soy milk. It¡¯s good for your health. Come, try some.¡±

    The quadruplets who just tried their share of soy milk ran inside and started to bber to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s really yummy. Drink it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s aromatic and sweet.¡±

    ¡°Mommy said for lunch, we can eat tofu, which is made from this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin took the bowl and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Did you drink some?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I did.¡±

    She only took two sips. She wasn¡¯t that interested in soy milk as she¡¯s had plenty in her previous life.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t say much and started to drink the soy milk. The first gulp brightened his eyes. This tasted great. Very delicious.

    After he drank, a circle of white foam formed around Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips. Lu Jiaoughed. This man was looking like a cat who just stole food.

    Xie Yunjin found this strange, ¡°What are youughing at?¡±

    The First Born was eager to answer, ¡°Daddy, you have something on your lips. Here.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wiped himself and felt the soy milk. So Lu Jiao wasughing at him.

    He nced at her almost angrily but that only made Lu Jiaough harder. She turned her head around and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t your daddy look like a kitty who just stole food?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned dark and he stared at Lu Jiao coldly.

    Lu Jiao got up to leave. Behind her, Xie Yunjin hissed, ¡°Get a piece of cloth and wipe my hand.¡±

    Lu Jiao grunted and ignored him. The four little ones went tofort their old father.

    ¡°Daddy, you didn¡¯t look like a cat who stole food. Mommy was wrong. You looked more like an old man with a white mustache.¡±

    ¡°No, you look more like a dog with a stripe of white fur.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped. Those metaphors were worse than a stealing cat.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao heard the discussion and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Inside the yard, the Lu family continued to stare at the containers. Lu Jiao checked the time and felt that it was ready.

    She said to Lu Gui, ¡°Take off the rock. The tofu should be formed.¡±

    Lu Gui happily took away the rock that pressed onto the tofu, then threw away the nk used to separate the rock from the container. Below, he saw the delicious and fresh-looking tofu.

    The Lu family allughed, ¡°We made tofu. This is so great.¡±

    Lu Jiao went into the kitchen to grab a knife, and then divided the tofu into a few pieces. She observed and then nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Hmm, not bad. For your lunch, I¡¯ll pan fry some, braise some, and stir fry some with vegetables.¡±

    There were so many good dishes that could be made with tofu. Mapo tofu, for example, would be amazing to eat. Since she didn¡¯t have all the ingredients needed for that, she had to go with a few simpler recipes.

    The Lu family, however, was overjoyed.

    Other than the few tofu dishes, Lu Jiao also made some sweet and sour ribs, as well as pork hock with beans.

    Since she still only had one pan, it took her a long time to cook everything.

    She didn¡¯t even have enough bowls and chopsticks and had to borrow some from the Second Grandma. Lu Jiao decided to go into town tomorrow and stock up the kitchen.

    In the afternoon, the first and second Lu brothers were ready to take their mom home.

    Lady Tian, however, didn¡¯t leave. She stared at her sons and daughters-inw and said, ¡°Tomorrow, Jiaojiao is going into town to talk to Dr. Qi. If things go as expected, surgery will happen in two days. There won¡¯t be anyone here to take care of the four little ones so I cannot leave right now. I will return after your brother-inw has surgery.¡±

    The two brothers didn¡¯t argue and bid farewells to Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao stopped them and handed them a few pieces of paper. There were drawings of the equipment needed to make tofu, ¡°Ask dad to buy a stone mill and some cheese cloths to use as a filter. Then, buy some wooden boxes that can be used to contain the tofu while it¡¯s being shaped. Get some buckets as well. I¡¯ve drawn all of those things here. Take these and do as I have said. By the time mom is back, you¡¯ll be ready to make tofu.¡±

    The brothers nodded and smiled, ¡°Okay, we will go prepare right away.¡±

    The brothers¡¯ wives also waved at Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, go back, there¡¯s no need to walk us out. Remember to visit.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for the quadruplets to say bye to everyone.

    The four little ones waved their little hands, ¡°Uncle, aunty, goodbye. Come back soon for ydates.¡±

    The first aunt¡¯s heart itched at the sight of those four. She promised herself to beat up her son once she went back home. His son was older than them but behaved so much more poorly.

    In the afternoon, Lu Jiao took the time to make the children pajamas. They were easy to make. All she had to do was to make a simple sleeveless pullover. For the bottom, she made some in pants.

    Lady Tian had never seen clothes like this and found them very intriguing. She stayed with Lu Jiao to make the clothes inside the west bedroom.

    The Third and Fourth Born refused to leave and watched on the side. The First Born spent time with his dad while the Second Born continued to practice fighting in the yard. The two puppies excitedly circled around his feet.

    The entire home appeared peaceful and tranquil.

    This continued until Xie Xiaobao ran inside and shouted, ¡°Third aunty, you have guests.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. Who was it now?

    She got up to greet the guests and found an oxcart outside the trellis. There were two elders sitting on the cart.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t recognize them and wondered if they were at the wrong address. Despite this, she asked warmly, ¡°You are¡­?¡±

    The way these two stared at Lu Jiao was rather strange. It took a long time for the elder man to speak.

    ¡°I am Master Chen from the Town of Qili. I was Xie Yunjin¡¯s teacher. I heard he was hit by a horse carriage so I am here to visit him.¡±

    Lu Jiao searched her memory. This Master Chen was the teacher who told Xie Laogen Xie Yunjin had talent and urged him to send Xie Yunjin to school.

    Xie Yunjin was very much indebted to this man. That thought deepened the genuine grin on Lu Jiao¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Master Chen and Lady Chen, pleasee in.¡±

    The two shot her another look and entered without another word.

    Lu Jiao felt like they looked at her weirdly but she couldn¡¯t figure out why they would.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin was thrilled to see Master Chen and struggled to get out of bed.

    Master Chen stared at him for a few seconds before he walked to him and stopped him, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Since it¡¯s not convenient, you don¡¯t need to get up.¡±

 Chapter 82 - This Kidâ€¦?

    Chapter 82: This Kid¡­?

    Lu Jiao brought two chairs from the living room so Master Chen and Lady Chen could sit.

    She went to pour two cups of sugar water. The old bowls she had to use made her sigh deeply. Tomorrow, she must buy some new china, including teacups. She didn¡¯t need tea leaves as Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought some good quality onesst time.

    Lu Jiao took the water to the east bedroom. Inside, Xie Yunjin looked at Master Chen with much excitement, ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t expect you to visit.¡±

    This statement made it clear just how much Xie Yunjin respected Master Chen.

    In front of the bed, Master Chen patted his hand and sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened. You are so unlucky to have been hurt like this.¡±

    Lu Jiao handed the sugar water to the elders. The two took it over without anyints.

    Lady Chen even asked Lu Jiao to sit. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t. She noticed that they had much to talk about and didn¡¯t want to interfere.

    Lu Jiao greeted Master and Lady Chen before leaving.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin spoke in a cordial tone, ¡°Master, there¡¯s no need to worry about me. I am fine. Lu Jiao had hired a doctor to treat me. The doctor had told me that my legs can heal.¡±

    Master Chen¡¯s voice went up an octave, ¡°For real?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Yes, the new doctor from Baohe Tang, Dr. Qi, knows how to perform surgery. I will be okay after my operation. There¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡±

    Master Chen smiled. Out of all his pupils, Xie Yunjin was the smartest he¡¯s taught. If he wasn¡¯t, he never would¡¯ve gone to Xie Laogen and convinced him to go study. After that, he never would¡¯ve wanted his young daughter to marry him. Who knew¡­?

    The thought of his daughter pinched Master Chen¡¯s heart. His eyes reddened.

    Xie Yunjin noticed it and knew right away what Master Chen was thinking of. Solemnly, he apologized, ¡°Master, I am sorry. It was all my fault.¡±

    Master Chen shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. If you have to me someone, me our poor eyesight. Don¡¯t be burdened by this.¡±

    Lady Chen also spoke up, ¡°Yeah, what happened to YingEr isn¡¯t your fault. Stop ming yourself. It¡¯s all in the past now. I just hope you don¡¯t me us for not connecting with you all these years because of YingEr.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was determined to get up when he heard those words. Master Chen pushed him down to stop him.

    With his eyes red, Xie Yunjin spoke in a serious tone, ¡°I am forever grateful for everything you¡¯ve done for me. I am not someone who will ever forget the kindness you¡¯ve shown me.¡±

    Master Chen waved his hand, ¡°Everything you achieved is because of your own hard work. Don¡¯t credit me.¡±

    Lady Chen asked caringly, ¡°How¡¯s your health? Can you go under operation?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°I have been recovering well. Without any idents, I can go under the knife in two days.¡±

    ¡°What time? Do let us know.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°You are older now so don¡¯t worry about me. Once my legs heal, I will personally go visit you.¡±

    While the three chatted, the four little ones peeked inside from the door.

    Xie Yunjin called them inside, ¡°Come here and meet grandpa and grandma Chen.¡±

    The four little ones ran inside and bowed towards the two, ¡°Grandpa Chen, grandma Chen.¡±

    The quadruplets wore identical clothes and had the same hairdo. Master and Lady Chen couldn¡¯t really tell them apart like this.

    Looking at these four obedient children, they couldn¡¯t help but pat their heads, ¡°How cute.¡±

    Lady Chen took out some candy from her pocket and gave it to them.

    The four little ones thanked her right away, ¡°Thank you grandma Chen.¡±

    Their mommy had taught them to be respectful and kind. Those who were rude were not good children. These days, the four little ones were very polite and didn¡¯t even need more teaching from Lu Jiao.

    Lady Chen was very happy and nodded profusely. She looked at these four children one by one starting from the First Born. By the time her gaze reached the Fourth Born, she froze. This kid¡­?

    Before she could think too much, she heard voices from outside.

    ¡°I heard Master Chen is here?¡±

    It was the Vige Leader, Xie Fugui. Other than Xie Yunjin, several other children from this vige went to study under Master Chen.

    Xie Fugui originally wanted to save some money and send his Datou to Master Chen¡¯s ce to study. So, when the news went around that Master Chen was here, he rushed over.

    Inside the east bedroom, Master Chen stood up. He knew Xie Fugui and they started to chat.

    Lu Jiao brought in another chair so the Vige Leader could sit. During the same trip, she took away the empty water bowls.

    Lady Chen couldn¡¯t help but study Lu Jiao a little. This woman sure was orderly. The way she moved was confident and outgoing, not at all like a viger raised in the countryside.

    She heard that Lu Jiao had a bad reputation. What was that about?

    The four little ones followed Lu Jiao out while the adults chatted inside.

    After some time, Master Chen and Lady Chen left.

    Xie Fugui walked them out along with Lu Jiao. Once the elders were back on the oxcart, Lu Jiao said respectfully, ¡°Once Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, I will tell him to go visit you.¡±

    Lady Chen warmly weed, ¡°Come with him. Bring your four children as well.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and said bye to Master and Lady Chen.

    Once they left, Lu Jiao asked Xie Fugui, ¡°Vige Leader, is your oxcart going into town tomorrow? I need to go in tomorrow. Yunjin improved a lot and I need to go have a talk with Dr. Qi tomorrow about his surgery.¡±

    Xie Fugui was over the moon to hear that, ¡°I will ask Tieniu to give you a ride tomorrow.¡±

    He even addedter, ¡°Should I go with you?¡±

    He soon realized that was an awful idea. It was weird to go with Yunjin¡¯s wife alone. Heughed, ¡°I¡¯ll ask my wife to go with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I know Dr. Qi well and I just need to ask him whether or not he can do the surgery. If he can, then we¡¯ll make it happen soon. Yunjin¡¯s getting impatient.¡±

    Xie Yunjin truly was. He wanted to get it all done right away. That way, he¡¯ll know for sure whether or not he¡¯ll walk again.

    Though the doctor had assured him, he was still worried.

    Xie Fugui excitedly responded, ¡°When he goes, we will all go with him. This is a big deal for the vige.¡±

    Xie Fugui turned to leave, ¡°I¡¯m going to discuss this with the n Leader to see who we should send into town with Yunjin. This is one of the biggest events for our Xie Vige.¡±

    Lu Jiao speechlessly watched him leave. She never even confirmed with him she was okay with it.

    Since Xie Fugui was now long gone, Lu Jiao had no choice but to walk back to the yard. The Fourth Born pulled on her hands and asked, ¡°Mommy, who were the grandparents that gave us candy?¡±

    ¡°They are the couple who used to teach your father.¡±

    The Fourth Born lost interest right away.

    ¡°Mommy, are we going to sleep wearing pajamas tonight?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She nned for this and had used medicine from her space earlier to kill all the mosquitoes in the house. If she didn¡¯t, the boys would be bitten to death in their little shorts.

    The Fourth Born remembered the shorts and his face flushed red, ¡°Those pants are so short. Mommy, I am shy.¡±

 Chapter 83 - Chen Yingâ€™s Death

    Chapter 83: Chen Ying¡¯s Death

    Lu Jiao was speechless. They were so little yet they knew to be embarrassed.

    ¡°You wear that set of clothes to sleep. I¡¯m not asking you to wear them in broad daylight.¡±

    She then remembered Xie Yunjin and thought she should fetch him some water.

    Lu Jiao said to the Fourth Born, ¡°Go y with your brothers. I¡¯m going to get your daddy some water.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The Fourth Born went to practice fighting with the Second Born.

    Lu Jiao discovered that the Second Born was naturally more athletic than the others. Even after practicing for so long, he still didn¡¯t get tired and appeared to be even more interested than before. Could it be that this guy was going to specialize in martial arts?

    Lu Jiao got some cooled-down boiled water and headed to the east bedroom.

    Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin was quiet. Lu Jiao sensed some sadness from him. What was wrong?

    ¡°Have some water.¡±

    The way Xie Yunjin first looked at Lu Jiao was somewhat sharp. However, he quickly remembered that she was no longer the same person as before.

    The rage in his eyes calmed down as he took over the water to drink.

    Once he was done, Lu Jiao took the bowl and tried to leave.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin started to speak, ¡°The only reason I was able to study was because of Master Chen. He told my father to not make me farm and send me to school. That was why my father sent me. Back then, I had no clothes and no food, so Master Chen took me back to his home to feed me. He even tailored his son¡¯s old clothes a little so I could wear them.¡±

    As Xie Yunjin spoke, he got more emotional.

    ¡°The Master wanted me to marry his youngest daughter, Chen Ying. But Chen Ying was three years older than me and at the time, I was only 15. I didn¡¯t know what it meant to be with a woman and all I could think about was how to study better. Chen Ying also treated me as her little brother so neither of us agreed.

    Master and Lady Chen were disappointed but they didn¡¯t force me. Afterward, they married Chen Ying off to someone else. Who knew that that family would treat Chen Ying poorly because she had trouble bearing children. Her then-husband separated from her and Chen Ying became too ashamed toe home. Afraid that she would embarrass her parents, she went off on her own and lived in a nunnery.

    Later, to repay everything I received from Master and Lady Chen, I decided to take Chen Ying as my wife. Unexpectedly, I was drugged and with you ¡­.¡±

    Xie Yunjin choked here because this woman was not the original one.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. She recalled this novel and remembered that Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife wasn¡¯t named Chen Ying.

    She asked, ¡°Then what happened to Chen Ying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes fogged up.

    ¡°She died. Died in the nunnery.¡±

    Sadness arose from inside Lu Jiao. How could a life disappear just like that? As a doctor, she¡¯s dealt so much with life and death. However, for such a young one to disappear so suddenly made her sullen.

    ¡°Did she die of illness?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened but he didn¡¯t object.

    Lu Jiao knew then that she died of illness.

    No wonder Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife from the novel didn¡¯t end up being Chen Ying. If Chen Ying was still alive, Xie Yunjin would still marry her. How pitiful of a woman. If she was still around, she would have a bright future being the wife of the future First Assistant.

    Lu Jiao quickly recalled something else. From her memories, she remembered that for four years, Master and Lady Chen refused to visit Xie Yunjin. This was why she didn¡¯t recognize them when they met just now.

    ¡°Master and Lady Chen med you for Chen Ying¡¯s death?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t answer which indicated that she was right.

    Because of Chen Ying¡¯s death, Master and Lady Chen med Xie Yunjin and didn¡¯t visit him for over four years. This was why she couldn¡¯t remember them.

    They only visited today because of Xie Yunjin¡¯s injuries.

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin andforted him, ¡°They are visiting now because you have forgiven you. Don¡¯t let it bother you too much.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered what Lady Chen had said before she left, ¡°Lady Chen asked us to go visit with the quadruplets after your legs heal.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood lifted after he heard that. His entire aura lightened up as a result.

    ¡°Yes, once my legs heal, I will go visit them.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t respond and left with the bowls.

    The next day, Lu Jiao helped Xie Yunjin with breakfast and medicine, then readied herself to go into town.

    Worried that Dr. Qi would dy the surgery, Xie Yunjin grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand anxiously and reminded her over and over again, ¡°Lu Jiao, tell Dr. Qi that I have improved greatly. I am no longer nauseous and dizzy and I am ready for surgery.¡±

    Lu Jiao calmed him down, ¡°I got it. Don¡¯t worry. I will tell Dr. Qi that you are ready for surgery. If we can find a time tomorrow, we¡¯ll do it tomorrow morning.¡±

    Might as well get this over with.

    Lu Jiao understood Xie Yunjin. For a long time, he thought he could no longer walk and would have to spend the rest of his life in bed. For there to be this sliver of hope meant he had to grasp onto it.

    Though hopeful, he was also worried that he still cannot walk after surgery. Therefore, he much preferred to do the surgery immediately and find out for himself whether or not he will be able to walk.

    Lu Jiao understood him and decided to operate on him tomorrow morning. Once this was done, she would no longer need to worry and would only need to make sure he took his time resting.

    Xie Yunjin sighed in relief. Still, he was overthinking it. With a serious expression, he stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°If Dr. Qi is busy tomorrow, please ask him if he could move it around and do my surgery first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao tried to take back her hand.

    Only now did Xie Yunjin realize that he¡¯s been holding Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    His face slipped into an unnatural expression and he let go of Lu Jiao¡¯s hand at lightning speed.

    Though Lu Jiao¡¯s been taking care of him and even carried him a few times, they¡¯ve never held hands.

    Even the thought of it made his cheeks heat up. Growing up, he¡¯s never held a woman¡¯s hand before. Even though he shared a night with the original host and conceived their sons, the truth was that he had no recollection of what happened.

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more frustrated he got. In the end, he decided to close his eyes and pretend to sleep.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t overthink it and decided to leave. Outside, the four little ones heard that she was going into town and crowded her.

    ¡°Mommy,e back early tonight.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, are you going to bring back good food for us?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at the four little ones, ¡°Remember to listen to grandma and uncle. I¡¯lle back with yummy snacks.¡±

    She nned on taking out some fruits from her space today and telling everyone that she got them from Baohe Tang.

    Lu Jiao waved bye to Lady Tian, then ced some of the fabric and snacks she got from Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates into her basket.

    Last time, she refused to share these goods with Xie Yunjin¡¯s parents and told everyone that she was going to sell everything. Naturally today, she had to do as she said, or else the vigers would curse her and Xie Yunjin to death for being unfilial.

 Chapter 84 - Iâ€™ll Wait

    Chapter 84: I¡¯ll Wait

    Lu Jiao left home in a hurry.

    Other than organizing the matter of Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery, she had to buy lots of things for the kitchen.

    Most of the things she needed to buy should be easy ¨C woks, however, were rare in this day and age. She wondered if she¡¯ll be able to find them in town.

    Lu Jiao remembered Baohe Tang¡¯s Qi Lei and how he came from the Capital City. Perhaps he had a way to get her some good quality woks. After making up her mind, she headed straight to Xie Fugui¡¯s home.

    On the way there, the vigers all warmly greeted her, not at all displeased to see her like before.

    The Vige Leader¡¯s Tieniu was waiting. Currently, a few people were in his oxcart, including Lu Jiao¡¯s first sister-inw ¨C Chen Liu, the Second Grandma¡¯s youngest daughter-inw ¨C Changmei, Xie Xiaojuan, and two of Lu Jiao¡¯s enemies, aunt Guihua and Shen Xiu.

    The moment Shen Xiu saw Lu Jiao, hatred poured out of her. She stared at Lu Jiao as if she was waiting for the perfect moment to bite.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even acknowledge her. She smiled at Xie Xiaojuan, who helped her up the cart and asked her to sit beside her.

    The oxcart started to move once Lu Jiao settled down.

    Across from her, Chen Liu noticed that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t greet her and got angry. She red at Lu Jiao and demanded in a sour tone, ¡°Ah, does my third sister-inw have poor eyesight? Or is it because the third brother¡¯s recovering soon so you no longer think anything of me?¡±

    Lu Jiao replied nonchntly, ¡°I didn¡¯t think anything of you in the first ce. All those things you¡¯ve done deserve no respect. Why don¡¯t you ask the vigers and see how many people actually do think something of you?¡±

    The other women in the cart turned to Chen Liu.

    Even aunt Guihua, who didn¡¯t like Lu Jiao, refused to take Chen Liu¡¯s side.

    Chen Liu¡¯s face darkened and fire shot out of her eyes. She instinctively wanted to hit Lu Jiao but was scared off by the memories of Lu Jiao¡¯s insane strength.

    This woman was okay with overstepping her mother-inw. If she hit Lu Jiao today, Lu Jiao would 100% hit back.

    Chen Liu quickly remembered the decision her mother-inw madest night and couldn¡¯t help but smirk.

    Ha, she could act triumphant now. Once the third brother leaves her, she won¡¯t be able to smile.

    Chen Liu managed to make herself feel better and turned away after she red at Lu Jiao.

    Chen Liu was now silent, Shen Xiu however, decided to open her mouth.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you were the one who told Luo Wangcai to steal my money and give it to my mother so she would agree to marry me off. You plotted this.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away that Shen Xiu had gotten the truth out of Luo Wangcai.

    She was not the slightest scared.

    Everyone in the oxcart nced at Lu Jiao in surprise. Was that true?

    Lu Jiao coldly snickered, ¡°Shen Xiu, you gave Luo Wangcai 500 tokens and asked him to seduce me. I had to defend myself. What I did is nothingpared to what you did.

    I have a husband. You knew that and still asked a man to seduce me. Your only intention at the time was to ruin my reputation. You¡¯re a widow and Luo Wangcai is a single man without children. What is so wrong to suggest to him that you would make a good wife? Am I really as evil as you?¡±

    Everyone in the cart now turned to Shen Xiu. With everyone knowing how Shen Xiu felt toward Xie Yunjin, everyone was certain that Lu Jiao was telling the truth.

    To be Xie Yunjin¡¯s woman, Shen Xiu was willing to hurt Lu Jiao so deeply.

    As a widow, she sure had high ambitions. Why would a schr want to marry a widow? She was living in such a wild dream.

    Everyone now despised Shen Xiu.

    Shen Xiu felt the hot gazes and remembered how she was very much liked before in this vige. Hatred started to form.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I¡¯m not going to let this go.¡±

    Lu Jiao snorted, ¡°I¡¯ll wait. I am not scared of you.¡±

    The grin on Lu Jiao¡¯s face made Shen Xiu dizzy and she wanted to pass out. She hated Lu Jiao so much at this moment that she swore silently that she will end this woman. She definitely will.

    On the cart, Xie Xiaojuan grabbed a hold of Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, worried.

    Lu Jiao patted her hand and said warmly, ¡°I am fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    She then saw the eggs in Xie Xiaojuan¡¯s hand, ¡°Are you going into town to sell eggs?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have a few chickens at home. Every few days, my mother asks me to go into town to sell them.¡±

    Lu Jiao heard this and thought about it. She¡¯ll tell Xie Xiaojuan another time to sell the eggs to her.

    Xie Yunjin and the four little ones needed nutrition and eggs were great for that. She needed eggs and Xie Xiaojuan needed to sell eggs. It was perfect.

    Given that there were too many people, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mention it right away.

    Xie Xiaojuan thought of what her father told her and whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°My father mentioned you are nning on teaching the vigers how to identify herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Xie Xiaojuan¡¯s lips opened, then closed. She felt that if she asked what she wanted, Lu Jiao might be troubled. If she didn¡¯t ask, however, she would feel like she wasted an opportunity.

    Lu Jiao grabbed Xie Xiaojuan¡¯s hands, ¡°When the timees,e over and I will teach you.¡±

    Xie Xiaojuan was ecstatic, ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°No worries.¡±

    Though they were whispering, the oxcart was small and everyone heard their conversation.

    Chen Liu in particr almost puked blood. Lu Jiao refused to teach her sisters-inw but was voluntarily teaching outsiders. What was wrong with her? Hmmph, when the third brother leaves her, Chen Liu won¡¯t speak a word in her favor.

    Chen Liu was determined.

    While Chen Liu was busy being angry, Aunty Guihua was worried. She also knew about the fact that Lu Jiao was going to teach the vigers. She¡¯s also heard that Lu Jiao knew medicine and managed to cure Lin family¡¯s son with her prescription. That boy¡¯s fever couldn¡¯t go down even after going to Chuntang Medical Center yet Lu Jiao managed to heal him.

    Lu Jiao also helped get rid of the snake poison in Hunter Xu¡¯s system. Aunty Guihua personally saw how unharmed Hunter Xu was.

    When did that woman be so capable?

    Aunty Guihua suddenly realized something.

    Could it be that Lu Jiao was going to not teach herbs to her family? If someone in her family got sick, could it be that Lu Jiao would refuse help?

    Aunty Guihua shuddered at the thought. This was bad. She has to establish a good rtionship with that woman.

    That thought made Aunty Guihua¡¯s face stretch into a smile ¨C a very rigid one at that.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you¡¯re going into town to sell goods?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the bizarre-looking Guihua. Everyone else in the cart also turned to stare.

    All the vigers knew that Aunty Guihua wasn¡¯t a fan of Lu Jiao. Just what was happening?

    Lu Jiao was suspicious. What did this woman want?

    Though one should never turn away someone whoes smiling, this smile of hers was truly terrifying.

 Chapter 85 - Letting go of Ego

    Chapter 85: Letting go of Ego

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t respond and didn¡¯t act awkward at all.

    Aunt Guihua got up swiftly and squeezed in beside Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, these days, I¡¯ve been thinking and regretting my past actions. I shouldn¡¯t have fought against you so much in the past.

    Now that I think about it, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I never should¡¯ve fought against you. I want to apologize to you now, do you think you can forgive me?¡±

    Aunt Guihua stretched out her hands to grab Lu Jiao¡¯s and put on a regretful expression.

    Everyone else in the cart widened their eyes. This woman was able to forgo her old face and apologize?

    Though everyone knew what her intentions were, it wasn¡¯t easy for someone to let go of their own ego like that.

    Everyone turned to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t just keep pping her in her face. She was older and was willing to let go of her own pride.

    ¡°Since you are apologizing, let¡¯s let the past be in the past.¡±

    This woman wasn¡¯t a kind one, but the original host wasn¡¯t much better. It wasn¡¯t easy for anyone to let go of their ego like Aunt Guihua was doing.

    Aunt Guihua started to wipe away her tears, ¡°You are such a kind child. I was so wrong in the past. I am so sorry and I regret everything so much.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face darkened. This woman sure was addicted to acting.

    ¡°Since you are so genuine, let¡¯s both let it go and stop behaving like we used to.¡±

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s eyes were red as she stared at Lu Jiao and spewed out, ¡°Jiaojiao, your generosity is umon. It is no wonder everyonepliments you. You have a heart of gold! How can you forgive someone like me? Imitted such sins. You are a real-life buddha.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s goosebumps appeared.

    Everyone else reacted the same. Oh my god, how cheesy was this?

    Luckily, the oxcart arrived at their destination. Lu Jiao got out of the cart and Xie Xiaojuan followed.

    Since aunt Guihua was older and couldn¡¯t move as well, she was thest to get out.

    Lu Jiao was now long gone but Aunt Guihua still yelled after her.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I will talk to youter! You are such a kind soul.¡±

    Behind her, Tieniu made a face. This old woman sure was shameless.

    Xie Xiaojuan made the samement, ¡°All these years, I never knew that Aunt Guihua had such good acting skills. This is all because she worries that you won¡¯t teach her family how to pick herbs. Or else she would never be able to grow thick skin like that.¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s a skill to be okay with losing face like that.¡±

    Her mother-inw, for example, would never be able to let go of her pride and will always act as if she was the best.

    The two chatted a little and then soon departed. Lu Jiao headed to Baohe Tang. Behind her, Shen Xiu followed. After making sure of Lu Jiao¡¯s destination, she evilly chortled and headed another way.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of this and went inside Baohe Tang with her basket.

    Inside, Dr. Qi was with a patient while the manager and worker were getting patients¡¯ prescriptions ready.

    The moment Lu Jiao appeared, Manager Li delegated his work so he could greet Lu Jiao.

    He heard that this woman had amazing medical knowledge. Not only did she easily get rid of a ringneck snake¡¯s poison, she even imed that she could do surgery. It was rare to find a doctor who was willing to operate.

    The owner of this ce had intentions of partnering up with her.

    ¡°Lady Lu,e here.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and Manage Li asked with a grin, ¡°Lady Lu, are you here today to get medicine or to sell herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to peek at Qi Lei, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Dr. Qi. We have something to discuss.¡±

    Manager Li was delighted. Was she here to talk about her husband¡¯s surgery?

    The three people here in Baohe Tang knew about that matter. Even the idea of surgery excited Manager Li. Was he really going to witness a legendary operation?

    Qi Lei heard Lu Jiao and quickly came over after he dealt with his patient.

    ¡°Lady Lu, let¡¯s chat in the back.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and went to the backyard with Qi Lei. on the way there, she thanked him, ¡°Thank you Dr. Qi for the furniture you gave me. I will give you money for thoseter.¡±

    Qi Lei declined. He gifted her those because he thought they were practical. Plus, he didn¡¯t spend too much on those.

    On top of that, he wanted to form a good rtionship with her so he could learn from her.

    He wasn¡¯t sure however if she was willing to teach him.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. They aren¡¯t expensive things.¡±

    Right away, Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Then, Dr. Qi, I wonder if you have any ways of finding me two woks?¡±

    Woks were made out of carbon steel ¨C a rare material in this day and age. Steel in the shape of a wok was even rarer. These days, lots of families still cooked using earthen jars. It wasn¡¯t that people didn¡¯t want woks, it was that there was no supply.

    Qi Lei agreed to help, ¡°Okay, I will try to get you two from the Capital City.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Dr. Qi. How about I pay you upfront?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Though I am not rich, I have enough money to give you two woks.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. This guy¡¯s niceness was a little over the top. Did he have other intentions?

    Qi Lei beamed and was about to speak when someone in front of them interrupted.

    ¡°Lady Lu, you are here?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked forward into the small pavilion up front. There, Baohe Tang¡¯s owner stared at her collectedly and almost boastfully. Lu Jiao nodded toward him.

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded back and gestured for them toe and sit down. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline and sat down by the table.

    A round table was set in the middle. On top were several pieces of paper full of writing. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t try to peek in case there was private information written on there.

    Lu Jiao got straight to the point, ¡°I am here today to talk to you about my husband¡¯s surgery. My husband was hit by a horse carriage and his legs are dislocated and broken. Surgery is needed to correct the positioning of his legs and to extract all the crushed bone pieces.¡±

    Before Qi Lei could speak, Zhao Lingfeng opened his mouth sharply, ¡°How do you know how to do surgery?¡±

    Where does a weak woman learn a skill like that?

    Lu Jiao turned to him with a warm expression on her face, ¡°I learned medicine from a masterful grandma. I studied under her for seven to eight years. This is why I am confident I can perform the surgery myself.¡±

    The many signs of skepticism on Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s face faded a little. However, he still asked curiously, ¡°If you are so skilled, why not tell your husband? Why lie and say it will be Dr. Qi who does the surgery.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°Not many people in this world believe that a woman can operate. My husband isn¡¯t doing well. If I told him I would be the one operating, he would have many concerns and worries. That isn¡¯t good for his health. This is why I want to borrow Dr. Qi¡¯s hands.¡±

 Chapter 86 - Apprenticeship

    Chapter 86: Apprenticeship

    Lu Jiao had no intention to conceal information from Baohe Tang¡¯s owner. After she witnessed how loyal Qi Lei was to the owner, she was sure that even if she lied, Qi Lei would tell the truth.

    Lu Jiao checked out the man sitting across from her. This man had outstanding looks. Though his demeanor was cold, his natural gracefulness made it clear that he grew up in a wealthy and educated family.

    Lu Jiao found this strange. If he was born extraordinary, why would he open up a shop in this small town?

    Lu Jiao dropped her curiosity and turned to Qi Lei, ¡°Dr. Qi, does tomorrow work for you?¡±

    Qi Lei nced at Zhao Lingfeng, who agreed, ¡°That¡¯s fine. But since we are helping you, you have to help us in return.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Please speak of it.¡±

    ¡°Come work here. And teach Qi Lei how to perform surgery.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Owner Zhao, that¡¯s two things.¡±

    Qi Lei figured that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to teach and was suddenly greatly disappointed. However, he didn¡¯t want to give Lu Jiao a hard time.

    Gently, he said, ¡°Lady Lu, that¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t need to learn from you if you treat patients here at Baohe Tang.¡±

    Lu Jiao gawked at Qi Lei. This person was born to be a doctor. He was kind, friendly, and always smiling at his patients. Lu Jiao could tell that he was a good doctor and this was why she didn¡¯t refuse to teach him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to teach.¡±

    Qi Lei froze. The next second, he respectfully greeted, ¡°I pay my respect to Master Lu.¡±

    Lu Jiao was dumbfounded. Master Lu?

    He was older than her, right? And now she was his master?

    Lu Jiao originally wanted to reject this title but remembered that in this era, rtionships between men and women were scrutinized. If they didn¡¯t establish their master and apprenticeship here today, many rumors will arise if they¡¯re seen together. If they do establish their rtionship, however, nobody would be able to say anything.

    Lu Jiao brandished her hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality.¡±

    Qi Lei was in a great mood as he sat down. He didn¡¯t feel at all insecure because of his age or gender.

    On the contrary, he was over the moon. He was soon going to learn surgery and that was great news.

    He was so ecstatic that he didn¡¯t even notice Zhao Lingfeng ring at him.

    Lu Jiao said to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to work here. It¡¯s just that I have a wounded husband and four children at home. I cannote into town on the daily to work.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of her pending separation from Xie Yunjin. Before, she figured she would go back to the Apricot Vige and stay with her mom. However, after her fight with the Lu family, she gave up on that idea. It was better for her familial rtionship if they were somewhat apart.

    Once she separates from her husband, her reputation will go down the drain. If she went back home, her family would be pointed at andughed at.

    To be a doctor at Baohe Tang was a great opportunity. She could form close ties with this ce and it would be convenient for her to get things done in the future.

    Lu Jiao then added, ¡°It¡¯s not realistic for me toe in every day. But I cane in asionally.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng silently epted Lu Jiao¡¯s suggestion. Qi Lei was regrly here and Lu Jiao could be consulted when rare diseasese up. This was a pretty good situation.

    Zhao Lingfeng wanted to speak but Lu Jiao got ahead of him, ¡°If you want me to see patients, you have to follow my rules.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes caved in, ¡°What rules?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined methodically, ¡°I won¡¯t treat anyone who makes me unhappy. I won¡¯t treat anyone with an evil heart. I won¡¯t ept money from the poor and for those who are rich, my fee is 2,000. For the filthy rich, my fee is 20,000.¡±

    The two men stared at her with dark lines on their faces. They could understand the first three rules but why did thest two points make her sound like a burr? The rich need to pay her 2,000 or 20,000 to get treatment?

    Lu Jiao was confused at the silence, ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡±

    Qi Lei said, ¡°You want thousands and tens of thousands. They may not pay it.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°You think that¡¯s a lot? You think that¡¯s the value of a life?¡±

    The men were speechless. Most people were willing to pay their entire life savings for a life-threatening illness.

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°I will split every patient fee 50/50 with Baohe Tang. How is that?¡±

    Of course, that was okay. The numbers that came out of her mouth were sorge that Baohe Tang would make a lot of money working with her.

    Zhao Lingfeng pondered a little before he agreed, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll do it ording to your rules.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡±

    To have struck such a deal during her visit today was such good luck. Of course, this also meant she was now tied with Baohe Tang.

    This owner obviously had a strong background. To be tied with him meant she too, will have a strong background even after her separation. Nobody could easily take advantage of her then.

    Lu Jiao looked over to Qi Lei, ¡°Then let¡¯s discuss the matter of my husband¡¯s operation tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao started to n for tomorrow. She asked for an independent room and an operation bed. If that didn¡¯t exist, then they must find a small bed that was simr in size to an operation bed. The room also had to be disinfected properly.

    Lu Jiao carefully instructed Qi Lei, who responded diligently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master. I will do everything ordingly.¡±

    This guy truly started to treat her as if she was the master. There was absolutely no sign of disrespect in his eyes.

    Not bad at all.

    ¡°Then, thank you for the trouble.¡±

    Lu Jiao took out the disinfectant from her basket and said to Qi Lei, ¡°Tomorrow morning, before we get here, disinfect the room and ban everyone else from entering.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Master.¡±

    Qi Lei took over the disinfectant while Lu Jiao stood up and said bye to Zhao Lingfeng.

    ¡°Owner Zhao, I will leave then.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng simply said, ¡°Zhao Lingfeng.¡±

    Lu Jiao was perplexed so Zhao Lingfeng added, ¡°Call me Zhao Lingfeng. You don¡¯t need to be so formal with me. Call me by my name.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t do as asked and remained courteous, ¡°Owner Zhao, goodbye.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng watched her leave with a raised eyebrow. She was chubby yet she did not show a trace of unconfidence. When she spoke to him, she was poised and assured. Plus, she was a woman from the countryside who somehow had extraordinary medical knowledge. Against someone like himself, she didn¡¯t make an effort to get on his good side.

    This woman was different from the city girls ¨C she didn¡¯t judge people by their status.

    Zhao Lingfeng pondered while Qi Lei walked Lu Jiao out.

    As they strolled, they discussed tomorrow¡¯s surgery. Qi Lei had asked to be an observer during tomorrow¡¯s operation.

 Chapter 87 - I wonder if Dogs would want to Eat you

    Chapter 87: I wonder if Dogs would want to Eat you

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want Qi Lei to see the surgery tomorrow. This was because, for Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery, she needed to use anesthesia and antibiotics. Those were not drugs she wanted Qi Lei to see.

    She didn¡¯t have a big pile of those medicines in her space. If she uses them up, she¡¯ll need to figure out a way to get more.

    Lu Jiao said to Qi Lei, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s surgery is very bloody. It¡¯s not suitable for a beginner to observe. You can start observing when I do smaller-scale surgeries. You¡¯re new and you need to ease into it. The surgery is important tomorrow ¨C what if you pass out while I¡¯m operating? That would endanger my husband.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s statement was logical. Many people could not handle situations that bloody. If something did happen, it would negatively impact Xie Yunjin and she didn¡¯t want to risk it.

    Qi Lei thought her argument had merits and agreed. Plus, he silently used his imagination to visualize exposed bones and muscles. The thought of it made his scalp numb.

    Though he¡¯s treated many patients, he¡¯s never cut anyone open.

    Lu Jiao remembered something important as she reached the exit. She couldn¡¯t let Xie Yunjin see that she was the surgeon so she needed him to be asleep before she got in there.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and then took out a tranquilizing pill from her sleeve.

    ¡°Once my husband arrives, get him to take this. He will fall asleep after he takes it. I will go inside to do the surgery after he¡¯s asleep.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qi Lei had no reason to say no. After this was settled, Lu Jiao left.

    It was still early and Lu Jiao was in no rush to get back. She went to a store and bought a whole bunch of bowls and eating utensils. Then, she bought three pounds of candy.

    She didn¡¯t buy any baked goods since Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates gifted them so much. Though she brought some out today in her basket, she had secretly snuck them back into her space.

    Lu Jiao then secretly took out some peaches and grapes from her space and snuck them into the basket as she ced her newly bought candy inside.

    It waste now and she nned to get food nearby.

    When she turned into an alleyway, a few men jumped out and blocked her.

    The man that led the group was stocky and muscr. There was a scar on his face that made him appear extremely violent and aggressive.

    The four to five men behind him were no upstanding citizens either.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow as she checked these people out. She didn¡¯t recognize them so why were they blocking her way?

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes.

    The leader of the pack opened his mouth in disdain, ¡°You are the fat pig who hurt sister Shen Xiu. You sure are ugly but somehow, you have guts.¡±

    He then waved at his subordinates, ¡°Come and grab a hold of her. Then sell her to one of the brothels.¡±

    One of his subordinates shouted, ¡°She¡¯s so fat we won¡¯t get much money from the brothel.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll take her for two taels of silver.¡±

    The scar face red, ¡°Go get her.¡±

    The men began to crowd Lu Jiao. Calmly, Lu Jiao ced her basket on the ground.

    She wasn¡¯t scared because while she was putting down her basket, she secretly sprayed around some knock-out drug. Hiding behind her basket, she took a gulp of the antidote.

    The moment she stood back up, a few people attacked from behind. She aimed her fist at one of the men while she kicked away the other attacker.

    Lu Jiao was naturally strong and since these people highly underestimated her, her attack surprised them and they both flung outwards.

    The others were shocked and were too scared to move.

    The scar face¡¯s expression changed. He waved around his hand, ¡°This pig sure has some skill. No wonder she was able to hurt sister Shen Xiu. Go get her!¡±

    This time, the men were better prepared. They carefully surrounded Lu Jiao.

    With a smile, Lu Jiao stared at the men and started to p.

    ¡°Three.. Two¡­¡±

    A few of the men felt their vision go ck and their legs go limp. Very quickly, they copsed onto the ground.

    The scar face was now flustered, ¡°What did you do to them!?¡±

    ¡°What do you think I did?¡±

    She started to slowly pace towards scar face.

    By now, he had realized that this woman was no joke and started to retreat. Finally, he t out turned around to run.

    Sadly, the knock-out drug had invaded his system and his legs too, gave up on him and he fell.

    Lu Jiao stomped on him. Still a little conscious, scar face threatened, ¡°You¡­ let me go. I will never let you get away with this.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed as her gaze turned somber, ¡°Not let me get away? Tell me, how are you going to do that?¡±

    She then swung around her arm and a scalpel appeared in her hand.

    Scar face¡¯s eyes widened into the size of eggs. How did this woman get a knife out of thin air? Was she a demon?

    Scar face felt all the hair on his body stand up. Lu Jiao bent down and slid the scalpel down his face, ¡°What an ugly face. Why don¡¯t we skin you and use your skin to make a drum?¡±

    Before he could answer, Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°No, no, to make a drum with such ugly skin would mean the drum wille out damaged. Then why don¡¯t we skin you and feed your bones to the dogs? I wonder if dogs would want to eat you.¡±

    Scar face started to perspire. He didn¡¯t get the sense that this woman was joking since her tone was so serious.

    Scared, he shouted in horror, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! It was Shen Xiu! She asked me to sell you to the brothel.

    She promised to be with me for a month and that¡¯s the only reason why I agreed to help her. It¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s not -¡±

    The drug in his system took over and he passed out.

    Lu Jiao took out the antidote and held it under his nose. After a while, he woke up.

    Lu Jiao dug the scalpel into his neck. Sensing pain, scar face shrieked.

    ¡°Sister, I won¡¯t hurt you anymore. Please don¡¯t skin me and feed me to the dogs. I promise that I won¡¯t ever trouble you again. Please, forgive me!¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips stretched out as she snickered gloomily, ¡°I can do that if you do me a favor.¡±

    Scar faceplied right away, ¡°Of course, of course!¡±

    Lu Jiao put away the scalpel and looked down at the man, ¡°Since Shen Xiu likes the brothel so much, then make sure she has a good time there.¡±

    She then stared at scar face, ¡°I hope you shut up about this. If I even hear a whiff about this, I will dly skin you.¡±

    Behind her, the scar-faced man on the ground didn¡¯t dare to breathe a word. This woman was a demon, not a human.

    ¡°Of¡­ of course, of course.¡±

 Chapter 88 - Shen Xiu Disappeared

    Chapter 88: Shen Xiu Disappeared

    Lu Jiao stopped acknowledging him and turned around to leave. The scalpel in her hand magically disappeared.

    Scar face watched it disappear in terror and he retreated by dragging his body against the ground.

    This woman was not ordinary. Not ordinary at all! She was a ghost!

    Lu Jiao purposely did the scalpel trick to scare scar face. She wasn¡¯t scared that he would tell other people since nobody would believe him anyway. After all, no second person saw her.

    She was confident that her little trick would make sure this man¡¯s lips were sealed.

    Lu Jiao took her time to leave. Once she disappeared, scar face finally picked himself off the ground. Sweat dripped down from him and his legs quivered uncontrobly.

    It was so unlucky of him to have encountered such a demon. This was all Shen Xiu¡¯s fault! He will need to teach her a lesson. Ah wait no, he needed to sell her to the brothel, or else that demon wille back to get him.

    Lu Jiao found her way to a noodle shop and had lunch there. Afterward, she went to meet up with the others.

    At the oxcart, everyone but Lu Jiao and Shen Xiu was there.

    Chen Liu was furious at the sight of Lu Jiao, ¡°Third sister-inw, what¡¯s the meaning of this? You make all of us wait for you? We didn¡¯t even get to eat lunch and had to wait.¡±

    She then peeked into Lu Jiao¡¯s basket and saw a bunch of kitchen utensils.

    Lu Jiao hid the food she bought on the bottom so Chen Liu didn¡¯t get to see it.

    On the oxcart, Aunt Guihua spoke up, ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, why didn¡¯t you buy some food? What is it, you don¡¯t even have the change for food? I heard that your fourth brother is asking for 15 taels of silver to marry Du family¡¯s daughter. On top of that, he needs to give her clothes and silver jewelry.

    As his older sister-inw, you are living a sad life. A little brother is asking for so much money to get married yet you don¡¯t even have money for food. How pitiful.¡±

    These words enraged Chen Liu. The Du family was straight-up greedy. Sadly, her mother-inw agreed to all the requests. She was furious. The only reason she didn¡¯t flip out was that her father-inw slipped her 10 taels of silver in private. She wouldn¡¯t have let it go otherwise.

    In disdain, she said to Aunt Guihua, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    Before Aunt Guihua could respond, she mocked, ¡°You sure are shameless ¨C coddling those who turned out to be capable.¡±

    Aunt Guihua snapped her head towards Chen Liu, ¡°That¡¯s right. I coddle Jiaojiao because she is capable. We have no real beef between us anyway ¨C only small matters. I don¡¯t mind apologizing. No matter what, I am better than the Xie family. You obviously want to be friends yet you always act like you are better.

    ¡°Who do you think you are to only want the benefits? You act all mighty and wait for others to give you gifts while holding your heads up high. You should coddle those who are capable.¡±

    The more Aunt Guihua talked, the more into it she got. She took out two pancakes from her own basket and shoved them into Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, eat the pancake. I bought it just for you. Hurry and eat. I don¡¯t want you to be hungry.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. What was this?

    She shoved it back.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you should eat it yourself.¡±

    Aunt Guihua sadly stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiao, you haven¡¯t forgiven me?¡±

    There wasn¡¯t anything Lu Jiao could say at this point. The aunty was old, and she apologized and was now even giving out gifts. If she didn¡¯t forgive her, she¡¯d get the reputation of having a small heart.¡±

    ¡°Aunty, it¡¯s all in the past.¡±

    Aunt Guihua beamed and then shot Chen Liu a snarky look. Chen Liu almost passed out from anger.

    She¡¯s never met someone so shameless and so proud of her own shamelessness.

    The look on Chen Liu¡¯s face made Aunt Guihua happier. Since Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t eating, she put the pancake into Lu Jiao¡¯s basket.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not hungry, give it to your children.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to make a scene over this pancake so she let her. This made Aunt Guihua very happy.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you came today to talk about Yunjin¡¯s surgery? What did Dr. Qi say about the surgery?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed it with Dr. Qi. Tomorrow, we wille into town for Yunjin¡¯s surgery.¡±

    Aunt Guihua pped her own thigh, ¡°I will apany you tomorrow. The surgery is a big deal!¡±

    Xie Xiaojuan also chimed in, ¡°My father said he will go as well tomorrow.¡±

    The Second Grandma¡¯s youngest daughter-inw, Changmei, joined in, ¡°My husband said he will be going as well.¡±

    Chen Liu nced around darkly. This was her third brother-inw. How was he rted to any of these other people? They were all so shameless.

    Since she had just been roasted by Aunt Guihua, Chen Liu didn¡¯t dare to argue.

    In the oxcart, everyone started to chit-chat about tomorrow.

    The driver, Xie Tieniu, was getting impatient to leave. He hasn¡¯t even eaten lunch yet.

    He waited for Yunjin¡¯s wife because he knew she had important matters today. His father had advised him that the whole purpose of today¡¯s trip was for her and that he needed to wait for her.

    In the end, Yunjin¡¯s wife came but Shen Xiu still hasn¡¯t. Did he need to wait for that woman as well?

    Xie Tieniu was getting angry as he waited, ¡°Just when is Shen Xiuing? I will leave soon.¡±

    Only then did everyone realize that Shen Xiu was still gone.

    Nobody seemed to be pleased with herte return.

    Lu Jiao acted normal and didn¡¯t mention at all what had happened. Perhaps, Shen Xiu had already been sold by that scar face.

    Despite Lu Jiao¡¯s silence, Xie Tieniu didn¡¯t want to wait anymore. After a while, he said heavily, ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s get back. It¡¯ste.¡±

    The oxcart then left town. Nobody inside had asked to wait for Shen Xiu.

    By the time Lu Jiao got home, it was prettyte. She hopped down from the oxcart with her basket and walked home.

    Beside her, Aunt Guihua praised her endlessly, ¡°Jiaojiao, you are slender now and getting more beautiful every day. Your skin¡¯s getting paler and your eyes are getting bigger. You are so different from before. I barely recognize you.

    If you lose more weight, you¡¯ll be the most beautiful woman in our vige. Ah, your skin, your eyes, ahh, how pretty!¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped. This entire trip, Aunt Guihua hasn¡¯t shut up. She managed to invent so many different ways topliment Lu Jiao. From her kind heart to her capable skills, to her losing weight, thepliments never stopped.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s ears were getting numb. Every time she stopped her, Aunt Guihua would gawk at her with puppy eyes as if sad that she hasn¡¯t been forgiven.

    Luckily, Aunt Guihua arrived.

    Lu Jiao quickly interrupted, ¡°Aunty, you are home.¡±

    Aunt Guihua warmly weed, ¡°Jiaojiao,e on in and have some sugar water.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined immediately, ¡°I have Yunjin and four children at home. I¡¯ll visit another time.¡±

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: The Entire Clan is Happy

    Chapter 89: The Entire n is Happy

    Lu Jiao gave no chance for Aunt Guihua to speak and left in a hurry. Behind her, Aunt Guihua mumbled.

    ¡°This child sure is good. I was a fool back then.¡±

    She headed home but quickly started to shake her head, ¡°No, I need to make it up to Jiaojiao or else I¡¯ll feel bad.¡±

    She rushed home and picked up the eggs she¡¯s been saving. Then, she dashed back out, ¡°Jiaojiao, wait for me.¡±

    Lu Jiao marched forward in giant leaps and pretended not to hear.

    Behind her, Aunt Guihua somehow followed her all the way back home.

    Outside the trellis, Lu Jiao saw a bunch of people in her living room and east bedroom. There were people standing and people sitting. They were all clustered together and chatting.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed. Did something happen again?

    She rushed home with her basket. Inside the yard, the four little ones were walking the dog. When they heard the door, they ran towards her.

    ¡°Mommy, you are back!¡±

    ¡°Mommy, have you had lunch?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, are you tired? Let me pour you some water.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, put down your basket. It¡¯s heavy.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s words warmed Lu Jiao¡¯s heart. Seeing the big crowd in her home, she first asked the First Born, worried, ¡°Why are so many people here?¡±

    Before the First Born could answer, Xie Fugui came out greeting. He asked impatiently, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, what did Dr. Qi say? When can Yunjin go under surgery?¡±

    Many people walked out after Xie Fugui. Lu Jiao realized they were all from the Xie family.

    Everyone stared at her and waited for an answer.

    Lu Jiao knew then that they were here to ask about Yunjin¡¯s surgery.

    Xie Yunjin remained the hope of the entire vige.

    Lu Jiao only now realized how important one talent was to an entire n.

    Lu Jiao smiled at the Vige Leader, ¡°I have agreed with Dr. Qi to bring Yunjin in tomorrow for surgery. Dr. Qi said he will prepare everything today.¡±

    Xie Fugui started to guffaw loudly, ¡°Great! This is great! Tomorrow, I will bring my people and send Yunjin into town.¡±

    The others all chimed in, ¡°I will go tomorrow as well.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    From behind, Aunt Guihua also shouted, ¡°My whole family will go as well.¡±

    Her participation was very unexpected. After all, all the vigers knew that she didn¡¯t like Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    The two of them fought verbally and physically every time they saw each other.

    Xie Fugui scolded, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Aunt Guihua straightened her back and said to the Vige Leader, ¡°Vige Leader, I have already apologized to Jiaojiao and she has forgiven me.¡±

    Xie Fugui looked over to Lu Jiao, who had no chance to nod when Lady Tian came out of the room. When Aunt Guihua saw Lady Tian, she leaped over and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°My elder sister, I have been meaning to visit but I have been too ashamed. You must forgive me for my past behavior. I was under a spell back then to butt heads against Jiaojiao! I deserve death! Sister, do not hate me. I will for sure treat Jiaojiao nicely and never fight with her again.

    You have no idea how good of a child Jiaojiao is. She is so kind, so generous, and now, very good-looking. Sister, how did you give birth to such a good kid?¡±

    Lady Tian originally hated Aunt Guihua. This woman always targeted her daughter.

    But today, she came here with eggs in hand and a mouthful of sweet words. This made Lady Tian speechless. She had no choice but to smile.

    ¡°Jiaojiao made mistakes as well. She fought against the elder generation.¡±

    Aunt Guihua shook her head, ¡°No, no, Jiaojiao wasn¡¯t wrong. It was my fault. All my fault.¡±

    The Xie n all sneered at Aunt Guihua. They ignored her thinking that at least no more fighting was a good thing.

    Lu Jiao also ignored her. That woman was too exhausting.

    She headed to the east bedroom with her basket and Xie Fugui. The crowd parted a little to let her through.

    Once she entered, she found Xie Yunjin staring at the door eagerly. When he saw Lu Jiao, he asked instantly, ¡°Did Dr. Qi agree to operate tomorrow?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°We agreed to send you in tomorrow morning. You need to rest up today and manage your mood. Dr. Qi said once he repositions your legs, you should heal without problems.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes eased. Pure happiness clearly oozed out of him. His gaze brightened and strummed on the heartstrings of the crowd.

    ¡°That is great news.¡±

    Other than Xie Yunjin, the Xie n was all very happy. They each went up to Xie Yunjin to congratte him. Lu Jiao watched this with a smile and didn¡¯t join in. She went to the kitchen and arranged her newly bought bowls and eating utensils.

    The four little ones followed her into the kitchen and saw the candy, peach, and grape in her basket.

    The children hopped in joy, ¡°Mommy, you bought food.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will give you food after I wash all these bowls.¡±

    The four little ones promptly said, ¡°We will eat with daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was a little sour. They truly never forget about their dad.

    That made sense. After all, they went through four years together and the original host used to hit them.

    It made sense for them to think of Xie Yunjin all the time.

    As Lu Jiao organized, the n members left one by one. A lot of people came to the kitchen to say bye.

    Lu Jiao went to send people away. A lot of people informed her that they nned on apanying Xie Yunjin tomorrow into town.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Okay, thank you, everyone.¡±

    Thest to leave was Aunt Guihua, who dragged Lady Tian and asked her to visit.

    ¡°Come for tea.¡±

    Lady Tian wasn¡¯t used to this but felt too rude to decline. She chatted with Aunt Guihua for a long time before slowly declining, ¡°When I have more time, I will go visit.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a promise.¡±

    Aunt Guihua was finally satisfied. She turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m going home then. Give the eggs to Yunjin so he heals faster.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for Lady Tian to get Aunt Guihua to take the eggs back. But Aunt Guihua escaped faster than a rabbit.

    Lady Tian and Lu Jiao exchanged a nce.

    Lady Tian said, ¡°She¡¯s old and she¡¯s apologized. Don¡¯t fight with her anymore. Let the bygones be bygones.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I know.¡±

    The four little ones ran out of the kitchen happily and looked up to Lady Tian, ¡°Grandma, my mommy bought a lot of good food. There are candy, peaches, and grapes!¡±

 Chapter 90 - 90 Retarded or Paralyzed?

    90 Retarded or Paralyzed?

    Lady Tian pinched the Fourth Born¡¯s nose, ¡°You greedy little boy, you have lots of good food to eat now.¡±

    The Fourth Born grinned, ¡°I want to share the good food with daddy, mommy, and granny.¡±

    Lu Gui came out of the room, ¡°I don¡¯t get any?¡±

    The Fourth Born said regretfully, ¡°I forgot about uncle.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed. She turned to go back to the kitchen and the fourth born followed her. Lady Tian asked, ¡°Will the surgery tomorrow be okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Mom, do not worry. Everything will be fine. Dr. Qi said Yunjin will heal as long as surgery is done.¡±

    Lady Tian happily nodded, ¡°That¡¯s great. I thought my son-inw would end up paralyzed in bed for life. It¡¯s great that he is going to heal. Look at you, you¡¯ve been through so much that you lost weight.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s heart hurt as she patted Lu Jiao¡¯s head. Lu Jiao was around 165cm tall while Lady Tian was around 170cm. Patting her head was like a natural reaction to her.

    Lu Jiao was originally over 170 pounds. In the past little while, she kept herself busy and controlled her mouth, which allowed her to lose almost 15 pounds. The slim down was obvious to everyone else.

    ¡°Mom, slimmer is better looking.¡±

    The Second Born quickly shouted out, ¡°Mommy is beautiful even without losing weight. Your skin is pale and your eyes are round. When you smile, they turn into cute crescents.¡±

    The Third Born added, ¡°Mommy is also so capable. You took out the fishbone for Brother Xiaobao and cured Lin Erdan¡¯s sickness.¡±

    The Fourth Born nced at the Second Born, then the Third Born. They stole all the words he wanted to say so what could he say now?

    The Fourth Born pondered hard on what he could say topliment his mom.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Lu Jiao and Lady Tian smiled at the three children, then turned to the First Born.

    The First Born pressed his lips into a line and said in a serious manner, ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Lady Tianughed, ¡°This kid.¡±

    Lu Jiao took out the peaches and grapes to wash and ced them into a bowl.

    She pulled off a few grapes and fed them to the four little ones.

    ¡°How are they? Yummy?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes closed in satisfaction and they nodded, ¡°Delicious.¡±

    Lu Jiao then fed a grape to Lady Tian.

    Lady Tian couldn¡¯t decline. After she chewed it, her eyes widened, ¡°This grape is so sweet.¡±

    The First Born yelled, ¡°Give some to daddy.¡±

    Lady Tian stared at the First Born. This kid sure was filial. She should have a conversation with her daughterter on about how to educate these children so they grow up to be great.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t thinking as much. She took the bowl and headed to the east bedroom. Before entering, she divided out some for Lu Gui and Lady Tian.

    ¡°Eat some peaches and grapes. They¡¯re sweet.¡±

    The four little ones ran to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, the peaches are yummy. So are the grapes. They¡¯re all very sweet.¡±

    The First Born took a grape out of Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. Trying to mimic Lu Jiao, he peeled at the grapes roughly. In the end, only a small piece of grape was left and he shoved it into Xie Yunjin¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Daddy, eat this. It¡¯s sweet.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t mind the ugliness and ate it.

    It was obvious that this grape was no ordinary grape. It must be the good kind from a major city.

    Why would Dr. Qi give something so precious to Lu Jiao? Why did he continuously give Lu Jiao gifts?

    Suspicion clouded Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. He asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Why does Dr. Qi give you so many things?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and decided to tell him about Baohe Tang¡¯s offer.

    ¡°I told Dr. Qi that I have a family to take care of so I cannot go work there every day. But if they encounter a mysterious case and they need help, I am willing to stop by.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s first instinct was to reject the idea. There were four little ones plus him. If Lu Jiao spent all her time tending to patients, what would happen to their home?

    Quickly though, he remembered that she was not who she used to be. She¡¯s done so much for the familytely and he had no right to take away her own time.

    Despite those thoughts, he still showed signs of unhappiness. In a light tone, he said, ¡°If you decide to go, be careful.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed his obviously unhappy expression. She ignored him. Once his legs heal, they will be separating. She had to n for her own future.

    Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin in a caring manner, ¡°How are you feeling today? Any difort?¡±

    Xie Yunjin stretched his body.

    ¡°See, I¡¯m not dizzy or nauseous. Tomorrow¡¯s surgery won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ll cook something light for dinner.¡±

    Lu Jiao put the peaches and grapes on the shelf next to him, ¡°Eat some fruit with the kids.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around. Outside, Lady Ruan¡¯s shrill voice prated the walls.

    ¡°My third son, I heard that you are getting surgery tomorrow. Is that true?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned taunting. He didn¡¯t try to hide the coldness he felt towards that voice.

    Lu Jiao also wasn¡¯t happy about Lady Ruan¡¯s arrival. She didn¡¯t say anything however because at the end of the day, she was Xie Yunjin¡¯s mother and she couldn¡¯t just kick her out.

    Kicking her out as Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife would tarnish her own reputation. It wasn¡¯t worth it.

    Lady Ruan and Xie Laogen walked inside. Lu Jiao pulled out two chairs for them to sit on.

    The moment Lady Ruan sat down, she noticed the grapes the four little ones were eating. Her eyes brightened, ¡°First Born, give me some. Grapes are a good fruit and your fourth uncle hasn¡¯t eaten grapes that size.¡±

    The four little ones protected their food. This was something mommy bought for them and their daddy. Why should they share with the fourth uncle?

    Seeing how the children reacted, Lady Ruan wanted to curse at them.

    Xie Laogen pushed her to remind her why they were here. They were visiting today to repair their rtionship with their third son. They weren¡¯t here to fight. It was just grapes ¨C everyone¡¯s eaten those.

    Lady Ruan forced herself to smile, ¡°Alright, alright, you guys eat yourselves.¡±

    Then, unable to stop herself, she educated, ¡°First Born, you are so unfilial at such a young age. What will you be like once you¡¯re older?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s words made Lu Jiao¡¯s face drop. Her words will hurt the children¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°Mother, your words sure are funny. Unfilial? They¡¯re my children and they just have to be filial to their mother and father. I¡¯ve never heard of the need for the children to be filial towards their uncle. Is their uncle retarded or paralyzed? Why does he need his nephews to support him?¡±

 Chapter 91 - 91 They will Cause you so much Annoyance in the Future

    91 They will Cause you so much Annoyance in the Future

    Lady Ruan opened her mouth to curse.

    Xie Laogen pulled onto her, ¡°Enough!¡±

    They agreed to act civil at home but once they were here, she started to act up again.

    Lady Ruan clenched her teeth and nced at Xie Yunjin. Her heart felt so much disgust towards this third son of hers.

    This piece of garbage forgot all about his mother once he got himself a wife. He didn¡¯t step in after seeing his wife make fun of his mother. Thank god her eldest son was filial.

    Lady Ruan numbly gaped at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third son, I heard you¡¯re undergoing surgery tomorrow. Your father and I are worried. Tomorrow, we n on going with you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s useless for so many people to go with me. Just send father alone.¡±

    Lady Ruan wanted to agree when Xie Laogen chimed in, ¡°My third son, your mother is worried about you so she wants to be there for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°Dr. Qi said that during surgery, nobody is allowed inside. Only Yunjin can be inside.¡±

    Lady Ruan unhappily howled, ¡°How¡¯s that allowed? What if he hurts my son?¡±

    Lu Jiao sarcastically chortled. This woman talked like she cared about her son.

    Lu Jiao said calmly, ¡°Mother, even if you do go in, do you dare to look? Surgery is when they use a knife to cut open the leg.¡±

    The mental image of that made Lady Ruan¡¯s face pale. She tapped at her chest as if she¡¯s been scared.

    Xie Laogen nced at his wife, then at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third son, this is a big deal. Our whole family wants to be there with you. You¡¯ll feel less anxious with us there. We¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t touched at all and his gaze turned even colder.

    Xie Laogen noticed it and so much regret was in his heart. What was he thinking back then, kicking out their own wounded son? If they didn¡¯t do that, then their son would still be devoted to the family.

    Before, their third son respected him and his mother very much. After what happened, he changed.

    Though Xie Laogen preferred his eldest son, he knew very well that it was his third son who would achieve the most in the future.

    The entire family counted on him. In the end, the entire family wronged him.

    The more Xie Laogen thought about it, the angrier he got. The sight of Lady Ruan ignited a me of fury inside him. He wanted to knock this woman out ¨C it was all her fault.

    In the end, he chose to endure. He¡¯s endured all these years after all.

    Xie Yunjin was uninterested, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±

    He could care less whether they were there or not.

    Lady Ruan saw how distant he was and it angered her. She looked and saw that the four little ones were peeling and eating the grapes, asionally feeding their father. It didn¡¯t ur to any one of them to give their grandparents some.

    Lady Ruan threw daggers at Xie Yunjin and the four little ones with her gaze. In the end, she became fixated on Lu Jiao. It must be this woman who was provoking her son to act aloof. This woman wanted this family to break apart.

    She shouldn¡¯t be a part of this family. Lady Ruan was determined to force her away.

    The more Lady Ruan thought about it, the angrier she got. Scared that Lady Ruan would fight again, Xie Laogen pulled on her hand and walked away, ¡°We will get home first then. Tomorrow, we will alle and apany you to surgery.¡±

    Honestly, Xie Laogen wanted those grapes as well. Those were rare and expensive, he¡¯s never tried them.

    Though wild grapes are grown in the countryside, they were sour and uneatable. The grapes the quadruplets ate were big and round, obviously good tasting.

    Sadly, he didn¡¯t get to try any.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t walk Lady Ruan and Xie Laogen out. She stared at Xie Yunjin and said pitifully, ¡°They will cause you so much annoyance in the future!¡±

    Xie Yunjin snickers. If he was able to walk around and be independent, there was no way he would still let his mother visit.

    The time ising. Once he could move again, he will make sure his mother gets too busy to worry about him.

    Lu Jiao walked out to prepare dinner.

    Because of tomorrow¡¯s surgery, Lu Jiao prepared only light and nd food. After eating, she asked Xie Yunjin to rest early.

    ¡°Sleep and let go of your anxiety. Dr. Qi reassured me that nothing bad will happen tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s voice was warm and her words wereforting, Xie Yunjin rxed after he heard what she had to say. He felt at peace ¨C very soon, he¡¯ll be able to walk like a normal person.

    With an unspeakable amount of happiness, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes softened. Under the dimly lit light, his beauty wasparable to jade.

    Lu Jiao left the room with the empty dinner bowls. Outside, there was a furious voice, ¡°Lu Jiao, get the hell over here! Where did my daughter go?¡±

    Lu Jiao recognized this voice. It was Widow Li. So Shen Xiu still hasn¡¯t returned?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened.

    From outside the gates, three people came in. Widow Li was the leader of them and behind her were Luo Wangcai and Shen Xiaoshan.

    Both of those men have been beaten up by Lu Jiao before. The sight of Lu Jiao made them subconsciously retreat.

    Widow Li violently demanded, ¡°Lu Jiao, where¡¯s my daughter? Did you set her up?¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed and mmed the empty bowl in her hand toward Widow Li.

    Widow Li was dumbfounded by the attack and forgot to react. Behind her, Luo Wangcai pulled her away. The bowl slid by Widow Li¡¯s face and hit the ground, breaking into tiny pieces.

    Widow Li¡¯s face whitened. If Luo Wangcai didn¡¯t pull her away, she would¡¯ve been hit and wounded.

    Before Widow Li could speak, Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes at her, ¡°Widow Li, you can eat a lot of food but you cannot speak too many words. If you dare to wrongly use me again, I will sew up your mouth.¡±

    In the dark light, Lu Jiao¡¯s furious face made Widow Li shudder.

    Still, she mumbled, ¡°My daughter still hasn¡¯t returned. If you didn¡¯t set her up, then where did she go?¡±

    Lu Jiao provoked, ¡°How much did you pay me to look after your daughter? She didn¡¯te home so you are asking for her inside my home? If she¡¯s dead, you¡¯re going to use me of killing her?

    Since you are suspicious of me setting your daughter up, then go to the judge and ask for an investigation. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Widow Li¡¯s face dropped. She didn¡¯t dare to do that.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if Lu Jiao was the culprit. That was merely a guess. If she made this into an official investigation, they would investigate her and she may end up getting punished for all the things she¡¯s done.

    Widow Li was scared off. She asked speedily, ¡°You really didn¡¯t see my daughter?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, Lady Tian rushed out and cursed colorfully, ¡°Widow Li, what¡¯s your daughter¡¯s disappearance have anything to do with my daughter? You¡¯re a crazy woman! Your own daughter didn¡¯te home and instead of going and looking for her, you invade my daughter¡¯s home?! Is the inside of your head made out of sh!t?¡±

 Chapter 92 - 92 Refuse to Look for even one more Second

    92 Refuse to Look for even one more Second

    Widow Li heard Lady Tian¡¯s cursing and couldn¡¯t help but get angry. She wanted to curse but when she saw Lu Jiao¡¯s cold stare, she was scared off.

    She snapped around her head, and she left. Behind her, Luo Wangcai and Shen Xiaoshan didn¡¯t dare to stay.

    After the three took a few steps, Lu Jiao shouted from behind, ¡°Stop right there.¡±

    Widow Li Luo Wangcai and Shen Xiaoshan trembled. The three of them looked back.

    Widow Li forced herself to ask, ¡°You, what do you want?¡±

    Lu Jiao walked over and stared at her coldly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your old age, I wouldn¡¯t forgive you for what you did today. I must warn you once again that if you dare toe here to harass me again, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡±

    Lu Jiao then red at Luo Wangcai and Shen Xiaoshan. The two of them shook their heads.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us. We came here because of mother.¡±

    The two men then tried to drag Widow Li out, afraid that she might hit them for saying that.

    Outside the trellis, a crowd started to form. Theymented angrily, ¡°If your daughter didn¡¯te home, you should go into town to look for her. Why would youe into someone¡¯s home? What does she owe you?¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife went into town today to discuss Yunjin¡¯s surgery tomorrow. She doesn¡¯t have time to think about your daughter.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Shen Xiu ran away. She didn¡¯t want to marry Luo Wangcai in the first ce. She probably looked for an opportunity to run away today.¡±

    ¡°I think she escaped as well. Why else would she disappear?¡±

    The vigers¡¯ words made Widow Li and Luo Wangcai¡¯s faces drop. They started to wonder if Shen Xiu actually ran away. After all, she really wasn¡¯t okay with the marriage.

    After she chatted with the crowd a little, Lu Jiao returned to the room to sleep.

    Tonight, the four little ones behaved well and didn¡¯t chase her for a story.

    ¡°Mommy, go to sleep early. Tomorrow you have to send daddy into town for surgery.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Okay. You guys go to sleep too.¡±

    The First, Second, and Third Born all went to sleep with Xie Yunjin in the east bedroom. The Fourth Born, Lu Jiao, and Lady Tian slept in the west bedroom.

    The next day, a pack of people came to the Xie family yard. At a nce, there were about 40 to 50 people. They were all people from the Xie n ¨C one per family.

    Lu Jiao stared at the group and her head pounded. They were going for surgery today, not going for a fistfight. What was the use of having so many people?

    She called the n and Vige Leaders aside to talk, ¡°There are way too many people. If we go into town, people will think we are going for a fight. That¡¯s a bad look. I think we should bring fewer people.¡±

    The Vige and n Leaders agreed with her after thinking about it. They discussed and decided to only allow the head of a few families to tag along. Even after that elimination, there ended up being around 20 people.

    The Vige Leader¡¯s oxcart arrived bright and early. Xie Yunjin on the other hand ate breakfast and was all ready.

    Lu Jiao gently voiced, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine. The surgery will be a sess so don¡¯t stress. Being in a good mental state helps with the surgery.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at the woman beside him. This woman¡¯s face had slimmed down and her original double chin had shed to only one. Her eyes appearrger now as a result. It became more obvious that she had beautiful eyes.

    Xie Yunjin watched her and thought of his Second and Third Born. Those two looked just like this woman. At first, he was confused as to who they looked like. As it turned out, they looked like their mom.

    As Xie Yunjin thought about all that, Lu Jiao was ready to carry him onto the oxcart.

    Xie Yunjin stopped her. There were so many people outside ¨C he was embarrassed to be carried by Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Let the brother-inw carry me out.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say no and went to ask Lu Gui to carry Xie Yunjin into the oxcart.

    Lu Gui, be careful.¡±

    After Lu Gui picked up Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao went to the side of the room to take out an old nket and sheet. She went outside quickly andid them onto the oxcart before she gestured for Lu Gui to put Xie Yunjin down. She covered Xie Yunjin with the sheet.

    The n members who wanted to apany Xie Yunjin all came over to say hi.

    ¡°Yunjin, rx, your surgery will be a sess.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you are destined for good fortune.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I heard that Dr. Qi is the best doctor in the Capital City. To him, your injury¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Everyone¡¯sforting words made Xie Yunjin smile. Staring at this n, Xie Yunjin silently decided to generously show his appreciation if he ever does establish himself outside the vige.

    Just then, from a little further out, a shrill and hard voice arose, ¡°My third son, I am here to take you to surgery.¡±

    Inside the oxcart, Xie Yunjin showed exasperation.

    Outside, Lady Ruan brought her entire family over except Xie Erzhu and his wife.

    There was Xie Laogen, Xie Daoqiang and his wife, Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan.

    Lady Ruan and her family walked up to Xie Yunjin and spoke to him in a kind tone, ¡°My third son, do not worry. We will all be there for you. Your legs will heal quickly.¡±

    Xie Laogen was quick to chime in, ¡°Son, rx. Since Dr. Qi has decided to operate, your legs will be fine.¡±

    Xie Daqiang also forced himself to squeeze a smile, ¡°Third brother, once you are well again, we shall share a drink.¡±

    Chen Liu put on an almost flirtatious expression, ¡°Third brother, knowing that your surgery was today, the entire family stayed up all night thinking about you.¡±

    Chen Liu¡¯s words made everyone else frown. Since Xie Yunjin was going to heal soon, his family was now trying to butter him up. Who were the ones to kick him out of his own home again?

    Despite their annoyance, nobody breathed a word. After all, Xie Yunjin was Xie Laogen¡¯s son and they may just make up in the end. If they speak now, they may end up hurting their own rtionship with Xie Yunjin.

    After Chen Liu¡¯s words, Xie Laogen¡¯s fourth child, Xie Yunhua walked over. With his eyes red, he said, ¡°Third brother, everything before was my fault. Once your legs heal, I will apologize to you properly.¡±

    Xie Lan responded, ¡°Fourth brother, third brother has always spoiled us. He would never me you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gaped at this pair of twins coldly and sneered. He spoiled them so much in the past just for them to turn into ungrateful brats. He will never give anything more to this group of people.

    Xie Yunjin closed his eyes suddenly, refusing to look at them for even one more second.

    By the oxcart, Lu Jiao announced, ¡°It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s leave right away. Dr. Qi is expecting us this morning.¡±

    Just as Lu Jiao was about to get into the oxcart, the quadruplets rushed up to her and shouted in unison, ¡°Mommy.¡±

 Chapter 93 - 93 I only know how to Save People

    93 I only know how to Save People

    Seeing that both their mother and father were leaving, the quadruplets got nervous and their little cheeks paled.

    The First Born was the most stressed. His lips were pressed together tightly and his entire body was quivering.

    Lu Jiao hugged him, then hugged the other three. After that, she said to the First Born, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will bring your father back. Don¡¯t worry and wait at home with grandma.¡±

    The First Born nodded violently. With his gaze as clear as theke, he dered in a serious manner, ¡°Mom, I trust you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was stunned. All this time, the other three children had called her ¡°mother¡± except the First Born. She had made peace with the fact that this child may never get there before her separation with Xie Yunjin. She didn¡¯t expect him to call her that at a time like this.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart softened. She hugged onto the First Born and said in a soft voice, ¡°Since you trust mom, then don¡¯t be scared. I will do as I say.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s heart finally calmed down. His mother was a very capable person and she will be able to achieve what she imed. There was no reason for him to be anxious.

    Lu Jiao hugged the other children again and reminded them, ¡°Listen to grandma well. Your dad and I wille back soon.¡±

    The three children responded in unison, ¡°Mommy, we got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao let them go and went into the oxcart. Behind her, Lady Ruan followed. The entire Xie family tried to get in but Lu Jiao blocked their entrance.

    ¡°Yunjin is heavily wounded. We cannot have so many people inside. Mother, father, you cane inside. Vige Leader, n Leader, you cane in too. Lu Gui, you shoulde as well so you can carry Yunjin outter.¡±

    Lady Ruan wanted to argue. Her heart ached for her fourth son. Though the trip to town wasn¡¯t that far, it also wasn¡¯t close. Her fourth son had never traveled that far on foot.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s re was hostile as she demanded, ¡°This cart is huge. We can fit in two more people.¡±

    Terrified that another fight would break out, Xie Laogen pulled on Lady Ruan¡¯s arm. Lady Ruan let it go but continued to gawk at Lu Jiao with resentment.

    Lu Jiao pretended she couldn¡¯t see this and only looked outside to apologize to the vigers, ¡°Sorry everyone. I must apologize for this.¡±

    All the Xie vigers waved around their hands, ¡°This is no big deal. You¡¯re only leaving first and we¡¯ll arrive shortly after. We aren¡¯t that far from Baohe Tang and we¡¯ll get there soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    In the end, Lu Jiao, Lu Gui, Xiaogen and his wife, Vige Leader and n Leader took the oxcart to send Xie Yunjin into town.

    On the way there, Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t help herself but to get angry at Lu Jiao, ¡°No matter how I see it, you should be thest person to sit in this cart. You¡¯re so huge. If you get off, then we can fit in two to three more people.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjin, whose eyes remained closed this whole time, responded coldly, ¡°She is my wife. She¡¯s the only person who has the right to sit here. Ever since I became paralyzed, she¡¯s been the only person who took care of me day after day. I sure didn¡¯t see any one of you there for me during those days.¡±

    Before Lady Ruan could shout back, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°Mother, are you here today to go to surgery with me, or here to fight with me?¡±

    This made Lady Ruan swallow back all her words. Her face, however, burned to ck due to anger and her chest heaved up and down.

    While she violently red at her own son, she silently cursed at Lu Jiao.

    What a b!tch! How dare that woman disrupt the rtionship between a mother and her son?! The only reason why their rtionship sucked right now was because of this b!tch in the middle.

    It appeared that her son no longer felt obligated to her and the family. Once he passed his exams and became an official, will he stille back home and share the benefits?

    No, she had to figure out a way to get rid of this damn woman and find her son someone that was more submissive. Only then, will her son listen to her again.

    Those ns helped calm her down.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to look at her and kept his eyes closed to rest.

    Inside the cart, Xie Laogen looked at Xie Yunjin with worry in his eyes. He didn¡¯t share his wife¡¯s confidence that their son would return home. Their son really appeared to have lost faith in this family. What should they do now?

    Xie Laogen was worried that if he failed to get his son back, his son would no longer help out the other siblings.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to give those two attention and focused on talking to the Vige and n Leaders.

    The Leaders asked Lu Jiao all about her meeting Dr. Qi yesterday.

    ¡°This surgery will likely take a long time?¡±

    ¡°Did Dr. Qi tell you how long it will take?¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were shut, hisshes quivered, making it obvious that he was listening.

    Worried that Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood had been dampened by Lady Ruan¡¯s show, Lu Jiao did her best to share the good news.

    ¡°The surgery will take around four hours. Based on Dr. Qi¡¯s tone, this surgery isn¡¯t considered to be a major one and no idents are expected to ur. Dr. Qi also told me that a month after surgery, he will not be able to walk exactly, but he could start practicing standing. Two months after surgery, he should be able to walk normally. Three months after, everything should be back to normal, he should be able to act like normal people, jumping¡­ skipping¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao shared all this tofort Xie Yunjin.

    She was sessful. Her words softened Xie Yunjin¡¯s entire body and happiness seeped out of him. His facial features rxed and garnered much light, making him look like a painting.

    Lu Jiao allowed herself to admire him for a few seconds and silentlyplimented him. She stopped worrying after.

    In the oxcart, the Vige and n Leaders showed aparable amount of joy. Theyughed and their hearts filled with happiness.

    Xie Laogen and his wife, however, gloomed. Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t help but pout and mumble about what a good life her son had.

    At Baohe Tang, Qi Lei had already prepared everything. Once the oxcart parked, Qi Lei brought out his guys to greet everyone.

    ¡°They¡¯re here. Go in and help the patient.¡±

    Lu Gui exited the cart and carried Xie Yunjin inside.

    Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t used to this and endured.

    His other option was to have Lu Jiao carry him. To be carried inside by his wife was a little too embarrassing.

    After Xie Yunjin was inside, Dr. Qi hollered for everyone to get out of the room.

    ¡°Alright, everyone out. I will handle everything from here.¡±

    Qi Lei nced at Lu Jiao, who gently gave him a nod to confirm that she will enter the operation roomter through the back. Qi Lei received the message.

    At the entrance, Lady Ruan¡¯s expression dropped, ¡°Why do you not let us stay here? What if you hurt my son?¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s eyes narrowed and snapped back unpleasantly, ¡°I am a doctor. I only know how to save people, not hurt people.¡±

    This countryside old woman sure was being difficult.

 Chapter 94 - 94 Lu Jiao Operating

    94 Lu Jiao Operating

    Lady Ruan wanted to say more but Xie Laogen stopped her, ¡°Enough.¡±

    The Vige and n Leaders all red at Lady Ruan. This sh!t stirrer should be kicked out of this ce and sent back to her own vige.

    The Vige Leader said coldly, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s all wait outside and leave everything to Dr. Qi.¡±

    Dr. Qi nodded, ¡°Do not worry. I will do everything I can for him.¡±

    The Leaders all smiled, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Qi.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The group went to wait outside. Lu Jiao peeked at the Leaders, ¡°Vige Leader, n Leader, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? Allow my brother and I to get some food for you all.¡±

    The Leaders waved around their hands, ¡°No need, no need.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say more when Lady Ruan interrupted, ¡°Your father and I haven¡¯t eaten. Hurry up and go get us something.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored her and continued to speak to the Leaders, ¡°Other than you, I¡¯m sure many people skipped breakfast this morning. I¡¯ll go buy some so everyone can eat together once they arrive.¡±

    Without giving others another chance to speak, she left with Lu Gui.

    Lu Jiao took Lu Gui to a vendor nearby and bought two giant bags of whole wheat buns ¨C two tokens for three. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to cheap out on everyone, it was that it felt inappropriate for her to spend a lot of money on the good stuff.

    ¡°Take these two bags of buns and give them to everyone to eat. Ask Baohe Tang for some water.¡±

    Lu Giu found this strange, ¡°What about you?¡±

    Lu Jiao patted down her chest, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a stroll around. The thought of your brother-inw getting cut open in there petrifies me. I¡¯m a little scared and too worried to go back.¡±

    Lu Gui quickly agreed, ¡°Take your time. Try to rx. I¡¯ll go back with all this.¡±

    After Lu Gui left, Lu Jiao turned into a back alley that was connected to Baohe Tang¡¯s backdoor.

    Once she got inside, Qi Lei weed her, ¡°Master, I fed Lord Xie the medicine you gave me. He¡¯s asleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face darkened. Lord Xie? How ugly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call him that. You can refer to him as the schr in the future.¡±

    The two headed for Xie Yunjin¡¯s room as they chatted.

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao ordered Qi Lei, ¡°Ask someone to guard this ce, and don¡¯t let anyone in. Youe in hereter to care for him post-surgery.¡±

    Qi Lei stared at Lu Jiao with anticipation, ¡°I can¡¯t go in to specte?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t pass out? If you pass out at the sight of blood and disrupt my surgery, you will have to take responsibility.¡±

    The serious look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face diminished Qi Lei¡¯s curiosity, ¡°Next time then.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°You have to start with small surgeries.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Lei nodded.

    Lu Jiao walked away and quickly took out some stuff from her space ¨C disinfected white robe, face mask, gloves, and so on.

    To her, today¡¯s operation was no piece of cake. Since she had no assistants, she had to do everything herself, which was an enormous load of work.

    As Lu Jiao thought it through, she snuck out an ECG monitor from her space. She checked out his temperature, pulse, breathing, and blood pressure. Turns out, he was stable.

    Then, she took out the anesthetic. Worried that he would wake up in the middle of surgery, she decided to fully numb him.

    Afterward, the operation officially started. Lu Jiao first used the scalpel to slice open Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. Exposed, everything was what she expected when she first examined him.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were disjointed due to impact and many parts of the bones were crushed. She had to take out the small pieces and push his bones back in ce.

    The surgery went on as nned inside.

    Outside, the hallways of Baohe Tang and the streets nearby were getting rowdy. The more than 20 n members had arrived and now chatting nervously.

    Lu Gui divided up the whole wheat buns for everyone to share.

    Lady Ruan stared at the bun and was furious at Lu Gui, ¡°Where¡¯s Lu Jiao? Why would she feed her mother-inw something like this?¡±

    Only then did Lady Ruan realize that Lu Jiao didn¡¯te back.

    On the side, Chen Liu and Xie Lan provoked, ¡°Third sister-inw must¡¯ve gone shopping.¡±

    Xie Lan mocked, ¡°Her own husband is in surgery yet she¡¯s out there having fun. What¡¯s the point of having such a wife? I¡¯m going to ask my brother to leave her tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Gui angrily argued back, ¡°What are you talking about? Worried about my brother-inw, my sister is outside getting some fresh air alone. She¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Everyone thought what he said was fair and nodded.

    The n Leader red at Lady Ruan, ¡°Is it ever enough with you?¡±

    Finally, Lady Ruan stopped talking. Her rigid old face tightened even more as if somebody owed her money.

    It took four hours to finish Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery.

    Once it was done, Lu Jiao was close to passing out. Her entire body was covered in sweat and her face was pale.

    This was exhausting. She had to do all the tasks herself. Terrified of mistakes, she was highly stressed and tense. By the time everything was done, she almost copsed.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t leave right away and instead, waited for two bags of IV drips to finish. She had used some anti-inmmatory saline for Xie Yunjin.

    She couldn¡¯t risk others seeing this so she guarded him herself.

    Once the two bags were done, she walked out while stabilizing herself against the wall.

    Qi Lei walked over and helped her stand up, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at him, ¡°Exhausted.¡±

    She then ordered, ¡°The surgery is done. You go in there now to take care of him. After a while,e out and tell the Xie family that the surgery was a sess.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, ¡°Master, are you okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    Qi Lei was about to walk in when Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°I had to put my husband under for the surgery. He¡¯ll be asleep for a while. Make sure you tell the family that.¡±

    Qi Lei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Put him under?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s the effect of Mafei power. We must use that before surgery to ease the pain.¡±

    ¡°Oh, got it.¡±

    Qi Lei walked inside.

    Lu Jiao took a deep inhale to refuel her energy. She could¡¯ve fed herself some spiritual water to feel better.

    But the image of Lady Ruan made her forget that idea. If she showed up all healthy-looking, Lady Ruan would give her a hard time.

    Lu Jiao walked out of the back alley and secretly headed towards the front door.

    Inside the Baohe Tang¡¯s hallway, Qi Lei was talking to the Xie family.

    ¡°The surgery is finished. It was a sess.¡±

 Chapter 95 - 95 Villagersâ€™ Attention

    95 Vigers¡¯ Attention

    Qi Lei paused before continuing, ¡°The schr¡¯s dislocated legs have been corrected. I¡¯ve also extracted all the broken bone pieces that were stuck inside his legs.¡±

    He showed everyone a small te that was full of crushed bones. Everyone shuddered. These were small pieces of leg bones.

    My god, Dr. Qi extracted them all. How amazing.

    The Vige and n Leaders eximed in awe. At that time, Lu Jiao walked in and headed straight towards Qi Lei.

    ¡°Thank you, Dr. Qi.¡±

    Lady Ruan lost it on Lu Jiao the moment she showed up, ¡°Where have you been?! Your husband¡¯s in there getting cut open yet you ran away? What kind of wife are you? Once my third son wakes up, I will tell him to leave him!¡±

    Lady Ruan reacted as if she¡¯s found Lu Jiao¡¯s weak spot and refused to let it go. Her words grew harsher as she spoke.

    Qi Lei almost spilled the truth upon hearing thatdy.

    Your son¡¯s legs were cured by your daughter-inw yet you are asking your son to leave her? What¡¯s wrong with your brain?

    Lu Jiao turned to Lady Ruan, ¡°I was too worried about my husband. I was very stressed and scared.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face made it clear how terrified she truly was.

    Her visage was pale and she was having a hard time standing still.

    Lady Ruan, on the other hand, was bright-faced and well-fed. She even had the energy to pick a bone with her daughter-inw. It was obvious to everyone who was the one to truly care about Yunjin.

    Outside the crowd, Lu Gui helped Lu Jiao to stand still and asked worriedly, ¡°Sister, are you okay? Should we ask Dr. Qi to check you out?¡±

    Qi Lei quickly chimed in, ¡°She¡¯s in shock. Let her sit down to recover.¡±

    Qi Lei found Lu Jiao a seat and helped her sit down.

    He then said, ¡°The surgery was very sessful. As long as he rests, he will recover fully. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    Qi Lei didn¡¯t dare to say too much. After all, he wasn¡¯t the one who performed it and he was worried he would say the wrong thing and blow his cover.

    Xie Laogen spoke up, ¡°Then, my son can walk like a normal person now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, without idents, he¡¯ll be like a normal person again.¡±

    Xie Laogen smiled, ¡°Great. That is so great.¡±

    The Vige and n Leaders allughed as well. The Xie Vigers rejoiced.

    Xie Laogen then inquired, ¡°Where¡¯s my son now?¡±

    Qi Lei answered within a split second, ¡°I had to use mafei powder on him. He¡¯s not awake yet. Do not worry though, mafei powder is harmless and he will wake up soon.¡±

    Lu Jiao timed her question, ¡°Can we take him home then?¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, ¡°You can.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui, ¡°Help get your brother-inw into the cart.¡±

    He then looked over to Qi Lei, ¡°Please, doctor, help hold my husband¡¯s legs and don¡¯t let them touch anything?¡±

    Qi Lei instantly agreed, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lu Gui and Qi Lei went inside the room and carried Xie Yunjin out. Xie Yunjin was deep asleep and didn¡¯t react to being carried.

    The Xie family followed him out and waited until he was ced inside the cart.

    Qi Lei then ced the sheet Lu Jiao brought on Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°He just underwent surgery. Don¡¯t get cold.¡±

    Lu Jiao stayed in character, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Qi.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, ¡°No problem.¡±

    After Lu Jiao and Lu Gui got in, Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan also went into the cart.

    Scared that they would touch Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs, Lu Jiao kept a close eye on them.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were tied against wooden blocks to ensure they remained straight. The part that was cut for surgery was not boarded up and was only wrapped up by thin bandages.

    Scared they would hurt Xie Yunjin, the Vige and n Leaders declined the ride.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, go back first. We¡¯ll walk back.¡±

    The two of them were happy to walk back. Right now, they were too happy to close their lips.

    Lady Ruan instantly opened her mouth, ¡°Since you guys aren¡¯t going to sit, then let the Fourth and Xie Lane in.¡±

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan felt energized and started to walk toward the oxcart.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped and she stared at Lady Ruan coldly, ¡°The Leaders aren¡¯t sitting in consideration of Yunjin¡¯s legs. As Yunjin¡¯s family, Yunhua and Xie Lan sure are not trying to be considerate.¡±

    Lady Ruan angrily yelled, ¡°You¡¯re sitting here, aren¡¯t you?!¡±

    Lu Jiao refused to humor this woman and instantly ordered Xie Tieniu, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Xie Tieniu started to steer the ox, ignoring the two Xie siblings.

    Inside the cart, Lady Ruan wanted to curse but Xie Laogen stopped her, ¡°Enough. Can you stop this?¡±

    The Fourth and Xie Lan were still young. What was wrong with taking a walk? People who were much older were walking today.

    Lady Ruan focused on her son. The thought of him walking again stopped her from picking a fight. The way her gaze moved past Lu Jiao, however, was like she was swinging a dagger. This b!tch! There was no way she should be a part of the Xie family.

    Lu Jiao ignored Lady Ruan. She was so exhausted right now she didn¡¯t want to do anything but rest.

    The oxcart entered the Xie family vige. The vigers crowded over instantly and started to ask about how the surgery went.

    The cold-faced Lady Ruan suddenly jumped up with her head raised high. Her third son¡¯s legs were now healed! These people will have to butter her up again!

    The more Lady Ruan thought about it, the happier she became. She boasted joyfully, ¡°My third son¡¯s surgery was a sess! His legs will be fine! He will be able to go into the city and write his exams soon!¡±

    Sadly, nobody tried to get on Lady Ruan¡¯s good side this time. On the contrary, most people focused on Lu Jiao.

    Aunt Guihua was the most eager. She loudly directed her question at Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, Yunjin¡¯s legs are now fine?¡±

    ¡°Did the surgery go okay?¡±

    ¡°Howe he¡¯s not awake? He¡¯s sleeping that deeply?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at the crowd, ¡°Thank you, everyone. Yunjin¡¯s surgery was a sess. The reason why he¡¯s asleep is that the doctor used mafei powder on him to numb him for surgery. He¡¯ll be awake soon.¡±

    The vigers were ecstatic, ¡°Since the surgery is a sess, then he will be able to walk soon. This is great news.¡±

    Aunt Guihua smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, your time has finallye. You¡¯re destined for great happiness.¡±

    Inside the oxcart, Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan¡¯s faces grew ugly. This was their third son! Why was everyone conversing with Lu Jiao? Just what was she to them?!

    Lady Ruan angrily red at the vigers. In the end, her gazended on Aunt Guihua and she started to curse.

    ¡°Ding Guihua, you sure talk a lot. What¡¯s my family¡¯s business got to do with you?¡±

    Aunt Guihua was quick to yell back, ¡°You¡¯re unhappy because we are not giving you attention today. Look at that harsh face of yours! All day from morning to night, you carry that long face with you and act like someone owes you money. Today is a day worth celebrating. As Yunjin¡¯s mother, instead of being happy, you stick out that unpleasant face of yours like a bitter melon.

    Before, Yunjin was injured so you kicked him out of your home. Now that your son¡¯s legs are healed, you are trying to get close to him again and act all mighty. You think none of us know exactly what you¡¯re thinking? Go to hell!¡±

 Chapter 96 - 96 Leg Pain

    96 Leg Pain

    Lady Ruan was obviously angered and started to curse, ¡°Ding Guihua, you b!tch! This is my family matter. Even if I do kick him out of my home, I still gave birth to him and he is still my son! Once he bes an honorable official, he will need me there. When that happens, you¡¯ll be the one on the sideline all jealous.¡±

    Lady Ruan got so heated she stood up inside the oxcart. Lu Jiao was terrified that she would stumble andnd on Xie Yunjin, causing his legs to dislocate again.

    She asked Xie Tieniu, ¡°Stop for a second.¡±

    Xie Yieniu stopped. Without looking at Lady Ruan, Lu Jiao turned to Xie Laogen, ¡°Dad, take mother and get out.¡±

    Xie Laogen extended a hand to help Lady Ruan, who pushed him away and pointed at Lu Jiao to curse.

    ¡°You b!tch! You think just because you took care of my son, you get to be god?! You want to act mightier than me?! In your dreams!¡±

    Lu Jiao was infuriated, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be a mother! Your son just had surgery and his legs cannot be touched, yet you act like this, almost falling onto him. If his legs get hurt again, the surgery would¡¯ve been pointless.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Laogen and said coldly, ¡°Dad, you are going to let her hurt Yunjin?¡±

    Though Xie Laogen was unhappy, Xie Yunjin was his son. It was beneficial for him if Yunjin healed.

    He instantly got off the cart and pulled Lady Ruan out with him.

    Lady Ruan struggled and wanted to curse more but Lu Jiao asked Xie Tieniu to leave.

    Lady Ruan stomped in ce but nobody acknowledged her. Behind her, Aunt Guihua couldn¡¯t bear to watch and lectured her, ¡°Lady Ruan, you don¡¯t deserve to be Yunjin¡¯s mother. He¡¯s the most unfortunate person to get you as his mother.¡±

    Everyone agreed with that statement.

    It was true. Yunjin was so unlucky to get a mother like her.

    Once he bes sessful, this mother of his will cause him so much trouble.

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t self-reflect at all and only got more mad. She leaped over and started to fight Aunt Guihua. Since Aunt Guihua was taller and fatter, she ended up throwing Lady Ruan into the ground and beating her up.

    While Xie Laogen was on the side, trying to stop the fight, he didn¡¯t actually do much. He was honestly pretty angry himself and wanted to borrow Ding Guihua¡¯s hands to teach his old wife a lesson.

    The vigers all watched and asked them to stop. Nobody, however, interfered with the effort.

    In the end, Lady Ruan moaned in pain. Ding Guihua didn¡¯t actually hit Lady Ruan too hard. No matter how awful she was, that woman was Yunjin¡¯s mother after all.

    If she hit that woman too hard, Yunjin might get mad. So Ding Guihua decided to simply teach Lady Ruan a lesson.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of what happened. She and Lu Gui rode back home inside the oxcart.

    In front of the yard, stood the four little ones. When they saw the arrival of an oxcart, they dashed outside in a hurry.

    Behind them, Lady Tian nervously called out, ¡°Run slowly! Don¡¯t fall!¡±

    The children didn¡¯t seem to have heard her.

    Afraid to hit the children, Xie Tieniu slowed down the cart. Lu Jiao got out of the cart and went to her children.

    The four little ones nervously peered up towards Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Mommy, is daddy better?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°He had surgery. It was a sess. He¡¯ll need some time to heal before he fully recovers. Then, he¡¯ll be able to walk again and go back to studying.¡±

    The four little ones were over the moon and all grinned ear to ear.

    The First Born noticed that Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t moving inside the cart and wasn¡¯t reacting at all. He was anxious and asked, ¡°Mommy, why isn¡¯t daddy awake?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him. This kid decided to call her ¡®mommy¡¯ now? Her beam deepened.

    ¡°It¡¯s due to the surgery. He had to take medicine for the surgery. He should be awake by nighttime. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    The First Born stopped worrying and nodded, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    The oxcart arrived in front of the yard. Lu Jiao indicated for Lu Gui to carry Yunjin inside while stabilizing Yunjin¡¯s legs to ensure nothing touched them.

    Behind them, Xie Tieniu steered the ox to leave. Lu Jiao shouted out, ¡°Tieniu, thank you!¡±

    Xie Tieniu shook his head, ¡°No need to thank me. Take care of Yunjin.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t bring up payment. Even if she did, Xie Tieniu wouldn¡¯t have taken it. She¡¯ll simply remember this favor she owed him.

    Lu Jiao and Lu Gui put Xie Yunjin into the east bedroom and she carefully ced a cover on him.

    Just then, Lady Tian noticed how pale Lu Jiao was and asked caringly, ¡°Jiaojiao, your face is pale. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Nothing. I was just worried.¡±

    Lady Tian went to get a cup of sugar water for Lu Jiao. Then, she started to ask about Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery.

    ¡°Are his legs really fine?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the surgery was a sess. He just needs to rx and rest to make sure his bones heal. At most, it¡¯ll take two months before he can walk again and three months before he¡¯s fully back to normal.¡±

    Lady Tian was ecstatic, ¡°This is great news! The Gods have eyes, the Gods have eyes!¡±

    The four little ones excitedly hugged each other, ¡°Daddy will be fine now!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be able to y with us again!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be able to study again. Daddy loves studying!¡±

    ¡°Once he bes a government official, he¡¯ll bring us to the Capital City. I heard that ce is rowdy.¡±

    The room was full of joy.

    When Xie Yunjin started to wake at night, he first heard everyone¡¯s caring inquiries before he got to open his eyes.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t Yunjin awake yet?¡±

    ¡°Is he okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Xie Yunjin heard Lu Jiao¡¯s well-rounded voice and slowly opened his eyes. He saw the woman by his bedside warmly greeting the n members inside the room and noticed how confidence oozed out of her. She had the same familiar face yet she was not the same person at all.

    He once imagined what kind of woman he wanted as a wife. He didn¡¯t ask her to be pretty, he did ask her to be confident and collected. He asked for someone who could support him and help him go through difficult times. If one day, they get to acquire wealth, then they could share it together.

    As Xie Yunjin got lost in his thoughts, the four little ones noticed that he had awakened and excitedly shouted, ¡°Daddy is awake!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s thoughts were interrupted. Lu Jiao turned her head around as everyone walked up to the bed.

    Lu Jiao was the first to speak, ¡°How is it? Do your legs hurt? Can you endure it?¡±

    Before, she had used an anesthetic on him so he couldn¡¯t feel pain. Now that the medicine had worn off, he should feel the agony.

    Sadly, she didn¡¯t own anything to numb him fully in her space. If he ever gets into too much pain, she will have to feed him a painkiller by the pill. But it would be best if he didn¡¯t take any. After all, too much painkiller wasn¡¯t good for the body.

 Chapter 97 - 97 Beating up Xie Daqiang

    97 Beating up Xie Daqiang

    Xie Yunjin did feel pain creep up his legs. The pain was severe.

    He did his best to endure and he asked Lu Jiao, ¡°How did the surgery go? Are my legs okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the surgery was a sess. As long as you take the time to rest, you will heal. In two months, you¡¯ll be able to walk again. In three months, you should be able to jump around and do everything you used to do.¡±

    Light shot out of Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes as excitement filled his brows. Unable to contain his happiness, a smile appeared on his lips.

    ¡°Good, good.¡±

    Finally, his legs will heal and finally, he¡¯ll be able to walk again. At once, he started to feel thankful towards the Gods and thankful that he was given a reason to get motivated.

    Inside the room, the Vige Leader and the vigers started telling Yunjin to take care of his legs.

    ¡°Yunjin, now that you¡¯ve gotten surgery, remember to rest.¡±

    ¡°Yes, do nothing but rest. If you need anything, ask for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    After everyone said what they wanted, they left one by one, leaving behind the gifts they brought, including eggs, rice, noodles, vegetables, and even two chickens.

    Lu Jiao felt bad taking all these. Some people had a hard time getting by and didn¡¯t even eat this stuff regrly.

    She went outside with the n and Vige Leader and tried to tell him to take everything back. The Leaders, however, frowned and lectured her.

    ¡°Are you saying this stuff isn¡¯t good enough for you? The most important thing right now is to nourish Yunjin.¡±

    What else could Lu Jiao say but thank them?

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin recognized the situation and reminded Lu Jiao when she returned helplessly, ¡°ept the stuff. We¡¯ll repay the favor another day.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Didn¡¯t we say we¡¯d teach everyone how to harvest herbs? Now that your surgery is done, I can start doing that in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded.

    Lu Jiao noticed that his lips were dry. She got up to get him some sugar water and snuck in a few drops of spiritual water.

    The moment Lu Jiao brought in the water, Xie Laogen came over with Xie Daqiang.

    There was nobody else but those two.

    When Lu Jiao saw those two, she greeted, ¡°Dad, brother, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Xie Laogen and Xie Daqiang didn¡¯t answer and pretended they didn¡¯t even hear her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind. She fed Xie Yunjin water and exited the room with the empty bowl.

    Behind her, Xie Laogen and Xie Daqiang caringly asked Xie Yunjin about how he was doing.

    Lu Jiao pretended not to hear. Outside, Lady Tian looked unwell. She followed Lu Jiao and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your father-inw? I greeted him and he didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. Their brains are damaged.¡±

    They then discussed what they should make for dinner. Since Xie Yunjin just had surgery, Lu Jiao decided to make vegetable porridge tonight. She¡¯ll use the vegetables she nted previously in her yard. Those have grown to the size of her hand and were ready to get cooked.

    Lu Jiao went to harvest her greens while Lady Tian mysteriously mumbled.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared nkly. Lady Tian lowered her voice, ¡°Thend where your house is must be a rich piece ofnd. Once you make money, remember to build a giant mansion here and seal off the area. If you do that, you¡¯re destined to generate great wealth.¡±

    Surprised, Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Mom, how can you tell this piece ofnd is rich?¡±

    Lady Tian inched in closer, ¡°When I first arrived, your greens just sprouted. Look at them now. Within days, they¡¯ve grown this big and healthy. They grew better than other families¡¯ farms. So I think the soil here is better.

    Make sure not to lose this piece ofnd. Once you are rich, build a house to secure it.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.

    Her vegetables grow well because she watered them with her spiritual stream water. Her mother thought it was because the soil was treasurable.

    Since she couldn¡¯t really exin this to Lady Tian, she nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She picked some more greens and headed to the kitchen.

    Before she arrived, she heard cryinging from the east bedroom.

    The quadruplets were crying ¨C howling.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart dropped and she picked up her steps.

    Before she entered the room, she heard Xie Daqiang¡¯s furious voice, ¡°You bastard! I am your uncle! You dare to curse at me? I will teach you a lesson.¡±

    Lu Jiao rushed inside and saw that Xie Daqiang had grabbed onto the Second Born and was ready to p him.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was eerily dark and disdain shot out of his eyes.

    Lu Jiao flew inside and held onto the Second Born. She then pushed Xie Daqiang away. With a deep frown, she yelled, ¡°Xie Daqiang, this is my home. What do you think you are doing?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face made Xie Daqiang angry. It was all because of this b!tch that his third brother became this stubborn. For days now, his parents have been trying to repair their rtionship, yet his third brother refused to forgive them.

    His third brother didn¡¯t use to act like this. Everything was different now because of this b!tch.

    She wanted to possess his third brother all by herself? In her dreams!

    Xie Daqiang marched towards Lu Jiao. Seeing the violent and ferocious way he looked at her, Lu Jiao raised her leg and kicked him.

    Though Xie Daqiang was tall and buff, he was no match for Lu Jiao¡¯s strength. Plus, he wasn¡¯t mentally prepared. At once, he was stomped onto the ground.

    Even after this, Lu Jiao remained angry. Everyone from that family was damaged in the head! She¡¯s been more than forgiving for Xie Yunjin¡¯s sake but they refuse to behave themselves.

    Lu Jiao walked forward and stepped directly onto Xie Daqiang¡¯s hand, hard. Xie Daqiang screamed in pain. Still furious, Lu Jiao stomped directly onto Xie Daqiang. Once¡­ twice¡­

    Xie Daqiang¡¯s face twitched as he screamed. asionally, he cursed, ¡°You b!tch! You dare to hit me?! I¡¯m going to end you!¡±

    Xie Laogen didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to hit her own brother-inw right in front of everyone. His face quivered.

    However, witnessing just how serious Lu Jiao was being, he didn¡¯t dare to go up there and hit her. So he stayed there while trembling.

    In the end, he decided to look over to Xie Yunjin and murmur, ¡°Look, look, this is the kind of woman you chose to marry.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 Educating the Boys

    98 Educating the Boys

    Xie Yunjin found Lu Jiao to be extraordinarily attractive right now. He thought that only by acting the way she was, could they stop that family from stirring up trouble. If this was any other woman, the four little ones may get hurt today. Therefore, this woman was great.

    Though Xie Yunjin was silently praising, he didn¡¯t show it on his face. Coldly, he challenged Xie Laogen, ¡°Father, when is it enough?¡±

    Before Xie Laogen could answer, he added, ¡°I understand why you¡¯ve beening over this past while. You think now that my legs will heal, you can control me as you did before. You want me to listen to you just so you can use me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words ripped off Xie Laogen¡¯s skin. His face was now as red as blood.

    Xie Yunjin harshly continued, ¡°Father, stop dreaming. I will not be controlled like the way I was before. You can do whatever you want. I am the son you kicked out. I will show respect where it¡¯s due. Anything extra will depend on my mood. So, don¡¯t bother visiting me all the time.

    If this continues, I will go speak to the Vige and n Leader and volunteer to get rid of myst name.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then faked a smile, ¡°When that happens, we¡¯ll see if the Vige Leader will take away myst name or yourst name.¡±

    His words drained all the color off Xie Laogen¡¯s face. His body quivered and he almost fell sideways.

    He could tell that this son was being serious. If they anger him again, he truly will go to the Vige and n Leader and ask to change hisst name.

    If he asked like that, the Xie n would most likely kick out the Xie Laogen family as opposed to Xie Yunjin.

    If they were kicked out, and Xie Yunjin stayed, then there would be no way for them to get by. They would be considered two different families.

    Those thoughts made Xie Laogen¡¯s eyes go red. He mumbled, ¡°Third son, we are your mother and father.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stabbed again with his words, ¡°I rather not have a mother and father like you.¡±

    His words were icy cold, ¡°Father, please go back.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao had stopped stomping on Xie Daqiang. Xie Daqiang was in excruciating pain and struggled to get off the floor. He lifted his arm to hit Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao smirked at him. That alone was enough to scare Xie Daqiang away. He didn¡¯t dare to move.

    Xie Laogen called out, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He was truly sad this time. This third son of his had disappointed him. If he knew he would end up giving birth to such an unfilial son, he never should¡¯ve sent him to study.

    It was all because of studying. It would¡¯ve been better if he stayed and farmed.

    Xie Laogen and the furious Xie Daqiang turned to leave.

    Behind them, Xie Yunjinid solemnly on the bed.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gentle voiceforted him, ¡°You just had surgery. Don¡¯t overthink it ¨C it¡¯s bad for your recovery. If your legs don¡¯t heal, that family wouldn¡¯t pity you. Those who care about you will hurt when you¡¯re hurt. Those who don¡¯t care only see you as the benefits you can bring.¡±

    She then turned to the Second Born, ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡±

    The Second Born was fine until Lu Jiao asked. Her disy of affection made him cry out loud, ¡°Mommy, they were saying bad things about you. I got angry and cursed at him.¡±

    He had promised his mother before that he wouldn¡¯t curse. Today, he lost control and cursed. He wondered if his mommy was mad.

    Lu Jiao patted his head, ¡°I won¡¯t punish you this time. Next time, don¡¯t curse. That person is your uncle after all. If the news gets out that you cursed at your uncle, it¡¯d be bad for your reputation.

    Though the bad guy is the other person, you ruin your own reputation by cursing at him. It¡¯s a loss-loss situation for you.¡±

    The Second Born seemed to have understood but not really. The only message he was certain of was that his mom wasn¡¯t angry at him.

    Finally, his heart fell back to space. Quickly, he looked up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, before, I wanted to hog onto his legs and make him fall. But his legs were too thick and I didn¡¯t think I had enough strength.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled.

    The things she¡¯s taught the kids so far would only work against other young children. That tactic would never work against Xie Daqiang.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but pinch the Second Born¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°You¡¯re so small. How can you win a fight against your uncle? Even if you can, you shouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s your senior.

    In the future, just stay away from him. If you ever run into seniors who are so unpleasant, get far far away. If you can¡¯t, then think of another way. You shouldn¡¯t hit or curse. All those things will only hurt your own reputation, got it?¡±

    The four little ones circled around and answered in unison, ¡°Mommy, we got it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin narrowed his eyes as he watched. This woman was rather different in the way she taught the children. When he thought about it, however, the things she said made sense.

    Lu Jiao patted each one of their little heads and said to them, ¡°Go chat with your daddy. I¡¯m going to make dinner.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones happily waved around their hands. With their mother around, they weren¡¯t afraid of anybody.

    While Lu Jiao and Lady Tian made dinner, more people came over. These people weren¡¯t from the Xie n, but rather vigers from further away. Both the Xu family and the Lin family came.

    Xu Duojin was now fully healed without any more symptoms. He moved around like a normal person.

    When he saw Lu Jiao, he respectfully thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°We are all neighbors. No need to thank me. You¡¯re here to see Yunjin?¡±

    She headed to the living room while everyone else followed. They all silentlyplimented how Yunjin¡¯s wife was now acting like a different person.

    Not only did she slim down and be better looking, but the way she dealt with things was also extremely thoughtful and graceful. Not like their wives, who constantly shied away from guests and worried that their homes weren¡¯t good enough. They were also often flustered and didn¡¯t know how to host the guests.

    Yunjin¡¯s wife was different. Could it be that Yunjin taught her her mannerism? Everyone thought that would make sense. Yunjin studied a lot and naturally would know how to guide his wife.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what everyone was thinking. She brought the group into the east bedroom.

    ¡°Yunjin, Brother Xu, and others are here to see you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t look well. The numbing of his legs was fading and the agony was overpowering.

    Lu Jiao decided to give him some painkillers.

    While Xue Duojin and others chatted with Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao went to get a cup of water and secretly took out a painkiller pill. She headed to the east bedroom.

 Chapter 99 - 99 Someone Jumped into the River

    99 Someone Jumped into the River

    Inside the east bedroom, Xu Duojin and the vigers inquired about Xie Yunjin¡¯s medical condition. Seeing how pale Xie Yunjin looked, Xu Duojin asked, worried, ¡°Did the surgery go okay? You don¡¯t look well. Should I get a doctor over here?¡±

    He suddenly remembered that Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife knew medicine, ¡°Perhaps your wife can take a look?¡±

    Lin Erdan agreed. Yunjin¡¯s wife was rather skillful when it came to medicine.

    Just then, Lu Jiao came in with some water. She said in a calm tone, ¡°He just underwent surgery and his legs hurt. After today, the pain should ease.¡±

    She then brought water to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Have some painkiller.¡±

    Xie Yunjin remembered what Lu Jiao said before about how it was best to avoid painkillers.

    He gritted his teeth, ¡°No. I can do this.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how pale he was and how much sweat was starting to form. It appeared that the pain was rather intense.

    Some people were born more sensitive to pain than others. It wasn¡¯t good to fight through like this.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Having some is fine. You just have to make it through the night. Tomorrow will be better.¡±

    She put the pill near Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips, which were sealed tightly.

    The stubborn way he acted reminded her of the First Born.

    Lu Jiao had a thought. Howe she felt like she was taking care of five children?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t take this, you likely won¡¯t be able to sleep. Not sleeping is bad for healing as well. It¡¯s better to take this.¡±

    Lu Jiao supported Xie Yunjin and without his consent, shoved the small pill into his mouth.

    Xie Yunjin angrily stared at her. Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°Here, have some water.¡±

    Defeated by her amiable gaze, Xie Yunjin took a sip of water and swallowed.

    He theny down and started to ignore Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind and went outside.

    Xu Duojin meaningfully said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Brother Yunjin, your wife is doing this for your benefit. You should listen to her.¡±

    He then remembered how Lu Jiao helped him with his snake bite and showed appreciation towards Xie Yunjin, ¡°You and your wife saved my life. I don¡¯t know how to repay you. I fear I¡¯ll never be able to.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gently shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened. We are all neighbors and we are lucky if we get to help each other. It¡¯s nothing worth remembering about.¡±

    Xue Duojin¡¯s eyes got damp after he heard that.

    ¡°Yunjin, I may be a rough guy who doesn¡¯t even know how to eat, but I do know that I am indebted to those who save my life. If you ever need anything, tell my wife and I. We will do everything we can to help.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to tell him that there was no need. However, at that moment, someone rushed inside, all flustered.

    ¡°Is the third aunty here?¡±

    Lu Jiao heard the voice and recognized it to be the voice of the Vige Leader¡¯s youngest daughter, Xie Xiaojuan.

    ¡°Xiaojuan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The people inside the east bedroom stopped talking to find out what was happening.

    Xie Xiaojuan came inside and shouted in agitation, ¡°Third aunt,e and help me. Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inw tried to kill herself by jumping into the river. Can youe and see if you can save her life?¡±

    Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inw, Xia Lian, had a hard life. Because she had too many siblings, her parents decided to sell her to Widow Li. That was a hole for her. She never got to stay warm nor was well-fed. Plus, she had an endless pile of housework daily.

    She also ended up having two daughters. Widow Li started to torture her after she failed to bear a son and used her like she was a farm animal.

    Lu Jiao hated Widow Li but pitied Xia Lian. After she heard about what happened, she didn¡¯t ask more and ced the empty bowls on the table. She followed Xie Xiaojuan out.

    The four little ones ran to her.

    ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao said to them, ¡°I have something I must do. Stay home with grandma.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t clear what condition Xie Lian was in. If she died drowning, the four little ones would be traumatized to see that. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want them to see so she ordered them to stay home.

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t want the children to make a fuss at a time like this and went to calm them down.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Xiaojuan half-jogged to the river.

    There was a tributary in front of the vige. Though it wasn¡¯t wide, it was deep.

    Lots of people had gathered there by now. They all cursed at Widow Li for being ruthless and forcing her daughter-inw to choose death.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s gone. She¡¯s not breathing.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any airing out of her nose.¡±

    ¡°How can someone like Widow Li live in our vige? She¡¯s dragging us down! We need to kick out the Shen family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she doesn¡¯t deserve to stay.¡±

    The crowd noticed Lu Jiao and quickly asked, ¡°Make room. Yunjin¡¯s wife is here. Let¡¯s see if this girl can be saved.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not even breathing. How can she be saved?¡±

    Everyone parted ways to wee Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao firstid the patient t on the ground, then she checked for her pulse, heart rate, and breathing. After the initial examination, Lu Jiao concluded that Xia Lian¡¯s heart was no longer beating.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t take any time to be overwhelmed and started performing emergency protocols right away. She first cleaned out the mud and vomit from Xia Lian¡¯s mouth, then unbuttoned her shirt in preparation to get rid of the water inside.

    The crowd grewrger. Lu Jiao ordered with her head still down, ¡°Everyone, make some room so she can get some air.¡±

    The vigers spread out a little. Someone asked impatiently, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can she be saved?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored them. After getting rid of as much water as she could, sheid Xia Lian t to perform CPR.

    She nced around as she applied pressure to Xia Lian¡¯s chest, wondering if she could find someone to do mouth-to-mouth.

    Of course, she could do it herself. But in front of this whole crowd, people may gossip. After all, these people weren¡¯t educated and may twist her actions for something else.

    Lu Jiao raised her head and saw Shen Xiaoshan standing in the back. This bastard sure didn¡¯t look sad for someone who just saw his wife jump into a river.

    Angry, Lu Jiao called out, ¡°Shen Xiaoshan, get over here.¡±

    The vigers looked for Shen Xiaoshan and found him quickly. Someone pushed him out of the crowd.

    Lu Jiao ordered, ¡°Blow air into your wife¡¯s mouth.¡±

 Chapter 100 - 100 The First Born is Shy

    100 The First Born is Shy

    Shen Xiaoshan¡¯s face turned white as he refused, ¡°No! I¡¯m not doing that to a dead person.¡±

    If Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t busy doing CPR, she would¡¯ve pped him. What the ****! What a disgusting man.

    Since she couldn¡¯t swing her arm, she warned him with a death re, ¡°I am telling you to get over here. If you don¡¯t, I will never forgive you.¡±

    Shen Xiaoshan hesitated. Behind him, two women dragged and pushed him toward Xia Lian.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°Blow air into her mouth. She¡¯s not dead yet.¡±

    She said that in order to convince Shen Xiaoshan to do mouth-to-mouth.

    Her words didn¡¯t earn any reaction from Shen Xiushan. The others, however, excitedly asked, ¡°She¡¯s alive?¡±

    ¡°No way, we checked her for breathing. There was nothing.¡±

    ¡°If Yunjin¡¯s wife is saying that, then she sure can save Xia Lian. Stop arguing.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored everyone and grabbed onto Shen Xiaoshan. In a demanding tone, shemanded, ¡°Breathe into her mouth right now, or I will beat you to death.¡±

    Shen Xiaoshan was forced to give Xia Lian mouth-to-mouth. He was a little scared ¨C he felt like he was breathing into a dead person.

    Lu Jiao kept her eyes on him, which scared him.

    Lu Jiao took a look at Xia Lian after Shen Xiaoshan did as instructed. Xia Lian still wasn¡¯t moving.

    Lu Jiao asked Shen Xiaoshan to stop so she could go back to chestpressions. Then, she ordered Shen Xiaoshan to give her breaths again.

    Xia Lian remained still. Lu Jiao knew this was bad and she needed to inject Xia Lian with intramuscr epinephrine, or else she may actually die.

    Though she had the medication in her space, she didn¡¯t want to expose herself. She looked around and noticed that the moonlight wasn¡¯t bright enough for everyone to see clearly. These vigers may not notice her small movements.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have time to think too much. She took out the epinephrine from her space and injected Xia Lian with it.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Xia Lian¡¯s chest to rise and for her to start coughing.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. Only now did she realize that she was out of strength and was close to passing out. Today, she performed both surgery and CPR. She was absolutely drained of energy.

    The crowd started to cheer.

    ¡°Xia Lian came back to life.¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t breathing before but she¡¯s alive now.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife is insane.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s insane. She saved a dead woman.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored everyone and turned to Shen Xiaoshan angrily, ¡°She¡¯s fine now. Take her home.¡±

    She then stood up to go home while the vigersplimented her left and right.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you¡¯re so great.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, how did you revive a dead person?¡±

    ¡°Your knowledge is vast.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want the vigers to exaggerate so she exined, ¡°Xia Lian wasn¡¯t really dead. Her body just seemed that way but she was alive. It wasn¡¯t all skill.¡±

    She then went home.

    Though she exined it, the vigers still found her to be skillful. Not only did she manage to cure one person, but she¡¯s also helped out two to three people by now. She managed to heal even those considered terminal by other doctors. This meant she was a great doctor.

    By the time Lu Jiao got home, Xu Duojin and the others had left. It was actually time for dinner, but nobody at home ate and they were all waiting for her.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you guys eating? Why are you waiting for me?¡±

    Lady Tian pointed at the four little ones, ¡°None of them are eating. They¡¯re waiting for you toe home.¡±

    Lu Jiao was both happy and sour to hear that. She knelt down and hugged the children.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay for you to eat first if I am busy.¡±

    The four little ones were happy to have been hugged. They liked being hugged. Their mommy¡¯s hug wasfortable and her hug made them feel her love.

    Even the First Born¡¯s eyes lit up and his lips curled up by a few degrees.

    Their little mannerism was so cute, thought Lu Jiao. This was the way the First Born should be acting ¨C he shouldn¡¯t be emotionless and serious like his father every day.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but kiss the First Born on the cheek.

    The First Born¡¯s face turned red. Walking weirdly, he left. Lu Jiao grinned. Was that little guy shy? The Second, Third and Fourth Born saw that she kissed the First Born and disyed their own cheeks towards their mother.

    ¡°Mommy, I want a kiss.¡±

    Lu Jiao kissed all of them. The three young men grinned in satisfaction.

    Lady Tian saw how happy the children were and couldn¡¯t help but feel much happiness. Her daughter went through so much hardship and it was all worth it. She didn¡¯t need to worry anymore.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat dinner. It¡¯ste.¡±

    Lu Jiao held the children¡¯s hands as they entered the room.

    Dinner today was simple and nd. There was vegetable porridge, cut up cucumber, and stir-fried beans.

    Though simple, the vegetable porridge received stunning reviews. Even Lady Tianplimented it.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, your vegetables are so fresh and delicious. It tastes better than other ces.¡±

    The four little ones nodded in agreement. They enjoyed the vegetable porridge as well.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips curled up. She watered these vegetables using her spiritual water. It was normal that they tasted good. Plus, these greens were very healthy for the body.

    Lu Jiao said to Lady Tian, ¡°If you like it, bring some home.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t decline. She saw that her daughter grew a whole bunch in the yard, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao rushed through her porridge and went to get another bowl to feed Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°How are your legs? Do they still hurt?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. The painkiller kicked in and the pain stopped. Now, he was worried that the pill interfered with the healing process.

    ¡°Is the medicine you gave me prescribed by Dr. Qi?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, Dr. Qi said you can have one if the pain is bad. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression was serious. Given that, Xie Yunjin felt less anxious and started eating his porridge. He remembered to dere, ¡°I won¡¯t take the pill tomorrow. I will endure the pain.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t persist. After all, this guy was so worried about the pill hurting his recovery. After tonight, the pain should be easier to endure.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Since he just had surgery, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t give him any other food.

    Before, Xie Yunjin was lying in bed and could hear everyoneplimenting the vegetable porridge in the living room next door.

    After he ate the porridge, he agreed with them, ¡°The vegetables seem to be fresher than other people¡¯s. It¡¯s truly delicious.¡±

    Lu Jiao beamed. She was in a great mood.

 Chapter 101 - 101 For the Week after Surgery, you are Bed Bound

    101 For the Week after Surgery, you are Bed Bound

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin remembered how Lu Jiao had just gone out to see a patient. He casually asked, ¡°What happened with Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inw? Did you manage to help her?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°She made it through. If they waited any longer, she wouldn¡¯t have made it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. This woman seemed to be a pretty good doctor. She must¡¯ve been very capable before.

    Xie Yunjin then nonchntly asked, ¡°You have a lot of medical knowledge?¡±

    Lu Jiao became alert. Did this man suspect her identity?

    She smiled, ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence that Grandma Huang taught me just the right things to be able to save these people. My medical knowledge is just so-so.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze subconsciously deepened as his lips curled up.

    Under this dim light, it was obvious that his gape was vast like the ocean.

    Lu Jiao felt like this man could see right through her.

    Quickly, she adjusted herself. Hmmph, just how much could he possibly guess? There was no way he would think she was transmigrated.

    She calmed down and beamed, ¡°I¡¯m just a woman. How capable can I be?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. He knew for a fact that this woman was a professional liar so she must be lying. She definitely was an amazing doctor.

    Thinking that, he suddenly asked, ¡°How much do you knowpared to Dr. Qi?¡±

    Lu Jiao felt suffocated. She wondered if he was going to question just who really did the surgery.

    Or maybe, he was purely curious.

    With a collected face, Lu Jiao prepared to answer but Xie Yunjin beat her to it, ¡°Do you know how to perform surgery?¡±

    Lu Jiao put on a scared face, ¡°What are you talking about? I am a woman! I don¡¯t dare to do surgery. That¡¯s horrifying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it. That was reasonable. Even if she knew a lot about medicine, women didn¡¯t really dare to do surgery. Most women could not handle how bloody surgeries were.

    He thought it through andmented mellowly, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know surgery, your medical knowledge is amazing.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. She didn¡¯t want to discuss this any further. After all, this man was highly observant and could see through her when her expression let slip of the truth.

    Lu Jiao went outside with the empty bowl. Outside, Xie Erzhu arrived.

    Once arrived, he shamefully looked over to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, I am sorry. I wasn¡¯t able to apany you to your surgery today.¡±

    Xie Erzhu sadly lowered his head. He wanted to go but his mother and father denied him and only brought his eldest brother, youngest brother, and youngest sister.

    Of course, Xie Yunjin knew what had happened. With his gaze soft, he said to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second Brother, I know your intentions are good and I would never me you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu looked up, ¡°Third brother, you truly don¡¯t me me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin beamed, ¡°I know you wanted to go and our mother and father stopped you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded with a grim expression. The way his parents nned out today made him want to fight someone.

    But his third brother didn¡¯t me him. That made him feel better.

    ¡°Third brother, how are your legs? Are you going to be okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew that Xie Erzhu was worried, ¡°After some time, I¡¯ll be able to get down and walk. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded happily, ¡°That¡¯s great news! You¡¯ll be able to study again.¡±

    If his third brother seeded, he¡¯ll be more respected as well.

    Because of his third brother, his entire family was highly respected and nobody dared to take advantage of him.

    The more Xie Erzhu thought about it, the happier he got. He caringly asked, ¡°Third brother, do you want to pee? Or poo? I can help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao heard this and turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°For the week after surgery, you are bed bound. You must pee and poop while in bed.¡±

    She then walked over and pulled the portable bamboo potty she made from under the bed.

    Finally, this thing could be put to good use.

    ¡°Use this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at the strange object in Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and his face dropped. His lips pressed into a line as he physically rejected the idea.

    After some time, he finally managed to say, ¡°I can get down.¡±

    Lu Jiao snapped, ¡°You don¡¯t want your legs anymore? If you don¡¯t, then go ahead and get off that bed. If you want your legs, you are not allowed to get down for the next week.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was now ck. In the end, he epted his fate, ¡°What about after this week?¡±

    ¡°After a week, you cane down and sit on the toilet. You have to make sure you aren¡¯t applying pressure with your legs.¡±

    Xie Yunjin suddenly looked up at Lu Jiao, ¡°You seem to be very familiar with all this.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and exined, ¡°Dr. Qi was very detail-oriented. He taught me all the stuff to know. I remember all of it.¡±

    Xie Erzhu added, ¡°This doctor sure is a good doctor. Doctors from the Capital City sure are better than doctors from our town.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t interrogate Lu Jiao further.

    Lu Jiao gave the portable potty to Xie Erzhu and warned him, ¡°No matter what, do not let him out of the bed. The surgery only happened this morning and his bones haven¡¯t grown together. Getting out of bed may cause his bones to dislocate for a second time. If that happens, he won¡¯t be able to walk again.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was frightened and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let his legs touch the ground.¡±

    Xie Yunjin heard Lu Jiao and didn¡¯t dare to ask to try walking again.

    Lu Jiao walked away.

    Inside the room, Xie Erzhu started helping out Xie Yunjin. Since they were brothers, Xie Yunjin was very rxed. After all, he was raised by his Second Brother.

    After Lady Tian and Lu Jiao did the dishes, they took the four little ones outside for a bath.

    Lady Tian said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, now that Yunjin has surgery, you can take more time resting. There¡¯s not much here for me to do anymore, I will go home tomorrow with your brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that.

    ¡°Mom, you can go tomorrow after lunch.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s been staying here for a while now and now knew that Lu Jiao didn¡¯tck money. She didn¡¯t persist in going back early tomorrow.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    Lu Jiao nned on going hunting in the morning tomorrow. She¡¯ll pack some baked goods that Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates brought for her mom, and give her some fruits from her space. There were also those greens she grew that she could pack.

    All thosebined made a pretty good gift. It should be enough.

 Chapter 102 - 102 My Sister is Someone Naturally Attracted to Good Fortune

    102 My Sister is Someone Naturally Attracted to Good Fortune

    As Lu Jiao nned tomorrow, the four little ones interrupted her.

    The First Born stared at Lady Tian, ¡°Grandma, when will you visit again?¡±

    Over the past few days, the children had established a good rtionship with Lady Tian. Hearing that she¡¯ll be going back with their young uncle, the children felt a little sad.

    Lady Tian also felt sad now that the children missed her. These four kids were not at all the same as her other grandson, Huzi. Huzi rolled around constantly and made a fuss every time he didn¡¯t get what he wanted.

    These four little ones never did that. Though they were younger, they were very reasonable and listened to logic.

    After these few days here, Lady Tian had made up her mind to not spoil Huzi too much in the future. If she kept this up, he would grow up to be a troublemaker.

    ¡°First Born, are you going to miss me? You cane to hang out next time.¡±

    The First Born looked up to Lu Jiao, who nodded, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll bring you to grandma¡¯s house next time.¡±

    The four little ones smiled happily. They¡¯ve never visited.

    The Third Born asked excitedly, ¡°Mommy, then when will we go to grandma¡¯s?¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°Once your daddy¡¯s legs heal.¡±

    The Third Born suggested, ¡°Then, we can bring daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when Lady Tian happily agreed, ¡°That would be great. The whole family should go. I¡¯ll kill a chicken and make us dinner when you visit.¡±

    The four little ones nodded aggressively, ¡°Okay!¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened. She may only have the chance to visit with the children alone. She¡¯ll never be able to bring Xie Yunjin there.

    Once Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, they will separate.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t tell Lady Tian this.

    The next day, when the Sun started to shine, Lu Jiao got out of bed quietly. Lady Tian and the Fourth Born were still asleep. She didn¡¯t want to disturb anyone.

    Inside the yard, Lu Gui was already awake. He had gotten water for the family and was now dusting the yard. After he saw Lu Jiao, he came over and asked, ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you sleeping for longer?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Lu Gui. This cheap brother of hers was rather hard-working and very honest. These days, he never took a break and did all the work around the house.

    After these past few days, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t find him as annoying as before.

    ¡°Yesterday, mother said she wants to go back this afternoon. I¡¯m going to go hunting in the mountains and pack you some meat to bring back.¡±

    Lu Gui was thrilled, ¡°You¡¯re going hunting?! Can Ie with?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The siblings took baskets and climbed up the mountain. On the way there, Lu Gui carefully looked over to Lu Jiao and said softly, ¡°Sister, are you still mad at me?¡±

    Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t answer, he straight up grabbed her arm and swung it around, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be mad at me. I was wrong before.¡±

    His sister was very capable these days. He respected her and was proud to have a sister like her. He couldn¡¯t bear the idea that she was angry at him.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t take this and pushed him, ¡°Enough, let me go.¡±

    Lu Gui refused, ¡°Sister, forgive me.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want this to continue so she nodded, ¡°I forgive you. But you need to do something for me ¨C you need to be nicer to mother. If I ever find out that you don¡¯t treat her well, I will teach you a lesson.¡±

    Lu Gui straightened up his back and vowed, ¡°Sister, do not worry. I promise you that I won¡¯t make mom angry. I will also tell the first and second brothers not to give mom a hard time.¡±

    Lu Gui silently mumbled, mom sure bore a good daughter.

    It appeared that having daughters was better than having sons. In the future, he needed to bear a daughter that was like his sister.

    Lu Gui smiled so hugely that his eyes disappeared into his skin. Lu Jiao found this strange.

    ¡°Remember what you said today.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I remember.¡±

    The siblings got up the mountain as they chatted. Lu Jiao found the trap she set before and plucked out the sharp bamboo she nted there before. She found a fresh batch of bamboo, sharpened them, and stuck them into the trap. She thenid some grass on top, took out herst pieces of deer meat, soaked them in spiritual stream water, and tossed it inside.

    Lu Gui was in shock, ¡°That¡¯s it? You just wait now?¡±

    He¡¯s always thought that hunting using traps was aplicated matter. He¡¯s seen other vigers set traps, it was way moreplicated than what his sister had done. Was she sure she could catch something like this?

    Lu Gui was in denial while Lu Jiao calmly said, ¡°This is how I caught all the meat you¡¯ve eaten this week.¡±

    Lu Gui eyed the trap and then eyed his sister. He was now sure of one thing.

    Only his sister could set a trap like this. Nobody else could.

    As for why, it was because of who she was as an individual. She was someone naturally attracted to good fortune. She could so easily do something and get something in return.

    Lu Jiao ignored him and went to harvest herbs. She decided to start teaching the vigers in a few days and wanted to get some samples she could use to show everyone.

    Lu Gui followed closely, ¡°Sister, can you teach me?¡±

    He knew that his sister was going to teach the vigers. He was willing to learn so he could harvest once he was back home.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline and started to look for herbs with Lu Gui, ¡°Look, this is artemisia capiris. This is a species of flowering nt in the wormwood genus. They normally curl into clumps. They can be grayish-white or grayish-green. It¡¯s able to reduce internal humidity and soothe the liver and the galldder. However, this is considered a ¡®cold¡¯ medicine and shouldn¡¯t be used for those with a weak stomach.

    This is a dandelion. Dandelion leaves look like saw edges. Its stems are purplish red. Dandelions help with detoxification. It¡¯s a diuretic, axative, it¡¯s got anti-jaundice and choleretic properties. It¡¯s also considered to be ¡®cold¡¯ in nature so those with a weak stomach need to be careful.

    This is¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao exined as she harvested herbs. Sadly, after some time, Lu Gui felt his head expand into two. He looked over at Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t want to learn anymore. My head hurts.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed and found him having an internal struggle.

    ¡°Okay, then don¡¯t bother. Go find me some chopped wood.¡±

    Lu Gui happily went as asked.

    Honestly, he thought herbs would be easy to learn but that was not true. It was so hard to remember everything.

    Was it even possible that those vigers would be able to learn about those herbs?

    Lu Jiao found a bunch of herbs. On the way back, she found Lu Gui with a basket full of wood. The siblings headed to the trap together.

    Since Lu Gui was here, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t put the herbs into her space in case Lu Gui found it suspicious.

    Once they arrived at the trap, they heard noises from inside.

    Lu Gui excitedly ran over while Lu Jiao followed. They got to the edge of the trap and peered inside.

 Chapter 103 - 103 Mommy is Good Now

    103 Mommy is Good Now

    Lu Jiao was startled. Not only was there a wild chicken, and a wild rabbit, but there was also a snake as thick as a child¡¯s arm.

    Though the snake was dead, Lu Jiao was still a little shaken up. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of snakes, it was that boneless animals like this gave her a certain amount of anxiety.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even want the other animals anymore. She said to Lu Gui, ¡°Go get the wild chicken and the wild rabbit. I don¡¯t want the snake.¡±

    The chicken and the rabbit were still alive, Lady Tian could keep it that way for a few days.

    Lu Gui disagreed, ¡°This snake isn¡¯t poisonous. It¡¯s over a meter long. Once we skin it, we¡¯ll have a lot of meat.¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s eyes lit up. He was excited despite eating lots of meat at Lu Jiao¡¯s ce these past few days.

    If this was before his visit, he might¡¯ve taken a bite of snake meat right there and then.

    Lu Jiao peeked at the snake to confirm that the snake was truly non-toxic.

    She warned Lu Gui, ¡°Then take it and chop it into pieces.¡±

    That way, she won¡¯t feel grossed out when she sees it.

    Lu Gui went to fetch the animals. Scared that Lu Jiao was ufortable with the dead snake, he took it aside to skin it. Then, he used his ax and chopped it into segments.

    After this was all done, the siblings walked home with their baskets full.

    The four little ones were up at this point. The moment Lu Jiao returned, the First Born ran over and grabbed her hand, ¡°Mommy, go look at daddy, his legs hurt.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked the First Born to let go of her hand. She put down her basket and headed to the east bedroom with the First Born.

    Inside, Xie Yunjin looked rather pale. Yesterday, Lu Jiao fed him a painkiller, but the effect subsided in the middle of the night.

    In the middle of the night, Xie Yunjin felt pain shoot up his legs. Afraid to disturb the kids, he endured.

    This morning, the observant First Born noticed it. He was insanely anxious and waited for Lu Jiao toe back.¡±

    ¡°How is it? Are you in a lot of pain?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was scared that Lu Jiao would push for painkillers and shook his head, ¡°The pain isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    The First Born refuted, ¡°He¡¯s in a lot of pain. I saw.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin and asked calmly, ¡°Is the pain bad?¡±

    Due to the pain, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face formed ayer of sweat. However, he continued to admit it.

    ¡°It hurts a little. I can endure it.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew very well that he was hurting and he refused to admit it because he didn¡¯t want more painkillers.

    Honestly, taking painkillers was fine. It was just that this guy was so worried about everything.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t force him to take anything. She did know, however, that Xie Yunjin was likely more sensitive to pain.

    ¡°Okay, if you can endure it, you don¡¯t need to take painkillers. I¡¯ll need to give you some anti-inmmatory medicine though.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to give Xie Yunjin IV but didn¡¯t want him to know.

    So she nned to give him some anti-anxiety medicine and wait until he fell asleep. Then, she can hang some IV fluid for him.

    Xie Yunjin was on guard as he gaped at her, ¡°Are you going to feed me a painkiller instead? I¡¯m not taking it.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless and responded unpleasantly, ¡°You think having surgery is the end of it? Your legs were cut open and sewed back together. If you don¡¯t take the right medicine, you¡¯ll be in trouble once you get an infection.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought that made sense but he still cautiously looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°I will take anti-inmmatory meds. I will not take any painkillers.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I got it.¡±

    Just then, the First Born turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, daddy¡¯s legs hurt.¡±

    He was only a four-year-old boy but his worried mannerism was more like a father¡¯s.

    ¡°Your dad isn¡¯t in as much pain as yesterday. He¡¯ll feel better after the anti-inmmatory medicine. It hurts right now because he just had the surgery. He¡¯ll feel better with every new day.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s heart ached so much that his little brows were almost vertical. He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, give daddy candy.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. She took a piece of candy and gave it to the First Born, ¡°Give it to your daddy, I¡¯ll go get him some water.¡±

    The First Born took it as asked and took off the wrapping paper so he could feed Xie Yunjin.

    Once Lu Jiao left, Xie Yunjin finally realized something. The First Born had referred to Lu Jiao as ¡°mom¡±.

    He was stunned.

    He thought that little guy would need a long time before he admitted Lu Jiao as his mother. After all, he was much more sensitive and careful than the other three.

    Who knew he would be calling Lu Jiao ¡°mom¡± already?

    The First Born didn¡¯t know what Xie Yunjin was thinking as he unwrapped the candy.

    Xie Yunjin knew that if he refused, the little guy would be worried. He took the candy.

    The First Born smiled. The other three, who sat on the bed, saw the First Born smile and saw their daddy eat candy, and so they too, started to giggle.

    Xie Yunjin whispered to the First Born, ¡°You called her ¡®mom¡¯?¡±

    The First Born¡¯s face turned red as he felt embarrassed by the question. After ying with his hands for a long time, he finally answered in a low voice, ¡°I think mommy is good now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin patted the First Born¡¯s head. It appeared that the First Born¡¯s heart had opened and epted Lu Jiao. That was great.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing. Your mommy has changed and improved. From now on, she¡¯s going to be a good mom. Forget everything that¡¯s happened in the past. After all, everyone makes mistakes.¡±

    The First Born remembered the time he tried to poison his mom. Ah, yes, he did that once. His mom didn¡¯t even hold that against him. From now on, he will stop referring to her as an evil woman.

    The First Born raised his head and beamed.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart filled with warmth. The pain around his legs somehow soothed.

    The quadruplets all crowded around him.

    ¡°Daddy, are your legs feeling better?¡±

    ¡°The candy made the pain go away?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Xie Yunjin found them funny but humored them, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not hurting at all now.¡±

    The First Born immediately offered, ¡°When it hurts, ask mommy to give you candy.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The four little ones were finally happy again.

    Lu Jiao fetched some water and came in with the medicine. She scanned the room and found the worried four little ones all cheered up.

    ¡°Here, have some medicine.¡±

    Lu Jiao gave the anti-anxiety pill to Xie Yunjin, who carefully studied it to see whether or not it was different from yesterday¡¯s pill.

    This pill was different from all the pills he¡¯s seen. It was white, round, and t. Xie Yunjin had never seen medicine like this before. He couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡±

    logo

 Chapter 104 - 104 Have a Child whoâ€™s like my Sister

    104 Have a Child who¡¯s like my Sister

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and lightly smiled, ¡°This medicine was created by Dr. Qi. He likely made it himself so it looks a little different.¡±

    This pill was a western medicine pill ¨C it looked different from traditional Chinese medicine.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t suspect anything and took the pill.

    After that, Lu Jiao got some porridge for him.

    ¡°After surgery, you need to rest and rx. I offered to teach the vigers herb harvesting before and I will go find the Vige Leader this afternoon to tell him that he can start sending people tomorrow. The earlier everyone learns about herbs, the sooner they can start earning money.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed instantly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    He then raised an eyebrow at Lu Jiao, ¡°Throughout my injury, the vigers have shown me all sorts of kindness. I want to do something for them. Other than teaching them herbs, I want to start teaching the children how to read while I rest at home.

    I don¡¯t ask that they learn how to write. I think even learning how to read would be a good starting point. Do you think it¡¯s doable?¡±

    Lu Jiao was a little surprised. Was this guy discussing this matter with her? This should be his business and it didn¡¯t concern her.

    Since he asked, she thought about it and then suggested, ¡°That¡¯d be good. After all, it¡¯s a good thing to do. I have a thought, do you want to hear it?

    You just finished surgery so you shouldn¡¯t personally teach the children right away. However, you¡¯ve taught the quadruplets the ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯. I¡¯m thinking the quadruplets can teach the vige kids ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯ first.

    Once you can move around, you can teach the children ¡®Thousand Characters¡±. Of course, you can also teach the quadruplets first and then ask them to teach the others.¡±

    Lu Jiao suggested this because she wanted to both teach the vigers¡¯ children and also teach her own children. She wanted the boys to experience what it felt like to help others. She was almost certain that if she started educating the quadruplets, they wouldn¡¯t turn out to be viins.

    Though she will be leaving this ce in two to three months, she still wanted to do something for the quadruplets.

    The thought of leaving made Lu Jiao a little sad.

    Xie Yunjin liked Lu Jiao¡¯s suggestion. To be able to both help others and develop the quadruplets¡¯ skills was a great idea.

    Outside, the four little ones who were eating heard their conversation.

    The four little ones ran into the bedroom excitedly, ¡°Mommy, you want us to teach?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. You learned the ¡®Three Thousand ssic¡¯ right? That means you can teach the other children.¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born nodded with enthusiasm. The First Born took some time to think about it first before he nodded.

    ¡°Okay, we can teach them.¡±

    Lu Jiao praised them with a smile, ¡°Great. That way, you get to help other kids, which is a very good trait. Your dad and I are very happy for you ¨C we are proud of you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened. He knew that Lu Jiao was trying to urge the four little ones to do something good. That was a good thing.

    He smiled at the four little ones.

    The quadruplets straightened up their chests as they beamed happily.

    Because he took medicine to calm him down, Xie Yunjin fell asleep very quickly. Lu Jiao wanted to give Xie Yunjin IV and didn¡¯t want the children to see, so she distracted them, ¡°After you eat, feed Soot and Marble.¡±

    The children were happy toply and ran outside right away. Lu Jiao checked on Xie Yunjin and found him quietly asleep.

    Lu Jiao took out her IV needle and hypertonic saline.

    Worried the children mighte inside, Lu Jiao ate her porridge while standing at the bedroom door. When the children tried to go in, she stopped them, ¡°Your daddy is asleep. If you go in, you¡¯ll disturb him. His legs hurt so he didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Now that he is finally asleep, let¡¯s not make noises.¡±

    The four little ones decided not to go inside.

    For lunch, Lady Tian made chicken soup with the chicken the vigers gave them. After Xie Yunjin¡¯s surgery, the vigers gave everyone a lot of stuff, including two chickens and a basketful of eggs. Many families also gifted rice and vegetables.

    For now, Lu Jiao¡¯s family didn¡¯tck food.

    In the afternoon, Lu Jiao gathered a bunch of things for Lady Tian. Other than the wild chicken, rabbit, and snake she caught this morning, she packed some fruits and baked goods. She topped everything off with vegetables and Lady Tian ended up with a full basket of food.

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t know Lu Jiao snuck in fruits and baked goods. She thought there was only meat and vegetables and even that, she thought it was too much.

    ¡°You can just give me the rabbit. Save the chicken to make Yunjin soup.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped her, ¡°Mom, I can get more from the mountains. Ask Lu Gui how easy it was for me to hunt this morning.¡±

    Lu Gui nodded and looked up at Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, you have no idea how easy it is for my sister to hunt. She sharpened some bamboo and stuck them in the trap. She left it there and that was it. The animals just fell into her trap like idiots.

    I¡¯m thinking that my sister is a very lucky person and that¡¯s why she attracts animals in her trap.¡±

    Lady Tian raised her eyebrow. She looked at the plowednd that grew vegetables and looked over to Lu Jiao.

    Could it be that the vegetables grow well here not because thend was fortuitous, but because of her daughter?

    Lu Jiao originally wanted to give Lady Tian some silver but she figured that there was no way Lady Tian would ept it. So she didn¡¯t end up trying.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t want Lady Tian to leave. When Lu Jiao walked Lady Tian and Lu Gui out, the four little ones waved until they disappeared.

    ¡°Grandma, remember toe and visit.¡±

    ¡°Uncle,e y with us again.¡±

    Lady Tian and Lu Gui got teary because of the children.

    ¡°Your sister¡¯s children make me so emotional. I don¡¯t even want to go back anymore.¡±

    Lu Gui shuddered and quicklyforted, ¡°Mom, I will give you grandchildren as cute as them. Don¡¯t stay behind.¡±

    Their family was waiting for their mother to go home and make tofu.

    Lady Tian was quick to mock, ¡°You can¡¯t bear such cute children even in your next life.¡±

    She then picked up her pace as she walked home. Behind her, Lu Gui chased after her with his face dark, ¡°Mom, why can¡¯t I bear cute babies like that??¡±

    Lady Tian snickered, ¡°Your sister¡¯s children are cute because your brother-inw is good-looking and knows how to teach them. Look at you. Can you evenpare to your brother-inw?¡±

    Lu Gui was mute. After some time, he bullishly mumbled, ¡°I can¡¯t have children who are like the quadruplets, but I can have children who are like my sister. She¡¯s a part of the Lu family.¡±

    He then headed home boastfully.

 Chapter 105 - 105 I Donâ€™t Want to Live Anymore

    105 I Don¡¯t Want to Live Anymore

    Back at the Xie family yard, the four little ones were a little down due to Lady Tian and Lu Gui¡¯s departure.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Grandma and uncle have things to need to do at home. I¡¯ll bring you next time I visit.¡±

    The First Born nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Mommy, remember what you are promising.¡±

    The Second and Third Born asked in excitement, ¡°Mommy, when are you going to visit?¡±

    The Fourth Born blinked and then stared at Lu Jiao as if he was willing her to go visit right this second.

    Lu Jiao was speechless, ¡°Your daddy¡¯s legs aren¡¯t healed yet. You don¡¯t want your dad anymore?¡±

    This silenced the four little ones and they stopped bringing up their grandma.

    Lu Jiao and the children went to the east bedroom to let Xie Yunjin know about her ns, ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the Vige Leader to tell him that I¡¯ll start teaching everyone about herbs tomorrow. I¡¯ll let him know about how you want to teach the children as well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was supportive, ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    He was done with surgery and only needed to rest. It won¡¯t be long before he can walk normally again.

    Without realizing it, much color and shine returned to his eyes. From ackluster man stuck in bed, he was like a pearl that had just been wiped and cleaned and finally restored to its original beauty.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but stare a little. She silently mumbled over his good looks and his intelligence. It was no surprise that he will one day be the First Assistant.

    Lu Jiao asked the four little ones, ¡°I¡¯m going to the Vige Leader¡¯s house. Do you want toe?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up. However, the First Born shook his head, ¡°I will stay home with daddy. Mommy, you can bring the others.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached. Though this child was young, he always stayed home to take care of his father. He¡¯s also always rejected the nice things so his brothers could have them.

    He was the same age as the other three. He was simply the first toe out.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin felt the same. He lowered his head to look at the First Born, ¡°I¡¯ll be okay at home. You go ahead with your mother.¡±

    The First Born stubbornly shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯ll go y once daddy¡¯s legs heal.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t persist and instead, patted his head and praised him, ¡°Our First Born is such a good brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s encouragement brightened the First Born¡¯s eyes and his lips curled up subconsciously. The words seemed to flee from his lips like music, ¡°Mommy, you go ahead. I¡¯ll talk with daddy.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao headed to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce with the three children. When she walked past the Second Grandma¡¯s house, Lady Zhao went up to her.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped walking, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Lady Zhao pulled onto Lu Jiao and said mysteriously, ¡°I heard you saved Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inwst night. I heard that she had died and you revived her.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly exined, ¡°That¡¯s an exaggeration. She wasn¡¯t dead.¡±

    Lady Zhao obviously didn¡¯t believe that. She firmly believed that Lu Jiao¡¯s medical knowledge was out of the world and no doctors in town were as good as her. She was the one who removed the fishbone from her Xiaobao¡¯s throat. She also easily helped Lin Erdan get rid of his fever. Also, before that, she helped get rid of Xu Duojin¡¯s snake toxins.

    Every example proved how capable she was. Lady Zhao wasn¡¯t the only person who thought that ¨C all the vigers thought that.

    Lady Zhao grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can you take a look at my daughter-inw? Is there a reason why she¡¯s not able to get pregnant? She¡¯s been married into my family for two years now yet nothing¡¯s happening to her stomach.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered thatst time, Lin Chunyan went into town to seek medical advice, ¡°I thought she went into town to get it checked?¡±

    Lady Zhao felt that Lu Jiao was better and begged, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can you please take a look? Do me a favor.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. As a doctor, it was her job to look after patients. She wasn¡¯t going to waste all that skill she put into studying.

    ¡°Okay, then I can take a look.¡±

    Excited, Lady Zhao pulled Lu Jiao into the room. As she walked, she called out to Lin Chunyan, ¡°Chunyan,e, your third aunt is here.¡±

    Lin Chunyan walked out with her face pale. With a low voice, she greeted, ¡°Third aunt.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed that she was getting shyer and shyer. These days, she doesn¡¯t even lift her head up.

    This was likely rted to her fertility. This attitude, however, was very bad for her health. When trying to get pregnant, the woman should maintain a happy and light mood. Only that way, will the baby be healthy as well.

    Lu Jiao indicated for Lin Chunyan to sit down. She then felt her pulse.

    Lady Zhao went into the kitchen and brought out three boiled eggs. She gave them to the three children.

    The three children didn¡¯t touch it and all nced at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Take them. Remember to thank your aunty.¡±

    The three children quickly thanked Lady Zhao.

    Lu Jiao examined Lin Chunyan twice, including even eyes, brows, and tongue. Finally, she took Lin Chunyan¡¯s hand and asked her questions about her menstrual cycle.

    Inside the room, Lady Zhao and Lin Chunyan were nervous. The two of them stared at Lu Jiao, afraid of bad news.

    Lu Jiao nced over them and said in a calm voice, ¡°She has multiple symptoms, including malnutrition, which causes low iron. The low iron causes her kidneys to be weak, which prematurely ages her uterus. With her uterus weak, her eggs don¡¯t mature and attach. This is why she hasn¡¯t been able to get pregnant.¡±

    Lu Jiao said a lot but the other two women didn¡¯t understand any of it. Their faces changed colors as they interpreted Lu Jiao¡¯s words as Lin Chunyan will not be able to bear children.

    Lin Chunyan¡¯s vision went dark and she almost passed out.

    Unable to contain herself, she started to cry, ¡°I can¡¯t have children, can I? I don¡¯t want to live anymore!¡±

    She then started running outside to throw herself down the river.

    Lu Jiao made a face, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t curable. Why are you crying?¡±

    Lin Chunyan¡¯s crying stopped abruptly. She snapped her head back, ¡°I can have kids?¡±

    ¡°Once you condition your body, of course, you can bear children. I¡¯m going to write you a prescription. You can go into town and brew it every day. In addition, you need to eat more food that contains iron, such as dates, brown sugar, and eggs. Remember to eat white rice every day.¡±

    Lady Zhao¡¯s face dropped as she listened to Lu Jiao. These days, everyone¡¯s so poor they can¡¯t exactly afford food. Dates? Brown Sugar? Eggs? This was a rich man¡¯s disease. No family could afford this.

    Lady Zhao unkindly eyed Lin Chunyan as she wondered if she should ask her son to leave this woman.

    Scared off by the unkind re, Lin Chunyan¡¯s tears rolled down her cheeks.

    Lu Jiao knew right away what Lady Zhao was thinking. She said in a collected manner, ¡°Aunty, it¡¯s hard to find a daughter-inw like Chunyan. If you end up with a troublesome woman, you¡¯ll be the one with a constant headache. Though it may cost some money to cure this illness, you get a great daughter-inw for the rest of your life. What a great deal.¡±

 Chapter 106 - 106 A Famous Doctor

    106 A Famous Doctor

    Lady Zhao received Lu Jiao¡¯s message loud and clear. She was right! What if her next daughter-inw was a troublemaker?

    Lin Chunyan had alwaysplied with her requests and was keen on spending the rest of her life in this family peacefully. To have such a daughter-inw was a blessing.

    Finally, Lady Zhao dismissed her thought of kicking Lin Chunyan out of the family. She asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Are you sure she can bear children once she¡¯s cured?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    This one word was the saving grace for Lin Chunyan. With much appreciation, she stared at Lu Jiao. If Lady Zhao wasn¡¯t around, she would¡¯ve knelt for Lu Jiao.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to write her a prescription. You need to brew the medicine for her daily. This medicine isn¡¯t too costly. Also, she needs to eat better.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, thank you, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lady Zhao was over the moon to hear that the medicine was cheap.

    The reality was that Lu Jiao could¡¯ve given her a more expensive prescription that would be more effective. She was afraid, however, that Lady Zhao would give Lin Chunyan a hard time if the medicine was too expensive.

    Therefore, Lu Jiao decided to go with medicine that was more of average quality. She needed to find a way to feed Lin Chunyan some spiritual stream water so she could heal faster.

    After she was done, she got up to leave with the four little ones.

    Before she could leave, the Second Grandma came over with her youngest daughter-inw, Changmei.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, can you take a look at Changmei next?¡±

    The Second Grandma felt bad for asking but Lu Jiao agreed right away.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    It made no difference to Lu Jiao at this point, especially since the Second Grandma asked.

    Lu Jiao went back to sit in the living room and asked Changmei to rest her arm on the table.

    Changmei¡¯s face was extremely pale and she was extremely skinny. She looked as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

    It was obvious that she was sick ¨C she almost looked like a terminally ill patient.

    While Lu Jiao diagnosed her pulse, the Second Grandma went to her room to find some white sugar, so she could give the three children some sugar water.

    ¡°Good boys, have some water.¡±

    The three little ones nced Lu Jiao, who indicated to them that they could ept the water.

    The children grinned ear to ear and drank the water while they thanked the Second Grandma.

    ¡°Thank you, Second Grandma.¡±

    The cuteness of those three made the Second Grandma¡¯s heart explode. She looked for her granddaughter-inw and her daughter-inw and sighed.

    Her granddaughter-inw couldn¡¯t have children while her daughter-inw gave birth to three girls. She hasn¡¯t even gotten a boy yet and had already fallen ill. At this rate, she was going to lose her life before she had more children.

    After diagnosing Changmei¡¯s pulse, Lu Jiao asked her some sensitive questions. In the end, she suspected that Changmei was suffering from a gynecological disease.

    In this era, there were no female doctors. Women were far too embarrassed to tell male doctors about their symptoms. Most of the time, they don¡¯t get the right treatment and never get better.

    As Lu Jiao pondered, she asked the Second Grandma, ¡°Grandma, can you give me a private room?¡±

    Everyone gawked at her, not knowing why she would need a room.

    The Second Grandma stood up immediately, ¡°you can use my room.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and said to Changmei, ¡°Come with me. I¡¯m going to do a physical examination.¡±

    She then said to her children, ¡°I¡¯m going to bring your aunty inside so I can examine her. You boys stay here and wait. I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    The three little ones nodded, ¡°We know, mommy.¡±

    These cute boys made Lady Zhao greedy for grandchildren. Honestly, how did these boyse to be? They were born cute and respectful. They were nothing like her children. Her youngest son, for example, made it a mission to piss her off every day.

    The more Lady Zhao looked at the three kids, the more she liked them. She pulled on their hands and wished they were her own.

    In the next room, the Second Grandma and Changmei waited. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ask the Second Grandma to leave. She asked Changmei to take off her clothes, so she could examine her.

    Changmei¡¯s face turned white and she rejected.

    The Second Grandma red at her and then asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, why do you need her to take off her clothes?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°I suspect she has vaginitis.¡±

    Knowing that they have no idea what that is, she extrapted, ¡°It means her lower body is infected with bacteria. Normally, she gets itchy and wants to scratch. There¡¯s also a smell to it. There are many different types of infection. I need to check it out to see which one she has.¡±

    The Second Grandma turned to Changmei, who was so embarrassed she wanted to bury her head under the ground.

    At once, the Second Grandma knew that Lu Jiao was right. Her face dropped and she ordered, ¡°Enough, take off your clothes and let Jiaojiao take a look. You need to treat your illness.¡±

    Changmei hesitantly asked, ¡°Is this curable?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes. It may take a while but it¡¯s curable.¡±

    At once, Changmei started to take off her pants. That area of hers was extremely itchy and it made her so ufortable. Plus, her man refused to touch her these days, saying that she stank.

    All these factors put her in a really bad mood and her body got worse as a result.

    Lu Jiao took out a vaginal dtor and examined Changmei. Afterwards, she concluded that she had fungal vaginitis.

    ¡°You have a yeast infection. This means you get very itchy down there with lots of discharge that may look like little pieces of tofu. You likely feel pain when you pee.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say that she likely felt pain during intercourse, but she was too afraid to be honest in front of these two women. They might go into shock.

    Lu Jiao took off her gloves and put away the vaginal dtor. She said to the Second Grandma, ¡°Throw this outter.¡±

    The Second Grandma nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She then nervously looked to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, is this disease really curable? She¡¯s had three daughters and hasn¡¯t gotten pregnant since. Is it rted to the disease?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°It may affect it.¡±

    She then said to Changmei, ¡°While you are symptomatic, you shouldn¡¯t have rtions with your husband. Plus, once you are healed, you need to ask your man to be sanitary.¡±

    The Second Grandma and Changmei both looked stunned. Growing up, they never talked about this topic. What Lu Jiao was saying was difficult to understand.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say more in case it would scare them.

    ¡°I will write you a prescription and you can get medicine from Baohe Tang.¡±

    Though she had some medicine at home, it was best for her to get it from Baohe Tang.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao washed her hands and then took the three little ones to the Vige Leader¡¯s home.

    On the way there, many people blocked Lu Jiao¡¯s way and asked her to offer medical advice.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. So it appeared that after she saved Xia Lian, the vigers were now convinced that she was a good doctor. Everyone who had some level of difort now wanted a consultation.

    She didn¡¯t have the time to do a home visit for all these vigers.

 Chapter 107 - 107 Cousin from the Zhou Family

    107 Cousin from the Zhou Family

    Lu Jiao told everyone to visit her at home if they wanted an examination.

    Because of all this, it waste by the time Lu Jiao and her children arrived at the Vige Leader¡¯s house.

    When Xie Fugui and Lady Zhang saw her, they warmly weed her and offered them sugar water.

    Xie Fugui asked Lu Jiao caringly, ¡°Is there something we can do for you?¡±

    Lu Jiao drank some water and said to Xie Fugui, ¡°Before, we talked about teaching the vigers how to harvest herbs. Now that Yunjin¡¯s surgery is done, he¡¯s asked me to start teaching everyone tomorrow. I¡¯m here to let you know.¡±

    Xie Fugui pped his leg happily, ¡°That is such great news!¡±

    He was honestly worried that Lu Jiao would take back her offer. After all, she had no reason to share all that knowledge.

    For her toe over now and make that offer again made him ecstatic. Herbs equaled money.

    ¡°Let me go to the n Leader¡¯s ce to discuss.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Vige Leader, there¡¯s something else Yunjin wanted us to talk about.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stopped walking, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Because Yunjin is injured, he needs to rest for a while. Over the next two to three months, he won¡¯t be able to go back to studying. He¡¯s thinking of using this time to teach the children how to read. Though it¡¯ll be hard to learn too much during this short period of time, it¡¯s good to learn. During this time, he can also assess which children are talented. Those interested can go into town to study.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows trembled from joy. This time, even Lady Zhao smiled with her teeth.

    The Viger Leader had two grandsons, Datou and Maomao. One was seven while the other was five. They were both ready to start learning.

    The Vige Leader wanted to send Datou into town but he was afraid his grandson wasn¡¯t made to study and it would be a waste of money.

    Since Yunjin was willing to teach, it was the perfect opportunity to find out if any of his grandsons were born to study.

    Xie Yunjin was excited but also worried about Yunjin¡¯s legs, ¡°Would that disturb his rest?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Yunjin is thinking of having our four children teach the other children for a bit. When his legs heal a little, he can take over.¡±

    The three children turned to look at Xie Fugui, ¡°Daddy¡¯s taught how ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯. We want to teach it to Datou and Maomao.¡±

    Xie Fugui gratefully patted the children¡¯s heads, ¡°You are good kids, such good kids.¡±

    He then looked up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Your family has done so much for us. You are truly a hero to the vige.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think she deserved that praise. She really didn¡¯t think she¡¯d done that much. Obviously, the Vige Leader disagreed.

    Lady Zhang nodded in agreement.

    It waste. Lu Jiao talked to the Vige Leader for a bit longer. She wanted the Vige Leader to find a few copies of the Three Character ssic. They only had four copies at their ce and they were bought for the quadruplets.

    Four copies wouldn¡¯t be enough so the Vige Leaders would need to search around in town. After all, there¡¯s been children who were sent into town before.

    The Vige Leader happily took that on.

    Lu Jiao and the children bid their farewells.

    After they left, the Vige Leader went to the n Leader right away to talk about this. Both the herbs and the lessons were great news that needed further discussion.

    Lu Jiao walked home with the children. On their way back, they were once again faced with much warmth from the vigers.

    Because of this, the three little ones walked proudly and almost arrogantly. With their chest puffed out and heads held up high, they chit-chatted, ¡°Mommy, you are so great.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, daddy was smart back then, and now mommy is so smart too.¡±

    The Fourth Born grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and he gave Lu Jiao a thumbs up, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Lu Jiao felt that curing the sick was something she needed to do. However, when she heard all thesepliments from the boys, it made her heart feel full.

    They walked home. Before they entered their living room, they heard voicesing from the east bedroom.

    ¡°My third son, this is your cousin Zhou Xiaotao. Xiaotao, say hi to your cousin.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow when she heard those words. Her evil mother-inw was out and about again. It seemed that she would die if she went a day without causing chaos.

    Lu Jiao took the three little ones to the bedroom door. They didn¡¯t enter and watched the show from the outside.

    Inside the east bedroom, a fragile and weak-looking woman in a pink dress shyly called out, ¡°Cousin.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s stare was cold as he looked at the thin woman. She wasn¡¯t that young yet she acted like she was.

    She had a tired-looking yellow face but she caked it in white powder. Sadly, all that powder couldn¡¯t conceal her very waxy yellow skin. This woman also pretended to be very shy and timid.

    Xie Yunjin found this to be spicy to his eyes. He didn¡¯t look at this woman and turned to Lady Ruan.

    While doing so, he caught sight of Lu Jiao watching from the door.

    Xie Yunjin saw how much fun Lu Jiao was having and he was instantly furious.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, did you not see our guests? Why aren¡¯t you in here hosting?¡±

    He then shut his eyes and pretended to be tired.

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes as if saying, can¡¯t you deal with your own problem?

    Xie Yunjin no longer nned to participate in this. Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t do the same so she entered with the three little ones.

    Before she could say anything, the three children rushed to the bed and gave Zhao Xiaotao warning stares.

    ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Are you here to be my dad¡¯s concubine?¡±

    ¡°Are you here to have my dad¡¯s children?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡±

    Those words were so sharp, Xie Yunjin started to cough. He red at the four little ones and red at Lu Jiao. If Lu Jiao didn¡¯t talk nonsense to the kids, they never would¡¯ve learned the concept of concubine.

    Lu Jiao nervously looked at the four little ones tofort them.

    In front of the bed, Zhao Xiaotao started to cry. As if she¡¯s been wronged, she croaked out crying, ¡°Cousin, how can they talk to me like this?¡±

    Lady Ruan also exploded, ¡°Third son, look at this wife of yours! She¡¯s taught your sons so many bad things. Just what will they be once they grow up?¡±

 Chapter 108 - 108 Someone to Help Around the House

    108 Someone to Help Around the House

    Lu Jiao snickered and responded fiercely, ¡°Mother, howe I never knew we had this cousin?¡±

    This mother truly had issues. If she wanted another wife for Xie Yunjin, she should¡¯ve found a prettier or smarter one. Why did she find someone so ugly? This was like jpeno to her son¡¯s eyes. He¡¯s always had a high standard and would never show interest in someone like that.

    As Lu Jiao silently vented, she checked out Zhou Xiaotao and concluded that she was simr to Shen Xiu. They were both weak-looking women who pretended to be naive.

    At least Shen Xiu was very good-looking. This woman here had nothing to show for it. She was already 17 to 18 years old with a very thin frame. Her face was very average and she had absolutely no curves. She was, however, quite an actor.

    Sadly, she had no idea how ugly she looked at the moment. Her tears had rubbed off much of the powder, which made her face look blotchy. Her face was now in patches of white and yellow and was very displeasing to the eyes.

    The four little ones formed a circle and mumbled together.

    ¡°She¡¯s so ugly.¡±

    ¡°She looks like a ghost.¡±

    ¡°She looks scarier than a ghost.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone so ugly.¡±

    The four little ones thought they were whispering but everyone heard them.

    Zhou Xiaotao cried harder while Lady Ruan scolded the children, ¡°First Born, what are you going on about?! This is your aunt, how can you be so disrespectful towards your aunt?!¡±

    The four little ones ignored Lady Ruan and looked at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao was calm, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t remember having this cousin. Howe she didn¡¯t attend my wedding ceremony with Yunjin?¡±

    Lady Ruan wanted to scratch this woman¡¯s eyes out.

    This b!tch! It was all because of her that her son was no longer attached to his family. There was no other reason. Before her son had alwaysplied with all her requests yet now, he was so inconsiderate.

    Though Lady Ruan hated Lu Jiao, she¡¯s never won against her in a fight so she endured.

    She faked a smile and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°What do you mean? Your father¡¯s sister is from the Zhou family. This is her uncle¡¯s daughter, which makes her Yunjin¡¯s cousin.¡±

    Lu Jiao finally found out where this cousin came from. This was Xie Yunjin¡¯s aunt¡¯s niece. To get rid of Lu Jiao, this old woman sure put in a lot of work.

    Lu Jiao remembered that the Zhou family never interacted with Lady Ruan. Were they talking now because they have something to gain? Why would she send someone from the Zhou family here?

    Lu Jiao nonchntly grinned, ¡°Ah, cousin Zhou. Mother, why did you bring cousin Zhou here?¡±

    Lady Ruan faked yet another smile, ¡°Your mother left, right? It¡¯s too hard for you to take care of my son and my grandchildren at the same time. I brought Xiaotao here to help out.¡±

    The four little ones were the first to object angrily.

    ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t need her care.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s so ugly. My dad wouldn¡¯t like her.¡±

    ¡°My mom knows how to take care of my dad.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not weed.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao once again cried. Humiliated, she looked to Xie Yunjin, hoping he would take her side.

    Sadly, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t even spare her a nce. He coldly gawked at Lady Ruan while a storm formed on his face.

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t notice and furiously frowned at the four little ones. She scolded Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, how have you been teaching these kids?! If you don¡¯t know how to educate them, I will bring them back and educate them.¡±

    Once those words came out, the air around Lu Jiao changed. Disdain spilled out of her pores as her eyes sharpened, ¡°Mother, how do you think these four kids, educated by me,pare to you as an individual?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face cooled as she stared back, ¡°Lu Jiao, what do you mean by that?¡±

    The snarl on Lu Jiao¡¯s lips deepened. She may be chubby with a full face but she was dazzling, ¡°So you are fully aware of the kind of person you are. Since you are aware, then don¡¯t tell me how to educate my children. No matter how poorly of a job I am doing, my children will grow up to be better humans than you. No¡­ they¡¯re going to be MUCH better humans than you.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face turned ck right away. She gritted her teeth and cursed, ¡°lu Jiao, how dare you talk to your mother-inw in this way?!¡±

    No longer looking at Lu Jiao, she turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Yunjin, did you see that? This is how your wife treats your old mother. How can you have a wife like this?!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark eyes were cold, distant, and without emotions. His gaze unsettled her.

    Very quickly, she used Lu Jiao as a scapegoat for Xie Yunjin¡¯s attitude. That b!tch ruined their rtionship! She must make Xiaotao seduce Yunjin and get rid of this b!tch.

    Lady Ruan suddenly started to cry and mumbled sadly, ¡°Out of the pureness of my heart, I found someone to help you, yet you treat me like this! I know it was my fault for kicking you out before but I have changed. I¡¯ve been wanting to repair our rtionship and I found someone today to make your lives easier. Not only did you not ept my kindness, you are rude to me! How heartless of you!¡±

    Lady Ruan tried to run outside but Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°Mother, we misunderstood. You brought us a helper, of course, we ept this.¡±

    Lu Jiao was troubled by all the housework she had to do. It was great that Lady Ruan brought someone to her doorstep.

    Tomorrow, she would need to teach the vigers and figure out a teaching schedule for the children. On top of that, she needed to take care of the four little ones and Xie Yunjin. Since her mother went home, she had more work than ever. It was good to have a helper.

    Lady Ruan had a bad feeling.

    Zhou Xiaotao also didn¡¯t like how this sounded. She was here to help Xie Yunjin, not be a helper for the whole family. This made her sound like a servant.

    As she was about to speak, the Vige and n Leaders, and a few elders walked in.

    They realized right away that something was off.

    The Vige and n leaders saw Lady Ruan and knew that she was out here to cause trouble again. The n Leader was the first to speak, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    This time, Lu Jiao answered, ¡°n Leader, mother noticed that I have a lot of housework so she found me a helper.¡±

    Lady Ruan and Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s faces dropped. Zhou Xiaotao wanted to speak but the n Leader beat her to it, ¡°You have such a good heart?¡±

    Lady Ruan was a little afraid of the leaders. They¡¯ve never liked her and wanted Xie Laogen to leave her. She couldn¡¯t afford to get on their bad side today.

    Lady Ruan winked at Zhou Xiaotao and immediately replied, ¡°Yes, I noticed that my third daughter-inw is very tired so I found someone to help out around the house.¡±

 Chapter 109 - 109 This is Horrifying

    109 This is Horrifying

    Both the Vige and n Leaders were emotionally intelligent. It wasn¡¯t difficult for them to figure out what was happening.

    Lady Ruan was out here doing devious things again. The Vige Leader was very angry as he stared at her.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t fully understand the conversation between Lady Ruan and Lu Jiao. They were flustered as they jumped in, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want here inside our home.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she keeps on crying.¡±

    Lu Jiao lowered her head and whispered to the children, ¡°Your grandma invited her here to help us with housework. You can ask her to do all the daily housekeeping things. That way, I will have time to y with you.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    The four little ones suspiciously eyed Lady Ruan, then Zhou Xiaotao.

    Ask her to do all the daily housekeeping things?

    Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s face changed color. She wanted to exin that she was here to take care of her cousin, not here as a housekeeper.

    Lady Ruan shot Zhou Xiaotao a look to tell her to shut up. Lady Ruan knew that if she said anything now, the Leader would kick her out.

    Zhou Xiaotao looked at the man who was as handsome as the most wless piece of jade, who was as perfect as a painting. She kept her mouth shut.

    To marry her cousin, she¡¯d endure whatever came her way today.

    Zhou Xiaotao shot a warning look towards Lu Jiao. Just she wait!

    Lu Jiao wanted to roll her eyes in response. What was this woman daydreaming about? There was no way Xie Yunjin would be into a woman like her.

    Inside the bedroom, Lady Ruan felt pressured by the presence of the elders. She announced, ¡°Okay, she will stay. I will go.¡±

    Lady Ruan left, leaving behind a scared Zhou Xiaotao.

    Lu Jiao wanted to give her tasks toplete. However, the First Born beat her to it, ¡°You,e over here and do something for us.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao stretched her lips upwards and forced a smile as she pretended to be kind.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The First Born shuddered. She was truly horrifyingly ugly.

    Everyone else in the room also felt chills from that pale and bi-colored face. The Leaders looked away.

    Lu Jiao watched as the four little ones took Zhou Xiaotao outside. She wasn¡¯t worried that the kids would be tricked by that woman ¨C those children were highly intelligent.

    Lu Jiao asked the Leaders to sit down, then made some tea for everyone.

    ¡°Yunjin, we are here because we need advice. Help us out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was the only schr in the vige. Whenever something big came up, the Leaders would ask for his opinion.

    Today, they couldn¡¯t decide on something so they came to discuss it with Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t find this annoying. He gently asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    The Vige Leader said, ¡°You asked your wife to teach everyone herbs, right? This was originally a great idea. However, we are not sure if we should extend that offer to everyone in the vige, or keep that knowledge to the Xie n.

    The Xie Vige,pared to other viges, is pretty harmonious. There are a few bad apples here, but in general, everyone is kind.

    If we only allow people from the Xie n to learn, those without the Xiest name would form their own alliance which would split up our vige. This may hurt the atmosphere in this vige.

    If we allow everyone in this vige to learn, I¡¯m worried that some people from the Xie n wouldin. They might be worried that they now have to share the profit they could earn from selling herbs with more people. They might worry that they won¡¯t be able to make money from this.¡±

    The Vige Leader was put in a difficult spot. He was originally very happy that Lu Jiao offered to teach everyone how to identify herbs. Only now did he realize there were many hard decisions he had to make rted to this decision. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do and that was why he came here to discuss it with Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were crystal clear as he thought it over. Very quickly, he looked back up to the leaders, ¡°Let¡¯s teach everyone. Vige Leader, host a meeting and ask everyone from the vige to attend. Make those outside of the Xie n promise that they will look for herbs from neighboring mountains. The herbs from the mountain we live right beside will be reserved for the Xie n.

    There are lots of different mountains around the area, not just the one mountain the Xie Vige is closest to. Also, it would help if you told the Xie n that harvesting herbs shouldn¡¯t be everyone¡¯s sole source of ie. It¡¯s a temporary opportunity that could supplement everyone¡¯s ie. In the future, I will think of a more sustainable source of ie for everyone. Therefore, I hope our vige does not divide over short-term profit.¡±

    The Leaders liked Xie Yunjin¡¯s suggestion. They thought this was very reasonable. First of all, telling those with a different surname to harvest herbs from a different mountain will both reassure the Xie n and also give the others an opportunity to make money. They will just have to travel a bit further.

    Second of all, Xie Yunjin offered to think of a more sustainable way for the vigers to make money. That promise made sure that none of the vigers would fight over this one thing.

    The n Leader happily stood up, ¡°Okay, then we will execute ordingly.¡±

    Just then, the n leader remembered that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t get along with a few of the families. Would she be willing to teach those people?

    ¡°Does Yunjin¡¯s wife have something to add?¡±

    Lu Jiao said to the leaders, ¡°From our family, please send my second sister-inw. I don¡¯t want to see the others.¡±

    She then added, ¡°Ask Xia Lian from Widow Li¡¯s family toe instead of Widow Li.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t pity Xia Lian, she didn¡¯t want anyone from that family.

    As for Aunt Guihua, she apologized and Lu Jiao had no reason to not forgive her.

    Plus, this whole herb business was not going to make anyone rich. It was just going to improve everyone¡¯s quality of life a little bit.

    The n Leader agreed, ¡°Okay, then Fugui will take care of this.¡±

    Xie Fugui nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and make everything happen. Tomorrow, we can start the lessons.¡±

    Xie Fugui roughly counted how many families there were in this vige. Even if every family only sent one person, there won¡¯t be enough room in this house.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, if everyonees, there wouldn¡¯t be enough space to even stand in here.¡±

    Lu Jiao had thought of that already. She pointed to her yard, ¡°Ask everyone to bring their own chair. We¡¯ll sit outside. Honestly, I¡¯m just going to exin the purpose of several herbs. I don¡¯t know if they will be able to remember everything. I have found several herbs as examples. They can each bring some while they¡¯re out there, andpare it to herbs they see in the mountains. After some time, they¡¯ll be able to remember everything.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think that she had enough herbs to give out. Tomorrow, she¡¯ll have to harvest some more in the morning.

    The Leaders happily nodded, ¡°Okay, we will tell everyone as we discussed.¡±

    Everyone inside the room smiled. Suddenly, someone outside started to cry.

    Everyone looked to the door as Zhou Xiaotao walked in all teared up.

    ¡°Cousin, they¡­ they asked me to clean the dog¡¯s house and shovel the dog poop.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao pitifully looked towards Xie Yunjin, as if she¡¯d been bullied.

    Sadly, there was nothing attractive about her right now. The blocks of white and yellow on her face made her look scarier than ever.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but frown with a cold expression.

    Zhou Xiaotao was shocked by that look and for a moment, forgot to cry.

    The Leaders nced between Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and Zhou Xiaotao. They didn¡¯t know how to deal with this.

    The only thing inmon was that everyone was silently cursing at Lady Ruan.

    Lu Jiao truly couldn¡¯t directly look at Zhou Xiaota¡¯s face. Angrily, she yelled, ¡°You are crying because of a dog house? Do you do nothing all day back at home? Do you only eat and not work normally?¡±

    That woman was fragile as a stick and her skin looked extremely unhealthy. It was obvious that she wasn¡¯t wealthy nor was she treated like a richdy.

    Given that, it was logical to assume that back at home, she often fed the pigs and chickens, and cleaned pigs¡¯ pens. She only cried now to make a scene.

 Chapter 110 - 110 Intentionally Intimidate

    110 Intentionally Intimidate

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face grew unpleasant, ¡°Hurry up and go wash your face. Do you know that you look like a ghost right now?¡±

    Only now did Zhou Xiaotao remember she put on powder this morning. Her skin wasn¡¯t good so sheyered powder on. Then she cried a few times today.

    This retaliation shocked her. She covered her face with her hands and ran outside.

    Behind her, the Vige and n Leaders shook their heads. They looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Do you want us to go find your mother-inw and ask her to take that woman back?¡±

    Xie Yunjin also looked to Lu Jiao. Before, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t really express what she wanted. He definitely didn¡¯t want Zhou Xiaotao to stay, but since Lu Jiao spoke up, she can deal with it. He sure wanted to see just how Lu Jiao wanted to deal with Zhou Xiaotao.

    He knew that Lu Jiao could tell what Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s intentions were.

    Lu Jiao honestly didn¡¯t care too much. She will soon separate from Xie Yunjin. Whether or not Zhou Xiaotao married him didn¡¯t matter to her.

    If Zhou Xiaotao stayed, she could help with housework. This was good. Right now, Lu Jiao was overworked.

    Plus, if they kick Zhou Xiaotao out, Lady Ruan would go around and taint their names. Lu Jiao only had two to three months left in this house and she didn¡¯t want too much drama.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and finally said, ¡°Leaders, I don¡¯t want to take up more of your time. I will take care of Zhou Xiaotao.¡±

    The Leaders didn¡¯t say much else. They said bye to Xie Yunjin and then left the Xie family house.

    Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin¡¯s deep dark gazended on Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart felt fuzzy because of that, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked suspiciously, ¡°Why does it feel like you¡¯re now a whole different person?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart jumped up to her throat. She asked nervously, ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±

    Xie Yunjin pretended not to have noticed how alerted Lu Jiao got and said in a confused tone, ¡°You once liked me so much and now, you stopped liking me just like that. Don¡¯t you find that strange?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°That¡¯s because you broke my heart. I¡¯ve decided to stop liking you. Isn¡¯t that normal?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. His voice was low and crisp, ¡°Even when one decides to stop liking someone, it¡¯s impossible to retrieve feelings so cleanly like this. It takes time. Looking at you now, you don¡¯t seem to feel anything toward me anymore. The person you are today doesn¡¯t seem like the original you¡­¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words gave Lu Jiao so much anxiety. She honestly agreed with what Xie Yunjin was saying.

    Even if someone got hurt from a rtionship, there was no way they would be able to contain all their emotions in the snap of a finger. Therefore, her recent attitude towards Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t make much sense. If this continues, he will get very suspicious of her identity.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s chubby face started to morph. Sadness filled her eyes as she spoke solemnly, ¡°Yunjin, you don¡¯t know how much feelings I still have towards you. I don¡¯t want you to know¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I will do my best to forget everything.¡±

    Then, she quickly went up to him and fixed his nket, ¡°Rest well. If you need anything, call me.¡±

    Then, out of nowhere, she started to curse.

    ¡°That b!tch Zhou Xiaotao! She dares to want to take you away from me?! I will teach her a lesson! She is seeking death!¡±

    Lu Jiao then rolled up her sleeves and left as if she was going to beat Zhou Xiaotao up.

    Behind her, the skepticism on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face disappeared.

    His eyes formed half-moons as he grinned. How interesting¡­ Who knew Lu Jiao would be so good at acting depressed? This woman was a professional liar. She was a scam!

    If he wasn¡¯t aware and convinced that someone else existed within that body, he would¡¯ve fallen for her act.

    Outside the house, Zhou Xiaotao stared at her own reflection in the tank of water. Once she saw herself, she felt she¡¯d been thunderstruck. Who was this? Was this a ghost?!

    By the time Zhou Xiaotao realized she was looking at herself, she started to howl. This time, she was truly sad.

    As she cried, she started to wash her face with the water from the tank.

    Lu Jiao caught this and her face turned dark. That water was for the family to drink and cook with. That woman was using it to wash her face?

    Unimaginably angry, Lu Jiao stormed towards Zhou Xiaotao.

    ¡°Zhou Xiaotao, you dare to use my water to wash your face?!¡±

    Lu Jiao filled up two tanks of water every day. One for washing up and brushing and one for drinking and cooking. Zhou Xiaotao was using the drinking water to wash her face.

    Lu Jiao was furious.

    She walked up to Zhou Xiaotao and grabbed her, ¡°Thoroughly wash up my tank right now and fill it up!¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao jumped and struggled, ¡°What are you doing?! Let me go!¡±

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t get away from Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s brows were heavy as she ordered once again, ¡°Clean up my tank and go into the vige to get me fresh buckets of water. I need it for tonight.¡±

    She then let go of her, ¡°Hurry up and do it!¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao was absolutely stunned. While crying, she started to clean the tank.

    Since she was cleaning it rather well, Lu Jiao hissed, ¡°Once it¡¯s clean, go into the vige and fill it up. Come back and broom the yard. After the yard is clean, cut all that firewood piled before my kitchen.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao looked up at Lu Jiao in disbelief.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t in the mood for this, ¡°What are you staring at?! Do it! Don¡¯t forget why you are here. My mother-inw sent you here to do housework. Don¡¯t even try to bezy.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao was angered by that. She stood up straight and gaped at Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯m not here to do housework. I am¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao was collected, ¡°What are you here for then?¡±

    No matter how dumb Zhou Xiaotao may be, she knew she couldn¡¯t speak out loud about her purpose here. There was no way she could straight up tell Lu Jiao that Lady Ruan sent her here to seduce Xie Yunjin.

    If she said that, she would have no reputation to save. This fat b!tch Lu Jiao would definitely throw her out.

    The list of work Lu Jiao gave her, however, darkened Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s face. Was she really here to do more work? Hasn¡¯t she done enough of that back at home?

    She wasn¡¯t going to do this.

    Zhou Xiaotao turned and started to run. Scared that Lu Jiao might chase after her, she ran at an amazing speed.

    Behind her, Lu Jiao snickered and watched. If she was truly smart, she better note back. If she came back, more housework awaited.

    When she saw the dirty water, however, Lu Jiao was very exasperated. A full tank of clean water was now unusable. She had to go and fetch more.

    Lu Jiao epted her fate and started to clean the tank.

    Nearby, the four little ones started to walk over to Lu Jiao and carefullymented, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want that ugly woman to live here.¡±

    ¡°Our home is ours. I don¡¯t want an outsider here.¡±

    ¡°We asked her to clean the puppies¡¯ home, and she got scared and cried. She¡¯s both ugly and stupid.¡±

 Chapter 111 - 111 Mom has to Thank you

    111 Mom has to Thank you

    The First Born emotionlessly concluded, ¡°This woman must be here because she wanted to be my daddy¡¯s concubine. She wants to have my daddy¡¯s kids.¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born freaked out. They snapped their heads around to stare at the First Born.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°So you asked her to clean the dogs¡¯ house?¡±

    The four little ones carefully observed to see if Lu Jiao was angry. She didn¡¯t seem to be.

    !!

    Lu Jiao educated, ¡°You can give her tasks toplete because your grandma invited her over to help us out. Don¡¯t intentionally hurt her though, okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want the four little ones to go down the viinous path so she was determined to nip their evil thoughts.

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all nodded to show they understood. The First Born, however, appeared dejected. He remembered the time he poisoned his mom and wondered if she never forgave him for it. Was his mom certain that he was not a good kid?

    The First Born was intensely sad.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice this right away and went back to cleaning the water tank.

    After she was done, she brought out two wooden buckets to fetch more water from the vige.

    She turned around and suddenly saw a little shadow walk to the back of the house. That thin and fragile silhouette seemed to be drowning in sadness. Though she couldn¡¯t see his face, Lu Jiao was certain that the little guy was blue.

    Lu Jiao put down the buckets and followed the little shadow. The young boy walked to the back of the house, squatted by the wall, and yed with the mud on the ground.

    The little guy appeared extremely sad.

    Lu Jiao walked over and squatted down. She caught sight of the little boy¡¯s red eyes and the bean-sized tears that rolled down his face.

    This sad boy was the First Born.

    Lu Jiao was in shock. Out of the quadruplets, the First Born was the calmest and most restrained. Very much like his father, he was logical and rarely showed emotions.

    Her heart ached when she saw how hurt he was. Lu Jiao grabbed his hand and asked caringly, ¡°First Born, what¡¯s wrong? Tell mom.¡±

    The First Born was surprised to see Lu Jiao. Her question, however, upset him even more and the tears poured out violently.

    He couldn¡¯t make a sound at this point and whimpered like a kitty. His current state could worry anyone.

    Lu Jiao hugged him and asked warmly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me?¡±

    Lu Jiao searched her brain to try and figure out what happened. He was fine moments ago and now he was so somber. Did something happen?

    Lu Jiao then remembered what she had said ¨C she had warned the children how not to cause harm to others.

    Did the First Born remember the time he tried to poison her?

    The First Born cried harder and harder. Lu Jiao patted his back and whispered, ¡°First Born, did you remember that one time you tried to hurt mom?¡±

    The First Born was startled and his little body froze.

    Lu Jiao knew that was it. She hugged him and spoke softly, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. I wasn¡¯t a good mom back then and that was why you did what you did. I have to tell you a secret ¨C it¡¯s because you tried to poison me, and that was why I changed.¡±

    This information made the First Born stop crying. Shocked, he looked up at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao loosened her grip on him and leveled her gaze toward him.

    ¡°Because you poisoned me, I realized how awful I was. For my own son to want to hurt me meant I had failed as a mother and as a person. That was why I decided to change myself and treat you better.¡±

    Lu Jiao reached out and patted the First Born¡¯s head, ¡°I want to thank you. Thank you, my First Born, for waking me up.¡±

    Her words lifted the giant rock that sat in the First Born¡¯s heart. His big eyes brightened and softened.

    Lu Jiao was happy to see that and hugged him, ¡°Let the bygones be bygones. Let¡¯s all forget about what happened. How¡¯s that?¡±

    The First Born finally smiled a little. He reached out and put his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck, ¡°Okay¡±, he responded softly.

    His mommy didn¡¯t me him and even thanked him.

    Lu Jiao held him for a while then added, ¡°You do have to promise me something though.¡±

    The First Born nodded, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do something like that again. Doing those things will only hurt you. I want you to be safe and sound.¡±

    The First Born felt so warm because of those words. His little head nodded again, ¡°I promise you, mommy, that I won¡¯t do things like that anymore.¡±

    ¡°Good boy. Let¡¯s go back then.¡±

    Lu Jiao let him go and grabbed his hand. They walked back to the yard together. The First Born asionally looked up to admire his mom. His heart was full of joy. His mom didn¡¯t me him and even thanked him. His mom was so great.

    By the time the mother and son duo got back to the front yard, someone rushed inside.

    It was Zhou Xiaotao. Zhou Xiaotao rushed to the water tank to clean it only to find it already clean and empty.

    She then saw the two wooden buckets on the side. She picked those up and immediately went out to fetch more water.

    Behind her, Lu Jiao watched this in shock. Why did that womane back?

    Lady Ruan must¡¯veforted Zhou Xiaotao and reiterated the benefits of this n to tempt her. Then, she swallowed her pride and came back.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t really care but the four little ones were obviously unhappy. They angrilyined.

    ¡°Mommy, she came back.¡±

    ¡°Does she really want to be my daddy¡¯s concubine?¡±

    ¡°She wants to have my daddy¡¯s babies.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph, she better not think about it. We need to keep an eye on daddy.¡±

    Since they stood by the window, Xie Yunjin managed to catch every word.

    His face was unspeakably dark. What were they saying? What did Lu Jiao say to those kids?

    Xie Yunjin gritted his teeth.

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t see Xie Yunjin¡¯s reaction, she was scared of getting found out and so she acted angry.

    ¡°If she dares to try anything with your father, I will beat her up.¡±

    She thenforted the children, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Treat her like a helper. I will give her things to do.¡±

    The four little ones worried despite Lu Jiao¡¯s efforts.

    ¡°No, we need to keep an eye on daddy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The children ran into the east bedroom. Lu Jiao made a face. Their dad had very picky taste and there was no way he would like someone like that.

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    Xie Yunjin just had surgery and could not eat anything spicy, meaty, or salty. She had to make something nd.

    For dinner, they will have vegetable stir-fry with peanuts, and some side dishes. Lu Jiao really wanted to make steamed buns for the four little ones. However, since they didn¡¯t have the right pot, they had topromise.

 Chapter 112 - 112 Pale and Pudgy

    112 Pale and Pudgy

    Lu Jiao went to harvest some of her vegetables from the garden. Outside her gate, Lin Chunyan walked over. Lin Chunyan was extremely grateful for Lu Jiao and her eyes were full of love as she looked at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Third aunt.¡±

    Lu Jiao instantly remembered that she promised Lin Chunyan a prescription, ¡°Ah, Chunyan! Let me get you your prescription.¡±

    Lin Chunyan quickly said, ¡°Third aunt, there¡¯s no rush. My mother-inw is asking Huzi to get me my medicine tomorrow morning. I came over to see if you need help with anything around the house.¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao wanted to decline but Lin Chunyan was already inside and picked up the broom.

    Lu Jiao stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t! Put it down. I have someone doing that already.¡±

    Lin Chunyan thought Lu Jiao was being nice and said with determination, ¡°Third aunt, don¡¯t be courteous. I can help around. I¡¯m used to doing housework.¡±

    She then started to sweep the yard without letting Lu Jiao speak.

    Lu Jiao knew then that Lin Chunyan was determined to help and that she probably felt better if she helped.

    A better mood would help her with her illness. Lu Jiao went to the east bedroom.

    Inside, the four little ones were conversing with Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t let that ugly woman in.¡±

    ¡°If she dares toe back, tell her off.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, she¡¯s not as pretty as mommy. Mommy¡¯s chubby with her face so pale like a big steamed bun. She¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    After he heard what the Fourth Born had to say, he speechlessly stared at him. Will this boy¡¯s perception of beauty get very skewed as he grows up? A face like his mother was considered pretty?

    The First Born stared, ¡°Daddy, we don¡¯t want you to have kids with other people. You are only allowed to have kids with mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was just about to enter the room when the First Born said that. Lu Jiao felt extremely awkward.

    Xie Yunjin coldly stared at her and said calmly, ¡°Chubby with a pale face like a big steamed bun. Truly beautiful.¡±

    Honestly, Lu Jiao had lost a bunch of weight and was not as unbearable to look at as before. After some time together, he didn¡¯t find her ugly, but rather cute.

    Xie Yunjin would never admit that. This woman taught his sons about concubines, which caused them to be so worried every day.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak. The Fourth Born excitedly responded, ¡°My mommy is beautiful! Look, so pale and so pudgy! She¡¯s also very strong. Not only can she carry us, but she can also carry you!¡±

    The First, Second, and Third Born stared. Something about that statement sounded weird.

    Xie Yunjin started tough like he had just heard a joke. His handsome face emitted rays of an evil charm.

    He checked out Lu Jiao from head to toe then sarcasticallymented, ¡°Pale, pudgy, and as strong as a bull.¡±

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t sense the mockery but Lu Jiao could. He was mocking her for not being pretty and acting like a man.

    Hmmph.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t going to humor him. She went to the side of the room to write a prescription but soon realized¡­

    She didn¡¯t learn how to read yet so she didn¡¯t know how to write.

    She was a little dumbfounded. First, she stared at the paper, then she looked at Xie Yunjin, and finally, she grinned.

    Xie Yunjin noticed her expression and knew right away that she needed him to write on her behalf.

    He closed his eyes right away and acted exhausted, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    The four little ones instantly shouted, ¡°Daddy, go ahead and sleep.¡±

    The four children then hid outside to discuss what tasks to give Zhou Xiaotao next. That woman was sent here to help them out.

    Inside, Lu Jiao went to the bed and smiled with her eyes, ¡°Xie Yunjin, help me out and write me a prescription.¡±

    Xie Yunjin opened his eyes a little and smirked, ¡°That¡¯s your business. How is it my problem?¡±

    Lu Jiao whispered, ¡°I am doing this for a Xie viger.¡±

    Xie Yunjin responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to.¡±

    Lu Jiao then asked in disbelief, ¡°Don¡¯t you care about the vigers a lot? You should be happy that I am looking after them.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said mindlessly, ¡°You made promises to others, not me.¡±

    He then closed his eyes to ignore her.

    Lu Jiao red at him. This guy was probably angry because she taught the four little ones what concubines meant. He was doing this on purpose.

    Lu Jiao pondered and then her eyes rested on Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. She smiled.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to help, then whatever. Ah, I forgot to tell you something. The stitches on your legs need to be removed in a week. Dr. Qi taught me how, but it looks like you don¡¯t need me to help you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin half opened his eyes and angrily looked at her.

    Lu Jiao was not at all scared. By now, she¡¯s learned what Xie Yunjin¡¯s personality was like. As long as she didn¡¯t cross his line, he wouldn¡¯t go as crazy as killing her. There was no reason to be afraid.

    These two people silently fought. Though there were no words, their gazes tortured each other.

    In the end, Xie Yunjin broke the silence, ¡°I can help you write. In exchange, you need to keep an eye on Zhou Xiaotao and don¡¯t let her in here.¡±

    ¡°I can do that. From now on, you write all my prescriptions until I learn all the characters.¡±

    Lu Jiao decided then to learn the Three Character ssic from the four little ones as soon as possible.

    Xie Yunjin agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Jiao extended a hand to shake Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Nice working with you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao¡¯s hand that gripped his. Different from his hand, her hand was soft and pudgy. There was even a dimple there. Her hand was hot, cushioned, and smooth.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think too much. Only when Xie Yunjin lowered his head did she realize she was holding his hand.

    This would be considered normal usually. However, at a time like this, it felt like she was taking advantage.

    Lu Jiao tried to take back her hand but Xie Yunjin grabbed onto it hard. His hands were slender without any fat yet it was very powerful as he held onto hers.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but exim over his masculinity. Though he appeared sick and weak, he had a lot of strength.

    Just then, Xie Yunjin pinched the skin on her hand.

    Instantly, she felt like she¡¯d been yed.

    She retracted her hand quickly and red at him, ¡°Hurry up and write it for me.¡±

    Then, she went to retrieve paper and a brush.

 Chapter 113 - 113 Have you ever Looked in a Mirror?

    113 Have you ever Looked in a Mirror?

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. This woman was all bluff.

    Lu Jiao calmed down very quickly. She took some paper and a brush and asked Xie Yunjin to write out the prescription.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t make fun of her again. He sat up straight to help her write.

    Though he just had surgery, his organs and his concussion were mostly healed. As long as he didn¡¯t use his legs, he could move around decently.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried.

    ¡°Rehmannia glutinosa, 5 grams. Kousa dogwood, 4 grams. Yam, 4 grams. Licorice, 1.5 grams. Ophiopogon, 7 grams. Alisma, 3 grams. Peony bark, 4 grams. Poria, 4 grams. Goji berries, 6 grams.¡±

    Lu Jiao spoke slowly. By the time she was done, Xie Yunjin had finished writing.

    Lu Jiao took over the paper and nodded in satisfaction. Honestly, Xie Yunjin had really pretty handwriting. His writing was crisp and sharp, yet benevolent. His writing made it obvious that the writer was no ordinary being.

    Lu Jiao blew at the paper. She then asked Xie Yunjin to write out another prescription for Changmei. After he was done, she took away the paper and brush.

    Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°Who are these for?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed in the direction of the Second Grandma¡¯s ce and mouthed, ¡°Lin Chunyan and Changmei.¡±

    Xie Yunjin noticed that when she whispered, she looked almost yful.

    He narrowed his eyes and checked her out.

    Lu Jiao seemed to have lost a lot of weight. When he looked closely, he saw that she¡¯s lost a lot of fat on his cheeks, revealing her facial structure. He could tell now that the Second and Third born looked a lot like her.

    Slimmed down, this woman was rather attractive. Plus, she no longer looked like the person she used to be.

    Now, Xie Yunjin was no longer reminded of that woman from before.

    Lu Jiao was unaware of his thoughts. She left with her prescriptions.

    Inside the yard, Lin Chunyan finished sweeping. She was now chopping firewood with Zhou Xiaotao.

    Zhou Xiaotao was ecstatic to have someone offer to help and she only stood up to hide herziness.

    Lu Jiao instantly shouted, ¡°Chunyan, let her do it.¡±

    Lin Chunyan eyed Zhou Xiaotao then looked back to Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao walked over and exined, ¡°This is someone my mother-inw sent to help me around the house. You don¡¯t need to worry about her.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao wanted to curse. Helper?! This was so different from what she was told.

    She wanted to go home but Lady Ruan talked her intoing back.

    Zhou Xiaotao was 17 years old this year. She wasn¡¯t good-looking and her family wasn¡¯t wealthy. Despite all that, her parents wanted her pursuers to give them lots of dowries and that was why she still hasn¡¯t married.

    Zhou Xiaotao remembered how handsome Xie Yunjin was and swallowed her pride. If she could seduce Xie Yunjin and get rid of Lu Jiao, she¡¯ll be the schr¡¯s wife one day.

    Zhou Xiaotao felt heated by that thought and no longer minded the housework. After all, she¡¯d be doing all this work at home anyway. At least if she did it here, she had a chance to seduce her cousin.

    Lin Chunyan understood the situation right away. She nced at Zhou Xiaotao and couldn¡¯t find anything attractive about her. She definitely wasn¡¯t as pretty as her third aunty. Just what was her fourth grandma thinking?

    Lin Chunyan decided not to help Zhou Xiaotao. However, she still wanted to help.

    ¡°Third aunt, then let me cook dinner.¡±

    Lu Jiao really didn¡¯t want to trouble her. Lin Chunyan was already weak. Low iron, tired kidney, and an aging uterus¡­ this woman had a pitiful life and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want her to do more work.

    However, Lin Chunyan wanted to repay her. After all, if it weren¡¯t for Lu Jiao, she would¡¯ve been kicked out by her mother-inw. If that happened, she would¡¯ve died. Lu Jiao saved her life! It was right for her to do housework for Lu Jiao.

    Lin Chunyan went to the kitchen. Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t stop her despite her efforts.

    In the kitchen, Lu Jiao gave Lin Chunyan the prescription.

    ¡°Tomorrow, ask Huzi to get medicine ordingly. Get 10 portions. Drink one portion in the morning, one at night.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    ¡°This prescription is for your aunt. Give it to her for me.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and then secretly took out a hose and asked Lin Chunan to take it.

    ¡°This is for your aunt. Boil some water with wormwood in it, fill this up with that water, then use it to cleanse her lower half.¡±

    Lin Chunyan¡¯s face flushed red right away. Like a thief, she took it and hid it.

    Then they started to cook dinner. While doing so, Lu Jiao got Lin Chunyan a cup of water and snuck in some spiritual stream water. Lin Chunyan drank it.

    After dinner was done, Lin Chunyan went home.

    She refused to stay for dinner so all Lu Jiao could do was walk her out to the gate. She cautioned, ¡°Stop doing work for me. Your body isn¡¯t the strongest and you need time to rest.¡±

    Lin Chunyan didn¡¯t respond and walked home. Lu Jiao went to the kitchen to get porridge for the four little ones. Before she got there, she heard angry yelling from the east bedroom.

    ¡°My daddy doesn¡¯t need you to feed him. My mommy can feed him.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    ¡°You are not allowed toe into my daddy¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°If you dare toe in here again, we will call you shameless!¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away that Zhao Xiaotao managed to sneak into the east bedroom while Lu Jiao walked Lin Chunyan out.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n to interact with that woman. If she wanted to try to seduce Xie Yunjin, she could go ahead. As long as Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes still worked, he wouldn¡¯t acknowledge that woman.

    However, Lu Jiao remembered the deal she made with Xie Yunjin. He would write her prescriptions and she would stop Zhou Xiaotao from harassing him.

    Her face clouded and she leaped towards the east bedroom.

    Inside the room, Zhou Xiaotao was shocked that the four children would block her way and curse at her.

    She was furious and silently cursed back. These four bastards were so damn annoying. Once she marries their dad, she will teach them all a lesson. They must learn the consequences of offending her.

    Though angry on the inside, she showed sadness on her face as she stared at the quadruplets, ¡°Your daddy is hungry. I need to feed him. How will he heal if he doesn¡¯t eat?¡±

    She then ignored the four and looked to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Cousin, look at them!¡±

    Xie Yunjin arrogantly glimpsed at Zhou Xiaotao, ¡°Have you ever looked in a mirror?¡±

    Zou Xiaotao didn¡¯t get the message. Shyly, she nodded, ¡°Elder cousin, I have looked in a mirror.¡±

    Xie Yunjin snorted, ¡°You have? Then you must know how ugly you look. Do you think I would like a woman who has no skills and is this ugly? You aren¡¯t good enough to even carry my shoes. Got it?¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s brain buzzed. What did she just hear? What did her cousin just say to her?

    All the color drained from her face.

    Lu Jiao entered and grabbed Zhou Xiaotao by her cor and started to drag her outside, ¡°Zhou Xiaotao, you are not permitted to enter this bedroom. Try and see what will happen to you if you do this again. I will beat you up every time you do this. Do you believe me?¡±

    Just then, the four little ones chimed in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about being my daddy¡¯s concubine. He would never take someone as ugly as you!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about having babies with my daddy.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t allow him to have children with other people.¡±

    ¡°We will keep our eyes on you!¡±

 Chapter 114 - 114 The Fourth Born is a Man of his Words

    114 The Fourth Born is a Man of his Words

    Zhou Xiaotao was already sad. After she heard what Lu Jiao and the four little ones said, she could no longer contain herself and started to weep out loud. She stomped her feet, left the room, and screamed, ¡°You¡¯re all bullies! Your whole family is bullying me! I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore. I want to go home¡­ I want to go home! Your whole family is bad!¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao left crying. Behind her, Lu Jiao was a little regretful. With Zhou Xiaotao gone, all the housework now came back to her.

    How unfortunate.

    It waste. Lu Jiao went to scoop some porridge for the four little ones, then got a bowl to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face was rather frigid. His dark pupils reflected cold white light simr to the stars at night.

    He stared at Lu Jiao dully like that.

    Lu Jiao was a little weirded out, ¡°What is it? Do your legs hurt?¡±

    Xie Yunjin said depressingly, ¡°Did you do that intentionally?¡±

    Lu Jiao was confused, then realized he wondered if she intentionally let Zhou Xiaotao in.

    Lu Jiao denied, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. That woman snuck in while I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±

    Xie Yunjin studied her and found her to be collected and genuine. So she was telling the truth.

    Finally, he felt better and his expression softened.

    ¡°Remember the deal you made with me. I write your prescriptions and you stop Zhou Xiaotao froming in here. She dampens my mood.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t fight it and was serious as she vowed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If she tries that again, I will beat her up.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was satisfied and snickered.

    Lu Jiao asked about his legs, ¡°How are your legs? Did the pain go away?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Better than before. The level of pain is something I can endure. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Lu Jiao very much wanted to tell him that she wasn¡¯t worried about him. She simply wanted him to heal faster.

    Though she thought about it, she didn¡¯t say it. She studied his legs. The pain may have gone away, but his legs were just cut open and needed more hypertonic saline.

    Since Zhou Xiaotao was here all day, she didn¡¯t get the opportunity to hang a bag of saline for him.

    At night, two of the boys will be sleeping with Xie Yunjin. If she hung the IV tonight, would the children see it?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Outside the room, the Second Born¡¯s unhappy voice echoed, ¡°Tonight, it¡¯s the First Born and my turn to sleep with mommy. You two, sleep with daddy tonight.¡±

    After Lady Tian went home, the four little ones agreed to take turns and split up at night. Two of them would sleep with Lu Jiao every night, while the other two would sleep with Xie Yunjin.

    It was the First and Second Born¡¯s turn to sleep with Lu Jiao tonight.

    This was something that was agreed on before. However, every time it was the First and Second Born¡¯s turn to sleep with Lu Jiao, the Fourth Born would pout and fall into a bad mood.

    Tonight, he tried to negotiate with the Second Born to see if he could sleep with his mom. Sadly, the Second Born got angry and scolded him.

    The Fourth Born mumbled, ¡°Mommy¡¯s bed is big. We have the space. Why don¡¯t the three of us sleep with mommy?¡±

    The Third Born angrily stared at the Fourth Born, ¡°Then what about me?¡±

    The First Born stared at the Fourth Born with a humorless expression, ¡°You¡¯re a man. A man keeps his word. We discussed this before and you agreed to what we discussed. Since you agreed, you cannot break the rules when you want to.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes reddened. He slid down his chair and ran into the east bedroom.

    ¡°Mommy, I want to sleep with you.¡±

    Outside the room, the other three raced over as well. They all gaped at the Fourth Born unhappily.

    The Fourth Born hogged onto Lu Jiao¡¯s legs and refused to let go. He didn¡¯t even look at the other three.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes brightened. She was just troubled about what to do about the IV drip when these four fought over the sleeping situation. This was an opportunity.

    She looked at the Fourth Born, ¡°Fourth Born, you want to sleep with me tonight?¡±

    The Fourth Born looked up at her like a puppy as he nodded violently, ¡°Yes, I want to sleep with mommy tonight.¡±

    Lu Jiao frowned, ¡°But you already promised your brothers that you guys would take turns. To break a promise so easily isn¡¯t a good quality.

    However, since you asked, I don¡¯t want to reject you. You can sleep with me tonight. But after tonight, you must take responsibility for your own words.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression was resolute. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she needed to hang the IV drip for Xie Yunjin tonight, she wouldn¡¯t be tolerating the Fourth Born¡¯s behavior right now.

    Lu Jiao asked the Fourth Born, ¡°Tell me, can you do that?¡±

    The Fourth Born didn¡¯t want to say yes. Lu Jiao¡¯s serious expression, however, scared him. He carefully nodded.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lu Jiao patted his head and said softly, ¡°I believe you are a good kid who does everything he says he would do. You are simply attached to me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The Fourth Born nodded hard. His eyes were bright and clear. Lu Jiao leaned down and kissed him.

    ¡°Fourth Born, you¡¯re going to keep your promises going forward, right?¡±

    The Fourth Born was ignited by Lu Jiao¡¯s encouragement and he loudly announced, ¡°I am a good kid who¡¯s a man of his own words. I will do everything as I say going forward.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the other three children, ¡°Why don¡¯t you all sleep with me tonight? Tomorrow, you can start taking turns again.¡±

    The Second and Third Born all smiled.

    The First Born wasn¡¯t happy and walked up to the bed, ¡°Then, I will sleep with daddy tonight.¡±

    It was so sad for his dad to sleep alone.

    Xie Yunjin could tell that the First Born wanted to sleep with Lu Jiao as well. He said, ¡°Go sleep with your mom. I¡¯m okay. My legs don¡¯t hurt anymore. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and really want to have a good sleep tonight.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    The First Born wanted to say more but Lu Jiao had gotten up, ¡°Okay,e out and have a bath. After your bath, I will tell you guys a bedtime story.¡±

    The other three followed Lu Jiao. The First Born hesitated, which made Xie Yunjin urge, ¡°Hurry, go wash up and sleep. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The First Born agreed. However, before he left, he ran to Xie Yunjin and kissed him.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I will sleep with daddy.¡±

    The other three were already at the door, but after they witnessed the First Born¡¯s actions, they went back in and each kissed Xie Yunjin¡¯s face once.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was now full of saliva. He speechlessly watched the children leave. They sure were copycats.

    After Lu Jiao bathed them, she told them a story. After they fell asleep, she warmed up the medicine and fed it to Xie Yunjin. Like before, she added the anxiety pill to his medicine, which caused him to fall asleep really quickly.

    Scared that the four little ones might burst inside while she hangs the IV, she carefully shut the door before she took a hypertonic saline bag from her space. She hung the drip for Xie Yunjin.

 Chapter 115 - 115 Ginseng and Ganoderma

    115 Ginseng and Ganoderma

    Xie Yunjin slept deeply and had no idea a needle was stabbed into him.

    After the drip, Lu Jiao yawned and went to sleep in the west bedroom.

    The next time, after she woke up, she heard Xie Yunjin call for her, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    She thought he wanted water so she walked over and asked caringly, ¡°What is it? You want water?¡±

    !!

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao dimly.

    Lu Jiao knew right away that he was in a bad mood. She asked hesitantly, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Xie Yunjin lifted his arm, showing Lu Jiao the hole in his arm. So this man was upset because he saw the hole in his arm?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s brain worked hard as she tried to figure out a way to exin this.

    Xie Yunjin was not friendly when he demanded, ¡°Tell me, why is there a needle wound on my arm? Did you stab me in the middle of the night?¡±

    He narrowed his eyes. Why was this woman stabbing him? For revenge? But she wasn¡¯t the original host.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t figure it out. Lu Jiao jumped on the chance to exin, ¡°You were sleeping really deeplyst night. I couldn¡¯t wake you up no matter what. So I stabbed you with a needle.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was skeptical, ¡°Before, it was also you who stabbed me?¡±

    He saw the wound on his armst time. He thought it was done by Dr. Qi from the surgery. That didn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    Lu Jiao changed her story, ¡°Dr. Qi was the one who told me that trick. During surgery, he used certain medicine on you. The effects of those medicines haven¡¯t faded just yet. He told me to keep a close eye on you for three days. If you sleep too deeply, I need to stab you. You shouldn¡¯t sleep that deeply.¡±

    She then quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr. Qi said it¡¯s just for three days. The effects should dissipate soon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and eventually chose to believe her.

    For the surgery, lots of medicine was used on him, he knew that. He also didn¡¯t think Lu Jiao had a valid reason to hurt him. If she was who she used to be, he would be suspicious. The person she was today held no grudge against him so why would she stab him for no reason?

    Xie Yunjin cleared his throat and apologized to Lu Jiao, ¡°I thought you were stabbing me on purpose. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. She naturally epted his apology, ¡°Okay. don¡¯t be so suspicious next time.¡±

    She then turned away, afraid of leaving behind evidence. After spending time with him, she was fully aware of how careful, smart, and scheming this man was.

    He was crippled and couldn¡¯t do much independently. Once he healed, she was sure he would be more and more capable. It was no wonder that his character progressed to the final viin.

    After breakfast, the Xie vigers arrived with their own small stools. They knew Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have enough chairs for everyone so they brought their own.

    Duringst night¡¯s meeting, the Vige Leader had asked them to bring stools. If they didn¡¯t, they would need to stand.

    Other than those from the Xie n, there were also outsiders.

    Every single person warmly greeted Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, have you had breakfast?¡±

    ¡°I think you lost a lot of weight. You¡¯re so pretty.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, the Second and Third Born look just like you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    Lu Jiao greeted everyone back one by one.

    Many vigers think of Lu Jiao as generous and capable now ¨C night and daypared to who she used to be. These days, everyone was convinced that Lu Jiao was the way she was before because of Lady Ruan. Why else would she transform for the better the moment she left that household?

    A lot of those infamous rumors about Lu Jiao were spread around by Lady Ruan. That woman had no credibility.

    Since Lu Jiao agreed to teach, she didn¡¯t say much to everyone. She stood at the front of her yard and scanned around. There were 80 to 90 people here today ¨C they were all women of different ages. The number of people here was truly astonishing.

    Lu Jiao cleared her throat and said to everyone, ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is aware of the reason why you are here. I don¡¯t want to waste anyone¡¯s time so I will start with the lesson.¡±

    Lu Jiao went to her kitchen and took out more than 10 types of medicinal herbs.

    ¡°Everyone, take a look at these leaves. Palmatelypound leaves have a long stem and a dark green color. There are usually three to six whorls on one herb and five separate leaves¡­¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could finish, someone shouted, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, we don¡¯t understand all that. Just tell us what they are.¡±

    A lot of people nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right. Just tell us what they are.¡±

    This was a wake-up call for Lu Jiao. She remembered thatst time, she tried to teach Lu Gui but he didn¡¯t understand anything. These vigers were no different from Lu Gui. No matter how much she exined, they didn¡¯t understand what she was saying.

    Lu Jiao skipped the details and went straight to it, ¡°Look at the shape of these leaves. These are ginseng leaves.¡±

    People started to howl, ¡°Ginseng is very valuable!¡±

    ¡°Yes, ginseng is very valuable. I heard a century-old ginseng can be sold for this much.¡± A woman raised her two hands.

    Others asked impatiently, ¡°How much is that?¡±

    ¡°A hundred taels of silver.¡±

    Everyone else wailed, ¡°Oh my, is that true? Ginseng is that expensive?¡±

    Aunt Guihua straight up asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, is ginseng really that expensive?¡±

    Lu Jiao was confident when she responded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Even those that are 20 to 30 years old cost more than 100 taels of silver. A century-old ginseng would cost you 700 to 800 taels of silver.¡±

    This was the market in a smaller town. If one tried to sell in arger city, it would cost even more.

    The crowd buzzed as they excitedly discussed. They were reacting as if they could dig up ginseng that old whenever they wanted.

    Some people even started nning what they would buy with the money they get.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Did they think it was that easy to get ginseng?

    She gestured for everyone to quiet down, ¡°Okay, next, Ganoderma.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to take Ganoderma from her space as educational material. So she described what a Ganoderma looked like.

    ¡°Ganoderma likes to grow in moist ces, such as near the roots of a tree. Ganoderma is also very valuable. A 50-year-old Ganoderma is around 200 taels of silver.¡±

    Again, this was the market in a small town.

    The crowd buzzed again. Lu Jiao continued on to describe bupleurum chinense, ¡°The important part of the bupleurum chinense is the root, not the leaves. Don¡¯t get it wrong.

    This is forsythia. It looks very simr to winter jasmine. Don¡¯t get it mixed up. Forsythia is bigger in size and their stems don¡¯t tend to droop. Winter jasmine sags easily and dangles.¡±

 Chapter 116 - 116 Whoâ€™s more Shameless?

    116 Who¡¯s more Shameless?

    Lu Jiao taught everyone more than 10 medicinal herbs before she stopped. She was worried that the vigers wouldn¡¯t be able to retain any more information.

    Even with that in mind, near the end, people started to stare at her soundlessly.

    The yard got quieter and quieter until Lu Jiao finally asked, ¡°Did you memorize everything?¡±

    From the crowd, someone whispered, ¡°No.¡±

    !!

    The others chimed in then, ¡°There¡¯s no way I can remember all that.¡±

    ¡°I was able to follow along for the first two. I already forgot the rest.¡±

    Many people started to say different things. They were all insecure and wondered if they were too dumb. Yunjin¡¯s wife exined it pretty well but howe they just could not memorize everything she said?

    Lu Jiao was silent as she listened to everyone. It took her some time before she started tofort, ¡°There¡¯s no rush with this. You¡¯ve never seen this stuff before so it¡¯s normal to find it difficult today.¡±

    She cleared her throat, ¡°Honestly, I did take this into consideration before and that¡¯s why I harvested some samples for you. You guys take some back with you and get familiar.¡±

    The crowd cheered, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you are great.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    Lu Jiao watched as the crowd got rowdy in order to take samples. She quickly raised her hand and stopped everyone, ¡°Don¡¯t get disorderly. Line up.¡±

    She ended up going to the kitchen and taking out all the herbs she saved from her space. She originally wanted to harvest some this morning but couldn¡¯t because of Xie Yunjin. She¡¯ll have to divide up what she had.

    After Lu Jiao took out what she could, she asked Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan to help her.

    Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan happily helped her take out the rest.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t give entire herbs to everyone. There were too many people and too few herbs. She divided up one nt into several pieces. Some people got only two to three leaves.

    Since Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan helped her carry those herbs, Lu Jiao let them have first picks.

    ¡°These are ginseng leaves and these are bupleurum leaves. Slowly, you¡¯ll be able to recognize them. Remember, when you go into the mountains, watch out for snakes. Don¡¯t go in too deep and stay on the outskirts, where there are fewer snakes. Even then, be careful.

    Also, go into the pharmacy in town and get some snake poison antidotes. Something like a horse chestnut can protect you against snakes. Of course, the pharmacist will give you the correct rmendations. Bring those medicines with you for emergencies. If you get bitten, rub it onto your wound to detox.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°We will buy some when we are in town.¡±

    Everyoneughed and chatted as they left. The Xie Vige may have always been rather peaceful, but it¡¯s never been this harmonious.

    Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan were thest to leave. Since it waste, they decided to stay and help Lu Jiao make lunch.

    ¡°Third aunt, we¡¯ll stay and help you with lunch.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when a shrill voice arose from outside, ¡°Lu Jiao, you wicked wrench. I invited Xiaotao here to help you and you decided to kick her out just because she fed my son a spoonful of porridge?¡±

    Enraged, Lady Ruan pulled Zhou Xiaotao towards the yard.

    Many of the vigers haven¡¯t left. When they heard what Lady Ruan had to say, they stopped and looked back.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes darkened as she pinched Zhou Xiaotao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Aunty, I simply noticed that my cousin was hungry and that was why I fed him. I had no other intentions. Don¡¯t kick me out.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao cried so sadly as if she had been massively wronged.

    Aunt Guihua was the first to speak up, ¡± Lady Ruan, you¡¯re telling me that you are so kind you sent someone here to help out? Howe I find that difficult to believe?¡±

    Lady Ruan red at her upon hearing aunt Guihua¡¯s words.

    This woman once pinned her to the ground and beat her up. Back when her son still listened to her, that woman kissed her @ss every chance she got. Now that her third son no longer showed interest, that woman grew the guts to hit her.

    Lady Ruan was puking blood on the inside as she once again got more determined to force Lu Jiao out of this family. It was all because of this woman that her son was now evil. Before, her third son was a great human being.

    Lady Ruan bore her gaze into aunt Guihua, ¡°Ding Guihua, you¡¯re a b!tch! You used to suck up to me all the time. Now that you find Lu Jiao useful, you go kiss her @ss. How can someone be so shameless?¡±

    Aunt Guihua wasn¡¯t at all angry to hear that, ¡°I do what I want. Why do you care who I suck up to? Also, when ites to shamelessness, why not ask around this ce and see which one of us is more shameless?¡±

    The crowd started to mutter and they all talked poorly of Lady Ruan.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face twisted into a twine. She wanted to go up there and bite Aunt Guihua to death. Sadly, she was so small and thin that she was no opponent against aunt Guihua. All she could do was give her the death stare.

    Behind the crowd, Chen Liu noticed that her mother-inw was losing. She squeezed inside and stood by Lady Ruan.

    ¡°Mom, did you forget what you came here for? Why are you fighting against Lady Guihua?¡±

    Lady Ruan snapped back to reality and angrily said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, you are an unfilial and ungraceful woman. Because Xiaotao fed Yunjin porridge, you kicked her out. You must apologize to Xiaotao.¡±

    Zhou Xiaotao straightened her back and waited for an apology. asionally, she remembered to blink out some tears.

    In the garden, Lu Jiaoughed. She looked at Lady Ruan, ¡°Mom, is your eyesight worsening?¡±

    Lady Ruan froze and she did not fully understand Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    Zhou Xiao was worried when she heard that. Fear rose inside her.

    What Xie Yunjin said to her before echoed in her mind.

    Subconsciously, Zhou Xiaotao grabbed onto Lady Ruan and suggested nervously, ¡°Fourth aunt, let¡¯s go back. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lady Ruan was determined to ruin Lu Jiao¡¯s reputation tonight. This woman was getting more and more loveable each day and if she didn¡¯t take action soon, her son would refuse to leave her.

    Lady Ruan ignored Zhou Xiaotao. Lu Jiao did the same. She continued to speak to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you know that your son has a very specific taste? How can someone like her feed him porridge? He wanted to puke at the sight of her, let alone eat porridge.¡±

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak when the four little ones ran outside towards her and started to chirp.

    ¡°My daddy said she¡¯s ugly and she¡¯s not allowed to go into his room.¡±

    ¡°She wanted to feed daddy porridge, my daddy wanted her to go away.¡±

    ¡°She wants to be my daddy¡¯s concubine and wants to have his babies.¡±

    ¡°My daddy would never have babies with her. Look at how ugly she is! Her children would be hideous.¡±

 Chapter 117 - 117 Needle Stabs

    117 Needle Stabs

    The crowd received this information from the four children. Everyone turned to look at Zhou Xiaotao and some people rudely chuckled.

    Aunt Guihuaughed the loudest. She pointed her finger directly at Zhou Xiaotao and said to Lady Ruan, ¡°Old woman, I always knew you were evil, I never knew you were also blind. If you want to shove your son a concubine, you should find someone pretty. You found such an ugly girl for him to use as a maid or what? This kind of woman is worthy enough to be a concubine? What a joke.¡±

    A lot of peopleughed at Aunt Guihua¡¯s words. Zhou Xiaotao nced at the crowd in terror as she listened to everyone¡¯s mockingughter. Finally, she had a mental breakdown as she started to yell at Lady Ruan, ¡°This is all your fault! I told you I want to go home but you forced me to stay to seduce my cousin! You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m beingughed at!

    Ahhhh, you¡¯re all bullies! I¡¯m not staying here, I want to go home! I want to go home!¡±

    !!

    This time, Zhou Xiaotao cried out loud as she ran away, ignoring Lady Ruan. Lady Ruan wanted to scream at her but Zhou Xiaotao was running like she had gone crazy.

    Behind her, Lady Ruan¡¯s expression grew bitter. The crowd wasn¡¯t going to let her off this easily.

    Someone said, ¡°Fourth grandma, why are you trying to find Yunjin another wife?¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s family is already having a difficult time and Yunjin¡¯s wife is the only person supporting the whole family. Why are you trying to get him another wife? Are you nning on giving them money so they can support another woman?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face could not get any darker. Lu Jiao grinned ear to ear, ¡°Mother, how much money are you nning on giving us on a monthly basis?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face twisted and she turned to leave. Just then, a horse carriage dashed down the street. Looking at the horse carriage, Lady Ruan managed to pass out from shock.

    Chen Liu held onto Lady Ruan and shouted, ¡°Third sister-inw, mom passed out. Come and help!¡±

    Lu Jiao calmly walked up to Lady Ruan. She wasn¡¯t faking it, she passed out from anger and shock.

    Lu Jiao took out some silver needles and stabbed them into Lady Ruan. Most of the stabbing points were trigger points for pain.

    The pain woke Lady Ruan up. She yelled, ¡°Ah, it hurts!¡±

    Everyone around them cheered for Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife is amazing. She woke up Lady Ruan so quickly!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, one needle in and she woke up. This is an incredible skill.¡±

    Lady Ruan and Chen Liu looked at the needles on Lady Ruan¡¯s body. Was that one stab? There were 20 to 30 needles on Lady Ruan¡¯s body right now.

    She was sure Lu Jiao did it on purpose.

    By now, Lady Ruan realized that she¡¯d been stabbed by needles. Her face squished together due to the pain and she gritted her teeth.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you b!tch. You did all this on purpose!¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t remove her needle right away since someone got off the horse carriage in a rush. Lu Jiao looked and found out it was Qi Lei from Baohe Tang.

    Qi Lei wanted to call Lu Jiao right away, ¡°Mas-¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him and he swallowed the word ¡°master¡± down.

    ¡°Lady Lu, we received a very sick patient. I¡¯m wondering if you can help diagnose him?¡±

    Lu Jiao removed the silver needles from Lady Ruan. By now, Lady Ruan was sweating from the pain.

    She angrily pointed at Lu Jiao¡¯s face and cursed loudly, ¡°Lu Jiao, speak, are you doing this on purpose?!¡±

    Then, without giving Lu Jiao a chance to speak, she howled, ¡°Everyone,e and see this! My daughter-inw stabbed me with needles! What a ruthless woman! Why hasn¡¯t she been struck by lightning?!¡±

    The crowd looked at her in disdain. Some people couldn¡¯t help but toment, ¡°Fourth aunt, stop faking this. We all saw what happened. You passed out and Yunjin¡¯s wife woke you up with acupuncture.¡±

    ¡°Fourth grandma, Yunjin¡¯s wife saved you, yet you are using her? You¡¯re being very unappreciative.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes almost went dark again. She wanted to ruin Lu Jiao¡¯s reputation, not her own. Howe she was the one getting lectured today over everything?

    Chen Liu realized now that they weren¡¯t going to gain anything out of this today. She pulled on her mother-inw¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Mom, you are not feeling well today. Let¡¯s go back and lie down.¡±

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t want to give up like this but Lu Jiao was no longer paying attention to her. She went to Qi Lei and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a patient who came in dizzy with a headache. He then puked and passed out. I checked him out and I think there¡¯s trauma to the head. I don¡¯t know how to help him?¡±

    Lu Jiao pretty much had an idea of what happened based on that description. She walked towards the horse carriage.

    However, once she got there, two people got out of the horse carriage. One of them was an older woman ¨C Xie Yunjin¡¯s master¡¯s wife.

    When Lady Chen saw Lu Jiao, she was also shocked. Very quickly, however, she grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°I heard from Dr. Qi that there¡¯s a very capable doctor around. Are you that doctor?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and asked, ¡°Lady Chen, then the patient is¡­¡±

    Lady Chen started to cry, ¡°It¡¯s Master Chen.¡±

    ¡°Master Chen?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect the patient to be Xie Yunjin¡¯s teacher. She took this even more seriously now as she walked to the carriage and peeked inside.

    Lu Jiao saw Master Chen passed out inside. She ordered people to carry him out.

    ¡°Help him lie down in my house. I will do an examination.¡±

    The young man inside the carriage carried Master Chen off the carriage and walked into Lu Jiao¡¯s home.

    The vigers started to gossip, ¡°Are they here to seek medical advice from Yunjin¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°Baohe Tang¡¯s doctor is asking Yunjin¡¯s wife for help. Does that mean Yunjin¡¯s wife is a better doctor than him?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Yunjin¡¯s wife brought someone back from life. Xia Lian was dead when she jumped into the river yet Yunjin¡¯s wife revived her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Yunjin¡¯s wife is a miracle worker.¡±

    Lu Jiao was too nervous to look any of these vigers in the eye. It was her priority to save Master Chen and she was toozy to exin herself.

    Lu Jiao asked Lady Chen, ¡°Was Master Chen suffering from headaches, dizziness, and nausea?¡±

    Lady Chen nodded.

    Lu Jiao asked another question, ¡°Did his limbs go numb?¡±

    Lady Chen thought about it, ¡°No. But sometimes, he would have a shortness of breath and chest pain.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Her initial thought was that Master Chen suffered from a cerebral infarction caused by hypertension.

    Just as Lu Jiao pondered over a treatment n, Lady Chen started to cry, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, will he be okay?¡±

    The older you got, the more important your partner became. Lady Chen didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to her husband.

 Chapter 118 - 118 Cerebral Infarction caused by Hypertension

    118 Cerebral Infarction caused by Hypertension

    Lu Jiao turned tofort Lady Chen, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    Lady Chen¡¯s anxiety subsided a little after she saw how collected Lu Jiao was.

    Everyone walked into Lu Jiao¡¯s home. Lu Jiao gestured to ce Master Chen onto her west bedroom bed.

    Once Master Chen wasid t, Lu Jiao went up to examine him. Suddenly, Xie Yunjin¡¯s fear-driven voice was heard, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Worried that Xie Yunjin would get out of bed due to fear, Lu Jiao went to him. His legs could not touch the ground right now. If his bones dislocate again, he will need a second operation.

    She rushed to him. On top of the bed, Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome visage was full of anxiousness. The moment Lu Jiao appeared, he asked, ¡°Master is sick? Is he okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao tried to soothe him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will save him. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao and his tone was deeply sincere, ¡°Lu Jiao, you have to save him. if you save him, I will agree to one of your favors. Whatever you want, I can work to achieve it.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes flickered, and her lips curled up subconsciously. This was a nice surprise.

    Xie Yunjin was going to be the First Assistant one day. Once he¡¯s in that position, she could redeem this favor.

    Lu Jiao was just as earnest when she responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will save him.¡±

    She then walked over. Master Chen likely had a cerebral obstruction. The optimal time for treatment is within the third and sixth hours.

    Inside the west bedroom, Lady Chen saw Lu Jiao return and asked hastily, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, please examine him. What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and knelt down to examine Master Chen. As she did that, she asked Lady Chen lots of questions.

    ¡°Did his vision ever go blurry? Did he ever have nosebleeds?¡±

    Lady Chen nodded instantly, ¡°Yes, sometimes. I thought it was because he was getting older.¡±

    Lu Jiao was now certain that Master Chen had a cerebral infarction caused by hypertension.

    She looked toward Lady Chen and the two young men behind her. They looked simr to Master Chen ¨C likely they were his sons.

    ¡°Master Chen has hypertension. This means his liver is always hyperactive and he has renal insufficiency. When his blood pressure rose too high, it caused cerebral infarction. This was why he passed out.

    The early signs of cerebral infarction aren¡¯t obvious. For him to pass out, it means he¡¯s been sick for a while.¡±

    Lady Chen and her two sons were getting nervous, ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will give him medicine right away.¡±

    If she could give him saline, it would open up his blood vessels right away. However, with so many witnesses here, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t going to whip that out. So she decided to give Master Chen an injection ¨C abination of antitelet and medicine to calm the nerve.

    Even though it was just an injection, she didn¡¯t want anyone from the Chen family to see it. She said to Lady Chen and her sons, ¡°You guys wait outside, Dr. Qi can stay and help.¡±

    The family wanted to stay but they were worried it would interfere with treatment, so they left.

    After they left, Lu Jiao went to the corner of the room and pretended to be searching the drawers, she took out a syringe from her space and some medicine.

    Qi Lei stared in shock. He¡¯s never seen anything like this, ¡°Master, what are those?¡±

    Lu Jiao responded calmly, ¡°These are things my Master left me. It¡¯s used for injection. I don¡¯t have a lot left though.¡±

    Suddenly, she realized that she didn¡¯t have much medicine left in storage in her space. If she saw more patients, she¡¯ll be out very soon. What will happen then?

    Lu Jiao thought of her spiritual stream and thought of theck of medical supplies in this era.

    She abruptly got an idea. She could open up her own pharmacy and make medicine that would benefit the vigers. Things like getting a cold were no big deal. However, due to ack of medicine, many people die from it.

    Lu Jiao felt that her spiritual water could benefit the whole nation.

    While Lu Jiao thought of this, she never stopped moving. Quickly, she filled up her syringe and injected the medicine into Master Chen¡¯s arm.

    After the injection, she took out antithrombotic aspirin and CDP choline to nourish the nerves. She fed them to Master Chen.

    Qi Lei watched all this happen and he was speechless. He¡¯s never seen any of this stuff. Even those pills were unfamiliar to him.

    ¡°What medicine did you give Master Chen?¡±

    ¡°Antithrombotic medicine and nerve calming medicine.¡±

    Lu Jiao then exined the diagnosis for Master Chen and her treatment n.

    Qi Lei was stunned, ¡°What are antithrombotic medicine and nerve-calming medicine?¡±

    ¡°Antithrombotic medicine includes antitelet agents that prevent telets from clumping. Nerve calming medicine helps nourish the brain.¡± She then added, ¡°We can also use ginseng, Panax notoginseng, safflower, or leech to treat the symptoms.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, understanding. So the patient had blood clots and needed to get rid of those.

    That should be what his master meant with all those big words.

    When Lu Jiao fed Master Chen medicine, she used some spiritual stream water. Her stream water helps condition the body, and the meridians, and increases the effects of medicine.

    Some time after the pills were taken, Master Chen woke up.

    Both Lu Jiao and Qi Lei were shocked as they stared at him.

    Qi Lei was the first to speak, ¡°Master Chen, you are alright?¡±

    Master Chen thought Qi Lei saved him and thanked him directly, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Qi Lei brandished his hand and pointed to Lu Jiao, ¡°It was my Mas¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao eyed him and Qi Lei quickly changed his wording, ¡°Lady Lu saved you.¡±

    Before Master Chen could speak, the Chen family heard noises and walked in, agitated.

    Seeing that Master Chen was fine, they went to hug him.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°Dad, are you fine now?¡±

    Master Chen nodded at his wife and sons before he to looked at Lu Jiao. He had a lot ofplex feelings at the moment. Honestly, towards the woman who stole her daughter¡¯s husband, he didn¡¯t like her much.

    If it weren¡¯t for her interference, Xie Yunjin would¡¯ve been his son-inw. At the time, he had already requested his daughter and Xie Yunjin to marry.

    They didn¡¯t end in marriage all because of this woman. All this time, he thought that his daughter got sick and ended died because she was depressed over Xie Yunjin marrying someone else.

    Who would¡¯ve thought that this woman would be his saviour?

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 119 - 119 Gratitude

    119 Gratitude

    Lu Jiao shook her head and informed Lady Chen and her two sons, ¡°Other than using the medication, Master Chen will need to stop eating oily, spicy, or salty food. Don¡¯t even touch pickled products. Remember to drink lots of green tea to stabilize his blood pressure.¡±

    Lady Chen nodded and promised to keep an eye on Master Chen.

    Lu Jiao asked Qi Lei toe out and headed to the east bedroom.

    ¡°I¡¯m going toe up with a prescription, you write it.¡±

    Qi Lei was so impressed with Lu Jiao right now. He was very happy to have found this Master whose medical skills far surpassed his. A patient like Master Chen would¡¯ve taken a lot longer to wake up if he was his doctor.

    Ah, no. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he would be able to wake Master Chen up.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two entered the east bedroom. Before they could get started on the prescription, Xie Yunjin anxiously asked, ¡°Lu Jiao, how did it go? Is the Master okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and shook her head, ¡°He¡¯s fine. Master Chen has taken medicine and is now awake. I¡¯m going to write him a prescription for three months. After that, he just needs to be careful about what he eats.¡±

    Xie Yunjin exhaled deeply in relief. There was much appreciation on his face as he stared at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    This future First Assistant had promised her a favor. To have traded today¡¯s event for a favor was a gain for her.

    Lu Jiao was in a great mood.

    Qi Lei found these two to be a little strange. Why were they so polite with one another? They didn¡¯t act at all like husband and wife.

    He didn¡¯t get to think too much since Lu Jiao gestured for him to write, ¡°Astragalus, 8 grams. Codonopsis, 7 grams. Rhizoma gastrodiae 7 grams. Uncaria, 5 grams. Uncaria rhynchophy, 5 grams. Cyath officinalis, 4 grams. Safflower, 3 grams.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked up to Qi Lei and checked out the prescription he wrote. After she confirmed that there were no mistakes, she headed out the door. However, the two sons from the Chen family walked in.

    When they saw Lu Jiao, they paid their respect immediately, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and handed the prescription to the young men, ¡°Use this prescription for three months ¨C one bowl in the morning, one at night. After that, just remember to keep a healthy diet.¡±

    The Chen family¡¯s second son, Chen Muwu, said in a grateful tone, ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu. If you ever run into trouble and need me, please ask for me.¡±

    The Chen family had four children, three sons, and one daughter. Their eldest, Chen Muwen, was a sessful candidate in the provincial imperial examinations. Their second son, Chen Muwu wasn¡¯t a gifted student so he conducted business in town. Their third son, Chen Mushuang was still young yet he was already a pupil.

    Their second son, Chen Muwu was simr in age to Xie Yunjin. They¡¯ve always hung out until the incident with Chen Ying. Since then, their friendship ended and Xie Muwu never visited again.

    Who knew the next time he visited was because Lu Jiao saved his father¡¯s life?

    Xie Muwu felt a lot of emotions at the moment. As he looked at the bedridden Xie Yunjin, he asked caringly, ¡°I heard you got an operation. How did it go? Are you okay now?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood lifted greatly, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    He then turned to Dr. Qi, ¡°Dr. Qi, thank you for performing surgery on mest time. I was asleepst time after the operation so I never got to thank you personally. Today, I must thank you.¡±

    Qi Lei quickly shook his head and chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. It¡¯s my mission as a doctor.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then looked to Chen Muwu, ¡°Is the Master okay?¡±

    Chen Muwu nodded, ¡°He¡¯s fine and somewhat energetic. Today, my mom was almost worried to death. Thankfully, Lady Lu saved my father, which means she also saved my mother.¡±

    The couple has been together for decades. If something were to happen to one of them, the other one likely would fall ill as well.

    Therefore, by saving Master Chen, Lu Jiao also saved Lady Chen.

    Xie Yunjin smiled at Lu Jiao. This smile of his was not at all calctive but was fully genuine and appreciative.

    ¡°Thank you for everything today.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I did what I should¡¯ve done. As a doctor, I should be saving lives.¡±

    Beside her, Qi Lei gawked at Xie Yunjin with his dark eyes. He wondered what the schr would think if he found out that it was his Master who operated on him.

    Chen Muwu and Chen Mushuang chatted a little more with Xie Yunjin before he asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Now that our dad is awake, can we get back?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t let him lie down too much. He should walk around, do light exercises, and drink some tea.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    Chen Muwu and Chen Mushuang waved at Xie Yunjin, ¡°We¡¯ll get back then. We¡¯ll visit youter.¡±

    Xie Yunjin waved back gently, ¡°Once my legs heal, I¡¯ll visit the Master and the Lady.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Now that these two families resolved their conflict, they sounded very close.

    Chen Muwu and Chen Mushuang left. Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao to walk them out.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qi Lei followed. In the west bedroom, Chen Muwu had already picked up Master Chen and was ready to leave.

    Lady Chen thanked Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you, Jiaojiao. Without you, your Master may have lost his life.¡±

    Lu Jiao quicklyforted, ¡°The Master isn¡¯t terminally ill. You just have to keep an eye on him. Ah right, don¡¯t let him drink.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve noted down everything you said. Once Yunjin heals, you muste visit.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t respond and changed the subject, ¡°Have a safe trip home.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Everyone left the Xie family home. Qi Lei whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, remember the two woks you asked me for? I got them. You cane pick them up from the shop.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s been longing for woks. Qi Lei¡¯s update made her beam, ¡°Okay, I will go into town tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao then remembered the height problem with her sons and she nced at Qi Lei.

    However, she felt a little bad for inconveniencing him with everything.

    Qi Lei noticed this right away and guessed that his Master needed more help.

    He quickly spoke up, ¡°Master, whatever you need, just let me know. He who teaches me for one day is my father for life. You¡¯ve been teaching me so much and I should repay you somehow.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped the politeness then. She¡¯ll work harder to teach him more things in the future.

    ¡°Thank you in advance then. I¡¯m looking to get a female sheep. Look at my four little ones¡­ They are malnourished because they were premature babies. They need lots of nutrition so I want to get them some milk. Cow milk is too expensive right now so if I get myself a cow just for its milk, the vigers will start rumors about me.

    So I want to get my hands on a female sheep so they can drink sheep milk. That way, they can grow taller. Our vige is rather south, therefore, sheeps are somewhat rare. Since you¡¯re from the Capital City, I¡¯m wondering if you can get your hands on a female sheep.¡±

    This really wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was honestly easier than getting a wok.

 Chapter 120 - 120 This is the Best Cake Iâ€™ve ever Eaten

    120 This is the Best Cake I¡¯ve ever Eaten

    Qi Lei agreed right away and promised, ¡°How about this, I will get you a female sheep from the prefectural city. I promise that I will get one by tomorrow. Tomorrow, when you go into town to get your woks, you can also bring back the sheep.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you can get it that quickly?¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, ¡°People from the prefectural city love to eatmb so there are lots of sheeps there. I will get you a female one that produces milk.¡±

    Lu Jiao was very excited to hear that, ¡°Great! Thank you for doing this.¡±

    Qi Lei wasn¡¯t a fan of her reaction, ¡°Master, you don¡¯t need to be so polite with me.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I won¡¯t in the future.¡±

    Satisfied, Qi Lei walked out with her. As they walked, he remembered something suddenly and asked, ¡°Master, do you think the Qinghe District is suitable to nt medicinal herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°nting medicinal herbs? Why do you want to nt medicinal herbs?¡±

    Qi Lei was embarrassed to admit, ¡°To make money.¡±

    Lu Jiao was shocked, ¡°There are so many ways to make money, why must you nt medicinal herbs to make money?¡±

    Qi Lei lowered his voice, ¡°We want to build arge-scale pharmacy, which would require plenty of medicinal herbs. If we import the herbs, our cost of goods sold would be too high. If that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t make much money. So we are thinking of producing our own herbs.¡±

    Qi Lei stopped suddenly and looked up at Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, you just said there are many ways to make money?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and several ideas popped into her head. Before, she had thought of opening arge-scale pharmacy. Since she had spiritual stream water, she could add that to her medicine, which would make them more effective. That would greatly benefit the nation.

    Who knew Qi Lei was cooking up a simr idea? Ah no, likely the owner of Baohe Tang was thinking of opening a pharmacy. She wondered if he would want to work together.

    Lu Jiao was tempted. When she heard Qi Lei¡¯s question, she nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. There are plenty of ways to make money. A pharmacy won¡¯t make you any money short-term. You need to first establish a brand for the pharmacy before you can make any money.¡±

    Qi Lei was excited, ¡°Master, you have lots of ideas to make money?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Lots of ideas.¡±

    Such as soap, vinegar, soy sauce, and clothing design¡­ after all, she came from an era where lots of information was readily avable.

    Qi Lei was so thrilled by the prospects he tried to grab her hands.

    Lu Jiao dodged his attempt. Though he was her apprentice, she needed to be careful when she was outside.

    Qi Lei was embarrassed as he retreated his hands.

    ¡°Master, if you want to start a business, would you be willing to team up with our owner? Master, you¡¯re smart enough to know that to make big money, you must have someone powerful supporting you. Without that safety, people will always keep an eye on you. In the end, you may not make any money and your family may get hurt in the meantime.¡±

    Of course, Lu Jiao was aware of that reality. The reason why she hasn¡¯t tried anything was that she had four weak and one handicapped boy at home.

    What if she teamed up with the owner of Baohe Tang?

    Lu Jiao asked Qi Lei, ¡°Is the owner reliable?¡±

    Qi Lei was about to answer when the Chen family, who was already waiting in the horse carriage, called out, ¡°Dr. Qi, it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Qi Lei had no choice but to postpone this conversation, ¡°Master,e by Baohe Tang tomorrow. We can have a chat together with the owner. Don¡¯t you worry, the owner is a very reliable person. Trust me.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Once Xie Yunjin heals fully, she will need to move out of the Xie family. She agreed to be an on-call doctor at Baohe Tang because she needed to make herself independent. In this era, it was extremely difficult to be a divorced woman. Without any power or position, others will take every chance they get to hurt her.

    Since she was already entangled with Baohe Tang, they might as well work together long-term.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Qi Lei was exhrated to have heard that ¡°alright¡±. He reminded Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, you have to show up tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She went up to the horse carriage to say bye to the Chen family again, ¡°Master, Lady Chen, once Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, he¡¯ll for sure bring the kids and visit.¡±

    ¡°Okay,e with him.¡±

    Lady Chen¡¯s gaze softlynded on Lu Jiao. Though she once hated this woman, she realized Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t fully responsible for the death of her daughter.

    By saving her Husband, Lu Jiao also saved her. The knot in her heart had untangled. Now, when she looked at this chubby girl, she felt warm.

    ¡°Youe with them.¡±

    Lu Jiao pretended to agree, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qi Lei got onto the horse carriage and they rode off.

    Nearby, Lu Jiao¡¯s neighbor, the Second Grandma, and Lady Zhao came out and asked caringly, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, how¡¯s Master Chen?¡±

    Master Chen had always been kind and generous. Many children within Qili town sent children to study under him. Therefore, Lady Zhao and the others didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to Master Chen.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°He¡¯s fine. I wrote him a prescription. If he takes that regrly and is careful with his lifestyle, he will be fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great. That¡¯s great.¡±

    The Second Grandma stared at Lu Jiao lovingly, ¡°Jiaojiao, thank god for you. You truly have saved the Xie Vige.¡±

    Lady Zhao nodded in agreement.

    Lu Jiao chatted with them a bit before she returned back to her yard. The moment she entered, she saw Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan exit the kitchen. They smiled at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Third Aunt, we¡¯ve made you lunch. Hurry and eat. We¡¯ll go home now.¡±

    Only now did Lu Jiao realize howte it was. Xie Yunjin and the four little ones haven¡¯t even eaten.

    Thankfully, Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan cooked for her. Or else they wouldn¡¯t be able to eat anytime soon.

    Lu Jiao wanted to ask the girls to stay, ¡°Why not have lunch with us today?¡±

    The two women had long escaped.

    Lu Jiao was helpless and went to the kitchen.

    Xie Xiaojun and Lin Chunyan cooked them white rice and two dishes ¨C steamed eggs with green onion and fungus vegetable stir fry.

    As Lu Jiao scooped the rice, she thought over her conversation with Qi Lei. She was ecstatic. On top of that, she was getting two woks and a sheep. This put her in an even better mood.

    Outside the kitchen, the four little ones skipped their way inside. The First Born was holding onto a piece of osmanthus cake. This was a gift from Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates. Other than the one she gave the Lu family, Lu Jiao had stored the rest in her space. Every day, she would take out a few pieces to give the four little ones as a snack. Today, only a small piece was left.

    ¡°Mommy, you must be hungry. Have this.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect the four little ones to offer her cake.

    She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You guys eat.¡±

    Sadly, the First Born was persistent.

    The other three were also determined as they stared at her, ¡°Mommy if you don¡¯t eat this, we are not going to let you go.¡±

    ¡°You must be hungry from treating patients.¡±

    The Fourth Born hogged onto Lu Jiao¡¯s legs and behaved in a spoiled manner, ¡°Mommy, eat it. We¡¯ll only be happy if you eat it.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart felt extremely sweetened by this. She truly wanted to pack these four little ones to go once it was her time to leave.

    However, she could only dream.

    She felt a little sad but she didn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s eat together.¡±

    She took over the piece of osmanthus cake and bit into it. She eximed, ¡°This is the best cake I¡¯ve ever eaten, all because my sons saved it specifically for me. It¡¯s tastier than everything else I¡¯ve ever eaten.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ faces lit up brighter than the Sun.

 Chapter 121 - 121 How Amazing

    121 How Amazing

    The Fourth Born looked up to Lu Jiao and gestured, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m going to make this much money in the future. I will buy you yummy food every day. I will also buy you pretty clothes. I want mommy to be happy every day.¡±

    The kid was so thrilled he was practically dancing.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but stretch upwards as well. He patted the Fourth Born¡¯s head, ¡°Okay, I will wait for that day.¡±

    She then divided up the cake a little and held it out for her kids, ¡°You guys eat some too. After you are done, we will have lunch. This afternoon, the children from the vige will be here. You guys will need to teach them the ¡®Three Character ssic.¡¯¡±

    The four little ones were excited to teach the others. The idea of them bing little teachers delighted them.

    The children and Lu Jiao finished the cake.

    Lu Jiao scooped out the food and brought everything to the living room. She asked the four little ones to eat first while she took some to feed Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin however, told her to eat first.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been so busy. You should eat first.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The kids gave me some cake just now. Let me feed you first.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to argue but Lu Jiao ignored him and started to feed him.

    Xie Yunjin straightened up a little, ¡°Lu Jiao, my legs don¡¯t hurt as much anymore. Do you think I can sit up more? If I can, I can eat by myself.¡±

    Other than his legs, Xie Yunjin¡¯s concussion and internal injuries improved drastically. Even his broken ribs were no longer painful.

    Lu Jiao decided sitting upright should be okay as long as he was careful.

    ¡°Then I will help you sit up. Don¡¯t move your legs.¡±

    Lu Jiao helped him up and put the food in front of him.

    ¡°Are you okay to eat by yourself?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You go eat too.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was very rxed and there was joy in his eyes. His handsome face was like smooth jade, exuding elegance and warmth.

    These days, the eeriness around him dissipated and he was much milder.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but stare at him a little. She silently hoped that this guy would not end up as the viin.

    She turned around to go eat. Xie Yunjin stopped him, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked back at him. Xie Yunjin sincerely said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°Why are you being so polite? Hurry and eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin lifted an eyebrow. Lu Jiao appeared to have lost weight again. Though she was still chubby, she gave away moments of dazzlingness. Her straight teeth and kind smile were like a flower blossoming in the spring.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood lifted even more as he started to eat.

    He originally thought he had trapped himself in quicksand and was slowly sinking into hell. Who knew his future now looked bright again all thanks to this woman?

    No longer able to contain his happiness, Xie Yunjin beamed.

    Outside his room, Lu Jiao¡¯s voice asionally drifted over. Her voice was pleasant, affectionate, and sweet to the ear like a waterfall in the mountains.

    ¡°This afternoon, you¡¯ll be teaching other children the ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯. You four take turns teaching. Be friendly to the kids, don¡¯t be mean. Most children here have never learned how to read, so you must be patient.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, we know.¡±

    The four little ones were exceptionally excited today. Lu Jiao nodded with a grin and continued, ¡°After we eat, I will make you a toy. You can y with the other childrenter.¡±

    A toy! The four little ones were ted. They looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, what toy are you making us?¡±

    ¡°A skateboard.¡±

    There was a reason why Lu Jiao chose skateboards. Children should exercise. Once they exercise, they will eat more. Once they eat more, they will grow fatter and taller.

    The four little ones had no idea what a skateboard was but that didn¡¯t stop them from being excited.

    ¡°Mommy, can we make that as soon as we are done eating?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will make it for you once I¡¯m done.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips curled as she watched the kids. Now that Xie Yunjin had surgery and only needed to rest, she will focus her energy on fattening up the four little ones. She was going to make sure they establish good habits.

    She decided that starting tomorrow, she will create a schedule for the children. Once she leaves, they can continue to follow that schedule.

    The four children and their mom excitedly discussed skateboarding. Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but smile at the rowdiness. The aura emitted out of him grew warmer and gentler.

    After lunch, Lu Jiao cleaned up the dishes. Then went back to the east bedroom to clean up.

    The four little ones followed her around like baby chicks and circled her.

    Once they entered the room, they announced to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, mommy is going to make a new toy.¡±

    ¡°A skateboard.¡±

    ¡°We are going to make it with mommy.¡±

    ¡°Mommy said a skateboard is one board and two wheels. The person can stand on top and roll around.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew right away what kind of toy it was based on the Fourth Born¡¯s description. He was a little worried, however, ¡°Is skateboarding dangerous?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m going to make the wheels with wood. It won¡¯t be too dangerous.¡±

    The roads were mostly made out of mud. If it was concrete, it would be more dangerous.

    Xie Yunjin stopped worrying, ¡°Still be careful.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, we know. We will be.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin watched them leave. The way Lu Jiao carefully and tenderly took care of the children created a sense of affection in Xie Yunjin. How did the four little ones get so lucky to have gotten Lu Jiao as a mother?

    He¡¯s never met a mother as kind as her. When he was young, he was often jealous of those kids who had caring moms. Sadly, his mother wasn¡¯t like that.

    Because hecked maternal love as a child, he grew up rather cold. And because he was cold, his parents liked him even less.

    Only once Master Chen saw his talent and admitted him as his pupil, did his parents start to treat him better. Sadly, the only reason they did that was because of his ability to fulfill their pride.

    Once again, Xie Yunjin felt some negative energy engulf him. However, it dissipated quickly. His old life was so far away from him now, why bother thinking about those unhappy days?

    Outside the room, Lu Jiao started to make skateboards. Her method of construction was extremely easy. She made two wooden wheels and stabilized them on the board. She then asked the children to try sliding while on top.

    ¡°Remember, keep your body bnced.¡±

    The four little ones had never yed with this so they were a little afraid.

    The Second Born bravely volunteered to try first.

    The Second Born fell twice. By the third time, he managed to stand on top and moved forward a little.

    The other three watched him in awe.

    This skateboard was amazing. People who stood on top could fly.

    The Third and Fourth Born started to scream excitedly ¨C they wanted to try.

    Lu Jiao then made two more. Now they had three skateboards to share amongst the four of them.

    The Third and Fourth Born quickly learned how to y. Only the First Born couldn¡¯t figure it out and continued to fall.

    Stubborn, the little guy was determined to win against the skateboard. Every time he fell, he refused to cry. He would stand back up and hop on again to try.

    Later, the Second Born came over to teach him how to maintain his posture, keep his bnce, and roll forward.

    Lu Jiao watched the four little ones happily. After a while, the other children from the Xie Vige all arrived.

    They watched with jealousy as the four little ones skateboarded inside the yard.

 Chapter 122 - 122 Giving the Wrongdoer an Opportunity

    122 Giving the Wrongdoer an Opportunity

    Gousheng from the Third Grandma¡¯s house ran over to the First Born, ¡°First Born, when you took a puppy from mest time, you promised to make me whatever new toy you get.¡±

    The First Born turned to Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao agreed.

    ¡°Okay, I will make you one. Everyone else shares these three.¡±

    Children¡¯sughter soon filled the yard.

    !!

    Though the four little ones weren¡¯t too excited about sharing their new toy, everyone else¡¯s happyughter was infectious. They started to teach the others how to skateboard.

    Gousheng stayed with Lu Jiao and watched her make the skateboard. At times, he would happily announce, ¡°This is mine! This is mine!¡±

    Outside the trellis, the parents who came to drop off their kids to study allughed at how excited the kids were.

    They were more than willing to have their children y with Yunjin¡¯s children.

    Yunjin was a schr, someone who will pass the national imperial exam and be an honorable official. As for Lu Jiao, she was a miracle doctor.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin¡¯s children were well educated and if their own children yed with the quadruplets, they may all end up smart and cute.

    Some vigers greeted Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, thank you for this.¡±

    ¡°If my son misbehaves, tell me and I will beat him up.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved at them, indicating that it was no big deal.

    The vigers left little by little while Lu Jiao made Gousheng his skateboard.

    Outside the trellis, an adult and a child arrived.

    They walked right up to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice until Gousheng started to shout, which startled her.

    ¡°You are a bad person! This is my skateboard! Don¡¯t you try to steal my skateboard!¡±

    Luo Wangcai was not popr amongst the kids because every kid¡¯s parents would warn their children to stay away from that guy. That guy was a thief and a bad man, so children should walk away when they see him.

    This was why Gousheng started to shout the moment he saw Luo Wangsheng. He was worried that this guy would steal the skateboard.

    His skinny fragile silhouette stepped before Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao red at Gousheng and raised an eyebrow. Gousheng was so small and skinny he would have copsed onto the ground within a second if an adult truly wanted to steal his toy.

    Lu Jiao ignored Gousheng and looked up at Luo Wangcai and the young girl beside him.

    Lu Jiao recognized the little girl. She was Shen Xiu¡¯s daughter, Su Xiaoya.

    Why did Luo Wangcai bring Su Xiaoya over here today? Was he going to interrogate Lu Jiao about Shen Xiu¡¯s whereabouts?

    Lu Jiao faked a smile at Luo Wangcai, which made him silently shudder.

    He then looked at his Su Xiaoya. Ah, no, he had changed her name. She was now Luo Wangcai¡¯s daughter, Luo Xiaocao.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, can you also take in my Xiaocao for today¡¯s lesson?¡±

    Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes. Luo Wangcai pulled Luo Xiaocao closer, ¡°She is my daughter, Luo Xiaocao.¡±

    Lu Jiao was surprised. Based on the way Luo Wangcai treated Luo Xiaocao, he seemed to care about her quite a bit. He even changed her name and brought her here today to study under Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s first instinct was that Luo Wangcai was pulling another scam. However, when she looked at the little Luo Xiaocao, she realized she was overthinking it.

    Luo Xiaocao was younger than her quadruplets. Her gaze was still hazy and confused. She understood nothing.

    So Luo Wangcai indeed was here because he wanted Luo Xiaocao to learn how to read?

    ¡°You think I would let you leave Luo Xiaocao here?¡±

    Not only did this man try to seduce her once, but Luo Xiaocao¡¯s mom had also done terrible things to her. She didn¡¯t want anything to do with that family. Who knew whether or not Shen Xiu¡¯s daughter had learned a thing or two already from her mother?

    Luo Wangcai¡¯s face dimmed.

    Lu Jiao could tell he was sad. Luo Wangcai however, didn¡¯t trouble her further and took Luo Xiaocao¡¯s hand and walked away.

    Behind them, Lu Jiao watched the tall one and the short one leave. A thought appeared in her head. Was it true that after making a mistake, people have no way of changing for the better? Was there value in giving opportunities to those who regretted their past decisions?

    Lu Jiao called out, ¡°Luo Wangcai.¡±

    Luo Wangcai stopped and turned to look at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao asked, ¡°You want to raise Luo Xiaocao, do you have the financial means to do it?¡±

    She remembered that Luo Wangcai had an elderly mother, who he was already having trouble taking care of. Now, he has Luo Xiaocao. Did he have the ability to keep both of them alive?

    Luo Wangcai had a serious expression on his face, ¡°I will do everything in my power to raise her.¡±

    He turned back to leave. Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Luo Wangcai, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s no way for Luo Xiaocai to stay and learn.¡±

    Luo Wangcai¡¯s eyes brightened and his energy returned. With Luo Xiaocao¡¯s hand in his, they walked back.

    ¡°Tell me, what do you need me to do? I will do whatever I need to do if Xiaocao gets to learn under Yunjin.¡±

    Lu Jiao was confused, ¡°Why must Luo Xiaocao learn how to read?¡±

    Luo Wangcai smiled, ¡°Reading can make someone smart. I want Xiaocao to grow up to be an intelligent woman.¡±

    Not stupid like her mother.

    Lu Jiao nodded slightly, ¡°If you agree to two of my conditions, I¡¯ll let Xiaocao stay.¡±

    ¡°Speak of them.¡±

    ¡°First of all, you need to stop stealing. Second of all, you need to put all your energy into educating Luo Xiaocao and make sure she doesn¡¯t grow up like her mom.¡±

    Luo Wangcai agreed right away, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t be a scumbag like I was before. I will learn how to hunt from Uncle Xiao, so I can make money for Xiaocao and my mother.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°You better remember what you are saying. If your old problemse back, I may just beat you.¡±

    Luo Wangcai shuddered. However, he also sighed in relief.

    As long as Xiaocao could stay and learn, he will happily ept any beatings.

    Lu Jiao scanned the adult and the kid. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy for Luo Wangcai to raise a child and take care of his old mother. The Luo family had nond and needed to hunt to make a living. It was hard to make enough cash for three people to live off of.

    Xu Duojin was a capable hunter and often got prey. Even for him, taking care of the family gets hard.

    Since he had the right attitude, Lu Jiao decided to help him out.

    ¡°Wait for me here.¡±

    Lu Jiao went to the kitchen, took out some medicinal herb samples then walked back out to give them to Luo Wangcai.

    ¡°Here are some herbs, take them and study them. You can harvest these when you are up in the mountains and sell them to Baohe Tang. If you manage to make money, save it. Try to save enough to buy somend. That way, you¡¯ll be able to take care of your mother and Xiaocao.¡±

 Chapter 123 - 123 He Seems to be Altruistic

    123 He Seems to be Altruistic

    Luo Wangcai didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to help him out this much. Tears filled his eyes and this grown man started to cry.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, even after all my schemes, you still treat me so well. You¡¯re such a good person.¡±

    When Luo Wangcai started to cry, Luo Xiaocao also began to cry.

    This startled the other kids in the yard and they looked over in horror.

    The four little ones dashed over and formed a wall before Lu Jiao.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my mommy!¡±

    ¡°We are going to protect our mommy!¡±

    The Fourth Born fiercely frowned at Luo Wangcai and Luo Xiaocao, like a ferocious baby wolf.

    Lu Jiao quickly patted each of their heads, ¡°Enough, they aren¡¯t hurting me. Luo Xiaocao simply wants to learn from you all.¡±

    The quadruplets nced at Luo Xiaocao. Once they recognized her to be Shen Xiu¡¯s daughter, they refused to teach her.

    Because they remembered the time her mother tried to be their dad¡¯s concubine. No way! They had no ns of teaching an evil woman¡¯s kids.

    ¡°Mommy, we don¡¯t want to teach her.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, her mother wanted to be daddy¡¯s other wife. She even wanted babies with daddy. I don¡¯t want to teach her.¡±

    Luo Wangcai blushed immediately ¨C ashamed.

    Beside her, Luo Xiaocao hid behind Luo Wangcai out of fear.

    Lu Jiao pulled on the children¡¯s hand and started to lecture, ¡°Babies, you cannot decide she is a bad person just because her mother isn¡¯t a good person. Bad parents can have good children. Simrly, good parents can have bad children. Her mother may not be the nicest, but that doesn¡¯t mean she isn¡¯t nice. Why don¡¯t you give her a chance and judge for yourselves whether or not she is nice? If she isn¡¯t, then you don¡¯t have to teach her.¡±

    The four little ones deeply pondered Lu Jiao¡¯s words. In the end, they understood the logic.

    The First Born, in an all-serious manner, said to the other three, ¡°Mommy is right. For example, our grandparents are bad, but our daddy and mommy are good kids.¡±

    The other three thought about it and nodded in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    At once, the quadruplets dropped their defensiveness against Luo Xiaocao. Lu Jiao said to Luo Wangcai, ¡°Okay, let Luo Xiaocao stay and learn from the quadruplets.¡±

    Luo Wangcai, with tears in his eyes, looked at Luo Xiaocao, ¡°Xiaocao, stay here and learn from your older brothers. I wille and pick you upter.¡±

    The pile of boys here made Luo Xiaocao anxious. She pulled on Luo Wangcai¡¯s clothes.

    Luo Wangcai bent down tofort her. Though when he saw how terrified she was, it made him want to bring her home.

    But he knew how good of an opportunity this was. Given his current situation, he couldn¡¯t send Luo Xiaocao to a private school. Plus, private schools didn¡¯t ept girls. This was Xiaocao¡¯s one chance.

    ¡°Xiaocao, be good. I will give you candy after.¡±

    The mention of candy made Luo Xiaocao let go of her dad¡¯s clothes. Luo Wangcai said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    He then turned around and left. Behind him, Luo Xiaocao started to wail. The boys in the yard all exchanged nces and mumbled.

    ¡°Women are so troublesome. They cry so much.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just like her mom. Her mom cried a lot too.¡±

    Lu Jiao coughed and looked at the dozen or so children, ¡°As boys, you need to be polite. You cannot talk about girls like this.¡±

    She then ordered the quadruplets, ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve had enough fun now. Take your friends to the living room and start teaching them the ¡®Three Character ssic.¡¯¡±

    The quadruplets opened up their chests and answered strongly, ¡°Yes, mommy.¡±

    The children took their little stools and squeezed into the Xie family¡¯s living room. The room filled up quickly. Out of the quadruplets, the First Born was the first to go up and start teaching.

    ¡°People at birth are naturally good. Their natures are simr, but their habits be different¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao poured Xie Yunjin a bowl of sugared water and brought it to the east bedroom.

    ¡°Are they disturbing you? I can ask them to study outside.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. He grew up in this kind of atmosphere and the sound of children reading brought him peace.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to this.¡±

    Lu Jiao gave him the water, ¡°Have some.¡±

    Xie Yunjin drank all of it before he spoke again, ¡°I promised to teach you ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯ but I haven¡¯t had the time. Let¡¯s fit that into the schedule. Now that my legs don¡¯t hurt anymore, I can teach you how to read.¡±

    Lu Jiao originally wanted the quadruplets to teach her. Since Xie Yunjin offered, she didn¡¯t decline. With a smile, she nodded. However, she had nned to go into town tomorrow so she informed him, ¡°I need to go into town tomorrow morning.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked caringly, ¡°Are you going in to buy things?¡±

    ¡°Other than buying things, I¡¯m going to pick up the woks from Baohe Tang. I asked Dr. Qi to get me some steel woks, which he managed to get from the prefectural city. Earlier when he brought in Master Chen. he told me I could pick them up tomorrow. Also, I asked him to get me a sheep.

    Look at the four little ones, they¡¯re so frail, small, and short. Most of the boys their age are taller.

    They were born premature and have been malnourished their whole life, which is why they are shorter than other kids. We need to be mindful of this. Or else they¡¯ll always be shorter than others.¡±

    Lu Jiao then looked toward Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin may be bedridden, but he wasn¡¯t short. She estimated him to be around 175 cm. In this day and age, that was considered tall.

    Xie Yunjin noticed her peeking and subconsciously straightened his legs. When he caught himself doing so, he silently mocked his own actions.

    However, something felt wrong about Lu Jiao asking Dr. Qi for help over and over again.

    Xie Yunjin meaningfully looked up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Dr. Qi seems to be rather altruistic towards you. Are you sure he is that nice of a person?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s because I promised him something.¡±

    Tension filled Xie Yunjin¡¯s body as coldness emerged, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Last time, she agreed to help Baohe Tang treat seriously ill patients, what did she agree to this time?

    Lu Jiao giggled, ¡°In the future, whenever there is a rare medical case, I agreed to investigate and research with him.¡±

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t in out reveal that she had taken him in as an apprentice, she did leak some information.

    Xie Yunjin was not happy to hear this. He stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°No wonder Dr. Qi is so nice to you.¡±

    Suddenly, he had an outrageous thought, ¡°Could it be that Dr. Qi only agreed to do my surgery given those conditions?¡±

    If that were the case, he would be even more indebted to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao thought about it. It was true that she agreed to take Qi Lei as an apprentice during that time.

    She didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to be so sensitive and realize this. She had no ns on telling him the truth.

    This was her own business,pletely independent from him. All she wanted was a peaceful and clean separation. She wanted to avoid drama at all costs.

 Chapter 124 - 124 Wheelchair and Toys

    124 Wheelchair and Toys

    Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°We did discuss it during that time, but it¡¯s not connected to your surgery.¡±

    Xie Yunjin murmured, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get involved with him¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s very normal for doctors to discuss patient cases. This helps all of us to improve.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was silent. He knew Lu Jiao spoke reasonably, but for some reason, he just detested the idea of her and Qi Lei getting close. The bottom line was, this put him in a bad mood.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to stay on this topic and brought up something new, ¡°Tomorrow, I want to start a schedule for the four little ones ¨C mainly to get them to exercise.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was intrigued.

    ¡°Tell me more.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°The four little ones need to exercise more, eat more, and drink more milk. That way, they¡¯ll get stronger. I n on making four mud bags and having them do some boxing first thing in the morning. That way, they¡¯ll get hungrier for breakfast.

    After breakfast, they can teach the children ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯. After that, they can y. I will think of more toys I can make that are beneficial for them. It should be lunchtime after that.

    After lunch, they can take the dogs out for a walk and digest. Then, they take a nap, have some snacks, and continue to teach the children ¡®Three Character ssic¡¯. After that¡¯s done, I¡¯ll take them to climb the mountains.¡±

    This exnation made Xie Yunjin realize that her entire n was to benefit the four little ones. Mainly, she wanted them to exercise more, get hungrier, then stronger. Secondly, she wanted to teach the children life skills and have them use their brains more.

    Xie Yunjin was now mostly certain that this woman was fully focused on taking care of the four little ones. Though they weren¡¯t her sons, she was doing just as much as a biological mother would. She deserved to be the mother of the four little ones.

    Xie Yunjin smiled and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful.¡±

    Just then, he felt some bitterness. She was so thoughtful about the children but didn¡¯t seem to have thought of him at all.

    Xie Yunjin somehow managed to ask out loud, ¡°Did youe up with a n for me?¡±

    Lu Jiao was startled and thought that she heard him wrong.

    Xie Yunjin also jolted awake. What was he asking? The startled look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face, however, made himugh. He teased, ¡°Since you have such a thorough schedule for the four little ones, why not make me a schedule as well?¡±

    Lu Jiao got an idea right away, ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not good for you to lie in bed all day. I can think of something that will allow you to move around.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was originally just teasing her, but her answer made him very interested.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°A wheelchair.¡±

    She gestured around with her hands, ¡°The stitches cane out of your legs in a week or so. After another 10 days, you should be able to do some light exercises that don¡¯t involve the legs.¡±

    She then excitedly went to the desk and drew out a design for a wheelchair.

    Though she didn¡¯t know how to write, she was good at drawing. Very quickly, she nned out a simple wheelchair made fully out of wood.

    She brought the design to Xie Yunjin and exined, ¡°See, this is a wheelchair. You sit on top and move around using the wheels. You can go wherever you want without applying any pressure to your legs.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was in shock as he stared at Lu Jiao¡¯s design. He took a corner of the paper.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice and the two of them stared at the design with their heads right next to each other.

    Xie Yunjin was the first to notice the short distance between them. For a second there, he didn¡¯t want to pull away. He could even smell the sweetness on her body, which calmed and rxed him as if he was bathing in a warm stream.

    Originally, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t enjoy being too close to others, especially women. He¡¯s always mindlessly kept his distance.

    The reason why he didn¡¯t detest Lu Jiao right now likely was that he was used to her taking care of him these past weeks.

    As Xie Yunjin thought about it, he peeked at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao beamed with her eyes and asked, ¡°What do you think? If you think it¡¯s good, I will go find Uncle Youcai and ask him to make you one.¡±

    This wheelchair wasn¡¯tplicated to make. Any ordinary craftsman should be able to make one. Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried.

    Of course, Xie Yunjin agreed with her, ¡°Sure. Find Uncle Youcai and ask him to make me one.¡±

    He¡¯s felt so useless lying in bed all this time. If he could sit in a wheelchair and go outside, he would feel much better. After all, the wheelchair would allow him to do so many more things.

    Lu Jiao happily folded up the design. She wasn¡¯t in a rush to get this made. After all, it will take some more time until Xie Yunjin can use the wheelchair.

    She wanted to make more toys for the four little ones first.

    By afternoon, Lu Jiao had made many new toys for the four little ones.

    A wooden slingshot, a spinning top, jigsaw puzzles, a bamboo water gun, and a wooden sword.

    At night, the four little ones were astounded to see the toys Lu Jiao made.

    ¡°Mommy, you made all of these for us?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Thrilled, the four little ones studied the toys, then looked up to their mommy. She was like the stars ¨C she shone brighter than the constetions.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re the best. You¡¯re better than all the other mommies.¡±

    The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao and kissed her.

    The Second and Third Born of course came over and did the same.

    Even the First Born didn¡¯t hesitate. He too went up to her and kissed her.

    Satisfied, Lu Jiao started to exin the toys to them.

    ¡°This is a slingshot. You can put rocks here and hit birds with it. You cannot hit people using this ¨C it would hurt the other person.¡±

    The Second Born snatched the slingshot over, ¡°What about those who bully us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an exception. But don¡¯t aim for their head or eyes. You can hit their butt or legs.¡±

    The Second Bornughed, ¡°Got it, mommy.¡±

    The First Born took interest in the jigsaw puzzles, ¡°Mommy, this is¡­?¡±

    ¡°This is a jigsaw puzzle. I drew a picture, then cut it into different-shaped pieces. You can look at my original picture, shuffle the pieces, then rearrange them until you get the original picture back.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s eyes lit up. This was his favorite, ¡°Mommy, I love this one.¡±

    The Third Born took the bamboo water gun, ¡°Mommy, what is this?¡±

    ¡°This is a bamboo water gun. You can fill it with water, then press that button to shoot out water.¡±

    The Third Born nodded excitedly, ¡°This is great.¡±

    The Fourth Born shoved the remaining toys into his mom¡¯s hands, ¡°Mommy, how do you y with these?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at the spinning top, ¡°Use a rope to hit it, then it should spin. You canpete against your brothers and see which one of you can make it spin the longest. This other one is a wooden sword. We can use it to spar.¡±

    The four little ones burst into the east bedroom to show off their new toys to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, look, mommy made us so many new toys.¡±

    ¡°Mommy is so great. Not only did she make us a bamboo copter and a skateboard, but she also made us these new fun toys!¡±

 Chapter 125 - 125 Scheming Lady Ruan

    125 Scheming Lady Ruan

    Xie Yunjin saw how excited the four little ones were and his gaze softened. He never imagined he¡¯d witness such a scene in this lifetime.

    He¡¯s always worried about the four little ones, thinking that they suffered from trauma during their childhood. These days, they¡¯ve gotten extroverted, lively, and cute. If they continue to grow up this happily, they will be warm and pleasant adults.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gazended on Lu Jiao. This woman¡¯s slightly chubby face was getting more and more dimensional. The collected and confident demeanor that appeared while she smiled reflected light onto his heart.

    The children she educates will for sure grow up proper, bright, and intelligent.

    At that moment, Xie Yunjin had thoughts of grasping Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked at how overly excited the four children were and chuckled, ¡°Okay,e out now and have your bath. Let your daddy rest. Your daddy needs lots of sleep.¡±

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°Then, daddy, rest well. We¡¯ll go take a bath.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded. Just as Lu Jiao gathered the kids, Xie Erzhu arrived, ¡°Third sister-inw.¡±

    ¡°Second brother.¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded. He wasn¡¯t as scared of this woman as before. Though she¡¯s proven herself to be tough and sometimes overbearing, Xie Erzhu realized that she was a good person and she never acted unreasonably.

    Xie Erzhu entered the room and Lu Jiao tried to lead the children to the yard.

    However, the children were far too thrilled and refused to stop ying with their toys.

    Lu Jiao let them be. She went to the kitchen and boiled a giant pot of water.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste now. y tomorrow.¡±

    The four little ones were exceptionally obedient these days. Their respect towards their mother was bone deep.

    Lu Jiao bathed the four little ones, changed them into pajamas, and brought them to the west bedroom for story time.

    When the mother and children got to the living room, they heard Xie Erzhu speak.

    ¡°Third brother, I noticed mother and first sister-inw are being sketchy. I think they might be plotting something against you. You should be careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s crisp voice followed, ¡°Thanks Second Brother, I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for the children to go wait in the west bedroom. She paid the east bedroom a visit.

    The four little ones went to wait in bed. Lu Jiao went to ask Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second Brother, what do mother and first sister-inw want?¡±

    Xie Erzhu shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I heard them mention third brother. They were whispering so I didn¡¯t hear it well.¡±

    Lu Jiao frowned in exasperation. She was truly sick and tired of having Lady Ruan as her mother-inw. Not only did she highly overestimate herself, but she was also as stupid as a brick.

    Instead of fixing her rtionship with her son, she continued to make decisions that worsened things. Did she really believe her son hasn¡¯t changed? The way she brought up trouble every day will only force more distance between her son and her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t really care about that ¨C she simply wanted three peaceful months. Just what could she do to make Lady Ruan quiet down? If she schemed against Lady Ruan, would Xie Yunjin get mad at her?

    Lu Jiao shot Xie Yunjin aplex look.

    Xie Yunjin knew right away what Lu Jiao was thinking. That woman had some tricks up her sleeves and she was honestly very kind at heart. This made it impossible for her to hide her emotions. Any smart and observant person would notice what she was thinking.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but think that if she left his side, she may fall for others¡¯ traps. Therefore, to repay her for raising his boys, he should keep her by his side.

    Xie Yunjin noticed the cold atmosphere and quickly said, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m overthinking it. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Second Brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao grabbed a handful of candy and gave them to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Take these and give them to Daya and Erya.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t decline. By now, he was aware of Lu Jiao¡¯s personality. If she wanted you to have something, she truly meant it. If she didn¡¯t want you to have something, there was no way you could get it. There was no need for him to be overly polite with her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu had already helped Xie Yunjin use the washroom so he got up and left. Seeing howte it was, Lu Jiao urged, ¡°Try to sleep early.¡±

    She turned to leave, but Xie Yunjin stopped her.

    ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head in time for Xie Yunjin to say, ¡°Come closer, I want to tell you something.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked up to him, ¡°Yes?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up at her. Under the dim light, his eyes were as dark as ink and as quiet as a pond.

    Lu Jiao was a little stunned at the sight. They all say beauties look exceptionally pretty under candlelight. Xie Yunjin was already as handsome as a painting; the glowing warm light only exaggerated his handsomeness and softened his hard edges.

    Xie Yunjin caught Lu Jiao staring. Not only was he not annoyed, but he was also happy.

    He didn¡¯t notice how abnormal it was for him to feel this way and opened his mouth, ¡°You don¡¯t want my mother to plot against us anymore, do you?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded furiously, ¡°I want my days to be peaceful.¡±

    She just wanted to take care of the four little ones and him.

    Xie Yunjin understood and whispered back, ¡°I have an idea. Let me teach you what you can do.¡±

    Lu Jiao subconsciously inched in closer. Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up as he continued in a low voice, ¡°Do you know the widow, Wang Cuihua?¡±

    Lu Jiao searched her memories. There truly was that widow in this vige. She was rather young ¨C only 27 or 28.

    Widow Wang married into the Xie family with the purpose of saving a sick man¡¯s life by giving him a wedding to counteract bad luck. However, the night she married, the man died.

    The vigers spread the gossip that she brought misfortune with her. Despite those rumors, many men in the vige had rtions with her.

    This woman lived right next to Aunt Guihua. Lu Jiao heard that Aunt Guihua was terrified that Widow Wang would seduce her husband so she kept her eyes on her man like a hawk.

    ¡°I know her. She¡¯s Aunt Guihua¡¯s neighbor.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°If that woman bes a part of the Xie family, do you think my mother would still have the energy to spend time with us?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in horror, ¡°You want your dad to marry Widow Wang?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was speechless, ¡°You want a widow to go above me and be my mother?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by this then?¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking.

    Xie Yunjin lightly nced at her. This woman was just as he expected her to be ¨C capable but not calctive. Therefore, it was probably better for him to keep her by his side so he could take care of her.

    ¡°That widow¡¯s been trying to find a family to marry into for a long time now. If she ends up in my family, she would be a happier concubine here than being a wife elsewhere. If she knew that would be the case, would she think twice?¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. So he was scheming against his mother? If that young Widow Wang got into the Xie family, his mother would go delirious. However, it was true that if that were to happen, his mother wouldn¡¯t have the time to cause any more trouble.

 Chapter 126 - 126 Those Women could Hang out Together

    126 Those Women could Hang out Together

    Lu Jiao thought it over and became excited. To be able to see Lady Ruan get clobbered thrilled her.

    She was a little worried, ¡°What if Widow Wang manages to make your father leave your mother? Then she¡¯ll be the wife and you¡¯ll have a widow as a mother. That woman can give you a hard time if she bes the mother of the family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin snickered in a frigid tone.

    ¡°You really think I¡¯ll let her do whatever she wants? If she wants to enter my family, she must sign to waive her rights.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart thumped. This man was rather harsh. Though she hasn¡¯t spent a lot of time with Xie Yunjin, she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn¡¯t hurt the harmless. Did this Widow Wang wrong him in the past?

    ¡°Did Widow Wang wrong you?¡±

    The air around Xie Yunjin intensified. Annoyed, he red at Lu Jiao, ¡°It¡¯ste. Why don¡¯t you go read the children your nighttime story.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and turned to leave. By the time she got to the door, something clicked in her brain and she asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Did Widow Wang try to seduce you before?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face darkened as he stared at her and gritted through his teeth, ¡°Lu Jiao, just what is going on inside your head every day?¡±

    Lu Jiao tried to run away, fast. However, Xie Yunjin stopped her. Subconsciously, he didn¡¯t want her to misunderstand.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Lu Jiao stood still and awkwardly chuckled, ¡°I was just joking.¡±

    Xie Yunjin exined almost angrily, ¡°Widow Wang ordered her niece to seduce me. I found out. Since that failed, she tried to seduce my father. I found that out too and warned my father to keep his distance. That¡¯s the only reason she failedst time.¡±

    Since he was now tired of his mother, he was okay with that woman getting into his family.

    Nobody in that family was a nice person. Other than his mother, there was his eldest sister-inw, and his soon-to-be fourth sister-inw¡­ all of them were hard to deal with. All those women could just hang out together.

    Xie Yunjin closed his eyes to rest.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even know what to say. Everything that happened was like a dramatic theater show.

    Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom to tell her bedtime story. She then ordered them to sleep. The Third and Fourth Borns obediently went to apany their father.

    The next day, after the family ate breakfast, and Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin medicine, she gathered the four little ones and announced her ns for them.

    Not only were the four little ones not annoyed, but they were also even excited. Their mother had made them four mud bags that morning and hung them on the trees. The four children were excited to throw punches this morning.

    Now, they had fun toys, yummy food, materials to learn, and books to teach.

    Everything was wonderful.

    ¡°Mommy, we got it. We will do as you nned.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°I will have to go into town to pick up my woks and bring home a sheep. I will get milk from the sheep for you to drink.¡±

    The four little ones wanted to go with her, ¡°Mommy, we want to go.¡±

    Lu Jiao said no. She had a lot of things to buy today, ¡°Once your father heals, we can all go together. I can¡¯t bring all of you today because I have lots of things to carry today. You can, however, tell me what you want to eat. I will buy it for you.¡±

    The Second Born shouted immediately, ¡°Mommy, I want those peaches you gotst time.¡±

    The Third Born, ¡°I want grapes.¡±

    The Fourth Born grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s arm, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want anything. I want you toe home early.¡±

    The First Born stared at Lu Jiao seriously, ¡°Mommy, I will take care of them for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao patted his head, ¡°I know. You¡¯re the best kid.¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all yelled, ¡°Mommy! What about me?! What about me?!¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°You¡¯re all great kids.¡±

    While they chatted, the vige children started to arrive one by one. Lu Jiao cautioned the four little ones, ¡°Be patient. The others have never learned how to read and may be slow. Don¡¯t get moody.¡±

    The four little ones were extremely intelligent and learned new words fast. They also had good memorization skills and could easily memorize whatever they read.

    The other vige kids may not have as good of a memory. This was why Lu Jiao was worried.

    The four little ones promised they would take teaching seriously.

    Lu Jiao made sure everyone wasfortable before she got her basket and left for town.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t make a scene this time because the other kids had found their new toys and formed a circle around them. The four little ones started to proudly show off their toys and forgot all about Lu Jiao.

    The Vige Leader¡¯s ox-cart was going into town anyway today. By the time Lu Jiao arrived, several people were already inside.

    There was Lady Zhang, the Vige Leader¡¯s wife; Lady Jiang, the n Leader¡¯s daughter-inw; Aunt Guihua; Zhang Chunhua, Xu Duojin¡¯s wife; and a pale-skinned, long-faced young woman.

    Lu Jiao recognized her right away. That was the Widow Wang Xie Yunjin brought up.

    Since Widow Wang had once seduced Xie Laogen, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but study her a little. She was a good-looking woman and she was young. It wasn¡¯t impossible for her to marry a nice and proper man.

    There was now in the Zhou Dynasty that banned women from remarrying. So if this woman could find a nice man to marry, she could easily live afortable life.

    Sadly, she was greedy. Because Xie Yunjin was a schr, she asked her niece to seduce him. When that failed, she herself went after Xie Laogen.

    Lu Jiao felt a little guilty. After all, the original host drugged Xie Yunjin and snuck into his bed.

    Lu Jiao sneakily studied Widow Wang and silently thought over Xie Yunjin¡¯s suggestion.

    His words that night meant for her to give Widow Wang the idea that the Xie family was a good one to get into.

    As Lu Jiao pondered, Lady Zhang waved at her with a grin.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you¡¯re going into town also?¡±

    ¡°I asked Dr. Qi to get me some woks ¨C they are here. I¡¯m going to pick them up. It¡¯s really hard to cook and boil water with just one pot at home.¡±

    Everyone nodded. Lu Jiao got in and before she could sit down, Aunt Guihua made some room and pulled her to sit.

    ¡°Jiaojiao,e and sit.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and thanked her. Aunt Guihua shook her head, ¡°Why are you being so polite? Your mother and I are close. You don¡¯t need to be reserved.¡±

    Everyone was speechless. This woman was truly shameless. Before, she fought Lu Jiao¡¯s family whenever she could, and now, she imed they were close?

    Aunt Guihua didn¡¯t care what others thought and continued to chat, ¡°It is hard to only have one pot. When I was young and newly married, we only got one pot as well. It took years of saving for me to get a steel wok.¡±

 Chapter 127 - 127 Hinting Widow Wang

    127 Hinting Widow Wang

    Everyone nodded when they heard Aunt Guihua¡¯s words. Xue Duojin¡¯s wife, Zhang Chunhua, whispered, ¡°We only have one wok right now. It¡¯s impossible to find another one.¡±

    The cart got chatty as Xie Tieniu led the ox to Qili Town.

    Everyone chatted inside the cart except Widow Wang. Lu Jiao, however, knew that the woman stole nces at her. At times, Widow Wang couldn¡¯t hide the annoyance in her eyes.

    Lu Jiao ignored her.

    Just then, Aunt Guihua caringly asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, did that mother-inw of yours cause any more trouble?¡±

    Lu Jiao was ecstatic. She was having a hard time bringing up the Xie family.

    ¡°Who knows? I doubt she¡¯ll stay seated for long. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll cause trouble soon.¡±

    Everyone started to judge Lady Ruan.

    Aunt Guihua angrily cursed, ¡°That wicked woman had it good yet she never stays friendly. Karma will get her one day.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement. The Vige Leader¡¯s wife, Lady Zhao raised an eyebrow, ¡°The Fourth Grandma is the luckiest woman in town. After marrying the Fourth Grandpa, she hasn¡¯t had to work hard. The Fourth Grandpa¡¯s always protected her. Their children are very filial and all listened to her. Despite all that, she refuses to be friendly. If she keeps this up, she will taste her own medicine.¡±

    Lady Jiang nodded, ¡°Yunjin is such a good kid. Others pray for a child like that and don¡¯t get one. Yet she treats him like a burden. Out of all the kids she bore, Yunjin¡¯s the best one. Yunjin¡¯s wife is the best too.¡±

    Lu Jiao scanned around and sighed, ¡°Sadly, my mother-inw is determined to say we are unfilial. We do what we do and the gods are watching. I am okay as long as I know I am doing my best.¡±

    Lu Jiao then added, ¡°Honestly, this is all because my father-inw dotes on her. If he didn¡¯t, there¡¯s no way she would have grown so arrogant. Truthfully speaking, my grandpa is really nice to people. No matter what my mother-inw does, he never tells her off.¡±

    Everyone nodded, ¡°Xie Laogen truly does dote on his wife. He¡¯s been like that since they were young. I never understood it. Laogen¡¯s wife isn¡¯t pretty and is a very sour person. Why does Xie Laogen treat her like she¡¯s a treasure?¡±

    Aunt Guihua chimed in, ¡°I don¡¯t understand either. See, if she¡¯s a beautiful woman, we can im that it¡¯s because the Fourth is perverted. But that¡¯s just not the case. On the contrary, it was the Fourth who was tall and good-looking when he was young. Yunjin didn¡¯t grow up looking like his mother or father. I wonder who he took after.¡±

    Lady Jiang answered, ¡°I heard my father-inw say that Yunjin is most like his grandpa. His grandpa was the best-looking man in the vige back then. When he left the vige, a pile of young women pursued him. However, his health had never been good. Yunjin¡¯s grandma was tall and stocky and was very in love with Yunjin¡¯s grandpa. Though they didn¡¯t have that couple look, they were in love all their lives. Right after Yunjin¡¯s grandpa passed away, Yunjin¡¯s grandma passed away. They didn¡¯t know how to live without each other.¡±

    Lu Jiao shot Lady Wang a look and found her eavesdropping.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°My mother-inw was born to enjoy luxury. Once Yunjin passes the imperial exam and bes an official, she¡¯s going to be an official¡¯s mother.¡±

    Many people sighed at that, ¡°That infuriates me.¡±

    ¡°How can someone so wicked get so lucky? The world isn¡¯t fair.¡±

    Lu Jiao added, ¡°She better not go too far and make my father-inw angry. If she angers my father-inw too much, and he finds another woman he likes, her good days will be over.¡±

    The women inside the cart all shook their heads, ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Your grandpa¡¯s going to die in that woman¡¯s hand.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s impossible. I respect whoever manages to steal the Fourth from Lady Ruan.¡±

    Widow Wang¡¯s eyes shed a little, but she didn¡¯tment.

    Lu Jiao smiled gently and stopped discussing this matter.

    The conversation moved on to harvesting herbs. Aunt Guihua said, ¡°I¡¯m going into town today to buy horse chestnuts. I¡¯m going to put them in my pouch to shield away snakes and bugs. Once I have that, I can start going into the mountains.¡±

    Lady Zhang also smiled, ¡°I¡¯m doing the same thing. This afternoon, Xiaojun will start to harvest herbs. I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll get bitten by a snake so I asked her to only roam around the outskirts of the mountains. Once I get her the chestnuts, she can go up the mountain.¡±

    Aunt Guihua grinned, ¡°I¡¯ve asked my daughter-inw to do the same. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go into the mountains.¡±

    Everyone once again felt appreciative, ¡°Thank you, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everyone, be careful. If you get bitten by a snake, rub the horse chestnut against the wound immediately. It¡¯ll help with the inmmation.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The ox cart soon arrived in Qili Town. Lu Jiao went straight to Baohe Tang with her basket.

    There, Dr. Qi was looking around by the door. When he saw Lu Jiao, he greeted her, ¡°Master, you¡¯re here.¡±

    The two vigers inside looked over at them in awe. Did they hear him wrong? That young woman was Dr. Qi¡¯s master? How skilled did that make her?

    The manager and the other workers didn¡¯t pause. They already knew about this.

    Though they found it hard to believe, they didn¡¯t say anything. After all, this was Dr. Qi¡¯s business.

    Dr. Qi led Lu Jiao through Baohe Tang and into the backyard. As he walked, he announced, ¡°Linfeng is waiting for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Are you good friends with Owner Zhao?¡±

    The way Qi Lei talked about him and addressed him made her think that Qi Lei wasn¡¯t simply Owner Zhao¡¯s employee.

    Since Lu Jiao was his Master, he didn¡¯t try to conceal anything, ¡°Our families are friends. We grew up together. We may not be brothers, but we are close to that. He chose toe into this town to start a business and I followed him.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°The way you talk and act makes it clear that you two are not ordinary people. Why would youe to a ce as poor as Qili? What¡¯s the purpose behind your trip?¡±

    Qi Lei froze up. He wasn¡¯t sure how to answer her.

    Lu Jiao realized that the background story likely involved the owner and Qi Lei couldn¡¯t speak on his behalf.

    By now, they had arrived in the backyard. There, Baohe Tang¡¯s owner, Zhao Linfeng, was studying her with a profound gaze.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t afraid, ¡°Greetings.¡±

    Zhao Linfeng nodded and gestured for them to sit. Before Lu Jiao could say anything, he asked her straight away, ¡°Qi Lei said you have a lot of money-making ideas?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t follow etiquette either, ¡°Yes, I have ideas for both short-term and long-term businesses. I wonder, do you n on partnering up with me on these ventures?¡±

 Chapter 128 - 128 Ice Making and Oil Making

    128 Ice Making and Oil Making

    Zhao Lingfeng sized up Lu Jiao. When he first met her, he thought of her as amon countryside woman. He didn¡¯t expect her medical skills to be even better than Qi Lei¡¯s.

    There were a handful of doctors in the Zhou Dynasty, but very few of them were outstanding. Who knew this woman would be outstanding?

    Zhao Lingfeng found this to be unbelievable. Today, he discovered that other than her superb medical skills, her temperament was also extraordinary. It would be impossible for him to believe that she was simply a countryside woman.

    Zhao Lingfeng had done his research on Lu Jiao. He knew for a fact that she was born and raised in Apricot Flower Vige in Qili. As for her medical knowledge, the rumor was that she was taught by an old grandmother.

    Zhao Lingfeng continued to stare at Lu Jiao, who grinned in response, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng shook his head. Whatever. Right now, he had to prioritize business.

    ¡°If you have good money-making ideas, we can partner up. Or, you can sell your ideas to us. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re fairlypensated for them.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was leaning towards buying her ideas rather than cooperating with her.

    Naturally, Lu Jiao saw right through him. She didn¡¯t want to force anything.

    ¡°Sure. It¡¯s fine if you want to buy some ideas off of me. However, I¡¯m not willing to sell all my ideas.¡±

    Lu Jiao was referring to her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store ideas. If she couldn¡¯t work with Zhao Lingfeng, she¡¯ll find someone else.

    Her n to open a pharmacy and a cosmeceutical store was to make money, as well as bring benefits to the vigers. Since she had ess to spiritual stream water, she wanted to help more people.

    Qi Lei was a little flustered by this as he gawked at Zhao Lingfeng in disagreement. Previously, they had discussed working together with his master. Why did it be buying ideas off of her?

    Zhao Lingfeng said what he said to test the waters. If Lu Jiao persisted with the partnership, he would¡¯ve allowed it. Who knew this woman would not even put up a fight?

    Zhao Lingfeng narrowed his eyes at this patient and calm woman. So it appeared that she had plenty of ways to make money.

    This woman didn¡¯t beg to partner up with him. In the future, he may end up begging her to partner up.

    Zhao Lingfeng now leaned towards cooperating with her.

    ¡°Tell me some of your ideas.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I have a lot. Clothes, food, amodation¡­ there are so many ways.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng froze, and suspicion arose. Was this woman truly this capable or was she acting tough?

    ¡°You have lots of secret forms?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, obviously noting the skepticism in Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t have to question me. I have lots of secret forms. You want to buy ideas off of me? I can offer you two things. Ice making and oil making.¡±

    She could sell these two things, get enough start-up money for her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store, then find another partner.

    Lu Jiao looked up and found Zhao Lingfeng astounded. He said in a low voice, ¡°Ice and oil making?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°It¡¯s the end of June now and you¡¯re from the Capital City. There, you must becking ice. If you manage to make ice, I¡¯m certain you will make loads of money. As for oil making¡­ right now, our entire country is mostly using oil from animals. In the north, there¡¯s been a new product called sesame oil. I can teach you how to extract soybean oil, peanut oil, and rapeseed oil.¡±

    The reason why Lu Jiao wanted to sell the form for oil making was that this technology hasn¡¯t been discovered and therefore, should be expensive to sell.

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were both astounded. This woman knew how to make ice and oil? Either one of those would be highly secretive and profitable.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for their surprised faces. She was more concerned about how much cash they were willing to give her for these.

    She wouldn¡¯t sell it if the price wasn¡¯t right.

    She smiled, ¡°Then, let us talk about the price?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s head was a little numb. He¡¯s been looking for money-making ideas recently and decided on opening up a pharmacy.

    But a pharmacy was a long-term business and would not generate profit in the short term. As for the other ideas he¡¯s had, most of them would be slow to kick off. The ones that would make him money immediately would involve too many other influential families.

    His decision to move to the Town of Qili wasn¡¯t only because he was kicked out by his n. It was also because he needed to make money for that someone.

    That someone had ordered him to stay lowkey and banned him from getting too involved with too many parties. This limited his options.

    This was why he couldn¡¯t think of any good ways to make money. Who knew this woman woulde up with two ideas this quickly?

    Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao rather excitedly. This woman likely had many other ideas.

    Zhao Lingfeng pondered for a while then decided to ask, ¡°Other than these two, do you have any other ideas? If I partner up with you, what businesses would you rmend?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow at him. So this guy wanted to work with her.

    It was Lu Jiao¡¯s turn to ponder. If she could cooperate with Owner Zhao, it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be bad for her.

    She didn¡¯t reveal her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store idead. Instead, she asked Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°I still don¡¯t know which family you¡¯re from in the Capital City.¡±

    If he wasn¡¯t influential enough, she wouldn¡¯t work with him.

    Zhao Lingfeng knew Lu Jiao¡¯s intention and answered calmly, ¡°I¡¯m the third young master from the official residence of marquees of Yongning.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him surprised. If he was a young master from the marquees of Yongning, why did he move to this poor and isted vige?

    Zhao Lingfeng noticed her shock and exined, ¡°I¡¯m the third son born from a concubine mother.¡±

    Because he was the son of a concubine, the family didn¡¯t value him, and thedy of the house saw him as a nuisance. This was why he was exiled to such a poor ce.

    Well, he was also here with his own agenda. He was doing something for that someone.

    Lu Jiao was a little worried, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re able to keep all the assets under your name?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s gaze sharpened as he answered in a low voice, ¡°Though my position isn¡¯t high, I can protect what¡¯s mine. That¡¯s not for you to worry about. Why don¡¯t you tell me what you want to do?¡±

    Lu Jiao studied him for a while and found him to be genuine.

    Beside her, Qi Lei chimed in, ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry. Lingfeng can protect our businesses. You don¡¯t have to worry about others taking advantage of us.¡±

    His statement managed to bundle them together.

    Lu Jiao thought about it. If they were able to make such a statement, it meant they had some power. She shouldn¡¯t exactly doubt everything just because he was the son of a concubine.

    ¡°I originally wanted to start three businesses ¨C an oil mill, a cosmeceutical store, and a pharmaceutical manufacturer.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei exchanged nces. They felt lots of emotions growing inside.

    Lu Jiao ignored them and continued, ¡°The oil mill and the cosmeceutical store would make money fast. But the most profitable business would be pharmaceutical manufacturing. That is because the medicines I make will be more effective than all the other drugs in this country.¡±

 Chapter 129 - 129 Signed the Contract

    129 Signed the Contract

    Lu Jiao exposed this much for two reasons. First, she wanted to bewilder Zhao Lingfeng a little. Second, she wanted to see how reliable Zhao Lingfeng was by working on ice and oil production with him. If he proves himself to be reliable, she could stop worrying and partner up with him on the pharmacy.

    Other than making money, she wanted to use the spiritual stream water she had to help others.

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were in shock and asked in unison, ¡°Are you being serious?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Naturally. Why would I lie to you? Honestly, I want to open my own pharmacy to help others. Medicine is far too rare in this dynasty, resulting in many people being unable to seek doctors. A weak cold can manage to take a life. If I have the resources to make medicine, I¡¯ll make sure the people have what they need to get well.¡±

    For example, if a cold could be cured with cold medicine, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal at all.

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei became strangely motivated after they heard her speech. To be able to both make money and help the citizens of this dynasty was something they were more than willing to do.

    Zhao Lingfeng said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s partner up. Tell me, how do you want to do this?¡±

    Lu Jiao could tell that Zhao Lingfeng was very genuine. He sincerely wanted to work together.

    She nodded in satisfaction, ¡°I will offer my form while you find the people, the space, and the funds. I get 30% of the revenue, Qi Lei gets 10% of it, and you can allocate the remainder as you wish. I¡¯m certain that you will need to use some of it to get things done.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words stunned Qi Lei. His Master bore him in mind?

    He shook his head, ¡°Master, you can have my 10%. I don¡¯t want it.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes, ¡°Are you stupid? Saying no to money? Once you have money, you can do whatever you want. You can help others.¡±

    Qi Lei was speechless while Zhao Lingfeng was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to only want 30% of it. Though that was still a lot of money, he truly didn¡¯t expect it. The secret form was the most valuable of all, after all.

    Before Zhao Lingfeng could speak, Lu Jiao added, ¡°I¡¯m not taking advantage of you at all. In terms of producing the medicine, you have to use my recipes to get the best quality products. As for cosmeceuticals, you have to follow my forms as well.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei weren¡¯t sure what she meant by cosmeceuticals, ¡°What is that?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°Soap with medicinal effects. Products to get rid of dark spots, or to lighten up the skin¡­ Products to lose weight, to promote rxation¡­ perfume¡­ all those things are cosmeceuticals.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were no idiots and understood. Lu Jiao¡¯s exnation excited them even more. Oh man, if they could sell all those products, they would be so rich! They would also be helping out people.

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and started to pace around the room.

    ¡°Let¡¯s work together. Hurry, let¡¯s start nning.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s first make ice to sell. We can make enough money for our future ventures with the ice-selling money.¡±

    Her idea even saved Zhao Lingfeng initial capital. Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao and suddenly found her to be far more dazzling than the wealthy missus from the Capital City.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to draft up a contract.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Once we sign, I¡¯ll tell you the form for ice making. As for the other stuff, there¡¯s no rush. Write up a business n for meter.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The three agreed on this and Lu Jiao left to buy items for her home.

    She bought a bunch of food and home gadgets. She¡¯ll soon be rich and she doesn¡¯t need to be frugal anymore.

    Rice, flour, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar were bought by her in bulk. She took everything to an empty alley and shoved them into her space. Then, she¡¯d go back and buy smaller portions to put in her basket.

    Other than condiments, she bought pork, ribs, chicken, duck, and fish. For fish, she bought several. Then, she got some baked goods and candy. As for fruits, she had lots grown in her space.

    After buying food, she restlessly went to a store to buy Xie Yunjin some new clothes. This time, she bought robes made out of expensive cotton. In this town, there were no clothes made out of silk. However, cotton wasfortable on the body so Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind. She ended up getting him two sets.

    As for the four little ones, she bought some textiles. She nned on making two more sets of clothes for each of the four babies and making them one more set of pajamas each.

    As for herself, she decided to wait until she lost more weight.

    By the time she was done, it was alreadyte. She quickly went back to Baohe Tang with her basket full.

    There, Zhao Lingfeng was done drafting the contract. The three of them signed it. It will need to be stamped by the officials in the government for it to be valid.

    She left it to Zhao Lingfeng to take care of.

    Lu Jiao told them the way to make ice ¨C by using a big pot filled with saltpeter and a small pot.

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei stared at Lu Jiao in disbelief, ¡°It¡¯s that easy?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that easy. Ice-making is just that. Okay, you guys get busy. Qi Lei, give me the works and the sheep. I need to head home and cook. I have four children and a sick husband at home.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei didn¡¯t think her method would work. But since she was in a rush, they didn¡¯t stop her.

    Qi Lei gave Lu Jiao the two woks and the sheep. He worriedly confirmed with her, ¡°Master, are you sure your method would work? Fill the big pot with saltpeter and water, then ce the small pot with water in the big pot, then the water in the small pot would turn into ice?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do not worry and go give it a try.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to use ice-making to test out Zhao Lingfeng and check how reliable he was.

    If he isn¡¯t reliable, then she¡¯ll figure out a way to stop working with him.

    Lu Jiao took her woks and her sheep to an empty alley. She shoved one of the woks away, as two woks were far too attention-catching.

    Despite so, her new wok and her sheep triggered much interest in Lady Zhang and the others. It wasn¡¯t that they were super jealous, they were very intrigued.

    ¡°You got this wok from Dr. Qi from Baohe Tang? He got it from the prefectural city?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard to find it where we live.¡±

    The other women nodded. Widow Wang suddenly whispered, ¡°What is that?¡±

    It was very rare to see animals like sheep in the south, let alone this small vige. The Xie vige didn¡¯t have sheeps in the mountains so not many people recognized it.

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°This is a sheep. I asked Dr. Qi to get me one from the city.¡±

    Lady and the others knew right away what it was when they heard the name. Though they¡¯ve never seen a sheep, they¡¯ve heard of it. They heard that many people in the city liked to eatmb. However, it was an expensive type of meat and they naturally have never had it.

    Lady Zhang asked, ¡°What are you doing with a sheep?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at the sheep, ¡°This is a female sheep. I bought it so I can squeeze its milk for the four little ones. They were born premature so they are physically weak. When they were babies, they also didn¡¯t eat well and are still malnourished. They¡¯re very short now and I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t grow anymore. I decided to buy a sheep so they can start drinking milk.¡±

    Widow Wang eximed, ¡°Humans can drink sheep¡¯s milk?¡±

    Lu Jiao red at her, ¡°Of course. Not only can we drink sheep¡¯s milk, but we can also drink cow¡¯s milk. However, cows are very expensive and I cannot get one right now. Sheep milk will have to do.¡±

    On the side, Aunt Guihua rolled her eyes at Widow Wang, ¡°Jiaojiao is an exceptional doctor. She knows so much more than you. If she says sheep milk is good for you, then it is.¡±

 Chapter 130 - 130 You Treat me with Sincerity Today, I return the Sincerity Tomorrow

    130 You Treat me with Sincerity Today, I return the Sincerity Tomorrow

    Aunt Guihua started to ignore Widow Wang and turned to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, is sheep milk really that great?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°There are many benefits. Sheep milk is very gentle and can heal the stomach and spleen. It cures deficiencies and provides moisture. Sheep milk can even help detox the body. There are many benefits.¡±

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s heart fluttered, ¡°Once I get rich, I¡¯ll also get a sheep and give the milk to my Tiedan.¡±

    The other women inside the cart speechlessly looked at Aunt Guihua.

    Aunt Guihua had a grandson, fat like a ball. Obviously, he was a frequent over-eater and didn¡¯t need any extra nutrition.

    When Lu Jiao arrived home, the four little ones were waiting for her by the door. They stared in her direction and the moment she appeared, they jumped up and rushed to her side.

    ¡°Mommy, you are back!¡±

    ¡°Momy, we were good and taught everyone how to read.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, are you hungry?¡±

    The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao¡¯s legs and whined, ¡°Mommy, I missed you. Did you miss me?¡±

    Lu Jiao found this funny. They only separated for a little bit and they already miss her?

    She patted the Fourth Born¡¯s head to taunt him, ¡°How much did you miss me?¡±

    The Fourth Born let go of Lu Jiao and extended his arms out, ¡°This much!¡±

    Lu Jiao replied with a grin, ¡°I missed you that much too.¡±

    The Fourth Born giggled out of happiness.

    The mother and her children entered the yard. From the kitchen, Lin Chunyan walked out and greeted, ¡°Third aunt, you¡¯re back. I made you lunch. You¡¯re back just in time.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt really bad and pulled Lin Yanchun aside, ¡°Chunyan, stop doing all my chores for me.¡±

    Lin Chunyan was anxious, ¡°Third aunt, I¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao felt that Lin Chunyan hated doing nothing more than chores. The anxiety of doing nothing was worse for her illness.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and decided to add, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re free, you can help me out. But you can only help me once you are done with your own housework.¡±

    Lin Chunyan smiled and agreed, ¡°Okay, third aunt!¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned back, ¡°Wait a second.¡±

    She went to the kitchen and took out three medicinal herbs from her space ¨C a horse chestnut, bark lotus, and amaranthus. She also grabbed a handful of candy.

    ¡°Chunyan, crush these herbs and put them in a pouch. Bring it with you when you go into the mountains to protect yourself against snakes. If you get a snake bite, smear it on your wound to get rid of the inmmation. Also, I got some candy today while I was in town, take some to try.¡±

    Lin Chunyan declined right away, ¡°Third aunt, I can¡¯t take these.¡±

    Lu Jiao pulled onto her, ¡°Your health isn¡¯t good. You need to eat more sugar for your body. If you feel bad, do some housework for me.¡±

    Lin Chunyan¡¯s eyes turned red. Honestly, because of her inability to carry children, she¡¯s been very suppressed at home. Her mother-inw never treated her well because she hasn¡¯t had any children. Growing up, she¡¯s never had someone show her this much care.

    ¡°Thank you, third aunt.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to have lunch before heading back?¡±

    Hearing that, Lin Chunyan took the medicine and the candy and left.

    Lu Jiao took the wok and the sheep and headed to the kitchen.

    Only now, did the four little ones notice the sheep that came back with Lu Jiao.

    The First Born asked in shock, ¡°Mom, what is that?¡±

    ¡°This is a sheep. I asked someone to get it for us. I¡¯m going to feed you the milk from this animal. That way, you get to grow tall and be healthy!¡±

    The First Born was ecstatic. With his eyes as clear as crystal, he stared at Lu Jiao.

    His mom was so nice to them!

    The First Born was now certain that the only reason his mom treated them poorly before was that she wasn¡¯t happy back at the Xie family home. When people are in a bad mood, they naturally get angry and transfer that negativity to others. He, himself, has done the same. Therefore, no matter what, he refused to go back to the Xie family home. As long as his mommy is in a good mood, she will treat them well.

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born were very happy to be able to drink milk.

    Lu Jiao tied the sheep near the kitchen and reminded the four little ones, ¡°Remember to feed the greens I grew to the sheep.¡±

    Once the sheep drinks the greens that¡¯ve been nourished by the spiritual stream water, her milk will be more nutritious and better for the body.

    The four little ones circled the sheep and discussed while Lu Jiao took in the wok.

    While she was at it, she took out a small portion of all the food she brought back so everything looked reasonable.

    When the four little ones came inside and saw all the items in the kitchen, they were stunned.

    They were still young and didn¡¯t wonder how their mom managed to stuff so many things in her half-full basket.

    Right now, they were far too thrilled to see all the food, ¡°Mommy, you bought so much good food!¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded with a smile. She washed some grapes and ced them into a bowl.

    ¡°Share these with your dad. I will scoop out lunch for us to eat.¡±

    The four little ones cheered, ¡°Okay mommy!¡±

    Then they went to the east bedroom with the bowl of grapes to share with Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao scooped out the dishes and brought them to the living room table.

    For lunch, Lin Chunyan made rice, steamed some eggs with green onion, and stir-fried long beans.

    The thought of her two new woks ted Lu Jiao. From now on, it¡¯ll be easy to cook. This afternoon, she¡¯ll clean the woks, and then she¡¯ll be able to use them for dinner.

    Lu Jiao was getting happier by the second as she thought about it. She took a tray of food and went into the east bedroom.

    Right now, the four little ones were happily eating grapes with Xie Yunjin. There was honestly only enough for a few grapes per person. Lu Jiao had a lot of fruits in her space but she didn¡¯t dare to take them out. Fruits such as strawberries and cherries didn¡¯t exist in the Zhou Dynasty. She wouldn¡¯t be able to exin how she got them.

    She could only take out fruits that were on the market.

    She felt very saddened by this but she had no other choice

    ¡°Okay, wash hands and eat lunch.¡±

    Lu Jiao ced Xie Yunjin¡¯s food by his bed and helped him sit up. She asked, ¡°Are you okay to eat by yourself?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can eat by myself.¡±

    ¡°Do your legs hurt today?¡±

    ¡°No, they stopped hurting. Did Dr. Qi have any messages for me while you were there today?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°Dr. Qi said you need to rest well and eat nutritious food, such as bone broth. I bought chicken, duck, and fish today, as well as some big bones. Now that we have two pots at home, I can make soup easily.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze deepened. Looking at Lu Jiao, he very much wanted to tell her ¨C

    You treat me with sincerity today, I return the sincerity tomorrow.

    In the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I can get the stitches out in a few days? Did Dr. Qi say when?¡±

    Lu Jiao walked up to his legs and lifted his pants. She unwrapped the bandages and checked, ¡°Dr. Qi said five to seven days. It looks like your wounds are healing well. You can probably get the stitches out the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Though she hasn¡¯t been able to administer saline for him, she¡¯s been giving him anti-inmmatory medicine daily. This was why he was healing nicely.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood was unspeakably wonderful.

    His happiness crawled up his brows and his eyes gathered much light. His dark pupils emitted rays of softness and slight drunkenness. The way he stared at Lu Jiao seemed to hold much affection.

 Chapter 131 - 131 Vile and Unvirtuous

    131 Vile and Unvirtuous

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart fluttered as she looked back at Xie Yunjin. She didn¡¯t overthink it as she knew that handsome people could get their way with others easier. She understood that.

    ¡°Okay, eat your lunch. I will go eat outside.¡±

    She walked out while Xie Yunjin smiled and watched her leave.

    Sadly, before she got to eat, she saw three people enter her gate.

    It was her mother-inw, Lady Ruan, her eldest sister-inw, Lady Chen, and a young beautiful girl beside them.

    The girl was rather curvy with very charming features. Her eyes slightly curved up, making her look foxy and seductive.

    The girl saw Lu Jiao and showed her much disdain. It seemed like she didn¡¯t think highly of Lu Jiao.

    Speechless, Lu Jiao wondered who that woman was. How could she go into other people¡¯s homes and act so arrogantly?

    Lu Jiao quickly realized something. Last time, she kicked out Zhou Xiaotao by saying Zhou Xiaotao was too ugly for Xie Yunjin. So this time, Lady Ruan found a beautifuldy to bring with her.

    Lady Ruan appeared determined to get rid of her so some other woman could get the wife title.

    Lu Jiao was unspeakably annoyed. She wanted them to leave! Can¡¯t they just wait two to three months? In two to three months, she will voluntarily give up her spot.

    With an unkind expression, Lu Jiao nced at Lady Ruan and Lady Chen. Lady Chen smirked, ¡°Third sister-inw, who do you think you¡¯re looking at? Why such a long face?¡±

    She then ignored Lu Jiao and entered the east bedroom with Lady Ruan.

    The four little ones were busy eating when they saw Lady Ruan and the woman beside her. They thought of Zhou Xiaotao and quickly slid down their chairs and ran to the east bedroom.

    Inside the east bedroom, Lady Ruan did her best to look motherly. Sadly, she had a thin and mean face and her best effort at looking kind made her appearical. She had no self-awareness and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°My son, I didn¡¯t think it throughst time and got that ugly Zhou Xiaotao to take care of you. I forgot how you like beautiful women. This time, I invited your first sister-inw¡¯s cousin¡¯s niece toe and take care of you.¡±

    The air around Xie Yunjin was heavy.

    Lady Chen¡¯s cousin¡¯s niece, Chen Chunxi, walked forward, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Third Brother Xie.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could answer, the four little ones started to scream.

    ¡°Are you trying to be my daddy¡¯s concubine?¡±

    ¡°My daddy said he doesn¡¯t want a second wife. He won¡¯t be having children with a concubine.¡±

    ¡°Leave, right now! Or else I will curse you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so ugly. My daddy would never fall for you.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ attack changed Lady Ruan¡¯s expression. Unable to maintain her motherly expression, she pointed a finger at the four little ones, ¡°You four bastards, watch your mouths! Who taught you to speak like this?! Your mother?!¡±

    She then immediately turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°My son, look at how that woman¡¯s been teaching your sons. It¡¯s better if that woman stops educating your children. I¡¯m going to bring your kids back to my ce to teach them how to behave.¡±

    The four little ones started to cry at her offer. They were terrified to go back with Lady Ruan. At once, the four little ones ran onto Xie Yunjin¡¯s bed.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached as the four little ones cried. She leaped to the bed and stared down at Lady Ruan, ¡°Mother, enough already. Why are you so impatient to bring women to Xie Yunjin¡¯s bed? His legs aren¡¯t even healed.¡±

    The three women¡¯s faces dropped.

    Lady Ruan and Chen Liu didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to speak so bluntly.

    Lady Ruan was the first to shout, ¡°Lu Jiao, what are you inferring? You are very busy and I¡¯m simply bringing you someone to help you take care of my son.¡±

    Lu Jiao rudely asked, ¡°Take care of him in bed?¡±

    This time, Chen Chunxi cried out of anger. She was an unmarried woman who was spoiled back at home. She only agreed to this whole thing because her aunt told her all the benefits of marrying Xie Yunjin. If that wasn¡¯t true, she wouldn¡¯t be willing to marry someone divorced with four children.

    Her aunt told her that Xie Yunjin was going to be a government official and she¡¯ll get to be the wife of an official.

    This was why she came. Who knew she¡¯d be called a concubine the moment she arrived?

    She wasn¡¯t willing to be a concubine.

    Xie Chunxi croaked toward Lu Jiao, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. I¡¯m not willing to be a concubine.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°You don¡¯t want to be a concubine, then you are really here to take care of him for me?¡± She then turned to Lady Ruan, ¡°You really brought me someone to help me out?¡±

    Lady Ruan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t speak so grossly every day. Look how you are teaching the kids!¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored her and turned to Chen Chunxi, ¡°Did you hear my mother-inw? You¡¯re here to help me out. Then I have to make the rules clear upfront. You can stay here, but you cannot enter the east bedroom or get near Xie Yunjin. He doesn¡¯t need your help. He has a wife who takes care of him.

    You¡¯re an unmarried woman. If you go near him, there¡¯ll be rumors. People will wonder if Xie Yunjin had epted you as a concubine. You can stay here and help me clean the yard, get water, collect wood from the forest, chop firewood, feed the sheep¡­¡±

    The Second Born interrupted, ¡°Also feed the dogs for us and clean the dog¡¯s bed.¡±

    Chen Chunxi¡¯s face changed color. She snapped her head around towards Lady Chen.

    When she agreed to this, they didn¡¯t say she¡¯d need to do housework. They only said she¡¯ll need to take care of Xie Yunjin until they get emotionally involved. Now, she was told she couldn¡¯t even go near Xie Yunjin. What was the point of this then?

    Lady Chen looked to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mother.¡±

    Lady Ruan red at Lu Jiao, ¡°Why would you tell this youngdy to do all this? How¡¯s that appropriate?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped as she fought back coldly, ¡°You said you brought her to help me out. If she doesn¡¯t help me out, why would shee to my house? You want me to take care of her? What kind of wild delirious dream is she dreaming of?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes shot out fire but the look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face scared her.

    Lady Ruan asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°My son, are you not going to control your wife? I brought you someone to take care of you yet she treats her this poorly. This means she¡¯s jealous and controlling. What will happen when you pass your imperial exam and want a concubine? This woman will stop you! What¡¯s the point of keeping such a vile and unvirtuous woman? Women need to be virtuous.¡±

    The four little ones formed a wall before Lu Jiao. The First Born angrily yelled, ¡°We won¡¯t let our mom go! My dad would never get a concubine! You need to leave!¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face darkened. She gritted her teeth as she controlled her urge to hit the four little ones.

 Chapter 132 - 132 I wonâ€™t take any Concubines

    132 I won¡¯t take any Concubines

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unspeakably gloomy. His dark eyes seemed to have frosted over.

    He asked heavily as he stared at his mother, ¡°If father decides to get a concubine, you will support it, right?¡±

    His words changed Lady Ruan¡¯s expression. She screamed, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare! If he dares to get a concubine, I will skin him alive!¡±

    Lady Ruan was used to acting arrogant and didn¡¯t think that what she was saying was inappropriate.

    Xie Yunjin coldly snickered, ¡°If you don¡¯t let your own man get a concubine, how can you call other women unvirtuous? Doesn¡¯t that mean you are also unvirtuous?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes spat out fire. Her eyes were wide as she stared down at Xie Yunjin, ¡°You and your father are different. You are going to be a high official. How can you not have concubines?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to argue about this with his mother. He turned away, refusing to look at Lady Ruan as he ordered, ¡°If this woman stays, she shall do what Lu Jiao says. If not, then she can get the hell out of here.¡±

    His voice was loud as he red at Chen Chunxi. Just because this woman has a pretty face, they thought it was enough to seduce him? Howughable.

    Chen Chunxi was scared off by Xie Yunjin and walked out.

    She was the spoiled daughter in her family. When has anyone treated her this way? She walked away and ignored the voices that called for her from behind.

    Back inside the east bedroom, Lady Ruan¡¯s chest heaved, ¡°Are you trying to infuriate me to death?¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at her coldly without any pain in his eyes, ¡°Mother, if you don¡¯t stir up trouble, you wouldn¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Lady Ruan almost tumbled from fury. She refused to look at him and turned to leave. Lady Chen didn¡¯t dare to stay and followed.

    Inside the bedroom, Lu Jiaoforted the four little ones, ¡°It¡¯s okay now. You guys go back to eating.¡±

    The four little ones looked up to Lu Jiao, then ran to their dad, ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re not going to marry other people, are you?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded without hesitation, ¡°I promise you that I won¡¯t take any concubines.¡±

    The four little ones smiled right away as their hearts fell back to ce.

    The Fourth Born quickly demanded, ¡°Then, pinky-promise us. The liar turns into a dog.¡±

    The Fourth Born then extended his pinky.

    To make the children stop worrying, Xie Yunjin pinky promised each one of them. The four little ones were over the moon and no longer suspected that their daddy may take in concubines.

    Afterward, the four little ones ran to Lu Jiao and asked for praise.

    ¡°Mommy, daddy said he won¡¯t ept concubines.¡±

    ¡°He said he won¡¯t have kids with other people.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll only have babies with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes nted at the Second Born¡¯s words. Having babies with her? She was going to leave soon.

    She squeezed the Second Born¡¯s cheeks and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Go and eat. After you eat, go walk the dogs and digest.¡±

    The four little ones were no longer worried and went to eat happily.

    Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin and noticed his unfinished food. She asked gently, ¡°Did the food get cold? Should I get it warmed up?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head andplimented Lu Jiao, ¡°You did well.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze, then stretched out her lips. She did what she did just now for him. Honestly, she was very exasperated. Lady Ruan was so annoying.

    The thought of Lady Ruan once again brought coldness to Xie Yunjin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Regarding the matter we discussed previously¡­ did you¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered her trip into town this morning and grinned, ¡°I almost forgot to tell you.¡±

    Scared the children might hear her, she walked to Xie Yunjin and whispered, ¡°This morning, I ran into Widow Wang on the ox-cart going into town. I purposely made goodments about father to Aunt Guihua and them. I think I may have piqued Widow Wang¡¯s interest.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°Great. You should go and eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao was really hungry. She hasn¡¯t eaten since she woke up.

    When the four little ones saw her re-enter the room, they beamed, ¡°Mommy,e eat.¡±

    Since the four little ones were done eating, she told them to go walk the dogs, ¡°Go take a stroll with the puppies and digest your food. When youe back, I¡¯ll wash you up a little for your nap.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones happily went to walk the dogs. After Lu Jiao was done eating, they returned. However, since the weather was hot, they were all sweating when they came back. Lu Jiao boiled some water to wipe them down before their nap.

    As she washed them, the Second Born carefully studied her. Lu Jiao knew right away that he had something on his mind.

    ¡°What is it? If you have something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t be scared. It makes you look nervous and scared. You¡¯re a boy, say what you are thinking proudly.¡±

    The Second Born lifted his chest and asked loudly.

    ¡°Mom, can we eat peaches after our nap?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She wanted them to walk the dogs and digest so they could eat more food.

    The four little ones cheered. The First Born stood up inside the big wooden bucket, hugged Lu Jiao around her neck, and kissed her.

    Of course the Third and Fourth Born copied him. The First Born didn¡¯t join them and checked out the Second Born from head to toe. Then, he turned away, embarrassed to look at him.

    The Second Born remembered something and lowered his gaze to find his naked body. His face flushed red and he quickly sat back down.

    Lu Jiaoughed. She pulled him and the First Born up to dry them and change them into pajamas.

    ¡°Okay, go take your nap. After your nap, you can eat a peach each.¡±

    The children cheered again. The Second Born took it too far and loudly asked, ¡°Mommy, sleep with us!¡±

    Lu Jiao declined right away, ¡°No, I need to prepare the woks. We have two woks now and it¡¯ll be easier to cook once they¡¯re ready.¡±

    Though the children were little, they knew the benefit of having more woks. Finally, they didn¡¯t persist with their request.

    While the family napped, Lu Jiao cleaned the woks and readied them for cooking. As for the broken pot, she put it in her space.

    That way, people wouldn¡¯t notice easily that both of her woks were new.

    In the afternoon, some guests came to visit. It was Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmate, ssmate Han. He brought with him a doctor.

    ¡°Lady Lu, are Yunjin¡¯s legs truly recovered from the operation?¡±

    ssmate Han lived in Qinghe County ¨C a bit out of the way from the Xie Vige. He wasn¡¯t always up to date with the news.

    He brought a doctor with him today to help examine Xie Yunjin and check if his legs would heal with surgery. He managed to find the apprentice of a military doctor, who had some general surgery knowledge.

    ssmate Han figured that if the doctor deemed Yunjin¡¯s legs to be operable, he would find a way to bring Yunjin into the military and have a military doctor operate on him.

    Who knew that once he arrived in town, he heard from others that Yunjin¡¯s already gone under the knife?

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s done surgery. If no idents happen, he¡¯ll be able to walk soon.¡±

    ssmate Han excitedly eximed, ¡°Really?!¡±

 Chapter 133 - 133 Far too Coincidental

    133 Far too Coincidental

    Lu Jiao nced at ssmate Han. He wore expensive clothing and acted gracefully. There was not a trace of nastiness in his eyes. This person was worth getting to know.

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered the original novel. In the book, Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were fine. That meant even without her, Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs would have healed. The person who helped him get back to health must¡¯ve been ssmate Han.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze became more cordial as she looked at ssmate Han.

    ¡°Though Yunjin¡¯s legs have been operated on, I still have to thank you, Schr Han. Thank you for keeping him in mind.¡±

    ssmate Han smiled and corrected, ¡°You can call me ssmate Han. Though Yunjin and I aren¡¯t biological brothers, our friendship is just as strong as if we were.¡±

    Lu Jiao epted, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The group of three went into the living room, where the Third Born was teaching the other children how to read.

    ssmate Han was astounded, ¡°What is happening here?¡±

    ¡°The children from the vige do not know how to read. Yunjin suggested teaching the kids how to read while he is bed bound and resting. Since he just finished surgery, he had asked the four little ones to start the teaching process first.¡±

    ssmate Han nodded respectfully, ¡°Brother Yunjin is one righteous man.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek at him and wonder if this guy knew that his best friend was going to be the biggest viin.

    In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything and led ssmate Han and the doctor to the east bedroom.

    Xie Yunjin was ecstatic to see ssmate Han. He cheerfully greeted him and asked him to sit.

    Right now, he was engulfed by confidence. Contrary to his depressed and aloof attitude from before, his movements were now light and rxed, enting his handsomeness.

    ssmate Han knew right away that his life had turned around. His rtionship with Lu Jiao must be pretty good these days. He knew that Yunjin hated Lady Lu before. He figured that Yunjin¡¯s heart must¡¯ve melted after Lady Lu¡¯s careful caretaking this past while.

    ssmate Han was genuinely happy for Xie Yunjin. A healthy rtionship between these two was good for the children.

    ¡°I must congratte you, Yunjin, for your recovery.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked him to sit while Lu Jiao went to make some tea.

    Inside the room, Dr. Shi, the doctor ssmate Han brought, checked out Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound. When he saw where he was cut and stitched up, he was astonished.

    Since Dr. Shi didn¡¯t speak for a long time, ssmate Han asked worriedly, ¡°Dr. Shi, what happened? Is there a problem?¡±

    Dr. Shi looked up and said in awe, ¡°The doctor who operated is very skilled. Even my Master cannot do this good of a job with the surgery. Look at the cut and the stitches. Once hepletely heals, he likely won¡¯t even scar. The operating doctor is amazing.¡±

    Dr. Shi asked Xie Yunjin excitedly, ¡°You said, Dr. Qi from Baohe Tang did your surgery?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded then checked out his legs.

    Before Dr. Shi mentioned it, he didn¡¯t notice. Now that Dr. Shi mentioned it, he realized that there was only one linear wound that was cleanly stitched. He¡¯s heard that surgery tended to leave a nasty cut that could easily swell up and get infected. The healing process was normally very long and there was usually a very thick scar even after the cut was healed.

    Not only was there no infection, swelling, or blisters on his legs, there wasn¡¯t even a scar.

    Xi Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but exim over his dumb luck. How did he manage to encounter someone as skillful as Dr. Qi?

    Xie Yunjin said to Dr. Shi, ¡°Dr. Qi is a doctor who moved here from the Capital City. He¡¯s very capable.¡±

    Dr. Shi was agitated, ¡°I must go ask Dr. Qi how he managed to keep this wound clean without infection.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao overheard the conversation and didn¡¯t know what to say. There were no infections, swelling, or blisters because of the antibiotics. Sadly, there was no such thing in this era.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but frown. If only there was a way for her to produce antibiotics.

    Out of all the types of antibiotics, penicillin was the easiest to produce. Needles, however, were hard to make. Syringe needles were normally made out of stainless steel. However, in this day and age, that material didn¡¯t exist.

    Penicillin shouldn¡¯t be taken by mouth. To take it by mouth, potassium ions must be present. Potassium ions could be extracted from potassium chloride. So, she must first find potassium ores.

    Inside the room, ssmate Han couldn¡¯t help but ask more questions, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s legs will be fine then, right?¡±

    Dr. Shi was firm when he answered, ¡°His legs will bepletely okay without side effects. Honestly, if anyone else operated, he wouldn¡¯t have healed so nicely. Our military doctors could¡¯ve done the surgery but the surgery is normally very difficult on the patient¡¯s body. There are also issues after the math, such as excruciating pain, the inability to stand up for too long, and a scary scar.¡±

    Dr. Shi was getting more and more excited as his arms flung around, ¡°This is why Dr. Qi is such a great doctor. I must go ask him some questions.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened a little. He must remember how much he owes Dr. Qi. If the doctor ever needed anything, he vowed to help him.

    Xie Yunjin turned to look at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, when you see Dr. Qi, thank him for me. He saved my life and I will do everything I can to help him if he ever needs it.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows. She was the surgeon so that meant he owed her another favor?

    She didn¡¯t want to tell Xie Yunjin she was the one who operated. Once he heals, they will separate. There was no point in getting things messy.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I will tell him.¡±

    ssmate Han grinned, ¡°Yunjin, I knew you were a lucky guy! There¡¯s just no way you¡¯d be stuck in this ce all your life.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was also very happy and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Cook more dishes tonight. Let¡¯s make sure ssmate Han has a good meal.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She then left. Behind her, ssmate Han caught Yunjin up about what¡¯s been happening at the academy. After the ident, many people from the academy felt sorry for him. If they learned his legs had healed, they would be ecstatic.

    Outside, Lu Jiao mumbled ¨C that may not be the case¡­

    Geniuses were often the target of those who were jealous. Xie Yunjin was so intelligent that he must have earned much jealousy from others. She was sure that many people were happy to hear he was crippled and disappointed to hear he healed.

    Just then, another realization hit Lu Jiao. Four years ago, Xie Yunjin was drugged, which gave the original host the opportunity to sleep with him. Four yearster, Xie Yunjin was hit by a horse carriage. Wasn¡¯t this far too coincidental?

 Chapter 134 - 134 The Four Little Onesâ€™ Transformation

    134 The Four Little Ones¡¯ Transformation

    Lu Jiao thought none of this was what it appeared to be. She instinctively wanted to go talk to Xie Yunjin about it. But since ssmate Han was here, she stopped herself.

    Since ssmate Han was staying for dinner, Lu Jiao decided to make a few of her signature dishes. Now that she had two woks, she could achieve it easily.

    Lu Jiao boiled some water and killed a chicken to make chicken soup.

    She then killed a fish and marinated it forter.

    Then, she took out a piece of pork to roast it with radishter.

    After that, she harvested some greens and chives from her own little yard.

    While there, she saw that her sponge gourd, tomatoes, and long beans needed tower cages so she efficiently made those.

    By the time she was done, it waste. The four little ones had finished their lesson and came to find her.

    They excitedly said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, this morning you told me you would take us mountain climbing.¡±

    This morning, Lu Jiao told them the schedule she made for them. The four little ones remembered it well, especially the part about going into the mountains.

    Lu Jiao noticed how much they wanted to climb the mountain and decided that she could squeeze in the time to take them before making dinner.

    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go together. We¡¯ll bring back some grass to feed the sheep. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll get some milk from the sheep and I¡¯ll boil it for you to drink.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    The five of them went to the kitchen to take the basket before they headed up the mountain.

    It was the first time for most of them to be on the mountain and they were very overly excited. At first, they were full of energy and skipped their way up. Before long, however, they started to huff and puff. They began to walk lopsidedly and stumble. The good thing was that they endured and didn¡¯t ask Lu Jiao to carry them.

    Lu Jiao suggested a break.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down for a bit and eat a peach? Then we can get some grass for the sheep.¡±

    The First Born thought taking a rest already would make them useless. He turned to Lu Jiao and said with a determined gaze, ¡°Mom, we can walk.¡±

    The Second Born nodded in agreement.

    The Third and Fourth Born were silent. The Fourth Born especially was red in the face and could barely get off the ground. He acted in a spoiled manner, ¡°Mommy, I can¡¯t walk anymore. My legs are jello. They aren¡¯t listening to me.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled and pinched his face. She then looked over to the First and Second Born.

    ¡°Getting strong takes time and consistency. You are all weak and cannot walk that far right away. You might get hurt. Let¡¯s strengthen you up slowly. Then, it¡¯ll be easy for you to go up and down the mountains.¡±

    The First and Second Born thought she was right and agreed.

    ¡°Okay, I will listen to mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao took five peaches out of her basket. These were pre-washed and ced there.

    ¡°Here, everyone has one peach each. Then we¡¯ll get some grass for the sheep.¡±

    The four little beans started to happily munch on their peaches while sitting on the grass.

    Lu Jiao also bit into one as she chatted with the kids, ¡°Do you all know what kind of grass sheeps like?¡±

    The four little ones shook their heads. They didn¡¯t even know what a sheep was before. But now they know.

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°Sheeps like legumes, such as yellow medick. They like grass that isn¡¯t spiky. They also like fresh and newly grown grass.¡±

    Lu Jiao searched around and found some yellow medick.

    ¡°Look, this is yellow medick. When you see something simr, you can pick them up. Sheeps like to eat the upper half. The bottom half can get chewy and they don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Out of the quadruplets, the First and Second Born started to search first. The brothers found some very quickly and uprooted them.

    The Third and Fourth Born were motivated by the other two brothers and stood up to actively participate. Before long, the five of them gathered a pile of yellow medick.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste. I¡¯m going to head back and prepare dinner. We have a guest tonight after all. We cane again tomorrow.¡±

    The four little ones cheered. They¡¯ve forgotten all about their exhaustion. The Second Born was the most proactive and went to grab Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t forget ¨C we wille again tomorrow. Ah, I want to use my slingshot to hit stuff.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled, ¡°Okay, we¡¯lle again tomorrow.¡±

    The five of them returned home with a basket full of yellow medick. Once they arrived, the four little ones took the basket and went to feed the sheep right away. They wanted to see whether or not the sheep would actually like this nt, and it did.

    Forgotten all about how tired they were, the four little ones discussed and chatted.

    At their age, they were getting curious about everything. Lu Jiao had brought them on many adventures that seemed to have opened the door to a brand-new world. These days, they have be outgoing, cheerful, and confident.

    After some time studying the sheep, the children ran to the east bedroom to tell Xie Yunjin about all the big things they did today.

    Inside the bedroom, ssmate Han studied the hopping and cute four little ones in awe.

    These four children were the pitiful babies from before? They seemed to have transformed.

    The four little ones had no idea what ssmate Han was thinking and were eagerly telling Xie Yunjin about their day.

    ¡°Mommy taught us what the sheep likes to eat. She said sheeps like to eat¡­ um¡­ umm¡­¡±

    The Second Born forgot the word and the First Born jumped in, ¡°Yellow medick.¡±

    The Second Born nodded, ¡°That. Mommy said sheeps don¡¯t like hard and spiky grass. They like fresh and newly grown ones.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born weren¡¯t focused on that. They told Xie Yunjin, ¡°Mommy said starting tomorrow, we can drink sheep milk.¡±

    ssmate Han watched them and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°The four little ones are so upbeat now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Lu Jiao is great with the kids.¡±

    Seeing how affectionate Xie Yunjin appeared when he mentioned Lu Jiao, ssmate Han once again decided that Yunjin and Lu Jiao had repaired their rtionship. This was great.

    At night, Lu Jiao made a table full of dishes. Other than the chicken soup, there was roasted pork with radish, braised fish chunks, and a giant te of mixed seafood.

    The seafood was brought by Xie Xiaobao. There were palm-sized carp, eels, and shrimps. Though none of them wererge in size, there were many of each.

    Lu Jiao cooked everything together and made braised seafood.

    For vegetables, she made chives with eggs, mushrooms with greens, and pickled cucumbers.

    Though ssmate Han came from the County and often ate out, he was still dazzled by the table full of delicacies.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you¡¯re a great cook. Everything looks, smells, and tastes great.¡±

    Lu Jiao epted hispliment.

    Since there was only one guest, Lu Jiao put the table inside the bedroom so they could eat with Xie Yunjin.

    It was rowdier this way.

    As for that Dr. Shi, he had taken ssmate Han¡¯s horse carriage to visit Dr. Qi.

    By the time Lu Jiao found out about that, he had left. It was toote for her to stop him then.

    She was certain that Qi Lei would deal with it well.

    ¡°Here, eat more fish. Fish makes you smart.¡±

 Chapter 135 - 135 Exasperated and Jealous

    135 Exasperated and Jealous

    Lu Jiao picked off some meat from the fish¡¯s belly for the four little ones. They ate the fish happily.

    Everything their mommy cooked was delicious.

    ssmate Han scanned around. This household had lost its normal depressingness and solemness, now it was bright and radiant.

    ssmate Han couldn¡¯t help but look at Lu Jiao. This woman appeared to have lost weight. Her face was no longer stupidly chubby like before. If she loses more weight, she should be very pretty.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin saw ssmate Han check out Lu Jiao and he was displeased. Though he knew ssmate Han was simply curious about Lu Jiao, he didn¡¯t like how he checked her out.

    Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t happy but he didn¡¯t scold his friend. Instead, he softly asked, ¡°ssmate Han, do you want to stay the night?¡±

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ve been wanting to hang out with you. Since you want me to stay, I will stay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked out of politeness and didn¡¯t expect him to actually agree.

    After the initial shock, he became happy with it.

    Though he hasn¡¯t left the academy for that long, he feels like he¡¯s been away forever. He missed his old life and he wanted to hear more from ssmate Han.

    Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Tonight, ssmate Han can stay with me and the four little ones can stay with you.¡±

    Naturally, Lu Jiao was okay with this. She beamed at the four little ones, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a longer story tonight.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes sparkled. They loved hearing stories from their mommy. These days, they needed a story in order to fall asleep and refused to lie down until a story was told.

    The Fourth Born took the opportunity, ¡°Mommy, can you tell us two stories?¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed, ¡°Okay, two stories it is.¡±

    The four little ones ate dinner very seriously. Afterward, they cleaned up the fishbones before going to feed Soot and Marble.

    Lu Jiao cleaned up the dirty dishes. Behind her, ssmate Hanplimented, ¡°How did you educate your children to be so obedient?¡±

    ssmate Han, like Xie Yunjin, had gotten married a long time ago and was the father of two children. The eldest was five and the youngest was three. They were both boys and very naughty.

    Therefore, ssmate Han was very jealous of the four little ones and wanted to learn the secrets of how to educate children.

    Xie Yunjin was originally going to tell him that Lu Jiao was the one who taught the kids. But quickly, he became fearful that ssmate Han would go to Lu Jiao to ask the question.

    He didn¡¯t want ssmate Han to go to Lu Jiao so he didn¡¯t mention Lu Jiao, ¡°You can¡¯t let the children do whatever they want. They may be young, but they are very aware. You must be clear with your own principles. If they do something right, encourage them. If they do something wrong, scold them. If they cry and act unreasonably, ignore them. If you don¡¯t give them attention, they¡¯ll stop crying very quickly.¡±

    Xie Yunjin doted on the four little ones a lot. Lu Jiao was the one who was strict. For example, when she found the First Born trying to poison her, she immediately hit him with a stick.

    Though the four little ones adored Lu Jiao, they knew that they would be punished if they did something wrong.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up at those thoughts.

    He was very fortunate to have Lu Jiao as the strict one. He didn¡¯t think he would be able to punish the four little ones when it was necessary. He rather punish himself.

    Because he was never going to forget how pitiful the four children were before.

    ssmate Han seemed to have understood, ¡°Your words have taught me more than 10 years of reading. No wonder my parents beat me up as a child. They were doing it for my benefit. I must go home and scold my two sons and make them remember what¡¯s right and wrong.¡±

    Just then, Xie Erzhu came over.

    He came over every night to help Xie Yunjin.

    Out of everyone from the Xie family, Xie Yunjin only missed his Second Brother. He¡¯ll always remember his Second Brother¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Brother.¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded and then greeted ssmate Han.

    ssmate Han wore an expensive robe which made it obvious that he was rich. Xie Erzhu was ufortable interacting with people like that.

    Outside, Lu Jiao was terrified that Xie Yunjin would feel too awkward. No matter how good of friends Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han were, there was no way Xie Yunjin would want to be seen relieving himself. She walked to the room and asked for ssmate Han.

    ¡°ssmate Han, can youe out for a minute? I have something to ask.¡±

    ssmate Han left the room. He didn¡¯t think too much of it.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t like this and angriness clouded his face.

    As ssmate Han left, Xie Yunjin¡¯s mouth beat his mind.

    ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around and found Xie Yunjin staring at her angrily.

    Honestly, this guy was pretty expressionless. It was only due to all the time they spent together did Lu Jiao know that he was angry.

    She didn¡¯t understand why. But since he called out to her, she went to him.

    As she entered the room, she said to ssmate Han, ¡°ssmate Han, please wait for me outside. I¡¯ll be there right away.¡±

    Her statement once again aroused a wave of exasperation in Xie Yunjin.

    Didn¡¯t this woman know that as someone else¡¯s wife, she was inviting rumors about herself by speaking to another man alone?

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t notice Xie Yunjin¡¯s change in mood and left the room nonchntly.

    Inside the yard, the four little ones were feeding Soot and Marble. ssmate Han went to tease the kids.

    Lu Jiao went up to Xie Yunjin, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were dark but his tone was very calm when he asked, ¡°What do you need from ssmate Han?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mind was dashing back and forth. Was this guy worried she would ask the wrong question? Could it be that he and ssmate Han had some sort of secret?

    She wasn¡¯t interested in that. She only asked ssmate Han to go outside to save Xie Yunjin from the embarrassment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to ask him.¡± She then inched closer and whispered, ¡°I was worried you would get embarrassed if he saw you relieve yourself.¡±

    Her words soothed Xie Yunjin¡¯s angry heart right away. At once, his cold visage turned joyous and lightful. His lips curled up and his smile crept up his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t want others to see how happy he was so he did his best to control himself.

    Softly, he cautioned, ¡°Remember who you are. Don¡¯t get too close to other men. This vige is gossipy and they may turn nothing into something. Make sure your reputation doesn¡¯t get damaged.¡±

 Chapter 136 - 136 Beautiful, Virtuous, and Thoughtful

    136 Beautiful, Virtuous, and Thoughtful

    Lu Jiao understood right away. He was worried that she would embarrass him by getting too close to another guy. Xie Yunjin was going to take the imperial exam¡­ if his soon-to-be-separated wife embarrassed him, his reputation will be tarnished.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze flickered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll remember that.¡±

    She then turned to leave. Behind him, Xie Yunjin watched her leave. The thought of her thinking on his behalf lifted his mood yet again.

    Quickly, he frowned again. He must find some time soon to talk to her about their separation. Since he had decided to let her stay, he must let her know that so she could take care of the four little ones without any distraction.

    Inside the room, Xie Erzhu watched all this and had no idea what happened. He knew that his third brother was very angry and he stopped being angry after his sister-inw said something.

    This meant his third brother liked his sister-inw a lot. His mother must be dreaming for wanting to separate them.

    Xie Erzhu then started to help Xie Yunjin.

    Outside, ssmate Han saw Lu Jiaoe out and asked, ¡°Lady Lu, is there something you wanted to ask me about?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to ask much. She simply made hime out for Xie Yunjin¡¯s sake.

    Her brain spun, ¡°Since Yunjin¡¯s been bedridden, he hasn¡¯t been able to visit the academy. Would the Dean and the Masters there refuse to ept him if he returns?¡±

    ssmate Han smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have already spoken to the Dean at the academy. The Dean likes him very much and wouldn¡¯t simply refuse him because of what happened.

    During this time, the Dean hasn¡¯t even been in the Qinghe district. He went out to travel. As for the Masters, they¡¯ve all heard about what happened and even wanted to visit. However, academy exams are happening soon and they got too busy leading the students.

    Out of the medicinal herbs I boughtst time, the Masters all contributed.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded.

    The schr exams seemed to happen every September.

    During that time, the Masters would spend all their energy asking their students to study in the hope of being able to name more schrs. That way, the academy would be able to get more students in the following year.

    Lu Jiao had thought that everyone in the Qinghe District who studied were schrs. It looked like many of them were not.

    ¡°I thought all the students in the academy were schrs?¡±

    ssmate Han was embarrassed, ¡°The official standard states that only schrs can be epted into the academy. However, weck schrs in our district and the academy cannot operate with so few students. Therefore, they loosened their rules and also epted regr pupils. I am one of them.¡±

    ssmate Han nced at Lu Jiao, who didn¡¯t appear to look down on him. This made him sigh in relief.

    Yunjin¡¯s wife was a pretty good person.

    ssmate Han continued, ¡°I¡¯ve never been gifted academically. However, my dad made me write the schr exam to be a schr in order to bring honor to the family. As a schr, you don¡¯t have to pay respect to the officials, and you are freed from conscriptionbor. When I run my business, people tend to respect me more and are more scared to try to scam me.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and finally understood why she¡¯s never read about this person in the novel. It was likely that he ended up giving up writing the imperial exam and focused on his business. However, he was so close to Xie Yunjin and there was no way they would cut ties so cleanly.

    Lu Jiao thought that maybe ssmate Han hid behind Xie Yunjin and partnered up with him for business.

    Lu Jiao pondered. Just then, Xie Erzhu came out of the room with the bamboo potty. He headed to the washroom.

    Lu Jiao saw him and smiled, ¡°Thank you for speaking to the Dean for Yunjin.¡±

    ssmate Han also noticed Xie Erzhu and his bamboo device. Though he wasn¡¯t sure what it was for, he had a good guess. So Yunjin¡¯s wife asked to speak to him for Yunjin.

    ssmate Han started to get jealous. Though Yunjin¡¯s wife wasn¡¯t the most beautiful¡­

    Ah, no, once she slimmed down, she was going to be stunning. Yunjin¡¯s wife was beautiful, virtuous, and thoughtful. This kind of woman was rare.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and beamed, ¡°Go back inside and chat with Yunjin. I¡¯m going to boil some water.¡±

    ssmate Han went back to the bedroom.

    Lu Jiao boiled water and scooped some for Xie Yunjin. She asked him to wipe Xie Yunjin.

    This time, she didn¡¯t feel the need to drag ssmate Han away. They were both men and there wasn¡¯t much to see.

    Outside, Lu Jiao washed the four little ones. As she washed them, she promised them that she¡¯ll make them some new clothes and pajamas. That way, they could alternate their outfits.

    The four little ones were unspeakably happy. The Third Born, however, was the most excited and hugged Lu Jiao to give her a fat kiss.

    The Third Born was more shy and calmpared to the Second and Fourth Born. It was rare for him to be so happy.

    It became obvious how much he valued appearances.

    Lu Jiao pinched his cheek, ¡°I know you like new clothes. I¡¯ll make more for youter.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy, you are the best. I promise to listen to you.¡±

    The Second and Fourth Born also chimed in, ¡°We will also listen to you.¡±

    The First Born was thest to speak, ¡°I will too.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the four little ones. Because she¡¯s been feeding them well, their little faces had lost that yellowness and were now white and smooth like four cute snowballs. Their eyes were now clear and clean, full of positive energy.

    Lu Jiao felt so much love for them. There was no way these four will grow up to be viins.

    Though she¡¯s only spent a short while with them, she truly hoped they don¡¯t go down the bad route.

    Once everyone was in bed, Lu Jiao told them two stories ¨C both long.

    The four little ones were so happy, they became more determined to fulfill their promises to her.

    Their mommy had taught them to be boys who don¡¯t turn back from their words. They will be the people they promised her to be.

    Inside the east bedroom, ssmate Han naturally heard Lu Jiao telling stories to the children. Her voice was kind and graceful. Though he couldn¡¯t make out the words clearly, he was certain that the story was fantastic.

    ssmate Han smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I had no idea Lady Lu is so good with children. It is no wonder the four kids are so respectful.¡±

    ssmate Han couldn¡¯t figure out why this woman had such a bad reputation before.

    Xie Yunjin was in a great mood to hear that. His face was calm, however, as he responded, ¡°She¡¯s just a woman from the countryside. How can she be as great as you¡¯re making it sound?¡±

    For some reason, he hated it when others gave too much attention to Lu Jiao.

 Chapter 137 - 137 Midnight Patient

    137 Midnight Patient

    Then, Xie Yunjin changed the subject immediately, ¡°Are you going to be okay with the exam in September?¡±

    ssmate Han got nervous right away. Though Xie Yunjin was his ssmate, he always guided him through his studies. In some ways, Xie Yunjin felt more like his master.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too confident.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nced at ssmate Han, ¡°Then, study ording to what I told you. With the right attitude, I¡¯m sure you will at least get the schr title.

    Start studying seriously tomorrow and stop thinking about other things. If you fail this exam and fail to be a schr, your father will beat you up.¡±

    ssmate Han¡¯s face turned dark at Xie Yunjin¡¯s words. He was the father of two children ¨C if his dad hit him, his children wouldugh at him.

    However, ssmate Han felt that his dad may really beat him up. So, he must pass this year¡¯s exam.

    At midnight, the Xie Vige waspletely silent as every household went to sleep.

    Just then, the sound of galloping was heard on the main road from the vige¡¯s west entrance. This noise interrupted the silent night.

    Many families were jolted awake as they got out of bed. The Third Grandma¡¯s dog started to bark.

    The Vige Leader, Xie Fugui put on his clothes and got out of bed. Several other men in the vige did the same.

    The galloping headed east. Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, who lived the most east, were awoken at once.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s senses were very sensitive. When she focused, she knew right away that the horse was heading towards her home.

    She wasn¡¯t worried that the people were here to harm her. If that was the case, they wouldn¡¯t being for her in such a loud and obnoxious manner.

    This was likely people from Baohe Tang. Could it be that a fatal patient arrived there tonight?

    Before she could think it through, she got out of bed and got dressed. The four little ones were startled and squeezed in closer to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao patted each one of their heads andforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Someone is probably sick and wants my help.¡±

    The four little ones knew their mother was a great doctor. When they heard that, they stopped being scared.

    Lu Jiaoforted them a bit more before they headed outside.

    Once there, she watched the horse stop abruptly just outside the gate. A person jumped out of the carriage. When he saw Lu Jiao, he subconsciously shouted, ¡°Mas¡­¡±

    He couldn¡¯t finish the word ¡°master¡± since he remembered that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want people to know.

    ¡°Lady Lu, a critical patient is at Baohe Tang right now. I¡¯m not confident about his condition. Please help me.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed how flustered Qi Lei was and knew that the patient must be doing poorly.

    She didn¡¯t waste any time and said to Qi Lei, ¡°I will notify my husband and go with you right away.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Outside the yard, the Vige Leader and his people arrived just in time to hear what Qi Lei had to say. The Vige Leader was in shock. He thought Dr. Qi was the best doctor from the city. Howe he¡¯s looking for Yunjin¡¯s wife¡¯s help? Could it be that Yunjin¡¯s wife was a better doctor than him?

    The Vige Leader didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Lu Jiao entered the east bedroom and told Xie Yunjin, ¡°There¡¯s a critical patient at Baohe Tang. Dr. Qi asked for my help. I¡¯ll be going now. Look after the four little ones.¡±

    Lu Jiao tried to leave. Based on how flustered Qi Lei was, the patient was likely very sick.

    Before she got far, Xie Yunjin suddenly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Dr. Qi a great doctor? Howe he needs your help?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°We all have our strengths and weaknesses. He¡¯s a great doctor but that doesn¡¯t mean he knows everything. I¡¯m not a great doctor but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t save anyone. The patient seems to be really sick and he¡¯s not confident. If we can exchange knowledge, we may be able to save him.¡±

    Lu Jiao then ignored him and left. The patient couldn¡¯t afford to wait.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin ordered, ¡°ssmate Han, go with Lu Jiao into town. Once she¡¯s done, bring her back with your horse carriage. Then, you can go home to the Qinghe District.¡±

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t think too much and thought Xie Yunjin was simply worried about Lu Jiao. He agreed.

    Lu Jiao heard all that and didn¡¯t have the time to stop him. She went to the west bedroom and said to the children, ¡°Uncle Han is going to give me a ride into town. Go sleep with your daddy in the east bedroom.¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried the children were scared so she suggested they go sleep with Xie Yunjin.

    The four little ones agreed. She picked two of them up and went to the east bedroom.

    ssmate Han, who just walked out of the east bedroom, picked up the other two and brought them to the east bedroom.

    Lu Jiao settled down the children and headed out.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin watched the two people leave. Slowly, his gazended on his feet. A little more time and he¡¯ll be able to walk. Then, he¡¯ll be able to apany Lu Jiao to go to the patients.

    With ssmate Han with her, he was less worried.

    Lu Jiao went to grab her basket from the kitchen and headed to the horse carriage with ssmate Han. As they walked, she said, ¡°You really don¡¯t need toe. It¡¯s better if you go back and rest.¡±

    ssmate Han shook his head, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s worried about you. I¡¯m more than happy to apany you.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this funny. There was no way Xie Yunjin would be worried about her. She wondered what was wrong with him tonight.

    Just then, Qi Lei walked over and saw ssmate Han.

    Lu Jiao introduced, ¡°This is my husband¡¯s ssmate. He¡¯lle with us.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded. Schr Xie didn¡¯t want the Master to go alone?

    Lu Jiao asked Qi Lei, ¡°How¡¯s the patient?¡±

    The three of them got onto the horse carriage. The wheeler quickly turned the horse to head back into town. Behind them, the Vige Leader waved for everyone to go back and sleep.

    Inside the Xie yard, Soot and Marble barked hard. Sadly, their volume was low and didn¡¯t garner much attention.

    Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao asked again, ¡°What is wrong with the patient?¡±

    Based on the look on Qi Lei¡¯s face, the patient isn¡¯t doing well at all and he isn¡¯t certain about his conditions.

    Qi Lei nced at ssmate Han. Lu Jiao quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. ssmate Han is close to my husband. You can say anything before him.¡±

    Qi Lei looked back at Lu Jiao, ¡°We received a heavily wounded patient at midnight. The patient was shot by an arrow ¨C here.¡±

 Chapter 138 - 138 Apologize Right Now

    138 Apologize Right Now

    Qi Lei pointed to the area below the right side of his shoulder, indicating that the arrownded there.

    A barb arrow was extremely difficult to pull out. One misstep could lead to the patient¡¯s death. If one forces it out, a blood hole may be created where the patient was shot and the patient may bleed to death.

    Since Qi Lei didn¡¯t have the confidence to pull out the sword, she had toe to Lu Jiao to see if she had any way to get rid of the arrow.

    Lu Jiao was relieved to hear the case.

    !!

    To her, getting the barb arrow out wasn¡¯t the most difficult part. The difficult part was what to do afterward. To stitch up the wound, the patient needed antibiotics. An IV was out of the question, which left her the option to give the patient lots of pills.

    Lu Jiao was worried that the others would get suspicious to see antibiotics. She had to think of a way to exin it.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s collectedness eased the tension Qi Lei felt.

    ¡°Lady Lu, do you have the confidence to get the arrow out?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s heart finally fell back to ce.

    On the other side, ssmate Han gawked at Qi Lei in surprise, ¡°Are you the doctor who operated on Yunjin?¡±

    Qi Lei froze for a second before nodding, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t say more. Something was off¡­ Logically speaking, the doctor who operated on Xie Yunjin should be a great doctor. Why would a doctor like thate to find Yunjin¡¯s wife for medical advice?

    On top of that, Dr. Qi appeared to highly respect Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    Just what was happening? ssmate Han was confused.

    The horse carriage rushed into Qili and headed straight to Baohe Tang.

    Once Lu Jiao and the others got off the carriage, Manage Li came to greet them, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re finally here. Pleasee with me.¡±

    Lu Jiao, Qi Lei, ssmate Han, and Manager Li went to the small building located in the backyard.

    The building was well lit with several people guarding door. Though none of them spoke, their aura made it obvious that they were no ordinary people. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have time to think too much and entered the building, straight to the patient¡¯s room.

    Outside the room, two men in ck stood. The two men showed no emotions as they blocked Lu Jiao when she tried to enter.

    Behind her, Qi Lei exined, ¡°I invited Lady Lu. She¡¯s a great doctor and she¡¯ll be able to get the arrow out of the patient.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at the men in ck. Weren¡¯t they being overboard?

    Just then, the men who stopped her made way for her to enter.

    Behind her, ssmate Han tried to go in as well but was stopped by the men in ck, ¡°Strangers are not allowed in.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around and said to ssmate Han, ¡°ssmate Han, you can wait for me outside.¡±

    ¡°Okay, if anything happens, call me.¡±

    ssmate Han was looking at the men in ck like they were the enemy. For some reason, he was sure that they weren¡¯t good people.

    Lu Jiao entered the room with Qi Lei. Currently, nervousness filled the room.

    On the bed, there was a man with an arrow near his chest. He was passed out from his injuries. Lu Jiao nced at him and found him to be wearing a very high-quality robe.

    It was obvious for her to conclude that this man was not only wealthy but also of high status.

    Everyone in the room turned to Lu Jiao. One of the men, who was cold and handsome, asked in a low voice, ¡°Master Zhao, this is the doctor you were referring to?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nced at Lu Jiao, ¡°Yes.¡±

    He strolled towards Lu Jiao and calmly questioned, ¡°Lady Lu, are you confident enough to remove the arrow?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng. Though he pretended to be calm, his anxiety was hard to hide. The anxiousness he disyed was more than the nervousness you get while under duress, but more like worried.

    Lu Jiao nced towards the man on the bed. Could it be that he had some kind of involvement with the wounded man?

    Lu Jiao stopped her train of thought. She wasn¡¯t interested.

    She only wanted to cure the wounded and make money.

    ¡°I can try.¡±

    She walked to the bed. The cold and proud-looking man from before stopped her from getting closer, ¡°Are you confident?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°I can only do my best. As for confidence? Doctors never make promises. If you are worried, I don¡¯t have to do anything.¡±

    She was invited here to try and save that man¡¯s life. Just who were they to act so arrogant right now?

    Lu Jiao stared at the man in disdain.

    At once, the atmosphere turned frigid and cold. Zhao Lingfeng walked over quickly and said to the man, ¡°Mobei, the young master cannot wait any longer. Let her try. If she can¡¯t, then nobody can get rid of the young master¡¯s arrow.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words surprised Mobei. What kind of countryside woman was she to have earned such respect from third young master Zhao? How rare.

    Mo Bei red at Lu Jiao and warned, ¡°You better not y any tricks. Or else¡­¡±

    Before he finished, Lu Jiao had already lost her patience and turned around.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with not removing the arrow. Nobody says you must get rid of the arrow. You take me here in the middle of the night and haven¡¯t said a single kind word. Yet you want me to get out the arrow for you?¡±

    Behind her, Mo Bei¡¯s face dropped. He¡¯s never met a woman like this¡­ was she really only a countryside woman? Even the women from the Capital City get scared when he¡¯s near, yet this woman thought nothing of him.

    Mo Bei stopped Lu Jiao, ¡°Did I allow you to leave?¡±

    Lu Jiao found her hands itching. Though this man likely knew martial arts and was probably good at it, he was asking for a beating.

    Inside the room, Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei went to her, ¡°Lady Lu, don¡¯t me him. Mo Bei is just very worried about the young master and has lost his politeness. Don¡¯t me him.¡±

    Lu Jiao gaped at Mo Bei, ¡°Apologize.¡±

    Mo Bei was furious and almost lost it. Beside him, Zhao Lingfeng grabbed him and scolded, ¡°Do you want to save the young master or not?!¡±

    This made Mo Bei speechless. He snapped his head at Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was rude.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t an unreasonable person, especially when the patient was in critical danger. She nced at Mo Bei, then went to the patient. This time, nobody stopped her.

    Lu Jiao first checked out the wound from the arrow. It was deep. Based on the shape, it was definitely a barb arrow. To get it out, she had to cut him open, get close to the tip of the arrow, pull the arrow out the same way it went in, then stitch him back up.

 Chapter 139 - 139 5,000 Taels of Silver

    139 5,000 Taels of Silver

    Lu Jiao thought it over, then ordered, ¡°Other than Qi Lei, everyone else get out.¡±

    Mo Bei didn¡¯t like that. As a subordinate, he didn¡¯t want to leave his Master.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t want to get out either. He suggested, ¡°You do what you need to do. We promise you that we won¡¯t talk.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced towards Mo Bei and warned him, ¡°You better not talk and distract me. Or else if anything happens to your master, you¡¯re to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Mo Bei gritted his teeth and said nothing.

    Lu Jiao used her basket as a prop and took out some oral anesthetics, bandages, antibiotics, and a scalpel from her space.

    Anesthetics through injection were safe and effective while oral anesthetics were less healthy. Though taking them once or twice was okay, the pills she had were usually only offered to terminally ill cancer patients to help them manage pain.

    In front of so many people, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t just take out her needle and inject anesthetics. She could only offer oral treatment.

    She gave Qi Lei some pills and asked him to give them to the patient.

    ¡°This is oral mafei powder. In a bit, I will have to cut into him in order to remove the arrow. Then, I will stitch him back up.¡±

    Lu Jiao ced her surgical instruments by her side while Qi Lei excitedly fed the patient medicine.

    He was so excited to witness an operation.

    Lu Jiao ignored Qi Lei and carefully examined the wound. She taught Qi Lei while she observed, ¡°Look at where the arrownded ¨C there arerge horizontal tears on both sides. This indicates the arrow is either on the left or the right. In situations like this, you would cut open horizontally and get the arrowhead out.

    You have to make the cuts precisely and quickly. When I cut him open, you immediately apply the antihemorrhagic agent to stop the bleeding. Once the arrow is out, we have to close the wound quickly and stop the bleeding. He will then take anti-inmmatory medicine orally.¡±

    Qi Lei listened and respectfully nodded ordingly. The oral anesthetics worked rather quickly. Lu Jiao started the process as she described. Once the arrow was out, Qi Lei did his part to stop the bleeding.

    Out of all of Lu Jiao¡¯s surgical tools, she had a harmonic scalpel. If she was able to make cuts using that scalpel, there would be way less bleeding. A harmonic scalpel allows blood to clot while it cuts. Sadly, she couldn¡¯t use such a knife in front of everyone. There was no way anyone in this era had that technology. If she used that, how would she exin it? What if others want to start using that scalpel? How will she duplicate it?

    Lu Jiao could only use medicine to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding stopped, she started to close the wound. She applied anti-inmmatory gel and then bandaged him up.

    Once she was done, she took out some antibiotic pills and asked Qi Lei to give them to the patient.

    ¡°This is an antibiotic. Once he takes this, he won¡¯t get infections and his wound won¡¯t rot. He also won¡¯t get a fever.¡±

    Qi Lei and Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes brightened. They stared at the pill in Qi Lei¡¯s hand.

    What a magical thing. If they could manufacture that pill, they could introduce it to the army and themoners and save lots of lives.

    Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, where did you get this?¡±

    Lu Jiao had already thought of an excuse, ¡°My Master left it to me. I don¡¯t have many left. I¡¯ve been studying this medicine and have made several discoveries. In a while, I should be able to replicate it.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was ecstatic.

    However, he quickly re-centered his attention on the man in bed. The young master¡¯s wound was more important.

    Now that Lu Jiao was done with the operation, she wanted to leave. Mo Bei however, stopped her.

    ¡°The master hasn¡¯t woken up so you can¡¯t leave.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face darkened as she red at Mo Bei. silently, she decided to never help these people again.

    Just then, Zhao Lingfeng showed up, ¡°Lady Lu, don¡¯t be mad. Mo Bei is just like that, you can ignore him. I will ask Manager Li to get you a 5,000-taels-of-silver worth banknote. You can take it with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood instantly lifted as she smiled at Zhao Lingfeng.

    This owner had a very high EQ. Not bad at all.

    Zhao Lingfeng honestly ached for that 5,000 taels of silver. Sadly, Mo Bei had wronged Lady Lu and she may just stop helping out if anything else bad happened to the young master.

    Though Lady Lu was from the countryside, she had her principles. Zhao Lingfeng was strangely certain that this woman only does what she says.

    Zhao Lingfeng red at Mo Bei angrily then walked Lady Lu to the door. He then said to Qi Lei, ¡°Tell Manager Li to get that bank note.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded. Lu Jiao¡¯s knowledge had stunned him. Right now, there was nobody he respected more than his Master. Her medical knowledge was far too astonishing. His father¡­ no, even his grandfather couldn¡¯tpare to his little Master right now.

    If he¡¯s able to learn everything from his Master, he will go far in life.

    The more Qi Lei thought about it, the more excited he got. He whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, you are such a great surgeon.¡±

    His Master so easily took care of thatplicated barb arrow.

    Because of that 5,000 taels of silver, Lu Jiao was in a great mood. She smiled at Qi Lei, ¡°If you study seriously, you will be just as good as me. Not only will you be able to save lives, but you will also make good money.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled while Qi Lei stared speechlessly. Will his Master ever be someone who views money as meaningless?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care and went outside. When ssmate Han saw her, he nervously asked, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, are you okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head to say she was fine.

    Qi Lei went to the main building.

    When Manager Li heard the request to prepare a banknote of as much as 5,000 taels of silver, his heart hurt. But that was a direct order from the owner and he couldn¡¯t say otherwise.

    5,000 taels of silver¡­ that was his little shop¡¯s annual revenue. This really hurt.

    Still, heplied and gave the banknote to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao took it and walked out with a bright face. Behind her, ssmate Han followed.

    Suddenly, he thought of Dr. Shi. Dr. Shi came here yesterday on ssmate Han¡¯s carriage. Yet where was he now?

    ¡°Dr. Qi, have you seen Dr. Shi? Where did he go?¡±

    Qi Lei remembered that Dr. Shi. Yesterday, that doctor came over, grabbed his hands, and excitedlyplimented his medical skills. Then, that doctor started asking about what he could do to ensure wounds don¡¯t rot.

    Qi Lei didn¡¯t know the details so he ignored the guy. That guy stayed in Baohe Tang until night.

    ¡°He should be at the inn near here.¡±

    The Town of Qili was small and there was only one inn ¨C business was bad there.

    If that doctor had nowhere else to go, he likely stayed there.

    ssmate Han decided to go find Dr. Shi while Lu Jiao waited at Baohe Tang. Qi Lei stayed to chat with Lu Jiao.

 Chapter 140 - 140 Lu Jiao would for sure Stay

    140 Lu Jiao would for sure Stay

    Because of that 5,000 taels of silver, Lu Jiao was in a great mood. She took out more antibiotics and gave them to Qi Lei.

    ¡°This is left by my Master. Give it to the patient three times a day and his wound won¡¯t rot.¡±

    As a doctor, Qi Lei knew right away how this worked. Normally, they would brew detoxifying medicine to help with inmmation. Sadly, those medicines usually work very slowly while the pill his Master had worked quickly and effectively.

    Qi Lei was a little too excited, ¡°Master, if we can produce these pills, the entire dynasty would benefit from it.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s not tooplicated to make this medicine. However, I¡¯m missing one ingredient that I don¡¯t know where to get it from.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Qi Lei asked worriedly. If their pharmacy could stock up on this, the entire Zhou Dynasty would explode.

    ¡°Potash mine.¡±

    There were many uses for potassium salt. She was looking to get potassium ions out of the potassium salt andbine it with penicillin to make penicillin V potassium tablets. Though those tablets would be weaker than penicillin itself, the anti-inmmatory effect was strong.

    That was the one antibiotic she could think of making right now. She could also turn penicillin into a liquid, but that would require her to inject the liquid. How would she produce syringes and needles?

    Qi Lei was in shock. He¡¯s never heard of a potash mine.

    ¡°Master?¡±

    Qi Lei wanted to ask more but ssmate Han hade back with Dr. Shi.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, it¡¯s almost morning. Let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and said farewell to Qi Lei. She got onto ssmate Han¡¯s carriage and they headed back to the vige.

    By the time they arrived, the Sun was already up. Many households had gotten up and heard about Dr. Qiing in the middle of the night to ask Lu Jiao for help. They heard there was a critical patient and the doctor had no choice but to invite Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    The story meant Yunjin¡¯s wife was a better doctor than Dr. Qi. If someone from the vige got sick, they no longer needed to go into town. They could just go to Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    By the time Lu Jiao got home, the four little ones had already woken up and were talking to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, when¡¯s mommying back?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back when the morninges.¡±

    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯te back when it¡¯s morning?¡±

    The four little ones were worried. Xie Yunjin saw how anxious they were and became sure of one thing: he was going to make Lu Jiao stay. If she left, the children would be so unhappy. Children needed their mother¡¯spany.

    He felt that if he told Lu Jiao to stay, she would happily stay. After all, he could tell how much she liked the four little ones.

    Just then, they heard a horse gallop. At once, the four little ones rolled out of bed like eels and ran outside.

    Lu Jiao came into the yard and the children crowded her immediately, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Ah, why are you up so early? Why not sleep more?¡±

    The Fourth Born pouted, ¡°I was worried and couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled at how adult he was acting and patted his head, ¡°In the end, my son loves me the most.¡±

    The Second and Third Born instantly added, ¡°Mommy, I was worried about you too! I couldn¡¯t sleep!¡±

    Lu Jiao was now even happier as she grinned at them, ¡°I didn¡¯t raise you for nothing! Are you tired? Do you want to sleep more?¡±

    The four little ones shook their heads, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    As they chatted, they walked towards the east bedroom. Inside, Xie Yunjin was sitting up straight already. By now, he could move around freely as long as he didn¡¯t put weight on his legs.

    ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to go to sleep?¡± Xie Yunjin asked caringly.

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m ok not sleeping for one night.¡±

    She¡¯s been conditioning her body with the spiritual stream water and she¡¯s been feeling pretty good.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t persist and asked about the patient.

    ¡°What happened to the sick?¡±

    Lu Jiao answered, ¡°He¡¯s not sick, he was hit by an arrow. They invited me over to see if I can remove the arrowhead.¡±

    Her words resulted in Xie Yunjin¡¯s face darkening. He turned to ssmate Han, who quickly chimed in, ¡°The wounded is likely some character. His people didn¡¯t let me in so I don¡¯t know what happened inside the room.¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but frown. He asked Lu Jiao suspiciously, ¡°Someone as amazing as Dr. Qi couldn¡¯t handle an arrow wound?¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how skeptical Xie Yunjin was. She didn¡¯t want him to dwell on it so she exined quickly, ¡°He needed someone there to coordinate with him. When you pull out an arrow, you have to stop the bleeding immediately so you can close the wound. He¡¯s new to Qili and didn¡¯t trust others for the job.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to stay on this topic in case she let something slip.

    ¡°It¡¯ste. I will go make breakfast.¡±

    She then decisively went out with the children. Soon after, Lin Chunyan walked in.

    ¡°Third aunt, I¡¯m here to help you cook.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew declining her was useless so she simply smiled, ¡°Okay, you can help me with the porridge. I¡¯m going to get some sheep milk.¡±

    She promised the four little ones they¡¯d get milk today.

    The sheep was very sweet and didn¡¯t even get mad when she milked it.

    Sheep milk is very gamey. Lu Jiao added some vinegar in there to soften the taste. It would be best if she could add almonds. Sadly, she didn¡¯t have that and could only use vinegar.

    Despite adding vinegar to bnce out the taste, the four little ones still didn¡¯t like the taste. They didn¡¯t really want to keep drinking after a few sips.

    Lu Jiao lectured them, ¡°Milk is great for people. Right now, you are weak and short. You need this to grow taller and stronger. That way, you won¡¯t have to be scared if others bully you.¡±

    After her speech, the Second Born straight up chugged the milk. The First, Third, and Fourth Born also drank it.

    Despite finishing it, the little guys still frowned andined, ¡°It¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    Lu Jiao pinched their cheeks, ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it once you drink it daily. Imagine yourselves all grown up, tall, and even more handsome than your daddy.¡±

    The Third Born¡¯s eyes lit up. Taller and more handsome than daddy? He liked that.

    He promised Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, I will drink milk every day.¡±

    The Fourth Born also nodded, ¡°I will too. I want to be taller than daddy and protect mommy in the future.¡±

    ¡°Then I will count on you.¡±

    The First Born added, ¡°Me too, me too! I will protect you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at the four little guys. The thought of leaving them soon made her so sad.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin heard the conversation outside and raised an eyebrow. He was getting more and more certain that as long as he asked, Lu Jiao would stay.

 141 He was giving the Children to her for her to Raise

    141 He was giving the Children to her for her to Raise

    Xie Yunjin called out, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao indicated for the four little ones to eat. She got some porridge and a te of veggies and went to the east bedroom.

    ¡°Do you want some sheep milk?¡±

    Xie Yunjin declined right away. He hadmb once in the city. He took one bite before he lost interest. Milk from a sheep was likely more gamey than their meat ¨C he wouldn¡¯t be able to stomach it.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t persist seeing how much he appeared to hate the idea.

    Xie Yunjin was an adult and she¡¯s been giving him spiritual stream water and good nutritious food. He would be fine without sheep milk.

    The four little ones, however, were far too skinny and small. Even with spiritual stream water, she wasn¡¯t sure if they could grow tall. It was better for them to get natural sources of nutrition.

    ¡°Have breakfast.¡±

    Now that Xie Yunjin could eat by himself and didn¡¯t need to be fed, it saved her a lot of energy.

    Lu Jiao handed Xie Yunjin the food and turned to leave.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin called out, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    boxn ov el. c o m

    Lu Jiao thought he needed something and walked to him, ¡°You need something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin gestured for Lu Jiao to sit. He seemed to really want to talk to her about something, so she sat down and stared at him.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze was calm as he spoke slowly, ¡°You have educated the four children well. They are also good kids with morals. If you are able to continue educating them, they will be very filial towards you once they grow up.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t mention the separation because the four little ones were sitting outside and eating. If he said those words, they would be alerted and scared.

    Therefore, Xie Yunjin decided to hint at it. He was certain that Lu Jiao would get it.

    But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t understand and stared at Xie Yunjin, confused.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart skipped a beat and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t get it?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    Can¡¯t he straight up say what he wanted to say? Why must he take the detour route to get it out?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened and added, ¡°I have thought it through clearly and decided that the children should not grow up without a mother. The mother figure is irreceable to children. So¡­¡±

    A light appeared to flicker on top of Lu Jiao¡¯s head. She seemed to have understood.

    Her heart pounded and she rejoiced. Loudly, she shouted, ¡°I get what you mean now!¡±

    He was giving the children to her for her to raise! What an unexpected surprise! The gods were truly kind to her.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw how happy Lu Jiao got.

    This woman got so happy just because they weren¡¯t separating. This must mean she liked him just as much as she liked the four little ones.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t detest the idea. If she was willing to do her best at taking care of the four little ones, he¡¯ll allow her to like him.

    Did she really have to react this excitedly? Did she like him that much?

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao extended her hands and cupped Xie Yunjin¡¯s, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will teach them to love their father.¡±

    She knew that even though Xie Yunjin was letting her raise the children, he would never allow them to take herst name. The children would still belong to him. He¡¯s simply asking her to take care of them.

    She didn¡¯t care. As long as she ensures the little guys walk down the right path and don¡¯t be viins, she would feel aplished even if they do end up returning to their father.

    Xie Yunjin stared at how Lu Jiao held his hands. It appeared that he was correct to think that this woman liked him. That was fine. As long as she took care of the four little ones, he won¡¯t hurt her.

    Xie Yunjin gently said, ¡°Go eat your breakfast.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded with a grin, ¡°Okay, call me if you need something.¡±

    Xie Yunjin could tell how happy she was, and he couldn¡¯t help but notice the positive change in his mood as well.

    These two people were having opposite thoughts, yet they were getting along so well.

    Outside the room, the four little ones could tell their mommy was in an exceptionally good mood today.

    The First Born raised an eyebrow, ¡°Mommy, you seem happy.¡±

    The sight of the four little guys brought even more joy to Lu Jiao. How great was it that she didn¡¯t need to separate from the children anymore!

    She went to kiss each one of the four kids.

    ¡°Yes, I am in a great mood. I will make you a lot of good food for lunch.¡±

    The four little ones cheered, ¡°You¡¯re so great, mommy!¡±

    These days, even the First and Third Born became more outgoing.

    The four little ones were getting more and more confident each day. The fearful and carefulness they had before vanished.

    Now, they were always smiling with light in their eyes.

    After breakfast, the four little ones went to y with their toys. Lu Jiao grabbed medicine to give to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin brought up teaching Lu Jiao how to read.

    Since she¡¯d been so busy, she¡¯d had no time to learn. Now that most things have settled, she could stick to a learning schedule. She must learn all the characters before her separation.

    Because then, she¡¯ll be able to open her own pharmacy. There was no way she was going to tell Qi Lei she didn¡¯t know how to read. That would be embarrassing to admit for a Master.

    Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯ll spend an hour every day after breakfast to learn how to read from you. The kids can y while I do so.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed, ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡±

    Lu Jiao got out a copy of the Three Character ssic. Honestly, she had it memorized. But it was too time-consuming to match her memory to the characters one by one. It was easier to have Xie Yunjin teach her.

    Lu Jiao sat before the desk and waited for Xie Yunjin to start teaching.

    Xie Yunjin looked towards the woman at the desk and found her to have lost weight again. Her originally chubby andrge face had shrunk. Her almond-shaped eyes and cherry-red lips were now more visible. Though there was still fat on her face, her skin was smoother than silk and the sight of her didn¡¯t trigger any disgust. Instead, it brought a gorgeous glow.

    Xie Yunjin looked down and found her clothes to have gotten ill-fitting. Since she lost weight, her clothes now hung off her body bulkily.

    He remembered the new sets of clothes she bought him and the four little onesst time and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your clothes are too big for you now. Why don¡¯t you buy some new ones for yourself?¡±

    Didn¡¯t all women enjoy looking beautiful? This woman had obviously lost weight and gotten more beautiful, so why didn¡¯t she treat herself to some new clothes?

    Lu Jiao originally sat in the chair with her back straight and was eager to learn. In the end, she learned nothing, and he started to talk to her about clothes.

    Shocked, she looked at Xie Yunjin and found him to be studying her clothes.

    Her first instinct was to snap back. What did her clothes have to do with him? She wore what she liked, why did he care?

    But she quickly remembered how Xie Yunjin had just given her the children. She calmed down and decided to treat him nicely. After all, he was being nice. And if she pissed him off, he may take back the four little ones.

 Chapter 142 - 142 What a Great Day

    142 What a Great Day

    Lu Jiao smirked and said, ¡°I¡¯m still a little chubby. I¡¯ll buy once I¡¯m skinnier. The clothes will fit me even better then.¡±

    Xie Yunjin disagreed when she said she wanted to lose more weight.

    He thought Lu Jiao looked just right. Though a little chubby, it was nice.

    Though in the Zhou Dynasty, thin was considered beautiful, he thought women looked better with some meat on their bones.

    !!

    Xie Yunjin whispered, ¡°I think you look decent like this.¡±

    Lu Jiao started to grind her teeth. She didn¡¯t want him to think she was decent, she wanted herself to think he was decent.

    For the four little ones, however, she endured.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, we are going to run out of time if you don¡¯t teach me soon. The four little ones need to teach the kidster.¡±

    Xie Yunjin coughed and started to teach Lu Jiao the characters. He mostly read out loud while she looked at the book.

    The Three Character ssic was elementary level for Xie Yunjin. He didn¡¯t even need the book to recite it.

    Lu Jiao stared at the book and read it one character by character.

    The four little ones heard themotion and dashed over to find their dad teaching their mom how to read. They couldn¡¯t help but grin.

    Their parents were getting along so well.

    The First Born ced his index finger over his lips and gestured for the others to not disturb their mom and dad.

    They then silently left. Inside the room, Xie Yunjin saw the children peeking from the door. Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t notice.

    She was focused on the Three Character ssic. She would repeat after Xie Yunjiin and try to memorize the corresponding traditional character in the book.

    An hour passed quickly.

    Lu Jiao efficiently got some water for Xie Yunjin and dripped a few drops of the spiritual stream water inside.

    Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin in the kindest manner.

    The look on her face made Xie Yunjin¡¯s cheeks hot. He silently mumbled how publicly she was revealing her emotions. Even if she did like him, she should keep it more reserved. What kind of women disyed their emotions so obviously?

    Xie Yunjin wanted to warn Lu Jiao but if he said anything to her, it might give her a hard time. Given how nice she was to the four little ones, he decided to keep silent.

    If she wanted to disy her emotions, she could. After all, she was his wife.

    Xie Yunjin quietly drank his water with his face beautiful like a flower.

    Lu Jiao silently enjoyed it then softly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to make lunch. You rest a bit. Call me if you need anything.¡±

    Those words danced inside Xie Yunjin¡¯s eardrums. Her tone was gentler and merrier than usual.

    The decision to not separate was a good one.

    His lips subconsciously curled up.

    Lu Jiao ignored him and headed outside. At the same time, the four little ones were already bringing the children inside.

    There were more children here now than before ¨C other than boys, a few girls showed up too. Even several older children were here now, such as Xie Xiaobao.

    Xie Xiaobao was embarrassed to run into Lu Jiao. After all, he was already 13 and he was learning from the four little ones. How embarrassing.

    However, his parents forced him toe, saying that knowing a little was better than knowing nothing. He wouldn¡¯t have to end up living like a blind man.

    ¡°Third aunt.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and advised, ¡°Study seriously. You lose nothing by learning how to read.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to encourage him instead ofughing at him. At once, he became fueled with energy and nodded, ¡°Third aunt, I will.¡±

    Lu Jiao went to prepare lunch. Today was a great day with many good things happening. First, she made 5,000 taels of silver, then she gained custody of the four little ones. The Gods truly were kind to her.

    Lu Jiao prepared lunch in high spirits. Today, she nned on cooking a few of her holy grail dishes. She took out one of the fish she bought before and mashed it until it became a paste. She then added radish pieces to it and made them into fish balls. She nned on frying themter ¨C kids loved that dish.

    Lu Jiao then marinated the fish head and she was going to make soup with it. She¡¯ll also make some braised pork.

    She¡¯ll make noodles with bone broth that she¡¯ll make from scratch. Then, she harvested some vegetables from her garden to make two veggie dishes.

    Lu Jiao was happily busy as her heart filled with joy. These days, there was nothing she enjoyed more than healthy living.

    Outside the trellis, someone entered and headed straight to the kitchen.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, are you here?¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped what she was doing and went to greet Aunt Guihua.

    ¡°What is it? Something wrong?¡± Lu Jiao thought someone from Aunt Guihua¡¯s house was sick, so she asked worriedly.

    Aunt Guihua flew to her and whispered in her ears, ¡°Jiaojiao, I have some news that you must share with Yunjin.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could respond, she added in an even quieter voice, ¡°You know your family lives beside a sl*t, right? I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on her every day in case she tries to seduce your uncle. Last night, I saw a man enter her home suspiciously. I couldn¡¯t go to sleep after that and kept an eye out all night, wondering who she seduced. Guess who I saw in the end?¡±

    Aunt Guihua mysteriously stared at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao had a good idea. If things went ording to the n, Widow Wang seduced her father-inw, Xie Laogen. Why else would Aunt Guihua be here telling her right now?

    Lu Jiao pretended to be oblivious and shook her head.

    Aunt Guihua lived for this drama, ¡°Your father-inw, Xie Laogen!¡±

    Lu Jiao appropriately shrieked, ¡°For real?!¡±

    Aunt Guihua went back to whispering, ¡°You kid, why would I lie to you? I didn¡¯t get to tell youst night because Xie Laogen is your father-inw. If I didn¡¯t consider you, I would¡¯ve revealed it to the whole town. I want to p that Lady Ruan¡¯s old face. She keeps acting like she¡¯s the boss and her husband is a ve to her.

    Now, her man is out there stealing time with other women. I sure want to know how she can still act so arrogantly after this.¡±

    Lu Jiao pretended to deny reality and refused to believe this, ¡°Aunty, you must have seen wrong. It¡¯s not like my father-inw to do this. He¡¯s scared of my mother-inw like a mouse is scared of a cat. Where would he get the guts? Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    The certainty Aunt Guihua had disappeared a little. After all, it was darkst night, and she didn¡¯t get to see his face. It may not have been him. After all, plenty of men shared simr silhouettes in this vige.

    Was she wrong? Aunt Guihua originally wanted a praise from Lu Jiao by sharing her discovery but it didn¡¯t go as nned. She was a little crestfallen and hissed, ¡°They might not let me catch them again. If I do, I will skin that Widow Wang alive.¡±

 Chapter 143 - 143 Helping out Again

    143 Helping out Again

    Aunt Guihua then said to Lu Jiao with a smile, ¡°Jiaojiao, then I will go harvest some herbs. Did you know that everyone from the vige went into the mountains today for herbs? I took some timeing here just to talk to you. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    Aunt Guihua then left to go into the mountains.

    These days, every viger was looking for herbs to harvest. There were too many people and the resources got divided up fast. If they didn¡¯t go early and get their share, others would.

    Once Aunt Guihua left, Lu Jiao went to the east bedroom.

    !!

    Inside, Xie Yunjin was reading. He felt rather high energy and his legs didn¡¯t hurt anymore. When he got bored, he would read.

    He sensed Lu Jiaoe in and stopped flipping his book and looked up.

    Lu Jiao went to him and mumbled in a low voice into his ear, ¡°Aunt Guihua just came to tell me that she saw your dad visit Widow Wangst night.¡±

    Though she pretended to deny that was her father-inw in front of Aunt Guihua, she was silently pretty certain that the man was Xie Laogen.

    It was all because her mother-inw didn¡¯t bring much joy to her home and her father-inw has likely been stressed for a long time. For an understanding young woman to appear at a time like this and heal his pain, wouldn¡¯t he embrace that?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened and his lips formed into a sarcastic smile.

    The thought of his mother made him want tough. That woman thought she had everyone in the palm of her hands yet in the end, her man emotionally distanced himself and her son physically distanced himself. He wondered how she would feel about all this.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t regret his actions. If he didn¡¯t stop them once, his father and Widow Wang would¡¯ve gotten together a long time ago. He helped his mother stop that homewrecker once, yet his mother exiled him the moment he was injured. She also used him of being unfilial. If she thought that, then he shall truly be unfilial.

    Xie Yunjin closed his eyes and leaned back, ¡°Ignore her.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t going to get involved in this in case she became known as the ultimate bad person. It was Xie Yunjin¡¯s business and she had no ns to interfere.

    Lu Jiao nned on going to cook but Xie Yunjin stopped her.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, that wheelchair you designed before¡­ you can ask Uncle Youcai to make it now.¡±

    His legs should be able to handle sitting in a chair soon. As long as he doesn¡¯t use them like normal, he should be okay.

    Lu Jiao agreed with a grin, ¡°Okay, after lunch, I¡¯ll visit Uncle Youcai.¡±

    Xie Yunjin studied her and realized she was in an extremely good mood today. The grin basically never left her lips and her almond eyes were warm like the Sun.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but be infected by her positivity and he felt lighter. If he knew not separating would make her this happy, he would¡¯ve told her sooner.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what Xie Yunjin was thinking. She went to prepare lunch happily.

    Lunch was naturallyvish. Other than fish balls, braised pork, she made fish head soup, steamed eggs with meat, mushrooms with vegetables, chives with pork, andstly, she used half of the bones she boughtst time to make broth and added noodles to it.

    Because of this, not only did Xie Yunjin pick up on her ted mood, but the four little ones also noticed.

    The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, you seem to be so happy today. You made so many dishes.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t know which dish to focus on today. Their mommy was incredible for being able to make so many yummy dishes! They looked delicious.

    Lu Jiao pinched the Fourth Born¡¯s cheek, ¡°When is mommy not happy?¡±

    Today, she was simply exceptionally happy.

    Xie Yunjin had given her custody of the four little ones. How could she not feel thrilled? Before, the idea of separating from the four little ones made her sorrowful. Now that it didn¡¯t need to happen, she was naturally euphoric.

    She leaned down to kiss the four little guys once each, which made them giggle.

    Lu Jiao then rolled up her sleeves and announced, ¡°Eat! I¡¯m confident there¡¯s enough for all of you.¡±

    The four little ones giggled more because of how she was acting. Even the First Born chuckled heavily.

    Lu Jiao scooped out the noodles with bone broth and grabbed a separate te for the fish balls and braised pork. She delivered them to Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Try these. These are my signature dishes.¡±

    Xie Yunjin has been listening to theughter outside and his handsome had softened to an unspeakable degree. As he watched Lu Jiao enter, his gaze practically emitted light.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Days like this were not bad at all. A kind mother and filial sons allowed him to focus on his studies, so he could be sessful and provide for the family.

    Lu Jiao ced the food by his bedside and didn¡¯t leave right away. Beaming, she told Xie Yunjin, ¡°Today, the vigers all went into the mountain.¡±

    Xie Yunjin remembered how Lu Jiao taught the vigers how to identify herbs and felt a wave of appreciation, ¡°Thank you for teaching them.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head. That was easy for her to do. Plus, if all the vigers harvested herbs daily, the herbs will disappear soon enough. It was never a long-term solution for everyone¡¯s financial situation.

    Since Xie Yunjin agreed to let her raise the children, Lu Jiao decided to help out the Xie vigers again.

    Of course, the main reason was that the Xie vigers were pretty good people themselves. Plus, the pharmacy that she nned on opening with Zhao Lingfeng required arge quantity of medical ingredients. Viges outside of the Xie Vige will likely need to start growing medical ingredients.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and said, ¡°Honestly, harvesting herbs from the mountains isn¡¯t a long-term solution. I have another idea that will benefit the Xie Vigers.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°What idea?¡±

    The idea to get the vigers out of poverty interested Xie Yunjin. In the past, he¡¯s always wanted to wait until he passed the exam and earned an official title before he figured out some ways to help the vigers. If there were solutions avable, naturally he was willing to try them out. After all, this was his home.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°As you know, the Xie Vige is near the mountains, resulting in high humidity andck of sunlight. This is why agriculture here never grows well. I can teach everyone how to keep leeches. Leech is a medicinal ingredient ¨C an expensive one at that. If the vigers can learn how to keep leeches, the Xie Vige will never be poor again.

    Also, on the hills near the mountain, we can clear thend and nt honeysuckle. Honeysuckle is also a medicinal ingredient. Though not as expensive as leeches, it has a short growth cycle, which will give the vigers additional ie.¡±

 Chapter 144 - 144 Bad Person vs Good Person

    144 Bad Person vs Good Person

    Xie Yunjin looked down and pondered, ¡°Who would they sell the leeches to? It¡¯d be better to find some buyers who are willing to pay a deposit. Only then, would the vigers stop worrying and keep leeches. Everyone would be worried about having to eat the cost and end up with unwanted leeches.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. It was no wonder he¡¯ll one day be the First Assistant ¨C he was very thoughtful.

    ¡°I heard from the Baohe Tang owner that he wants to build a pharmacy, which will needrge supplies of medicinal ingredients. If the vigers are willing to keep leeches, I can talk to him.¡±

    The mention of Baohe Tang¡¯s owner made Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darken. Lu Jiao was already heavily involved with Dr. Qi, and now she was talking about the owner as well. Who were these people?

    However, given that Lu Jiao wasing up with ideas for the Xie vige and the fact that she was over the moon about not having to separate, Xie Yunjin calmed down. He told Lu Jiao, ¡°I will have to talk to the leaders about this.¡±

    Remembering that Lu Jiao hasn¡¯t eaten, he urged her to go have lunch, ¡°Go eat first.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiao went to have lunch. Back in the living room, the four little ones were dripping oil from eating too aggressively.

    The First Born liked the fish balls the best. He pointed to it and asked, ¡°Mommy, what is this called? It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    Lu Jiao told him it was a ball made out of fish, most suitable for children. Eating fish makes you taller and smarter.

    The Second Born pointed to the braised pork, ¡°Mommy, I like this the best. Will eating this make me grow taller and smarter too?¡±

    Lu Jiao used this opportunity to educate the children, ¡°You should eat everything, no matter what kind of food it is. You shouldn¡¯t only eat one dish just because you like it more, that will result in a nutritional imbnce. You¡¯re still little so you need all sorts of nutrition. Eat everything I cook, okay?¡±

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°We got it, mom.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and sat down to eat.

    Since the dishes were so delicious, the four little ones ended up bloated. Lu Jiao asked them to go walk the dog and lectured them, ¡°No matter how much you like the food, do not eat until you¡¯re this bloated. Overeating can hurt your stomach. The food isn¡¯t going anymore ¨C whatever you don¡¯t get to eat you can eat for dinner.¡±

    The four little ones knew they were too greedy so they stayed silent as Lu Jiao lectured.

    The First Born was the most ashamed. His face blushed red and he didn¡¯t even dare to look at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao found him funny and her tone softened, ¡°You ate a lot today because I cooked everything too well. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s eyes brightened and promised immediately, ¡°Mommy, I won¡¯t eat until I¡¯m bloated ever again.¡±

    The other three chimed in as well, ¡°Mommy, same with me, same with me.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Go walk the dogs.¡±

    The children ran outside to walk the dogs.

    Lu Jiao cleaned up the dishes, then took the children and their dogs to the Vige Leader¡¯s home. There, she nned on chatting with Uncle Youcai about the wheelchair.

    Many different households resided in the Xie Vige. Normally, at this hour, it would be rather morous. Today, however, the vige was rather empty and quiet.

    Lu Jiao knew it meant all the men went farming and all the women went to harvest herbs in the mountain. Now, only the old, young, and weak remained. Despite this, she ran into many friendly faces.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Is something up?¡±

    ¡°First Born, where are you guys going?¡±

    ¡°I will go with you.¡±

    Third Grandma¡¯s grandson, Gousheng, Aunt Guihua¡¯s grandson, Tiedan, and the son from the Qiu family, Niuniu, followed them to visit Uncle Youcai.

    Lu Jiao kept an eye on the four little ones as they walked behind her and chatted with their friends. She didn¡¯t rush them but did caution them asionally, ¡°Walk in the shade to avoid sunburn.¡±

    There were many trees nted around the vige, which provided plenty of cool spaces for the vigers.

    If that wasn¡¯t the case, Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t even bring the kids out at noon.

    It was the end of June and the weather was hot. If they behave uncarefully, they¡¯d get heatstroke.

    Even with the weather this hot, the vigers still had to go to their farm to pull weeds and exterminate bugs. Grains were the vigers¡¯ lifeline. Without it, they would starve.

    Therefore, the idea of leech-keeping was genuinely a good idea. Leeches were extremely expensive on the market and were needed. Plus, leech-taking didn¡¯t require a huge time investment before returns are made ¨C the vigers should be able to sell after one year.

    Lu Jiao and the children continued to walk to the Vige Leader¡¯s home. However, halfway there, someone stopped her.

    It was Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inw, Xia Lian. The moment Xia Lian saw Lu Jiao, she knelt to the ground with a thump and kotow¡¯ed three times.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my life. And thank you for teaching me herbs.¡±

    The past few days, her mother-inw stopped beating her all because she could now harvest herbs.

    Xie Lian knew that the only reason the beating stopped was that Lu Jiao took pity on her.

    Given the poor rtionship between Lu Jiao and her mother-inw, there was no way Lu Jiao would¡¯ve taught her family herbs if it weren¡¯t for pity.

    Xia Lian wasn¡¯t the only one aware of this. Her mother-inw, Widow Li, also knew that. This was why she stopped beating her like she frequently did before.

    Xia Lian was very thankful to Lu Jiao and had been looking for an opportunity to pay her respect. Sadly, all of Xia Lian¡¯s money was controlled by her mother-inw and she had nothing to give Lu Jiao except to kowtow.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect this woman to do that and she hurriedly went to help Xia Lian stand up, ¡°Why are you doing that! There¡¯s really no need. Get up!¡±

    Xia Lian was pulled up. She felt highly anxious because of this and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Lu Jiao felt so much pity towards her that it gave her an idea.

    If she decides to teach the vigers leech keeping, she could only teach it to the women. That way, the women would be able to get more power and their lives would get easier.

    ¡°Are you going into the mountains to harvest herbs?¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the herbs inside her basket.

    Xia Lian smiled and nodded, ¡°My basket is full so I¡¯m going to get this home first and then go again.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then hurry and go. Be careful and don¡¯t get a heat stroke.¡±

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    Xia Lian bowed down to Lu Jiao and went home with the basket.

    Behind her, the quadruplets watched her leave and asked, ¡°Mommy, she¡¯s the mother of Shen Daniu and Shen Erniu, why did you help her?¡±

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t understand why their mother would help someone whose children bullied them. Plus, that woman¡¯s mother-inw once tried to ckmail their mother. So why would their mom help Shen Daniu¡¯s mom?

 Chapter 145 - 145 A Messy Fight

    145 A Messy Fight

    Lu Jiao nced back at the four little ones and educated them, ¡°A family has many members. Some are good and some are bad. You cannot conclude everyone in the family is bad just because one person is bad. In the future, if you ever run into bad people, you shouldn¡¯t deny their whole family. You need to give everyone a chance and decide for yourself if all the individuals are bad.¡±

    The four little ones thought about it and decided their mother was right.

    They nodded.

    The First Born said in a serious manner, ¡°I understand. Our family has bad people and good people. My grandma is a bad person, and so is my little aunt. My second uncle is a good person. My dad and mom are good people.¡±

    The other three nodded in unison, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    Behind them, Aunt Guihua¡¯s grandson, Tiedan chimed in loudly, ¡°I know that! There are bad and good people in my home as well. My grandma is a bad person and my mom is a good person. My grandma always hurts my mom.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes turned into slits. She wondered just how angry Aunt Guihua would get knowing that¡¯s how her grandson viewed her. Aunt Guihua doted on Tiedan yet he thought of her as a viin.

    Just in time, Xie Tiedan added, ¡°Though my grandma treats my mom poorly, she¡¯s really nice to me. Ah, it troubles me. I don¡¯t know what the right thing to do is.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at him. He was young and had a good heart.

    ¡°Tiedan, do you want to help your mom and sister?¡±

    Aunt Guihua was highly sexist and only spoiled her son and grandson.

    Xie Tiedan nodded, ¡°I do. Tell me how.¡±

    Lu Jiao leaned into Xie Tidan¡¯s ear and whispered a few words. Xie Tiedan gawked at Lu Jiao in awe, ¡°Third aunt, I can help my mom and sister by doing that?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded confidently, ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Xie Tiedan happily smiled and the First Born couldn¡¯t help but ask her, ¡°What did my mommy tell you?¡±

    Xie Tiedan refused to tell and even requested Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunt, don¡¯t tell others.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The group chatted happily and went to the Vige Leader¡¯s house.

    Only Uncle Youcai and three kids were home at the time and Uncle Youcai was making a table. He was surprised to find Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, is something up?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She first gestured for the children to go y before she handed Uncle Youcai the wheelchair design she drew.

    ¡°Uncle Youcai, take a look. Do you think you can build me a wheelchair?¡±

    Uncle Youcai studied the design in awe. After some time, he realized it wasn¡¯t actually hard to make. He wasn¡¯t sure what this was for. It looked like a chair but had two wooden wheels.

    ¡°What is this for?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t conceal information from him, ¡°It¡¯s a wheelchair for Yunjin. You know he just had surgery and I don¡¯t want him to lie in bed all the time. I thought of making him a wheelchair like this. That way, he can use the chair to go outside and get some Sun. Sunshine is good for bone regrowth and he gets to heal faster that way.¡±

    Hearing that it was for Xie Yunjin, Uncle Youcai said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ll make it for Yunjin right away.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Youcai.¡±

    Uncle Youcai was a craftsman. An honest one at that. He got shy and scratched his head when Lu Jiao thanked him, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s business is our business. There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±

    He then paused, which made Lu Jiao curious.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Uncle Youcai asked, embarrassed, ¡°If someone else wants a simr chair, can I make it for them?¡±

    He added, ¡°Of course, I can share the money I make with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to give me money. If there¡¯s a need, then help them out.¡±

    Lu Jiao left. When she reached the entrance, she heard noises in front of the yard. There was arguing and cursing.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed and left in a hurry. Behind her, Uncle Youcai followed.

    The yard was now a mess. There were eight to nine children beating each other up. Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t even tell what was going on. Worried that her four little ones would get hurt, she yelled, ¡°Stop!¡±

    Hearing her fury, the little children separated and stood by the side.

    Lu Jiao finally saw the groups and what went on.

    The four little ones led a group of kids and fought against Maodou and Caidou.

    Maodou was okay, but Caidou¡¯s face was injured. There were two long cuts on his face and he lost a big chunk of hair. His clothes were also in disarray.

    Caidou¡¯s never been treated like this. Before his family exiled Xie Yunjin, the vigers all treated his family with the highest respect. They also treated Maodou and Caidou very nicely. Even when they got in trouble, the vigers didn¡¯t really provoke them.

    Who knew this time, the children would join the four little ones and beat them up?

    Maodou and Caidou¡¯s faces appeared unpleasant. Caidou straight up cried and pointed at the four little ones, cursing, ¡°You bastards! Don¡¯t you think about stepping into my home ever again! We don¡¯t have cousins like you!¡±

    The four little ones fought back, ¡°Cousins like you are not something to be treasured! You don¡¯t deserve to be our cousins! You treat us badly, steal our food, and always hit us! We would rather have other boys as our cousins than have you!¡±

    Caidou heard that statement and cursed even louder, ¡°You bastards! This is all because of that b!tch mother of yours! You now have animal hearts! My grandmother had spoken, sooner orter, she¡¯ll make the third uncle get rid of your mother! Once you¡¯re back, just you wait on what pain awaits-¡±

    Before Caidou could finish, Maodou interrupted him, ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Maodou was 11 this year and had studied for a few years by now. He knew Caidou¡¯s words were hard to hear and stopped him from talking more.

    Caidou knew then that he had spoken too aggressively. He quieted down.

    The four little ones that stood before them were now red in the face from fury. They wanted to beat Caidou up more. It was fine for him to call them names, but their mommy was great. How dare he call her names?

    Lu Jiao held onto three of the boys and then asked the First Born, ¡°What happened? Why did you get into a fight out of nowhere?¡±

    The First Born angrily pointed at Maodou and Caidou.

    ¡°We were ying in the yard, then Maodou came with Caidou. He forced us to reconcile with Caidou. We ignored him so he grabbed our hands and made us shake hands with Caidou. We tried to get away but he was too strong. In the end, Caidou got angry and started to hit us. Then, we all ended up fighting.¡±

 Chapter 146 - 146 Asking for an Explanation

    146 Asking for an Exnation

    Maodou argued back immediately, ¡°Third aunt, we are cousins from the same family. We shouldn¡¯t be so distant.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him and mocked, ¡°Now you¡¯re cousins from the same family? Howe I never saw you protect your little cousins or share food with them? I never see you help them out and instead, you make your three-year-old cousins do all the work. After leaving them with all the work, you go into town to study. How dare youe out here today to say, you¡¯re cousins from the same family.¡±

    Lu Jiao thoughtfully added, ¡°Now that your third uncle¡¯s legs are healed, you want to be a family again. It¡¯s truly sad that you spent a few years studying because you haven¡¯t seemed to learn anything about shame.¡±

    Maodou¡¯s face turned bright red. He wanted to say more but Lu Jiao stopped acknowledging the two brothers.

    She asked the four little ones, ¡°Are you wounded?¡±

    The four little ones shook their heads, ¡°No, brother Mutou, Niuniu, Gousheng, and Tiedan helped us.¡±

    Mutou was Uncle Youcai¡¯s youngest son. He was nine this year and was very good at fighting. Since he took the four little ones¡¯ side, they didn¡¯t get hurt.

    Lu Jiao thanked Mutou, ¡°Thank you, Mutou, for helping out your little brothers.¡±

    Mutou embarrassingly shook his head, ¡°They¡¯re little. It¡¯s my job to protect them.¡±

    Lu Jiao then thanked Niuniu, Gousheng, and Tiedan. She even took out candy and asked the First Born to thank the others.

    ¡°Give each of your friends two pieces of candy to thank them for helping you out.¡±

    The First Born happily took the candy and distributed them.

    The boys happily rejoiced.

    Across from them, Maodou and Caidou burned with anger. The image of other kids eating candy made their eyes go green from greed.

    In the end, Maodou lost it and ran home to rat.

    Lu Jiao took the four little ones home. Behind her, Gousheng, Niuniu, and Tiedan were so excited they promised the four little ones to help them fight again if simr things happened.

    The children all went home happily. In the end, it was just Lu Jiao and the four little ones.

    The quadruplets were a little unsettled. They carefully looked up at Lu Jiao, who pretended not to see.

    The First Born frightfully asked, ¡°Mommy, we didn¡¯t want to fight. Maotou hurt us and that¡¯s why¡­¡±

    The Second Born interrupted, ¡°We should¡¯ve hit back! I think we went too soft on them. They cursed at mom! The next time I see them, I will hit them again!¡±

    The Third Born grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mad.¡±

    The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao¡¯s arm, ¡°Mommy, smile. You¡¯re so pretty when you smile. There¡¯s nobody in the vige prettier than you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped walking and looked down. She then knelt down to talk to them, ¡°I¡¯m not angry but I have to be clear with you.¡±

    The four little ones lined up and stared.

    Lu Jiao said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s okay to fight as long as you are on the moral high ground. If you have no reasons to fight and hurt others, I will punish you. Of course, what happened today wasn¡¯t fully your fault. It was Maodou and Caidou who provoked you. Therefore, I won¡¯t punish you.¡±

    The four little ones felt instant relief and started topliment Lu Jiao.

    ¡°My mommy is the best.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the best!¡±

    ¡°Mommy even gave us candy to share.¡±

    ¡°Brother Mutou and them were so happy!¡±

    Since they brought it up, Lu Jiao added, ¡°You have to treat those who help you well. Only then, will you build a bond. Only then, will they continue to help you and be loyal to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao said to the Second Born, ¡°Second Born, you want to be a general one day, right? A general has many soldiers under his wing. To gain loyalty from them, you have to make sure they want to follow you and sacrifice their lives for you.

    And you three, you have to remember that if you want to be a leader, you need numerous followers. You have to treat them nicely and make them want to believe in you and gain their trust. They have to want to work for you.¡±

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t fully understand but they felt like they understood a bit.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect them to get it right away. She¡¯ll just have to slowly educate them.

    The five of them returned home.

    As soon as they got home, the children from the vige slowly arrived for their reading lesson.

    Before the lesson could start, however, Chen Liu¡¯s furious voice came from outside the trellis, ¡°Lu Jiao, get your @ss out here right now!¡±

    Lu Jiao was in the east bedroom telling Xie Yunjin about the wheelchair.

    ¡°Uncle Youcai said he¡¯ll make it for you soon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and asked worriedly, ¡°He should be able to make it, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. He looked at the design and understood it quickly. I¡¯m sure he can make it.¡±

    The wheelchair was going to be made fully out of wood. It was easy for any craftsman.

    It was then that Chen Liu¡¯s voice carried inside. Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed right away. He asked Lu Jiao, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Lu Jiao angrily told him what happened between the four little ones and Maodou and Caidou.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think everyone in that family has lost their minds? They keep on provoking us.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unspeakably dark and his gaze was cold, ¡°Endure it until I can move around.¡±

    It was because he was restricted that those people never stopped bothering them. Once he is healed, he will make sure they lose the energy to interfere with their lives.

    Lu Jiao went into the yard, there, Chen Liu and Caidou yelled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Look at what your kids did to my Caidou!

    Before, my Caidou hit your kids so you brought your kids to my house, asking for an exnation. Now it is your turn to provide an exnation!¡±

    All the kids who were learning how to read went outside to watch the show.

    In front of her house, Lu Jiao snickered and said unweingly, ¡°Exnation? What exnation? Should I exin how your sons harassed my sons and forced them to make up with each other? Or should I exin how your sons called me a b!tch who raised bastards? Your sons spoke those words rather easily. I sure want to know how you managed to raise boys who only knows bad words.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want this to go on forever and pointed at the gate, ¡°Get the hell out of here. My family does not want to be tied to yours in any way. If you don¡¯t leave, I will drag you out.¡±

    Lady Ruan, she had to think of her own reputation given that she was her mother-inw. Towards Chen Liu, she had nothing to fear. Nobody in this vige even knew who Chen Liu was. There was no reason to be nice to her.

    Chen Liu¡¯s face went dark and she looked at her son.

    When she saw how beat up her son was, she brought him over right away without finding out all the details.

    Who knew her son cursed at the four little ones and at Lu Jiao?

    No matter how bad of a person Lu Jiao was, she was the wife of a schr and she got to keep that title as long as the Third Brother doesn¡¯t leave her. In the future, if they still wanted to benefit from the Third Brother position, they had to maintain a good rtionship with Lu Jiao.

 Chapter 147 - 147 Allow them to Bounce Around a Few More Days

    147 Allow them to Bounce Around a Few More Days

    In front of the trellis stood several seniors. They were here to watch the show. When they heard what Lu Jiao had said, they couldn¡¯t help but scold Chen Liu.

    ¡°How did you raise your children? They are calling their own aunt a b!tch and their own cousins bastards. Those are not words children should say.¡±

    ¡°Her sons are not going to have a future if they already behave like this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame for our vige to have children like this.¡±

    !!

    Chen Liu¡¯s face became uglier and uglier as she listened to the vigers.

    She turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°How can you believe children¡¯s words so easily? Look at how badly your kids hurt Caidou. They¡¯re blood-rted cousins! How could they be so cruel towards their own cousins?¡±

    Even now, Chen Liu was trying to get the children to make up.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, the quadruplets walked out and said with their heads held high, ¡°We don¡¯t have cousins like them. They cursed our mother! They¡¯re our enemies.¡±

    After the First Born spoke. The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all nodded in unison, ¡°Exactly.¡±

    The memory of Caidou cursing out his mom made the Fourth Born furious. He angrily shouted, ¡°He called my mommy a b!tch! You¡¯re the b!tch! Your whole family is a b!tch!¡±

    Lu Jiao coughed instantly. The Fourth Born turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, I won¡¯t curse anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao then said to Chen Liu, ¡°You need to leave. If you refuse, I will have to throw you out.¡±

    She then walked up to Chen Liu and her son. When Chen Liu remembered how Lu Jiao looked when she beat up people, she shuddered and ran away with Caidou.

    Outside, the Second Grandma and the others sincerely lectured Chen Liu, ¡°Daqiang¡¯s wife, you need to educate your children. Or else you¡¯ll be the ones suffering when they grow up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, boys need to be scolded and punished to know how to be a man. Only if they are educated, will you get to enjoy lifeter.¡±

    Chen Liu pulled Caidou away, ignoring those people. Once she got to a ce with nobody else around, she finally cursed at her son, ¡°How are you so stupid? I told you to make the quadruplets happy yet you go around cursing them?¡±

    Caidou¡¯s been doted on all his life and he¡¯s never suffered such a loss. When he heard Chen Liu¡¯s criticism, he angrily howled, ¡°You¡¯re not my mother! They hit me yet you curse at me!¡±

    He then turned around and ran away. Currently, he was highly jealous of the quadruplets. Look at how nice their mother was! After they fought, she took out candy for the kids who helped her sons. With his own mother, he got scolded after he got beat up! His mother also got so scared by his third aunt and she ran away fast like a rabbit. How useless.

    Back at the Xie yard, Lu Jiao got rid of Chen Liu and Caidou. She asked the quadruplets to go back to teaching.

    Since the vige kids have never learned any words before, the quadruplets were only able to teach a few sentences each day.

    The First Born was responsible for teaching them the pronunciations of each word while the Second Born taught them how to read the different characters.

    The Third Born was responsible for checking up on their knowledge and quizzing them to make sure they didn¡¯t forget what was taught previously.

    As for the Fourth Born, he asked the kids to flip through the book and find characters onter pages that match the words they just learned. That way, he could ensure they fully understood.

    Lu Jiao went back to the east bedroom.

    There, Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows were filled with coldness.

    Lu Jiao was now also in a bad mood. That Xie family always brings her down.

    She silently eximed how lucky she was to separate from Xie Yunjin soon. Or else she would have to see those people asionally her entire life. They were so annoying she was willing to hit them with sticks.

    Lu Jiao went to the chair by the desk and red at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Your family is full of special people.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t fully understand but he didn¡¯t want to rify. He turned to Lu Jiao and smiled.

    ¡°Only a few more days of injustice.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t reallyment further after that.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze softened, ¡°Once I can move around, I¡¯ll make sure they won¡¯t be able to provoke you anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered the plot Xie Yunjin set up against his mother ¨C it hadn¡¯t evene to fruition. Once that newses out, Lady Ruan will likely cause more trouble.

    As for Xie Daqiang and the others, Xie Yunjin will take care of them once he has more mobility.

    Those thoughts cheered Lu Jiao up. She grinned back, ¡°Once you can move around, you can get rid of Xie Daqiang and the others if theye here.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed right away, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt better since he epted right away.

    With her smile bright, she decided, ¡°I will allow them to bounce around for a few more days.¡±

    Keeping her smile, she left the room, ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch you some water.¡±

    Her happy, warm, and flower-like smile put Xie Yunjin in a much gentler mood.

    Lu Jiao got some water from the kitchen and added some spiritual stream water. Since Xie Yunjin gave her custody of the quadruplets, she will take care of him well thesest few months.

    Her behavior, however, made Xie Yunjin misunderstand that she was in a good mood and was now highly proactive because she was happy they would no longer be separating.

    It appeared that she liked him just as much as she liked the four little ones and the idea of staying together made her happy.

    Her mood often determined his mood.

    Later in the day, Lu Jiao took the four little ones up the mountain. The Second Born brought his slingshot and vowed to hunt down a wild chicken. The Fourth Born took his bamboo sword and promised to protect his mother.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry as she took the children up the mountain.

    This time, the kids made it to the top. However, they did need breaks in between.

    Once at the top, Lu Jiao took out some candy for them to share.

    The kids ate and rested. With more energy now, they strolled around excitedly.

    This was their first time up the mountain and they were interested in everything. Even the wildflower made them curious

    ¡°Mommy, what is this?¡±

    ¡°That is creeping thistle. Though it¡¯s wild, it¡¯s very valuable and can stop bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, what is this? It looks like a dog¡¯s tail.¡±

    The First Born pulled some Setaria and inquisitively looked at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°That¡¯s Setaria. It¡¯s also a medicine.¡±

    The First Born stared at Lu Jiao in awe, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re amazing. You know everything.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, the Fourth Born chimed in, ¡°Of course my mommy is amazing.¡±

    Lu Jiao and the First Born bothughed. Just then, the Second Born¡¯s excited scream was heard, ¡°Mommy,e here! Look! What is this? Can I eat it?¡±

 Chapter 148 - 148 Making Big Money

    148 Making Big Money

    Lu Jiao was worried that the Second Born would eat something toxic so she hurried over with the First and Fourth Born.

    The Second and Third Born were picking some kind of berry off the ground. Lu Jiao recognized them to be wild hawthorn.

    Wild hawthorn didn¡¯t taste good. They were sour and bitter. However, those hawthorns gave Lu Jiao some inspiration ¨C she could try to make the four little ones some tanghulu. Though she had no rock sugar, she had powdered sugar she could try to use.

    Lu Jiao looked up at the hawthorn tree. Wild hawthorn trees were rtively tall. The tree before her was around three meters.

    On top of the tree were ripe hawthorns.

    ¡°These are wild hawthorns. It boosts appetite. However, eating it raw isn¡¯t very tasty. We can gather some and bring them back. I¡¯ll make tanghulu for you.¡±

    The Second Born asked excitedly, ¡°what is tanghulu?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re sugar-coated hawthorns. I promise you it¡¯s good.¡±

    The taste of sweet and sour can be very satisfying.

    Lu Jiao went up, put her arms around the tree, and shook it. The hawthorns on top fell down.

    ¡°Pick those up.¡±

    The four little ones picked up hawthorns breathlessly.

    They didn¡¯t leave until they filled half the basket.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste. Let¡¯s go back and make dinner. We cane back tomorrow. Ah, I will teach you how to climb trees tomorrow.¡±

    Tree climbing was also a good strengthening exercise. However, it was a little dangerous and she had to ensure the children knew the rules.

    ¡°Mommy, you know how to climb trees?¡±

    The quadruplets were in shock. Though they knew people who climbed trees, they were all men or boys.

    The four little ones were always amazed to see others climb trees. They didn¡¯t expect their mother to know tree climbing as well.

    Lu Jiao smiled and nodded, ¡°I do know how. However, you have to agree to a few conditions before I teach you.¡±

    The Second Born quickly answered, ¡°Mommy, tell us.¡±

    He was the most interested in sports out of the kids and all these new exercises excited him.

    The Third and Fourth Born liked sports as well. The First Born was the least interested. However, he still ends up doing it with the other three every time.

    Lu Jiao said to the children, ¡°One, you can only climb trees when adults are around. This is because tree climbing is dangerous even though it¡¯s an exercise that trains your agility and quickness. Therefore, there must be adult supervision when you climb trees.

    Second, when you climb trees, you cannot do it near a cliff, river, or other dangerous regions. You have to find safe ces when you climb trees. Also, all four of you cannot do it at the same time. Only one of you can climb at a time.

    Three, you cannotpete with others. I don¡¯t want you to forget the dangers because you¡¯repetitive.¡±

    The four little ones listened and agreed, ¡°Mommy, we got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao and the children climbed back down. The Second Born asked repeatedly, ¡°Then, we start learning tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The five of them then happily returned home with their hawthorns.

    Back at home, the four little ones went to Xie Yunjin¡¯s room to share with him everything that happened today. Lu Jiao went to prepare dinner.

    She just started when Lin Chunyan came over to help.

    Lu Jiao asked her caringly, ¡°How was harvesting herbs today? Did you run into any danger?¡±

    Lin Chunyan was very satisfied and she was in a great mood, ¡°We harvested a lot. Huzi and my father-inw went into town to sell them. I wonder how much we¡¯ll get for everything.¡±

    Lin Chunyan then asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunt, I harvested kudzu root today, a lot of it.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°That¡¯s great. Kudzu roots are not cheap. You should earn a lot.¡±

    Lin Chunyan stood up and thanked Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re truly my family¡¯s savior. Ah, no, you¡¯re the whole vige¡¯s savior.¡±

    Lu Jiao brandished her hands, ¡°We are all neighbors. I feel good if you do well.¡±

    Lu Jiao then remembered the textiles she bought for the four little ones. She hasn¡¯t made them into clothes yet.

    Since Lin Chunyan insisted on helping, why not ask her to help with the sewing? That would be helpful for both of them.

    Lu Jiao knew how to treat illness and how to cook. With sewing, however, she was truly helpless. She hasn¡¯t made anything out of the cloth she bought because she had no confidence in her skills and was worried about wasting the materials.

    ¡°Chunyan, can I ask you for something?¡±

    Lin Chunyan was happy to respond, ¡°Third aunt, tell me.¡±

    ¡°Though I know medicine, I¡¯m truly useless with sewing. Can you make a few sets of children¡¯s clothes for me?¡±

    Lin Chunyan was an expert at sewing. She nodded aggressively, ¡°Of course. Let me help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was terrified that she would work through the night and prefaced, ¡°I¡¯m making it for the children and there¡¯s no rush. You can do it slowly when you have time. Remember, don¡¯t work at night. If I find out you work endless hours because of me, I¡¯ll never ask for your help again.¡±

    Lin Chunyan¡¯s heart warmed. Her third aunt was a great person.

    Lu Jiao went to get the textile she bought for the quadruplets.

    ¡°Here are three pieces of cloth. With these two, you can make one set for each of the kids. You can decide on the style. This piece is for sleeve pajamas. Basically, for them to wear to bed. It¡¯d be better to keep it simple.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lin Chunyan took the cloth and went home. Lu Jiao warned her again to not do work at night and only work when she had the time. The children had clothes and weren¡¯t in a rush.

    All night, the Xie Vige was rather rowdy.

    Since everyone harvested herbs in the morning, they were worried they wouldn¡¯t be able to cash out so they all went into town at night to sell everything to Baohe Tang.

    Baohe Tang actually did buy their herbs. Some of the herbs were also rtively expensive. For example, the Vige Leader got some Polygonatum. That plus some other herbs earned the Vige Leader three taels of silver.

    Vige Leader Xie Fugui and his son Xie Tieniu almost fainted. They walked out of Baohe Tang jelly-legged. To earn three taels of silver in one day¡­

    They never imagined earning money in such a manner.

    The Vige Leader and Xie Tieniu bought a giant bag of pork buns in town and brought them to Xie Yunjin¡¯s home.

    They weren¡¯t the only ones to bring gifts. Many families brought stuff to the Xie family.

    Everyone made money today. The big earners made three tales of silver, the less fortuate earners still made 700 to 800 tokens. Everyone was thrilled.

    ¡°Thank you, Yunjin and Yunjin¡¯s wife. You¡¯re our savior!¡±

    ¡°If you ever need anything, tell us and we will do everything we can to help.¡±

    Inside the east bedroom, both Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao politely told everyone that there was no need for all this.

    Most of the families didn¡¯t earn as much as three taels of silver. However, they were still overjoyed and bought gifts to show their appreciation.

 Chapter 149 - 149 Something was Wrong with his Head

    149 Something was Wrong with his Head

    The vigers wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer and left all the gifts to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Stuff filled the east bedroom. Other than food from town, the vigers brought eggs and vegetables from their homes.

    Lu Jiao felt overwhelmed. Luckily, she had her space to put all this in. Or else she¡¯ll never finish all this food.

    Xie Yunjin also felt a headache and suggested, ¡°The food will likely go bad if we just put them here. Why not give some to your mom?¡±

    Naturally, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t object. Sadly, she had no time to go right now. She had promised the four little ones she¡¯d take them the next time she went.

    With Xie Yunjin still bedridden, if she took the children with her, he would be home alone.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t have to go right now. I will store what I can and pickle some vegetables. That will help the shelf life.¡±

    She¡¯ll put everything into her space and pretend to have pickled some.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t persist.

    Lu Jiao started to clean up and the four little ones helped her.

    ¡°Mommy, we will help you.¡±

    The four little ones were very proud to have Lu Jiao as a mother right now. Not only was she amazing, every one appreciated her and loved her whole family as a result.

    Though the vigers never treated the children poorly before, they weren¡¯t as warm as they were now.

    Not only were the children helping them, but the adults also smiled at them. So if you help others, others are thankful to you.

    The four little ones felt like they opened the door to a whole new world.

    Lu Jiao cleaned up all the stuff off the ground and brought the four little ones to the kitchen to make tanghulu.

    She made one tanghulu for each one of them. They wanted more but Lu Jiao stopped them and put away the rest. She told them to eat more tomorrow to avoid getting cavities.

    Lu Jiao washed them up and nned to tell them a story. That was when she realized that Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t show up tonight.

    Why was that? Lu Jiao went to ask Xie Yunjin, ¡°Howe the Second Brother didn¡¯te today?¡±

    Every night, Xie Erzhu woulde over and help Xie Yunjin. Yet today, he still hasn¡¯t shown up. Could something have happened?

    Xie Yunjin had a troubled expression. It was most likely that his brother was kept by his mother.

    That possibility annoyed him to no end and he coldly snickered.

    However, by the time he looked at Lu Jiao, his face was gentle, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯lle tonight.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew then that Xie Erzhu likely didn¡¯te today because his mother had some kind of n for Xie Yunjin. It was likely Chen Liu went home andined about Lu Jiao to Lady Ruan, which caused Lady Ruan to ban Xie Erzhu froming.

    That group of people was truly disgusting.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°What do you want to do for tonight then?¡±

    She didn¡¯t mind helping Xie Yunjin with the portable potty. Sadly, the future First Assistant wasn¡¯t willing and acted like she was taking advantage.

    ¡°What if I go get someone else? I think Xue Duojin is a good choice.¡±

    Xie Yunjin declined. He couldn¡¯t ept anyone helping him with this other than his brother. The only reason he was okay with Xie Erzhu doing it was because they grew up together and he was used to it.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can take care of myself. Help me get a chamber pot.¡±

    Xie Yunjin felt awkward. However, he remembered that Lu Jiao was his wife, and he calmed down. Since he had epted Lu Jiao, they will eventually do wife and husband things. Therefore, from now on, he should get used to Lu Jiao existing in his life.

    Xie Yunjin then looked at Lu Jiao calmly.

    Lu Jiao was the one who was stunned this time. Before this man acted like she was taking advantage of him yet now, he acted like this was all normal.

    Since Xie Erzhu wasn¡¯ting, she had to take matters into her own hands.

    Lu Jiao found the chamber pot and passed it to Xie Yunjin.

    Other than his legs, Xie Yunjin was fine moving around. He took the chamber pot and nned on peeing in it.

    Lu Jiao was self-aware and left the room, making Xie Yunjin sigh. Though he decided to ept Lu Jiao, this felt weird.

    Her leaving made him very relieved.

    Soon the sound of peeing could be heard. Only once it stopped did Lu Jiao go back in and took the chamber pot away. She dumped it then washed it, along with her hands.

    It used to always be Xie Erzhu who helped wipe down Xie Yunjin every night. Since he wasn¡¯t here, Xie Yunjin had to do it himself today.

    Lu Jiao asked quickly, ¡°Do you need my help?¡±

    She said it out of courtesy thinking that Xie Yunjin would for sure decline. However, Xie Yunjin softly agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought she heard him wrong and stared at him in awe.

    She must¡¯ve heard him wrong¡­ she must¡¯ve.

    Xie Yunjin saw how round Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes got and thought she looked just like a small scared animal. His mood lifted and he wanted to make fun of Lu Jiao.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll go get some water.¡±

    She was simply too shocked. Before, this man acted like she was the thief that he needed to avoid. Yet now, he was okay with her wiping him down. Something¡¯s not right. What was the problem?

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    Back inside the room, Xie Yunjin chuckled. Only when Lu Jiao returned with hot water did he go back to acting like his nonchnt self.

    Lu Jiao went to the bed and asked, ¡°Do you want to unbutton your underclothes, or should I?¡±

    She asked just in case he starts acting like she was harassing him again.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t ask her to do it. He lifted his hand and started to unbutton his underclothes. The movements were simple yet he managed to make it flirtatious. On top of that, he also kept his gaze directly on Lu Jiao, appearing almost predatory.

    Lu Jiao felt more and more like something was wrong.

    Could it be that he was having a fever and his head was now dumb?

    She ced her hand on Xie Yunjin¡¯s forehead to check. He did not have a fever so why was he acting like a different person?

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t find an answer. She took a handkerchief and soaked it in the water. She then wrung it before she wiped Xie Yunjin down.

    Though it was summer time, Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t sweaty since he wasn¡¯t outside and exercising. Lu Jiao wiped him down simply and quickly.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression, however, made her speechless.

    She was just wiping him down yet he acted like he was enduring pain with much difficulty. It appeared that he was straining himself because of this one act.

    Since he was born pretty, his strained face looked like a delicate flower being scrunched. And she was the devil who dared to hurt an innocent flower.

 Chapter 150 - 150 Symbol for Good Luck

    150 Symbol for Good Luck

    Lu Jiao shuddered at the thought and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you feeling ufortable?¡±

    Xie Yunjin sighed and then carefully spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not used to a woman wiping my body.¡±

    Lu Jiao speechlessly raised an eyebrow. Why couldn¡¯t he have just spoken up instead of acting like a poor victim?

    ¡°If you are not used to it, you can just wipe yourself.¡±

    Lu Jiao handed him the handkerchief. After all, his legs were injured, not his hands. She could just jump in and help wipe his legster.

    !!

    Xie Yunjin however, didn¡¯t take it. He stared at her and said slowly, ¡°I have to get used to it sooner orter. You should do it.¡±

    Lu Jiao frowned. What was the meaning of that? How did this quick cleanup end up being so troublesome? Lu Jiao was a little annoyed and started to move quickly to get this over with.

    She moved too quickly, however, and the man in bed voiced, ¡°It hurts. Slow down.¡±

    Lu Jiao slowed down but the pressure she applied didn¡¯t change. The man in bed added, ¡°Too strong.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt like this whole situation was getting very ufortable. Just what was happening?

    In the end, she roughly finished up and left.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin thoughtfully watched her. Was she embarrassed? That could be it. A woman always gets embarrassed when looking at a man¡¯s body.

    Xie Yunjin wondered just what kind of person Lu Jiao was. She got embarrassed and shy easily, which meant she must be younger than him.

    But her medical knowledge changed his mind. For her to have so much knowledge about medicine, could she be really old?

    Was she a grandma? Xie Yunjin got scared by his own thoughts.

    He soothed himself. No way. If she was a grandma, why would she get so shy?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know Xie Yunjin had so many thoughts. She dumped the water, washed up herself, then went back to the west bedroom to tell the children a bedtime story. Because she took so long, the four little ones had fallen asleep all over the ce.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t bring them to the east bedroom and allowed them to sleep on her bed.

    The next day, it was time for Lu Jiao to remove Xie Yunjin¡¯s stitches. The Vige Leader, n Leader, and a few elders all came.

    Lu Jiao first got rid of the nk that held his legs in ce. Then, she ripped open the bandages and revealed the cut.

    His wounds were healing extremely well. There was only a string thick line visible on his legs and nothing else.

    The leaders couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Dr. Qi is an amazing surgeon. You cannot even see the scar.¡±

    The n Leader added, ¡°I heard that surgery frequently caused the cut-up area to rot and produce yellow puss. I thought it usually takes a very long time and lots of medicine to get well again. It looks like Dr. Qi¡¯s technique is very different from others.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at his legs in satisfaction. At first, he was worried his legs would scar so badly that it would scare off people. It looks like he was worried for nothing.

    Xie Yunjin subconsciously looked to Lu Jiao, who red and ignored him. She then tied the nks back onto his legs.

    Inside the room, the Vige Leader asked, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, do we need to get Dr. Qi here to do an examination and double-check his wounds?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Dr. Qi had said, as long as his legs don¡¯t dislocate again, he¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The Vige Leaderughed, ¡°That¡¯s great news! Yunjin can go back to studying again.¡±

    The n Leader stroked his beard, ¡°It¡¯s so great that Yunjin is unharmed.¡±

    Despite Dr. Qi telling them the surgery was a sess, the leaders were still worried. Now that they personally saw the healed wounds, they finally felt settled.

    Xie Yunjin, in a good mood, looked to the leaders and said, ¡°Leaders, I have something I wish to discuss.¡±

    The leaders all sat down and waited.

    Xie Yunjin patted the bed, a gesture to ask Lu Jiao to sit.

    Lu Jiao knew then that he wanted to discuss the matter of leech keeping.

    She didn¡¯tment and sat down.

    Xie Yunjin turned back to the leaders and elders, ¡°Though Lu Jiao had taught everyone herb harvesting, it¡¯s not a long-term business.¡±

    Xie Yunjin paused here. The leaders, however, happily responded, ¡°It may not be long term, but it¡¯s still bringing us riches. The lucky ones will be able to earn enough to buy somend and do more farming.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, we shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. We are already so fortunate to be able to do this all thanks to you and your wife.¡±

    Everyone here was highly appreciative and thanked Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao again and again.

    Xie Yunjin waved his hand and continued, ¡°I wanted to tell you that Lu Jiao had thought of a more sustainable money-making idea.¡±

    Everyone froze and excitedly turned to Lu Jiao.

    Xie Fugui eagerly expressed, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, you¡¯re the lucky symbol of the Xie vige.¡±

    The n Leader nodded, ¡°It is true that you should marry someone virtuous. Yunjin¡¯s wife is virtuous. Not only is she ensuring her little family gains prosperity, but she¡¯s also making sure our whole vige is.¡±

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed. Honestly, leech-keeping was beneficial for her. Her pharmacy will need a high quantity of leeches that the Zhou Dynasty cannot supply right now. Plus, her medicine will require artificially bred leeches.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say all this because she didn¡¯t want to reveal her n to open up a pharmacy with Baohe Tang¡¯s owner just yet.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m getting embarrassed.¡±

    Lu Jiao was truly embarrassed and her pale face reddened.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but stare a little.

    Xie Fugui asked happily, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, what idea did youe up with?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°Leech keeping.¡±

    Since everyone here was a farmer, they knew what a leech was. But they never thought there¡¯de a day when someone would ask them to keep leeches.

 Chapter 151 - 151 Concubines are Banned

    151 Concubines are Banned

    Everyone stared at Lu Jiao in awe then looked back to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Don¡¯t get flustered. Let Lu Jiao exin.¡±

    Everyone turned to Lu Jiao, who started to exin, ¡°As you know, leeches suck human blood and are not kind animals. What you don¡¯t know is that leeches are highly valuable. They revive delicate veins, ease pain, and improve blood flow. Not only are they useful for pregnant women, they can help with brain injuries and strokes.

    Right now, we don¡¯t have a lot of medicine that uses leeches. That is because we don¡¯t have enough supply. Because of the low supply, I suspect the purchasing price of leeches are very high. I estimate one pound of leeches to sell for at least 500 coins.

    Half an acre ofnd can host 700 pounds of leeches. However, leech keeping isn¡¯t easy and there¡¯s a high mortality rate. Let¡¯s conservatively estimate that half an acre ofnd can host 350 pounds of leeches. That means, half an acre of leeches could earn 150 taels of silver.

    !!

    You can feed small shrimps, fish, or river snails to the leeches. Those are things every family can catch from the river. Blood is also required, which can be bought from the butchers. That¡¯s only used once a week, so the cost is low.

    Basically, human resources are what¡¯s needed the most. And for the Xie Vige, we definitely don¡¯tckborers.¡±

    By now, the leaders were astounded by what she had said.

    Half an acre ofnd could earn them 150 taels of silver? That number was terrifying. Just think of all the food they could buy with 150 taels of silver.

    She was also estimating conservatively. If they manage to lower the mortality rate, they could earn even more money.

    The Vige and n Leaders started to pace around excitedly.

    After some time, they calmed down and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Who¡¯s going to buy the leeches we keep?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Baohe Tang is nning on opening a pharmacy. They are going to purchase medicinal ingredients in bulk. Leeches are going to be one of those items they buy. Before you start leech keeping, you can sign a contract with them and get some deposit.¡±

    The Leaders wavered. They turned to look at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, what do you think about that?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded slightly, ¡°I think it¡¯s a good opportunity. Leech keeping isn¡¯t an easy task. Once the vigers learn this skill, the wealth will pass down for generations toe. If the vigers get the money, they can send the children to town to study.

    If I get to leave this vige, I will establish a school for the n. That way, more and more people can get out of the vige.¡±

    His promise excited the leaders even more. They all have children and grandchildren, and they wanted the best for them.

    Xie Yunjin looked towards Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao nned on teaching the women this skill. That way, the power imbnce would improve and the women won¡¯t have to endure so much bulls!t from the men.

    In this era, men go bad once they make money. The men from the Xie Vige were no different. If they made money, they would get concubines and infuriate their wives.

    She did want to build wealth for the Xie Vigers but she didn¡¯t want the women to be taken advantage of.

    It appeared that the n Leader had some thoughts to share. She asked, ¡°n Leader, is there something you want to share?¡±

    The n Leader¡¯s eyes went heavy, ¡°I want leech keeping to be a skill that¡¯s only passed down to the Xie n. That¡¯s just a thought. What do you think about that?¡±

    The n Leader may have the highest position in the vige, however, he was born and raised in the countryside and never got to see the world outside. He may have a few ideas but he never knew how to execute them.

    If he handled this poorly, he would create tension between the vigers.

    The only reason there wasn¡¯t tension right now was because he asked Xie Fugui to make sure everyone learned herb harvesting.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao. Since this was originally Lu Jiao¡¯s suggestion, he wanted to hear what she had to say.

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°That can work. However, you must agree to three conditions.

    First, the money made from leech keeping has to be kept by the wife. This is to prevent the men from getting corrupted.¡±

    All the men snapped their heads towards Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin also looked at her and weirdly added, ¡°I won¡¯t get corrupted even if I get rich.¡±

    Lu Jiao speechlessly stared at him. Why was that her business?

    Inside the room, the leaders found Lu Jiao¡¯s request to be strange. However, they were all family men and didn¡¯t decline her condition right away.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°Even if leech keeping ends up being very profitable, the men from the Xie family are not allowed to get concubines. Those who get concubines will be kicked out of the Xie Vige.¡±

    This was a serious condition.

    Lu Jiao noticed how weirded out the leaders appeared so she exined, ¡°My intention is to improve the vigers¡¯ quality of life, it¡¯s not to put money in men¡¯s pockets so they could get more women in the house. If that¡¯s the case, I rather not teach you the skill.¡±

    The leaders felt better after what she said. Lu Jiao¡¯s condition was really to ensure the women here have a good life as well. Plus, the people here didn¡¯t n on getting concubines so they were okay with it.

    ¡°We agree to that one.¡±

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°The third condition is regarding the leech keepers. The leech keepers must divide up the money, two thirds of it can go to the family¡¯s shared fund and one third can be kept by themselves.¡±

    This was to help hard workers such as Xie Erzhu and Xia Lian.

    The leaders were a little flustered but ended up agreeing, ¡°We agree.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Then, thank you, leaders. If every family agrees to my conditions, they can leave their thumbprint on the binding contract.¡±

    The leaders didn¡¯t fight it.

    Beside them, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°Leaders, I have an idea, can you give a listen?¡±

    The leaders turned to Xie Yunjin.

    He thought about it a little before he spoke again, ¡°I suggest you build an infrastructure just for leech keeping. As for the leech-keeping skill, you can teach it to only the n members. Of course, this can¡¯t be taught to everyone ¨C we will only teach one person who¡¯s responsible. That person will then delegate tasks ordingly. There are lots of tasks involved, such as catching fish, shrimp, and river snails. There will also be men needed to guard the leeches at night. This is to prevent outsiders froming in and poisoning the leeches.¡±

    The leaders nodded.

    Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°We can start keeping leeches right away. Every family can donate a part of theirnd. Once leech keeping starts to make money, the profit can be shared based on the percentage ofnd donated. Thebinednd can be used as the specialized area for leech keeping.¡±

    The leaders nodded and supported the idea.

    Xie Yunjin added, ¡°As for the profit, that can be split amongst the people responsible for doing all the work. As for how many people each family should send to do the work, that can be done based on the number of household members. For example, a family of three can send one person. A family of six can send two people. That way, the profit sharing ends up fair.

    If we do things right, the Xie family will be the only people who learn the skill, and the other members can still be hired to do individual tasks. That way, we can ensure there¡¯s no tension and divide between the vigers.¡±

 Chapter 152 - 152 I Miss you so Much Food no Longer Tastes Good

    152 I Miss you so Much Food no Longer Tastes Good

    After Xie Yunjin was done with his speech, the leaders pped their legs to show their support.

    ¡°Then we will do as you suggested.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in shock. This man¡¯s brain was amazing. If he was born in her era, he would no doubt be a CEO. He managed to create the concept of a leech-keeping farm in such a short period of time.

    The way Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin made him silently happy. He mumbled in his brain ¨C why was this woman staring at him like that? Even if she does like him, she should act more reservedly.

    Her almost passionate gaze still made him very happy.

    !!

    His lips couldn¡¯t help but curl upwards as a smile slowly ripped over his visage.

    Lu Jiao had no idea what this man was thinking. She looked back to the leaders and said, ¡°I want the Xie family to have a better quality of life and I want more children to have the chance to go to school. If we do things right, every child from the Xie Vige will get to see more of the world. Only then, will the Xie Vige strengthen and grow gloriously.

    The morale in the vige must be positive. Or else it would impact more than Yunjin, it would impact all the children.¡±

    The leaders turned serious. They weighed Yunjin and the children very heavily.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, do not worry. This afternoon, when we meet with everyone, I will make sure everything is clear. If anyone dares to get a concubine the moment they start making some money, I will kick him out of the vige.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction.

    Outside, theughter of children slipped through the door.

    The Vige and n Leaders bid farewell to Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin.

    It was time for the children to start their lesson and they didn¡¯t want to intrude.

    Lu Jiao went to set the leaders off. As they left, they appreciatively stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re truly the greatest help to set foot in the Xie Vige. The n will be thanking you and Yunjin our whole life.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved her hand mindlessly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We are from the same n, of course, we need to help each other out.¡±

    After the leaders left, Lu Jiao went back to the yard. Unexpectedly, someone called out from behind, ¡°Sis.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned and found Lu Gui there.

    Lu Gui entered excitedly with a bunch of stuff in hand.

    He brought two giant bundles with him, also some tofu, eggs, and other food.

    Seeing the food in his hand made Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. The vigers just gave them a bunch of food and today, Lu Gui came again with another whole bunch. They had way too much food now.

    The key thing was that it was summer.

    Though she could store everything in her space, it would be too obvious.

    Lu Jiao then remembered the Lu family. The Lu family was a big one and needed lots of food. She will pack food for Lu Gui to take back.

    She asked Lu Gui caringly, ¡°How¡¯s mom?¡±

    Lu Gui sighed. His sister truly was his mother¡¯s warm vest. He traveled so far to visit and she didn¡¯t even ask him how he was.

    ¡°She¡¯s good. She eats well, sleeps well and she¡¯s happy.¡±

    Their mom missed Lu Jiao and the four kids. She almost came today personally but her husband stopped her.

    Lu Jiao nodded, satisfied, ¡°That¡¯s good. How¡¯s the tofu-making business? Is it going well?¡±

    This topic put Lu Gui in a good mood, ¡°It¡¯s great. Sis, you have no idea how happy mom and dad are now that we are making money. All the vigers are so jealous. When mom goes out, she tells others the tofu-making idea was yours, and everyone praises you for being a good daughter.¡±

    Because of Lu Jiao, daughters were now considered more valuable in the family. Their first sister-inw had a baby boy, and now they were determined to have a baby girl.

    Their second brother now valued their daughter, Taozi, a lot more than before.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t try to be humble, ¡°If you educate the girls well, they¡¯re just as capable as you boys.¡±

    She then stared at Lu Gui with a smile, who stretched his lips. He had nothing to say in response.

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered the matter of leech keeping and she brought it up, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m getting ready to teach the Xie vigers leech keeping. Go home and ask mom if she wants to learn. If she wants to keep leeches, send someone here from home when I start teaching the vigers. Then, back at home, free up somend for the leeches.¡±

    Lu Gui raised an eyebrow and confirmed in shock, ¡°Leeches?¡±

    All countryside men knew leeches and most of them found them to be disgusting. They suck onto people¡¯s legs and refuse to let go. Some even drill themselves into people¡¯s skin and have to be pped out.

    Now his sister was suggesting that they should raise leeches? Leeches?!

    Lu Gui¡¯s face showed signs of disgust.

    Before they could talk more, the four little ones discovered Lu Gui.

    The boys abandoned their room full of friends and dashed out.

    ¡°Uncle! You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Uncle! Did you miss us?¡±

    Lu Gui threw away his bundles. He wrapped his arms around two of the boys and raised them onto his shoulders.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I missed you so I came to visit! Did you miss me?¡±

    The four little ones felt guilty. To be honest, they didn¡¯t really miss their uncle.

    Lately, they¡¯ve been so upied with fun activities they had no time to miss their uncle. Of course, they can¡¯t let that information slip, or else their uncle will get sad.

    The First Bornmented genuinely, ¡°I missed you. I miss you so much food no longer tastes good.¡±

    The reality was that he could eat several bowls. His uncle was not as delicious as the food his mom prepared.

    The Second Born took the hint and put on a sad face, ¡°When I miss you too much, toys no longer feel fun.¡±

    The reality was that he could y for up to 10 years if he was allowed. It was better if his uncle didn¡¯t find out though, or else he might cry.

    ¡°Uncle, if you didn¡¯te to visit, we would¡¯ve gone to you. I missed you so much I couldn¡¯t even sleep at night.¡±

    ¡°When I miss you too much, I cry in my dreams.¡±

    Lu Gui was so touched he hugged the Third and Fourth Born and kissed their cheeks, ¡°I will visit you every chance I get.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Lu Gui and speechlessly stretched her mouth. The four little ones had a busy schedule and were so happy ying they had no energy to miss their uncle. That idiot sure had the audacity to believe them.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°Okay, put them down.¡±

    Lu Gui put down the Third and Fourth Born, then did the same with the First and Second Born before he put them back down too.

    He picked up the bundles he brought and happily announced, ¡°Here are gifts from your grandparents, and your other uncles and aunts.¡±

 Chapter 153 - 153 The Four Little Ones are like Four Little Suns

    153 The Four Little Ones are like Four Little Suns

    The four little ones were so happy to hear about the gifts and excitedly asked Lu Gui, ¡°What gifts? Let me see!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s see!¡±

    The vige kids who were here to study now all ran outside to see what happened. Many of them were jealous.

    The four little ones were so lucky. Not only did they have capable parents, their grandparents and uncles all loved them so much.

    Lu Gui walked inside with the bundles he had brought.

    !!

    Behind him, Lu Jiao epted her fate and picked up the tofu and eggs. She really wanted to stop Lu Gui from opening the gifts in front of the other kids. However, the four little ones were so excited she would ruin the atmosphere if she said anything. So she remained quiet.

    In the living room, Lu Gui opened one bundle. Inside was a stack of clothes and several pairs of shoes.

    The sight of shoes reminded Lu Jiao to check out what the four little ones were wearing. The children each had two pairs of shoes made out of cloth. However, all their shoes were very old and they were originally handmade by their second auntie.

    Last time in town, Lu Jiao did want to buy some shoes for the children, but she couldn¡¯t find any. Since the cloth shoes they had were still wearable, she didn¡¯t feel the need to make them new ones right away.

    The Lu family was so considerate and saved Lu Jiao troubles.

    Lu Gui took out the clothes and shoes and said to the four little ones, ¡°These are clothes from your first aunt and these are tiger-head shoes made by your second aunt. Your grandma also made you a pair of pretty shoes.¡±

    The four little ones happily wrapped their arms around the new clothes. They didn¡¯t even need Lu Jiao to tell them before they started to thank Lu Gui, ¡°Thank you grandma, thank you aunties.¡±

    The Third Born was the happiest to see this. He already had two new sets of clothes and a set of pajamas, and now, he gained another new set of clothes and two new pairs of shoes. From now on, he¡¯s going to look even more handsome.

    The little guy¡¯s face turned plum red and his smile stretched out so far it almost reached his ears.

    The other children were insanely jealous. They knew the quadruplets just got new clothes and now they were getting even more?

    Lu Gui opened the second bundle. Inside were several small bows, wooden swords, and grasshoppers and dragonflies made out of grass.

    The Second Born reached for a bow right away. There was a band attached to the bow that allowed him to carry it on his back.

    Lu Gui noticed how much the Second Born liked it and smiled, ¡°Your first uncle makes this. You can carry it on your back.¡±

    The Second Born nodded repeatedly out of joy, ¡°Yes, yes, I know. Thank you uncle.¡±

    The other three children also put the bows on their backs. Lu Gui took out a wooden sword and said, ¡°This is from the second uncle. He specifically looked for this type of wood in the mountains because this kind of wood is very hard. You can use this when you exercise.¡±

    The First Born liked this. He picked it up and found it to be heavy.

    The more he looked at it, the more he liked it and started to carry it around.

    As for the dragonflies and grasshoppers, they appeared just like the real thing even though they were made out of grass.

    Lu Gui smiled, ¡°These are from grandpa. He learned how to make these from someone else and brought these for you to y with.¡±

    To make this gift, their grandpa took three days to learn how to make these. He made countless dragonflies and grasshoppers and picked the best four for the children.

    The four little ones announced in unison, ¡°Thank you, grandpa.¡±

    Their faces now burned hot like the Sun.

    Their friends from the living room saw this and were highly jealous. They started to discuss their own grandparents, there were some positivements, and some negatives. At once, the house got rowdy.

    The four little ones yed with their toys and after some time, the Second Born suddenly looked up to Lu Gui, ¡°Third uncle, what about you? You didn¡¯t give us any toys.¡±

    The First Born widened his eyes at the Second Born. How rude! He shouldn¡¯t ask for things.

    The Second Born stuck out his tongue guiltily and looked at their mother.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything. She knew the kid was just talking without thinking.

    The Second Born quickly apologized to Lu Gui, ¡°I¡¯m not asking for anything. It¡¯s already so tiring for you to travel all the way here to give us all this stuff. We love you!¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s mood shot through the clouds and his face softened.

    He mysteriously peered at the four little ones, ¡°Actually, I do have a gift for you all.¡±

    The four little ones snapped their heads around and stared at Lu Gui.

    They didn¡¯t find anything on him.

    Lu Jiao also stared strangely. What was that guy being so weird about?

    Lu Gui said, ¡°Wait here for a minute. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±

    He then ran out the gate.

    The four little ones watched him leave in curiosity. Just where was their uncle going?

    They looked up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, where¡¯s uncle going?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and her best guess was that he hid the gifts outside the trellis.

    Just then, Lu Gui returned with four little baskets. As he marched in, he shouted, ¡°See, I made you all your own little baskets. Everyone gets one. This way, you can wear your own basket if you ever go into the mountains.¡±

    The four little ones honestly really liked the baskets.

    They each took one and started to wear them right away. As they admired it, they thanked Lu Gui, ¡°Thank you uncle! Uncle, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s heart felt like it had been sweetened by candy.

    Since it waste, Lu Gui said to the quadruplets, ¡°Okay, put away the gifts from your grandparents and aunts and uncles. Teach your friends how to read first.¡±

    The four little ones wanted to y more but they knew that if they angered their mom, they wouldn¡¯t get to yter.

    The First Born led the other three into the east bedroom to put away the gifts.

    Of course, they first took the time to show off everything to Xie Yunjin before they went back to teach.

    Lu Jiao and Lu Gui went into the east bedroom.

    Inside, Xie Yunjin warmly greeted Lu Gui, ¡°Brother-inw, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Lu Gui nodded in response. Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Get brother some tea.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then started to ask Lu Gui about how the Lu family was doing.

    Lu Gui felt like this was very unreal. This brother-inw of his was usually very cold. Last time, when he visited with his mother, they acted politely toward each other but they knew there was arge distance between them.

    Howe this time things felt different? The distance between them was shortening and Xie Yunjin was being very enthusiastic.

    Though Lu Gui didn¡¯t understand, he was happy to hear the warm greetings from Xie Yunjin. He updated Xie Yunjin on everything that¡¯s happened back at the Lu family.

 Chapter 154 - 154 Save the Drumsticks for Mommy

    154 Save the Drumsticks for Mommy

    Lu Jiao brought over tea. When she put it down, Xie Yunjin gently suggested, ¡°Since the brother-inw is here, make more dishes for lunch.¡±

    Not only did Lu Gui find Xie Yunjin strange, but even Lu Jiao also started to find him strange.

    Before, he¡¯s always kept his distance from the Lu family, howe he was acting so warm today?

    What was wrong with him? Lu Jiao remembered that this guy¡¯s been acting strange sincest night. Was he setting her up for something?

    But why would he? She hasn¡¯t done anything to hurt himtely.

    !!

    Lu Jiao did her best to keep calm, ¡°Okay, I will prepare lunch while you guys chat.¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin was all smiles as he chatted with Lu Gui, Lu Gui still felt ufortable. Before they could talk for longer, he got up and said, ¡°I will go help my sister out in the kitchen. Brother-inw, your legs are still healing, rest well.¡±

    He then left right away, giving Xie Yunjin no chance to speak.

    Lu Jiao stared at him speechlessly.

    She turned to Xie Yunjin, who grinned, ¡°Go get busy.¡±

    The way he looked at her made her think he had some kind of evil n waiting for her. She shuddered and left.

    The siblings ran out like they had seen a ghost, which made Xie Yunjin chuckle.

    For lunch, Lu Jiao made a table full of dishes ¨C chicken with mushrooms, braised pork, duck mushroom soup, pan-fried tofu, braised fish, and fish tofu soup.

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t even close their mouths when they saw all the food on the table. Even then, they remembered to go call for their father.

    The First Born looked up at Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s move the table into the east bedroom so we can eat with daddy.¡±

    If they eat out here, their daddy would have to eat alone in the bedroom. That was too sad.

    Lu Jiao flicked his forehead, ¡°You never forget about your father. This is why he spoils you. Okay, you convinced me.¡±

    Lu Jiao stably moved the table into the east bedroom.

    The four little ones cheered and then pulled Lu Gui into the bedroom to have lunch.

    Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin watched all this in a great mood. The way he looked at Lu Jiao became softer and softer.

    This gave Lu Jiao goosebumps.

    Something was wrong with this guy. This was too abnormal.

    Just then, her brain thought of a conspiracy theory. Could it be that this guy was no longer Xie Yunjin? Could it be that like her, his soul has switched?

    Lu Jiao stared at the man lying in bed while he stared at her back. Then, he gently asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao observed closely and decided it was still the same guy.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked away as his lips curled. Naturally, he noticed Lu Jiao¡¯s suspicion. Was she not used to him being this nice to her?

    He nned on being even nicer to her in the future. After all, she worked hard and was loyal to the children and himself. He knew that and he had a heart.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all morning. Eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao finally thought of the possibility that he was nice to her now because he noticed how hard she¡¯s been working to take care of him and the children. Was she overthinking?

    Oh well, she decided to stop wondering. She¡¯ll happily take care of them for another month or so. Once he¡¯s able to walk, she will take the children and leave blissfully.

    That thought made Lu Jiao content. She got Xie Yunjin some rice and duck soup, and said, ¡°Whatever you want to eat, let me know.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at her smiling face and light emitted out of his eyes.

    Now, his mood was extraordinarily pleasant and he nodded slightly, indicating that Lu Jiao should go eat.

    Lu Jiao went to sit by the table. Lu Gui and the four children hadn¡¯t eaten and were waiting for her.

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when someone called out to her through the window, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw Lady Zhao outside, who mysteriously squinted her eyes at her, asking her to chat outside.

    Lu Jiao nodded. She told Lu Gui and the children to eat first as she had something to do.

    Lu Gui agreed while the four little ones announced, ¡°Mommy, we¡¯ll save the chicken drumstick for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and the duck drumstick. They¡¯re all for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the children and the smile on her face became warm like the spring sunshine.

    The four little ones were good kids. As long as she took the time to raise them well, they will think of her fondly even if they do return to their father in the end. Maybe in the future, they¡¯ll remember to visit her regrly. She would be okay with that.

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the happier she felt, ¡°My sons are the most filial boys. I am happy even if I don¡¯t eat. You guys eat.¡±

    The four little ones said in unison, ¡°We can eat other things. We must save the drumsticks for you.¡±

    The First Born then picked up a bowl and ced the drumsticks inside.

    Once he was done, he reminded the other three, ¡°Save the other chicken drumstick for daddy. The other duck drumstick is for uncle. We can eat other things. Look at all the food there is.¡±

    The other three checked out the food on the table and agreed in unison, ¡°We got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao was already heading outside, but she didn¡¯t know how to wipe the smile off her face.

    Outside, Lady Zhao grabbed her hand and headed to the kitchen. After making sure nobody was around, Lady Zhao whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°I went into the mountains this morning with Chunyan and ran into your first and youngest sisters-inw with your second sister-inw. Your second sister-inw is teaching those two what herbs to harvest. I know you don¡¯t like your first and your youngest sister-inw, so I felt obligated toe and tell you.¡±

    Lad Zhao¡¯s news put Lu Jiao in a bad mood. Though it was no big deal, she couldn¡¯t help it.

    That was her personality. In her opinion, those who provoked her didn¡¯t deserve to benefit from her.

    Or else she would¡¯ve asked Chen Liu and her youngest sister-inw to learn from her. That could¡¯ve avoided a fight.

    Yet now, her second sister-inw was straight up sharing knowledge.

    Lady Zhao noticed the change in Lu Jiao¡¯s expression andforted, ¡°I told you so you are aware. I didn¡¯t want you to be mad.¡±

    Lu Jiao recollected herself and thanked Lady Zhao. After all, she was happy that Lady Zhao shared this news.

    ¡°Thank you. Do you want to eat a little here?¡±

    Lady Zhao shook her head immediately, ¡°I killed a chicken today as well. I¡¯m going back to eat.¡±

    Yesterday, the Vige Leader¡¯s household earned a lot of money. The Second Grandma¡¯s household also earned three taels of silver after Lin Chunyan found kudzu roots. The family was happy and decided to celebrate with a chicken.

    The thought of being able to eat meat today made Lady Zhao walk away happily.

    Behind her, Lu Jiao was obviously not as chirpy as before. Lu Jiao felt despondent as she walked back to the east bedroom.

    Everyone could tell right away that she was down.

    The four little ones were the first to ask, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, Xie Yunjin opened his mouth coldly, ¡°What did Laifu¡¯s wife say to you?¡±

    Laifu¡¯s wife was Lady Zhao.

 Chapter 155 - 155 Itâ€™s you who is too Cowardly

    155 It¡¯s you who is too Cowardly

    Lu Jiao prepared to tell Xie Yunjin how his second sister-inw taught Chen Liu and Xie Lan what herbs to harvest.

    However, just then, loud footsteps were heard outside followed by Xie Erzhu entering the room. The moment he stepped inside, he started to cry out loud toward Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Third brother, I¡¯ve had enough. I¡¯ve truly had enough.¡±

    He then knelt down and mmed his fists into the ground. He looked absolutely exhausted.

    The four little ones stared at the crying Xie Erzhu in fear.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened and he asked, ¡°Second Brother, what happened?¡±

    Xie Erzhu howled. This stocky man managed to cry long enough for a stick of incense to burn out before he started to exin.

    ¡°Why do they all bully my family? When mom and dad are unhappy, they take it out on us. When the big brother and his wife are unhappy, they take it out on us. When the fourth and his wife are unhappy, they still take it out on us. My family works the most and eats the least. We also have to act as their punching bags whenever they ask us to.

    I work endlessly every day yet my diet is poorer than the first and fourth brothers. Your sister-inw has to work on the farm, clean clothes, and cook. Even my daughters have to do housework. Yet the fourth and fifth children don¡¯t work at all. Their clothes are washed by my daughters.¡±

    Ever since it was exposed that he gave money to Xie Yunjin, the rest of the family treated them like a punching bag. It wasn¡¯t just the elders, it was also the young siblings. Were they not human? Were they animals?

    Yesterday, after the first sister-inw was angered by Lu Jiao, she told their mom everything. Their mom instantly ordered Xie Erzhu to never step foot into Xie Yunjin¡¯s home again. She even asked Caidou to watch him.

    Today, Xie Erzhu worked on the farm. The more he thought about this whole thing, the sadder he got. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help bute over here and cry to his third brother. He didn¡¯t know who else he could go to.

    Coldness engulfed Xie Yunjin and his eyes turned sharp.

    Before he could speak, Lu Jiao cut in, ¡°Second Brother, I have to say something you might not like to hear. The reason why your family is like this is because you are too cowardly.

    Because you¡¯re cowardly, your wife is dragged down and your daughters are dragged down. If you straighten up your spine just a little bit, they won¡¯t be able to take advantage of you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was stunned to hear those words and turned to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°If I fight them, the vigers will me me and say I am unfilial.¡±

    Lu Jiao logically exined, ¡°If you are unreasonable, you would be unfilial. If you are on the moral high ground, nobody would say that about you. Look at me ¨C I got into several fights with themtely and nobody called me unfilial. That is because I was in the right.¡±

    Lu Jiao then turned to the four little ones and educated them, ¡°To be a good person, you have to act logically and righteously. Don¡¯t do things that are unreasonable or unfair. Don¡¯t be a coward. A man needs to act like a man in order to gain the strength to protect the ones he cares about.¡±

    The four little ones straightened their chest and vowed, ¡°Mommy, we will. We will protect you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and turned back to Xie Erzhu, ¡°You see that? Even my boys know to protect me. What about you? As a husband, and as a father, you never knew to protect your wife and daughters. Who¡¯s fault is that?

    Out of this whole vige, everyone knows you¡¯re the most hardworking and most obedient. If you act out of line now, everyone would know it¡¯s because you were pressed too hard.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s statement was a hint. If Xie Erzhu still didn¡¯t realize he needed to object, then she really has nothing more to say. It would mean this guy was stupidly filial and all his pain was self-inflicted.

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s mind cleared somewhat. The most important thing was that he remembered how Lu Jiao fought against his parents many times, yet nobody med her for it. On the contrary, people praised her for pushing back.

    He seemed to have understood.

    Xie Erzhu nned on leaving and fighting against his parents right away.

    ¡°I will go back and tell them to stop taking advantage of my family.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face went dark, ¡°If you go back now, you¡¯d be the one starting a fight. You have to explode when they take advantage of you.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, have lunch here.¡±

    Xie Yunjin also called out to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, stay and have lunch. Don¡¯t be so hasty with all this. You need to find the right opportunity to let your anger out.¡±

    The reason why Lu Jiao was able to act so out of line when she was infuriated was that she found the right moment to do so.

    Xie Erzhu turned to look at the table and saw Lu Gui. At once, he was embarrassed, ¡°I will eat back at home.¡±

    Lu Jiao said warmly, ¡°It¡¯s rare for my brother to visit so I made many dishes. Second brother, stay and eat. With the hot weather, the food goes bad fast.¡±

    Xie Yunjin added, ¡°Stay and eat. I¡¯m sure nobody saved you food back at home.¡±

    Just then, a little head popped into the room ¨C it was Xie Daqiang¡¯s second son, Caidou. Caidou was scared of Lu Jiao and didn¡¯t dare toe inside. Instead, he peeked his head in and shouted, ¡°Second uncle, we need to go back.¡±

    Caidou¡¯s face annoyed Lu Jiao. She scolded, ¡°Go home. If I catch you snooping around my home I will beat you up.¡±

    Caidou shuddered and ran away at once. He didn¡¯t dare to keep his eyes on Xie Erzhu any longer.

    Lu Jiao ignored it and scooped some rice for Xie Erzhu.

    Since Lu Gui was here, Lu Jiao did make plenty of food. Since Lu Jiao was being so weing, Xie Erzhu decided to eat here and then go home.

    Xie Yunjin reminded him again, ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t start anything the moment you get home. Only let it out when they start it.¡±

    Xie Erzhu agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    If he started something now, his parents would use his third brother and sister-inw of poorly influencing him. This was why he needed to find another time to let out his anger.

    After Xie Erzhu left, Lu Gui took the four little ones away to y with the bows and swords while Lu Jiao cleaned up.

    Inside, Xie Yunjin remembered the matter with Lady Zhao and asked again caringly, ¡°What did Laifu¡¯s wife say to you? You didn¡¯t look well after she came.¡±

    Lu Jiao put down the bowls and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Laifu¡¯s wife saw the second sister-inw teaching the first and youngest sister-inw which herbs to harvest. I was unhappy to learn that.¡±

    She paused then added, ¡°I¡¯m petty. Whoever hurts me should not gain anything from me.

    If I wanted those two to learn about herbs, I would¡¯ve taught them myself instead of being their enemy. Yet now, the second sister-inw is straight up teaching them.¡±

    Near the end, Lu Jiao¡¯s face drooped down. She unhappily unannounced, ¡°This is the first andst time I allow this to happen. If your second brother and sister-inw disobey my wishes again, I will stop them from benefiting off of me. ¡°

 Chapter 156 - 156 Lady Ruan the Scapegoat

    156 Lady Ruan the Scapegoat

    Lu Jiao left with the dirty dishes while Xie Yunjin remained deep in thought.

    He seemed to have wronged Lu Jiao before but she didn¡¯t seem to hold a grudge against him. Was this because she liked him and therefore forgave everything he did?

    Through all the details, Xie Yunjin was certain of one thing ¨C Lu Jiao liked him.

    That thought made him extremely happy and he felt like there was a halo of light beaming above him.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think so much. After she washed the dishes, she got out a bunch of stuff for Lu Gui to bring back.

    !!

    Lu Gui stared at the pile in shock. Was his sister making him carry back everything she had? Wasn¡¯t that rude?

    Lu Gui quickly declined, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t need to give me so much stuff. If my brother-inw found out, he would get mad at you.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at him, ¡°What are you saying? These are foods the vigers brought me yesterday. It¡¯s too much for us to finish and they will go bad if not eaten in time. Take it and share it with everyone.¡±

    Lu Gui wondered, ¡°Howe they keep giving you stuff?¡±

    ¡°I taught them herb harvesting and they made money yesterday. So every family gave me a little something.¡±

    Lu Gui was highly interested, ¡°Sister, how much did they make?¡±

    ¡°Most families made 700-800 while some earned three taels of silver.¡±

    Lu Gui went into shock. Three taels of silver? That¡¯s so much!

    Though they started making money with tofu making, they¡¯ve never earned that much in a day.

    Lu Gui was now once again intrigued by herb harvesting, ¡°Sister, what if I learn herb harvesting from you?¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes and then went into the kitchen. After a moment, she came out with a bag of herbs.

    ¡°These are all herbs I harvested. You can use these as samples and harvest your own. Take what you harvest to Baohe Tang in Qili. Tell them you¡¯re my brother and they won¡¯t scam you.¡±

    Lu Gui excitedly plunged forward and hugged Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister! You¡¯re truly my biological sister! You¡¯re so great.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect this from him and she froze in ce. Soon, she gritted through her teeth, ¡°Enough now, let go of me.¡±

    Lu Gui hugged her for a while longer before he let go, ¡°Sister, you bring so much fortune to our home. Ah no, you bring fortune to my brother-inw and the Xie Vige.¡±

    Lu Gui thought over all the attributes Lu Jiao disyedtely and stared at her in shock, ¡°Sister, truly, you¡¯re such a fortune bringer. I am confident that you are going to be very happy in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him, ¡°Leave and stop talking so much. Ah right, remember to ask everyone about leech keeping. If they want to be a part of it, send someone to let me know so I can teach everyone at the same time.¡±

    Lu Gui nodded, ¡°I got it. Then, I will go home now.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here.¡±

    Lu Jiao and the four little ones sent him away. The four little ones waved at him sadly, ¡°Uncle,e back to visit soon.¡±

    ¡°We will miss you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring gifts next time. We just want you toe.¡±

    Lu Gui wanted to bring the four little ones with him after he heard what they had to say.

    ¡°Once your dad¡¯s legs heal,e visit me.¡±

    The four little ones snapped their heads around to look at Lu Jiao, who nodded. The four little ones cheered, ¡°We will!¡±

    After Lu Gui left, Lu Jiao took the four little ones inside to take their nap. Once they fell asleep, she got up and went to the east bedroom to practice writing. She¡¯s learned some characters from Xie Yunjin this past week and she wanted to start practicing.

    In her previous life, Lu Jiao practiced calligraphy. To ensure she didn¡¯t appear suspicious, she intentionally made her writing look ugly. Even then, Xie Yunjin was shocked, ¡°You write so well even though it¡¯s your first time writing. I will find a few copybooks for you to practiceter.¡±

    Xie Yunjin could tell Lu Jiao was intentionally making her writing look ugly. What did this mean? It meant this woman knew how to write.

    He found this to be so strange. She obviously didn¡¯t know how to read so howe she knew how to write? What was that about? Could it be that where she came from had different characters than here?

    Xie Yunjin thought he discovered the truth, but just what did the characters look like where she came from? He found it hard to imagine.

    To ensure Lu Jiao didn¡¯t get nervous, Xie Yunjin praised her, ¡°If you practice every day, I¡¯m sure your writing will look beautiful.¡±

    Lu Jiao dryly smiled and went back to practicing.

    In the afternoon, Lu Jiao waited until the children were done teaching before taking them into the mountains. Since she promised the four little ones that she would teach them how to climb trees, she tied up the four little ones¡¯ sleeves and cuffs.

    The four little ones brought all their equipment. First, they put their bows and swords into their baskets, then they carried the baskets with them. Lu Jiao gave each one of them a pot of water and packed some clean peaches and grapes.

    Before they left, the four little ones bravely went into the east bedroom with their baskets to report to Xie Yunjin and bid their farewells.

    ¡°Father, we are going into the mountains. Today, mother is teaching us how to climb trees. Afterward, we will be practicing shooting arrows with a bow.¡±

    The Second Born announced excitedly.

    The other three were also very excited. The First Born, however, was a little worried about leaving Xie Yunjin home alone.

    ¡°Daddy, we are leaving now. If anyone hurts you, scream. I¡¯m sure brother Xiaobao wille and protect you once he hears.¡±

    Xie Yunjin patted his son¡¯s head andughed, ¡°I¡¯m an adult and I can take care of myself. Stop worrying.¡±

    The four little ones finally stopped worrying and left with their baskets full. Once out, they bumped into Xie Xiaobao, Mutou, and Gousheng.

    ¡°First Born, we want to climb the mountain with you.¡±

    Kids liked to hang out with each other. The four little ones looked to Lu Jiao for permission.

    Lu Jiao allowed it, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The group marched into the mountains. On the way to the top, they ran into several people who were harvesting herbs. Of course, they all had their baskets full and when they saw Lu Jiao with the kids, theyplimented her.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife is so devoted to taking care of the four little ones.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Did you see? There is now some fat on the little guys¡¯ faces. I also think they look taller.¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way. I am now certain that Lu Jiao used to act out because the fourth grandma bullied her unreasonably. Look at how nice she is now.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement, confident in the belief that Lu Jiao had always been a good person. She was only unreasonable before because Lady Ruan was an awful mother-inw. Now that she had left the Xie family, she was a whole different person.

    Lu Jiao remained silent when she heard thements. It was convenient that everyone found an excuse for her change in character. Lady Ruan was a great scapegoat!

 Chapter 157 - 157 She Knows Everything

    157 She Knows Everything

    Lu Jiao brought the children up the mountain. Today, the children didn¡¯t take a break and went up in one go. However, once they got there, they crashed onto the ground and couldn¡¯t stand up anymore.

    ¡°Mommy, this is exhausting.¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°This means your bodies aren¡¯t strong enough yet. Look at brother Mutou, Xiaobao, and Gousheng. They¡¯re so strong.¡±

    Those three boys were spoiled at home. Though they were from poor families, their families favored boys and fed them the best food.

    The four little ones looked to Xie Xiaobao, Mutou and Gousheng and vowed, ¡°We will catch up to you in the future.¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao asked the four little ones to share their peaches and grapes with the other boys.

    After so many weeks of education, the four little ones have grown generous. They shared their fruits with their friends.

    Xie Xiaoboa, Gousheng and Mutou were the ones who felt shy about this.

    Lu Jiao asked if Xie Xiaobao and Mutou knew how to climb trees, and they actually did know.

    Therefore, Lu Jiao asked them to teach the four little ones how to climb. Gousheng indicated that he wants to learn as well.

    The children then started to y together, which saved Lu Jiao a lot of energy.

    Lu Jiao sat near the children and watched them. Quietly, she started to n what she should do with the 5,000 taels of silver she earned from Zhao Lingfeng.

    It wasn¡¯t right to just leave the money there idle. She needed to use the money to make more money.

    In the future, she will need to raise the four children herself. Though she wasn¡¯t sure how long she would have the kids, since she decided to support them, she will offer them the best of everything. When the time came for her to return the kids back to their father, she also needed to give them some good gifts. After all, they were mother and son. All in all, it was required for her to make loads of money.

    Just then, she remembered her spiritual stream in her space. She could use the spiritual stream water to make soap. She also had somend in her space that she¡¯s been using to grow some random medicinal nts. She hasn¡¯t really used any of that. What if she used thatnd to cultivate more specialized medicinal seeds?

    Seeds cultivated with spiritual stream water could grow anywhere.

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the happier she got. Medicinal ingredients were tricky to grow due to their unique preferences. Some medicinal herbs enjoy moist soil, some enjoy hills, and some enjoy dry areas.

    But seeds cultivated in her space with her spiritual stream water would not be so picky. She could then nt those seeds anywhere she wanted. She could also grow agriculture, vegetables, and fruits with whatever seeds she fostered.

    Lu Jiao started tough. With her money, she could buynd.

    ¡°Woah, Second Born, you¡¯re amazing. You already learned how to climb! Come down and let me try!¡±

    Lu Jiao heard the loud cry and focused on the kids. She found the Second Born had climb up the tree like a monkey. Though he was only two meters off the ground, it was enough to shock his three brothers.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and grinned at the Second Born. This boy was sportier than the other three. Was he really going to take a military position in the future?

    Lu Jiao then looked towards the First Born. It is likely that the First Born will end up studying like his father. Not only did he look like his father, but his brain and intelligence were also simr.

    As for the Third and Fourth Born, she couldn¡¯t really predict what they might want to do. The Third Born enjoyed pampering himself and the Fourth Born had a sweet mouth.

    Just then, the Third Born¡¯s whiny voice was heard, ¡°Ah! Howe I can¡¯t get up?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up and found the Third Born struggling to get his feet off the ground. No matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t move his body up. This made the other childrenugh.

    The Third Born became frustrated. Lu Jiao walked over and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get flustered. We¡¯ll work on it slowly. If you can¡¯t figure it out today, you keep trying tomorrow. Wait, didn¡¯t you bring your bows? You can try shooting arrows.¡±

    The four little ones instantly made their move. They took out their bows and waited to y with Xie Xiaobao and their other friends.

    Lu Jiao started harvesting herbs nearby. Since she decided to start cultivating seeds, she needed more herb samples so she could nt them in her space.

    Then, she¡¯ll be able to produce seeds from them and nt them.

    She happily worked her way around the area. Though she taught the vigers a lot about herbs, there were still lots of herbs they didn¡¯t know about on this mountain.

    Lu Jiao picked the expensive ones and the ones that would get her good-quality seeds.

    Once the children go to sleep at night, she could go into her space, harvest what she had on hernd, and nt in the new ones.

    The more she thought about it, the happier she got. Very quickly, her herbs piled up. She put the majority of them into her space and kept some in her basket.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste. Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved at the kids, who were ying so crazily that they forgot about the time.

    The four little ones heard her and ran to her. The Second Born excitedly shouted, ¡°Mommy, look! Look! I hit the target! I hit the target!¡±

    The children hung a rock off the tree to practice their aim. In the end, only the Second Born managed to hit it once.

    The other three quadruplets didn¡¯t hit it at all. However, Xie Xiaoao and Mutou, the oldest, managed to hit the rock a few times.

    When the Second Born saw Lu Jiao, he shouted excitedly.

    Lu Jiao walked over andplimented him, ¡°My Second Born is incredible. You truly are going to be the greatest general in the future.¡±

    The Second Born lifted his chest and looked up proudly, ¡°Of course!¡±

    He then asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, do you know how to shoot?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I do.¡±

    Lu Jiao took over the Second Born¡¯s small bow and arrow. She posed and then shot the arrow ¨C it squarely hit the rock the children hung. That rock was five meters away.

    The four little ones and Xie Xiaobao cheered, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re amazing!¡±

    ¡°Third aunt, you¡¯re unbelievable!¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed. The rock was only five meters away, how amazing could she be? The four little ones were only four years old and it was no big deal that they couldn¡¯t aim. Plus, their arms were weak. It was more important to her that they strengthen their arms.

    Lu Jiao decided to teach the children a little.

    ¡°Here, let me teach you the right way to shoot. First, hold your bow and arrow right. You should hold the bow with mostly your thumb and index finger. The arrow should rest on your curled-up index finger. Do you see?¡±

    The children started to copy Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao continued to exin, ¡°The arrow should be ced between your index and middle finger. Next, you want to inhale and ce the string under your chin. Check your own positioning.

    Finally, exhale and let go of the arrow. Remember, you must check your stance first. Only when your stance is right will you be able to aim.¡±

 Chapter 158 - 158 Kick out or Be Kicked Out?

    158 Kick out or Be Kicked Out?

    The three of them followed Lu Jiao¡¯s advice and copied her stance. When they shot their arrows, they managed to hit the target!

    The three children cheered and jumped up and down, ¡°Ah, I hit it! I hit it!¡±

    The Second Born excitedly stomped his foot, ¡°Mommy, gimme the bow! I want to shoot!¡±

    He had to make sure he was more impressive than the other three because he was going to be the greatest general.

    The Second Born wasn¡¯t the only person who wanted to take a shot. Xie Xiaobao and the others wanted to try as well. In the end, the quadruplets handed their bows to their friends.

    !!

    Everyone started to shoot ording to Lu Jiao¡¯s instructions. The children started to y rowdily all together.

    It was ratherte and Lu Jiao finally ordered, ¡°Okay, we cane again tomorrow to practice. We need to go home now. Your dad is still home alone.¡±

    The mention of Xie Yunjin calmed the four little ones down. They said in unison, ¡°Let¡¯s go then. We¡¯ll y tomorrow.¡±

    With Lu Jiao leading, the group happily went down the mountain. On the way, everyone shared their thoughts on shooting with the bow. Xie XIaobao and the others automatically said they were going to ask their dad to make their bows tonight so they couldpete tomorrow.

    Lu Jiao walked behind the children until they arrived home.

    ¡°Everyone, get home now. Don¡¯t make your parents worry.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao, Mutou and Gousheng all waved at Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunt, see you tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved back and went inside with the four little ones. The moment why entered the garden, they heard fightinge from the east bedroom.

    ¡°Lady Ruan, you should give this opportunity to Daqiang. If there¡¯s another opportunity, give it to your fourth son. What¡¯s the rush? The fourth hasn¡¯t even married. Plus, Daqiang has two sons.¡±

    ¡°No, the fourth is getting engaged soon. If he doesn¡¯t find something to do, how will he take care of his familyter?¡±

    Those voices made the four little ones¡¯ faces drop. Terrified that their daddy would get hurt, they rushed inside with their baskets.

    Lu Jiao originally wanted to cook dinner. However, she was worried about the children and followed them.

    There were two groups of people inside the room, they faced each other aggressively and the tension was high.

    Lu Jiao stared at the visitors oddly. Weren¡¯t everyone from the Xie family friendly towards each other? Why did they act like they were about to fight?

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Lu Jiao put down her basket and asked Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin stared coldly at everyone. When he saw Lu Jiao and the four little ones, his gaze softened. Sarcastically, he exined, ¡°This afternoon, the Vige and n Leaders gathered everyone to talk about leech keeping. My parents brought my first and fourth brothers to the meeting. Both of them want to be in charge of the leeches.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Out of everyone here, Lady Ruan detested Lu Jiao the most. When she saw Lu Jiaough, she angrily demanded, ¡°What are youughing about?!¡±

    Lu Jiao responded nonchntly, ¡°Didn¡¯t the leaders tell you who will be the one teaching everyone how to keep leeches?¡±

    Everyone froze and took a second to react. The only person who knew how to do everything was Lu Jiao. Therefore, Lu Jiao was the decision maker and there was no point in arguing.

    Everyone¡¯s face turned dark. Chen Liu was the first to react. She started to smile at Lu Jiao, ¡°Third sister-inw, we were rude before, please don¡¯t hold a grudge against us. If you¡¯re still angry, we can apologize again.¡±

    This time, Xie Daqiang didn¡¯t stop Chen Liu from apologizing. He wanted to learn how to keep leeches. Once he gains that skill, everyone from the vige will have to butter him up. Therefore, Xie Daqiang acted out of character and allowed Chen Liu to suck up to Lu Jiao.

    Lady Ruan signaled to her fourth son, Xie Yunhua to do the same.

    Xie Yunhua got the message quickly and said, ¡°Third sister-inw, I made many mistakes before and I must apologize to you and my third brother. If you are able to teach me leech keeping, I will forever be grateful to you.¡±

    Xie Laogen also spoke up, ¡°Third daughter-inw, you should teach your first brother. He has a whole family to look after, including two sons.¡±

    Lady Ruan shouted shrilly, ¡°The fourth is getting married soon. He doesn¡¯t know how to farm and needs to learn something in order to survive in the future.¡±

    Those two were about to start fighting. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t interfere and watched them.

    This time, Xie Lan interjected, ¡°Mom and dad, stop fighting. This skill has to be taught by the third sister-inw. She¡¯s part of the family. Instead of teaching just one of us, she should just teach both. That way, both brothers can keep leeches for the whole vige. Isn¡¯t that ideal?¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan had their epiphany. Their daughter was right. It was better to secure that skill and keep it within the family.

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan turned to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao originally wanted to watch those two fight but that got ruined by Xie Lan. impatient, she looked back at them.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with my head?¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan didn¡¯t know what she meant and didn¡¯t respond.

    Lu Jiao pointed at Xie Daqiang, ¡°This guy here tried to beat me up. If I teach him what I know, something must be wrong with my head.¡±

    She then pointed at Xie Yunhua, ¡°When Xie Yunjin was first injured, this bastard was the one who talked you into exiling us. You really think I¡¯d teach anything I know to that bastard?¡±

    Too annoyed to talk to them any longer, she snapped, ¡°Enough, get out of here. If I teach anyone, it would be the second brother. I am not going to teach anyone else.¡±

    Lady Ruan and Xie Laogen¡¯s faces dropped.

    Xie Laogen kept on getting embarrassed by Lu Jiao and he¡¯s had enough. With his eyes wide, he screamed, ¡°Lu Jiao, this is how you behave as a daughter-inw? You behave in such an unfilial and disobedient manner, I have reasons to kick you out of the family.¡±

    Lady Ruan nodded aggressively, ¡°If you dare to not teach the first and fourth, we will ask the third to leave you.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted them to go ahead. She would much rather leave this family right now!

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze grew sharp again as he breathed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ask the Vige and n Leaders first? I bet that they would kick you out before they let you kick Lu Jiao out.¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan choked. They knew very well that there was no way the leaders would let them get rid of Lu Jiao now.

    Nobody from the vige would support them. If they go too far, there truly was the possibility of them getting kicked out.

    The old couple had so much unspeakable frustration as they red at Lu Jiao and then at Xie Yunjin.

    Their third son had truly emotionally separated from them. Even if he does pass his imperial exam and be a government official, he was not going to help out his own siblings. It was better to not have such a son.

    Lu Jiao ignored the Xie family and left the room to cook dinner. There were lots of leftovers from lunch so she can just make some porridge and heat up some buns for dinner. The buns were brought over by the Vige Leader.

 Chapter 159 - 159 A Mindless Flatterer

    159 A Mindless tterer

    Xie Yunjin stopped Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    She stopped and turned her head. Xie Yunjin asked with a frown, ¡°When can I start using the wheelchair?¡±

    If he could move, he wouldn¡¯t allow these people to barge into their home and take advantage of them.

    Lu Jiao nced at his legs. Honestly, he was healing faster than she had anticipated. After all, she did add spiritual stream water to his medicine, which helped speed up his bone regrowth. Therefore, his legs were healing faster than normal patients.

    As long as no force was applied to his legs and he was mindful of how long he sat, he could use a wheelchair.

    ¡°You can sit in a wheelchair now. But you cannot sit in it for too long. Also, you have to be careful and not be hit by anyone or anything.¡±

    The worst scenario was if he got knocked over by someone.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°That means, I can start using a wheelchair now?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, just be careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin happilyplied, ¡°I will be cautious. Do not worry.¡±

    It was so difficult for him to get surgery. How could he ever let anyone hit his legs again?

    ¡°When you get a chance, check with Uncle Youcai and ask if the wheelchair is ready. If it is, bring it back. I might have uses for it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Lu Jiao left the room, leaving Xie Yunjin deep in thought. He sought ways to create trouble for his parents so they could no longer spare the energy over here.

    Lu Jiao went to the kitchen. She made some vegetable porridge and heated up some buns.

    Dinner was porridge, buns, and the leftover fish from lunch.

    The four little ones were scared off a little by Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan. However, by dinner time, they had recovered. They ate happily and told Xie Yunjin about their day in the mountains.

    The Fourth Born acted dramatically andplimented Lu Jiao, ¡°Daddy, did you know, mommy knows everything! Not only does she know how to climb a tree, she even knows how to shoot an arrow. At first, we couldn¡¯t hit the target, but by the end, we all hit it!¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao with a profound gaze. His pupils seemed to emit mysterious maism.

    ¡°Your mom is incredible.¡±

    His lips curled up and his entire aura softened. Right now, he seemed like a bamboo in the rain.

    Lu Jiao shot him a look and then said to the Fourth Born, ¡°You are so good atplimenting me.¡±

    This little man could manage to make her sound like a goddess any time of the day. And every day, he gets better at it.

    Could her youngest son end up being a mindless tterer in the future?

    The Fourth Born had no self-awareness and proudly raised his chest, ¡°It¡¯s all because my mommy is so capable.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Alright, eat up. You climbed the mountain today and sweated a lot. I¡¯ll need to wash you up nicelyter.¡±

    The four little ones nodded. Lu Jiao suddenly thought of Xie Yunjin and mumbled to herself¡­ Was Xie Erzhu going toe tonight? Did she have to wipe him down again?

    Though it was normal to help out a patient, Xie Yunjin¡¯s agonizing face made her scalp itch. The way he behaved truly makes her feel like she was a devil.

    Just then, Lin Chunyan¡¯s voice came from the outside, ¡°Third aunt! A fight broke out at the Xie family.¡±

    Lin Chunyan then entered the room. When she saw Xie Yunjin, she retreated a little ufortably.

    Lu Jiao knew she meant her inws when she said the ¡°Xie family¡±.

    ¡°What are they fighting about?¡±

    ¡°Huzi went into town to sell herbs and when he passed by the Xie family, he heard second uncle Xie losing it. He¡¯s smashing things in the yard and making a mess. My mother-inw is already there and she asked me toe and get you.¡±

    Lin Chunyan quickly nced at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face was full of fury and his lips pursed together.

    Lu Jiao knew he was worried about Xie Erzhu. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t care so much.

    Lu Jiao suggested, ¡°Should I go and take a look?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t let my second brother get hurt.¡±

    Lu Jiao got up to leave. The four little ones worriedly called out, ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    They were scared for their mom.

    Lu Jiaoforted them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be okay. I am incredible, remember?¡±

    She then made a fist and punched the air to show how strong she was.

    The four little ones were still worried. Though their mommy was capable, there were a lot of bad guys out there.

    The First Born slid off his chair, ¡°Mommy, I will go with you.¡±

    The Second Born did the save and went to grab his bow, ¡°Mommy, I will bring my bow and arrows. If they dare to hurt you, I will shoot them.¡±

    Lu Jiao scolded, ¡°What are you talking about? Stay home and keep your dadpany. I¡¯m worried if you leave him alone.¡±

    Lu Jiao said it so the four little ones would wait at home patiently.

    Xie Yunjin knew her intention and cooperated, ¡°Stay home and keep mepany.¡±

    The four little ones stared at Xie Yunjin and said with worry, ¡°What if they hurt mommy?¡±

    The Fourth Born slid off his chair and grabbed onto Lu Jiao¡¯s legs. He then started to cry, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t go, they¡¯re going to hit you.¡±

    Lu Jiao knelt down and hugged him, ¡°They can¡¯t win in a fight against me. I will go just for a bit. If I don¡¯te back tonight, you can go find me with your bow.¡±

    The four little ones finally agreed, ¡°Okay, if you don¡¯te back, we¡¯ll go over there to protect you.¡±

    Lu Jiao rubbed their heads before shs left with Lin Chunyan. Behind her, Xie Yunjin cautioned, ¡°Be careful.¡±

    His gaze was frosty and there was much exasperation in his eyes. He truly hated his family.

    Lots of vigers had gathered by the Xie family¡¯s home to watch the show.

    When they saw Lu Jiao approach, they greeted, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, hurry up and go in. Your second brother is furious.¡±

    ¡°I think it started because Xie Laogen told Xie Erzhu to let Xie Daqiang learn leech keeping, and Xie Erzhu lost it.¡±

    Lu Jiao snickered and raised an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯ve met parents who have favorites, but I¡¯ve never met anyone who goes as far as them. In this whole family, the second brother works the hardest yet they just take advantage of him.

    Even rabbits fight back if they¡¯re angry enough. They keep pushing the second brother harder and harder, it¡¯s no wonder he cannot bear it any longer.¡±

    Everyone respected Lu Jiao these days and they agreed with her. Everyone started to talk poorly of the Xie family.

    Lu Jiao was satisfied with the result and went inside.

    The Xie family yard was nowpletely chaotic and in disarray. Xie Erzhu was now screaming with his eyes red and wide, ¡°Are you only going to stop when I¡¯m dead?! These years, I do more work than bulls and eat less than rabbits! My family works endlessly yet no matter what we do, you use my family as your punching bag and take out all your frustration on us!¡±

 Chapter 160 - 160 Ease that Never Existed Before

    160 Ease that Never Existed Before

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan¡¯s faces were now ck. That Xie Yunjin had already put them in a bad mood and now, Xie Erzhu was also acting out.

    When Xie Yunjin refused to listen to them, Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan would get somewhat fearful despite their anger. After all, Xie Yunjin was a schr and will have a nice title in the future. They didn¡¯t dare to provoke him too much.

    But just who did Xie Erzhu think he was? How dare he talk to his parents in such a manner?

    Xie Laogen felt his vision go dark as he screamed at Xie Erzhu, ¡°You unfilial son! How dare you talk to your parents in such a manner? I am going to go to the Viger Leader and ask him to kick you out of the vige! You and your family can get the hell out of here and beg for money!¡±

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t expect his own father to talk like this and he started to cry.

    Lady Ruan fueled the fire, ¡°If you want to die, go die! You think that idea scares us? Weck lots of things but a son is not one of them! Even if you die, we have other sons!¡±

    Just then, the Vige Leader¡¯s voice carried inside, ¡°Watch your mouth!¡±

    The Xie family turned their heads and found the n Leader and some others walking over.

    Other than the group of leaders and elders, Lu Jiao was there. The sight of her infuriated Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan, but they didn¡¯t dare to act out

    Not only was that woman mean, but she was also very capable. The leaders all adored her and they didn¡¯t want to offend her in front of them.

    Since they didn¡¯t want to talk, Lu Jiao talked.

    ¡°Leaders, you¡¯re here. I think I was the reason why this fight originated. As you know, I offered to teach everyone leech keeping. My mother and father-inw had different opinions about who from the family should learn that skill from me. One of them wants me to teach it to the first brother, the other wants the fourth brother to learn. As you are aware, I do not have a good rtionship with either one of them.

    There is no way I am going to teach people I don¡¯t like. I told them, if I were to teach someone from the family, it would be the second brother. It was because I said that, they came home to threaten the second brother.¡±

    Lu Jiao then stared towards the leaders, ¡°My intention was to gain wealth for the Xie Vige. I didn¡¯t know this would be the result. If that is the case, then I don¡¯t think we should go ahead with this.¡±

    Lu Jiao then turned around and left. The leaders were blindsided and the vigers were also stunned. When someone finally realized what was happening, he smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, ignore those people. Those people have issues.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t bother with those stupid people. Their brains don¡¯t work well.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re dumb. If they were smart, they never would¡¯ve kicked out their schr son.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved around her hand and put on a sad face, ¡°I say, why bother? When Yunjin was hurt, only his second brother helped us. We were very thankful and wanted to repay him by teaching him some skills. Who knew, because of us, he¡¯s getting hurt? This makes me sad. That¡¯s it then.¡±

    Lu Jiao then left. Behind her, the vigers werepletely dumbfounded. Collectively, they stared at the Xie family in fury.

    The n Leader mightily announced to Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan, ¡°If Yunjin¡¯s wife really decides to not teach the vigers leech keeping, you and your family are banned from the Xie vige.¡±

    Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan were stunned. Once they recovered, they started to beg for forgiveness in front of the leaders.

    Xie Laogen in particr was scared out of his mind. He vowed to everyone that he will never trouble his third son and his wife ever again.

    The leaders and elders pulled together an emergency meeting to criticize Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan. In the end, they decided that since they were Xie Yunjin¡¯s parents, they could stay in the vige for the time being.

    However, they made it clear that this would be thest straw. If they manage to provoke Xie Yunjin¡¯s family again, they will be kicked out. In addition, if they treat Xie Erzhu¡¯s family this unfairly again, they will also be kicked out.

    At the end of the meeting, the leaders established a contract and asked Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan to stamp it with their thumbprints.

    Lu Jiao knew she was setting up her inws for scolding. However, she didn¡¯t expect the matter to get so serious.

    Back at home, she whispered to Xie Yunjin about what happened.

    ¡°Your parents are too much. One of them tried to kick the second brother out of the vige while the other asked him to die. I¡¯ve never met such heartless parents.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was eerily gloomy and his hands formed into fists. At this moment, he wished he could cut off ties with his parents.

    He was closest with Xie Erzhu and he was practically raised by him after failing to gain his parents¡¯ liking.

    After he was born, his parents frequently left him alone at the house. His second brother would get him porridge to feed him. And once he was older, his second brother would carry him around while doing housework.

    Though they were brothers, he thought of his second brother more as a parent.

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more hatred he felt. Just then, the four little ones burst into the room.

    ¡°Mommy, second uncle is here.¡±

    Xie Erzhu soon entered. When Xie Yunjin saw him, he asked caringly, ¡°Second brother, are you okay?¡±

    Xie Erzhu shook his head. He carried with him a sense of ease that never existed before.

    ¡°Third brother, I am very happy today. I¡¯ve never felt so free.¡±

    Though his parents said many ugly words to him today, he still felt lighter than usual.

    When he started to smash things, his entire family was petrified and acted like they didn¡¯t recognize him anymore.

    Only then did Xie Erzhu feel like a man.

    However, he only managed to get out of there unscathed because of Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    Xie Erzhu smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you, Lu Jiao. If you didn¡¯t threaten to not teach the vigers, I wouldn¡¯t be okay right now.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Second brother, if mom and dad trouble you more or if they do not apologize to you for today, I will not teach anyone leech keeping.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was so touched to find out Lu Jiao did this for him.

    ¡°Thank you, sister-inw.¡±

    He then added, ¡°The Vige Leader took mom and dad.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored that heartless couple and asked Xie Erzhu seriously, ¡°Second brother, do you want to learn leech keeping?¡±

    Xie Erzhu froze and helplessly gazed at Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be no good.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I will teach you slowly until you learn all about it.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was a little slow but he understood what it meant if he was able to gain this skill. Once he learned this, the entire vige would have to treat him with respect and his quality of life will greatly improve.

    The more he thought about it, the happier he became.

    Lu Jiao hit him with another question, ¡°Second brother, if you ever get an opportunity to leave the Xie vige and do other things, are you willing to do it?¡±

    Lu Jiao was thinking about her n of buyingnd and nting medicinal herbs. If Xie Erzhu was willing, she would entrust him with the upkeep of thend. That way, he could fully pull away from his heartless parents.

    Since he was so honest, Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his intentions.

    However, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t sure if he would leave the Xie Vige. After all, Xie Erzhu was born and raised in this vige and never stepped foot outside of there. It was unlikely he was willing to leave.

    As expected, Lu Jiao¡¯s question made Xie Erzhu nervous, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave the Xie Vige.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood and beamed, ¡°That¡¯s okay. Then I will teach you leech keeping.¡±

 Chapter 161 - 161 Here to Apologize

    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 vige, 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 ce offort 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 ofnd. 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 somend for him. After all that, his second brother should have a less exhausting life.

    As Xie Yunjin nned, Xie Erzhu had already emotionally thanked Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Thank you, sister-inw. 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 vigers. Remember, don¡¯t ever teach others what I teach you. That way, the vigers 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-inw, 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 Yunjinter?¡±

    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 ¨C 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 Vige and n 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 n 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 n 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 Vige Leader red 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 toe here to apologize to their daughter-inw.

    This will make them the joke of the vige.

    Xie Laogen stared down Lady Ruan. This was all because this old woman provoked this daughter-inw. 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 ring 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 vige.

    Lady Ruan looked towards Lu Jiao then lowered her head, ¡°Lu Jiao, I was wrong before. However, you¡¯re my daughter-inw and you shouldn¡¯t me your mother-inw.¡±

    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 vige.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face froze. Xie Laogen then announced at the top of his lungs, ¡°Third daughter-inw, 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 vige 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 Vige 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 detailster.¡±

    This meant she was willing to teach the vigers leech keeping. This time, the leaders and elders finallyughed out of happiness.

    The Vige Leader went up to Lu Jiao and gave her the contract Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan signed with their thumbprints.

    ¡°Your inws 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 vige. 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.

 Chapter 162 - 162 Coincidental or Intentional?

    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 whileughing 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 ce 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 viger 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 Vige. 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 herck 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 littleter, 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 toozy 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 nted 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 ssmate Han¡¯s family carriage.

    Lu Jiao was confused. Xie Yunjin had asked ssmate Han to focus on studying in order to take the September district exam. Why was he here now?

    Before Lu Jiao could say anything, ssmate 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 ssmate Han, ¡°Uncle Han, hello.¡±

    ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡±

    ¡°We still have lots of food at home.¡±

    ssmate Han patted each one of them on the head, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. You¡¯re going out to y with your mommy?¡±

    The four little ones nodded. Lu Jiao looked at ssmate Han, then at the three men who consecutively got out of the horse carriage.

    They were the other ssmates who once visited Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but check out the ssmates. 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 ufortable.

    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.

    ssmate Han introduced the others to Lu Jiao, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, these are the ssmates who visitedst 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 particr 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 ssmate 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 fromst time.

    Four years ago, Xie Yunjin was drugged. Four yearster, 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 ssmate 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 ce anymore?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and patted their heads, ¡°We¡¯ll go in the afternoon. I have to cook lunchter 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 ssmates warmly smiled. Li Wenbin grinned sincerely, ¡°I am d you are okay. Now, you can attend next year¡¯s exam. Given your intelligence, I am certain you will ce 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 ced 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?¡±

 Chapter 163 - 163 Not Born a Princess, Acts like a Princess

    163 Not Born a Princess, Acts like a Princess

    Before Xie Yunjin could speak, ssmate Han excitedly told everyone, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife is an amazing cook. Her dishes are on par with restaurant food. Ah no, her food is better.¡±

    ssmate Han felt that Yunjin¡¯s wife¡¯s cooking gave him lots of energy.

    Since ssmate Han was friendly towards Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao used a few drops of spiritual stream water in her cookingst time. Therefore, he felt energized after he ate.

    Today, however, Lu Jiao had no ns on using spiritual stream water. This Zheng Zhixing made her annoyed so she wasn¡¯t going to add any spiritual stream water.

    Zheng Zhixing and the others didn¡¯t believe ssmate Han at all. Still, they politely thanked Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and went to prepare lunch.

    The moment she walked out of the room, however, someone rushed inside in a hurry. It was her sister-inw, Xie Lan.

    When Xie Lan saw Lu Jiao, her expression fell. However, she adjusted herself and came to greet Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Third sister-inw, mom said you must be too busy having to take care of my third brother and the four little ones. She asked me toe and help you out.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at her in disbelief. Was the Sun rising from the wrong side this morning? Why was she here? She must have an agenda.

    Lu Jiao remembered Xie Lan¡¯s age and how she¡¯s been meaning to find someone to marry. Could it be that she came today after she heard that Yunjin¡¯s ssmates were visiting?

    Lu Jiao thought about the four men inside the room. ssmate Han had a wife but she wasn¡¯t sure about the others. Based on their age, however, they were likely married.

    After all, during this era, everyone married early. Even those who weren¡¯t likely won¡¯t be interested in Xie Lan.

    Lu Jiao bluntly ordered Xie Lan, ¡°Then cut some firewood for me. I need themter.¡±

    Xie Lan¡¯s face froze as she turned to stare at the pile of wood. Though she was a countryside woman, she¡¯s never had to use an ax. Those kinds of things were normally done by her second brother.

    Xie Lan wanted to decline but remembered her mother¡¯s orders. Her mother asked her toe today to first, help repair the rtionship she had with her third brother.

    Second, her mother was worried about that contract. Her mother didn¡¯t feelfortable knowing that the contract was lying around so she wanted Xie Lan toe and try to get it back. If Xie Lan fails to convince her third brother and sister-inw to return the contract, then she could try to steal it.

    Xie Lan originally declined but when she heard about her brother¡¯s ssmates being here, she changed her mind.

    She was already 17 and was still unmarried. If this continues, she¡¯ll end up marrying those farmers from the vige. How could she let that happen? Therefore, she came over right after she heard about Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates.

    Since Xie Lan wasn¡¯t moving, Lu Jiao raised her voice, ¡°What is it? You don¡¯t want to help me with the firewood? Then-¡±

    Xie Lan immediately stopped Lu Jiao, ¡°Third sister-inw, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    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-inw, 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 nning 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 townst time.

    There was chicken, duck, fish, and pork. There were also gifts from the vigers. All that was enough to fill a table.

    Spicy chicken, long beans with duck, braised fish, jpeno 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 vigers 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 ssmate 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 herst. As it turned out, she was pretty. Her skin, in particr, 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 ced 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 nced at everyone and agreed. Daddy had taught them once that visitors are respectable guests. They were the hosts and should amodate.

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled in satisfaction. She got a portion of all the dishes into their bowls and ced them on the small table. She also filled a bowl for Xie Yunjin. Only then did she ask the guests toe 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 ufortable. 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.

 Chapter 164 - 164 The Importance of having an Intelligent and Virtuous Wife

    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 bodynguage. 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 nced 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-inw was not likable but her food was delicious.

    Xie Lan¡¯s action made everyone at the table ufortable. 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 n 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-inw, why did you take away young master Zheng¡¯s food?¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to p 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-inw 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 ufortable.

    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 ssmates with my brother?¡±

    Zheng Zhixing wanted to ignore her but that would be too rude, ¡°Yes, we are very close.¡±

    ¡°Howe 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 youe 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 ssmate Han has enough time to study.¡±

    ssmate Han instantly answered, ¡°Alright.¡±

    ssmate 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. ssmate 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 nned 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 me but her own pride?

    Xie Yunjin did not expect her to be tempted by his ssmates. All his ssmates 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.

 Chapter 165 - 165 Who Wants to Hurt him?

    165 Who Wants to Hurt him?

    Xie Lan cried louder, ¡°Are you even my brother? I got hurt and instead offorting 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 ¨C 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 nced 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 ced 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 ident. 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 yearster. 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 ident strange.

    He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°I investigated the drug ident 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 copse, 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 ¨C 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 rtionship 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 ce. Sadly, before she could fetch the boys, a group of people came to visit.

    It was the leaders and some vigers.

    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 Vige and n 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 Vige¡¯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 Vige and n 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 exined, ¡°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 muchnd you want to use for leech keeping.¡±

    The leaders exchanged nces, ¡°We want to hear your opinion. How many acres ofnd do you think makes sense?¡±

    If they use too muchnd, the vigers would get worried. If they don¡¯t keep enough leeches, the vigers will think they are losing money. It was a lose-lose situation.

 Chapter 166 - 166 A Male Chauvinist

    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 muchnd do you think we should clear for this?¡±

    ¡°Try 2 acres first.¡±

    Two acres was an eptable figure to the vigers 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-inw 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 ountable. 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 questionse up. If my second brother-inwes 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 Vige 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-inw to keep the techniques within the n. When the dayes where he no longer wants to do this, or when he¡¯s too old, he can pass down the techniques to someone within the n. 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 vigers 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 arge number of medicinal ingredients. He should be encouraging the vigers to nt 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 nned 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 cane 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 Vige 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 vigers 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 vige 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 itter.¡±

    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 n 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 nned 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 vige children The Three Character ssic. 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.

 Chapter 167 - 167 Parasite

    167 Parasite

    Lu Jiao smiled and headed outside.

    Before she got out of the room, she heard chaotic footstepsing from outside the trellis. Amongst the messiness were words offort.

    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 ady who was rather short.

    Thedy was around 30 years old and had a face simr 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 Vige tagged along as well.

    The moment the third grandma saw Lu Jiao, she grabbed her hand, ¡°Jiaojiao,e 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 toe forward.

    The third grandma followed closely. As she walked, sheforted the slimdy, ¡°Dahong, do not worry. Jiaojiao is a great doctor. She managed to bring Widow Li¡¯s daughter-inw 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 rtionship. Thedy was the eldest daughter of the third grandma ¨C her name was Xie Dahong.

    The boy named Xiaoyu should be Xie Dahong¡¯s grandson.

    ¡°Put the child on my bed.¡±

    The vige 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 simr 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 vigers 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¡¯sst 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 wouldsh 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-inw, 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 nced 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 exined, ¡°Poor hygiene practices cause parasites totch 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 ying. 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 nced 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 be 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 be active again. This is why his symptoms keep oning 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, scuteria, 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.¡±

 Chapter 168 - 168 Mommy, Let me Feed you Dinner

    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 nned on getting a lot and making a whole pot of medicine so all the children in the vige 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.¡±

    ¡°Howe 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 asional 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 be 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 therge number of children in the vige, she only stopped once she got two giant bundles of herbs.

    ¡°Boys, let¡¯s go home. We need to deworm tonight. We cane 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 vigers 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 vigers said ¡°okay¡±, they were still anxious.

    They¡¯ve never heard about worms growing inside the stomach. Was that true?

    Some people here werepletely 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 Tiedanter.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Other than Aunt Guihua, a few other housewives offered to help. Everyone chaotically cleaned the herbs Lu Jiao harvested and ced 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¡¯ste. 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 wereughing at her in their own home.

    Miracle doctor? She was a scam. Just because othersplimented 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-inw, is it true that there are worms inside children¡¯s stomachs?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xie Erzhu trusted Lu Jiao ¨C her medical knowledge was profound. If she said they existed, then they must exist.

    Xie Erzhu then said, ¡°Then, sister-inw, 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-inw.¡±

    Just then, noises of excited chatter were heard outside, along with morous babbles.

 Chapter 169 - 169 Who Raised Them? They were too Cute

    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 vigers 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 vigers 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 vigers all thanked Lu Jiao more before they left.

    Since it was sote, 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 butpliment 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 caretely 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 vigers 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 herselfugh and she giggled while shey down. The Third and Fourth Born didn¡¯t know why she was so happy but knew tough alongside her. In the end, the three of them fell asleep giggling.

    The next day, the family was having breakfast when the n and Vige 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 vigers 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 exined calmly, ¡°Do not worry. My teachers have been worried about me. They even asked ssmate Han to deliver the message that I should take my time resting.¡±

    The leaders smiled and stopped worrying. The Vige 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 ¨C 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 uing exam.

    The Vige Leader carefully asked, ¡°Yunjin, are you confident about the exam?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and said coolly, ¡°If it all goes ording to the n, I should ce high on the exam.¡±

    He was humble. He will likely ce first in the exam.

    The leaders didn¡¯t even know he was being humble and started tough, ¡°Great! You¡¯re amazing. It¡¯s no surprise that you are from the Xie Vige!¡±

    Lu Jiao listened with a speechless look on her face. If the Xie Vige was so great, why weren¡¯t there more aplished people here?

    In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything. The two seniors were good people and she shouldn¡¯t hurt their feelings.

 Chapter 170 - 170 A Woman with Eyes only for Money

    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,e home early.¡±

    ¡°We will wait for you.¡±

    !!

    The four little ones stared after Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao patted their heads, ¡°I wille 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 rtionship 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, howe 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 nced between his father and the door. He felt his dad¡¯s unhappiness was rted to his mom.

    The First Born¡¯s brain shed. His dad must be worried like him ¨C 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 wille back.¡±

    Xie Yunjin denied immediately, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not worried about that. Why would she note 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 apany 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, howe you¡¯re here?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at the Vige and n 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 savedst time still rested there. Therefore, they had to avoid the area.

    Qi Lei smiled, ¡°Wait here for a minute. I will ask the owner toe 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 nning on opening a pharmacy. My vige 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-ss.

    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 amoner.

    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 ofnd are you nning 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 ofnd to start the reproduction process.¡±

    The Vige Leader exined 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 ¨C 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 savedst 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 ce.

    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.¡±

 Chapter 171 - 171 Donâ€™t want to get Invovled

    171 Don¡¯t want to get Invovled

    Zhao Lingfeng sighed in relief. Mo Bei coolly led the way in the front while Lu Jiao followed. They went into the backyard and Qi Lei apanied Lu Jiao toward the building in the back.

    Behind them, inside the room, the leaders watched while shaking. They subconsciously wanted to follow but Zhao Lingfeng gestured for them to sit and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Lu will be okay. That person wants to see Lady Lu to thank her. She saved his life before.¡±

    The leaders silently mumbled¡­ That didn¡¯t look like they wanted to say thank you, more like they wanted to fight.

    They shuddered.

    Lu Jiao and Mo Bei continued to walk. On the way, Mo Bei couldn¡¯t help but snicker, ¡°You¡¯re so greedy for money.¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao snapped at him coldly, ¡°You sure are ungrateful.¡±

    Mobei¡¯s face turned frigid. He stopped walking and howled, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t scared of him and hissed, ¡°I saved your master yet you treat me like this. What is that if not ungrateful? Are you telling me that your master¡¯s life isn¡¯t worth 5,000 taels of silver?¡±

    Lu Jiao then continued to walk forward, making Mo Bei catch up to her with a frown. As he walked, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone who charged 5,000 to pull out an arrow.¡±

    The reason why Mo Bei didn¡¯t like this woman was because he found her far too arrogant. How could a rural woman act in such a manner? Even those wealthy daughters from the Capital City don¡¯t dare to behave like this. Yet this woman here straight up asked for 5,000 to pull out an arrow. This made him dislike her.

    Lu Jiao said unpleasantly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go find a doctor who would do it for free then?¡±

    Not wanting any more exchanges, Lu Jiao headed to the building in the backyard.

    There were two guards by the building. When they saw Mo Bei, they respectfully called out, ¡°Leader Mo.¡±

    Mo Bei nodded and indicated, ¡°The master wants to see her.¡±

    The guards let them in and they walked to the master bedroom.

    There, a person was reading. When he heard the noises, he looked over.

    For some reason, Lu Jiao felt like this person looked familiar. But upon a closer look, she didn¡¯t recognize him. She smiled, ¡°I heard you wanted to see me?¡±

    The young man had his hair in a ponytail and his visage was structured and three-dimensional. His eyes steamed with a sharpness that scared those who looked straight at him.

    Quickly, he retracted the harshness in his gaze and spoke softly, ¡°I heard you helped pull out the arrow that was in my chest?¡±

    Lu Jiao responded mindlessly, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. I do my job and I get paid.¡±

    On the bed, Xiao Yu stared at this nonchnt woman with interest. This woman didn¡¯t seem as arrogant and money-hungry as Mo Bei had made her sound. Her temperament was rather elegant and steady.

    Xiao Yu nced at Mo Bei, who had his eyes glued on Ku Jiao.

    Xiao Yu smiled. Being his subordinate, Mo Bei was used to being treated with the utmost respect. He must¡¯ve lost face because of this woman and that was why he was furious.

    The reason why Xiao Yu wanted to meet Lu Jiao was that Mo Bei had brought her up several times. No matter how much this woman craved wealth or richness, no matter how arrogant she acted, ording to Xiao Yu, she was simply down to earth and genuine.

    Xiao Yu ignored Mo Bei and thanked Lu Jiao in a serious manner, ¡°Thank you for getting that arrow out of me. I epted kindness from you and therefore, in the future, if you ever need me, I will be there for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to get involved with these people. These weren¡¯t the type of people to act in broad daylight. Who knew what kind of secret missions and ties they had behind the scenes?

    ¡°I took money for what I did. There¡¯s no need for you to be so polite.¡±

    The message was clear to Xiao Yu. That woman didn¡¯t want anything to do with him so there was nothing for him to say.

    ¡°Mo Bei, walk thedy out.¡±

    Mo Bei walked Lu Jiao out as ordered. On the way out, he didn¡¯t say anything. Lu Jiao also didn¡¯t speak. Some men just found women to be eyesores and that was why he acted so unreasonably with her. She didn¡¯t like men who were unkind to women.

    Lu Jiao left Baohe Tang and went on her shopping trip.

    Since her home was out of food, Lu Jiao bought a variety of meat ¨C duck, chicken, fish, pork, pork bones, ribs, and pork hocks. She then got more flour, rice, oil, salt, vinegar, soy sauce, and white sugar.

    Since there were always so many guests visiting, her white sugar ran out often. Other than sugar, Lu Jiao got the four little ones candy and desserts. After all that, she went back to Baohe Tang, satisfied.

    There, Zhao Lingfeng and the leaders had signed their contract.

    The leaders saw her and asked her to read over the contract. Lu Jiao read the characters she knew and guessed the remainder in an attempt to understand it. In the end, she decided that Zhao Lingfeng wasn¡¯t trying to scam the vigers. Honestly, the amount of money was rather immaterial and there was no need for him to scam.

    ¡°It looks good. n Leader, you should keep it.¡±

    The n Leader did as told then the group left Baohe Tang.

    On the way back, Lu Jiao said to the leaders, ¡°Now that the contract has been signed, we can start leech keeping. This afternoon, you should gather everyone for a meeting and ask everyone to decide who in their family will be participating. Every family should sign a contract that states: one, the money earned will be managed by the wife and that the men will not be allowed to get concubines. Two, whichever household sent participants will be sharing the profit. A third of the money will be managed by the woman, the other two third will be used for family expenses.¡±

    Thest point Lu Jiao came up with was to help out suppressed people like Xie Erzhu and Xiao Lian.

    Lu Jiao then remembered the matter of Xie Laogen¡¯s entanglement with Widow Wang. If she hit the nail on this concubine matter, that meant Widow Wang would never be able to be epted into the Xie family.

    Lu Jiao quickly added, ¡°Of course, you can still get concubines now. What I¡¯m specifying here is that nobody is allowed to get concubines using the profit earned from leech keeping. Whoever does that needs to be kicked out.¡±

    Originally, Lu Jiao wanted to teach women the skill of leech-keeping in order to provide women security. Since that n had changed, she needed all those men to sign.

    She was fully aware of how rotten men could get, especially in this day and age where it was normal for a man to have many concubines. Once a man earns money, he for sure would get himself more women. Lu Jiao was helping these people make money but she didn¡¯t want to hurt the women and disgust herself.

    The leaders didn¡¯t have any objections.

    After their trip with Lu Jiao today, they discovered how capable Yunjin¡¯s wife was. Against those big characters with scary demeanors, she was not at all afraid. It was no wonder she was Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    ¡°Okay, we will go home now and host a meeting this afternoon.¡±

    By the time Lu Jiao got home, there were many people standing in her yard. In the living room, there were also several people chatting with each other.

    When they saw Lu Jiao return, they greeted her happily.

    The second grandma said, ¡°Jiaojiao, go inside and see what Youcai made Yunjin. He said it was a ¡®wheelchair¡¯. He said Yunjin will be able to sit on it and move around.¡±

    Someone else nodded, ¡°Yes, he would be able to push himself around. Yunjin will no longer have to be stuck in bed.¡±

 Chapter 172 - 172 Is Yunjin as Heavy as a Boar?

    172 Is Yunjin as Heavy as a Boar?

    Lu Jiao knew right away that Uncle Youcai was done with the wheelchair. She happily entered her home with her basket.

    Inside the bedroom, the four little ones heard noises and ran outside to sweetly smile at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back!¡±

    Lu Jiao patted their heads and went into the bedroom with them.

    Inside, Uncle Youcai exined the mechanics of the wheelchair to Xie Yunjin, ¡°For this wheelchair, the most important thing is this wooden bearing. Regr wood is no good for this. So I went into the mountains to find a sturdier and harder wood. This is why it took me so long to finish.¡±

    Uncle Youcai chuckled out of embarrassment. Only now did Lu Jiao realize why this wheelchair took so long. He made a good point ¨C if he used normal wood, the bearing would snap very quickly after a while.

    Lu Jiao thanked Uncle Youcai, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin did the same.

    Uncle Youcai now felt even more embarrassed. He lent his arm to Xie Yunjin so he could get out of bed and try it out.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t understand at first but then realized. He was asking her to carry him to the wheelchair.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was natural and he didn¡¯t look at all stumped. Lu Jiao was astounded. Not long before, he refused to be carried by her and now he was asking for it?

    Inside the room, someoneughed and rushed, ¡°Third aunt, hurry and help third uncle into the wheelchair.¡±

    Now it was Lu Jiao¡¯s turn to feel embarrassed. However, since everyone was staring and waiting, she couldn¡¯t really say no. It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯s never carried him.

    Lu Jiao leaned down and carried Xie Yunjin, then turned around and put him into the wheelchair.

    The wheelchair was big and Xie Yunjin settled in well.

    Once he was seated, he impatiently tried out the wheels ¨C they worked. However, they were made out of wood, and moving around was a little difficult. Regardless, Xie Yunjin was satisfied to gain the ability to move around.

    Everyone inside the room who witnessed this cheered, ¡°Oh my, this chair could move by itself?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Youcai, you¡¯re amazing. How did you create such a thing?¡±

    Uncle Youcai was again embarrassed, ¡°It was designed by Yunjin¡¯s wife. No way I coulde up with this.¡±

    Everyone then started topliment Lu Jiao, ¡°What is Yunjin¡¯s wife¡¯s brain made out of? She knows medicine, knows herbs, knows leech keeping, and now she can design stuff like this?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a miracle doctor. All miracle doctors are extraordinary, you know?¡±

    Aunt Guihua entered at the moment and started her normal ttering figure of speech.

    ¡°Jiaojiao¡¯s brain is like no other. She¡¯s got a miracle doctor¡¯s brain. Everythingplex that enters her head bes simplified.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t like this at all and pushed Xie Yunjin¡¯s wheelchair, ¡°Let me bring you outside to soak up some Sun. Sunshine is good for bone regrowth.¡±

    Ever since Xie Yunjin¡¯s been injured, he¡¯s been in bed. To be able to get outside now made him ecstatic and he agreed right away, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The wheelchair got stuck when it arrived at the front door due to the doorhill. That was not a problem for Lu Jiao. She carried Xie Yunjin and the wheelchair together and marched out.

    The group of people in the yard couldn¡¯t help butugh at this, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife sure is strong.¡±

    ¡°Of course. She was seen carrying a wild boar. Yunjin isn¡¯t as heavy as a boar.¡±

    Xie Yunjin had no idea how to respond to this. How did he end up in the same category as a boar?

    While Lu Jiao lifted him and the two of them were pressed closely together, he smelled the faint fragrance of her body.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face grew hot and the back of his ears turned red.

    Since everyone was focused on the wheelchair, nobody noticed it.

    He sighed in relief.

    The vigers soon surrounded him and curiously asked him about the wheelchair.

    Lu Jiao stepped back with a smile and went to the kitchen to organize the stuff she bought. Once she was done, she started to make lunch.

    Outside, the vigers went back one by one. It was noon and everyone had to cook.

    Xie Yunjinfortably leaned back into the wheelchair and soaked up the Sun. What a pleasure it was to feel the Sun on his body. Though it was hot, he was very satisfied.

    The four little ones circled around and said, ¡°Daddy, where do you want to go? I¡¯ll push you!¡±

    ¡°I can push you too!¡±

    The four little ones fought over it while Xie Yunjin grinned at them and said in a doting tone, ¡°Don¡¯t fight. If I need to go anywhere, you can take turns pushing.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao came out of the kitchen with a few peaches. She said to the children, ¡°Lunch isn¡¯t ready. Eat a peach first.¡±

    The four little ones were happy to see peaches and each grabbed one. However, they realized soon that their mom didn¡¯t have one for herself. The First Born instantly shoved Lu Jiao his, ¡°Mommy, you take this.¡±

    The other three saw this and fought amongst each other to give her theirs.

    Lu Jiao simply forgot to take one for herself andughed, ¡°I saved one in the kitchen. These are for you and your dad.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t persist then. The First Born gave Xie Yunjin one and the sons and their father ate peaches and chatted. This image was unspeakably harmonious.

    Xie Yunjin was all smiles as he studied his surroundings. Right now, he felt like everything was so great. It seemed that these days, everything was heading in the direction he imagined for himself.

    Lu Jiao cleanly made some noodles and stir-fried some pork and smashed some cucumbers.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to make a lot for lunch. Let¡¯s eat a simple meal.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and the four little ones saw all the food andmented, ¡°This is really great.¡±

    Back at the Xie family home, they never got to eat until they were full. Compared to before, now was heaven, and back then was hell.

    Xie Yunjin studied the four little ones carefully. Now, not only were they bright and tender, their cheeks grew chubbier. He felt that they grew taller as well.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s chest felt full as he looked at the cute boys.

    When he looked at Lu Jiao, his gaze was filled with emotions.

    ¡°Sit down and eat. You ran around all day and must be hungry.¡±

    The four little ones chimed in as well, ¡°Mommy, sit down and eat.¡±

    The four little ones held her hand and pulled her to sit. This was the first time everyone in this family sat around the same table for a meal.

    Before, at their grandparents¡¯, there were far too many people. Everyone simply found any spot in the house to sit and eat. Today was the first time they could all sit together and share a meal. How delightful!

    The Fourth Born was quick to put food in Lu Jiao¡¯s bowl, ¡°Mommy, eat meat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought the Fourth Born acted inappropriately and wanted to lecture him.

    Lu Jiao, however, ate the food he picked out for her and grinned at the Fourth Born, ¡°Thank you, my son.¡±

    The Second and Third Borns then did the same. Not only did they give food to Lu Jiao, but they also picked out some food for Xie Yunjin.

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind, she still felt the need to educate.

    ¡°In the future, use amon chopstick to give food to people, got it?¡±

    The four little ones asked her strangely, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°See, we eat using our own chopsticks. If you pick out food for other people using your own chopstick, it¡¯s considered rude. You may also get stomach worms if you use your chopsticks like

 Chapter 173 - 173 The Astute First Born

    173 The Astute First Born

    The four little ones thought of the worms inside their belly and nodded. Their mommy had taught them to be hygienic and clean. If they should not eat dirty food, and should always wash their hands before eating, then naturally, they shouldn¡¯t use their used chopsticks to get other people food.

    ¡°Mommy, we got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and gestured for them to eat.¡±

    After dinner, Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin back inside to rest.

    ¡°Though it¡¯s okay to use the wheelchair, you still need to rest in bed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s kind reminders and immersed himself in her care. The deep emotions he felt came pouring out.

    His eyes went soft and his usual cold and solemn demeanor evaporated. Now, he was so bright it was like he was injected with sunlight.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Lu Jiao leaned down and picked him up to put him on the bed.

    For a moment, Xie Yunjin felt the urge to ce his arms around her neck. In the end, he felt shy and controlled the heat he felt inside his body.

    After Lu Jiao put him down, he felt ashamed of his thoughts. He immediately faced the inside of the bed and pretended to be asleep.

    Lu Jiao figured he was tired and didn¡¯t overthink it. She went back outside to clean up.

    The four little ones got Soot and Marble some food.

    Lu Jiao ignored them. They normally don¡¯t just leave their home so she wasn¡¯t worried.

    After cleaning, Lu Jiao went to practice writing in the east bedroom.

    Xie Yunjin appeared asleep at this point. He appeared peaceful and tranquil while he slept.

    Lu Jiao studied him and remembered the ending he received in the novel. Looking back at him, she felt like she should¡¯ve done enough to change the ending for him and the four little ones. Given how bright and optimistic they were now, they shouldn¡¯t still follow the path they took in the book.

    The four little ones in particr¡­ Since Xie Yunjin had granted her custody, she vowed to raise them into four righteous and brave boys.

    Lu Jiao grinned and started to write. She waspletely unaware of the fact that the man on the bed was too afraid to move all this time given that she was staring.

    In the middle of her writing, the First Born sneakily came inside and handed Lu Jiao a piece of paper, ¡°Mommy, this is one of the pieces of paper you practiced on. Do you still need it?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°No. Why?¡±

    The First Born mysteriously smiled, ¡°I have my uses.¡±

    He then ran back out with that piece of paper. Given how mysterious he appeared, she looked out the window to see what he was up to.

    He saw that by the trellis, Xie Lan was there with an object that she traded the First Born with for the piece of paper.

    Lu Jiao was confused but quickly it became clear to her. Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan had signed a contract with the leaders. Was Xie Lan trading something with the First Born for it?

    The First Born knew the paper he took wasn¡¯t it, yet he still went to give it to Xie Lan.

    That little boy sure was astute. Lu Jiao found it funny and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Xie Lan took the piece of paper and ran off.

    Behind the First Born, the other three went to the First Born and looked at the candy in his hand.

    ¡°We are not eating her candy. She¡¯s a bad person.¡±

    The First smiled at the other three, ¡°We don¡¯t have to eat it. We can give it to our friends. The candy doesn¡¯t bite.¡±

    The other three agreed with that.

    However, they were very curious about what the First Born gave to Xie Lan.

    ¡°What did you give her?¡±

    ¡°A piece of paper mommy used to practice writing. She said she had no need for it anymore.¡±

    The First Born put away the candy Xie Lan gave him, satisfied. This afternoon, he¡¯ll be able to give his friends candy. These days, so many kids from the vige wanted to be their friends.

    Xie Lan had no idea she¡¯d been scammed and happily went home with what the First Born gave her.

    At home, Xie Lan snuck her way to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mom, I got it.¡±

    Lady Ruan grabbed the paper with excitement. Sadly, neither of them could read it and didn¡¯t know what it said.

    Though Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t read, she felt that something was off.

    The contract they signed didn¡¯t have as many characters as this one did. Plus, that night, both her and Xie Laogen stamped their thumbprints on the piece of paper. The ink they used was red. But this piece of paper didn¡¯t have those thumbprints.

    Lady Ruan knew then they had fallen for a prank. She pped Xie Lan on the back of her head.

    ¡°You idiot. You were scammed by a four-year-old! This isn¡¯t the contract we signed. It¡¯s something else. That day, we left red thumbprints. See, they aren¡¯t on this piece of paper.¡±

    Xie Lan was in disbelief and lost it, ¡°That bastard dared to lie to me?! I am going to teach him a lesson! I even gave him candy¡­¡±

    Xie Lan snapped her body around, ¡°I¡¯m going to get back at him.¡±

    Lady Ruan stopped her, ¡°What are you going to say when you see him? If your third brother and sister-inw find out, your dad and I are going to get scolded. We cannot do this thing like this.¡±

    With much hatred, she added, ¡°Tomorrow, I will go visit them. I don¡¯t believe that I cannot get my hands on that contract.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao weren¡¯t aware of what was happening. One of them slept while the other practiced writing.

    After some time, Lu Jiao went to wash up the four little ones and asked them to take their afternoon nap.

    As for her, she went to brew more deworming medicine. Today, she made two giant gots. When the children arrive this afternoon, she¡¯ll be ready.

    Today, the vigers dropped off their kids. They also each brought a bowl.

    This was instructed by Lu Jiao. She said she could make the medicine if they brought their own bowls. So each family brought their own to get their children medicine.

    Last night, Tong Xiaoyu wasn¡¯t the only one who was dewormed. Some other children also found worms. Therefore, everyone believed in what Lu Jiao had said.

    ¡°Thank you for this, Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Yunjin¡¯s wife. You¡¯re our savior.¡±

    Everyone chatted with friendliness. Though the children hated medicine, they all drank it thinking about the worms inside their bellies.

    After that was done, the vigers came over with a group of men.

    Since there were too many people to fit into the bedroom, the group spilled out to the living room. Some even went to listen by standing outside the window.

    Outside, the four little ones taught the vige kids Three Character ssic.

    Lu Jiao knew that there was no way the children could study in peace today and said to the four little ones, ¡°Let¡¯s end the lesson for today. You can continue tomorrow. Today, mom and your uncles have business to discuss.¡±

    The four little ones were obedient and asked the children to go y with their toys in the west bedroom.

    Everyone was already intrigued by their toys. The invitation from the four little ones made them run with anticipation.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mind them and asked everyone toe in.

    Xie Yunjin sat on the bed while Lu Jiao sat beside him on the edge. All eyes were on them.

 Chapter 174 - 174 Everything is Voluntary

    174 Everything is Voluntary

    Xie Yunjin looked towards Lu Jiao, indicating to her that she should speak. After all, this whole idea was hers and she should be in charge of it.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. She asked for a meeting today mainly to get them to sign a contract and to help out the women in the vige.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone knows why I asked you all toe. That¡¯s right, I want from everyone their thumbprint. I¡¯m sure the leaders had already spoken to you about the promises you must make if you wish to participate in leech keeping. You cannot use the money you earn to get concubines; the women in the family must be in charge of the money; additionally, the money you earn will be proportionate to how many people from your family is doing the work; finally, two third of the money you earn should be put towards the entire family¡¯s fund and one third of the money can be kept by yourself.¡±

    The room instantly became filled with chatters.

    Though the leaders had told everyone these conditions, everyone still felt that Lu Jiao was sticking her nose too much into everyone else¡¯s business.

    Someonemented, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, it¡¯s up to the family whether or not they want concubines. Don¡¯t you think you are overstepping here?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why must the women manage the money? Why can¡¯t the men?¡±

    ¡°If the whole family is living together, how can the younger generation keep a third of the money? The entire amount should be given to the parents.¡±

    Lu Jiao coldly nced around the room and said calmly, ¡°I am simply discussing the terms with you. If you don¡¯t agree with them, you don¡¯t have to participate. I also don¡¯t need to teach.¡±

    The leaders¡¯ expressions changed. By now, they were aware of Yunjin¡¯s wife¡¯s personality. She wasn¡¯t the most patient person and they shouldn¡¯t anger her.

    They had already signed a contract with Baohe Tang and even took a deposit from the owner.

    The leaders tried to scold those who spoke out of line.

    Lu Jiao however, didn¡¯t let them, ¡°I taught you all herb harvesting and leech keeping because I want your lives to improve. I hope the money you earn can go to your children¡¯s education so that more people can get out of this vige. I want the children here to be useful schrs or businessmen who can make money. I am not doing this so you can get wealthy and screw around.

    Did the Vige and n Leader not tell you the details? If you are able to do so, get yourself a concubine now. If you are so capable, of course you can earn your own money and manage it yourself. If you do all that yourself, of course I wouldn¡¯tment on it. But don¡¯t you dare think about doing all those things by using the money I help you earn.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face had dropped at this point and her expression was cold.

    Everyone in the room was stunned. The leaders quickly tried to smooth this out, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t waste energy on those with an unclear mind.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t agree with the way I want to do things, you can simply not participate. If you do participate, make your money, and still fail to meet the conditions listed, you can leave the vige.¡±

    Lu Jiao then smiled with her eyes, ¡°Okay, to reiterate, this ispletely voluntary. I am not forcing any one of you to do this.¡±

    Inside the east bedroom, a lot of peoplemented, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife is doing this to ensure our families are harmonious. She¡¯s doing it all for our vige. We have no objections.¡±

    ¡°We are also willing to listen to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s doing everything for the family.¡±

    Someone whispered, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, what if Yunjin ends up getting a concubine?¡±

    Though it was a whisper, his voice was crisp enough that everyone heard. The room fell into silence.

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin. She found this so funny she wanted tough.

    Him getting a concubine or not was none of her business.

    Xie Yunjin, however, nced around the room and looked everyone in the eyes, ¡°I am never going to get concubines. Perhaps you doubt my statement today, but I will provide proof.¡±

    He then looked back at Lu Jiao, as if waiting for praise.

    Lu Jiao stared at him in awe. Did she misunderstand him? Weren¡¯t they going to separate? Why was he looking at her like this then?

    Just then, the n Leader reached the peak of annoyance and stood up, ¡°If you want to be a part of leech keeping, leave a thumbprint. If you don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t. Nobody is making you do anything. Why do you have so much to say?¡±

    The Vige Leader raised his hand, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, I¡¯ll be the first to leave my thumbprint.¡±

    Many others stood up, ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°And me.¡±

    Lu Jiao had no time to think about Xie Yunjin¡¯s strange behavior. She asked, ¡°Can you help us write out the conditions?¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed, ¡°Yes. You speak, I write.¡±

    Lu Jiao went to get the brush, ink, and paper. She noticed it would be hard for him to write while in bed so she fetched the old small table they had and put it on the bed.

    Since the table was short, he was able to use it to write while sitting in bed.

    After Lu Jiao organized this, she said, ¡°There are two conditions to write down. One, the money earned from leech keeping is managed by the women of the house. Men are not allowed to get concubines. Two, the money earned by those who participate in the leech-keeping business must give two-thirds to the family and keep one-third for his own family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes lit up. He knew the second condition was to help out his second brother. She truly did everything in her power to help his second brother.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel her sweetness and the look on his face softened.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    There weren¡¯t many words needed for the contract and it didn¡¯t take Xie Yunjin long to write out. Afterward, people started to leave their thumbprints.

    Though lots of people came, only one print was needed per family so it didn¡¯t take too long.

    As for Xie Yunjin¡¯s family, it was Xie Laogen who came today. He knew that Lu Jiao was going to teach leech-keeping to Xie Erzhu.

    The thought of Xie Erzhu being able to keep one-third of the money earned made Xie Laogen very unhappy.

    One third¡­ that was a lot of money. If Xie Erzhu earned 10 taels of silver, he would get to keep more than 3 taels of that.

    Xie Erzhu only had daughters, why would he need the money? The money should go to his first son.

    Xie Laogen couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut, ¡°My third son, isn¡¯t it not right for the worker to be able to keep a third of the money earned? The entire family lives together and we all need to eat and sleep.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face cooled down right away and he gaped at Xie Laogen frigidly.

    Xie Laogen shuddered. The contract he signed with the leaders before was still with his third son.

    If he provoked his third son too much, he would need to move out of the vige.

    Xie Laogen quickly said, ¡°Ah, no, no, pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    He left his thumbprint, then carefully added, ¡°Your first brother will be able to keep leeches as well, right?¡±

    That meant his first son would be able to keep a third of the money. That would be pretty good.

    Xie Laogen was still dreaming when Lu Jiao called out, ¡°Next. Hurry up. It¡¯ste.¡±

    She was going to take her four children into the mountains still and she had no time to waste with this old man.

 Chapter 175 - 175 Did you see a Ghost?

    175 Did you see a Ghost?

    Xie Laogen furiously red at Lu Jiao before he left. Behind him, the next person came up to leave his thumbprint.

    The matter of leech keeping was pretty much settled. Lu Jiao asked the leaders to get organized regarding the participants and assign duties. Right now, they needed people to get leeches, make a temporary leech pond for the caught leeches to stay in, and most importantly, construct the leech-keeping pond.

    The leech pond construction was a big problem. If they had stic film, they could use that at the bottom of the pond. Sadly, that did not exist in this era. The other option was to use cement, which also did not exist.

    Lu Jiao then thought of using fired y bricks on the bottom. She did some mental math and decided those bricks were too expensive for them. In the end, she suggested they send vigers to dig for rocks and use those as the bottom of the pond. That would save thembor costs.

    After all, it¡¯ll take at least one to two years to get the permanent pond fully ready. This was a long-term business and required lots of work upfront. It¡¯ll get easierter.

    The vigers became busy right away. The women from each household would harvest herbs while the men would capture leeches or dig for rocks. The leaders also sent some people to the hills to nt honeysuckles.

    Though these businesses were not yet making money, the vigers were excited and optimistic.

    At the Xie family, Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were healing nicely. Though he still couldn¡¯t walk, he was able to move around freely in his wheelchair.

    He started to teach the vige children the Hundred Surnames and the Thousand Characters.

    As for Lu Jiao, she stayed consistent with learning from Xie Yunjin. More and more, she learned those characters and her writing progressively got better. Now, she was able to write short and basic prescriptions.

    Though her learning progress was decent, she felt that more and more, Xie Yunjin started to treat her like they were from the same family. She suspected that he had forgotten about their separation agreement. Should she remind him?

    Lu Jiao pondered. Beside her, Xie Yunjin took out a boiled egg from the bowl, cracked it against the table, peeled it in an organized manner, then ced it in Lu Jiao¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply? Have an egg.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at him and found him to be staring at her softly.

    His gaze was like it had been injected with flowy water and he was staring at someone he truly valued.

    Lu Jiao shuddered.

    She must¡¯ve interpreted it wrong.

    She blinked hard and looked over again. Xie Yunjin chuckled and patted her head, ¡°What is it? Why are you acting like you have seen a ghost?¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but mumble to herself.

    She did see a ghost! Why was he treating her so nicely?

    Was it because she was treating the quadruplets and the vigers well? Even if that was the case, there was no need to act in such an exaggerated way. It made her suspect that he didn¡¯t want to separate.

    Lu Jiao denied that thought. That wasn¡¯t possible. The future first assistant was a logical man and there was no way he would change his mind about the separation. She must be overthinking.

    At the table, the four little ones saw the intimate gestures between their parents and hid their faces like squirrels to giggle.

    Xie Yunjin ced his hand against Lu Jiao¡¯s forehead and decided she had no fever. He then went back to peeling eggs for the four little ones while suggesting, ¡°Let¡¯s have dumplings for lunch?¡±

    The four little ones cheered, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s do that!¡±

    ¡°I love dumplings.¡±

    ¡°I do too. I want to eat five giant dumplings.¡±

    Lu Jiao scanned around the table and reminded them, ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten breakfast yet and you¡¯re already nning out lunch?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°It¡¯s because your cooking is delicious. I bet the dumplings you make are also tasty.¡±

    The four little ones started to tter Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy is a great cook. Everything she makes is tasty.¡±

    The First Born used a very serious tone and the other boys nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The Fourth Born then acted in a spoiled manner, ¡°Mommy, then can we make dumplings for lunch?¡±

    What else could Lu Jiao say? She¡¯ll have to wrap them.

    ¡°Do you want eggs and chives, or chives with pork?¡±

    Xie Yunjin made the decision, ¡°We can make a bit of both. We like to eat both kinds.¡±

    Lu Jiao joked, ¡°You wrap?¡±

    Xie Yunjin had no ns on pushing that off, ¡°Sure!¡±

    The four little ones wanted to try as well, ¡°Mommy, I want to wrap too!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    While the family happily chatted, a shrill voice came creeping through, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re having breakfast.¡±

    That voice immediately put everyone in a bad mood.

    Lu Jiao stared at the gate with a frown. Her mother-inw only settled down for a few days and she was here asking for trouble again.

    The four little ones cautiously kept their eyes on Lady Ruan. While the air around Xie Yunjin was cold, his expression remained casual. When he saw Lady Ruan, he greeted, ¡°Mom, have you had breakfast?¡±

    Lady Ruan nced at the food on the table and sat down. She then ordered Lu Jiao, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to eat. Get me a bowl of porridge.¡±

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t like Lady Ruan, she was still her mother-inw. She didn¡¯t make a face and went to get the requested porridge.

    The four little ones shriveled up right away and started to eat soundlessly.

    The happiness that was just here evaporated quickly. Sadly, Lady Ruan waspletely unaware. She asked Xie Yunjin caringly, ¡°My third son, how are your legs? Can you walk?¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin could now move around in the wheelchair and would try to do some light exercises, he could not walk yet. After all, his bones were crushed and it would take at least 100 days to heal. The only reason he was healing as fast as he was was because of Lu Jiao¡¯s spiritual stream water.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Lady Ruan smiled, ¡°Then, you must rest well.¡±

    Just then, Lu Jiao returned with porridge. Lady Ruan ordered, ¡°My son¡¯s legs were injured, which means he needs bone broth. Have you bought pork bones to make him soup with?¡±

    Though she acted like a kind mother, Xie Yunjin found her disgusting.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face remained collected. Xie Yunjin was recovering well and after another month, she¡¯ll be able to separate from him. Then, she¡¯ll have nothing to do with this old hag.

    ¡°He frequently drinks pork bone soup. Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao then ced the porridge before her.

    Lady Ruan started to eat right away. Very naturally, she grabbed herself an egg, peeled it, and ate it. After she was done, she grabbed another one, then another.

    The four little ones were furious and their tiny faces dropped. They had enough eggs to each have one ¨C six eggs for the six of them. Their grandma ate three herself. What was there left for them to eat?

 Chapter 176 - 176 A Handsome Man and a Beautiful Lady

    176 A Handsome Man and a Beautiful Lady

    The four little ones were so furious they didn¡¯t want to speak to their grandma. However, they kept in mind what their mom taught them ¨C they shouldn¡¯t butt heads against their elders.

    The four little ones were now in a bad mood. They grabbed their bowls and tried to get away so they could eat alone outside. They didn¡¯t want to see this grandmother of theirs.

    Sadly, Lady Ruan was unaware of this. When they saw the four little ones move, she scolded with a mean face, ¡°Sit down. You need to settle down when you eat. What kind of behavior are you exhibiting right now?¡±

    She then turned around to lecture Lu Jiao, ¡°These are the children you¡¯ve been raising? Look at how bad they act.¡±

    Lady Ruan spat out food as she ate and talked. This time, even Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao lost their appetite.

    !!

    Xie Yunjin suppressed the exasperation he felt and asked, ¡°Mother, what is the reason for your visit?¡±

    Lady Ruan forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing a lot of thinking at home¡­ I think your wife is too busy taking care of all of you so I decided to help you out.¡±

    She was very worried about that contract and wanted to find it and take it back. With that thing existing, she couldn¡¯t sleep well.

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t bring that up of course and pretended to be a caring mother who wanted to help out.

    She had no idea that her statement depressed Lu Jiao and the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao wondered why the affair between Xie Laogen and Widow Wang still remained a secret. If Lady Ruan knew, there was no way she would be here today provoking them.

    Since Lady Ruan didn¡¯t do anything out of line, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t exactly kick her out.

    After breakfast, Lu Jiao went to do the dishes while Lady Ruan grabbed a chair and sat by the door. Like amander, she pointed around, ¡°Though you¡¯re young, it¡¯s time for you to work. We are rural people and nobody should just sit around.¡±

    She then instructed, ¡°First Born, get me some sugar water.¡±

    ¡°Second Born, my shoulders hurt. Give me a shoulder rub.¡±

    ¡°Third Born, go get a broom and sweep the yard. Look at how dirty it is.¡±

    ¡°Fourth Born, get that sheep ¨C that¡¯s a sheep, right? Go feed that sheep.¡±

    The four little ones remained unmoving inside the yard and pretended they didn¡¯t hear. It wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t willing to do work. Normally, they would help Lu Jiao get water or do the dishes.

    It was that the manner Lady Ruan acted made them not want to do anything. Who was she to act like a director?

    Since they didn¡¯t move, Lady Ruan¡¯s expression changed right away. She stared at the four little ones and was ready to get mad.

    Lu Jiao came out of the kitchen and smiled, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you here to help me out? Howe you¡¯re asking the kids to do work? They¡¯re so little, what can they do? Howe you aren¡¯t doing anything?¡±

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°Mom, help me sweep the yard. Afterward, you can chop up some firewood for us. The dog house needs cleaning too. You can do that after chopping up the firewood.¡±

    Lu Jiao then loudly said to the four little ones, ¡°Hurry and feed Soot and Marble. In a bit, your grandma will be cleaning their house.¡±

    The four little ones shouted back, ¡°Roger, mommy.¡±

    The Second Born took the opportunity to stick out his tongue at Lady Ruan and yell, ¡°Grandma, thank you so much for cleaning the dog house for us!¡±

    Lady Ruan almost puked out blood from anger. She furiously red at Lu Jiao but didn¡¯t dare to make a scene. After all, Xie Yunjin had the contract she and Xie Laogen signed.

    Lu Jiao ignored Lady Ruan and went to the east bedroom. It was time to learn the Hundred Surnames from Xie Yunjin.

    She had the surnames memorized but she wanted to learn how to write them from Xie Yunjin.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin naturally heard the noises outside. He didn¡¯t me Lu Jiao. Once he saw her enter, he gestured for her to sit.

    Lu Jiao sat by the desk and Xie Yunjin sat in his wheelchair beside her.

    Lu Jiao felt like they were sitting too close together so she nudged her chair to the side a little.

    Xie Yunjin interpreted that as she was shy and softly chuckled. His eyes were dark as he stared at her and there was some affection in his tone as he spoke.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head. She felt so ufortable all over and wondered if he was flirting. How did their rtionship transform into something like this? Didn¡¯t they agree to separate soon?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what the problem was and decided to remind Xie Yunjin of their agreement.

    Just then, Lady Ruan entered and saw those two sitting side by side.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face dropped. Though the image of those two sitting together was a beautiful image, Lady Ruan didn¡¯t like seeing it.

    She didn¡¯t want a daughter-inw as unfilial as Lu Jiao.

    Lady Ruan made a crying face, ¡°My third son, look at your wife¡­ she told me to chop wood and clean the dog house. How is that eptable?¡±

    Though Lady Ruan didn¡¯t dare to fight against these two, her teeth were clenched. She¡¯s never had to endure such humiliation all these years.

    Now, her only option was to swallow the teeth that came off from clenching too hard. Her eyes reddened as she stared at Xie Yunjin, hoping he would take her side.

    Xie Yunjin nced at her and breathed, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said you were here to help her out?¡±

    Lady Ruan was stifled and disgust filled her heart.

    Honestly, she¡¯s hated this son of hers ever since he was born. She¡¯s never felt the slightest closeness towards him and never wanted to even go near him. She couldn¡¯t believe her inws favored this boy, which enraged her even further.

    The people Lady Ruan hated the most were her inws. This was because her inws were against her marrying Xie Laogen. They told Xie Laogen that she was not a virtuous woman and would bring hardship to the family.

    She only ended up marrying Xie Laogen because she seduced him. And the reason why Xie Laogen was adamant about marrying her was that he got a taste of the forbidden fruit young. Against his parents¡¯ wishes, he set out to marry her.

    After all these years, Lady Ruan still felt hatred towards her inws, who had already passed away.

    Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin no longer acknowledged Lady Ruan and turned to teach Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Yesterday, we got to this spot: Kong, Cao, Yan, Hua, Jin, Wei, Tao, and Jiang. Repeat after me.¡±

    Lu Jiao also ignored Lady Ruan and repeated after him.

    By the door, Lady Ruan gaped at the two people who thought nothing of her. The rage inside her heart raced to her throat and almost ripped out. In the end, she held it back and went outside.

    She didn¡¯t leave Xie Yunjin¡¯s home and instead, went into the kitchen and cursed at those two.

    Of course, she only dared to do it silently.

 Chapter 177 - 177 How do we Spoil mom once we Grow up?

    177 How do we Spoil mom once we Grow up?

    Lu Jiao thought Lady Ruan stormed off due to anger. Only after she was done studying and came out of the room did she realize that Lady Ruan had sat herself before their kitchen with a long face, looking like she was owed money.

    ¡°Mom, you didn¡¯t go back?¡±

    Lady Ruan had been cursing silently for a while and now felt better. She raised her head and faked a smile, ¡°Why would I go back? This is my son¡¯s home. I can be here when I want to.¡±

    She then suddenly got up and whispered into Lu Jiao¡¯s ears, ¡°You think my son¡¯s yours just because you took care of him for a while? Quit dreaming. Once my son passes his exams and bes an official, he is going to marry the wealthy daughters of high officials. He¡¯s going to leave you.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned and was not at all annoyed. She was fine with him leaving her. She was looking forward to it.

    !!

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for that day then.¡±

    Lu Jiao happily went to chop chives in the kitchen. She had promised her sons that she¡¯d make dumplings for lunch.

    Lady Ruan felt so much hatred after she saw how little Lu Jiao cared. She wanted to scratch up Lu Jiao¡¯s face but she didn¡¯t dare.

    Lu Jiao chopped up chives and made two different fillings, one with eggs, and one with pork.

    Once Xie Yunjin was done teaching the vige children, the family started to wrap dumplings together.

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t help and stood by the side. She watched as Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and the four children happily wrapped their dumplings. They were using bleached flour¡­

    Lady Ruan once again felt anger. Her own family didn¡¯t have the luxury of eating dumplings every meal yet this little family was having rice porridge or dumplings every meal. Their lives were too good.

    Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t help but guess that Lu Jiao made a sizable amount of money and that was why they were eating so well. Could she get some money from them and put that towards her fourth son¡¯s wedding?

    Lady Ruan took action. She sat by the table and got ready to help.

    Lu Jiao knew right away Lady Ruan was trying to do something. It didn¡¯t matter ¨C she wasn¡¯t going to let anything go her way.

    ¡°Mom, we don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t wash her hands and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want her to touch anything.

    Lady Ruan stopped moving then, and smiled, ¡°Third daughter-inw, you are doing so well. Your mom and dad cannot afford to eat rice or bleached flour ¨C you shouldn¡¯t keep all that for yourself and ignore your parents.¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly red at her while the four little ones cautiously stared. They were terrified that she was going to steal their dumplings.

    Lu Jiao answered calmly, ¡°The rice and flour were gifts from the vigers. I taught the vigers herb harvesting and they all gave me gifts as thanks. I was going to ask you, mom, I taught second sister-inw herb harvesting as well, and she gave you all the money she earned from that. Howe you didn¡¯t give me any gifts as a thank you?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face dropped and she mumbled, ¡°We didn¡¯t make much money. Not enough to buy you anything.¡±

    Lady Ruan wasn¡¯t going to tell her that they actually made quite some money. They even managed to earn over one tael of silver in one day. She saved all of that for her fourth son¡¯s wedding.

    Since she wanted money from Lu Jiao, she had to y poor, ¡°The fourth has his eyes on a girl and they were getting married soon. The fifth also needed to find a man soon. Since we don¡¯t have enough dowry to give, it¡¯s been hard finding a husband for her. For money, my hair has gone gray.¡±

    She then waited for Lu Jiao to respond. Lu Jiao acted like she heard nothing and continued to instruct the four little ones on how to wrap dumplings.

    ¡°First Born, tighten up the edges. Your dumplings may open up when you throw them into the pot.¡±

    ¡°Second Born, you put in too much filling. It¡¯s going to rip. If we boil that, we¡¯ll get chive water.¡±

    ¡°Look at the Third Born¡¯s dumplings! They¡¯re beautiful!¡±

    The Third Born blushed at thepliment and his little chest straightened up subconsciously. The First Born was good at studying, the Second Born was good at climbing trees and shooting arrows, and the Fourth Born had a sweet mouth. He was the only one who hadn¡¯t found anything he was good at. Today, he wrapped dumplings well and his mommyplimented him!

    The Third Born was very happy and became more focused.

    The Fourth Born lifted his dumpling and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, look at mine.¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°Are you sure you put any filling in there?¡±

    The Fourth Born awkwardlyughed.

    Xie Yunjin smiled at his children and his wife.

    Nobody in this room full of people treated Lady Ruan like a person of significance. Everything she¡¯s said before may have as well been a fart.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s heart started to get stuffy and she wanted to flip all the dumplings off the table.

    The contract she signed was the only reason why she contained herself. She unpleasantly looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Lu Jiao, the fourth and fifth are your brother and sister. If you have money, you should contribute to their marriages.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded bluntly, ¡°Mom, if those two bastards were my brother and sister, I would¡¯ve drowned them.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face went dark and her teeth gritted together, ¡°You¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao beamed, ¡°Mother, you should really educate those two well. Or else you¡¯ll be the one suffering in the future.¡±

    She didn¡¯t let Lady Ruan say anything before she continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t know how, you can let me teach them a lesson. I guarantee you that I can straighten them up. Those two bastards need to be beaten to death in order to learn.¡±

    The four little ones sensed their mother¡¯s prowess and chimed in.

    ¡°Mom, we will fulfill our filial duties. We are all great kids.¡±

    ¡°Yes, once we grow up, we will be nice to mommy and daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good boys. You¡¯re all mom¡¯s good boys. Everyone I raise turns out good.¡±

    The four little ones giggled and fought to join the conversation.

    ¡°Mommy, when I grow up, I¡¯m going to study like daddy. I am going to get you a title.¡±

    The First Born vowed.

    The Second Born followed, ¡°I am going to be a general and beat whoever tries to hurt you.¡±

    The Second Born waved around his fist.

    The Third Born pondered on what he could do for his mom.

    He got an idea, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m going to learn how to save lives like you. I want to be as capable as you. When people ask me, ¡®who taught you how to do all that?¡¯ I¡¯m going to tell them, ¡®my mommy taught me.¡¯ Everyone will praise you!¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at the Third Born in awe. Does this kid want to study medicine after her? That was not bad at all.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That sounds nice! My son is going to be a much better miracle doctor than me!¡±

    The Fourth Born was jealous of the praises and stood up to shout, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m going to earn money. I¡¯m going to earn so much money that I will buy you new essories and new clothes every day. I want you to be happy every day!¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned so deeply her eyes disappeared.

    ¡°Ahhh, I am so happy. I¡¯m going to count on my sons and enjoy all the nice things they are promising me.¡±

 Chapter 178 - 178 Adding Fuel to the Flame

    178 Adding Fuel to the me

    Lady Ruan watched as the group of peopleughed and conversed and pretended that she didn¡¯t exist.

    She felt like she was going to die from anger. It was fortunate that her third son didn¡¯t live with them anymore. If he did, she would die after a few days from rage.

    Lady Ruan huffed loudly but was ignored.

    The six family members wrapped dumplings happily. Since nobody acknowledged her, Lady Ruan left with her face dark.

    Right now, it was a bad time to fight against her third son and his wife, so she had to endure.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s never been so angry in recent years and she felt so stuffy.

    For lunch, she managed to eat two whole bowls of dumplings. As she munched, sheined, ¡°What kind of luxurious life have you been living? You eat white rice and white noodles every day and you don¡¯t even give any to your mother or father. Your mom and dad are so old and they have to chew on vegetables. How are you able to swallow your food?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s spit went everywhere as she ate, making the whole family lose their appetite.

    Lu Jiao stared at Lady Ruan unpleasantly, ¡°The rice and flour were gifts from the vigers. I taught everyone how to make money by selling herbs and everyone wanted to thank me by giving me rice, flour, eggs, and vegetables. The Vige Leader gave me a whole bag of pork buns. Mother, I want to ask you, since I helped you make money, howe you don¡¯t gift us anything in return?

    You and father are chewing on vegetables in order to save money for the fourth brother¡¯s marriage. I heard the engagement was going to cost 15 taels of silver in addition to new clothes and jewelry for your future daughter-inw. You are voluntarily eating vegetables to save for the fourth. Why is that our business?¡±

    Lu Jiao was toozy to talk with Lady Ruan and cleaned up the tes.

    She truly had no more patience for that woman. What woman truly acted like she was her mother-inw?

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to give her attitude and turned to Xie Yunjin right away.

    ¡°My third son, did you see that? I only said two things and your wife gave me so much attitude. What kind of wife is she?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he responded, ¡°I imagine the daughter-inw takes after the mother-inw. Honestly, though, Lu Jiao is nothingpared to you. I heard when you first married into the Xie family, you managed to make my grandparents faint.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face went dark and she almost lost it. The thought of that contract, however, made her stop herself and she only ended up mumbling quietly.

    In the living room, the four little ones looked up to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, when is grandma leaving? I don¡¯t want her here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her here either. It puts me in a bad mood.¡±

    ¡°Mommy is in a bad mood too.¡±

    The Fourth Born said angrily.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened and his breathing deepened. Since his mother had so much free time, he¡¯ll make sure she gets busy.

    Since his mother was angered here today, she will for sure go home and take it out on his father. His father had someone who was willing to listen and counsel him now and for sure he will end up at her ce asking forfort.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it andforted the four little ones, ¡°Your grandma will go back tonight.¡±

    The First Born followed up, ¡°Will shee back tomorrow?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up, ¡°She probably won¡¯t have time toe tomorrow.¡±

    Today, he will add fuel to the me and do his best to out his father and Widow Wang¡¯s affair. Once that whole thing bes public, his mother will be far too busy toe here.

    The four little ones trusted their dad wholeheartedly and hisfort made them happy.

    Xie Yunjin pushed himself outside. Lu Jiao had sawed off the door stall so Xie Yunjin could move around freely at home.

    He went to the kitchen. There, Lu Jiao was washing the dishes with an ugly expression on her face. She barely ate any of the dumplings they made. How could she be happy?

    Xie Yunjin entered the kitchen and Lu Jiao sensed him. She nced at him, ignored him, and then continued to do the dishes.

    Xie Yunjin pushed himself closer and tried to fetch a dirty te to help Lu Jiao out.

    Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°It¡¯s fine. There are only several bowls and tes, you don¡¯t need to help me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t persist and asked, ¡°You are in a bad mood?¡±

    Lu Jiao snickered and looked back at him, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Xie Yunjin moved forward even more to get closer to Lu Jiao. subconsciously, Lu Jiao inched backward. Her body wobbled and she almost mmed into the wooden bucket containing the dishes. Xie Yunjin extended his arm and grabbed her by the waist to help stabilize her.

    Unprepared for any of this to happen, Lu Jiao fell straight into Xie Yunjin.

    Her facended right before his chest.

    Above her head, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned red and his heart raced. He subconsciously felt like he should let go but his arm seemed to have been sewn onto Lu Jiao and he didn¡¯t want to let go.

    Lu Jiao was a little stunned but she quickly snapped back to reality and struggled. Angrily, she looked up at Xie Yunjin, ¡°If you want to talk, talk normally. Why do you keep moving towards me?¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for this person getting dangerously close to her, she wouldn¡¯t have lost her bnce and ended up in his arms.

    Xie Yunjin felt his hand itching as he stared at her wide-eyed angry face. He wanted to pinch her chubby cheeks. However, given how angry she was, he was too scared to provoke her further.

    He lowered his voice, ¡°You don¡¯t want my mom toe here anymore, do you?¡±

    Lu Jiao pursed her lips and remembered how he wanted to set up Lady Ruanst time. Today, he wanted to set her up again?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mood lifted and asked excitedly, ¡°What good idea do you have now?¡±

    ¡°If my mom gets too angry with us today, she will surely project that anger onto my dadter.¡±

    He stopped talking.

    Lu Jiao was not a stupid person and understood right away. He¡¯s telling her to make his mother angry so she would go home and give Xie Laogen a hard time.

    If Xie Laogen gets mad, he would subsequently go to Widow Wang forfort.

    As Lu Jiao thought about it, Xie Yunjin spoke again, ¡°Has Aunt Guihua been tiredtely?¡±

    Xie Yunjin then left. Behind him, Lu Jiao¡¯s big eyes grinned with her lips.

    Xie Yunjin reminded Lu Jiao to go talk to Aunt Guihua. Aunt Guihua may actually be too tiredtely and didn¡¯t keep an eye out for Widow Wang.

    If she knew there was something going on at her neighbor¡¯s, she would miss sleep to see what was going on.

    Lu Jiao very quickly formted a n against Lady Ruan ¨C a n that formed all thanks to a certain someone.

    The thought of Lady Ruan made Lu Jiao cuss that she deserved what wasing. She knew her son didn¡¯t wee her and kept oning here to provoke him.

    Lu Jiao just finished up with the dishes when someone rushed inside in a hurry, ¡°Is the schr¡¯s wife around?¡±

    Lu Jiao went outside and found two women. One was elderly and the other was middle-aged.

    These two were without a doubt, here to ask her for treatment. After Lu Jiao dewormed Tong Xiaoyu, even the neighboring viges learned of Lu Jiao¡¯s existence.

    Rumor has it that her medical skills surpassed doctors from the town and the county. The key thing was that she treated patients for free. Therefore, other than the Xie Vige, the neighboring Parasol Tree Vige, Daliu Vige, and Apricot Flower Vige all made their way here to get treated by Lu Jiao.

 Chapter 179 -

    179 Lots of Patients here for Free Healthcare

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t willing to treat the vigers, it was that everyone started toe to her no matter how mild the illness was.

    She had her own life and she was busy.

    Other than taking care of Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, she had to teach Xie Erzhu how to keep leeches. In addition, she had to read and learn how to write. The only lucky thing was that Baohe Tang hasn¡¯t needed her for consultationtely.

    Lu Jiao asked the two women, ¡°You are¡­?¡±

    The two women walked over, ¡°Schr¡¯s wife, we are here from the Daliu Vige. We heard you are a great doctor. Please examine my daughter-inw. There are a lot of bumps on her neck and upper body. We went into town a few times but she never got better.¡±

    !!

    The younger woman nervously stared at Lu Jiao.

    What more could Lu Jiao say at this point?

    ¡°Come in then.¡±

    She then remembered Lady Ruan and smiled at her, ¡°Mom, help me clean up the kitchen. Feed the dogs then clean their den.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face dropped right away and she stared at Lu Jiao with anger.

    This b!tch might as well go climb into the sky. How dare she order her mother-inw around?

    Before Lady Ruan could unleash her anger, Lu Jiao said to the two women, ¡°This is my mother-inw. She came here today to help me around the house since I¡¯m so busy. She¡¯s a great person.¡±

    That one statement stifled Lady Ruan and she had to swallow back the curse she was about to spit out. Her anger rose to her throat and it felt stuck.

    Lady Ruan continued, ¡°Mom, take a break after you¡¯re done all that. Don¡¯t exhaust yourself. Once you are rested, you can water the vegetable garden for me then tie up the chopped firewood.¡±

    Lu Jiao then led the two women into the room. Behind her, Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes grew ck but she didn¡¯t dare to curse out loud.

    Lu Jiao brought the two women to the west bedroom.

    ¡°Show me what¡¯s wrong.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for the young woman to untie what was around her neck. The woman anxiously untied it and revealed her skin. Lu Jiao knew what it was right away. It was a skin disease, named nummr eczema. It was considered a fungal infection.

    After Lu Jiao examined her neck, she said, ¡°This is a skin condition that is easily treatable. The tricky part is that this disease always manages toe back.¡±

    The older woman nodded, ¡°Yes, we got some medicine in town and she got better after using it externally for a while. However, the redness and itch returned quickly. My two granddaughters got infected as well.¡±

    The younger woman appeared anxious as the old woman told the story.

    Lu Jiao scanned the old woman, ¡°It¡¯s not a serious illness, it¡¯s just highly infectious. The infection targets those who are weaker. Those healthy would not catch the infection.

    I will write you a prescription. Use it to wipe yourself down every day for at least a month. You need long-term medicine for this illness and you cannot stop.¡±

    The older woman asked, ¡°She¡¯ll be cured once she uses this for a month?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Give her good food. For her to get this disease means her health waspromised.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at them and said, ¡°Wait up. I will go write you a prescription.¡±

    The two of them thanked her profusely, ¡°Thank you, schr¡¯s wife. Thank you. You¡¯re such a good person.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched. If she knew treating people for free would end up troubling her this much, she would¡¯ve charged for her services.

    If she charged for consultation, there would be a lot fewer patients looking for her.

    She didn¡¯t want to charge anything before because doctors here normally charged twenty to thirty tokens per consultation. She felt like that amount was spare change and that amount of money didn¡¯t matter to her. Who knew her free service would result in so much work for her?

    Lu Jiao went to the east bedroom, a little frustrated. There, Xie Yunjin was studying.

    Since he¡¯s been getting better and better, he started studying in addition to teaching children how to read. He nned to take next year¡¯s exam and needed to retain all the knowledge he learned.

    When he saw Lu Jiao enter, he looked up and found her in a bad mood.

    Xie Yunjin thought Lady Ruan had annoyed Lu Jiao. He put down his book and asked caringly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and went to write the prescription.

    Lately, they¡¯ve been sharing the same desk and Lu Jiao was used to it. She naturally sat by Xie Yunjin and took a brush for herself.

    Xie Yunjin watched her write and seemed to have realized something.

    Lu Jiao was in a bad mood because people continued toe to her for treatment.

    Though Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao haven¡¯t been together for too long, he knew this woman was scared of trouble at times. These days, lots of peoplee to her for consultation and she must be out of patience now.

    Xie Yunjin suggested, ¡°If it¡¯s bing too much, then start charging money. If you charge a high price, there would be a lot fewer people looking for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°If it¡¯s a patient who¡¯s truly sick or injured, I have noints. But do you know who came to me yesterday? One person ate something bad and was having diarrhea, one person scraped his knee, one person with a scratched face after getting into a fight, and one person who had a slight cough.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless by the end. The peopleing to her now had illnesses that didn¡¯t need a doctor¡¯s intervention. Since she was free of charge, everyone came to find her. Didn¡¯t they know that she was busy?

    Lu Jiao vented a bit then waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll wait a while and see.¡±

    She remembered how she was going to separate from Xie Yunjin soon. Once she leaves this vige, she will not so easily reveal her whereabouts.

    Lu Jiao headed outside with her prescription. Behind her, Xie Yunjin thought it over. He should talk to the leaders and ask some children to guard the vige. Out of all the people who were here to find Lu Jiao for treatment, they should allow those severely ill in. Those with non-serious illnesses should go to the doctor in town.

    Lu Jiao went back to the west bedroom, ¡°Here¡¯s the prescription. Put the medicine in alcohol and soak it for a while. Then use it to wipe the parts of your body that are infected. After a month, the illness should go away.¡±

    The two of them thanked Lu Jiao and Lu Jiao walked them out.

    Right behind them were two elders. These two people came from her mother¡¯s Apricot Flower Vige. Since they were older, Lu Jiao technically should refer to them as her aunt and uncle.

    When those two saw Lu Jiao, they acted as such.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you sure made it now. You even learned to treat illnesses? Your uncle¡¯s legs have been hurting. Hurry and examine him! Hurry and provide him with relief!¡±

    ¡°One of my legs hurt here. It feels numb and I can¡¯t fully extend it. Hurry up and cure me. I¡¯m in so much pain. Ahh, treat me fast.¡±

 Chapter 180 - 180 Lu Jiao is Beautiful

    180 Lu Jiao is Beautiful

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression dropped. Where did this guye from? Why was he acting so arrogant?

    Lu Jiao responded unpleasantly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I cannot cure your illness.¡±

    The elderly woman was not happy to hear that and stared down at Lu Jiao, ¡°You didn¡¯t even examine him! How can you conclude without checking him out?? I thought you were good?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°No matter how good I am, I cannot cure everything. If you want to get better, go to the county.¡±

    She gave no chance for them to respond and ordered, ¡°Enough, you should go home.¡±

    The elders¡¯ faces changed drastically. The elderly woman straight up sat on the ground and cried, ¡°If you don¡¯t cure my old man today, I will not leave here!¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Lady Ruan started tough, ¡°What is this? I thought you were a miracle doctor. What kind of doctor are you if you cannot cure this?¡±

    The noises startled Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, they rushed out and guarded Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin coldly red at Lady Ruan, who shut up right away. He then asked Lu Jiao, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at the woman howling, ¡°I said I can¡¯t treat them so she¡¯s crying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped and snickered at the two elders, ¡°You think my family is to be taken advantage of? How dare you cause a scene inside my home?¡±

    He called out to the First Born, ¡°First Born, go to our neighbor¡¯s and tell brother Huzi to go to our county government office. Tell them there are people causing a scene at my home and ask the county magistrate to take these provokers.¡±

    The First Born heard the request and turned to run.

    The two elders were terrified and got up right away. They tried to get out of there but the old man had a bad leg and almost fell on his face.

    At the gate, they cursed into Lu Jiao¡¯s home, ¡°What kind of doctor are you?? Miracle doctor my @ss! You can¡¯t even cure such a small illness. You¡¯re more of a scammer than a doctor!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going home and telling everyone not to travel all the way here to seek treatment. It¡¯s all lies!¡±

    The two of them left while they continued to curse. Behind them, Lu Jiao was furious, ¡°What kind of people are they?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at her, ¡°Come here.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced back and didn¡¯t move, ¡°Just talk from there.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dimmed and he pushed himself toward her. Seeing how hard he had to push the wheels, Lu Jiao walked to him and looked down, ¡°What is it? Speak.¡±

    XieYunjin gestured at her with his finger, telling her to bend down.

    Lu Jiao knew right away that he had gotten another bad idea. Every time he came up with a scheme, he acted in this manner.

    Lu Jiao was suddenly excited as she leaned down towards Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin whispered, ¡°You can use this opportunity to announce to the public that you¡¯ve been angered and you¡¯ll no longer be treating patients for free.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes lit up. That was true. She could say she had been deeply offended and will no longer offer consultation to the general public.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood lightened.

    From nearby, Lady Ruan watched those two and found them to be eyesores. She almost went up to them and pushed them apart.

    Though she didn¡¯t end up physically doing so, she said with a long face, ¡°How dare you act in such a manner under broad daylight?¡±

    Lu Jiao snapped her neck towards Lady Ruan and grinned, ¡°Mom, howe you still haven¡¯t cleaned the kitchen? Aren¡¯t you here to help me out? What have you done?¡±

    Lu Jiao then retrieved the broom and shoved it in Lady Ruan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Here, help me sweep the yard.¡±

    Lady Ruan was so angry she almost cursed. Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes went cold and lowered her voice, ¡°Are you going to sweep or not?¡±

    Lady Ruan shuddered and subconsciously started to sweep. After some time, she recalled herself back to reality. As a mother-inw, why was she listening to her daughter-inw? Sweeping the yard?! Who did she think she was?

    Lady Ruan tossed away the broom and wanted to curse Lu Jiao.

    However, Lu Jiao was long gone. Xie Yunjin and the four little ones also went back into the house.

    Lady Ruan finally realized the situation. It was mid-afternoon and she was sweeping her daughter-inw¡¯s yard by herself. Her son, daughter-inw, and grandsons didn¡¯t give a crap about her. The anger made Lady Ruan¡¯s chestpress and her vision went dark.

    She went into the living room in order to capture someone and cuss them out.

    However, the vige children arrived just then. It was time for their afternoon lesson.

    The children included the Vige and n Leaders¡¯ grandsons. Lady Ruan didn¡¯t dare to curse anymore. If she cursed, these children would tattletale and she would end up harming herself.

    Lady Ruan swallowed her anger but the rage in her throat was suffocating. She wanted to walk out.

    But that contract¡­

    She endured.

    No, she had to get that contract back.

    She originally wanted to engage in a nice conversation with her son and ask him to give it to her. It appeared that there was no way that could happen.

    Lady Ruan tiptoed to the east bedroom and peeked inside. There, Lu Jiao was practicing her writing.

    Inside that old room, thedy was sitting up straight and tall. Her face had lost the chubbiness from before and she was now very pleasant to look at. Her skin was pale and bright, her eyshes long and pped up and down like two little fans.

    Though Lady Ruan detested Lu Jiao, at this moment, she was stunned. She didn¡¯t want to admit this but she had to admit that her third daughter-inw was actually beautiful. Though she remained somewhat chubby, it didn¡¯t impact her beauty.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s mood once again plummeted given how nice Lu Jiao appeared. She cursed, then she thought of ways to get Lu Jiao out of the bedroom so she could steal the contract.

    Xie Yunjin was teaching the children in the living room. If she could get Lu Jiao to leave, she could sneak in and find that contract.

    Xie Lan may not understand, but she did. There were two red thumbprints on the contract.

    Lady Ruan pondered this when Xie Erzhu approached from outside the trellis. Lady Ruan got an idea and ran into the east bedroom and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Erzhu¡¯s here. He wants to talk to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Lady Ruan curiously. She wondered what this mother-inw of hers was thinking of now. However, she was toozy to figure it out.

    Lu Jiao went outside and saw Xie Erzhu right away.

    Xie Erzhu said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister-inw, the temporary pond for the leeches is ready. Do you want to go check it out?¡±

    Without her approval, he felt uncertain.

 Chapter 181 - 181 Xie Sangou

    181 Xie Sangou

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. Since she decided to teach him, she was going to teach him everything.

    ¡°Sure, I will go with you.¡±

    The two of them headed out the trellis. Behind them, Lady Ruan watched them leave in excitement. She snuck back into the east bedroom and looked for the contract.

    In the living room, Xie Yunjin saw how Xie Erzhu asked Lu Jiao to go check out the pond while his mother stayed in the east bedroom.

    He frowned a little but quickly realized that his mother must be looking for the signed contract.

    Xie Yunjin found this hrious. He had given the contract to Lu Jiao and he knew Lu Jiao didn¡¯t hide it in the east bedroom.

    Despite this, Xie Yunjin was very exasperated at Lady Ruan¡¯s actions. What kind of mother was she to look through her son¡¯s room?

    Xie Yunjin lowered his head and asked the First Born, ¡°First Born, go to my desk and get me ¡°Great Learning¡±.¡±

    Though the four children just started learning the Hundred Surnames, they were aware of four books and five ssics. They knew of the Great Learning book since Xie Yunjin often talked to them about it. The First Born ran to the east bedroom right away.

    When he went inside, he saw Lady Ruan searching through the room. The First Born¡¯s expression changed and shouted, ¡°Grandma, why are you searching through our stuff?¡±

    Lady Ruan was caught red-handed and her face froze. She quickly pretended to be cleaning and organizing, ¡°What are you talking about? Searching through your things? I¡¯m organizing for you.¡±

    The First Born was not a clueless idiot. On the contrary, he was sharp and observant. He didn¡¯t believe Lady Ruan at all.

    He turned around and ran outside, ¡°Daddy, grandma¡¯s looking through our stuff!¡±

    The Second Born jumped up after he heard those words and ran into the east bedroom, ¡°Grandma! To take things without telling is stealing! You¡¯re a thief!¡±

    The Third Born chimed in, ¡°Grandma, are you stealing from us?!¡±

    The Fourth Born also yelled, ¡°Are you stealing our yummy food?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ words alerted all the other children, ¡°Oh my, the First Born¡¯s grandma is a thief.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s so old yet she¡¯s here stealing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a bad person. Bad people steal.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face turned dark and she rushed out and stood by the door. She crossed her arms and red at the children as she cursed, ¡°**** stealing! This is my son¡¯s house! I can take whatever I want! Stealing is not a thing!¡±

    The First Born reminded Lady Ruan, ¡°Grandma, you have to say something when you take something. If you say nothing, then you¡¯re stealing.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face twisted from anger. The more she looked at the First Born, the angrier she got. She raised her hand to p him.

    The Second Born screamed, ¡°First Born, she¡¯s trying to hit you! Get away!¡±

    The First Born turned around and dodged the p. She then snapped at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Sangou*, this is how you educated your kids?!¡±

    All the children were stunned, including the four little ones.

    Everyone here thought of Xie Yunjin as an idol figure. Not only was he good-looking, and smart, but even his name sounded refined. Why was Lady Ruan calling him Xie Sangou?

    The children were in shock. The four little ones exchanged nces. Who was Xie Sangou? Was that their dad?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unspeakably cold as he red at Lady Ruan, ¡°It looks like you really want to be shunned out of the vige.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s expression dropped and she ran out the gate. As she ran, she yelled back, ¡°Xie Sangou, you¡¯re a heartless man! If I knew you¡¯d be so unfilial, I would¡¯ve drowned you in the manure bucket!¡±

    Lady Ruan then ran away, leaving behind a frigid Xie Yunjin.

    The children were too scared to speak.

    The four little ones, however, weren¡¯t afraid and went tofort their old dad.

    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be mad, grandma left.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t let here into our home anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if shees again, we will keep an eye on her to make sure she¡¯s not stealing.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes softened after he wasforted. He was about to ask the children to continue reading when the Fourth Born spoke up, ¡°Daddy, so your name is Xie Sangou?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s warm face froze up. It took him some time to finally grit through his teeth, ¡°Go read.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin was sent to school, he was named Xie Sangou. In school, his teacher changed his name to Xie Yunjin.

    When he first started studying, many people still called him Xie Sangou. Only when he became a child student, did the Vige Leader ask the vigers to stop calling him by that name. Xie Yunjin was someone who will take the schr exam and the name Xie Sangou just didn¡¯t make sense. After so long, people have forgotten all about his previous name.

    Today, he had been exposed by Lady Ruan and it made him feel so ufortable.

    The children inside the room were very surprised. So their schr of an uncle had simr nicknames as them, ahahaha.

    Though the children studied seriously, they would asionally look up and peek at Xie Yunjin, as if checking out something strange.

    Xie Yunjin felt weird but he wasn¡¯t mad. To be peeked at by a bunch of kids for so long did annoy him, however, and so he decided to finish up early today.

    The children cheered and closed their books.

    They left the Xie home happily, but their excitement about their finding today could still be heard.

    ¡°Third uncle Xie is named Xie Sangou.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just like us! He has a nickname.¡±

    ¡°That means I should go study. Maybe I can get a better name then.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s how it works.¡±

    The four little ones noticed that Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t in a good mood and went tofort him, ¡°Daddy, Sangou is a nice-sounding name.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sangou sounds better than ¡®Second Born¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡®Third Born¡¯, you¡¯re ¡®Sangou¡¯. Our names are simr.¡±

    The Fourth Born peered at his brothers and then back at his daddy. What should he do? He wanted tough! He shouldn¡¯t. Laughing would make his dad unhappy.

    The father and sons were still chatting in the living room when Lu Jiao came back home.

    Xie Yunjin was facing outward and saw her right away. He whispered to the children, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your mom my nickname. Got it?¡±

    The four little ones exchanged nces and looked back at Xie Yunjin with difficulty.

    They didn¡¯t want to lie to their mom.

    Xie Yunjin saw that Lu Jiao was about to enter and frowned at his sons, ¡°If you dare to tell her my nickname, I will get angry.¡±

    His threat made the four little ones promise, ¡°Daddy, we got it. We won¡¯t tell mommy.¡±

    Note:

    *Sangou¡¯s literal meaning is ¡°third dog¡±.

 Chapter 182 - 182 Donâ€™t be a Good Person

    182 Don¡¯t be a Good Person

    Lu Jiao marched into the living room and found an adult and four children staring at her. They looked guilty.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°What is it? Why are you acting strange?¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed the empty living room and asked, ¡°You ended the lesson this early?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes flicked to their dad, who asked a question in response, ¡°Did my brother ask you to go check out the leech pond?¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao nodded. The Xie Vige had cleared off an area to use as the temporary space for leech keeping.

    Since the opportunity to keep leeches was rare and no idents should be allowed, Lu Jiao would make time to provide Xie Erzhu with guidance every day. By now, Xie Erzhu had learned a lot.

    ¡°Yes, he was scared the leeches would die so he¡¯s being very careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked caringly, ¡°Do you think my brother can handle everything?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Your second brother is very by the rule. He¡¯s great at leech-keeping. He remembers everything I taught him. Without idents, he¡¯ll learn everything in no time.¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but feel ecstatic for his brother. His second brother¡¯s life will now improve gradually.

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao decided to bring the four little ones into the mountains.

    She said to the children, ¡°Since your studies finished early, let¡¯s go up the mountain. We can y for longer today.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Xie Yunjin said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring them today.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was terrified that the four little ones would let it slip and tell Lu Jiao his secret so he stopped her.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°What is it? Is something the matter?¡±

    The four little ones curiously stared at Xie Yunjin. Why didn¡¯t their dad want them to climb the mountain? They only recently learned how to climb trees and shoot arrows. They were expected to practice more up there.

    Xie Yunjin spoke directly to Lu Jiao, ¡°Don¡¯t you have matters to discuss with Aunt Guihua? Aunt Guihua is harvesting herbs right now. It¡¯d be inconvenient for you to bring the children with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao got the message right away. He wanted her to go to Aunt Guihua and hint at her to keep an eye on the neighbor.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes sparkled and she agreed right away, ¡°Okay, then I will go up the mountains alone.¡±

    The four little ones felt much disappointment and with their puppy eyes, they stared at Lu Jiao. It was obvious how much they wanted to go.

    Lu Jiao felt bad and was about to offer to take them when Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°I¡¯d be too lonely at home. Can you stay with me just for today?¡±

    The First Born was the first to ept that. The others wanted to go to the mountains but found their dad to be too pitiful. Oh well, they should stay at home with their dad.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll stay with you, dad. Mommy, you can go alone but promise toe home early.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought Xie Yunjin suggested this all because of Aunt Guihua and didn¡¯t think too much.

    She smiled and patted the children¡¯s heads. After she got her basket and ax, she went up the mountain.

    Since she didn¡¯t bring the children, she was able to move far more efficiently. On the way up, she ran into numerous people who were harvesting herbs and politely chatted with them. It didn¡¯t take a lot of effort for her to find out where Aunt Guihua was.

    Lu Jiao casually walked around the mountain, harvesting herbs along the way. The medicinal herbs in her space had all been cleaned up. She will save those that could produce seeds and make medicine out of those that could not produce seeds.

    These days, after the children go to sleep, she would go into her space and busy herself for two hours.

    ¡°Huang Qin, go home first with that basket. I¡¯ll go soon after.¡±

    Lu Jiao heard voices and looked up to find Aunt Guihua giving orders to her daughter-inw, Huang Qin.

    Huang Qin put the basket on her back and started to descend the mountain. When she saw Lu Jiao, she happily greeted, ¡°Lu Jiao, you¡¯re here to harvest herbs as well?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Aunt Guihua was over the moon to see Lu Jiao and greeted her whileughing, ¡°Jiaojiao! You¡¯re here for herbs too?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Peoplee and ask me for treatment these days so I want to have some stuff stocked up.¡±

    Aunt Guihua pulled her aside and whispered, ¡°Jiaojiao, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about but I¡¯m worried you¡¯d think poorly of me. You are such a good person with a good heart, however, it doesn¡¯t mean you should share your kindness with everyone. You should not treat those who do not pay you and even give them medicine. Some people cross the line once they get a taste of what¡¯s free and nice. There are people out there who would go to you for advice even when they¡¯re not really sick.

    You have a whole family to take care of and you shouldn¡¯t spend all your time treating people for free. Aren¡¯t you tired? Sometimes, even when you do help them, they have nothing nice to say about you.¡±

    Lu Jiao recalled the two old people from this afternoon.

    ¡°Aunty, you¡¯re right. Let me tell you, this afternoon, two troublemakers came to my home and made a scene. I was furious.¡±

    Lu Jiao acted very pissed off.

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s energy was fueled by this piece of gossip and she grabbed Lu Jiao, ¡°What happened? Tell me.¡±

    Lu Jiao told her what happened.

    ¡°I may know some medicine, but I cannot cure every illness. Just because I didn¡¯t know how to cure him, they made a scene at my home. It¡¯s hard being a good person sometimes.¡±

    Honestly, Lu Jiao knew what that old man had ¨C he had rheumatism.

    Rheumatism was already hard to treat. Given how arrogant and entitled they acted, Lu Jiao got annoyed and decided not to provide treatment.

    Aunt Guihua pped her own leg, ¡°I told you! This was bound to happen. Some people are just like that. Don¡¯t just treat everyone like you did before.¡±

    Aunt Guihua suddenly remembered the vigers and changed the subject, ¡°Of course, you should still take care of the Xie vigers. Us vigers all know you treat us with kindness and we will repay you. Those outsiders don¡¯t deserve your consultation. You shouldn¡¯t do it for free! They really think you have nothing better to do with your time.¡±

    Lu Jiao answered with a smile, ¡°Then I will do as you suggested. I will not treat those people anymore. They are truly maddening.¡±

    Aunt Guihua thought she managed to convince Lu Jiao and her mood was over the moon. The two of them chatted and searched for herbs.

    As they strolled, Lu Jiao taught Aunt Guihua a few types of herbs, which sessfully boosted Aunt Guihua¡¯s happiness level to the max.

 Chapter 183 - 183 Xie Sangou, are you Asleep?

    183 Xie Sangou, are you Asleep?

    Lu Jiao casually started a conversation, ¡°Ah, right, this morning, I went to check out the leech pond and heard someone say that Widow Wang has gotten close to someone. And that someone has been going to her ce every night to fool around. Auntie, do you know who they were referring to?¡±

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s eyes widened into balls and said with regret, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been busy harvesting herbs, I¡¯ve been too tired to keep an eye on her.¡±

    She then gritted her teeth, ¡°That¡¯s no good. Tonight, I must keep an eye on her and find out who she seduced.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Aunt Guihua, ¡°It must be worrisome to have a neighbor like that. If she could marry someone and move away, it would make you feel better.¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao stopped talking about this but Aunt Guihua¡¯s mind had been opened.

    That vixen had to go. To live next to her made Aunt Guihua live in worry every day. Not only was she worried about her husband, but she was also worried about her son. She was very aware of the fact that Widow Wang frequently winked at her son.

    There was no way she would allow her son to fall in love with that widow. She was a vixen and was fueled by men¡¯s blood. If her son got involved, he may end up losing everything.

    No, no, no¡­ she had to figure out a way to get rid of that woman.

    No matter what Lu Jiao tried to talk about next, Aunt Guihua couldn¡¯t focus anymore.

    After a while, the two of them descended the mountain together.

    Lu Jiao took a look at her half basket full of herbs and decided to dump it all into Aunt Guihua¡¯s basket as thanks for what she was about to do next.

    ¡°Auntie, you take these.¡±

    Aunt Guihua was ecstatic but still stopped her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It took a lot of effort for you to get all that.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I will get more next time. I got these herbs for the patients I was going to treat but you have enlightened me to stop treating people who don¡¯t pay. They don¡¯t appreciate what I do anyway. I¡¯d like to give all this to you instead.¡±

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s lips stretched into a wide smile, ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡±

    She happily took the basket and went home. She ended up with such a profitable trip today.

    Lu Jiao went home with an empty basket. However, she had already snuck in the rare herbs into her space and didn¡¯t give them to Aunt Guihua.

    Back at home, the four little ones were skateboarding with Gousheng and others. When they saw Lu Jiao, they ran to her.

    ¡°Mommy, you came back!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m back. Why are you sweating so much?¡±

    Lu Jiao used her handkerchief to wipe the sweat off the boys¡¯ foreheads. She then went to get some cold water for the four little ones.

    For the boys, Lu Jiao pre-boiled the water, mixed it with sugar, and cooled it down.

    ¡°This is sweet.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yummy.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, you have some too. You must be tired.¡±

    The Third Born offered his cup to Lu Jiao.

    The Fourth Born did the same, ¡°Mommy, drink mine, drink mine.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline and took a sip from each of their cups, ¡°Okay, you guys y. I will cook.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    At dinner, Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Did you run into that person today?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and smiled, ¡°I did. We chatted as well.¡±

    The two were talking in codes and the four little ones naturally had no idea what they were talking about. The Second Born excitedly suggested, ¡°Mommy, can we go hunting tomorrow? I have perfected my aim.¡±

    The Second Born used a rather masculine tone in order to make himself appear capable and ready to hunt animals.

    The Third and Fourth Born chimed in, ¡°Mommy, we can set up traps tomorrow. We can maybe get a wild boar.¡±

    The mention of wild boars reminded Lu Jiao of how she wanted to make some toothbrushes. She¡¯s been so busy with patients she¡¯s had no time. In the future, she was determined to spend more time on her own business.

    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go hunting in the mountains tomorrow. If we can capture a boar, I will make each of you a toothbrush.¡±

    ¡°What is a toothbrush?¡±

    The First Born asked with interest.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s used to brush your teeth. You know how some vigers use willow leaves to wipe their teeth? I will make a brush so you can brush your teeth.¡±

    As for toothpaste, she had to make that with medicinal herbs. If she had baking soda, she could add salt to that and make a paste. Sadly, baking soda didn¡¯t exist yet so she had to make something with medicinal ingredients.

    The four little ones were very interested in Lu Jiao¡¯s toothbrush and indicated their determination to get a boar tomorrow.

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao asked the four little ones to eat and then shower.

    After dinner, Xie Erzhu arrived.

    These days, he was very free. Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan still weren¡¯t nice to him but they didn¡¯t dare to cross the line anymore.

    Therefore, Xie Erzhu was now a free body and came nightly to help Xie Yunjin with using the washroom and washing up.

    Lu Jiao would bathe the children and then tell them a bedtime story in the west bedroom.

    After storytime, the First and Second Born obediently went to sleep with their dad in the east bedroom.

    Back in the west bedroom, Lu Jiao was going to sleep with the Third and Fourth Born. However, the Fourth Born was unsettled tonight and kept on moving around. Beside him, the Third Born fell asleep a long time ago.

    Lu Jiao wanted to go into her space to organize the herbs but she couldn¡¯t get away until all the children fell asleep.

    Lu Jiao asked the Fourth Born, ¡°Fourth Born, howe you are not sleeping? Is something on your mind?¡±

    The Fourth Born turned to look at Lu Jiao. He wanted to tell her about his dad¡¯s nickname. But he felt like he¡¯d get in trouble given his dad¡¯s threat.

    He felt like he had to hide it, resulting in him feeling anxious and unable to sleep.

    Lu Jiao cuddled him and patted his back, ¡°Go to sleep now. It¡¯ste.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes were opened wide and he leaned into Lu Jiao¡¯s ears, ¡°Mommy, I have to tell you a secret that you cannot tell anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Sure, tell me. I will listen to it.¡±

    The Fourth Born responded in lightning speed, ¡°Today, grandma cursed at dad and said, ¡®Xie Sangou, if I knew you¡¯d be so unfilial, I would¡¯ve drowned you in the manure bucket.¡¯¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s secret stunned Lu Jiao. She wasn¡¯t surprised that Lady Ruan cursed, she was surprised that the future First Assistant had such a cheap name. Xie Sangou¡­

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butugh. She wanted to shout into the east bedroom, ¡°Xie Sangou, are you asleep?¡±

    Since the Fourth Born asked her to keep it a secret, she stopped herself.

    She promised the Fourth Born, who nestled against her, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. Go to sleep.¡±

    The little guy must be losing sleep over having to keep a secret.

    Lu Jiao patted his back tofort him and he fell asleep quickly. Lu Jiao got ready to go into her space.

    Before doing so, she suddenly recalled how Xie Yunjin asked her not to bring the children into the mountains today. She thought it was because he didn¡¯t want the kids to be around when she talked to Aunt Guihua but now, she realized it was because he didn¡¯t want the four children to tell her his nickname.

 Chapter 184 - 184 They got Caught

    184 They got Caught

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Once she was inside her space and alone, she could no longer endure it and burst outughing. As she chortled, she said, ¡°Xie Sangou, you better not provoke me in the future. If you piss me off, I will make sure everyone learns of your nickname.¡±

    Lu Jiao had to take a few minutes tough before she began to clean up.

    After two hours, she exited her space. If things go smoothly today, there¡¯s going to be an exciting eventter. She wanted to make sure she was there for it.

    Lu Jiao went to sleep. However, she didn¡¯t get to sleep for too long when someone came in and woke her up.

    ¡°Third uncle, third aunt, wake up.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were both mentally prepared. When they heard the noises, they opened their eyes and became filled with thrill.

    It was happening.

    Lu Jiao got up right away, which startled the children. They nervously called out, ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiaoforted them, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Someone¡¯s asking to see me. Likely someone got sick again and wants treatment.¡±

    The four little ones stopped feeling anxious. Their mother¡¯s been treating people regrly and there was nothing for them to be afraid of.

    Lu Jiao looked outside and saw that it was Xie Tieniu from the Vige Leader¡¯s household and Aunt Guihua¡¯s son, Xie Dongdong.

    When Xie Tieniu and Xie Dongdong saw Lu Jiao, they greeted, ¡°Third aunt.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife.¡±

    Lu Jiao pretended to be clueless, ¡°What happened? Why are you here in the middle of the night?¡±

    Xie Tieniu¡¯s expression dropped and he didn¡¯t know where to start.

    Xie Dongdong had fewer boundaries given that he¡¯s always been spoiled. He answered Lu Jiao¡¯s question right away, ¡°Uncle Xie and Widow Wang were fooling around and my mom caught them red-handed. They¡¯re at the Vige Leader¡¯s house now. The Vige and n Leaders asked us to get you and Yunjin.¡±

    Lu Jiao was afraid the four little ones heard and red at Xie Dongdong, ¡°Fooling around? Watch what you say.¡±

    Xie Dongdong chuckled and was about to say more when Xie Tiniu stopped him.

    Lu Jiao turned and went to the east bedroom. There, Xie Yunjin was awake and so were the First and Second Born. They asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s fooling around?¡±

    The Second Born answered quickly, ¡°It means to y together. When we y with brother Mutou, it would mean we are fooling around.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°We better go and see.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed but he was worried about the children. If they all went, who would look after them?

    Naturally, Lu Jiao thought of that, ¡°How about I stay and watch the children and you go.¡±

    Just then, Xie Hu and Xie Xiaobao walked in, ¡°Third aunt and uncle, we can help you watch the kids. You should go if you need to.¡±

    The First and Second Born wanted to tag along and shouted, ¡°Daddy, mommy, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao had no guts to let the children witness the scene that was about to unfold today. If things go ording to their expectations, Lady Ruan was going to cause a scene and skin Xie Laogen alive.

    They didn¡¯t want the four children to see that but they themselves were happy to go and watch the show.

    Lu Jiao said to the First and Second Born, ¡°You guys stay home. Mom and dad wille back soon.¡±

    The First Born wanted to argue but Lu Jiao patted his head, ¡°Be good. Listen, we are going because we need to help out. If we are going out to have fun, we would definitely bring you.¡±

    The First Born finally stopped persisting. Xie Xiaobao walked towards the children andforted them, ¡°First Born, let¡¯s just go to bed together. I will tell you guys a story, how about that?¡±

    The First Born agreed and nodded. Lu Jiao went and found a new set of clothes and helped Xie Yunjin change into them. After he was done, she carried him into the wheelchair.

    Xie Yunjin naturally wrapped his arm around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck. Since the room was dark and the faces were blurry, Xie Yunjin felt much more rxed. Not only did he wrap his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck, he even inhaled deeply to get a taste of her scent. Her scent put him at ease.

    Lu Jiao, on the other hand, was ufortable with Xie Yunjin¡¯s actions. She almost threw the man against the ground. However, in the end, she put him in the wheelchair.

    Afterward, Lu Jiao went to bring out the Third and Fourth Born from the west bedroom.

    ¡°Brother Xiaobao will keep youpany. Mom and dad need to go help out with something and we will be back soon.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born were still hazy but now, they were fully awake. They reminded Lu Jiao, ¡°Then,e back soon.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and pushed Xie Yunjin outside. When they passed Huzi, she said to him, ¡°Thank you, you two.¡±

    Huzi shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry and go.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao went to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce with Xie Tieniu and Xie Dongdong.

    On the way there, Xie Dongdong excitedly told them about what happened, ¡°My mother didn¡¯t sleep and kept her eyes on the neighbor¡¯s house all night. Who knew she would actually catch them red-handed? She didn¡¯t make a sound at first until the guy went into the house and was with Widow Wang. Only then, did she start screaming for people toe.

    My mother honestly is so smart. She didn¡¯t say Widow Wang was having an affair and instead, said she saw a thief break into Widow Wang¡¯s ce. In the end, several people burst into Widow Wang¡¯s home and caught Uncle Laogen and Widow Wang red-handed. I heard when they were caught, Widow Wang wasn¡¯t even fully dressed yet.¡±

    Here, Xie Dongdong sounded regretful, ¡°I missed the opportunity to see her undressed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly nced at Xie Dongdong while Lu Jiao rolled her eyes.

    It was after midnight yet many people gathered at the Vige Leader¡¯s home. There were noises of cursing, chatting, and wrenching desperation.

    ¡°Xie Laogen, you dare to fool around with other women!¡±

    Lady Ruan was so enraged she acted like a delirious person. After she screamed, she jumped up to scratch Xie Laogen¡¯s face.

    Beside Xie Laogen, Widow Wang screeched and asked in distress, ¡°Laogen, are you okay?¡±

    The caringness in her tone was obvious.

    Lady Ruan heard it and instantly lost all logic. She lunged at Widow Wang, who chose not to defend herself.

    Lady Ruan grabbed Widow Wang¡¯s hair with one hand and scratched her face with the other.

    Xie Laogen watched as Lady Ruan attacked Widow Wang¡¯s face and lost it. He leaped over and grabbed Lady Ruan¡¯s hand to stop her.

    Lady Ruan stopped moving as she struggled to gain back control of her own body.

    Xie Laogen was tall and sturdy while Lady Ruan was thin and small. She was no opponent of his and couldn¡¯t get away from his grasp.

    In the end, she gritted her teeth and cursed in fury, ¡°Xie Laogen, you¡¯re a piece of sh!t! How dare you protect that woman?! I am going to end you!¡±

 Chapter 185 - 185 Drown her in the Pond

    185 Drown her in the Pond

    Xie Laogen felt rather guilty when he was caught. When Lady Ruan showed up tonight, he was full of regret. However, when Lady Ruan decided to make a scene, he lost his patience.

    ¡°Shut up.¡¯

    Lady Ruan ignored him. She felt like she had lost everything, including her pride and her face. Her man went to sleep with another woman and her son refused to listen to her. Her life was full of darkness.

    Lady Ruan continued to cry and scream. In the end, he decided to curse, ¡°You¡¯re a skanky and shameless b!tch! How dare you seduce my man?! I am going to drown you in the pond!¡±

    Widow Wang started crying. Different from Lady Ruan¡¯s howls, she teared up silently. As her tears fell, she begged pitifully, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t get mad. I don¡¯t want to steal what is yours. I am going to treat you and Laogen well. You¡¯ll forever be my older sister.¡±

    Lady Ruan straight up spat on Widow Wang¡¯s face. Everyone watching this found that to be disgusting. However, Widow Wang still didn¡¯t defend herself and only cried quietly.

    The more she acted this way, the more sympathy she was able to earn from others.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao arrived then. When they walked by the Vige Leader¡¯s living room, someone saw them and called out to them.

    Other than Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, there were Xie Daoqiang, Xie Erzhu, Xie Lan, and others.

    The entire Xie family arrived.

    When Xie Laogen saw that his children were here, he guiltily let go of Lady Ruan¡¯s arms.

    Lady Ruan used the chance to grab Widow Wang¡¯s hair, pinned her down against the ground, and proceeded to beat her.

    Xie Laogen wanted to protect Widow Wang but his children were staring at him, scaring him away from tantly breaking up the fight.

    All he ended up doing was shouting on the sidelines, ¡°How shrew of a woman! How shrew!¡±

    Lady Ruan was beating Widow Wang like a crazy person, ¡°You b!tch, you sl*t! You are a wh*re who sleeps with every man you see! If you need men so badly, why not open up your legs and let thousands have a go at you?! Why do you look at my man?!

    I am going to hit you to death! How dare you seduce my man!¡±

    Widow Wang covered her face to protect it as she curled up and begged pitifully. She didn¡¯t hit back. Even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to overtake Lady Ruan.

    Inside the room, the n and Vige Leaders watched in terror. They were worried that Lady Ruan would end up killing the woman ¨C the Xie Vige didn¡¯t preach beating people to death.

    The n Leader, ¡°Stop! You¡¯ve hit her and cursed at her. Are you really going to keep going until she¡¯s dead?!¡±

    The n Leader asked people to restrict Lady Ruan. Lady Ruan was small and not that strong. She already lost much of her strength from beating up Widow Wang and had no power to fight off others.

    Despite this, she continued to curse at Widow Wang. There were no uglier words than the words she used to curse, everyone in the room felt ufortable.

    The n Leader growled, ¡°Shut up! We are going to deal with this now. Stop cursing!¡±

    Lady Ruan fixated her gaze on Widow Wang and screamed, ¡°Drown her! She needs to be drowned.¡±

    Widow Wang shuddered and tearfully looked up at Xie Laogen.

    Xie Laogen¡¯s heart ached and said to the n Leader, ¡°This isn¡¯t Wang Yue¡¯s fault. It¡¯s mine.¡±

    The Vige and n Leader¡¯s head hurt, ¡°Just what is this¡­¡±

    They then nced at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, how do you think this should be dealt with?¡±

    Lady Ruan looked at Xie Yunjin and yelled, ¡°Third son, that woman is a scourge! You need to ask the leaders to drown her!¡±

    Xie Laogen yelped back, ¡°No, I object!¡±

    Xie Loagen said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°That woman¡¯s also your father¡¯s woman. If you dare to drown her, you¡¯d be unfilial.¡±

    Xie Laogen had lost logic after the scene Lady Ruan caused. Now, he didn¡¯t care at all about Lady Ruan and only cared about protecting Widow Wang.

    He thought Widow Wang was far too pitiful. They got together willingly and he was not seduced.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan as if he had a hard decision to make. In the end, he said to the leaders, ¡°Let¡¯s just let this be?¡±

    The leaders thought that was appropriate. These two fooled around for a night, and that was all. Plus, Widow Wang had no husband.

    The leaders exchanged nces and were about to nod when Widow Wang knelt down. She stared at the n and Vige Leaders, ¡°We could¡¯ve left it as it was if we didn¡¯t get exposed, but now that we did, where do I find the face to see people going forward?!¡±

    Widow Wang started to cry before she added, ¡°n Leader, Vige Leader, since everyone now knows about this, I am willing to be Laogen¡¯s concubine.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Inside the house, from the leaders to the vigers, everyone stared at Widow Wang in shock.

    Be his concubine?

    Xie Laogen was first shocked before it turned into happiness.

    Compared to Lady Ruan, Widow Wang was young and beautiful. Plus, they just started hooking up and he felt everything to be new and exciting.

    He originally thought they wouldn¡¯t be able to be together anymore, who knew she would offer to be his concubine?

    Xie Laogen thought this woman must¡¯ve truly loved him to want to be his concubine.

    Inside the room, Widow Wang gaped at Xie Laogen and her eyes reddened, ¡°Laogen, I am willing to be your concubine, are you willing?¡±

    Xie Laogen couldn¡¯t help but answer joyfully, ¡°Yes, I agree to this.¡±

    This conversation made Lady Ruan¡¯s eyeballs go green. She viciously stared at Xie Laogen like a female wolf ready to kill.

    She snapped towards Xie Laogen and scratched his face.

    Xie Laogen was defenseless and ended up with a long red cut on his face.

    It hurt and he pushed Lady Ruan away while shouting, ¡°You¡¯re a shrew! All these years, you¡¯ve always acted like a tiger and you made me listen to you for everything! When I didn¡¯t want to listen to you, you would cry and fight! I¡¯ve had enough!¡±

    Widow Wang saw the red cut on Xie Laogen¡¯s face and crawled up tofort him.

    ¡°Laogen, does it hurt? Wait for a while and I will apply medicine to it.¡±

    Widow Wang was naturally pretty, her face coupled with her soft voice stole Xie Laogen¡¯s heart.

    Lady Ruan watched those two and wanted to drown both of them.

    She turned to the leaders and nced at her son, ¡°Drown them. Drown both of them.¡±

    The room was annoyed by her constant threats. They didn¡¯t understand how Uncle Laogen was able to endure her for so many years. If it were them, they wouldn¡¯t be able tost even a year.

    Xie Yunjin frowned at Lady Ruan and responded, ¡°He¡¯s my father. As his son, I cannot disobey his wishes.¡±

    Everyone here thought Xie Yunjin was being filial.

    Lady Ruan stared at Xie Yunjin in rage and gritted her teeth, ¡°I object to that woman bing a concubine. I do not agree with it!¡±

    Lady Ruan then suddenly remembered the contract Lu Jiao made everyone sign. She started to shout excitedly, ¡°Xie Laogen signed the contract that said nobody from the Xie Vige is allowed to take a concubine! He agreed that if he ever takes a concubine, he would have to leave the Xie Vige!¡±

 Chapter 186 - 186 Indenture

    186 Indenture

    On the side, Aunt Guihua chimed in, ¡°Jiaojiao¡¯s contract clearly states that nobody is allowed to use the money earned from leech keeping to get concubines. We haven¡¯t started keeping leeches yet so it¡¯s okay for Xie Laogen to get a concubine.¡±

    She then looked at the crowd, ¡°Since they¡¯ve announced their wishes and want to be with each other, I think it¡¯s something to be celebrated.¡±

    Aunt Guihua was close to setting off fireworks. However, since she was the person who exposed this today, she didn¡¯t want to make her intentions too obvious.

    She truly didn¡¯t think the person who snuck into Widow Wang¡¯s ce was Xie Laogen. If she did, she would¡¯ve told Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao first.

    !!

    Aunt Guihua peeked at Lu Jiao, worried that she would be mad.

    Lu Jiao appeared normal.

    Aunt Guihua¡¯s words did speak to the vigers. Many people nodded, ¡°I think that¡¯s the best way to do it. If others find out that we have people fooling around, it would affect our reputation.¡±

    The leaders nodded and felt that was appropriate.

    The Xie family¡¯s eldest daughter-inw, Chen Liu, was not happy. How did this family randomly get a concubine? One for her father-inw at that? That would mess up the entire family dynamic.

    ¡°No, I object to this.¡±

    Xie Daqiang pulled Chen Liu aside.

    His dad wanted a concubine, and objecting to that would put them on his dad¡¯s bad side.

    As expected, Xie Laogen angrily red at Chen Liu.

    Xie Daqiang interrupted timely, ¡°Shut up, this is my dad¡¯s business.¡±

    Xie Laogen looked at his eldest son in satisfaction. He liked his eldest son the best because he always knew what to say and do.

    Inside the room, Lady Ruan started to curse again after she heard that her eldest son epted Widow Wang.

    Xie Laosi and Xie Lan were not married and couldn¡¯t say much. However, they could tell that their dad wanted Widow Wang.

    Xie Erzhu wanted to speak but he didn¡¯t know where to start.

    Lady Ruan nced at the family and saw that nobody was taking her side. She cursed endlessly and called everyone names.

    The n and Vige Leaders saw how crazy Lady Ruan was acting and said to Chen Liu and Xie Lan, ¡°Take your mother home.¡±

    Chen Liu and Xie Lan were too scared to get close to Lady Ruan. However, Lady Ruan was far too emotional and ended up fainting.

    Chen Liu and Xie Lan went to help her out and brought her home.

    With Lady Ruan gone, the entire area quieted down.

    The n and Vige Leaders said to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Well, you saw what happened. What do you two think?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and stared at Xie Yunjin and Widow Wang.

    The two were a little scared after they saw how emotionless he was.

    Xie Laogen did his best to be supportive, ¡°This isn¡¯t her fault. It¡¯s mine.¡±

    Xie Yunjin snickered. His dad must think Widow Wang liked him. He didn¡¯t even question why this woman would like an old man? Of course, she only wanted him because she wanted an easier life.

    However, that woman was dreaming.

    Xie Yunjin said to the leaders, ¡°She cane into the family, but she must sign an indenture. Once she enters the Xie family, she¡¯s considered a cheap concubine.¡±

    Widow Wang¡¯s expression changed and she spoke quickly, ¡°I¡¯m not signing that.¡±

    She knew what it meant to sign an indenture and be a cheap concubine. If she signed it, she would be considered a servant, and the family would treat her however they wished. She would also be giving up the right to marry Xie Laogen and be his wife. Her n was to get into the Xie family as a concubine and get rid of Lady Ruan when Xie Laogen¡¯s had enough of her.

    Then, she will manipte the old man to make her his wife. That way, she would be considered the mother of a schr. She may even get an honorable title in the future.

    Widow Wang had it all figured out and didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to ask her to sign an indenture. There was no way she was willing to do that.

    Xie Laogen also didn¡¯t want Widow Wang to sign that and started to yell, ¡°Why would she need to sign that?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes sharpened and Xie Laogen got so scared he stopped speaking.

    Xie Yunjin continued to speak to Widow Wang in a calm manner, ¡°You have three choices right now, one, sign the indenture and be my father¡¯s concubine. Two, leave the Xie vige with my father and live elsewhere. Three, drown in the pond.¡±

    Widow Wang¡¯s face paled. She stared at Xie Yunjin and opened her mouth but no words came out.

    Xie Yunjin scanned the room, ¡°We have to severely punish the parties involved in this matter. Or else things like this will keep happening. Our vige would be a mess if that happened¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words earned the vigers¡¯ approval, and the leaders also nodded in agreement.

    Everyone was amoner here and having concubines was not normal practice. If this couple here were just let off the hook, many more people will think that simr actions would be tolerated. Therefore, it was important to punish them.

    The leaders nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll do as Yunjin suggested.¡±

    Everyone turned to Xie Laogen and Widow Wang.

    Right now, Widow Wang was truly afraid. Her face was white and she shook like a lotus in the wind.

    Xie Laogen thought of the options Xie Yunjin listed and said to Widow Wang, ¡°How about you sign the indenture?¡±

    She was going to be a concubine anyway, signing that indenture made no difference.

    Widow Wang stared at Xie Laogen in disbelief. How did she end up picking such a weak man?

    Couldn¡¯t he take her away and live elsewhere? If they moved, they could¡¯ve found some work and made enough to stay alive.

    He was Xie Yunjin¡¯s father. Once Xie Yunjin bes an official, he¡¯ll still be the father of an official.

    Looking at Xie Laogen, Widow Wang knew then that there was no way he was going to leave the Xie Vige. It was because Xie Yunjin knew that, that he even gave them the option to leave. He knew for certain that his father would never leave this vige.

    Therefore, though on the surface he gave them three options, there were only two. One, she signs the indenture and moves into the Xie family, or two, she drowns in the pond. Neither option would hurt Xie Laogen.

    Widow Wang started to cry out of hopelessness.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze was cold, ¡°Have you thought it through? Are you going to sign, leave the vige¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Xie Laogen asserted, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving this vige.¡±

    Xie Yunjin slowly spoke, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t sign, then we have to drown her.¡±

    Widow Wang cried harder. The leaders started to lose patience and urged, ¡°Which option do you choose?¡±

    Aunt Guihua and the others started to talk loudly, ¡°Hurry and sign the indenture.¡±

    This woman was an eyesore to everyone in the vige. Because she wasn¡¯t married, many men had been seduced by her. She must be a fool to think the others didn¡¯t know.

    If she kept her single status, everyone had to stay on guard every day.

    The fact that she was about to enter the Xie family was a huge relief to everyone.

 Chapter 187 - 187 Your Father is not a Man

    187 Your Father is not a Man

    Now that things were unfolding unfavorably for her, Widow Wang tried to think of ideas, including pretending to faint. Lu Jiao noticed how her eyeballs were starting to roll and quickly interfered, ¡°Hurry up, it¡¯ste and we all need to sleep. It looks like she¡¯s not willing to sign the indenture. If that¡¯s the case, then¡­¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could finish, Widow Wang gritted her teeth, ¡°I¡¯m willing to sign the indenture.¡±

    Until she signed the indenture today, there would be no rest. She decided to sign it first andter on, do her best to get it back from Xie Laogen.

    Xie Yunjin gestured for the leaders to bring him a brush and paper. The Vige Leader happened to have some lying around since his grandsons have been studying.

    !!

    Xie Yunjin wrote the indenture and asked Widow Wang to leave her thumbprint. The leaders then acted as witnesses and also left their thumbprints.

    In the end, he took the signed indenture and announced, ¡°I will ask someone to get it registered with the county government.¡±

    Widow Wang gaped at him in shock. Xie Yunjin mockingly added, ¡°Once registered, you¡¯re the Xie family¡¯s concubine. If you ever attempt to escape, we have the right to report it and send people after you.¡±

    Widow Wang thought this indenture was something she could sign and then get rid ofter. Who knew it had to be registered? The stress of it all made her vision go nk.

    XIe Yunjin said to Xie Laogen, ¡°Dad, you can take her home.¡±

    Xie Laogen went to get Widow Wang. However, before he left, he looked at Xie Yunjin with the intention of getting the indenture.

    However, Xie Yunjin acted like he didn¡¯t see and put away the indenture. He scanned the room and said to everyone, ¡°Okay everyone, go back and rest now. If you don¡¯t sleep soon, it¡¯ll be morning.¡±

    He finally said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Let¡¯s get back too.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and pushed Xie Yunjin outside. Behind them, the vigers slowly left as well. What happened tonight was very entertaining to most people. Most of the men were jealous of Xie Laogen. Somehow, he managed to gain a concubine. How lucky was he?

    Though Lu Jiao was happy to witness the internal battle amongst the Xie family, she felt much disdain towards Xie Laogen.

    ¡°Your father isn¡¯t a man. He had options yet he made Widow Wang sign the indenture.¡±

    A real man would¡¯ve left with Widow Wang.

    Lu Jiao was interested and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Did you already know that there was no way your father would leave the vige? Is that why you gave them the option to? Doing so would make Widow Wang see what kind of person your father is and she¡¯ll always look back at this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin ridiculed, ¡°My father spent his whole life in this vige. The furthest he¡¯s gone is the town of Qili. He¡¯s never even been to the Qinghe District. How could he ever leave this ce? Leaving here creates fear in him.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°Widow Wang deserved this. She¡¯s never had good intentions. If she simply found someone suitable to marry, she would be living a pretty good life right now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was sarcastic, ¡°She asked for this.¡±

    Behind them, Aunt Guihua continued to follow them. Lu Jiao sensed it for a while now and finally stopped.

    ¡°Auntie, why are you following us instead of going home to sleep?¡±

    Aunt Guihua rushed over and said to them, ¡°Yunjin, Jiaojiao, it wasn¡¯t my intention to reveal all this. I didn¡¯t know the guy was your father and that was why I screamed. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged nces. Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°Auntie, what happened happened. It was all because of my father-inw¡¯s choices, not yours. If he hadn¡¯t gone to Widow Wang¡¯s, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    Aunt Guihua asked carefully, ¡°You are not mad at me, are you?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Not at all. Aunty, go home and sleep.¡±

    Aunt Guihua was finally relieved, ¡°Thank god. I will go home and sleep then.¡±

    She headed straight home as Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao watched. They shook their heads. Even now, Aunt Guihua had no idea that they had used her to roll out their n.

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home and sleep as well. It¡¯s still dark out.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    When they arrived home, Xie Hu heard noises and came out to greet them.

    ¡°Xiebao and the four children are asleep. I¡¯ll go home then.¡±

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin thanked Xie Hu and went into the living room.

    They realized something.

    Xie Xiaobao and the four little ones were all sleeping in the east bedroom. Where does that leave Xie Yunjin to sleep? What about Lu Jiao?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care and said, ¡°Can you sleep in the west bedroom?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was a little ufortable but it was mixed with excitement. This meant they were going to share a bed? Honestly, at his age, he¡¯s never slept with a woman before. That night with the original host was one that he cked out on.

    Xie Yunjin thought it over and responded softly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    They were going to have to sleep together sooner orter. It¡¯ll just take him some time to adjust.

    Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin to the west bedroom, then carried and ced him onto the bed. She then got up to leave.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin scrooched in to make room on the bed. When he saw that Lu Jiao was about to leave, he asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°There¡¯s that old bed in the west wing room. I¡¯m going to lie down for a bit. The Sun¡¯s rising soon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression dropped. There was a perfectly good bed here so why would she go sleep on the old broken one? How could that one be morefortable than this one?

    ¡°There¡¯s room to sleep here, why would you sleep on the broken bed?¡±

    Xie Yunjin gaped at Xie Yunjin in awe and saw that he had already made room for her on the bed. It was obvious that he made room for her.

    Lu Jiao was unspeakably shocked. This guy made room for her on the bed to sleep in? When did they get this close? It was not a good idea for two people who will soon separate to sleep together.

    Lu Jiao declined, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I will use the old bed.¡±

    She gave no chance for Xie Yunjin to speak and left.

    Xie Yunjin was angry and watched her leave. What was wrong with her? Why would she give up this spot to sleep on a broken bed?

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to silentlyfort himself. Perhaps Lu Jiao was shy. That¡¯s okay. They¡¯ll have time to adjust.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think so much. She went into the room in the west wing, looked at the broken bed, then went into her space to sleep in her bamboo room. Though she couldn¡¯t stay in her space too long, she could at least have a nice and peaceful nap.

    In the morning, the space kicked Lu Jiao out and threw her onto the old bed. What could she do but to keep sleeping there?

    Lu Jiao had her eyes closed but soon heard the noise of horses galloping. The sound went from far to close and it didn¡¯t take long for it tond right before her home.

 Chapter 188 - 188 Dystocia

    188 Dystocia

    Lu Jiao was jolted awake and she did not like that. She figured that Baohe Tang sent someone here on a horse. They must have epted an emergency patient or else they wouldn¡¯t have rushed over here before sunrise.

    Lu Jiao yawned and walked outside.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Xiaobao and the four little ones had woken up from the noise as well and they ran outside.

    Lu Jiao ran into them and the children happily greeted her, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I came back a while ago.¡±

    As they chatted, someone got off the horse carriage. Unexpectedly, the person who came today was Baohe Tang¡¯s Manager Li.

    When Manager Li saw Lu Jiao, he started to shout anxiously, ¡°Lady Lu, hurry,e with me to Baohe Tang. We have with us a pregnant woman with dystocia. The mother¡¯s water brokest night but still has not given birth. If this drags on longer, the child may die in her stomach.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression dropped and she headed outside. Worried about the four little ones, she turned to go to the west bedroom first.

    There, Xie Yunjin had already sat up. Last night, he didn¡¯t even take off his clothes and was still fully dressed.

    Lu Jiao nced at him, ¡°Baohe Tang has a patient with dystocia. I¡¯m going to check it out.¡±

    ...

    Xie Yunjin frowned. Dystocia was difficult to deal with. Lu Jiao may get entangled in something she didn¡¯t want to be.

    Xie Yunjin offered, ¡°Let me go with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him in shock, ¡°What are you talking about? If youe with me, what will the four children do?¡±

    The children ran inside then and heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s offer. They were rather happy, ¡°Mommy, we and daddy can go with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. She was going to save a life. It would be odd to bring four children.

    ¡°No, you guys stay home with dad. I wille back soon.¡±

    She then turned to leave. Behind her, Xie Yunjin remained stubborn, ¡°We will go with you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then said to the children, ¡°We can bring you, but you have to be obedient.¡±

    The four little ones nodded aggressively to show theirmitment to being good.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. What was wrong with him? Why was he so determined to go with her?

    Xie Yunjin persisted on going because he was worried that if anything happened, the pregnant woman¡¯s family would me it on Lu Jiao. He must go and make sure everything is handled appropriately so that Baohe Tang has no way of making Lu Jiao the scapegoat.

    ...

    In addition, he wanted to go check out Baohe Tang and see what was up with that ce. Dr. Qi already made Xie Yunjin feel unpleasant, and now, the owner of Baohe Tang was also involved with Lu Jiao. He wanted to go and check out just what kind of person that owner was.

    Of course, Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t about to tell Lu Jiao all that.

    Like normal, he looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him and wanted to object more. However, the Fourth Born wrapped his arms around her neck and pleaded, ¡°Mommy, take us, we haven¡¯t even been into town.¡±

    There was no time to argue more. There was a pregnant woman trying to give birth.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±

    In the end, the entire family of six got into the carriage headed to Baohe Tang.

    In the carriage, Manager Li didn¡¯t even know what to say. He came to ask Lady Lu to help them with a patient and her entire family ended uping along?

    What could he do though? Everyone was now in the carriage.

    The carriage hurried its way to Baohe Tang. After Lu Jiao carried Xie Yunjin and the four little ones off the carriage, Zhao Lingfeng and two of his men rushed out to see her.

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t notice Xie Yunjin at first and breathlessly said, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re finally here. Hurry ande in. The mother isn¡¯t doing well.¡±

    ...

    Before Lu Jiao could say anything, Xie Yunjin spoke up first, ¡°Is her husband around?¡±

    Only then did Zhao Lingfeng notice him. He lowered his gaze to look at the man in the wheelchair. Since it was still dark outside, all he could see was a set of bright and sharp eyes.

    Zhao Lingfeng responded, ¡°The mother is here to visit family. Her husband isn¡¯t around. Her mother and her brother are here though.¡±

    He paused before he added, ¡°The mother is the eldest daughter-inw of the magistrate of Qinghe County.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hu Shan¡¯s wife¡­¡±

    Hu Shan was one of his ssmates in Qinghe County. However, since his father was the magistrate, he was crowded with others who constantly tried to butter him up. His school group never hung out with Xie Yunjin¡¯s group, who all grew up in poor families.

    Hu Shan frequently criticized Xie Yunjin. However, Xie Yunjin was toozy to pay attention to him. Since it was difficult for him to get where he was, he chose to be lowkey.

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin would know the pregnantdy¡¯s husband, ¡°That sounds right.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Go and draft up a contract and get Hu Shan¡¯s wife¡¯s thumbprint. If she refuses, Lu Jiao won¡¯t help her.¡±

    Hu Shan was not a friend. If he knew Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife failed to save his wife, he may use Lu Jiao of intentionally harming his wife. If that happened, they would have to deal with another pile of mess.

    Zhao Lingfeng stared at Xie Yunjin in shock. Then, he looked at Lu Jiao.

    ...

    Lu Jiao knew Xie Yunjin intended to help her. Based on the fact that he knew the patient¡¯s husband and still suggested a contract meant that the husband was hard to deal with.

    Lu Jiao said to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Go draft it. I will examine the patient first.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Given the time constraint, Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t dare to waste time and took everyone inside.

    Lu Jiao entered the patient¡¯s room. Outside, Xie Yunjin and the four children followed Zhao Lingfeng and ordered, ¡°Hurry and write the contract.¡±

    What else could Zhao Lingfeng do but follow? He wrote the contract and went to the patient¡¯s room.

    Inside, Lu Jiao was examining the pregnant woman¡¯s belly. She found the mother to be having irregr contracts and had only dted two fingers. For a pregnantdy whose water brokest night, the baby may be suffocating.

    The mother¡¯s face was drained of blood as she begged Lu Jiao, ¡°Please, save my child. Save him.¡±

    Lu Jiaoforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will do my best. You¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°You¡¯re saying the child will be fine?¡±

    Lu Jiao softly responded, ¡°I will do whatever I can to protect him.¡±

    ...

    Lu Jiao turned to the midwife and an older woman, ¡°Her contractions are behaving oddly and she¡¯s only dted two fingers. She¡¯s not able to give birth like this.¡±

    Even if she had oxytocin, they didn¡¯t have sufficient time. The child¡¯s been inside too long and may suffocate any second now.

    ¡°You two, get out. Ask Dr. Qi toe and help me.¡±

    The midwife and the older woman¡¯s faces dropped. How could a man help out with a birth?

    The older woman was the pregnant woman¡¯s mother. She quickly objected, ¡°No way. How can a man be here for a birth?¡±

 Chapter 189 - 189 The Four Little ones are Ready to Battle

    189 The Four Little ones are Ready to Battle

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned cold. What kind of mother was this? She didn¡¯t care about her daughter and grandchild¡¯s lives. All she cared about was reputation.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, the pregnantdy screamed, ¡°mother, I want my child to live. I want him to live.¡±

    The mother persisted, ¡°If a manes in, what will happen to your reputation? If Hu Shan found out, he would leave you.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to curse. Seeing how gray the pregnant woman¡¯s face was, she knew there was no more time. She leaped over and shoved the midwife and the mother out, ¡°Get the **** out of here.¡±

    Lu Jiao was strong and the two women¡¯s struggles were futile against her strength. They got thrown out real quick.

    Before the door, Xie Yunjin handed Lu Jiao the contract, ¡°Ask her to leave a thumbprint. If anything were to happen, Hu Shan wouldn¡¯t just let it be.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew Xie Yunjin meant well and took the contract. She then nced at Qi Lei, ¡°Dr. Qi, whether or not the mother can make it will depend on you.¡±

    Qi Lei knew right away that surgery was needed. There was excitement and fear on his face. Were they going to cut open the stomach? Was his master sure of this treatment n?

    Qi Lei didn¡¯t have time to think too much and walked in. Behind him, the mother of the pregnant woman¡¯s face dropped and she tried to push inside.

    Outside the room, Xie Yunjin knew that surgery was likely needed and she needed Dr. Qi to perform it. Xie Yunjin sighed in relief. As long as Lu Jiao didn¡¯t get entangled in all this.

    ...

    The mother of the pregnant wife tried to bust in and Xie Yunjin ordered Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Stop them.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng gestured for his men to block them. The pregnantdy¡¯s mother yelled, ¡°Yuyao, you cannot have a man in there! If your reputation is ruined, Hu Shan will leave you!¡±

    Inside the room, Li Yuyao¡¯s face got dustier and dustier. She had lost all strength at this point. As if she had lost the will to live, she asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. Please save my child.¡±

    Lu Jiao efficiently put some pants on her first. She could tell that Li Yuyao had lost her will to live and only wanted to save her child.

    Lu Jiao said to Li Yuyao, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with your contractions and you are not dting. I have to open up your stomach and deliver the baby that way. You and your child will both be fine and your reputation will be fine. If needed, I can tell your husband that.¡±

    A C-section doesn¡¯t expose the bottom private parts and only reveals the belly. If her man couldn¡¯t even deal with that, then she was better off alone.

    Before Li Yuyao could answer, Lu Jiao added, ¡°However, I hope you don¡¯t tell anyone but your husband about this.¡±

    Though surgeries started happening in the military forces in the Zhou Dynasty, C-Section was not yet established. She didn¡¯t want this news to circte and shock too many people.

    Li Yuyao gained some energy after she heard that. She struggled, ¡°I, I promise you. But, if you cannot save both of us, save my child, please. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you.¡±

    Given how out of it Li Yuyao was, Lu Jiao took out some ginseng from her sleeve. She put it there earlier when she was cleaning up her space. There wasn¡¯t much left.

    ...

    Li Yuyao happened to need it right now. Lu Jiao took out a piece and asked LI Yuyao to put it in her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao took out her surgical tools and was now ready for surgery. Beside her, Qi Lei whispered, ¡°Master, the contract. You need her print.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw Li Yuyao¡¯s worsening condition and knew she had no time. Her eyes became focused, ¡°We cannot drag this out any longer. Let¡¯s start the surgery.¡±

    Ignoring Qi Lei, Lu Jiao injected Li Yuyao with anesthesia. She decided to do local numbing for this surgery given that full body numbing may damage the baby¡¯s brain.

    Beside her, Qi Lei said, ¡°Master, if anything happens, you can me it on me. I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but exim how kind Qi Lei was. He was willing to take the me if necessary.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine. Cooperate with meter.¡±

    Lu Jiao then injected Li Yuyao¡¯s stomach and waited for the drug to take effect.

    Outside, Xie Yunjin and Zhao Lingfeng were checking each other out.

    The way Xie Yunjin was looking at Baohe Tang¡¯s owner was eerily dark. He noticed how nonchnt Zhao Lingfeng was when he saw Lu Jiao. Even if Lu Jiao was a doctor here, shouldn¡¯t the owner keep his distance from the doctors? Howe they acted like a family?

    ...

    That thought made Xie Yunjin cold.

    Zhao Lingfeng spoke first, ¡°You are Lady Lu¡¯s husband, schr Xie?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng felt that Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have the best rtionship. Or else Lady Lu would¡¯ve told him about the surgery and the businesses she had nned.

    Zhao Lingfeng decided not to say anything about his partnership with Lady Lu just in case he says too much.

    Xie Yunjin nodded gently and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right. You must be the owner of Baohe Tang. My wife has mentioned you once or twice. I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you. Thank you for having her as a doctor here.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was a little flustered. Was this man trying to assert dominance right now? It sounded like he cared about Lu Jiao a lot. If that was the case, why didn¡¯t Lady Lu tell him about the surgery?

    Zhao Lingfeng then looked at the four children. He noticed that all four of them wore the same-looking clothes and they were simr in height. Out of the four, two of them looked very much like Lu Jiao.

    Zhao Lingfeng knew right away they were Lu Jiao¡¯s children and he grinned, ¡°Are you Lady Lu¡¯s sons?¡±

    The four little ones could tell their dad didn¡¯t like this guy so their faces were straight and serious.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help but be jealous of Xie Yunjin. Most families have trouble giving birth to boys yet Xie Yunjin managed to have four exceptional ones at the same time. How amazing.

    ...

    Zhao Lingfeng liked the four little ones a lot and asked Manager Li to get them some food.

    The manager brought over the food and ced them on the table. Sadly, the children didn¡¯t touch the food and only silently sat by their father. They sat with their backs straight as if they were preparing for a battle.

 Chapter 190 - 190 More Scared than the Pregnant Lady

    190 More Scared than the Pregnant Lady

    Zhao Lingfengughed and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Schr Xie, I wonder if you have any misconceptions about me?¡±

    Though this man was merely a schr right now, when Zhao Lingfeng looked into Lu Jiao, he found out that the schr was very talented. He was young and who knew where he would end up in the future. Therefore, it would be better not to offend him.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as if a breeze had blown by, ¡°What are you talking about? I am very appreciative of how well you¡¯ve been taking care of my wife.¡±

    By calling Lu Jiao ¡°his wife¡±, he has disyed again and again how possessive he was. Zhao Lingfeng only realized a littleter that the schr was worried that he was into his wife.

    !!

    He was overthinking it. Though he admired Lady Lu, he truly didn¡¯t have that kind of intention toward her.

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel yful, ¡°Lady Lu is such a great person. Not only is she good-looking, but she¡¯s also a great doctor and a great cook.¡±

    He then looked at Xie Yunjin in disappointment, ¡°Schr Xie is so lucky. If you didn¡¯t get there first, I¡¯m sure many people would want to marry her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart felt stuffy and his face showed disdain.

    Very quickly though, he noticed the yfulness in Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s tone. His expression turned gloomy and he coldly red at Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°It appears to me that you are not a reliable guy. I don¡¯t see the need for my wife to continue helping out Baohe Tang.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s expression slightly changed. Though he knew it was likely that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have a good rtionship with Xie Yunjin, she was still his wife. If he bans her froming, he may lose his money-making goddess.

    Zhao Lingfeng instantlyughed then looked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯m joking. Schr Xie, don¡¯t be annoyed.¡±

    He then waved at the four little ones, ¡°You must be hungry. Come and have some snacks.¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t stop them and gestured for them to go ahead.

    The four little ones slowly extended their hands to grab the food.

    Zhao Lingfeng watched the four well-behaved children and was full of jealousy.

    Inside the private room, Lu Jiao had opened up the mother¡¯s stomach and pulled out the baby.

    On the side, Qi Lei¡¯s face was more pale and terrified than the mother¡¯s. He sweated profusely and continued to shudder. If he didn¡¯t bite down on his lips with all his might, he would¡¯ve passed out.

    It appeared that his master was correct. He needed to be exposed to surgery slowly. This was truly terrifying.

    Lu Jiao red at Qi Lei and gave him the baby. In a low voice, she said, ¡°Hold him upside down and hit his butt.¡±

    A newborn normally doesn¡¯t know how to breathe when they are born. Hitting the baby on the butt is to force them to open up their mouths and cry. Only then does the air enter their lungs and they can learn how to breathe.

    If the baby does not cry, the doctor must check the airways for signs of obstruction. If there are any foreign objects, the doctor must extract them at once.

    Qi Lei struggled to take the baby per his Master¡¯s orders. He held the baby upside down and hit the baby¡¯s bum. The baby didn¡¯t cry. He hit it again and the baby still didn¡¯t cry.

    Lu Jiao was worried and looked over. She discovered that Qi Lei was hitting without any power.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. She ended up scolding, ¡°Use some strength!¡±

    This time, he seeded and the baby cried. His cries were a little weak from being inside his mother for too long. Lu Jiao prayed there was nothing wrong.

    Inside the room, Li Yuyao started to cry. This time, she cried with joy.

    Lu Jiao started to stitch her up. As she stitched, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be okay. The surgery was a sess. You and your baby are both safe.¡±

    It took Li Yuyao all her might to stay conscious until now. After she heard that her baby was safe, she lost all her strength and passed out.

    Lu Jiao continued to stitch. She, too, was so tired that she might pass out. She originally thought that with Qi Lei¡¯s help, the operation would be easier on her. The result was that it was more tiring than if she did it all alone.

    Qi Lei was more scared than the mother who underwent the operation. What was that about?

    The crying inside the room startled everyone. Li Yuyao¡¯s family shouted, ¡°The baby is here. She gave birth.¡±

    ¡°Oh my goodness, finally.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a son or a daughter?¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao ordered Qi Lei, who was helplessly carrying the baby, ¡°Hurry up and bundle up the baby. Give him to the family outside.¡±

    Qi Lei asked, ¡°Can I get out then?¡±

    He felt like he would pass out if he stayed here any longer.

    Lu Jiao ordered harshly, ¡°No, you need toe back in. In a bit, you must tell the family that you performed the surgery and tell them to keep this a secret. I think they wouldn¡¯t want to tell anyone about this anyway.¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s vision went dark and he almost copsed.

    Outside the door, the Li family saw that Li Yuyao birthed a son and was over the moon. They forgot to even ask about Li Yuyao.

    Qi Lei didn¡¯t know how to react and simply went back inside the room.

    The two doctors finished their postoperative work. Worried that Li Yuyao¡¯s wound may get infected, Lu Jiao rubbed the wound with her spiritual stream water. That way, her wound will heal fast and be less prone to infection.

    Lu Jiao also gave Li Yuyao two units of antiinmmatory medicine before she left.

    By now, both of them appeared pale. It was because of exhaustion for Lu Jiao and fear for Qi Lei.

    Outside, Li Yuyao¡¯s mother finally remembered to ask about her own daughter, ¡°How¡¯s Yuyao, is she okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked over to Qi Lei, who had no choice but to answer, ¡°She¡¯s fine, but she cannot go home yet. We need to keep her under observation here for a few days.¡±

    Li Yuyao¡¯s mother wanted to argue but Qi Lei dropped his face, ¡°If you want her dead, you can bring her back.¡±

    That shut her up.

    Lu Jiao walked on until she saw Xie Yunjin and the four little ones.

    The four little ones saw the condition Lu Jiao was in and got scared.

    ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t look well. Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, sit down. Drink some water.¡±

    The Second Born went to fetch water and even grabbed some snacks.

    The Third Born pulled Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and led her to a chair.

    The Fourth Born grabbed her other hand and said softly, ¡°Mommy, sit and I¡¯ll rub your hands.¡±

    ...

    The four little ones¡¯ actions made Zhao Lingfeng and Manager Lipliment them, ¡°How did Lady Lu raise her children so well? How did they know to be so filial?¡±

    ¡°Comparison is the thief of joy.¡±

    Xie Yunjin pushed his wheelchair around to follow Lu Jiao. When he saw how sick she looked, he asked, ¡°What happened? Are you too exhausted?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s from fear. I supported Dr. Qi in the operation and I¡¯m scared half to death.¡±

    Behind her, Qi Lei overhead and almost fainted. His master had it all backward. He was the one who was scared half to death.

    However, he had to keep his mouth shut. Whatever words his Master spoke, that was the truth.

 Chapter 191 - 191 Why are you Acting Crazy?

    191 Why are you Acting Crazy?

    Xie Yunjin responded unhappily, ¡°If he performs another surgery like this, don¡¯t go inside.¡±

    Of course, a woman would get scared to witness such a scene.

    Xie Yunjin then looked back at Qi Lei poorly. Qi Lei wanted to kneel and make him aware of who truly was the one who almost died from shock.

    Lu Jiao ignored Qi Lei. She drank some water and ate some snacks. Since it was already noon, she figured it was time to leave.

    !!

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled and walked over, ¡°It¡¯s already noon. You should stay for lunch before heading home.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. Xie Yunjin also didn¡¯t publicly decline. That would make him look small-hearted.

    The group headed to Baohe Tang¡¯s backyard. There in the middle, arge round table was set up with various delicious dishes.

    The food wasn¡¯t cooked by Baohe Tang. They were ordered from the neighboring restaurant by Manager Li.

    Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin and led the four little ones to the table.

    Just then, lots of footsteps could be heard and several people entered.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao nced over and Lu Jiao recognized one of the guys right away. It was the man she once saved.

    It appeared that he was healing well. He was high energy and he didn¡¯t look at all like someone who was near death not that long ago.

    When the man saw Lu Jiao, he walked up to her, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re here?¡±

    After he spoke, Xie Yunjin, who was in his wheelchair, suddenly stood up.

    As if he had forgotten about his leg injuries, he leaped over and aimed his fist at that wealthy-looking man.

    The man¡¯s expression changed and he retreated. Beside him, Mo Bei blocked the punch.

    Lu Jiao panicked. Mo Bei was a fighter and Xie Yunjin was in no condition to take any hits from him.

    If they fight, Xie Yunjin would for sure get injured and his legs may break again.

    Lu Jiao shouted, ¡°Mo Bei, stop.¡±

    Mo Bei was in the middle of throwing a punch and itnded against Xie Yunjin¡¯s. Due to Lu Jiao, he weakened his punch but it still managed to force Xie Yunjin back a few steps.

    Lu Jiao went to help Xie Yunjin. Her expression was ugly as she stared at him coldly, ¡°Why are you acting crazy?¡±

    Why would he hit that man out of nowhere?

    An eerie puff of cloud surrounded Xie Yunjin and his eyes went dark. With the intent to kill, he stared right at the wealthy-looking man.

    ¡°You hypocrite who¡¯s devoid of gratitude, how dare you show your face!¡±

    The man¡¯s expression changed after he heard those words. Beside him, Mo Bei was furious and pointed at Xie Yunjin, ¡°How dare you curse at my young master! You¡¯re seeking death!¡±

    He then tried to reach for Xie Yunjin.

    The man stopped him, ¡°Stop!¡±

    He turned to look at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Young master, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met. Why would you describe me as a hypocrite?¡±

    Xie Yunjinughed mockingly, ¡°Do you remember getting hurt four years ago? If someone didn¡¯t save you at the time, there¡¯s no way you would still be standing here. But how did you treat those who saved you?¡±

    The man¡¯s face dropped and he walked up to Xie Yunjin, ¡°You mean¡­¡±

    He thought of something and stopped talking. Then, he said to Xie Yunjin in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s chat in the back.¡±

    Xie Yunjin continued to fixate on him with a gaze that threw daggers.

    Mo Bei saw the look in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes and was worried, ¡°Young master, you have to be careful.¡±

    The man red at Mo Bei then respectfully gestured to Xie Yunjin, ¡°This way.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was not scared of him. He wheeled himself in the pointed direction. Mo Bei tried to follow but the man stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t follow us.¡±

    Though Mo Bei was worried, he didn¡¯t dare to disobey his master and stared from afar.

    The four little ones watched Xie Yunjin go and asked Lu Jiao, concerned, ¡°Mommy, will daddy get beat up?¡±

    ¡°What if they hit daddy?¡±

    Lu Jiao was toozy to find out just what happened between Xie Yunjin and that man. Right now, she only wanted to eat and go home.

    ¡°They won¡¯t hit your dad. If they wanted to, they would¡¯ve already. They went elsewhere to talk.¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born stared at the First Born. The First Born frowned tightly but was helpless. The children then finally sat by Lu Jiao and started to eat.

    Not far from them, Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei watched how heartless Lu Jiao acted and their respect for her grew.

    Her husband left with someone else and she was not at all worried. On the contrary, she had the appetite to eat.

    They were worried to death and no longer cared about food.

    After Lu Jiao and the children were done eating, Xie Yunjin reappeared. His expression remained grim and the air around him was cold.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The First Born asked, ¡°Daddy, do you want to eat something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin suppressed his desire for violence and answered gently, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯ll eatter.¡±

    The First Born didn¡¯t persist and went to grab Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back then.¡±

    His dad didn¡¯t like these people so he didn¡¯t like them either. They wanted to go home.

    The First Born suggested to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go home?¡±

    Lu Jiao was full now and naturally didn¡¯t object, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She said to Qi Lei, ¡°Give us a ride in the horse carriage?¡±

    Qi Lei went to organize that right away. The family didn¡¯t have to wait long before Baohe Tang¡¯s horse carriage was brought out. Lu Jiao carried Xie Yunjin inside, then the four little ones, then finally, got in herself. Behind her, Qi Lei whispered, ¡°If something happens to the pregnantdy, I will send someone to go find you.¡±

    ...

    Lu Jiao nodded. Inside the carriage, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t seem to have paid attention to Qi Lei and Lu Jiao. He was upied in his own rage and sat there like an ice sculpture. The children were a little worried.

    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong with daddy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s being scary.¡±

    ¡°Do his legs hurt?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin andforted the children, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t perry. He¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s just deep in thought.¡±

    The horse galloped its way to the Xie Vige. On the journey there, Xie Yunjin finally restored some calmness and he scanned around the carriage.

    The four little ones appeared scared because of him. Lu Jiao wasforting them at the moment.

    Xie Yunjin felt bad and looked over at the four little ones.

    ¡°I saw a bad man¡­¡±

 Chapter 192 - 192 Could it be that you like me?

    192 Could it be that you like me?

    Before Xie Yunjin could finish, Lu Jiao warned him, ¡°Xie Yunjin¡­¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up at her and found her gaze to be unfriendly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care why you went so crazy just now but please do not infect the four little ones with your personal emotions. That¡¯s not good for them.¡±

    Her words reminded Xie Yunjin. She was right. He shouldn¡¯t pass any of his own negative emotions down to the four little ones. If he told the children that the guy was a bad man, the children will for sure hate that guy.

    Xie Yunjin nced at the four little ones before he calmly said, ¡°That guy and I have gotten into a fight before. That¡¯s why when I saw him, I got angry and hit him.¡±

    The First Born¡¯s face turned stern, ¡°Is he a bad guy?¡±

    The other three also stared at Xie Yunjin with aggression.

    Before Xie Yunjin could answer, Lu Jiao jumped in and started to educate the four little ones, ¡°What are you implying? Just because two people got into a fight, it doesn¡¯t make them bad guys. Sometimes, people fight over certain objects or events. For example, someone may think this food tastes bad while I think the food tastes good. We might start fighting due to our disagreement. Does that mean the other person is a bad person?¡±

    The four little ones exined, ¡°But when Maodou and Caidou fought us, we thought of them as bad guys.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a conflict between children. Perhaps Maodou and Caidou will grow up to be good people or perhaps they remain bad. You cannot judge their character purely based on the fact that you fought. You have to judge them based on the things they do.

    Your dad had a fight today with someone, it doesn¡¯t make that person automatically bad. You have to determine what kind of person he is based on what he does or doesn¡¯t do.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t seem to fully understand but had a good idea of what their mom was trying to say. Nobody should decide who¡¯s bad just because of one fight.

    The four little ones turned to Xie Yunjin, who nodded in order to support Lu Jiao.

    He was thankful that Lu Jiao reminded him in time. He needed someone like Lu Jiao with him who was willing to give him wake-up calls in order to remain calm.

    The four little ones quieted down and surrounded Xie Yunjin tofort him, ¡°Daddy, then don¡¯t be mad. We don¡¯t have to acknowledge him.¡±

    ¡°When I grow up, I will beat him up for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, once I learn medicine from mommy, I will stab him with needles.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, just you wait. Once I make lots of money, I will hire five people to help you fight.¡±

    Xie Yunjin feltforted and his unpleasant mood evaporated. Scared that the four little ones would fall inside the carriage, Lu Jiao warned, ¡°Sit down. If you keep this up, we won¡¯t bring you out next time.¡±

    That threat scared the four little ones and they sat down in their seats.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Howe you don¡¯t ask me what happened.¡±

    Lu Jiao was uninterested, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    Xie Yunjin felt angered by that response. She didn¡¯t want to listen but he was now determined to tell her.

    He was about to tell the story when the horse suddenly elerated. Subconsciously, Lu Jiao grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs to protect them but her whole body mmed into Xie Yunjin instead.

    Worried that she would bounce away and fall, Xie Yunjin held onto her waist.

    The horse carriage slowed down quickly and the coachman apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Lu, there was a child and I had to do what I could to avoid him.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    She then tried to sit up straight but the person holding onto her didn¡¯t let go.

    Lu Jiao looked up at Xie Yunjin and found him staring at her with a profound look and there were even some sparks in his eyes.

    Lu Jiao was stunned at the fight. She suddenly recalled all the strange behaviors he¡¯s disyedtely and her mind shed. Could it be that Xie Yunjin liked her? Was that why he¡¯s been acting so strange?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s mouth reacted faster than her head, ¡°Could it be that you like me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s arms froze and he became ufortable. Color rose crawled onto his cheeks and the shyness he felt turned his ears red. However, his mouth also reacted faster than his head, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I wonder what you think about every day.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt a reality check. He was right. Just what nonsense was she thinking about?

    She became embarrassed by her question and pushed Xie Yunjin away.

    Now that his arms were no longer holding onto her, he felt uncertain. Quickly, he looked toward Lu Jiao but found her to be calm and not at all mad.

    Xie Yunjin sighed in relief. Something felt wrong. But what was it?

    Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao found him staring and her cheeks burned as she remembered the question she just posed. Why did she think so muchtely? She shouldn¡¯t be so delusional.

    She didn¡¯t want to spend more time on this and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°You know that guy?¡±

    This topic distracted Xie Yunjin and he answered in a low voice, ¡°Remember how I told you about Chen Ying?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and had a sudden realization. Xie Yunjin agreed to marry Chen Ying before, which meant he liked her. Her question just now was too thoughtless and she needed to remember never to ask something so unreasonable again.

    The more she thought about it, the more at ease she felt. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t know what she was thinking and was to speak more when he remembered the children. He looked towards them and found them to be close to falling asleep and swaying left and right. Lu Jiao picked them up andid them down on the seats.

    Now that the children were asleep, Xie Yunjin finally exined, ¡°Four years ago, someone attempted to assassinate that man and he ended up tending to his injuries outside the Qingyue Nunnery. Chen Ying saved him and took care of him until he was fully healed. During that period of time, the two of them developed feelings for each other.

    However, once he healed, he suddenly disappeared one day. Because of him, Chen Ying¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao sympathetically stared at Xie Yunjin. So Chen Ying didn¡¯t like Xie Yunjin and liked the man she saved. That was why Xie Yunjin wanted to punch the guy when he saw him.

    Xie Yunjin sensed that there was more to the way Lu Jiao looked at him but he wasn¡¯t sure what it was.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    She then asked, ¡°It was because of that man that Chen Ying got sick and ended up dying?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was silent, which Lu Jiao interpreted as confirmation.

 Chapter 193 - 193 Why did this man Enjoy making her Safekeep Things?

    193 Why did this man Enjoy making her Safekeep Things?

    Lu Jiao thought about the man she saved. He was rather handsome and he also had a rather extraordinary mannerism. Who knew he was actually a f*ck boy? If he got hurt again, she would not save him.

    Inside the carriage, Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°That man told me just now that he suffered from amnesia and had forgotten about Chen Ying. Recently, he was pierced by an arrow, and that injury somehow brought his memories back. He told me he is sorry for what happened to Chen Ying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Do you find his words believable?¡±

    Lu Jiao was in awe. Wow, what he described was the plot of a ssic drama. As for whether or not that man was lying, time will tell.

    ¡°We will have to observe. Since you recognized him, you will run into him again. If he truly did lose his memory, people around him would know about it. If it was true, then there¡¯s nothing you can do. If he lied¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao shut up. Based on how wealthy that guy appeared, there wasn¡¯t much anyone could do even if he did lie.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°If he lied, I will avenge Chen Ying.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but silently exim how deeply in love this man was.

    That wasn¡¯t her business though.

    Lu Jiao closed her eyes to nap. Xie Yunjin studied her and he felt like the way she looked at him was strange.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, what was the meaning of the look in your eyes just now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You seemed to sympathize with me. What did I do to receive your sympathy?¡±

    Lu Jiao snorted, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to say more but Lu Jiao abruptly turned her head away from him.

    Xie Yunjin continued to study the resting woman and wondered about all the possibilities as to why she pitied him.

    Once the family finally arrived home, Lady Ruan came over.

    ¡°Xie Sangou, hurry up and give me the indenture that sl*t Wang signed. I am going to sell her.¡±

    Lady Ruan screamed at the gate.

    Xie Yunjin heard the screams and his first instinct was to look at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao nced between Lady Ruan and Xie Yunjin, dumbfounded.

    What Xie Yunjin saw was first dumbfoundedness, then suppressedughter from Lu Jiao. His face dropped and he turned to Lady Ruan, ¡°Mother, what are you saying?¡±

    Lady Ruan burst in and pointed at Xie Yunjin in fury as she yelled, ¡°Hurry up and give me the indenture she signed. I am going to sell her.¡±

    Lady Ruan gritted her teeth as her desire to kill that widow, no, that sl*t, intensified.

    That woman made her lose face and also stole her man. Xie Laogen no longer listened obediently to Lady Ruan because of the other woman. He also warned Lady Ruan that if she hurt Widow Wang, he would leave her.

    Lady Ruan went crazy thinking about what he had said and wanted to kill Widow Wang right there and then. However, the widow had Xie Laogen¡¯s protection and Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t win the fight. Right now, nobody in the family helped her.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She was most disappointed in her youngest son, who didn¡¯t step up to help her either.

    What Lady Ruan did know was that the widow signed an indenture and the family had the right to sell her.

    This was what Xie Lan told her. The moment Lady Ruan found out, she ran over here to ask Xie Yunjin for the indenture.

    At the front of the house, Xie Yunjin coldly stared at Lady Ruan, ¡°What do you want with Widow Wang¡¯s indenture.¡±

    Lady Ruan screamed angrily, ¡°I am going to sell her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin declined instantly, ¡°I cannot give you the indenture. No matter how poorly Widow Wang behaves, she remains my father¡¯s concubine. Without his approval, I cannot sell my father¡¯s woman.¡±

    Lady Ruan didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to decline and shepletely froze. Once she gathered herself, she couldn¡¯t help but curse.

    ¡°Xie Sangou, are you really my son?! You watch your mother get taken advantage of and you still stand on that woman¡¯s side?! I am going to end you!¡±

    Lady Ruan lunged at Xie Yunjin and tried to pull on him. Lu Jiao stepped out and pushed Lady Ruan away.

    With Lu Jiao¡¯s strength, Lady Ruan was shoved away easily.

    No longer able to take all this, Lady Ruan dropped her butt to the ground and started to howl.

    ¡°The entire Xie family is heartless. Everyone takes advantage of me! I no longer want to live! My old man bullies me, my son bullies me too, and my daughter-inw dares to hit me! I might as well die!¡±

    As Lady Ruan cried, mucus and snot came out of her nose. She was already thin, small, and ugly. With all the liquid running out of her eyes and nose, she looked like an old grandma. Now, not only did Xie Laogen find her hard to look at, but so did Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin ignored Lady Ruan and calmly took out the indenture Widow Wang signed. Before, he had taken this paperwork and forgot to give it to Lu Jiao.

    Now that Lady Ruan mentioned it, he remembered again and took the paper out of his sleeve.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s cries quieted down a little. She thought because she made a scene, Xie Yunjin was now willing to give her what she asked.

    Sadly, Xie Yunjin gave the indenture to Lu Jiao, ¡°This is Widow Wang¡¯s indenture, keep it safe.¡±

    Lu Jiao was astonished. Why did this man enjoy making her safekeep things? This was something that belonged to the Xie family.

    However, given how angry and shocked Lady Ruan looked, Lu Jiao took it, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She was happy to infuriate Lady Ruan.

    Lady Ruan started to curse, ¡°Xie Sangou, how did I manage to give birth to such a thing? I would¡¯ve drowned you if I knew how unfilial you would be!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he looked at Lady Ruan, ¡°If I am unfilial, why don¡¯t you ask your filial sons to help you out?¡±

    Lady Ruan became mute. Xie Yunjin reminded her out of the goodness of his heart, ¡°Mother, now that the woman is officially in the family, you should decide whether or not you want to live peacefully with dad. Remember, times are different now and you cannot act as you did before and do everything the way you want it done. If you keep it up, father may really leave you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned to go back home.

    From the gate, Xie Daqiang and Chen Liu unwillingly came into the yard.

    Widow Wang saw Lady Ruane over here. Scared that Lady Ruan would sessfully get the indenture from Xie Yunjin, she quickly asked Xie Laogen to send his son and daughter-inw to take Lady Ruan home.

    Xie Daqiang and his wife weren¡¯t too willing but Xie Laogen was resolved.

    Xie Daqiang felt that he was no longer the priority to his father. This made him feel stuffy.

    He walked over and pulled on Lady Ruan.

    ...

    ¡°Mom, what are you doing? Come home with us, hurry.¡±

    Xie Yunjin already stifled Lady Ruan and now shepletely lost it. She started to howl once again, ¡°I should just die! I cannot live like this! Let me die!¡±

 Chapter 194 - 194 The First Born is Constantly Worried

    194 The First Born is Constantly Worried

    Lady Ruan rolled around in the Xie family¡¯s yard. Many people from the vige rushed over to watch the show and spoke their opinions. Of course, nobody really spoke ill of Xie Yunjin or Lu Jiao, they mostlymented on how fussy Lady Ruan was.

    Xie Yunjin was exasperated. He didn¡¯t even want to see Lady Ruan.

    Xie Yunjin looked up and called out to Xie Daqiang, ¡°Brother,e here. I have something to say.¡±

    Xie Daqiang detested his third brother and didn¡¯t want toe.

    Xie Yunjin coldly red at him, which reminded Xie Daqiang that he was a schr and will one day write the imperial exam and be an official. It would be better if Xie Daqiang didn¡¯t offend him.

    Xie Daqiang finally marched over and unhappily asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Xie Yunjin said in a low voice, ¡°Brother, I think I¡¯ve seen you enter Widow Wang¡¯s home before. Do you think dad knows about that?¡±

    Xie Daqiang stared at Xie Yunjin in awe and panicked. He nced around anxiously.

    That was right. Before, Xie Daqiang was also interested in spending nights with Widow Wang and he was very close to seeding too.

    However, Widow Wang stopped humoring his attempts.

    In hindsight, it was because she had decided to seduce Xie Loagen.

    Though Xie Daqiang didn¡¯t end up seeding, he had no desire on letting his father find out about that.

    Xie Daqiang was quick to respond to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Okay, I am going to bring mom back and ask her to note to you to make a scene.

    Behind him, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°I also hope my eldest sister-inw visits less.¡±

    Xie Daqiang didn¡¯t even look back. He went to Lady Ruan, grabbed her hand, and headed out.

    Lady Ruan struggled, ¡°Xie Daqiang, you are a coward who calls a sl*t your mother. You cannot even protect your biological mother! Let me go! I am not going to admit you as my son anymore!¡±

    Xie Daqiang covered Lady Ruan¡¯s mouth, ¡°Mother, settle down. If you keep making a scene like this, dad may really leave you.¡±

    Even now, Lady Ruan still refused to believe that and screamed, ¡°See if he dares! If he dares, I will fight him until one of us dies!¡±

    Xie Daqiang rolled his eyes. Every day, she threatens with her life when she herself is scared of death the most.

    Xie Daqiang dragged Lady Ruan out. Behind them, Chen Liu didn¡¯t follow, which made Xie Daqiang angrily snap his head around, ¡°Are you noting back?¡±

    Chen Liu had to follow and the two of them left.

    Outside, the vigers said to Xie Daqiang, ¡°Daqiang, talk to your mother. The other person is now officially a part of your family so there is no point in being so angry. Plus, that woman signed an indenture so you can literally treat her like a servant. Find her housework to help out with.¡±

    ¡°In a sense, Widow Wang went into your family with dowry. She has her own home with a nice yard. You basically got a three-room home for free. What¡¯s there toin about?¡±

    Xie Daqiang truly listened. If he could get possession of Widow Wang¡¯s yard, that would be pretty nice.

    Inside Xie Yunjin¡¯s home, Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin inside. The First Born went to them quickly and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, daddy hasn¡¯t eaten lunch.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached, ¡°My son, you¡¯re only four years old and you¡¯re so worried about all the little things. Worrying like this will impact how tall you grow.¡±

    The First Born froze. Xie Yunjin rolled his eyes at Lu Jiao, ¡°Don¡¯t scare him like that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then patted the First Born¡¯s head, ¡°Your mom is joking with you. But you should just worry about yourself now that my legs are healed. You don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore.¡±

    The First Born nced at Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs and smiled, ¡°Daddy, I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw his heart had settled down and giggled.

    Out of the four little ones, she ached the most for the First Born. He was the same age as his brothers but he took on the elder brother role and took care of the others. He even kept an eye on his old dad. She must spoil him more in the future.

    Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t have many requests, he was fine as long as the food was edible. He was not someone who acted all noble and honorable.

    ¡°Anything.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Okay, then I will go and make ¡®anything¡¯.¡±

    She then went to cook. Behind her, Xie Yunjin chuckled. Sometimes, this woman acted very serious, other times, she was fun.

    Here in the Xie family, Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs slowly recovered and the family¡¯s lives went back on track.

    Other than taking care of Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, Lu Jiao studied to read and write.

    As for Xie Yunjin, he taught the vige children, the four little ones, and Lu Jiao different reading materials. He also started to study again. Since he had decided to take the exam next year, he couldn¡¯t let his knowledge go to waste.

    Since Lu Jiao had told Aunt Guihua about how people gave her a hard time when seeking treatments, Aunt Guihua passed on the message to the Vige Leader. The Vige Leader, in turn, ordered that nobody was allowed to go straight to Lu Jiao for consultation. Only those he approved were allowed to go ask Lu Jiao for help.

    This saved Lu Jiao lots of trouble and created more time for her to read books and write.

    Very quickly, she finished learning the Three Character ssic, the Hundred Surnames, and the Thousand Character ssics. After that, she didn¡¯t need Xie Yunjin to teach her anymore. She would find books for herself to study and if there was something she didn¡¯t know, she would ask Xie Yunjin.

    Because of this, she mastered arge number of different characters very quickly. Her writing skill also drastically improved.

    Xie Yunjin was now more and more convinced that where Lu Jiao came from, they simply used different forms of the same characters. That was why she didn¡¯t know how to write before but was able to learn this quickly.

    The four little ones continued to stick to Lu Jiao¡¯s exercise schedule and they got stronger and stronger. They¡¯ve also formed very good habits and their actions and words revealed how educated they were.

    While over here, the family¡¯s lives were improving, Xie Laogen¡¯s family was getting more and more chaotic. Lady Ruan didn¡¯t want to ept her fate and continued to cry and howl every day and scream at Xie Laogen to sell Widow Wang. Pity though, Xie Laogen was hooked and ignored Lady Ruan.

    Because of Lady Ruan¡¯s behavior, she pushed him closer to Widow Wang. Those two acted like they were a young couple falling into a honeypot. Their rtionship grew sweeter.

    This triggered Lady Ruan, who decided to curse shrilly every day until she lost her voice. Nobody in the Xie family was able to live peacefully because of her.

 Chapter 195 - 195 Classmates who Despise each other

    195 ssmates who Despise each other

    Though Lu Jiao never had any intention to ask about her inws, there was always someone who provided her with updates.

    ¡°I have to say, she is truly stupid. Her husband obviously had a change of heart but she still cries and screams needlessly. Sooner orter, she¡¯s going to hurt herself. If a man values you, he would do whatever he can to treat you well. For her to behave in such a manner will only make their rtionship awkward.¡±

    Lady Zhao talked about Lady Ruan with frustration but there was also some sympathy in her expression. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine how she would feel if she was in Lady Ruan¡¯s shoes. It was so hard being a woman.

    ¡°But Xie Laogen truly is not a good person. Before, for Lady Ruan, he infuriated his own parents to death. And today, he is infuriating his wife to death because of Widow Wang. This is karma.¡±

    !!

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Historically, men have always ended up luckier. Why do women rely on women for happiness? Why can¡¯t we work for our own happiness?¡±

    Lady Zhao stared at Lu Jiao in awe, ¡°Your statement sure is unusual.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to say more when she heard the sound of a horse carriage arriving. Lu Jiao turned to look at her own door.

    She was now very experienced. Everyone who visits on a horse was normally here for Xie Yunjin or herself. Her neighbors or families rarely visit with a horse.

    The point was, it was always either Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates or Baohe tang.

    Lady Zhao heard the horse galloping as well, ¡°You have another visitor?¡±

    Her tone was envious. Being educated sure was a good thing. Sadly, they still had no grandchildren in her household. She thought of Lin Chunyan, who was barren and became angry. She asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Are you sure Chunyan is okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao instantlyforted, ¡°I examined her recently. She¡¯s recovering well. Don¡¯t pressure her too much and she may just get pregnant soon. If you give her too much stress, she may be unaware of her pregnancy and get hurt. Huzi may me you then.¡±

    Lady Zhao was scared, ¡°Ah, then I will watch out.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction. Lin Chunyan was a great person and she didn¡¯t want Lady Zhao to kick her out. In this era, the women whose husbands left them normally killed themselves.

    Lu Jiao could tell that Lin Chunyan was a dutiful woman. She always repaid those who did anything nice to her. Just because Lu Jiao examined her, she made the four little ones two sets of clothes each, plus a set of pajamas. She even kept the leftover cloth in order to make the children a pair of shoes each.

    Lu Jiao went outside and saw Qi Lei get off the horse carriage.

    Thinking that there was a patient who needed assistance at Baohe Tang, Lu Jiao went to him.

    Behind Qi Lei, walked two more people. The first one was a young master. He was handsome, of moderate height, and wore very expensive clothing. It was obvious he came from a well-off family.

    Lu Jiao thought he was sick and checked him for a few extra seconds. She discovered that he was not sick, so why was he here?

    Qi Lei went up to Lu Jiao and introduced, ¡°Lady Lu, this is the husband of the pregnantdy you helped save before. This is Young Master Hu.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood right away. This was Li Yuyao¡¯s husband and Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmate.

    Lu Jiao greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Young Master Hu.¡±

    Lu Jiao studied him carefully and found him to be arrogant. The sight of Lu Jiao shocked him.

    ¡°This is the Lady Lu who saved my wife and my son?¡±

    Qi Lei nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Though Hu Shan was shocked, he remained polite and paid his respect, ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu, for saving my family.¡±

    He then ordered his subordinate, ¡°Go get the gifts.¡±

    The subordinate nodded and brought down a pile of stuff from the carriage.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression remained calm while Lady Zhao was dying from jealousy. She didn¡¯t stay and went home after saying bye to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao brought Hu Shan and his subordinate inside.

    Hu Shan knew Lu Jiao¡¯s husband was Xie Yunjin, his rather aloof ssmate.

    Today, he came to both thank Lu Jiao and visit Xie Yunjin. He heard his ssmate was wounded and paralyzed, and only recovered after surgery. Since he was here, he should also visit his ssmate.

    Hu Shan asked, ¡°I heard ssmate Yunjin had surgery. How has he recovered?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s doing very well. He¡¯ll be able to walk in a couple of days.¡±

    It¡¯s been about a month since the surgery and he was ready to walk for a short period of time every day. However, he should still take it easy and let things heal.

    Hu Shan smiled, ¡°That¡¯s great. Next year is the provincial exam.¡±

    The group went to the living room. In the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin was reading at his desk. He heard themotion and looked up to find Lu Jiao, Hu Shan, and Dr. Qi entering.

    The sight of Hu Shan didn¡¯t bring much joy to Xie Yunjin¡¯s face.

    He didn¡¯t have a harmonious rtionship with the young master.

    It wasn¡¯t just unharmonious, because of what this young master had spread, Xie Yunjin had to suffer somewhat.

    Therefore, he wasn¡¯t excited to see Hu Shan. Xie Yunjin knew that he didn¡¯te to visit him, he was here to thank Lu Jiao.

    However, the surgeon who saved Li Yuyao was Dr. Qi, he only needed to thank Dr. Qi and it was not necessary for him to make the trip here.

    In front of the door, Hu Shan smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°ssmate Yunjin, you¡¯re studying. How disciplined of you. With your intelligence, you don¡¯t even need to study to pass the exam next year.¡±

    Hu Shan wasn¡¯t being sarcastic. He truly felt that Xie Yunjin was good enough to score high without studying.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°Confucius once said, ¡®learning without thought isbor lost; thought without learning is perilous.¡¯¡±

    Lu Jiao tranted that as knowledge has no limit.

    She was toozy to hear them talk in code and went to make some tea.

    Once she was back, she found Hu Shan and Xie Yunjin throwing personal attacks at each other.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a poor schr who lives in the countryside. You act all mighty and honorable every day for whom to see?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m still better than you guys. Who pace around without considering anyone else¡¯s feelings. All you have is a somewhat wealthy family that you were born into.¡±

    ¡°How are we not considerate?¡±

    ¡°All the ssmates run away from your group when they see you. Even the wheelers hide away from you. That tells you how inconsiderate you act.¡±

    ¡°We never provoked anyone and we are not inconsiderate. It¡¯s other people¡¯s choice to stay away from us. Why is that something we should care about?¡±

    ...

 Chapter 196 - 196 A Violent Strike to the Soul

    196 A Violent Strike to the Soul

    Xie Yunjin snickered and stared at Hu Shan.

    Hu Shan gaped back. Here they go again¡­ That man constantly acted so aloof and solitary, as if he was too good to hang out with the other groups. How infuriating.

    Hu Shan¡¯s father, however, constantly praised Xie Yunjin as being smart and asked Hu Shan to learn from him. In the past, he intentionally co-existed with Xie Yunjin but everything Xie Yunjin did pissed him off.

    Hu Shan got up and was ready to leave.

    !!

    Lu Jiao came in with tea and warmly said, ¡°Young master Hu, have some tea.¡±

    Since he was here, he might as well have some tea before leaving.

    Hu Shan saw Lu Jiao and, given that she had saved his wife and son¡¯s lives, sat back down.

    Lu Jiao gave Hu Shan the tea, who sipped slowly. The annoyance in him dissipated a lot.

    He looked up at Xie Yunjin and made a meaningful statement, ¡°ssmate Yunjin, I must warn you, with that attitude of yours, you will not be viewed positively even if you do pass the exam.¡±

    Xie Yunjin responded nonchntly, ¡°Hu Shan, I have to warn you, with that poor eyesight of yours, which cannot tell right from wrong, it¡¯s better for you not to be an official.¡±

    Hu Shan wasn¡¯t a bad man. However, out of all the people who constantly tried to butter him up, most of them were wealthy yboys. Hu Shan was constantly involved in the poor decisions the others made. Sooner orter, he will be dragged down but sadly, he had no awareness.

    ¡°When the conversation gets disagreeable, to say one word more is a waste of breath. ssmate Yunjin, I wish you well.¡±

    Hu Shan put down his cup and headed outside. He didn¡¯t want to talk to Xie Yunjin anymore. That man was different from the rest and someone ought to teach him a lesson sooner orter.

    Xie Yunjin watched Hu Shan leave coldly. Lu Jiao quickly walked the guests out.

    Qi Lei followed Lu Jiao and chatted with her as they walked to lighten the atmosphere.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow at the sight. For some reason, he felt that Lu Jiao treated Dr. Qi better than others.

    This made him feel unhappy. Even if Dr. Qi did perform the surgery, she didn¡¯t need to treat him this exceptionally well.

    Xie Yunjin decided to talk to her about this once she came back.

    After Lu Jiao helped Hu Shan and Qi Lei get into the carriage, she saw Lady Ruan heading her way.

    Lady Ruan was now not only skinny and small, but she was also haggard and appeared like a 70-year-old elderly. Her current state made Lu Jiao realize why Xie Laogen spoiled Widow Wang with all he¡¯s got. Lady Ruan in her current state was nopetition to young women like Widow Wang.

    When Lady Ruan saw Lu Jiao, her face deformed into a violent wolf, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?! You are not greeting me even though I am your mother-inw?¡±

    Lu Jiao coldly asked her, ¡°Mom, what are you doing here? You have settled your family matter?¡±

    That was an attack straight at Lady Ruan¡¯s heart. With her face atrocious, she stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Then, she headed straight into Lu Jiao¡¯s home. Lu Jiao followed her. Soon, the four little ones¡¯ voices were heard.

    These days, the four little ones were allowed to roam around in the vige. When they were bored, they would go y in Gousheng, Tiedan, and Niuniu¡¯s homes.

    This morning, Lu Jiao gave them permission to go to Tiedan¡¯s home. They were just returning.

    ¡°Mommy, the third grandma said we have guests. Is that true?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Your dad¡¯s ssmate was here but he had left.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The four little ones were not interested in Xie Yunjin¡¯s ssmates. However, once they entered their yard with Lu Jiao, they instantly noticed Lady Ruan, who was now in their living room.

    The four little ones¡¯ faces dropped. The First Born looked up at Lu Jiao, ¡°What¡¯s grandma doing here?¡±

    Nothing good ever happened when she was here. How unfortunate it was for them to have such a grandma.

    The Second Born¡¯s face changed and she ran into the living room, ¡°She must be taking advantage of daddy.¡±

    The four children fled to the living room, terrified that their dad would be hurt.

    Lu Jiao made a face. Their dad¡¯s legs were almost healed and nobody was capable enough to hurt him.

    Lu Jiao went into the living room and heard Lady Ruan howl from the east bedroom.

    ¡°My third son, I am going to spend the rest of my days with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze then mockingly grinned. Now she remembered her third son. Sadly, it was toote.

    Inside the east bedroom, the four little ones spoke up, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t you have a house? Why are you at my house? My house is so small and there¡¯s no ce to sleep.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like us, remember? Why do you want to live with us?¡±

    ¡°I thought you liked the fourth uncle and fifth aunt? Why don¡¯t you live with them?¡±

    ¡°Did they abandon you? Is that why you want to live here?¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯sst statement was a violent strike to her soul. Lady Ruan wobbled and almost mmed into the ground.

    In the end, however, she didn¡¯t faint and only red at the four little ones.

    The children were scared at first but then quickly realized that this was their home and they had their parents¡¯ protection. There was nothing to be afraid of.

    The four little ones straightened their chests to show fearlessness.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s been making a fuss on the daily and was now drained of energy. She cried to Xie Yunjin, ¡°My third son, I will spend my days with you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin found this ridiculous and asked Lady Ruan mindlessly, ¡°Mother, so you are giving away my father on a silver tter.¡±

    If this was before, Lady Ruan would fight Xie Yunjin for saying that. But now, she absolutely hated how heartless Xie Yunjin was, ¡°I don¡¯t want him anymore. He likes to fool around with Widow Wang so let him. I sure want to see how well that will turn out for him.

    That sl*t thinks being with him will make her life good. I sure want to see if she gets what she wants. You¡¯re my son. If anyone gets to benefit from that, it should be me, not her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s sarcastic grin widened. So she was only here now because she didn¡¯t want Widow Wang to enjoy the benefits of having a schr for a son. There was no way he was going to let her stay.

    Xie Yunjin was about to speak when Xie Danqiang burst in.

    ¡°Mother, why are you here? Why did you run over here instead of staying home?¡±

    Terrified that Xie Yunjin would tell their father about his history with Widow Wang, Xie Daqiang ran over here right away after he found out Lady Ruan was here.

    Lady Ruan angrily cursed, ¡°You coward, get the hell out of here! I don¡¯t want to see you! I am going to live with your third brother from now on, just you wait! Sooner orter, you will regret treating me this way! Once your third brother bes an official, he will give me a title. When that happens, none of you will get any of the benefits!¡±

    ...

    Xie Daqiang darted a look towards Xie Yunjin, curious to see if Xie Yunjin agreed to keep their mother.

    What he saw, however, was Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold and warning gaze.

    Xie Daqiang jumped. He wanted to curse his own mother for having the audacity to think that Xie Yunjin would want to spoil her.

    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go home. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 197 - 197 Such a Moron

    197 Such a Moron

    Xie Daqiang grabbed Lady Ruan and pulled her. Lady Ruan struggled and failed. She then looked towards Xie Yunjin and shouted for help, ¡°My third son, they want to prison me at home. Save me!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. Everyone inside the house looked at Lady Ruan emotionlessly.

    This sight made Lady Ruan realize something abruptly. Her own third son didn¡¯t want to acknowledge her as his mother. There was no way she was going to benefit from his government positionter.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s vision went dark and she passed out.

    Xie Daqiang easily carried her away.

    Behind her, the four little ones sighed in relief. They were terrified that this grandma of theirs would actually move in with them.

    Lu Jiaoughed at the children. There was no way their dad would¡¯ve let that happen. She wanted to tell them that there was nothing to worry about but knew better than to let them know that.

    ¡°It¡¯s noon, I will go make lunch.¡±

    The First Born followed. As he walked, he said, ¡°Mommy, I will light up the logs for you.¡±

    These days, Xie Yunjin¡¯s been teaching the four little ones to help Lu Jiao do more housework.

    Though they couldn¡¯t do the heavy lifting, they helped out where they could.

    The other three volunteered as well, ¡°I can pick the vegetables.¡±

    ¡°I will go with the Second Born.¡±

    The Fourth Born yelled, ¡°I will wash the vegetablester.¡±

    The family busied themselves.

    Lunch included rice, vegetables, meat, and soup. Everyone had a great meal.

    Right after lunch, however, Xie Lan came to visit.

    ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s bad¡­ Dad wants to divorce mom. Come and stop dad.¡±

    Though their mother¡¯s been making a big fusstely, as her daughter, Xie Lan didn¡¯t want their parents to separate. What if her father divorces their mom and marries Widow Wang? They would end up with a widow as a mother.

    Xie Lan almost cried thinking about that possibility and almost grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand and dragged him over.

    Xie Yunjin was annoyed. What was it now? Why did his mother constantly stir up trouble?

    Xie Yunjin asked Xie Lan, ¡°Why does dad want a divorce?¡±

    Xie Lan whispered, ¡°Mom¡¯s been unconscious since getting home this morning. Dad was worried and went to visit. Who knew that the moment mom woke up, she wed dad¡¯s face? In a rage, he said he wants to cast her off.¡±

    Honestly, after living together for so many years, Xie Laogen was worried to hear his wife had passed out. He went to see her right away, who in a rage and moment of irrationality, wed and wounded his face.

    Xie Laogen¡¯s been wed once and now wed again. No longer able to endure Lady Ruan¡¯s constant uproar, he shouted for a divorce.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was gloomy after he heard the story. He didn¡¯t expect his mother to be so stupid. At a time like this, she really should go along with his father and get him on her side. She shouldn¡¯t be throwing tantrums constantly thinking she had the wager to.

    Xie Yunjin looked toward Lu Jiao, ¡°Are you going?¡±

    Naturally, Lu Jiao wanted to go see the show. It would be a pity to miss the mess.

    But she looked at the four little ones and decided against it.

    The First Born offered quickly, ¡°Mom, you should go with dad. I will take the brothers to Xiaobao¡¯s ce.¡±

    He then looked at his brothers.

    The brothers were rather happy to hear that. Lately, Lu Jiao allowed them to go y around in the vige and they¡¯ve been feeling kind of wild.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop them and only cautioned, ¡°Remember to be polite when you are visiting others.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones happily went to y with their neighbor.

    Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin in his wheelchair and headed to the Xie home with Xie Lan.

    Currently, arge group had gathered at Xie Laogen¡¯s ce, including the Vige and n Leader.

    Once Xie Yunjin arrived, people greeted them, ¡°Yunjin and his wife are here.¡±

    The leaders gestured for them to sit.

    The leaders really dreaded dealing with Xie Laogen¡¯s family business. The troubles never seemed to end.

    The leaders truly didn¡¯t want to get involved given how private the matter was. If they make the wrong choice, they would end up being the bad guys. Therefore, they were happy to let Xie Yunjin handle this.

    The living room was filled with people. Xie Laogen cupped his cut-up face and angrily stated, ¡°I want to kick out this malicious woman. I do not want to spend another day with her.¡±

    Lady Ruan was honestly a little flustered. However, she didn¡¯t believe Xie Laogen would really divorce her. He must be trying to scare her.

    For so many years, Lady Ruan oppressed Xie Laogen. To ask her to lower her head now was impossible. She angrily red at Xie Laogen, ¡°Xie Laogen, you want to kick me out? Try it!¡±

    Xie Laogen gaped back just as angrily, ¡°I am definitely going to leave you.¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face twisted up from rage. She gritted her teeth and jumped up to w Xie Laogen again. This time, Xie Laogen¡¯s heart did not soften and he decisively shoved her away, forcing her to fall to the ground.

    Lady Ruan was stunned. This was the first time Xie Laogen hadid a hand on her. She didn¡¯t even know how to react as she looked at Xie Laogen.

    Xie Laogen avoided her gaze and said to the leaders, ¡°I want to divorce her. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be my wife. I only married her back then because she seduced me.¡±

    His words startled everyone in the room. They all turned to look at Lady Ruan, whose mind buzzed and face whitened. Dumbfoundedly, she stared at Xie Yunjin.

    Only now did she realize the severity of this matter. At the same time, she finally realized that this man hadpletely changed his heart and was no longer the man he used to be.

    Many people started to mumble and look at Lady Ruan mockingly. So she was only able to marry Xie Laogen by seducing him.

    Back then, Xie Laogen was young and eager when it came to rtions with a woman. This was why he ignored his parents¡¯ objections and married Lady Ruan.

    People now recall that Xie Daqiang was born less than nine months after their marriage. This meant Xie Daqiang was a baby created out of seduction.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes now fixated on Xie Daqiang, whose expression was utterly unpleasant to look at. He nced at his mother, then at his father. At this point, he didn¡¯t know who to be mad at.

    ...

    The leaders exhaled deeply and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, how do you think this should be handled?¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin was the reason why Widow Wang was able to enter the family, he never truly wanted his dad to kick out his mom. After all, they were his parents.

    Not even in his wildest dreams did he think his mother would be so stupid and single-handedly break apart this family.

    When Widow Wang was epted into the family, she was merely a concubine. If his mother wanted to control her and oppress her, it would¡¯ve been easy. All she had to do was treat his father well. His father wouldn¡¯t have dared to do much. Then, his mother could¡¯ve still acted like the head of the family and simply ordered Widow Wang around. They only got here today because of her own doing.

    Xie Yunjin could not understand how his mother could be such a moron.

 Chapter 198 - 198 Are you Stupid?

    198 Are you Stupid?

    Xie Yunjin raised his head and looked at his father, ¡°Father, can you give mother a chance? She raised so many children with you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words made Xie Laogen hesitate. However, during the quiet time while he pondered, Lady Ruan screamed at Xie Yunjin.

    At the moment, she felt like she was only in the situation she was in now because her third son didn¡¯t help her. If he let her sell Widow Wang, Xie Laogen wouldn¡¯t dare to divorce her.

    She lost all logic and screamed at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Sangou, I don¡¯t need your fake kindness! You¡¯re an unfilial and disobedient bastard! If I knew how unfilial you would be, I would¡¯ve drowned you in the manure bucket!¡±

    !!

    All eyes turned to Lady Ruan in disbelief. That woman must be crazy! They thought Lady Ruan might actually be brain damaged or else she wouldn¡¯t be in the situation she was in.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold right away as he looked at her in disdain.

    He truly had no idea why Lady Ruan detested him this much. Not only did she hate him, but she also gave him a hard time every chance she got. When he was first born, his grandparents wanted to take him and raise him but Lady Ruan reacted like a crazy person, which eventually made the grandparents give up on the thought.

    Though she kept him, she didn¡¯t act like a mother. She left him there and tried to starve him to death.

    Sometimes, Xie Yunjin wondered if Lady Ruan was not his biological mother. Because not only did she hate him, he hated her just as much. They didn¡¯t share any bond biological parents and sons should have.

    No matter how much he dug into it, no evidence suggested he was not her biological son. That year, Lady Ruan did give birth to a child.

    Xie Yunjin grinned and challenged, ¡°Yes, I am unfilial and disobedient. Howe your filial and obedient children aren¡¯t speaking up for you then?¡±

    Lady Ruan subconsciously looked over to Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan, who met her gaze and retreated. They only felt embarrassed at the moment for having such a shameless mother.

    Xie Yunhua honestly wanted to say something on his mother¡¯s behalf. However, his dad had warned him earlier that if he meddled with this family¡¯s business, he would pay for it.

    If his parents continued to fight so publicly, will youngdy Du still marry him? However, he¡¯s already held her hand and even kissed her. Who else would she marry if not him?

    Xie Yunhua calmed down a little.

    Lady Ruan¡¯s heart ached when she saw the expression her youngest son and daughter had.

    She turned to her eldest and second eldest sons. Finally, she looked toward Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin looked away andnded his gaze on Xie Laogen.

    Xie Laogen was at first hesitant but when Lady Ruan cursed at Xie Yunjin, he became determined about the divorce again.

    His third son will one day be an official and he will be the father of an official. Lady Ruan, however, continued to treat their third son poorly. If he doesn¡¯t leave her now, his rtionship with their third son will deteriorate even further. When that happens, he won¡¯t be recognized as the father of an official.

    Xie Laogen made up his mind and said to the leaders, ¡°Vige and n Leader, I am resolute on divorcing Lady Ruan. I hope you can agree to it.¡±

    Now that Lady Ruan has heard Xie Laogen¡¯s decision, she became flustered.

    ¡°Xie Laogen, if you dare to divorce me, I will die in front of you right now!¡±

    Xie Laogen mocked, ¡°Die and show me! All these years, you threaten to kill yourself every time I do something you disagree with. Yet here you still are, alive. You really don¡¯t think I know you¡¯re bluffing?¡±

    Lady Ruan¡¯s face turned even paler. The leaders looked toward Xie Yunjin, who remained silent.

    The leaders sighed deeply and finally said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, then we grant you the right to divorce.¡±

    Their decision made Lady Ruan¡¯s vision go dark and her body swayed. She struggled and screamed, ¡°No! Nobody is allowed to kick me out! I married into this family for so many years and I gave birth to so many children for him! He has no right to divorce me!¡±

    The n Leader responded, ¡°Lady Ruan, based on your normal behavior, he should¡¯ve divorced you a long time ago. To have waited so long is him giving you face. You were only able to marry him because you seduced him. After you became a part of the family, you angered your inws to death. You are not kind to your children and convinced your husband to exile your third son the second he got injured.

    Afterward, you went into your son¡¯s home and caused scenes time after time. And now, because your man has gotten a concubine, you dare to fight your man physically and w his face. Look at all the things you¡¯ve done¡­ Singling out any one of these events is enough to make him divorce you. Therefore, we grant him the right to divorce such a shrew woman.¡±

    The n Leader no longer had any patience. He initially didn¡¯t want to make a decision to be considerate of Xie Yunjin. However, it appeared that Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want anything to do with this. The n Leader understood him. To have a mother like this meant once he became an official, she would drag him down. It was better for his parents to divorce now.

    The n Leader asked for someone who knew how to draft a divorce letter.

    The n Leader didn¡¯t ask Xie Yunjin to write it out. After all, this involved his father.

    Lady Ruan finally was dumbfounded. Her eyes went dark and her head felt dizzy. She didn¡¯t dare to pass out for fear that someone would ship her back to her home.

    Lady Ruan turned to her children and cried, ¡°You are really going to watch your mother get kicked out?¡±

    Xie Daqiang nced at his father. He wanted to say something but Xie Laogen red at him in disgust.

    Xie Daqiang shut up.

    Xie Erzhu saw how sad his mother was crying and felt bad. He said to Xie Laogen, ¡°Father, you should give mother a chance. She will treat you well going forward. Though mother never treated others well, she¡¯s always been kind to you.¡±

    That was true. Though she was never nice to her inws or children, she always prioritized him when it came to good food, clothing, and daily care.

    Xie Laogen watched Lady Ruan, thinking that if this woman begged him and vowed to stop making a scene at every possible moment, he would allow her to stay.

    Lady Ruan saw the way Xie Laogen looked at her but was too prideful to beg. All these years, she¡¯s acted like she was better than him. To her, Xie Laogen was essentially useless. She didn¡¯t think she would be able to beg him to not leave her.

    Xie Laogen noticed how she didn¡¯t appear regretful and how her face remained stern. Without any desire to keep her, Xie Loagen hollered at Xie Erzhu, ¡°Why would you take the side of a mother who is neither virtuous nor kind? Are you stupid? She hasn¡¯t tortured you enough?¡±

    Xie Erzhu instantly became mute. Out of habit, he turned to his third brother, who stood there silently and coldly. Xie Erzhu knew then that his third brother no longer wanted to get involved. That meant he should stop talking as well.

    The divorce letter was drafted quickly after. Xie Laogen ced his thumbprint without hesitation, indicating the end of his marriage with Lady Ruan.

    The n Leader ordered Xie Daqiang and Xie Erzhu to apany Lady Ruan back to the Ruan home.

 Chapter 199 - 199 Should my Third Daughter-in-Law be in Charge?

    199 Should my Third Daughter-in-Law be in Charge?

    Xie Laogen asked Xie Daqiang to gather his mother¡¯s things and bring her home.

    Lady Ruan desperately nced around at everyone and didn¡¯t see a single person who spoke up for her.

    By now, it became clear to Lady Ruan that she was definitely getting kicked out. She couldn¡¯t help but to cry.

    As she cried, she remembered all the silver she¡¯s saved throughout the years. Even if she does get sent home, she was determined to take all the silver with her. With all those savings, her life with the Ruan family will be easier.

    !!

    Lady Ruan rushed into her room. Everyone watched her scramble and worried that she might have bad thoughts.

    ¡°Is the fourth grandma having a hard time digesting this?¡±

    ¡°Someone should check up on her.¡±

    Xie Laogen hissed coldly, ¡°No need. She won¡¯t die.¡±

    Everyone stared at Xie Laogen. They found this man to be weak and selfish. Before, to marry Lady Ruan, he infuriated his mother to death. And now, he divorced Lady Ruan for Widow Wang.

    Everyone was confident that if Widow Wang wasn¡¯t around, there was no way he would leave Lady Ruan.

    No matter how bad Lady Ruan was to everyone, she¡¯s always been nice to Xie Laogen. All these years, she took care of all his needs and worried about him constantly.

    Now that Xie Laogen decided to leave her so easily, people started to view him more poorly.

    As everyone thought about it, Widow Wang caringly walked to Xie Laogen, ¡°Laogen, if my sister is going home, it¡¯s not ideal for her to leave empty-handed. I think it¡¯d be good if you let her have all the silver you¡¯ve saved.¡±

    Xie Laogen didn¡¯t think about his money until Widow Wang mentioned that. The silver was the property of the Xie family and shouldn¡¯t be taken by that woman.

    Just then, Lady Ruan came out with some baggage. Behind her, Xie Daqiang and Xie Erzhu each carried one for her as well.

    Xie Laogen leaped over and pulled on her baggage. Lady Ruan¡¯s expression changed as she tried to take it back.

    Xie Laogen shook the bundle and everything flew out. Other than clothes, there was some jewelry including silver earrings and bracelets. There were also 60 taels of silver.

    Lady Ruan screamed and lunged at the ground as she tried to pick up the silver. Chen Liu beat her to it and snatched it over while saying, ¡°Mom, you are no longer a part of the Xie family. What right do you have to take our silver? You have to leave all this behind.¡±

    Lady Ruan went nuts and tried to fight Chen Liu. However, she was much taller and bigger, so struggling against her was futile.

    Xie Laogen picked up the silver jewelry and checked to make sure Lady Ruan didn¡¯t carry any more before he requested, ¡°Send her home.¡±

    This time, Lady Ruan fully lost it and cursed like a deranged woman, ¡°Xie Laogen, you¡¯re a worthless wimp! You don¡¯t know how to act when you see a woman! You old b*stard who sneaks into women¡¯s pants! All you¡¯re into is that sl*t¡¯s cr*tch! You are divorcing me because I am old and can no longer satisfy you. Even if you leave me now, you will never get rid of your perverted trait!

    It¡¯s true that I am not a good woman. Then howe back in the day you didn¡¯t step out when I fought against your mother and father? For my loins, you stayed silent. And now, for that widow¡¯s, you are kicking me out! Haha, everyone,e over here and look at this shameless b*stard!¡±

    Xie Laogen felt humiliated and didn¡¯t want to see Lady Ruan anymore. He ordered Xie Daqiang and Xie Erzhu, ¡°Take her away.¡±

    Xie Daqiang pulled Lady Ruan away.

    Inside the living room, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°Give the silver earrings and bracelets to her. And give her 10 taels of silver for the road.¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t like his mother, he still wanted to fulfill his responsibilities.

    As long as he did what he should do as her son, that was enough.

    Honestly, when he plotted to get Widow Wang with his father, he did it to restrain his mother. He had no intention of causing separation between his parents. He also only got the idea because his own mother tried to shove him a concubine. He honestly didn¡¯t understand why his mother was ok with his son having concubines but not ok with her husband having them. She was old now after all.

    Xie Laogen was still at his peak madness given Lady Ruan¡¯s speech and refused to give her anything.

    ¡°This is the Xie family¡¯s silver, why should I give it to her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin red at Xie Laogen, ¡°I said give it to her.¡±

    If it wasn¡¯t for the unreasonableness of Lady Ruan and the fact that having her around would eventually harm him, Xie Yunjin wouldn¡¯t have allowed this divorce. However, he had learned that as long as Lady Ruan was around, he would never acquire a peaceful life. That was why he didn¡¯t step in.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s authoritative voice scared Xie Laogen. In the end, he did as he was told.

    Lady Ruan nced at all her children with her lips parted. Only at the end, did she look at her third son, whom she¡¯s always hated.

    She disliked this son of hers the most. Growing up, he never received the slightest love from her yet in the end, he helped her. The children she spoiled all her life didn¡¯t even speak on her behalf.

    Lady Ruan started tough. Sheughed until her vision went dark and passed out. Xie Yunjin said to Xie Erzhu, ¡°Send mother to our uncle¡¯s home. Tell them to treat her well. We¡¯ll visit sometime.¡±

    Xie Yunjin intended to warn his uncle to not treat his mother too poorly.

    Xie Erzhu answered, ¡°I got it, third brother.¡±

    After Lady Ruan was carried away, everyoneplimented Xie Yunjin for his niceness and considerateness. Honestly, Lady Ruan never asked or cared about this son of hers. Yet in the end, only he helped her.

    Just what was this?

    Back in the living room, Xie Yunjin said to the vigers, ¡°OK, we have some private matters to deal with now. Everyone, go home.¡±

    The leaders were eager to leave. Once they got Xie Yunjin¡¯s word, they gestured for their people to go home.

    Everyone in the Xie family sat down. Xie Yunjin said to Xie Laogen, ¡°Father, what do you n on doing next? Without mother around, the family needs another woman to manage the house.¡±

    Xie Laogen thought Xie Yunjin was hinting that Lu Jiao should be in charge and responded, ¡°How about asking my third daughter-inw?¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes. How dumb did she have to be to get involved with this family?

    Before Lu Jiao said anything, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°We¡¯ve separated from the family. It shouldn¡¯t be Lu Jiao who cares for this family.¡±

    He then looked toward Chen Liu, who became instantly excited. She was going to be head of the house? That meant she got to manage all the silver?

    Chen Liu enthusiastically looked over to Xie Yunjin.

    Widow Wang quietly pulled on Xie Laogen¡¯s sleeve. However, in front of his third son, Xie Laogen didn¡¯t have to guts to ask for Widow Wang to be the head of the house.

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°The eldest sister-inw is like a mother to everyone. Without mother, eldest sister-inw, you should manage this house.¡±

    Chen Liu was ecstatic and shouted, ¡°OK! I will do a great job!¡±

    All that money was going to be hers!

    The fourth brother, Xie Yunhua screamed, ¡°I am okay with that! I just ask that when I get married, I get my fair share.¡±

    Chen Liu instantly smiled, ¡°Naturally. Fourth brother, do not worry.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 200 - 200 Itâ€™s been a Month

    200 It¡¯s been a Month

    Xie Yunhua honestly wasn¡¯t too happy with the turn of events. He didn¡¯t know why things turned out the way it did. He wanted to stop his dad from divorcing his mom. After all, his mom spoiled him. But these days, his dad acted possessed.

    Xie Yunhua nced at Widow Wang. It was all that woman¡¯s fault.

    Xie Laogen was happy to hear Xie Yunjin¡¯s suggestion. Chen Liu was his eldest daughter-inw and he found it appropriate for her to be in charge.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Beside him, Widow Wang¡¯s face dropped. Silently, she realized that being with Xie Laogen was a miscalction on her part. Like Lady Ruan said, this man was a worthless wimp. On the inside, Widow Wang hated Xie Laogen but she didn¡¯t show it.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin looked at Chen Liu and continued to speak calmly, ¡°First sister-inw, you should delegate tasks ordingly and make sure everyone does their part.¡±

    Chen Liu was happy to hear that. Widow Wang, Xie Yunhua, and Xie Lan however, disliked that.

    Xie Yunjin ignored them, ¡°As for Lady Wang¡­ though she is our father¡¯s woman, she is a cheap concubine. Being a cheap concubine is the same as having a servant. You should make sure she¡¯s kept busy.¡±

    Xie Laogen interrupted, ¡°She has to take care of me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin red at him, ¡°She can take care of dad at night. In the morning, she has to do her part around the house.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were cold. Widow Wang dared to convince his dad to leave his mom. She didn¡¯t deserve afortable life.

    Xie Laogen didn¡¯t dare to butt head against his third son and stayed quiet.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Chen Liu, who happily agreed, ¡°Third brother, do not worry. I know how to manage everything well.¡±

    No longer wanting to spend more energy here, Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and helped Xie Yunjin with his wheelchair. Ah, what a great show they put on today. From now on, her disgusting mother-inw will no longer bother her. She felt the sky above her has cleared up.

    In a great mood, Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin home in his wheelchair. On the way back, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°How can such a stupid woman exist? How did she end up living such a life?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew he was referring to his mother and didn¡¯t want to get involved.

    Xie Yunjin noticed her silence and took a look at her. He smiled, ¡°If she was as intelligent as you, she wouldn¡¯t end up the way she did.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes. She didn¡¯t find what he said to be apliment. It was not an honor to bepared to Lady Ruan.

    ¡°We are like the sky and the ground.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t happy and his tone softened, ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re much smarter than her.¡±

    He was truly fortunate to have met her.

    The two of them chatted casually and went home.

    When the four little ones saw them return, they dashed over at lightning speed.

    ¡°Mommy, daddy, you¡¯re home!¡±

    Lu Jiao saw that they were sweating and wiped their faces dry.

    ¡°You can run slower! Look at all the sweat.¡±

    The four little ones smiled and looked up at them. They didn¡¯t object to Lu Jiao wiping their foreheads. With their cheeks slightly pink and extremely soft, they were unbelievably cute and pretty.

    Lu Jiao pinched them and love poured out of her eyes. Xie Yunjin watched her move and felt jealous.

    He mumbled to himself¡­. It appeared that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t treat him as well as she treated the four little ones. Was he overthinking it or was she too shy to get close to him?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care what Xie Yunjin was thinking. She bathed the children and got them ready for their afternoon nap.

    Xie Yunjin also napped. Later, he¡¯ll have to teach the children. After all these lessons, he¡¯s closely observed and found a few children with high potential. He was ready to suggest to their parents to send their children to school.

    At night, Lu Jiao made dinner and was getting ready to eat when Xie Erzhu arrived. His eyes were a little red. It was obvious that he was sad about Lady Ruan.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. Lady Ruan was both a failure and a sess. She managed to have two sons who treated her nicely but she chose to spoil the heartless ones.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here in time for dinner. Have some with us.¡±

    Xie Erzhu said sullenly, ¡°I have no appetite.¡±

    He then went to sit on the side.

    Xie Yunjin watched him. He knew his brother was sad about Lady Ruan.

    Xie Yunjin knew Xie Erzhu¡¯s personality and didn¡¯t me him. He simply asked, ¡°You¡¯ve dropped off mom?¡±

    Xie Erzhu nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    He then said, ¡°Third brother, why did dad divorce mom? Though she treated us poorly, she¡¯s always been nice to dad. How¡¯s he cold-hearted enough to leave her?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and simply said, ¡°What¡¯s happened has happened. Don¡¯t be too sad.¡±

    Xie Erzhu remained depressed, ¡°I know. I am afraid her days at uncle¡¯s will be hard.¡±

    He didn¡¯t feel good when he saw where his mother ended up.

    Xie Yunjin reminded him, ¡°If you¡¯re worried about that, you should visit with gifts sometimes. As long as uncle doesn¡¯t cross the line, it should be fine. If uncle knows you might visit, he wouldn¡¯t dare to give her a hard time.¡±

    This was thest filial thing he was willing to do for his mother.

    Xie Yunjin then said, ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be too sad. Come and eat.¡±

    Xie Erzhu shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll eat at home.¡±

    These days, Xie Yunjin was now fully independent again and didn¡¯t need Xie Erzhu¡¯s help anymore. Therefore, Xie Erzhu got ready to go home.

    Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, sit and eat.¡±

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t decline then and went to the table. As everyone ate, he suddenly remembered something and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s been a month since your surgery, no?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°Tomorrow it¡¯d be a month.¡±

    Xie Erzhu looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister-inw, Dr. Qi said my brother can try walking a little after a month of healing?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ...

    Because Xie Yunjin¡¯s been having spiritual stream water, he was fine to walk as long as he didn¡¯t overdo it.

    Xie Erzhu was ecstatic, ¡°Congrattions, third brother.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled just as brightly. Even the air around him was soaked with gracefulness and gentleness. His normally dark eyes were now bright like the stars in the sky.

    ¡°Thank you, second brother, for all your help.¡±

    Xie Erzhu embarrassingly waved around his hand, ¡°No worries. I did what I should¡¯ve done.¡±

 Chapter 201 - 201 Walking Again

    201 Walking Again

    The next day, Lu Jiao¡¯s family woke up to a ratherrge crowd outside. Both the n and Vige Leaders were there. When they saw that Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin were awake, they led the group inside.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a month since Yunjin¡¯s surgery. We think he should be able to walk now?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the excited bunch and nodded, ¡°Yes, he can start slow walking today. In another month, he should be able to roam around freely. Of course, activities such as horseback riding, swordy, or running, need a longer period of recovery.¡±

    The leaders were so excited they couldn¡¯t keep their mouths closed. They circled Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Yunjin, try standing up and walking.¡±

    !!

    Xie Yunjin had been practicing recently. However, worried that walking might be too strenuous on his legs, he would only walk a few steps before he sat back down.

    Xie Yunjin stood up in front of everyone and walked a few steps.

    Everyone inside the yard cheered loudly.

    ¡°He can walk! He can walk!¡±

    ¡°Oh my goodness, Yunjin is doing great!¡±

    ¡°That Dr. Qi is a great doctor. He managed to cure someone who was paralyzed!¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a capable guy. Yunjin¡¯s wife, however, is just as capable.¡±

    There were all kinds of chatter going on. It was very boisterous.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t interested. She¡¯s known for a while now that Xie Yunjin would be able to walk again. There was nothing to be this happy about.

    The four little ones, however, were ecstatic. They smiled sweetly and their eyes squeezed into crescent shapes.

    They hugged each other and jumped around, ¡°This is great! Daddy can walk again!¡±

    ¡°Yes, he won¡¯t be unhappy anymore. He¡¯ll be happy every day from now on!¡±

    ¡°Once daddy gets better, we can go y in the county.¡±

    The vigers didn¡¯t stay long and slowly dispersed. These days, everyone in the vige was busy and didn¡¯t have much time for fun.

    After the vigers were gone, Xie Laogen and his family came. Xie Daqiang, Xie Erzhu, Xie Yunhua, and Xie Lan all came.

    However, Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan appeared rather displeased. Back when Lady Ruan was around, they were spoiled and didn¡¯t have to do any work around the house.

    Now that Chen Liu was managing the family, they could no longer just cruise. In the morning, Chen Liu would ask Xie Yunhua to get firewood from the mountains while Xie Lan helped her second sister-inw with cooking or animal feeding. Sometimes, she would have to go into the mountains to harvest herbs.

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan had never done all this work before. Now that they were this busy, the siblings were no longer chirpy.

    No matter how mad they were, Xie Laogen didn¡¯t step in. The siblings had to endure.

    Originally, Xie Laogen didn¡¯t want them to visit Xie Yunjin. However, they demanded toe along, as if they matured and grew responsible overnight.

    They were now very clear in the head that in this family, their third brother¡¯s words were the most useful. It was time for them to butter him up.

    The bottom line was, everyone in this family had their own agenda.

    Xie Laogen saw Xie Yunjin in his wheelchair and said caringly, ¡°I thought you would be able to walk a month after the surgery. Howe you are still in a wheelchair?¡±

    Xie Daqiang asked worriedly, ¡°Third brother, could it be that you¡¯re not healed?¡±

    On the inside, he hoped that his brother¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t heal.

    Xie Yunjin coldly red at Xie Daqiang then said nonchntly, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. My legs are fine. I have already walked earlier this morning and need a break. I cannot walk for a long period of time yet.¡±

    Xie Daqiang was pretty happy to hear that, ¡°That¡¯s great. That¡¯s great.¡±

    Xie Erzhu excitedly went up and pulled on Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Third brother, I am so d you can walk again. You can soon go back to studying.¡±

    The smile on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face widened at the sight of Xie Erzhu.

    ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let anything happen to me again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze darkened. He was determined to drag out the person hiding behind all his misfortunes. He needed to make sure he was careful enough to not get himself into those difficult situations again.

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan smiled and stepped forward to congratte, ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s great that your legs are now fine. You¡¯ve always been smart. I¡¯m certain that once you go back to school, you¡¯ll be a top scorer next year.¡±

    Xie Lan nodded and chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. My brother¡¯s always been smart. Studying is an easy task for him.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was emotionless as he looked at those two. Their words had absolutely no effect on him.

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan¡¯s hearts dropped. Did their brother hold a grudge? Would he be willing to help them in the future?

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.

    Xie Lan turned around and found Lu Jiao making breakfast in the kitchen. She grinned and offered, ¡°My sister-inw is cooking? Let me help her.¡±

    Rather than doing housework at her own home, she might as welle here and help Lu Jiao. That way, she can get on the good side of her brother and dodge the heavy workload in her own family home.

    There was way more housework in the Xie family than here. Here, she wouldn¡¯t need to farm or harvest herbs. Sometimes, she¡¯d need to wash clothes and cook for the whole family.

    Therefore, Xie Lan preferred to help Lu Jiao.

    Xie Lan went to the kitchen. However, Lu Jiao came out and blocked the door.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to ask someone as delicate as you for help. You should go home and help the first sister-inw. If you decided to help me the moment the first sister-inw became in charge, she¡¯d think I made youe. I did no such thing.¡±

    Xie Daqiang¡¯s face was rather pleasant as he ordered, ¡°Go back.¡±

    He finally acted somewhat like the eldest of the family. He was now the head of this household and he would make anyone who waszy pay.

    Xie Lan wanted to say more but Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll go rest.¡±

    Xie Laogen immediately voiced, ¡°Then, go rest. Your health is the most important.¡±

    He then got the entire family to go back. Though Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan were unwilling, they had no choice.

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at that family and continued to cook. Today, she prepared her children goat milk, fried eggs, and steamed buns.

    The four little ones excitedly ran into the kitchen, ¡°Mommy, daddy can really walk again.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, can we visit grandma together then?¡±

    ...

    The Third and Fourth Born expectantly stared at Lu Jiao after the Second Born asked.

    Lu Jiao had forgotten about this promise. Honestly, she was willing to visit home with the four little ones. However, she didn¡¯t want Xie Yunjin toe along.

    Now, the four little ones were asking the entire family to go together. What should she do?

 Chapter 202 - 202 We are going to Separate

    202 We are going to Separate

    Lu Jiao silently denied the idea right away. However, she didn¡¯t show it. She smiled at the four little ones and said, ¡°Though your dad can walk again, he¡¯s not fully healed. It¡¯ll take some time.¡±

    The four little ones believed her easily.

    The fact that Xie Yunjin walked today very much overjoyed the four little ones. Too happy to function, they quickly ran away again to y with Soot and Marble.

    Lu Jiao brought breakfast into the living room.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t resting in bed. Instead, he sat before the desk. This time, for the first time, he sat in a chair rather than in a wheelchair. He called out, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought he needed something and went inside.

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao with a huge smile, very different from the calm and aloof face he showed the vigers earlier.

    He was so so happy and excited to walk again and he wanted to tell someone. However, he didn¡¯t want that someone to be anyone but Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I can walk again.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew why he was this excited. To a person who once truly believed that he would spend the rest of his life bedridden, walking again might be the best thing that could happen to them.

    Xie Yunjin was over the moon. Lu Jiao smiled at him, ¡°Congrattions on being able to walk again. However, don¡¯t be too impatient. Take it slow.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes brightened at her words.

    He slowly stood up by his desk. His slender and straight frame made him seem like a pine tree. Though he wore a simple white robe, his graceful and elegant demeanor was overflowing.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but spend a few minutes looking at him. Not only did this man have a good-looking face, but he also had a nice silhouette. In this day and age, due to poor nutrition, most people were short. However, Xie Laogen was rather tall. Perhaps it was gics.

    Lu Jiao grinned and said, ¡°Breakfast is ready. Come and eat.¡±

    She then turned around. Behind her, Xie Yunjin followed closely and ended up grabbing her hand.

    Lu Jiao was a little stunned and froze in ce. The man behind her suddenly pulled her into his arms.

    Lu Jiao was in shock and didn¡¯t know how to react. What was happening? Was he so excited that he decided to give her a hug? No way. That wasn¡¯t the appropriate reaction.

    Lu Jiao pushed Xie Yunjin away. Though Xie Yunjin was a man, Lu Jiao was strong and easily got out of his grasp.

    Xie Yunjin stepped back but took Lu Jiao¡¯s hands. Still beaming in the most gentle manner, he asked, ¡°What is it? Are you being shy?¡±

    His response confirmed Lu Jiao¡¯s suspicion that something between them went wrong. Truly.

    The way this man talked to her now was in a tone that husbands used to talk to their wives. It wasn¡¯t at all the tone used toward someone who will soon leave.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed a little. She let go of Xie Yunjin¡¯s hands and inquired in a serious manner, ¡°Xe Yunjin, what do you think you are doing?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was a little surprised at the sincerity in her voice. However, he still mildly reminded, ¡°We are married. We will have toe in contact sooner orter.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but point out, ¡°But we are going to separate! How inappropriate is it to hug someone you¡¯re going to divorce?¡±

    It was Xie Yunjin¡¯s turn to be stunned. He thought he heard it wrong, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Lu Jiao bluntly repeated herself, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on this already? I find you a doctor who can heal your legs and we¡¯d separate after you¡¯re well again. Now that your legs have healed, we can separate.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped and the air around him quickly turned cold. All the warmth and excitement on his face evaporated. He stared at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to not separate?¡±

    Lu Jiao was astounded, ¡°When did we say that?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mind buzzed and his head hurt. Bleakness filled his heart.

    ¡°Last time, I said to you, children shouldn¡¯t grow up without a mother and you said you understood what I implied.¡±

    The realization hit Lu Jiao hard. So he said all those things to tell her he didn¡¯t want to separate anymore? Oh my god, she thought he wanted to give her custody of the children.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just say the words so it¡¯s clear? I thought that conversation was to tell me that you¡¯re giving the four little ones to raise on my own. I didn¡¯t even think that it was about our separation.¡±

    Xie Yunjin felt so cold when he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words. However, he yed it cool and tried again, ¡°Then, do you understand what I meant now? Let¡¯s not separate. During the time I was bedridden, you genuinely cared for me and the four little ones. I appreciate your sincerity and I want to repay you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark eyes were fixated on Lu Jiao.

    He was terrified that Lu Jiao would reject him.

    Because this woman¡¯s internal dialogues appeared to be vastly different from what he expected.

    Lu Jiao listened to him closely and suddenly remembered the time she jokingly asked Xie Yunjin if he liked her.

    If Xie Yunjin liked her, she would¡¯ve been grateful for how he felt toward her. But this man said he didn¡¯t like her, yet he asked her to stay. Did he think of her as a nanny?

    Lu Jiao wanted to curse at him.

    Her own face turned cold and she stared back at him, ¡°You seem to think that not separating from me is doing me a favor. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t see it that way. Please grant me a divorce letter as we agreed before.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked ill at this point. The hard-to-swallow emotions overfilled him.

    He looked at Lu Jiao and enunciated every word as he spoke, ¡°Lu Jiao, do you know how hard life is for a divorced woman?¡±

    This woman was not the original Lu Jiao. She might not be aware of how hard life can get here. She would be the conversational topic no matter where she went. People would take advantage of her and curse her all her life. Did she know all that?

    Lu Jiao answered coolly, ¡°I know.¡±

    Even in the modern era, life was hard for divorced women.

    ¡°No matter how difficult it may get, it passes.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at her in disbelief, ¡°Then why must you demand a divorce? If you know life will be hard, why do you still choose that path? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. It was because she wanted a life of her own. Perhaps in the future, she would find herself someone who truly connected with her.

    She wasn¡¯t willing to sacrifice her entire life for the four little ones.

    She was sorry, but she just couldn¡¯t do it. Though she really liked the children, she wasn¡¯t at the point where she was okay with giving up her entire life.

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this more and just do as we agreed. We said we would separate once your legs healed. Of course, if you¡¯re willing, you can give me the divorce letter right now. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

 Chapter 203 - 203 Daddy, Appease Mommy

    203 Daddy, Appease Mommy

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to discuss this anymore. She turned around to eat breakfast.

    When she reached the door, she found the four little ones in a line by the door.

    Their little faces were pale as they gawked at her in shock.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head ached. She forgot to check for the children.

    The four little ones shot towards Lu Jiao and started to cry loudly, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave. We will be good children and listen to you well. Can you please not leave us?¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ cries were heart-wrenching.

    After all, Lu Jiao¡¯s parented them for a long time now and they¡¯ve built a rtionship.

    She felt sad seeing them cry.

    ¡°Okay, stop crying.¡±

    The Fourth Born wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao and wailed, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you leave.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n on letting the four children find out about this so soon. She wanted to find some opportunities to mentally prepare them and have them ept her separation from Xie Yunjin.

    She didn¡¯t n for the four little ones to hear this identally.

    Lu Jiao nced at the children and warmlyforted, ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this before and agreed. You heard it right? I agreed to find a doctor for your dad and he agreed that once he healed, we would divorce. We agreed on that a while ago.¡±

    The four little ones kept on shaking their heads and refusing to listen.

    Lu Jiao had no choice but to soothe them, ¡°Stop crying. I haven¡¯t left, right?¡±

    She then turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°How about you let me raise the four little ones?¡±

    Xie Yunjin frowned at her gloomily andmented, ¡°So, I¡¯m the extra one?¡±

    What did he do to her for her to dislike him so much?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unspeakably cold as he sneered at her.

    Lu Jiao made a face then went back to soothing the children, ¡°Ah, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m discussing this with your father.¡±

    The Fourth Born continued to hog onto her neck and he was now out of breath from crying, ¡°Mommy, can you please not leave?¡±

    Though the children were little, they were extremely intelligent. Their mommy was so nice right now. If she left, their daddy would marry someone else and who knows how evil their stepmother would be?

    They¡¯ve also heard that fathers change once they marry someone new. Who knew what their father would turn into once he marries someone new?

    The more the children thought about it, the louder they cried.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart and head both ached. However, she couldn¡¯t stay with Xie Yunjin just for the children.

    Not only was she not the original host, but she also had very different values from Xie Yunjin. Plus, in the book, Xie Yunjin ends up with a wife once he moves into the Capital City. Who knows if he would end up meeting that woman and fall in love with her at first sight? He might divorce Lu Jiao then. Worse, he might kill her.

    Lu Jiao continued tofort the children as she thought about it.

    The four little ones noticed that no matter how hard they cried, their mother refused to change her mind.

    Now flustered, the First Born shouted at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, hurry and appease mommy. Don¡¯t let her leave!¡±

    Xie Yunjin recognized something then. Lately, he kept on thinking that Lu Jiao did certain things because she liked him. It now looked like he was overthinking it.

    He felt extremely embarrassed now and his face turned as red as a boiled shrimp. There was no way he was going to do what the children were asking of him.

    His lips were pursed together tightly as his entire body screamed for him to get away.

    The First Born noticed that he was ignored and turned back to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave. When I grow up, I will be filial. I will get you a title and make sure everyone else is jealous of you. I will marry someone nice in the future and we will be filial towards you together. I will have sons of my own who will also obey you.¡±

    He promised all he could.

    The Second Born¡¯s eyes were swollen red as he pulled on Lu Jiao¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Mommy, once I be a general, I will protect you and make sure nobody hurts you. I will beat up anyone who hurts you. I want everyone to know that my mother has a general for a son.¡±

    The Third Born choked and huped, ¡°Mommy, I still need to learn medicine from you. I want to treat the sick like you do. I want everyone to know how amazing my mommy is. Not only can my mom treat patients, but she can also help raise a very capable son.¡±

    The Fourth Born was crying so hard he could no longer speak. All his worst fears were bing true. His mommy was leaving and they will have a stepmother in the future. He didn¡¯t want that.

    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave. I¡¯m going to make a lot of money. I will buy you silver earrings, silver bracelets, and new clothes. Ah, I will buy you helpers who can help you around the house so you don¡¯t need to do anything. Are you leaving because you¡¯re tired of doing housework?¡±

    Lu Jiao felt a lot of pain as she listened to the children. She knelt down and hugged them, ¡°Stop crying. I will discuss this with your dad.¡±

    She then asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s go eat. I prepared a lot of good food.¡±

    Sadly, the four little ones shook their heads in unison and looked at her with their crying faces, ¡°Mommy, we are not hungry. We don¡¯t want to eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart hurt and her head ached. She peered at Xie Yunjin and suggested again, ¡°Xie Yunjin, what if you give me the four children to raise? I promise¡­¡±

    All Xie Yunjin could hear was how Lu Jiao only talked about the four little ones. He remembered his childhood and how his parents hated him and essentially abandoned him. Today, this woman was abandoning him too.

    So much negativity arose in Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart. His gaze was now ice cold, ¡°No.¡±

    He then headed towards the bed to rest.

    Lu Jiao was leftforting the children, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat. Today, we won¡¯t study and I¡¯ll take you into the mountains to hunt.¡±

    The four little ones continued to stare with sad puppy eyes.

    The First Born opened his lips, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m in a bad mood and I cannot stomach any food.¡±

    His mommy was still not promising that she¡¯d stay. This meant she didn¡¯t want to. He was so sad and started to wonder if she didn¡¯t want to stay because of all the wrongdoings he did in the past.

    Devastated, the First Born ran to the west bedroom. The other three followed while crying.

    The four little ones crawled onto the bed and continued to wail.

    Lu Jiao felt like she was being torn into two. Half of her wanted to convince herself to stay. Even if she didn¡¯t mix with Xie Yunjin, they could still coexist peacefully and she could take care of the four little ones.

    The other half of her told her not to do that. She had her own life and her life should consist of more than the four little ones.

    With her feet heavy, Lu Jiao headed to the west bedroom in order to soothe the children more.

    ...

    Just then, some visitors arrived.

    Lu Jiao looked outside and saw that it was the Second Grandma and Lady Zhao and they were apanied by some vigers.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want people to hear about her private matters so she stepped out to greet them.

    ¡°Second Grandma, Lady Zhao, why are you here?¡±

    The Second Grandma asked Lu Jiao caringly, ¡°I heard the four little ones cry. It sounds like they¡¯re really sad. Did something happen?¡±

    Lady Zhao nodded as well and everyone gawked at Lu Jiao for an answer.

 Chapter 204 - 204 Long Term Pain is Worse than Short Term Pain

    204 Long Term Pain is Worse than Short Term Pain

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was impatient and said something mean. I angered the children.¡±

    The Second Grandma lectured Lu Jiao, ¡°Your children are really good kids. They¡¯re obedient and respectful. Don¡¯t be too hard on them.¡±

    Lady Zhao nodded in agreement. The children¡¯s weeping hurt her too.

    The other vigers also chimed in a little. They told Lu Jiao to not be too hard on them. They were good kids for their age. If they rounded up, they were four. Their actual age was only three.

    Lu Jiao nodded and mentioned she will be more cautious. Only then did everyone leave.

    Lu Jiao headed back to the west bedroom and offered to take the children into town.

    The four little ones loved to go into town. There were lots of people and things to do there.

    This time, Lu Jiao was unsessful. The children all sprawled out on the bed and buried their faces into the pillows as they continued to sob.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. She went to the east bedroom to talk to Xie Yunjin and convince him to give her custody of the children. She didn¡¯t want money and she could promise him that she would raise the children to be good men.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, let¡¯s talk.¡±

    The man on the bed slowly turned his head towards her. His handsome face drowned in coldness and his dark eyes were foggy. The way he looked at her was like she was a heartbreaker.

    Lu Jiao wanted to curse. What was this?

    ¡°The four little ones obviously do not want to ept our separation. I¡¯m thinking, how about you give me the children to raise? Once they realize there was no chance that we¡¯d reconcile, they will ept reality. Then, you can take them back.¡±

    Xie Yunjin answered emotionlessly, ¡°Since you decided to leave, then leave cleanly. Don¡¯t give them hope. If you give them hope and leave anyway, you¡¯ll hurt them more!¡±

    Lu Jiao thought it over and found him to be right. Xie Yunjin obviously wasn¡¯t going to give up custody forever. If she only raised them for a while and then sent them back, they would get hurt even more.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t think it through.¡±

    Lu Jiao then abruptly got up and left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin watched her leave.

    This woman was far more ruthless than he thought. Though she always smiled on the outside, her heart was made out of steel.

    She obviously liked the four little ones and cared for them like a real mother would. However, when she arrived at a crossroad, she unhesitantly chose to leave them.

    Xie Yunjin closed his eyes and pondered. Were they really going to separate?

    The thought of that depressed him and drained him of strength.

    Lu Jiao left the east bedroom and didn¡¯t bother to go into the west bedroom. She went to the kitchen to get her basket and left home.

    Her mind was a mess so she decided to harvest some herbs to calm herself down. She¡¯ll think about the future while she¡¯s out there.

    She¡¯s always wanted to raise the four little ones for Xie Yunjin. It was obvious now that the children couldn¡¯t ept that they would separate.

    Long term pain was worse than short term pain. She better keep her distance from them and they may heal faster.

    Lu Jiao ran into several families while she harvested herbs. Many people heard about the children crying and asked Lu Jiao about it.

    Lu Jiao used the same excuse as she did earlier and most people told her that she should go easier on the children. They were good boys.

    Lu Jiao nodded.

    Since so many people asked, Lu Jiao got annoyed. She ended up going deep into the mountains and by the time she was done, it waste afternoon. She remembered that the children didn¡¯t eat breakfast and she didn¡¯t know if they ate lunch.

    Lu Jiao was worried and headed home. She hoped that after these long hours, the children would be calm by now.

    If she talked to them now, she should be able to get through to them.

    Lu Jiao returned home with the basket. The yard was quiet without much noise. Soot and Marble appeared hungry and were running around. When they saw her, they greeted her with licks.

    Lu Jiao knew right away then that the children didn¡¯t have anything to eat. If they did, they would¡¯ve given some to Soot and Marble.

    Lu Jiao was helpless. She put down her basket and went to the west bedroom.

    There, the children were missing.

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and went to the east bedroom.

    Xie Yunjin was reading in bed. He still appeared aloof and distant. When he saw Lu Jiao, he only red at her before we went back to his book. He didn¡¯t seem to want to talk.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Did the four little onese to you?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. He wanted to ask her, if she cared about them so much, why would she leave them?

    However, he quickly remembered her real identity. She wasn¡¯t who she used to be so she didn¡¯t owe him anything. On the contrary, he and his sons were indebted to her.

    Xie Yunjin suppressed the exasperation he felt and said calmly, ¡°They didn¡¯te. They must¡¯ve gone out.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought the children must¡¯ve gone to y with the others given their poor mood and didn¡¯t pursue it.

    Since the children haven¡¯t eaten, Lu Jiao cleaned up what was there before and went to cook fresh noodles for the children.

    She¡¯s made noodles in hot and sour soup for the children twice before and they really liked it. Lu Jiao decided to make more of their favorite dishes.

    However, by the time she was done cooking, the children still didn¡¯t return.

    Lu Jiao was now worried. Where did the children go? Did they go out there and told everyone about her separation from Xie Yunjin? She really wanted to resolve this quietly and leave quietly. She didn¡¯t want the whole vige to find out.

    Lu Jiao decided to go search for the children.

    After an entire round around the vige, she still couldn¡¯t find them. She also asked many people and nobody saw them.

    Lu Jiao was now really worried and ran into the east bedroom all heated.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, something bad has happened. I don¡¯t know where the four little ones went. I went around the vige and didn¡¯t find them. Nobody in the vige saw them either. Where could they have gone?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed and he quickly got out of bed.

    Since he was going so fast, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but to ask, ¡°Be careful when you walk. Your legs aren¡¯t back to normal yet.¡±

    Xie Yunjin simply said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The two of them wanted to do another round around the vige. However, when they got out of their own yard, they saw Lin Chunyan walk over with a full basket.

    ...

    Lu Jiao subconsciously asked, ¡°Chunyan, did you see my four little ones?¡±

    Lin Chunyan answered right away, ¡°I saw them. They went into the mountains with Xiaobao.¡±

    Then she gave Lu Jiao a strange look, ¡°They didn¡¯t tell you?¡±

 Chapter 205 - 205 Letâ€™s go Find Grandma

    205 Let¡¯s go Find Grandma

    Lu Jiao shook her head and pondered. Did the four little ones go into the mountains to look for her?

    Lin Chunyan added, ¡°The children looked rather sad. They were gesturing around as they walked with Xiaobao.¡±

    Lu Jiao jumped in, ¡°What were they gesturing?¡±

    Lin Chunyan copied what she saw. It looked like the children were trying to draw out the mountain.

    Beside them, Xie Yunjin said in a low voice, ¡°They are trying to go to your mother¡¯s.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that was a real possibility. However, to get to her mother¡¯s, there would be no need to go into the mountains. They could simply go around it. The children went up the mountains, meaning they nned on cutting across.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression dropped. So did Xie Yunjin¡¯s.

    It waste and a boy barely a teen led four children into the wild. It was likely that they would run into animals. Plus, the mountains got so cold at night. Even if the children were lucky enough to not run into any animals, they could easily get sick.

    The more Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more worried they got. Beside them, Lin Chunyan caringly asked, ¡°Third aunt, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao responded anxiously, ¡°I think they¡¯re trying to go through the mountains in order to get to my mother¡¯s Apricot Vige. However, to get to Apricot Vige, we usually take the north road around the mountain. It¡¯s dangerous to go through the mountains.¡±

    Lin Chunyan was shocked. Her brother-inw¡¯s child was also involved.

    Lin Chunyan asked with apprehension, ¡°What do we do then?!¡±

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°We have to go find them.¡±

    He then tried to walk up the mountain. Lu Jiao stopped him, ¡°Your legs aren¡¯t healed yet. You¡¯re in no state to climb a mountain. You should tell the Leaders what happened and get others to help.¡±

    Lin Chunyan also offered, ¡°I will go find my inws and ask them to join the search.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded then said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°You should find people for us instead of going into the mountains yourself. You might hurt your legs if you¡¯re uncareful.¡±

    Lu Jiao then assertively turned around. Lin Chunyan also left to find her inws without another word.

    Behind Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin watched her leave. A thought shed across his mind. What if he fell and broke his legs again? Would Lu Jiao stay then? The four little ones wouldn¡¯t be so sad if she stayed.

    He quickly snapped back. Just what was he thinking?

    Xie Yunjin leaped back to the vige to form a search team.

    The leaders and others soon learned the situation and assembled a group of people to go look for the children.

    The mountains were a dangerous ce at night. There were wild animals and it could get very cold there. It was easy for children to get sick if they spent a night.

    Deep in the mountains, Xie Xiaobao led the four little ones forward. The five clueless children were oblivious about the danger and just how worried their parents were.

    As Xie Xiaobao walked, he asked, ¡°First Born, howe you thought of visiting your grandma?¡±

    Earlier today, the four little ones noticed that their mommy went to harvest herbs instead of talking to them. So they decided to figure out a way to keep her around.

    In the end, they decided to ask for Lady Tian¡¯s help. Their mommy listened to their grandma. If their grandma stopped their mommy from leaving them, she might just stay.

    They only knew their grandma lived in the neighboring vige on the other side of the mountain but they didn¡¯t know how to get there.

    They thought Xie Xiaobao might know. So the four little ones lightly and quietly crawled out of bed and snuck out to find Xie Xiaobao. The First Born almost promised Xie Xiaobao that if he took them to their grandma¡¯s, he would give him one of their skateboards.

    Of course Xie Xiaobao agreed and led the way.

    Honestly, Xie Xiaobao had no idea how to get to the Apricot vige. Since they said it was the neighboring vige, he figured they just had to get across the mountains.

    The five of them quickly started to climb. However, after some time, the four little one¡¯s legs felt sore and they could barely walk on.

    Despite the pain, the four little ones pushed themselves forward. If they didn¡¯t find their grandma, their mommy would leave them. They had to find their grandma.

    With that belief motivating them, the four little ones gritted their teeth and followed Xie Xiaobao.

    However, in the end, all five of them were too exhausted to walk. Theyid there in the forest to rest.

    It waste now and the Sun had slowly set. The children started to get scared.

    The Fourth Born was already scaredycat. When he looked into the dark forest and listened to the harsh wind around him, it stressed him out. He started to cry loudly and screamed, ¡°I¡¯m scared! I want to go home to my mommy!¡±

    The Third Born also started to sob while the Second Born scolded harshly, ¡°What are you crying about? Don¡¯t cry! We need to find grandma!¡±

    The Fourth Born cried and weeped, ¡°But, where is grandma? I want to go home! I miss my mommy.¡±

    The Second Born looked to the First Born, ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    He was honestly afraid also. The mountains at night were not a friendly ce.

    The First Born¡¯s always been the spine of the siblings. He did his best to remain calm and nce around the dark forest. By now, there was not the slightest trace of light.

    The First Born tried to look forward.

    Where was their grandma¡¯s house?

    Not knowing what to do now, the First Born asked Xie Xiaobao, ¡°Brother Xiaobao, what do we do?¡±

    Though Xie Xiaobao was now 13, he was not an adult and didn¡¯t have good ideas. Plus, he was just as frightful. He remained collected and hoped he didn¡¯t show any fear.

    ¡°How about we head back? You can ask an adult to bring you to your grandma¡¯s.¡±

    The First Born was flustered and he was scared so he agreed, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go back then.¡±

    The five of them turned around to walk the other way. Sadly, the forest was now so pitch ck that they couldn¡¯t see where the roads were. The children stumbled and tripped. They were starting to lose track of each other.

    In the end, all five of them started to cry. Xie Xiaobao asked everyone to hold hands and walk together.

    It was safer that way. However, the group had lost their original courage and now wailed loudly.

    Their cries mixed with the wind sounded rather eerie.

    Lu Jiao had searched for a while. Behind her, many vigers split up to look for the children.

    Since it was dark now, Lu Jiao carefully took out a shlight from her space and used it as she went on.

    The shlight was rather effective and earned her much visibility.

    ...

    Xie Xiaobao, who was trying to make his way back croaked when he saw the light, ¡°First Born, look, what is that? It looks like a me.¡±

 Chapter 206 - 206 The Little Ones got a Fever

    206 The Little Ones got a Fever

    The First Born nced over and thought it was really a me.

    Subconsciously, the children headed towards the light. After a while, the Second Born shouted, ¡°The Fourth Born fell.¡±

    The Fourth Born wasn¡¯t able to get up after he fell and he ended up passing out. Not long after that, the Third Born also passed out.

    Xie Xiaobao, the First and Second were truly nervous now. They circled the Third and Fourth Born, hoping to help them out. When they touched them however, they found the Third and Fourth Born to be burning up.

    !!

    Xie Xiaobao called out loudly, ¡°They¡¯re really hot. My mom said this means they have a fever. Those who get fevers cannot be saved.¡±

    His statement made the First and Second Born burst into tears. They never expected to not only fail to find their grandma, but for it to also cost the Third and Fourth their lives.

    The two of them wailed in full sadness, ¡°Third Born, Fourth Born, don¡¯t die!¡±

    Xie Xiaobao couldn¡¯t help but cry after he saw them cry. He had so much regret right now and vowed to never leave home ever again.

    Wuuuuu.

    The forest was now filled with weeping sounds.

    Lu Jiao continued her search with the shlight. As she walked on, she felt like she heard crying. She stopped and listened carefully. There were definitely crying noises.

    She guessed they were from the Third and Fourth Born.

    Out of the four children, Xie Xiaobao was the oldest at 13. For those five children to walk in the forest in the dark was definitely terrifying.

    Lu Jiao shouted loudly, ¡°First Born, Second Born, where are you?¡±

    ¡°Third Born, Fourth Born.¡±

    Lu Jiao used all her strength to cry out those names. Her voice echoed in the mountains and reached the First and Second Born¡¯s ears.

    The two of them looked around. The Second Born whispered, ¡°I think I¡¯m hearing mommy¡¯s voice.¡±

    The First Born listened for a while and confirmed that he heard it. Shooting up, the First Born screamed out, ¡°Mom! We are over here!¡±

    The Second Born joined in, ¡°Mom! We are here! Come here!¡±

    Xie Xiaobao was no longer scared now that the third aunt was here. He mustered the courage and screamed out, ¡°Third aunt! We are over here! We are over here!¡±

    Lu Jiao was ecstatic to hear a response. She followed the noise.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move you guys! Stand right where you are! I¡¯ll be over right away!¡±

    When she arrived, the First and Second Born hugged onto her, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s terrifying out here. We are scared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared too.¡±

    Lu Jiao held onto the children andforted them. The First and Second Born went through a lot today. Curled up against Lu Jiao, they didn¡¯t even have the strength to cry anymore. Quickly, they fainted.

    Lu Jiao tensed up, ¡°First Born? Second Born?¡±

    She examined the children and felt that their foreheads burned hot.

    Lu Jiao was agitated now. The children got a fever from the cold. She had to give them a shot to bring the fever down.

    She abruptly took out syringes and medicine and jabbed the First and Second Born.

    Xie Xiaobao let her know, ¡°Third aunt, the Third Born and Fourth Born also got a fever. They passed out a while ago.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart bled. Sheid down the First and Second Born on the grass, then went to give the Third and Fourth Born a shot.

    As she did that, she instructed Xie Xiaobao, ¡°Shine this shlight at a far away spot. Everyone is looking for you guys in the mountains. When they see the light, they¡¯lle over.¡±

    Xie Xiaobao did as he was told and waved around the shlight.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the vigers to see the light and rush over.

    Lu Jiao had given each child a shot. However, since there were four of them, she couldn¡¯t carry them all and could onlyy them t on the grass.

    Once the vigers arrived, Lu Jiao asked them to help her carry the children.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go down the mountain.¡±

    Lady Zhao and Xie Laifu pped Xie Xiaobao, ¡°You bastard! Why would you take your little brothers into the mountains?!¡±

    Xie Xiaobao started to cry. He was in shock as well and was scared to death. Yet the first thing his parents did was to p him. He felt so wronged.

    Xie Xiaobao exined, ¡°The First Born said they missed their grandma and asked me to take them there. He said once they¡¯re there, he would give me one of their skateboards.¡±

    Lady Zhao tried to hit him again but Lu Jiao stopped her. This wasn¡¯t Xie Xiaobao¡¯s fault. It was the four little ones¡¯ fault for tempting him with a skateboard.

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Xiaobao, ¡°It¡¯s their fault. Once they¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll ask them to give you a skateboard.¡±

    The sadness dissipated quickly for Xie Xiaobao, ¡°Third aunt, are you serious?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    The group struggled their way down the mountain. On the way, someone became interested in Lu Jiao¡¯s shlight, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, what is that? The light shoots so far.¡±

    Lu Jiao only took this out due to desperation. Now that people were asking, she had to make up some answers fast.

    ¡°I got it purely by ident. I don¡¯t know what it is. I heard it can light up ces for a short while, then it stops working.¡±

    When the others heard that it would stop working eventually, they became uninterested.

    The group got themselves out of the forest.

    This time, Xie Xiaobao and the four little ones scared everyone quite a bit. Luckily, nothing too bad came out of it.

    The four little ones got a fever, but Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t too worried after she gave them the shots.

    Once everyone got down the mountain, the vigers helped Lu Jiao bring the children home.

    At home, Xie Yunjin was nervously looking around. He originally wanted to join the search party but the leaders stopped him.

    Though Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t end up going, his heart felt like it was being grilled. He was so worried that something would happen to the four little ones.

    ...

    Now that they have returned, he sighed in relief.

    Lu Jiao asked the vigers to ce the children onto the west bedroom bed. She thanked them and everyone left.

    Lu Jiao examined them and confirmed that their temperature wasing down.

    She could finally breathe.

    Xie Yunjin asked anxiously, ¡°What happened to them?¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°It was too cold out there and they got a fever.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for Xie Yunjin to sit, ¡°Let¡¯s have a serious discussion.¡±

    With the way the four little ones¡¯ been acting, she didn¡¯t think it would be wise to leave right away. She had to figure out a n with Xie Yunjin.

    After what happened to the children, Xie Yunjin was now more cool headed. He sat down and stared at Lu Jiao.

 Chapter 207 - 207 Write me a Divorce Letter

    207 Write me a Divorce Letter

    Lu Jiao said to him, ¡°Next year August, you¡¯ll be participating in the provincial exam. Then, you¡¯ll be visiting the imperial pce to take the imperial exam. How about this. I will help you until your provincial exam is over. Then, you can return and officially move to the Capital City with the children.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t wait for a response before she continued, ¡°However, I ask that you write me a divorce letter right now.¡±

    She was afraid that things might change and figured that it would be more beneficial to get her hands on the official letter first.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was cold as he stared back at her. It was obvious however, that he had calmed down since this morning.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to separate?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded firmly to show that she was certain.

    After this period of time, she thought she had gotten to know Xie Yunjin well. So much of his values and ways of thinking were traditional andmon amongst men in this era. The only reason she was okay with co-existing with him all this time was because she knew they would eventually separate. Therefore, she let a lot of things go without putting up a fight.

    If this man was her husband though, they would be bickering all the time.

    On top of that, Lu Jiao did not forget about Chen Ying, the woman who seemed to be special to Xie Yunjin. In the novel, Xie Yunjin also had a fated wife.

    All this information made it clear to her that he was not a man she should get close to.

    Lu Jiao thought it over and looked towards Xie Yunjin, ¡°My mind is clear. You¡¯re going to pass all your exams and be an official in the Capital City. I am someone who enjoys a simple life. If everything goes ording to n, I will be spending the rest of my life in Qinghe. We have drastically different paths nned for the future and a separation is the best option for us.¡±

    Xie Yunjin saw how collected andposed Lu Jiao was and knew then that she was determined to leave.

    If that was the case, what was the point of trying to keep her.

    ¡°Okay, I can write you a divorce letter. However, don¡¯t forget what you promised. You have to help me take care of the four little ones until my imperial exam in the pce is over. If I do get that far that is.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiao agreed.

    Xie Yunjin noticed how crisp her answers were and didn¡¯t feel too happy. Right now, he couldn¡¯t help but self-reflect. Just how awful of a person was he for this woman to want to leave him without second thoughts.

    Xie Yunjin reyed the past several months over in his head and realized that he truly did not treat her that well. Though he knew she wasn¡¯t the person she used to be, he couldn¡¯t help but to hate her because of her face.

    Was it toote to treat her well now?

    Xie Yunjin thought about it then said, ¡°I have two conditions. Only if they¡¯re fulfilled, will I write you the divorce letter.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Since she was getting what she wanted, Lu Jiao was now much more soft spoken.

    Xie Yunjin stated, ¡°First, you cannot tell the four little ones about our separation. In the short term, we shouldn¡¯t let them know.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in agreement, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I will slowly set them up so they won¡¯t be shocked, but I will not let them know.¡±

    After all themotions today, the children may just cause more trouble if they find out about this conversation.

    Xie Yunjin then added, ¡°Second, I am going to date the letter to six monthster.¡±

    This meant the divorce letter would only be effective in six months. In the next six months, Lu Jiao would remain Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed a little and asked, ¡°Why would you date it six monthster?¡±

    Xie Yunjin answered slowly, ¡°If I give you the letter now, you may take away the children whenever you are unhappy. What do I do then? Don¡¯t worry, since I agreed to this, I will not give you a hard timeter.¡±

    Lu Jiao was not happy with this result and tried to remain calm, ¡°Do I look like someone who would do such a thing?¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Lu Jiao was not that untrustworthy. Regardless, it was safer to date the letter half a yearter.

    His gaze fixated on Lu Jiao, ¡°Since you¡¯ve decided to take care of them until my imperial exam, why does it matter when I date the letter?¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t wait for Lu Jiao toment before he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you love them? If you love them so much, why are you not willing to stay half a year for them?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the four children whoid on the bed. After a whole day of ruckus, the four little guys had wilted and now looked like small and beaten bok choy.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heart ached. She turned back to Xie Yunjin, ¡°How about three months?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between three months and six? Are you worried I would scheme and refuse to let you go? Don¡¯t worry, if you are not willing to stay, I will not force you.¡±

    Lu Jiao frowned unhappily. There was a big difference between three and six months. If he dated it three monthster, she would be a free single woman in three months. If he dated it six monthster, she would have to wait for half a year.

    However, given where they were with this discussion, she knew there was really no point in arguing more about this. After all, she was willing to stay to take care of the children.

    ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll do as you said. You can date it for half a yearter. However, do note that during the next six months, we will behave as if we¡¯ve already separated. We need to watch how we act around each other.¡±

    Her words caused Xie Yunjin to nce at her, ¡°Are you worried I would take advantage of you?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, he stared at her in a serious manner, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, I would never. I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡±

    ¡°Okay, remember what you are saying.¡±

    Lu Jiao then said, ¡°Now, you can write me the divorce letter.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gaped at her. Under this dim candlelit room, the woman¡¯s beautiful face was so determined and so humorless. There was not the slightest trace of hesitation, which indicated just how certain she was about leaving him.

    If that was the case, then he would grant her her wish!

    Xie Yunjin got up to go to the east bedroom. This time, he didn¡¯t pause as he quickly drafted the divorce letter.

    Lu Jiao read it through and decided that the letter had no problems ¨C other than theter date of course.

    Though the date was not ideal for her, at least she got the letter as she wished.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep this then.¡±

    Lu Jiao put away the letter. Inside the room, Xie Yunjin peered down onto her and asked, ¡°Why do you dislike me that much?¡±

    Without waiting for an answer, he left.

    Lu Jiao ignored him also. Now that he had written the letter, what more was there to say?

    In the middle of the night, the four little ones woke up. When they saw Lu Jiao, they started to cry.

    Lu Jiao instantly started to sooth them, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    The Fourth Born wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t go.¡±

    ...

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes brightened. With his arms still around her neck, he asked, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re not going to separate from daddy?¡±

    The First, Second, and Third Born all sat up to stare at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked back at the four pairs of bright and clear eyes. Not able to lie to them, she danced around the question, ¡°Fourth Born, did you know that only when two people like each other, can they live together happily? Your daddy doesn¡¯t like me so how can we stay together? However, I have decided to give him half a year. If your dad starts to like me then, I will not leave.¡±

    The other side of her statement was that if their dad still did not like her, she would still leave.

    This was part of her n to cushion them for what was bound to happen. She will start to subliminally hint to them about their eventual separation.

    The four little ones were not at all aware of what point Lu Jiao was trying to make. They excitedly looked at Lu Jiao and confirmed, ¡°Mommy, if daddy likes you, you won¡¯t leave?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re so great. I¡¯m sure daddy will like you. You¡¯re both capable and beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, mommy, you¡¯re a miracle doctor! I¡¯m sure daddy will like mommy.¡±

 Chapter 208 - 208 The Four Babies Teaching their Old Dad

    208 The Four Babies Teaching their Old Dad

    The Fourth Born was far more aggressive with his promise, ¡°If daddy doesn¡¯t like mommy, I will leave with mommy. We will ignore him.¡±

    Before the west bedroom entrance, Xie Yunjin heard their conversation and couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes. Was it true that Lu Jiao wanted a separation because he didn¡¯t like her?

    Xie Yunjin recalled the time when Lu Jiao asked him if he liked her. At the time, he seemed to have told her to not waste her time thinking about such things. It appeared that he gave the wrong answer.

    Xie Yunjin self-reflected outside. Inside, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Just what were they talking about? Oh well, she will have to take this slow.

    Lu Jiao looked at the four children and asked, ¡°You must be hungry. I made some ginseng soup with eggs earlier. You all should have some and sweat it out. You¡¯ll feel better tomorrow.¡±

    The four little ones were truly hungry. After they heard what Lu Jiao offered, they happily agreed.

    ¡°Mommy, I want to eat that. I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also hungry.¡±

    Lu Jiao almost angrily flicked their foreheads, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to make such a fuss again!¡±

    She then got up to leave and was startled by the person standing by the entrance.

    Only upon closer look did she realize it was Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but re at him. Why was he standing there trying to scare her instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?

    Lu Jiao ignored him and went to the kitchen.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin debated but ended up following her. Once they arrived at the kitchen, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you asking to separate because I don¡¯t like you?¡±

    If that was the case, he figured she shouldn¡¯t worry. He thinks he liked her somewhat.

    Lu Jiao abruptly snapped her head around, ¡°Even if you do like me, I wouldn¡¯t stay.¡±

    Without paying any more attention to the now moody Xie Yunjin, she went to fetch the ginseng soup.

    Before the kitchen door, Xie Yunjin was now frigid. He watched as Lu Jiao worked. Repeating the words she just threw in his face, his heart seized and tightened.

    Xie Yunjin left. Since she was so stubborn about leaving, then she could do whatever she wanted.

    No longer in the mood to visit the four little ones, Xie Yunjin went to rest in the east bedroom.

    In the kitchen, Lu Jiao originally was going to ask Xie Yunjin if he wanted any food. When she turned around, however, he was already leaving coldly.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t call out to him. She scooped out soup for the children and went to feed them.

    The four little ones each had an egg and drank half a bowl of soup. They then quickly fell asleep, exhausted.

    Lu Jiao was also tired and fell asleep as soon as sheid down.

    What a day!

    The next day, the children seemed to have recovered for the most part. Though they weren¡¯t jumping around endlessly, they were in good spirits.

    After the fever shot, soup, and eggs, they sweated through their shirts. In the morning, Lu Jiao boiled water and washed them up. After all the cleaning, the four little ones returned to their normal soft and cute selves.

    Many vigers came to visit them. Only after they confirmed that they were safe and sound, did they go home to make breakfast.

    Since so many people helped with the searchst night, Lu Jiao was very thankful of the vigers. She walked every visitor out and thanked them personally.

    The vigers all waved their hands and smiled, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t be so polite. You helped us plenty before.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no need to be so formal with us.¡±

    After everyone progressively left, the Vige Leader¡¯s youngest daughter, Xie Xiaojuan, stayed and asked, ¡°Third aunt, should I help you make breakfast?¡±

    Lu Jiao declined right away, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can do it myself.¡±

    Xie Xiaojuan recently found herself a soon-to-be husband. Other than harvesting herbs, she had to sew pillowcases amongst other things. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to inconvenience her.

    Xie Xiaojuan left after a few more exchanges with Lu Jiao, and Lu Jiao went to prepare food.

    The four little ones ran to the east bedroom to talk to Xie Yunjin early in the morning. What was their purpose? Their purpose was to teach their daddy how to fall in love with their mommy. They had an amazing mommy, why would their daddy not like her?

    The First Born stared at his dad with a confused look, ¡°Daddy, do you truly not like mommy?¡±

    Xie Yunjin pursed his lips and his expression was aloof. That face of his confirmed to the four little ones that he truly was not interested in her.

    The children were not happy to find that out. The First Born quickly argued, ¡°But mommy changed for the better. She¡¯s even better looking now. Howe you don¡¯t like her?¡±

    The Second Born chimed in as well, ¡°Mommy is chubby like a little piglet. She also knows how to do everything. Why don¡¯t you like her?¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but think of Lu Jiao¡¯s face and his expression softened somewhat.

    However, the memory of how determined she wasst night evaporated that softness. His face turned back to its normal cold and emotionless ways.

    The Third Born was now furious and grabbed onto Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, you should like mommy! She¡¯s pretty and cute! Everyone adores mommy. Howe you don¡¯t like her?¡±

    The Fourth Born gritted his teeth and vowed, ¡°If you don¡¯t like mommy and choose someone else, I will stop liking you! I¡¯m going to follow mommy.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s words garnered everyone¡¯s attention.

    He chickened out a little but since he had already spoken the words, he straightened his back and threw up his fist, ¡°I am telling the truth! The truth!¡±

    He ran away after that remark. Behind him, the First, Second, and Third Born all gazed at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin frowned and exined, ¡°Children, the thing with ¡®like¡¯ is that you cannot control it. Using yourselves, for example, you naturally have some things you like and some things you dislike. Can you control that?¡±

    ¡°For example, First Born, you like puzzles, like reading, but you don¡¯t like sports. You don¡¯t like to use bows and arrows. Can you force yourself to like those things?¡±

    The First Born thought about it and became mute. It was true that he didn¡¯t like exercising or sports. He enjoyed reading and learning quietly. The reason he went tree climbing and arrow shooting was that his mommy taught him that even schrs need to be healthy. That was the only reason.

    Xie Yunjin then looked to the Second Born, ¡°Second Born, you like sports, like climbing trees and shooting arrows. You dislike reading and studying. Do you think you would like it if I made you study every day?¡±

    Before the Second Born could say an opinion, Xie Yunjin turned to the Third Born, ¡°Third Born, you like to look handsome and dress up in pretty clothing. If I force you to wear old and torn clothes, would you be happy? Therefore, you cannot control what you like.¡±

    After the lecture, the three little ones started to understand this concept a little more. More than that, the three children now know that their daddy truly didn¡¯t like their mommy.

    Their mommy was such a great person. Why didn¡¯t he like her?

    ...

 Chapter 209 - 209 Profit Sharing

    209 Profit Sharing

    The three little ones stared at Xie Yunjin with their eyes red. Xie Yunjin inhaled deeply and finally promised, ¡°I will do my best to like your mother. However, if I still do not like your mom after some time, you can¡¯t me me.¡±

    The three little ones smiled happily and chose to ignore the second part of hisment.

    Just then, Lu Jiao walked in, ¡°Come out and eat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin red at her angrily and meaningfully stated, ¡°In the future, you should deal with this kind of stuff.¡±

    !!

    She had to tell the children that the reason she was leaving was that he didn¡¯t like her. That made Xie Yunjin responsible for this ordeal. If it were up to him, he would throw her under the bus and tell the children she insisted on leaving.

    Lu Jiao knew what he was referring to right away and felt somehow guilty. Quickly, she nced at the children, ¡°Come and eat.¡±

    She then smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°You too.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin thought about it for a night, he was now calm. Since Lu Jiao was determined to separate, he will grant her that freedom.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The three children had taken this time to murmur to the Fourth Born about the conversation they just had. Their daddy had promised to try and like their mommy.

    The Fourth Born¡¯s mood lifted. The four children were now confident that they had resolved the problem and they were now in a great mood.

    The family sat together and ate breakfast.

    Since Xie Yunjin was not in the mood yesterday, he took another day off from teaching the vige children how to read. Today, he was going to restart those lessons.

    Lu Jiao cleaned up after everyone was done and took some time to clean up the house with the four little ones.

    Just then, Baohe Tang¡¯s horse carriage arrived. Manager Li rushed out and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, we epted a patient this morning that may need your consultation.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and went to tell Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, ¡°Baohe Tang epted a very sick patient. I need to go and take a look.¡±

    The four little ones became worried and started to shout, ¡°Mommy, we will go with you.¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t ask to go with Lu Jiao. He was in no position to offer.

    Though they were technically still married, Lu Jiao had made it clear to him that she wanted to behave as if they were already separated.

    Xie Yunjin pursed his lips subconsciously and his face grew cold.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even look at him and only spoke to the four little ones, ¡°I¡¯m going to treat a patient. I¡¯m not going to have fun. I will bring you next time I go into town for fun.¡±

    The four little ones were quiet. Lu Jiao patted their heads then turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Keep an eye on them. I don¡¯t know if I will return by noon. If I don¡¯t, you can ask Chunyan to cook you something.¡±

    She then remembered that Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t like to speak to women from the vige and added, ¡°Do you want me to ask Chunyan?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was expressionless, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can deal with this kind of stuff.¡±

    After she left for good, the five of them would still need to eat.

    Lu Jiao also thought of that and didn¡¯t say anything more before she left.

    The four little ones watched her go and strangely, their eyes turned red as they felt the urge to cry.

    Xie Yunjin saw this andforted, ¡°Your mom is going to treat the sick. It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t want you there. If she was going to do anything else, she would¡¯ve brought you.¡±

    The First Born pressed his lips together before he finally admitted, ¡°It¡¯s not that we want to go y. We are just worried that mommy isn¡¯t going toe back.¡±

    Now that those words were spoken, tears started to roll down the children¡¯s cheeks. The other three asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, do you think mommy is noting back?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart ached to see his children like this. However, he still did his best tofort them, ¡°No way. Your mom has always done as she promised. She would never leave you behind without a word.¡±

    The four little ones thought about it. That was true. Their mommy had always fulfilled her promises. Before, she had vowed to give their daddy a chance to like her.

    The four little ones turned to stare at Xie Yunjin in unison.

    ¡°Daddy, let me tell you, my mommy loves it when peoplepliment her. You shouldpliment her whenever you have free time.¡±

    The Second Born quickly shared some ideas, ¡°You can say things like, ¡®you have such a pretty face. Your cheeks are chubby and cute like a piglet.¡±

    Xie Yunjin ogled at him with a frown. Why was his second son so obsessed with piglets? Every time his second son talked about his mother, hepared her to a piglet. If Xie Yunjin took his advice and said those words, Lu Jiao would stomp him to death.

    The Third Born added, ¡°Daddy, you should tell mommy that she is very capable and is the best doctor in the world. I¡¯ve heard others call her a ¡®miracle doctor¡¯ and mommy smiled so big her eyes disappeared.¡±

    The Fourth Born said, ¡°Daddy, you should put flowers in mommy¡¯s hair and buy her new clothes to wear. Ah, yes, buy her good food too.¡±

    As he spoke, he became worried and gawked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, do you have money?¡±

    If he didn¡¯t, he would have to make money first. Or else he wouldn¡¯t be able to buy mommy flowers and new clothes.

    Xie Yunjin studied the children who were worried sick about him. His heart felt both sweet and sour ¡ª the thought of how determined Lu Jiao was to leave stung.

    Oh well, since that woman wanted to leave, why should he overthink it? He would have to spend his future days with the four little ones.

    Xie Yunjin said to the children, ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you in a bit. Hurry and get your books.¡±

    The four little ones temporarily forgot about the matter with Lu Jiao and went to get the books for everyone before the lesson started.

    Inside Baohe Tang¡¯s horse carriage, Lu Jiao asked Manager Li, ¡°What symptoms is the patient exhibiting?¡±

    Manager Li smiled and shook his head, ¡°Lady Lu, there¡¯s no critical patient today.¡±

    Lu Jiao was in awe, ¡°Then why are you taking me to Baohe Tang in such a rush?¡±

    Manager Li exined, ¡°The owner did as you instructed and sold ice in the Capital City. He made some money and wants to share the profit. He also wants to discuss the other business ideas you had.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes lit up right away and she grinned.

    This surprised Manager Li. It appeared that the owner was right.

    The owner said that when Lady Lu found out there was actually no patient, she would get mad. However, the moment profit sharing is mentioned, Lady Lu¡¯s anger would turn to joy.

    Though the owner and Lady Lu haven¡¯t interacted much, he seemed to understand her well.

    Manager Li studied Lu Jiao a little and discovered that she had lost a sizable amount of weight. Compared to their first meeting, it was like sky and earth. Now, though her cheeks were still chubby, she was no longer considered fat, instead, she was curvy.

    She was a beautiful person with smooth skin who acted with optimism and confidence. The aura she gave was colorful like a blooming flower.

    ...

    Manager Li couldn¡¯t help but exim over how this capable and beautiful woman ended up married to Schr Xie. If she was still single, she could marry the owner and be the wife of a young master.

 Chapter 210 - 210 Three Businesses

    210 Three Businesses

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of Manager Li¡¯s thoughts and said to Manager Li cheerfully, ¡°Your owner sure is an interesting person.¡±

    Manager Li chuckled.

    The horse galloped to Baohe Tang. Inside, Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei awaited.

    Qi Lei bowed to Lu Jiao respectfully, ¡°Master, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Beside her, Zhao Lingfeng spoke up, ¡°Lady Lu sure is difficult to invite over.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored his provocation and confirmed with Zhao Lingfeng with interest, ¡°I heard from Manager Li that you called me here today to split the money?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure how much money they were talking about. Before, she nned to buy somend to farm medicinal herbs but she found out that her 5,000 taels of silver won¡¯t be able to get her much. Who knew that Zhao Lingfeng woulde at the right time to deliver her money? She just had to find out how much.

    Lu Jiao was focused on Zhao Lingfeng, who gave Qi Lei a look. Qi Lei was tempted to cover his face to hide. Before, Zhao Lingfeng had made a bet with him that Lu Jiao would be over the moon to hear about getting money. Qi Lei fought against that guess. She wasn¡¯t that greedy!

    His master, however, showed her true colors right away.

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled and took out an invoice from his desk. He ced it before Lu Jiao.

    This was an invoice for the ice Zhao Lingfeng hired people to make. It includedbor costs and material costs. In addition, the sales and profit figures were alsoid out cleanly. Lu Jiao carefully looked through it and knew that it wasn¡¯t a fake.

    It was the end of July and to have sold this much was considered a sess. This has proven Zhao Lingfeng to be a very capable third young master and that he lived up to his positive reputation.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but giggle, ¡°Not bad at all. Owner Zhao is truly an entrepreneur. I definitely don¡¯t need to worry about teaming up with you.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was d to hear that. He knew that even though the two of them signed a contract, Lu Jiao would be able to get out of it if she really wanted to. Therefore, the whole ice-selling business was a test she gave for him to show his trustworthiness.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words today confirmed his guesses. Lu Jiao was genuinely going to base her future decisions on how well he performed with the ice selling.

    Zhao Lingfeng finally rxed. He took out a stash of silver certificates and gave it to Lu Jiao, ¡°Ice selling made a little more than 60,000 taels of silver. However, I have rounded down since it¡¯s almost the end of July and we have some time to make more money. Here is your share of the profit ¨C 18,500 taels of silver.

    18,000 taels of silver is your share of the ice business. The other 500 is for saving the magistrate¡¯s daughter-inw and her child. They gifted us 500 to thank us. I won¡¯t take my cut of that. It¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes lit up and the grin on her lips deepened. She patted the stash of silver certificates and announced brightly, ¡°Owner Zhao, you¡¯re an honest businessman. I am certain that we will have a good time working together.¡±

    The reason why Zhao Lingfeng never fought against Lu Jiao for anything was that Lu Jiao¡¯s abilities truly earned his respect.

    He was intelligent enough to know to keep the capable ones on his side. He wasn¡¯t someone who was short-sighted and greedy over small amounts of profits.

    Color shed in Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes after he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    ¡°Whatever makes Lady Lu happy.¡±

    Lu Jiao then started to count the stash of certificates. She did feel that other people¡¯s gaze was awkward at all.

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were used to this and didn¡¯t mind.

    Zhao Lingfeng then gave Qi Lei his 10% share.

    ¡°This is yours.¡±

    Qi Lei did not expect to earn so much money so fast. He felt at loss and ended up pushing his 6,000 taels of silver toward Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, you can have this.¡±

    Since his master liked money, she can have it.

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at Qi Lei, ¡°Do your hands itch holding money?¡±

    Since Lu Jiao refused to take it, Qi Lei turned to Zhao Lingfeng. Both Zhao Lingfeng and himself worked for the fifth young master. It felt wrong to take 6,000 taels of silver for himself.

    Qi Lei thought about it and said to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Then, I will take 10% of the profit leftover after the master¡¯s paid out.¡±

    He meant that he would only take 10% of the 70% left from the profit earned.

    For example, today¡¯s 60,000 minus Lu Jiao¡¯s share of 18,000 would be 42,000. He would take 10% of that, which was 4,200 taels of silver.

    Qi Lei took out that 4,200 and returned the rest. Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯tment while Lu Jiao stared at him like he was dumb, ¡°You¡¯re an idiot for thinking you¡¯re making too much money.¡±

    That was his personality though and she was toozy to say anything more.

    Lu Jiao put away the stash and said to Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei, ¡°Honestly, I want to buy somend to farm herbs. Would you know any ces here in the Qinghe district?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was more knowledgeable about this than Qi Lei. He asked Lu Jiao caringly, ¡°Are you looking fornd close to the city or close to the suburbs?¡±

    He then spected, ¡°Near Qili,nd cost around 42 to 48 taels of silver per acre. The suburbs are cheaper. You can get an acre for 24 to 30 taels of silver. Land in the center of the Qinghe district would cost at least 90 taels of silver per acre.

    I would still suggest you buy at a central location though, specifically the City of Xian. Transportation is much more convenient. Plus, we n on opening our three businesses there. You would be close to the businesses and it would be much more convenient.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed. Establishing the three businesses in the City of Xian would be much more convenient than doing it in a small town. The Qinghe District had more roads leading into it and even had ess to water. Everything she nned on making with her manufacturer will eventually be shipped out to different ces. Transportation was key.

    Since they were going to build their businesses there, it made sense for her to buynd there as well.

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng and said, ¡°Then please keep an eye out for me. I want to buy at least 150 acres ofnd first for herbs.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look around for you. If there are any opportunities, I¡¯ll inform you.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Afterward, the group started to chat about the three manufacturers they nned on building. Zhao Lingfeng started the discussion by describing his initial ideas and asked Lu Jiao for her thoughts.

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s n was to buy 80 acres ofnd first in preparation. Lu Jiao upped that figure to 160. Her thought was that they may expand to other businesses and it would be better to get morend.

    Zhao Lingfeng agreed right away after Lu Jiao spoke her thoughts. He indicated that he would start to prepare for this while Lu Jiao stated that he would draw out the ns for the oil press.

    After everything was discussed and agreed upon, Lu Jiao got ready to leave. Zhao Lingfeng then gave her the contract that now had the government¡¯s stamp of approval, ¡°This is our partnership agreement. I¡¯ve gotten it stamped at the county office. Keep it safe.¡±

    Lu Jiao took it with respect. This involved her future assets. She read the agreement and discovered that Zhao Lingfeng had named the three businesses. The oil mill will be called Lu¡¯s Oil Mill. The cosmeceutical store will be called Jiao¡¯s Cosmetics. As for the pharmacy, it will be named Mingren Pharmacy.

 Chapter 211 - 211 Are we a Better Match?

    211 Are we a Better Match?

    Zhao Lingfeng noticed how Lu Jiao was focused on the business names and exined, ¡°I originally wanted to incorporate your name in the pharmacy business name as well. But I couldn¡¯t figure out one that works well. I ended up making the decision to call it Mingren Pharmacy. Do you mind? Of course, if you don¡¯t like it, we can change it. When the timees, the three of us can go to the government office again.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s great. I¡¯m just surprised that you managed to add my name to the oil mill and cosmeceutical store.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng sighed in relief. It appeared that he did the right thing.

    ¡°All three businesses rely on your secret forms. Using your name is the right thing to do. If I had a way to add your name to the pharmacy, I would¡¯ve.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng talked about all this nonchntly. Lu Jiao¡¯s mood, however, grew brighter and brighter as she beamed from ear to ear.

    Qi Lei nced at Lu Jiao, then at Zhao Lingfeng. He silently eximed over Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s slickness. Who knew Zhao Lingfeng was so good at making Lu Jiao happy?

    Was he interested in her? Qi Lei narrowed his eyes.

    Lu Jiao got out of her seat. Behind her, Zhao Lingfeng suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s get some good food for lunch to celebrate our first pot of gold.¡±

    Thanks to that woman, he was able to save so much start-up capital. With the money already earned, he¡¯ll be able to open three separate businesses. He¡¯ll even have some money left over.

    The more Zhao Lingfeng thought about it, the happier he felt. His gaze softened and also turned hot. If people didn¡¯t know he was viewing her as the God of Wealth, they would think he was in love with her.

    Everyone around him thought he had some poor intentions.

    Lu Jiao thought of the four little ones and waved her hand, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I have children to take care of.¡±

    She then left and Zhao Lingfeng watched her go. Quickly, Qi Lei pulled Zhao Lingfeng aside.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng stopped smiling and snapped his head at Qi Lei, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Qi Lei lowered his voice, ¡°Are you trying to steal Schr Xie¡¯s girl?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s tone was unfriendly as he stared at Qi Lei strangely, ¡°What¡¯s going on inside your head every day? She¡¯s going to be our money tree. Of course, we have to be nice to her.¡±

    He then suddenly came up with a question. Howe everyone thought that he was trying to steal Schr Xie¡¯s wife? Could it be that he and Lady Lu were a better match?

    That thought refused to leave his mind.

    Zhao Linfeng stared Qi Lei deep in the eyes, ¡°Are you saying I am a better match for Lady Lu?

    Zhao Lingfeng thought about it and decided that marrying Lady Lu wouldn¡¯t be half bad. Not only was she pretty, but she was also very capable. More importantly, she was very good at raising children. All her kids were so well-behaved.

    Zhao Lingfeng remembered his five-year-old daughter, Zhao Yuluo, and his head hurt.

    Zhao Lingfeng was the third young master from the official residence of the marquees of Yongning and his life was hard. Five years ago, his concubine mother schemed to get him together with the daughter of the second steward. He had no choice but to appoint her as his first wife. Sadly, she died while giving birth to a daughter.

    Being a man, Zhao Lingfeng had no idea how to raise a daughter which resulted in his daughter growing up with very poor manners.

    The thought of his daughter gave him a headache.

    Now that Qi Lei brought up Lu Jiao, he thought of the four little ones that Lu Jiao brought overst time. They sure were obedient.

    Inside the great hall, Qi Lei¡¯s face darkened and he warned, ¡°Zhao Lingfeng, my Master has a husband and children. Don¡¯t do anything rash. If I find out you tried anything, I will warn young master Bingming and ask him to send you back to the city.¡±

    This was an effective statement that reminded Zhao Lingfeng that he was here for business, not leisure.

    Zhao Lingfeng raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±

    After Lu Jiao left, she asked Manager Li to give her a ride back home.

    Manager Li organized that quickly. Lu Jiao bought a lot of food while in town andfortably got home in the horse carriage.

    At home, the four little ones squatted near the trellis and pitifully stared at the road.

    When they saw the horse carriage, they cheered and rushed to greet their mom.

    They scared the wheeler and he had to stop the horse right away.

    Lu Jiao got out with all the stuff she bought and was immediately circled by the four little ones.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back! We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Are you tired? Come and sit and rest.¡±

    The Third Born ran to the kitchen to get Lu Jiao some sugar water.

    The Fourth Born waited for Lu Jiao to sit down. Then, he grabbed a stool for himself to sit down on and rubbed Lu Jiao¡¯s shoulders.

    Lu Jiaoughed. She felt like the emperor.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not tired. You must be hungry. Did you eat anything?¡±

    Lu Jiao took out four pork buns and gave them to the children to munch on.

    The little ones were in no rush. They shoved the buns back into their mom¡¯s hands, ¡°Mommy, you must be hungry. Eat up.¡±

    Just then, the Third Born came back with sugar water, ¡°Mommy, sugar water is here.¡±

    Lu Jiao took it and gulped it down. The four little ones giggled.

    Lu Jiao sensed that the children were more attentive than usual. It appeared that her separation from Xie Yunjin had traumatized the four little ones. They seemed to worry she would abandon them and were constantly nervous.

    Lu Jiao decided to not n too many things over the next two days. She wanted to spend a lot of time with the children so they could build more confidence and stop worrying about her leaving.

    ¡°Okay, eat the meat buns. Give one to your dad. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s hungry too.¡±

    Only then did the four little ones think of their father. The First Born took a big pork bun and went inside.

    Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin sat at his desk. Though his books were open, he hasn¡¯t flipped through a single page. The four little ones stayed outside to wait for Lu Jiao all morning. Worried that they would run off, Xie Yunjin kept an eye on them cautiously. Now that Lu Jiao came back, he felt more rxed.

    However, when the First Born came in with the pork bun, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes lowered again and he read.

    ¡°Daddy, mommy bought you a pork bun.¡±

    The First Born continued to wink at Xie Yunjin. Hurry up andpliment his mom! Hurry up and exim how cool his mom is!

    Sadly, Xie Yunjin emotionlessly took the meat bun and didn¡¯t say a word.

    The First Born was depressed. Silently, he mumbled, ¡°My dad may be book-smart but he is not smart with everything else. He¡¯s rather stupid.¡±

    Afterward, he ran back outside. Once he was in the living room, Lu Jiao waved at him to hurry and eat some buns.

    ¡°For lunch, how about I make you some fresh noodles in hot and sour soup?¡±

    The noodles yesterday ended up in the trash given what happenedst night. She would have to make fresh food again today.

    The four little ones grinned and agreed, ¡°okay mommy.¡±

    After a moment, however, the First Born spoke up again, ¡°If you¡¯re too tired, then don¡¯t cook. We can eat something easy.¡±

    The other three also nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re tired, you don¡¯t have to cook.¡±

 Chapter 212 - 212 Hunting in the Mountain

    212 Hunting in the Mountain

    Lu Jiao smiled and patted their heads, ¡°How tired can I get from making noodles? Alright, I¡¯ll go cook while you eat the pork buns.¡±

    ¡°Ok, Ok.¡±

    The four little ones nodded happily. Once Lu Jiao left to cook, the four little ones ran back to the east bedroom with their buns.

    The First Born stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, howe you don¡¯t know how topliment someone? Should I teach you?¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born circled Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, we can teach you.¡±

    The Second Born blurted out, ¡°You can start off with, ¡®Ah, Jiaojiao¡­''¡±

    Xie Yunjin gawked at him in shock. Who taught him that? How was he able to talk like that so easily?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s head hurt and interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to rest.¡±

    He then went to sleep without any desire to hear more from the children.

    The four little ones were disappointed but had no choice but to let their dad rest. Oh well, they¡¯ll teach him another time.

    After lunch, Lu Jiao bathed the four little ones and napped with them. Before the nap, she even told them a story.

    The four little ones were exceptionally happy. With their mother, they chatted chirpily.

    Since it was ratherte, Lu Jiao hustled the children to sleep, ¡°You have to studyter. After you¡¯re done studying, I¡¯ll take you into the mountains to set traps and catch prey.¡±

    The four little ones happily cheered, ¡°Okay! Then we sleep now.¡±

    The children fell asleep quickly. Lu Jiao patted each of them for a bit.

    There is still a year until Xie Yunjin goes to the Capital City for his exam. She still had a year with them. By the time they move to the Capital City, the children¡¯s personalities should pretty much be fully formed. They shouldn¡¯t still end up as viins.

    Lu Jiao closed her eyes and slept a little as well. Once awake, Xie Yunjin started to teach the four little ones how to read.

    The four little ones were intelligent with good memorization skills. They were able to learn much faster than the children from the vige. Therefore, they finished studying the Hundred Family Surnames and started the Thousand Characters. The vige children were still on the Hundred Family Surnames.

    While the children studied, Lu Jiao organized the kitchen and cleaned everything. She then got some bamboo tubes and filled them with cold boiled water.

    Once she was done, the children were finished with their studies. Then ran to her excitedly, ¡°Mommy, we are done studying. Daddy said we can go into the mountains early to hunt.¡±

    The reality was that the four little ones told Xie Yunjin about Lu Jiao¡¯s n to take them into the mountains to set animal traps. Since the four little ones went through a major emotional roller coaster yesterday, Xie Yunjin let them off easy so they could go y with Lu Jiao.

    The four little ones were extraordinarily happy today and they beamed so big their mouths looked like pistachios.

    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go right now!¡±

    ¡°Sure, put your baskets on. Inside are snacks and water I prepared for you, as well as your bows and arrows.¡±

    The four little ones happily put on their baskets. Lu Jiao put on her old one as well. The five of them went on their way to get themselves some prey.

    Behind them, Xie Xiaobao and the other children who were still studying cried silently. They were all studying, yet why did those four get to end early to go y? Why did the rest of them have to stay? This was unfair!

    Xie Yunjin continued to teach the children. When he lifted his head, he caught sight of Lu Jiao and the four children leaving with their baskets.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart felt stuffy and his expression became sullen. The children around him didn¡¯t even dare to breathe heavily after they saw his face.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know about all that and took the children into the mountains.

    Today, she brought with her a shovel. The natural hole she found and used as a trap got filled by a giant boulder that slipped off the mountain. Today, she had to dig a new hole.

    Since she decided to take the children with her to set traps and get prey, she might as well dig herself so the children get to experience the fun of trap setting.

    The five of them climbed up the mountain, ate some food, drank some water, then started to dig.

    While Lu Jiao dug with the shovel, the four little ones enthusiastically pulled at the mud as a way to indicate that they were helping.

    Lu Jiao let them be. The mother and her sons finished digging a hole, then stuck sharp bamboo parts inside.

    The four little ones excitedly stared at the trap, ¡°Mommy, we can get prey after this?¡±

    The trap Lu Jiao made today includedyering the top with fresh grass. A trap that looked like this made it easy for animals to fall for it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll catch something.¡±

    She had meat soaked in spiritual stream water as bait. Once the animals smell that, they¡¯ll for suree.

    After everything was done, Lu Jiao took the children to a nearby hill and waited.

    The four little ones excitedly sprawled on the grass and watched the trap.

    The four little ones whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, can we really catch wild rabbits and chickens?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, how much can we catch?¡±

    ¡°What if we catch too many and can¡¯t eat it all?¡±

    The Fourth Born snapped her head at Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t you say we are going to visit grandma? If we catch too many, let¡¯s give some to grandma!¡±

    The mention of grandma made all four children look toward Lu Jiao.

    Growing up, the four of them had never visited their mother¡¯s side of the family. They were very interested to do that soon.

    Since the children were so eager, Lu Jiao agreed, ¡°Sure, tomorrow, I¡¯ll bring you to visit grandma.¡±

    The children cheered, ¡°Great, tomorrow we get to visit our rtives!¡±

    ¡°Yay! We¡¯re going to grandma¡¯s house! Yay!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure grandma and uncle miss us!¡±

    ¡°We will bring grandma chicken, rabbit, eggs, and vegetables. Mommy, what do you think?¡±

    The Fourth Born was very excited, which made Lu Jiao smile and pat his head, ¡°Of course.¡±

    Just then, ahead of them, a 40 to 50 pound wild baby boar popped its head out.

    Lu Jiao shushed the children, ¡°Look, a wild boar.¡±

    The children focused ahead and really did see the boar. Delighted, they were fixated on the boar and watched as the boar sniff its way toward Lu Jiao¡¯s trap.

    Quickly, the boar fell into the trap and shrieked in pain.

    The children were nervous and agitated, ¡°Mommy, I can¡¯t believe we caught a boar!¡±

    Lu Jiao was very happy as well. She¡¯s been wanting to make toothbrushes for the children and capturing a baby boar was perfect for that. Fully grown boars¡¯ fur was too hard. Baby boars¡¯ fur was perfect.

    Lu Jiao was about to bring the children to the trap to get the boar when two wild rabbits jumped over and also fell into the trap.

    Too excited, the children didn¡¯t wait for Lu Jiao and ran over.

    Worried they might fall into the trap, Lu Jiao shouted for them to slow down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall in! The bamboo inside is very sharp. You¡¯d get hurt.¡±

    She chose moso bamboo for the trap as the bamboo is known to be sturdy. She even specifically chose to use older bamboo tubes, which made their tips sharp and hard.

 Chapter 213 - 213 Letâ€™s go Together

    213 Let¡¯s go Together

    The four little ones slowed down after they heard Lu Jiao¡¯s warning. Lu Jiao hurried up and followed them.

    The baby boar didn¡¯t die but it did get hurt. It struggled inside the trap. The two wild rabbits fell between the bamboo sticks. They weren¡¯t injured but were stuck and couldn¡¯t move.

    Lu Jiao carefully carried up the wounded pig and the wild rabbits.

    The four little ones excitedly circled the animals and talked about them non-stop.

    Since the baby pig was so badly hurt it could barely move, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried that it would hurt the four little ones.

    ¡°You guys stay here and keep an eye on the boar and rabbits. I¡¯m going to get some mint around the area.¡±

    Once she made toothbrushes with the baby boar¡¯s fur, she naturally needed to make some toothpaste as well. Sadly, baking soda was not a thing right now, so she could only make toothpaste with herbs.

    The four little ones agreed immediately, ¡°Sure mommy, go ahead.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t go far. She found some mint nearby and nned on adding wrinkled giant hyssop, aconite, figwort, and sunflower petals to it to make toothpaste. A paste made out of those ingredients would clean the teeth, freshen the breath, and kill germs and other toxins.

    Once Lu Jiao got the mint she needed, it was alreadyte. She ced the boar and rabbits into her basket and led the children down the mountain.

    The four little ones were thrilled and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, can we keep the rabbits?¡±

    The rabbits were very cute and the four little ones were tempted to keep them as pets.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and didn¡¯t decline, ¡°Sure. If you want to.¡±

    Since they already have two dogs and a sheep, what are two more rabbits? They could keep them if they wanted.

    ¡°However, if you decide to keep them, you have to take responsibility for them. You have to remember to feed them fresh grass.¡±

    ¡°We know!¡±

    By the time the five of them got home, it was already dark. Lu Jiao told the children to go y while she cooked dinner.

    The four little ones held onto the two rabbits and excitedly ran to the east bedroom to report to Xie Yunjin their achievements of the day. They also told him about how Lu Jiao nned on making them toothbrushes.

    Now that the four little ones¡¯ spirits were back up, Xie Yunjin finally stopped worrying about them so much.

    After the four little ones showed him the rabbits, they brought up the matter of tomorrow¡¯s visitation.

    ¡°Mommy said we can go visit grandma tomorrow. Daddy, you shoulde along.¡±

    The First Born stared at Xie Yunjin expectantly.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face clouded over as he thought it over. Logically speaking, he shouldn¡¯t tag along tomorrow given that he had given Lu Jiao a divorce letter. Technically, they were no longer involved. However, he remembered how Lady Tian gave them silver without hesitation when he was wounded.

    Xie Yunjin felt that it would be best for him to go with Lu Jiao tomorrow. Ever since they got married, he hasn¡¯t paid the Lu family a visit.

    The Lu family must be the topic of gossip around the Apricot Flower Vige. However, Lady Tian never med him. He should really go and thank her personally.

    Xie Yunjin answered, ¡°Sure.¡±

    The First Born was over the moon, ¡°Then, we can all go together tomorrow!¡±

    The First Born ran out to tell Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin knew what he wanted to do before he did and called for him to stop, ¡°First Born, I¡¯ll tell your mom about this myself. Don¡¯t tell her for now.¡±

    If the First Born told Lu Jiao, she might overthink it and question his intention. So it was better for him to personally address this.

    The First Born smiled and nodded to show that he understood.

    Xie Yunjin asked the four little ones to go make a nest for the rabbits.

    The four little ones ran outside to do as told.

    During dinner time, Xie Yunjin casually brought up ns for tomorrow to Lu Jiao, ¡°I heard from the First Born that you will be taking them to your mom¡¯s tomorrow?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, the four little ones want to visit Apricot Vige. Since we won¡¯t be home for lunch, do you want me to leave you some food in the pot?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up at Xie Yunjin, who nonchntly announced while drinking porridge, ¡°I n oning with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in shock. They were separated. Why would he go with her?

    Xie Yunjin could tell how much Lu Jiao detested the idea of him tagging along.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze darkened and he exined, ¡°Ever since we married, I¡¯ve never visited the Lu family. I thought your parents med me for that. However, not only did your mother not me me, she even brought food and money to me when I was injured. I really think I should personally thank my inws.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s exnation was reasonable and logical and it didn¡¯t contain any personal feelings or selfish intentions.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. He was being righteous and generous. If she objected now, she would appear small-hearted. Plus, she knew that Xie Yunjin¡¯s visit would give the Lu family much face.

    However, they were going to separate in the future.

    She said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°But we are¡­?¡±

    Lu Jiao stopped given that the four little ones were here. She looked back down.

    Naturally, Xie Yunjin knew what she was trying to say and his eyes grew gloomy.

    ¡°That¡¯s a future matter. I should at least visit now to make sure they know I¡¯m not trying to avoid them.¡±

    Since he¡¯s said all that, Lu Jiao felt like stopping him would make her seem petty. The guy just wanted to go to thank her parents.

    Lu Jiao finally gave in, ¡°Sure. If you want toe,e. Will your legs be okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s tense mood rxed a little and his face softened, ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    The two didn¡¯t continue the conversation. However, the four little ones watched them talk nicely to each other and were now smiling hugely. Their eyes sparkled as they stared at their mom and dad.

    After dinner, Lu Jiao boiled water for Xie Yunjin to clean himself with. Now that his legs were pretty much healed, he was able to clean himself.

    Lu Jiao also boiled water to bathe the four little ones with. After bathing, she told them a bedtime story before going to sleep.

    Before sleeping, Lu Jiao thought of a problem. Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were no good and the four little ones were little. How were they going to get to the Apricot Flower Vige?

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, how are we going to get to my mom¡¯s ce tomorrow?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s already thought of that problem. Before, the Lu family woulde to visit by taking the small roads on the north side of the mountain. However, there was no way the family could walk that road. They had to go the long way.

    ¡°Tomorrow morning, go to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce and ask to rent the oxcart. We¡¯ll take therge south road to get to the Apricot Flower Vige.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s suggestion made some memories return to Lu Jiao¡¯s brain. There was a south road that connected the Xie Vige and the Apricot Flower Vige. However, that road went through several mountains. On foot, it would take most of a day to arrive at the Apricot Flower Vige. Therefore, the Lu family normally took the shortcut when visiting.

    ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll ask the Vige Leader tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao left.

    The next day, Lu Jiao woke up extra early. Unexpectedly, the four little ones, who normally would still be deep asleep, were already awake.

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Howe you¡¯re awake so early today?¡±

    The Fourth Born excitedly announced, ¡°We are going to grandma¡¯s house!¡±

    The other three also giggled along. The more Lu Jiao watched them, the funnier she found this to be. So it appeared that no matter the era or location, children loved to visit rtives.

    ¡°Then you guys box a little bit while I go to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce to rent their oxcart.¡±

    The four little ones asked, ¡°Mommy, we are going to go to grandma¡¯s house on the oxcart?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

 Chapter 214 - 214 Tear up your Mouth

    214 Tear up your Mouth

    When the Vige Leader Xie Fugui heard that Lu Jiao had a use for the oxcart today, he let her have it right away. He even warned Xie Tieniu to not go too fast given that there¡¯ll be Xie Yunjin and four little ones.

    Lu Jiao thanked him and went home to cook breakfast. Breakfast was simple, porridge with egg pancakes. Lu Jiao cut up some cucumbers to go with the egg pancakes.

    The four little ones were a fan of eating egg pancakes this way andplimented the food.

    After breakfast, Xie Tieniu¡¯s oxcart arrived.

    Lu Jiao asked Xie Xiaobao to take care of the dogs, sheep, and rabbits. In exchange, she promised him good food once she returns.

    Xie Xiaobao pped his own chest to show confidence.

    Lu Jiao also packed some eggs and vegetables with her. The 40 to 50 pounds baby boar plus eggs and vegetables were a generous gift.

    The oxcart headed to the Apricot Flower Vige.

    On the way there, the four little ones asked Lu Jiao about the toothbrushes, ¡°Mommy, weren¡¯t you going to make toothbrushes? Howe you didn¡¯t?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°I n on using the boar¡¯s bones and fur. I¡¯ve cut off the fur but the bones will have to wait until we are done eating tonight.¡±

    The four little ones stared, ¡°How do you make toothbrushes with a bone?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°You sharpen the bones into a handle. At the top of the handle will be lots of holes where the pig fur will go to. Then a toothbrush is made. You¡¯ll know what I mean once you see one.¡±

    Lu Jiao described the most basic form of a toothbrush. That was as good as it got in this era.

    The four little ones were excited, ¡°Then we¡¯ll make one when we get back.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed, ¡°Sure!¡±

    The mother and sons chatted happily. At the front, Xie Tieniu couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Third aunt, you know a lot.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved around her hand, ¡°Not that much.¡±

    On the side, sat Xie Yunjin. He was leaning against the cart, making everyone think he was taking a nap. In reality, he was emotionlessly studying Lu Jiao.

    This woman¡¯s beautiful face was all smiles. Every movement she made carried much grace and elegance, practically forcing him to observe her.

    Sadly, this flower-like woman was truly ruthless.

    The memory of how unhesitant this woman was about their separation made Xie Yunjin close his eyes in depression.

    No matter how he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand it. This woman knew how hard life would be for divorced women yet she still persisted in doing it. This meant she would much rather deal with the hardships than stay by his side. Was he that bad of a man?

    Many times, Xie Yunjin lost all his self-esteem.

    At the same time, he was also aware of the fact that this woman was not the woman he once knew. He simply didn¡¯t know her thought processes.

    Xie Yunjinforted himself again and again. Oh well, if she was so determined to leave, he¡¯ll let her.

    The oxcart made its way to the Apricot Flower Vige.

    In the beginning, the four little ones talked to Lu Jiao with excitement. Later in the trip, the swaying of the cart made them sleepy and they fell asleep.

    Lu Jiao also shut her eyes to rest until the oxcart pulled into the Apricot Flower Vige.

    Before they arrived at the Lu family home, other vigers stopped the cart. The people getting in their way were the grandma and grandpa who once visited Lu Jiao to get her medical opinion.

    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this the miraculous doctor? Howe the miraculous doctor managed to find time to visit our poor little vige? This vige doesn¡¯t dare to wee a character as high up as the miraculous doctor.¡±

    On the cart, Lu Jiao and the four little ones were startled awake. They darted their gaze toward the people talking.

    Lu Jiao recognized them.

    The woman was spitting around and gesturing dramatically to talk trash about Lu Jiao to those around her.

    ¡°You have no idea what a scam she is! She¡¯s not a miraculous doctor, she¡¯s a con artist! Others may not know, but we know her true colors! She¡¯szy, fat, and seduces men. How dare she pretend to be a doctor!¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s been lied to! Today, I¡¯m going to reveal to everyone her real self!¡±

    Lu Jiao started to feel cold and was about to jump out of the cart. The four little ones, however, were already shouting angrily, ¡°You¡¯re a bad person! My mommy never lied to anybody! She¡¯s a great doctor!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my mommy cured many people! Everyone knows how good she is!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the scam! How shameless!¡±

    The old woman who heard the four little ones¡¯ words pointed at the children and cursed, ¡°The old one is a scam, the little ones are a scam too! Nobody from that family is good!¡±

    Lu Jiao jumped out of the oxcart and pulled over the old woman. Coldly, she snapped, ¡°Try and curse another word at me. I will sew your lips together with needles.¡±

    The woman was so shocked by Lu Jiao¡¯s reaction, she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Xie Yunjin also got out of the oxcart then. He stepped in front of the old woman and looked down at her, ¡°You think cursing at others is not a crime? Cursing provokes people. If you are sent to the government, you would be asked to p yourself as a punishment.¡±

    The Apricot Flower Vigers were stunned by both Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin. Some of these vigers were once helped by Lu Jiao¡¯s medical knowledge. They stepped out to scold the grandma, ¡°Your mouth sure is stinky. Why would you curse at them?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always stirred up trouble. It¡¯s a bad habit. If you don¡¯t improve, you¡¯ll get in trouble.¡±

    As everyone discussed, Lady Tian, Lu Danian, and her two daughters-inw arrived. She was cleaning at home when someone told her that Lady Lin was cursing at her daughter and son-inw.

    Lady Tian immediately brought people with her to the scene. When she saw that Lady Lin was speaking poorly of her daughter, she lost it.

    Lady Tian jumped onto Lady Lin, ¡°You b!tch! You bastard! You moron! You dare to take advantage of my daughter and son-inw?! Are you seeking death?!¡±

    Lady Tian was tall andrge while Lady Lin was short. She ended up getting beat up on the ground.

    Before, they ran to the Xie Vige to ask Lu Jiao for a consultation because she did it for free. If Lu Jiao charged patients, they never would¡¯ve gone.

    Who knew Lu Jiao would kick them out without taking a look? Lady Lin was angry and upon returning home, spread the rumor that Lu Jiao was a scam. Lady Tian ended up bringing some people to beat her up. Lady Lin obviously didn¡¯t learn.

    After the fight, Lady Tian pushed Lady Lin¡¯s face into the ground, ¡°If you dare to talk trash about my daughter again, I will tear your mouth into pieces! Try to talk then!¡±

    Lady Lin struggled but she was far too weak. She ended up screaming, ¡°Someone¡¯s killing me! Help!¡±

    Lu Jiao went to pull up her mother. She didn¡¯t want to cause trouble the moment she arrived, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s not spend energy on her. She¡¯s just a rabid dog.¡±

    Abruptly, Lu Jiao snapped her head towards Lady Lin, ¡°If a rabid dog bites around, we can beat it to death.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 215 - 215 Moving into the City Together

    215 Moving into the City Together

    Lady Lin wanted to curse, but the look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face was so intimidating that she didn¡¯t dare.

    Lady Tian ignored her and grabbed Lu Jiao to walk back to the oxcart. There, the Lu daughters-inw had picked up the four little ones and praised them endlessly.

    ¡°Ah, who¡¯s this good-looking fe? Let me see. Which family does this baby belong to?¡±

    Each of the aunties carried two of the boys. Behind them, Lu Danian jealously stared and wondered if they could spare him one to carry.

    The four little ones were truly good-looking, even more handsome than his Huzi.

    Lady Tian asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Son-inw, your legs have healed?¡±

    Lady Tian smiled so widely her lips could barely close.

    Only when she mentioned Xie Yunjin did the others realize he was here as well.

    They discovered that his legs have healed. The vigers have heard rumors that Lady Tian¡¯s son-inw was a good-looking schr. Today, they finally saw him for themselves. The rumors were true ¨C this schr looked like a painted portrait. His legs have also healed, which meant he could now take the exams to be a government official.

    Now, many people started to tter Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao was toozy to talk to them.

    Xie Yunjin was also toozy to acknowledge the random vigers who were trying to butter him up. He was, however, very respectful toward Lady Tian.

    ¡°Thanks to you, my legs are mostly fine now.¡±

    Lady Tian knew Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs would be fine but to see it actually happen made her so happy. She couldn¡¯t help but cry out of joy.

    Lu Jiao finally stepped up andforted her, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Lady Tian wiped away her tears, ¡°I¡¯m too happy, way too happy. Come, let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m going to cook you all delicious food.¡±

    The four little ones spoke up at the mention of food.

    ¡°Granny, my mommy caught a baby boar. We can eat pork today!¡±

    ¡°Yes, mommy said to save the bones so she can use them to make our toothbrushes.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t know what toothbrushes were. She was just so happy that her son-inw could walk again and her daughter was now respected. All these things were great news!

    ¡°Come,e, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    The family headed back to the Lu family home. Behind them, the vigers all eximed over the Lu family¡¯s good luck. Not only did they suddenly gain knowledge of tofu making, but they also got a son-inw who will one day be an official. It would be better if they don¡¯t wrong the Lu family going forward.

    Though everyone¡¯s always known about the Lu family¡¯s schr son-inw, nobody took him seriously. They all heard that Lu Danian and the schr son-inw didn¡¯t like Lu Jiao and that was why Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin never visited.

    Today, not only did he visit, he appeared to treat Lu Jiao well. They wouldn¡¯t dare to wrong the Lu family now.

    Many people voluntarily greeted Lady Tian and the Lu family. Lady Tian suddenly felt proud and spoke more confidently.

    Once the group got home, Lu Gui came out to greet them.

    When Lu Gui saw the four little ones, he extended his arms and snatched them from their aunts.

    ¡°Ahh, you¡¯re here to visit your little uncle. Did you miss me?¡±

    The First and Second Born exchanged nces then grinned in unison, ¡°Yeah! We missed you so we came to see you!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    Lu Gui went inside with the two children. Behind them, Lady Tian unhappily scolded, ¡°Did you not see your sister and brother-inw? You need to greet them properly!¡±

    Lu Gui turned his head and called out, ¡°Brother-inw, sister.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui nodded. The two of them then asked Xie Tieniu toe in with them. Xie Tieniu asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Third aunt, do we need to carry all this stuff in?¡±

    Inside the cart was a basket containing a baby boar, eggs, and vegetables.

    Lu Jiao was about to go take the stuff when Lu Danian grabbed the baskets, ¡°Let me, let me.¡±

    Lu Danian carefully offered. Before, for five taels of silver, he med Lady Tian. In the end, not only did his daughter forgive him, she even taught the family how to make tofu for a living. He felt ashamed and he was worried that his daughter med him.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t mad and thanked Lu Danian, ¡°Thanks, dad.¡±

    Lu Danian shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not heavy.¡±

    Thinking that it was alreadyte and the family hadn¡¯t even eaten, Lu Danian said to Lady Tian, ¡°Hurry and make some food for our daughter and her family.¡±

    Lady Tian quickly delegated the tasks to her daughters-inw.

    The first and second aunts went to cook in the kitchen.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin followed Lady Tian and Lu Danian to the living room. Once everyone sat down, Lady Tian made some sugar water for everyone.

    Lu Jiao gave some to Xie Tieniu, who didn¡¯t decline. After six hours of riding the ox, he was thirsty.

    Lady Tian thanked Xie Tiniu, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Xie Tieniu scratched his head, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. Thanks to the third aunt, my vige is far more prosperous today than before. Everyone¡¯s lives are improving because of my third aunt.¡±

    Lady Tian was proud to hear that, ¡°It¡¯s good that Lu Jiao is able to help out the vige.¡±

    Xie Tieniu wasn¡¯t good at talking and could onlyugh.

    Lady Tian turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Son-inw, your legs are fully functional now?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Thanks to your kindness, I am doing fine now.¡±

    He even stood up and respectfully bowed to Lady Tian. Lady Tian asked him to straighten up, ¡°We are a family. Why are you being so polite? Sit down, sit down!¡±

    Lady Tian nced at her son, Lu Gui. Last time, Lu Gui told her that Xie Yunjin was not as courteous as he used to be and actually became very friendly.

    Today, however, Lady Tian felt like he didn¡¯t change from before at all.

    Lu Gui found this strange as well and shot Xie Yunjin a few looks. He felt like his brother-inw¡¯s gone back to the way he was before. He acted all distant and not that friendly anymore.

    Lu Gui frowned. Was he wrong to feel how he felt thest time he visited?

    The family quickly returned to their happy conversations, ¡°Once you get better, are you going to continue your studies in the city?¡±

    ...

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Yes, next year is the provincial exam. In a while, I¡¯m going to be moving into the City of Xian to study.¡±

    Lady Tian nodded immediately, ¡°Of course. It¡¯s no time to actcent.¡±

    Just then, Lady Tian turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Once my son-inw goes back to studying, you can bring the four little ones and live with me. I¡¯ll help you out with the kids.¡±

    The four little ones looked at Lu Jiao. Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjin spoke, ¡°I n on bringing them with me when I move into the city to study.¡±

    Everyone inside the room opened their mouths, ¡°You¡¯re bringing them with you?!¡±

 Chapter 216 - 216 Good Looking Cousins

    216 Good Looking Cousins

    Lu Jiao also turned to stare at Xie Yunjin in shock. However, she understood what he was thinking very quickly. Xie Yunjin and her were considered separated and he had no intention of giving her custody of the four little ones. Therefore, he must learn how to take care of the four little ones rather than figure it out after Lu Jiao leaves.

    Lu Jiao understood him and she didn¡¯t hate the idea. She nned on moving into the city anyways.

    The three businesses she nned to start with Zhao Lingfeng will be opened in the City of Xian. Plus, she already decided to buynd in the Qinghe District.

    Since her life will mostly be in the City of Xian, it was good for her to move there.

    !!

    Inside the living room, Lady Tian peeked at Lu Jiao. Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t really react, she figured the couple had discussed this beforehand. She asked caringly, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to rent a house before moving?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to ask people to help me look for a ce to rent. When the timees, the children and Lu Jiao wille with me.¡±

    Lady Tian felt like this was a good idea. This way, the family didn¡¯t have to separate.

    Lu Danian also thought that was a good idea. Only Xie Tieniu was worried. If the third aunt moved to Xian City, what about the leeches they were going to raise?

    He then remembered Xie Erzhu and stopped worrying. It was likely that Uncle Erzhu already learned all the necessary skills. They didn¡¯t need to worry.

    Once the four children learned that they could apany their dad into the city, they were thrilled. They struggled out of Lu Gui¡¯s arms and ran to Xie Yunjin to confirm excitedly, ¡°Daddy, are you for real? We can move into the city with you?!¡±

    Xie Yunjin patted their heads, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s move into the city together.¡±

    ¡°Then, can I go y at your school?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You promised you¡¯d take us to visit the city.¡±

    ¡°Once we move there, I¡¯ll show you around.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes curled into crescents. Just then, from outside the living room, a few heads popped in to stare.

    When Lady Tian saw them, she called out to them, ¡°Huzi, Taozi,e in and say hi to your aunt and uncle.¡±

    Five-year-old Huzi and two-year-old Taozi walked. Taozi had recently learned how to walk and enjoyed running after Huzi. Right now, they were both messy in the hair and dusty on the face.

    The two children ran inside and greeted, ¡°Auntie, uncle.¡±

    The soft and cute-looking Taozi attracted Lu Jiao¡¯s attention. Little Taozi looked somewhat like Lu Jiao, which garnered much of Lu Jiao¡¯s affection. She gestured for Taozi toe to her.

    ¡°Are you Taozi?¡±

    Taozi¡¯srge eyes blinked as she nodded, ¡°I¡¯m Tao¡­ Taozi, on-ti-e.¡±

    Lu Jiao took out a handkerchief to dust off the dirt on Taozi¡¯s face. Taozi stared at Lu Jiao with herrge eyes. What a kind on-ti-e.¡±

    Lu Jiao then got out some candy for Taozi. Behind her, Huzi pouted in anger. Luckily, he didn¡¯te to take the candy for himself.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n on giving the kid a hard time. She grabbed more candy for Huzi.

    Huzi rushed over to snatch them away. His little face finally calmed down.

    Lady Tian asked Huzi to take the children to go out and y.

    ¡°Huzi, take your little brothers to go y in the yard.¡±

    Huzi¡¯s face dropped and he red coldly at the four little ones, ¡°Hmmph, I will not.¡±

    He then ran away.

    Because of those four cousins of his, he got beaten up by his mother many times. His mother told him she didn¡¯t want him anymore and wanted to toss him into the trash. She would rather take one of the little cousins from his aunt¡¯s ce to rece him.

    He had finally put faces to these cousins. He didn¡¯t think much of them. They were pretty looking, like girls. Boys who do not look like boys did not deserve ytime with him.

    Taozi stumbled her way over to stare at the four little ones. These four cousins sure were good-looking.

    ¡°Taozi will p-y. Taozi will y with you.¡±

    Taozi then grabbed the First Born¡¯s hand, ¡°Big brother, let¡¯s go p-y!¡±

    The First Born looked towards Lu Jiao, who smiled, ¡°Go ahead and y with your cousins in the yard.¡±

    Lady Tian also grinned, ¡°Go and y. But don¡¯t go far. It¡¯s almost time for lunch.¡±

    ¡°Okay, grandma.¡±

    The four little ones went out with Taozi. The adults in the living room started to chat again. This time, they talked about the Lu family¡¯s tofu making business.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing as you instructed. Every day, I make around 300 pounds of tofu. The three brothers each take 100 pounds to sell. The crumbs are fed to the pigs. Whatever¡¯s leftover is sold to the vigers.¡±

    Lu Danian then added to Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you Jiaojiao, foring up with this business for us. We really need to thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m happy that your lives are easier.¡±

    Just then, she remembered that when Lu Gui visited, she had told him about the leech-keeping business. She figured that the Lu family would definitely want in. who knew that the Lu family would never send messages? Lu Jiao turned to Lu Gui, ¡°Last time, I told you about the leech-making business. Howe I never heard back?¡±

    Though the tofu-making business was great, there were three brothers and they had the manpower to do something more. She didn¡¯t expect that they would say no.

    Lu Gui was about to speak when the first and second aunts walked in.

    ¡°Mom, food is ready. We made some noodles and two dishes. The boys must be hungry so they should eat now. We¡¯ll cook more dishes for dinner.¡±

    Before Lady Tian could answer, Lu Jiao answered, ¡°Sure. Thank you, sisters-inw.¡±

    The sisters-inw waved their hands, ¡°Sister, no need to be so polite with us.¡±

    They¡¯ve been finding their young sister-inw maturing. She was no longer unreasonable and feisty like before.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say more. They were a family and there was truly no need for so much etiquette. She called Xie Yunjin and Xie Tieniu to have lunch, then went into the yard to get the boys.

    The four little ones were very intrigued by their grandma¡¯s donkey and the stone mill. They sat and observed for a long time.

    When they returned to the living room, they said, ¡°Mommy, grandma has a donkey and a stone mill. Taozi said they are used to make tofu.¡±

    Lady Tian grinned and hugged the boys, ¡°This afternoon, I¡¯ll make you soybean milk.¡±

    ...

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    After lunch, Lady Tian was worried about Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs and asked Lu Gui to give Xie Yunjin a ce to rest. Xie Yunjin hesitated but didn¡¯t say anything more.

    Lady Tian then asked Lu Danian to take Xie Tieniu to rest. Lu Danian happily amodated.

    The aunts picked up the four little ones with much excitement, ¡°Come,e,e y with your aunt and uncle.¡±

    The two women nned to carry the boys around town and show them off.

    Behind them, Taozi pitifully chased after her own mother, ¡°Mommy, me, me, what about me?¡±

    Sadly, her mother had forgotten about her own daughter.

    Back in the living room, Lady Tian pulled Lu Jiao into her room and the two chatted in low voices.

    ¡°I heard from your brother that thest time he visited, Yunjin was very warm towards him and acted like they were family. Howe today, he went back to treating me courteously? What happened?¡±

 Chapter 217 - 217 Eat Deliciously, Drink Spicily, and Live Comfortably

    217 Eat Deliciously, Drink Spicily, and Live Comfortably

    Lu Jiao blinked. Last time, Xie Yunjin was warm towards Lu Gui because he thought of Lu Gui as his brother-inw. Now that they¡¯ve basically separated, the Lu family was no longer rted to him. Of course he had to be polite and distant.

    Of course Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want Lady Tian to find out about their pending divorce. She smiled, ¡°Lu Gui was wrong. He¡¯s always been cold. It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Just then, Lu Gui walked in and blurted out, ¡°Sister, I feel like my brother-inw is acting differently fromst time. Last time, he was so warm and nice and treated me like family. Today, he¡¯s reverted back to his courteous self. What happened?¡±

    Both the brother and the mother now stared at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°You were overthinkingst time. He¡¯s always been like this. You should know.¡±

    !!

    Lady Tian nced at Lu Gui, who scratched his head. Was he wrongst time?

    Lu Jiao changed the subject quickly and asked Lu Gui, ¡°Last time, I asked you to ask the family if anyone wanted to learn leech keeping. Howe I never heard back?¡±

    Lu Gui forgot about Xie Yunjin and answered Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, the second brother and I nned on visiting you in the next few days to discuss this.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well let¡¯s chat now.¡±

    Lu Jiao was intrigued. Lu Gui was about to speak when more footsteps arrived and two more people came in. It was Lu Jiao¡¯s other two brothers, Lu Ping and Lu An.

    Lu Ping and Lu An greeted happily, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Where have you been?¡±

    ¡°We were delivering the tofu crumbs we sold.¡±

    Lu Ping and Lu An pulled up two chairs and sat by Lu Jiao and Lady Tian.

    Lu Jiao studied the three Lu brothers and said, ¡°Though the family now started to make tofu, I figured that since there are three of you, you have the capacity to do leech keeping as well. Howe none of you reached out?¡±

    This time, Lu An, the second brother spoke up, ¡°Sister, we had a meeting about this. Lu Gui and I have some thoughts that we wanted to talk to you about. We haven¡¯t gotten a chance to visit. Since you are here, we can talk about it now.¡±

    Lu An paused there and looked towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, I know you¡¯re a capable person. I¡¯m wondering if you¡¯re able to find me a job somewhere else? I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life in the countryside.¡±

    Right after he spoke, Lady Tian grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Jiaojiao, if that troubles you, ignore him. He¡¯s been obsessed with the city and is determined to get out of here.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t like the idea of Lu An leaving this ce. The outside world was not a kind ce. However, Lu An has always been slick and always had lots of ideas he wanted to try out. No matter what she said, he wouldn¡¯t listen to her.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think Lu An¡¯s desire to get out was bad. There were so many different kinds of people out there and everyone had their own ideas. It was normal to not want to stay in the countryside.

    ¡°Then, what do you want to do?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of the three businesses she was going to open with Zhao Lingfeng. Other than the oil mill, the cosmeceutical store and the pharmacy both needed spiritual stream water from her. She¡¯ll need someone to get the water from her when the timees.

    That person must be a reliable one and that person will need to interact with her a lot.

    She was a woman. Therefore, if she interacted a lot with any man, there were bound to be rumors. If that someone were Lu An, however, then there would be no gossip about her.

    Was Lu An reliable though? Lu Jiao didn¡¯t really know him. Later, she¡¯ll have to interrogate Lady Tian to make sure. As a mother, Lady Tian¡¯s been honest with everything to Lu Jiao. She would never say anything that hurts her.

    Now that Lu Jiao¡¯s got an idea, she started to check out Lu An almost calctingly.

    Lu An¡¯s brain spun fast and he knew by the look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face that she¡¯s got an idea.

    She stared at Lu Jiao and straightened his back, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry. No matter what it is that you want me to do, I¡¯ll do it. I would never let you lose face.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved her hand, ¡°What you¡¯re promising me is the bare minimum. More importantly, are you honest? Are you reliable? Do you have good morals?¡±

    The customers the three businesses will have will mostly be other businessmen and entrepreneurs. If Lu An had no morals, lots of bad things would happen.

    Lu An knew then that Lu Jiao actually made ns for him. He excitedly vowed, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t worry. I would never cause you any trouble.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and said, ¡°Okay, then I have some ideas. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡±

    Lu An stopped talking now. He knew that his sister had temporarily agreed to help him but it will depend on how he behaved. If he was able to prove himself, she would get him something to do.

    Lu An was ecstatic. He¡¯s always been weak physically and enjoyed thinking up new business ideas to make money. Sadly, his family was poor and had no capital for him to build anything from the ground up. The news today was great news.

    Lu Jiao ignored Lu An and went to look at Lu Gui. After all the time she¡¯s spent with Lu Gui, she¡¯s aware now that he was honest, sincere, and hard-working.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried about Lu Gui.

    ¡°What about you? What are your thoughts?¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s lips stretched into a smile, ¡°I want to follow you.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought she heard him wrong, ¡°What?¡±

    Lu Gui said it again, ¡°I know you¡¯re a woman of fortune. I¡¯m a little dumb and I don¡¯t want to stay in the countryside. So, I want to follow you wherever you go. Right, sister, once brother-inw bes an official, you will need a steward or something. I will go and be your steward.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at him. What was he talking about?

    ¡°What are you saying?!¡±

    Lu Gui grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s arm and swayed it around, ¡°Sister, let me follow you. I¡¯m not very capable but I know that being loyal to the capable ones means there¡¯s meat to eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao was dizzy from the swaying and pped him away, ¡°Be serious.¡±

    Before Lu Gui could fight for himself more, Lady Tian spoke up, ¡°Jiaojiao, since Lu Gui is willing to help you, you should let him. You¡¯re seeing patients and soon Yunjin will go back to school. It¡¯s going to be hard to make sure the four little ones are taken care of. Since Lu Gui is willing to go with you, you can let him and have him look after the kids.¡±

    Only then, did Lu Jiao seriously consider Lu Gui¡¯s suggestion, ¡°You really want to follow me?¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s expression was serious as he nodded to indicate his sincerity.

    If he followed his sister, he would be able to eat deliciously, drink spicily, and livefortably. Why would he try and pave a path for himself? He had no ability or money.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and realized that it was a good suggestion. She still had to take care of the four little ones for a year and she would be worried about giving that job to a stranger.

    Soon, she would be busy with the three businesses on top of seeing patients. She also wanted to buy farnd and nt herbs. Basically, she had a lot of work and she¡¯ll be busy. At least with Lu Gui, she wouldn¡¯t be worried about leaving the four little ones with him.

    Once the four little ones move to the Capital City with their father, she¡¯ll still have lots going on. Then, she¡¯ll just give Lu Gui something else to do. He could manage the farnd or manage one of the businesses. She may even have the ability to start other new shops for him to look after.

    In summary, she was going to be a busy woman and she wasn¡¯t worried that Lu Gui would end up bored.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to follow me?¡±

    Lu Gui¡¯s eyes brightened and he nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 218 - 218 Did you Kick out my Son-in-Law?

    218 Did you Kick out my Son-in-Law?

    Lu Jiao then thought, if Lu An and Lu Gui both leave, then only her first brother¡¯s family would remain. Wouldn¡¯t her mother be too busy then?

    ¡°Mom, if they all leave, you would get even busier.¡±

    Lu An and Lu Gui both nced towards Lady Tian. Lady Tian wasn¡¯t a fan of the idea of her sons leaving. As a mother, she wanted her sons to stay by her side so she didn¡¯t have to worry about their safety. However, they were adults now with their own ideas and she wasn¡¯t about to hinder her sons¡¯ growth.

    Lady Tian nodded, ¡°If I can¡¯t handle it, we¡¯ll hire someone.¡±

    Lady Tian then added in a serious tone, ¡°However, if you both leave here, you must understand that that makes your eldest brother the man of the family. You cane home and stay here, but once your father and I are old, we are going to give everything we have to your eldest brother.¡±

    She had to make sure this was clear so there was no conflict in the future.

    Just then, Lu Ping spoke up, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to give me everything.¡±

    Lady Tian ignored him and only looked at Lu An and Lu Gui. They both nodded.

    Those two brothers spent a lot of time mumbling ideas to each other. Lu Gui told Lu An again and again about how Lu Jiao was a person with great fortune and luck. This made Lu An obsessively confident about Lu Jiao. He, too, thought that if he followed Lu Jiao, he¡¯d be able to make way more money than what this family can offer. Therefore, the two of them nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°Mother, we understand.¡±

    Lady Tian stared at Lu An angrily, ¡°You better talk about this with your wife first. Or else she may fight youter.¡±

    Lady Tian then ignored these worrisome sons and asked them to leave so she could talk to Lu Jiao privately.

    Inside the bedroom, the mother and daughter started to whisper. Lady Tian asked Lu Jiao if her rtionship with Xie Yunjin had improved.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know how to answer. Should she tell Lady Tian that she was basically a divorced woman now?

    ¡°Mom, everything¡¯s good. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao then asked Lady Tian about the tofu business. Lady Tian was excited to talk about it. Once she was done talking, she even took out the silver she earned to show Lu Jiao. She had around 30 taels of silver with her ¨C all profits.

    Lady Tian shoved the money into Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°We made all this money all thanks to you. I¡¯m going to give it to you. When we make more, I¡¯ll give it to your first brother. Lu Gui and Lu An can make their money.¡±

    Lu Jiao was touched as she stared at the 30 taels of silver. She had a lot of silver herself and didn¡¯t need that 30. She originally wanted to give Lady Tian some silver.

    Now, she knew that even if she tried to give Lady Tian anything, she wouldn¡¯t take it. If Lady Tian ever needed money, she¡¯d give it to her then.

    Lu Jiao shoved the money back to Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I earned some money seeing patients. I don¡¯t need this. Save all this for your retirement.¡±

    Lady Tian whispered, ¡°You really made money?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and told Lady Tian about the hundreds of taels of silver she earned. She didn¡¯t dare to tell her the true amount. Despite so, Lady Tian became so proud of her daughter.

    After they chatted some more, Lady Tian got up to make dinner. It was the first time her son-inw visited, she had to make sure lots of food was served for dinner.

    Lu Jiao wanted to help but Lady Tian pushed her to the west bedroom, where Lu Jiao used to stay.

    ¡°Go and take a nap. I don¡¯t need you to help out around here. At home, you¡¯re a valued guest!¡±

    Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom. She thought Xie Yunjin was resting, but he wasn¡¯t. He was looking into the yard with his hands behind his back.

    Lu Jiao asked in surprise, ¡°Howe you¡¯re not napping?¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned around, ¡°Is this where the old Lu¡­ where you used to live?¡±

    Thinking that this was the bedroom of that woman exasperated Xie Yunjin. Sleeping here? He didn¡¯t even want to stay here.

    However, he couldn¡¯t say that to anyone so he could only endure the negative emotion he felt.

    Though he no longer hated that woman, the thought of her put him in a bad mood.

    Xie Yunjin truly detested the old Lu Jiao. He hated her appearance, her aura, and her way of treating the kids.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao naturally didn¡¯t know what was going on inside Xie Yunjin¡¯s head. She nodded, ¡°Yes, I used to live here. Then, I got married. But my mother never let anyone else take over this room.¡±

    Lu Jiao sat on the bed. When she saw Xie Yunjin continue to stand, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit? Standing so long isn¡¯t good for your legs.¡±

    Though he could walk now, he needed lots of rest.

    Xie Yunjin also couldn¡¯t stop himself and responded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here. Can you let me stay in Lu Gui¡¯s room?¡±

    Lu Jiao understood. They¡¯ve separated so he didn¡¯t feelfortable staying in her room.

    Lu Jiao smiled. Suddenly, she felt like Xie Yunjin had much self-awareness.

    It was her bad this time. She had forgotten.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take you to Lu Gui¡¯s room.¡±

    The look in her eyes as she looked at Xie Yunjin was now almost praisingly.

    Xie Yunjin found her strange. Just what was this woman thinking now?

    The two of them left the room. Inside the yard, Lady Tian was trying to catch a chicken. When she saw them, she asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, why aren¡¯t you resting? Why are you taking my son-inw out here?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at Lu Gui¡¯s room, ¡°I¡¯m taking him to Lu Gui¡¯s room. I don¡¯t like to share a bed. Too hot.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes widened at her, ¡°You¡¯re high maintenance.¡±

    She then turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Don¡¯t me her. She¡¯s always been picky like this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao. He was the one who didn¡¯t want to sleep in that room yet she took the me.

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t tter himself and think that it was because Lu Jiao liked him.

    The memory of Lu Jiao¡¯s decision to divorce made him cold again. He went into Lu Gui¡¯s room.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think much of it but Lady Tian noticed the change. What happened?

    Lady Tian grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Did you kick him out?¡±

    Was that why he appeared to be in a bad mood? Lu Jiaoughed and yawned, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to nap.¡±

    She then left and went back to her room. Behind her, Lady Tian helplessly sighed.

    For dinner, the Lu family cooked two tables full of food. They invited the Apricot Flower Vige¡¯s leader, the Lu family n Leader, Lu Jiao¡¯s grandparents¡¯ family, and her second uncle¡¯s family.

    ...

    The men sat at one table and the women sat at another. The four little ones sat with Lu Jiao and the women.

    At the men¡¯s table, the n and Vige Leaders, Lu Jiao¡¯s grandpa, and second uncle were all very respectful towards Xie Yunjin.

    This schr was famous in the entire Qinghe District. During the prefectural examination, he ced first. The magistrate personally praised him and even rewarded him with 100 taels of silver.

 Chapter 219 - 219 Mommy and Daddy Sleep in Separate Rooms

    219 Mommy and Daddy Sleep in Separate Rooms

    Everyone thought he was going to take the provincial exam two years ago but he ended up skipping it. It was most likely that he would take the uing exam.

    Many peoplemented that he was such a great student and that he would likely ce highly on the provincial exam. Once the exam was done, he would have earned himself the title of a provincial elite! Ah, no, if he scores well on the provincial exam, he will be taking the imperial exam in the Capital City. Then he will officially be an important member of the bureaucracy.

    Because of this potential, many people did their best to talk Xie Yunjin up and tter him.

    Xie Yunjin came today to earn face for the Lu family. Therefore, he didn¡¯t act at all impatient toward these people. asionally, he would even tter back. This made the leaders view him highly and thought of him as both good-looking, well-spoken, and basically perfect.

    !!

    Even though Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t drink, the leaders didn¡¯t me him and allowed him to drink tea instead.

    While the men chatted, the women¡¯s table got boisterous.

    The first and second aunts loved the four little ones the more they looked at them. They wished they were their sons.

    The second aunt¡¯s daughter, Taozi, didn¡¯t think much of it. She wished she had a brother.

    Huzi¡¯s little face, however, drowned in despair. Sadly, nobody at the table acknowledged him and he wanted to cry.

    His mother threw daggers with her gaze to tell him that if he cried, she could beat him to death.

    Huzi didn¡¯t dare to cry. Lately, he¡¯s been beaten up a few times and he¡¯s learned that crying didn¡¯t work. So he no longer cried and only red at the four little ones.

    The first and second aunts then cheered Lu Jiao with tea in recement of alcohol, ¡°Thank you, little sister, for thinking of us and helping us. We¡¯ve handled things poorly in the past and we apologize. I hope you will forgive us.¡±

    They then drank the tea. Lu Jiao mindlessly waved her hand, ¡°We¡¯re family. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    It was because they really didn¡¯t do anything bad to her. Because she taught them how to make tofu, the entire family was so appreciative of her. Lu Jiao felt that this proved them to be grateful people.

    Lady Tian watched all this and was more than content. She continued to get the four little ones, Huzi, and Taozi more food. Everything that¡¯s happening now was truly wonderful. She felt like marrying Lu Danian back then was the right decision. If she didn¡¯t marry him, she wouldn¡¯t have her three sons and her daughter. Mostly her daughter. If she married someone else, then she wouldn¡¯t have Jiaojiao.

    Lady Tian smiled at her daughter and her eyes gleamed with happiness.

    At the men¡¯s table, the Leaders got up to cheer Lu Jiao with alcohol.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re a great kid. Not only are you a doctor, but you also taught everyone how to harvest herbs and I heard that you¡¯re teaching people leech keeping? You¡¯re so capable. Don¡¯t forget about us in the future!¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the leaders and slightly grinned. She didn¡¯t answer.

    She didn¡¯t have a good view of the Apricot Flower Vigers. There was that old couple who stirred up trouble at her home. Then today, that couple blocked her oxcart and cursed at her. Yet everyone in the vige only watched and nobody stepped up to help.

    This meant the vigers weren¡¯t very good people. Lu Jiao was in no mood to acknowledge these kinds of people.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t answer. An old woman sitting nearby pushed her. This old woman was the original host¡¯s grandma.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, the leaders are talking to you. Hurry up and answer them. Tell them you¡¯ll teach us how to keep leeches too. We heard leech keeping can make a lot of money.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped right away as she red at the old woman. Who did that grandma think she was?

    ¡°It¡¯s not even for certain if the leeches will survive. If something went wrong, who will take responsibility?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t kind. The grandma¡¯s expression turned unfriendly.

    Lady Tian angrily said to grandma Lu, ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re done eating, you can go home and rest.¡±

    Lady Tian didn¡¯t get along with her mother-inw because she didn¡¯t like Lady Tian much. Before, she wanted her older son to marry her inw¡¯s niece but her son ended up marrying Lady Tian.

    In the end, her younger son married the niece and grandma Lu now lived with her younger son¡¯s family.

    Grandma Lu was about to get angry and explode on Lady Tian when Lu Jiao interrupted, ¡°Grandma, are you drunk?¡±

    Her face was cold as she stared. Grandma Lu was a little scared of the look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face. Then, when she remembered who Lu Jiao¡¯s husband was, Grandma Lu shut up.

    Lu Jiao turned back to the leaders, ¡°There are lots of risks involved with leech keeping. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re able to take responsibility for any failures.¡±

    The leaders felt like they lost face but didn¡¯t dare to get angry. They went back to their seats, suppressing their rage.

    The atmosphere wasn¡¯t as great after and dinner ended soon after. Lu Danian walked the guests out.

    When it was just the Lu family left, Lady Tian unleashed, ¡°Every day, she thinks about how to squeeze money out of other people. Something¡¯s wrong with her.¡±

    She was naturally referring to grandma Lu. The aunts cleaned up quietly and didn¡¯tment. Their mother-inw hated her mother-inw. The two of them were nemesis.

    The aunts knew, however, that that old woman wasn¡¯t nice and preferred her younger son.

    She lived with her younger son yet asked this family to contribute. Other than food, she always asked for money by saying that she was sick and needed to see a doctor.

    Now that the family was making money selling tofu, she would get ¡°sick¡± every other day. Thankfully, Lady Lu was tough enough to say no and set that grandma straight.

    Lu Jiao pulled on Lady Tian¡¯s hand andforted, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be mad. Just ignore her.¡±

    Lady Tian finally felt a little better. Since it waste, she went to boil water for the family to wash up with.

    After bathing, it waste. Lady Tian rushed them to go to sleep.

    Lu Jiao was faced with a challenge. How do they sleep tonight? Back at home, Xie Yunjin took two children and slept in one room. She took the other two and slept in the other room. How do they arrange their sleeping situation tonight?

    Lu Jiao decided to take two of the boys and sleep in the original host¡¯s old room. Xie Yunjin can take the other two boys and sleep in Lu Gui¡¯s room. As for Lu Gui, he could find somewhere in the vige to sleep. It was his vige and he naturally could find a spot.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Lady Tian hugged the four little ones, ¡°Babies, how about two of you guys sleep with me and your grandpa tonight? The other two can sleep with your little uncle.¡±

    The four little ones declined. The Fourth Born grabbed onto Lu Jiao, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t want to sleep with you. I want to sleep with mommy.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes flickered. Back in the Xie family, her daughter and her son-inw slept apart. That was not good.

    Lady Tian picked up the Fourth Born and soothed, ¡°Fourth Born, sleep with me so your mom and dad can share a room.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face fell into shock and she subconsciously looked behind her. Xie Yunjin was in the corner and coldly stared at her.

    Lu Jiao snapped her head back to tell Lady Tian that sleeping together was not necessary when the Fourth Born shouted, ¡°Grandma, my mommy and daddy don¡¯t sleep in the same room. They sleep in separate rooms.¡±

 Chapter 220 - 220 Her Son-in-Law has an Eye Disease

    220 Her Son-in-Law has an Eye Disease

    Lady Tian now wanted the Fourth Born to sleep with Lu Jiao even less. She argued, ¡°Fourth Born, parents should sleep together. It¡¯s good for their rtionship.¡±

    Just then, the First Born, who¡¯s been quiet, asked, ¡°Grandma, parents should sleep together?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Lady Tian looked at the First Born. That kid was smart.

    ¡°Your mom and dad should sleep together. How about you sleep with us tonight?¡±

    The First Born agreed and ordered the other three, ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll sleep with grandma, grandpa, and third uncle. Mommy and daddy can sleep together.¡±

    Only then, will their rtionship improve and only then, will they not separate. That was the only way for them to keep their mom.

    The Second and Third Born understood the intention behind this. The Fourth Born seemed to have understood but he didn¡¯t want to be apart from his mom. He pouted.

    The First Born red at him and the Fourth Born finally quieted down.

    Lu Jiao quickly said, ¡°Mom, Xie Yunjin isn¡¯tfortable in my room.¡±

    Lady Tian offered a solution right away, ¡°Then you two sleep in your brother¡¯s room. Your brother can sleep in your room with the kids.¡±

    Lady Tian then looked towards Xie Yunjin, ¡°Son, what do you say?¡±

    Xie Yunjin could tell that Lu Jiao hated the idea. He replied, ¡°Mom, the children are used to sleeping with Lu Jiao. They might be ufortable since this is a new ce for them. Why not let the children be with Lu Jiao tonight? Once we are home, we can rearrange.¡±

    Lu Jiao decided this guy was pretty ethical and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s right.¡±

    Lady Tian saw the look on their faces and grew suspicious. She narrowed her eyes, ¡°Is something up between you two?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze, then shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to expose their separation sote at night. Xie Yunjin¡¯s visit today brought the family so much happiness. How sad would they be to find out that they¡¯ve actually separated? Lady Tian would break down.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want her to feel sad so she shook her head. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t answer.

    Lady Tian pushed Lu Jiao to Lu Gui¡¯s room, ¡°Hurry up and go to sleep. There¡¯s nothing more to discuss.¡±

    She then looked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Son, you should sleep as well. It¡¯ste.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much left for Xie Yunjin to say except to follow Lu Jiao into the room. The two entered the room and exchanged nces. Xie Yunjin was the first to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡±

    He then checked out Lu Gui¡¯s room and announced, ¡°You sleep on the bed. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±

    Lu Jiao was satisfied with the suggestion, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two got busy then. Lu Jiao searched around for bedding. She wasn¡¯t able to find anything thick enough to put on the floor and only found an old and ripped nket.

    Sheid it out on the ground, ¡°There¡¯s no more nket to use for warmth. What to do?¡±

    Xie Yunjin took out his outeryer robe and covered himself with it.

    ¡°This will do. It¡¯ste. Sleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed and went to bed.

    However, she was just about to fall asleep when footsteps arose outside the room. Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed. He scrambled off the ground, threw the nket under him onto the bed then crawled into bed himself. Heid there lopsided and pretended to be hazy but awake.

    Lady Tian walked in then. Though both of them were in bed and her son-inw acted as if he had just been woken up by the noise, Lady Tian still saw the old nket on the bed right away.

    It was summer and the thick nket wasn¡¯t necessary. So it was used by her son-inw to sleep on the ground.

    The four little ones had mumbled to her about how her daughter wanted to separate from her son-inw. It appeared that they were speaking the truth.

    Lady Tian was unspeakably sad and her eyes turned red.

    Lu Jiao was awake and saw that Lady Tian was watching her with her eyes red.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lady Tian said, ¡°Come out.¡±

    Lu Jiao got out of bed and followed her mom into the yard to talk.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? The Fourth Born told me you wanted a separation. Is it true?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze. She didn¡¯t expect the Fourth Born to tell Lady Tian that. That little guy¡¯s mouth was not very well sealed.

    Lu Jiao thought about it as she stared at Lady Tian. Then, she whispered, ¡°Mom, he doesn¡¯t like me.¡±

    Lady Tian was stunned and couldn¡¯t find any words to say. She was sure that cmity brought people closer. Howe that wasn¡¯t the case for her son-inw?

    Lady Tian knew that her daughter liked Xie Yunjin and felt hurt. She hugged Lu Jiao, ¡°My Jiaojiao, how did you end up with such a heartless man?¡±

    Lu Jiao felt bad. However, then she reminded herself that Xie Yunjin truly didn¡¯t like her. So she wasn¡¯t really lying.

    Lu Jiaoforted Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve thought it through and I¡¯m okay with it. If he doesn¡¯t like me, he doesn¡¯t like me. I¡¯ll be okay by myself.¡±

    Her words made Lady Tian cry harder. She choked, ¡°This is all my fault. I didn¡¯t raise you well and that¡¯s why you fell for that man¡¯s appearance. If all those past things didn¡¯t happen, you wouldn¡¯t be married to him.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s cries pained Lu Jiao as well. She patted her back, ¡°Mom, he said he¡¯ll give me half a year. He¡¯s going to try and see if he¡¯ll fall for me in the next six months. If he still doesn¡¯t like me after six months, then we¡¯ll call it quits.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to give Lady Tian some time to ept what wasing next. It worked well. Lady Tian felt better when she heard that and she stopped crying.

    She studied Lu Jiao and just couldn¡¯t understand what her son-inw was thinking.

    ¡°My Jiaojiao is such a great woman, why doesn¡¯t my son-inw like you? What kind of person does he like?¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled and took Lady Tian¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, feelings between men and women cannot be exined sometimes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    Lady Tian has been through a lot and naturally knew that. She was just sad that her amazing daughter couldn¡¯t be loved by her son-inw. Did her son-inw have an eye disease? It was such a pity that her daughter was going to be divorced at such a young age.

    Lady Tian¡¯s eyes turned red again and she patted Lu Jiao¡¯s head, ¡°Jiaojiao, if you divorce, what will you do? The world isn¡¯t fair to women. If you divorce, you¡¯ll beughed at and mocked. Your life will be difficult. I don¡¯t want to see you so sad.¡±

    Those thoughts felt like knives stabbing into Lady Tian¡¯s heart.

    Lu Jiao felt worse and worse. She hugged Lady Tian and consoled her, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Maybe things will change over the next six months. Don¡¯t spend energy being sad over something that hasn¡¯t happened. Even if we do end up separated in six months, so what? I am rather capable, you know? I n on finding you an even better son-inw.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 221 - 221 Beggar Mom over Official Dad

    221 Beggar Mom over Official Dad

    Lady Tian red at her and said unpleasantly, ¡°I think my current son-inw is good. You need to hold onto him.¡±

    In the end, Lady Tian chose to focus on the fact that her daughter liked her son-inw and wasn¡¯t able to gain any affection back. Days like that were hard. After all, her daughter had always been exclusively in love with her son-inw. In reality, to Lady Tian, she didn¡¯t care whether or not the man liked Lu Jiao back. If they were able to raise the four little ones well, Lu Jiao will be able to enjoy the fortunes the children bring herter in life.

    Then, she remembered how upset and sad she was when Lu Danian was unhappy with her about lending money. To not be loved by one¡¯s husband one¡¯s entire life must hurt.

    Lady Tian closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, ¡°If my son-inw really doesn¡¯t like you, then leave him. Your next one will be even better.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect this from Lady Tian and sheughed.

    Herughter made Lady Tian hit her, ¡°How can youugh at a time like this? Do you know how hard life is for a divorced woman?¡±

    She then remembered the four little ones and asked, ¡°What about the children?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them. If Xie Yunjin gets as far as the imperial exam in the pce, he¡¯ll take the children.¡±

    Her words pained Lady Tian even more. Those four little ones were so obedient, cute, and mature. How could her daughter just leave them with Xie Yunjin? Lady Tian¡¯s heart ached so much she felt like tumbling over.

    ¡°Can¡¯t he give you one of them? My son-inw sure is cruel.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t say anything but tofort Lady Tian, ¡°It¡¯s better for him to take them. If he ends up moving to the Capital City and gets a job there, The four little ones would have an official for a father. It¡¯s much better for them to be with him than me.¡±

    Lady Tian disagreed with that and fixated on Lu Jiao, ¡°Have you heard of one saying? Children would rather stay with their beggar mothers than be with their official fathers. The official father will for sure marry someone elseter. Step-mothers are no joke. Will she treat the children well?¡±

    Lu Jiao recalled the ending of the novel and what happened to the four little ones. To have been able to turn the four little ones into viins, the woman Xie Yunjin will marry was not going to be a good person.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but worry and wonder if the four little ones will end up bing viins. No, she had to use the next year to ensure their personalities were solidified.

    Lu Jiao stared at Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Perhaps I¡¯ll stay with him. All these worries are for the future.¡±

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao asked Lady Tian to sleep and cautioned Lady Tian, ¡°Mom, the four little ones thought their father and I made up. Don¡¯t tell them about this.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Lady Tian rubbed her temples and her eyes remained red, ¡°My poor grandsons. How did they end up with such a father?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips stretched out and didn¡¯t dare toment on that. She returned to Lu Gui¡¯s room.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin remained lopsided on the bed. He wasn¡¯t sure if Lady Tian was going toe in again so he didn¡¯t dare to go back on the floor.

    After he sse that Lu Jiao came back by herself, Xie Yunjin got off the bed and took the thick nket.

    Lu Jiao watched him settle in on the ground. She recalled Lady Tian¡¯s words, children would rather stay with their beggar mother than be with their official father.

    She couldn¡¯t help but warn, ¡°Xie Yunjin, once we separate, you may marry someone else. Please don¡¯t be a stepfather to the children just because they¡¯re going to have a stepmother.¡±

    Xie Yunjin studied Lu Jiao and found her beautiful visage to show traces of worry. It appeared that she was worried about the children¡¯s future.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. What did Lady Tian say to her?

    Since Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t answer, Lu Jiao added, ¡°There are lots of evil women who have many tricks up their sleeves. They act one way in front of you, then act another way behind your back. Some people are cruel to children but pretend to treat them well in front of you. Some women also spoil their children and give them whatever they want. They make the children narcissistic so others dislike them¡­¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could finish, Xie Yunjin questioned, ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about them, why do you want to leave?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze and stared back at Xie Yunjin. The way he looked at her was profound. His dark eyes appeared to be overflowing with emotions.

    Lu Jiao was flustered but quickly remembered the time when he told her she was overthinking when she asked him again if he liked her. He was right. She needed to stop overthinking everything.

    Lu Jiaoid back down and said in an unhappy tone, ¡°Sleep.¡±

    On the ground, Xie Yunjin went back to staring at the floor. Because of Lady Tian¡¯s interference, these two found it hard to sleep.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but talk to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, why are you so determined to separate?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. It was impossible for her to exin everything. There was so much to it.

    First of all, she wasn¡¯t the original host. She transmigrated here and it was impossible for her to take another woman¡¯s man and children without feeling bad. Second of all, she was from the modern era and therefore, had many different values than Xie Yunjin.

    Third of all, this was a novel. In the novel, this man ends up with another wife.

    Lastly and most importantly, she wanted to find someone who was head over heels in love with her.

    Lu Jiao actuallycked love deep within. When she was a child, she was neglected by her parents and so, she craved love.

    In her previous life, she was so focused on her career that she never found someone who loved her. In this life, she wanted to find someone who loved her for who she was.

    She had no way of resisting those who show her unconditional love. Such as Lady Tian, such as the four little ones.

    Of course, she naturally couldn¡¯tmunicate all this to Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao pretended she was asleep and ignored Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t pose again. He closed his eyes and searched for reasons why Lu Jiao wanted to leave so badly. Was it because he didn¡¯t like her? Or because she didn¡¯t like him?

    Xie Yunjin thought of Lady Tian. Others may not know this but he knew that the Lu Jiao today is not the original Lu Jiao. But Lu Jiao epted Lady Tian and was exceptionally nice to her.

    Why was Lu Jiao so nice tody Tian? Was she trying to rece the original host who died?

    Xie Yunjin slowly fell asleep as he thought about it. Lu Jiao also fell asleep.

    The next day, as soon as the Sun arose, the Lu family yard got loud. The four little ones, Huzi, plus Taozi chatted loudly inside the yard.

    Huzi didn¡¯t like the four children. However, in the morning, he saw that the four children were putting away the boar bones fromst night. He was shocked and asked the First Born, ¡°Why are you taking the bones left over from dinner?¡±

    The First Born told Huzi, ¡°My mommy is going to sharpen this bone into a toothbrush handle. Then she¡¯ll make a toothbrush head. After that, everyone in my family will have a toothbrush.¡±

    Huzi didn¡¯t know what a toothbrush was and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a toothbrush?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something you use to clean your teeth with. You see how vigers use willow branches to clean their teeth? My mommy said toothbrushes are better than willow branches.¡±

    Huzi¡¯s mind was blown and couldn¡¯t help but to ask, ¡°Can I ask aunt for one?¡±

    Beside them, Taozi jumped over and hugged onto the First Born, ¡°Brother, brother, I want one! I want one!¡±

 Chapter 222 - 222 Good Judgment of Character

    222 Good Judgment of Character

    Before the First Born could speak, Lu Jiao walked out from her room. Huzi wrapped himself around Lu Jiao¡¯s legs, ¡°Auntie! I want a toothbrush!¡±

    Lu Jiao patted Huzi¡¯s head, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll make you and Taozi one each. In exchange, how about you stop being mad at your cousins?¡±

    Huzi nced at the four little ones and decided they were good people. Yesterday, he ignored them all day and they didn¡¯t get mad at him. These little cousins were pretty cool. The person who was wrong was his mother.

    Yes, that must be the case. Huzi smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t be mad at them anymore.¡±

    He then ran back and offered the four little ones, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see how grandma makes tofuter!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The children made up.

    Lu Jiao went to get herself some water to wash up with. The Fourth Born acted like Lu Jiao¡¯s tail and followed her around. Lu Jiao remembered what happenedst night and didn¡¯t acknowledge him.

    The little man felt bad and his eyes turned red. He walked up to the sink with Lu Jiao and stood still.

    ¡°Mommy, I did something wrong yesterday.¡±

    Lu Jiao almost giggled. So he knew.

    She turned to the Fourth Born, ¡°Tell me, what did you do?¡±

    Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t seem too angry, the Fourth Born gained courage and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s neck, ¡°I told grandma how you and daddy were separating.¡±

    Lu Jiao scolded, ¡°You¡¯re a boy. You shouldn¡¯t gossip.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s eyes turned even redder and he hugged Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡­ I know I was wrong. I won¡¯t talk so much in the future. I just wanted grandma to talk you into staying.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled. This little guy knew how to be tactful. It appeared that the children were starting to get more creative with their ideas.

    Lu Jiao rubbed the Fourth Born¡¯s head, ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you this once. In the future, don¡¯t gossip like an old granny, got it? You¡¯re a boy, you need to act like a man and do everything openly and honestly. Don¡¯t be like a girl and talk nonsense.¡±

    Since Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t mad, the Fourth Born smiled and nodded, ¡°Mommy, I got it. I won¡¯t talk so much anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao wiped his face with a cloth and smiled, ¡°Okay, go on and y with your brothers. After breakfast, we¡¯ll be going home.¡±

    The Fourth Born didn¡¯t really want to leave. He asked, ¡°Mommy, we are leaving so soon? Can¡¯t we stay for two more days?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to stay. It was just that there were just so many people here that it was a lot of trouble. The Lu family had to cook so much food just for them.

    ¡°If you want to stay, you can stay for a few more days.¡±

    The Fourth Born declined and grabbed onto Lu Jiao¡¯s arm, ¡°If mommy goes back, I go back. I don¡¯t want to be apart from mommy.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then go y.¡±

    The Fourth Born finally went to y with his brothers.

    The Lu family prepared a lot for breakfast. Other than porridge, and noodles, they also made buns, soybean milk, and even stir-fried some vegetables. Lu Jiao knew the family was already busy and now even more so having to cook morevishly. She decided to leave after breakfast.

    Lady Tian and the aunts heard her n and asked her to stay for a few more days.

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to do at home anyways. You should stay.¡±

    Huzi had just started to y with the four little ones and didn¡¯t want them to leave. He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Auntie, stay for two more days. I want to y with my cousins.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Then you cane visit me. Your cousins have lots of toys they can y together with you. At my ce, we also have two dogs, a sheep, and two rabbits.¡±

    Huzi¡¯s eyes brightened and he nodded, ¡°I want to go!¡±

    First aunt Lu pped her son¡¯s head, ¡°What are you talking about! Your aunt has four sons. With you troublemaker around, her home would be a mess!¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Lu Gui ising back with me this time to help me with the children. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The aunts were aware of Lu Gui¡¯s n to work for Lu Jiao. They looked towards Lu Gui.

    Lu Gui smiled, ¡°Sister-inw, it¡¯s okay, let Huzi go. When I get a chance, I¡¯ll send him back. Look at how obedient and good my sister¡¯s children are ¨C it¡¯s all because they were raised well by my sister. Once Huzi returns, I guarantee he¡¯ll be respectful and well-mannered.¡±

    Those words convinced the first aunt. She checked with Lu Jiao, ¡°Would it be too much work?¡±

    Lu Jiao responded, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡±

    Huzi then cheered happily and asked the four little ones, ¡°Do you want to y with your older cousin?!¡±

    All children enjoyed ying. The news of Huzi visiting made the four little ones grin happily, ¡°We do!¡±

    All the kids were over the moon.

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°I forgot to mention something to you. Lu Gui wants to work for me. Temporarily, he¡¯ll take care of the children. In the future, I¡¯ll find something else for him to do.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and his eyes stayed on Lu Jiao. This meant she had epted Lu Gui? If she was able to ept Lu Gui, why couldn¡¯t she ept him?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s felt unspeakably hurt and everyone could sense his silence.

    Everyone at the table thought his reaction meant he didn¡¯t want Lu Gui to go and nobody knew what to say.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t initially think it was a big matter that had to be discussed. After all, Lu Gui was going to help her out with the kids.

    She didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to stay silent. Subconsciously, she turned to look at Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Gui spoke first, ¡°If brother-inw doesn¡¯t want me there, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    The atmosphere turned awkward then. Xie Yunjin snapped back and his lips stretched out, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to be there. I¡¯m just thinking of how I can repay you in the future for helping us out so much.¡±

    His statement made everyone sigh in relief. Lu Guiughed, ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t need you to repay me with anything. I just want to follow my sister and help her out. My sister is a lucky person. I¡¯m certain life will be good if I follow her.¡±

    Lu Gui chuckled out of happiness.

    Xie Yunjin studied him. Though his brother-inw was a little simple-minded, he had a good judgment of character.

    Based on what he knew about Lu Jiao, she was a great doctor and she¡¯ll one day be renowned for her knowledge. Lu Gui will truly have a better life working for her than staying in the countryside.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°Brother, you have a great judgment of character.¡±

    Everyone at the tableughed. The second brother, Lu An looked towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t forget about me.¡±

    ...

    Lu Jiao nced at him, ¡°I know.¡±

    After breakfast, the family got the oxcart and was prepared to go home. Not only did Lady Tian prepare tofu, but she also packed eggs and chicken. Before leaving, she gave the four little ones red pockets ¨C one tael of silver each.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop her. Her mother just wanted to treat her well.

    If Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ept her kindness, she would feel bad. Only when her generosity was epted, would she feel happy.

 Chapter 223 - 223 Did he Replace his Wife?

    223 Did he Rece his Wife?

    Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline, Lady Tian smiled happily.

    This was the first time the four little ones received a red pocket. They danced around and cheered.

    After moments of excitement, they collectively gave the money to Lu Jiao.

    The four little ones announced, ¡°Mommy, this is for you to buy new clothes with.¡±

    ¡°Once we get more money, we¡¯ll buy you a silver bracelet.¡±

    The four little ones had not heard of or seen jewelry other than silver hoops or bracelets, therefore, they all thought silver bracelets were the best jewelry there was. They kept on making the promise to buy Lu Jiao a silver bracelet.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Awesome. I will wait for my sons to show their appreciation for me!¡±

    The four little ones were so happy their lips couldn¡¯t close. Lady Tian loved them so much. However, she quickly remembered that her daughter was going to separate from the family and the four little ones would be Xie Yunjin¡¯s only.

    The sadness Lady Tian felt was unspeakable. Her eyes subconsciously turned red. Beside her, Xie Danianforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Our daughter will visit us often.¡±

    Lu Danian didn¡¯t know about the problem between Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin. Lady Tian didn¡¯t tell him.

    By the time the oxcart returned to the Xie Vige, it was already afternoon. Everyone knew they were out visiting, so when they saw the oxcart return, everyone greeted them and told them, ¡°Yunjin, Yunjin¡¯s wife, you have guests.¡±

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged nces. Guests? Who?

    Lu Jiao thanked the person, ¡°Thank you, aunt Lin.¡±

    When Xie Tieniu heard that, he picked up speed and headed to Xie Yunjin¡¯s home.

    There was a horse carriage at Lu Jiao¡¯s gate. Also, there were two to three people chatting with the Xie vigers.

    The oxcart arriving caught everyone¡¯s attention.

    Lu Jiao looked over and saw that out of the three guests, two were older. One of them was rather handsome and acted very studious. He appeared to be a sophisticated schr. The other one was also graceful and charming.

    The young one of the group was someone Lu Jiao recognized ¨C ssmate Han.

    Given that ssmate Han was here, Lu Jiao easily guessed the identity of the other two.

    Beside her, Xie Yunjin had gotten out of the oxcart happily and greeted the guests, ¡°Dean Lu, Professor Wang, what are you doing here?¡±

    It became obvious to Lu Jiao why the two men appeared so studious.

    At the front, the Dean and the Professor happily chatted with Xie Yunjin. Behind them, Lu Jiao and Lu Gui carried the four little ones and Huzi off the cart.

    Xie Tieniu wanted to go back home right away. Lu Jiao took out some money to pay for the ride but Xie Tieniu refused it and left.

    Since he left, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t chase after him. She went to thank the Second Grandma and Xie Xiaobao. The Second Grandma waved around her hand to tell her to go back to her guests.

    Lu Jiao took the children and Lu Gui into the living room along with Xie Yunjin.

    ssmate Han was thest to follow. When he saw Lu Jiao and the children, he struck up a conversation, ¡°Lady Lu, you went to visit your family?¡±

    He heard from the neighbors that Xie Yunjin¡¯s family went visiting and he thought he was going to miss them. Luckily, the family returned today.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, I brought the kids to see their grandma.¡±

    The four little ones then greeted ssmate Han politely, ¡°Uncle Han, you¡¯re here.¡±

    ssmate Han nodded and patted their heads. He then saw a naughty boy staring at him and he asked, ¡°This is¡­?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, the four little ones started to introduce Huzi excitedly, ¡°This is my cousin, Huzi.¡±

    The children then said to Huzi, ¡°This is Uncle Han. You also call him Uncle Han.¡±

    Huzi imitated the boys and called out, ¡°Uncle Han.¡±

    ssmate Han felt embarrassed and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t bring you a gift today. I¡¯ll make it up to you next time.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded, ¡°There¡¯s really no need.¡±

    She then asked, ¡°Is something the matter? Why are Dean Lu and Professor Wang here?¡±

    ssmate Han whispered, ¡°The Dean just returned from his trip and heard about what happened to Yunjin. He came to see him and also has something to talk to him about.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t Lu Jiao¡¯s ce to ask more. She told the kids to y by themselves before she went to make some tea and food. The family had been traveling all day and still hasn¡¯t eaten lunch yet.

    The four little ones took the intrigued Huzi to see their dogs, rabbits, and sheep.

    Inside the living room, Xie Yunjin was conversing with the Dean and Professor, ¡°Thank you both for visiting. My legs are fine now. I n on returning to school after a short while.¡±

    Now that Xie Yunjin could walk again, the Dean and Professor were exceptionally happy.

    Xie Yunjin was famous in the Qinghe District. Even the district magistrate had onceplimented Xie Yunjin¡¯s intelligence. For next year¡¯s exam, if he¡¯s able to pull off first ce, he would end up being number one in the whole province. His future would be set then.

    Before, when Xie Yunjin was trampled by a horse carriage, the Dean was out visiting another school. When he heard the news of the extent of Xie Yunjin¡¯s injuries, he almost passed out.

    ¡°As long as your legs are fine, you can take next year¡¯s exam.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and promised, ¡°I will do my best on next year¡¯s exam.¡±

    ¡°Great, great.¡±

    The Dean and Professor both smiled. Dean Lu stared at Xie Yunjin in satisfaction. With Xie Yunjin¡¯s capability, he was most likely to ce first on next year¡¯s exam.

    ¡°Yunjin, if you are still homebound and have the time, can you do me a favor?¡±

    This was his second reason for visiting today.

    Xie Yunjin respectfully answered, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Because of the September exam, lots of younger students want your help. Of course, they aren¡¯t asking you to do it for free. They are all willing to pay. I did some math. There are around 17 to 18 people who want your help. You can help them out and also make some money.

    I¡¯ve told them that they should pay you two taels of silver each until the exam in September. If they do end up passing, they would then pay you 30 taels of silver extra.¡±

    Those words made it clear to Xie Yunjin that the people needing help were wealthy young masters who didn¡¯tck money.

    Xie Yunjin frowned slightly. He knew the Dean was doing this to help him earn some extra ie. However, at the same time, if lots of students pass the exam, it would help build the school¡¯s reputation as well.

    ...

    As Xie Yunjin thought it over, Lu Jiao came in with tea, ¡°Dean Lu, Professor Wang, have some tea.¡±

    The Dean and the Professor looked at Lu Jiao. Then, both of them were stunned.

    They¡¯ve heard that Xie Yunjin married a fat, moronic, idiotic, and loud woman. Therefore, they didn¡¯t expect to see such a delicate, elegant, and confident woman.

    Did he rece his wife?

 Chapter 224 - 224 Theyâ€™re Going to be Valuable Adults

    224 They¡¯re Going to be Valuable Adults

    Dean Lu and Professor Wang nced at Lu Jiao and then back at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t speak. Right now, he doesn¡¯t know how to introduce Lu Jiao to others. Was he supposed to say she was his wife? But they were technically separated.

    ssmate Han smiled and stood up, ¡°Dean, Professor, this is Yunjin¡¯s wife, Lu Jiao. It¡¯s all thanks to her that Yunjin was able to heal so fast and walk so soon. Because she was so busy taking care of him, she lost a lot of weight.¡±

    So Lu Jiao was the first wife Xie Yunjin married, not someone different.

    !!

    The two of them were embarrassed. They smiled and took the tea, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded, ¡°No problem.¡±

    Her mannerism was full of grace, which made the Dean and the Professor curious. This woman was born in the countryside yet she appeared fearless and confident, not at all like someone raised by farmers. In this area, even wealthy families rarely manage to raise their children like this. She acted more like a wealthy daughter from the Capital City, who was carefully educated.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know the Dean and the Professor would think so much. She went up to Xie Yunjin and asked him, ¡°I¡¯ll make noodle soupter. Should I make extra?¡±

    She was asking whether or not she should cook for the guests.

    Xie Yunji guessed that the group hadn¡¯t eaten, ¡°Sure. Cook extra.¡±

    Lu Jiao then went out after she chatted a little more.

    After she left, Dean Lu couldn¡¯t help butpliment her, ¡°With such a virtuous wife, I¡¯m sure your exam will go smoothly.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened a little. Every time he was reminded of his separation from Lu Jiao, depression and anxiety filled him.

    Since he was in front of Dean Lu and Professor Wang, he didn¡¯t show it.

    ssmate Han smiled at Dean Lu and Professor Wang, ¡°Not only is Yunjin¡¯s wife virtuous, but she¡¯s also very capable. She¡¯s an amazing cook, great at raising kids, and even knows medicine. More importantly, she¡¯s very kind. This vige was very poor so she taught everyone how to harvest herbs to sell. I heard she also started teaching everyone how to keep leeches, and how to nt honeysuckle.¡±

    The Dean and the Professor were shocked. They eximed, ¡°What an astounding woman.¡±

    The more the group discussed Lu Jiao, the worse Xie Yunjin felt. No matter how great that woman was, she was no longer his wife.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know she was being talked about. She efficiently boiled water and made noodles in the kitchen. When Lu Gui caught her cooking, he went in to help.

    The four little ones and Huzi had a great time in the yard. After the initial excitement died down, they also ran into the kitchen to help out.

    ¡°Mommy, what do you need? Let me help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t going to spoil them and ordered, ¡°Get me some spring onion andtro. Also, pull some veggies for me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The children ran out to the yard to get what she asked. Inside the kitchen, Lu Jiao discussed with Lu Gui as they cooked, ¡°Now that you¡¯re living here, you can only stay in the west building. Once we move to the city of Qinghe, I¡¯ll get you your own room. What do you say?¡±

    Lu Gui wasn¡¯t picky about where he slept. He was, however, very interested in moving to the city.

    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re really going to move?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded sternly. Xie Yunjin was already nning to move. Today, the Dean and Professor had asked him to teach students. If all goes ording to n, they will move to the city soon.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yeah, we should be moving there soon.¡±

    Lu Gui smiled happily. He was going to be a city boy? All his life, he¡¯s only been to the city of Qinghe once. Now he was about to move there permanently. He was right that following his sister was a good decision.

    ¡°Sister, I will go wherever you go. Once my brother-inw bes an official, I¡¯ll be your steward.¡±

    Lu Gui chuckled while Lu Jiao rolled her eyes, ¡°Can you be more ambitious?¡±

    Lu Gui ttered, ¡°To be the steward of an official is very ambitious.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes again and teased, ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re so ambitious.¡±

    The two of them, along with the children¡¯s help, finally finished cooking.

    Other than the noodle soup, Lu Jiao cooked a few side dishes as well.

    Pan-fried tofu, eggs with chives, pork with green onion, and kung pao chicken.

    At the lunch table, the Dean and Professor couldn¡¯t help butpliment, ¡°ssmate Han mentioned you¡¯re a good cook and we were skeptical. Now I see what he means.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°They¡¯re allmon home cooking. I¡¯m happy if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Lu Jiao then called out to the four little ones, ¡°Boys, greet our guests. This is Uncle Dean, and that is Uncle Professor.¡±

    The four little ones checked out their guests and were not at all shy. They called out, ¡°Hi Uncle Dean, hi Uncle Professor.¡±

    Dean Lu and Professor Wang studied the four adorable boys in surprise. They were experienced teachers and knew right away that the four little ones were smart.

    Perhaps they will be good students like their father, which made them great potential students for their school.

    Dean Lu gestured for them to go to him happily, ¡°What are your names? How old are you? Have you learned to read?¡±

    The First Born was the first to step up and answer crisply, ¡°Uncle Dean, my name is Xie Wenyao.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenjia.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenshao.¡±

    ¡°My name is Xie Wenyu.¡±

    ¡°We are four years old!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve learned how to read the Three Character ssics and the Hundred Family Surnames from daddy. We have started reading the Thousand Character ssic.¡±

    Dean Lu started to evaluate them. He pushed aside his food and started to quiz the four little ones one by one. He discovered that the four little ones had great memorization skills and knew the answers to all his questions.

    Dean Lu was in love with them. He turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, your boys will be valuable adults one day. You have to teach them well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°I will take that advice to heart.¡±

    Dean Lu then looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°How educated a child is is often determined by their mother. You¡¯re a great mother.¡±

    Lu Jiao was shy from thepliment. The children were the way they were because they were good kids.

    ¡°Dean, you¡¯re being too kind.¡±

    ...

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to talk about the kids too much. Children shouldn¡¯t beplimented too much when they¡¯re little, it makes them too arrogant.

    Lu Jiao invited Dean Lu, Professor Wang, and ssmate Han to eat. She took the five children to the kitchen and ate there.

    There were too many people and the table was too small.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to heat the noodles.¡±

    Behind her, the Dean and Professor called out, ¡°Just eat here.¡±

    Lu Jiao beamed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You guys eat.¡±

    Lu Jiao then took the children to eat outside. If there were only the four little ones here today, she might¡¯ve stayed. However, Lu Jiao could tell that Huzi was getting anxious and uncertain at the table. Worried that something might happen, she figured it was better for her to take the children.

 Chapter 225 - 225 Think of Ways to Make Money

    225 Think of Ways to Make Money

    Lu Gui wanted to follow her out but Lu Jiao stared him down, ¡°Stay with your brother-inw and eat with the guests.¡±

    That man wanted to be a steward? He was ufortable interacting with anyone who had somewhat of a status. How could someone like that be a steward?

    Lu Guiughed drily. He couldn¡¯t understand what the group were conversing about and sitting with them felt unnatural.

    But because of his sister¡¯s orders, he stayed.

    From inside the yard, Lu Jiao and the four little ones¡¯ conversation could be heard, ¡°First Born, do you know why Uncle Deanplimented you all?¡±

    The First Born didn¡¯t answer but the Fourth Born jumped in, ¡°Because we are smart!¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s clear and cool voice was stern, ¡°Wrong. Because Uncle Dean is your senior. When he meets juniors like you, hepliments them. He¡¯s trying to show you that he cares for you, he¡¯s not saying all those things because you¡¯re smart.¡±

    The four little ones weren¡¯t disappointed. Rather, their eyes widened as realization hit, ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡±

    After hearing the conversation, Dean Lu and Professor Wang exchanged nces. They then turned to look at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, your wife is extraordinarily intelligent. Having such a wife is a great blessing. I¡¯m certain that your family will grow even more prosperous.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart felt stuffy. No matter how good Lu Jiao was, she was no longer part of his family. He also knew that Lu Jiao was especially good at educating the children. If the four little ones were raised by her, they would definitely grow up to be sessful.

    He himself actually wasn¡¯t that good at raising children. Should she give Lu Jiao custody of the four children?

    Then he would end up alone without a family. Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart felt so cold and he couldn¡¯t speak for a long time.

    After the ate, the group talked for a while longer before Dean Lu, Professor Wang, and ssmate Han left.

    Xie Yunjin got up to walk them out. Outside, the four children were feeding the dogs. When they saw the Dean and Professor were leaving, they waved their hands.

    ¡°Uncle Dean and Uncle Professor, see you next time! Come y with us again!¡±

    The Dean and the Professor felt so warm and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°I sure want to take your kids home and raise them myself.¡±

    Naturally, Xie Yunjin was happy to hearpliments of his children. Softness and joy reached his eyes. After he walked out the Dean and Professor and helped them into the horse carriage, he asked to talk to ssmate Han privately.

    ¡°ssmate Han, I want to demolish this old home and rebuild it new. Do you think you can get your hands on ck bricks?¡±

    ck bricks were expensive and difficult to find.

    However, ssmate Han was an entrepreneur and didn¡¯t think it would be an issue for him to get some, ¡°How much do you think you¡¯ll need?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done the math. I want to build two courtyards with a floral pendant gate in the middle as a separator. I want three buildings in each yard with three rooms in each. Kitchen and others would be separated.¡±

    Based on that description, ssmate Han had a good idea of how many ck bricks were needed, ¡°When do you need it by? I can send those to you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin had agreed with the Dean and Professor to tutor the pupils at school. Therefore, the faster he could rebuild this home, the better. Once the house is done, he¡¯ll take the children and move to the city of Qinghe.

    ¡°When you get them, you can send them over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it done. I probably need around two days.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Oh right, can you also help me keep an eye on housing around the school? I want to rent near there.¡±

    ¡°What kind of house do you want?¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it, ¡°Somewhere with one courtyard, and three to four buildings.¡±

    ssmate Han pped his own chest and promised, ¡°Leave it to me. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin walked ssmate Han to the horse carriage and the horse left swiftly.

    Xie Yunjin slowly walked into the yard. There, Lu Jiao was washing the dishes. Xie Yunjin was a little stunned. Lu Jiao had no reason to continue doing all this housework. She¡¯s done more than enough by taking care of them.

    Xie Yunjin walked into the kitchen. When Lu Jiao saw him, she thought he needed something, ¡°Something up?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t answer. He squatted down next to her and washed the dishes alongside her.

    Though he was a schr, he¡¯s done lots of housework before and did it well.

    Watching him doing dirty dishes without a word surprised Lu Jiao. What was wrong with this guy?

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re washing dishes out of nowhere?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up at her, ¡°I¡¯ll share the load of housework with you in the future. Once we move to the city of Qinghe, we¡¯ll hire servants so you don¡¯t have to do all this yourself.¡±

    Xie Yunjin decided that he needed to start thinking of ways to make money.

    He was going to raise the four little ones himself. No matter what he decides in the end, whether or not he wants Lu Jiao to have custody, he needs money.

    He also didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to spend all her time doing housework while she was still with him.

    Lu Jiao was touched that Xie Yunjin was doing housework with her. For a man to voluntarily help out around the house was a good trait.

    Xie Yunjin naturally noticed the look of approval in Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes. His mood lifted as he thought about how he made the right choice doing these dishes.

    As they cleaned, they chatted.

    ¡°I n on demolishing this house and rebuilding it.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t object. This was his business, not hers.

    However, she still asked, ¡°You¡¯re rebuilding it for your second brother?¡±

    Xie Yunjin answered, ¡°Yes, since you, the children, and I are all moving into the city, I won¡¯t being back frequently. I want to make sure my second brother¡¯s family isfortable and settled here. That way, I don¡¯t have to worry once I leave. Plus, this ce is where the four little ones and I were born. Once in a while, we¡¯ll have to return.

    Therefore, I n on building two connecting courtyards divided up by a floral pendant gate. We can stay on one side and my second brother can stay on the other side. I¡¯ll ask my second brother to help keep our side clean.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t correct Xie Yunjin¡¯s use of ¡°we¡± and ¡°our¡±.

    The thought of Xie Yunjin¡¯s family made Lu Jiao speak, ¡°I¡¯m scared your family will cause trouble.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened and the air around him cooled, ¡°If they cause trouble, I have no problem helping them learn their ce.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak ¨C as long as he knew what he was up against.

    The dishes were washed as they chatted. As Xie Yunjin washed his hands with clean water, he asked, ¡°If you have any demands or wishes for the new house, you can tell me.¡±

    ...

    Lu Jiao instantly brandished her hand, ¡°This is going to be your home, not mine. I have no requirements.¡±

    Her words hurt Xie Yunjin. His mood once again grew sullen and depressed. Sadness converged deep in his heart, unable to escape.

 Chapter 226 - 226 Hurry and take her Home

    226 Hurry and take her Home

    Xie Yunjin left the kitchen. Outside in the yard, the four little ones ran to him, ¡°Daddy, someone else came to visit!¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked outside and saw two to three people approaching. It was Xie Yunjin¡¯s uncle, aunt, and one of his older cousins.

    Once they entered the yard, they greeted, ¡°Yunjin, your legs are working again?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t show much emotion toward the visitors. The Ruan family members were simr to Lady Ruan ¨C impatient, small-hearted, and greedy.

    !!

    In the past, Lady Ruan frequently stole money to aid this younger brother of hers. Who knows what his intention was foring over here today?

    Xie Yunjin gestured for his aunt and uncle to go into the living room.

    Lu Jiao pretended not to notice and continued to clean the kitchen.

    Theck of attention from Lu Jiao made the uncle and aunt frown.

    Since they had an agenda, they didn¡¯t unleash their anger and followed Xie Yunjin into the room.

    The moment they all sat down, they started to cry.

    ¡°Yunjin, go and visit your mother, hurry. Ever since she came back, she¡¯s been refusing to eat or drink. She¡¯s been waiting for her death. She keeps on talking about how she¡¯s sorry for treating you the way she did. She says the memories of how she treated you make her want to die. We came here today to ask you to please take your mother back home.¡±

    ¡°My aunt says she will treat you nicely and will never be unkind towards you again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s lips curled up. So this entire family was here to ask him to take back Lady Ruan. He was no idiot. Why would he do that?

    That mother of his was still dreaming wildly. She truly was overthinking this. If he wanted her here, he would¡¯ve rebutted against the divorce.

    Xie Yunjin nced at his aunt and uncle, ¡°Theoretically, your family is no longer rted to my family in any way. This means you are no longer my aunt and uncle.¡±

    His aunt and uncle¡¯s faces dropped.

    Xie Yunjin ignored that and continued, ¡°My father left my mother. Her only identity now is the daughter of the Ruan family, not the wife of the Xie family. For her to live with me here makes no sense.¡±

    Xie Yunjin kept his gaze on his aunt and uncle.

    The duo was stunned by the coldness he emitted and remained quiet for some time. Finally, the cousin spoke up, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re incorrect. Even if my aunt is kicked out, she remains your mother. Nothing can change that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at his cousin with his eyes dark, ¡°Cousin, you need to be careful with your choice of words. I call her my ¡®mother¡¯ because I try to remain filial. Technically, the moment the Xie family decided to kick her out, she was no longer my mother. If you don¡¯t understand these concepts, you should ask your parents to teach you.¡±

    His aunt and uncle were silent. He was right, that was how it worked. Women who were asked to leave were no longer tied to their ex-husband¡¯s family. She would not be considered a wife or a mother. The children she bore would no longer be considered her children.

    Today, they came over thinking that they could make Xie Yunjin ept Lady Ruan given their biological ties and their past.

    It was no big deal that Xie Laogen left Lady Ruan. But Xie Yunjin as a son would prove to be extremely useful. There was no way she should give him up.

    If Lady Ruan could stay with Xie Yunjin. Then once Xie Yunjin makes it big, even his aunt and uncle would benefit from his status.

    Sadly, Xie Yunjin¡¯s attitude has shown that he wasn¡¯t willing to ept Lady Ruan.

    The aunt and uncle silently cursed Lady Ruan¡¯s past moronic behavior. Why didn¡¯t she favor the one son who would end up useful to them?

    They tried again, ¡°Yunjin, your mother did give birth and raise you. Even if she was kicked out by Xie Laogen, you cannot change the fact that she gave birth to you. You cannot deny her as your mother.¡±

    Xie Yunjin replied unhurriedly, ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing. This is the Xie family. She¡¯s a woman whom my father chose to leave. Taking her back would be pping my father in the face and I would be seen as an unfilial son. Uncle, do you really think I would do something so unfilial?¡±

    He gave no chance for his aunt and uncle to talk more, ¡°She is my mother. That fact cannot be changed. I ask you two to please take care of my mother. I will send you 10 taels of silver each year.¡±

    Anything that could be handled with money was no trouble. By giving the Ruan family 10 taels of silver, he was able to get rid of Lady Ruan while repaying her for raising him. Those who do not know what truly went on would even say he was a great son.

    His aunt and uncle¡¯s eyes grew hot as they excitedly gaped at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Are you for real?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Please do not treat my mother poorly. If you do that, I will not send you money.¡±

    The entire family quickly vowed, ¡°We would never do that to my little sister.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my aunt, who would we treat her poorly? Cousin, you better fulfill your promise.¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly red at his cousin, ¡°Am I the kind of person who doesn¡¯t do that?¡±

    The Ruan family was not at all mad. To them, Xie Yunjin was their God of Wealth. They weren¡¯t going to get on his bad side.

    Xie Yunjin then got up, ¡°I am busy today so I will not ask you to stay. In the future, I ask that you do note to this vige. After all, my mother has been kicked out and our families are no longer rted.¡±

    The Ruan family didn¡¯t look too happy. They honestly med Lady Ruan for getting herself into this kind of situation. That woman was seriously stupid. So what Xie Laogen got himself a concubine? So many people in town have concubines. Howe they could all deal with it but she couldn¡¯t?

    Though angry, it was toote to change anything. The Ruan family left the room.

    It just so happened that Lu Jiao, Lu Gui, and the five children were on their way in.

    When the aunt and uncle saw Lu Jiao, they red at her and thenined to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Your wife has no respect for people.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes and then took the five children to the west bedroom to nap.

    Lu Gui started to clean the living room. Xie Yunjin thanked him, ¡°Thank you, brother-inw, for all this work.¡±

    Lu Gui stared at him in awe. Why was he getting more and more polite and distant?

    Lu Gui scratched his head in confusion.

    Xie Yunjin went to the east bedroom to think some things over. He no longer had time to teach the vige children so he mustpile a list of children who were school material. He¡¯ll ask those children¡¯s parents to send them to school. Every family in this vige had made some money. Once leech keeping kicks off, they should have enough ie to send their children to study.

    He also had to start constructing his home. Once that¡¯s done, he will take Lu Jiao and the four little ones to the city of Qinghe.

    Before, he was so filled with hatred and sadness that he was toozy and depressed to think about making money. That won¡¯t do anymore. He had to seize the time and opportunities he had to make money.

    The tutoring job won¡¯t make him rich, but it¡¯ll make him a decent amount of ie. To earn 2 taels of silver from each student and an extra 30 taels for those who pass the exam in September was very good ie.

    Once Xie Yunjin sorted out his thoughts, he headed outside. Lu Jiao, who had just soothed the children to sleep, also walked out at the same time. The two of them exchanged nces then both subconsciously looked away and turned to the side.

    Both of them felt like this was awkward and wrong. Neither of them nned on being nemesis after their separation finalizes, so why were they behaving this way?

 Chapter 227 - 227 Building a new House

    227 Building a new House

    The two of them then looked towards each other.

    Xie Yunjin was the first to break the silence, ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Then, she called out to Lu Gui, who was cleaning up, ¡°Go with your brother-inw.¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried about Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. It was a long journey to get them to heal to this extent, she didn¡¯t want any idents.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze lowered as he wondered if Lu Jiao cared about him or if she just didn¡¯t want to get dragged down by him and any potential injuries.

    Remembering how determined Lu Jiao was about the divorce, Xie Yunjin decided that Lu Jiao was worried he¡¯d hurt his legs again and prolong the separation process.

    Xie Yunjin pursed his lips, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    He then left in giant leaps. Behind him, Lu Gui strangely nced between those two. What happened to them? Were they in a fight?

    Just then, Lu Jiao spoke again, ¡°What are you doing standing there? Follow your brother-inw. Make sure nobody hurts his legs.¡±

    Lu Gui did as told. He had to listen to his sister¡¯s orders.

    Lu Gui followed. Lu Jiao, on the other hand, went out to do some gardening.

    The vegetables she nted were blooming. It wasn¡¯t just the green veggies or the eggnts, even her tomatoes and cucumbers were thriving.

    The tomatoes have started to redden. Lu Jiao picked out the ripe ones and washed them. She cut them up, added some sugar, and waited for the four little ones to get up and eat them.

    She then harvested a variety of veggies to stir fry for dinner.

    In a few days, Xie Yunjin will demolish this ce and build a new courtyard. Her little vegetable garden wasn¡¯t going to survive that, so she might as well eat what she could.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui first went to the Vige Leader¡¯s ce to talk about how Xie Yunjin will no longer have the capacity to teach the vige children. The Vige Leader felt disappointed but he was proud to hear that Xie Yunjin will be tutoring youth scrs.

    The Vige Leader nodded, ¡°You have legitimate business to tend to. It¡¯s already nice that our vige children learned a few characters. We don¡¯t want to stop you from doing greater things.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, then he handed him the list of children he wrote down beforehand.

    ¡°I havepiled a list of children that I found to be talented. After teaching all the children for the past while, I believe it would be worth it to send these children to school. They¡¯re all excellent. If they take their studies seriously, I believe there¡¯d be at least two to three schrs amongst them.¡±

    The Viger Leader anxiously looked over the list to check if his grandsons were on the list.

    He didn¡¯t find Datou there but did see Maomao¡¯s name. Though sad Datou wasn¡¯t on the list, he was happy Maomao was. One was better than neither.

    The Vige Leader asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Maomao is smarter than Datou?¡±

    Xie Yunjin said in a soft voice, ¡°Studying well doesn¡¯t make one smarter than others. Everyone has shorings and strengths. Some people are suited to study, while others are suited to do other things.

    Datou is just as smart as Maomao, but he finds it hard to sit down and focus. Though Maomao is younger, he is calmer and is willing to sit still for longer. That trait is important when ites to studying.¡±

    The Vige Leader understood what he meant. His elder grandson, Datou, was very hyper and often acted like a monkey.

    ¡°I understand. Datou isn¡¯t suited for school.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not true. He may not pass all the exams for a government job, but he could learn how to read andter be a businessman or something. He¡¯s going to turn out great.¡±

    The Vige Leader excitedly said, ¡°Then we will send them both to school. Learning to read and running a business,ter on, is a good option.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled and pointed at the list, ¡°The children on top of that list are talented and will likely study well. The children on the bottom are not as smart but are not bad. They might not get a government job, but they can be an ountant or a manager.¡±

    The Viger Leader felt like those were good upations and nodded, ¡°I will talk to their parents and ask them to send their children to school.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°I have something else that I wanted to talk to you about.¡±

    The Vige Leader asked, ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The Dean asked me to tutor the younger students in exchange for money. I want to use the money to rebuild my house. However, thend my house is on is rather small so I want to build a little more to the east. Can you please sell me that piece ofnd? You can let me know the price.¡±

    The Vige Leader instantly patted his chest, ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you for money. Go ahead and build as far east as you want. Nobody from the vige would say anything.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s house was at the outer edge anyway. There were no homes to his east. The field beside his home was barren due to its close location to the mountains. There were too many rocks underneath thatnd to farm. Therefore, the Vige Leader didn¡¯t hesitate to offer thatnd to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin calmly asked, ¡°Is that okay? Vige Leader, it might be better to warn everyone first.¡±

    The Viger Leader pped his hands, ¡°This whole thing is up to me. I sure want to see who dares to talk trash. Whoever talks will get kicked out!¡±

    Yunjin and his wife have helped out the vige way too much. If someone has opinions over this little matter, that person would be heartless and should leave the vige.

    Since the Vige Leader felt so strongly about this, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t say anything more and thanked him.

    The Vige Leader asked when construction would start so he could send people over to help.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll start the foundation work this week. You can help me ask around to see who¡¯s willing to help. I will pay 30 tokens a day plus lunch.¡±

    The Vige Leader said, ¡°We are all neighbors. There¡¯s no need for money. We¡¯ll do it happily for a meal.¡±

    This kind of work normally would cost 15 to 20 tokens a day. The price Xie Yunjin offered was truly generous.

    Though the Vige Leader didn¡¯t think money was necessary, Xie Yunjin was stern, ¡°Being neighbors doesn¡¯t mean people¡¯sbor should be free. Everyone who¡¯s willing to help is doing it out of kindness. I cannot let them go unrewarded.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to owe anyone anything over this small amount of money. He would also owe everyone favors because of this. He would rather make others feel grateful about this matter.

    The Vige Leader agreed, ¡°Okay. Let me know how many people you¡¯ll need.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Afterward, Xie Yunjin took Lu Gui and went to the Xie family to talk about the new house he¡¯ll build.

    Xie Laogen and the others were shocked to hear the news. How capable was Xie Laogen¡¯s youngest son to be building a house using ck bricks? That must be expensive.

    Xie Laogen immediately shared his desire to move to his son¡¯s house. Xie Yunjin bluntly reminded Xie Laogen, ¡°Father, we were exiled from here without a home before. I seem to recall your house is right here.¡±

    Xie Laogen was embarrassed and quiet for a while. Xie Yunjin added, ¡°Today, my aunt and uncle visited me to tell me that mother is slowly killing herself over there. They asked me to take my mother home.¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 The Truth behind all that Gratefulness

    228 The Truth behind all that Gratefulness

    Xie Laogen screamed instantly, ¡°I¡¯ve kicked her out! You cannot take her back! She¡¯s no longer a part of this family and she¡¯s no longer your mother! Do not call her that! Why would you even refer to those strangers as ¡®aunt¡¯ and ¡®uncle¡¯?! They¡¯re unrted to you!¡±

    How dare they try to take advantage of his son?! Only he was allowed to do that!

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°I thought that perhaps mother is being treated poorly at my uncle¡¯s, so I agreed to give them 10 taels of silver a year to show that I appreciate their effort at caring for my mother.¡±

    Before Xie Laogen could speak, Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°Of course, whatever I give to mother, you will get as well. Though you only gave me five taels of silver and then kicked me out of here, I shall remain filial. So, to help your senior years, I will also give you 10 taels of silver a year.¡±

    !!

    Xie Laogen raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. Ten taels of silver a year was too little, ¡°Lady Ruan¡¯s been kicked out. Why would you give her silver? You should give her share to me so I get 20 taels.¡±

    The more Xie Laogen thought about it, the more he felt like he got a bad deal. Xie Yunjin reminded him, ¡°Father, you have many sons. All I am required to do is my part. You should ask my eldest brother how much he¡¯ll be giving you annually.¡±

    Xie Laogen became mute then.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to stay so he moved on, ¡°In the future, my second brother will move in with us.¡±

    Xie Daqiang was the first to object, ¡°Why?!¡±

    ¡°I need someone there at all times to keep an eye on the house. What¡¯s wrong with tasking my second brother that?¡±

    Everyone nced at Xie Yunjin and then at Xie Erzhu. Everyone vaguely realized that Xie Yunjin rebuilt his house to help Xie Erzhu out.

    Xie Erzhu didn¡¯t get it at first. But slowly, he seemed to understand. His eyes reddened and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Third brother, honestly, you don¡¯t need -¡±

    Xie Yunjin interrupted, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re there to safeguard my house. Once I¡¯m gone, please help me clean what¡¯s mine.¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s eyes turned even redder, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Daqiang, Chen Liu, and the others were pink from jealousy. Xie Yunhu and Xie Lan also wanted that house so bad.

    Sadly, they could only watch. Xie Yunjin was toozy for more drama and left with Lu Gui.

    Behind them, Xie Erzhu followed. Once they were further away, Xie Erzhu grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hands, ¡°Third brother, there¡¯s no need to build me a home. I¡¯m okay living here.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said to him kindly, ¡°No matter how far away I end up going, I wille home sometime. Second brother, remember to keep my house clean.

    ¡°I will.¡± Xie Erzhu croaked.

    Xie Yunjin then shared, ¡°I am going to build two courtyards. As you are my elder brother, you will stay in the east yard and we will stay in the west one.¡±

    Xie Erzhu objected and waved around, ¡°You stay in the east, we¡¯ll stay in the west yard. If you disagree, we won¡¯t go.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t fight it and softly grinned, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    Xie Erzhu looked up to the sky and whispered, ¡°If grandfather knew about this, he would be so happy.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was confused, ¡°Why are you thinking of grandpa?¡±

    Xie Erzhu grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Third brother, I have to tell you something. When we were young, I honestly didn¡¯t know how to take care of you. Grandpa was the one who taught me in secret. He taught me that you were my little brother and I needed to take care of you. He said if I did the right thing, I would be rewarded by karma. He asked me not to tell you and only taught me how to take care of you. How else did I know, at such a young age, to feed you porridge, help you potty, and take you with me when farming?

    Also, the matter of your schooling. It was also grandpa who went to find Master Chen. I caught them by ident. Grandpa talked to Master Chen many times, convincing him that you were born intelligent, were suitable for studying, and would one day be sessful. He asked Master Chen toe and convince the Vige Leader and father of that.

    Master Chen didn¡¯t take your tuition because grandpa bribed him for the first two years. Later, Master Chen discovered that you were truly a great seedling and decided to not take any tuition.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was astounded and didn¡¯t know how to react. He never knew about this.

    To him, his grandfather was a man who was often sick and was very sick. His grandma didn¡¯t allow him toe out of his room much because he fell ill really easily. His grandma spoiled his grandpa like she was a part of him. Despite her effort, his grandpa still passed away when Xie Yunjin was 14. Saddened by the news, his grandma passed away soon after.

    Xie Yunjin only knew that his grandparents wanted to adopt him as their own when he was very little. He never knew about the rest.

    He had no idea his grandpa had helped him out so much. Why was he that nice to him? And why did he never mention it?

    Xie Yunjin asked Xie Erzhu, ¡°Howe grandpa never told me any of that?¡±

    If he knew, he would have visited often. However, given how Lady Ruan was, Xie Yunjin thought it was better for his grandpa that he didn¡¯t visit often.

    Xie Erzhu shook his head, ¡°Grandpa said as people who were born into a poor family, you have to work harder than those around you. He said you have to endure hardships to be sessful. Children from poor families all want to seed and they all work harder than other kids. He said everything you went through was things you were destined to experience.¡±

    Xie Erzhu¡¯s eyes dampened at the mention of their grandpa. Their grandpa loved them a lot and he died too young.

    Xie Yunjin finally found out about his grandpa¡¯s attentiveness. He looked up into the sky with much appreciation and agitation. At the same time, the huge rock in his heart dropped.

    All this time, he thought it was the Chen family he owed all his sess to. That was why he offered to marry Chen Ying after Chen Ying¡¯s divorce. That was also the reason why he was so ashamed and furious about Lu Jiao¡¯s interference. Though he didn¡¯t directly cause Chen Ying¡¯s death, he¡¯s always thought that if he married Chen Ying, she wouldn¡¯t have died.

    All that shame he felt could finally be let go now. Suddenly, he realized that he didn¡¯t owe the Chen family that much.

    It was his grandpa who begged Master Chen and bribed him to take Xie Yunjin away. Later, when Master Chen stopped taking bribes, it was because he saw Xie Yunjin as an investment. Therefore, all those nice things Master Chen had done never meant as much as Xie Yunjin thought they did.

    Xie Yunjin smiled and looked towards Xie Erzhu, ¡°Second brother, when we get a chance, let¡¯s go visit grandpa and burn some incense for him.¡±

    Xie Erzhu agreed right away, ¡°Of course.¡±

    After he said goodbye to Xie Erzhu, Xie Yunjin took Lu Gui home.

    Behind them, Xier Erzhu watched Xie Yunjin leave. He recalled what grandpa once said to him.

    ¡°Erzhu, you have to take care of your brother well. Once your brother grows up, he will repay you for all you¡¯ve done. In this world, good karma is meant for good people.¡±

    His grandpa was right. His little brother was now repaying him. Good karma truly happened to good people.

 Chapter 229 - 229 When are you going to be Together?

    229 When are you going to be Together?

    Xie Erzhu went home to tell his wife and daughters that they will soon be moving to a nice house.

    Back at the Xie home, Lu Jiao had prepared dinner and was waiting for Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui toe home.

    The four little ones and Huzi waited for them at the entrance gate. When they saw Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui return, they ran to them.

    ¡°Daddy, you came home! Mommy¡¯s done cooking.¡±

    !!

    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you so we can eat together!¡±

    Xie Yunjin patted each of their heads and answered them individually. He looked up and saw the light in his home. It was as if the light was speaking to him ¨C leading him home and warming his heart.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home and eat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and the five children went to have dinner.

    The four little ones were enough to make every meal lively. With Lu Gui and Huzi here, the space became fully filled. Five children around one table brought much energy to the room.

    Xie Yunjin forgot how to be sad as he ate and chatted with the children.

    There was no rule in this family that no conversation should ur while eating. Lu Jiao, however, had taught the four little ones that they should only talk once they were done chewing. It was discouraged to talk while eating to avoid spitting food everywhere.

    The four little ones were well-behaved. As for Huzi, he was a little scared to talk to his uncle.

    After the family had their enjoyable dinner, Lu Jiao boiled two giant pots of water to wash the children with.

    She didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin toe and help.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t used to it and suggested, ¡°There¡¯s still some hot water in the pot, you should wash up. I can take care of the children.¡±

    With Lu Gui here, Lu Jiao¡¯s workload lessened dramatically. Tasks such as dishwashing, sweeping, cutting firewood, and getting water were now all done by Lu Gui.

    Lu Jiao thought this brother that she got for free was very hardworking. This was why she agreed for him toe.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t stop what he was doing and took his time to wash the children.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t used to standing beside him as they washed the children together. She decided to leave this entire task to Xie Yunjin. As for her, she went into the room to get the four little ones their pajamas.

    Xie Yunjin watched Lu Jiao go mindlessly and suddenly realized that Lu Jiao was still wearing her old, ripped, andrge clothes. She also wasn¡¯t wearing any essories.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but me himself. All this time, she¡¯s been so busy helping him with the children, buying them food and clothes that she never got herself anything.

    Xie Yunjin pursed his lips and decided to buy her a lot of clothes once they move to the city of Qinghe. He¡¯ll also buy her some essories. Even though they were separating, he owed her that much after all she¡¯s done.

    As he thought about it, Lu Jiao had returned with the pajamas, ¡°Okay, dry the children and dress them for bed.¡±

    The First and Second Born stood up from the wooden basin and Xie Yunjin dried them using a cloth. Lu Jiao dressed them and carried them into the west bedroom. Behind her, Xie Yunjin started washing the other two.

    The children bathed often in the summer and there wasn¡¯t much dust. Simple daily cleaning was enough.

    After the four little ones were done, Xie Yunjin prepared to wash Huzi. however, Huzi didn¡¯t let him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want uncle to wash me.¡±

    He then shouted, ¡°Third uncle, you wash me.¡±

    Lu Gui came out of the kitchen, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Jiao let him. Though Huzi appeared fearless on the outside, he was very chicken.

    Once Huzi was done, Lu Jiao went into the west bedroom to tell the children a bedtime story.

    There, she found the four little ones taking her pillow and running to the east bedroom.

    Lu Jiao dumbfoundedly blocked their way and asked in shock, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±

    The First Born carried the pillow and raised his head, ¡°Grandma taught us that adults should sleep together. They shouldn¡¯t be separated. So tonight, you sleep with daddy.¡±

    Just then, Xie Yunjin entered. He heard what the First Born said and his first reaction was to look at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. This young boy sure had a lot of ideas.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to nonsense from your grandma. There¡¯s no such thing.¡±

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze darkened a little. Quickly, however, he recovered and ordered the First Born, ¡°Go put the pillow back.¡±

    The Second Born fought unhappily, ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t you say you would try to like mommy? If you like her, you should sleep together.¡±

    The Third Born nodded to show his agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right. Grandma and grandpa sleep together.¡±

    The Fourth Born chimed in also, ¡°Grandma said, only when adults sleep together, can I get a little sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to hide her face behind her palms. What did her mother say to these kids?!

    Behind the four little ones, Huzi mumbled, ¡°My mom and dad sleep together. They also hug each other and kiss each other on the mouth. My mom doesn¡¯t even kiss me on the mouth.¡±

    The four little ones snapped their heads towards Huzi, then they gaped at Xie Yunjin. Their eyes were wide as they hinted at their desire to have their daddy kiss mommy.

    Lu Jiao gestured for them to go back to the west bedroom, ¡°Our home has no space. We¡¯ll keep sleeping the way we did and discuss thister.¡±

    The First Born wanted to argue but Lu Jiao looked at him cooly, ¡°Do you want to listen to a bedtime story or not?¡±

    Lu Jiao went into the west bedroom. The five children slowly followed her in. Xie Yunjin watched them go and his cheeks flushed hotly as he digested what Huzi had said.

    Xie Yunjin hated the uncontroble emotions he felt. He went to his room and prepared for a bath.

    Inside the west bedroom, tears welled up in the four little ones¡¯ eyes as they looked at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Mommy, you still want to leave, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Lu Jiao was terrified they would lose it again and quicklyforted, ¡°No, we have no space right now. If I sleep with your dad, the five of you would have to sleep together. The bed is too small for that. Plus, I would be too worried to leave you alone.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to get past this quickly but the four children didn¡¯t allow it. They stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Then, when will you sleep with daddy?¡±

    Lu Jiao rubbed her temples in pain, ¡°We¡¯ll see once we move to the city.¡±

    The four little ones interpreted that as she will start sleeping with their daddy once they move. That was pretty good.

    ...

    The four little onesughed and called out to Huzi, ¡°Huzi, my mommy is really good at telling stories. Come and listen with us.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to hit them. Now they wanted a story? She no longer wanted to tell one.

    Though she had manyints, she still told the children a nice story.

    Afterward, the Third and Fourth Born epted their fate and went to sleep with their dad. Lu Jiao and the other three children slept together. Lu Gui slept on the old bed in the west wing.

    Luckily, they were going to move to the city of Qinghe soon. Just a few more days until their current living situation improves.

 Chapter 230 - 230 We will Dote on her

    230 We will Dote on her

    The Xie Vigers learned quickly about Xie Yunjin¡¯s n to demolish his old house and build a new one using ck bricks.

    ck bricks were very expensive. As of now, no homes in this vige were built using ck bricks.

    In this entire area, only the wealthiest two to three families had homes made out of ck bricks. Everyone else¡¯s homes were made out of mud.

    Not only were ck bricks expensive, but they were also hard to find.

    !!

    The Xie Vigers weren¡¯t too jealous to learn this news. After all, every family made money recently. At the very least, each family made around 10 taels of silver with some families making even more. Therefore, people weren¡¯t really jealous, more so curious about how much the rebuild was going to cost.

    ¡°Yunjin, how much is it to build a courtyard using ck bricks?¡±

    A lot of families now also wanted to use ck bricks for their homes once they made more money. Buildings with ck bricks were much more attractive than mud houses. Plus, bricksst longer and can be passed on for generations. Mud house starts to crack after a few decades and must be rebuilt.

    Though Xie Yunjin knew ck bricks were expensive, he wasn¡¯t sure how much everything would end up costing. He answered vaguely, ¡°Around 10 taels of silver. It really depends on the size.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll save for a while longer and build one ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Once leech keeping takes off and we get a steady source of ie, every family in this vige can build a home using ck bricks.¡±

    The Vige Leader¡¯s words overjoyed all the vigers.

    Lu Jiao listened to the chatters and couldn¡¯t help but think about this. ck bricks were expensive,plicated to make, and difficult to produce. Therefore, it would be almost impossible to mass-produce them. This was why they were so costly. Inparison, red bricks were easy to produce and can be manufactured. Production would be efficient and the price for those would be cheaper.

    It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to start a red brick kiln.

    Lu Jiao then thought of her oil mill, cosmeceutical store, and her pharmacy.

    She should save her energy. Those three were enough to get her busy.

    Inside the yard, the Vige Leader said to the vigers, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s yard is too small and it¡¯ll need to be expanded a little to the east. I n on hiring some people to help him get the foundation. If it were up to me, I would ask for volunteers. However, Yunjin insisted on paying. Those who help out will get 30 tokens a day plus lunch.¡±

    A viger shouted, ¡°We don¡¯t need money. Lunch is enough.¡±

    Someone else stood up, ¡°Jiaojiao, let my man help you. You don¡¯t have to pay.¡±

    After Aunt Guihua¡¯s offer, many people indicated that they didn¡¯t need money.

    The Lin family and the Xu family all stood out.

    Xie Yunjin declined. He said to the vigers, ¡°Everyone here works hard. You shouldn¡¯t work for free. If you want to help me, then do as I said. I will pay 30 tokens a day and I¡¯ll cover lunch. If you don¡¯t want money, then I¡¯m too ashamed to ask for help.¡±

    Since Xie Yunjin had said this much, nobody persisted. They were silently very happy about the pay and the lunch.

    At once, many people volunteered to help.

    Even Xie Laogen, Xie Daqiang, Xie Erzhu, and Xie Yunhua offered to help.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t reject them. He didn¡¯t care who was involved as long as they worked.

    In the end, Xie Yunjin gathered a group of 20 to help with the foundation.

    During this era and in this vige, the first step to building a foundation is to create rammed earth by using tree stumps that were whittled into cylinders. Ropes were tied around the stumps and swung around by several people until they gathered enough strength to toss them and allow them to free fall to the ground.

    Lu Jiao remembered that in the 60s and 70s, people used stones to ram the earth. Foundations built on earth rammed by stones were likely sturdier and stabler.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to interfere with this. However, thinking that this was the future home of the four little ones, using stones would be better.

    She went up to Xie Yunjin and whispered to him, ¡°I think making rammed earth with stones would be more beneficial than using wood.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Lu Jiao¡¯s real identity so he knew right away that she was sharing how her world built foundations. The logic made sense to him. Stones were sturdier than wood. But how do they make that work?

    Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao, ¡°How do we do that with stones? They¡¯re very hard to move.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured around, ¡°First, find a rock that has a hole in it. Put a rope through the hole. Everyone here grabs onto the rope. Under the leader¡¯s lead, everyone tosses the stone into the air and lets it fall. The strength of a stone is much stronger than that of wood.¡±

    Xie Yunjin understood right away. The technique of rammed earth was the same. However, it would be very hard to find a rock with a hole.

    He agreed, though, that Lu Jiao¡¯s method of using a stone would create a better foundation.

    Xie Yunjin asked people to go into the mountains and find such a stone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked some people to try and find a stone like that.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Honestly, she had a drill in her space. In front of Xie Yunjin however, she couldn¡¯t bring that out. She decided to go into the mountains herself and see if she can find a rock naturally with a hole first. If she seeds, they¡¯ll use that. If she fails, she¡¯ll try to create a hole with her drill.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with them.¡±

    Lu Jiao then got up to sort things out for lunch. Xie Yunjin stopped her and cautioned, ¡°If you go into the mountains, be careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin surprised himself after making such a statement. Lu Jiao was just as surprised but answered, ¡°I will.¡±

    The two of them then went their separate ways. Behind them, the vigers chuckled, ¡°First Born, look at how loving your parents are. Do you want your parents to give you a little sister?¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao snapped their heads at the gossipy vigers.

    Other than the vigers here to help with the foundation, the wives of each family also came and volunteered to clean the yard and help with lunch.

    The wives were teasing the four little ones, who were over the moon to hear that possibility.

    The four little ones grinned from ear to ear, ¡°I do want! I don¡¯t care if I get a little sister or a little brother, I will dote on them! I will love them!¡±

    ¡°I will give all my toys to my little sister or brother. I will y with them all the time.¡±

    ¡°I will give her new clothes to wear and feed her food.¡±

    ¡°When I grow up, I will make money for my sister to spend. I will buy my sister food and toys!¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ promises made everyoneugh. The wives couldn¡¯t help butpliment, ¡°Ah, you guys are such nice kids. Your future younger siblings are very fortunate!¡±

    ¡°These four kids get more loveable the way you look at them.¡±

    The wives saw Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao look their way and teased them as well, ¡°Yunjin, Yunjin¡¯s wife, you should work hard to give the four little ones younger siblings. Look at how much they want a little brother or a little sister.¡±

    The four little ones looked toward Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao with much anticipation. They even nodded in unison.

    That was right. They wanted younger siblings. If they could get a little brother or sister, it would mean their parents have made up. That would mean their mommy would stay with them and not leave. Their grandma told them that.

    ...

 Chapter 231 - 231 He found it Blinding

    231 He found it Blinding

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s cheeks flushed red due to the viger¡¯s teasing. His eyes lost control and darted towards Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao wanted to roll her eyes but she managed to stop herself. She pretended she didn¡¯t hear anything and went to talk to the wives about what was nned for lunch.

    Her reaction disappointed Xie Yunjin a lot. However, he did his best to not react but much light disappeared from his eyes. He gathered some people and told them more about the stone he wanted to find.

    Lu Jiao went up into the mountains with the group. The four little ones wanted to tag along too but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t let them.

    ¡°I¡¯m going into the mountains with your second uncle to find a stone. We don¡¯t have time to take care of you. Once I¡¯m freer, I¡¯ll take you into the mountains with me.¡±

    The four little ones nodded obediently. Lu Gui took them outside while Lu Jiao took the group up the mountain.

    There were some stones with holes in them, but none that they could put a rope through.

    Lu Jiao knew it was next to impossible to find the perfect stone for the job. So she chose a rectangr rock with a small hole. She nned on using her drill to drill through the hole and perhaps create a few more in the same stone. That would be good enough.

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Erzhu and the others, ¡°Let¡¯s split up. It¡¯d be faster that way.¡±

    Xie Erzhu was worried about Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined. She wouldn¡¯t be able to drill if anyone was there.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Ie up here often to harvest herbs. It¡¯s easier and faster if we split up and look separately.¡±

    Xie Erzhu remembered that Lu Jiao was very strong and decided to let her be. However, he still reminded her, ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Once the group split up, Lu Jiao went to the stone she had her eyes on. After everyone disappeared from the area, she lifted the stone and went into her space.

    The electric drill was in her space for emergencies. As a military doctor, she had lots of tools there that mighte in handy for surviving in the wild.

    It was the perfect opportunity to use it.

    The stone Lu Jiao chose was a bluestone. Though bluestones were not as hard as granite, it wasn¡¯t easily crackable like limestones.

    Despite the bluestone¡¯s hardness, it was no opponent to the electric drill. Lu Jiao managed to drill several holes before she left her space holding the stone.

    The moment she left her space, she started to shout, ¡°Second brother, brother Xu, brother Lin,e and see. I found a hard stone that could be used.¡±

    To make sure nobody sees through her trick, she made sure the holes she created were big and natural looking.

    Therefore, nobody doubted that stone was naturally formed and then found. Everyone then started to exim over Lu Jiao¡¯s good luck.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife has such good luck.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we looked around for so long and found nothing. She found one right away.¡±

    Xie Erzhu proudly said, ¡°My sister-inw¡¯s always been lucky. She¡¯s able to find silver while taking a stroll.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at Xie Erzhu. Was he still the humble second brother-inw of hers? Why was he ttering her like this?

    ¡°Second brother, since we found the right stone, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Nobody asked Lu Jiao to carry the stone. Xu Duojin and Lin Erdan¡¯s dad carried the stone down the mountain together.

    Though Lu Jiao could easily do it herself, she didn¡¯t want to steal the men¡¯s jobs in case they got embarrassed.

    Back at the Xie courtyard, everyone was surprised to see the stone Lu Jiao brought back, ¡°Oh my, there really are stones with holes in them? Howe we never thought of using that to make the foundation?¡±

    ¡°Foundation made from this stone must be sturdier than a foundation made from wood.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin, can we borrow your stone when the timees?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded. His gaze never left the stone. Staring at the holes, he felt like something didn¡¯t look right.

    Xie Yunjin wanted to observe longer but Lu Jiao stopped him, worried that he might notice the oddness, ¡°Now that we got the stone, can we start building the foundation?¡±

    She sessfully distracted Xie Yunjin, who turned to her, ¡°Yes, this afternoon, we¡¯ll start construction in the east.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°When are we tearing down our current house?¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it, ¡°I want to get rid of the old building this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, we can finish up the foundation here as well. That way, we can start doing both courtyards together. If we only do one side at a time, it would take a lot longer.¡±

    He wanted to move into the city as soon as possible. He wanted to start teaching those pupils and also buy Lu Jiao some clothes and jewelry.

    The entire family except Lu Jiao wore new clothes. Every time he noticed that he found it blinding. All he could think then was how much Lu Jiao had helped them.

    He originally wanted to make a trip to Qili. However, he never found the stuff in that town that attractive. Therefore, he figured he might as well wait until he moved to the city.

    Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Any thoughts?¡±

    Lu Jiao just didn¡¯t want Xie Yunjin to think too much about the holes in the stone. She had no thoughts regarding the new houses. After all, she wasn¡¯t going to be living here.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°You make the decisions.¡±

    It was obvious that she didn¡¯t want to get involved. Her statement affected Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood and he quieted down.

    Lu Jiao went on to take care of her own business.

    Since so many people helped out, it only took two days to finish building the foundation. Two dayster, ssmate Han and his people came over with carriages worth of ck bricks.

    Every viger came outside to watch the bricks get dumped in Xie Yunjin¡¯s home. Lots of people found this to be precious and even touched the bricks, ¡°So these are ck bricks.¡±

    ¡°Houses built from ck bricks are very strong.¡±

    ¡°I want to use thister.¡±

    ¡°I heard that houses built with ck bricks canst over a decade.¡±

    ¡°Several decades!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Theyst forever.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao asked ssmate Han toe in for water.

    Since ssmate Han was going to write the September exam, Xie Yunjin felt really bad asking him for help at a time like this.

    ...

    ¡°ssmate Han, thank you for all your work. I really shouldn¡¯t be bothering you these days.¡±

    ssmate Han smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, what are you talking about? We are good friends and I am so excited you¡¯re moving to the city. Once you settle down in the city of Qinghe, you can teach me. That would boost my confidence greatly.¡±

    ssmate Han drank some water and continued, ¡°To help you with your house, I didn¡¯t just lug over the bricks. I hired five construction workers to help you build the house.¡±

 Chapter 232 - 232 A Big House in the City

    232 A Big House in the City

    Xie Yunjin was shocked. He only thought to ask the vigers for help and didn¡¯t think to hire true construction workers. With the help ssmate Han got him, his house will be built even faster.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ssmate Han smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°About the house you were looking to rent in the city, I have found the perfect ce. It¡¯s close to school. Well, to be honest, it¡¯s my family¡¯s courtyard in osmanthus alley. What do you think? I n on renting the whole ce to you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin naturally knew about the house ssmate Han had there. ssmate Han used to live there when he studied and asionally, he would invite people over for gatherings. But, that house was where ssmate Han stayed!

    !!

    If he rented the house to them, where would he stay? Plus, that house had two courtyards and Xie Yunjin was sure it would cost a lot. Though ssmate Han likely won¡¯t charge them a lot of rent, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to take advantage of him.

    ¡°Can you help me find a different ce? That house is where you live.¡±

    ssmate Han quickly exined, ¡°As you are aware, if I¡¯m able to pass the exam and be a schr, I am likely not going to study anymore. That ce is going to be empty either way, it works out if your family stays there.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to say more but ssmate Han red at him unhappily, ¡°I have already ordered people to clean the ce out. The house is now empty. If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll just let it remain empty.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao watched the two go on with their heated debate. She then spoke calmly, ¡°I am not nning to rent. I want to buy a ce.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han looked her way.

    Lu Jiao grinned softly, ¡°I n on buying a ce. Ideally a ce with two courtyards.¡±

    She had lots of money up her sleeve and a ce with two courtyards would be amazing for her to live in.

    Of course, she also had other reasons for wanting a ce that size.

    She nned on making the front courtyard into a space simr to a kindergarten. She wanted the four little ones to enjoy their time in the city of Qinghe.

    Xie Yunjin remembered then that Lu Jiao had once told him she nned on staying in the city long term.

    Though he knew she was someone who always did what she set out to do, when she actually took action, Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart still ached. These past few days, Xie Yunjin has been feeling sick. Despite knowing that Lu Jiao was going to leave him, he still couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to her.

    The more attention he paid to her, the more he realized how attractive she was.

    Since she had expressed her desire to leave him, he really should¡¯ve stopped himself from being drawn to her.

    However, he couldn¡¯t help himself.

    Inside the room, ssmate Han gave Xie Yunjin a strange look. He wasn¡¯t told that Xie Yunjin wanted to buy a ce.

    Since Xie Yunjin was silent, ssmate turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°That sounds good. My house in the osmanthus alley has two courtyards. If you are interested, I will sell it to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was instantly interested, ¡°How much do houses in the area cost? You can sell it to me at market value. I have money right now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked solemnly, ¡°Where did you get your money?¡±

    Though Lu Jiao had sold a ganoderma before and he had given her some cash, that wasn¡¯t enough to buy a house.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to tell Xie Yunjin about her partnership with Zhao Lingfeng. She was okay, however, telling him about the other things.

    ¡°I made money seeing patients.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°I thought you saw patients for free?¡±

    ¡°Patients who had no money, I saw them for free. I charged patients who were wealthy. Before, I epted 5,000 taels of silver pulling an arrow out of someone¡¯s chest. I also epted 500 taels of silver saving Hushan¡¯s wife. That¡¯s where my money came from.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han gaped at her in shock. 5,000 taels of silver? 500 taels of silver?? Did they hear her right? That was too much!

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care how they felt about it. She simply smiled and said again, ¡°That¡¯s where my money came from.¡±

    She then turned to ssmate Han, ¡°Normally, how much do houses in the area cost?¡±

    ssmate Han exined to her the current market conditions, ¡°That depends on the neighborhood. Good neighborhoods are more expensive. Those usually go for around 600 to 700 taels of silver. Less prestigious neighborhoods would only cost you 200 to 300 taels of silver.¡±

    ssmate Han then offered, ¡°If you want to buy a ce, I can sell my house in the osmanthus alley to you. I can tell you more about the area.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded to express her interest. ssmate Han exined excitedly, ¡°The neighborhood there is very close to school, which means everyone who lives in the area is a student or person who has studied. The neighbors are usually very reasonable and very friendly. As the name suggests, the osmanthus alley is filled with osmanthus. Every August, the entire alley is fragrant with the flowery smell of osmanthus.¡±

    Lu Jiao was rather intrigued after she heard more about this ce. A good environment was important as it concerns the four little ones¡¯ growth. Everything about the house sounded rather nice.

    ¡°Which area is this house located in terms of the city of Qinghe county?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on the south side, close to the southern gates.¡±

    Lu Jiao found this ce to be very ideal and double-checked with ssmate Han, ¡°Are you sure you want to sell the ce?¡±

    ssmate Han nodded, ¡°As long as you want to buy it, I will sell it to you.¡±

    If this was anyone else asking, he wouldn¡¯t be selling it. That house¡¯s location was great and it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to save the house for his son.

    However, ssmate Han and Xie Yunjin were really close. ssmate Han was even willing to give the ce to him for free. Of course, Xie Yunjin would never take it if it was free. Therefore, he was okay with selling it for cheap.

    Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin, who didn¡¯t speak. She then said to ssmate Han directly, ¡°Okay. Please sell it to me at market price. I don¡¯t want to take advantage in any way.¡±

    ssmate Han smiled, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re being so polite. Given my rtionship with Yunjin, there¡¯s no advantage to take.¡±

    He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Then, I will sell it to you for 800 taels of silver. What do you say?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away that he was undercharging her. A house in a good neighborhood in the city would cost 600 to 700 taels of silver. A ce with two courtyards would at least be 1,300 to 1,400. ssmate Han was obviously giving her a very hefty discount.

    Though ssmate Han didn¡¯t know that she and Xie Yunjin would soon divorce, she knew that fact and didn¡¯t want to owe ssmate Han anything.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you sell it to me at the market price. If you give it to me for too cheap, I will have to ask someone else.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought of Baohe Tang¡¯s Qi Lei and that Zhao Lingfeng. That Zhao Lingfeng in particr was definitely not a good man.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened. He didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to go to Zhao Lingfeng for help so he interrupted quickly, ¡°If he¡¯s willing to sell it to you for that price, take it.¡±

    He can be the one to return ssmate Han the favor.

 Chapter 233 - 233 Donâ€™t Dare to Stare

    233 Don¡¯t Dare to Stare

    ssmate Han smiled and said, ¡°Lady Lu, see, Yunjin¡¯s agreed. Let¡¯s make a deal based on the price I suggested.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to. If she epted the house at that price, it was obvious Xie Yunjin would owe him a favor. Then she would owe Xie Yunjin a favor. She didn¡¯t want to owe anyone anything.

    Lu Jiao then said to ssmate Han, ¡°I¡¯m not going to take it at that price. How about 1,200?¡±

    ssmate Han looked at Lu Jiao in surprise. He then nced at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao with a profound look. ssmate Han may not have gotten the message, but Xie Yunjin did. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to owe him anything. She was determined to separate all her affairs from his.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart dropped to the bottom as he looked at the silent Lu Jiao. Only after some time, did he turn back to ssmate Han, ¡°We¡¯ll make the deal based on the price Lu Jiao said.¡±

    Only now did ssmate Han realize how weird this all was. He looked at both of them and decided they were acting strange.

    Since Xie Yunjin had spoken, ssmate Han didn¡¯t persist, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll do it as you said. When are you free to go to the magistrate¡¯s office with me to get the title change?¡±

    ssmate Han thought the house would be under Xie Yunjin¡¯s name. However, Xie Yunjin pointed at Lu Jiao, ¡°We¡¯ll put the house under Lu Jiao¡¯s name.¡±

    ssmate Han became more and more surprised while Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Once we move into the city, we can get the title changed. I¡¯ll pay you then.¡±

    Lu Jiao then left Xie Yunjin behind her as he sadly watched her go.

    ssmate Han whispered, ¡°Yunjin, what¡¯s wrong with you two? Why am I finding the atmosphere odd? Did you fight?¡±

    ssmate Han felt like he guessed it right and advised, ¡°Yunjin, you have to coax women. You shouldn¡¯t always act so proper and mighty. That would only drive women further away. Women are born to be doted on and coaxed. You have to learn.¡±

    ssmate Han thought of his wife back at home and his mood dampened. His wife spends all day ying with makeup or going shopping with their daughter while leaving their son behind. ssmate Han coaxes his wife a lot yet she still doesn¡¯t want to stay home.

    If she had a wife like Lu Jiao, he would be happy to just hold her in the palm of his hand. What a great woman! Yunjin shouldn¡¯t do anything stupid.

    ssmate Han continued, ¡°Yunjin, Lady Lu is a rare woman who¡¯s near perfect. She knows how to make money, knows how to cook, knows how to educate children, and most importantly, she¡¯s good-looking.

    Truly, if you marry other women, you would know. Every woman has some kind of bad habit but Lady Lu doesn¡¯t. You have to coax her and make her stay. Or else you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood got worse and worse as ssmate Han talked. He had given her the divorce letter already and they¡¯d agreed to separate. Regret was useless.

    Even if he didn¡¯t sign the divorce letter, that woman didn¡¯t want to stay.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face clouded over and the air around him grew depressed.

    ssmate Han thought he wasn¡¯t listening and tried harder, ¡°You should treasure the people you have. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll regret itter on.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s courtyards took 10 days to construct. The space was divided into east and west. Xie Yunjin¡¯s family took the east side and Xie Erzhu¡¯s family took the west side.

    At first, the vigers didn¡¯t understand why Xie Yunjin insisted on making two courtyards with a hanging flower gate door in between. He could¡¯ve easily constructed arge yard for himself.

    Only after everything was done and settled, did the vigers realize that Xie Yunjin constructed two courtyards so Xie Erzhu could have one.

    The smart ones also guessed that Xie Yunjin rebuilt his home for Xie Erzhu. Or else there was no reason for him to rush into building his home. By now, everyone found out that Xie Yunjin and his whole family were moving to the city of Qinghe county this time.

    So, it was obvious that he did this for Xie Erzhu.

    Not only did peoplepliment Xie Yunjin on his conscience, but many people also told Xie Erzhu that he was repaid with good karma.

    Xie Erzhu was no longer as dull and quiet as before. He was now much more lively and he even walked while smiling.

    He had a house now and money. He was now a real man. All this was thanks to his third brother.

    Xie Erzhu was determined to treat his third brother¡¯s family well. More importantly, he was determined to listen to his third brother and sister-inw. They were both such intelligent people.

    ¡°Uncle Erzhu, your good-heartedness has been repaid.¡±

    ¡°Yes, bad people were punished.¡±

    Because of all this, the Xie Vige became happier and friendlier.

    Since the new house had been built, it was tradition to host a lunch in the new ce. This morning, Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to go into town to buy half a pig, two dozen fish, and several chickens and ducks.

    The Xie family¡¯s housewarming lunch ended up being eight dishes that all contained meat and were big portions.

    Not only was the food good, but Lu Jiao also found several jugs of alcohol. The housewarming lunch felt like New Year¡¯s.

    The Vige Leader paid respect to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°The only reason the Xie Vige got where it has is because of Yunjin and Yunjin¡¯s wife. I want to thank you on behalf of the whole vige.¡±

    The Vige Leader finished his alcohol. Since Xie Yunjin was still hurt and shouldn¡¯t drink, he drank what Lu Jiao called ¡®juice¡¯ instead.

    Lu Jiao had alcohol in her cup, but she only took a sip before Xie Yunjin stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much. It¡¯s harmful to your body.¡±

    The people at the table started to tease, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, don¡¯t drink. Yunjin¡¯s heart hurts when you drink.¡±

    The Vige Leader also smiled, ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    Lu Jiao was calm and acted as usual. Xie Yunjin however, found his ears redden as he listened to the vigers. Everything felt awkward yet a sweetness arose from his heart.

    Xie Yunjin nced at Lu Jiao. Because she had something to drink, her cheeks were now dyed red, making her appear even more alluring.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart thumped hard as he looked at her. However, he didn¡¯t dare to look any longer and shifted his gaze.

    Not far away, the four little ones sat with the Lu family.

    Lu Gui had gone back home and told the Lu family about the new house. Without hesitation, the Lu family paused their tofu business and the whole family came to help.

    They also helped cook this housewarming lunch.

    The four little ones sat with the Lu family so Lady Tian and Lu Gui could take care of the four little ones.

    The four little ones saw how their mommy and daddy were both blushing. They felt so happy about it and were all giggling behind their hands.

    Lady Tian saw the same scene and also couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    The more she looked at her daughter and her son-inw, the less it appeared they were divorcing. Based on the way her son-inw¡¯s been acting, he liked her daughter.

 Chapter 234 - 234 Remorse that Meant Nothing

    234 Remorse that Meant Nothing

    Lady Tian whispered into the First Born¡¯s ear, ¡°Have your mom and dad been getting along well?¡±

    The First Born¡¯s eyes lit up and he nodded with much strength.

    Lady Tian gave him some ideas, ¡°Once you move into the city, let your parents sleep in the same room. Only when two people sleep together, will their rtionship improve. Once your parents have more children, your mom won¡¯t leave.¡±

    As a mother, Lady Tian didn¡¯t want her daughter to divorce her son-inw. Her daughter told her that her son-inw didn¡¯t like her and that was why Lady Tian felt okay with the separation.

    !!

    If a woman fails to receive her man¡¯s love her entire life, she would feel extremely sad.

    She didn¡¯t want her daughter to be so sad. But based on her observation, her son-inw appeared to like her daughter.

    Her son-inw continued to peek at her daughter with light in his eyes.

    Lady Tian¡¯s been through it all and could tell her son-inw liked her daughter. So why did her daughter deny that?

    Could it be that her son-inw didn¡¯t know how to express himself? Lady Tian thought that was a very real possibility.

    Therefore, she gave the First Born some tips.

    The First Born nodded and whispered to Lady Tian, ¡°Mommy promised us that she would share a room with daddy once we move.¡±

    Lady Tian smiled and patted the First Born¡¯s head, ¡°You boys are so smart.¡±

    At the lunch table, the Lu family noticed how happy Lady Tian and the First Born were and asked, ¡°What are you two chatting about? You seem so happy!¡±

    Of course, Lady Tian wasn¡¯t going to tell everyone what they were talking about. She hasn¡¯t even told Lu Danian about Lu Jiao¡¯s pending separation from Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°I¡¯m just teasing the First Born.¡±

    People continued getting drinks with Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao to pay their respect. Some people also went to Xie Laogen to tell him how lucky he was to have a son like this. With such a son, he was going to spend the rest of his life enjoying luxury.

    Xie Laogen felt like he was floating. No matter who asked him to drink, he drank. In the end, he sessfully got drunk.

    A lot of other elders and older generation leaders also got drunk during this housewarming lunch.

    Xie Yunjin asked some people to walk the drunk ones home.

    Everyone was ecstatic at this housewarming lunch as they ate. Not only were there a lot of people, but there was also a lot of alcohol. More importantly, Lu Jiao even prepared gifts for everyone to bring home after.

    Three zongzi and five pieces of candy.

    Thought it wasn¡¯t a lot of stuff, they were all rather rare items. Therefore, everyone left the Xie family with their stuff happily.

    The Lu family also expressed their desire to leave. Lu Jiao asked them to stay the night, but Lu Danian and Lady Tian declined.

    ¡°We want to get back as soon as possible so we can start selling tofu tomorrow.¡±

    Lady Tian grabbed her daughter¡¯s hands, ¡°Tomorrow, your family will be moving to the city of Qinghe. It¡¯ll be harder for us to see each other.¡±

    Lady Tian¡¯s heart ached. Now that her children were older, they all want to get further away from her.

    Luckily, she¡¯ll still have her eldest son, daughter-inw, and grandson with her. The thought of her daughter leaving, however, still made her eyes red.

    Xie Yunjin spoke up first, ¡°If you miss Lu Jiao, you can visit her in the city.¡±

    Lu Jjiao nodded, ¡°Mom if you miss me,e visit. That way, I can show you around the city.¡±

    Lady Tian patted Lu Jiao¡¯s hand then turned to Xie Yunjin. She said with a thoughtful tone, ¡°Yunjin, I¡¯m leaving Jiaojiao with you. I hope you¡¯ll treat her well. If she does anything wrong, you can tell me, and I¡¯ll teach her a lesson. You are not allowed to hurt her yourself.¡±

    Her words made Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes red.

    Xie Yunjin nced at Lu Jiao then promised quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mother, I won¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    The thought of Lu Jiao¡¯s determination to divorce made him silently mumble, who was the one doing the hurting here? It was obvious he was the one getting hurt yet he couldn¡¯tin.

    Lady Tian stopped worrying. She cautioned Lu Jiao about a few other things and then left with the Lu family.

    Lu An, the second brother, was anxious and reminded Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t forget to find me something to do.¡±

    Lu Jiao hasn¡¯t had a chance to talk to Zhao Lingfeng about having Lu An manage the three businesses, so she didn¡¯t tell Lu An anything.

    The four little ones watched Lady Tian and the others leave. Sad to see them go, they continued to wave around their hands.

    ¡°Grandma, grandpa, next time,e to the city of Qinghe to see us.¡±

    ¡°Aunt, uncle, bring Huzi next time.¡±

    Huzi was going home with his family this time and he was very sad about it. With tears in his eyes, he kept his head turned towards the four little ones and waved his hand at them.

    After so long, he and his cousins were getting along very well now. He must admit that he had to take back everything he¡¯s said before. Not only were his cousins good-looking, they were also great boys. They shared their toys and introduced him to their friends. Everyone treated him so nicely!

    He truly was sad to leave. While he cried, he looked up to his mom and dad, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. Why am I not my aunt¡¯s child?¡±

    Uncle and aunt Lu¡¯s faces turned dark. They didn¡¯t mind him so why did he mind them!

    ¡°Huzi, is your butt itchy?¡±

    Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and the four little ones watched the Lu family leave. They then started to walk back to their courtyard right away.

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Early morning, ssmate Han¡¯s horse carriage will arrive to pick up us. You should get all the stuff we are bringing ready.¡±

    He then nced at the old clothes Lu Jiao wore and once again reminded himself to pick her up some new clothes and jewelry as soon as possible.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know about his thoughts and headed back to their courtyard.

    The moment the family entered the yard, they found Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan staring at them with sadness.

    ¡°Third brother, third sister-inw.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to acknowledge those two bastards and merely nodded at them. She then took the children to the main house.

    Behind, Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xie Yunhua¡¯s eyes were red and he croaked, ¡°Third brother, you¡¯re leaving just like that? You¡¯re truly not going to care for me anymore?¡±

    Xie Lan also started to cry, ¡°Third brother, you¡¯re leaving us behind?¡±

    ...

    Xie Lan was most anxious about her marriage. These days, everyone seemed to have forgotten about the fact that she needed to get married. Her father acted like he didn¡¯t know while her other brothers and inws never asked. If she continued to dy this, there would be nobody left for her to marry.

    Xie Lan was getting more and more worried and she kept her gaze on Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was cold, ¡°I was exiled from the family. It¡¯s inappropriate for me to care for you. If you need anything, you can talk to father or eldest brother.¡±

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan felt hopeless. Their third brother hated them this much?

    Xie Yunhua apologized as he cried, ¡°Third brother, I¡¯m sorry. It was all my fault! I must apologize to you.¡±

    Xie Lan said the same, ¡°Third brother, I was wrong too. I should¡¯ve visited when you were hurt.¡±

    The two of them were truly regretful now but theirte remorse weighed nothing.

    Plus, they were only apologizing now in order to get what they want. Xie Yunjin knew that so very well and didn¡¯t even want to talk to them.

    ¡°Enough. If you need anything, go find our eldest brother. Don¡¯te to me again. I am not going to get involved.¡±

 Chapter 235 - 235 Did he Think he was Rich?

    235 Did he Think he was Rich?

    Xie Yunjin then walked forward and ignored Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan.

    Xie Lan realized that Xie Yunjin truly had no ns to continue to talk to her and cried harder, ¡°Third brother, we are siblings who share the same parents! How can you be so heartless!¡±

    Xie Yunjin tauntingly looked over to Xie Lan and repeated after her, ¡°Siblings who share the same parents?¡±

    He then walked on. On the other side of the hanging flower gate, Xie Erzhu heard themotion and came over.

    !!

    When Xie Lan saw Xie Erzhu, she started to scream, ¡°Second brother, help me beg my third brother! Ask him to forgive me!¡±

    Xie Erzhu nced at Xie Yunjin and then back at Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan. he didn¡¯t speak up for them.

    This past while, Xie Erzhu¡¯s been asking Lu Jiao to teach him how to keep leeches, and as a result, learned a lot of life lessons from her too.

    Everything Lu Jiao has said resonated with Xie Erzhu. Xie Erzhu felt like he finally started to understand lifetely and he grew much smarter.

    Therefore, despite Xie Lan¡¯s pleading, he didn¡¯t ask Xie Yunjin for forgiveness on her behalf.

    ¡°Everyone should take responsibility for their own actions. You guys were the ones who hurt the second brother and now you¡¯re here begging him for forgiveness? What¡¯s the meaning of this? Third brother had made it clear that he doesn¡¯t want to get involved with your business, and he will do as he says. You guys should go home.¡±

    Xie Erzhu then left Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan be. His family had just moved in and there was a lot to do. He had no time for this silliness.

    Xie Yunhua and Xie Lan started to cry out loud in unison. No matter how hard they cried, however, nobody paid any more attention to them. They had no choice but to return home.

    Xie Erzhu walked alongside Xie Yunjin and discussed with him ns for tomorrow.

    ¡°Third brother, don¡¯t worry, I will take good care of your house. I¡¯ll make sure the ce is squeaky clean and ready for you. You cane back to visit whenever.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled at Xie Erzhu and responded in a warm voice, ¡°Second brother, let¡¯s go visit grandpa with some alcohol.¡±

    Their grandpa was rather fragile and never drank in his life. This time, they must bring some alcohol and drink with him.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Xie Erzhu then went to visit their grandpa¡¯s grave.

    Lu Jiao packed with her second sister-inw and her nieces, Daya and Erya.

    ¡°Third sister, let me help you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and asked her second sister-inw to sit, ¡°There¡¯s not much to pack. Only my husband¡¯s and children¡¯s clothes and the children¡¯s toys. I¡¯ll also have to bring the dogs, sheep, and rabbits. There¡¯s really nothing else.¡±

    She heard that the house she bought from ssmate Han had everything she could possibly need.

    Therefore, the 1,200 silver taels house was an amazing deal for her.

    Lu Jiao checked out Xie Daya and Xie Erya. The two of them were thin, pale, and had absolutely no baby fat on their cheeks. Due to the amount of housework they¡¯ve had to do since they were born, they acted a little slow and somewhat dumbfounded.

    Lu Jiao sighed. They didn¡¯t have good nutrition and had to work hard every day. Naturally, the children turned out this way.

    ¡°Daya, Erya,e, I have candy for you.¡±

    The two girls happily looked up and walked to Lu Jiao, who gave them a handful of candy each.

    The second sister-inw saw how happy her daughters got over candy and felt extremely sad.

    Lu Jiao then asked the four little ones toe over and y with the girls.

    The children yed outside.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao asked her sister-inw to sit, ¡°Give me your arm and let me feel your pulse.¡±

    Xie Erzhu and his wife had two daughters only. In this era, no son meant the end of the family line. Those who die without having a son were often cursed as if that was their fault. Therefore, Lu Jiao wanted to see if they could have more children.

    The second aunt instantly gave Lu Jiao her arm. Lu Jiao examined her and concluded that there was nothing wrong with her reproduction system. Her body was simply too destroyed from all the work andck of nutrition.

    ¡°Your body has been so poorly taken care of. You need to eat better and get enough nutrition. Then, you should be able to have more children.¡±

    The second aunt has been feeling so guilty over not bearing a son for Xie Erzhu. After hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, she excitedly shouted, ¡°Really?!¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Now that you live here, you can just cook for yourself. Eat better food. You¡¯re not the only person in this family who needs better nutrition. The second brother needs it and your daughters even more so.¡±

    The thought of the future brought a smile to the second aunt¡¯s face. She forgot how to stop grinning as she stared at Lu Jiao with her eyes lit up, ¡°I¡¯m going to take good care of the family and make sure they only eat good food.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in support.

    For dinner, the two families ate together. Xie Erzhu, his wife, and their children paid proper respect and thanked Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    ¡°We only have the life we have now because of you. We thank you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin waved his hand and asked them to sit, ¡°We¡¯re family. There¡¯s no need to act like this.¡±

    After dinner, Xie Yunjin and Xie Erzhu stepped outside to chat. Lu Jiao took the four little ones and gave them a bath. The four little ones were exceptionally excited today because they were moving to the city of Qinghe county tomorrow. However, right before bed, the four little ones felt sad.

    ¡°Mommy, will we still see brother Xiaobao and Mutou?¡±

    ¡°And Tieniu and Gousheng.¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed at them, ¡°We¡¯lle back to visit often. In the winter, your dad will be on break from school and you cane back here.¡±

    The four little ones epted that answer and stopped feeling sad.

    Lu Jiao was about to ask them to go to sleep when Xie Yunjin called out to her softly from outside the room, ¡°Lu Jiao, can youe out for a second?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew he wanted something. She asked the children to sleep and she followed him out.

    The four little ones watched them carefully. Once Lu Jiao left the room, the First Born waved his hand and the children put their heads together.

    ¡°Now that we are moving to the city, we have to get mommy and daddy to sleep together. Grandma said that if they give us little brothers or sisters, then mommy won¡¯t leave.¡±

    The other three children¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°We¡¯ll remember that!¡±

    Outside, Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed as he tentatively asked, ¡°Can I borrow 10 more taels of silver from you?¡±

    He had to borrow money from Lu Jiao to pay the vigers for helping out. Now, he had to borrow even more money from her. How embarrassing.

    ...

    He felt like it would be a good idea to get the rest of his money from ssmate Han and give it all to Lu Jiao. It would be more convenient that way.

    Lu Jiao said instantly, ¡°I told you, you still have quite some money left.¡±

    Before, Xie Yunjin gave her 150 taels of silver. She didn¡¯t n on using that money in any way. Right now, she doesn¡¯tck money and therefore hasn¡¯t touched Xie Yunjin¡¯s 150.

    As for the money she spent buying Xie Yunjin medicine, food, and clothes, she¡¯ll treat it as her redeeming the sins of the original owner.

    Xie Yunjin instantly felt bad after he heard those words. What she had said made it clear that she nned to keep everything separate from each other. She nned on eventually returning the money he gave her earlier.

    Xie Yunjin was quiet for a while before he spoke, ¡°All this time, you¡¯ve definitely spent more than 150 taels of silver on us. I¡¯ve told you to treat that as money I borrowed from you. I will pay you back for all that I¡¯ve borrowed.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him with a raised eyebrow. Did he think he was rich? He was going to have to raise the four little ones in the future.

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak, Xie Yunjin somehow understood what she was thinking. He stated instantly, ¡°Though I¡¯m not as good at making money as you, I will work hard to make money in the future.¡±

    He then tried to walk away. Lu Jiao quickly took out 10 taels of silver from her sleeve, ¡°Here you go.¡±

    Xie Yunjin took it and left. Silently, he made up his mind to prioritize money making. It wasn¡¯t a good look to make so much less money than a woman.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what he was thinking about and went to soothe the children to sleep.

    ...

 Chapter 236 - 236 Donâ€™t Owe you Anything

    236 Don¡¯t Owe you Anything

    The second day, the Han family sent two horse carriages to pick up Xie Yunjin¡¯s family. ssmate Han however, didn¡¯te.

    He was at the osmanthus alley, waiting for Xie Yunjin and his family.

    Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and all the valuables went onto the front carriage. The dogs, sheep, and two rabbits were brought onto the second carriage. Lu Gui also got into the second carriage.

    The family then left the Xie vige in carriages. Xie Laogen and the other vigers walked behind them to send them out.

    !!

    Xie Laogen watched his third son leave the vige and somehow felt very unsettled.

    Though to him, his eldest son meant the most to him, his third son was the person who brought honor. If he left and never returned, would the others still respect him as they do now?

    Xie Laogen couldn¡¯t stop himself. He chased after the horse carriage and shouted, ¡°My third son, the Xie Vige is your roots! Don¡¯t forget toe back and visit often!¡±

    Xie Yunjin heard Xie Laogen¡¯s screams and asked the carriage to stop for a bit. He looked out from the side of the carriage and said to his father, ¡°Father, I know I am from the Xie vige. No matter where I end up, I will never forget where I grew up. Once I¡¯m on break, we¡¯lle and visit.¡±

    Xie Laogen¡¯s anxious heart finally felt more at peace. Behind him, Xie Fugui also felt slightly better.

    Lu Jiao looked out from the cart as well and said to Xie Fugui, ¡°Vige Leader, I have taught the second brother everything about leech keeping. If you have any questions for us, you cane and find us. We will be living in the osmanthus alley in the city of Qinghe county. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find us if you go and ask around.¡±

    Lu Jiao then thought of those random people who went to her for free medical advice. She had no ns on treating people for their scrapes and cuts. Afraid the Vige Leader might overshare, she added, ¡°Vige Leader, don¡¯t give out our address to just anyone.¡±

    Xie Laogen and the Vige Leader understood right away. The two of them nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    LU Jiao nodded and smiled, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll head out. Once Yunjin is on break, he¡¯lle to visit.¡±

    The Vige Leader and Xie Laogen finally stopped worrying and bid them farewell, ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said onest thing to Xie Laogen, ¡°Father if you need anything, send someone my way.¡±

    Xie Laogen felt touched, ¡°I got it. Go to school.¡±

    His son was only a schr and as his father, he was already so highly respected. If he one day bes the father of an official, everyone will suck up to him. Xie Laogen waved his hand energetically.

    Many vigers stood behind them and waved endlessly. Some people even cried.

    ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife left just like that. It¡¯ll be hard to see her again.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the wife of a schr. There¡¯s no way she would stay in our vige forever.¡±

    There were all sorts of chatters in the vige. However, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin were already long gone.

    Inside the horse carriage, the four little ones excitedly touched everything. They¡¯ve ridden in the oxcart before but never a horse carriage like this. They were incredibly intrigued by the high speed of the horse.

    The four little ones would asionally exim, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s going so fast!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible!¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at the children, ¡°We¡¯ll also get a horse carriage just for ourselves. That way, we¡¯ll have an easier time traveling to ces.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up as they stared at Lu Jiao. They asked to double-check, ¡°We are going to have horses?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll keep horses and use the horses to pull the carriages. That way, if you want to go out to y, you can take the horse carriage.¡±

    The four little ones smiled with their eyes. After a few seconds, the First Born opened his mouth, ¡°Does keeping horses cost a lot of money? If it¡¯s too expensive, we don¡¯t have to do it.¡±

    Lu Jiao always felt bad about how aware and understanding the First Born was, she patted the First Born¡¯s head, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about things like that. Your dad and I will work hard to make money.¡±

    Xie Yunjin also chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to work hard to make money for this family also. You shouldn¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    He then turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°In a bit, we will pass by the town. I want to go pay the master a visit.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. She knew how much Master and Lady Chen meant to Xie Yunjin. Their kindness had always weighed on him like a mountain. It was normal for him to want to visit.

    Since Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°I¡¯ve always felt very indebted to Master and Lady Chen and I even thought of them as my parents. However, I found out something recently.¡±

    This grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s attention, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°My second brother told me that the only reason Master Chen went to my parents to ask them to take me to school was that my grandpa asked him to. My grandpa begged him to convince my parents that school was the best option for me. My grandpa had to bribe him at first. A few yearster, after discovering that I was good at studying, Master Chen stopped taking the money.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in shock. How did that happen?

    ¡°That means you don¡¯t owe the Chen family as much as you thought. The reason why he stopped taking payments was that he started to think of you as an investment. Though he still did a lot for you, it just doesn¡¯t mean the same knowing the background. Your rtionship is reduced down to just master and student.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded. All these years, he¡¯s felt depressed and heavy due to how much he owed the Chen family. He never felt at peace due to his inability to repay them. It was also because of how he felt that he wanted to marry Chen Ying.

    But now, he found out that the indebtedness he felt never should¡¯ve been that loaded.

    This provided him with so much relief and he no longer med himself for Chen Ying¡¯s death. On the contrary, Chen Ying owed him.

    Xie Yunjin nced at the Fourth Born then at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao liked the Fourth Born very much and naturally, she wasn¡¯t going to tell her the truth.

    Xie Yunjin whispered, ¡°All this time, I¡¯ve wondered if I would be able to ever repay the Chen family for what they did for me. Now that I found out the truth, I feel much more relieved.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked curiously, ¡°If your grandpa was the one who did all that for you. Why did he never speak of it?¡±

    By now, Xie Yunjin had figured out why his grandpa never said anything. First of all, his grandpa wanted Xie Yunjin to grow up tough and patient. Second of all, his grandpa never wanted Lady Ruan to find out. If Lady Ruan found out about this, she never would¡¯ve sent Xie Yunjin to school.

    The thought of Lady Ruan turned Xie Yunjin cold. It took him some time to restore back to normal. His mother was kicked out of the Xie family, which in a way, meant he avenged his grandpa.

    Xie Yunjin then spoke warmly, ¡°My grandpa was likely worried that my mom would find out. If she found out, she never would¡¯ve let me go to school and probably never would¡¯ve let me touch a book.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of that woman and sighed. Knowing that woman, she knew Xie Yunjin¡¯s assumption was right.

    Lu Jiao then thought of the Chen family. Before, she saved Master Chen¡¯s life. All in all, Xie Yunjin truly didn¡¯t owe the Chen family much.

 Chapter 237 - 237 Itâ€™s you who Owe us

    237 It¡¯s you who Owe us

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Master Chen was your teacher and I saved his life once. You truly don¡¯t owe the Chen family anything.¡±

    Then, she added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, he wouldn¡¯t have survived his illness.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gaped at her meaningfully, ¡°That would mean, I owe you.¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°That¡¯s okay. If I ever need something, I will for sure go to you and cash in that favor.¡±

    !!

    This man was going to be the future First Assistant. If she ever needed anything, she would for sure ask him for help.

    Xie Yunjin felt slightly sad, but because she smiled, his heart felt soft and warm. At this moment, all sorts of emotions flooded him.

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t fully read what was going on between their parents. However, seeing how they spoke and smiled, they giggled out of happiness.

    The horse carriage soon arrived in Qili, Master Chen¡¯s house.

    Given Master Chen¡¯s illness from before, he needed to rest for at least three months. Therefore, he spent most of his time at home these days. As for the school, he asked his youngest son to substitute.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao¡¯s arrival was very much weed by Master Chen, Lady Chen, and their son Chen Muwu.

    Chen Muwu¡¯s wife, however, didn¡¯t appear so happy. Her face was long as if Xie Yunjin¡¯s family owed them money.

    No matter how much Chen Muwu signaled for her to stop, she remained upset and continued to mumble, ¡°It¡¯s better to raise a dog than a certain someone. We spent so many resources raising that person yet earned nothing. My poor sister-inw died in vain.¡±

    The entire Chen family¡¯s faces dropped. Chen Muwu scolded, ¡°Why are you talking so much nonsense?!¡±

    His wife straightened her back and red at Chen Muwu, ¡°Am I wrong to say that? If it weren¡¯t for him, your sister wouldn¡¯t have died.¡±

    Chen Muwu huffed and puffed at her, ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to speak properly, don¡¯t speak at all!¡±

    He then ignored his wife and apologized to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°My wife was being inappropriate. I hope you aren¡¯t mad.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was about to defend himself over the matter from years ago. However, Lu Jiao beat him to it, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t make a fuss about what¡¯s been said. However, Yunjin is a schr who¡¯s going to take the provincial exam soon. If those words got out, it¡¯ll be very bad for Yunjin¡¯s reputation and may even impact his future. Therefore, I want to dispute what the missus had just said.

    First of all, I must first make it clear that back then, Yunjin was able to go to school all thanks to his grandpa¡¯s persistence. It was Yunjin¡¯s grandpa who told Master Chen about Yunjin¡¯s talent and bribed him to convince Yunjin¡¯s parents to send him to school. As for why Master Chen stopped taking bribes yearster ¨C that was because Yunjin proved himself and master Chen saw his value. He saw Yunjin as a resource that may be proventer on. Though Yunjin is still indebted to Master Chen, Yunjin truly doesn¡¯t owe the Chen family much.

    After that, Yunjin wanted to marry Master Chen¡¯s daughter as a way to repay Master Chen. Though it didn¡¯t work out, he had good intentions. It was the Chen family who refused to visit Yunjin for four years and med Yunjin for what happened. Finally, I want to bring up the fact that I saved Master Chen¡¯s life. That event alone makes up for everything that¡¯s happened in the past.

    I can confidently say that if Master Chen didn¡¯t find me that day, nobody else would¡¯ve saved him. If you want me to do that math, it appears to me that it is the Chen family who is indebted to us.¡±

    Lu Jiao finished and the entire room was silent.

    Chen Muwu and his wife stared at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao in shock. They then looked over at their parents.

    They¡¯ve always believed that their father was the only reason why Xie Yunjin was able to go to school. If their father didn¡¯t pester Xie Yunjin¡¯s parents about sending him to school, Xie Yunjin¡¯s parents never would¡¯ve.

    Yet now, Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife was saying that the reason why Xie Yunjin was sent to school had nothing to do with their father. It was his grandpa who plotted it all?

    In this scenario, a man paid their father to teach their grandchild. Of course, their father was willing to do some work to get the kid toe. More students meant more tuition. Every teacher would be more than willing to do that.

    It was just that this version of the story wasn¡¯t the version they knew of.

    Chen Muwu¡¯s wife had a very ugly expression on her face, ¡°What are you talking about? It was my father who-¡±

    Master and Lady Chen¡¯s expressions dropped. They didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to find out the truth.

    In the beginning, they didn¡¯t n on making Xie Yunjin feel like he owed him. It just so happened that Xie Yunjin never found out the truth and the couple got selfish and enjoyed how he treated them. They didn¡¯t think that there¡¯de a day when their omission of information would be caught.

    Master Chen felt his blood pressure rise. His face grew ugly and he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say.

    Lady Chen rushed to his side and patted down his chest. She then looked over to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao pleadingly.

    Xie Yunjin got out of his seat, ¡°The master isn¡¯t well. And needs rest. My wife and children and I shall leave first. When I get the time, I will visit again.¡±

    Lady Chen nodded, ¡°Thank you, Yunjin.¡±

    Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and the four little ones left the Chen residence. Behind them, Chen Muwu¡¯s wife was still shouting, ¡°Stop right where you are! You can¡¯t leave until we clear the air! My father-inw was the one who sponsored you, how dare you use him! You¡¯re such a b-¡±

    Before Chen Muwu could curse, Master Chen howled, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Chen Muwu stopped and looked at Master Chen.

    Chen Muwu noticed how ill his father appeared and red at his wife. However, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Father, everything Yunjin¡¯s wife said is true?¡±

    Master Chen¡¯s face darkened even more. Beside him, Lady Chen hurriedly answered, ¡°Enough, don¡¯t ask your father. He¡¯s not feeling well and needs rest.¡±

    Because of his parents¡¯ reaction, Chen Muwu knew that Yunjin¡¯s wife had spoken the truth. The reason why Xie Yunjin was able to go to school had nothing to do with his father. It was just as Yunjin¡¯s wife had said ¨C Yunjin¡¯s grandfather had paid his father to get Yunjin to school. His father only stopped charging tuition because of his own selfish intentions. Yunjin wasn¡¯t indebted to his father. On the contrary, his family was wrong in trying to get Yunjin to marry his little sister. It was also wrong of them to me Yunjin for her death.

    The more Chen Muwu thought about it, the more speechless he was. His wife, however, continued to shout, ¡°We can¡¯t just let this go! We have to clear this up! My father-inw sponsored him! Without him-¡±

    Chen Muwu screamed at his wife after he sneered at her, ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s all because of your inability to shut up that everything got so ugly today!¡±

    If his wife didn¡¯t use Xie Yunjin, perhaps Xie Yunjin would¡¯ve kept quiet and pretended to not know. Their families wouldn¡¯t be awkward like they were now.

    Chen Muwu looked at the woman beside him and felt like he was blind to have married such a moronic person. Even now, she still couldn¡¯t read between the lines.

 Chapter 238 - 238 Seeing the Enemy

    238 Seeing the Enemy

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t spend any energy wondering what the Chen family was thinking. The family went back onto their horse carriage and rode all the way to the city of Qinghe county.

    On the way there, Lu Jiao reflected on what she had said back there. She had truly unveiled the doings of the Chen family. She wondered if Xie Yunjin would me her.

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Do you me me for what I did?¡±

    The look on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face wasplex as he shook his head, ¡°No, I know you did what you did for my benefit. After all, I should still be grateful to the Chen family. If it were me who revealed what I knew, people would consider me unappreciative. For you to reveal everything saved my reputation.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. It was a good thing that he understood the intention behind her action. Her niceness wasn¡¯t in vain.

    The Chen family¡¯s been getting all the benefits of Xie Yunjin¡¯s kindness. Now that she had revealed Xie Yunjin knew the truth, the Chen family will no longer be able to take credit for something they didn¡¯t do.

    However, it was important that the truth wasn¡¯t revealed by Xie Yunjin. If he was the one to unload all the information, others would use him of being ungrateful. No matter what, Master Chen taught him a lot of knowledge and they had a master and student rtionship. Some things were better left unsaid between those two.

    Inside the horse carriage, Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao with a heavy heart, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to be concerned with this matter, why did you help me?¡±

    If they were considered husband and wife, then it made sense for her to help him. However, she insisted on divorcing yet she still helped him. This made him both happy and confused.

    Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°You should take responsibility for the role you y. I want to do what I am meant to do well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin instantly understood what she meant. She meant to say that she still had the title of being his wife and therefore, she will continue doing what a wife normally does. She also nned on treating the four little ones well because she also had the title of a mother. She nned on treating them like they were her real biological children.

    This woman¡¯s logic was truly unique. Just how was she raised to be able to think in such a manner? Xie Yunjin truly couldn¡¯t understand. What environment did she grow up under to end up having a heart bigger than most men?

    Such an interesting woman was determined to leave him. That depressed Xie Yunjin so much that he stopped responding.

    Lu Jiao also had no intention of discussing this further. She spent her energy convincing the children to lie down t and take a nap. She promised them that once they woke up, they¡¯ll be in the city of Qinghe.

    The Xie Vige was at the edge of the Qinghe County and was over 100km away from the city center.

    It took the horse carriage another hour to enter the city.

    The four little ones woke up from their nap and were looking outside the cart. The city of Qinghe was far more boisterous than the town of Qili and there were lots of other horse carriages.

    The four little ones have never seen a ce as lively as this. They excitedly crowded over the small window and eximed to each other.

    ¡°This is the city of Qinghe? There are so many people!¡±

    ¡°There are lots of horse carriages. I¡¯m also seeing lots of vendors for food!¡±

    ¡°Their clothes look so pretty! Mommy, what are you wearing on their heads?¡±

    Lu Jiao inched closer and looked at the person the Third Born was pointing at. She smiled, ¡°That¡¯s a silver hairpin. Men and women use those to keep their hair in ce.¡±

    Lu Jiao then checked out the Third Born and giggled. She knew the little guy was interested in it.

    ¡°When you grow up, I will buy one for each of you.¡±

    The Third Born smiled happily, ¡°Thank you, mommy!¡±

    The Fourth Born red at the Third Born and unhappily said, ¡°We should be buying one for mommy first!¡±

    And at that, everyone inside the carriage looked toward Lu Jiao and stared at her old clothing. Though there were no patches, her clothes were still very old. The boys inside the cart, however, all wore new clothes. The Third Born became embarrassed. He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, once we make more money, you should use it on new clothes for yourself.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened. The moment he gets a chance, he¡¯ll buy Lu Jiao some new clothes and jewelry.

    He then scanned Lu Jiao from head to toe to get a sense of her size.

    The family chatted happily and failed to notice what was happening outside.

    Outside, another horse carriage passed by them. The person inside that horse carriage looked over to Lu Jiao¡¯s horse carriage cart and recognized her right away. The look in her eyes instantly became filled with hatred.

    Lu Jiao¡­ Lu Jiao that b!tch. She was now in the city of Qinghe?!

    The woman¡¯s gaze thennded on Xie Yunjin.

    The man who was usually quiet and aloof was looking at the woman beside him with water-like gentleness.

    The way he looked at Lu Jiao was like he was looking at a valuable treasure.

    The woman inside the horse carriage was Shen Xiu. Her face turned partly green and partly ck. Poisonous intentions appeared in her eyes as her gaze grew frigid.

    She thought of her own situation and how she was only able to be with a fat man who was in his fifties. Compared to Lu Jiao, who had earned Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart, Shen Xiu felt filled up with pure hatred and was unable to calm down.

    Her young servant couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Lady Shen was often in a bad mood. In front of the master and his wife, she would often pretend to be helpless and weak. However, in front of the servant herself, she was mostly cruel. Whenever she felt like it, she would pinch the servant.

    Right after Xiao Hong had that thought, Shen Xiu grabbed her arm and pinched her hard. Xiao Hong was in a lot of pain but she didn¡¯t dare to make a noise.

    The horse carriage continued to head towards the county government office.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were not aware of Shen Xiu¡¯s existence. The family rode their horse carriage all the way to the osmanthus alley. The house was located south of the city and close to school. Given its close proximity to school, the housing prices in the area were rather high, which resulted in the area being rather safe and clean.

    Lu Jiao and her family traveled through the neighborhood and noticed that everyone who lived there was rather graceful and civil. They didn¡¯t act all rogue like the vigers back at the Xie vige.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. With the four little ones around, she naturally hoped for a good environment for them.

    The children were going to live in this area for more than a year. As for her, she might stay here even longer. Therefore, the kind of neighbors she had was important to her.

    After the horse carriage stopped, everyone got out of the cart and started to check out the new courtyard and house before them.

    The sign at the front of the door had already been updated to: Xie Household.

    Lu Jiao froze. This was her house, why did it get named the ¡°Xie Household¡±?

    Xie Yunjin also thought of that problem and quickly looked toward Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t exactly angry but she did raise an eyebrow. Sure, leave the sign on for now. Once Xie Yunjin leaves this city and moves to the Capital City, she¡¯ll change it to her name. Plus, he will have to eventually move to the Capital City in order to take his government official job. There was no way he would want this ce in this city.

    Comforted by that thought, Lu JIao smiled and gestured for the four children to go on inside.

    ¡°This is the home we¡¯ll be living in. Let¡¯s go in.¡±

 Chapter 239 - 239 Changing the Courtyard into a Kindergarten

    239 Changing the Courtyard into a Kindergarten

    Just then, the gate opened at the perfect time. Inside, ssmate Han and several servants came out to greet the family.

    ¡°Yunjin and Lady Lu, you¡¯re here! Come on inside!¡±

    The group went inside.

    ssmate Han gave the group some information about the house, ¡°There are two courtyards on this property. At the front here is the southern room. This is where the servants can stay. We are currently in the front courtyard. The front yard has a garden and a fake mountain. There are four principal rooms in the middle. On each side of those rooms are two side rooms. There¡¯s a hallway leading out of the side rooms that take you to the eastern and western wing rooms. Theyout for the back courtyard is very simr.

    West to the courtyard is a lotus pond, a garden, and a man-madeke. The environment is quite nice.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s visited this ce before and didn¡¯t really react to the tour. Beside him, Lu Jiao was over the moon. She scored such a good deal with this ce. The size andyout of this ce were worth way more than 1,200 taels of silver.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help it but say to ssmate Han, ¡°You sold it at a loss. Do you want to increase the price?¡±

    Naturally, ssmate Han refused, ¡°Lady Lu, that suggestion is a p in my face!¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t suggest it again. Truly, she had fallen in love with this ce. It reminded her of the small bridges in the south of the Yangtze River. This house was going to be hers. Just the thought of that made her ecstatic.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t ask to buy this ce, ssmate Han never would¡¯ve sold this ce. He was a businessman and a smart one at that.

    However, ssmate Han only sold it to her because of Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao took a look at Xie Yunjin. She wanted to thank him. However, there were a lot of people around and she shouldn¡¯t go out of her way to say thanks. People would find that strange.

    Xie Yunjin saw the look in her eyes and understood. However, he wasn¡¯t happy about her appreciation. She was so polite with him like he was an outsider. How could he be happy about that?

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t notice the silent exchanges between the couple. He continued on with the tour.

    Behind the group, Lu Gui and the four little ones were stunned. What a beautiful and giant courtyard!

    They thought the new house they built with the ck bricks was already fancy enough. Who knew this ce would look so much better than their house back in the vige?

    The four little ones were unspeakably happy. Each one of them hopped their way to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Daddy, mommy, this is going to be our home?¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao smiled and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. This is going to be our home.¡±

    The four little ones instantly cheered, ¡°Wow, this is going to be our home! Our home is so beautiful!¡±

    ¡°Too bad Xiaobao and Mutou couldn¡¯te.¡±

    ¡°We can invite them over as guests sometimes.¡±

    The Fourth Born was confused, ¡°But they¡¯re so far away. How do theye?¡±

    The other three didn¡¯t appear to have heard him. They grabbed onto each other¡¯s hand and ran towards the garden. Behind them, Lu Gui pursued, ¡°Slow down! Don¡¯t trip and fall!¡±

    Since Lu Gui was going to keep an eye on the children, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao followed ssmate Han to the back courtyard.

    Just like ssmate Han had said, theyout was pretty much the same as the front courtyard. The difference was that there were no hallways on the side of the eastern and western wing rooms. However, a porch was built in front of those rooms. It was obvious that the back courtyard was where the women lived.

    ssmate Han confirmed Lu Jiao¡¯s guess, ¡°This is where the women live. Behind here is a row of backrooms.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and strolled around. She thought of a problem¡­ This property was huge and she needed someone to keep it clean. She nned on tending to her businesses and it was likely she won¡¯t have the time to take care of the four little ones and Xie Yunjin. Therefore, their meals and daily routines will need someone¡¯s assistance as well. It became obvious to her now that she needed servants.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and then asked ssmate Han, ¡°This ce is so big that I will need some help. I want to buy some servants. Do you know any reliable brokers who can bring me some people? I want to buy a few servants.¡±

    ssmate Han almost offered to give her some. But then he decided against it. Anyone he gives her would ultimately still belong to the Han family. Lady Lu might not find them loyal or reliable as a result. It would be better for her to directly get some people from a broker.

    ¡°Sure, this afternoon, I will ask one of my people to talk to my broker. I¡¯ll ask them to find some people for you by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled. She then remembered how Xie Yunjin promised the Dean that he would start tutoring the young students.

    ¡°Before, you said you would start teaching students from the school. Are you going to be teaching in the school or are the studentsing here?¡±

    If they were going toe here, she had to spend some energy setting up this ce. Her original n was to set up the front courtyard like a kindergarten ¨C a ce where the four little ones could y and study. If Xie Yunjin¡¯s students were going toe here, she had to figure out a way to divide up the space.

    Plus, she would have to actively avoid interacting with those students to shield herself from rumors.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened. He didn¡¯t want those students toe to the Xie family courtyard. Even seeing ssmate Han talk to Lu Jiao made him feel salty. He had to put in the effort to stop himself from kicking ssmate Han out. He wasn¡¯t sure how he would react if those students talked to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to the school, nor am I going to let those studentse here.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked over to ssmate Han, ¡°Is anyone renting nearby? I don¡¯t need anywhere big ¨C a ce with three rooms is good enough. I want to rent it so I can teach there and also the students can study there.¡±

    ssmate Han understood Xie Yunjin¡¯s intention right away. It would be very inconvenient for the students toe through his home when his wife was here.

    ssmate Han agreed instantly, ¡°Sure. It¡¯s easy to rent a ce that size.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled happily, ¡°Since you have a n for your students, then I will change up the front courtyard as I please.¡±

    Her statement made Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han ask in unison, ¡°Why are you changing up a perfectly good courtyard?¡±

    Lu Jiao exined excitedly, ¡°I want to change up the front courtyard so that it bes the perfect ce for the four little ones to study and y. After I¡¯m done, they can use the space to study, y, and also eat.¡±

    Xie Yunjin noticed how meticulous and caring she was when it came to the four little ones. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sourness bubbling up in his heart. Why did she only care about the four little ones and not him?

    ssmate Han was very curious, ¡°That sounds rather amazing. Once you¡¯re done with the ce, can I bring my two sons to y and study with the four little ones?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline. Firstly, Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han were great friends. Secondly, ssmate Han sold this ce to her at such a great price. This meant Lu Jiao was indebted to him.

    Lu Jiao beamed, ¡°If you aren¡¯t worried, then bring them over.¡±

    There was no difference in looking after six kidspared to looking after four.

    ssmate Han smiled happily. Her two sons were so spoiled by their mother that they acted like little overlords. If they could spend some time with Lu Jiao, then they might learn some rules and be more obedient.¡±

    ¡°Great! Once you¡¯re done with the ce, I will bring them over.¡±

 Chapter 240 - 240 Lu Jiaoâ€™s Name on the Deed

    240 Lu Jiao¡¯s Name on the Deed

    Lu Jiao nodded and smiled, ¡°Then, please help me find some craftsmen. I¡¯m looking for craftsmen who can work with wood and some who can work with mud tiles.¡±

    ssmate Han was more and more intrigued, ¡°It sounds like you have some major changes in mind. Sounds good, I will bring some people as soon as possible.¡±

    The two of them were having a great conversation and appeared to have forgotten about Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood became worse and worse and he started to stare at ssmate Han with his eyes dark. ssmate Han didn¡¯t even notice and continued the conversation cheerfully, ¡°The more I hear about this, the more confident I am that the children will love this. I¡¯ll bring some people as early as tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed that the guy beside her had a change in demeanor. Subconsciously, she looked up at him and found Xie Yunjin staring at ssmate Han with much unfriendliness. When he saw her looking over, however, he smiled warmly at her.

    !!

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched. When did this guy learn to change his face so quickly?

    Xie Yunjin almost sneered at ssmate Han, ¡°I keep on asking you for thingstely and I must be taking time away from your studies. I need to stop that. Starting tomorrow, you should stoping over. Settle down and study.¡±

    ssmate Han had no idea that Xie Yunjin was jealous. He figured that Xie Yunjin was just worried about his academic achievement. He beamed and said, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve arrived, I can stop worrying. If I have any questions that I cannot solve, I will ask for your help.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dropped and he said softly, ¡°Okay, go home and study. You¡¯re procrastinating. It¡¯s already August and your prefectural level exam is next month.¡±

    ssmate Han shook his head, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I have already ordered some dishes from a restaurant nearby. It¡¯s noon so let¡¯s eat first. I will go home afterward.¡±

    Just then, ssmate Han¡¯s busboy dashed over, ¡°Young master, the food is here.¡±

    ssmate Han grinned at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°See, the food is here already. Let¡¯s hurry and have lunch.¡±

    Just then, Lu Gui brought the four little ones over.

    The children were dancing with joy, ¡°Mommy, this ce is big.¡±

    The First Born was good at controlling his emotions and habitually understated his feelings.

    The Second Born, however, had no such rule for himself. He eximed cheerfully, ¡°Mommy, out there on the south side, there¡¯s a gymnasium. It¡¯s huge! Inside, there are swords, knives, and bows. Everything¡¯s there! I want to learn it all.¡±

    ssmate Han chuckled, ¡°You enjoy learning martial arts?¡±

    The Second Born puffed out his chest, ¡°Naturally. I¡¯m going to learn martial arts well and be a general! I am going to protect my mother and father in the future.¡±

    The Third Born chimed in then, ¡°I want to learn medicine from mommy and be a miraculous doctor like her.¡±

    The Fourth Born¡¯s heart-shaped eyes dazzled with light. He excitedly announced, ¡°I¡¯m going to make money. I¡¯m going to make so much money so that I can buy my mommy new clothes and silver bracelets.¡±

    ssmate Han was so touched as he stared at the four little ones. These kids were obedient and more than that, they had dreams. His two sons were so different from these boys. All they did was eat, drink, y, cry, and make a scene. They also made no effort to learn anything.

    It appeared it was necessary for his kids to spend some time with the four little ones. Maybe they could learn some stuff from the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao patted the children¡¯s heads, ¡°You¡¯re all such good boys! Are you hungry? Let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones headed to the main hall. There, ssmate Han¡¯s servants had already ced the food on the table. Since they ordered from a restaurant, there was a variety of good-looking and delicious food.

    The family traveled far from the Xie Vige all morning and was now hungry. After they saw the food, they sat down quickly to start to eat.

    As Lu Gui ate, he chuckled like an idiot. He had always said that his sister was such a lucky person. See! Here she was, living in such arge and beautiful ce. And he himself was able to enjoy it with her.

    The four little ones saw that their uncle was only picking away at his in rice like a fool, and they quickly used themon chopstick to get him some side dishes.

    Lu Jiao was speechless as she stared at her idiotic brother. This man was so dumb yet he still nned on bing a steward? He wouldn¡¯t even know if someone sold him to a human trafficker. Being a steward was not an easy job.

    Lu Jiao then said to the four little ones, ¡°After lunch, go to the back courtyard to organize your rooms. This time, you¡¯ll get your own room. I¡¯m going to put two beds in that room so that you can share the bed in pairs. Are you okay with that?¡±

    The four little ones nodded. Now, they were certain that their mommy was going to start sleeping with their daddy. The four little ones smiled happily, ¡°Sure, mommy.¡±

    ¡°Then, we can go set up your room togetherter. Whatever more things you want, we can go buy them together.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones happily ate their food. Once they were all done, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even need to clean up. The busboy ssmate Han brought cleaned up the dishes and brought the empty tes back to the restaurant.

    Lu Jiao took out a banknote worth 1,200 taels of silver and gave it to ssmate Han. ssmate Han didn¡¯t even look at it before he put it away. He then asked Lu Jiao, ¡°How about we visit the county office to transfer the house title this afternoon?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. However, she remembered that she promised the children to set up their roomster. Therefore, she said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°How about you go with ssmate Han? I want to set up the children¡¯s room with themter.¡±

    Xie YUnjin agreed. Lu Jiao and the children went to the back courtyard.

    As Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han walked away, Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°About the money I¡¯ve been keeping at your ce, can you total it and give me the bnce next time?¡±

    Xie Yunjin then paused for a short while before he added, ¡°Also, about the business you asked me to do with you. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    There was no rule that stated that officials were banned from having their own businesses. Therefore, most government officials ran side businesses. It was fine as long as they did not break anyws.

    Before, ssmate Han had suggested multiple times to Xie Yunjin that they should start a business together. Every time, however, Xie Yunjin declined.

    The fact that Xie Yunjin was agreeing to it today made ssmate Han ecstatic.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Let me think it through and decide what we should do.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said, ¡°I have an idea. I will write something up for you to read.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two of them then got back on the horse carriage so they could visit the county government and get the property¡¯s title transferred.

    At the government¡¯s office, ssmate Han was somewhat in shock because, on the title deed, Xie Yunjin wrote Lu Jiao¡¯s name. Normally, the family left the husband¡¯s name, yet Xie Yunjin left Lu Jiao¡¯s name.

    ¡°Honorable.¡±

    ssmate Han gave Xie Yunjin a thumbs up, who red at him in response, ¡°The house was bought with the money Lu Jiao earned. It¡¯s only right to leave her name on the deed.¡±

 Chapter 241 - 241 Clothing and Jewelry

    241 Clothing and Jewelry

    ssmate Han shook his head, ¡°Though it was Lady Lu who earned the money, you¡¯re still honorable for writing her name. Do you know how many men in this world betray or even kill their wives for money?¡±

    The two of them soon left the government office. ssmate Han was going to give Xie Yunjin a ride home when Xie Yunjin surprised him, ¡°I want to go to a textile store. I want to buy Lu Jiao some clothes and jewelry.¡±

    ssmate Han nodded in encouragement, ¡°This is the right thing to do. You should buy lots of clothes and jewelry for your woman. I noticed today that Lady Lu only wore old clothes and absolutely no essories.¡±

    Xie Yunjin pursed his lips and remained quiet. He then cooly stared at ssmate Han. It took ssmate Han some time to realize that something was wrong.

    Yunjin was jealous.

    ssmate Han suddenly remembered that Xie Yunjin looked at him like this before when he chatted with Lady Lu. All these sneaky res were all because he was jealous!

    ssmate Han started tough and even pushed Xie Yunjin away.

    ¡°Yunjin, were you jealous before?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s body tensed up and his face turned cold. He subconsciously denied it, ¡°That¡¯s not true. Don¡¯t talk nonsense. She¡¯s my wife and should keep herself at a normal distance from other men.¡±

    ssmate Han raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Xie YUnjin threw him a look, ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t dare to push it. Truly, Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t the type to get jealous. This man had always been calm and collected. Why would he ever get jealous over a woman?

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t think too much and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not embarrassing to get jealous over a woman like Lady Lu.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face cooled down even more and he gave ssmate Han the side eye. ssmate Han stopped talking instantly.

    But now, he was highly skeptical of Xie Yunjin¡¯s im that he was not jealous.

    The two chatted and headed to the clothing store. Since Xie Yunjin wanted to get something really nice for Lu Jiao, they went to a rather famous store in the city of Qinghe County.

    Not only did this ce have clothes that were ready-to-wear, there were also lots of pieces of jewelry to choose from.

    ssmate Han was about to go in to help pick out some jewelry when Xie Yunjin stopped him. Xie Yunjin asked him to wait outside and he himself went in with 200 tales of silver borrowed from ssmate Han.

    ssmate Han grunted and mumbled alone outside. How was he not acting jealous?! That man continued to pretend but he will for sure show his real self someday.

    After he stayed with Lu Jiao for so long, Xie Yunjin had a good idea of what Lu Jiao liked. It didn¡¯t take him long to pick out three sets of clothes for Lu Jiao. Each set was 10 taels of silver and made out of silk. The surface of the robes was bright and smooth. He also intentionally picked out colors that were bright and engaging.

    With the three sets of clothes in hand, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but envision how beautiful Lu Jiao would look in them. His cheeks subconsciously grew hot.

    The worker at the shopplimented Xie Yunjin¡¯s taste, ¡°Young master, you have great taste. These sets will for sure look beautiful on the body. Young master, do you want to pair some jewelry with the clothes?¡±

    Xie Yunjin then picked out some essories for Lu Jiao. He picked out the best-looking ones without looking at the price tag.

    He basically wasn¡¯t going to leave until he spent all 200 taels of silver.

    The worker made some rmendations. Xie Yunjin made his pick based on the color of clothing he chose and what he thought Lu Jiao would like. In the end, he chose a set of silver hair ornaments. Though the set was silver, everything was delicately made. That alone cost him several dozen taels of silver. Then, he picked out a gold hairpin with a cloud and phoenix pattern. After all, all 200 taels of silver were spent.

    With all the money gone, he walked out with a bunch of stuff, satisfied. The store worker was even happier and walked him all the way to his horse carriage.

    Back inside the horse carriage, ssmate Han noticed how content Xie Yunjin was. He couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°What did you buy? You look so happy. Let me see.¡±

    Sadly, the moment ssmate Han extended his hand, Xie Yunjin pulled away his cloth-wrapped bundle.

    Coldly, he sneered, ¡°What¡¯s a grown man looking at a woman¡¯s clothing for?¡±

    ssmate Han was speechless, ¡°It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t get to see it. Lady Lu will wear it at some point.¡±

    ¡°You can see it when she wears it then.¡±

    Then at the very least, he¡¯ll be the first person to see Lu Jiao wear it. The thought of that made him smile.

    What more could ssmate Han say? He gave Xie Yunjin a ride back.

    Back at the Xie courtyard, Lu Jiao and the four little ones were setting up their bedroom together.

    The back courtyard had four principal rooms. Lu Jiao decided to take the east bedroom as her own. Outside would be the greeting room for guests. The west bedroom would be where the four little ones stay. Outside of that room, she nned to make it into their study room.

    As for Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui, they could stay in the front courtyard. Xie Yunjin could stay in the principal room in the front courtyard and turn the room beside his bedroom into his study room.

    Lu Gui could stay in the western wing room in the front courtyard.

    Lu Jiao had nned everything out without even entertaining the idea of having Xie Yunjin stay in the back courtyard. The four little ones were unaware of her n and were in a great mood, believing that finally, their mommy and daddy will share a bed.

    Excitedly, they set up their room with Lu Jiao.

    The west bedroom originally only had one bed. Lu Jiao moved another bed inside. And there, there were now two beds in the bedroom.

    Luckily, the room was big and had enough space for both beds.

    ¡°You four can decide amongst yourselves how to share the beds.¡±

    Before, the four little ones split up to sleep with their mom and dad every night. The First and Second Born would sleep together while the Third and Fourth Born slept together. They decided to do the same again.

    The Fourth Born pounced onto the inner bed and rolled around in it, ¡°I want this one. I want this one.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew why right away. He was easily scared and therefore wanted to sleep inside.

    His older brothers didn¡¯t me him and agreed.

    Lu Jiao asked the four little ones, ¡°What else do you want in your room?¡±

    The room was already equipped with everything. But it was missing some childishness.

    Lu Jiao walked around, ¡°I will ask someone to buy two vases. One here and one here. We¡¯ll use them for flowers so your rooms would smell good. What do you say?¡±

    The First Born nodded aggressively, ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao then pointed at the wall, ¡°We should hang a painting here.¡± She then thought about it, ¡°Hmm, I will go buy you a painting sometime?¡±

    Lu Jiao liked to paint but she was going to get really busy. So she decided to buy one for now.

    She didn¡¯t expect the four little ones to object right away, ¡°Mommy, let daddy paint us one.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to tell them that their father was busy and had no time when Xie Yunjin entered.

    ...

    ¡°Sure. I will paint you a painting.¡±

    The four little ones smiled happily, ¡°Daddy, you should paint us four. Also Soot and Marble! Oh right, also paint our sheep and rabbits.¡±

    The First Born chirped out, ¡°Also mommy and daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless. The painting was going to be a family portrait?

    The Fourth Born added, ¡°You should include uncle in the painting too.¡±

    The other three nodded to show that they approved of the idea.

 Chapter 242 - 242 Toss them if you donâ€™t want them

    242 Toss them if you don¡¯t want them

    Lu Guiughed like an idiot again as his heart warmed. The four little ones were such good kids and even remembered to include their uncle.

    Lu Jiao nced at him and wanted to remind him to stopughing like that. He looked like a true moron.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjin answered, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    He had decided to paint their old home in the Xie Vige as the background. Though the house there was tattered, they met Lu Jiao there and Lu Jiao changed their lives.

    The house may be gone now, it remains imprinted in their heads. He thought painting the house as he remembered it was a pretty good idea.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao and then shoved the cloth bundle into her hands.

    Lu Jiao stared at him, weirded out, ¡°What is this?¡±

    Xie Yunjin felt a little shy but he did his best to remain calm, ¡°I bought you some clothes and jewelry.¡±

    The four little ones heard that their dad bought their mom clothes and circled around, ¡°Mommy, open it up! Open it up!¡±

    The children¡¯s excited shouting made Lu Jiao giggle. She opened up the bundle and saw the sets of new clothes and jewelry.

    All those new thingsid out on the bed appeared extraordinarily dazzling.

    Not only were the four little ones stunned, but Lu Jiao was also stunned.

    All this stuff must¡¯ve cost a fortune. Why did Xie Yunjin buy her such expensive things? Was he crazy?

    Lu Jiao gaped at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Why are you buying me so many new things out of nowhere?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at her from head to toe and said, ¡°All your clothes are old. You should buy some new things. Also, you have absolutely no jewelry so I got you something to match the new clothes.¡±

    Lu Jiao naturally knew that. She nned to buy herself some new things soon anyway. Now that she was starting anew in the city, she was going to stop dressing like a poor housewife as she did back in the vige.

    Apparel makes men look good the way saddles make horses look good. She wasn¡¯t about to get looked down upon by others.

    Plus, she had lost a lot of weight and was no longer chubby like before. She was sure that she would look great in clothes now.

    She didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to beat her to it.

    Lu Jiao bundled up the new clothes to put them in the east bedroom.

    Beside the door, Xie Yunjin saw that Lu Jiao showed no sign of excitement. At once, he grew nervous, ¡°You don¡¯t like the clothes?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it. She actually really liked the clothes and had to admit that this guy¡¯s got good taste.

    Lu Jiao answered, ¡°I like them.¡±

    Happiness arose within Xie Yunjin. He felt aplished as if his hard work just got validated.

    However, once the two of them left the west bedroom, Lu Jiao asked him in a low voice, ¡°How much did you spend on this? I will pay you back.¡±

    Her question dampened Xie Yunjin¡¯s joyous mood. His heart felt like it had just been rained on. He hung his head low and only looked up after several seconds, ¡°Why must you calcte everything down to the tee between us? You¡¯ve bought me a lot of things before and I¡¯ve never done the math with you.¡±

    By the end, Xie Yunjin was so frustrated he stared at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°If you want to bring up money with me, then I will toss the clothes and jewelry.¡±

    He then left in giant steps which made it obvious how furious he was.

    Behind him, on the stairs, Lu Jiao watched him go. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She stared at the big bundle in her hands, and a rush of warmness filled her.

    All her life, her original life and now, nobody¡¯s ever bought her things just for her, let alone something so expensive. She would be lying for her to im she wasn¡¯t happy.

    She truly was.

    Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom to put the things away.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t appear again all afternoon. Only until dinner was ready, did hee out. He looked normal and acted like nothing had happened.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t bring up what happened. The family ate gleefully and the four little ones didn¡¯t even notice the tension between their parents. After all, something exciting was going to happen tonight.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao thought the children were happy to move into such a big house and didn¡¯t think too much.

    After dinner, Lu Jiao and Lu Gui brought the dirty dishes into the kitchen. In this new house, the kitchen wasn¡¯t close by like before. It was now located in the back courtyard very far away. As Lu Jiao carried away the bowls, she vowed to hire some helpers as soon as possible.

    There were advantages to having a big house, but big homes meant servants were necessary. Not only was she going to need help cleaning, but she¡¯ll also need help running errands as well.

    Lu Jiao and Lu Gui walked together with the dirty dishes while Xie Yunjin followed them a bit further away.

    Lu Jiao knew he was angry at her and didn¡¯t talk to him. The three of them ended up washing dishes together in the kitchen.

    Lu Gui was in shock as he stared at his brother-inw. His brother-inw did housework?! He was also so good at it?! His sister didn¡¯t stop him?!!

    Lu Gui couldn¡¯t stop himself, ¡°Brother-inw, you don¡¯t have to do this. Leave it to me and my sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him and ordered, ¡°Go boil two giant pots of water. I¡¯m going to bathe the childrenter.¡±

    Lu Gui nced at Xie Yunjin, who gave him the okay, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Lu Gui had no choice but to go and boil water, leaving behind Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin, who did the dishes in silence.

    In the end, it was Xie Yunjin who spoke first, ¡°This afternoon, ssmate Han and I went to transfer the title to the house. I will give you the deedter.¡±

    He was so angry before he forgot to mention it to her.

    The mention of the deed excited Lu Jiao. She smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Though her words made their rtionship appear distant, Xie Yunjin knew that was just the kind of person she was. Toozy to waste his energy being mad, he looked at the gorgeous woman beside him and out of nowhere, felt greedy. Was there a way for him to make up an excuse that would require her to stay?

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of what he was thinking and smiled at him, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Xie Yunjin reminded himself that he was a man and that if she didn¡¯t want to stay, he had no right to force her to. Most importantly, he had already written her the divorce letter.

    Xie Yunjin was quiet. Lu Jiao saw that he didn¡¯t want to chat about it more and changed the subject.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve moved and got a new ce, should we invite your ssmates over for dinner?¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it. Though he knew he was going to separate from Lu Jiao, nobody else knew. Traditionally, he needed to invite everyone for dinner. Those ssmates of his invited him over to their ce a lot before.

    ¡°Would it be too much trouble?¡±

    ...

    He was being very courteous, which made Lu Jiao grin and say, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Okay. But we¡¯ll only do it once we get some servants. With servants here, you won¡¯t have to cook everything yourself. You can just manage all the work that needs to be done.¡±

 Chapter 243 - 243 A Lock on the Door

    243 A Lock on the Door

    Xie Yunjin decided that if the broker fails toe tomorrow, he¡¯ll go personally to find a broker and buy some servants. This house was so big Lu Jiao and Lu Gui needed help.

    Lu Jiao was going to be busy changing up the front courtyard, raising the children, and seeing patients.

    The thought of Lu Jiao¡¯s job as a doctor made Xie Yunjin think of Baohe Tang and the town of Qili. They were now very far from the town of Qili. Could it be that Lu Jiao would need to go all the way there when Baohe Tang gets a patient who was difficult to treat?

    Xie Yunjin was anxious about that. However, he was also slightly happy. If Lu Jiao could stop going to Qili, then she won¡¯t have to interact with that Dr. Qi and Owner Zhao.

    ¡°You agreed to consult patients at Baohe Tang. Now that we moved into the city, are you still going to do that? It seems really inconvenient.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Owner Zhao said he will be relocating Baohe Tang to the city of Qinghe County. It would be easier for me to see patients that way.¡±

    Xie Yunjin started to grit his teeth. That Owner Zhao was truly haunting. Was he relocating Baohe Tang because he was a clever businessman, or because he had his eyes on Lu Jiao?

    Logically speaking, that shouldn¡¯t be the case. After all, Lu Jiao was his wife. That man, however, still worried him.

    Xie Yunjin coldly snickered, ¡°Owner Zhao sure is thoughtful.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, Lu Gui came out of the kitchen, ¡°Sister, the water is done boiling. I¡¯ll bring it to the front.¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s wash the four little ones together.¡±

    Lu Jiao then turned to Xie Yunjin, ¡°You should get some hot water and wash up too.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m in no rush. Let me help you bathe the kids. I also want to give you the deed.¡±

    The mention of the deed made Lu Jiao agree. The three of them carried the two giant buckets of water to the children to wash them. After the bath, Lu Jiao brought them to their room.

    Lu Gui went to dump out the water while Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin headed to the east bedroom.

    ¡°Here is the deed. I left your name here.¡±

    Lu Jiao took a look and actually saw her own name on it.

    She couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Xie Yunjin was ahead of his time.

    The deed made Lu Jiao grin from ear to ear. If Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t here, she would¡¯ve kissed that piece of paper. This was her first real estate in this era and it represented the fact that she had rooted herself here.

    The sight of happy Lu Jiao softened Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. So this woman liked houses. That means once he makes more money, he will have to buy a lot of properties and leave her name on all of them.

    At this very moment, Xie Yunjin had forgotten all about their pending divorce.

    He only snapped back to reality when Lu Jiao reminded him almost shyly, ¡°It¡¯ste. You should wash up and go to sleep in the front courtyard.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was slightly disappointed. However, he knew that given their situation, it was only right to stay in separate rooms.

    Xie Yunjin headed to the door. However, before he got there, he heard a ¡°clunk¡± that indicated someone had hung something on the door. He pulled on the door and found it to be locked.

    Subconsciously, he looked toward Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao walked over and pulled on the door knob. It was true, someone had locked the door from the outside. Lu Jiao looked through the crack and saw the four children standing outside in a line.

    Angry, she scolded, ¡°What are you doing?! Why would you lock the door? Hurry up and open it.¡±

    The First Born quickly responded, ¡°Mommy, you promised that you would start sleeping with daddy once we move.¡±

    The other three also chimed in, ¡°Mommy and daddy should sleep together.¡±

    ¡°That way, we¡¯ll get a little sister soon.¡±

    ¡°Once we get a little sister, mommy won¡¯t leave anymore. Grandma taught us that.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao¡¯s face grew dark. Just what did her mother teach these kids? Plus, she promised them she would discuss the matter once they move into the city. She never agreed to start sleeping with their dad.

    Lu Jiao lied to the kids, ¡°We haven¡¯t even washed up. We need to wash up.¡±

    The four little ones became bewildered.

    Just then, the First Born shouted, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal to not bathe for one night.¡±

    Lu Jiao almost cursed. What kind of children were they?!

    Xie Yunjin marched closer to the door and seriously scolded, ¡°Stop joking around. If we don¡¯t bathe, we can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    His words somehow managed to make the four children cry, ¡°You two don¡¯t actually want to sleep together, do you?¡±

    ¡°Daddy, do you still not like mommy?¡±

    ¡°Are you still nning on divorcing?¡±

    The Fourth Born cried the loudest, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re still going to leave us?¡±

    Since the four little ones were now crying, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao stopped scolding. They soothed them in a soft voice, ¡°That¡¯s not true. Don¡¯t cry. We are not saying we won¡¯t sleep together, we just need to wash up.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you will sleep together after washing up?¡±

    The two adults exchanged nces. Xie Yunjin quickly whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°I think we have to do as they ask for now. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll do what we did at your mom¡¯s ce. You can sleep on the bed and I¡¯ll sleep on the ground. In the future, I will stay in the front courtyard most days by using my studies as an excuse. asionally, I¡¯lle here so the children don¡¯t feel bad. Do you think that¡¯s okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin then added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to take advantage of her in any way to want to be in the same room as her. Being with her made him happy.

    Lu Jiao listened to him and thought of the children. Her head hurt but in the end, agreed. They¡¯ve made such a fuss already back at the Xie Vige over this matter. If they didn¡¯t do as they said, the four little ones might just cause chaos again.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do as you suggested.¡±

    After the two of them agreed, they said to the children, ¡°We¡¯ll go to sleep after we wash up.¡±

    The four little ones got excited right away and asked, ¡°Mommy, are you for real?¡±

    Lu Jiao could only nod, ¡°Of course.¡±

    The four little ones trusted their parents a lot because they¡¯d always done as they promised.

    They started to cheer excitedly, ¡°Then, wait a second, mommy and daddy, we will unlock the door.¡±

    The four little ones started tinkering outside. Unfortunately, they couldn¡¯t figure out how to unlock the door. In the end, the First Born said, ¡°Go ask uncle toe and unlock the door.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will go.¡±

    ...

    The Second Born went out and the Third Born followed him.

    The two adults inside the room naturally understood what was happening. There was a lock on the door and the lock was given to the children by Lu Gui. There was no other way the children could¡¯ve gotten their hands on a lock. If things went as they expected, Lu Gui was the one who got tricked.

    Lu Jiao silently cursed his little brother for being stupid. How could someone like that dream to be a steward? He was the type to count his cash after getting trafficked.

 Chapter 244 - 244 My Mommy is an Angel from the Sky

    244 My Mommy is an Angel from the Sky

    The Second and Third Born found Lu Gui quickly. He stared at the four little ones in shock.

    ¡°Why did you four use the lock to lock your parents inside?¡±

    The First Born blinked innocently, ¡°We were ying hide and seek.¡±

    The First Born didn¡¯t want his uncle to know about their parent¡¯s separation. His grandma had asked him to not tell anyone about that because it would embarrass his mommy and daddy.

    !!

    Lu Gui didn¡¯t question him at all and unlocked the lock while smiling at the children.

    After the door opened, Xie Yunjin red at the four little ones while Lu Jiao stared down at Lu Gui.

    Lu Gui was confused, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°Go fetch your brother-inw some hot water so he can bathe.¡±

    Lu Gui went as told while Lu Jiao took the four little ones back to their west bedroom. She warned them in a serious manner, ¡°If you have something on your mind, you can talk to your dad and me about it. Why do you y tricks on us at such a young age? If I catch you doing this again, I will punish you!

    Remember, when ites to your family or people you care about, don¡¯t y tricks. That would hurt their feelings.¡±

    The four little ones listened seriously and realized what they did wrong, ¡°Mommy, we know we were wrong now. We won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    The four little ones were very happy. Their mommy and daddy were going to sleep together! It was okay that they got in trouble because they were going to get a little sister soon. Once they get a little sister, their mommy won¡¯t abandon them! They¡¯ll have a mommy forever then.

    That night, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin really did end up sharing a room. One slept on the ground while the other slept on the bed ¨C simr to their setup back at the Lu family home.

    Lu Jiaoy on top of the bed and thought of Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. It¡¯s only been a month and not yet two, it was bad for him to sleep on the ground.

    She whispered, ¡°Starting tomorrow, you sleep in the principal room in the front courtyard.¡±

    Her words dampened Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood and he didn¡¯t respond.

    Then, Lu Jiao added, ¡°Your legs aren¡¯t fully healed yet, and sleeping on the ground is bad for you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s low mood swung upwards. He snuck a peek at Lu Jiao and noticed that there wasn¡¯t a lot of space between them. A smile blossomed.

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    The next morning, Lu Jiao woke up a littlete. Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui worked together to make breakfast.

    By the time Lu Jiao got up, breakfast was ready.

    When she walked into the dining room, everyone turned to stare.

    Lu Jiao wore the coral-colored dress that Xie Yunjin bought her. She wore the coral upper garment with the long coral dress, matched with the set of silver jewelry.

    Lu Jiao was naturally pale with a pink undertone. She was somewhat curvy and the bright-colored dress made her appear more dazzling than a flower.

    Coupled with her confident demeanor, she oozed with elegance and charm.

    Xie Yunjin stared at her, utterly stunned. She knew Lu Jiao would look good in colorful clothing but he had no idea the result would be this shocking. Right now, she was like a delicate flower that grew up under the most meticulous care. Anyone would want to hide her in their home so nobody else gets a nce.

    The four little ones forgot how to close their mouths as they studied their mother. Their mother was this good-looking? She was prettier than them!

    Lu Gui¡¯s eyeballs almost popped out. That was his sister?!

    She looked like a wealthy daughter raised by a rich family. There was no way she grew up in the countryside.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but giggle after she saw the stunned look on everyone¡¯s faces. Amused, she spun around in the living room and asked, ¡°What do you think? Do I look good?¡±

    Xie Yunjin answered without thinking, ¡°You do.¡±

    He grew embarrassed right away and looked away.

    The four little ones were not at all shy and ran towards Lu Jiao to hold onto her.

    ¡°Mommy! You¡¯re so beautiful! You¡¯re like the angel in the sky!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, my mommy is an angel!¡±

    ¡°I look just like mommy!¡±

    The Third Born enjoyed checking out his own reflections and therefore knew his own face very well. When he saw Lu Jiao today, he knew right away that he looked just like his mom. If his mommy was this good-looking, then he must be this good-looking too! The Third Bornughed happily.

    The Fourth Born expressed loudly, ¡°I will make lots and lots of money in the future so I can buy mommy clothes! Mommy looks so good in those clothes!¡±

    Everyone¡¯spliments made Lu Jiao embarrassed. She grinned, ¡°Alright enough already. You¡¯re making me want to hide.¡±

    Lu Gui couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Sister, could it be that you¡¯re not actually a child from our family? I think mom took you from someone.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at Lu Gui. Honestly, she looked somewhat like Lady Tian. However, Lady Tian worked hard daily in the Sun and aged fast. That was why it was hard to tell.

    The family ate breakfast cheerfully and spent the morning together harmoniously.

    After breakfast, before they could even finish cleaning up, the broker arrived.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao went together to pick out which servants to hire. Of course, Lu Jiao had the say and he was only there for support.

    When Lu Gui and the four little ones heard that they were going to hire some help, they were ecstatic. Excited, they tagged along and headed to the front courtyard.

    The broker, who was a grandma, brought over 30 to 40 people. The group consisted of young and old, men and women.

    Lu Jiao scanned the group and found some to appear quick-minded while others appeared more sluggish and honest. There were even some pretty young women amongst the bunch. When those girls saw Xie Yunjin, their eyes lit up, and they refused to look away. Silently, they calcted ways to get picked and stay.

    The grandma broker stepped forward, ¡°Yesterday afternoon, young master Han asked his servant to find me so I could bring some people for young master Xie and Lady Lu to pick from. I¡¯m uncertain what kind of help you¡¯re looking for, so I brought a whole group for you to pick from.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked toward Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°What kind of help are you looking for?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and said, ¡°Have them introduce themselves. I want to know where they¡¯re from and what they¡¯re good at.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and said to the grandma, ¡°Have them introduce themselves and tell us what they¡¯re good at.¡±

    The grandma studied the family before her and forgot to retract her gaze. The family was absolutely beautiful. The husband was handsome and the wife was breathtaking. Their children were just as good-looking.

    Given that the grandma didn¡¯t respond, Xie Yunjin frowned a little, ¡°Grandma, ask them to introduce themselves and tell us what skills they have.¡±

    The grandma finally snapped back to reality and cursed herself. She¡¯s been a broker for almost three decades and has seen all kinds of people. Yet today, she froze up because of one good-looking family. She must be losing it.

    ...

    The grandma apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your family is so beautiful I became dumbfounded.¡±

    She then shouted at the group of people she brought, ¡°You all, introduce yourselves. As to whether or not you get to stay, that will depend on your skills and luck.¡±

 Chapter 245 - 245 Acquired Help

    245 Acquired Help

    After the grandma instructed the bunch, everyone started to step out one by one to introduce themselves and their skills.

    The group of people the broker brought consisted of all types of people. There were those who no longer wanted to stay home, those who wanted to work to help out their family, and those who were sold by their family. There were some people who used to be servants of now-convicted criminals. Once someone is deemed a criminal, their servants are normally sold to a broker.

    Lu Jiao scanned around the people the broker brought her and found it hard to make a decision. Honestly speaking, she didn¡¯t want to hire anyone who once served a criminal in order to avoid any potential trouble. However, it just so happened that those were the kind of servants who were hardworking and capable.

    Those with a fully clean background or those who were sold by their families were normally poor. Though their families have no criminal records, they didn¡¯t have many skills and were uneducated. Most of them didn¡¯t even know how to properly greet others and acted rather rough on the edges. One person started tough hysterically while he introduced himself, which made himself look like a country scoundrel.

    !!

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. Just then, a rather good-looking girl stepped forward to introduce herself. Before she even spoke, however, tears already filled her eyes and she fragilely and pitifully started to tell everyone tales of her past.

    ¡°I was sold by my parents. My parents wanted to gather enough money to fund my brother¡¯s marriage so they sold me. Young master, you are a good man, please buy me.¡±

    The girl then fixated her tearful gaze on Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed right away. He subconsciously looked over to Lu Jiao, who tauntingly looked back at him.

    That girl liked Xie Yunjin.

    When Xie Yunjin saw Lu Jiao look back at him, he stood up straight and scolded the girl who spoke, ¡°We asked you to tell us about your skills, we didn¡¯t ask you to cry. I am looking to buy servants, I¡¯m not here to do charity.¡±

    Without giving the girl another chance to speak, he waved his hand, ¡°Step back. Next.¡±

    The crying girl froze and stared at Xie Yunjin in disbelief.

    Xie Yunjin was emotionless and pretended he didn¡¯t see her. Beside him, Lu Jiao saw the girl¡¯s reaction and almostughed.

    This young woman truly needed to go through more hardships to realize not everyone in this world had a tender heart for the fair maiden. Even if she does ever encounter one, it was likely a trap that would end up hurting her.

    The next person stepped out. This time, it was a middle-aged woman in her forties. Though she was older, she appeared clean and organized. When she greeted the family, her posture was proper and dignified. It was obvious to Lu Jiao that she was no regr woman.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but check her out a few seconds longer than usual, ¡°My surname is Qiu, others call me aunty Qiu. I once managed the sixth-ranked official¡¯s home until he became convicted. Due to his crime, he was forced to join the army and I was sold. I was once the head of the servants and specialized in sewing.¡±

    Once she finished, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but stare at her. This aunty seemed very capable and logically, she should be a popr choice to every family. Why was she still a part of this unhired bunch?

    Lu Jiao¡¯s concern was not without reason. It was because the Qinghe County was aparatively poorer county and therefore, it was a rare ce for a sixth-ranked official to live. This would mean this aunty had traveled with the group from elsewhere instead of being sold at arger city.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t the only one who was curious. The broker herself knew aunty Qiu well. She was normally quiet and never made much fuss. The only condition she had was that the family she ends up with must also ept her husband.

    Aunty Qiu¡¯s husband was known as old man Wen. Like aunty Qiu, he was once in charge of security at the same official¡¯s home.

    Old man Wen was loyal and when his master at the time was captured, he did his best to protect him and the investigative officials ended up breaking his legs. Since he received no immediate medical help, one of his legs lost its functionality and he was now a cripple.

    Nobody wanted a crippled old man. This was why aunty Qiu was still up for grabs.

    The broker had suggested selling aunty Qiu individually multiple times. However, aunty Qiu had vowed that if that were to happen, she would kill herself and the broker would end up without money or her. If that were to happen, the broker would also have topensate the buyer for the loss. This gave the broker no choice but to let aunty Qiu be.

    They¡¯ve visited so many families together and still, nobody wanted aunty Qiu. However, the broker grandma knew that this result was also because aunty Qiu never did much to showcase herself to buyers. It surprised the broker that today, she willingly stepped out to introduce herself. It appeared that she liked this good-looking family and wanted to stay.

    The broker smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Aunty Qiu is very capable. She knows how to run the household and is great with needlework. She can for sure manage all your servants for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao considered aunty Qiu very seriously now. She asked the broker, ¡°If that is the case then aunty Qiu would¡¯ve been sold a long time ago. Howe she¡¯s still here?¡±

    The broker¡¯s face fell long. The million-dor question had shown itself again.

    The broker said helplessly, ¡°The reason why nobody wanted to hire aunty Qiu is that she has a condition.¡±

    Aunt Qiu hesitated but straightened up and stepped forward, ¡°I want to be with my husband.¡±

    She then turned to look at old man Wen.

    Lu Jiao followed her gaze and saw that old man Wen appeared older than aunty Qiu and perhaps it was due to years of hard work, but he seemed weaker and exhausted.

    Lu Jiao looked at him and gestured for him to step up and speak.

    The second old man Wen moved, Lu Jiao understood why nobody wanted aunty Qiu. Not only was old man Wen skinny and without energy, but he was also crippled in one leg. Who would want such an old cripple? Other than watching the main gate, he wouldn¡¯t be good for anything.

    Lu Jiao temporarily decided against aunty Qiu and old man Wen. She asked them to step back.

    The others restarted their own introductions. Though Lu Jiao was good at medicine, she didn¡¯t have much confidence in her ability to manage people. She thought of the two people she was more interested in and realized they had both worked for convicts before. Worried, she whispered to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Yunjin, I want to hire aunty Qiu and old man Wen. Aunty Qiu can help me around the house and do some sewing. Old man Wen can watch the gate. I also want to get the Lin family.¡±

    The Lin family consisted of four members. The man of the house was once the coachman of the convict and the wife was the cook. Lu Jiao was looking for people to do those jobs and therefore, she was interested.

    As for their children, they had two sons. The older one was 15, perfect for the role of Xie Yunjin¡¯s personal page.

    The younger 8-year-old could help out the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t certain about her choices and asked Xie Yunjin for help.

    The fact that Lu Jiao asked for his opinion made him bubble with joy. His lips curled up subconsciously.

    Xie Yunjin leaned into Lu Jiao, ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Both those families are employable.¡±

    Lu Jiao was still worried, ¡°But they both used to serve convicts. I¡¯m worried there might be trouble.¡±

    Xie Yunjin answered her in a low voice, ¡°I watched them carefully. The look in their eyes is pure and they don¡¯t seem to be the type to lie and cheat. I believe they¡¯re good choices.¡±

 Chapter 246 - 246 Theyâ€™re so Fortunate

    246 They¡¯re so Fortunate

    Though Lu Jiao didn¡¯t agree to stay by Xie Yunjin¡¯s side, she remained confident about his capabilities. This man was going to be the future first assistant. If he had no good judgment of character, how will he survive hispetitive field?

    She smiled and agreed, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll go with these two families.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to tell the broker when Xie Yunjin grabbed her, ¡°Hire one more person to serve you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in shock and even forgot to retract her hand.

    !!

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t dare to move a hair while he held her arm, scared that Lu Jiao would notice and move away.

    Holding her made his entire heart feel warm.

    When Lu Jiao looked back at him, he softly let go and whispered, ¡°I think that young woman, Feng Zhi, is not bad.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew who he was talking about right away. She was the young woman who intentionally cut her own face because the man of the house she served wanted her as his concubine.

    Lu Jiao looked for the girl with the scar. They were simr in age. She was tall and slender, and appeared fearless. Before she got a scar on her face, she must¡¯ve been very beautiful.

    Lu Jiao said to Feng Zhi, ¡°Feng Zhi, why didn¡¯t you want to marry the master of the house?¡±

    Feng Zhi became agitated right away.

    She could tell that the husband and wife of this family liked each other. The man of the house was almost blind towards other woman. Plus, with her scar, she was sure he wouldn¡¯t be interested in her.

    If the wife was asking her a question, it must mean they have the intention to keep her.

    Feng Zhi stepped out to answer, ¡°My mother died young. Before dying, she told me that I must be the wife of a man who loves me. If I be a concubine, then she won¡¯t be able to close her eyes even in death. Therefore, I rather never marry than be someone¡¯s concubine.¡±

    Her resolution impressed Lu Jiao, who smiled at the broker, ¡°Feng Zhi can stay.¡±

    The broker beamed happily. One sold.

    Lu Jiao turned back to the group. The 30 to 40 people remaining grew nervous.

    Lu Jiao nodded toward aunty Qiu and old man Wen, ¡°Aunty Qiu and old man Wen, you can stay.¡±

    The broker thought she heard it wrong. Only when aunty Qiu and old man Wen stood out to thank Lu Jiao, did she finally react.

    Oh my goodness, she finally sold those two old people. What great news!

    The broker almost kowtowed towards Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao then bought the Lin family.

    The broker wanted to kowtow even more now. Both of those families were difficult to sell. Aunty Qiu was difficult because she wanted old man Wen with her. Old man Wen was a cripple and nobody wanted him.

    Though the Lin family was a good family with the man being a coachman and the woman being a cook. The entire family was tall, skinny and very hard-working. The thing was that they were a family and most people didn¡¯t need so many servants. Plus, people are normally afraid to buy an entire family, in case they get bad ideas and coop against the master.

    The two difficult families were now sold. The more the broker thought about it, the happier she got. Sheplimented endlessly, ¡°Young master, youngdy, you¡¯ve done such a kind thing. You epted those two families.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just the broker who thought so, the ones who were bought also thought so.

    Lu Jiao felt a little guilty. She made her decisions based on her needs, not based on what she thought would be a kind act.

    The two parties negotiated the price quickly. Once paid, the broker left with the remainder. Those who didn¡¯t get sold were highly disappointed.

    A few of the young women even cried and knelt down to beg Xie Yunjin to take them. Sadly, Xie Yunjin remained cool and ignored them.

    The seven people stayed. Four from the Lin family, aunty Qiu and old man Wen, and the young woman with a scar on her face, Feng Zhi.

    The seven servants knelt down to officially greet their new masters, ¡°It is an honor to meet you, master,dy, and young masters.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Xie Yunjin, who gestured for her to speak. These people were going to be Lu Jiao¡¯s servants and he had no right to speak.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t push it off. After all, they¡¯ll be working for her. She looked at the group and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of requirements, only one thing ¨C loyalty. If I ever catch you betraying my family, I will never forgive you.¡±

    The seven people kowtowed and promised, ¡°As your servant, I would never do anything to hurt you or your family. Please do not worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and started to introduce members of her family.

    ¡°This is my husband. He¡¯s a schr who¡¯s going to take the provincial exam next year. Therefore, he will spend most of his time in the front courtyard. If you have nothing important for him, don¡¯t interrupt him from his studies.¡±

    Lu Jiao peeked at the four little ones as she made that statement. The children didn¡¯t seem to object, which made Lu Jiao sigh in relief.

    She then introduced the four little ones, ¡°These are my quadruplets. This is the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Born.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to start delegating when she caught sight of her brother standing up straighter. Lu Jiao suppressed augh and introduced, ¡°This is my younger brother, Lu Gui. He¡¯s going to manage the ce. If you need anything, go to him first. If he can deal with it, he will. If he can¡¯t, he¡¯ll find me.¡±

    The servants answered in unison, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Lu Gui was in shock. He was going to manage this ce? He was a stewart now?

    Lu Jiao was toozy to pay attention to that almost moronic man. She looked back at the servants and started to delegate, ¡°Aunty Qiu and Feng Zhi can help out in the back courtyard. Aunty Qiu can be in charge of all the sewing work. Feng Zhi can run errands for me. When you¡¯re free, you can clean up the yards and do some general housework.¡±

    Aunty Qiu and Feng Zhi stepped out quickly and lowered their heads, ¡°We will do as you ordered.¡±

    Lu Jiao then looked to old man Wen, ¡°Uncle Wen can help me guard the gate. When you¡¯re free, you can rest in the southern rooms.¡±

    The fact that Lu Jiao referred to old man Wen as uncle Wen surprised aunty Qiu and old man Wen. Their eyes reddened quickly. This was the nicest thing that¡¯s happened to them in so long.

    Old man Wen knelt down, ¡°I will do as I am ordered.¡±

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t used to this level of politeness and being viewed as a master who owed servants. She said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer me like that every day. Though you work for me, we can be more casual andfortable like a family.¡±

    Now, even the Lin family felt touched.

    They were all so happy to have ended up with such a nice master. They were so fortunate!

    Lu Jiao then delegated tasks to the Lin family, ¡°Uncle Lin, you will be the coachman. Later, you go ahead and buy a horse carriage. Whenever someone from the family needs a ride, you can drop off and pick up. When nobody needs a ride, you can help dust up the yard and organize things.¡±

    The rather skinny uncle Lin happily responded, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, I will remember that!¡±

 Chapter 247 - 247 Scored a Bargain

    247 Scored a Bargain

    Lu Jiao then looked toward aunt Hua. Unlike uncle Lin, aunt Hua was tall and stocky. She introduced herself as a good cook who was once the head chef at her previous owner¡¯s.

    ¡°Aunt Hua, you¡¯ll be in charge of cooking.¡±

    Aunt Hua responded quickly, ¡°I will do that.¡±

    Lu Jiao then nced at aunt Hua¡¯s two sons. Uncle Lin and aunt Hua were a little nervous about what thedy would ask their sons to do.

    !!

    Lu Jiao saw that the eldest Lin boy appeared rather intelligent and quick on his feet. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to assign him as Xie Yunjin¡¯s personal page.

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Husband, I¡¯m thinking, what if Lin Dong bes your personal page?¡±

    Uncle Lin and Hua stared at Xie Yunjin nervously. To be the page of such a man meant their son may end up living a good life. If they start serving their masters now, once their masters flourish, their son will also be deemed sessful!

    Xie Yunjin checked out Lin Dong and thought of him as smart and sharp. However, he cared mostly about loyalty so he decided he needed some time to test him out. If he found the little boy to be useful, he could do what he can to help him develop.

    ¡°Sure. Then he can help me with errands.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then said to Lin Dong in a serious manner, ¡°From now on, I am your master. You must do as I ask.¡±

    Uncle Lin and aunt Hua nced toward Ling Dong quickly, ¡°Dongzi, you¡¯re going to work for the master from now on. Remember, whatever the master asks you to do, you do it.¡±

    Lin Dong was a sharp one and plus, he was very thankful to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao. They¡¯ve visited so many families before and nobody wanted them. This was the only family who would pay for them. Why would he ever disobey the master? He wasn¡¯t going to do things that would make his parents sad.

    Lin Dong nodded to show that he understood, ¡°I will listen to the master. If the master asks me to go west, I would never go east. If the master asks me to hit the dog, I would never kick the chicken.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched from cringe as she listened to him.

    Finally, she stared at the youngest boy, Lin Xi. Lin Xi was only eight and has been staying with his parents all his life. Because of this, he was malnourished and very skinny. There was no way he could actually dobor.

    Lu Jiao pointed at the four little ones, ¡°You can be the four young masters¡¯ friend. You can y with them.¡±

    The Lin family was over the moon and started to kowtow.

    ¡°Okay, Lu Gui will now show you around the home.¡±

    Hearing thatmand, Lu Gui instantly started to act like the steward, ¡°Follow me.¡±

    The servants followed. The four little ones also followed. Suddenly, there were so many people in their home, how fun.

    Atst, only Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao remained. The two of them exchanged nces and Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°The children must be overjoyed to see so many people here. They can take a few days to y around. Once I fix up the courtyard, they can start studying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°You¡¯re a much better nner than me. We¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to him and felt like they were really married.

    She felt ufortable and quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about these things. You should get busy with your students. You promised the dean and professor you would help.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will get on with it then.¡±

    Xie Yunjin left, thinking that he would search around to see if there were any houses for rent. It would be best for him to rent a ce as soon as possible so he could start teaching. It was already August and he would have to return to school in a month or so.

    At noon, Lu Jiao no longer had to worry about what to feed the family, as aunt Hua was now in charge of the kitchen.

    What she did do, was set a schedule. She requested that the four little ones must drink goat milk every day and eat one to two eggs. Every day, there must be meat in the dishes, chicken or pork was fine. Fish, however, was required for at least one meal a day. Making them into fish balls would be best. Of course, plenty of vegetables and fruits were also a must.

    Aunt Hua knew what to do right away.

    For lunch, she made some of her best dishes.

    Steamed eggs with pork, twice-cooked pork, mushroom and fish ball soup, braised fish, and radish bone broth.

    Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin, and the four little ones enjoyed the meal and they stopped worrying about aunt Hua¡¯s abilities.

    Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin, the four little ones, and Lu Gui ate at one table. The servants ate at one table on the side of the front courtyard.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ask the servants to be on call while everyone ate. She asked that everyone have lunch, then get busy with their work. She also instructed aunt Hua that for the servants¡¯ meals, she needed to ensure there were at least three side dishes and one soup. For every meal, there also must be one meat dish, two vegetables, and a soup.

    Aunt Hua told this to the others and everyone beamed from ear to ear as if they scored a bargain.

    Their new master was so generous. They were so lucky.

    Right after the family was done with lunch, ssmate Han arrived with the craftsmen. There were some who specialized in woodwork and some who worked well with bricks.

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to find a ce for the craftsmen to stay and they ended up in the west wing of the front courtyard.

    While Lu Gui dealt with that, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin hosted ssmate Han in the living room.

    Xie Yunjin felt bad about troubling ssmate Han so muchtely and expressed, ¡°We will treat you tomorrow, remember toe. After tomorrow, I will be starting my teaching job. You shoulde too. I prepared a room just for you to study. You must pass this year¡¯s exam.¡±

    ssmate Han was ecstatic. Yunjin was about to be his personal tutor. With Xie Yunjin¡¯s support, it would be indecent for him to fail the exam.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ssmate Han¡¯s lips stretched out.

    Then, Lu Jiao officially invited ssmate Han¡¯s wife and children toe over and visit. This house was sold to her at such a low price and he even found her craftsmen.

    Lu Jiao appreciated ssmate Han a lot. Though in the future, she wasn¡¯t going to be Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife anymore, she still was on the surface and needed to befriend Xie Yunjin¡¯s friends¡¯ wives.

    ssmate Han liked the idea, ¡°Sure, I will bring my wife and my two children over tomorrow.¡±

    ssmate Han has wanted his wife and Lu Jiao to talk for a while now. He didn¡¯t have hope that his wife would learn a lot from Lu Jiao, but even learning a little would be good. Lu Jiao was good at raising children and ssmate Han¡¯s children were the problem.

    Lu Jiao then nced at Xie Yunjin, ¡°When you ask your ssmates to visit, invite their families as well. I will host them.¡±

    Her words and suggestions warmed Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart. The smile in his eyes deepened and his voice was soft, ¡°Sure.¡±

    As they chatted, Lu Gui walked in from outside.

    ¡°Sister, brother-inw, Owner Zhao and Dr. Qi from Baohe Tang are here to visit.¡±

    They were here to see his sister only, but Lu Gui wasn¡¯t smart enough to get that.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face cooled down fast and his eyes filled with unpleasantness. People from Baohe Tang truly were ghosts that did not stop haunting. How did they even find this ce?

    ...

 Chapter 248 - 248 Two men Confront each other

    248 Two men Confront each other

    Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Did you tell them we live here?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a doctor there. If I don¡¯t tell them, how do they find me?¡±

    Though Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t happy, he dealt with it silently.

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to bring them in.

    Xie Yunjin slowly restored back to normal but the air around him remained a little cold.

    Even ssmate Han felt it. After being friends with Xie Yunjin for so long, he could read his mood pretty well.

    Why was Xie Yunjin this unhappy?

    Wasn¡¯t Dr. Qi the person who operated on his legs? Could it be that Yunjin was okay with Dr. Qi but didn¡¯t like that Owner Zhao?

    Just then, Zhao Lingfeng and Dr. Qi walked in.

    Upon arrival, they smiled at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and greeted them, ¡°We apologize for our sudden visit. I hope schr Xie anddy Lu do not mind.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was handsome, confident, and extraordinary. He was not just an average joe.

    ssmate Han knew right away why Yunjin wasn¡¯t happy. He was worried that the man was after his wife. Was that too much? Though Lu Jiao was a great person, she was married. No way owner Zhao would be after someone else¡¯s wife.

    ssmate Han then recalled how Yunjin got jealous after he exchanged a few words with Lu Jiao. It appeared that Yunjin loved his wife rather selfishly.

    Xie Yunjin spoke first, ¡°If you knew it would be sudden, why did youe?¡±

    He truly didn¡¯t want to save any face for Zhao Lingfeng.

    The smile on Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s face froze. He was the young master of the Yongning marquees and nobody¡¯s ever pped him in the face like this.

    Beside him, Dr. Qiughed, ¡°Schr Xie is joking.¡±

    Lu Jiao sneakily pinched Xie Yunjin and gave him a warning look.

    No matter how much Xie Yunjin disliked Zhao Lingfeng, he couldn¡¯t continue this terrorizing. He forced a grin and said, ¡°I hope you can take a joke.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng grew up being tortured mentally by his father¡¯s wife all his life. He quickly restored his smile, ¡°Schr Xie truly reads. How funny.¡±

    Then, without ncing at Xie Yunjin, he smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re getting more and more beautiful each day. If I saw you on the streets today, I wouldn¡¯t even recognize you.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words made Xie Yunjin¡¯s face grow even colder. He stared at Zhao Lingfeng.

    This time, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t re at Xie Yunjin, she red at Zhao Lingfeng.

    She knew he was provoking Xie Yunjin on purpose. No matter what, she was still Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife by title and no man would be happy to hear another man say that about their wife.

    Lu Jiao responded moodily, ¡°Get to the point. Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s attitudeforted Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression softened and he didn¡¯t fight back.

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t dare to cause more trouble and said, ¡°I am here to pay you a visit. And also here to tell you that Baohe Tang has officially moved from the Town of Qili to the city of Qinghe County. We are now located on rosefinch street.¡±

    Beside him, Qi Lei exined, ¡°Rosefinch street is not far from the osmanthus alley. Only two blocks away.¡±

    By now, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was like a dark cloud.

    Why did Zhao Lingfeng move Baohe Tang to this city out of nowhere? Why didn¡¯t he move Baohe Tang before? Also, even if they did move Baohe Tang, why did they choose a location this close to osmanthus alley? They obviously did all this for Lu Jiao.

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more depressed he felt.

    Inside the living room, ssmate Han also felt like this matter was strange. It was true then, the men were here specifically for Lu Jiao. Or else the timing and location were far too coincidental.

    The city of Qinghe County was a city after all and wasrge. The south part was an hour away by horse from the north. Without intention, it was difficult to run into anyone here.

    For them to move their clinic to its current location was entirely for Lu Jiao. It appeared that this owner Zhao truly had some other agenda with Lu Jiao. It was no wonder then, that Yunjin was mad.

    ssmate Han also looked at Zhao Lingfeng unfriendlily.

    Lu Jiao noticed the atmosphere in the room change and understood why Xie Yunjin would be mad.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t know about the businesses she had partnered up with Zhao Lingfeng for. Therefore, he questioned Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s intention. Despite this, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to tell Xie Yunjin everything.

    She simply said, ¡°I got it. If you ever need help with a very sick patient, you cane and find me and I will go over right away.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng however, shook his head and said, ¡°I have another thing I want to talk to you about.¡±

    He then nced at Xie Yunjin to hint that he and Lu Jiao should talk in private.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face grew colder and colder. That man was obviously challenging him.

    Xie Yunjin stared deadly at Zhao Lingfeng and had no intention to leave this ce. At this point, he was just going to stay here and see what Zhao Lingfeng had to say.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt. She was worried that Zhao Lingfeng would say something to infuriate Xie Yunjin and cause a fight.

    She lightly answered, ¡°We can discuss itter.¡±

    Beside Zhao Lingfeng, Qi Lei pulled on him and cautioned him with a look.

    Qi Lei could tell that Zhao Lingfeng was purposely trying to make schr Xie angry. He obviously could¡¯ve waited and discussed this matter with Lady Lu at Baohe Tangter.

    Zhao Lingfeng got the message and grinned, ¡°I will go back today then. We can talkter.¡±

    In the living room, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°What matter is it that you cannot talk about publicly? If you need something today, say it now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes refused to leave Zhao Lingfeng. He was determined to hear what this man had to say.

    Zhao Lingfeng looked toward Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin did the same and coldly hissed, ¡°Tell him to say it. I sure want to hear what he¡¯s nning on doing?¡±

    At a time like this, Lu Jiao knew that if she persisted in Zhao Lingfeng to stay silent, it would look like there was something going on between her and Zhao Lingfeng.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°You can talk. There¡¯s nothing between us that we can¡¯t discuss before others.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled instantly, ¡°I n on granting 30% of Baohe Tang¡¯s ownership to you. However, that would require you toe every five days and consult patients. What do you think?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away that Zhao Lingfeng was cutting her a good deal. After all, they were partnering up for so many things that 30% of Baohe Tang was nothing.

    ...

 Chapter 249 - 249 Thatâ€™s my Business

    249 That¡¯s my Business

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t know about all the business ns the two shared and his face fell the moment he heard Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s suggestion.

    He loudly rejected, ¡°No, I don¡¯t agree with this.¡±

    Something was obviously off here. Why would he randomly give Lu Jiao ownership in Baohe Tang? It was impossible for Xie Yunijn to believe that this offer was innocent.

    There was no way he was going to let this happen.

    Xie Yunjin studied Zhao Lingfeng almost with hatred and hissed, ¡°Owner Zhao, what are you nning on doing?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s mood was floating in the cloud now that Xie Yunjin was furious. How dare that guy mock him before?

    ¡°I respectdy Lu¡¯s medical skills and want to share ownership with her. Where has your mind wandered to, schr Xie?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t believe him one bit. That Dr. Qi was also a great doctor so why wasn¡¯t owner Zhao giving him partial ownership? He obviously had a separate agenda.

    Xie Yunjin turned to look at Lu Jiao, ¡°To be paid for nothing is normally a scam. You have to be careful of this man.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to fight so she merely said, ¡°I will consider this carefully.¡±

    She then looked up to answer Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei, ¡°I will think about it and respondter.¡±

    The reality was that Lu Jiao was going to take the offer. She¡¯s brought so much profit to Zhao Lingfeng it was only right she received something in return.

    Zhao Lingfeng snuck a smile and turned to leave. Before leaving, however, he made sure Xie Yunjin saw how arrogant he appeared.

    Xie Yunjin watched those two leave coldly. He then immediately said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lu Jiao, I think you should stop going to Baohe Tang. That Zhao Lingfeng guy is dangerous. You should keep your distance from him.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°I know you¡¯re a great doctor and enjoy treating patients. You can open your own clinic.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°You think it¡¯s easy to open a clinic? Without some kind of pir supporting me, how do I dare to open a clinic? It¡¯d be easy to get in trouble that way and I may end up dead without money.¡±

    This was the very reason why Lu Jiao wanted to partner up with Zhao Lingfeng.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to discuss this anymore and concluded, ¡°Enough now. I have my own ns. Don¡¯t worry about it anymore.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was persistent, ¡°Lu Jiao, I object. That man has no good intentions.¡±

    Lu Jiao was angry now. Impatient, she looked up at Xie Yunjin and warned, ¡°Xie Yunjin, this is my business. Remember your role.¡±

    She then left the room, leaving Xie Yunjin stunned. He thought of his rtionship with Lu Jiao and realized that he had forgotten all about their current state.

    ssmate Han couldn¡¯t watch this any further. Why couldn¡¯t Yunjin talk to Lu Jiao nicely? Why did he talk so harshly? It was a good thing and now it is ugly.

    ssmate Han thought he should tell Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, can¡¯t you¡­¡±

    Xie Yunjin interrupted him, ¡°ssmate Han, I will walk you out.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two strolled outside. ssmate Han watched the eerily cold Xie Yunjin and asked carefully, ¡°Yunjin, are you still going to invite people over tomorrow?¡±

    Xie Yunjin calmed himself down and said to ssmate Han in his usual tone, ¡°Of course. Why not? I won¡¯t have time to host after tomorrow. It¡¯s rare for me to move and I must invite everyone over. Plus, Lu Jiao wants to change up the front courtyard so we must get together before.¡±

    ssmate Han smiled, ¡°Okay, then I will bring my wife and my two children.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Can you also spread the message to Zheng Zhixing, Du Yi, Li Wenbin, Jiang Yuansheng, and Luo Xinwu?¡±

    Those were people Xie Yunjin got close to at school.

    Other than hosting his friends, Xie Yunjin also wanted to find out which calctive man betrayed him.

    He wasn¡¯t going to get harmed by the same man another time. He must figure out who plotted all this. Only this group of people knew of his travel ns the night he rushed home and was hit by a horse carriage. Therefore, the culprit must be one of them.

    Xie Yunjin walked ssmate Han to his horse carriage and waited for it to leave.

    Then, rather than going home, Xie Yunjin went to order some desks. Earlier, he had rented out a house with three rooms. Now, he was going to buy some desks and study materials.

    Lu Jiao stayed in her room and started to design the front courtyard.

    She wanted to make a kindergarten out of the front courtyard. She nned on getting rid of the flowers and grass in the middle and building a yground. She could make a slide and use wood to construct fake caves and monkey bars. On the side, she wanted to clear an area to make room for a field that could be used for morning exercises, tug-o-wars, jump roping, and other games.

    As for the inside, she nned on making different areas that each had their own specialties. She wanted anguage area, a math area, an agriculture area, an art area, a music area, a reading area, a game area, and a woodworking area.

    Lu Jiao worked until night on the design. She was only interrupted by the noise of Xie Yunjin entering her room.

    Xie Yunjin entered her room and sat in a chair. In a soft warm tone, he said, ¡°Lu Jiao, let¡¯s talk. I really don¡¯t think you should ept the 30% ownership offer. Zhao Lingfeng obviously has an agenda. Are you certain you know what he¡¯s after?¡±

    Lu Jiao really didn¡¯t want Xie Yunjin involved so she bluntly blurted out, ¡°Xie Yunjin, this is my business.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was stifled but he wasn¡¯t mad. He continued, ¡°I know it is. Even if it is, I don¡¯t want you to be scammed by Zhao Lingfeng. It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s not a good guy.¡±

    Lu Jiao almostughed because of his tone, ¡°What did he do to you to make you think he¡¯s not a good guy?¡±

    Xie Yunjin calmly analyzed, ¡°Think about it, why would he give you 30% of Baohe Tang out of nowhere? Though I know you¡¯re a good doctor, so is Dr. Qi. Why did he not make the same offer to Dr. Qi? It¡¯s obvious he wants something. Don¡¯t fall for it.

    If you want to open your own clinic, I will help you think of a way. I can find you someone who can protect you.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to ask him, what was the difference between you protecting my clinic versus me taking 30% ownership from him. I am not involved with either one of you.

    However, she really didn¡¯t want to dwell on this topic and simply responded, ¡°I will seriously consider this.¡±

    She stopped talking. However, Xie Yunjin could tell she was brushing it off and continued, ¡°Lu Jiao, don¡¯t you know that a person¡¯s heart is hidden away inside them? He may appear like a good person, but who knows what disgusting activities are going on on the inside? You have to keep your distance. ¡±

    Lu Jiao was already tired from designing the kindergarten all afternoon yet this man refused to shut up. Furious, she red up at Xie Yunjin and almost yelled, ¡°Shut up. This is my business and it does not involve you.¡± Then, just as angrily, she added, ¡°Zhao Lingfeng is my friend. You need to be careful of your tone when you talk to him. I am kind and nice to all your friends. I hope you can do the same.¡±

 Chapter 250 - 250 Be Careful, Someone Might Steal her

    250 Be Careful, Someone Might Steal her

    Her words made Xie Yunjin gape in disbelief, ¡°You are telling me that man¡¯s your friend? You¡¯re willing to ept such a person as your friend?¡±

    Why was she able to ept everyone but not him?

    Lu Jiao answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s my friend. You need to be nice to him.¡±

    Xie Yunjin appeared to have been hit in the face. Lu Jiao ignored him and turned to leave. After she took two steps, she saw the four little ones at the door, watching them in shock.

    !!

    The four little ones saw Lu Jiao and their eyes turned red. They managed to mumble out, ¡°Mommy, you had a fight?¡±

    Xie Yunjin heard the noise and looked over just in time to see the four little ones cry softly.

    At once, neither of the adults knew what to say. They exchanged nces. In the end, it was Xie Yunjin who spoke first, ¡°We didn¡¯t fight. We were discussing something and raised our voices.¡±

    Lu Jiao yed along, ¡°That¡¯s right. Because there was a disagreement, we talked a little loudly. We aren¡¯t fighting.¡±

    The four little ones stepped inside hesitantly and studied them.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The four little ones were highly skeptical and didn¡¯t believe them.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin squatted down tofort them together.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. We weren¡¯t fighting.¡±

    They then looked at each other and smiled.

    Seeing that, the four little ones calmed down a little.

    The First Born grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t fight with mommy. As a boy, you should be nice to the girl.¡±

    Mommy¡¯s taught them before that boys should treat girls nicely. Their daddy should do the same.

    The Second Born jumped in, ¡°Daddy, look at you. You don¡¯t know how to talk and never coax mommy. And today, you even fight with her?¡±

    It was no wonder his mommy didn¡¯t want to stay. He wouldn¡¯t even want to stay.

    The Third Born stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Mommy is so good-looking. You need to be careful. Others might steal her.¡±

    The Third Born¡¯s statement startled Xie Yunjin. He looked at Lu Jiao. Was it true that talking nicely would work?

    The Fourth Born wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°If you make mommy angry enough to leave, I am going to leave with her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was speechless. It sure didn¡¯t take long for his sons to all take Lu Jiao¡¯s side.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart was sour but he still squeezed a smile, ¡°We won¡¯t fight anymore.¡±

    The First Born suggested, ¡°Then, you should apologize. Mommy said if you realize you did something wrong and you change your behavior, you would still be considered a good kid.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was smart this time and instantly said, ¡°Sorry, it was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have talked to you so loudly.¡±

    What else could Lu Jiao say? The children were staring. She returned a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Seeing that the adults were now harmonious and even apologized, the four little ones decided to let it go.

    They started to giggle, ¡°You did the right thing. Let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    The four little ones pulled onto the two big ones and headed to the dining room.

    Outside the door, aunty Qiu smiled in satisfaction. Beside her, Feng Zhi stuck out her thumb to praise aunty Qiu¡¯s intelligence.

    The four little ones were brought over here by aunty Qiu. Children were a great tool to resolve adults¡¯ fights.

    As the family ate dinner, Xie Yunjin talked about tomorrow¡¯s gathering.

    ¡°Since you want to change up the front courtyard, I think it¡¯d be best to do the gathering tomorrow. That way, you can start construction.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Sure. How many people did you invite?¡±

    ¡°Five to six ssmates. I didn¡¯t invite those who lived far away. I originally wanted to invite the dean and professor but decided against it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was born introverted and aloof. Even when he studied, he didn¡¯t like to socialize too much. His only close and true friend was ssmate Han.

    He was better friends with the other students who had simr backgrounds as him. The others, he didn¡¯t really care about.

    Of course, tomorrow¡¯s gathering was when he nned to find out just who was plotting against him.

    Lu Jiao nodded again, ¡°Okay, I will n it out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then said there will be female guests and Lu Jiao needed to greet them.

    Lu Jiao nonchntly responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will treat our guests well.¡±

    At the table, Lu Gui heard that Lu Jiao was going to change up the front courtyard and asked, ¡°Sister, the courtyard is so nice. Why are you changing it?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked towards the four little ones, ¡°I want to make the front courtyard a ce where the children can y and study. When I¡¯m done, there¡¯ll be room to y and study. They¡¯ll have everything they possibly need.¡±

    The four little ones were thrilled, ¡°Mommy, are you changing it for us?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Then, you will have to focus on learning, okay?¡±

    As for reading, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t in a rush. They were only four and they had plenty of time to learn from Xie Yunjin once they move to the Capital City.

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t picture what Lu Jiao nned, but knowing that their mommy was doing this for them gave them the confidence that it was going to be amazing.

    The First Born was the happiest one. He naturally liked to study.

    At the table, Xie Yunjin could tell from what Lu Jiao described that she was going to make it look like what she had in her world. It sounded like her n would suit the four little ones well. Therefore, he didn¡¯t object and only asked caringly, ¡°Everything sounds great. Do you want to hire someone to teach them?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it. He was right, they needed someone. She was going to be busy with her own careerter on.

    She will be consulting patients every fifth day and she has three businesses to attend to. Basically, she will have lots to do and need someone.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll need to hire someone. But I need to think through carefully what kind of person I want.¡±

    ¡°Okay, just let me know.¡±

    ...

    After dinner, Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi went to bathe the children and tuck them in.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui went to the front courtyard. It was time for him to calm down and start studying.

    Back in the west bedroom in the back courtyard, the four little ones didn¡¯t find it unusual that their dad was resting in the front courtyard. This was because Lu Jiao had warned them, ¡°Don¡¯t trouble your dad and ask him toe to the back courtyard. He has an exam next year and he must focus on studying. He also has to take the time to teach younger students. He¡¯s a very busy man.¡±

    The Fourth Born was quick to ask, ¡°Then, can¡¯t he just not teach those people?¡±

 Chapter 251 - 251 Stupidity was okay, a lack of Discipline was not

    251 Stupidity was okay, ack of Discipline was not

    Lu Jiao patted the Fourth Born¡¯s head, ¡°Your dad is teaching students to earn money. The students are paying for his help. We have a big family and it costs a lot to feed all of us. Of course, your dad needs to make money.¡±

    Lu Jiao was trying to teach the four little ones that as men, they should work.

    The four little ones listened to her and thought it over, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Men should work and make money for their families. Their mommy shouldn¡¯t have to do everything.

    !!

    The next day, bright and early, Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to get up and help with today¡¯s lunch. From tea to vegetables, to alcohol, as well as dessert and fruit, Lu Jiao made a list and asked Lu Gui to go out and purchase from the list.

    Lu Jiao asked Feng Zhi and aunt Qiu to help her make stuffed pastries. She nned on giving those out to her neighbors. Since she¡¯ll be seeing these people around, she preferred to establish good rtionships with them.

    Since there was so much to do and she didn¡¯t have much time, she could only make yolk pastries and sesame pastries.

    By the time the four little ones got up, Lu Jiao had already made three pans full of pastries.

    The four little ones stared at the pastries and eximed in surprise, ¡°Mommy, you made so many buns.¡±

    Feng Zhiughed, ¡°The madam wants to give these out. That¡¯s why she made so many.¡±

    The four little ones rushed up to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, who are you going to give those to?¡±

    ¡°Our neighbors. In a bit, do you want toe with me to give these out?¡±

    She wanted to take the children and have them meet more people. That way, the children can be less afraid socially.

    The four little ones naturally agreed, ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao then said to Feng Zhi and aunt Qiu, ¡°Get ready to have breakfast.¡±

    The two responded, ¡°Sure, ma¡¯am.¡±

    For breakfast, there was sheep milk, eggs, porridge, steamed buns, and pastries. There was also a side of cold cucumber and pickled radish.

    Aunt Hua said she knew how to pickle different vegetables and Lu Jiao asked her to prepare some when she got the time.

    Once all the food wasid out on the table, Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui arrived. The two of them were surprised at how early Lu Jiao and the four little ones got up.

    The four little ones ran to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Daddy, mommy made lots of pastries to give to the neighbors. We are going to go with mommyter to give them out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nced at Lu Jiao. more and more now, he realized how good Lu Jiao was at raising children. There was no way he could¡¯ve done a better job.

    Xie Yunjin patted the four little ones¡¯ heads, ¡°Be kind to others. Listen to your mother.¡±

    ¡°We know.¡±

    The family sat down around the table. Lu Jiao gave Lu Gui the shopping list she made, ¡°Buy everything that¡¯s on the list. Ask uncle Lin to give you a ride and help you carry everything. Anything you don¡¯t know, ask uncle Lin.¡±

    Uncle Lin was a coachman once ¨C one for a wealthy family at that. Therefore, he must know fancy things better than Lu Gui did.

    Lu Jiao wanted Lu Gui to do the shopping to train him. Since he was determined to follow her around, she had to help develop him.

    ¡°Okay, sister.¡±

    Luckily, Lu Gui was a good listener and was obedient. Stupidity was okay, but ack of discipline was not.

    After breakfast, Lu Jiao got ready to start visiting the neighbors with the four little ones.

    However, Xie Yunjin suddenly offered toe as well.

    ¡°If we go as a family, we¡¯ll seem more genuine.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked caringly, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to study?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to spare a little time.¡±

    Xie Yunjin grabbed two of the children¡¯s hands and walked out. Lu Jiao followed with the other two.

    The four little ones were very happy to be apanied by both their parents.

    Behind them was Feng Zhi. She had a basket with several packs of pastries and a few bags of candy.

    Lu Jiao ended up deciding to give one box of pastry and one bag of candy to each family.

    Since she had no idea what her neighbor¡¯s personalities were, she wanted to test the waters first.

    To the east of Lu Jiao¡¯s home lived a countyw enforcement officer. His surname was Zhao and people often referred to him as officer Zhao. His wife was Lady Lu. They have four children with their eldest son being a child student who studied in the city. The family moved here just so their eldest son could be close to school.

    Lady Lu was mild-mannered and smiled before speaking. It was obvious to Lu Jiao that she would be easy to get along with. The family¡¯s eldest daughter, however, seemed to be difficult. The moment she saw Xie Yunjin, her eyes were glued on him.

    Lu Jiao speechlessly studied the girl, then nced at Xie Yunjin. Silently, sheined about how this man attracted trouble.

    Though Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t hear Lu Jiao thoughts, the look in her eyes was enough for him to understand. His face instantly dropped to below 0.

    Lu Jiao quickly took him away and went to the next family. She didn¡¯t want their first meeting with their neighbor to be unpleasant.

    After they left the Zhao manor, Xie Yunjin mumbled to Lu Jiao, ¡°I didn¡¯t acknowledge her.¡±

    Lu Jiao mindlesslyplimented, ¡°Yes, good.¡±

    Though Lu Jiao was mindless with her praise, Xie Yunjin was exceptionally happy. As that seemed to make Lu Jiao happy, he silently reminded himself to keep his distance from other women.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know how much Xie Yunjin was thinking and headed more east.

    The Zhao family¡¯s next-door neighbor was the Liu family. The Liu family was simple, with only a senior couple and a very severely sick grandson. Their grandson was handsome but pale and weak. It was August yet he was wearing very thick clothing.

    The Liu seniors were nice and so was their grandson. He was sick but still came out to greet the guests.

    When he came out, he recognized Xie Yunjin immediately and was thrilled.

    ¡°Yunjin, you moved to osmanthus alley! I¡­¡±

    He then started to cough for a while before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve always respected you. I wonder if I can ask you questions when I encounter them while studying.¡±

    Xie Yunjin recognized him as well. He was a pupil from the same school, Liu Ziyan.

    Liu Ziyan was also a schr. However, he had very poor health and often had to take a break from school to rest at home. Despite this, he still passed his exams and became a schr of the Qinghe County.

    ...

    With his current health like this, could he still participate in next year¡¯s exam? Xie Yunjin knew how sick he could get.

    XIe Yunjin didn¡¯t say anything about that and merely smiled, ¡°Now we can discuss our studies easily. Let¡¯s hope we will pass next year¡¯s provincial exam.¡±

    Liu Ziyan looked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will pass and will ce first. I¡¯m not so sure about myself. I¡¯m not even sure I can pass.¡±

    His face then fell like he had been struck.

    Inside the living room, the two eldersforted him, ¡°You will pass. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Liu Ziyan and doubted that he could do much given his health. He might never even make it to the exam.

    Since it was only her first visit, she didn¡¯t say anything.

    After visiting the Liu family. She stopped heading east and went to the west.

 Chapter 252 - 252 Be Mindful of those two Evil Women

    252 Be Mindful of those two Evil Women

    The family that lived the most west was a family with the surname Su. They were business owners. The man of the house sold textiles for a living. There were lots of members in that family with Lady Xu as the head of the household. Lady Xu was in her early thirties but had low energy.

    She lived with her inws and more importantly, with her younger brother-inw¡¯s family.

    When Lu Jiao¡¯s family visited, Lady Xu¡¯s mother-inw and brother-inw all came out to visit.

    The brother-inw¡¯s wife had a rather smutty appearance. Her gaze fixated on Xie Yunjin and refused to leave.

    !!

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t like the way she looked at Xie Yunjin. How barbaric. It was obvious she was not a good woman.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want a woman like this to affect the four little ones. Therefore, she coldly nced at the woman and then bid farewell.

    ¡°Lady Xu, we have guestsing over today. We shall find another time to get together.¡±

    Lady Xu was friendly and also intelligent. She knew right away that Lu Jiao minded her sister-inw¡¯s provocative stare and hurriedly stood up to walk out the guests, ¡°Let me walk you out.¡±

    After Lu Jiao¡¯s family left, the mother-inw had the audacity to shout, ¡°If your family invited people over for a meal, howe you didn¡¯t invite us?¡±

    Lu Jiao pretended she didn¡¯t hear and walked away. Lady Xu was so embarrassed her cheeks were red as she apologized, ¡°Lady Lu, ignore her. She¡¯s not right in the head.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and sympathetically stared at Lady Xu. Now she knows why Lady Xu appeared so exhausted.

    With inws like that, nobody could rest.

    After Lu Jiao¡¯s family left, Lu Jiao said to the four little ones, ¡°Keep your distance from the Su family.¡±

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°Mommy, we got it. Their family isn¡¯t good.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Behind them, Xie Yunjin also expressed his resolve, ¡°I will keep away from their family.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched. Why would that be her business?

    Her face, however, appeared rather happy. She didn¡¯t like that old woman and that young woman. Not only did that sister-inw look at Xie Yunjin weirdly, but that brother also looked at her weirdly.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow and wonder why such a neighbor existed beside theirs. She thought everyone who lived here would be educated and nice.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s family went to the next family. This family was even simpler and hosted one old man and his adopted son.

    The old man had thest name Tong,monly known as old man Tong. Old man Tong enjoyed drinking and had already had some this morning. Though he wasn¡¯t drunk, his face was bright red. Towards the guests, however, he was still courteous.

    Given that it waste, Lu Jiao had a few exchanges with old man Tong and then left.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin mysteriously stared at old man Tong for a few extra seconds. When old man Tong first saw Xie Yunjin, he appeared a little startled. Though he looked away quickly, Xie Yunjin still caught it.

    Does this old man know him? Xie Yunjin searched his memories. After thest exam, he became rather famous and it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise that someone knew him.

    The family stopped their visits for the day and returned home.

    ¡°I will take Feng Zhi to help out in the kitchen. You can take the children and greet the guests. If the wives arrive, tell Lu Gui toe and fetch me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and exhorted, ¡°If you need anything, ask them to do it. You shouldn¡¯t have to work anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and smiled, ¡°I will.¡±

    Afterward, Lu Jiao took Feng Zhi to the back courtyard. The four little ones wanted to follow her but Xie Yunjin asked them to stay.

    Lu Jiao ignored the sons and their father. She pondered over the lunch today to see if there was anything else she needed to do.

    Behind her, Feng Zhi whispered to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, you must be careful of the eldest daughter, Zhao Hehua. His gaze never left the master¡¯s face.

    Also, be careful of that woman living in the west. It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s not an appropriate woman and she may just seduce your husband.¡±

    Feng Zhi kept her gaze on Lu Jiao, thinking that she didn¡¯t seem to care much about the master. This was why she spoke up to caution Lu Jiao. However, she wasn¡¯t sure what personality Lu Jiao had yet and didn¡¯t dare to speak too much in case Lu Jiao got mad.

    Lu Jiao turned back at Feng Zhi. If it weren¡¯t for the scar on her face, she would be considered a beauty. She also had a great figure.

    Lu Jiao thought of the cosmeceutical store she nned on opening. There will be products that treat scars that Lu Jiao could try out on Feng Zhi.

    ¡°Do you want to get rid of the scar on your face?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Feng Zhi stared at Lu Jiao with her mouth open. Weren¡¯t they talking about other women seducing the master? Why were they talking about her scar now?

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have to be careful of those two women.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew that Feng Zhi was telling her all this for her benefit. Sadly, she didn¡¯t know that they were about to get a divorce. Xie Yunjin¡¯s business was no longer going to be her business and vice versa. Plus, given what she knows about Xie Yunjin, those two women were not his type.

    Lu Jiao found this funny and pinched Feng Zhi¡¯s cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. My husband wouldn¡¯t be interested in those two.¡±

    Those two women were not his type at all. Zhao Hehua was okay looking, but she was just average at best. Her beauty wasn¡¯t alluring enough to make men sumb.

    As for the woman who lived west of them, she was already 27-28. Just how thirsty and hungry did Xie Yunjin have to be to want her?

    Feng Zhi heard Lu Jiao but didn¡¯t give up on cautioning her.

    ¡°The worry is that they fail their attempt at seducing the master and ruin his reputation. The master is going to take the exam next year.¡±

    This time, Lu Jiao listened. Because Xie Yunjin¡¯s reputation impacted the four little ones. Lu Jiao¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Keep an eye on those two.¡±

    Feng Zhi smiled instantly, ¡°I will keep an eye on those two evil women.¡±

    She then thought about it and added, ¡°I will also tell Lin Dong to keep an eye out. We won¡¯t let those women get close to the master.¡±

    Her muttering warmed Lu Jiao¡¯s heart.

    This girl had a good heart and was saying all this so Lu Jiao¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t get hurt. The thought of Feng Zhi¡¯s harmed face and the reason behind it made Lu Jiao respect her. She¡¯ll have to figure out a way to help Feng Zhi fade that scar andter, find someone nice for her to marry.

    The two of them got busy inside the kitchen.

    Other than aunt Hua, aunt Qiu also helped. When Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi arrived, they joined them.

    The women chatted andughed while they worked, the atmosphere was easygoing andid back. Aunt Hua, aunt Qiu, plus Feng Zhi, were extraordinarily happy and they silently eximed once again how lucky they were.

    Out of all the guests, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin thought ssmate Han would be the first to arrive. However, Zheng Zhixing and his wife were the first to arrive.

    ...

    ¡°ssmate Yunjin, good news sure has brought you much spirit. I watched your energy improve each day and today, you even bought a ce here in osmanthus alley. Once you soar to the top, remember to give me a lift.¡±

 Chapter 253 - 253 Not Each Otherâ€™s Type

    253 Not Each Other¡¯s Type

    Zheng Zhixiang was obviously a little jealous. After such a short amount of time, not only did Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs heal, he even managed to purchase such a big house in osmanthus alley.

    As for him, he was a squire and was considered wealthy in the rural areas. After years of saving, he finally managed to save some money. Xie Yunjin on the other hand, was penniless yet he managed to buy such a big house?

    Zheng Zhixing knew that this ce used to belong to ssmate Han. Could it be that ssmate Han gave it to Xie Yunjin for free?

    Zheng Zhixing mumbled to Xie Yunjin quietly, ¡°Did ssmate Han give this ce to you?¡±

    !!

    Xie Yunjin rolled his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    Zheng Zhixing¡¯s wife, Zhu Baozhu, felt awkward. She pulled her husband aside and embarrassingly exined to Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin, ¡°My Zhixing likes to joke. Don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and greeted Zhu Baozhu and her daughter, ¡°This is your daughter? She¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu happily asked her daughter to greet Lu Jiao, ¡°Miao Miao, greet your aunt.¡±

    Zheng Miao said in a baby voice, ¡°Aunty.¡±

    Lu Jiao introduced her four sons to Zhu Baozhu. Zhu Baozhu has heard of the quadruplets and was shocked to see them in person. She liked them a lot.

    The four little ones were soft and adorable. Zhu Baozhu ced her daughter on the ground and then pulled the four little ones closer to talk to them.

    The four boys cutely referred to Zhu Baozhu as their aunt.

    The two women took their children and went to the back courtyard. Lu Jiao asked Feng Zhi to stay to greet the other women. If any woman came, she told Feng Zhi to send them to the back courtyard.

    After Zheng Zhixing and her family, came Du Yi, Li Wenbin, Jiang Yuansheng, and Luo Xinwu.

    However, Li Wenbin didn¡¯t bring his wife and Jiang Yuansheng¡¯s wife had apparently passed away.

    Therefore, only Zheng Zhixing, Du Yi, and Luo Xinwu¡¯s wives came.

    Zheng Zhixing¡¯s wife was named Zhu Baozhu. She was petite and had a very transparent personality. Though she wasn¡¯t born into a wealthy family, her family was rich in the vige and therefore, she was a little spoiled and somewhat naive.

    Du Yi¡¯s wife was named Tan Xiaoya. She was from the countryside and was somewhat afraid. Her child was also shy and didn¡¯t speak much.

    Wu Xinwu¡¯s wife was named Liu Laidi. She was also from the countryside. Lady Liu was tall and thin, and her skin had a yellow undertone. She seemed to be a little sick.

    Lu Jiao suspected she had a medical condition and wanted to feel her pulse. However, given the asion, Lu Jiao stopped herself.

    Still, she asked Lady Liu caringly, ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t bring the kids?¡±

    Lady Liu raised an eyebrow, ¡°Our child didn¡¯t move to the city with us. He¡¯s staying with my inws in the countryside. I¡¯m only here so I can take care of my husband.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and asked her children to take care of their little friends.

    There were two children who came today. Zheng Zhixing¡¯s daughter was named Zheng Miao. She was three and her nickname was Miaomiao. Du Yi¡¯s son was called Du Kang. He was four years old and his nickname was Kangkang.

    The four little ones showed their new friends their toys and the children started to y together. Zheng Miao began to refer to the boys as her ¡°big brothers¡±.

    The adults started to chat about the Qinghe District. Since Lu Jiao was new here, she asked thedies lots of questions about this ce.

    Out of all the wives, Baozhu was the most outgoing and dominated most of the conversation. As for Du Yi and Luo Xinwu¡¯s wives, they rarely spoke and only chimed in once or twice.

    ¡°Lady Lu, we live close by, at willow alley. If you ever need help or if you¡¯re bored, you cane and hang out with me. I have nothing to do at home and it gets so stuffy.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and smiled. Honestly, she was so busy every day she had no time to hang out.

    Zhu Baozhu didn¡¯t know that though and continued, ¡°If you ever want to go shopping, you must tell me!¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Lu Jiao liked Zhu Baozhu¡¯s personality a lot and therefore was happy to chat with her.

    As the two of them chatted, Feng Zhi walked in with two kids.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, these two are young master Han¡¯s children. Young master Han said his wife isn¡¯t feeling well today so he came with the children. He was hoping you can help look after them.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. If ssmate Han¡¯s wife was truly sick, there was no way he would bring the two kids over. Therefore, it was rather obvious that his wife didn¡¯t want toe. What was it? Did she think lowly of them? Or did they do something to offend her?

    Lu Jiao silently wondered. Her expression, however, didn¡¯t change as she stared at the children.

    ¡°What are your names?¡±

    The two children pouted hard and didn¡¯t seem to want to talk.

    Lu Jiao patiently asked again, ¡°How old are you?¡±

    The two children still refused to answer. Lu Jiao was frustrated and asked Feng Zhi to bring the four little ones over.

    ¡°These two boys are uncle Han¡¯s sons.¡±

    Lu Jiao estimated one of the boys to be younger than the four little ones and the other to be older. Therefore, she introduced simply.

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The four little ones ran to the Han boys, ¡°Come y with us. We have lots of toys.¡±

    The two children went with the four boys after getting the First Born¡¯s invitation.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief and heard Zhu Baozhu say, ¡°Those boys are not well-raised. They learned from their mother.¡±

    She then looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, I am certain you two wouldn¡¯t get along. Her name is Du Lanzhu and she is the daughter of a family who runs the grain and oil industries. She is a single child and therefore, she¡¯s very hard to get along with. She enjoys shopping and I frequently see her out there buying things.¡±

    Based on that description, Lu Jiao knew right away that she was not her type. She was sure Lady Du felt the same and that was why she didn¡¯t even bother to show up.

    ¡°Okay, I know now.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked Feng Zhi, ¡°All are the guests here?¡±

    It was ratherte and lunch should at least start soon. Feng Zhi stared at Lu Jiao, a little troubled.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have two uninvited guests. The master had asked me to report to you so you are aware.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked nonchntly, ¡°Who came without an invite?¡±

    ¡°One of them is master Hu, Hu Shan. The other is master Liang, Liang Ziwen.¡±

    ...

    The mention of those two made Zhu Baozhu¡¯s face drop, ¡°Why did theye? They frequently mock and tease my husband at school. The audacity for them to show up here!¡±

    Then, Lady Tan added in an unpleasant voice, ¡°Master Hu is tolerable. That Liang Wenzi is truly a bad apple. He often took advantage of others due to his good rtionship with master Hu. He¡¯s a bully.¡±

    Lu Jiao frowned. It appeared that the water here in the city was rather deep.

 Chapter 254 - 254 Beautiful and Kind

    254 Beautiful and Kind

    Lu Jiao ordered Feng Zhi, ¡°If they¡¯re here, they¡¯re our guests. Since they¡¯re here, we¡¯ll treat them well. Go tell the kitchen to serve lunch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡±

    For appetizers, there were cold dishes, hot dishes, a fruit tter, some pastries, and also alcohol.

    Women¡¯s and children¡¯s food was served separately. Lu Jiao prepared watermelon juice for the kids, fried chicken drumsticks and wings.

    !!

    She originally thought watermelons didn¡¯t exist during this era, but aunt Hua told her they did. However, watermelons came from the west and were very expensive. Lu Jiao was just d they existed.

    She asked Lu Gui to buy one as a decoy. She actually took two out of her space to make the fruit tter and the juice.

    The children excitedly ate the fried chicken and drank the juice. Even the two difficult kids from ssmate Han¡¯s family happily ate.

    The women were also very happy. Zhu Baozhuplimented her as she ate, ¡°What are all these foods you prepared? They¡¯re all so yummy.¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed out, ¡°This is a jujube cake, that is caramel popcorn.¡±

    Corns was better known as teosinte or maize these days.

    The women were happy to chat and eat. In the back courtyard, the children and the women were having a harmonious time.

    The front courtyard was a different story.

    The uninvited guests had already upset Xie Yunjin by showing up. Now, Liang Ziwen continued to tell Xie Yunjin to get Lu Jiao toe over.

    ¡°ssmate Xie, you¡¯re not being fun. There are so many guests here yet I don¡¯t see your wife greeting us.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Liang Ziwen was a perverted man so there was no way he was going to let Lu Jiao greet him. He declined.

    ¡°She has to take care of the female guests and the kids. She doesn¡¯t have the time to spare.¡±

    Liang Ziwen stared at Xie Yunjin with a raised eyebrow. He taunted, ¡°ssmate Han, your constant rejection means you think lowly of us. That makes sense. You¡¯ve never thought anything of us.¡±

    Liang Ziwen mmed his cup into the table harshly.

    Beside him, Hu Zhan nced at Liang Ziwen unpleasantly. Sadly, Liang Ziwen had had a couple of shots of alcohol and didn¡¯t have the capacity to notice the warning looks from others.

    Liang Ziwen continued to holler, ¡°No, we must get your wife out here today. Since she¡¯s sote in greeting us, she must take three shots as punishment!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped and he stared at Liang Ziwen. In a low voice, he suggested, ¡°I think you drank a little too much.¡±

    Liang Ziwen mmed his fist into the table, ¡°I don¡¯t get drunk! I¡¯ve never gotten drunk!¡±

    Hu Shan couldn¡¯t help but pull on Liang Ziwen¡¯s arm, ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    The reason why he showed up uninvited today was to reconcile his rtionship with Xie Yunjin. His wife was very thankful to Yunjin¡¯s wife and continued to say how she needed to thank Lu Jiao in person some time.

    If she wasn¡¯t only one month postpartum, she would¡¯ve shown up today as well.

    Since she couldn¡¯t, she asked Hu Shan toe to repair his rtionship with Xie Yunjin.

    Her father hadplimented Xie Yunjin frequently and now that his wife had saved her life, Li Yuyao thought that Yunjin must be a good man.

    Hu Shan was embarrassed to be the only uninvited guest and therefore brought Liang Ziwen. Who knew he was such a rude drunk?

    Hu Shan was very angry on the inside.

    Sadly, Liang Ziwen was used to acting arrogantly and inconsiderably. He ignored Hu Shan and continued to speak to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Hurry up and tell your wife to get out here and take three shots. I¡¯m not leaving until she does so.¡±

    Xie Yunjin jumped out of his seat and coldly stared at Liang Ziwen.

    Beside Xie Yunjin, ssmate Han pulled him down. He was worried about Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. He wasn¡¯t fully healed yet.

    ssmate Han pulled onto Xie Yunjin and turned to Liang Ziwen angrily, ¡°Liang Ziwen, get out of here. We didn¡¯t even invite you over today, why are you making a scene? You think just because you have money, you can do whatever you want?!¡±

    Liang Ziwen shot out of his chair and flipped over the table.

    ¡°I want to make a scene, so what! You think I¡¯m scared of you?!¡±

    Hu Shan dragged Liang Ziwen away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡±

    Liang Ziwen was drunk and acted irrationally. Instead of listening to Hu Shan, he shouted, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the oneplimenting Yunjin¡¯s wife as pretty and a good doctor?! Howe you are okay with not seeing her now that you¡¯re here?!¡±

    Liang Ziwen¡¯s words made Hu Shan flush. He subconsciously looked toward Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze was gloomy and icy as he looked back at Hu Shan.

    Hu Shan exined quickly, ¡°I meant to say that Lady Lu is beautiful and kind. I have no other intentions.¡±

    Liang Ziwen started tough, ¡°Haha, brother Hu, what are you afraid of? You can straight up say you like his wife and there¡¯s nothing he can do.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stepped up and swung his fist at Liang Wenzi. Liang Wenzi was not prepared and had to retreat back several steps. He did his best to endure the pain.

    Liang Ziwen¡¯s face squished together and he growled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Xie Yunjin, you dare to hit me?! Are you seeking death?!¡±

    Liang Ziwen then lunged at Xie Yunjin.

    Hu Shan extended his hand to grab him. Sadly, in his delirious state, nobody could stop him.

    As if he¡¯d gone mad, he rushed toward Xie Yunjin. ssmate Han stood before Xie Yunjin to protect him. Lin Dong did the same.

    Beside Xie Yunjin, Zheng Zhixing and the others exchanged nces. Liang Ziwen was truly difficult to deal with. If they helped Xie Yunjin now, he may revenge.

    They hesitated. Before long, Jiang Yuansheng stepped out and stood before Xie Yunjin.

    Behind them, Zheng Zhixing and others also shouted, ¡°Liang Ziwen, stop this madness.¡±

    Liang Ziwen ignored all the voices and jumped out to hit Xie Yunjin. He also muttered curse words.

    ¡°Telling your wife toe out here and greet us is me giving you face! How dare you act unwilling? Asking her to drink with us? Even if I ask her to sleep with us is me giving you face!¡±

    Liang Ziwen¡¯s words turned Xie Yunjin¡¯s face eerily dark. Disgust filled his eyes and he fixed his gaze on Liang Ziwen as if he had already decided to somehow cut that man into pieces.

    The front courtyard was now a mess. Lu Gui has had no such experience. Worried that something bad might happen, Lu Gui ran to the back courtyard.

    ...

    ¡°Sister! Help! My brother-inw is in a fight! Hurry ande!¡±

    Lu Jiao was teaching Zhu Baozhu about skincare. Other than Zhu Baozhu, Lady Tan was also listening intently. All women enjoyed being beautiful.

    They were in the middle of it all when Lu Gui came to tattletale.

    Lu Jiao was in shock and turned to Lu Gui, ¡°Howe they¡¯re fighting out of nowhere?¡±

    Lu Gui quickly exined, ¡°Liang Ziwen acted very unreasonable and continued to demand you to drink with them. Brother-inw was very angry and punched him. That guy is unforgiving and is asking my brother-inw to fight him.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped. Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs were not yet healed. If he gets into a fight, his legs may break again.

 Chapter 255 - 255 Lu Jiao Beat up Someone

    255 Lu Jiao Beat up Someone

    Lu Jiao nced at Zhu Baozhu and the others, ¡°Lady Zhu, rest here for a bit. I¡¯m going to go over there and see what happened.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Lady Tan were worried about their husbands as well. They got out of their chairs hastily, ¡°We want to go as well. I don¡¯t want him to hit our husbands.¡±

    Liang Ziwen has taken advantage of their husbands a lot and they weren¡¯t sure if their husbands got hurt or not.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop them and headed to the front. Lady Zhu and Lady Tan followed. Luo Xinwu¡¯s wife, Lady Liu, hesitated. But since everyone else left, she followed as well.

    !!

    In the neighboring room, the four little ones heard Lu Gui as well. They dashed out anxiously and tried to shadow Lu Jiao to the front.

    No way Lu Jiao was okay with that. What if an actual fight breaks out and they get hurt?

    ¡°I¡¯m going to help your father. You guys can wait here with your uncle.¡±

    She then said to Lu Gui, ¡°Don¡¯t let them get to the front in case the fight hurts them.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Lady Tan nodded, worried that the fight would hurt the kids.

    The women headed straight to the front courtyard. There, Liang Ziwen was still shouting, ¡°Xie Yunjin, you dare to hit me?! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to let this go. I have never been treated like this in my life! I am going to hit you back and I shall not leave until I do so!¡±

    Liang Ziwen was a single child and was very spoiled. Later, he followed Hu Shan and acted like an overlord all around the district. For him to get hit by Xie Yunjin like this today embarrassed him. He refused to simply let this go ¨C even Hu Shan couldn¡¯t stop him.

    Hu Shan regretted his decision very much. Plus, this was the first time he¡¯s seen Liang Ziwen act in such a manner. He hated it and silently decided to keep his distance from this guy going forward.

    It was no wonder that his father warned him to stay away from Liang Ziwen.

    Hu Shan used all his strength to pull on Liang Ziwen. Sadly, Hu Shan was thin and refined and didn¡¯t have a lot of muscles.

    Since these two were uninvited guests, they didn¡¯t bring any subordinates with them.

    Hu Shan could only pull on Liang Ziwen himself, ¡°Liang Ziwen, you were the one to talk inappropriately first. That¡¯s why Yunjin hit you. Let it go.¡±

    Liang Ziwen angrily snapped, ¡°What are you going on about? He invites us over to lunch yet refuses to have his wife drink with us! He obviously thinks lowly of us. We¡¯re giving him face by liking his wife. So what we ask her to drink with us!? So what if we ask her to sleep with us?!¡±

    Just then, a cold voice cut across the courtyard, ¡°Ha, sleep with you?¡±

    Though the volume was not high, the tone was frigid.

    Everyone turned towards the voice and saw several women approaching. The woman leading the pack wore a purple hibiscus patterned wide-sleeve top with a white textured long skirt. She stood there, delicate and elegant. Like a blooming flower, she snatched everyone¡¯s attention.

    Her face, her skin, her eyes, her figure, everything about her was perfect.

    Liang Ziwen was stunned. How could such a woman exist in a small city like this? It wasn¡¯t that her features were out of the world. It was her confident and at-ease temperament that was unforgettable. As she walked, lotuses seemingly grew under her feet.

    Who was that? Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife? But everyone said his wife was a stupid moron born in the countryside. How could she have such nice skin that would definitely be silky and soft to the touch?

    Liang Ziwen¡¯s imagination ran wild.

    The disdain in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes grew. He leaped towards Lu Jiao and scolded, ¡°What are you doing here? Go back!¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at him. She didn¡¯t me him for hitting Liang Ziwen. After all, that son of a b!tch deserved a beating.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. Now that Xie Yunjin blocked Liang Ziwen¡¯s view, he started to scream, ¡°You are Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife? Look how harshly your husband hurt me! You need to get over here and apologize on his behalf. I¡¯m not going to let this go!¡±

    Silently, Liang Ziwen plotted that once the beauty stepped close to her, he would be able to touch her spongy skin.

    Lu Jiao recalled his disgusting words before and turned even colder. She snickered and was about to walk to Liang Ziwen when Xie Yunjin stopped her.

    ¡°Get back. I can deal with him.¡±

    Lu Jiao red, ¡°How? You¡¯re going to fight him? You want your legs to break again?¡±

    She then pushed Xie Yunjin away.

    Xie Yunjin wanted to stop her but Lu Jiao had already reached Liang Ziwen and Hu Shan.

    Now that she was here, Liang Ziwen started tough, ¡°Lady, you are much more aware of what¡¯s happening than Xie Yunjin.¡±

    Just then, Lu Jiao raised an arm and pped him. The pnded so hard that Liang Ziwen¡¯s brain buzzed.

    Everyone there stared in shock. Even Hu Shan didn¡¯t know how to react.

    Afterward, Lu Jiao grabbed Liang Ziwen and pped him again. She then mmed her foot into him until he was on the ground.

    Liang Ziwen had no idea what was happening. By the time he realized, he was already pinned on the ground by Lu Jiao. He struggled but failed to get away. The ms from Lu Jiao made him shriek, ¡°You b!tch! Let me go! Let me go!¡±

    Lu Jiao punched his stomach hard, ¡°You wanted me to apany you right? I¡¯m apanying you and having fun with you. Today, I will stay with you until you¡¯re dead.¡±

    She mmed her fist into him again. Liang Ziwen¡¯s entire midsection shriveled up from the punches. In much pain now, he started to beg, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to say that again. I don¡¯t dare. Please let me go.¡±

    Hu Shan also stepped out and begged for forgiveness, ¡°Lady Lu, forgive him. He¡¯s a single child and if he dies, his family won¡¯t just let it go.¡±

    Lu Jiao naturally wasn¡¯t going to kill him. She took her time to release her grip on him and slowly stood up.

    Everyone stared at her in silence.

    Oh my goodness, Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife was so strong. That meant, if Xie Yunjin himself hurts his wife, she would also beat him half to death.

    Everyone pitifully studied Xie Yunjin, who had walked over and shielded Lu Jiao. He then said to Hu Shan, ¡°Take him away.¡±

    His eyes were depressed and his gaze was full of exasperation. As he stared at Liang Ziwen, killer¡¯s intent seeped out of him.

    Hu Shan went to get Liang Ziwen. From behind Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao stepped out, ¡°Hu Shan, today, we beat up Liang Ziwen. He¡¯s not going to let this go. If you chose to not bring him today, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±

 Chapter 256 - 256 Stupid Father, Stupid Son

    256 Stupid Father, Stupid Son

    The reason why Lu Jiao hit Liang Ziwen so hard wasn¡¯t only because of his disgusting words. Since they had already offended Liang Ziwen, he would for sure cause them trouble in the future. If that was going to be the case, it was more satisfying to beat him up hard.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t forget, however, that all of this happened because Hu Shan chose to bring him.

    Hu Shan was about to exin but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t give him the chance to speak. She said in a low voice, ¡°I hope you can deal with this properly. If Liang Ziwen causes us trouble, we shall go straight to magistrate Hu to tell him how you repaid our kindness with ingratitude.¡±

    Hu Shan¡¯s expression changed. He studied Lu Jiao and realized that other than her good looks and good medical knowledge, she was also smart.

    !!

    If she went to find his father, his father may just beat him to death. Plus, if his wife found out about today, she would also scream at him.

    Hu Shan responded quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will deal with this.¡±

    He was the reason for today¡¯s chaos and he will deal with it.

    Hu Shan helped Liang Ziwen and they walked away. Once they were far enough, Liang Ziwen muttered under his breath, ¡°Xie Yunjin, just you wait.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the messy courtyard and ordered Feng Zhi and Lin Dong, ¡°Hurry up and clean this ce up. Also, prepare some more food for the guests.¡±

    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Feng Zhi and Lin Dong started to clean up. From outside, uncle Lin and old man Wen also rushed in to help.

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed and said to the guests, ¡°I apologize for what happened here today.¡±

    The guests quicklyforted, ¡°Lady Lu, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±

    ssmate Han said, ¡°Lady Lu, it¡¯s okay. We are all friends and we don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Then, he thought of his fight with his wife. He originally wanted to bring his wife but when the time came, Du Lanzhu refused toe. ssmate Han was furious and scolded her and she yelled back at him. ssmate Han ended uping with only his two sons.

    Lu Jiao smiled and was about to leave when she thought of Liang Ziwen. She said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Even with Hu Shan in the middle, Liang Ziwen may still stir up trouble. You must be careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wiped the disdain on his face and gently nodded, ¡°I know. I will be careful.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, then asked Zhu Baozhu, Lady Tan, and Lady Liu to go back to the back courtyard.

    ¡°We just wanted to have everyone over for a meal. Sadly, such an unfortunate event happened. It¡¯s our fault.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu answered, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s that bad man¡¯s fault.¡±

    She then recalled how strong Lu Jiao was and stared at her with jealousy, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re so strong. It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu took Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and checked it out. Lu Jiao¡¯s hands were pale and smooth and she even had dimples on them. How could this pair of hands be so strong?

    Xie Yunjin watched Zhu Baozhu touch Lu Jiao and his face darkened. Solemnly, he stared.

    Behind him, ssmate Han and Zheng Zhixing walked over, warning Xie Yunjin to be careful.

    ¡°Liang Ziwen is not a good man. You have to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you have to watch out. Even with Hu Shan on your side, Liang Ziwen wouldn¡¯t just let this go. He may seem to be over it but he will plot against you in secret.¡±

    ¡°Yunjin has such bad luck. He sat at home yet trouble knocked on his door.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, before, Yunjin was hit by a horse carriage. He just healed and encountered someone like Liang Ziwen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all Hu Shan¡¯s fault. If he didn¡¯t bring Liang Ziwen, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    ¡°Hu Shan isn¡¯t a bad guy. He¡¯s just a bit dumb.¡±

    ¡°I think Hu Shan¡¯s father is also a little dumb. I heard that the majority of his work has been stolen away by county magistrate¡¯s assistant Yang and administrator Peng.¡±

    Luo Xinwu¡¯s words garnered everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Are you for real?¡±

    ¡°Assistant Yang and administrator Peng now control the Qinghe district? It doesn¡¯t look that way. Those two act like such good men and they don¡¯t show off their wealth. It doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ve been bribed.¡±

    Luo Xinwu coldly snickered, ¡°They¡¯re pretending. At least that¡¯s what I heard.¡±

    Luo Xinwu knows someone who talked about this a lot.

    In the back courtyard, Lu Jiao told the four little ones what happened, ¡°It¡¯s okay now. I¡¯ve dealt with it. You don¡¯t have to worry about your father.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Daddy¡¯s legs cannot get hurt again.¡±

    The First Born said in a serious manner.

    Lu Jiao was used to him worrying. However, Zhu Baozhu, Lady Tan, and Lady Liu haven¡¯t seen that before, ¡°Your children are really good kids. They know to worry about their father?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed at the four little ones, ¡°They worry about their father more than adults.¡±

    The four little ones got shy and ran away. Behind them, Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to go back to the front courtyard.

    ¡°Okay, sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao restarted her chat with the female guests. The women, however, were very intrigued by Lu Jiao¡¯s super strength. Lady Liu, Luo Xinwu¡¯s wife, was the most interested.

    ¡°Lady Lu, were you born with super strength or did you train for it?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°I was born with it.¡±

    Lady Liu was disappointed, ¡°Is there a way to get stronger?¡±

    Lu Jiao found that strange and stared at Lady Liu. She realized that Lady Tan was wearing manyyers that covered every inch of her skin despite the hot weather. Of course, all women dressed conservatively in this era, but they would at least show their wrists.

    This Lady Liu however, wore clothes more suitable for autumn. High cor, a corset, and even narrow sleeves wrapped tightly around her arms.

    Lu Jiao felt like sweating just looking at her. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Lady Liu, aren¡¯t you hot? You¡¯re all covered up.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu replied, ¡°She likes to dress like that. She¡¯s old school.¡±

    Lady Tan also nodded.

    Lady Liu was a little frozen. Lu Jiao found this strange and asked, ¡°Lady Liu, are you okay?¡±

    Lady Liu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just interested in your strength.¡±

    She then returned to being silent.

    ...

    In the front courtyard, Feng Zhi, Lin Dong, and Lin Dawen cleaned up the front courtyard spotlessly. Feng Zhi went to the kitchen and cooked up a few more dishes with aunt Qiu and aunt Hua.

    Since aunt Hua was too busy to do it all, aunt Qiu helped out.

    The men in the front courtyard started to eat again. Because of Liang Ziwen, they didn¡¯t even get to have a few bites and were hungry.

    Still, they remembered to tease Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, your wife is so strong. If you ever offend her, you may just get beat up.¡±

    ¡°You better dot on her and don¡¯t make her mad. Or else she¡¯ll teach a lesson.¡±

 Chapter 257 - 257 He liked her a lot

    257 He liked her a lot

    Xie Yunjin found himself eager to exin, ¡°Though she¡¯s strong, she¡¯s not unreasonable. She¡¯s very moral.¡±

    ssmate Han agreed and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s true. Lady Lu isn¡¯t someone who stirs up trouble unreasonably. As long as Yunjin doesn¡¯t provoke her, she wouldn¡¯t hit him.¡±

    Then, ssmate Han thought of how Xie Yunjin hit Liang Ziwen because of his vulgarnguage towards Lu Jiao.

    They all knew Liang Ziwen was not a good person to mess with, yet Yunjin couldn¡¯t stop himself from hitting him. This meant Yunjin loved Lu Jiao a lot.

    ssmate Han chuckled and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Plus, Yunjin loves his wife. He would willingly take a beating from her.¡±

    Everyone at the table quieted down and then all looked toward Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin grew shy immediately and he angrily red at ssmate Han, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ssmate Hanughed, ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? It¡¯s normal to like your own wife. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re expressing love for someone else. Plus, to be with the person you like is a very fortunate thing.¡±

    Most of them got married ording to their parents¡¯ wishes. Very few actually got to marry the person they liked. Yunjin was lucky.

    All the men at the table nodded and raised their sses to congratte Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Congrattions, Yunjin. You have a great wife.¡±

    ¡°With a wife like that, your future is bright.¡±

    ¡°You may get lots of beating in the future though, haha.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s ears grew red from everyone¡¯s teasing. His emotions ran wild and he recalled just how curious he was when Liang Ziwen said those things to Lu Jiao. At the time, all he wanted was to beat that guy to death.

    The memory of Liang Ziwen made his eyes go dark. The coldness around him dissipated. He didn¡¯t n on forgiving that man.

    Then, he thought of all the teasing today.

    He liked Lu Jiao?

    He knew he liked Lu Jiao somewhat but he always thought he only liked her a little. After today, he seemed to have realized that he liked her more than just somewhat.

    After the group ate, they chatted for a while longer. After that, Zheng Zhixing and the others went back home with their wives and children.

    ssmate Han was the only one who stayed behind. Xie Yunjin took him to his study so they could have some tea and chat.

    ssmate Han warned Xie Yunjin again to watch out for Liang Ziwen.

    ¡°He¡¯s evil. You have to be careful. You never know what he¡¯s plotting.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes lowered and he said solemnly, ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Should I hire some people to guard you? Just in case he chooses violence against your family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to just sit here and wait for his attack.¡±

    He then looked towards ssmate Han, ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about him. It¡¯s putting me in a bad mood.¡±

    It felt like Xie Yunjin had an idea of what he nned to do next. Therefore, ssmate Han didn¡¯t bring up that man again.

    He changed the subject to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu was truly heroic for beating up Liang Ziwen.¡± He chuckled and then added, ¡°You have to be careful now. If you make Lady Lu angry, you¡¯ll get a beating too. Even if you do get beat up, however, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll act like you¡¯ve had honey because you like her.¡±

    He then thought of Du Lanzhu and felt a little frustrated.

    The Han and Du families were simr in terms of wealth and they were involved in business together. The Du family only had one daughter, Du Lanzhu. Worried that other men may not treat her well, they chose him.

    His family thought Du Lanzhu was a good girl and ordered him to take her as his wife.

    He didn¡¯t want to marry Du Lanzhu initially due to her high-maintenance personality. His parents had told him that women were often that way but changed once they get married.

    After several years, however, Du Lanzhu remained immature and her asks of him grew even more unreasonable.

    ssmate Han decided to have a serious conversation with her tonight.

    In the study, Xie Yunjin pondered over ssmate Han¡¯sment and asked, ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±

    ssmate Hanughed, ¡°Of course. Your face gets ugly when someone, anyone, talks to your wife. When Liang Ziwen made an unsavoryment, your entire face turned green and you hit him right away.

    If you didn¡¯t like Lady Lu, you would¡¯ve remained calm like usual. No matter how much you dislike him, you wouldn¡¯t have hit him.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face flooded with softness and light practically shone from his eyes.

    He soon recalled the divorce letter he wrote Lu Jiao and quieted down.

    He had already granted Lu Jiao the separation she wanted. So what if he likes her now?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood was so down he didn¡¯t even want to talk anymore.

    Then, he remembered that he had dated the letter with a date in six months.

    The reason why he did that was to defend his family. He was worried that Lu Jiao might just pack her bags and leave if he somehow made her angry.

    Thinking back, even at times, he was subconsciously trying to keep Lu Jiao. And that was the real reason why he dated the letter forter.

    This bought him some time.

    His eyes lit up.

    ssmate Han saw the happiness on his face and his heart became sour. Howe everyone else but him got to meet a woman they actually liked?

    ssmate Han didn¡¯t want to sit here any longer. He said bye to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin said starting tomorrow, he will begin to teach students from the school and asked ssmate Han toe and study as well.

    ssmate Han nodded and went to pick up his sons.

    His sons were having so much fun, they disappeared.

    Before he could find them, Lu Gui brought them over from the back courtyard, ¡°They seem to be a little tired. My sister tried to get them to take a nap but they refused and looked for you. My sister had no choice but to ask me to bring them to you.¡±

    ssmate Han took his sons by their hands and went on his family¡¯s horse carriage.

    Behind him, Xie Yunjin stayed in his study and wondered how he could treat his pending divorce.

    ...

    Today, he discovered that he liked Lu Jiao. It wasn¡¯t just any type of like, it was the type of like where he didn¡¯t want to separate from her or allow her to leave.

    But he had given her a divorce letter. Therefore, within the next six months, he had to make Lu Jiao ept him so she wouldn¡¯t leave him or their children.

    Xie Yunjin felt like he had a good n. However, he was worried that Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t return his feelings. After all, this woman was not the same Lu Jiao he met and her ways of thinking were often different from other women.

    Xie Yunjin pondered over this for a full four hours. In the end, he finally decided to confess his feelings to Lu Jiao.

    It didn¡¯t matter if she epted him or not. He had to make sure she knew how he felt about her.

    Xie Yunjin went outside his room once he made up his mind. However, inside the yard, he saw Lu Jiao walk over with Feng Zhi.

    Their eyes met and his heart rate shot up. Instantly, he felt so scared he shifted his gaze away.

 Chapter 258 - 258 Too much to Drink

    258 Too much to Drink

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t find anything strange about Xie Yunjin. She nced at Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Are you going out for something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and asked Lu Jiao toe to his study.

    Lu Jiao came over to talk to Xie Yunjin about Liang Ziwen. She didn¡¯t have a good feeling about the man and wanted to n something with Xie Yunjin regarding him.

    ¡°That Liang Ziwen is not a kind man. He will for sure do something to hurt us. We need to think of a way to protect ourselves.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯s an evil man and we must get ahead of him.¡±

    Then, he said in a calm manner, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will think of a way to deal with him.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt better after she heard that.

    She was mostly worried that Liang Ziwen would hurt the four little ones because he knew Xie Yunjin would be difficult to harm. This was why she came here to specifically warn Xie Yunjin to proactively deal with that man. After all, the two families already dislike each other and whoever moveste would get hurt.

    It appeared that Xie Yunjin knew that, so she stopped worrying.

    She smiled and headed outside, ¡°As long as you know. I am going home now.¡±

    As she turned away, Xie Yunjin grabbed her hand.

    Lu Jiao was a little startled and stared at Xie Yunjin. She thought he was stopping her because he needed something and didn¡¯t overthink it, ¡°You need something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. With emotions dwelling in his eyes, he softly confessed, ¡°Lu Jiao, I like you.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze and disbelief was all over her face, ¡°What? Last time, you said you didn¡¯t like me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew right away she was referring to the time she asked him about his feelings. That time, he felt embarrassed and therefore changed the subject.

    ¡°I was shy back then and that was why I used you of overthinking. Now, I am certain about my feelings. I like you. I like you a lot.¡±

    Lu Jiao was truly surprised, ¡°How did that happen? I thought the woman you liked is Chen Ying.¡±

    It was Xie Yunjin¡¯s turn to be shocked, ¡°Why would I like Chen Ying? If I liked her, I would¡¯ve married her a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°But you were going to marry her, right? If you didn¡¯t like her, why would you offer to marry her?¡±

    ¡°At the time, I wanted to repay my debt and that was why I offered to marry her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin fixated his gaze on Lu Jiao, ¡°You¡¯re the only woman I like.¡±

    Given that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything afterward, Xie Yunjin grew brave. He embraced, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡­¡±

    The way he said her name petrified Lu Jiao. To her, Xie Yunjin was a stone-cold and unmalleable man. The fact that the words ¡°Jiaojiao¡± came out of his lips made her sweat cold sweat.

    ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    After she noticed that Xie Yunjin¡¯s arms were around her, Lu Jiao warned, ¡°Let go of me. Or else I will have to hit you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t let go, ¡°I¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t take it and pushed Xie Yunjin away.

    She was so strong that he was shoved back easily.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s chest felt empty and his mood crashed down a cliff. This meant Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ept him?

    Lu Jiao was looking at him emotionlessly, ¡°Last time I told you that even if you liked me, I wouldn¡¯t ept you.¡±

    She then turned around and left.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin was in pain. He acted as if he had lost it. Seeing that Lu Jiao was heading out, he called out, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him as a warning and swung around her fists, ¡°If you touch me again without my permission, then don¡¯t me me for beating you up!¡±

    She then left in giant leaps. Xie Yunjin watched her leave, crestfallen.

    He truly didn¡¯t understand why Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t ept him. She epted so many people but refused to let him in. Why was that?

    Now that Lu Jiao had rejected him so harshly, he felt so sad and ashamed. He didn¡¯t want to see anyone at the moment.

    At dinner, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t show up and the four little ones were worried.

    ¡°Mommy, where¡¯s daddy?¡±

    Lu Jiao answered, ¡°Your dad had some alcohol at lunch. He should be sleeping. Don¡¯t wake him and let him rest.¡±

    Feng Zhi came in with the dishes. Her eyes darkened a little. She gave Lu Jiao a look and didn¡¯t speak.

    She was guarding the door this afternoon and heard the entire conversation. The master had expressed his feeling for thedy and she rejected him.

    Feng Zhi was in much confusion but didn¡¯t dare to ask more. These were matters of her masters and as their servant, she couldn¡¯t really ask many questions.

    After dinner, Lu Jiao and Lu Gui washed the children and told them a bedtime story. Only once they fell asleep, did she return to the east bedroom.

    Once she was near the east bedroom door, she heard footsteps. She turned around her head and saw a handsome and cool man standing there. It was Xie Yunjin.

    What happened this afternoon made her ufortable. She asked nonchntly, ¡°Do you need something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin rubbed his eyes and acted all drowsy, ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and thought he was apologizing for overstepping the line today.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Just don¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded then lightly exined, ¡°I had too many drinks at lunch and I was hot-headed. That was why I spoke nonsense. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Lu Jiao froze a little, ¡°I don¡¯t. It¡¯ste. Go to sleep.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then left, leaving Lu Jiao deep in thought. Did he actually like her? He must like her a little. Maybe the feeling wasn¡¯t strong but at least he was thankful for her care over the past while.

    Sadly, she wasn¡¯t the real Lu Jiao and naturally couldn¡¯t ept him. More importantly, this was a novel and in the novel, Xie Yunjin eventually marries someone else. It was better for her not to meddle.

    Lu Jiao returned to her room.

    The next day, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t join the family for breakfast and asked a servant to bring him food.

    ...

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ask. Today, she was going to start renovating the front courtyard. She wanted to finish as soon as possible so the four little ones could start to y and study. Then, she could start to focus on her pharmacy and other businesses.

    At breakfast, Lu Jiao was worried the four little ones would obsess over their father¡¯s absence, so she got ahead of them and told them about the renovation.

    ¡°You¡¯re still very young. I¡¯ve thought about it and decided that you shouldn¡¯t just read those ssics. You¡¯ll have plenty of timeter in life to learn those. Let¡¯s learn some other things for now. Once you¡¯re a bit older, you can restart studying the four books and five ssics.¡±

 Chapter 259 - 259 A Piece of Log

    259 A Piece of Log

    After Lu Jiao made her statement, the First Born asked, interested, ¡°Mommy, then what should we study now?¡±

    The Second Bornughed, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to study. I want to train in martial arts.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at him with a serious gaze, ¡°If you don¡¯t study or read, you would only ever get to be a soldier, you will never get to be a general. Generals need to know more than physical fighting, they need to be tactical and know how to efficiently make formations. Everything I mentioned is an item you can only learn through studying. If you don¡¯t study, you¡¯ll only end up being a general¡¯s little horse steerer.¡±

    The Second Born was stunned. If he didn¡¯t study, he would end up only being able to keep horses for other people?

    !!

    He didn¡¯t want that.

    ¡°Mommy, I want to be a general! I don¡¯t just want to be a small soldier.¡±

    ¡°Then you must study.¡±

    Lu Jiao scanned the four little ones and meaningfully educated, ¡°Out of the four of you, some of you, like the First Born, enjoy studying. Some of you, like the Second Born, dislike it. It doesn¡¯t matter what your preference is, I want you to take learning seriously. Everyone needs to at least be a schr before going their own way.

    The schr title may not be that high up, but it¡¯s able to exempt you from hardbor and you wouldn¡¯t be mandated to pay homage to officials. Third Born, you say you want to be a doctor. Doctors in our society aren¡¯t that respected, which is even more of a reason why you should first be a schr. Fourth Born, you say you want to earn money as a businessman. Businessmen are even less honorable in our world. You should be more motivated than anyone else here to take the imperial examination and ce first.

    A first-degree schr is respected everywhere. Of course, it¡¯ll all depend on whether or not you want this. I¡¯m not going to force any of you but I am going to ask that all of you at least be a schr.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the four little ones again and asked, ¡°Tell me, do you have the confidence?¡±

    The four little ones exchanged nces and then nodded at the same time, ¡°Mommy, we understand. We are going to study hard and be schrs like daddy.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good boys. I¡¯m going to start construction in the front courtyard in a bit.¡±

    The four little ones were sessfully distracted and asked, ¡°Mommy, what kind of things are you going to teach us?¡±

    ¡°I have a lot I want to teach you. Literature, math, agronomy, art, crafts, music, role-ying games, woodwork, and reading.¡±

    All those subjects mentioned intrigued the four little ones. They started to ask all sorts of colorful questions, ¡°Mommy, what is math?¡±

    ¡°Math is being able to do additions or multiplications.¡±

    Lu Jiao had already decided to teach the four little ones Arabic numerals. In today¡¯s world, people did math by taking short sticks of wood or bamboo, known as counting rods, and disying them in patterns. It was overlyplicated.

    ¡°Momy, what is agronomy?¡±

    ¡°Agronomy is about growing crops. I¡¯m going to teach you how to observe crops and grow rice.¡±

    The four little ones grew excited, ¡°What is art, mommy?¡±

    ¡°Art is drawing or creating new designs.¡±

    ¡°What are role-ying games?¡±

    ¡°I am going to write different stories and we will each pretend to be a different character and act out the story.¡±

    The children¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Mommy, that sounds fun! I want to be a part of that!¡±

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao rushed, ¡°Enough now, let¡¯s eat. Afterward, I¡¯m going to work with the craftsmen to recreate the front courtyard.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The four little ones ate happily and forgot all about their father.

    After breakfast, Xie Yunjin took Lin Dong and headed to his rented space to teach the students four books and five ssics.

    When the two of them passed by the Su family, someone from the inside suddenly pulled open the front gate. A woman holding a bucket of water came out. As if she just noticed the two men, she stopped and alluringly smirked at Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this my new neighbor, young master Xie? Master Xie, are you going to school?¡±

    She then winked.

    Xie Yunjin coldly nced at the woman and bypassed her immediately.

    Lin Don copied Xie Yunjin and kept his face straight.

    The woman froze in ce. She didn¡¯t expect this to be the result of her moring up all morning. She felt so embarrassed she started to curse, ¡°You are a piece of log! What good use is your good looks?! You¡¯re like an idiot, not at all like a schr. You¡¯re just a bookworm!¡±

    She then sshed the bucket of water onto the street violently and returned home.

    Beside Xie Yunjin, Lin Dong angrily red at the Su family¡¯s gate, ¡°Master, she cursed at you!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold and he said to Lin Dong, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with those people. Just pretend you never saw them.¡±

    It was better for them if he didn¡¯t get involved.

    As Xie Yunjin thought it over, he took Lin Dong to his rented space. Once they arrived, a horse carriage passed by. The person inside peeked through the little one and her eyes gleamed with affection. Quickly, however, her gaze turned brisk and shemented nonchntly, ¡°Ah, which family is that young master from? How handsome.¡±

    Another woman turned to look and noticed Xie Yunjin right away.

    A simple cotton long robe and dark hair pinned by a wooden hairpin ¨C his handsome visage appeared sculpted and his natural coolness appeared to have distanced himself from everyone else.

    Such a person stood before the green bricks and wooden door like a painting.

    The woman inside the horse carriage was stunned by his beauty and mumbled, ¡°Who is that? Howe I¡¯ve never seen him?¡±

    The woman beside him grinned and said slowly, ¡°Easy peasy. Nothing can stop you, Qingyin.¡±

    Xu Qingyin, the daughter of Qinghe District¡¯s grandmander. Though she was born the daughter of a concubine, she grew up spoiled.

    At the grandmander¡¯s pce, she was the only child. Everyone in the family doted on her, even grandmander Xu himself. This had resulted in her bing spoiled and capricious.

    Xu Qingyin heard Shen Xiu¡¯s words and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    She then remembered something and said, ¡°We¡¯re here today for Zhao Hehua. Zhao Hehua must know who that man is?¡±

    Shen Xiu¡¯s eyes darkened and nodded, ¡°He must know.¡±

    The horse carriage went on its way to Zhao Hehua¡¯s home. Sadly, Zhao Hehua wasn¡¯t at home and was visiting the Xie family.

    At the Xie family home, Lu Jiao chatted with Zhao Hehua.

    ¡°Do you need something?¡±

    Zhao Hehua¡¯s eyes darted left and right. Given that Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t around, she was disappointed and she shook her head, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m here to check out your home.¡±

    ...

    She then looked around and noticed that a bunch of men were shoveling up grass and flowers. Zhao Hehua walked over in shock, ¡°What are you all doing? Why are you pulling out such perfect grass and flowers?¡±

 Chapter 260 - 260 Plotting in Secret

    260 Plotting in Secret

    Lu Jiao stayed behind her and answered calmly, ¡°I¡¯m redoing the front courtyard.¡±

    Zhao Hehua stared at Lu Jiao in surprise, ¡°Why would you redo a perfectly good courtyard?¡±

    She then recalled this ce belonged to the Han family and couldn¡¯t stop herself from asking, ¡°Did master Han agree to this?¡±

    Lu Jiao answered coolly, ¡°We bought this ce. We can change it up however we want.¡±

    !!

    Zhao Hehua¡¯s eyes widened. They purchased a property like this? This meant they must be wealthy.

    If she was able to get together with master Xie, then she may be the owner of this giant property?

    Her own family was renting their ce. How infuriating.

    Zhao Hehua nced at Lu Jiao and silently checked her out. This woman was considered good looking, but she was so fat. There was no way master Xie would like a woman this size. She figured that master Xie didn¡¯t like her but since she gave birth to four children, he allowed her to stay.

    As Zhao Hehua thought it over, she studied the garden and noticed the four little boys who were pulling up grass with uncle Lin and the others.

    ¡°Ah, your boys are very good looking. What are their names?¡±

    ¡°First, Second, Third, and Fourth Born.¡±

    Lu Jiao squinted her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to think too much when Zhao Hehua visited this morning. But now that she seemed to refuse to leave and had asked so many questions, Lu Jiao had to be skeptical. This woman had set her mind on Xie Yunjin.

    Lu Jiao thought that was funny. She looked at Zhao Hehua from head to toe and wondered what gave her the audacity to dream so wildly.

    She may be good-looking, but not so beautiful that all men would fall for her right away. She also didn¡¯t act virtuous or intelligent. She disyed no personality trait that would garner Xie Yunjin¡¯s affection.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to pay much attention to Zhao Hehua. She went to chat with the artisans about more instructions on the middle part of the courtyard. She wanted to turn that section into slides, fake caves, and other yground-like facilities.

    Since Lu Jiao ignored Zhao Hehua, she attempted to chat with the four little ones. She nned on marrying into this family, which meant she had to befriend the children.

    Before Zhao Hehua could start a conversation, however, she heard footsteps followed by the old doorman telling Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, there¡¯s a servant at our front door saying that her master wants to see Lady Zhao. She said herdy¡¯s surname is Xu.¡±

    Zhao Hehua naturally knew she was being summoned and smiled, ¡°It must be the grandmander¡¯s daughter, Qingyin. She¡¯s my good friend.¡±

    She then headed out, leaving Lu Jiao behind to stare at her speechlessly.

    Behind her, Feng Zhi leaned in closer and whispered, ¡°Lady Lu, Lady Zhao is plotting something. You must be careful.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I know. Keep an eye on her.¡±

    As long as that woman didn¡¯t overstep the line, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to waste energy on her. However, if she does do something that would be considered evil, Lu Jiao was more than willing to go ask officer Zhao how he raised his daughter.

    She¡¯s already heard rumors about how upright and frank, and how much this officer Zhao hated injustice.

    Lu Jiao went back to discussing the construction ns with the workers.

    Zhao Hehua left the Xie family home and saw the young servant at the door. She was Xu Qingyin¡¯s personal servant, Xiaoju.

    When Xiaoju saw Zhao Hehua, she announced, ¡°Lady Zhao, Lady Xu is inviting you to go over.¡±

    Zhao Hehua noticed the horse carriage was parked on the side of the alley. It was the Xu family¡¯s horse carriage.

    Zhao Hehua followed Xiaoju and once they reached the carriage, Xu Qingyin lifted up the curtains and shouted, ¡°Why are you running around so early in the morning?¡±

    Zhao Hehua smiled and said, ¡°A new neighbor moved in recently. I went to pay them a visit.¡±

    At the mention of this new neighbor, Xu Qingyin remembered the young man she saw this morning and raised an eyebrow.

    She stared at Zhao Hehua then ordered harshly, ¡°Get inside, I have some questions for you.¡±

    Zhao Hehua was used to Xu Qingyin¡¯s tone being like this. Xue Qingyin was the daughter of the grandmander, a seventh rank position. Her own father may be an officer, but he simply arrested people at the order of government officials. Their families were not of the same caliber. This was why Zhao Hehua kept on speaking honorably to Xu Qingyin.

    Without getting angry at Xu Qingyin¡¯s tone, Zhao Hehua got into the horse carriage as asked.

    Inside the cart, she noticed Shen Xiu. This woman acted weak and fragile every day. Zhao Hehua didn¡¯t like women like that.

    Zhao Hehua was born tall and somewhat stocky. Though good-looking, she was aware that men preferred delicate and feminine women. This was why Zhao Hehua didn¡¯t like them.

    ¡°Qingyin, who is this?¡±

    Xu Qingyin nced at Shen Xiu and said casually, ¡°She¡¯s my dad¡¯s new ninth concubine.¡±

    She brought Shen Xiu with her because this woman was good at reading her and doing what she wanted. Therefore, she sometimes brought her out with her.

    Zhao Hehua sarcastically smiled at Shen Xiu, ¡°Hehe, so she¡¯s another concubine your dad took in. She¡¯s not that good-looking.¡±

    Xu Qingyin didn¡¯t care much about her father. She only cared about the identity of that young, good-looking man.

    ¡°Hehua, before we arrived, we saw a very handsome young master. Do you know who that is?¡±

    The rm bell in Zhao Hehua¡¯s head rang loudly. Did Xu Qingyin set her eyes on master Xie?

    She was aware of how picky Xu Qingyin was. This was why she was still single.

    Naturally, Zhao Hehua wasn¡¯t about to tell Xu Qingyin about Xie Yunjin. She didn¡¯t want Xu Qingyin to steal the man she wanted for herself.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Xu Qingyin was disappointed by the answer. Shen Xiu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Lady Zhao, you don¡¯t look well. Are you hiding information from Lady Xu?¡±

    Shen Xiu coldly smiled. That woman dared to taunt her just now? That woman looked down on her? She¡¯ll teach her a lesson.

    Xu Qingyin started to stare at Zhao Hehua then, which made Zhao Hehua even more nervous.

    Xu Qingyin noticed how strange Zhao Hehua acted and pulled on her hair, hard, ¡°Speak. Are you hiding stuff from me? If I ever find out that you concealed information, I will hit you.¡±

    Zhao Hehua didn¡¯t dare to protest despite having her hair pulled. She begged, ¡°Qingyin, I don¡¯t want to tell you for your own good. That master has a wife and four sons. I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know.¡±

    Xu Qingyin froze and loosened her grip.

    Zhao Hehua distanced herself.

    Inside the carriage, Shen Xiu spoke up again calmly, ¡°Lady Xu, since he¡¯s married, let¡¯s let him go. With your looks and your capability, you can find whoever you want. You are too good to be with a man who already has a wife. There¡¯s no way that man¡¯s wife isparable to you. I am certain of it. If that man ever sees you, he may do something as ridiculous as divorcing his wife on the spot.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 261 No Rush. Take it Slow

    Chapter 261 No Rush. Take it Slow

    Shen Xiu may appear to beplimenting Xu Qingyin when in actuality, she was hinting her to take action. Xu Qingyin was tempted after she listened to Shen Xiu.

    She was the wealthy daughter of the grandmander. Nobody in this city could bepared to her. If that young master did fancy her, he may just divorce his wife for her.

    However, Xu Qingyin was a little worried. That man wasn''t just married - he also had children. If she married him, she would be a stepmother. She didn''t really want that.

    For now, she didn''tment on that.

    Shen Xiu wasn''t in a rush. She was okay taking this slowly. Since Lu Jiao dared to steal Xie Yunjin away from Shen Xiu, Shen Xiu would find a woman to take Xie Yunjin away from Lu Jiao. Once she seeds, she''ll watch how hard Lu Jiao cries.

    "Lady Xu, it''ste. Let''s get back. Or else we won''t get the chance to give themander the pastries you bought."

    This morning, Shen Xiu convinced Xu Qingyin to get out of her house early to buy pastries for her father. She told Xu Qingyin that his father would only continue to spoil her if she did so.

    Xu Qingyin believed Shen Xiu and came out to buy the pastries. Then, Shen Xiu mentioned that they were close to where Zhao Hehua lived and asked whether or not Xu Qingyin wanted to visit Zhao Hehua and invite her to the banquet she was nning for tomorrow.

    Xu Qingyin didn''t decline. After all, they were on the way. Everything that happened this morning was nned out by Shen Xiu and her only goal was for Xu Qingyin to run into Xie Yunjin.

    Inside the horse carriage, Xu Qingyin and Zhao Hehua failed to recognize Shen Xiu''s dark plots. Zhao Hehua even chimed in tofort Xu Qingyin, "Yeah, Qingyin, you can get any man you want. That master Xie has a wife and quadruplets."

    Xu Qingyin couldn''t help but look at Zhao Hehua, "Ah, so hisst name is Xie. What''s his full name?"

    Zhao Hehua nced back in disbelief. That wasn''t the point of this conversation.

    Since Xu Qingyin was staring, Zhao Hehua could only say, "His name is Xie Yunjin. He''s a student studying in the city. I heard from my parents that he ced first in his prefectural exam to be a schr.

    Now that more information had been revealed, Xu Qingyin''s heart fluttered. Her own father had talked about this Xie Yunjin. Back when Xie Yunjin ced first on his exam, the magistrate praised him profusely. At the time, the grandmander felt regretful andmented that if the schr wasn''t married, he would''ve assigned him to marry his daughter.

    She had no idea the person she saw this morning was that schr. Her father had told her that this schr will for sure pass the provincial exam, then the imperial one.

    Those who pass the imperial examination will be government officials. Her own father, grandmander Xu, had to pay lots of money to get rmended for the job he had.

    Grandmanders who got their jobs through rmendation could only go as far as the seventh rank.

    Those who were able to acquire the job by doing well on exams could go as far as the second or the third rank. Someone as capable as Xie Yunjin will for sure get there.

    That would make her the wife of a second or third ranked official. On top of that, that man was just so handsome.

    The more Xu Qingyin thought about it, the more excited she got. Shen Xiu knew right away that Xue Qingyin was tempted.

    Shen Xiu added, "I''ve heard from your father that schr Xie will ce first in the uing exam. He has a bright future."

    Herment made both women want Xie Yunjin.

    Shen Xiu secretly snickered. Ah, Lu Jiao, now two women had their eyes set on Xie Yunjin, will she have any more peaceful days?

    Lu Jiao didn''t know about any of this. She was directing people around in her courtyard. She had asked the workers to rent the flowers they pulled up into pots. Then, she asked them to ce the pots under the eaves of the verandah. This way, the entire courtyard would be filled with scents from the flowers.

    Lu Jiao wasn''t worried that her nts and flowers would die. She had spiritual stream water after all.

    The four little ones were busy running in and out of the courtyard to help. The entire Xie courtyard became busy and energetic.

    At noon, Xie Yunjin didn''te back for lunch and Lu Jiao didn''t care.

    For dinner, he did return and his demeanor was normal - it was as if nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened.

    Lu Jiao rxed given that he acted normal and didn''t obsess over what happened.

    Xie Yunjin peeked at Lu Jiao and silently decided to take it slow. He was confident that there was something he could do to move that woman.

    Just like ssmate Han said today, independent women were afraid of clingy men. He didn''t believe that there was no way Lu Jiao would ever be interested.

    The bottom line was, he wasn''t okay with letting Lu Jiao go just like that.

    Since he couldn''t let her go, then he was going to do everything in his power to make her fall for him. Once she falls for him, she won''t leave anymore.

    That thought brightened Xi Yunjin''s mood and everything felt so clear. It was as if on his foggy journey, someone had given him amp that cleared his vision and showed him his way.

    He shouldn''t have rushed it and triggered Lu Jiao''s annoyance.

    At the dinner table, the family restored its usual harmoniousness.

    The four little ones told their daddy everything their mommy did today. They talked over one another to tell the stories.

    Xie Yunjin smiled out of happiness as he listened. How could they ever leave Lu Jiao? If Lu Jiao left, the four little ones would never be happy again. He would never be happy again. If she left, there would always be something missing in their lives. Therefore, he couldn''t let Lu Jiao go.

    At the dinner table, Xie Yunjin picked up a piece of yam and ced it in Lu Jiao''s bowl, "You worked hard today. Eat more."

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and almost gave the yam back to him.

    But across from her were four little ones and one adult staring at him.

    The four little ones were grinning. Lu Jiao had no choice but to eat the yam.

    The boys smiled.

    Lu Gui nced at his sister, then at his brother-inw. More and more he felt like his brother-inw was spoiling his sister these days.

    The feeling he once had returned - his brother-inw didn''t feel that distant anymore.

    Was he wrong again?

    Lu Gui had his suspicions while the four little ones ate happily.

    The look in Xie Yunjin''s eyes was normal. Lu Jiao had wondered for a second if he hadn''t given up and was doing things to make her stay. But since he went back to acting normal and didn''t make any more advances, she figured she was overthinking.

    Lu Jiao calmed down and finished her meal. Afterward, Xie Yunjin helped Lu Jiao with bathing the children.

    The two of them casually conversed. It was mostly Lu Jiao asking Xie Yunjin about his teaching job. Xie Yunjin said he wasn''t worried about the students. Silently, he admitted that he was more worried about how to deal with Liang Ziwen.

    If he doesn''t do something soon, that person will act like a thorn that will stab them sooner orter.

    Xie Yunjin''s eyes darkened a little as he continued telling Lu Jiao about his students, "They''re good Plus, I opened a bookstore with ssmate Han before, remember? That store carries all sorts of students. I point out the key points to them and guide them.

    books including guides for the exam and practice problems. I assigned them homework and pinpointed key problems that they must learn to solve."

    Lu Jiao gave Xie Yunjin a shocked nce. This man sure knew what he was doing. He was essentially hosting exam cram sessions like students went to in her previous world.

 Chapter 262 Conversing was an Intricate Art

    Chapter 262 Conversing was an Intricate Art

    Xie Yunjin asked warmly, "What''s wrong?"

    Lu Jiao shook her head. From outside, Feng Zhi walked in with an invitation.

    "Ma''am, Baohe Tang sent you an invitation. It is an invite for you to attend their grand opening ceremony tomorrow."

    Lu Jiao responded in shock, "They''re opening tomorrow? That was fast."

    She thought Baohe Tang would need some more time to prepare before they opened. Who knew they would start business again so quickly?

    Lu Jiao thought about it and decided that they must''ve acquired someone else''s operating business. That was why they were able to open so quickly.

    "What did the messenger say?"

    "I think the messenger was just one of the workers from Baohe Tang. He said the owner wanted to let you know that they bought the clinic from someone else. The business wasn''t good so the previous owner sold. The new owner took a bit of time to clean everything up before reopening. He also asked for your attendance tomorrow."

    Of course, Lu Jiao was going to attend. She had a third stake in that business, why would she not go?

    "Okay, I got it."

    Feng Zhi left. Lu Jiao opened the invitation and saw that it was simply a piece of paper that asked for her attendance.

    Lu Jiao couldn''t help but smile while Xie Yunjin studied her solemnly.

    Lu Jiao asked him casually, "What''s wrong?"

    Xie Yunjin knew that Lu Jiao had made up her mind and talking about it more likely won''t result in fruition. He shook his head, "Nothing. Are you going to Baohe Tang''s grand opening then?"

    Lu Jiao was in a great mood, "Definitely."

    Xie Yunjin''s eyes darkened. He silently decided to keep an eye on Baohe Tang''s owner. If he ever digs up any dirt on that man, he will act ordingly.

    Xie Yunjin then smiled at Lu Jiao, "Congrattions on the grand opening of Baohe Tang."

    His words deepened Lu Jiao''s smile.

    Though her smile was somewhat blinding, the tension between the two of them appeared to have eased.

    When he saw how happy Lu Jiao was, Xie Yunjin discovered that conversing was an intricate art. See, if he objected to this matter again, it would''ve resulted in a fight between the two of them and their rtionship would''ve gotten hurt. But cheering Lu Jiao on made her so happy.

    Xie Yunjin appeared to have learned from this. He grinned and stood up, "Since you''re going to Baohe Tang tomorrow, you should sleep early."

    He then left. Lu Jiao was very satisfied with his attitude.

    The next day, Lu Jiao didn''t rush it. She first cleared more areas of the front courtyard. She needed to bring some people with her to the city center in order to purchase some wood.

    She wasn''t familiar with the city at all and didn''t know where she would be able to purchase what she needed. Therefore, after breakfast, she asked Xie Yunjin, "Do you know where I can buy some wood in the city? I need some so the craftsmen can start making things out of them."

    Xie Yunjin asked caringly, "Aren''t you going to Baohe Tang today? When will you have the time to buy the materials as well? How about I go buy what you need for you? I may not know much about the properties of wood, but I can bring some artisans with me."

    Then, the four little ones demanded, "Daddy, mommy, let''s go together. We want to go too."

    Lu Jiao thought about it and then agreed. Baohe Tang won''t open until around noon, which gave her time to visit the stores beforehand anyway.

    Taking the four little ones into the city to look around was a good idea. It was important for children to meet people while they were young. Only then, will they get over their social anxiety and grow braver.

    "Sure, let''s go together."

    Lu Gui also chimed in, "Sister, I want to go as well."

    "Come,e."

    The family plus Lu Gui then headed out.

    Out in the front courtyard, however, their neighbor''s daughter, Zhao Hehua, was visiting again.

    Lu Jiao was impatient now. Since Zhao Hehua wanted to get with Xie Yunjin, she kept on intruding on their home. This was very inconvenient.

    Sadly, this young woman had no self-awareness. When she saw Xie Yunjin, she became blind to everyone else. Xie Yunjin was all she could see.

    "Brother Xie, are you going shopping? If you are, I can take you."

    The four little ones grew cautious right away. They hated women who were too eager to talk to their father.

    They were traumatized from their days back in the vige.

    The First Born spoke first, "My daddy doesn''t even know you. Why do you refer to him as ''brother''?"

    The Second Born stared at Zhao Hehua andmented, "Are you trying to be my daddy''s concubine? My daddy has vowed to never get concubines."

    The Third Born evaluated Zhao Hehua, "You''re too tall and too dark. Your eyes are too small. You''re not my daddy''s type."

    The Four Born added salt to the wound, "My daddy likes pretty women, like my mommy. My mommy is an angel sent from the sky."

    Zhao Hehua was stunned by the words that came out of the four little ones'' mouths. Once she realized what was said, she started to cry.

    She looked at Xie Yunjin, "Brother Xie, how can your children talk like this?"

    She then nced at Lu Jiao to indicate that it was his wife''s fault that his children were so rude.

    Xie Yunjin''s expression was ugly. He hasn''t even managed to get Lu Jiao to stay and there were already people getting in his way. He was highly exasperated and his eyes oozed with coldness.

    "Lady Zhao, we are not close. Please don''t call me ''brother''. Calling me that may cause a misunderstanding. We are merely neighbors - new neighbors at that. I also don''t like to be in contact with women."

    He then looked towards uncle Wen and ordered, "Uncle Wen, from now on, report all visitors to us. Whether or not we agree to see them will be up to us."

    Uncle Wen agreed. He honestly didn''t like that Lady Zhao either. It was obvious to him that she had poor intentions.

    However, given that the Zhaos were their neighbor and the fact that Lady Zhao''s father was an officer, uncle Wen was worried she would get offended and stir up more trouble. That was why he endured her presence. Now that his master had given him orders, he had no more reasons to be patient.

    Old man Wen bluntly walked over to escort Zhao Hehua out, "Lady Zhao, this way. My masters have things to do."

    Zhao Hehua cried loudly and shrieked, "You''re very rude! I''m going to tell my father this."

    She then ran away. As she ran out the gate, she thought silently to herself about how she originally came today to warn Lu Jiao about the grandmander''s daughter. Since they decided to treat her this way, she had no reason to warn them. Hmmph!

    After Zhao Hehua left, Xie Yunjin said sternly, "We need to keep our distance from the Zhao family. They aren''t very nice."

    Lu Jiao agreed, "We know. Let''s go buy some wood."

    She honestly had no idea how officer Zhao managed to give birth to a daughter like that. Plus, Lady Lu, the wife of the family, was such a kind and respectful woman. She''s also met the family''s younger daughter. Their younger daughter was very self-aware and very friendly. Their older daughter was definitely the odd one out.

    The family, along with the an artisan, headed to the street that sold construction materials.

 Chapter 263 - 263 Cross Dressing

    263 Cross Dressing

    As the group traveled, Xie Yunjin asked the artisans to tell him more about the city.

    Though Xie Yunjin studied here, he rarely shopped or had fun in the city. For the past few years, he spent all his time worrying about the four little ones when he wasn¡¯t studying.

    Therefore, despite spending five to six years here, he didn¡¯t know much about the city.

    The artisans ssmate Han brought were locals and were very familiar with the city. This was why Xie Yunjin asked them to show him around.

    !!

    One of the artisans was very friendly and told the family everything he knew about the city and about all the important people in the city.

    ¡°Our county is poorer than other counties. However, our magistrate Hu is an upright guy. Under him is the grandmander Xu. Grandmander Xu has no sons and is more focused on giving birth to a son than on his job. He¡¯s been going around looking for concubines in order to get a son. I heard he has nine concubines but as of now, he¡¯s only got one daughter.¡±

    The artisan was very happy to be gossiping.

    Xie Yunjin however, wasn¡¯t that interested and interrupted, ¡°Do you know the county magistrate¡¯s assistant Yang? What¡¯s he like?¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked about him because of Luo Xinwument.

    The artisan responded, ¡°He¡¯s great. There¡¯s also administrator Peng, who¡¯s also great. The two of them are very dutiful. However, given that our county is very poor, they don¡¯t have a lot of ie and their families are very poor. Let me tell you, both assistant Yang and administrator Peng wear clothes that have been patched up.¡±

    Inside the carriage, Xie Yunjin frowned. Either those two were far too humble or they were far too cunning. As a county magistrate¡¯s assistant and administrator, they had enough to not dress like that.

    Lu Jiao followed up, ¡°Do they enjoy donating money to their neighbors?¡±

    If that were the case, theirck of wealth could be exined. Some people enjoy helping others with their money.

    The artisan shook his head, ¡°No, they are already poor and they have no money to help others.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t ask any more questions. The artisan then started talking about the merchants in the city.

    ¡°Though the county is poor, there are a few wealthy families around. Merchants in the city, for example, have lots of money. The richest of them all would be Zhang, Liang, Cao, and Wang. Those four families are the wealthiest and they all managed to set up influential partners for their children. Because of this, even the magistrate himself treats them with respect.¡±

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged nces. Zhang, Liang, Cao, and Wang¡­ Liang Ziwen was a part of that list and that was why he acted so arrogantly and even treated Hu Shan poorly. This was all due to his family name.

    Lu Jiao leaned into Xie Yunjin and whispered, ¡°We have to be careful of the Liang family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°I will.¡±

    Since the rivalry between him and the Liang family had already formed, he had to be protective rather than reactive.

    The horse carriage arrived at the street with merchants.

    Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, Lu Gui, and the four little ones got out of the carriage. The artisan also got out from beside the coachman.

    Since the slides and the fake cave were going to be outdoors all year round, Lu Jiao wanted to use wood that was sturdy. Logically, she should use stic given stic wasn¡¯t afraid of wind, rain or the Sun. Sadly, no such thing existed in this era so wood was her only option.

    Once the four little ones grow old enough and no longer need the yground, she¡¯ll turn the space into a garden.

    Lu Jiao brought the enthusiastic four little ones to the store. After lots of picking and selecting, she chose rosewood.

    After she made up her mind, she asked the shopkeeper to cut the wood up. This shop delivered wood for free.

    Lu Jiao paid for it. She didn¡¯t rush home right away and instead, took the four little ones with Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui to stroll around the city center.

    Since everyone in this family was good-looking, they attracted much attention. Lots of people pointed at them and discussed them. Of course, most of thements were positive. Despite that, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t enjoy the attention and soon left for home with the four little ones.

    She did make several purchases before going home, such as decorations for the four little ones, and different types of food. She also bought lots of fabric and textiles for Xie Yunjin.

    Aunt Qiu imed that she was able to sew anything, from clothing to shoes. Feng Zhi also said she knew how to sew. Therefore, Lu Jiao bought what was needed to make new clothes.

    Other than for herself, she bought enough material for two new sets of clothes for each of the servants as well. She thought of these new clothes as benefits provided to them by the family.

    Lu Jiao then bought two sets of men¡¯s clothing for herself and Feng Zhi. When she did that, Xie Yunjin and Fu Gui stared and asked curiously, ¡°Why are you buying that?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°I n on going to Baohe Tang dressed as a man.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was quick to support, ¡°Great idea!¡±

    Then he studied her and added, ¡°Even with men¡¯s clothing, your face doesn¡¯t look masculine.¡±

    Lu Jiao had an egg-shaped face with silky smooth skin and watery eyes. She was obviously a woman and men¡¯s clothing may make her uniquely alluring.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s imagination made him worry that she may attract more attention.

    Lu Jiao waved around her hand, ¡± Don¡¯t worry, I will make sure I don¡¯t draw attention.¡±

    She then waved down the horse carriage and went home.

    At the Xie family home, Lu Jiao dressed in the back courtyard. First, she used the dark powder she purchased to cover her face in order to make her skin appear more tanned. She then used a brow pen to thicken up her brows. Finally, she dotted her face a little to create the illusion of moles.

    After this, she no longer appeared as attractive as she normally was. Now, she looked very average.

    When the four little ones saw her in men¡¯s clothing looking like that, they didn¡¯t even dare to call out to her.

    In the end, it was Lu Gui who spoke first, ¡°Sister, why did you make yourself look like that?¡±

    Only then did the four little ones confirm that this person was their mother.

    The Third Born was in disbelief. He¡¯s always tried to be more handsome so why did his mother turn herself ugly?

    Xie Yunjin was very pleased with the result. Lu Jiao¡¯s current state put him in a great mood.

    ¡°She is going to be a regr doctor at Baohe Tang. As a woman, a pretty one at that, it¡¯s hard to gain the trust of the patients since normally, people don¡¯t find attractive women to be capable. So she must conceal her identity.¡±

    The First Born asked quickly, ¡°When you¡¯re ugly, people trust you?¡±

    Ah, how unbelievable. Howe ugly people could gain trust but pretty ones couldn¡¯t?

 Chapter 264 It was Lu Jiao who Operated

    264 It was Lu Jiao who Operated

    Xie Yunjin carefully exined, "Adults tend to judge people based on their appearances. For example, if you see a child, you may subconsciously decide that the child is weak. Sometimes, however, a child can be strong. Another example is if you see a weak and sick beggar on the street, you may pity him. However, sometimes, the beggar might be a non-blinking evil thief. This is why you shouldn''t draw conclusions based on people''s appearances only. You should get to know the person and judge them based on how they handle things. Remember that."

    The four little ones nodded, "Daddy, we understand."

    Since it waste, Lu Jiao patted the four little ones'' heads, "You boys stay home with uncle and I will go to Baohe Tang."

    Given that it was Baohe Tang''s grand opening, there must be iing patients today. Even if nonee today, Zhao Lingfeng would still hire some actor to make it look like the clinic was a hot spot.

    The four little ones wanted to tag along.

    "Mommy, we want to go too."

    There was no way Lu Jiao would take them today. There were going to be a lot of people.

    Lu Jiao told the four little ones, "I have serious business to do today. Once I''m freer, I''ll bring you. Ah, also, you need to stay with your uncle and keep an eye on the front courtyard for me."

    The four little ones were sessfully distracted. They nodded and expressed, "Mommy, don''t worry, we will help you."

    "Yes, we promise to aplish the task."

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged a few more words with the four little ones before they headed to the front courtyard. On the way there, Xie Yunjin cautioned Feng Zhi, "Please keep an eye on my wife. Don''t let anyone hurt her."

    Lu Jiao didn''t even want to bring Feng Zhi but Xie Yunjin persisted that she brought her along.

    Lu Jiao didn''t think it was worth fighting over this and agreed.

    Feng Zhi nodded, "Master, don''t worry. I will keep an eye on Lady Lu."

    Lu Jiao noticed how he carefully instructed Feng Zhi and couldn''t help but feel a warmth wash over her.

    Xie Yunjin walked them all the way to the horse carriage and added, "If you need anything, you can send someone for me. I''ll be teaching at the ce I rented."

    "Okay."

    The horse carriage headed towards Baohe Tang. Behind them, Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong went to the house not far away from there.

    Today, all the students Xie Yunjin taught were sons of merchants. Of course, the children went beyond the four richest families and most of them were onlyfortably wealthy. These people also didn''t have the reputation of being bullies. If they were, Xie Yunjin wouldn''t be teaching them.

    The dean obviously knew Xie Yunjin''s personality and therefore didn''t pick people Xie Yunjin disliked.

    "Brother Yunjin, you''re here. Can you please look over the scripture I wrote yesterday?"

    "I wrote an essay yesterday regarding filial piety. Can you please have a read?"

    "I drafted some poemsst night. Please give me some feedback."

    Xie Yunjin studied these students and then nodded, "Everyone,e with me."

    He had a room all for himself. Sometimes, ssmate Han would join him here to study.

    The students followed Xie Yunjin inside. Once everyone got seated, he started to read everything the students had written. He then gave each one of them constructive feedback before he sent them back out to rewrite.

    Xie Yunjin took the chance to have some water. Outside, Lin Dong walked in and announced, "Master, master Hu Shan is here."

    Xie Yunjin felt anger grow inside him. If it weren''t for Hu Shan, he would never''ve offended Liang Ziwen.

    "Let him in."

    Lin Dong let Hu Shan in.

    Hu Shan knew he was in the wrong and spoke first, "Yunjin, don''t be mad. Everything is my fault. I have talked to Liang Ziwen and he has agreed to not dwell on the fact that your wife and you hit him."

    Xie Yunjin stared at Hu Shan in disbelief, "Hu Shan, how can you be so na?ve? You really think Liang Ziwen is the kind of person to just let this go?

    Hu Shan was a little frustrated and stared at Xie Yunjin angrily.

    Before he could speak, Xie Yunjin added, "You really think that just because you''re the son of the magistrate, your words mean something to Liang Ziwen? You truly are arrogant."

    Hu Shan didn''t expect Xie Yunjin to say things that were so hard to hear. His face turned cold and he angrily shouted, "Xie Yunjin, why must you think so poorly of others? Liang Ziwen had agreed to not dwell on what happened, yet you don''t believe him.

    I helped you out of the goodness of my heart. Instead of thanking me, you mock me? You''re truly impossible."

    Xie Yunjin coldly snickered, "Ha, you were the one who caused me this much trouble yet you''re asking me to thank you? How underdeveloped is your brain? Please keep your distance from us. You may cause my family even more trouble."

    Based on what Xie Yunjin learned from the artisan today, he knew magistrate Hu was essentially a puppet who got to keep his title. Yet this young master still acted fearless and thoughtless.

    Xie Yunjin didn''t want such a friend. People like him may hurt him in the future.

    Hu Shan angrily yelled, "Who wants to be close to you anyway?! If your wife didn''t save my wife, I never would''ve talked to you. How cocky are you!"

    Xie Yunjin smacked back, "If you want to thank someone, you should thank Dr. Qi."

    Because Hu Shan was angry, he forgot what his wife had told him to keep hush. Furiously, he let it slip, "Your wife was the one who saved my wife. Why would I go and thank Dr. Qi?!"

    Xie Yunjin opened his lips, "How''s that rted to my wi-"

    He stopped suddenly as various memories shed across his brain.

    Such as how much respect Zhao Lingfeng and Dr. Qi had shown Lu Jiao all this time. Such as how Baohe Tang sent a horse carriage to pick up Lu Jiao when an arrow shot someone. Such as when Hu Shan''s wife was inbor, Baohe Tang sought Lu Jiao''s help. Such as the words that wereing out of Hu Shan''s mouth.

    Xie Yunjin''s heart rate increased and his brain buzzed.

    He snapped his head up, "My wife saved your wife. Yet you repay me by bringing Liang Ziwen to my home and cause my family trouble? Hu Shan, are you even human?"

    Hu Shan knew then that Xie Yunjin was aware that it was Lu Jiao who performed surgery on his wife to save her and her child. He mumbled, "It wasn''t my intention. Plus, I have already asked Liang Ziwen to drop this."

    Xie Yunjin couldn''t hear anything anymore and only one thought swayed in his head.

    It wasn''t Dr. Qi who operated on his legs ¨C it was Lu Jiao. Not only did she save him, but she also saved the man who was shot by the arrow and Hu Shan''s wife. There was a reason why Baohe Tang''s owner Zhang and Dr. Qi treated her with the utmost respect. That 1/3 share Zhao Lingfeng offered also made sense now.

    Her medical skills were so out of the world that Zhao Lingfeng naturally wanted to keep her close.

 Chapter 265 I want to see her

    265 I want to see her

    Xie Yunjin''s heart thumped up and down and it went from cold to hot.

    If Lu Jiao sessfully operated on his legs, that meant she gave him a second chance at life.

    At the moment, he felt like even if he broke every bone in his body for her, it still wouldn''t be enough to repay what she''s done for him.

    Lu Jiao operated on him to save his life yet she''s said nothing to him.

    Xie Yunjin''s heart cooled back down.

    His handsome face turned into blotches of green and white. Hu Shan had no idea what was going on and he didn''t dare to speak.

    Xie Yunjin took a second to calm down then said to Hu Shan, "If you truly want to thank my wife for saving the lives of your wife and son, you should stay away from us."

    There is littlemon ground for people with vastly different principles. Hu Shan''s friends were not good people and he didn''t even know to be scared of them. This might cause Xie Yunjin trouble.

    It was Hu Shan''s turn to be green in the face. In the end, he gritted his teeth and left, "You think I want to be close to you?!"

    Soon after he left, ssmate Han walked in.

    When he saw the look on Xie Yunjin''s face, he became worried.

    "Yunjin, what happened? Are you sick?"

    Xie Yunjin suddenly grabbed ssmate Han''s hand, "ssmate Han, do you know who healed my legs?"

    ssmate Han raised an eyebrow, "Wasn''t it Dr. Qi?"

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, "No. It was Lu Jiao. She operated on my legs."

    "Huh?!" ssmate Han opened his mouth wide. Lu Jiao performed surgery?

    He was very aware of howplicated that surgery was. Before, the Dr. Shi he invitedplimented the surgeon profusely and imed that even medical doctors could not do such a ster job.

    Yet Xie Yunjin was telling him that it was Lady Lu who did the surgery?

    ssmate Han felt lost and nkly asked, "Maybe you are mistaken?"

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. He''s never thought deeply about it before and now that he has, he realized how great of a doctor Lu Jiao was. She may not be a pioneer in the field, but she was still very capable. There was no other reason why Baohe Tang would do so much to retain her. Not only did they offer her ownership, they even agreed to all her strange rules. Such as how she was going to charge some people 5,000 taels of silver and others 500.

    She was able to be unreasonable because she was so capable. Since Baohe Tang wanted to keep her, they had to do what she said.

    "It was her. She''s a great doctor. Have you forgotten about how she pulled a barbed arrow out of someone in the middle of the night? Also, Hu Shan''s wife suffered from dystocia and Lu Jiao had to operate on her to save her life."

    The more Xie Yunjin retold those stories, the more certain he was that Lu Jiao was the one who healed him.

    "You know, she once saved someone who jumped into the river and stopped breathing. She dewormed all the children in the vige. You know, there was actually a worm inside one of the children''s stomachs? My master once almost died and she saved him."

    The more Xie Yunjin talked, the more ssmate Han''s heart pounded.

    How miraculous. How was Lady Lu so knowledgeable?

    "She''s a miracle doctor. Yunjin, if your wife is so capable, she''ll be able to help us if we ever get sick. You should be happy."

    Xie Yunjin asked, "But howe she didn''t tell me that she was the one who operated?"

    ssmate Han knew why this bothered Xie Yunjin.

    "She probably didn''t think you would believe she''s capable so she didn''t tell you."

    Xie Yunjin jolted at the remainder. He was right. At the time, he wouldn''t have agreed if Lu Jiao suggested doing surgery herself.

    She was afraid he wouldn''t agree, she used Dr. Qi as a facade. No matter what her mentality was at the time, all he cared about right now was that she cured his legs.

    Xie Yunjin shot up and wanted to get out. ssmate Han asked quickly, "Where are you going?"

    "To find her."

    He wanted to see her this very second.

    ssmate Han didn''t stop him.

    Along with Lin Dong, Xie Yunjin headed to Baohe Tang, which was two streets away.

    There, including Lu Jiao, were four doctors.

    Zhao Lingfeng introduced Lu Jiao to the other two doctors, "Master Lu is going to be our lead doctor."

    Other than Qi Lei, the other two doctors were unhappy about the decision. How could someone so young and inexperienced be the lead? How''s that justified?

    Qi Lei excitedly shouted, "He should be! My master deserves this!"

    The two doctors stared in shock. That young boy was Dr. Qi''s master? Was that true?

    "Dr. Qi, this is your master?"

    Qi Lei nodded, "Naturally. My master is an amazing doctor. Today, he''ll show you how this universe has no limit."

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Beside her, Zhao Lingfeng said, "Okay, are you guys ready? We are going to open now."

    The space here was a lot bigger than what Baohe Tang had back in Qili. There were fourrge connected shops up front, two rows of rooms on each side, and a small building out in the back. The size of this was way bigger than before.

    This space was originally passed down from generation to generation. However, the younger generation of doctors was not good enough and therefore faced bankruptcy. Zhao Lingfeng offered a lot of money for this and rebranded it to Baohe Tang.

    Other than manager Li, there were four doctors and five general workers. When everyone heard owner Zhao, they announced in unison, "We''re ready."

    Zhao Lingfeng had spread the word that Baohe Tang was opening today and offered free consultation. The doctors were going to consult patients for free and write them prescriptions. Therefore, before the shop even opened, long lines had formed.

    Zhao Lingfeng asked the workers to open the door and set off firecrackers.

    Quickly, the loud noises of firecrackers surrounded the area. Manager Li regted the lines outside and each worker went to their post.

    As the lead doctor, Lu Jiao wasn''t going to see patients withmon symptoms. She was the freest out of everyone here.

    Just then, a fat man walked in. The moment he walked in, a gross smelly scent spread through the shop. Lu Jiao observed and noticed the smell wasing from the man''s feet.

    Many people started to mumble, "Is that businessman Liu? He''s here for his feet again? I heard he went to many ces and none managed to treat him."

    "Baohe Tang needs to be careful. I heard that guy smashed up many stores."

    "Really?"

    "Let''s watch."

    Manager Li personally greeted this businessman named Liu Fu and led him to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Fu studied Lu Jiao for a long while before he confirmed, "This is the capable doctor you are referring me to?"

    Manager Li nodded, "That''s right. He''s a great doctor and will be able to help you."

    Manager Li peeked at Lu Jiao, who nodded at him. Manager Li sighed in relief.

    Liu Fu didn''t believe Lu Jiao could cure him. He came today so that Zhao Lingfeng would owe him a favor. That man was the third young master from the official residence of the marquees of Yongning. He had to show his support.

    "Okay, then help me take a look."

    Lu Jiao didn''t even need to see to know this man had Tinea Pedis.

    However, she didn''t know what type he had.

    There are several types of Tinea Pedis, vesicr Tinea Pedis, erosive Tinea Pedis, scaly Tinea Pedis, and keratotic Tinea Pedis.

 Chapter 266 - 266 Thank You

    266 Thank You

    Lu Jiao¡¯s best guesses were that he either had the vesicr kind or the erosive kind.

    When he saw how calm Lu Jiao appeared, the businessman¡¯s tense heart rxed a little. Every time he went to a clinic, the doctor there reacted like they couldn¡¯t bear the sight of his foot. It always infuriated him and resulted in him losing self-control.

    He was already angry that he had such a disease and it stressed him out. Yet all the doctors acted like he was gross. How could he let that go?

    Liu Fu¡¯s feet were already stinky. Once he removed his socks, the entire strip could smell that scent.

    Everyone subconsciously pinched their noses. Lu Jiao cooly took out a handkerchief and covered her nose.

    Though her action was rude, because she did it confidently without making a face, it wasn¡¯t exactly annoying.

    After Lu Jiao¡¯s inspection, she concluded that this man had the erosive kind of tinea pedis. From his third to fifth toe, they all rotted and were whitish in color. This meant his toes constantly itched to the point where it might feel better to chop them off.

    After Lu Jiao checked out his feet, she felt his pulse. Finally, she said to him, ¡°You have tinea pedis, a fungal infection. People who sweat a lot tend to contract this. Not only do you have tinea pedis, you also have hyperhidrosis. Your body is weak and that is why you ended up with this disease. Treating the tinea pedis isn¡¯t enough. You need to cure your hyperhidrosis by losing weight.¡±

    The businessman only cared about one thing, ¡°Can you treat it or not?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at him, ¡°If you cooperate, I can treat it.¡±

    The businessman man stared in disbelief. Was she for real? He didn¡¯t know how to react. Everyone else in the shop, however, muttered, ¡°Is he lying? He must be lying.¡±

    ¡°I also think he¡¯s lying. He looks so young.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe him.¡±

    ¡°Businessman Lu¡¯s been to a lot of doctors and nobody¡¯s managed to treat him. How could such a young doctor know what to do?¡±

    ¡°Baohe Tang is a scam.¡±

    There were all sorts ofments. Businessman Lu, however, confirmed with Lu Jiao again, ¡°You can treat it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Lu Jiao spoke confidently. The others in the shop started to shout, ¡°Young man, you shouldn¡¯t talk too big. You may embarrass yourself if you fail now. If you fail, he¡¯s not going to forgive you.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Qi Lei chimed in, ¡°If my master says he can do it, he can.¡±

    Then, a cold voice cut across the store.

    ¡°Master?¡±

    Xie Yunjin walked in then. His gaze fell on Qi Lei before he nced at Lu Jiao.

    So Qi Lei and Lu Jiao were close because he was her apprentice?

    Now that he realized Lu Jiao was a surgeon, he understood that it made sense for Qi Lei to want to be Lu Jiao¡¯s apprentice. It was just that, he never knew that fact.

    This made Xie Yunjin feel so sour. Thinking back to the rtionship he had with Lu Jiao, however, he had to ept this.

    Inside the store, everyone noticed Xie Yunjin. They exchanged nces. In the end, manager Li came out to greet him, ¡°Schr Xie, howe you¡¯re here?¡±

    They didn¡¯t want any scenes today ¨C it was their grand opening.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t make a scene and merely acknowledged manager Li with a nod. Though his expression was cold, his bodynguage was calm and he was quiet. It didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to explode.

    ¡°Schr Xie, pleasee in.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°I saw that Baohe Tang is busy and wanted to help out.¡±

    Then, he actually started to greet the patients who were waiting.

    Manager Li, Qi Lei, and the others looked toward Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯tment and continued to converse with the businessman, ¡°Do you want a prescription or not?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do!¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded then carefully instructed, ¡°Since you asked me to treat you, you have to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°If you can treat me, I will listen to you.¡±

    ¡°You have to control what goes into your mouth. You need to exercise by jogging in the morning and at night. I will prescribe you some oral medication as well as medicine you can use to soak your feet. You need to consume medicine for about a month to get your symptoms under control.¡±

    ¡°When will my feet stop itching?¡±

    The itch was so painful. He wanted to chop his feet off sometimes.

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°Three days. If you drink your medicine and soak your feet, you¡¯ll stop itching in three days. However, you have to wear breathable shoes so there¡¯s plenty of airflow.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will do as I¡¯m told.¡±

    The businessman was going to cooperate just for that ray of hope.

    Lu Jiao gave him the prescriptions and asked him to fetch them from the workers.

    After he was gone, Lu Jiao gestured for Xie Yunjin. She whispered to him, ¡°Why are you here? Do you need something?¡±

    He must¡¯ve needed something or else he wouldn¡¯t havee here.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s brows were squeezed tightly together. He stared at Lu Jiao and said softly, ¡°You epted Qi Lei as your apprentice?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew he¡¯d heard what Qi Lei had said and nodded, ¡°Yeah, why?¡±

    ¡°Why did he decide to take you as his master all of a sudden?¡±

    Lu Jiao raised a brow, stared at him, and grinned, ¡°Did you find out something?¡±

    Xie Yunjin leaned in and said, ¡°I know you were the one who operated on my legs.¡±

    So he knows.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±

    If she had told him earlier then he would¡¯ve¡­ he would¡¯ve¡­

    ...

    Before Xie Yunjin could think it through, Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°If I told you in the beginning, you wouldn¡¯t have believed me. There was then no more point in telling you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin froze. She was right. She had no intention of staying so telling him or not wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. If she decided to stay, she might¡¯ve told him.

    However, he wasn¡¯t going to let her leave.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes shed with resolution. However, he didn¡¯t show it on his face. He thanked Lu Jiao from the bottom of his heart, ¡°I heard about it and immediately wanted to see you and thank you. Lu Jiao, thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao beamed brightly at those words. She cured someone and earned his genuine appreciation. That was the joy of being a doctor.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m happy to see your legs heal nicely.¡±

    As the two chatted, Zhao Lingfeng walked in with a subordinate, ¡°Schr Xie came?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng narrowed his eyes at Xie Yunjin. He somehow felt like that man was acting differently than before.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Zhao Lingfeng and cheered, ¡°Congrattions owner Zhao on the grand opening. I wish your business prosperity.¡±

 Chapter 267 - 267 Arm Replantation Surgery

    267 Arm Rentation Surgery

    Once Xie Yunjin spoke, Zhao Lingfeng knew right away what was different about him. The man was calmer than usual. Zhao Lingfeng was sure that if he tried to provoke Xie Yunjin to get him all worked up, it wouldn¡¯t work.

    Zhao Lingfeng nced at Lu Jiao, then smiled, ¡°Schr Xie, you¡¯re being too kind.¡±

    The two then casually chatted.

    Outside Baohe Tang, a horse carriage rushed its way over. Behind it, several riders on horses followed.

    !!

    The moment the carriage stopped, those on the horses hopped off and entered Baohe Tang.

    ¡°Zhao Lingfeng.¡±

    The man referred to Zhao Lingfeng by his name directly. Zhao Lingfeng snapped his head around and found Mo Bei there.

    Zhao Lingfeng was shocked. Didn¡¯t Mo Bei go with the fifth young master to handle some business? Why was he back here?

    Zhao Lingfeng hurriedly walked over, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Mo Bei hastily spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you moreter. Please get that Lady Lu over here. General Wang needs surgery.¡±

    Naturally, Zhao Lingfeng knew who General Wang was. Based on what Mo Bei was saying, it was obvious that this general was wounded.

    Zhao Lingfeng said, ¡°Lady Lu is here today. Order your people to move the general out of the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Mo Bei headed outside. He then remembered Lu Jiao¡¯s personality and wanted to make it clear that he willply with however much that woman might ask in exchange for treatment. No matter what, they must cure general Wang¡¯s arm.

    However, Zhao Lingfeng had already walked away, and Mo Bei didn¡¯t dare to waste any more time. General Wang¡¯s arm had been chopped off by someone. Only certain parts of the skin were attached. Due to blood loss, he was now unconscious, and it was very uncertain whether or not he could survive this.

    General Wang was someone the young master put in a lot of effort to win over. If he dies now, all of the young master¡¯s effort would go down the drain.

    If they were able to take care of the general¡¯s arm today, then the general will continue to answer to the young master.

    Mo Bei asked his people to remove the general from the carriage carefully. Meanwhile, inside Baohe Tang, Zhao Lingfeng was already speaking to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mo Bei brought over a critical patient who needs you.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng then suddenly recalled that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want Xie Yunjin to know about her surgical skills. He looked towards Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin smiled back, ¡°Does the patient need surgery? If anything were to go wrong, would Lu Jiao be responsible?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng subconsciously looked toward Lu Jiao.

    Schr Xie knew about Lu Jiao¡¯s surgical skills.

    Lu Jiao ignored Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s gaze and stood up as Mo Bei¡¯s subordinates brought in the unconscious general Wang.

    Lu Jiao stood up to greet them. Behind her, Xie Yunjin warned, ¡°Lu Jiao, don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of his legs then caringly cautioned, ¡°Your legs aren¡¯t well. You should go home and rest.¡±

    She then gestured for Mo Bei¡¯s subordinates to take the general into one of the rooms.

    Xie Yunjin lowered his gaze to study his legs. He felt like something just clicked inside his brain. He recalled so many different things, such as how nice Lu Jiao was to Lady Tian, to the four little ones, and to Lu Gui.

    All those people Lu Jiao had epted. They were people who were nice to Lu Jiao. Because they were nice to her, she repaid their kindness with double their amount.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes brightened and his heart thumped loudly.

    He was able to see through Lu Jiao now. She wasn¡¯t someone who took bullsh*t. The more you try to fool her or scheme her, the less likely she¡¯ll acknowledge you. If you manage to make her mad, she¡¯ll even teach you a lesson. On the contrary, if you are nice to her, she won¡¯t be able to reject you. Therefore, there was a very valid reason why she didn¡¯t like him.

    Xie Yunjin thought about the situation from her point of view. Based on the things he¡¯s said to her and done, it was no wonder she didn¡¯t ept him.

    Xie Yunjin smiled and formed two fists. He was going to test out whether or not he was correct with his analysis.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t aware of all the internal dialogues Xie Yunjin was having. She was now inspecting the patient.

    Due to therge volume of blood loss, the patient¡¯s temperature had dropped, and his pulse was weak. His breathing was as infrequent at 16 times per minute and his systolic blood pressure was dangerously low.

    The patient was in critical condition.

    Lu Jiao said to Mo Bei and Zhao Lingfeng in a low voice, ¡°You two get out. Qi Lei stays.¡±

    Mo Bei asked anxiously, ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him coldly, ¡°The patient is not doing well. I can only do my best. Get out.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng dragged Mo Bei out. Once the room cleared, Lu Jiao ordered Qi Lei, ¡°Go fetch me some water.¡±

    She needed a second to herself.

    Qi Lei went to get water. As soon as he turned away, Lu Jiao dripped a few drops of spiritual stream water into the patient¡¯s mouth. The patient¡¯s breathing appeared to have strengthened almost immediately.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief. Qi Lei came back with the water. Lu Jiao took a look at the patient and said, ¡°It looks like he won¡¯t be able to drink it anyway. Shove some ginger into his mouth.¡±

    She then took out two slices of ginger and gave them to Qi Lei.

    Qi Lei took them and ced them into the patient¡¯s mouth.

    Lu Jiao then announced, ¡°We will start surgery immediately.¡±

    Qi Lei nced at the arm that was barely attached by the skin and asked worriedly, ¡°Even if we do attach his arm, will he still be able to use it?¡±

    If not, then general Wang may prefer death over living. A warrior with no arm meant he no longer had a purpose. General Wang was also aiming to rise up in the ranks.

    Lu Jiao red at Qi Lei. Now was not the time to think so much.

    ¡°Let¡¯s save his life first.¡±

    Arm rentation surgery was a procedure that rarely allows arms to restore all of their original functionalities. Luckily, Lu Jiao was here. Lu Jiao had spiritual stream water, which could repair nerve damage. When she operated on Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs, for example, she used her stream water, which might be why he experienced no side effects.

    No other surgeon could restore his arm like Lu Jiao could.

    However, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to make any promises. Doctors should never make promises.

    The surgery started then.

    Outside, Mo Bei whispered to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°The woman didn¡¯t ask us for piles of gold before doing this? How rare!¡±

    ...

    Zhao Lingfeng disagreed with Mo Bei, ¡°Lady Lu is very nice. You shouldn¡¯t hold such prejudice against her.¡±

    Mo Bei snickered, ¡°Prejudice? Please! Last time, she asked for 5,000 taels of silver to pull out an arrow for the young master. Isn¡¯t that pure greed? Women are born thirsty for money and are full of pride.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s head hurt, ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person. She¡¯s great. You just don¡¯t know her. Once you get to know her, you¡¯ll see what I mean.¡±

 Chapter 268 - 268 Even more Ruthless

    268 Even more Ruthless

    Mo Bei couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°Are you in love with this woman? I thought she was married? Are you sure this is okay?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng gawked at Mo Bei with much fury. Howe so many people thought he was in love with Lady Lu?

    He honestly didn¡¯t see her that way. But because everyone continued to say this kind of stuff to him, he now couldn¡¯t help but check out Lady Lu. Honestly, if she wasn¡¯t married, he truly would want her as his wife. However, she was already married.

    ¡°What are you talking about?! She¡¯s a great person yet you only saw the part where she asked for money. Howe you don¡¯t remember all the other times when she wasn¡¯t asking for money? Did you know that she treats the less fortunate people for free?¡±

    !!

    It was Mo Bei¡¯s turn to be shocked, ¡°She can be that good of a person?¡±

    Before Zhao Lingfeng could answer, a cold and eerie voice arose from behind.

    ¡°Who are two discussing?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei looked back and saw Xie Yunjin staring at them.

    They felt guilty and didn¡¯t dare to answer right away.

    Xie Yunjin spoke then, ¡°You are two grown men, yet you talk like housewives with long tongues. My wife is in there curing the sick, and you are out here gossiping about her. I truly question whether or not she should stay in Baohe Tang.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide to exin, ¡°Schr Xie, we didn¡¯t say anything poorly about Lady Lu. We are just¡­¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t know what to say next. Mo Bei chimed in then, ¡°Did you know that she asked for 5,000 taels of silver just to pull out an arrow for my master? What is she if not greedy? Who else in this world would charge that much for someone in need?¡±

    Xie Yunjin remembered that man. That man¡¯s every movement seeped with extraordinariness.

    Xie Yunjin knew that he was a nobleman right away.

    However, because of Chen Ying, he hated that guy. And now, he still wasn¡¯t a fan but his emotions were no longer as strong.

    Xie Yunjin nced at Mo Bei and coldlymented, ¡°Five thousand is a lot? If I knew about it at the time, I wouldn¡¯t have let her help him unless 10,000 was offered.¡±

    It was Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei¡¯s turn to be stunned.

    They thought Lady Lu was the ruthless one and now they find out that Schr Xie was much more brutal.

    Xie Yunjin cautioned Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei with a look, ¡°I hope you two would stop talking about my wife behind my back. It¡¯s not your business what her personality and what her morals are. She¡¯s my wife. It¡¯s enough that I know what kind of person she is.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then left to help manager Li with the iing patients voluntarily.

    Behind him, Mo Bei couldn¡¯t help but mumble, ¡°So that entire family is greedy for cash. They talk about 5,000 or 10,000 taels of silver like it¡¯s nothing. This is terrifying.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng red at Mo Bei and warned him, ¡°Stop talking about Lady Lu in the future. It¡¯s none of your business. It¡¯s nice of her to want to help you! If you¡¯re so capable, stop bringing people and ask for her help.¡±

    Mo Bei instantly shut up. Though he calls that woman greedy, he believed in her medical skills. His master did too.

    This was why the master immediately ordered Mo Bei to send the general here when the tragedy happened.

    Mo Bei decided to stop talking about this. If that woman heard what he had said, she might refuse treatment in the future.

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    The arm rentation took Lu Jiao four hours. This time, Qi Lei did a better job with assisting. Though during the procedure, he felt nauseous, he endured it until the end.

    After the surgery, Lu Jiao attached bamboo nks to the arm to hold it in ce and injected the patient with antibiotics.

    The thought of antibiotics silenced Lu Jiao. She had basically none left in her space. If she didn¡¯t produce it soon, surgeries will be a major issue. To get an infection after surgery was one of the worst things for patients.

    Given Lu Jiao¡¯s silence, Qi Lei thought the surgery had failed. He asked nervously, ¡°Master, did the surgery fail?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°No, it was a sess. I¡¯m thinking about antibiotics. I¡¯m almost out and that¡¯s going to be a problem for future surgeries.¡±

    Qi Lei asked right away, ¡°What about that mine you mentioned before?¡±

    ¡°Potash mine.¡±

    ¡°What are the properties of a potash mine? We can ask people to look for it.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it. She¡¯s read about this before. Potash mines were more prominent in this country¡¯s northwest or northeast regions. Perhaps they could focus on looking at those areas.

    ¡°Potash mines are essentially saltkes. Dried up saltkes. Perhaps they can be found in the northwest or northeast regions.¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°I will talk to Lingfeng and ask him to send some people. If we can find a potash mine, we can produce that thing you call antibiotics. It¡¯ll make treating patients easier.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She then went to do post-surgical checkup on the patient.

    His body temperature, pulse, breathing, and blood pressure had already been restored to normal.

    Lu Jiao sighed in relief, ¡°Okay, the surgery is a sess and his life is no longer in danger.¡±

    She then headed outside and took off her face mask and gloves while doing so.

    Though Qi Lei hasn¡¯t done many surgeries, Lu Jiao had taught him how to monitor the patient after an operation.

    Outside, Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei nervously asked, ¡°How did it go? How was the surgery? Will his arm be okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the two, ¡°The surgery was a sess. As for the arm¡¯s functionalities, it will take some time to tell. If he rehabilitates well, his arm should be able to heal. If not, he may never regain its normal functionalities.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words were rather positive and resulted in rejoicing for the two men. Mo Bei even forgot about that 5,000 Lu Jiao once asked for. Heughed happily, ¡°That¡¯s great! That is great!¡±

    For a limb that was detached to be sewed back on was no easy feat. The key thing was, based on what she was saying, the arm should heal up pretty nicely.

    Mo Bei was once again shocked by Lu Jiao¡¯s medical skills. At the same time, his belief was confirmed. It appeared that those with arrogant personalities were geniuses. Lady Lu was a great doctor, a miracle doctor one almost, and she had the right to be arrogant.

    Before Lu Jiao even asked, Mo Bei reminded Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Remember to pay the 5,000 taels of silver to Lady Lu.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng stared at him, weirded out. Wasn¡¯t this the same guy who had been whining about how much greed it took to ask for 5,000 taels of silver?

 Chapter 269 A Little Experiment

    Chapter 269 A Little Experiment

    Lu Jiao also looked at Mo Bei in awe. This person had always talked down on her because she wanted money, yet today, he was willingly giving her 5,000 taels of silver.

    There was no reason for her not to ept.

    Lu Jiao smiled, "Okay."

    Mo Bei stared at her smile and silently muttered, her medical skill was truly amazing. Her greed was also truly amazing.

    No matter what, he couldn''t afford to offend this one in case she refuses to help whoever he brings next.

    Mo Bei said to Zhao Lingfeng again, "Remember to give Lady Lu her 5,000."

    Zhao Lingfeng almost hit him. Why did he have to pay for something Mo Bei promised?

    Mo Bei''s face seemed to say, "Your money is the master''s money. This person is the master''s person. It''s the same whether you pay or not."

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn''t say anything except to peer at Lu Jiao and say, "Don''t worry. I will have someone deliver it to you."

    Lu Jiao grinned and nodded, "Great. Then I will see if there are more patients outside."

    Zhao Lingfeng noticed that she appeared tired, "It''ste. You should rest and eat before working more."

    Lu Jiao agreed. She truly was tired after surgery and needed a break before she continued.

    "Okay, then I will go rest first."

    Zhao Lingfeng quickly let her know, "It''s our grand opening so we ordered lots of food from the restaurant. You and Schr Xie should stay and eat here."

    Theirdy had a stake in this Baohe Tang, which meant this ce was also the servants. Of course, they had to help out.

    Lu Jiao heard "Schr Xie" and couldn''t help but ask, "My husband still hasn''t gone home?"

    She thought Xie Yunjin would''ve gone home.

    Zhao Lingfeng raised an eyebrow. He didn''t know what was wrong with that guy. He was helping out at the front and in the back. Zhao Lingfeng had no idea that Xie Yunjin could be this nice.

    He said to Lu Jiao, "Schr Xie is out front helping manager Li with the patients. He''s been upying himself all morning."

    Lu Jiao''s face dropped a little. Xie Yunjin''s legs have only had two months to heal. He wasn''t ready to pace around so much.

    She then ignored Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei and walked forward. After a few short steps, Feng Zhi appeared.

    Feng Zhi helped stabilize Lu Jiao after she saw how exhausted she was, "Ma''am, are you okay? Do you need to go home and rest?"

    "Yes."

    Lu Jiao responded before she asked, "Where''s my husband?"

    "He''s helping out in the front. There are many patients today and it''s very busy. The workers they hired can''t keep up so the master is stepping in. It''s been hectic all morning. I''ve also been helping out."

    Theirdy had a stake in this Baohe Tang, which meant this ce was also the servants. Of course, they had to help out.

    Lu Jiao frowned. She held onto Feng Zhi''s arm, walked to the front, and saw Xie Yunjin helping manager Li with figuring out where to put the patients. He led different groups of patients to different doctors, then he led another group to the pharmacy section.

    Essentially, he took no breaks. Lu Jiao couldn''t help herself and shouted, "Xie Yunjin."

    Xie Yunjin turned around and saw Lu Jiao. Her face was drained of energy and Xie Yunjin couldn''t help but to feel his heart ache.

    He didn''t show it, however. Now that he was technically "separated" from Lu Jiao, his over-enthusiasm would only alert Lu Jiao. He had to take this slowly.

    Xie Yunjin walked up to her and said calmly, "You''re done? You look exhausted. Do you want to go home and rest?"

    Lu Jiao nodded, then said, "You areing with me."

    Xie Yunjin nced around, "There are still a lot of people. This ce needs help."

    "They can deal with the patients slowly. It''s only busy today because consultation is free today. Once we start charging tomorrow, it won''t be crazy like this."

    Lu Jiao then took a look at Xie Yunjin''s legs, "Your legs haven''t healed. Don''t overdo it. Let''s go back."

    Xie Yunjin''s lips curled up slightly.

    As he had expected, she had a soft heart but a harsh mouth. To those who showed kindness towards her, she showed kindness back. No matter what, one''s attitude could not be stubborn when talking to her.

    Xie Yunjin had a pretty good idea of what he should do next. His mood had lifted through the room and his smile brought light to his face. The way his kind eyes looked made him appear very handsome.

    Many people were stunned by his appearance and started to gossip.

    "Which master is that? He''s so good-looking."

    "I know him. He''s a schr from the school. I heard he ced first on his exam."

    "Ah, so he''s a pupil. How amazing. I''m afraid he''ll be an official in the future."

    "Naturally."

    There were all sorts of discussions going on. Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin pretended not to hear and the two of them left Baohe Tang with Feng Zhi.

    Later in the afternoon, Lu Jiao went back to Baohe Tang to do consultations while Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong went to teach students.

    At night, Xie Yunjin didn''te back for dinner. However, he did ask Lin Dong to send the message that he was busy and wille hometer.

    Lu Jiao was exhausted and merely nodded to acknowledge it. After dinner, she told the four little ones a story and tucked them into bed. She, herself, went to sleep afterward as well.

    At midnight, there was a knock on the front courtyard gate.

    Though Lu Jiao slept in the back courtyard, she was still startled awake by the front courtyard. She got out of bed to go outside when Feng Zhi walked in.

    Feng Zhi slept in the back courtyard in case Lu Jiao needed something at night.

    "Lady Lu."

    "Go check out what''s going on in the front courtyard."

    She was scared something had happened suddenly since she had just offended Liang Ziwen. There was no reason for anyone to look for them since they just moved in. Plus, it was the middle of the night.

    Feng Zhi did as told. Before she got very far, she saw Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui walking over. Beside them was a worker from Baohe Tang, Zhang Er.

    Feng Zhi bowed towards Xie Yunjin, "Master."

    Xie Yunjin nodded and asked, "Lady Lu woke up from the noise?"

    Feng Zhi answered, "Yes, Lady Lu had sent me to check out what''s going on."

    The group then went back to the back courtyard. Lu Jiao was already dressed and was peering from the stone steps.

    When she saw the worker from Baohe Tang, she stopped panicking. So a patient needed her - that was no big deal.

    She was just concerned that Liang Ziwen was plotting something against her family.

    "Baohe Tang got an emergency patient?"

    Zhang Er answered quickly, "Lady Lu, that is the case. The patient is one of the great surnames in the Qinghe district - the young master of the Liang family."

    Lu Jiao subconsciously stared, "You are referring to¡­?"

    "Young master Liang, Liang Ziwen."

    Lu Jiao quickly looked for Xie Yinjun. She recalled that Xie Yunjin didn''te home for dinner tonight because he had to deal with something.

    Could Liang Ziwen''s injury be caused by Xie Yunjin?

 Chapter 270 Cant Handle more Trouble

    Chapter 270 Can''t Handle more Trouble

    Lu Jiao said to Zhang Er, "I need to get ready. Give me a minute. I will go with you in a bit."

    "Okay, ma''am."

    Lu Jiao then nced at Xie Yunjin, "Come with me."

    Xie Yunjin followed her into the east bedroom docilely. Smart Feng Zhi led Lu Gui and Zhang Er to the west living room so they wouldn''t hear Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin''s conversation.

    Inside the master bedroom, Lu Jiao''s eyes were on Xie Yunjin, "Were you involved in Liang Ziwen''s injury?"

    Xie Yunjin had no intention to hide anything from Lu Jiao, "I plotted it. Except I didn''t expect him to get hurt. I wanted him dead."

    Lu Jiao examined Xie Yunjin. He truly was the antagonist after all. Just because they butted heads, Liang Ziwen had to die?

    Although¡­ Without him dead, more troubles may ensue.

    Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin, "What''s the situation? Is Liang Ziwen gravely hurt? He wouldn''t havee to Baohe Tang otherwise."

    Lu Jiao''s question upset Xie Yunjin. He nced at her and said, "As you are aware, there are four great businessmen in the Qinghe district: Zhang, Liang, Cao and Wang. The Cao family has this third master who is highly ipetent and bullies men and women. Not only is he perverted, he''s also violent. He has arge group of concubines that he lives with in the city. He even has a few women that he keeps in other cities.

    He has a mistress who is known to be as beautiful as a flower. She''s ran into Liang Ziwen before. Earlier, I intentionally asked someone to tell Liang Ziwen that the mistress wanted to see him, so Liang Ziwen went to see her.

    Lin Dong and I then went to find third master Lin. We didn''t directly talk to him, we simply pretended to gossip and let it slip that we saw third master Cao''s mistress sneak around with another man. Master Cao is impatient and when he heard the news about his mistress, he asked no questions before he brought his people and went to Liang Ziwei.

    Given his personality, I thought he would kill Liang Ziwen. But it appeared that he spared Liang Ziwen''s life. Perhaps this is due to Liang Ziwen''s family background."

    Lu Jiao''s first instinct was to worry about whether or not he had identally revealed himself.

    If both the Cao and Liang families treat him as an enemy, he would have nowhere to escape.

    "Did they catch you?"

    "No. From beginning to end, Lin Dong and I concealed our faces. We even faked our voices."

    Lu Jiao nodded before she asked, "Liang Ziwen is fatally wounded from the beating?"

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. He was embarrassed to exin, "I think it''s best if you don''t go. You should let Dr. Qi take care of him."

    "Why?" Lu Jiao thought that was strange.

    Xie Yunjin clenched his teeth, "Third master Cao used a machete and chopped his bottom part in half."

    Now it made sense to Lu Jiao as to why Xie Yunjin''s expression was so odd.

    Lu Jiao thought about it, "I will go."

    Xie Yunjin''s face dropped and he almost ordered her to stay home. However, he caught himself and softened his voice, "Are you going to operate on him? That''s not going to look good, is it?"

    Lu Jiao shook her head, "I''m not going to do that. Qi Lei can operate. I do want to, however, add a little something extra to his treatment n so he can no longer use that thing for the rest of his life. Plus, I want his health to be so poor going forward that he won''t have the energy to plot against others."

    Xie Yunjin smiled immediately, "Sounds good. I will apany you."

    Lu Jiao didn''t decline. It waste at night and going with her husband would save others from gossiping too much.

    However, simr to how she crossdressed this morning, Lu Jiao put some makeup on and wore men''s clothing. She then left with Xie Yunjin, Lin Dong, and the simrly crossed-dressed Feng Zhi.

    This was all to prevent problems froming up.

    The group headed to Baohe Tang.

    There was quite a crowd at Baohe Tang. Lu Jiao didn''t let Xie Yunjin get out of the carriage.

    "Wait for me in the carriage. Lots of people from the Liang family are inside. We don''t want more trouble and have them link this incident to you."

    "Okay."

    Xie Yunjin knew very well how careful he should be. He couldn''t take any risks that might expose him to the Liang family. Right now, he didn''t have enough power or influence to be the Liang family''s enemy.

    Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi followed Zhang Er into Baohe Tang.

    There were family members inside crying, shouting, cursing, and threatening. All in all, everything was a mess.

    When Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei saw Lu Jiao, they appeared ufortable. After all, the location of the wound made it difficult for them to discuss.

    Lu Jiao was a woman. How could she work to reconnect that part of a male?

    But if she didn''t help, nobody else could.

    Zhao Lingfeng originally wanted to say no. But the Liang family was an unreasonable bunch. They all threatened that if Zhao Lingfeng didn''t call up all the doctors, they would make a scene.

    "You''re here."

    "Master."

    Qi Lei didn''t even know where to start.

    Lu Jiao nced at Qi Lei, "You can do the surgery. I''ll help you."

    Qi Lei jumped. There was no way he knew how to do that! He was sure his hands would shake if he tried it.

    But given his master''s gender, he knew it would be for the best if he did it himself. In the end, Qi Lei gritted his teeth, "Okay. I''ll do it. Master, you can teach me."

    Lu Jiao nodded, "Sure. Let''s go inside."

    The group went inside. The head of the Liang family, Liang Ziwen''s grandfather, blocked Qi Lei and Zhao Lingfeng''s path, "Owner Zhao, you have to cure my grandson. My family will not forgive you otherwise."

    Zhao Lingfeng''s face was cold as he stared at grandpa Liang.

    Due to his own master''s orders, he didn''t want to cause any scenes. That didn''t mean he was afraid of others.

    That little Liang family thought of themselves as royals. How dare they act so arrogant.

    Zhao Lingfeng studied grandpa Liang and said bluntly, "I cannot make any promises. If you do not trust Baohe Tang, you can bring the patient back. We have the right to refuse treatment."

    Grandpa Liang furiously shouted, "You dare to refuse treatment?! I will get your clinic shut down so quickly!"

    Zhao Lingfeng wasn''t angry and evenughed. He shrugged at grandpa Liang, "Sure, you can try that."

    Grandpa Liang''s wife watched the whole scene. How could his husband still be fighting the doctor at a time like this was beyond her, "Old man, what are you doing?! Let the doctors tend to our grandson. If we dy treatment further, it might be toote to save him!"

    Lu Jiao preferred it to be toote for Liang Ziwen. Shemented casually, "I can guarantee his life. However, we cannot promise the functionality of his bottom part."

    The entire Liang family''s expressions changed. Liang Ziwen was the family''s grandson and the only one at that. As of yet, he only had two daughters and no sons. If his part was no good, it would mean that the Liang family bloodline ends here.

    Grandpa Liang''s face grew grotesque, "Not negotiable! If you do not cure my grandson, I will never let you off the hook!"

    Zhao Lingfeng was now angry at his bold statements and said, "You can try to screw with us and see for yourself whether or not we are scared of you."

 Chapter 271 - 271 Donâ€™t Take it if youâ€™re Embarrased

    271 Don¡¯t Take it if you¡¯re Embarrased

    Just then, Mo Bei and his men walked out from the corners. They stared at grandpa Liang angrily, ¡°You go ahead and try to touch something in here.¡±

    Grandpa looked at Zhao Lingfeng then looked at Mo Bei and his people. It was obvious that these people were not normal people.

    Now, grandpa Liang finally realized something. For Baohe Tang to have such a grand opening meant the person supporting this business had much influence.

    Grandpa Liang was instantly mute. His grandson¡¯s ability to have children was going to be taken away. However, no other hospitals or clinics would ept his grandson as a patient.

    !!

    At least Baohe Tang could ensure his life was saved.

    Grandma Liang grabbed onto grandpa Liang and screamed, ¡°Let them save Ziwen!¡±

    Grandpa Liang took another look at Zhao Lingfeng, then finally sumbed.

    Though his family was rather powerful in the Qinghe District and they managed to use their daughter to create ties with government officials,pared to truly impressive people, his family was nothing.

    ¡°Owner Zhao, I am sorry for being so flustered just now. Please save my grandson¡¯s life.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes were not friendly, ¡°I cannot promise your grandson can still use his bottom half. I can only save his life.¡±

    At this point, grandpa Liang had no strength left to y hardball. He was stereotypically the kind of person who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

    ¡°Okay. As long as Baohe Tang saves his life, I promise I won¡¯t stir up any trouble.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng hissed, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Baohe Tang¡¯s reputation, I wouldn¡¯t even bother.¡±

    He then led Lu Jiao and Qi Lei to the patient¡¯s room.

    Lu Jiao found it pitiful that the disagreement ended so soon. She didn¡¯t furtherment and left with Qi Lei.

    Liang Ziwen was already in the room. His entire face was swollen as he rested on the bed. His bottom half was stripped naked. When Qi Lei got in there, he first shot Lu Jiao a look to find her collected as usual.

    Qi Lei subconsciously blocked Lu Jiao¡¯s view a little.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything and asked Qi Lei to start surgery.

    It was Qi Lei¡¯s first time doing such a surgery. His hands shook uncontrobly and he worked hard to follow Lu Jiao¡¯s instructions. Once it was done, Lu Jiao gave Liang Ziwen a shot of antibiotics.

    Typically, the dosage of antibiotics for this was controlled. Today, Lu Jiao used a very high dosage.

    Too much antibiotics had a negative effect on the liver and Lu Jiao wanted Liang Ziwen to suffer.

    As a doctor, Lu Jiao knew she shouldn¡¯t be using her knowledge as a weapon to hurt others. However, Liang Ziwen was someone who¡¯s harmed countless people and she thought she was doing the world a favor by weakening him. Plus, she didn¡¯t take his life.

    Given the situation, she nned for him to live the rest of his life in sickness and in a weakened state. He was going to have a hard time walking more than 3 steps without needing to catch his breath.

    Once Lu Jiao was done with the injection, she dered, ¡°All done.¡±

    Qi Lei didn¡¯t know much about antibiotics and therefore didn¡¯t notice. Plus, it was his first solo surgery and he felt like a wreck. He didn¡¯t have much energy left to pay attention to the details.

    Lu Jiao gave some antibiotic pills to Qi Lei, ¡°Give him these tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Okay, master.¡±

    Lu Jiao then headed outside, leaving behind Qi Lei, who was weak in the knees, to finish up.

    The moment she opened the door, the Liang family crowded her, ¡°How did it go? How did it go?¡±

    Lu Jiao was expressionless, ¡°We stitched him up. We¡¯ll have to wait until he wakes up to see.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s people shoo¡¯ed the Liang family away and guided her outside.

    As Zhao Lingfeng and Lu Jiao walked, he asked, ¡°How did it go? Is he okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao expressionlessly said, ¡°It¡¯s been reattached. I can¡¯t know for sure if it¡¯s still good to use.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng studied Lu Jiao and his heart skipped a beat. He somehow believed that if Lu Jiao wanted to save Liang Ziwen, she could¡¯ve. Lu Jiao¡¯s expression right now, however, told him that she didn¡¯t want to save Liang Ziwen. If she had no desire to help, nothing good coulde out of it.

    This Liang Ziwen did something to offend Lu Jiao.

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s heart dropped and he silently reminded himself to never offend this woman. There maye a day when he needs her skills.

    Crisply, Zhao Lingfeng took a 5,000 taels of silver worth bank note out of his sleeve and ced it in Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°This is money for attaching the patient¡¯s arm earlier.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Owner Zhao, you¡¯re being so kind. You¡¯re making me feel embarrassed.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng watched her take the bank note and put it away. He thought silently, embarrassed? If she was so embarrassed, she shouldn¡¯t be epting it.

    Women were all frauds.

    However, he didn¡¯t show any of those emotions on his face and walked Lu Jiao out.

    Not far away inside the horse carriage, Xie Yunjin saw Zhao Lingfeng walk Lu Jiao out with a bright smile. Lu Jiao¡¯s face, simrly, radiated with joy.

    Xie Yunjin found this blinding and it managed to put him in a bad mood. Once Lu Jiao entered the horse carriage, however, he faked a grin and asked, ¡°The surgery was a sess?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and then ordered uncle Lin to get them back home.

    On the way back, Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao in a soft voice, ¡°You seem happy. Did you do something to Liang Ziwen?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and happily exined, ¡°Other than that ¨C I¡¯m happy because I got 5,000 taels of silver. You know how I reattached that guy¡¯s arm? Zhao Lingfeng paid me for it.¡±

    Her exnation lifted Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood. Lu Jiao was in good spirits because of the silver, not because of Zhao Lingfeng.

    Thinking back, Zhao Lingfeng has always been generous with giving Lu Jiao silver. For Lu Jiao to act so polite around him made sense.

    The more Xie Yunjin understood this situation, the better he felt. He said caringly, ¡°You worked all day and had to get up in the middle of the night. You should sleep in tomorrow.¡±

    His gentle tone and caringness made Lu Jiao even happier. She beamed and nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not working tomorrow so I can sleep more during the day.¡±

    The two chatted as the horse carriage brought them home.

    Lu Jiao honestly didn¡¯t want to get up early the next day. However, lots of noises were made early in the morning. There were voices that circted all throughout the courtyards.

    Before the back courtyard gate, the four little ones mumbled and discussed, ¡°Is there a fight happening out in the front?¡±

    ...

    ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±

    The four little ones tried to run but aunt Qiu and Feng Zhi stopped them, ¡°Don¡¯t go right now. If something is up, master and steward Lu will deal with it.¡±

    The four little ones pursed their lips at aunt Qiu and Feng Zhi. They wanted to go.

    Just then, from inside the room, Lu Jiao called out, ¡°Feng Zhi.¡±

    The four little ones started to run inside when they heard their mom¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re awake?¡±

    ¡°Did you wake up because of the noise??¡±

    ¡°We want to go see but aunt Qiu and sister Feng don¡¯t let us.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, sister Feng said you are exhausted. You should sleep more.¡±

    The Fourth Born crawled onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck. He expressed his desire to apany Lu Jiao in her sleep. It¡¯s been so long since he slept beside his mom and he was more than willing to do that soon.

    ...

 Chapter 272 Causing Trouble on Others Turf

    Chapter 272 Causing Trouble on Other''s Turf

    Lu Jiao easily saw through him. She pinched his little nose and then looked up at Feng Zhi.

    "What happened out there?"

    Feng Zhi shook her head, "I don''t know yet. Some people are arguing out in the front. I can go check it out now."

    Lu Jiao nodded and didn''t get up herself. She was exhausted all day yesterday and had to get up in the middle of the night to go to Baohe Tang. She didn''t want to get up right now.

    Feng Zhi left as ordered. Lu Jiao gestured for the other three to jump into bed.

    The First, Second, and Third Born excitedly hopped on while the Fourth Born rolled around the bed. His mommy''s bed was so big! This was giantpared to the bed they had in their old home.

    With a bed so big, they could all sleep together in the future!

    The little ones scanned toward Lu Jiao then the Fourth Born used his baby voice to ask, "Mommy, can we sleep with you tonight?"

    Lu Jiao looked down and discovered that all four of them seemed to be hopeful.

    Lu Jiao knew that they used to rotate and sleep with her every other night. For them to suddenly have to stop that and sleep on their own might be a tough change. She agreed, "Sure. You can sleep with me tonight. But tomorrow night, you have to go back to sleeping in your own room. You''re big kids now and shouldn''t sleep with me all the time."

    The four little ones nodded and giggled, "Mommy, we know!"

    The Second Born said, "We just want to asionally sleep with you. We won''t do it every day."

    As the five of them chatted, Feng Zhi burst inside in a hurry, "That bad woman from next door mmed on our door this morning, iming that we made too much noisest night and disturbed her sleep. She''s refusing to leave until we settle it with her.

    "Master and Lin Dong said that she''s not technically our neighbor so she has no right toin."

    Lu Jiao nodded. Their neighbor was technically Lady Xu, not her sister-inw. That woman shamelessly stayed at her brother''s home and had the audacity toe over here today to ask for an exnation.

    It was so obvious that she had other intentions in mind.

    Lu Jiao''s face was dark. She found Lady Xu''s sister-inw to be exasperating.

    "My husband''s right for saying that. Why''s there still so much noise? The woman''s refusing to leave?"

    If that were the case, then she may have to visit Lady Xu and have her promise that her family will never cause any noise to its neighbors.

    Feng Zhi found it hard to exin, "The matter was basically resolved when that Zhao Hehua interfered and started to protect the master. She said neighbors should be kind to each other. This infuriated that bad woman and she cursed at Zhao Hehua and called her shameless for wanting to be a concubine so badly. She said, for a woman to run out here and protect a man was the same as jumping into a man''s bed."

    Lu Jiao''s expression was ugly now. Two women having a fight in front of her gate and putting on a show for the neighbors was not a good look.

    Lu Jiao got up and cleaned herself up a little.

    This fight involved women and it wasn''t right for Xie Yunjin to get involved.

    The four little ones were good kids and didn''t demand to go with her. They knew that their parents didn''t like them there when things weren''t safe. They were, however, worried. Aunt Qiu stayed in the back to take care of them while Feng Zhi and Lu Jiao headed to the front.

    Before they even got to the gate, they already heard curses. The words that shot out of their mouths were getting uglier and uglier.

    "Chen Zhaodi, you shameless cheap b!tch! All day you seduce men and you can''t help but to follow them around. How dare you makements about me?! You think I don''t know what you''re thinking? You are obviously -"

    Before the gate, Lu Jiao coldly ordered, "Shut up."

    There, Xie Yunjin''s entire body emitted coldness as he sneered at the two shrill women.

    He was a man and it wasn''t convenient for him to interfere. But these two shrews annoyed him to the extreme. He didn''t want to spare another second with them. At the same time, he couldn''t just walk away given that the fight was happening right before his doorstep.

    Xie Yunjin didn''t want to talk to them and walked away to invite officer Zhao over to ask him how he raised his daughter.

    Before Xie Yunjin got there, however, Lu Jiao hade out and stopped the fight.

    Not far from the Xie family home, lots of neighbors pointed and gossiped.

    However, because it was a gated home, it was difficult for them to make out the words.

    They were sure the exchanges weren''t kind though. Lu Jiao''s expression was awful as she red at Zhao Hehua and Chen Zhaodi.

    The two women stopped cursing once Lu Jiao howled.

    Lu Jiao coldly ordered, "Lin Dong, go fetch officer Zhao. I sure want to ask him how he managed to raise a daughter who goes to other''s homes in the morning and shouts curses like a hag."

    Lin Dong dashed to their neighbor''s home.

    Zhao Hehua was anxious. She was so preupied to make an impression she forgot about her dad.

    Zhao Hehua couldn''t help but shout, "Lady Lu, it wasn''t me. It was Chen Zhaodi''s fault. That woman banged on your door first. I came to help you."

    Chen Zhaodi snickered, "Who do you think you are? Why do you get to help them? You just want-"

    Lu Jiao didn''t let her finish, "Chen Zhaodi, is it? If you dare to spew any more bullsh!t, I will send someone to get us a judge. To spread baseless nders is a crime."

    Chen Zhaodi shut up right away. She tried to escape when Lu Jiao ordered Feng Zhi, "Go fetch Lady Xu."

    Feng Zhi went right away.

    Chen Zhaodi wasn''t scared of Lady Xu so she didn''t react.

    Zhao Hehua however, was so afraid she turned to run home.

    Before she got there, she saw her father being led out by Lin Dong.

    The Lin family heard themotion this morning and knew there''s been a fight between neighbors. They had no idea it involved their Zhao Hehua.

    Every day, officer Zhao would have breakfast and go to work. And every day, Zhao Hehua would sleep in. Therefore, nobody from the family expected her to be shouting at others so early in the morning. When Lin Dong told him, officer Zhao''s face dropped and he came over right away.

    When Zhao Hehua saw her dad, she was scared witless. Not daring to talk to him, she snuck around him like smoke and ran into her own home.

    Officer Zhao followed Lin Dong and came to the Xie family home.

    It wasn''t Xie Yunjin''s first time seeing officer Zhao. They haven''t talked before though and only acknowledged each other from afar.

    This time, Xie Yunjin said in a solemn tone, "Officer Zhao, I hope you can keep an eye on your daughter and stop her from getting involved in my family''s business."

    Xie Yunjin was blunt.

    Across from him, officer Zhao was stunned. With a shocked gaze, he appraised Xie Yunjin.

 Chapter 273 Dog Heart and Wolf Lung

    Chapter 273 Dog Heart and Wolf Lung

    Since officer Zhao didn''t react for so long, Xie Yunjin felt victorious. He spoke again, "Officer Zhao, I hope you would go home and talk to your daughter to stop getting herself involved in others'' businesses."

    Officer Zhao finally snapped back to reality. His eyes glistened like they''d just been cleaned. If his vision before could be described as dusty and gray, then today, his vision was piercingly clear.

    He said to Xie Yunjin in a heavy voice, "Schr Xie, I will go back and educate my daughter well and make sure she stops causing you trouble."

    Officer Zhao knew that his neighbor was a schr, one who ced first on the exam. He knew that the magistrate even rewarded this schr. On that day, officer Zhao was away on the job catching a thief and therefore didn''t get to meet this schr personally.

    Xie Yunjin''s face lifted a little. He nodded towards officer Zhao, "Then, thank you, officer."

    Officer Zhao couldn''t help but exim how big the young master had grown and how handsome he was. God really does have eyes.

    "It''s okay."

    Officer Zhao headed home in a great mood. Once there, however, he cooled down. Zhao Hehua wasn''t his daughter - she was the daughter of the officer who used to be his partner. While on a job, his partner was heavily wounded and sadly passed away.

    His wife ended up running away, leaving behind their two-year-old daughter. Officer Zhao felt bad about the situation and adopted the girl.

    Who knew that the girl''s personality was the same as her promiscuous mother? Officer Zhao''s wife set up many marriages for her but she denied all of them.

    His wife no longer wanted to get involved with her. She demanded that she get married and leave her home.

    Depressed, officer Zhao entered his home.

    Back at the Xie family home, Feng Zhi had also fetched Lady Xu.

    Lady Xu was busying herself in the kitchen all morning. It wasn''t that the Xu family couldn''t afford help, it was that her mother-inw demanded her to be the person who cooked every day. Therefore, she had no choice but to make breakfast for the two elders every morning.

    When Feng Zhi invited Lady Xu over, she was so ashamed she wanted to hide in a corner.

    Honestly, if it weren''t for her son and daughter, she would''ve divorced her husband Su Dahai a long time ago.

    Ten years ago, she married Su Dahai back when he was so poor he couldn''t even afford the dowry. She liked that he was hard working and was quick-witted and liked his personality. She chose to marry him despite his poor family background. Later, she even sold her silver jewelry so he could start a business.

    When Su Dahai''s business finally took off, his parents, siblings, and inws all started to suck up to him. She was the one who ended up having to step aside. Her mother-inw tortured her and even asked Su Dahai to take her niece as his concubine. She also asked Su Dahai to bring that woman with him wherever he went. In the end, Su Daihai and that woman grew closer and as his wife, Lady Xu felt no more connection to her husband.

    All men had a dog heart and a wolf lung.

    After all these years, Lady Xu became numb. She followed Feng Zhi to the Xie home.

    Once she saw Lu Jiao, she started to apologize profusely.

    "Lady Lu, I''m so sorry. I''m going to talk to my sister-inw and make sure she stops causing you trouble."

    Lady Lu could tell that Lady Xu was a great person who was unfortunate enough to have to live with that family.

    Lu Jiao said to Lady Xu, "Lady Xu, retreating again and again does not earn kindness from others. If you endure the wrongdoings of those who are unkind to you, you''d only appear like an easy target. I don''t believe you''re a stupid woman. Why don''t you think things through?

    Lady Xu, I believe you have suffered for many years and still don''t have the life you want. If that''s the case, then why not change your ways? If you think of ways to do things differently, you''ll see a change."

    Lu Jiao thought she had said everything she could and turned to Xie Yunjin, "Let''s go back."

    Behind them, Lady Xu stared at this family nkly as Lu Jiao''s words echoed in her mind. Though her head felt like it''s been struck, her mind felt very clear at the same time.

    Yes, her forbearance only enabled her man and her inws to think of her as weak and easy to take advantage of.

    She was once the jewel that rested on her parents'' palms. When she was getting married to Su Dahai, her parents not only gave her several boxes of dowry, they even managed to get her new sets of silver jewelry and several taels of emergency silver.

    Yet now, she couldn''t even find the time to visit her parents just so she could take care of her inws who refused to die. Did she owe the Su family anything?

    Lady Xu''s eyes turned cold and she pursed her lips as she walked home.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin went back to the back courtyard to have breakfast.

    On the way there, Xie Yunjin thought of how exhausted Lu Jiao must be to have to wake up so early today. His heart ached and he said, "We have nothing nned for today. You should sleep more after breakfast."

    Lu Jiao shook her head, "It''s okay. I''ll take a short nap at noon."

    Her mind felt decently clear. It was her body that felt exhausted and yearned for more time lying down.

    Lu Jiao realized that the fight this morning was all thanks to Xie Yunjin.

    The reason why Lady Xu''s sister¨Cinw, Chen Zhaodi, came today was to seduce Xie Yunjin. She didn''t expect Zhao Hehua to pop in out of nowhere to take Xie Yunjin''s side.

    Lu jiao subconsciously turned to look at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin noticed her staring and asked, "What''s wrong?"

    "Look how much trouble your face has caused me."

    His face did bring her much joy when she looked at it though. It wasn''t just Zhao Hehua from the east or Chen Zhaodi from the west, she herself would very much like to take some time to admire his face.

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and said helplessly, "I didn''t start anything."

    He then lowered his brow, "Should I destroy this face then?"

    He thought of the scar on Feng Zhi''s face and looked at her as if he''d been inspired.

    Lu Jiao red and scolded, "Don''t talk nonsense! With a scar on your face, you won''t be able to take the imperial examinations. You don''t want to be an official anymore?"

    The Zhou Dynasty was very strict when it came to imperial examinations. Those with handicaps were not allowed to take the exams; those with visible deformation to the face were also banned.

    Xie Yunjin gave up on the idea and casuallymented, "Since I cannot destroy my face, I will keep my distance from all those women. I''m not going to give them the slightest opportunity."

    He peeked at Lu Jiao then and found her reacting positively to that statement. Xie Yunjin''s lips curled up a little. He''ll take it slow until the day Lu Jiao epts him.

 Chapter 274 - 274 Think before you Speak

    274 Think before you Speak

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao went to the back courtyard. There, the four little ones were tiptoeing on the stone stairs and peering around. When they saw their parents, they ran to them and grabbed their hands.

    ¡°Daddy, mommy, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Nothing bad happened. We took care of the conflict. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Given that Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao appeared fine, the four little ones stopped worrying. Aunt Qiu smiled and said, ¡°The four little ones were so worried since they couldn¡¯t see what you were doing. These four little boys act like little adults.¡±

    The four little ones were shy from aunt Qiu¡¯sment and croaked, ¡°Granny!¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiaoughed. The family then went to the dining room to eat.

    After breakfast, Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong went to teach.

    Lu Jiao took the four little ones to observe the artisans crafting slides. The four little ones kept on asking Lu Jiao how it worked and Lu Jiao patiently exined. The four little ones were so excited and wished for the slide to be ready soon.

    As they chatted, there were loud fighting noisesing from the neighboring Zhao family.

    Though the Zhao family was right next to the Xie family and theirnd wasn¡¯t too big, sound normally wouldn¡¯t travel far enough to be heard over here. Today, however, Zhao Hehua¡¯s already shrill voice was shouting, allowing everyone to hear.

    ¡°That Lu Daniu is merely a butcher! He doesn¡¯t even know how to read! The way he talks is unpolished and idiotic. All he knows is killing pigs and selling meat. I¡¯m not going to marry him! I want to marry someone who¡¯s studied.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°So what he has his own shop? I don¡¯t fancy him! He¡¯s going to be a butcher his whole life. I want to marry someone who went to school. I want to be the wife of an official.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face went dark. Thisdy Hehua sure had a big heart. She wanted to be the wife of an official? She really thinks those wives had an easy life?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care about her though and she was sure the Zhao family would deal with that.

    For lunch, Xie Yunjin came back home. Lu Jiao told him what happened and Xie Yunjin was speechless. Someone like Zhao Hehua wanted to be the wife of an official? Those officials would likely divorce her if she was their wife. To be the wife of an official was no easy task. Those who are not careful could easily cause trouble for their husbands.

    Xie Yunjin secretly nced at Lu Jiao. The wife he had would be the perfect wife for an official.

    Once he bes an official, the first thing he¡¯d do was to request an imperial mandate and grant her the honorary wife title.

    Xie Yunjin grinned as he thought about it. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and nced at him strangely. Why was that man cackling?

    The family continued to eat. Then, uncle Wen came to report, ¡°Han Shan is here, asking for a visit.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was not happy to hear about Hu Shan¡¯s arrival. He didn¡¯t want to see him but because Hu Shan was so influential, he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°I¡¯ll greet him. You keep eating.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to see this master Hu Shan therefore she didn¡¯t bother. The four little ones and her continued to yet.

    Sadly, right after they finished lunch, Lu Gui walked over, ¡°Sister, Hu Shan is here to give you an invitation. He says he wants to give it to you personally.¡±

    ¡°Why would he invite me to anything?¡±

    ¡°He said his wife had requested that he personally hand it to you. The day after tomorrow is his son¡¯s one-month-old celebration. His wife had asked him to invite you.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and stood up. Since he had good intentions, she had no reason to refuse him.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to keep an eye on the four little ones. She took Feng Zhi and went to the front courtyard to see Hu Shan.

    In the front courtyard, Xie Yunjin coldly stared at Hu Shan. He already disliked Hu Shan before and a couple of days ago, Liang Ziwen let it slip that Hu Shan thought of Lu Jiao as good-looking. This displeased Xie Yunjin even more.

    Hu Shan¡¯s head hurt as he looked back at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I am just asking you. Why are you so angry?¡±

    Just now, Hu Shan straight up asked Xie Yunjin if he was behind Liang Ziwen¡¯s injuries. Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped and he asked Hu Shan to leave.

    Hu Shan wanted to leave out of anger but he actually had a reason foring here today.

    His son was going to celebrate his one-month birthday the day after tomorrow. His wife had asked him to personally invite Lu Jiao to show their family¡¯s sincerity.

    Inside the living room, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was not friendly, ¡°Can you think before you speak next time? You have already caused us trouble by bringing Liang Ziwen here before. And today, you make such usations. If what you asked gets spread around, more trouble will find my family. Have you thought about that?¡±

    Hu Shan felt somewhat guilty. He didn¡¯t dare to talk too loudly and merely mumbled, ¡°I just asked you a simple question. You can just deny it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin angrily rebutted, ¡°I¡¯m not your mother or father. It¡¯s not my responsibility to teach you etiquette. You should think before you do anything.¡±

    Hu Shan couldn¡¯t help but argue, ¡°You¡¯re not my father but you scold me the same way he does.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked in then. When she heard Hu Shan, she was speechless. This master Hu truly was indescribable.

    When Xie Yunjin saw Lu Jiao, his gaze softened, ¡°Did you eat well?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and went to sit by Xie Yunjin, ¡°Master Hu, you have an invitation for me?¡±

    Hu Shan just wanted to finish what he came here for and nodded, ¡°Yes, my wife had asked me to personally invite you to my son¡¯s celebration. That¡¯s why I asked to see you.¡±

    He then handed over the invitation. Lu Jiao gestured for Feng Zhi to ept it.

    ¡°Okay, I will be there.¡±

    Hu Shan¡¯s unsettled heart rested. He got up to leave but remembered to act polite, ¡°Yunjin, you shoulde with Lady Lu.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said bluntly, ¡°Naturally. My wife is not familiar with this district and who knows what kind of people you have invited. I don¡¯t feel good letting her go alone.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t lie. Though county magistrate Hu was only the seventh rank, he remained an official. Other than his subordinates from the county, all the merchants around will also be attending. The guest list for the celebration was not going to be short and Xie Yunjin nned on going.

    Hu Shan silently mumbled toin about the fact that Xie Yunjin had never shown such thoughtfulness towards his wife before.

    Inside the living room, Lu Jiao was about to get back when she noticed the solemn look on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face. She asked, ¡°You appear unhappy. What happened?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to hide anything and told her what happened.

    ¡°Hu Shan asked me something before you came.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak so Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°He dared to ask me if I was involved in Liang Ziwen¡¯s injuries. If his suspicion gets around, much trouble will knock on our door. The Liang family is full of people with rabies.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped as well. She yed with her hands, ¡°We should keep our distance from this Hu Shan. It seems like he doesn¡¯t think before he speaks.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 275 - 275 Give up on the Master

    275 Give up on the Master

    Xei Yunjin said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s all because he¡¯s had an easy life. If he¡¯s gone through more in life, he wouldn¡¯t be talking like this.¡±

    Just then, someone suddenly burst through the door. Then, just as abruptly, fell to the ground on her knees.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao looked over and saw that the person kneeling was their neighbor, Zhao Hehua.

    Zhao Hehua was crying her heart out. As she cried, she croaked, ¡°Master Xie.¡±

    She was almost breathless as she cried. Then, behind her, old man Wen huffed and puffed as he burst in as well. Anxious, he exined, ¡°Ma¡¯am, master, someone knocked on the door and the moment I opened the door, Lady Zhao knocked me over and ran inside.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew old man Wen¡¯s legs were no good and it would be easy for Zhao Hehua to knock him aside. This wasn¡¯t his fault.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay uncle Wen. You can go back.¡±

    Old man Wen sighed in relief. To have met such a great master was so fortunate. These days, he ate well and slept well. He didn¡¯t want to get fired.

    Inside the living room, Zhao Hehua spoke up again while she cried, ¡°Master Xie, Lady Lu, my parents want me to marry butcher Lu Daniu. I don¡¯t want to marry someone so uneducated. I want to¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, another loud voice stopped her with much sternness, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Officer Zhao marched into the living room. The first thing he did was to apologize to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Master Xie, Lady Lu, I have been a bad father and raised a daughter that caused you trouble. I am going to bring her home right away.¡±

    Zhao Hehua started to cry again and screamed, ¡°Father, I don¡¯t want to marry Lu Daniu! I don¡¯t want to! I want to marry¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, officer Zhao outcried, ¡°Shut up! I will hit you if you keep this up!¡±

    Zhao Hehua was frightened and stared at officer Zhao in disbelief. Officer Zhao once again said, ¡°If you continue to speak nonsense like this, I will hit you, you unfilial daughter.¡±

    Zhao Hehua wailed, ¡°Are you really my father? How can you treat me like this?¡±

    Officer Zhao¡¯s expression was ugly as he responded, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not your father. Your father died a long time ago. If I knew the kind of person you would turn out to be, I never would¡¯ve adopted you.¡±

    Officer Zhao was truly regretful now. Back then, Zhao Hehua¡¯s father was an enforcer like him. During a job, he identally lost his footing and fell off a cliff. His wife immediately escaped their home with all their money. Out of the goodness of his heart, officer Zhao adopted Zhao Hehua and changed herst name.

    This girl, however, took after her mother. Not only was she eager topare to others, but she was also veryzy and refused to work. She would stay home all day and fantasize about her life. As an adult, she rejected every person they picked out for her. And now, she had her eyes on Xie Yunjin, who was already married.

    Officer Zhao was too ashamed to see anyone at this point. So he decided to straight up tell Zhao Hehua that he owed her nothing.

    Zhao Hehua was stunned, ¡°Dad, what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Your real father died a long time ago and your mother ran away. I adopted you because you were pitiful. My family doesn¡¯t owe you anything anymore. All you ever did was take advantage of your mother, brother, and sister. You act arrogant and I thought you would get better once you married. Instead, you¡¯ve only gotten worse.

    If you are grateful that we raised you, please stop causing scenes and marry Lu Daniu.¡±

    Officer Zhao then turned to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao shamefully, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, I will marry her off quickly so she will stop causing you trouble.¡±

    He then tried to pull Zhao Hehua up and take her away.

    Unexpectedly, Zhao Hehua screamed shrilly and ran away.

    Officer Zhao chased after her. Though they weren¡¯t biologically rted, he raised her all these years. He wanted her to get married and settle down.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged astonished nces. Lu Jiao was almost speechless, ¡°I was wondering why Lady Xu¡¯s eldest daughter was so different from her and her other children. I didn¡¯t think it was because they weren¡¯t rted. No wonder.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to deal with this and simply said, ¡°You should go take a nap.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and got up to leave with Feng Zhi. Behind her, Xie Yunjin wanted to walk her back but he stopped himself in case it rmed Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi headed to the back courtyard. On the way there, Feng Zhi happilymented, ¡°That¡¯s great news. Zhao Hehua is getting married soon and she¡¯ll have to give up on master soon.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how anxious Feng Zhi was,ughed, and pinched her cheeks, ¡°You should worry about this kind of stuff less.¡±

    Feng Zhi was embarrassed, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I worry because I care about you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s all for me. I thank you.¡±

    The two chatted andughed as they headed back. In the back courtyard, the four little ones were already napping. Lu Jiao went to nap as well after a few exchanges with Lu Gui.

    After the nap, Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi dressed up as men and headed to Baohe Tang.

    She needed to follow up with the patient who had his arm reattached. Zhao Lingfeng paid her a whopping 5,000 taels of silver for it. She had to make sure the surgery was a sess.

    When Lu Jiao arrived, Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were overjoyed.

    ¡°Lady Lu, the person Mo Bei brought yesterday, woke up.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and followed Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei to the back room. The new Baohe Tang designed some private rooms for patients to sleep in.

    As the group walked, they shared some news about Liang Ziwen.

    ¡°The Liang family took Liang Ziwen home to rest. We aren¡¯t sure how he is doing. I doubt they¡¯ll need us in the future though since they have lots of on-call doctors.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and her lips pursed. It was great that he wasn¡¯t around. Plus, what use were having doctors around? Her high dosage of antibiotics won¡¯t be detected until a lotter.

    Lu Jiao stopped worrying and went into the patient¡¯s room.

    Inside, Mo Bei was having a conversation with the patient.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened a little when she saw Mo Bei. Mo Bei¡¯s boss must be very influential and the person he made Mo Bei bring here must also be some character. Or else there would be no need for Mo Bei to personally make the trip.

    Lu Jiao pretended she didn¡¯t realize this. After all, she wasn¡¯t interested in getting involved in other people¡¯s businesses.

    When Lu Jiao showed up, Mo Bei made the introduction, ¡°This is¡­¡±

 Chapter 276 - 276 Repay the Favor in the Future

    276 Repay the Favor in the Future

    When Lu Jiao showed up, Mo Bei made the introduction, ¡°This is¡­¡±

    He then recalled that Lu Jiao was pretending to be a man and changed his statement, ¡°This is master Lu. He was the one who reattached your arm.¡±

    Wang Kui looked at Lu Jiao in awe. When he heard the story of what happened, he thought the person who operated on him would be old. He didn¡¯t expect to see someone so young.

    ¡°Thank you master Lu for saving my arm.¡±

    Right now, he was mostly worried about his ability to hold a bow. If he was unable to hold a bow, then the rest of his life was over.

    That thought dampened Wang Kui¡¯s mood. He was already unwell and appeared sickly and now, he appeared even worse.

    Lu Jiao naturally noticed this and asked caringly, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    Now that the anesthetic has faded away, the injured area must be burning.

    Wang Kui however, shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Though there¡¯s some pain, I¡¯m used to injuries since I¡¯m a soldier. This is not a big deal. I¡¯m very worried that I am never going to regain strength in my arm and be able to hold a bow again.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled gently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I don¡¯t think getting your strength back will be an issue. Once your arm reattachs, you should be fully functioning like before. Even if it¡¯s not fully like before, it¡¯d be 70-80% like before.¡±

    This news excited Wang Kui. He looked towards her and asked, ¡°Master Lu, you¡¯re speaking the truth?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°It¡¯s true. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Wang Kui was so excited he tried to get out of bed. Mo Bei stopped him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    He responded shrilly, ¡°I need to kneel for master Lu. I have to thank him.¡±

    Lu Jiao began to sweat. She did this for the money, not out of kindness.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t hide it, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It¡¯s a job and I was paid for it.¡±

    Despite her honesty, Wang Kui remained grateful, ¡°This isn¡¯t about the money. Not only did you save my life, but you also gave me the opportunity to continue my career. If you ever need me, tell me and I will do whatever it takes to do what you need.¡±

    Lu Jiao was pretty happy to hear that, ¡°You¡¯re being too generous.¡±

    She checked out this patient a bit more. He was so crestfallen before and he was giving off a stubborn aura.

    Lu Jiao suddenly realized what his identity was. He likely was a general from the capital city.

    The sight of him reminded Lu Jiao of the second born. The second born wanted to be a general one day.

    If there everes a day when he bes injured to this extent while defending this nation, she would be devastated. Despite so, she wasn¡¯t going to stop him.

    Lu Jiao realized she was thinking too far ahead. She didn¡¯t even know where she¡¯d be when that time came.

    She found herself a little sad about leaving but she nipped that feeling in the bud. She looked at the patient and cautioned, ¡°Take some time to rest. You will be okay. Don¡¯t get too anxious, it affects how well you heal.

    Don¡¯t worry, though the reattachment of your arm was difficult, it was doable. I have confidence in my skills and I am sure it was a sess. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Dr. Qi what he thinks of my medical skills.¡±

    Qi Lei quickly gave Lu Jiao a glowing review, ¡°My master pulled out an arrow for the fifth young master. She¡¯s also operated on a handicapped patient. That patient can now walk without issues.¡±

    Qi Lei¡¯s words confirmed Wang Kui¡¯s confidence. He also picked out some keywords from that statement and raised an eyebrow, ¡°He¡¯s your master?¡±

    Wang Kui knew Qi Lei. He was born into a family of doctors. Every generation of the Qi family managed to raise an imperial physician who treated those inside the pce. For someone like Qi Lei to recognize a master like master Lu meant he had amazing skills.

    Wang Kui couldn¡¯t help but stare a little. He noticed that despite master Lu¡¯s very average appearance, he had beautiful eyes.

    Qi Lei happily agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s my master and he¡¯s phenomenal.¡±

    He then smiled proudly.

    Inside the room, Mo Bei rolled his eyes. Did Qi Lei have to act so proud as if he was talking about himself? Wasn¡¯t he embarrassed that he had such a young person as a master when he was born into a family of doctors? If Qi Lei¡¯s father knew, he might just whip Qi Lei.

    Qi Lei had no self-awareness and continued to talk Lu Jiao up, ¡°My master is a miracle doctor. He¡¯s healed many who were poisoned by snakes. None of those people ended up with side effects from treatment. You probably don¡¯t know, but normally, those poisoned by snake venom could only wait for death. Yet my master cured them. He¡¯s able to cure all sorts of illnesses that others don¡¯t know how to cure.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face was now red from all the ttery. She red at him, ¡°Qi Lei, does your throat feel dry?¡±

    Qi Lei was so excited he shook his head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t. Let me tell you, my master saved someone who jumped into the river. Others said thedy stopped breathing but my master saved her.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to p Qi Lei. That was nothing to brag about.

    ¡°Qi Lei, the patient needs rest. Get out of here.¡±

    Wang Kui truly did appear exhausted. He had lost a lot of blood and his arm was detached and reattached, meaning he was still very physically weak. However, since he was so worried about the functionality of his arm, he pushed himself to stay awake and now that he was relieved to find out his arm will be fine, all energy had drained.

    Qi Lei smiled, embarrassed, ¡°You rest. I will tell you all about itter.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared him down. Was he really going to talk about her more?

    Inside the room, Mo Bei asked everyone to leave so Wang Kui could rest. With Lu Jiao heading out, Wang Kui thanked her again, ¡°Thank you, master Lu. I am going to repay you for this.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly brushed it off, ¡°Please rest.¡±

    She then warned Qi Lei, ¡°Get some ginseng and ganoderma for him to consume. Due to blood loss, his body is weak and he¡¯s healing slowly. He needs more supplements.¡±

    ¡°OK, master.¡±

    The two chatted and headed out. Behind them, Mo Bei and Zhao Lingfeng followed.

    Qi Lei then said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, I want to host a ceremony where I officially announce you as my master. What do you say?¡±

    Though he started calling her his master, he¡¯s never gone through the official process and felt like the ceremonial gestures were missing. He felt bad about that and wanted to make it official and have others witness their formal apprenticeship. Once the ceremony was done, he would truly be working under Lu Jiao.

    Before, his master didn¡¯t want schr Xie to know about her skills. Now that schr Xie has found out everything, he should be okay with Qi Lei asking Lu Jiao to be his master.

 Chapter 277 - 277 Doing only as much as Paid

    277 Doing only as much as Paid

    Lu Jiao¡¯s first reaction was to decline.

    However, she quickly thought of how much people during this era cared about ceremonial formalities. Ceremonies made things official to people and would make everyone aware of the fact that Qi Lei was her apprentice. They wouldn¡¯t gossip once they know.

    If the apprenticeship bes official, nobody would gossip. Because the rtionship between a master and an apprentice was the same as the rtionship between a father and a son.

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°Is your family okay with you being my apprentice?¡±

    She knew Qi Lei was from the capital city and was from a good family. Would his family be okay with him having such a young woman for a master.

    There was no such thing as equality in this era and she didn¡¯t want any trouble.

    Qi Lei smiled, ¡°I have already told my father and grandfather about this. They knew all about it and agreed to it. They said once you move to the capital city, they will host another ceremony for us so everyone from the capital city knows about the apprenticeship.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s lips twitched and she agreed in the end, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll do it. Don¡¯t invite too many people though ¨C one table would be enough.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to be the talk of town and preferred everyone to be low key.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do as you said. Do you want to invite two witnesses from your side?¡±

    Lu Jiao then thought of Xie Yunjin. She should tell him about this. No matter what, he was still her husband on paper.

    As for others¡­ She didn¡¯t know anyone else.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to invite anyone. You can invite a few.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded and said, ¡°Then, tomorrow, I will book a private room at Eight Treasure Restaurant. You and your family cane at noon.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed and that was that.

    Right after the conversation, Zhao Lingfeng took out a contract and gave it to Lu Jiao. That was Baohe Tang¡¯s contract and the contract made it clear that Lu Jiao was now a stakeholder with 33% ownership of this ce.

    The contract made Lu Jiao so happy.

    With a huge grin, she tried to take over the contract. However, Mo Bei beat her to it and took it away from her. He swayed the paper in the air and said, ¡°Lady Lu, money goes to you way too quickly. That 5,000 taels of silver you got from Zhao Lingfeng is actually from me. Will you cure whoever I bring next?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Mo Bei, then at Zhao Lingfeng. How sad for Zhao Lingfeng. The money Mo Bei spent was his.

    Of course, as long as she was paid for it, she would save whoever.

    Lu Jiao grabbed the contract out of Mo Bei¡¯s hands and said almost angrily, ¡°As long as you pay.¡±

    Mo Bei agreed before adding, ¡°Lady Lu, can I make a suggestion?¡±

    ¡°Speak of it.¡±

    Lu Jiao put away the contract and looked back at Mo Bei.

    Mo Bei was very handsome. He was not aloof like Xie Yunjin, nor was he affluent looking like Zhao Lingfeng. His eyes were deep and sharp, his body was sturdy and confident. It was obvious to Lu Jiao that he was not easy to deal with and that he thought lowly of women.

    Mo Bei didn¡¯t know of Lu Jiao¡¯s thoughts and seriously suggested, ¡°Lady Lu, you charge too much. You should lower your fee to 1,000 or maybe 2,000.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, he continued, ¡°You know, when you ask for so long, you look greedy.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes and announced, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to tell you that I am a greedy woman. If you don¡¯t want to pay 5,000 next time, tell me ahead of time. If you pay me 1,000, I¡¯ll do 1,000 worth of work.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Mo Bei was confused and Lu Jiao impatiently exined, ¡°I¡¯d just attach the arm and make no promises over its functionalities.¡±

    She then continued to vent, ¡°You think 5,000 is a lot? Do you know how many different tools and medicines I used on him? I gave him a century-old ginseng and almost used up all the medicine that I created myself. I even gave him antibiotics. Do you know how much those things cost? If you don¡¯t want to pay, tell me ahead of time. Do you actually think it¡¯s easy to restore his arm¡¯s functionalities? Why don¡¯t you go around and ask who else is able to reattach an arm sessfully? Basically, every time this happens, the arm ends up handicapped. Got it?¡±

    She then began to ignore Mo Bei.

    Qi Lei chimed in as well, ¡°Mo Bei, my master always uses a lot of her own medicine when operating. She¡¯s almost out of antibiotics. That is a very rare and expensive medicine.¡±

    It was Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s time to interrupt, ¡°The pharmacy we are going to open can¡¯t make this drug? If we are able to, we can ensure the health of so many citizens.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t speak. Qi Lei jumped in, ¡°My master said, in order to make antibiotics, we have to find potash mines or dried-up saltkes. She said we might be able to find some in the southeast or northwest.¡±

    Since Mo Bei had angered Lu Jiao, he tried to redeem himself, ¡°I¡¯ll find some people to look for those.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng then began to tell Lu Jiao about the three businesses, ¡°We¡¯ve bought thend. It¡¯s just outside the city in the south. Do you want to check it out?¡±

    Lu Jiao was very interested, ¡°Sure. But I will be busy for the next few days. We can go in a few days.¡±

    She then thought of her second brother, Lu An.

    She said to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°I want to hire my second brother to manage the three businesses. Of course, he doesn¡¯t have to be the head ¨C he can start off by helping out the head. For both the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical stores, my secret forms will be used as a part of the recipes. My forms are difficult to recreate so I will have to do that personally before other products are added. I will need someone who can do the leg work and pick up things for me.

    It won¡¯t be convenient for me if some strangeres to my home all the time. So I want my second brother to be the one who handles it.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t tell them she wanted to use her spiritual stream water so she referred to it as her secret form.

    Zhao Lingfeng agreed, ¡°Okay, I was about to ask you whether or not you know any talents who could help out. If your second brother is willing to do the work, that¡¯s great!¡±

    He then added, ¡°Then, you can tell him toe as early as tomorrow. We are going to start building our stores soon and he can help out with that. He can familiarize himself with our ns for the future and make himself valuable quickly.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng wanted to finish setting up as soon as possible so he could enter the money-making stage.

    Lu Jiao agreed. Tomorrow, she¡¯ll send Lu Gui back to the apricot vige and pick up Lu An.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    They then moved on to Lu Jiao¡¯s previous request to buynd.

    ¡°I looked around for you. It¡¯s hard to buy so muchnd together. I could only find plots ofnd avable separately. Are you willing to buy it like that?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it. Her money was just sitting there, doing nothing. She might as well buy something.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll buy it. How much for an acre?¡±

    ¡°Some are on sale for 100, some are on sale for less.¡±

    ¡°How much money would it cost in total?¡±

    ...

    ¡°15,000 should do it.¡±

 Chapter 278 Wronged and Resentful

    278 Wronged and Resentful

    Lu Jiao took out around 15,000 taels of silver worth of bank notes from her sleeve and handed it to Zhao Lingfeng, "You can get your people to buy it for me then."

    Zhao Lingfeng didn''t take the money, "You are not going to check it out?"

    Lu Jiao smiled, "I trust you."

    They were in the same boat with the same goals. There was no way Zhao Lingfeng would scam her.

    Men could betray anyone but they would never betray the thing that reaps them benefits.

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled and took the bank note, "Since you trust me, I will make sure everything is handled to perfection."

    "Great."

    In the living room, Mo Bei narrowed his eyes at Lu Jiao. Though this woman was money hungry, he just couldn''t hate her after he got to know her.

    She may be greedy, but she didn''t hide it. That alone changed his impression of how fake women were.

    This woman was different from others.

    Mo Bei thought.

    Lu Jiao got up and was ready to leave, "I''ll be going back first then."

    She then reminded Qi Lei, "Uncle Wang''s body is weak. Remember to give him lots of supplements so he can recover fast."

    "Master, don''t worry. I will."

    Qi Lei then walked Lu Jiao out.

    Behind them, Mo Bei watched Lu Jiao go. Zhao Lingfeng nced at him and said, "You need to stop calling Lady Lu greedy. If she gets pissed, she may stop helping you out. Think about it, don''t you think the few times she helped you were worth more than 5,000?"

    His master, for example, had his life saved by her. That was worth way more than 5,000.

    This time, she saved Wang Kui. Wang Kui was someone their master was cooperating with. At first, general Wang was hesitant to take their master''s side. But now that they''ve saved his life and his arm, he will now be loyal to their master.

    Someone as capable as the general must be worth more than 5,000.

    Zhao Lingfeng stared at Mo Bei, "Lady Lu isn''t asking for too much. When she treated magistrate Hu''s daughter-inw and grandson, she only asked for 500."

    Mo Bei was now silent.

    By the time Lu Jiao returned with Feng Zhi, Xie Yunjin was already home and was reading.

    Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi went to find him.

    Xie Yunjin was ecstatic that Lu Jiao was looking for him. However, he remained calm and didn''t show any excitement.

    "You need something from me?"

    Lu Jiao nodded, "As you know, Dr. Qi has been calling me ''master''. He wants to learn surgery skills from me."

    Xie Yunjin stared at her then said slowly, "Before, I thought he was the one who operated on me and I was very thankful to him. It turned out that that wasn''t what happened."

    Given his wronged and resentful expression, Lu Jiao felt a little guilty. She smiled dryly, "At that time, if I told you I knew how to operate, you wouldn''t have believed me. So I had to borrow Dr. Qi''s name."

    "Then howe you didn''t tell me after? I would''ve believed you."

    Lu Jiao grinned, "After, I thought it would no longer be necessary."

    Worried Xie Yunjin would obsess over this, her expression hardened, "I''m here to ask you something. Why do you keep bringing up the past?"

    Looking at her almost vertical brows and her fierce expression, Xie Yunjin didn''t find it annoying at all. On the contrary, he thought she looked cute.

    "What is it?"

    "Though Qi Lei is already calling me master, we never had the ceremony. He thinks it''s too unofficial that way and wants to have an apprenticeship banquet."

    Xie Yunjin frowned a little, "A banquet? We should be staying low-key right now."

    Xie Yunjin thought the banquet would be big and didn''t support it.

    Right now, the Qinghe District was chaotic and it wasn''t good to draw attention.

    Lu Jiao nodded, "I mentioned that and told him to only invite enough people to fill one table. We''ll get a few witnesses and go through the normal ceremonial processes. After that, the apprenticeship will be official. Or else he feels ufortable."

    Xie Yunjin agreed right away then. During this era, the rtionship between an apprentice and a master was a very serious matter. Once the apprenticeship banquet is done, Qi Lei will officially be an apprentice below Lu Jiao.

    "That sounds okay with me."

    Xie Yunjin then stared at Lu Jiao, "Did you get witnesses?"

    Lu Jiao smiled and shook her head, "I don''t know anyone so I don''t n on inviting anyone. I''ve asked Qi Lei to handle it."

    Xie Yunjin smiled, "I will deal with it. Don''t worry too much."

    "Okay."

    The two chatted a little more and then headed to the back courtyard.

    In the back courtyard, the four little ones noticed how harmonious Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin were. They chuckled like little birds and they were now certain of one thing¡­

    Their mommy wasn''t going to leave anymore. They were going to have a mommy forever now. For dinner, the four little ones were exceptionally enthusiastic and kept on getting Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin food.

    The two adults were in awe, "You guys seem to be happy today. Tell us what good things happened today?"

    The four little ones pursed their lips to seal theirughter. The First Born blinked at Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin, "When we see mommy and daddy happy, we are happy."

    The Second Born nodded, "We don''t want mommy and daddy to be apart. When you''re apart, we get sad."

    The Third Born with his big eyes gawked at Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin, "My mommy and daddy are both so good-looking. When you stand together, it looks like a painting. I hope you would never separate."

    The Fourth Born was sitting next to Lu Jiao so he straight up wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao''s neck and kissed her face.

    "My mommy is a beautiful fairy. I''m sure daddy likes you. I also like you very much."

    Lu Jiao was speechless and pointed at her cheek, "Fourth Born, you can talk but can you not ce grease onto my face with your lips?"

    Her statement made the whole familyugh.

    Xie Yunjin nced at the happy andughing family. He was now even more certain that he needed to give 120% sincerity to keep Lu Jiao.

    Though he thought it, he didn''t speak or show it. He had to retreat and be distant if he wanted to move ahead. He needed Lu Jiao to be defenseless against his actions.

    "You''re so little yet you constantly worry about adult matters. Hurry and eat. After eating, bathe. You ran around all day and must''ve sweated a lot. Don''t you find yourselves stinky?"

    The four little ones heard Xie Yunjin and sped up their eating. They ran around all day and were truly stinky.

    At the dinner table, Lu Jiao studied Xie Yunjin and discovered that he didn''t seem to have overthought anything.

    Lu Jiao thought that it was because she had clearly rejected Xie Yunjin. After all, he was a man who had his pride and needed to keep his face. She was sure that he had epted their separation now.

    Lu Jiao settled down and stopped overthinking. After dinner, she bathed the four little ones with Xie Yunjin.

    She didn''t notice at all how she was no longer ufortable with Xie Yunjin bathing the children with her. Before, she thought it was weird and now, she had epted it without questions.

    After the bath, Xie Yunjin volunteered to tell the four little ones a bedtime story. Lu Jiao was happy he was willing to take care of the children and she went to chat with Lu Gui in private.

    "Tomorrow morning, ask uncle Lin to give you a ride to apricot flower vige and pick up Lu An. I found him some work."

 Chapter 279 Good Men dont hit Women

    279 Good Men don''t hit Women

    Lu Gui excitedly shouted, "Sister, what kind of job did you find our second brother? What is it?!"

    Lu Jiao red at him and ordered in a low voice, "Quiet down!"

    She hasn''t told Xie Yunjin about the businesses she was starting with Zhao Lingfeng. Before she purposely hid it from him and now, she didn''t think it was necessary for him to know.

    "I''m working with Baohe Tang''s owner to open a pharmacy. I will be using some of my own secret forms and need someone to do the legwork. Second brother can be the manager and second inmand for my businesses. He''ll be responsible for anything rted to my secret forms."

    Lu Gui was thrilled, "Sister, you are opening your own businesses with owner Zhao?! That''s amazing. I cannot believe the second brother is going to a manager. That sounds impressive."

    Right after he made thatment, Lu Gui shook his head, "No, he''s not as impressive as me. I am an even bigger manager than him."

    Lu Jiao stared speechlessly. Just what was he focused on?

    "Early tomorrow morning, you can go pick Lu An up. The second sister-inw and Taozi can stay home for now since the pharmacy hasn''t been built yet. Once everything is done, I can find his family a ce nearby. Our sister-inw can also help me out with the business. That way, they''ll make a lot of money."

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered that Lu Gui was getting rather old and she asked, "Lu Gui, you don''t have a wife yet. When you go home tomorrow, ask mom to find you a wife. Don''t worry, I have the money. No matter how much money the girl might want, I will pay."

    Lu Gui''s face turned bright red and he lowered his head, "Sister, I''m not in a rush."

    Lu Jiao saw how embarrassed he was and didn''t know what to say. He was a man yet he acted so timidly.

    "Okay, go to sleep early. We can talk more once Lu An gets here."

    Lu Gui nodded and got up. Before he left, he remembered Xie Yunjin and asked, "Sister, does the brother-inw know about this?"

    Lu Jiao shook her head, "He doesn''t know."

    Lu Gui was in shock, "Sister, how can you make any decisions without telling the brother-inw? He''s going to be angry for sure. You should tell him. You know he doesn''t like that owner Zhao. He might not like it that you''re partnering up with him."

    Lu Jiao red at him. Why was he being so loud? With his loud words, Xie Yunjin might have found out just now.

    Lu Jiao brandished her arm impatiently, "Just go!"

    Lu Gui left then. Once he reached the door, he noticed Xie Yunjin there. It appeared that he heard everything the siblings had chatted about.

    Thunderstruck, Lu Gui stuttered, "B¡­ Brother-inw, my sister isn''t intentionally hiding things from you. She just hasn''t had the chance to tell you. Don''t be mad at her. She¡­ She¡­"

    Lu Jiao naturally noticed Xie Yunjin by now. She wasn''t scared that Xie Yunjin would be mad. After all, given the nature of their rtionship, it was normal for her not to tell him.

    Lu Gui''s scaredy-cat mannerisms angered her.

    "Lu Gui, go to your room right now and go to sleep!"

    Lu Gui wanted to run away. Before doing so, however, he added, "Brother-inw, my sister did something wrong. Don''t hit her! Men who hit women are not good men."

    Lu Jiao was really mad now. He had stirred up trouble for her and was continuing to do so.

    "Lu Gui, I might just beat you up!"

    Lu Gui ran away then. His sister was strong and he didn''t want to get hit by her.

    Inside the living room, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin stared silently at each other. It was like they werepeting in an endurance contest.

    Xie Yunjin was honestly angry at the fact that Lu Jiao hides everything from her. That didn''t make him happy.

    But he was aware that they were technically separated, and he had no right to know everything about her. Still, his heart filled with irritation.

    He stood there for a while and waited for himself to calm down. Then, he looked up at Lu Jiao.

    "You''re partnering up with Zhao Lingfeng to open a pharmacy?"

    Lu Jiao was surprised that he wasn''t mad. She figured he must be angry, but he wasn''t.

    "That''s right."

    Lu Jiao didn''t want to hide this from him anymore. Since he already knew, she might as well tell him. No matter what, it wasn''t his business.

    Lu Jiao exined, "I''m going to open three manufacturers with him. An oil mill, a cosmeceutical business, and a pharmacy. We are in the process of starting construction. Nothing has started officially."

    Xie Yunjin''s heart settled down a little. He paced into the room and sat down by Lu Jiao.

    "Before, Zhao Lingfeng gave you 1/3 stake of Baohe Tang because of your partnership?"

    He thought it was because Lu Jiao was a good doctor.

    If it was purely because of their uing ventures, then Lu Jiao was being underpaid.

    Lu Jiao nodded, "Something like that."

    It was because of her medical skills and also because of their ventures.

    Xie Yunjin then asked, "Lu Jiao, going forward, can you please share things with me, instead of hiding things from me?"

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, he added, "I don''t want to interfere. I simply want to make sure you aren''t being taken advantage of.

    I may not know as much as you, but two heads together are better than one. I''m scared you''ll get the short end of the stick."

    Given Lu Jiao''s silence, Xie Yunjin continued, "You are not willing to ept me and you are not willing to stay. However, you did cure my legs and I am indebted to you. I don''t want to see you get conned and I don''t want to see you get hurt.

    Even after we separate, I will help you if you ever need it. As long as I am capable, I will do whatever I can to help you."

    Xie Yunjin''s speech left Lu Jiao feeling sour. She wasn''t sure why she felt so emotional. Perhaps it was due to Xie Yunjin''s sincerity and his intention to help her.

    She was also confident that Xie Yunjin was no longer trying to make her stay. He had epted the fact that they were going to separate.

    From the sound of it, even after their separation, he was willing to help her if needed.

    That was the equivalent of getting an ace card for her. This man was going to be the first assistant. If she ever needed help, he was willing to step up?

    That thought excited Lu Jiao and her gaze warmed up.

    Xie Yunjin was no longer narcissistic enough to think her warmth was a sign of affection. She was likely happy to hear that he had epted their separation.

    Xie Yunjin''s heart ached and he did his best to not show it. Only when Lu Jiao opens up her heart will he be able to fight his way in.

 Chapter 280 - 280 Their Relationship Keeps Getting Better

    280 Their Rtionship Keeps Getting Better

    Inside the living room, Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If anything elsees up, I will tell you.¡±

    She believed in this future first assistant¡¯s capabilities. Talking over things with him could only benefit her.

    Xie Yunjin sighed in relief and asked, ¡°For your partnership with Zhao Lingfeng, how much ownership are you getting?¡±

    ¡°A third.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and lightlymented, ¡°That¡¯s too little.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no other way. If I don¡¯t cooperate with Zhao Lingfeng, I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect what¡¯s mine. I think a third is a pretty good deal for me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew that Zhao Lingfeng came from the capital city and probably had a decently high status.

    ¡°With his status, is he able to protect the products you produce? If he is truly that influential, he wouldn¡¯t have moved to towns like Qili.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the third young master from the official residence of marquees of Yongning. He has someone who backs him up. The reason why I only got a third of the stake was that I wanted him to give up a part of his ownership to those in higher power.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s exnation made Xie Yunjin think of the man he encounteredst time.

    That man was obviously not an ordinary man. He likely was a man of power in the capital city. Could that be the pir Zhao Lingfeng was relying on?

    Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, ¡°If you have anything else on your mind, you can discuss it with me. I would never suggest anything to hurt you.¡±

    He then dusted his clothes and got up to leave. Behind him, Lu Jiao¡¯s lips curled up.

    This was good. Even if they couldn¡¯t be husband and wife, they could be friends. A first assistant friend was pretty sweet.

    From now on, she would have a pir of her own. Once Xie Yunjin gets his job as an official, she¡¯ll be able to do everything with more convenience.

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the happier she got. She even had a nice dream that made her smile until morning.

    The next day, bright and early, Lu Gui asked uncle Lin to give him a ride to apricot flower vige.

    By the time Lu Jiao got up, Lu Gui had left. Only then did Lu Jiao remember that her family was going to have lunch at the Eight Treasure Restaurant. How were they going to get there without a horse carriage?

    LU Jiao looked towards Xie Yunjin, who gently responded, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Lin Dong to hire us a horse carriage.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After breakfast, Lu Jiao took the four little ones to watch the artisans make slides. The slides were pretty much done except for the detailing. Of course, the slides needed to be smoothed out and that was going to be the most time-consuming part.

    Lu Jiao checked out what was already done and made some suggestions.

    The four little ones poked the slides here and there. They loved it.

    Lu Jiao then took Feng Zhi to look around the front courtyard west wing. Other than the room Lu Gui was living in, she nned on turning all the other rooms into study areas.

    Thenguage area needed some shelves. That way, the four little ones could read in silence and also read to others.

    For the math area, other than shelves, she also needed to write out the Arabic numerals herself and gather some math books so the children could study.

    The crafts corner needed lots of coloring materials, paper, and books.

    Lu Jiao nned it while Feng Zhi wrote down what was needed.

    That was right. Feng Zhi knew how to read and write. Though she didn¡¯t know everything, it was enough to make lists.

    The two of them toured every room and by the end, there were five pieces of paper worth of stuff to buy and make.

    Once that was done, it waste and Xie Yunjin returned with Lin Dong.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go to the restaurant.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She changed the four little ones while Xie Yunjin changed into a set of silk robes.

    Since he had an aloof era, the silk robe made him appear very imposing.

    When Lu Jiao and four little ones saw him, theyplimented him profusely.

    Ever since Lu Jiao made certain of Xie Yunjin¡¯s intention to separate, she started to treat him like a friend. The words that came out of her mouth were rather sweet.

    Though Xie Yunjin knew her words were innocent, he was very happy.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao checked Xie Yunjin out for a few more seconds and eximed, ¡°Honestly, I think you were born into a noble family, not a rural family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin grinned. His normally emotionless eyes turned colorful.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I am an ordinary man from the countryside.¡±

    He then nced at Lu Jiao, ¡°For today, I went ahead and invited dean Lu and professor Wang to be your witnesses. Are you going to be mad at me for that?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew he meant well and had no intention of being mad. She shook her head, ¡°Why would I me you? I have to thank you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin invited them to help her gain face. It wasn¡¯t easy to get both the dean and professor for something like this. Though businessmen had money, those who study were more into being honorable and respectful. Therefore, the fact that the dean and the professor were willing to be her witnesses was an honor.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The four little ones were also very happy. They took their parents¡¯ hands and sat in the hired horse carriage to go to the Qinghe District¡¯s most famous restaurant, the Eight Treasure.

    The moment the carriage arrived, dean Lu and professor Wang also arrived. The two horses stood side by side.

    Qi Lei was waiting for them at the door. Lu Jiao introduced the dean and professor to him. Qi Lei smiled brightly and invited them in.

    The group happily headed to the private room inside the restaurant.

    It was the first time the four little ones ate at a ce like this. They were not at all afraid however and were eagerly chatting with dean Lu.

    ¡°Have you four been reading?¡±

    Dean Lu was intrigued and the four little ones shook their heads.

    ¡°Not recently. There is constructions in our courtyard. Mommy said we are still little and should learn things other than the four books and the five ssics.¡±

    ¡°My mommy wants to teach us a lot of things, like math, agriculture, art¡­¡±

    ...

    ¡°Also crafts, music, role y¡­¡±

    Before the Third Born could finish, the Fourth Born interrupted, ¡°Uncle dean, do you know what role-ying is? It¡¯s when my mommy writes a story and has each one of us y a different character. My mommy tells the best stories! Like a mouse repaying his debt, a horse crossing a river, a three-legged frog¡­ and so much more!¡±

    The dean nced towards Lu Jiao in awe, ¡°Lady Lu, you know so much.¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°I make those up so they would go to sleep.¡±

    How could she tell this dean that where she came from existed a limitless number of stories like these?

    The group went into the private room happily.

 Chapter 281 - 281 So Lady Lu was this Kind of Person

    281 So Lady Lu was this Kind of Person

    Inside the private room, Zhao Lingfeng, Mo Bei, and a stranger chatted.

    Lu Jiao and the others greeted the group. Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei introduced, ¡°This is Yu Guangquan. He¡¯s one of the biggest businessmen in the Qinghe District. He specializes in the pharmaceutical business.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away then why Zhao Lingfeng invited him. For their pharmacy, they will needrge quantities of medicinal herbs. This man may very well be their supplier.

    Lu Jiao nodded toward Yu Guangquan and introduced the dean and professor to everyone.

    The school in the Qinghe District was highly respected so everyone warmly weed the dean and professor and then asked them to sit.

    After some chatting, Qi Lei got to it, ¡°I invited everyone here today to witness my apprenticeship under my master. My name is Qi Lei and Ie from the Qi family in the capital city. My familyprises generations of doctors and my father is currently an imperial doctor.

    Though my family sounds impressive, my medical skills are not. My master¡¯s medical skills are what should be considered amazing. Today, I want to be taken in as her apprentice.¡±

    Qi Lei then knelt down towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Master, please ept my gesture of respect.¡±

    Since Lu Jiao had agreed to be his master, she had to get over their awkward age difference. However, she didn¡¯t expect him to have such an outstanding family background. His entire family was in the medical field and his father was even an imperial doctor.

    To be involved with the Qi family turned out to be beneficial for her. Though imperial doctors were not considered to be that high-ranked, they were still highly respected.

    ¡°Since I have agreed to take you as my apprentice, I will do everything in my power to transfer knowledge. As your master, I have two points I want to make. We are doctors ¨C no matter what decision you make, you have to make sure they are decisions you¡¯re able to live with. We are not gods and we shouldn¡¯t think of ourselves as such. When we can, we should do what we can to save others. When we cannot, we shouldn¡¯t force it.¡±

    Everyone in the room turned to look at Lu Jiao. Her words were very different from what they expected. Most doctors make themselves seem selfless but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t.

    Qi Lei was also surprised. Because he was born into a family whose motto was: Practitioners of medicine must not use medicine to harm others, must not use medicine to seek personal gain, and must not use medicine to aid evildoers. Doctors must try their best to treat patients, even at the cost of sacrificing themselves.

    Qi Lei then thought of Lu Jiao¡¯s personality and understood. What she said was a great representation of his master¡¯s personality. After spending some time with her, he decided that her straightforwardness was good.

    Inside the room, Zhao Lingfeng reminded Qi Lei, ¡°Didn¡¯t you prepare a gift for your master?¡±

    Qi Lei snapped back to reality and picked up six fancily packed boxes to give to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Master, this is a gift from me. Please ept this.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed that there were six boxes, which meant he had bought enough for Xie Yunjin and the four little ones. How thoughtful of Qi Lei.

    Lu Jiao was happy to ept an apprentice like this. Though Qi Lei was older than her, he called her ¡°master¡± and she had been genuinely treating him as her apprentice. Lately, she¡¯s been organizing her notes from before and had rewritten parts of them using traditional characters.

    ¡°You¡¯ve given me a gift. As your master, how can I not give you one?¡±

    Lu Jiao then took out a notebook, ¡°This is the journal my master gave me. I made a copy of it for you. Inside are notes rted to performing surgery. You can give it a read. If you need help, you can ask me.¡±

    Lu Jiao did this to provide an exnation to everyone as to how she was able to operate despite her young age.

    Out of the group, only Xie Yunjin knew that the journal was likely filled with notes of surgeries she¡¯s done before. Seeing how thick the notebook was, Xie Yunjin realized just how many surgeries Lu Jiao had done before.

    Respect filled Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes and happiness arose within him. This was the woman he was in love with. She was worth his pursuit and his patience.

    Inside the room, Qi Lei excitedly took over the journal and once against kowtow¡¯ed.

    This gift was much more valuable than what he had given her.

    ¡°Thank you, master.¡±

    On the side, Zhao Lingfeng quickly brought him a teapot, ¡°Hurry and pour your master some tea.¡±

    Qi Lei put the journal aside and poured some tea for Lu Jiao, ¡°Being my master for one day is the equivalent of being a parent to me. Although the master is young, I n on worshiping you as your disciple. You will be like an elder whom I respect like a father.¡±

    Lu Jiao took a sip of tea and smiled, ¡°I know your character and I trust that you will do better than me. I won¡¯t say much then, please get up. From now on, I will do everything I can to guide you through medicine.¡±

    Qi Lei nodded then slowly got up.

    Inside the room, Zhao Lingfeng and Mo Bei exchanged nces. Lady Lu had a lot of self-awareness and knew that Qi Lei would be a better doctor than her. Qi Lei truly did act more like a doctor. Lady Lu, to a certain degree, was too persistent in her own ways.

    However, her medical skills were truly astonishing and nobody dared to point out her weaknesses.

    The food came then and everyone started to discuss Lu Jiao¡¯s skills, ¡°I cannot believe that Lady Lu is so skilled at such a young age.¡±

    The dean and the professor have heard about Lu Jiao¡¯s capabilities but they didn¡¯t expect her to be so astounding.

    The two of them found this intriguing and were in disbelief.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°There is no end to learning. I¡¯m not that great, they¡¯re just being kind with their words.¡±

    The four little ones disagreed with her and started to speak, ¡°Uncle dean, my mommy is a great doctor. Everyone from the vige calls her a ¡®miracle doctor.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Not only is she a good doctor, she knows how to hunt and climb trees.¡±

    After the Second Born¡¯sment, everyone turned to Lu Jiao. So she was that kind of person.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face dropped.

    Xie Yunjin was about to scold the Second Born for talking nonsense in public.

    However, Lu Jiao gave him a look that stopped him. Though the children were young, scolding them before others would embarrass them. They could talk about itter.

    Xie Yunjin stopped himself. The Third Born then chimed in, ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯m going to learn medicine from mommy. I want to be an amazing doctor just like her!¡±

 Chapter 282 - 282 Difference in Values

    282 Difference in Values

    Dean Lu stared at the Third Born in disagreement, ¡°Young man, you should study like your father. Once you are sessful in your imperial exams, you can be someone useful to the dynasty.¡±

    After he finished speaking, dean Lu turned to look at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Yunjin, you have to teach these four little ones well. You shouldn¡¯t let them do whatever they want.¡±

    After the four children listened to dean Lu¡¯s words, they became a little unhappy, especially the Second, Third, and Fourth Born. However, they knew that it would be rude to refute the adults¡¯ words in public, so they endured it.

    In the end, however, the Fourth Born couldn¡¯t help himself and said, ¡°My mother said, as long as we be schrs in the future, we can what we want after. The Third Born wants to study medicine and I want to make money. I want to make a lot of money.¡±

    Dean Lu was in even more disagreement now. He had problems with the Third Born bing a doctor so he naturally didn¡¯t like the idea of the Fourth Born bing a businessman. Businessmen were not considered to be of high status.

    Dean Lu said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, I have to object with you here. These four little ones are extremely smart. If you educate them well, they might be reliable pirs of the country. You cannot just let them pursue whatever they want. That would destroy them.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to dean Lu¡¯s harsh words. She wasn¡¯t really angry since she knew he meant well.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Dean Lu, what do you think of my medical skills?¡±

    Dean Lu didn¡¯t know how to answer. Xie Yunjin chimed in, ¡°My wife was the one who operated on my legs and healed me.¡±

    Dean Lu looked at Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. He heard that it was Dr. Qi who performed surgery on Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs. Given that Dr. Qi was here to be Lu Jiao¡¯s apprentice, everything became clear. So it was Lu Jiao who operated on Xie Yunjin¡¯s legs.

    To cure someone who was bedridden proved how knowledgeable she was. She was also of a young age, which spoke volumes about her potential.

    Dean Lu gave a firm answer, ¡°Your medical skills are profound.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded, ¡°It¡¯s because I am interested in medicine and worked hard to study, was I able to grow to be the doctor that I am today. Only when people are interested in the material, do they work hard to learn more. There are so many different skills in the world and academics isn¡¯t the only path. No matter what upation the children may choose, as long as they work hard, they will be able to stand out.

    Regarding subjects that the children have no interest in, they may burn out if they studied for the sake of studying. Soon orter, they would lose their motivation and end up with no achievements. They may even hate their lives. Dean Lu, I¡¯m sure you encounter plenty of students who are still trying to pass the exams despite being in their 30s or 40s. Do you think they are still passionate about their lives?¡±

    Both dean Lu and professor Wang became mute. They¡¯ve encountered so many people who spent their lives trying to pass the imperial exams. Some died with their eyes open. Passion? More like desperation.

    Lu Jiao grinned and continued, ¡°Of course, if they are interested, I would encourage them. Like my First Born, he loves to read and learn. It¡¯spletely doable for him to go down the imperial examination path.¡±

    The First Born looked towards dean Lu and said in a serious tone, ¡°I love reading. I want to be a schr as amazing as my father.¡±

    Dean Lu patted the First Born¡¯s head. Right now, he couldn¡¯t find the strength to argue that studying was the only way in life.

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t want the atmosphere to be awkward so he poured some alcohol for dean Lu. He then asked him some questions about the school. After a few rounds of drinks, dean Lu¡¯s energy heightened and he began to tell many fun stories about the school. The little disagreement from before was forgotten.

    After lunch, Qi Lei walked Lu Jiao¡¯s family, as well as the dean and professor to the horse carriages.

    Lu Jiao reminded Qi Lei, ¡°If there are areas that are confusing, you cane and ask me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, master.¡±

    Lu Jiao then asked the coachman to head home.

    On the way back, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but apologize for dean Lu¡¯s words, ¡°The dean meant well. Please don¡¯t me him.¡±

    Lu Jiao beamed, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can identify right from wrong. The dean wants the best for the four little ones. I may not agree with his values, but I appreciate him sharing his thoughts.¡±

    On that subject, Lu Jiao looked to Xie Yunjin, ¡°About what I said¡­ Those are merely my thoughts. You don¡¯t have to take it seriously. If you have ns for the four little ones, you can raise them ordingly.¡±

    If Xie Yunjin was determined to have the four little ones go through the imperial exams, he should. After all, they were his children and not hers.

    Xie Yunjin forced a smile despite his cloudy eyes, ¡°Lu Jiao, no matter what others say, I agree with what you said. There¡¯s more than one path in life for men. No matter what the children choose, I¡¯m sure the journey will be amazing. I think what you said back there was apudable. I very much agree with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was ecstatic to hear that, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that we agree about this even though we never talked about it. I just want them to be happy. I want them to live happily doing what they want to do. There¡¯s no reason to force them down a path they despise.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up upon hearing those words from Lu Jiao. Though they couldn¡¯t fully understand what their mommy was saying, they understood that their mommy wanted the best for them. She wanted them to be happy. What a great mommy she was!

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words truly prated Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart. He too, wanted the four little ones to live happily rather than taking the exams as if that was their only option.

    ¡°It¡¯s good if they do what they want to do. If the entire family decides to take the imperial exams and we all pass, the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t like that. It¡¯s honestly better to have some variation amongst us.¡±

    The family chatted as the horse carriage arrived back at their home.

    The moment the family got out, however, uncle Wen came to report, ¡°Master, Lady, your neighbor, officer Zhao, his wife, and their son came to visit. I told them you went to have lunch so they are waiting in the living room.¡±

    Uncle Wen was a little afraid. Before, the master had ordered him to not let anyone in.

    However, the man was officer Zhao. Uncle Wen figured that it would be beneficial for them to be on the good side of the officer. Therefore, he didn¡¯t send officer Zhao¡¯s family home. Was he wrong to do that?

    Lu Jiao could sense his nervousness and soothed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Uncle Wen, you did great.¡±

    Uncle Wen smiled, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t me me for all this.¡±

    He then went back to guarding the home happily.

    Lu Jiao turned to the four little ones, who were sleepy and confused, and ordered Feng Zhi, ¡°Take them to their room for their nap.¡±

    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Feng Zhi took the children and headed to the backyard. Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin went to the living room.

    There, officer Zhao, Lady Lu, and their son sat in the living room. When they saw Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao approach, they stood up.

    ¡°Schr Xie, Lady Lu, we came uninvited. I hope this doesn¡¯t upset you.¡±

 Chapter 283 - 283 Protect him more Closely

    283 Protect him more Closely

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin smiled to indicate that they were okay with it.

    Though their daughter, Zhao Hehua had some wrongdoings, officer Zhao and Lady Lu were good people. Plus they were neighbors and they shouldn¡¯t act like strangers.

    ¡°Is there something we can help you with?¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked. He then nced at the young man they brought, who didn¡¯t look like officer Zhao but more like Lady Lu. He was naturally handsome and since he was a student, his aura was rather gentle and respectful.

    !!

    When officer Zhao saw Xie Yunjin look at his son, he spoke up, ¡°I heard that you rented a house nearby to help the pupils study for the exam in September. My son is one of those people taking the exam this year, so I came today to ask you for a favor.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew what he wanted right away and answered, ¡°We are neighbors, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. You can tell him toe starting tomorrow.¡±

    He then asked the young man, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Zhao Hong stood up and answered, ¡°My name is Zhao Hong.¡±

    Schr Xie was famous here in the Qinghe District. Many people imed he was cold and didn¡¯t like talking to others and that the only reason he was popr was because of his good looks and his achievements. Despite him being the talk of many conversations, most people respected him a lot.

    Zhao Hong, for example, admired Xie Yunjin very much. To be able to get Xie Yunjin¡¯s guidance made him unspeakably happy and satisfied. He suddenly felt confident about his uing exam.

    ¡°Thank you, schr Xie.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded lightly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be too polite. We are neighbors and you can call me by my name.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhao Hong happily agreed. Beside him, officer Zhao wanted to politely decline but decided against it. He thanked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Schr Xie, you should charge us as much as you are charging the other students.¡±

    He had already asked around. Xie Yunjin was taking two taels of silver from everyone and then another 30 taels of silver for those who passed the exam.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°Officer Zhao, there¡¯s no need to be so courteous. To charge those students was the intention of the dean. The dean helped me get this gig because of my leg injuries. This gig allows me to help the school while making money. As for Zhao Hong, there¡¯s no need for you to pay. We are neighbors and we don¡¯t need to act so distantly.¡±

    Lady Lu didn¡¯t feel right about his suggestion. Embarrassed, she said, ¡°How can that be? No, no, we should do things the right way.¡±

    Officer Zhao¡¯s eyes darkened. He had other intentions of bringing Zhao Hong here today.

    He had already predicted that Xie Yunjin would refuse to ept money from them. This would allow him to be indebted to Xie Yunjin and in the future, he would have an excuse to protect Yunjin closely.

    Officer Zhao said, ¡°Since Schr Xie refuses the money, then I ept your kindness. In the future, if you ever need anything, call for me and I will be here.¡±

    Lady Lu gave her husband a strange look. Her husband didn¡¯t normally enjoy freeloading. Howe he was okay with it today?

    Xie Yunjin was happy. Officer Zhao worked in the Qinghe District and was highly efficient. He must be really good at his job. With them being neighbors, he may actually need the help someday.

    Xie Yunjin was in a good mood now, ¡°Officer Zhao, you can call me by my name as well. Calling me ¡®schr¡¯ feels distant. I¡¯ll refer to you as uncle Zhao.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡±

    After they chatted some more, the Zhao family left.

    Behind Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiaomented, ¡°Howe officer Zhao is extra warm towards you?¡±

    Logically speaking, officer Zhao should be a man of few words given his masculine personality. However, he seemed very friendly toward Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and figured that was normal, ¡°I thought he was just being himself. He wanted me to teach Zhao Hong well so he could pass the exam and be a schr.¡±

    Lu Jiao decided that made sense and didn¡¯t think more. She then went to the back courtyard.

    Back there, the four little ones were not sleeping and were ying with something. It was the gift given to them by Qi Lei.

    They were four silver nes with longevity locks.

    Though they were made of silver, the craftmanship was extremely detailed and expensive looking. More importantly, the four nes looked exactly the same.

    The four little ones obviously liked it and kept on ying with the locks.

    When they saw Lu Jiao, they picked up the ne and swung it around, ¡°Mommy, this is so pretty.¡±

    Lu Jiao took it over and checked it out. In this era, those with a little money all prepare nes or longevity locks for children. She had forgotten all about that.

    ¡°Keep them safe. Tomorrow, wear them to the Hu¡¯s.¡±

    Once she gets some time, she will prepare more essories for the children. It wasn¡¯t necessary to wear them at home but during visits, not wearing essories will have others look down on them.

    Children liked topare themselves to others. Though she didn¡¯t want to encourage that, she wanted to make sure that her children didn¡¯t feel too bad.

    The four little ones nodded happily. The Third Born kept on checking the ne out and he found it hard to keep his lips closed.

    Lu Jiao reminded them, ¡°Take a nap. You can y once you wake up.¡±

    The four little ones finally went to sleep. Lu Jiao went to her room to take a nap herself.

    At night, Lu Gui and Lu An came back.

    Lu Jiao said to Lu An, ¡°I¡¯m sure Lu Gui¡¯s told you everything. I¡¯m starting three businesses with Baohe Tang¡¯s owner so I rmended you to be the second inmand in running that ce. I won¡¯t be there all the time in the future, so I hope you can be my eyes. The businesses will likely need my secret form, which I will be making here. When the timees, you just have to pick it up from me.¡±

    Lu An was thrilled as he stared at Lu Jiao. How was it possible that his little sister was so capable? Not only was she good at curing others, she even started businesses with others.

    Because of his sister, he was now the second inmand. That thought alone excited Lu An.

    Lu Jiao poured cold water all over his good mood, ¡°It will be up to you as to whether or not you¡¯ll get to keep your position. If you have no real abilities and owner Zhao dislikes you, I will have no issues with recing you and sending you back to the apricot flower vige. This is your one and only opportunity. You better treasure it.¡±

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao gave Lu Gui a look, ¡°Clean up the room beside yours for the second brother. Tomorrow morning, give him a ride to Baohe Tang and have owner Zhao delegate tasks to him.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sister.¡±

    Lu Gui happily went to get the bedroom ready for Lu An.

    Behind them, Lu Jiao was somewhat anxious. She asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Do you think my second brother will be a good manager? If not, I will have to find someone else for the job.¡±

    She had to make sure the person with this job was someone she trusted. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Zhao Lingfeng, it was just that she didn¡¯t want to risk anything when it came to her spiritual water.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it, ¡°The second-brother-inw has a pretty well-rounded personality. As for his capabilities, I can¡¯t tell just yet. He does seem very passionate about this job so I¡¯m sure he will work hard. Weren¡¯t you the one who said that people will more likely seed if they are doing what they love?¡±

    ...

 Chapter 284 - 284 Xie Yunjin being as Naggy as a Mother

    284 Xie Yunjin being as Naggy as a Mother

    Lu Jiao thought he was right and decided not to get worked up over it.

    ¡°Are youing with us to magistrate Hu¡¯s grandson¡¯s one-month birthday tomorrow?¡±

    Before, Hu Shan gave Lu Jiao the invitation in front of Xie Yunjin but didn¡¯t give Xie Yunjin one separately. That was why Lu Jiao asked.

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going. Before I didn¡¯t know much about the Qinghe District but now I realize how deep the water is. Now that we live here, we must learn more about the district and the people in it. We don¡¯t want to identally offend anyone.¡±

    !!

    They would be far too reactive then. With four little children at home, others¡¯ ill intentions might hurt them badly.

    Lu Jiao agreed right away, ¡°Then we can go together tomorrow.¡±

    A smile blossomed on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face immediately, ¡°Then, you rest early. I¡¯m going to study for a bit.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded without thinking, ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was getting happier and happier. With his footsteps lighter, he walked out of the room.

    Though magistrate Hu¡¯s position wasn¡¯t considered too high, he got there properly by going through the exams. Under normal circumstances, he should¡¯ve been able to get promoted a while ago. Sadly, after so many years here, he remained merely a distinct magistrate with no possibility of getting a higher rank.

    This was because he was straightforward and didn¡¯t have a high enough EQ. Secondly, he was born in the countryside without any family in the imperial city. Though wealthy, he wasn¡¯t wealthy enough. Therefore, he had no choice but to stay in the district.

    At fifty years old, he was disheartened and displeased all because of his low rank.

    In this small city, however, he remained well-respected by the locals. Today, it was his grandson¡¯s one-month birthday celebration. There were lots of guests invited, enough that the streets were congested before his home.

    Other than his subordinates, lots of businessmen came for the celebration. Anyone who was doing rather well these days was here.

    It was people like Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao who appeared out of ce. However, since Lu Jiao saved Li Yuyao and her son, the Hu family was extremely kind to them. Magistrate Hu even paid respect to Xie Yunjin.

    The moment Lu Jiao¡¯s family arrived, the servants invited them in warmly.

    The men gathered in the front courtyard while the women stayed in the back. Xie Yunjin originally wanted to take the four little ones with him. However, Lu Jiao decided it would be better for the kids to be with her. This way, the men could talk without having to consider their surroundings. The four little ones were so little, it would be better if they didn¡¯t hear all the subjects or words that mighte up.

    Xie Yunjin agreed with Lu Jiao. He was just worried that the four little ones would cause Lu Jiao trouble and he lectured the four little ones, ¡°You boys listen to your mother. Don¡¯t run around too much. You¡¯re guests and you have to be respectful. Got it?¡±

    The four little ones nodded, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t worry, we will listen to mommy.¡±

    Xie Yunjin then prodded Feng Zhi, ¡°Take care of the young masters. Don¡¯t let them run around too much.¡±

    Feng Zhi nodded to show that she would.

    Xie Yunjin was less now but was still worried about Lu Jiao. He suggested, ¡°If anything happens back here, tell Feng Zhi toe and find me. I will take care of it for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin. Was this schr the same aloof and quiet schr Xie? Why was he acting like a mother?

    ¡°I know. Stop worrying.¡±

    Worried he might talk even more, Lu Jiao hurriedly took the children and went to the back courtyard with Feng Zhi.

    Lu Jiao joked with Feng Zhi, ¡°Your master¡¯s now as naggy as my mother.¡±

    Feng Zhiughed, ¡°The master cares too much about you and the children. That¡¯s why.¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at Feng Zhi and raised an eyebrow. Xie Yunjin cared about her too much? But they¡¯ve talked about their separation and epted it. Therefore, he must care about her as a friend. After all, she healed his legs and he was grateful.

    Just then, the noises of a conversation could be heard. Lu Jiao turned her head and saw three well-dressed women walk into the courtyard while chatting.

    Lu Jiao turned to thedy¡¯s servant, ¡°Are we going straight to Lady Li¡¯s courtyard?¡±

    Though Lu Jiao never visited this ce, based on the location, the front courtyard likely wasn¡¯t where the magistrate and his wife stayed. It was most likely where Hu Shan and Lady Li stayed.

    The servant answered quickly, ¡°Thedy had asked me to take you to her courtyard the moment you arrived. She wanted to see you as soon as possible in order to thank you.¡±

    Lu Jiao giggled, ¡°Yourdy is far too kind.¡±

    Honestly speaking though, at that time, Li Yuyao was in critical condition. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Jiao, she would¡¯ve for sure died.

    Anyone with a heart would be grateful for Lu Jiao. It was normal Li Yuyao acted this way.

    Normally speaking, Lu Jiao should first visit the magistrate¡¯s wife today. After all, in this household, she was considered the matriarch.

    Since Li Yuyao asked to see Lu Jiao, Lu Jiao had no reason to decline. She walked alongside the four little ones and the servant to get to Li Yuyan¡¯s courtyard.

    There were lots of people gathered in her room at the moment. Since it was her son¡¯s one-month birthday, all the female visitors should theoreticallye and see her and the one-month-old young master. They should also be giving the young master his birthday gift.

    Lu Jiao looked over and recognized nobody. Her appearance, however, garnered everyone¡¯s attention. All the women turned to her.

    Her four little ones were far too dazzling. Not only were they wearing identical clothes, but they also wore the same hairstyle and had the same silver longevity lock around their neck. The four children were also pale and cute,pletely loveable.

    Everyone started to discuss.

    ¡°Who is that? I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡±

    ¡°Are the four little ones hers? They¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°My god, so many families fail to bear a single son yet she gave birth to four at the same time. Quadruplets? That¡¯s so rare.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen quadruplets. I¡¯ve at most seen twins.¡±

    ¡°This woman sure is good at bearing children. I¡¯ve never met her though.¡±

    When Li Yuyao saw Lu Jiao, she excitedly marched over and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. She pulled Lu Jiao inside and introduced to everyone, ¡°This is the doctor who saved my and my son¡¯s lives. She may be beautiful and young, but she¡¯s actually an amazing doctor.¡±

    ¡°Doctor? How old is she? How¡¯s she able to be a doctor? One who saved Lady Li and her son.¡±

    Li Yuyao pulled Lu Jiao over and sat down with her inside. She excitedly said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, I¡¯ve been wanting to see you for so long to thank you personally. But I just haven¡¯t gotten the chance.¡±

 Chapter 285 - 285 Two Families turned Rivals

    285 Two Families turned Rivals

    Lu Jiao could tell that Li Yuyao was truly thankful and shook her head, ¡°Lady Li, you don¡¯t have to be so polite. I¡¯m a doctor and it¡¯s my job to save patients.¡±

    Before Li Yuyao could speak, an older woman opened her lips, ¡°That¡¯s right, Yuyao, she¡¯s a doctor. It was her job to save you and your son. Plus, the Hu family paid her for it.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned and recognized the woman speaking to be Li Yuyao¡¯s mother.

    Lu Jiao clearly remembered that this woman fought against having Qi Lei in the room in fear of Hu Shan leaving Li Yuyao. She said it was inappropriate for a man to be in the delivery room.

    A mother who was willing to risk her daughter¡¯s life for reputation was a mother Lu Jiao looked down on.

    However, Lu Jiao didn¡¯tment. Li Yuyao¡¯s eyes darkened but her expression remained soft. Her words, however, were full of spikes, ¡°That¡¯s true. Lady Lu charged money for the treatment. It¡¯s also true that she saved our lives at a time when everyone else had given up on us.¡±

    A lot of people in the room were intrigued by thatment and stared at Li Yuyao and her mom.

    They knew that Li Yuyao gave birth with her family around. If they were to think through what she was saying now then they could easily tell that something went wrong. Did the Li family give up on her and her son?

    Li Yuyao¡¯s mother noticed the look in everyone¡¯s eyes and her expression dropped. Her first reaction was to sneer at Li Yuyao.

    Beside her, Li Yuyao¡¯s sister-inw pulled their mother away, ¡°Mother,e and see. The baby just smiled.¡±

    Li Yuyao¡¯s mother finally suppressed her anger and went to check out the baby.

    Li Yuyao exhaled deeply. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted her family to look bad, she just felt so bad every time she thought of what happened back then.

    Her own son and she were so close to death all because of her own mother. When her mothermented that Hu Shan would leave her, she had thoughts of dying. If it weren¡¯t for Lady Lu, she truly would¡¯ve died.

    Li Yuyao grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Lady Lu, thank you, really.¡±

    Lu Jiao was almost embarrassed to be praised so much, ¡°Lady Li, you¡¯re too kind.¡±

    Li Yuyao grinned, ¡°Okay, then we can act more like friends going forward.¡±

    She then gestured for a young girl toe and said to her, ¡°Xiaoxiao, thisdy here saved my life and your brother¡¯s life. From now on, treat her like your real aunt.¡±

    Li Yuyao then introduced to Lu Jiao, ¡°This is my young daughter, Lingxue. Her nickname is Xiaoxiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao took out a little pouch and brought it to Hu Lingxue, ¡°Xiaoxiao, this is penta-colored fruit. It¡¯s a gift for you.¡±

    The penta-colored fruit was something Lu Jiao asked Aunt Hua to make. She used a little bit of spiritual water when making it. Therefore, despite its rather normal appearance, it would condition the body very well.

    Hu Shan¡¯s eldest daughter, Hu Lingxue was only five but was very docile. She was respectful and polite. After taking over the gift, she thanked Lu Jiao happily, ¡°Thank you, aunty.¡±

    Lu Jiao really liked this gentle girl and patted her head, ¡°Feel free toe and y at my house anytime.¡±

    Hu Lingxue turned to Li Yuyao, who smiled in response, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to aunt¡¯s houseter.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mom.¡±

    Lu Jiao then introduced the four little ones to Li Yuyao, ¡°These are my quadruplets. They¡¯re four years old this year and I refer to them as the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Born.¡±

    She then asked the four little ones quickly, ¡°Greet your aunty.¡±

    The four little ones crisply answered, ¡°Aunty Li.¡±

    Li Yuyao answered them happily before she asked her servant to bring out the gifts she had prepared for the four little ones.

    She prepared four jade pendants, all of which were carefully picked out by her and wrapped up nicely in a pouch.

    The four little ones happily took over the gift and thanked Li Yuyao, ¡°Thank you aunty.¡±

    Li Yuyao patted the four little ones¡¯ heads and said happily, ¡°Good boys. How about you go y with Xiaoxiao in the west wing?¡±

    There were only adults here so Li Yuyao asked her daughter Hu Lingxue to take the kids and go y in a different room.

    He Lingxue was only five years old. Since the four little ones and the other children here today were all very little, Hu Lingxue didn¡¯t object. After she stared at the quadruplets in amazement for a while, she gestured for them to follow her.

    The women outside started to ask Lu Jiao about where she came from and how old her children were.

    Before Lu Jiao could answer, Li Yuyao introduced to everyone, ¡°You may not know her, but you must know her husband. Her husband is schr Xie Yunjin, who attended school here. When he took his schr exam a while back, he ced first and was quite famous around here because of it.¡±

    Everyone knew who Lu Jiao was then and started to treat her with much friendliness.

    ¡°Ah, so you are schr Xie¡¯s wife. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m meeting you, please forgive my obliviousness.¡±

    ¡°You lived in the countryside until recently?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that schr Xie is highly knowledgeable. My father says he will for sure ce first during the exam next year and will likely pass the imperial examter on. He¡¯s going to be an official.¡±

    Most of the women here were wives of businessmen. In this era, businessmen were ranked low in society and they all wanted to form alliances with families of officials. Given Xie Yunjin¡¯s great potential, everyone was treating Lu Jiao with much warmth.

    Lu Jiao very naturally conversed with the women. After a while, the conversations became about her medical skills.

    Everyone was having a good time when a new group of people walked in.

    As the matriarch, Li Yuyao got up to greet the new guests.

    The new guests were the four entrepreneurs of the Qinghe District. Zhang, Liang, Cao, and Wang. The two leading the group were Liang and Cao, who¡¯s been involved in many controversiestely.

    The two families bumped into each other as they walked and red down at each other.

    Liang Ziwen may have kept his life but his bottom half was essentially useless. The Liang family acted like the heavens had copsed and therefore hated the Cao family.

    How could they just let the Cao family pass by them when they walked?

    ¡°Cao, if my son¡¯s health doesn¡¯t get better, I will not forgive you. Cao San is a person who should suffer in hell. We are never going to let him go.¡±

    The Cao family reputed angrily, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you lecturing your own son? He got himself involved with the woman my third uncle had his eyes on. The two of them even slept together. Of course, my third uncle was angry. If you want to me anyone, me your own son. He forgets how to walk when he sees a woman.¡±

 Chapter 286 - slator: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    tor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The Cao family did something awful, but what happened had happened and they weren¡¯t about to act weak now. Therefore, they took the time to shout back.

    Lady Wu, the mother of Liang Ziwen, was furious and went to pull the hair of the Cao familys wife.

    ¡°Your family is evil! Let us rip off your mouths first!¡±

    The two families started a fistfight then.

    Li Yuyao¡¯s face dropped. She was scared that this would hurt her own son and she stepped forward to protect him.

    At the same time, she ordered her people to stop the fight.

    ¡°Stop this right now!¡±

    Sadly, the two families had gone berserk and they all ignored Li Yuyao.

    Everyone else in the room parted to avoid trouble.

    Whoever got involved with the Liang or Cao families would end up with very bad luck. No matter what they did, they would be considered doing something wrong. No matter who they helped, they would get med by the other family. Therefore, everyone stepped backward.

    The Liang and Cao families tangled together and Li Yuyao¡¯s people failed to pull them apart.

    Given the severity of the fight, the magistrate¡¯s wife rushed in with a group of people. She angrily howled, ¡°Stop this!¡±

    Her shout was effective and the two families both retreated.

    Though these two families were two of the most sessful businessmen, they were attending a gathering hosted by an official.

    It was the magistrate¡¯s grandson¡¯s one-month celebration. What they were doing was distasteful.

    The Liang and Cao families quickly apologized, ¡°Madame Song, we are sorry for our rudeness. It¡¯s all because my son¡¯s hurt and I lost control.¡±

    The Cao family hissed, ¡°Madame Song, I will pay you a visit and apologize with a gift another day. We were wrong today.¡±

    Lady Cao instantly passed the gift they brought to Li Yuyao and apologized to her. Afterward, they left in a hurry.

    The Liang family felt too awkward to stay as well and left after they left behind a gift.

    Before the room, Madame Song, the magistrate¡¯s wife, took some time to gather herself before she left with her subordinates.

    There were a bunch of people following Madame Song. Other than the wife of lieutenant Xu, there was the wife of the county magistrate¡¯s assistant Yang, the wife of administrator Peng, the wife of officer Zhao, and the wife of the Qinghe school¡¯s dean.

    Inside the room, everyone paid their respect to Madame Song and gave her their gifts.

    Though Madame Song was the wife of a magistrate who was only seventh-ranked, she remained ranked.

    The Zhou Dynasty clearly stated that wives of officers were allowed to be called madams while normal citizens shouldn¡¯t use that title. Therefore, at events like this, only Madame Song could be referred to as Madame Song.

    Lu Jiao followed the crowd and paid respect to Madame Song. However, Li Yuyao grabbed her to stop her.

    Once Madame Song sat down, Li Yuyao took Lu Jiao and walked up to Madame Song, and said respectfully, ¡°Mother, this is Lady Lu who saved your grandson¡¯s life as well as mine. She¡¯s the wife of schr Xie.¡±

    Lu Jiao instantly bowed, ¡°Madame Song.¡±

    Madame Song appeared extremely strict and serious. Her every movement disyed how majestic she was. When she saw Lu Jiao, however, her expression softened, ¡°Thank you for saving my daughter-inw and my grandson. You are the Hu familys savior.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, I ¡®Madame Song, you¡¯re being kind. I am a doctor and I did what I should have done.¡±

    Beside Li Yuyao, Li Yuyao¡¯s mother angrily stared at Lu Jiao. it was that male doctor who saved Li Yuyao yet this woman imed she did. How shameless was she to ept Madame Songs bold statement?

    Li Yuyao¡¯s mother coldly hissed. If she didn¡¯t care about her daughter¡¯s reputation, she would¡¯ve poked holes in her lies.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice Li Yuyao¡¯s mother and was focused on Madame Song. Madame Song appeared kind as she looked back at Lu Jiao.

    Just then, Li Yuyao suddenly grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and announced to Madame Song, ¡°Mother, Lady Lu saved me and my son. I am very grateful for what she has done. Father also views highly of her husband, schr Xie, and has asked my husband to spend more time with him. Therefore, I was thinking of bing sworn sisters with Lady Lu. That way, it will be easier for our families to see each otherter.¡±

    Madame Song viewed her husband as thew setter. Li Yuyao¡¯s words reminded her of how much her husband admired Xie Yunjin. He had oftenplimented Xie Yunjin¡¯s intelligence andmented that if Xie Yunjin was in his position, he would¡¯ve gotten promoted a long time ago. Therefore, Hu Shan should spend more time together with smart people. Even if he¡¯s unable to learn everything from Xie Yunjin, he could learn some skills.

    Madame Song thought of her husband¡¯s words and was about to agree, ¡°Hmm, about that proposal¡­

    Before she could get all the words out, Li Yuyao¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t help herself and objected, ¡®Yuyao, it¡¯s not like you have no biological siblings. Why would you randomly swear in another sister?¡±

    Li Yuyao smiled kindly at her mother, ¡°Mother, I feel a connection with Lady

    Lu. When I look at her, I get the feeling like we should be sisters.¡±

    She suddenly realized she hadn¡¯t asked Lu Jiao about her opinion.

    Embarrassed, she turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, are you going to say no?

    She studied Lu Jiao with a pitiful expression, terrified that Lu Jiao would say no.

    Lu jiao giggled and almost pinched her cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s getting out of my league here.¡±

    Her words made Li Yuyao swing around her arm, ¡°Not at all, not at all. I¡¯m the one who likes you.¡±

    She then asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, how old are you?

    The use of her nickname made Lu Jiao raise an eyebrow. This woman was good at grasping opportunities to climb up.

    She analyzed Li Yuyao and could tell by her gaze that she seemed to really want to be sisters.

    Lu Jiao thought it through quickly. Li Yuyao was the daughter-inw of the Qinghe District¡¯s magistrate. Bing sisters would be beneficial for Lu Jiao. She was going to stay in this county long-term and she could use the help. Lu Jiao agreed then and answered, ¡°I¡¯m 20 this year.¡±

    Li Yuyao happily responded, ¡°I¡¯m 21 this year. From now on, you¡¯re my little sister then.¡±

    She spoke like she had no younger sister. Li Yuyao did have a younger sister but she acted like Lu Jiao was her only one.

    The Li familys expressions all dropped. Just then, a few young women walked in and one of them appeared especially upset. That young woman was Li

    Yuyao¡¯s real sister, Li Yuqin.

    ()ther than Li Yuqin, Xu Qinghe¡¯s expression was also ugly. For Xie Yunjin, she had once secretly taken a good look at Lu Jiao. She thought that marrying schr Xie would be easy given that his wife now was from the countryside.

    Who knew that in the blink of an eye, this countryside housewife became the magistrate¡¯s daughter-inw, Li Yuyao¡¯s, sworn-in sister? This was going to be a little troublesome.

    Li Yuyao ignored everyone else and hugged Lu Jiao excitedly, ¡°Jiaojiao, if you ever need anything in the future, call me and I will be there for you!¡¯

 Chapter 287 - 287: Living there for Free? How big of a Face

    Chapter 287: Living there for Free? How big of a Face

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Li Yuyao took off one of her bracelets. This bracelet was noticeably expensive and was made in a pair. Li Yuyao put the bracelet on Lu Jiao¡¯s wrist.

    Lu Jiao subconsciously wanted to decline. She didn¡¯t prepare any gifts for Li Yuyao and didn¡¯t feel right epting anything from her. Plus, she could tell that out of everything Li Yuyao wore, the bracelets were the most expensive. It felt awkward to take it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ 2 ¡®

    Li Yuyao pulled on Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°This is a pair of bracelets. We each get one.¡±

    Her tone made it clear that she wasn¡¯t going to take no for an answer.

    By the door, Li Yuqin¡¯s face turned green. She¡¯s been wanting that bracelet for so long but her sister refused to give it to her. Today, out of nowhere, her sister gave it to an outsider. Li Yuqin hated her biological sister at the moment.

    Inside the room, Madame Song spoke up as well, ¡°Since Yuyao likes Lady Lu, then we will all be witnesses to their sworn-in sisterhood. From now on, Lady Lu is a part of our family. I hope everyone will treat us all kindly.¡±

    Now that Madame Song had spoken, nobody could object. Everyone started to tter Lu Jiao. Many people now also understand something.

    It appeared that there was a rift between Li Yuyao and her Li family. The Li family must¡¯ve done something to hurt Li Yuyao.

    Li Yuyao was truly happy today. M/henever she recalled the moment when Lu Jiao saved her, she felt overuvhelmed with gratitude.

    Now that Lu Jiao was her little sister, she was willing to spoil Lu Jiao forever.

    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Jiao, she would¡¯ve died. Her death might not have mattered but her son would¡¯ve died as well. Lu Jiao i s kindness will be something she remembered for the rest of her life.

    Lu Jiao could also tell that Li Yuyao genuinely wanted to be sisters and that she was going to treat her very kindly.

    Therefore, she was going to ept her sincerity. There wille opportunities when Lu Jiao will be able to repay her.

    Lu Jiao happily epted the bracelet and smiled at Li Yuyao, ¡°Then, thank you, sister.

    Li Yuyao was in a great mood and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Sister,e and take a look at your nephew. He grew so much in just a month.¡±

    Lu Jiao followed Li Yuyao. She wanted to give him the gift she picked out. However, before the pair reached the baby, a sarcasticment was made.

    ¡°Lady Luj you sure are good at profiting off situations.¡±

    Thementer was obviously seeking a fight.

    Lu Jiao looked over and found an unfamiliar woman looking at her sourly.

    Lu Jiao turned to Li Yuyao and asked, ¡°Sister, that is¡­?

    Lots of people inside the room found this situation to be odd. What was happening? Lu Jiao didnt appear to know Du Lanzhu so why was Du Lanzhu provoking Lu Jiao?

    Someone introduced, ¡°She is the daughter of the Du family, the daughter-inw of the Han family, Du Lanzhu.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood then. She was ssmate Han¡¯s wife, Du Lanzhu.

    It appeared that Du Lanzhu didn¡¯t like her. Sadly, she didn¡¯t know why given that theyd never met before.

    ¡°I wonder what you mean by that, Lady Du?¡±

    Du Lanzhu entered with her servant. Her servant pulled on Du Lanzhu¡¯s clothes in an attempt to stop her from speaking more.

    Lady Lu l s husband was great friends with master Han. Lady Du¡¯s behavior meant she was going against her husband¡¯s wishes. Master Han was going to be angryter.

    Du Lanzhu was already arrogant and would never take her servants seriously. She marched in and walked directly in front of Lu Jiao and mocked, ¡°I¡¯ve met lots of countryside people like you. You scheme and plot in order to squeeze benefits out of those who may be of use to you. Before, your family did everything you could to butter up my husband and profit from my family. Today, you tter the magistrate¡¯s family to be sworn sisters with the magistrate¡¯s daughter-inw.¡±

    Du Lanzhu then said to Li Yuyao, ¡°Sister Li, I have to warn you to be careful against these scheming people.¡±

    Li Yuyao¡¯s expression fell hard as she silently cursed Du Lanzhu i s stupidity.

    She knew how close ssmate Han and Xie Yunjin were.

    ssmate Han was smart enough to know that he would benefit from being friends with someone with potential, someone like Xie Yunjin. It may just so happen that the Han family would need help one day.

    It was a mutually beneficial friendship. Sadly, this Lady Du was too stupid to see it.

    Li Yuyao looked at Du Lanzhu with disdain, ¡°Lady Du, there¡¯s no reason for you to trouble yourself with my familys business. Plus, my sister isn¡¯t scheming. I was the one who suggested and made her my sworn sister. She wasn¡¯t all in favor of the idea. Do you know how good of a doctor my sister is? Lots of people want to get on her good side. I think I am the one profiting here. Not her.¡±

    Li Yuyao i s words soothed Lu Jiao¡¯s anger a little bit. She turned to Du Lanzhu, ¡°Lady Du, I wonder what benefit I received from your family? Why must I bear and endure your taunting?

    Du Lanzhu stared at Lu Jiao with her eyes wide, ¡°You dare to say the house you¡¯re living in now isn¡¯t my familys? You¡¯re living in it for free. How big of a face do you have!¡±

    Her words made everyone stare at Lu Jiao.

    Everyone wondered if what Du Lanzhu had used was true. The Xie family was living there for free? If that was the case, then they were truly shameless.

    Xu Qingyin took this opportunity to speak up. She had to make sure she attacked this countryside woman while she could.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t afford it, why must you move to the city and live at someone else¡¯s house for free?

    Lu Jiao turned to Xu Qingyin and asked everyone, ¡°And who is this? I just moved here and I have no idea how I managed to offend so many people in such a short period of time.¡±

    Li Yuyao answered instantly, ¡°That is the grandmander¡¯s daughter, Xu

    Qingyin.¡±

    Lu Jiao checked out Xu Qingyin. This woman was born with a beautiful face. However, she appeared to be the same type of person as Du Lanzhu. She was arrogant and inconsiderate

    Lu Jiao was toozy to get involved with them and coldly stated, ¡®You better have evidence to support your ims. I can make a case in court over nder. However, I just arrived in this city and don¡¯t want any trouble. If you once again make baseless usations against me, I will not let you go easily.¡±

    Lu Jiao straight up took out her deed and shook it around. She stared into Du Lanzhu¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°What do you mean living in your house for free? Open your eyes wider and take a look. I bought your house. Though 1,200 taels of silver for that house could be considered low, I was only able to get that price due to the great rtionship between your husband and mine. To say we are living there for free is pure nder. That is a crime. You really think words thate out of your mouth can do no harm?¡±

    Lu Jiao felt so lucky to have not cheapened out on ssmate Han. If she truly bought the house at 800 back then, this woman just might find uglier words to use against her..

 Chapter 288 - 288: A Woman with a Wicked Idea

    Chapter 288: A Woman with a Wicked Idea

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Li Yuyao was furious. She might not be able to say anything against Xu Qingyin, but the daughter of the Du family was someone she could afford to offend.

    Li Yuyao looked at Du Lanzhu and said, ¡°Get out of the Hu household right now. The Hu family does not want to interact with someone who stirs up trouble.¡±

    Du Lanzhu¡¯s face grew ugly. She wanted to open her mouth and curse. Due to Li

    Yuyao t s identity, she stopped herself.

    After she red at Lu Jiao, Du Lanzhu left.

    Behind her, Li Yuyao took Lu Jiao¡¯s hands again and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t get mad. Ignore her. She¡¯s not right in the head.¡±

    A lot of people agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right, Lady Du¡¯s always been a proud one. Her family is not wealthy but she thinks they are all that.¡±

    The Du and Han family were considered middle ss in this city. The wealthier businessmen never thought anything of them. Du Lanzhu however, considered her family to be top-tier.

    Lots of women here didnt seem to like her.

    Given the time, Madame Song announced that dinner would now start. She led the group to the courtyard where dinner would be hosted.

    Lu Jiao quickly gave Li Yuyao¡¯s son the gift she prepared. She bought a set of silver ne and bracelet.

    Li Yuyao thanked her with a grin. After she asked her servants to look after her son, she went to dinner with Lu Jiao.

    The two of them chatted as they wanted. Most people didn¡¯t think much about their rtionship. After all, Li Yuyao and her son¡¯s lives were saved by Lu Jiao. The Li family and Xu Qingyin however, were furious over how happy they looked.

    Xu Qingyin in particr, could not grasp the concept of a countryside woman bing the sister of the magistrate¡¯s daughter-inw. This was going to make it hard for her to get rid of Lu Jiao.

    Due to depression, Xu Qingyin drank a few shots of alcohol and felt dizzy. The thought of that icy, handsome-like-a-painting Xie Yunjin made her heart race. She couldn¡¯t help herself and secretly headed to the courtyard where the men were.

    Xu Qingyin was familiar with the Xu courtyards. Therefore, she quickly found the courtyard where the men were.

    Her servant didn¡¯t dare to stop her and only tried to pull on her gently. Sadly, Xu Qingyin ignored her.

    Before she reached the courtyard she was looking for, she noticed Xie Yunjin, who was in a pavilion on the northwest corner of the garden.

    Xie Yunjin was discussing something with magistrate Hu.

    ¡°Magistrate Hu, I am merely a schr and I am still a pupil. I¡¯m afraid I cannot ept your invitation.¡±

    Today, Xie Yunjin and the magistrate conversed for a while and the magistrate discovered that this schr was more than book-smart. He was calm, thoughtful, and profound. Though he was only a schr, he was more suitable than the current magistrate for the magistrate job.

    Magistrate Hu wanted to hire Xie Yunjin as his staff. These days, he felt trapped in this county, unable to retreat nor move forward. He was 50 years old and he had essentially no achievements. Could it be that he was going to be stuck in this ce his whole life?

    Even if he was fine with that, what about his son? He knew that given his son¡¯s capabilities, he would be happy if he passed the provincial exam and became a rmended schr. It was unlikely that his son could do better than that.

    He was merely a magistrate and had no power to set him up for sess. What was the Hu family going to do?

    Because of this, magistrate Hu l s hair had gone gray. The sight of Xie Yunjin made him feel like he¡¯s seen a ray of light. If he could hire Xie Yunjin as his staff, he could get himself unstuck. Maybe he could climb higher and maybe help his son do more for the Hu family.

    At the same time, magistrate Hu wanted to form a good rtionship with Xie Yunjin. He had an instinct that this schr will one day get very far. Being on his good side would benefit the Hu family.

    ¡°Yunjin, please help me out. I¡¯m 50 years old and if I don¡¯t make an impact soon, my career ends here. As a pupil, you know how hard it is to go from a child student to an advanced schr. You must understand how it feels to work so hard and spend so much energy just to be stuck at my level. I feel like I could do more.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at magistrate Hu. He appeared to be low in energy and discouraged. As an official, he didn¡¯t appear confident. On the contrary, he seemed solemn and depressed.

    Xie Yunjin sympathized with magistrate Hu. However, he didn¡¯t want to get involved with government matters in this district. The water here was deep.

    Just as Xie Yunjin pondered, magistrate Hu tried to take his hand. Xie Yunjin flinched instantly. He didn¡¯t like being touched and only tolerated it when it was with someone he was very close with.

    Magistrate He didn¡¯t find this awkward and continued, ¡°How about this, I will pay you 50 taels of silver a month. What do you say?

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. 50 a month meant 600 a year.

    The pay was good. But this wasn¡¯t an easy job.

    Xie Yunjin was silent. If he was a bachelor, he was fine taking a risk. But he had Lu Jiao and four children. He didn¡¯t want to endanger them.

    Given Xie Yunjin¡¯s silence, magistrate Hu tried again, ¡°If you help me and I move up even a little, then we can help each other in the future.¡±

    Magistrate Hu felt like his statement wasn¡¯t sincere enough so he added, ¡°No, what I mean is, in the future, if you need me, you can order me around.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew that this magistrate was on hisst straw and that was why he was willing to try anything, including desperately asking for a schr¡¯s help.

    Magistrate Hu¡¯s final offer did make Xie Yunjin waver.

    Xie Yunjin pondered hard. Before he could speak, however, he heard footsteps not far away from them. Both Xie Yunjin and magistrate Hu l s faces dropped and they simultaneously looked toward the noise.

    Out there, two women entered. The woman in front was red in the face and wobbled as she walked. It was obvious that she was drunk.

    Magistrate Hu was furious but he quickly noticed that she was Xu Qingyin.

    Not only was she the grandmander¡¯s daughter, but she was also magistrate Hu e s daughter, Hu Yingyue¡¯s good friend. She was a frequent visitor here.

    Since magistrate Hu saw Xu Qingyin as his niece, his expression softened.

    ¡°Qingyin, what are you doing here? There are lots of male guests here.¡±

    He then scolded the servant, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking yourdy to the back courtyard?¡±

    Servant Xiaolian nodded, ¡°Lady, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Xu Qingyin fought Xiaolian¡¯s hand away. With her gaze hazy, she studied Xie Yunjin and asked with a smile, ¡°This master is¡­?

    Magistrate Hu nced at Xie Yunjin and then back at Xu Qingyin. He seemed to have understood what was going on. Xu Qingyin was drunk and was doing whatever she desired. Schr Xie however, was married with children.

    Magistrate Hu was not going to let this happen and sternly ordered, ¡°This is my guest. You need to go back now.¡±

    He had to remind his friend old Xu about his daughter¡¯s behavior.

    Xu Qingyin was unhappy to hear that. She frowned deeply and turned to look at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Master, I am the daughter of grandmander Xu, my name is Xu Qingyin.. I wonder what your name is?

 Chapter 289 - 289: Letâ€™s not be Friends anymore

    Chapter 289: Let¡¯s not be Friends anymore

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin was disgusted at how disassociated Xu Qingyin appeared. He could tell that this woman wasn¡¯t really that drunk. How could drunk people walk this far? He could also tell that the servant didnt want Xu Qingyin toe but had no choice.

    This woman was here for him.

    Xie Yunjin truly didn¡¯t appreciate unreserved women. How could a woman act without the slightest chaste? Should women who go delirious at the sight of men really oe considerea women(

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was cold, ¡°Lady, please respect yourself. I have a wife and children. I need to keep my distance from other women.¡±

    He then turned to magistrate Hu.

    Magistrate Hu was annoyed at how Xu Qingyin refused to leave and shouted for his own people, ¡°Zhu Er, where are you?! Please walk Lady Xu to the back courtyard.¡±

    He shouted for Zhu Er twice before Zhu Er answered.

    Xie Yunjin was speechless. As a magistrate, he truly was powerless. Even his personal servant dared to disobey and take his orders lightly. What capable things would he be able to achieve?

    Magistrate Hu knew how useless he was and was embarrassed. When Zhu Er entered the pavilion, Magistrate Hu kicked him.

    ¡°If you cannot handle these small things, what¡¯s the point of keeping you?!¡± Zhu Er scrambled up and invited Xu Qingyin to the back courtyard.

    Xu Qingyin didn¡¯t expect this to be the result of her scheme. She was so angry her face was ck. She then took her servant and went back to where she came from.

    Back at the pavilion, Xie Yunjin didnt want to say much more with Magistrate Hu. Even if Xie Yunjin wanted to help, the magistrate had proven that it would be too difficult.

    Magistrate Hu knew that people who worked for him had gottenzy. This was because he was constantly depressed and fought very little for things.

    This time, however, he was determined to fight.

    ¡°Yunjin, do think of my suggestion. I know you are worried about your family. Think about it though, can you guarantee the safety of your family even if you don¡¯t help me?

    For those in the game, anything can happen. Sometimes, you might be sitting at home and disaster could strike. It wasn¡¯t possible to avoid everything.

    Xie Yunjin ignored magistrate Hu and left the garden. Once he left, he saw Lin Dong rush over.

    Lin Dong went up to Xie Yunjin and reported in a quiet voice, ¡°You asked me to go to the back courtyard to check up on thedy in case something happened. Something actually happened.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face fell cold. With his eyes angry, he demanded, ¡°Who spoke out against my wife?¡±

    ¡°Lady Du from the Han family. She said¡­¡±

    Ling Dong nced at Xie Yunjin before he continued to whisper, ¡°She said you¡¯re both from the countryside and were used to scheming. You lied to master Han in order to live in their house for free. Lady Lu had to show everyone the deed to stop the conversation. The magistrate¡¯s daughter-inw also stepped in to help Lady Du.¡±

    Before Lin Dong even finished, Xie Yunjin was already filled with exasperation.

    He¡¯s been close with ssmate Han but he¡¯s never taken advantage of him.

    While he was paralyzed in bed, ssmate Han did help him a lot. He didn¡¯t help for free though. Xie Yunjin was repaying his kindness by teaching him and making sure he passed the exam. Without his help, there was no way ssmate Han would pass the exam to be a schr.

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more depressed he got. The pair headed back to the back courtyard. Once they arrived, ssmate Han was looking for Xie Yunjin.

    He noticed how angry Xie Yunjin looked and asked, ¡®Yunjin, what¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked back at ssmate Han coldly. Honestly, he i s been treating ssmate Han as a close friend with the utmost sincerity. But as long as that woman was living in his house, their friendship wasn¡¯t going tost. Perhaps a clean break was better for them.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression softened a little. However, his calmer face strangely made ssmate Han feel anxious.

    Xie Yunjin spoke gently, ¡°ssmate Han, I think we should not move ahead with our business idea. Of course, you can still do the business yourself. I will also do what I can to help you with the exam in September. After that, I think it¡¯s no longer necessary for us to keep being friends.¡±

    To ssmate Han, Xie Yunjin¡¯s words were like lightning strikes. He truly saw Xie Yunjin as his best friend. He wasn¡¯t smart and was indecisive about a lot of things. He¡¯de to Xie Yunjin for advice when that happened and Xie Yunjin always talked him through it.

    He nned on being close friends with Xie Yunjin for life. Who knew Xie Yunjin wanted to break up?

    ssmate Han felt like he had been struck by lightning.

    Xie Yunjin was already walking away. ssmate Han couldn¡¯t help but shout loudly, ¡°Why? Why are you doing this out of nowhere?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want ssmate Han to feel bad. He exined, ¡°ssmate Han, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to be friends with you. But with that wife of yours, I don¡¯t think our families can go far together. Since that¡¯s the case, I think it would be better if we split up early. It¡¯d be better for us to split while things are okay rather than being forced to split because things have gone downhill. This way, even if we stop being friends, we can still respect each other.¡±

    ssmate Han knew what had happened right away. His wife had done something to Lu Jiao.

    ssmate Han¡¯s entire face twisted into a pretzel.

    ()ther than truly liking Xie Yunjin as a friend, being with Xie Yunjin was good for both the Han and Du families.

    The Han and the families had no strong pir to rely on. With Yunjin¡¯s intelligence, he would definitely be an official. One that will go way further than magistrate Hu.

    If the Han and Du families tied themselves to someone like Xie Yunjin, they could go way further. Everything he¡¯s done thus far has been destroyed by his wife.

    ssmate Han wanted to hit Du Lanzhu.

    Xie Yunjin was already on his way back to the banquet.

    ssmate Han ordered his servant to find out what happened.

    In the back courtyard, dinner was pretty much done. At the table, someone suddenly shrieked, ¡°Lady, where¡¯s the pearl on your hairpin?!¡±

    The person who shouted was Xu Qingyin¡¯s servant. She stared at Xu Qingyin¡¯s hairpin with a bewildered expression.

    Everyone else looked over to Xu Qingyin. The giant pearl that was once ced in the middle of her hairpin had truly disappeared.

    Pearls were rare. In a small ce like the Qinghe District, pearls were even more valuable.

    Xu Qingyin only managed to get one because of her father. A businessman gifted a pearl to his father and since Xu Qingyin was his only daughter, he gave it to her.

    All the otherdies were jealous of her pearl and now, it disappeared.

    Everyone exchanged astounded nces.

    Other than the guests, Madame Songs face was beyond ugly. It was her grandson¡¯s one-month celebration yet things kept on going wrong. That was a shame.

    Xu Qingyin jumped out of her seat and started to search around.

    Beside her, Xiaojue asked loudly, ¡°Lady, could it be that when you went to pay your respect, you hit something and it fell?¡±

    Xu Qingyin nodded violently, ¡°That could be the case..¡±

 Chapter 290 - 290: Must be Searched

    Chapter 290: Must be Searched

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Before, when Xu Qingyin led her servants to pay respect to the host and have a drink around the host¡¯s table, there were a lot of people doing the same thing which made the ce a little chaotic.

    Her pearl was most likely lost during that time.

    At the table, Madame Song heard themotion and instantly ordered her people to look for the pearl for Xu Qingyin. Since it was likely lost around the host¡¯s table, they focused the search for it around there.

    Everyone started to search but nobody could find it.

    In the end, a somewhat annoyed voice said, ¡°I noticed Lu Jiao crouch down just now. She seemed to have picked something up.¡±

    Everyone turned to Lu Jiao.

    Initially, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think too much about this. She truly believed Xu Qingyin lost her pearl. Now she realized this whole thing was to drag her down.

    If she didn¡¯t realize that by now, she would be a real idiot.

    Lu Jiao snapped around her head to identify who used her. It turned out that it was Li Yuyao¡¯s sister, Li Yuqin.

    Madame Song also noticed the user was Li Yuqin and that made her face turn green.

    No matter what, Lu Jiao came as a valuable guest today. How could someone from the host¡¯s own family use Lu Jiao of taking an expensive pearl for herself? This wasn¡¯t just an attack on Lu Jiao ¨C it was also an attack on the Hu family.

    Madame Song wanted to cuss someone out.

    Xu Qingyin refused to acknowledge Madame Song and only focused on Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, did you find my pearl on the ground? If you did, can you give it back? That is a gift from my father and it is very valuable. I know people like you haven¡¯t seen a lot of luxury items so it is normal to like it a lot. Plus, picking it off the ground isn¡¯t considered stealing. How about you give it back to me?

    Xu Qingyin purposely used a friendly tone.

    Everyone at the dinner table turned to Lu Jiao. A lot of people suspected that it really was Lu Jiao who took it.

    After all, she was from the countryside and hadn¡¯t seen much. It would be normal for her to want a pearl for herself.

    But if it was truly this Lady Lu who picked up the pearl, then she was about to lose much face. Even if she merely picked it up, she was about to be shamed.

    Beside Xu Qingyin, her servant Xiaojue begged pitifully, ¡°Lady Lu, please return it to mydy.¡±

    Feng Zhi frowned deeply and walked out to protect Lu Jiao, ¡°A pearl may be valuable, but there¡¯s no reason why mydy would take someone else¡¯s pearl.¡±

    Feng Zhi then turned to Li Yuqing and said in a low voice, ¡°Lady Li, don¡¯t assume your usations have no consequences. I am going to ask you one more time, did you really see mydy pick up Lady Xu i s pearl? Be careful how you answer. If it turns out that mydy didn¡¯t, you will be indicted with nder.¡±

    Li Yuwen showed signs of fear. She took a peek at Xu Qingyin.

    She wasn¡¯t certain that the pearl was with Lu Jiao. If it wasn¡¯t, then she was the one who was about to lose face.

    Li Yuqin didn¡¯t know what to do and kind of regretted helping Xu Qingyin now.

    Xu Qingyin noticed that Li Yuqin was about to break and interrupted, ¡°Lady Lu, don¡¯t give Lady Li a hard time. She¡¯s the inw of the host family and you¡¯re putting her in a hard spot. I know this isn¡¯t your fault. You simply picked the pearl off the ground. You didn¡¯t steal. Please give it back to me now.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to stand up and speak when a shadow raced toward Li Yuqin like a wave.

    The shadow violently pped Li Yuqin in the face. The strike was so intense Li Yuain¡¯s brain buzzed.

    Everyone at the scene was shocked. They quickly realized it was Li Yuyao who did the pping.

    Li Yuyao¡¯s face was green as she gritted her teeth at Li Yuqin, ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? You¡¯re simply jealous that I have sworn Lu Jiao as my sister and gave her my bracelet. Just because you¡¯re jealous, you frame her?! From now on, you¡¯re no longer my sister.¡±

    Li Yuqin didn¡¯t expect her own sister to give her such a hard time publicly. She started to cry.

    Li Yuqin¡¯s mother¡¯s heart ached and she went to protect Li Yuqin. She furiously shouted at Li Yuyao, ¡°Li Yuyao, she¡¯s your real sister! How cold-hearted are you to treat your own sister this way?! I ¡®

    Li Yuyao¡¯s gaze was dim, ¡°Am I the one who¡¯s cold-hearted or are you? Don¡¯t you know Qiaoqiao saved me and my son? If you truly love me, you would respect her too. Because without her, my child and I wouldn¡¯t be here. Look at what you¡¯re doing instead. Do you even have a heart?¡±

    Li Yuyao didn¡¯t even want to look at her mother and sister anymore. Theyve disappointed her so much.

    She went up to Lu Jiao and stood before her, ¡°Xu Qingyin, are you sure Jiaojiao picked up your pearl?¡±

    Xu Qingyin shot Xiaojue a look. Xiaojue nodded slightly. Xu Qingyin got the confirmation she needed. Before, she was infuriated by how cold Xie Yunjin was and wanted to take it out on Lu Jiao.

    Given the chaotic situation at dinner, she secretly gouged out the pearl from her hairpin and asked Xiaojue to ce it in Lu Jiao¡¯s pouch.

    The pearl was in Lu Jiao¡¯s pouch right now.

    Now confident, Xu Qingyin said to Li Yuyao, ¡°Before, Madame Song had asked people to search around and nobody found anything. I haven¡¯t been anywhere else. How can a pearl disappear on its own? Plus, Yuqin saw Lady Lu pick something off the ground. Therefore, I believe the pearl is still on Lady Lu.

    If you don¡¯t believe us, then search Lady Luu I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find what I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    The confidence Xu Qingyin exuded made Li Yuyao t s heart skip a beat. She¡¯s seen this kind of setup so many times amongst the concubines. It was obvious to her that Xu Qingyin had sessfully set Lu Jiao up already.

    Li Yuyao couldn¡¯t understand why Xu Qingyin hated Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t even know who she was.

    Li Yuyao¡¯s brain worked hard to figure out a way to sort this out. There was no way she was going to let anyone search Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Xu Qingyin, this is the Song household, not yours. How dare you give orders around here?¡±

    Xu Qingyin started to cry, ¡°What else can I do? She¡¯s not giving it back to me!

    The pearl¡¯s a gift from my father. If it¡¯s something less valuable, then I¡¯d give it up. But the pearl is expensive and it was a gift!¡±

    Xu Qingyin¡¯s voice grew more and more pitiful as she spoke and cried.

    Her crying made others feel bad for her. Someone suggested to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, how about you let others search you and prove your innocence?

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, an icy voice cut across the air, ¡°What right do you have to search my wife? You think you have the right just because you¡¯re rich and we are poor?

 Chapter 291 - 291: How Annoying

    Chapter 291: How Annoying

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    A group of people entered the room then. The man that led the group was Xie Yunjin.

    Behind him were magistrate Hu, grandmander Xu, magistrate assistant Yang, administrator Peng, officer Zhao, and others.

    After Lin Dong told Xie Yunjin what happened with Du Lanzhu, Xie Yunjin was worried and ordered Lin Dong to keep watch on the back courtyard.

    Therefore, Lin Dong was aware of what¡¯s been happening. He had reported the situation to Xie Yunjin just now.

    Without another word, Xie Yunjin headed to the back courtyard. Since Xie Yunjin was Lu Jiao¡¯s husband and Lu Jiao was one of the most valuable guests today, Xie Yunjin was the honorary guest and sat with magistrate Hu.

    When Xie Yunjin got up and left, magistrate Hu and others felt obligated to follow him.

    On the way here, Xie Yunjin exined what happened in simple terms.

    Magistrate Hu¡¯s expression fell when he heard his daughter-inw¡¯s sister used Lu Jiao of stealing a pearl. Was she damaged in the head? How could she use the doctor who saved her sister¡¯s life?

    When the grandmander Xu heard what had happened, he didn¡¯t get mad and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s just a pearl. I¡¯ll tell Qingyin that I¡¯ll get her another one. If Lady Lu likes it, it can be a gift for her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened as he nced at the grandmander, ¡°My wife isn¡¯t someone to take someone else¡¯s pearl for herself. She may be from the countryside, but she¡¯s not shallow enough to hide a pearl she picked up off the floor. ¡®

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t even want to look at the grandmander after that and went straight to the back courtyard.

    When the wives saw the men¡¯s arrival, they subconsciously stood up.

    Xie Yunjin headed straight for Lu Jiao. Li Yuyao stepped aside and shamefully apologized, ¡°Schr Xie, I¡¯m sorry. This is the Hu familys fault.¡±

    Xie Yunjin ignored her and gently checked in on Lu Jiao, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed how calm Xie Yunjin was and how he didn¡¯t seem to suspect her at all. The frustration she originally felt dissipated a lot.

    She smiled and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    Just then, after she heard how confident Xu Qingyin sounded, she secretly touched her own pouch and felt something round inside. Xu Qingyin must¡¯ve asked someone to nt that in her purse.

    Lu Jiao honestly didn¡¯t think bying here today, she would encounter such drama and was not at all mentally prepared.

    After all, she didn¡¯t know anyone here. Why would she think someone would set her up?

    At first, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t understand why Xu Qingyin would want to harm her.

    But Xu Qingyin¡¯s furious expression when Xie YUnjin arrived made it all clear. That woman wanted Xie Yunjin and therefore wanted to hurt Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin. That face of his truly brought her so much trouble. She almost announced publicly that she was about to divorce Xie Yunjin and that they won¡¯t be involved anymore. So it would be great if everyone could stop trying to hurt her.

    In the end, Lu Jiao stopped herself. Even if she did announce that it wouldn¡¯t guarantee peace.

    Everyone in the game ends up wounded in one way or another.

    Xie Yunjin checked Lu Jiao out from head and toe and confirmed that she wasn¡¯t hurt. Then, he turned to Xu Qingyin, ¡°Lady Xu, you want to search my wife? I must ask you, who gave you the right? My wife is no criminal nor is she your servant. What reason do you have to search my wife?¡±

    Xu Qingyin was stunned by how threatening Xie Yunjin sounded. She said weakly, ¡°But she picked up my pearl. That was a gift from my father.

    Before she finished, the grandmander interrupted, ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s just a pearl. If Lady Lu likes it, just let her have it. Why are you making a scene? I will find a way to get you another one.¡±

    Xu Qingyin¡¯s eyes shone after she heard those words. She smiled and yed it sly, ¡°Daddy, you said it then. I won¡¯t ask Lady Lu for it then.¡±

    They talked as if Lu Jiao did take her pearl.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯?s demeanor grew even colder. This father-and-daughter pair sure was annoying.

    Grandmander Xu wasn¡¯t purposely trying to frame Lu Jiao. He was simply cocky and didn¡¯t think a pearl was worth the drama. He didn¡¯t think far enough and failed to consider the fact that if Lu Jiao didn¡¯t prove her innocence, her reputation would be ruined.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were dark as he looked towards the grandmander, ¡°Grandmander Xu, you¡¯re determined to use my wife of stealing your family pearl?¡±

    Only then did the grandmander realize he may have acted inappropriately.

    Xie Yunjin ignored him and said to the room full of women, ¡°Since the pearl was lost around the host¡¯s table, then everyone sitting at the table should be searched. You all think only my family should be suspected just because we are poor(

    His expression was almost ferocious. Beside him, magistrate Hu chimed in, ¡°If we are going to search for the pearl, let¡¯s search everyone at the table.¡± Madame Song took the hint and stood up immediately, ¡°Start with me then.¡±

    Since Madame Song agreed to this, nobody else could object.

    The room silenced then.

    Lu Jiao stood up, ¡°There¡¯s really no need for all that.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew right away that Lu Jiao got an idea and stepped back to give Lu Jiao the floor.

    Lu Jiao said to Xu Qingyin, ¡°I feel like Lady Xu¡¯s been targeting me but I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Everyone else in the room felt the same and gawked at Xu Qingyin strangely.

    Xu Qingyin and Lady Lu barely knew each other. After all, Lady Lu just moved here.

    So why was this happening?

    As everyone pondered, Lu Jiao spoke up again, ¡°Lady Xu kept on saying that I picked up the pearl as if the pearl is on me, but I never picked up any pearls.

    Lady Xu, you also keep on requesting to have me searched. I suspect you wanted to nt the pearl on me while searching me. Since you haven¡¯t gotten the chance to search me, I suspect the pearl is still on you.¡±

    A lot of people¡¯s expressions changed then and they looked toward Xu Qingyin.

    Xu Qingyin¡¯s face dropped and she furiously sneered, ¡°What are you saying?! How can the pearl be on me? It¡¯s obviously on you.¡±

    ¡°I think the pearl is still on you because you haven¡¯t gotten the chance to search me. This means you haven¡¯t had the opportunity to nt the pearl on me. Therefore, if we are going to search anyone, we should search you first. Once we determine the pearl isn¡¯t on you, you can search me.¡±

    Xu Qingyin couldn¡¯t help but coldly snicker. The pearl was in Lu Jiao¡¯s pouch right this second.. How could it be on Xu Qingyin?

 Chapter 292 - 292: Opposing Horoscopes

    Chapter 292: Opposing Horoscopes

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xu Qingyin didnt ask for anyone¡¯s opinion before she asked, ¡°If the pearl isn¡¯t on me, then do you agree to being searched?¡±

    It was Lu Jiao¡¯s turn to answer confidently, ¡°Sure, if we cannot find the pearl on you, you can search me.¡±

    Beside her, Xie Yunjin shot her a look. Given her calm expression, he was sure she had figured out a way to handle this.

    Soundlessly, Xie Yunjin watched the situation unfold.

    Xu Qingyin wasn¡¯t afraid to have herself searched because she was confident the pearl was in Lu Jiao¡¯s pouch.

    Xu Qingyin was about to ask someone to go to a different room with her when Lu Jiao suggested, ¡°Lady Xu, there¡¯s no reason for so much trouble. A pearl isnt amon object. If you move around, it will fall. Can you please twirl around and see if any pearls fall down?

    Xu Qingyin was very cooperative. She twirled in one direction, then the next. And naturally, nothing fell out of her.

    ¡°Lady Lu, did you see that? There are no pearls on me.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, then she raised both hands, ¡°Everyone, take a good look, I have nothing in my hands right now.¡±

    She then looked towards Xu Qingyin, ¡°Forgive me, Lady Xu.¡±

    Lu Jiao searched Xu Qingyin, starting with her cor, and sleeves and around her skirt before she finallynded her gaze on Xu Qingyin¡¯s pouch.

    She pulled the pouch off of Xu Qingyin and searched it. In front of everyone, she pulled out a pearl.

    ¡°Lady Xu, What is this?¡±

    Xu Qingyin was in disbelief. Didn¡¯t Xiaojue confirm she had put the pearl in Lu Jiao¡¯s pouch? What was the pearl doing in her pouch then?

    Did Xiaojue put the pearl in the wrong pouch?

    Xu Qingyin wanted to kill someone.

    Everyone reacted like they just saw a ghost. Xu Qingyin, the woman who shouted she had been robbed, was the actual thief?

    Madame Song angrily yelled, ¡°Xu Qingyin, you dare to make a scene in my household?! The Hu family no longer wees you!¡¯

    Xu Qingyin started to cry. She truly didn¡¯t understand why the pearl ended up in her pouch?! Before being searched, Lu Jiao had raised her hands high to show she had nothing in her hands. Therefore, Xu Qingyin couldn¡¯t even try to me this on Lu Jiao.

    The grandmanders face was even uglier as he angrily stared at Xu Qingyin.

    He suddenly felt like he had spoiled his daughter too much. How dare he set up Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife like this?!

    Xie Yunjin was a schr with much potential. If he ever wanted revenge after bing an official, the grandmander would be in trouble.

    The grandmander was furious and quickly apologized to Xie Yunjin,

    ¡°Schr Xie, I must apologize for my daughter¡¯s behavior.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t even acknowledge Xu Qinqyin. He coldly said to the grandmander, ¡°Grandmander Xu, you should teach your daughter a thing or two. Earlier today, she came to me and spoke a lot of nonsense. And now, she tries to plot against my wife. My wife and I must have opposing horoscopes against her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stopped talking then. Everyone at the dinner was intelligent and knew right away why Xu Qingyin was determined to harm Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife. She wanted Schr Xie for herself.

    Everyone now looked at Xu Qingyin in disdain. How could a youngdy like her set her eyes on someone else¡¯s husband? She even tried to harm the wife? How shameless.

    Xu Qingyin felt too ashamed at this point and ran away crying.

    The grandmander continued to apologize to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and promised that he would go back and educate his daughter. He then begged for forgiveness.

    Though Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were angry, the grandmander had apologized and they couldn¡¯t just not ept. In the end, they had no choice but to agree that what happened was in the past.

    Magistrate Hu and Madame Song also apologized. After all, Lu Jiao came here today to attend the Hu familys grandson¡¯s one-month birthday.

    ¡°Lady Hu, this is all our fault.¡±

    Li Yuyao dragged her sister over so she could apologize to Lu Jiao.

    Before Lu Jiao could say anything, Xie Yunjin had sternly stated, ¡°We do not ept apologies that are not genuine.¡±

    He then grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and announced to magistrate Hu and Madame

    Song, ¡°We will get going then.¡±

    Lu Jiao had no choice but to let him be. She was truly annoyed today. How could so much happen at a mere birthday gathering? It was so tiring to be schemed against every day. She preferred to just be a doctor who treated patients.

    Xie Yunjin headed out with Lu Jiao¡¯s hand in his. The four little ones soon rushed over to join them. They heard noises and had wanted to check it out for a while. However, the Hu familys servants didnt let them leave.

    They felt so wronged now that they were with Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao. They jumped onto them, ¡°Daddy, mommy.¡±

    Xie Yunjin patted their heads, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    The First Born frowned, ¡°We heard fighting and were worried about mommy. We wanted toe but their family didn¡¯t let us.¡±

    The Second Born angrily raised his head and asked, ¡°Did bad people hurt my mommy?

    If there weren¡¯t bad guys, his daddy wouldn¡¯t havee. He must havee because someone was being bad.

    The Third and Fourth Born announced out of frustration, ¡°We will stoping here to y. There are so many bad people here.¡±

    Only their home was good. There were no bad guys there.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were about to exin to them that the Hu family was nice when Li Yuyao rushed their way.

    ¡°Schr Xie, Jiaojiao, I want to apologize for my sister¡¯s behavior.¡±

    Li Yuyao studied Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, will you forgive me?

    Xie Yunjin heard how Li Yuyao called Lu Jiao¡¯s nickname and his gaze glistened over. He never got to refer to Lu Jiao as Jiaojiao yet, why was that woman calling Lu Jiao that? How frustrating.

    Though Li Yuyao¡¯s sister Li Yuqin used Lu Jiao, Li Yuyao was on Lu Jiao¡¯s side the whole time. Therefore, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t me her. She could tell that Li Yuyao was genuine about her. Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°That wasn¡¯t your fault. Dont me yourself. Whenever you have the time,e visit Xiaoxiao and Pingan.¡±

    Li Yuyao was ecstatic to hear that, ¡°Okay, I will bring Xiaoxiao and Pingan and visit next time.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled in response. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to stay and watch these two women being all friendly so he pulled Lu Jiao out by her hand.

    The two got pretty far before Lu Jiao noticed that Xie Yunjin was holding her hand. She struggled out of his grasp..

 Chapter 293 - 293: Donâ€™t Dispute with Morons

    Chapter 293: Don¡¯t Dispute with Morons

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes flickered and his lips curled up. She realized it that fast?

    However, he was very satisfied. Though Jiaojiao was an amazing surgeon, her hands remained soft and smooth. They werent boney and felt so nice.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heartbeat increased. However, he did his best to remain calm.

    Given that Xie Yunjin let go of her hand so quickly and how calm he appeared, it seemed like what he did was mindless.

    If Lu Jiao brought it up, it would seem very intentional.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think it would be good for her to say anything then. As if nothing happened, the two of them got into their horse carriage with the four little ones.

    Inside the carriage, the four little ones continued to pout and act angry. Lu Jiao grinned and tried tofort them, ¡°Okay, stop being mad. I¡¯m fine, right? Your dad is protecting me.¡±

    The four little ones¡¯ eyes lit up then and turned to Xie Yunjin.

    The First Born praised, ¡°Daddy, you did the right thing. Good job.¡±

    The Second Born nodded, ¡°Finally daddy learned to protect mommy. We wont worry so much then.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born grabbed Xie Yunjin¡¯s hands, ¡°Daddy, you have to keep this up.¡±

    ¡°If someone hurts mommy, you should beat¡­¡±

    The Fourth Born was about to suggest to his dad that he should beat bad men to death, but he remembered that his mom didn¡¯t like that statement. He took a quick peek at Lu Jiao and changed his wording, ¡°If someone hurts mommy, daddy, you should teach them a lesson.¡±

    Lu Jiao studied the four little ones who were worried sick about her and she felt so touched and moved.

    She was about to pat the four little ones¡¯ heads and tell them she didn¡¯t need any protection since she could protect herself when Xie Yunjin beat her to it, ¡°I promise you to treat your mother well and make sure nobody hurts her.¡±

    The Fourth Born interrupted, ¡°Daddy, you also cannot hurt mommy. If you hurt mommy, we will take her side.¡±

    The little guy even swung around his fist to show how serious he was.

    The other three also stared at Xie Yunjin and waited for him to speak.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, ¡°There¡¯s no way I would hurt your mom. I would only protect her.¡±

    Lu Jiao gawked at the four little ones and the one big one as they discussed in a serious manner about her safety.

    She felt sad about the idea of leaving. She didn¡¯t want to leave them and she wanted to peacefully stay by their side.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t allow those thoughts to stay. She changed the subject, ¡°What did you eat when you were ying with Xiaoxiao today?¡±

    The four little ones thought about it and answered happily, ¡°We had fruits, desserts, and delicious dishes.¡±

    ¡°Xiaoxiao is great. But she kept on asking us to call her ¡®older sister¡¯.¡±

    The Second Born wasn¡¯t happy about that.

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°Xiaoxiao is older than you by a year so you should call her older sister. Plus, I have sworn her mother as my sister. Therefore, her mother will now be your aunt. That¡¯s more of a reason why you should call Xiaoxiao sister.

    The four little ones couldn¡¯t fight that and answered, ¡°Okay, then when we see her next, we¡¯ll call her that.¡±

    Lu Jiao realized that the boys seemed to have had a great time. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is Xiaoxiao a nice person?

    The First Born answered this time, ¡°She¡¯s good. She took care of us and shared her toys.¡±

    Xiaoxiao¡¯s toys were nothing like theirs, but they were interesting, like a doll made out of mud and a doll made out of sugar. They also saw a roly poly, which theyd never seen before.

    When Xiaoxiao noticed how much they liked the toys, she wanted to give the toys to them. The boys refused. After all, their parents taught them not to take what others love. Xiaoxiao liked those toys just as well so they should just y

    ¡°Mommy, there was another kid with us today who wanted Xiaoxiao¡¯s toys.

    When Xiaoxiao refused, the child cried. How annoying.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born nodded after the Second Born spoke. The children then started to discuss who, out of the group, they liked and who they didn¡¯t

    Lu Jiao grinned at them. She was relieved to hear that they got along with Xiaoxiao.

    Now that she was sisters with Li Yuyao, the families will interact a lot more. It would be good if the children could y together.

    The thought of Li Yuyao reminded Lu Jiao of Du Lanzhu, who obviously disliked her.

    Lu Jiao was d that she was going to separate from Xie Yunjin now. Or else there will be many rifts between the two families.

    Xie Yunjin noticed Lu Jiao¡¯s concerned expression and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    Lu Jiao shook her head. She didn¡¯t really want to tell Xie Yunjin about Du Lanzhu in case it gave him a hard time.

    Xie Yunjin was a bit sad, but heforted himself. It was normal that she didn¡¯t want to tell him everything right now. Sooner orter though, she was going to ept him and tell him everything.

    After the family got back home, the four little ones were exhausted. Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi simply washed the children up and changed them into pajamas so they could nap.

    Lu Jiao insisted on having the children nap to ensure their good health. Good food and sleep added up to chubby and tall children.

    Once the children were put to sleep, Lu Jiao felt tired as well and went to take a nap in her room.

    However, she just managed to lie down when Lu Gui came to tell her to go to the front courtyard.

    ¡°ssmate Han and his wife are here to apologize to you. Brother-inw asked me to get you.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to go. With how arrogant Du Lanzhu was, her forced apologies would mean nothing. She wasn¡¯t going to be genuine anyway and was only here because ssmate Han forced her. She may apologize today but ugly words will continue to spew afterward.

    However, given how much ssmate Han has helped them before, she had to give him face. Without a choice, she went to the front courtyard with Feng Zhi.

    There, ssmate Han and Xie Yunjin were talking.

    ¡°Yunjin, please forgive her. She¡¯s a moron. You shouldn¡¯t dispute with morons.¡±

    Du Lanzhu red at her husband with anger. She silentlyined that he was actually the moronic one.

    Why was he so loyal to a little low-ranked schr?

    Du Lanzhu silently whined but didnt say anything out loud.

    She was annoyed at that Lu Jiao. Ever since her husband met that woman, he Kept onplimenting ner ana telling Du Lanznu now gooa Lu Jiao was at raising children and how respectful she was. At the same time, he would criticize Du Lanzhu for spending all her time shopping and putting on makeup..

 Chapter 294 - 294: If you Speak another Word, You â€˜Il be Slapped

    Chapter 294: If you Speak another Word, You ¡®Il be pped

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Du Lanzhu was annoyed over all the lectures about kids. They were just kids. What was there to teach? Once they grow up, theyll know what to do. Plus, all her shopping and her cosmetics used money from her parents. That wasn¡¯t his business.

    The more Du Lanzhu thought about it, the angrier she got.

    Just then, Lu Jiao walked through the door.

    When ssmate Han saw Lu Jiao, he stood up and smiled, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re here.¡±

    When Du Lanzhu saw how nice her husband was to Lu Jiao, she grew furious. He i s never been that nice to her. Every day, heined about her and lectured her. So all his niceness was used up on other women.

    Du Lanzhu watched this and forgot everything ssmate Han discussed with her earlier. He had warned her that if she dared to stir up more trouble, he would divorce her and force her out of the Han family. ¡°You shameless whore. All you know is how to seduce men.¡±

    Du Lanzhu cursed without thinking.

    Everyone¡¯s face darkened. Cold air surrounded Xie Yunjin and his eyes looked as if ink had spilled.

    He snapped his head towards ssmate Han, ¡°This is the apology you mentioned? Humiliating my wife once wasn¡¯t enough? You have toe here and do it a second time?

    ssmate Han marched towards Du Lanzhu and raised his arm to p her face.

    Du Lanzhu looked up at him and screamed, ¡°Hit me then! Hit my face. I sure want to see how far you¡¯d hurt your wife for that whore!

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face was now green. Honestly, she truly didn¡¯t understand why Du

    Lanzhu hated her so much.

    She never really interacted with ssmate Han.

    However, a fight between ssmate Han and Du Lanzhu here would be bad for the Xie¡¯s reputation.

    Lu Jiao warned, ¡°ssmate Han, if you want to hit her, do it in your own home.¡±

    ssmate Han knew she was right. It would be troublesome to fight here.

    ssmate Han retracted his hand, which caused Du Lanzhu to go nuts and hit him, ¡°Hit me. Hit me! Hit me to death! I want to see how far you¡¯d go for that woman. People! Come! Come watch my husband hit me for a whore!¡±

    In the living room, Xie Yunjin cried loudly, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Du Lanzhu stopped right away.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were fixated on Du Lanzhu as he uttered out, ¡°If you dare to say another word, I will get someone to drag you down and reward you with

    Though Du Lanzhu was chaotic, she knew that there was nothing going on between her husband and Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao had her own husband and children a husband who was way more handsome and children who were way cuter. Why would she like ssmate Han?

    Du Lanzhu simply didn¡¯t like Lu Jiao because ssmate Hanplimented Lu Jiao too much while he criticized her.

    If todays trouble went all the way to court, she would be the guilty one.

    Du Lanzhu stopped making a scene. Xie Yunjin ordered ssmate Han coldly, ¡°Take her home. Do not take her to my house anymore in the future. We do not want her apology.¡±

    ssmate Han had the intention of killing Du Lanzhu. Grim in the face, he turned to leave.

    Xie Yunjin noticed the demeanor ssmate Han was giving off and worried that he might actually do the wrong thing. Xie Yunjin stopped him, ¡®ssmate Han, clear your head and don¡¯t do anything that harms yourself. you have children and parents and it¡¯s not worth it throwing away everything for an idiot. You should take the time to consider your familys future. A virtuous wife can lessen the burden.¡±

    Everything Xie Yunjin said hit ssmate Han straight in the heart.

    He came today because he had hoped Du Lanzhu would do the right thing. After all, she was the woman he had chosen and if he could, he would try to make her understand more things. After all, they had two boys together. Now, his heart had died towards her.

    She was never going to change. With her around, he was never going to be friends with Xie Yunjin again. Plus, just like Xie Yunjin had said, a virtuous wife was someone who could share the burdens life brought. This woman was the opposite and only stirred up more trouble. Therefore, this woman was no good.

    ssmate Han decided to go home and draft a divorce letter and kick Du Lanzhu out.

    He didn¡¯t care at all what would happen to her next.

    ssmate Han paid respect to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He knew Xie Yunjin said what he said for his benefit. If he was overly emotional and actually killed Du Lanzhu once they got home, he would have done the ultimate wrong thing.

    ssmate Han and Du Lanzhu left quickly.

    Xie Yunjin instantly apologized to Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was all my fault. Due to my carelessness, that woman yelled at you again.¡±

    It was all because he wanted to respect ssmate Han that he got Lu Gui to get Lu Jiao. He didn¡¯t expect Du Lanzhu to use suchnguage.

    Though Lu Jiao was angry, she wasn¡¯t illogical. Now that Xie Yunjin had apologized, she felt better.

    She just found it so strange that Du Lanzhu hated her so much despite never meeting her before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know Du Lanzhu. Why does she hate me so much? When we hosted a housewarming, ssmate Han brought his children and they didn¡¯t seem to like me. I didn¡¯t know why and now I know it¡¯s because their mother had muttered things to them.

    I truly cannot understand her hatred toward me. I don¡¯t interact with ssmate Han much.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nced at Lu Jiao and suggested, ¡°I think ssmate Hanpared his wife to you too much. He probably used her of not raising their kids right. That¡¯s probably why she hates you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless, ¡°Why would anyonepliment other people¡¯s wives in front of their wife? Of course, that would frustrate their wife.¡¯

    Xie Yunjin sneered, ¡°If she¡¯s so capable, she can take it out on ssmate Han. Instead of doing that, she¡¯s ming you for everything. She thinks we are easy targets?¡±

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the angrier he got. The memory of Du Lanzhu calling Lu Jiao a whore and using her of seducing men made him want to hit Du Lanzhu.

    Xie Yunijn¡¯s eyes narrowed. He wasn¡¯t going to let anyone who hurt his wife go.

    Lu Jiao got up to leave.

    Xie Yunjin remembered something and asked Lu Jiao to sit.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I have something I want to discuss with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao sat back down. Xie Yunjin looked at her warmly and told her about magistrate Hu e s offer of hiring him as his staff.

    ¡°I thought if I took his offer, I would bring harm to you and the four little ones. So I declined. Today, it¡¯s proven that even if I do not help him, troubles stille knocking on our door.. Therefore, I¡¯m wondering if I should ept his offer?¡±

 Chapter 295 - 295: Head is Filled with Water

    Chapter 295: Head is Filled with Water

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow at Xie Yunjin, ¡°That¡¯s your business. Why do you need my input?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°Two minds together are stronger than one. I think I¡¯d be able to make a better decision with your input.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed with that and thought about Xie Yunjin¡¯s situation, ¡°I think you can help him out as a strategist. But it appears to me that the Qinghe District is rather messy politically. I don¡¯t think you should work for him publicly. Once everything calms down, you can show your face then.¡±

    Her thoughts aligned with what Xie Yunjin was thinking before. He smiled,

    ¡°Your idea is great. I will do exactly that.¡±

    His praise encouraged Lu Jiao. She added, ¡°I think officer Zhao is someone you could use. Maybe you can ask for his help.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and stared at Lu Jiao with sincerity. He seemed to be listening to her very intently.

    This made Lu Jiao feel shy and embarrassed. This man here was going to be the future First Assistant. He must have good ideas of what the right thing to do was. She was talking too much.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you already know what to do. You don¡¯t really need my opinion.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to tell her how much he enjoyed listening to her, but he was smart and kept quiet.

    Lu Jiao thought of the person who schemed against Xie Yunjin and handicapped him. She couldn¡¯t stop herself, ¡°You should really look into who it was that plotted against you. He may appear again and hurt you again. The provincial exam is happening next year, and that person maye out to cause harm again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression grew serious then. He nodded, ¡°Yes, I am going to find out who it was.¡±

    Lu Jiao got up and went to spend time with the four little ones in the back courtyard.

    At night, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯te back for dinner and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care. She ate happily with the four little ones. Afterward, the children acted coquettishly and asked to sleep with their mother. In the end, all four of them slept in Lu Jiao¡¯s bed.

    The next day, Lu Jiao decided to take Feng Zhi and check out the new businesses she was opening with Zhao Lingfeng. The shops were having their foundation set right now and she wanted to go and see if anything needed improvements.

    These new businesses were going to be her main source of ie and she needed to at least know where they were located.

    At first, the four little ones wanted to apany Lu Jiao. But she knew how messy construction sites could be and denied the idea.

    Lu Jiao tried to calm them down by saying she¡¯ll take them shopping in the afternoon to buy things they might need for their studies.

    The four little ones were over the moon and suddenly felt okay staying at home with Lu Gui.

    After some dressing up, Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi left the house wearing men¡¯s clothes.

    Uncle Lin went to get the horse carriage from the back while Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi headed to the main gate. Once there, they heard lots of angry screaming from their neighbor, the Zhao family.

    ¡°Grandmander Xu, how could you do something as inhumane as this?! She¡¯s so young!¡¯

    Lu Jiao looked over and noticed that there was arge group of people in front of the Zhao family home The man that led the pack was grandmander Xu and beside him was Zhao Hehua.

    Zhao Hehua¡¯s face was not exactly perky and she acted like she¡¯d been hit.

    She truly didn¡¯t understand what had happened. Last night, she went for a stroll and ended up sleeping with grandmander Xu, who was older than her own father.

    Because she was officer Zhao¡¯s daughter, grandmander Xu figured he needed to provide an exnation to officer Zhao. Therefore, this morning, he came with a mountain of gifts and Zhao Hehua.

    The grandmander was saying that after drinkingst night, he mistook Zhao Hehua as one of his concubines and went to bed with her. Therefore, he came to apologize today with gifts. He also told officer Zhao that he was willing to take Zhao Hehua in as his concubine and will treat her well.

    Officer Zhao¡¯s been looking for Zhao Hehua since yesterday. He went to the Xu manor, but the people there said she wasn¡¯t there. He then left to search elsewhere.

    Yet early morning, the grandmander Xu came with Zhao Hehua and asked for Zhao Hehua to be his tenth concubine.

    Officer Zhao felt the desire to kill that man. This grandmander was older than him, yet he was standing here asking for his daughter to be his tenth concubine? He was going to be theughingstock of this city!

    The more officer Zhao thought about it, the more humiliated he was. He considered killing himself.

    The way he looked at Zhao Hehua felt like he was looking at an enemy instead of a daughter he had raised.

    Zhao Hehua was terrified of the look in her father¡¯s eyes. She reacted by yelling angrily, ?lt¡¯s your fault! You told me to marry Lu Daniu. I told you clearly I didn¡¯t want to marry him. I want to marry-¡±

    Before she could finish, officer Zhao furiously yelled, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    He then looked over to grandmander Xu, ¡°Commander Xu, Zhao Hehua isn¡¯t my biological daughter. She was born the daughter of officer Zhang

    Zheng. From today on, herst name is no longer Zhao. Herst name will be Zhang. The Zhao family will no longer get involved with any of her business.¡±

    Grandmander Xu froze and he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Officer Zhao ignored him and bowed to the neighbors who were there to gossip.

    ¡°Neighbors, please be my witnesses today. From now on. Zhao Hehua no longer exists for the Zhao family. She has no ties to us.¡±

    Zhao Hehua didn¡¯t expect her father to cut her off and started to cry. She gaped at him angrily and sneered, ¡°You think I value thest name Zhao? From today on, I have no more business with you.¡±

    She then turned around and ran away. Behind her, grandmander Xu nced at officer Zhao, then at Zhao Hehua, who was running away.

    Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was the officer¡¯s daughter, the grandmander never would¡¯vee to visit with gifts or make any promises.

    He already had nine concubines and he didn¡¯t care enough to go through all this drama.

    The fact that the Zhao family no longer epted Zhao Hehua as their child saved him lots of trouble. Given how capable officer Zhao was, the grandmander worried that he might get angry if his daughter was mistreated. If the officer didn¡¯t care about Zhao¡­ No, Zhang Hehua, then why should the grandmander care?

    The grandmander smiled and nodded, ¡°Great. Then there¡¯s no more Zhao

    Hehua. In the Xu household, only concubine Zhang exists.¡±

    He then left with his people. Behind him, officer Zhao went back home green in the face.

    No neighbors took Zhao Hehua¡¯s side. They all used her of being ungrateful and all believed that karma will get her good.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t expect to witness such a dramatic event this morning. She mumbled to Feng Zhi, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that woman¡¯s dumb in the head? Instead of being butcher Lu¡¯s wife, she chose to be grandmander Xu¡¯s tenth concubine. Her head is filled with water..¡±

 Chapter 296 - 296: We will Protect her

    Chapter 296: We will Protect her

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Feng Zhi narrowed her eyes at Lu Jiao. That woman obviously wanted to be Xie Yunjin¡¯s concubine. The master rejected her and that was why she was emotionally unstable enough to marry others.

    Feng Zhi didnt say anything out loud.

    Just then, uncle Lin¡¯s horse carriage arrived. Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi got on to go to Baohe Tang. There, they¡¯ll ask Zhao Lingfeng to take them to the construction site.

    By the horse carriage, however, someone approached Lu Jiao and called out,

    ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around and found Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong walking over.

    Lu Jiao nodded and asked, ¡°Something is up?

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and asked caringly, ¡°Where are you going?

    Lu Jiao answered, ¡°We¡¯re going to Baohe Tang to ask Zhao Lingfeng to show us around the construction site for my three businesses.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. Honestly, despite knowing Lu Jiao and Zhao Lingfeng were business partners, he still felt like Zhao Lingfeng eyed Lu Jiao with other intentions. Therefore, subconsciously, he was always worried.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it, ¡°Let mee with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao was surprised, ¡°You aren¡¯t going to teach today?¡±

    ¡°I will teach in the afternoon after we get back. Am I unweed? I just want to check out the sites with you and perhapse up with some good ideas.¡± Lu Jiao thought that could be helpful.

    Xie Yunjin may be a schr, but he traveled frequently and has learned a variety of different things. Perhaps he truly did have some good ideas to offer.

    ¡°Okay, get in then,¡± Lu Jiao responded with a grin. Xie Yunjin got into the carriage instantly.

    Inside the carriage, Xie Yunjin said to Feng Zhi, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of thedy today.

    You can stay here and take care of the four little ones.¡±

    Feng Zhi happily agreed. Though thedy didn¡¯t seem to like the master much, she still thought thedy should stay by his side. If the master treated thedy poorly, then Feng Zhi would understand thedys coldness. However, the master was so nice that she didn¡¯t understand why Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t ept him.

    Lu Jiao noticed how fast Feng Zhi left and vented to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Why is she more obedient to your orders?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°She must think she¡¯s interfering if she stayed and that¡¯s why she went back quickly.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that made sense.

    Lin Dong sat by his father and the carriage headed to Baohe Tang.

    Once there, Lu Jiao remembered General Wang and got an idea. She thought it would be good to bring Xie Yunjin to the general and help them form a rtionship.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want you to meet the person I performed arm reattachment surgery on.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew right away that the patient must have some sort of background for Lu Jiao to suggest this. She must want Xie Yunjin to expand hiswork Touched, Xie Yunjin answered gently, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two of them went to where General Wang rested. Zhao Lingfeng, Qi Lei, and MO Bei were there.

    General Wang was resting on his bed but appeared to have lots of energy. He was ecstatic to see Lu Jiao, ¡°Master Lu, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Lu Jiao examined General Wang with a smile and then said confidently, ¡°You¡¯ve recovered well. If you keep this up, your arms will heal up nicely soon. In a couple of months, you can start doing rehabilitation exercises.¡±

    General Wang asked impatiently, ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Theyre exercises. You can practice picking up things and carrying them around. You start off light and then work your way up to heavier objects.

    Slowly, you¡¯ll recover.¡±

    ¡°Great. Great. That is so great. Thank you so much. Without you, I would¡¯ve lost an arm. I am forever indebted to you and I will repay you.¡±

    General Wang learned from Qi Lei how great of a doctor this Master Lu was. He was a general and it was likely he would get wounded and sick again. He had to ensure he had a good rtionship with this doctor in case he needed more helpter.

    The more general Wang thought about it, the more enthusiastic he seemed.

    Of course, he also noticed Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin was one good-looking guy and was hard to ignore.

    General Wang asked, ¡°Who is that?¡±

    To help Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao decided she didn¡¯t mind revealing her identity as a woman. She smiled and said, ¡°He is my husband, Xie Yunjin. He¡¯s a student here and he¡¯s going to write the provincial exam next year.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words stunned General Wang.

    Husband?

    He stared at Lu Jiao and then studied Xie Yunjin before he reacted like he had been struck by lightning.

    MO Bei knew General Wang was overthinking it andughed out loud.

    Zhao Lingfeng red at him and exined, ¡°Master Lu is actually a woman. To avoid questions and to fight off trouble, she¡¯s been dressing like a man while working here. Schr Xie is her husband.¡±

    General Wang finally calmed down a little. He pored over Lu Jiao¡¯s face and finally saw the softness between her eyes.

    She really was a woman.

    Because of how worried he was about his own health, he didn¡¯t observe that carefully before.

    General Wang finally understood the situation and some calm returned to him.

    He smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°You scared me there.¡±

    He then greeted Xie Yunjin, ¡°Hello there, Schr Xie. Your wife saved my life. You better treat her well. If I find out you¡¯ve mistreated her, I may never forgive you.

    Lu Jiao was speechless. She wanted to introduce them so Xie Yunjin couldwork. She wasn¡¯t looking for a protector.

    General Wang didn¡¯t care about what she wanted and continued to warn Xie Yunjin, ¡°Don¡¯t think there¡¯s nobody out here who could protect her! I¡¯m not the only one who would take her side. The Qi family would help her as well.¡± Zhao Lingfeng and MO Bei took the opportunity to cause chaos, ¡°Me as well.¡±

    ¡°And me!¡±

    Xie Yunjin t s eyes weren¡¯t kind as he nced across the room.

    Worried he might actually be angry, Lu Jiao said, ¡°Uncle Wang, my husband is very nice to me. All of you, stop worrying. He wouldn¡¯t mistreat me.¡±

    They have a divorce letter between them. If he did anything out of line, she would tell him to get out.

    General Wang joked, ¡°You seem to treasure your husband a lot. I kid around for one minute and you¡¯re already taking his side. Okay, okay, I¡¯ll stop talking.¡±

    General Wang then studied Lu Jiao a little more in awe, ¡°How could a woman have such amazing medical skills?¡±

    To be able to reattach an arm that was basically chopped off was something even military doctors could not pull off easily.

    Those kinds of surgeries were terrifying. Whoever¡¯s in the room for the operation would have nightmares forever. Even after the surgery is finished, the arm would be horrible to look at. There would be areas that rotted and an insane amount of swelling. More importantly, for most people, having surgery didn¡¯t mean their lives were spared. Lots of people died from something called ¡°infection¡± after.

    General Wang felt so lucky to have met someone like Lu Jiao..

 Chapter 297 - 297: How Heaven Defying

    Chapter 297: How Heaven Defying

    Trantor: CokeZero????? Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed by all thepliments and kindly deflected a little. She then asked Zhao Lingfeng to send someone and get her a ride to the construction sites of the new businesses.

    Zhao Lingfeng agreed. He hadbined his own thoughts with the blueprints

    Lu Jiao created and ordered construction to start based on that,

    He was so happy that Lu Jiao was willing to visit that ce already.

    Zhao Lingfeng expressed his desire to go with them. Qi Lei said he wanted to go as well.

    The group headed to the suburbs of the Qinghe District.

    Construction was happening outside the southern wall and was around 20 to 30 kilometers south of where they were.

    The construction site was mostly empty and several people were guarding the space and banning outsiders from entering. However, when Zhao Lingfeng and Lu Jiao showed up, the guard rushed out and weed them warmly.

    ¡°Owner Zhao, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded and asked, ¡°Where are the managers? Go fetch them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir, right away.¡±

    The man talking was one of the lower-level workers. Right now, he was responsible for guarding the space and ensuring no outsiders got in. Since construction was underway, if someone went in and got hurt, the business would be responsible. So Zhao Lingfeng stressed heavily that nobody was allowed to enter until at least the foundations were done. Once the foundations were done, they would move on to building the walls, then finally, the three buildings.

    Zhao Lingfeng took Lu Jiao and the others inside. There, many people were bashing out the foundation using heavy rounded stone rollers. A group of men worked together by shouting and pulling a stone roller forward.

    At first nce, there truly were loads of stone rollers at the site. Lu Jiao checked out the foundation and thought that her method of using rocks was better.

    Xie Yunjin noticed how deep in thought Lu Jiao was and asked, ¡°What is it? You have an idea?¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed to the people who were pulling on the stone rollers, ¡°Foundation made from the stone rollers should be fine for the walls. But it might be dangerous if we n on building our workshops on top.¡±

    The workshops she had in the n would be a lot taller than normal houses, which meant the foundation would need to bear more weight than usual. This foundation constructed out of stone rollers might not be able to handle that much weight.

    Zhao Lingfeng thought about what Lu Jiao had said and decided that she was

    How would he ensure the foundation could handle the weight then? Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t have a good idea. He suggested, ¡°I can ask them to go over the foundation with the stone rollers a few more times.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head. Then started to gesture with her hands, ¡°Tell them to find a rock that¡¯s about this big. Then ask a mason to create a few holes in the rock. Then, put a rope through the holes. A group of around ten people could swing the rock up using the rope and then thrust it down heavily to create the foundation. Foundation made that way should be able to handle a lot more weight.

    The Xie familys new home back in the vige was built on foundations created that way. Given the time restraintst time, Lu Jiao had to use her electric drill to create the holes. She wasn¡¯t about to take the risk of pulling that trick again. It was better to ask a mason to make those holes, though it would take more time.

    Zhao Lingfeng thought it over. Even in his imagination, he could tell that throwing a heavy rock would harden the earth more than pulling a rolling stone over it.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to tell Cheng Xiang to handle this.¡±

    He then added, ¡°Cheng Xiang is someone I hired to be the general manager of the three workshops.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. Then, several people approached them in a hurry.

    The leader of the group was rather young, perhaps around 27 or 28. He wore a blue shirt, which made him look more like a student than a manager.

    He paid his respect to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Owner, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded and pointed to Lu Jiao, ¡°This is Lady Lu, all of the secret forms for the workshopse from her. She¡¯s the glue that holds our operation together. You better treat her kindly going forward.¡±

    Cheng Xiang had already heard the whole story from Zhao Lingfeng. He knew that the whole reason why these workshops were going to exist was because of this woman. Consequently, it created this manager job for him.

    Cheng Xiang didn¡¯t expect to meet this legendary character so quickly though.

    He bowed to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu.¡±

    Lady Lu might not be a good-looking person but she sure was capable.

    Just then, Lu An, who was standing behind him, yelled out in shock, ¡°Sister, why did you deface yourself?!¡±

    Lu Jiaoughed, ¡°It¡¯s more convenient this way.¡±

    Cheng Xiang realized right away then that this face wasn¡¯t Lady Lu l s real face. Based on what Lu An was saying, Lady Lu was beautiful and was also very capable. How heaven-defying.

    Zhao Lingfeng asked Cheng Xiang to give them a tour of the ce and talk about the general n for the workshops. Though blueprints were provided, reality often differed from ideal. Now that they were on the construction site themselves, perhaps better ideas could form.

    Cheng Xiang led the group and toured the ce. As they walked, he talked to them about the ns for the workshops.

    Lu Jiao walked behind the group and talked to Lu An to ask him if he¡¯s been adjusting okay.

    Lu An expressed that the work has been difficult but he will work hard to learn everything and improve himself. Since the general manager, Cheng Xiang was very kind and provided guidance whenever asked, Lu An felt he was given a great opportunity.

    Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction. If Lu An could handle this job and improve himself, he would eventually stand out and seed.

    Lu An then asked Xie Yunjin caringly, ¡°Brother-inw, how are your legs? Are you fully healed?¡±

    Xie Yunjin exined that as long as he doesn¡¯t over-exercise, his legs felt fine.

    He smiled gently and added, ¡°I¡¯m pretty much back to normal now. Thank you, brother-inw, for your concern.¡±

    Lu An nced at Xie Yunjin. This man used to be so cold but today, he seemed very friendly. Lu An was shocked by Xie Yunjin¡¯s niceness today and kept on waving around his hands, ¡°It¡¯s no problem. No problem.¡±

    At the front, Zhao Lingfeng looked back at the group who were chatting and asked, ¡°Lady Lu, do you see any issues?

    Though Lu Jiao¡¯s been talking to Lu An on the side, she¡¯s been listening to

    Cheng Xiangs tour, ¡°Everything looks good.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s blueprint for the workshops was drawn based on modern styles and traditions. She incorporated a dining hall, public washrooms, and staff restrooms. She thought of everything.

    Once they start hiring, she will also ensure the hard-working ones are rewarded with morepensation.

    Zhao Lingfeng also felt like things were going well. When he first saw the blueprints from Lu Jiao, he was surprised in a good way.

    Zhao Lingfeng said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Schr Xie, Lady Lu has a very impressive brain. The blueprints for these buildings were all drawn by her. I only made simple adjustments.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was not happy with the way Zhao Lingfengplimented Lu Jiao. His tone made it seem like Lu Jiao was his to show off. Lu Jiao was Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife and not someone for Zhao Lingfeng to proudly own.

    Of course, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t disy those negative emotions and simply responded, ¡°My wife has always been intelligent. I¡¯m not at all surprised that she was able to design everything so wlessly..¡±

 Chapter 298 - 298: The Supporting Female Villain

    Chapter 298: The Supporting Female Viin

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed by all the praises. She simply used the knowledge she acquired from the future. She was no inventor!

    To avoid awkwardness, Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Husband, do you have any rmendations?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled ear to ear, ¡°You should leave out a strip of space to construct a living quarter. In the future, lots of foreign businessmen wille to visit these workshops and stores. They will need a nice ce to stay and eat. If you can ensure theirfort, they will likely enjoy working with you more.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Lu Jiao nodded in unison. Lu Jiao especially, felt like the realization hit hard, ¡°I knew I missed something. That¡¯s what it was.¡±

    She turned to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°We can use the piece ofnd near the entrance to build out an area that will be used to host the businessmen. Beside it, let¡¯s build a big hall that we can use as a meeting room.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng asked Cheng Xiang, ¡°Did you hear that?¡±

    Cheng Xiang bowed, ¡°Yes, I am going to send orders right away.¡±

    Xie Yunjin suddenly asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Once your businesses start up and running, are you going to require a lot of raw materials? The oil mill you talked about, for example, would require some materials, right?¡±

    Lu Jiao knew right away what Xie Yunjin was thinking. He wanted to help magistrate Hu pull the citizens out of poverty.

    Honestly, this was a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°The oil mill will need soybeans, peanuts, can, sesame, and other ingredients.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded to show he understood. Zhao Lingfeng listened to the conversation and understood what they were thinking, ¡°If you¡¯re able to convince the magistrate to encourage citizens to nt these ingredients, we will buy them from the citizens at a fair price.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng did think about asking magistrate Hu to encourage everyone to farm medicinal herbs. However, after some research and digging, he found out tnat politics were messy m tms district ancl tne magistrate didn¡¯t nolcl any decision power. If he did speak to magistrate Hu privately, all the businessmen in this district would be alerted.

    The mighty dragon doesn¡¯t try to strike a serpent. Plus, his master had asked him to be lowkey here and avoid rming others.

    What Zhao Lingfeng was doing now was pulling the strings in the dark to aid his master in the race of bing the crown prince.

    If they overdo it and rm others, their efforts would¡¯ve gone to waste.

    Therefore, in the end, Zhao Lingfeng decided to acquire raw materials from other businesses.

    Today, based on what Xie Yunjin was saying, perhaps he could help with this. If Xie Yunjin seeds in convincing the magistrate, it would be great news for the business.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes darkened a little and he said calmly, ¡°This is an opportunity to achieve a win-win situation. There¡¯s no reason for the three workshops to buy raw materials from another city. Especially since the district is still so poor itself.

    He asked Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°If there are people who are willing to farm those, you could offer to pay them a deposit.¡±

    That would help encourage the vigers to take a chance. Zhao Lingfeng gave Lu Jiao a look, who was deep in thought. She decided that was a good idea and nodded, ¡°We can do that.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t offer an opinion since Lu Jiao gave it an okay.

    The group went to tour the other areas. At times, different people would offer a few suggestions. Cheng Xiang noted them down diligently.

    The construction site stretched out several acres and the group never got through it all. Since the construction was only in the foundation stage, there wasn¡¯t much else to see anyway. The group decided to go back.

    Zhao Lingfeng suggested inviting the couple out for lunch, but Lu Jiao declined.

    ¡°We promised the four little ones to go shoppingter. We can¡¯t break promises as adults.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng only then remembered the four children back at the Lu home. Without thinking, he asked, ¡°Lady Lu, can I bring my daughter, Zhao Yuluo, over to your ce to y with the four little ones sometime?¡±

    Perhaps her daughter would grow more respectful after she hung out with the boys. Children loved to mimic others.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjins¡¯ expression changed and he asked,

    ¡°Owner Zhao, you have a daughter?¡±

    He thought that man wasn¡¯t married since he never brought up his wife. Who knew he already had children?

    If that was the case, then there was no way Lu Jiao would like him that way.

    Xie Yunjin felt anxious now while Zhao Lingfeng was confused. He said to Xie

    Yunjin, ¡°That¡¯s right. My daughter is Zhao Yuluo and she¡¯s 5.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that name sounded familiar somehow. She searched her memory and remembered that there was a supporting viin in the novel, and her name was Zhao Yuluo.

    Lu Jiao took some time to recall what happened in the book. Zhao Yuluo was the youngdy of the official residence of the marquees of Yongning. She was heavily spoiled by her family and therefore grew more and more unruly. She was evil and because she loved the male protagonist, she did everything in her power to torture the female protagonist. In the end, the protagonists worked together and plotted her death. She ended up getting killed by several beggars, who ran over her with a wagon. Her death was tragic and her father, who was madly saddened by her death, suffered from a stroke.

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng with a strange look.

    That meant this Zhao Lingfeng was going to be the head of the marquees of Yongning and his daughter was going to grow up evil and a viin.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°Zhao Lingfeng, you shouldn¡¯t spoil your child too much. She¡¯ll grow up twisted that way.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng was surprised by thement, ¡°How did you know I spoil my child?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze a little but quickly regathered herself, ¡°Based on your tone just now, I just knew you spoiled your child. You shouldn¡¯t spoil young kids too much. They¡¯ll form bad habits that way and may cause all sorts of trouble once older.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng knew she was right and sighed.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m wrong but I just don¡¯t know what to do with her when she throws a tantrum. ¡±

    Xie Yunjin resonated with that. Every time he wanted to punish the four little ones, he couldn¡¯t find the heart to.

    Xie Yunjin expressed, ¡°I¡¯m the same with my kids. Lu Jiao is strict with them. They may be attached to her by her hip but they know very well how much trouble they¡¯d get if they make a mistake.¡±

    Now Zhao Lingfeng wanted to send his kids there even more. He wanted Lu Jiao to teach them a lesson.

    ¡°Lady Lu, can I send my daughter over to y with the four little ones?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face went dark. Was this man dropping a rock on his own toes?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care. She already had four children and what was one more?

    ¡°Sure. Tell your people to send her over. However, let me warn you, if she does do something wrong, I¡¯m not going to be kind.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng gritted his teeth, ¡°if she does something wrong, punish her. I want her to spend some time with you so you could educate her.¡±

    ¡°Then you can send her over.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng thanked Lu Jiao profusely and promised that he would pay for everything Zhao Yuluo might eat or use..

 Chapter 299 - 299: Extra Cautious Towards him

    Chapter 299: Extra Cautious Towards him

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao ignored him and went back into the horse carriage with Xie Yunjin. Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei got onto the other carriage. The two carriages headed back to the city.

    Lu Jiao figured that the matter with Zhao Yuluo would not happen for at least a couple of days.

    Who knew that during lunch, uncle Wen came in to report, ¡°Master, Baohe Tang¡¯s owner had sent someone with his daughter. The servant said you already know about this.¡±

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged nces speechlessly. Was he in that much of a rush?

    Lu Jiao waved her hand, ¡°Let here in.¡±

    Uncle Wen went back to the gate. At the dining table, Lu Gui and the four little ones looked up at Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin, ¡°Owner Zhao has a daughter?¡±

    Xie Yunjin coldly nced at his brother-inw. Lu Gui could sense that Xie

    Yunjin¡¯s stare meant something. But he was thick and didn¡¯t understand why.

    ¡°I¡¯m just surprised.¡±

    The four little ones asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, who is she?¡±

    Lu Jiao was going to take the four little ones shopping. With Zhao Yuluo here, how could they go out? The four little ones were looking forward to it.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s head hurt as she exined, ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of your uncle Zhao. Her name is Zhao Yuluo and she¡¯s five years old. You should call her your ¡®big sister¡¯ based on age.¡±

    Since Zhao Yuluo was going to be the future supporting viin, Lu Jiao wondered just how unruly she might be.

    Just then, a little shadow like a tornado flew inside and headed towards the four little ones right away.

    ¡°Wow, you really do have four people who are identical.¡±

    She then pinched the Second Born¡¯s face.

    The Second Born pped her hand away.

    After being hit, Zhao Yuluo went to pull on the Second Born¡¯s hair.

    Everyone inside the room watched this in awe. How are they already fighting? Lu Jiao studied Zhao Yuluo. Though she was only five, due to all the good food she ate, she was tall and her features were exquisite. Her personality, however, was hard to praise.

    This girl pinched someone¡¯s face during their first meeting and started a fight the moment she got upset.

    No wonder she became a viin.

    One granny nanny and one female servant came with Zhao Yuluo. When they saw what happened, they pulled Zhao Yuluo away, ¡°My youngdy, stop this.

    You¡¯re a guest here. You cannot start a fight.¡±

    Sadly, Zhao Yuluo had never been treated this way growing up. She was mad to have been pped and felt that it was only right for her to hit back.

    Pity though, her enemy was the Second Born, who has always been sporty. Plus, Lu Jiao had taught him how to fight kids his own age.

    He wasn¡¯t scared of Zhao Yuluo at all. Zhao Yuluo tried to pull his hair again, so he dodged it and his tiny body slid off his chair. He flung himself against Zhao Yuluo, knocked her over, sat on top of her, and pulled her hair instead.

    Zhao Yuluo couldn¡¯t emotionally handle this and started to cry. As she cried, she shrieked, ¡°You¡¯re a bad person! You are all bad people! I am going to tell my daddy and ask him to beat you to death!¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face grew ugly, ¡°Shut up. If you cry more, I will toss you out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin hated unreasonable women the most. Even if they were children, he had no patience towards them.

    Sadly, Zhao Yuluo was deaf to his threats.

    Lu Jiao said to the Second Born, ¡°Second Born, get up first.¡±

    The Second Born red at Zhao Yuluo before he let her go.

    Zhao Yuluo cried loudly on the ground and kept on kicking around her feet and shrieking.

    Then, she lifted her head and said to her nanny and servant, ¡°Hit him for me! Hit him! Kill him!¡±

    The nanny and the servant were speechless. They apologized to Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The youngdy doesn¡¯t know better. Please don¡¯t me her.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and ordered Zhao Yuluo, ¡°Get up.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo looked her way and as she cried, she shouted, ¡°You hit him! If you hit him, I will get up.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded angrily, ¡°You were in the wrong. So why would I hit my son?¡±

    Zhao Yuluo cried louder and screamed, ¡°If you don¡¯t hit him, I won¡¯t get up!¡±

    Lu Jiao straight up said, ¡°Then lie there and cry. In this world, other than your father, nobody cares about you.¡±

    Lu Jiao then said to Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Ignore her.¡±

    The nanny and servant watched the youngdy cry and wanted to gofort her.

    But they remembered the master¡¯s warning and stopped themselves. He had told them to listen to Lady Lu while they were there. Without Lady Lu¡¯s go-ahead, they didn¡¯t dare tofort the child.

    The result was that Zhao Yuluo kept on crying while lying on the floor and nobody acknowledged her.

    She nced around the room in disbelief before she fixed her gaze on her nanny and servant. Why was nobody here doing things to please her? Why was nobody here hitting that bad buy? Why was everyone ignoring her?

    After lunch, Feng Zhi and aunty Qiu cleaned up the table. Lu Gui headed to the front courtyard as well.

    Though lots of people were around, it was quiet.

    In the end, Zhao Yuluo stopped lying on the floor. She sat up and angrily announced to the room, ¡°You are all bad people. I don¡¯t like you.¡± The four little ones said in unison, ¡°We don¡¯t like you either.¡±

    How annoying.

    Zhao Yuluo angrily red at them and then got off the ground to run outside,

    ¡°I¡¯m going home. I don¡¯t want to y with you.¡±

    The nanny grabbed her and soothed her, ¡°The master had asked you to stay until tonight.¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t like them. I want to go home right now.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo loudly ordered.

    Inside the living room, Xie Yunjin became frustrated and said in a low voice, ¡°Send her back. She¡¯s banned from here.

    Lu Jiao knew how angry Xie Yunjin was and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get so impatient with a little girl. She had no mother teaching her growing up. That¡¯s why she¡¯s this way now.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t like kids like her either, but her tragic death made Lu Jiao feel bad for her.

    Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying she has no mother?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think too much, ¡°Yes, owner Zhao said her mother died giving birth to her. So she had no mother growing up.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart skipped a beat before dropping. When he learned Zhao Lingfeng had a daughter, he thought he had a wife. It appeared he was wrong.

    So that man truly had ill intentions. He was certain now that if Lu Jiao was divorced, Zhao Lingfeng would do whatever he could in his power to make Lu Jiao his wife.

    It appeared that his sixth sense was very urate. From now on, he had to be extra cautious towards that guy..

 Chapter 300 - 300: Sheâ€™s not Better Looking than me

    Chapter 300: She¡¯s not Better Looking than me

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    As Xie Yunjin pondered, Zhao Yuluo heard what Lu Jiao had said and started to cry.

    She was truly sad this time as she cried, ¡°I have a mother! I have a mother!¡± Lu Jiao thought she appeared pitiful and allowed her nanny tofort her.

    Before the nanny could do anything, Zhao Yuluo ran back and raised her head at Lu Jiao, ¡°Aunty, can you be my mother?¡±

    Hmmph! That bad guy hit her so she will steal his mother.

    Lu Jiao was stunned. What was this girl thinking? She was so sad one second then the next, she was asking a stranger to be her mother. What was going on?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.

    The four little ones, however, were furious. They jumped out and pushed Zhao

    Yuluo out.

    The four little ones guarded Lu Jiao and warned Zhao Yuluo, ¡°She¡¯s our mother, not yours.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just the four little ones who were overthinking, even Xie Yunjin was wondering if Zhao Yuluo was acting this way on Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s orders.

    Lu Jiao was speechless towards the whole situation.

    Zhao Yuluo had stopped crying and now tearfully stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Aunty, how about you be my mother? We have a giant house and lots of expensive treasures. I can give you everything. How about you be my mother? Aunty, lots of people want to be my mother but I don¡¯t want them. I want you.¡±

    The four little ones gritted their teeth, ¡°She¡¯s our mother! You can¡¯t take her!¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to prevent another fight and offered, ¡°Yuluo, I¡¯m your dad¡¯s friend. You can call me aunt Lu but nothing more.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo wanted to say more when Lu Gui came in, ¡°Brother-inw, sister, master Hu and Lady Li came to visit with their two children.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao knew that Hu Shan and Li Yuyao were here.

    Now that Xie Yunjin was ready to ept magistrate Hu¡¯s job offer, he didn¡¯t react as impatiently as he would¡¯ve before. He said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Let¡¯s wee them together.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao liked Li Yuyao so she stood up and got ready to go.

    The four little ones realized who the visitors were as well. One of the children they brought must be sister Xiaoxiao.

    The four little ones thought of Hu Lingxue and then looked at Zhao Yuluo. They taunted in disdain, ¡°Do you know sister Xiaoxiao? She¡¯s prettier than you and she¡¯s a nice person.¡±

    The four little ones then grabbed their parents¡¯ hands to go with them.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin let them be.

    However, they couldn¡¯t just leave Zhao Yuluo alone. Therefore, Lu Jiao asked

    Zhao Yuluo, ¡°Do you want toe with us?¡±

    Zhao Yuluo heard the four little ones¡¯ments and did not think that the so-called prettier and nicer Xiaoxiao really was all that. She raised her head and chest like a peacock and walked to the front of the group.

    Xie Yunjin frowned at her.

    Lu Jiao pulled on his sleeve, ¡°Stop getting so angry. She¡¯s just a kid.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked toward Lu Jiao.

    He knew Lu Jiao and she wasn¡¯t exactly patient. Right now, she seems to have a bigger heart toward this Zhao Yuluo than she normally would. Did she like that child? If that was the case, would she catch feelings for Zhao Lingfeng because of Zhao Yuluo?

    Xie Yunjin denied that thought as another thought arose in him. If Lu Jiao liked baby girls, they could have one in the future.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was turning unnatural. He quickly looked away and whispered, ¡°oh well, I¡¯m an adult and I shouldn¡¯t get so offended by her behavior.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt like he was acting strange but didn¡¯t think too much about it. The group went to greet Hu Shan¡¯s family.

    Honestly, Hu Shan didn¡¯t want toe today. Xie Yunjin and him repelled each other and fought every time they met. So what was the point ofing here? His dad, however, ordered him toe to get Xie Yunjin to be his assistant. Therefore, Hu Shan had no choice but toe.

    Li Yuyao also wanted to take this chance to visit to get familiar with the route and visit more frequently in the future. In the end, the family decided toe together.

    In the front courtyard, Hu Shan totally expected Xie Yunjin to treat him with disdain and mockery. Today, however, Xie Yunjin was very friendly.

    Hu Shan was shocked by Xie Yunjin¡¯s good attitude. But concluded in the end that he was nice due to their wives¡¯ sworn sisterhood. In some ways, they were now a family and had to treat each other with friendliness.

    Hu Shan smiled more today and was better at choosing his words, ¡°Brother Xie, sorry for visiting today unannounced.¡±

    Xie Yunjin responded just as kindly, ¡°You¡¯re being so polite. We are a family now and there¡¯s no need for all this etiquette.¡±

    Hu Shanughed, ¡°That is true.¡±

    Li Yuyao stopped worrying given the nice exchange.

    Hu Shan had never liked Xie Yunjin. He¡¯s alwaysined about how fake and cold he was. She was really scared that he was going to fight Xie Yunjin again today.

    After all, the magistrate sent Hu Shan here with a mission today.

    Now that it was clear there was no conflict, Li Yuyao finally greeted Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, look at me, visiting so randomly. Do you me me?¡±

    Lu Jiao reached out to Li Yuyao, ¡°What are you talking about? Sister? I can¡¯t even express how much I wee you. Come and sit.¡±

    The two families sat down.

    Inside the living room, Zhao Yuluo continued to stare at Hu Lingxue. No matter how much she stared, she didn¡¯t think Hu Lingxue was prettier than she was. The four bad boys must be blind.

    Zhao Yuluo concluded arrogantly, ¡°She¡¯s not as good-looking as I am.¡± Her words garnered everyone¡¯s attention and they all stared at her.

    Hu Shan heard this little girl insult his daughter and was furious instantly. He angrily said to Zhao Yuluo, ¡°Who are you? Where are your eyes? My daughter¡¯s so much prettier than you.¡±

    His daughter was a great kid, who always smiled kindly and was obedient. Hu Shan loved his daughter.

    Therefore, his fury ignited when he heard Zhao Yuluo¡¯s words.

    The four little ones supported that statement, ¡°That¡¯s right! Sister Xiaoxiao is better looking and she¡¯s kind.¡±

    Hu Lingxue wasn¡¯t upset because of what Zhao Yuluo said. She was more shocked by what the four little ones had just said.

    ¡°You called me ¡®sister¡¯.¡±

    At her housest time, they weren¡¯t willing to call her that. Even when she tried to bribe them with toys, they refused..

 Chapter 301 - 301: Why would women make things difficult for other women?

    Chapter 301: Why would women make things difficult for other women?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The First Born said quickly, ¡°My mommy told us that you are a year older than us. Plus, our mother and aunty Li are now sisters. That would make you our older sister.¡±

    The other three nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. We will think of you as our sister going forward.

    Hu Lingxue was overjoyed. She grabbed a couple of boxes from one of the servants and said to the four little ones, ¡°Inside are the sugar and y figurines that you liked so muchst time. There¡¯s also a roly-poly. Since I¡¯m visiting today, these are considered gifts.¡±

    The four little ones truly did like Hu Lingxue¡¯s toys a lot and were happy to hear she had brought them. In unison, they thanked her, ¡°Thank you, sister Xiaoxiao. You¡¯re so great.¡±

    Hu Lingxue smiled and handed over the gifts.

    The adults in the room were happy to see the children blending together so well.

    Zhao Yuluo however, was not so happy. She red at Hu Lingxue and then said to the four little ones, ¡°I have a lot of toys too. If youpliment me, I can give you gifts as well.¡±

    Sadly, the four little ones merely said, ¡°You are rude. We don¡¯t want your gifts.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo almost cried again then.

    To stop her, Lu Jiao quickly said, ¡°Zhao Yuluo, do you want to y with the boys or not? If you do, then you are not allowed to cry. Nobody would y with you if you cried.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo forced herself to stop then. Though she was still unhappy, at least she wasn¡¯t crying loudly.

    Lu Jiao then instructed the four little ones, ¡°Take sister Xiaoxiao and Yuluo and go y in the back courtyard.¡±

    The boys only liked Hu Lingxue and didn¡¯t like Zhao Yuluo, so they resisted.

    Lu Jiao lectured, ¡°Even if she is impolite, she¡¯s still your guest. It is your duty as the host to treat your guests well.¡±

    Being petty wasn¡¯t a good trait. They should be more generous and understanding.

    Lu Jiao then turned to Zhao Yuluo and said in a serious tone, ¡°At my house, you must be respectful towards others. Or else nobody would y with you.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo seemed to have epted her fate since nobody here listened to her demands and nobody voluntarilyforted her. She had no choice but to endure.

    ¡°I got it.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to take the children and keep an eye on them.

    Lu Gui did as told.

    Lu Jiao then suggested to Hu Shan and Xie Yunjin, ¡°I¡¯ll take my sister and Ping An to the back courtyard to chat. You guys can stay here.¡±

    Hu Shan nodded, ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    Lu Jiao led the way to the back courtyard. In the front courtyard, Hu Shan told Xie Yunjin the purpose of his trip today. The magistrate had sent him to once again offer Xie Yunjin the assistant position.

    Xie Yunjin thought about it, ¡°Okay. I will meet magistrate Hu to discuss this sometime.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s response made Hu Shan think he heard it wrong. He had prepared lots of sweet words to convince Xie Yunjin and they were now useless.

    The conversations that ensued were much friendlier.

    In the back courtyard, Lu Jiao and Li Yuyao were having an even better time. The two of them chatted andughed like best friends.

    The main reason for that was that Lu Jiao could sense Li Yuyao¡¯s sincerity and had started viewing Li Yuyao as her sworn sister. The atmosphere in the room was very warm.

    When Li Yuyao asked the wet nurse to feed Ping An, Lu Jiao suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you breastfeed him yourself?¡±

    This topic was one that Li Yuyao was annoyed about. She sighed at Lu Jiao, ¡°Honestly, I want to breastfeed my own son. But my mother-inw prohibits it.¡±

    Lu Jiao was shocked, ¡°Why not? Breastfeeding helps the mother¡¯s uterus to heal

    anu HULL ILIUUS Lile UdUY. nnpuL IL Helps Eleaue a bond between the mother and the child. Your son would feel safer if you breastfed.¡¯

    Li Yuyao¡¯s expression was getting more and more sullen. She whispered, ¡°Jiaojiao, let me tell you¡­ my mother-inw is a countryside woman but she continues to fake it and pretends she grew up wealthy and educated. Whatever chance she gets, she talks about the ¡®rules¡¯. For example, she proactively suggested that my father-inw should get concubines. Did you know that we have two girls with concubine mothers in the house? One is named Hu Yingyue, and the other is named Hu Yingxiang. The younger one is only seven this year.

    Those two were the direct result of my mother-inw interfering. She says matriarchs all voluntarily get concubines for their husbands. Therefore, the moment my father-inw passed his exams and became the magistrate, my mother-inw got him two concubines. The mothers of Hu Yingyue and Hu Yingxiang.

    When it came to her son, she tried to do the same thing but my father-inw stopped her. Though Hu Shan doesn¡¯t have official concubines, he now has two women whose job is to serve him that way.¡±

    In the end, Li Yuyao asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Is your mother-inw a decent person?¡± Women from the countryside should be better with this kind of stuff.

    Lu Jiao thought of Lady Ruan. So it appeared that all mothers liked to shove women into their sons¡¯ homes.

    Luckily, she was going to separate from the four little ones and she was never going to be a mother-inw. However, Lu Jiao knew that even if she did stay around, she would never find concubines for her sons. Why would women make things difficult for other women?

    Lu Jiao whispered, ¡°My mother-inw is worse, but my father-inw divorced her. Right now, I have no mother-inw.¡±

    Li Yuyao was astounded. People from the countryside divorced? However, she soon became jealous of Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, not having a mother-inw is a great blessing. They¡¯re such a headache. My son, for example¡­ I wanted to breastfeed him because I am producing milk. My mother-inw, however, ims that no women from wealthy families feed their children themselves. She insists that a wet nurse feeds my son.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s tone was serious when she said, ¡°You cannot allow your mother-inw to dictate this type of thing. If this continues, your son will feel more and more distant from you. Aren¡¯t you going to be sad if the son you carried and birthed bes a stranger?¡±

    Only when you raise the children yourself, would they feel close to you.

    Those raised by wet nurses bond with their wet nurses.

    Lu Jiao thought about it, ¡°If you are no longer producing milk, I can think of a way to help you produce milk again.¡±

    Li Yuyao shook her head, ¡°Not yet. I did sneak around and feed him once or twice so my milk isn¡¯t gone. However, because not much ising out, they hurt.¡±

    Li Yuyao truly felt like making Lu Jiao her sister was the right decision. Everything Lu Jiao was saying was for her benefit.

    Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t at all like her biological sister and mother. When she talked to them about it, they said her mother-inw was doing the right thing.

    Lu Jiao was happy to hear Li Yuyao still produced milk and suggested, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your mother-inw for everything. Of course, also don¡¯t argue with her bluntly. You should privately do what feels right for you. When you have milk, you can feed your son yourself. When you¡¯recking, you can ask the wet nurse to feed him. You should keep this to yourself though.

    Also, regarding those two women serving your husband¡­ You need to find an opportunity to kick them out. To have to share your man¡­ Don¡¯t you feel hurt by that?¡±

    Li Yuyao was surprised by Lu Jiao¡¯sment. Most people tell her she should be virtuous and help her husband get more concubines. Nobody¡¯s told her to figure out ways to keep her husband for herself. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you against concubinage?¡±

 Chapter 302 - 302: The Most Exasperating Person

    Chapter 302: The Most Exasperating Person

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao instantly nodded.

    Worried, Li Yuyao reminded Lu Jiao, ¡°Schr Xie is going to be an official one day. All officials have concubines. It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not he wants one himself, the higher authorities would appoint him concubines. Plus, his colleagues would also give him women. The bottom line is, all officials have concubines. My father-inw isn¡¯t capable enough to get women as gifts. That¡¯s why he only has the two my mother-inw shoved him.

    All of those capable ones have at least three to four concubines.¡±

    Lu Jiao was in awe. Though she knew it was normal to have many wives during this era, she didn¡¯t know higher authorities would give out women as gifts.

    Luckily, she never nned on bing an official¡¯s wife. Those types of situations would exhaust her to death.

    Yesterday at Hu¡¯s birthday celebration, there was so much drama. If there were multiple women in one household, everyday would be theatrical. Where would she find the time to cure patients? She would have to battle it out with the concubines everyday.

    Lu Jiao remembered that Xie Yunjin once vowed to never get concubines. She wondered if he would keep that promise.

    Lu Jiao thought of the plot of the novel and this future First Assistant actually didn¡¯t have any concubines.

    It appeared that Xie Yunjin was one of the good ones in this era.

    Given how deep in thought Lu Jiao was, Li Yuyaoforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Concubines are just ythings. If Schr Xie gets concubines in the future, just think of them as toys to cure your husband¡¯s boredom.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised her head and said to Li Yuyao seriously, ¡°How are they ythings? That¡¯s a dangerous way to think. They¡¯re people who could easily get emotionally attached to your husband. What it your husband gets attached to her? What will happen to you then? What if that woman gives birth to children? She may start plotting against you then.

    You should know how many women die in the imperial pce because of this. Dying is considered a small price. The children who survived have to endure so much hardship.¡±

    Lu Jiao found ancient women so pitiful. Their mothers who died were even more pitiful.

    Those situations made Li Yuyao sweat and she couldn¡¯t help but to hate her mother-inw.

    She insisted on getting women to serve Hu Shan. Hu Shan never asked for that.

    Even that was after her father-inw spoke up. Or else Hu Shan would have two concubines right now.

    It was her father-inw who said that since Hu Shan had no son with his wife yet, the women who served him should not get pregnant. They were asked to take medicine to prevent pregnancies and only once Hu Shan had his son with his wife, should the servants get pregnant. Once they bear sons, they can be concubines.

    Li Yuyao had originally epted her fate but Lu Jiao¡¯s words made her anxious. If those women give birth to sons, they may try to take her son¡¯s life.

    Li Yuyao grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Jiaojiao, how did I end up with such a mother-inw.¡±

    Lu Jiao sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not just your mother-inw. They¡¯re all simr. Remember though, you cannot butt heads against your mother-inw. You have to act soft against her harsh edges. You also have to make sure you have Hu Shan¡¯s heart and prevent him from falling for those two women. When you get a chance, get rid of those two. In the future, you should ask Hu Shan to deal with your mother-inw. You should be able to do that if you¡¯re nice to him.¡±

    Li Yuyao continued to nod and pull on Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Jiaojiao, I have benefited greatly by making you my sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew how worried she was and tried to make herugh, ¡°Then, treat me nicely in the future.¡±

    Li Yuyao managed a smile, ¡°Of course. You¡¯re like my biological sister!¡±

    Her real biological sister should get as far away from her as possible.

    Lu Jiao and Li Yuyao conversed for a while longer. Worried that the four little ones might fight with Zhao Yuluo again, they got up to check.

    They ended up finding Zhao Yuluo quietly ying with Hu Lingxue and the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butugh. See, bad kids needed to be educated. If you ignore her, she¡¯llfort herself.

    The Hu family spent the afternoon here happily. Lu Jiao tried to keep them for dinner but due to how little Ping An was, Hu Shan and Li Yuyao couldn¡¯t stay.

    Lu Jiao asked aunt Hua to make some pastries for them to bring back.

    Li Yuyao and Hu Lingxue were ecstatic to hear that. They had tasted the pastries aunt Hua made and found them to be delicious. They also felt like their mood somehow improved after eating.

    Zhao Yuluo was brought back home by her nanny and servant. Before leaving, she remembered to say bye to Lu Jiao.

    She ignored the others though and ran away cold-faced.

    They thought she was oblivious? The others didn¡¯t like her and therefore, she didn¡¯t like them!

    Xie Yunjin and the four little ones¡¯ watched her with a dark face.

    ¡°The Zhao family is so awful at raising children.¡±

    The First Born added, ¡°Very true. She is so disrespectful.¡±

    The Second Born unweingly announced, ¡°When I see her next, I am going to hit her again.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t like that, ¡°Did you forget what I taught you before?¡± The Second Born instantly said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t bully girls.¡±

    But he quickly added, ¡°She hit me first though! And pinched my face!¡±

    ¡°What happened today could be forgiven. But do not proudly say you are going to hit someone the next time you see them. You¡¯re a boy and you should not be petty. You should be reasonable and logical.¡±

    The Second Born originally felt wronged. But since his mother said he was forgiven for today, he replied loudly, ¡°Mommy, I got it. I won¡¯t hit her next time.¡±

    But if someone provokes him first, he will react the same way as today.

    The Second Born silently swore.

    The Third and Fourth Born looked towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, sister Xiaoxiao is nicer than Zhao Yuluo.¡±

    ¡°She even gave us gifts!¡±

    The Fourth Born was grinning so hard his eyes disappeared. This was because he got the roly-poly from her and what a fun toy that was!

    ¡°That means your sister Xiaoxiao is friendly and polite. You should learn to be like that in the future.¡¯

    ¡°We will!¡±

    The family had dinner peacefully. After eating, the four little ones were so tired they could barely think. Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin bathed them and sent them to bed.

    Under the dim light, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but peek at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes were soft as she tucked the four little ones in. It was August and the night had gotten chilly. Therefore, she pulled out thick nkets for all of them.

    Terrified that the four little ones might kick the nkets off in the middle of the night, she carefully tucked each side of the nket under their bodies.

    Xie Yunjin saw the gentleness in her and lost himself.

    She was exactly the mother he had imagined all mothers should be.

    Before, she frequently thought that his future wife would be someone who loved their children. He didn¡¯t want his children to suffer as he did growing up. Sadly, the woman he married was more exasperating than his own mother. Not only did she mistreat the children, she even beat them.

    The person that existed before made Xie Yunjin frown.

    Beside him, Lu Jiao stood up and couldn¡¯t help but toment, ¡°You¡¯re looking a little sick.. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 303 - 303: Beat you to Death

    Chapter 303: Beat you to Death

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin snapped back to reality. He looked at the beautiful woman before him and for a short moment, he wanted to grab her hands and gently say, ¡°Jiaojiao, let¡¯s spend the rest of our lives together. I will treat you well.¡± Reason rushed back in at thest moment and reminded him that it wasn¡¯t the time yet.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, ¡°It¡¯ste and you¡¯re exhausted. Go to bed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin marched away. Lu Jiao recalled his frustrated expression just seconds ago and found it to be so strange. What happened there?

    It was true that she was exhausted though. She went to take a bath andfortably went to her room to sleep.

    Before going to bed, however, she visited her space. In her space, she had harvested the herbs that bloomed. The good ones that could produce seeds were saved by her. The poorly grown ones had been uprooted. She also nted new herbs in her space and everything was looking healthy and well.

    She wondered if thend she asked Zhao Lingfeng for was ready. If so, she wanted to go check it out and decide what would be good to grow there.

    The three businesses required a huge amount of raw materials. She had to decide what to nt based on the conditions of the soil. Lu Jiao did think of a problem though¡­ She should find someone to look after hernd. Where was she going to find that person?

    The next morning, Lu Jiao told the four little ones that she was going to take them to go and buy studying supplies. The four little ones were over the moon and excitedly discussed all the stuff they wanted to buy.

    When Xie Yunjin came, they were still discussing.

    ¡°Mommy said we should buy lots of books to put on the shelves. Then, we can take turns reading them.

    ¡°I want mommy to write me a story about being the greatest general. You know? Where I am the general? I want mommy to write about how great I am at defeating the bad guys.¡±

    ¡®l¡¯ne second Born excitedly gestured around as It ne was gomg to be a general soon.

    The Third and Fourth Born exchanged nces and reminded him, ¡°Mommy said if you don¡¯t study, you can only be a small soldier who holds the general¡¯s horses. You haven¡¯t studied so you can¡¯t be a general yet. You can only pretend to be a soldier who holds horses right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Only once you¡¯re a schr can you be a general. You cannot do that right now.¡±

    The Second Born was very unhappy that the others were so discouraging. He red at his brothers, ¡°If I¡¯m not general, who is? Are you going to act as the general? Let¡¯s fight and see who deserves the role more!¡±

    Xie Yunjin was walking over with Lin Dong. When he heard the four little ones, he angrily scolded, ¡°What are you shouting about so early in the morning?¡±

    The Second Born ran to Xie Yunjin andined, ¡°Daddy, I want to act as a general, but they keep saying I¡¯m only good enough to be a soldier who tames horses. I don¡¯t want that!¡±

    From outside, Lu Jiao, Feng Zhi, and aunt Qiu came in with breakfast. When they heard the Second Born, Lu Jiao giggled, ¡°Son, you¡¯re so obsessed with bing a general.¡±

    She then said to the First, Second, and Third Born, ¡°We should let him act like a general so he can let it out of his system. That way, he¡¯ll study even harder afterward.¡¯

    The First, Second, and Third Born thought about it and then agreed, ¡°Okay, then you can be the general.¡±

    The Second Born was ecstatic and rushed to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, when can we start acting?!¡±

    LU Jiao smiled, ¡°After we organize your rooms and buy all the supplies.¡±

    The Second Born smiled.

    Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°Are you taking the children shopping today?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°The n was to go yesterday but we couldn¡¯t go. Today, I have nothing nned but to take them shopping.¡±

    Xie Yunjin instantly offered, ¡°Then I will go with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao declined. The exam wasing up soon. Since Xie Yunjin epted the money as a tutor, he should focus on teaching.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. You should teach the students. Since you were paid for it, you should work hard to avoid criticism.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought she was right.

    ¡°Okay, then bring a few extra people who can help you. Lu Gui, Feng Zhi, you guys tag along. Take Lin Dong as well. Lin Xi is still sick and can¡¯t do much yet.¡± Lu Jiao was also worried about the four little ones and agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    After breakfast, Xie Yunjin reminded the four little ones to listen to Lu Jiao well and not to run around too much. Since there were four of them, their mother wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of all of them if they ran around separately.

    The four little ones promised, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t run around.¡±

    The First Born even vowed with a serious face, ¡°Daddy, I will keep an eye on them.¡±

    What a mature child.

    Xie Yunjin felt better. Lu Jiao worried he might nag endlessly and took the children away quickly. At the same time, she waved for Lu Gui and Feng Zhi toe.

    Xie Yunjin found her impatience funny and sent them out.

    Uncle Lin had prepared the carriage already. Lu Jiao, Lu Gui, and Feng Zhi got in with the four children while Lin Dong sat behind the horse.

    Xie Yunjin watched them and found this to be too crowded. He thought that they should get another horse carriage for convenience.

    A horse carriage was easy to get, but they¡¯d need another coachman. He will discuss this with Lu Jiaoter.

    As Xie Yunjin pondered, the Su family¡¯s gate suddenly swung open. Lady Xu¡¯s sister-inw, Chen Zhaodi, leaned against the door and grimly stared at Xie Yunjin. She looked just like a housewife who had lots toin about.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze cooled and he picked up his feet to walk to his rented study ce. When he passed the Su manor, he didn¡¯t acknowledge Chen Zhaodi. Chen Zhaodi couldn¡¯t help but wail, ¡°Hey, schr Xie, we are neighbors, how can you not say hi?!¡±

    Xie Yunjin ignored her and left.

    Chen Zhaodi was furious and wanted to curse Lady Xu to take it out on her. Her husband, however, lost it before she did.

    ¡°You b!tch! No wonder you keep staying by the gate every day! You¡¯re trying to seduce schr Xie! You think your husband is dead already?!¡±

    Su Dahai¡¯s little brother, Su Hua, was rough around the edges. He liked hooking up with different women but didn¡¯t allow his wife to look at other men. At first, he didn¡¯t notice strange behaviors from his wife, but Lady Xu tattletaled. Su Hua didn¡¯t believe it at first. But when he ran out, he caught his wife trying to seduce that schr red-handed.

    Su Hua was so angry he couldn¡¯t even think.. He leaped over and started to hit Chen Zhaodi, ¡°You¡¯re trying to cheat on me?! How gutsy are you to try that on me?! B!TCH! I¡¯m going to beat you to death today!¡±

 Chapter 304 - 304: Men only Share the Difficult Times

    Chapter 304: Men only Share the Difficult Times

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Su Hua may be ferocious looking on the outside, but his health wasn¡¯t actually great. He lost strength very quickly and Chen Zhaodi didn¡¯t actually get hurt.

    However, she was enraged and headed tor Lady Xu the second she could.

    That b!tch set her up?! She was going to teach her a lesson!

    Lady Xu didn¡¯t run away. The reason why she chose to do this today was to show Su Dahai how his brother and sister-inw normally treated her.

    She wanted to use this chance to get his brother and sister-inw kicked out. It was impossible to get rid of the inws so she wanted to start with the young couple.

    Therefore, by the time Chen Zhaodi got to Lady Xu, Lady Xu didn¡¯t even flinch.

    Without hesitation, Chen Zhaodi pulled on Lady Xu¡¯s hair and beat her up.

    Everyone at home was quickly startled. Lady Xu¡¯s son and daughter rushed over and pushed Chen Zhaodi away from their mother.

    Chen Zhaodi was tired out at this point and let go. She was very happy at this point to have taught that b!tch a lesson. How dare that woman say things to her husband!

    Lady Xu was indescribably sad looking at this point. Her clothes were ripped and she lost a lot of hair. Her face was already swelling up and she simply appeared pitiful.

    It wasn¡¯t just Lady Xu¡¯s children, even when her husband arrived and saw this, he frowned. Angrily, he interrogated, ¡°Sister, why did you hit your sister-inw?¡±

    Lady Xu timely started to cry.

    Su Dahai¡¯s heart ached at this sight. His wife was someone who had been with him through thick and thin. How could an outsider beat her up like that? Su Dahai didn¡¯t feel well.

    He instinctively went tofort Lady Xu. Unexpectedly, a soft and feminine voice spoke up from behind, ¡°Cousin, you should ask them what happened. She isn¡¯t someone to hit others without a valid reason.¡±

    This gentle woman was Lady Xu¡¯s mother-inw¡¯s niece, Liu Xiang.

    Su Dahai forgot tofort Lady Xu.

    Lady Xu stared at the man before her and snickered. So this was how men were. They only ever love the young and the beautiful. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, they were all bulls!t.

    Only in times of adversity and difficulty, do men want to share their space with their wives¡­ Never in prosperity and wealth.

    This bloody lesson must be taught to her daughter. She must warn her daughter to never walk down the same path as her.

    Not far away, Su Dahai asked Chen Zhaodi, ¡°Why did you hit your sister-inw?¡±

    Chen Zhaodi was originally scared but Liu Xiang¡¯s support softened Su Dahai. Chen Zhaodi instantly grieved, ¡°I went for a stroll this morning and the sister-inw went to Su Hua and used me of seducing other men. Brother-inw, if you don¡¯t want us here, you can tell us. Why hurt me with words?¡±

    Just then, Su Hua spoke up, ¡°Brother, sister-inw spoke nonsense to me this morning. I got angry and hit Zhaodi, which caused her to hit my sister-inw.

    Don¡¯t me Zhaodi.¡±

    Though Su Hua wasn¡¯t smart, he knew that if Chen Zhaodi beat up his sister-inw out of nowhere, his brother would kick them out.

    So he must take Chen Zhaodi¡¯s side right now and me Lady Xu for this.

    Su Dahai turned to Lady Xu and started to scold her, ¡°As her sister-inw, how can you do that? A harmonious family is everything. How can you go and try to create a rift in the family? You disappoint me.¡±

    The disappointed look in Su Dahai¡¯s eyes shocked Lady Xu. Her n had backfired. At the same time, her heart died.

    ¡°Su Dahai, is this ce still my home? When you were so poor you couldn¡¯t afford food, where were your family and your concubines? Now that you¡¯re rich, everyone from your family came running and I became the outsider.¡± In the end, Lady Xu started tough and walk to the back courtyard.

    Her son didn¡¯t move but her daughter angrily red at Su Dahai and went after her mother.

    Su Dahai¡¯s heart ached a little. Beside him, Liu Xiang suddenly covered her chest and dry heaved.

    Su Dahai nervously asked Liu Xiang, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Liu Xiang looked up at him shyly, ¡°I might have a gift inside my belly.¡±

    Su Dahai didn¡¯t fully understand yet when Chen Zhaodi and Su Hua congratted him, ¡°Congrattions brother, you are having another child!¡± Su Dahai finally got the message and went to embrace Liu Xiang.

    Behind them was Su Dahai¡¯s eldest son, Su Liangchen. He watched everything unfold nkly like he was an outsider peeking into someone else¡¯s private life.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know so much happened after she had left. She took the children and went to the bookstore first. There were lots of options but not too many books suitable for children. Even the ones she could find were geography rted.

    After she bought the books, she decided to write some books for the children herself. Short ones that they could read out loud.

    They then stopped by the stationary store to buy paper, ink, and materials for art. In this era, there weren¡¯t lots of colors avable for paint. She¡¯ll have to mix some colors for the kidster.

    Lu Jiao bought all the colors necessary and then took the children to buy some yarn and needles. She was going to make the children do some crafts to exercise their fingers and train them on being independent with certain tasks.

    Lu Jiao, along with Lu Gui, Feng Zhi, and Lin Dong, bought a giant pile of items.

    Since it was rare for the family toe out shopping, Lu Jiao bought two more sets of clothes for everyone. Not only did the children each get more robes and shoes, she even picked up the appropriate essories like hair bands and jade pendants.

    The gift from Li Yuyao was a pendant to be worn around the neck, so Lu Jiao got some jade pendants for the children to hang on their belts. She then picked

    OUt some aencate1Y maae swer nes ana Dracelets.

    The four little ones were thrilled to see all these new clothes. The joy in their eyespletely solidified.

    The Third Born was the most excited. He was normally quiet but today, he had so much to share he couldn¡¯t even organize hisnguage.

    ¡°Mommy, this silver ne matches my blue robe. It¡¯ll look so good. I¡¯ll wear a blue hair band too.¡±

    ¡°That white jade pendant can be worn with my white robe. I¡¯ll look so handsome.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I have so many clothes now! I have too much to wear!¡±

    Lu Jiao stared at her suddenly expressive son and was speechless. She patted his head, ¡°Son, you¡¯ll get more and more stuff as you grow up. Let¡¯s not be this excited.¡±

    The Third Born looked back at Lu Jiao delightedly, ¡°But mommy, I am so happy!¡±

 Chapter 305 - 305: Kidnapped

    Chapter 305: Kidnapped

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Great, then you should remain happy! Ah, how about I buy each one of you a carved wooden box? You can use it to put your toys. We¡¯ll buy some toyster.¡±

    Though the Qinghe District was poor, there were lots of vendors on the street and a handful of them sold toys.

    Lu Jiao noticed how much the four little ones stared at those toys when they walked by. Though they wanted them, they were good children and didn¡¯t ask for them.

    Lu Jiao could tell though and had no reason not to buy it for them.

    As expected, the four little ones nodded eagerly, ¡°Okay, mommy. Let¡¯s buy big wooden boxes to keep all of our toys.¡±

    Lu Jiao took the children and bought four carved mahogany boxes.

    They ended up buying so much stuff that one trip wasn¡¯t going to be enough. Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to go back with the stuff first thene back to pick them up.

    ¡°We have too much stuff. There¡¯s not enough space to sit. Go drop off everything in the front courtyard. We can clean it up after.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    Lu Gui and uncle Lin went back with all the stuff.

    Lu Gui, Lin Dong, and Feng Zhi took the four children and shopped around the street vendors for toys.

    Since the Qinghe District was rather poor, most families try to make money by making all sorts of unique stuff.

    The street vendors, for example, had a whole spread of y dolls, whistles, porcin dolls, puppet tigers, and so on.

    The four little ones had never seen so many different toys and were blinded by everything. They hopped around each vendor to check out what they were selling.

    Lu Jiao had to yell at them twice to not run so fast before they calmed down.

    She also asked Lin Dong and Feng Zhi to not lose sight of them.

    Once the initial excitement passed, the four little ones calmed down a lot.

    The First Born loved porcin dolls so Lu Jiao got him six at once. She wanted to get him more but he declined. Not only did he decline, but he also pointed to his six dolls and exined, ¡°Mommy, look, this is daddy, this is you, this is me and my brothers.¡±

    No wonder he wanted six ¨C they were a family.

    Lu Jiao patted his head, ¡°Okay, then take care of them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    The First Born happily put away his new toys.

    The Second Born found a vendor selling cuju. He picked one up and didn¡¯t want to let go.

    Lu Jiao checked it out. The cuju was roughly made, which meant the vendor was a hunter and made it himself.

    The quality was not great but was enough for children to y around with. Lu Jiao got the Second Born one.

    ¡°Okay, you can kick this around with your brothers.¡±

    Just then, Lu Jiao heard Feng Zhi¡¯s panicked scream, ¡°Lady!¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around and saw that across the street, a slender man had picked the Third Born up and dashed away.

    Feng Zhi screamed from fear. Lin Dong has never dealt with this before and waspletely stunned.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression dropped and she shouted at Feng Zhi and Lin Dong, ¡°Keep an eye on the other children. Don¡¯t let them out of your sight!¡±

    She then chased after the skinny man who took the Third Born.

    Though Lu Jiao was strong, she wasn¡¯t speedy. The thought of the Third Born being taken away and tortured, however, was enough to make her chase down that scoundrel.

    When people on the street saw this, everyone screamed, ¡°Oh my god, is that child being kidnapped?!¡±

    ¡°Something like this is happening in broad daylight?! Everyone, you must be careful.¡±

    ¡°Catch him! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡±

    In the alley next to the main street, officer Zhao and his team were surveilling the area. When they heard the chaos, they rushed over to see what was wrong.

    Feng Zhi and Lin Dong recognized officer Zhao right away and cried, ¡°Officer Zhao, hurry, save the young master! He was taken away by a human trafficker.

    Thedy chased after him!¡±

    Officer Zhao¡¯s expression changed and he started to run.

    By now, Lu Jiao¡¯s chest hurt from running. However, all she could see was the kidnapped Third Born.

    The Third Born had realized what was happening and was wailing loudly towards Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy! Save me! Save me!¡±

    The skinny man knew that Lu Jiao was still on his tail and made a sharp turn into one of the alleys. Lu Jiao chased after him. There, two people jumped out and circled Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao raised her arms and struck the people who approached her.

    She used all her strength for this. One swing of her fist was enough to knock the attacker away. She continued to chase the human trafficker.

    The human trafficker thought his helpers would stop Lu Jiao so his pace slowed.

    Who knew Lu Jiao knocked out those two and never slowed down?

    In the blink of an eye, Lu Jiao had caught up and aggressively kicked the kidnapper.

    The kidnapper went flying while Lu Jiao snatched the Third Born back.

    The series of actions happened within seconds. The Third Born was now back in Lu Jiao¡¯s arms.

    Now that the child was back with his mother, he couldn¡¯t help but wail.

    ¡°Mommy, I am scared! He¡¯s so scary!¡±

    Lu Jiao soothed, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. Everything is okay.¡±

    Just then, the slender man crawled off the floor and headed her way. The two people Lu Jiao knocked out before had also caught up.

    At once, she and her son were surrounded.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes turned cold. She moved her fingers and got ready to take a scalpel out of her sleeve.

    From behind her, the sound of footsteps arose. The three attackers retreated a little and shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Someone¡¯s here.¡±

    There was no way Lu Jiao was going to let them go. Seeing the skinny kidnapper retreating made her run towards him and kick him down. She then stomped on him and kept her foot there so he couldn¡¯t move. The other two noticed how bad the situation was and ran away.

    Officer Zhao arrived then. Once he saw that Lu Jiao and the Third Born were not hurt, he sighed in relief. He then punched the kidnapper, who was on the ground, until he was knocked out.

    Now that the kidnapper had fainted, he finally had the time to ask, ¡°Lady Lu, are you okay? ¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head to show that she was fine. The Third Born whimpered in her arms, shaken up from what happened.

    Officer Zhao was somewhat relieved and said in a low voice, ¡°Lady Lu, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to detain and interrogate this person and provide you with an exnation..¡±

 Chapter 306 - 306: Whoâ€™s Behind This?

    Chapter 306: Who¡¯s Behind This?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when more footsteps approached. They turned around and saw that it was Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui.

    When Xie Yunjin saw Lu Jiao and the Third Born in one piece, his heart finally settled down.

    He leaped over and asked caringly, ¡°Lu Jiao, are you okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine but the Third Born is in shock. I need to get him some medication to calm his anxiety.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unspeakably gloomy once he saw how scared his son was. He stared coldly at the knocked-out kidnapper and said to officer Zhao, ¡°You cannot let this kind of criminal get off easy.¡±

    Officer Zhao was about to nod when Lu Jiao voiced, ¡°I suspect they are not human traffickers. They were targeting us. There were so many people on the street and so many different children ¨C why did they pick ours? It¡¯s also the middle of the day. I suspect they wanted to capture me in addition to taking the children. ¡±

    It was very likely that taking her son was just bait to lure her out.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned even uglier. He said to officer Zhao, ¡°Officer Zhao, you have to find out who¡¯s behind this. If you hear anything, please let me know.¡±

    Officer Zhao nodded, ¡°Yunjin, don¡¯t worry, I will figure this out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and officer Zhao left with the kidnapper.

    Xie Yunjin went back to staring at Lu Jiao and the Third Born and noticed that they were both shaken up.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart hurt and wanted to embrace both of them. However, he knew that would be inappropriate and only ended up taking Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look well.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t struggle her hand away. She was very scared right now and needed someone there for her.

    She wasn¡¯t scared that Xie Yun in would me her for this. She was scared because she was once taken away by a human trafficker when she was little. She was trapped for three days before the police saved her. Those three days, however, were hell on earth. She was locked inside a dark room and she didn¡¯t dare to cry or scream in case someone would hit her. There was no food nor anything to drink. Nobody asked her if she needed to use the washroom.

    When that man took the Third Born, she remembered her own nightmare and was terrified that the Third Born felt the same. This was why she went crazy chasing after that man to save the Third Born.

    ¡°For a moment, I was terrified that they would take the Third Born away.¡± Lu Jiao¡¯s voice was coarse and she felt hazy.

    The Third Born, who was in her arms, heard her. He was originally horrified but because of his mother, he felt better. He reached up to pat Lu Jiao¡¯s face,

    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    He then wrapped his arms around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck and leaned into her shoulder.

    All he wanted was to stay with her.

    Since Lu Jiao was holding onto the Third Born with one arm, Xie Yunjin let go of her other hand and reached out to the Third Born. Pity though, as the Third Born didn¡¯t want him right now and only wanted to stay with his mom.

    Lu Jiao whispered, ¡°I can hold him.¡±

    She then started to walk back. Xie Yunjin put his arm around Lu Jiao to stabilize her, and the two of them walked back without saying a word.

    The presence of Xie Yunjin calmed Lu Jiao¡¯s anxious heart. By the time they got back to the main street, Lu Jiao felt like herself again.

    She smiled at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Thank you, I feel much better now.¡±

    Xie Yunjin studied her and saw that she truly was calmer. He sighed in relief,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will visit officer Zhaoter to find out who was behind this.¡±

    If Lu Jiao was right about this being a targeted crime then it should be easy to find who was behind this.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s only been here for a couple of days and hasn¡¯t wronged anyone. Only a few of them felt frustrated by her and there were even fewer people who had the power to pull this.

    Therefore, this investigation should be an easy one.

    Xie Yunjin gestured to the other three children, who were running towards him, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The First, Second, and Fourth Born nodded then looked up to their mother and the Third Born. Seeing that they looked ill, they said worriedly, ¡°Mommy, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Third Born, are you okay?¡±

    Lu Jiao patted their heads, ¡°We¡¯re okay. Don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The family went back home in their carriage. However, because there were so many people, plus Xie Yunjin was here now, the carriage wouldn¡¯t fit. In the end, Lu Gui, Lin Dong, and Feng Zhi decided to run back home.

    Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, ¡°We have so many people living with us, one carriage isn¡¯t enough anymore. We need to buy another one, which should be easy. However, we need to get another coachman.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and thought about it, ¡°We¡¯ll ask that same grandma to bring us some people who know how to ride horses.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Nobody else talked after. Because of what happened, all four children were in shock and had lost their energy.

    Xie Yunjin noticed this and the air around him grew cold. He silently vowed to drag out whoever was behind this. He wasn¡¯t going to forgive that person.

    By the time everyone got home, it was noon. Aunt Hua had cooked lunch but nobody had much appetite.

    Lu Jiao got the Third Born some medication for his anxiety. She asked Feng Zhi to brew it and feed it to the Third Born. She herself took the children to take their nap.

    Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong went to find officer Zhao to see if he has an update on the kidnapper.

    After Lu Jiao got up, she went to organize all the new things she bought with the four little ones this morning. Though shaken up, everyone felt better after some rest. Even the Third Born found the energy to organize his study room.

    The craftsmen had finished making the slides, fake cave, and other equipment for the yground. They¡¯ve moved on to making bookshelves, desks, and other furniture.

    The furniture was much easier to makepared to the yground. They should finish up everything after one more day.

    The craftsmen admired Lu Jiao very much for being able to think up so many creative ways to entertain the children. No wonder the four little ones were so smart and quick-witted. With an education like this, they naturally grow smart..

 Chapter 307 - 307: Donâ€™t Blame him for being Cruel

    Chapter 307: Don¡¯t me him for being Cruel

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The craftsman worked while they chatted with Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re so smart to be able to think of so many ways to teach the four young masters.¡±

    Lu Jiao was putting books away on the shelves at the moment. The room was now filled with small shelves so the four little ones could pick out books for themselves.

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m just okay.¡±

    She simply used the concept of modern kindergarten and she wanted the four little ones to have a happy childhood. It would be a bit sad if the four little ones thought of the Four Books and Five ssics when they thought back to their childhood.

    The four little ones started topliment her.

    ¡°My mommy isn¡¯t just smart. She knows so much! She even knows how to make toys, hunt, and give medical advice. She¡¯s also good at making money. Basically, she¡¯s the number one mommy in the world.¡±

    The craftsman was shocked, ¡°Is that true?¡±

    The four little ones were about to say more when Lu Jiao responded, ¡°I can only help with mild illnesses. I¡¯m not that amazing.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to make herself sound too great and end up getting a bunch of patients knocking on her door.

    Lu Jiao told the four little ones, ¡°Take the toys you bought this morning and put them into your boxes. Then, put the boxes away in the back courtyard. If you ever get more toys, you can organize them in your box.¡±

    The four little ones nodded happily. Just then, from outside the room, a little head peeked in.

    Lu Jiao noticed that it was uncle Lin¡¯s younger son, Lin Xi, who¡¯s been sick since the family started living here. Lu Jiao had prescribed him some medicine and he seemed to have gotten better.

    When Lin Xi showed up, the four little ones waved at him toe inside.

    Each one of the little ones took out a toy for Lin Xi, ¡°Lin Xi, we know you¡¯ve been sick so we bought you some toys. Since you¡¯re here, take them now.¡±

    Lin Xi was astounded. For the past several days, his mother, father, and brother were so worried that the Xie family would kick him out. Most of the time, servants who got sick were kicked out.

    He didn¡¯t expect the masters to keep him around and even give him medicine. The young masters were now giving him toys? Lin Xi¡¯s eyes turned red.

    He didn¡¯t dare to take them and only looked up at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao grinned at him, ¡°Those are gifts from the young masters ¨C feel free to take them. You can help me take care of them going forward.¡±

    Lin Xi happily epted the toys and thanked the four little ones, ¡°Thank you, young masters.¡±

    The First Born brandished his hand as if he was a tiny adult, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. You¡¯re like our family. We should be giving you gifts since you¡¯re sick. If you have the time, you should study with us.¡±

    Lin Xi nodded eagerly and started to help the four little ones move their boxes. It was difficult for him since he was so little.

    In the end, it was Lu Gui who carried the four boxes full of toys away.

    Inside the room, the craftsmen peeked at Lu Jiao and hesitantly whispered,

    ¡°Lady Lu, can we make these furniture for other families?¡±

    The craftsmen knew that the furniture they¡¯d been making for the Xie family would be very popr amongst the wealthy. If they could make these crafts for other families, they would get more ie.

    After they asked, the craftsmen added instantly, ¡°We can consider all the work we¡¯ve done free. How about that?¡±

    The few craftsmen studied Lu Jiao carefully, terrified that Lu Jiao would say no.

    Lu Jiao honestly didn¡¯t care. She wasn¡¯t nning to profit from furniture making anyway. It would be good for the craftsmen to make some more money.

    She smiled at them, ¡°If other families want, of course, you can make these for them. It¡¯s okay. As for the work you¡¯ve already done for me, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to underpay you a single cent. Stop worrying.¡±

    The workers were all rmended by ssmate Han and were all hard-working and humble. They didn¡¯te from wealthy families so there was no way Lu Jiao would cut their pay.

    The craftsmen happily responded, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re a great person. We won¡¯t take the money from you.¡±

    They could imagine how much money they¡¯d make if they showed others these designs. Therefore, they didn¡¯t need to take payment for this project.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything. She¡¯ll just still pay them once everything¡¯s done.

    The atmosphere was friendly and cheerful, which motivated the craftsmen to work even harder.

    Lu Jiao organized the front courtyard, then went to the back to write out Arabic numerals. She nned on putting these on the walls inside the room. She then made up some math problems to teach the four little ones how to solveter. Then, she wrote some short stories and put them in the literature room. The four little ones will read those out loud.

    The stories Lu Jiao read were all meaningful with the intention to pass down good traits, such as how people should be hardworking, open-minded, filial, and respectful.

    She originally wanted to create some role-ying scripts where the four little ones could act out and learn how to defend themselves against bad guys. Something that would show them how to deal with kidnappers like today. She also wanted them to learn how to tell the bad guys from the good.

    Before Lu Jiao got the time to write the scripts, Xie Yunjin returned.

    Lu Jiao saw how cold and unhappy he appeared and knew right away that Officer Zhao hadn¡¯t made much progress on the kidnapping incident. That kidnapper likely didn¡¯t reveal who he was working for. ¡°That person didn¡¯t point out who was behind this?¡± Xie Yunjin sat down on the chair before the desk. ¡°Yeah. Officer Zhao tortured him but he refused to speak.¡±

    Lu Jiao was amused, ¡°That guy sure is loyal.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t respond to that directly, ¡°Though he didn¡¯t straight up tell us anything, I managed to trick some information out of him.¡± Lu Jiao was immediately interested and straightened up, ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Du Lanzhu was the one who asked for this to be done.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were full of disgust. Before, he tried to teach Du Lanzhu a lesson. Instead of learning from it, she chose to go further with her evil ns. If that was the case, then she couldn¡¯t me Xie Yunjin for being cruel.

    Xie Yunjin had taken Lin Dong to go investigate Du Lanzhu. They discovered that she¡¯s been hooking up with one of her cousins. When ssmate Han was away, that cousin of hers would take her shopping and eating. The two of them were so happy together.

    When Xie Yunjin investigated her, it didn¡¯t take him long at all to make that discovery. Lots of people knew about it. Basically, everyone knew except the Han family. All their neighbors wereughing at them behind their backs and they didn¡¯t even know.

    When Xie Yunjin found out about this, he pulled an all-nighter to set up a little scheme. He lied to get Du Lanzhu¡¯s cousin out then Du Lanzhu out. Then, the matter was exposed.

    When ssmate Han found out that Du Lanzhu was fooling around with her cousin, he was disgusted and wanted to divorce her.

    Before, due to the business ties the Han and Du families had, ssmate Han¡¯s parents never agreed to a divorce. Now that it was public information that Du Lanzhu was entangled with her cousin, ssmate Han¡¯s parents agreed to the divorce..

 Chapter 308 - 308: Hung herself in the Middle of the Night

    Chapter 308: Hung herself in the Middle of the Night

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face fell after she heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s discovery, ¡°ssmate Han¡¯s wife is not going to stop, is she?¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned his head, ¡°She¡¯s no longer ssmate Han¡¯s wife. He divorced her.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± Lu Jiao was shocked. That was fast.

    ¡°Their parents agreed to this?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dimmed. He chose not to hide from Lu Jiao and announced slowly, ¡°Du Lanzhu¡¯s been hooking up with her cousin. All the neighbors knew. Only ssmate Han and his family didn¡¯t know. So I found a way for the families to find out.

    Now, neither family has an excuse to say no. Therefore, ssmate Han divorced Du Lanzhu. The woman suspected you caused the families to find out so she hired people to capture you.¡±

    As Xie Yunjin got to the end of the story, his handsome face had gone dark. He was the one who plotted it and Lu Jiao was not involved.

    Lu Jiao wanted to curse that Du Lanzhu got what wasing for her. However, Du Lanzhu ordered people to hurt her, which was very unlucky.

    ¡°I am so unlu-¡±

    Before she finished her sentence, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin. She basically received the punishment on Xie Yunjin¡¯s behalf. However, Xie Yunjin did what he did to help her.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s emotions wereplex and the turbulence she felt was rare. In the end, she merely whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat dinner.¡±

    Xie Yunjin followed him out closely. As they walked, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Officer Zhao promised me to pry open that kidnapper¡¯s mouth somehow. Once he sells her out, we can arrest Du Lanzhu. Once she¡¯s in jail, there are plenty of ways to deal with her.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything but did remind him quietly, ¡°Be careful when you do things. Make sure you don¡¯t get hurt. Remember, you have to be responsible for the four little ones.¡¯

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s feet stopped moving and he stared at Lu Jiao. Was she worried about him? It appeared that way.

    The two went out to have dinner. The four little ones¡¯ spirits had been back up since noon and they were extremely excited. They sat beside Xie Yunjin and started to tell him their ideas regarding their room.

    ¡°Mommy said we can study soon.¡±

    The First Born was very much like Xie Yunjin and loved to study.

    The Second Born nodded. He wanted to y with the slides but mommy said he had to wait until the paint dried.

    The Third Born grinned at the room full of people. He felt so happy to be with his mommy, daddy, and brothers.

    The Fourth Born excitedly told Xie Yunjin, ¡°Mommy said she¡¯d teach us math. And she¡¯ll teach us how to act and role-y.¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened and then suggested to Lu Jiao, ¡°I can teach them how to paint and write. What do you say?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want Xie Yunjin to teach the children and shook her head, ¡°You better not. In a while, your legs will healpletely and you¡¯ll be returning to school in addition to helping out Magistrate Hu. I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll be very busy and won¡¯t have time to teach the four children.

    I¡¯ve thought about it. We should hire two tutors for the children. They shouldn¡¯t be too pedantic and should be liberal with their beliefs. I want them to be open-minded because, in our family, I prioritize the children¡¯s happiness over academic sess. I don¡¯t want someone who¡¯s inflexible and only teaches off a book.¡¯

    Xie Yunjin thought over what Lu Jiao said and agreed. He truly won¡¯t have much time. Right now, he was tutoring others and assisting Magistrate Hu.

    Time was of the essence and he won¡¯t have the capacity to teach the children.

    ¡°Okay, then tomorrow, I will start a search and when I find someone suitable, I will invite them over.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She wasn¡¯t familiar with the district and wanted to rely on Xie Yunjin for this.

    After dinner, the family cleaned up and went to sleep early. Today, to much of the children¡¯s excitement, Lu Jiao protectively invited the four little ones to sleep with her. Their mother has never invited them before.

    It was because Lu Jiao was worried that the Third Born would have nightmares after what happened today. Perhaps it was better for him to sleep beside her.

    As expected, the Third Born slept well next to her and didn¡¯t have any nightmares.

    Lu Jiao finally stopped worrying.

    Not long after she fell asleep, she heard amotioning over from the Su family. There were noises of people screaming and crying.

    Lu Jiao thought of Lady Xu and wondered if she did anything.

    Lu Jiao figured that the noises would die down after some time. However, not only did it not quiet down, it got louder and louder. Even the four little ones woke up. They rubbed their eyes and mumbled, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°Is there a fight?¡±

    Lu Jiao patted their heads andforted them, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Soon it will be quiet.¡±

    Just then, from outside, Feng Zhi rushed in to report to her, ¡°Lady, the master and steward Lu are here.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression changed a little. Why were Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui here?

    Lu Jiao nced at the four little ones and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll go check out what¡¯s going on and I¡¯lle back soon. Sister Feng Zhi will stay here with you.¡±

    The four little ones didn¡¯t decline. Lu Jiao got dressed in the bathroom and went outside.

    In the garden, Xie Yunjin and Lu Gui were waiting for her. Lu Gui yelled in a hurry, ¡°Sister, Lady Xu hung herself.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression grew ugly. Lady Xu hung herself? Wasn¡¯t she going to think of ways to deal with her disgusting inws? Why did she decide to kill herself?

    Just then, Lu Gui added hastily, ¡°Her daughter knocked on our door and begged for you to save her mother. She said she heard from the four little ones that you¡¯re a great doctor and want your help.¡±

    Lu Jiao headed outside at an insane speed.

    If Lady Xu really tried to kill herself, then she was partially at fault. If she didn¡¯t say those things to Lady Xu, Lady Xu wouldn¡¯t have tried to deal with her mother and sister-inw. If she didn¡¯t try anything, she might still be safe right now.

    Lu Jiao truly didn¡¯t expect Lady Xu would choose suicide. What must have happened for her to feel so hopeless that she chose suicide?

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin followed out of fear that the Su family would hurt Lu Jiao.

    Lu Gui was also worried that something might happen and followed.

    The group left the Xie manor and saw that Officer Zhao and Lady Lu were on their way out too. Everyone here was neighbors and naturally needed to make sure everything was okay given all the loud noises. Plus, Officer Zhao was an enforcer here.

    Outside the Xie gate, Lady Xu¡¯s daughter, Xu Jinxiu, saw Lu Jiao and knelt down to beg.

    ¡°Aunty Lu, please, please save my mother.. Save her please!¡±

 Chapter 309 - 309: Being Heartless is bad Karma

    Chapter 309: Being Heartless is bad Karma

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The thirteen-year-old girl was full of horror as she grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s clothes like a drowning victim clutching onto a log.

    Lu Jiao said in a hurry, ¡°Get up and tell me how your mother¡¯s doing.¡±

    She then headed to the Su family. Behind her, people followed silently. Su Jinxiu exined while crying, ¡°A lot of things happened today. I don¡¯t even know where to start. Because of what happened this morning, I was very worried tonight and couldn¡¯t sleep. At midnight, I still struggled to fall asleep so I decided to go to my mother¡¯s room and chat with her. When I got there, I found her hanging from her ceiling.¡±

    Su Jinxiu then screamed so loud her father jolted awake and ran over. He helped carry Lady Xu down.

    ¡°Did your mother defecate herself? Did her eyeballs pop out?¡±

    Su Xiujin thought about it then shook her head, ¡°No, when we got her down, she was trembling. After a few seconds, she stopped moving and breathing.¡±

    Su Jinxiu cried harder while Lu Jiao sighed in relief. Lady Xu might survive this.

    Those who hang themselves go through three stages. Stage one is buzzing in the head and body heating up. The second stage is body spasms. The third stage is fake death. During the third stage, the person would defecate themselves, their eyeballs would stop moving and their breathing would be prominent.

    Thest stage is short-lived ¨C around three to five minutes. During this stage, the person could be revived.

    Right now, Lady Xu hasn¡¯t defecated herself nor did her eyeballs pop up. Lu

    Jiao suspected that Lady Xu was entering the third stage and could be revived.

    Lu Jiao quickened her steps even more, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry over.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Su Jinxiu ran back to the Su¡¯s home. Behind her, Lu Jiao said to Officer Zhao, ¡°If anyone tries to stop me from examining Lady Xuter, stop them.¡± Officer Zhao tentatively asked, ¡°There¡¯s still hope for Lady Xu?¡±

    ¡°I will try. Perhaps she can be saved.¡±

    The group ran into the Su family home and headed straight to Su Jinxiu¡¯s room. It was two rooms conjoined into one and right now, lots of people had packed the area while cursing.

    ¡°Why would she hang herself on such a good day? If she¡¯s seeking death, she shouldn¡¯t do it in the Su family!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she thinks the Su family isn¡¯t unfortunate enough and is trying to bring the energy down.¡±

    In the middle of the room, Su Dahai painfully shrieked, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Lady Xu was his wife after all. Now that she had died by hanging, Su Dahai was sad.

    He knew very well why his wife chose suicide. First, she was hit by her sister-inw, then was shocked by the news of Liu Xiang¡¯s pregnancy. Later, urged by his own mother and Liu Xiang, he went to tell Lady Xu that he wanted to promote Liu Xiang to also be his wife.

    Her expression had already changed for the worse at that time, but it wasn¡¯t over. Su Dahai¡¯s mother went to talk to Su Dahai¡¯s son, using his mother of being not virtuous. The wives of husbands should help their husbands get more concubines. Lady Xu, however, fought her husband over it.

    That stupid son of Su Dahai somehow decided to go talk to his mother and tell her that as a wife, she should allow her husband to get more concubines. Liu Xiang was pregnant and it made sense for her to get the wife title.

    When Su Dahai heard about this, he felt his son didn¡¯t do the right thing. However, he was so focused on Liu Xiang at the time, he didn¡¯t speak up. Who knew his silence would end up killing Lady Xu?

    Su Dahai regretted this. If he knew this would happen, he never should¡¯ve brought up promoting Liu Xiang to a wife.

    The moment Lu Jiao entered the room, the mother and sister-inw spoke,

    ¡°Huh, what are you people doing here?¡±

    ¡°How rare to see you people. What are you doing in my home?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored this disgusting duo and headed to the main bedroom. The inws tried to stop her but Officer Zhao stepped in.

    ¡°Lady Lu knows medicine. She¡¯s going in to see if Lady Xu has died.¡±

    The two women started to howl, ¡°She¡¯s already dead! What¡¯s the point of inspecting?! You think this family isn¡¯t unlucky enough?!¡±

    ¡°Why did my sister-inw do that?! What kind of hatred does she have against this family? Why must she hang herself at home?! I heard those who hang themselves at home turn into ghosts and haunt the people inside the home.¡±

    When Officer Zhao heard theirments, he scolded, ¡°Are you still human?!

    How can you say something so disgusting to someone who passed away?! Everyone in this neighborhood knows how kind Lady Xu is. You people are the ones people have problems with.¡±

    Officer Zhao then looked towards Su Dahai, who copsed in the corner, ¡°Su Dahai, you cannot be that heartless of a person. Those who are this heartless have no good karma.¡±

    Su Dahai¡¯s face was now gray. He tried to go into the room but Officer Zhao stopped him.

    ¡°You should wait until Lady Lu is done with her examination.¡±

    In the room now were Lu Jiao and Su Jinxiu.

    Lu Jiao started to perform CPR the moment she went inside. Every 30thpression, she would ask Su Jinxiu to breathe into Lady Xu¡¯s mouth. The young girl didn¡¯t mind it at all and did everything she could to save her mother.

    Since Lady Xu was not reacting to CPR, Lu Jiao snuck out epinephrine from her space and injected Lady Xu with it.

    Given how young and clueless Su Jinxiu was, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t feel the need to be overly cautious.

    After the epinephrine, Lady Xu¡¯s chest started to heave. When Su Jinxiu saw this, she wailed, ¡°Mom! Mom!¡±

    Outside, everyone interpreted the crying as Lady Xu was confirmed dead.

    Everyone reacted differently to the news. Liu Xiang was the happiest in the group.

    Now that Xu Dou was dead, she could be a wife right away. The wife of the Su family was great news.

    Liu Xiang had to work hard to stop herself fromughing out loud.

    Liu Zhaodi was also close to guffawing. However, her joy didn¡¯tst long.

    With Lady Xu dead, Liu Xiang would be the matriarch. Liu Xiang was cheap and childish. With her personality, Liu Zhaodi and her husband will likely get kicked out. Could she really continue thisfortable lifestyle?

    Liu Zhaodi¡¯s eyes nced left and right before shended her gaze on Su Dahai.

    She got an idea. If she managed to seduce her brother-inw, she would have no problem staying in the Su family. If she could seduce Su Dahai, her husband would not dare to hit her anymore.

    As for Xie Yunjin¡­

    Liu Zhaodi¡¯s gaze fixated on him. Xie Yunjin felt it right away and red at her sharply and coldly.

    Liu Zhaodi almost jumped back from fear. She looked away quickly but then sneered. Perhaps this man was disabled in that aspect. After all, what kind of man would reject the idea of hooking up with a beautiful woman?

    She felt better then and stopped thinking of Xie Yunjin. Instead, she stared at Su Dahai and tried toe up with a n..

 Chapter 310 - 310: At Midnight, a Ghost Knocks

    Chapter 310: At Midnight, a Ghost Knocks

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Everyone was scheming. Lady Xu¡¯s mother-inw was the first to start crying, ¡°Xu Dou, my pitiful daughter-inw! Just what must¡¯ve happened for you to choose suicide?! Life has been so good yet you no longer wanted to live! What is wrong with your head?!¡±

    Chen Zhaodi¡¯s eyeballs swirled around and she got an idea. In a whiny voice, she cried, ¡°Sister-inw must have had a hard time because of Liu Xiang¡¯s stomach. My pitiful sister-inw! You went through so much just to die!¡±

    Chen Zhaodi¡¯s words in Su Dahai¡¯s ears saddened him greatly. He even ignored Liu Xiang, who was also crying.

    Regardless if it were real or fake, everyone was crying a river out there.

    Inside the bedroom, a heart-wrenching cry ripped out, ¡°Jinxiu!¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Lady Xu woke up and was greatly hurt by how hard her daughter was crying. She embraced her daughter and the two cried together.

    Both of them were so unspeakably sad.

    When everyone outside heard themotion, they stopped crying.

    Liu Xiang was in disbelief. She pushed Officer Zhao to the side and shoved herself inside.

    Su Dahai followed closely and lunged into the room.

    Lady Xu, who was ced on the floor and who was thought to be dead, was in one piece. Unharmed, she was holding onto her daughter and crying. If it weren¡¯t for the purple marks around her neck, everyone would think they¡¯d gone insane.

    Lady Xu¡¯s mother-inw frightfully said, ¡°Isn¡¯t she dead? How is she still alive?¡±

    Lady Xu¡¯s head snapped around upon hearing those words. She chose to hang herself after such an emotionally draining moment. Now that she was given a second chance, she felt so stupid. What was she thinking? Killing herself for this family of animals? What was going to happen to her daughter? Who was going to take care of her elderly father?

    Everything suddenly made sense to Lady Xu now. After experiencing death once, she found so much rity. Why would she be scared of this room of bastards if she wasn¡¯t even afraid of death?

    Lady Xu stared at her mother-inw and mockingly said, ¡°If you¡¯ve done nothing to be ashamed of, why are you scared of a ghost knocking on your door? If you did nothing wrong, why are you acting so scared of me right now?¡±

    Su Dahai wasn¡¯t scared of Lady Xu and knelt down beside her, ¡°Xu Dou, why did you try to kill yourself?! If you didn¡¯t want me to have Liu Xiang as a wife, I wouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    Su Dahai was truly regretful now.

    Liu Xiang didn¡¯t expect to lose her position as a wife after Lady Xu¡¯s suicide attempt. She was seriously unhappy but didn¡¯t dare to say anything given how many people were there.

    Bluntly, unreservedly, Lady Xu pped Su Dahai in the face, dumbfounding him.

    Su Dahai¡¯s parents¡¯ faces dropped. The mother-inw jumped off the ground and screamed, ¡°You b!tch! You dare to hit my son?! Who do you think you are to hit a man?! Son, divorce her right away! Kick her out right now!¡±

    Lady Xu pped Su Dahai in the face again after he heard her mother-inw¡¯s statement.

    Su Dahai woke up then and grabbed Lady Xu¡¯s hand. Angry, he demanded, ¡°Xu

    Dou, what are you doing?!¡±

    Lady Xuughed and pointed at Su Dahai to curse, ¡°I am hitting you son of a b!tch for being so heartless and ungrateful. Do you remember what you were like when I married you? You had no monev and not even a nice piece of clothing. Your parents had abandoned you back then. Have you forgotten all that?!

    When I married you, what did you promise my father? You said you would never wrong me and that if you did, you would live the rest of your life in agony. You would be better off dead than going on with life after wronging me.

    Su Dahai, I am going to wait for karma to get you. People should not make promises that easily. If you don¡¯t fulfill them, you will get punished.¡±

    Su Dahai¡¯s expression changed. He suddenly recalled a lot of things from before. The look on his face kept on changing and in the end, he finally held onto Lady Xu¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I was wrong. I never should¡¯ve brought up making Liu Xiang my wife. Don¡¯t worry, that will never happen again.

    Xu Dou, I am going to treat you well from now on. I was wrong before. You don¡¯t like my second brother and his wife, right? I will ask them to go back to our countryside home. You can make all the decisions in this family.¡±

    Every member of the Su family became unsettled.

    Lu Jiao studied Su Dahai and saw the sincerity and regret on his face. Was Lady Xu going to continue this rtionship with him?

    Just then, Lady Xu spoke up, ¡°Su Dahai, I want a divorce. You want Liu Xiang as your wife, right? Why have two wives? I am going to give up my spot so she can take it.¡±

    Su Dahai stared at Lady Xu in awe.

    Though Su Dahai epted concubines and hurt Lady Xu, deep in his bones, he had always thought of Lady Xu as his one and only wife. He had always figured that a lot of his sess was thanks to Lady Xu and the good luck she brought. Therefore, Su Dahai wasn¡¯t willing to separate from Lady Xu.

    ¡°Xu Dou, why are you asking for a divorce? Tell me, what conditions do I have to meet to have you here?¡±

    He worded it as if he would agree to anything Lady Xu asks for. Even if Lady Xu asked his parents to go back to the countryside, he would¡¯ve agreed.

    If he said these words before Lady Xu¡¯s suicide attempt, she truly would¡¯ve been touched and stayed with him. Sadly, she had died once and was now truly hopeless when it came to men.

    ¡°Su Dahai, if you stood up for me when Chen Zhaodi hit me, I might¡¯ve been touched. If you didn¡¯t impregnate Liu Xiang, I might forgive you for always taking her side. I might simply view her as a ything. At this point, however, what more can we say? Let¡¯s divorce. I don¡¯t want anything. I just want to bring

    Jinxiu.¡±

    As for her son, he has the Su surname and he could stay here.

    Her daughter, however, could not stay here. With that wicked mother-inw of hers, her daughter would not have a good life here. They might truly sell her daughter off to a rich man as his concubine.

    Su Dahai declined with an ugly look on his face, ¡°No. I don¡¯t agree to a divorce.¡±

    Lady Su coldly stared at him. There was no more dwelling in her eyes, only frost, ¡°What right do you have to decline? Ever since your mother got you that concubine, you no longer saw me as your wife. You spend all your time fooling around with her. Even when you don¡¯t, you would take her out to run your business under the false pretense that you needed someone to take care of you. Su Dahai, you think I¡¯m a fool? You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? You¡¯re into her young body and you¡¯re into the fact that she does whatever you say.¡±

    Near the end, Lady Xu felt so worthless. She had wasted her whole life on this scum and even gave him a foolish son.

    As Lady Xu thought of her life, she suddenly remembered something. Back then, to show how genuine he was about the marriage, he had hired someone to write her a contract. He even left his fingerprint on it.

    Lady Xu suddenlyughed. She stared at Su Dahai and slowly said, ¡°Su Dahai, have you forgotten what you once wrote me? The contract clearly states that if you ever get a concubine, all the assets and wealth the Su family umted would be put under my name. So, now, everything the Su family owns is mine..¡±

 Chapter 311 - 311: After Divorce

    Chapter 311: After Divorce

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xu Dou felt so stupid over her dumb brain. She had such a good card up her sleeve yet she endured years of pain.

    Every Su family member¡¯s face dropped. Even Su Dahai was stunned. Back then, he truly did ask someone to draft such a contract in order to show sincerity to Lady Xu. He even left his fingerprint in front of witnesses.

    Therefore, everything he¡¯s earned since getting married belonged to Xu Dou.

    Seeing Su Dahai¡¯s reaction, everyone knew that such a contract actually existed. Su Dahai¡¯s parents started to curse at their son, ¡°You moron! What were you thinking?! How dare you give the Su family¡¯s assets to that woman?!

    What is she?! Who is she?! How could she get what¡¯s mine?! Everything belongs to the Su family!¡±

    ¡°Ah, Dahai, you were so stupid! How can you give so much to an outsider!¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao¡¯s face was dark as she stared at the elders. Su Dahai was the one who earned all the money¡­ When did all the assets be theirs?

    How shameless.

    Lu Jiao studied Su Dahai. If he truly wanted to keep Lady Xu, there was some hope. He could volunteer to get rid of his concubine¡¯s baby and kick her out.

    Then, he could move his parents and brother¡¯s family back to the countryside. He could apologize to Lady Xu and promise her a future.

    Perhaps Lady Xu could give him another shot. After all, they have two children togetner.

    However, it was very obvious now that Su Dahai¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t on how to keep Lady Xu. He was worried about his assets.

    He nervously looked at Lady Xu and spoke with difficulty, ¡°Xu Dou, those things belong to the Su family.¡±

    Xu Dou nodded. She didn¡¯t really want those stuff ¨C she wanted a divorce letter.

    ¡°Yes, those are the Su family¡¯s assets. If you write me a divorce letter, I will leave with just Jinxiu and I won¡¯t take a cent from you.¡±

    Lady Xu then asked her daughter, ¡°Jinxiu, are you willing to leave with me?¡±

    Su Jinxiu followed her mother every day and was very aware of how hard her mother had it. Plus, she didn¡¯t like anyone here.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡±

    Lady Xu smiled and went back to speaking to Su Dahai, ¡°You have two choices right now. One, write me a divorce letter. In the letter, rify that Jinxiu wille with me and has no ties to the Su family. Second, you don¡¯t give me that divorce letter. Then in the morning, I am going to kick out your entire family, including Liu Xiang.¡±

    The Su family started to curse. Liu Xiang cried and hugged Su Dahai¡¯s arm, ¡°Dahai, I¡¯m not leaving. Me and the baby in my stomach cannot bear to leave you. Please don¡¯t let me get kicked out!¡±

    Su Dahai¡¯s eyes were red as he looked back at Lady Xu, ¡°Xu Dou, when did you be so cruel?¡±

    Lady Xu snickered, ¡°If I were cruel, I wouldn¡¯t have let your brother and your parents step all over me for so many years. If I were cruel, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to get concubines. Su Dahai, if you are suddenly without money, do you think Liu Xiang would still stay with you? I worked hard alongside you for years and helped you make money. Once you finally made money, the money was enjoyed by other women. How can you call me cruel?¡±

    Lady Xu didn¡¯t want to talk to Su Dahai anymore and coldly said, ¡°Are you giving me a divorce letter or not? If not, I am going to the judge tomorrow morning to get your family out of here.¡±

    The Su family continued to curse. The Su parents kept on rushing their son to write that divorce letter so Lady Xu could f* ** off.

    Su Dahai struggled. He didn¡¯t want a divorce but he also didn¡¯t want to lose all his money. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said to Lady Xu, ¡°Xu Dou, do you know how hard divorced women have it out there?¡±

    Lady Xu naturally knew. However, she was so disgusted by the Su family, she would rather be out there begging for food than be here with them.

    ¡°Even if I have to beg for my meals, I do not want to see you Su family. You¡¯re truly disgusting.¡±

    Su Dahai wanted to say more but his parents kept on urging him, ¡°Why are you still talking to her?! Hurry and write that divorce letter.¡±

    Though Su Dahai was a businessman, he didn¡¯t know many characters. He finally said, ¡°I cannot write a divorce letter.¡±

    Officer Zhao chimed in instantly, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s a schr. He can write it for you.¡± Everyone looked over to Officer Zhao, who was darkly ring at Su Dahai. What trash of a man! Just because he made a little money, he dared to act like he owned the world. This man¡¯s brain was no good. If his brain was no good, it was even more of a blessing for him to have an intelligent and hard-working wife.

    This man was going to regret his decisions. Sooner orter, he will understand his mistakes. When that timees, however, it would be toote. Officer Zhao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, can you draft that letter?¡±

    As neighbors, he knew how hard Lady Xu had had it. Since she wanted a separation, Officer Zhao was willing to help her get what she wanted.

    Xie Yunjin agreed and asked for a brush, ink, and paper.

    Su Jinxiu ran out and soon returned with writing utensils.

    Xie Yunjin wrote a divorce letter for Lady Xu. On it, he specified that once Su Jinxiu leaves the Su family, she could change her surname to her mother¡¯s.

    Inside the room, Su Dahai¡¯s brain was buzzing. He still didn¡¯t realize what he did wrong and only felt like his wife was heartless and cruel. For a divorce, she was willing to go this far and threaten him to such an extent. If that was the case, then he will give her what she wanted and show her how hard divorced women have it out there.

    However, Su Dahai also silently made a decision. He will always reserve the matriarch position for Xu Dou. Xu Dou did go through a lot for him. Once she returns, he will treat her better. He will, however, remind her not to ask for a divorce so lightly. Divorce was no joking matter.

    Su Dahai decided that Xu Dou should go out there and experience some hardships. Therefore, when he left his fingerprint, he didn¡¯t hesitate.

    Afterward, the parents asked Xu Dou to hand over the contract Su Dahai once wrote.

    Xu Dou coldly red at them and kicked them out, ¡°Allow me to pack up.¡±

    The Xu family was about to argue when Su Dahai shouted, ¡°Get out.¡±

    Seeing the resolution in Su Dahai¡¯s eyes, the parents didn¡¯t dare to argue and walked away while mumbling.

    Su Hua and Chen Zhaodi also didn¡¯t dare to speak and left the room. Only Liu Xiang stayed put with a happy look on her face. Su Dahai saw how happy she was and became annoyed. His marriage with his wife had gone south all because of Liu Xiang.

    Liu Xiang didn¡¯t know what Su Dahai was thinking and continued to feel rather perky. Now that Xu Dou was leaving, she was going to be the wife of the Su family.

    Slowly, everyone else left the room as well. Lu Jiao remained and caringly asked Lady Xu, ¡°Where are you going to live after your divorce?¡±

    Lady Xu froze, then whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my parent¡¯s home. My parents and brother are not the types to deny me.¡±

    Lu Jiao reminded her, ¡°Your parents and brother may not, what about your sister-inw?¡±

    Ladv Xu didn¡¯t have a response.

    Lu Jiao offered, ¡°Stay at my house tonight. Tomorrow, we can talk about what you can do in the future.¡±

    For Lady Xu to get where she was today, Lu Jiao was a catalyst. Plus, Lu Jiao was in need of people talent and Lady Xu was a good candidate.

    Once her businesses opened, Lu Jiao wanted to open two shops in the city center ¨C one to sell oil, and the other to sell medicine and cosmeceutical products.

    She didn¡¯t have any candidates to partner up with. But now, she thought Lady Xu would be a good choice..

 Chapter 312 - 312: Are you Abandoning me?

    Chapter 312: Are you Abandoning me?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lady Xu felt unsettled about Lu Jiao¡¯s suggestion, ¡°That won¡¯t do. Master Xie would get angry.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine. In my family, I make the call.¡±

    Lady Xu thought back to the ways Schr Xie had looked at Lu Jiao and she couldn¡¯t help but to feel sad. Still, she felt obligated to caution, ¡°Lady Lu, be careful. You cannot trust men. He might be nice now but he may not be this way forever.¡±

    In the past, Su Dahai was just as nice yet after these days, he turned into someone so different.

    Lu Jiao carefully said, ¡°Lady Xu, honestly, you¡¯re partially at fault.¡±

    Lady Xu stared at Lu Jiao in disbelief. Beside them, Su Jinxiu also stared.

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have tolerated Su Dahai as much as you did. Why didn¡¯t you stop him the first time he stepped out of line? For him to be where he is today is partially due to yourck of backbone. Why didn¡¯t you stop him from letting his parents live with you? You could¡¯ve revealed your objection and you could¡¯ve asked him to build them a house instead. You could¡¯ve even sent them money on a monthly basis. You shouldn¡¯t have allowed them toe and live with you.

    I believe at the time, he wouldn¡¯t have fought hard to have his parentse live with him. Later, when his mother asked him to get a concubine, you should¡¯ve objected. If he dared to get a concubine, you could¡¯ve kicked out that whole family. Instead, you agreed. His family was never nice to you must be because you stayed quiet and did everything a good wife does in silence.

    Therefore, you are also at fault for what happened today. You must remember one thing ¨C what¡¯s right is always right, and what¡¯s wrong is always wrong. When something is going wrong, you must do what you can to stop the damage. You must not tolerate what crosses your boundaries.¡±

    Lu Jiao only said so much because she thought of Lady Xu as a friend. Lady Xu was a capable person to have taken care of such a big family while helping out with the business. The only weakness of hers was her ability to endure almost everything. Having endurance was a double-edged sword.

    If one day, she truly does be a shop manager, that wouldn¡¯t do. This was why Lu Jiao said so much.

    Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu were shocked. As they thought it through, however, they knew Lu Jiao¡¯s statement had its truth.

    People shouldn¡¯t only know how to retreat. They¡¯ll keep being pushed back if that was all they did.

    The hatred Lady Xu felt towards Su Dahai strangely dissipated a lot.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t handle everything right. I am not going to hate him and I am not going to curse him. I just hope that we will both find happiness.¡±

    She then started to pack up her clothes but left behind her jewelry.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that her clothes were tailored for her, she wouldn¡¯t even have packed those. She wanted to start fresh.

    The daughter and mother duo finished packing and left the room.

    Su Dahai saw them with their baggage ¨C it made his heart hurt.

    He recalled the happy times he had with them before his parents and siblings moved in with him.

    Inside the living room, mother Su saw the pieces of baggage Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu carried and shouted, ¡°Xu Dou, did you take what belongs to the Su family?!¡±

    Lady Xu sarcastically snickered at her and opened her baggage. It turned out to be just a pile of clothes. The jewelry, money, and the contract Su Dahai signed years ago were on the table next to Su Dahai.

    ¡°You see this clearly now? I¡¯m not taking a single cent from your family. You think everything I¡¯ve given to this family is worth less than this bag of clothes?¡±

    She closed her baggage back up. Su Dahai saw how resolute Xu Dou was and a thought popped up in his head. He had a feeling that Xu Dou was not going toe back.

    Though her exterior was gentle, she was very stubborn. The perfect example was the time when she chose to marry him despite her family¡¯s objections.

    Su Dahai stood up and opened his lips, ¡°Xu Dou, I¡­¡±

    He wanted to ask her to not leave him.

    Before he could speak, however, Lady Xu interrupted, ¡°Enough now. Let¡¯s go

    our separate ways. I wish you all the best. Our marriage has taught me one valuable lesson ¨C just because you are sincere and loyal, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get them in return.¡±

    She then left the house. Su Jinxiu followed her mother.

    Behind them, Officer Zhao, Lady Lu, Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and Lu Gui all left as well.

    The Su family was almost close to apuding. Only Su Dahai stared at his wife and daughter walking away

    When Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu were close to getting out of the gate, footsteps approached them. It turned out to be Lady Xu i s son, Su Liangchen.

    Su Liangchen was crying as he stared at his sister and mother, ¡°Are you abandoning me?

    When Lady Xu recalled the moment her son told her to ept Liu Xiang as his father¡¯s wife, sheughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one abandoning you. You are the one who abandoned me. I reckon

    I am not your mother- Liu Xiang is.¡±

    What kind of son would tell his own mother to be a more virtuous wife? What kind of son would tell his mother that his father deserved more wives if his concubines were with child?

    The whole reason why Lady Xu tried to hang herself was mostly because of her son. Her son studied all his life yet ended up so stupid. He didn¡¯t even pass the exam to be a child pupil, yet he quoted books all the time and told his own mother to be more virtuous. Was he really her son?

    Those memories made Lady Xu pick up her pace without ncing at her son again. Su Jinxiu wanted to say something but in the end, simply walked away

    Su Liangchen stared at them. How did this happen? The books he read said women should be virtuous and allow concubines in the family. Howe when it came to his mother, she chose divorce?

    Lu Jiao was speechless. Though she didn¡¯t have any details on what happened, she could tell that this boy did something to hurt Lady Xu greatly.

    Lu Jiao nced at Su Liangchen and then back at Xie Yunjin. She eximed, this man was going to be the future First Assistant after all. He truly was more liberal than others.

    Xie Yunjin noticed her staring and inched closer, ¡°Something wrong?

    Lu Jiao thought of the offer she made and whispered, I ¡®Lady Xu and Jinxiu have nowhere to stay tonight. I told them they could stay with us. Are you okay with

    Xie Yunjin shook his head. Why would he object? The house belonged to Lu

    Jiao.

    ¡°Sure, you can keep them around as long as you want.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled. The family headed out and Lu Jiao invited them over.

    When Officer Zhao and Lady Lu saw that, they sighed in relief.

    They originally wanted to offer Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu to stay with them but their house was rather small.

    Now that Lu Jiao had made that offer, they had one less thing to worry about.

    Officer Zhao said to Lady Xu, ¡°Lady Xu, it¡¯s not safe to walk around at night.

    You should stay with the Xie family.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Officer Zhao and Lady Lu.¡±

    Every outsider was nicer to her than her own man. Lady Xu was sullen.

    She was still worried that Xie Yunjin was not okay with it and looked at him.

    Xie Yunjin expressed right away, ¡°In my house, we do as my wife says..¡±

 Chapter 313 - 313: Lowkey Wealthy

    Chapter 313: Lowkey Wealthy

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lady Xu studied Xie Yunjin and silently wondered how much longer he¡¯ll be able to remain this nice.

    Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu followed Lu Jiao to the Xie manor¡¯s west wing in the back courtyard.

    Since it waste, nobody said anything more before they washed up and slept.

    The next morning, Xie Yunjin had enough self-awareness to know not to visit the back courtyard. He stayed in the front courtyard and had breakfast before heading to his tutoring job.

    Lu Jiao and Feng Zhi stayed to host Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu.

    Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu didn¡¯t look well. However, they were very appreciative of

    Lu Jiao running back and forth for them, ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu.¡±

    Lu Jiao indicated for them to eat, ¡°Though you don¡¯t feel well, that feeling will pass and things will get better.¡±

    Lady Su nodded. She felt mostly bad for her daughter.

    ¡°With Jinxiu following me, she¡¯ll likely have a hard time. However, I didn¡¯t trust the Su family enough to leave her there.¡±

    Su Jinxiu expressed, I ¡®Mom, I¡¯m not scared to work hard.¡±

    Though she felt somewhat sad to leave the Su family, she also felt freer and more rxed.

    When she lived with her grandmother, her grandmother would frequentlyment on her ws. It was so bad that she didn¡¯t even dare to leave her room. Now, she was finally free. From now on, shell be able to eat whatever she wants and do whatever she wants. This made her very happy.

    Lady Xu noticed that Su Jinxiu wasn¡¯t depressed and was a little relieved.

    Lu Jiao brought up the future to them, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve left the Su family, where do you want to go?

    Lady Xu thought about it, ¡°I¡¯ll go home first. Then, I¡¯ll probably figure out a way to start a small business. My goal is to not live with my parents forever. I have to think of ways to make money and raise my daughter. I want to prepare a generous dowry for her.¡±

    The mention of a dowry made Su Jinxiu blush. Then, she said in a serious tone,

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not going to marry. Men are not good people.¡±

    Lady Xu stared at her and mumbled, ¡°Jinxiu, there are men who are¡­ She couldn¡¯t finish. She hasn¡¯t met a nice man. Perhaps they do exist but they¡¯re rare.

    Lu Jiao spoke then, ¡°Lady Xu, I have a thought that I want to share. If you are open to the idea, we can discuss more.¡±

    Lady Xu turned to Lu Jiao, who continued, ¡°I am about to start a business where I manufacture oil and medicine. Once that¡¯s established, I will open storefronts to carry the products. The stores will need someone to manage them, so I wonder if you would be interested in doing that? If so, we can partner up. You¡¯ll be the manager of my two stores. And in return, I will give you 30% of the profit made by the store each year. What do you think?¡±

    Lady Xu was pleasantly astonished by Lu Jiao¡¯s idea. This was truly an unexpected surprise. She left the Su family without carrying a single cent and right away, Lu Jiao was giving her a chance to make money. How could she not be happy?

    However, 30% of profit sounded like a lot. Lady Xu thought it over and said, ¡°The only reason I¡¯m alive right now is because of you. I really shouldn¡¯t even be epting money from you. However, I have parents that I must remain filial for and I have a daughter who relies on me. I need to have money. 30% is too much. I would be happy with 10%.¡±

    10% should be enough for her to help out her parents and give her daughter a good dowry.

    Lady Xu¡¯s words proved Lady Xu to be a grateful person- this made Lu Jiao trust her more. After all, Lu Jiao did save her life as well. However, 10% was a little low and Lu Jiao felt bad.

    ¡°10% is too little. Let¡¯s agree on 20%.¡±

    Lady Xu was grateful and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to take advantage of that. Lu Jiao truly intended to give her 30% of the profit because there would be a lot of work Lu Jiao would want Lady Xu to handle.

    However, she thought about it and decided that 20% would be plenty. She was certain that her oil mill and pharmacy would make a lot of money.

    Lady Xu wanted to say more but Lu Jiao mmed the hammer, ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Once the stores open, I will prepare an official contract that we will sign. Before then, if you have nowhere to stay, you can stay on my farm and help me with my medicinal herbs.¡±

    Lady Xu was astonished. She thought the Xie family was ordinary and had no idea they were this wealthy. They were truly a lowkey rich family, unlike the Su family. The Su family only had a big house, two stores, and 50 acres of farm. Yet that family acted like they were the wealthiest family in the country. Howughable.

    ¡°I wonder where your farm is?

    Lu Jiao was a little embarrassed and giggled, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten the deed yet so I don¡¯t know specifically where it is. I will find the time to get the deed this afternoon.

    Lady Xuughed. She was originally anxious and scared but Lu Jiao¡¯s ns for her made her feel so relieved.

    ¡°I want to go visit my parents in the next couple of days. No matter what, I should tell my parents about the divorce. Plus, I haven¡¯t gone home for so many years and should take the opportunity to visit. In a couple of days, I wille back and find you.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed instantly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She then asked Feng Zhi to go fetch 20 taels of silver.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to go home empty-handed. You should buy something to bring back.

    Lady Xu¡¯s heart felt full. She thanked Lu Jiao profusely, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re my savior in so many ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you!¡±

    Lu Jiao chuckled, ¡°I am going to deduct this from your payter.¡±

    That made Lady Xu and her daughterugh. They truly felt more relieved now.

    After breakfast, Lu Jiao walked them out.

    When Lady Xu and Su Jinxiu were exiting the Xie manor, the neighboring gate opened. Su Dahai walked out with a bag and shoved it to Lady Xu, ¡°Here are some jewelry and banknotes. Take them.¡±

    He then turned around and left, as if scared that Lady Xu would refuse.

    Lady Xu truly didn¡¯t want anything from the Su family. She was about to call out and return the money when Lu Jiao stopped her, ¡°Take it. Why would you not? How many hardships did you have to go through thesest few years? If you don¡¯t take them, theyll just benefit someone else. You can take these to buy new things for your parents or use them for your daughters dowry.¡±

    Lady Xu decided that was true and didn¡¯t object. Lu Jiao asked Uncle Lin to give them a ride home. Uncle Linplied right away.

    Lu Jiao went back to her house then. Shortly after, Xie Yunjin returned with an ugly look on his face.

    Lu Jiao knew right away that something had happened. She stopped his pacing.

    ¡°What happened? You don¡¯t look well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin walked into the living room with Lu Jiao behind him.

    Once inside, Xie Yunjin finally said, ¡°The thief Officer Zhao captured yesterday died in the middle of the night.¡±

    Lu Jiao was shocked, ¡°How did someone healthy die so suddenly?¡±

    ¡°He hung himself..¡±

 Chapter 314 - 314: Teach them a Lesson

    Chapter 314: Teach them a Lesson

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin then added, ¡°Officer Zhao thinks someone strangled him and then hung him.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t there guards in prison? How could- I ¡®

    Lu Jiao stopped them as she understood what Xie Yunjin was implying, ¡°You think someone bribed the guards?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded then said darkly, ¡°Officer Zhao is also shocked. He said he never thought there¡¯d be a mole and therefore he never considered the risk. I suspect this type of thing happened a lot before.¡±

    Lu Jiao saw how furious he was andforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s dead so let it be. That thief deserved it.¡±

    She then thought of Xie Yunjin¡¯s new gig as magistrate Hu¡¯s assistant. She worriedly cautioned, ¡°The water in this district is deep. The assistant position will likely bring danger to you. You have to be careful and make sure nobody finds out about it.¡±

    The air around Xie Yunjin turned cold and his brows frosted over.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t that excited to be magistrate Hu e s assistant. Now that the bad guys started ying around, I now have a great desire to seek them out. I will go meet with the magistrateter.¡±

    He then got up to get moving. However, Lu Gui entered then, ¡°Sister, brother-inw, master Han is here with his two sons.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gestured for Lu Gui to invite them in. He was aware of what¡¯s been happening in the Han family.

    This good friend of his was truly unlucky. How did he end up with a woman as vile as Du Lanzhu?

    ssmate Han and his sons arrived soon.

    To Lu Jiao, ssmate Han seemed to have aged by 10 years. He appeared weakened and tired out.

    Xie Yunjin knew he was in a bad mood. No matter how awful Du Lanzhu was, she was the mother of his children. He had no idea that that woman was fooling around with her own cousin. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked ssmate Han.

    ssmate Han felt better after Xie Yunjin¡¯s caring question. If Xie Yunjin ignored him at a time like this, he might not make it through this.

    ssmate Han shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    He then ordered his sons to greet the hosts, ¡°Dongdong, Nannan, why are you not greeting your uncle and aunt?¡±

    ssmate Han¡¯s eldest son was named Han Dongsheng and his youngest was named Han Nanfeng. Their nicknames were Dongdong and Nannan.

    Dongdong was five and Nannan was three. The younger one was still clueless and called out, ¡°Uncle, aunty,¡± when his dad ordered.

    The elder one refused unhappily.

    ssmate Han wanted to scold him.

    Lu Jiao chimed in then, ¡°It¡¯s okay. He must be in a bad mood about what just happened. He¡¯ll feel better after some time.¡±

    Lu Jiao then asked Lu Gui to take the children and the four little ones out to

    Xie Yunjin said to ssmate Han, ¡°I have something I wanted to talk to you about.¡±

    The hair stood up on ssmate Han then. Did Du Lanzhu start something again? What else would Xie Yunjin want to discuss?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯ s crisp voice arose, ¡°A few days ago, Lu Jiao took the four children shopping. The Third Born was taken away by someone. It was Lu Jiao who risked her life and got the Third Born back. The kidnapper was taken to prison by Officer Zho and he refused to reveal who he worked for. Yesterday night, the kidnapper was strangled to death while in prison.

    However, I was there when Officer Zhao was interrogating that kidnapper. I also got the chance to trap him and have him reveal some information. He worked for Du Lanzhu and their end goal was to capture Lu Jiao, not to kidnap the Third Born.¡±

    ssmate Han reacted like he had been thunderstruck. He shot out of his seat and started to pace around the room.

    ¡°That woman is helpless, helpless! How could she do something like that instead of feeling sorry for everything she did before? How could she plot against Lady Lu¡­ ¡® I

    ssmate Han was utterly disappointed with Du Lanzhu.

    That woman grew up spoiled and never had to consider anyone else¡¯s feelings. As an adult, she became so much worse. Even after bing someone¡¯s wife, she was disloyal and now, she went as low as hiring thugs to intentionally hurt someone.

    ssmate Han was still somewhat sad about the divorce but now, he felt so fortunate to have dodged a bullet.

    Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because I want to warn you that I am not going to forgive Du Lanzhu. You should be mentally prepared. This woman dared to hurt Lu Jiao once and she may very well try it again. I¡¯m not going to wait around until she hurts my family before I make a move.¡±

    ssmate Han froze a little then sighed in pain, ¡°From now on, her business is hers only. I will not be tied to it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded then brought up something else, ¡°I also want toe clean and tell you that I was the one who escted the discovery of the rtionship between her and her cousin. Firstly, I didn¡¯t want you to be the only person who didn¡¯t know. Secondly, only if everyone found out about her affair would you be able to divorce her. With how your parents are, they may tell you to endure and stay. After all, Du Lanzhu gave you two sons and they need a mother.¡±

    ssmate Han knew that to be true. He didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Xie Yunjin added, ¡°You¡¯re my good friend and I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you. If you me me for bringing you shame, I have no defense.¡±

    ssmate Han shook his head and his face was heavy, ¡°Why would I me you? It is my family who caused your family trouble¡±

    By now, ssmate Han was aware that his family brought many cmities to the Xie family. If he didn¡¯t talk about Lu Jiao so much, Du Lanzhu never would¡¯ve be frustrated and gone to such extremes.

    Xie Yunjin stopped worrying.

    ¡°I treat you like a good friend and don¡¯t want to hide anything from you.¡± ssmate Han finally felt better.

    He lifted his head and said to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Before I came in, I saw that Lady Lu was done with construction in the courtyard. I wonder if I can drop off my children here so they could learn from you?

    Now that Du Lanzhu was kicked out, his sons have been even more chaotic. He didn¡¯t want his parents to look after the children. They may turn out to be even worse people if he did that.

    Therefore, he thought of Lu Jiao and brought his sons here, hoping Lu Jiao could help teach them a lesson.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t decline and was about to answer when heart-wrenching cries erupted. Two little silhouettes then stumbled their way in..

 Chapter 315 - 315: Way too Happy

    Chapter 315: Way too Happy

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao looked over and found ssmate Han¡¯s two children. The two children looked kind of rough. The older one in particr, had his hair messed up, his clothes torn, and he even had scratches on his face. The younger one appeared mostly unscathed but still appeared exhausted.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao knew right away that their children had beaten those two up.

    However, they also knew that their children didn¡¯t hit others without reason. The two Han boys likely did something to piss them off.

    Despite that being a fact, it was no good to beat their guests up like this. Xie

    Yunjin and Lu Jiao angrily shouted, ¡°Where are you guys? Show yourselves!¡±

    The four little ones were carefully standing outside. When they heard their parents shout, they carefully stepped inside.

    The four little ones may not look as rough as the two boys, their clothes were all torn up and it was obvious that they were in a fight.

    When the four little ones entered, the two Han boys cried harder. The younger one pointed at the Second Born, ¡°He hit my brother! He¡¯s a bad person!¡±

    The older boy stared at ssmate Han with pitiful eyes, ¡°Daddy, hit them! They¡¯re bad boys! They hit me!¡±

    The Second Born was furious to hear the usations and shouted back angrily, ¡°You¡¯re the bad ones! We tried to y with you and you dared to curse my mother! You called her a slut who seduced men! Do you think we can¡¯t tell those are bad words just because we don¡¯t really know what they mean?! My mommy is such a great person yet you curse at her¡­ We don¡¯t like you!¡±

    The Third Born chimed in furiously, ¡°Not only did they curse, but they also smashed our stuff! We don¡¯t like you! You should leave!¡±

    The Fourth Born looked over to Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, not only did they curse at us, they broke our bookshelves and ripped our books. That¡¯s why we started to hit them back.¡±

    ssmate Han¡¯s expression grew ugly as the children told them what happened. He yelled angrily, ¡°Han Dongcheng! Did you do what they said?!¡±

    After spending thest couple of days with his sons, ssmate Han discovered that his younger boy was still decent. He was little after all. His older one, however, had a personality that was exactly like Du Lanzhu¡¯s. He was spoiled, arrogant, and never considered others¡¯ feelings. He personally witnessed his own son throwing things at the servants because they denied him something.

    If he was already acting like this, what will he be once he grows older?

    ssmate Han was worried that his son¡¯s future was going to be wasted. That was why he shamelessly brought the boys to the Xie family to get Lu Jiao¡¯s help with educating them.

    Who knew minutes after arrival, they would already cause trouble?

    ssmate Han almost exploded out of fury.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face dropped. He wouldn¡¯t be this angry if the two Han boys cursed at him. However, they called Lu Jiao names. Didn¡¯t they know how good of a person Lu Jiao was?

    Xie Yunjin said to ssmate Han with a solemn look, ¡°Take them back. We cannot educate them given their behavior.¡±

    ssmate Han had the intention of hitting his sons to death. He shamelessly brought them over and begged for help yet they managed to ruin it all within minutes.

    ¡°Yunjin, I¡¯m sorry. They were brought up poorly by their mother. That¡¯s why they¡¯re acting this way.¡±

    Han Dongcheng instantly screamed back, ¡°My mother didn¡¯t do anything wrong! My mother has always treated me well! Dad, you divorced my mom because of this slut! I hate her! I don¡¯t like her!¡±

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han¡¯s faces darkened right away. ssmate Han loudly scolded, ¡°Han Dongcheng, if you dare to say any more words like that, I will beat you!¡¯

    Xie Yunjin had no desire to catch any more glimpses of this boy. He ordered, ¡°ssmate Han, take him back first. I¡¯m afraid I might lose it and personally set him straight.¡±

    ssmate Han couldn¡¯t say anything anymore at this point. He got up and took his sons away.

    He was absolutely drained at this point. What was he going to do now? His wife cheated on him and his sons were a disappointment.

    Just then, Lu Gui walked in, ¡°Sister, brother-inw, owner Zhao sent his daughter over.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned even grayer. There was no end to these people.

    ¡°Tell him to take his daughter and go away.¡±

    At that moment, Lin Zhaofeng walked in with his daughter.

    Xie Yunjin red at Lu Gui, who touched his nose guiltily. Since owner Zhao and they were so close, he brought them in.

    Zhao Lingfeng entered with his daughter and didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak when Zhao Yuluo ran towards the four little ones and pped whileughing.

    ¡°Ah! You were beaten up by someone! Who hit you?!¡±

    She was way too happy about this.

    Everyone stared at her speechlessly.

    The four little ones exchanged angry nces. The Second Born pouted, ¡°None of your business! You¡¯re annoying.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo bluntly fought back, ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you get hit! It¡¯s your fault for hitting me first!

    The Second Born responded furiously, ¡°You started it! I was defending myself! If you didn¡¯t fight me, I wouldn¡¯t have fought back!¡±

    Zhao Yuluo was about to talk more when Zhao Lingfeng stopped her, ¡°Yuluo, stop that right away.¡±

    She sure didn¡¯t know how to read the room. Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was practically ck at this point.

    Zhao Lingfeng then went to greet Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Schr Xie, Lady Lu, am I interrupting?

    Xie Yunjin looked up at him coolly, ¡°What do you think, owner Zhao?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t wait to be asked before he sat down, ¡°It looks like I came at the wrong time.¡±

    Xie Yunjin unweingly said, ¡°Since you know that, why aren¡¯t you leaving?

    Zhao Lingfeng waved around his arm, ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re less busy. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to waste time and straight up asked, ¡°Speak. What are you doing here?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled, ¡°I¡¯m here to drop Yuluo off to hang out with the four little ones.¡±

    His daughter wanted toe. Since she wanted to, of course, he would bring her.

    Of course, Zhao Lingfeng wasn¡¯t about to expose her daughter like that.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t like that. ssmate Han¡¯s boys were no good but Zhao Yuluo was not any less exasperating.

    Xie Yunjin declined with his eyes heavy, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng instantly turned to Lu Jiao. Almost pleadingly, he asked, ¡°Lady Lu, help me out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin also turned to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin then back at Zhao Lingfeng. Though she was going to divorce Xie Yunjin soon, she wasn¡¯t going to leave him humiliated now.

    ¡°If Yunjin has no issues with it, then I don¡¯t. However, if he does have a problem with it, then I can¡¯t keep Zhao Yuluo.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng made a face. These two were married after all. Before, she acted like he meant nothing yet now, she was doing what she could to preserve Xie

    Yunjin¡¯s pride..

 Chapter 316 - 316: Be Grateful

    Chapter 316: Be Grateful

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Zhao Lingfeng silently mumbled to himself.

    He then turned back to Xie Yunjin with a soft face, ¡°Schr Xie, help me out. Think of it as I owe you one. If you need anything going forward, speak of it and I¡¯ll lend you a hand.¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow. In the end, he agreed to help.

    First of all, Zhao Lingfeng was Lu Jiao¡¯s business partner and if he still disagreed, it would make things awkward for Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao did her part to save his face and he had to respond to that.

    Second of all, Zhao Lingfeng was from the official residence of the marquees of Yongning. Though he was only the son of a concubine, he must haveworks in the Capital City. In the future, Xie Yunjin may actually need his help. The more people he knew, the more paths he would be able to take.

    Xie Yunjin turned back to Lu Jiao to discuss, ¡°Then, we let her stay?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care. It didn¡¯t matter who stayed. She was going to correct those who do wrong.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately turned to Zhao Yuluo and warned her, ¡°You can stay. However, you are not allowed to cry endlessly.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo pouted and ignored Xie Yunjin. She ran to Lu Jiao and grabbed her hands, ¡°Aunty Lu, I listen to you.¡±

    This girly was calctive. She knew to get on Lu Jiao¡¯s good side.

    Lu Jiao thought of her sad ending and pitied her. She patted her head, ¡°You have to be reasonable with the things you do. If you are unreasonable, I will still get mad. You should be a good kid who considers others.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo blinked her huge eyes and nodded, ¡°Aunty, I got it.¡±

    Her eyes scanned around and then she pointed at the four little ones, ¡°Aunty

    Lu, if the little brothers do something wrong, do you punish them?¡±

    ¡°Of course. No matter who it is, I punish them if they do something wrong.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo grinned. So everyone was being treated as equals! That was good. She must keep an eye on that troublemaker to make sure he isn¡¯t doing something wrong. Hmmph, once he does something wrong, she¡¯ll ask aunty to punish him!

    Zhao Yuluo threateningly stared at the Second Born, who understood the message right away. He hissed and turned his back towards her.

    ssmate Han saw that owner Zhao got to stay and he grew hopeful. He stared at Xie Yunjin and tried again, ¡°Yunjin, since owner Zhao¡¯s daughter can stay, can my two sons-¡±

    Xie Yunjin rejected him right away, ¡°They cannot.¡±

    The two of them were already rotten on the inside and were calling people disrespectful names. Honestly, if they cursed at him, he might be able to forgive them. It was Lu Jiao they cursed at though. He couldn¡¯t ept that.

    ssmate Han¡¯s expression was a pained one, it didn¡¯t make Xie Yunjin feel good. ssmate Han was his friend and he helped out the family so much. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t enjoy rejecting him. However, Du Lanzhu had first personally cursed Lu Jiao, then hired someone to hurt her, and now, her sons were out here shouting nonsense.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t ept these two kids.

    On the other side of the room, Lu Jiao studied Xie Yunjin. She knew that if Xie Yunjin rejected ssmate Han, it would create distance between them and they may not be as good friends as before.

    Lu Jiao thought of the book. ssmate Han should be supporting Xie Yunjin throughout the story. She didn¡¯t want her arrival to ruin their rtionship.

    Lu Jiao said to ssmate Han, ¡°ssmate Han, they can stay. However, they have formed a lot of bad habits. If you want them to change, they might have to go through some pain. Are you going to be okay with that?¡±

    ssmate Han was originally hopeless. He didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to speak up.

    ssmate Han quickly said to Lu Jiao, ¡°As long as you teach them, you can hit them or scold them. I won¡¯tin once. I truly just want my children to change for the better.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then drop them off tomorrow morning.¡±

    Xie Yunjin called out then, ¡°Lu Jiao¡­¡±

    ssmate Han pulled his sons away so he didn¡¯t have to hear what Xie Yunjin wanted to say. He walked away quickly and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll drop them off tomorrow early morning. ¡±

    By the time Xie Yunjin turned around, the father and sons were gone.

    Xie Yunjin was speechless. He looked back at Lu Jiao. He knew that Lu Jiao agreed to this because she didn¡¯t want his rtionship with ssmate Han to crumble.

    Xie Yunjin grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hands, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, Zhao Lingfeng dry coughed, ¡°You have guests.

    Watch yourselves.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt ufortable because of those words and pulled back her hands. Xie Yunjin opened his mouth unhappily, ¡°Owner Zhao, you aren¡¯t leaving yet?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled at them and said, ¡°I stayed to ask you whether or not you would want to hire a teacher for the children. Before, I hired two teachers for

    Yuluo. If you need teachers, I can ask them to help out here for the time being.

    Whatever you say, Lady Lu.¡±

    His suggestion pleased Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin bluntly said, ¡°You pay for the teachers.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng red at Xie Yunjin, ¡°How cheap of you. Sure, I will pay then. After all, I paid for them for my daughter.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s next question was, ¡°What are the teachers like? Are they corrupted? Are they open-minded?¡±

    Lu Jiao was worried that the teachers would not like her study ns for the children.

    Zhao Lingfengughed, ¡°Honestly, the teachers are fun. They¡¯re not the political type. I specifically looked for people who weren¡¯t greedy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good then. You can ask them toe tomorrow. They can live here and teach the children.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t stay and tried to leave with Zhao Yuluo.

    Zhao Yuluo didn¡¯t want to leave, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng coaxed, ¡°You cane back tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s go get you some new shoes and new clothes. Ah, didn¡¯t you want to bring gifts for the four little brothers? We¡¯ll buy those today and bring them tomorrow.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo finally stopped fighting her old man.

    Inside the living room, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao waved for the four little ones toe closer.

    The four little ones were obviously unhappy. They pouted like ducks and they frowned so deeply.

    Xie Yunjin knew that the boys didn¡¯t want the two Han boys toe tomorrow.

    Xie Yunjin grabbed the First Born¡¯s hand and taught them, ¡°Do you know why I agreed to let the two boyse over tomorrow?¡±

    The four little ones shook their heads. Xie Yunjin warmly exined, ¡°It¡¯s because their dad is my good friend. When I was going through a hard time, their dad helped me out a lot. When I was bedridden, uncle Han visited me frequently, didn¡¯t he? As people, we need to be grateful and repay those who have been kind to us..¡±

 Chapter 317 - 317: Crying was Useless

    Chapter 317: Crying was Useless

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao also spoke, ¡°Though their two sons like to curse, we can still help them and educate them to be good boys. You can treat it like we are doing uncle Han a favor.

    The Third and Fourth Born weren¡¯t convinced, ¡°But they called you bad names.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I don¡¯t like them.¡¯

    Lu Jiao patted their heads. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me but let¡¯s do this to help out uncle Han.¡±

    The four little ones recalled the days when their dad lied in bed, paralyzed. They finally nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Though they agreed vocally, they were still in a bad mood. Lu Jiao pulled them up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go y on the slides. The paint should be dry now and you can slide down. I specifically made those slides for my sons. Of course, it should be my sons who y on them first.¡±

    The four little ones were instantly happy. With Xie Yunjin following them, the whole family went into the yard to y on the slides.

    Since the four little ones have never yed on the slides, they were overly excited.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin stood on each side, protecting them, terrified that an ident might happen. Given that the four little ones have been exercising regrly and were now very agile, they were totally fine.

    The four little ones were so happy to be ying on the slides, theyughed as they slid down.

    The craftsmen who were working inside the east wing heard all the noises and came out to see what was happening. Given how happy the children were, the craftsmen were now confident that families would be interested in having slides built for them.

    After some ytime, the four little ones excitedly ran back to Lu Jiao,

    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s invite sister Xiaoxiao over to y.¡±

    The children obviously got along better with Hu Lingxue and thought of sharing the good things with her.

    Lu Jiao thought about it. Since there were already seven children at her ce, what was one more? She agreed.

    ¡°Okay, I will let your uncle go to Hu¡¯s house and ask your aunt if she agrees. If she does, we¡¯ll let Xiaoxiaoe to study and y with you tomorrow.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin immediately followed up, ¡°I¡¯m going to the magistrate¡¯s office this afternoon. I¡¯ll talk to Hu Shan about it.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The next day, the two teachers from the Zhao family brought Zhao Yuluo to Xie¡¯s house.

    The two teachers were not particrly young ¨C about forty years old. One of them was a man and the other was a woman. The male teacher¡¯s surname was Pan, Pan Lianzhou. The female teacher¡¯s surname was Shi, Shi Hui.

    Lu Jiao talked to the two teachers and found that they were not conservative people. On the contrary, they spoke humorously and were quite suitable for teaching children. It seems that Zhao Lingfeng had put in a lot of effort in selecting teachers for his daughter.

    Lu Jiao smiled at the two teachers and said, ¡°Mr. Pan and Ms. Shi, let¡¯s divide the courses that each of you will teach.¡±

    Pan Lianzhou and Shi Hui nodded, and Lu Jiao handed them the course schedule, saying, ¡°Mr. Pan, you¡¯ll be mainly responsible for teaching literature, art, and agriculture. For literature, you can read stories to the children and guide them through the different readings. In terms of art, you can teach them how to draw and design artyouts. As for agriculture, you can work with the children to cultivate the germination process of crops such as rice and wheat.¡±

    After hearing this, Lu Jiao looked toward Mr. Pan and asked, ¡°Does that sound okay?¡±

    Mr. Pan lowered his head to review the curriculum and became more and more interested. He nodded happily and said, ¡°No problem, no problem, please feel rest assured, Lu Jiao.¡±

    ¡°Luo Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Then from now on, Mr. Pan will be responsible for the morning sses.¡±

    After speaking, she turned to Ms. Shi and said, ¡°Ms. Shi will mainly be responsible for handcrafts and music sses in the afternoon. I will be responsible for math and role-ying games, which will also be scheduled for the afternoon. Since I don¡¯t have a fixed schedule, I will arrange them at will. If I don¡¯t have time to teach the children in the afternoon, Ms. Shi can take the children to do outdoor activities.¡±

    The two teachers understood Luo Jiao¡¯s arrangement and immediately agreed.

    Luo Jiao looked at them again and said, ¡°Each ss will onlyst for the time it takes to burn a joss stick. Then the children can go out to y for half a joss stick. ¡±

    Mr. Pan and Ms. Shi wanted to say something when they heard this, but when they saw the determined look on Lu Jiao¡¯s face, they didn¡¯t say anything.

    Lu Jiao called the children into the room, including her own four children, Han Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng from the Han family, as well as Zhao Yuluo and Hu Lingxue.

    The eight children stood together in the front hall and looked at Lu Jiao and the two teachers beside her.

    Lu Jiao introduced them, ¡°This is Mr. Pan and Ms. Shi. They will teach and y with you from now on.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo proudly interjected, ¡°Mr. Pan and Ms. Shi are hired by my family.¡±

    Lu Jiao sternly scolded Zhao Yuluo, ¡°Zhao Yuluo, you are not to interrupt when adults speak. The teachers are also no longer just for your family. Mr. Pan and Ms. Shi are now everyone¡¯s teachers.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words and wanted to refute them, but she knew that Lu Jiao was not a woman who would coax her if she cried. Zhao Yuluo pursed her lips and remained silent.

    Lu Jiao looked at the eight little ones and said, ¡°Mr. Pan will teach you and y with you in the morning from now on. Ms. Shi and I will teach you in the afternoon.¡¯

    The four little ones responded in unison, ¡°Yes, mommy.¡±

    Luo Jiao smiled and continued, ¡°No talking during ss, listen to the teacher, no cursing, and no causing trouble.¡±

    When Luo Jiao said this, she looked at the two brothers from the Han family.

    The elder brother, Han Dongsheng, had a frown on his face and looked unhappy. He had been beaten by his father when he went back yesterday, and his butt still hurt today, so he didn¡¯t dare to curse.

    The younger brother, Han Nanfeng, was young and excited to see so many other children. He forgot what his brother told him when he arrived and was already happy to think about the slides outside.

    After she arranged everything, Luo Jiao handed the schedule over to Mr. Pan to start teaching the children in the morning. She left the room with Feng Zhi, Lu Gui, and Ms. Shi.

    When Luo Jiao came out, she instructed Feng Zhi to take Ms. Shi to rest in the room while she nned to go to Baohe Tangter to see what was happening with the acre ofnd that Zhao Lingfeng bought for her.

    Unexpectedly, Xie Yunjin came back and saw Luo Jiao. He immediately asked with concern, ¡°Is everything arranged properly? How are the two teachers? Are they okay? If not, I¡¯ll find someone else.¡±

    Luo Jiao smiled and said, ¡°The two teachers are quite easy-going and humorous, which is suitable for teaching the children. It seems that Zhao Lingfeng has put in some effort for his daughter.¡±

    After he heard Luo Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin breathed a sigh of relief. The children¡¯s affairs were arranged properly. That meant he and Luo Jiao could do other things with peace of mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s good..¡±

 Chapter 318 - 318: Live to Find out the Truth

    Chapter 318: Live to Find out the Truth

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao knew that Xie Yunjin was concerned about the four little ones and so she urged him, ¡°You should go help the students study. At least give them some guidance and try to get a few more students to pass the exam. It wouldn¡¯t be in vain for you to have guided them that way.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and turned to leave, but Uncle Shu came over to report, ¡°Young Master, madam, the Liu family next door hase to visit.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately thought of the Liu family they had visited with Lu Jiaost time. It was the family with the grandfather, grandmother, and their grandson Liu Ziyan, who was Xie Yunjin¡¯s schoolmate.

    In the past few days, Xie Yunjin had grown closer to officer Zhao and had learned more about the habits of their neighbors. The Liu family, as he had learned, usually stayed indoors because of their sickly grandson and the family rarely socialized with their neighbors.

    The old man from the next door, the Tong family, loved to drink and was always drunk. He was, however, skilled in martial arts. He had adopted a son named Tong Feng, who was very filial and had good martial arts skills despite being only sixteen years old.

    However, only officer Zhao knew about the martial arts skills of the father and son from the Tong family. The other neighbors were unaware.

    Officer Zhao knew this because he himself was skilled in martial arts and was sensitive to his surroundings. Old man Tong would teach his son martial arts in the middle of the night, which might not have raised any red gs for other households, but officer Zhao was aware of it.

    Xie Yunjin was surprised that officer Zhao had told him about this. Although he appreciated officer Zhao¡¯s trust in him, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if officer Zhao¡¯s unusual kindness was because Xie Yunjin had helped his son, Zhao Hong.

    Because of this, Xie Yunjin paid special attention to Zhao Hong and guided him individually when he had the chance.

    When Lu Jiao heard uncle Wen¡¯s report, she instinctively turned to Xie Yunjin, as she sensed that the Liu family hade to see him. Xie Yunjin immediately waved for uncle Wen to bring the visitors in and said, ¡°Please bring them in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, young master.¡±

    The Liu family soon arrived, and Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao warmly weed them into the main hall of the Xie residence.

    ¡°Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu, you¡¯re such rare visitors.¡± Xie Yunjin said with a smile.

    Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and said with a grin, ¡°It¡¯s because Ziyan¡¯s health is poor, that¡¯s why we usually don¡¯t interact much with our neighbors. We¡¯ve be estranged from them.¡±

    After the two old people finished speaking, they looked straight at Lu Jiao.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao knew then, that the Liu family hade to see Lu Jiao. After they thought about the old couple¡¯s words, they realized that the Liu family had probablye to ask Lu Jiao to treat Liu Ziyan¡¯s illness.

    As soon as Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao had this thought, Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu became nervous and stood up. They looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, then said, ¡°We heard from the Su family that Lady Xu had already died when Lady

    Lu saved her and brought her back to life. After we heard about this, we asked Officer Zhao if it was true, and he confirmed it was.

    So we thought that Lady Lu¡¯s medical skills must be very out of this world. Could you please take a look at my grandson, Ziyan? He has had bad luck since he was a child.¡±

    Grandma Liu finished speaking and burst into tears. Ziyan immediately stood up, walked over to her, andforted her, saying, ¡°Grandma, why are you crying? I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡±

    Grandma Liu cried even harder and said, ¡°Look at you, young man. You¡¯re already wearing so many clothes and can¡¯t even leave the house during the winter. My poor child, you¡¯re so unlucky.¡±

    Ziyan¡¯s eyes turned red after he saw Grandma Liu cry. Grandpa Liu wiped away his tears from time to time, and the whole family looked particrly deste.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t bear to watch and turned to look at Lu Jiao, wondering if she had any way to cure Ziyan¡¯s illness.

    Lu Jiao spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°Is this Ziyan? Come here, and let me take a look.¡±

    Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu were overjoyed. They had already asked many doctors to treat Ziyan¡¯s illness, including those from the imperial pce. However, none of them could cure him. This time, they invited Lu Jiao not because they were certain she could cure him, but because they were hoping for a miracle. They were hoping that someone could heal their grandson.

    Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu urged Ziyan excitedly, ¡°Hurry up and go, let

    Lady Lu take a look. Lady Lu¡¯s very capable when ites to medicine. Maybe she can cure you.¡±

    Liu Ziyan¡¯s mood was very calm. He had lost hope for many years. If it weren¡¯t for his determination to avenge his mother, whether he lived or died didn¡¯t matter much to him.

    However, thinking of his own suspicions, he decided that he wanted to live ¨C at least to investigate the truth of that year and give his mother justice.

    Otherwise, even if he died and went to the underworld, he would not be able to face his mother.

    Liu Ziyan walked over to sit next to Lu Jiao. While Lu Jiao took his pulse, she looked at him.

    It was not yet September, yet Liu Ziyan was already wearing a thin cotton brocade jacket. If he entered winter, his body would not be able to withstand the cold, and he would have to sit by the firepit all day. Even then, he would probably get sick at the slightest touch.

    Lu Jiao diagnosed him while he checked his other conditions. Finally, she looked at Liu Ziyan and said, ¡°You have both internal and external cold syndrome. Due to the severity of this illness, all your organs have been seriously affected, and their functions have be sluggish. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid¡­

    Lu Jiao paused for a moment, then continued before the Liu family could speak. ¡°I believe you were born premature and have had insufficient kidney functions since childhood. Normally, such a body can be healed through proper care, but you fell into cold water during winter when you were young. The internal injuries never got to heal when you contracted an external cold. Once those pathogens entered your body, your symptoms worsened.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, Liu¡¯s grandparents became excited. Lu Jiao¡¯s medical skills were indeed impressive. She managed to figure everything out by just examining his pulse.

    In fact, the powerful doctors in the capital city had also reached simr conclusions before, but their treatment ns didn¡¯t provide him with much improvement.

    Liu¡¯s grandparents took their grandson away from the capital city to live in the Qinghe District because of the warmer climate. If it weren¡¯t for that, their grandson¡¯s life would have been lost.

    ¡°Lady Lu, what you said is correct. Can you save my grandson?¡±

    Seeing that Lu Jiao might feel pressured, Grandfather Liu quickly added, ¡°If you can¡¯t cure him, it¡¯s alright.¡±

    To be honest, it would be difficult to cure Liu Ziyan¡¯s illness if Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have something like spiritual water in her body. However, she did have it, so she could cure his illness.

    ¡°It is possible to cure it, but¡­¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words were cut off as Liu¡¯s grandmother fainted.

    This shocked Grandfather Liu and Liu Ziyan. Lu Jiao hurried over, took out a silver needle, and pricked Grandmother Liu with it.

    Grandma Liu woke up instantly and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Lady Lu, if you can cure my grandson, you will be our Liu family¡¯s savior..¡±

 Chapter 319 - 319: Hurry and Call me â€œSisterâ€

    Chapter 319: Hurry and Call me ¡°Sister¡±

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao felt embarrassed. She smiled and said, ¡°Grandma Liu, don¡¯t be too excited. I am a doctor, and as long as I can treat him, I will definitely do my best to cure him. Don¡¯t worry, sit down and listen to me slowly.¡±

    Grandma Liu and Grandpa Liu sat down. Liu Ziyan still found it hard to believe that Lady Lu could really cure his illness. Was this real? He won¡¯t have to be afraid of the cold and he won¡¯t get sick in the future?

    Liu Ziyan felt a little uneasy.

    Lu Jiao said, ¡°Because this illness has been going on for too long, though it can be cured, it will take a long time and a lot of money.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t finish her sentence when Grandma Liu on the side excitedly said, ¡°Lady Lu, you just need to treat him without worrying about money. As long as you can cure my grandson¡¯s illness, even if we lose everything, I will pay for his treatment.¡±

    Grandpa Liu nodded vigorously and said, ¡°Yes, we have the money. We have money at home. As long as we can cure Ziyan¡¯s illness, no matter how much money it costs, I am willing to spend it.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the two elders and could tell from their words that the Liu family seemed to have no shortage of money.

    She looked at this family ¨C they wereposed of the old and the weak and theycked servants. Despite this, they were saying that they had no shortage of money. What did this mean? It meant that the Liu family was no ordinary family.

    Lu Jiao thought about it and smiled, ¡°Okay, let me first talk about the treatment n. This treatment consists of three steps. The first step is to get acupuncture. The second step is to do herbal baths. This is mainly to warm and replenish the kidney, and expel the cold inside the body. The third step is to drink medicine. Brewed medicine will not only warm and replenish the kidneys but also expel the cold and refresh the blood. It helps soothe the body.

    We will try this treatment n for a month to see the effects. Later, I will adjust the prescription ordingly.¡±

    Lu Jiao finished and looked at the Liu family and asked, ¡°Do you think this is feasible?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, we will do as Lady Lu says.¡±

    Grandma Liu finished and turned to Liu Ziyan and said, ¡°Ziyan, call her sister.

    From now on, Lady Lu is your sister.¡¯

    In the living room, Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and Liu Ziyan were all stunned.

    Grandma Liu urged, ¡°Ziyan, I am talking to you.¡±

    Liu Ziyan was a sixteen-year-old young man, and his skin was rtively thin. He blushed when Grandma Liu urged him.

    He nced at her, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t even know if Lady Lu is okay with that.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately interjected, ¡°Why would I not want that? From now on, you can call me sister.¡±

    Liu Ziyen immediately looked at Lu Jiao and shouted, ¡°Sister.¡±

    On the side, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was unhappy. In the blink of an eye, Lu Jiao had be Liu Ziyan¡¯s sister.

    However, Liu Ziyen was a well-behaved person. After calling Lu Jiao ¡°sister,¡± he immediately turned his head and looked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Brother-inw.¡±

    This ¡°brother-inw¡± made Xie Yunjin happy, and his face grew pleasant.

    Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu looked at the situation in front of them with joy and then turned to Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, when Ziyan¡¯s illness is cured, we will hold a feast to formally recognize you as his sister.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that the Liu family was just calling her that casually. She did not expect that Liu Ziyan would officially recognize her as his sister. She immediately said apologetically, ¡°Grandma Liu, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡±

    ¡°No, if you cure Ziyan, you would be his savior. It¡¯s better for him to recognize you as his sister, so this feast is a must.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly changed the subject and said, ¡°Ziyan, let me give you acupuncture first. Later, I¡¯ll give you a prescription for the herbal baths and a prescription for brewing. But after you buy all the ingredients, bring them to me for me to do a check.¡±

    The Liu family immediately agreed. Lu Jiao asked them to bring the medicine to her so she could add spiritual water to the medicine. Without it, the medicine would not be as effective. Even if it was taken for three months, it might not be able to restore his body to its original state.

    Lu Jiao began to give Liu Ziyan acupuncture, and Xie Yunjin apanied her. After a joss stick burned out, Lu Jiao withdrew the silver needles and went to the backyard to write two prescriptions, one for the bath and one to be brewed.

    Feng Zhi handed the two prescriptions to the two elderly. They were excited and left to get the medicine from Baohe Tang. This was because Feng Zhi had told them that the Baohe Tang had the mostplete selection of medicinal herbs. Other pharmacies might not have all the herbs they needed, which would be troublesome.

    The two elders did not think much about it and went to the Baohe Tang to get the medicine.

    When Manager Li saw the handwriting on the prescription, he immediately recognized it to be Lu Jiao¡¯s. He promptly gathered all the herbs ording to the prescription and gave them to the two elderly Liu grandparents. They happily returned to Lu Jiao¡¯s house to have her check the herbs before they used the medicine. Then they took the other prescription back home.

    Lu Jiao added spiritual water to the medicine that Liu Ziyan needed to drink and then had Feng Zhi deliver it to the Liu familv.

    In the afternoon, Lu Jiao nned to go to Baohe Tang to ask Zhao Lingfeng about her farnd when Zhao Lingfeng unexpectedly came to visit with Qi Lei.

    When Xie Yunjin¡¯s rented room heard themotion, he came back with Lin Dong.

    ¡°Is owner Zhao here to see his daughter?¡± Xie Yunjin asked, looking wary like a wolf.

    Zhao Lingfeng was a little speechless at Xie Yunjin¡¯s attitude. He didn¡¯t want to offend him since his daughter was currently staying at his ce and Lu Jiao was clearly protective of her husband.

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled and said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yes, master Xie isn¡¯t busy these days?¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored the banter between the two men and asked Qi Lei, ¡°Did you have any questions about the medical journal I gave you earlier?¡±

    Qi Lei smiled and took out the journal. He carefully asked Lu Jiao a few questions, and Lu Jiao patiently exined the answers to him.

    Zhao Lingfeng asked Xie Yunjin to take him to see his daughter.

    Xie Yunjin was quitefortable with Qi Lei. After all, he was Lu Jiao¡¯s apprentice and there was no reason to be worried.

    He got up and led Zhao Lingfeng to the ce where the children were having sses. They had not even reached the room when they heard the children talking.

    ¡°Oh dear, I sewed the fabric together.¡± ¡°Why is mine crooked?¡±

    ¡°Mine too, it¡¯s sewn over there.¡±

    The children were having their first sewing lesson, and Ms. Shi asked them to sew a square-shaped pocket with a needle and thread. As a result, some of them had sewn the fabric into a ball, while others had sewn the pocket on the wrong side. Among them, Hu Lingxue performed the best.

    Although Hu Lingxue was only five years old, she was born into the Hu family and had a grandmother who valued traditions. Therefore, despite her young age, she had already been taught how to sew. This lesson was not a problem for her.

    After Ms. Shi looked at the pocket that Hu Lingxue had sewn, she praised her and said, ¡°Look at the pocket that little Hu Lingxue sewed, it¡¯s so good.¡±

    The other four children immediately went over to take a look and praised Hu

    Lingxue, ¡°sister Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re so good at this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sister Xiaoxiao is a good person and is good at sewing.¡±

    Even Han Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng agreed and nodded their heads, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo saw this and became angry. she pouted and crossed her arms to stare at the children in the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about sewing a pocket? Our family has an embroiderer, I don¡¯t need to sew pockets at all! Hmmph!¡±

 Chapter 320 - 320: Oppressed by his own Wife

    Chapter 320: Oppressed by his own Wife

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Outside, Xie Yunjin and Zhao Lingfeng were observing the children when they saw Zhao Yuluo¡¯s reaction.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Zhao Lingfeng with a half-smile and a disdainful expression. He wanted to mockingly praise the Zhao family for knowing how to educate their children.

    Zhao Lingfeng raised his eyebrows and looked as if he did nothing wrong. He hadn¡¯t taught his daughter anything about embroidery since they had an embroiderer at home. He wondered what kind of ss she was taking. Xie Yunjin immediately whispered to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Go tell my wife about

    Zhao Lingfeng suddenly became speechless. Didn¡¯t he know what kind of person Lu Jiao was? If he dared to say such things to her, his daughter would probably be sent back immediately.

    Xie Yunjin was really sinister.

    Zhao Lingfeng red at Xie Yunjin and walked toward the living room. In the living room, Lu Jiao had just finished instructing Qi Lei. She smiled and asked Zhao Lingfeng and Xie Yunjin, ¡°How are the children doing in ss?

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t say anything, and Xie Yunjin suddenly spoke up, ¡°Owner Zhao said¡­¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng knew that Xie Yunjin was trying to tell Lu Jiao about what he had said earlier.

    In a panic, Zhao Lingfeng eximed loudly, ¡°Lady Lu, I¡¯ve bought you a thousand acres ofnd. I came here today to give you thend deeds.¡±

    Lu Jiao was immediately interested when she heard this and forgot about Xie Yunjin¡¯s words.

    With a deep gaze, Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and thend deeds in her hand. He realized that without his knowledge, Lu Jiao had already umted such arge amount of money. No wonder earlier, when he had given her the eight hundred taels of silver that he had obtained from ssmate Han, she had refused. It was because she did notck a few hundred taels of silver.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mood becameplicated. But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice his expression at all.

    Lu Jiao took thend deeds that Zhao Lingfeng handed her.

    Zhao Lingfeng exined, ¡°Three hundred and sixty acres are near our workshops, and the other several hundred acres are located southeast of the county. They aren¡¯t too far from the county, but there is one problem. All of these fields are currently rented out to tenants. How do you n to deal with them? Will you continue renting the fields to them or kick them out?¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to grow medicinal herbs, and she didn¡¯t buy a thousand acres ofnd just to rent out. If she rented out thend to them, it would be meaningless.

    ¡°If they¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll hire them as workers and pay them a monthly sry. In a few years, they can save up enough money to buy their ownnd.¡±

    The reality was that the life of the tenanted farmers was hard. They had to rentnd from thendlords to grow crops, which were heavily reliant on the weather. If the harvest is poor due to a drought year, they can barely maintain their basic needs.

    The conditions offered by Lu Jiao were good, and Zhao Lingfeng nodded and said, ¡°Then you need to find someone to manage the fields for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly said, ¡®i l have already talked to Lady Xu. Let her stay in the vige for a while to manage these fields for me. Later, I will find an honest and reliable person to help me manage mynd.¡±

    When it came to Lady Xu, Lu Jiao became excited and said, ¡°After the three workshops start production, I n to open two stores in the Qinghe District an oil shop and a pharmacy. Lady Xu will be the manager.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were amazed. This woman was really good at making money ¨C treating illnesses to make money, opening workshops to make money, and buyingnd to make money. The workshops hadn¡¯t even opened yet and she was already nning to open stores. Impressive!

    On the other side, Xie Yunjin felt more and more oppressed by his wife. He felt so frustrated that he didn¡¯t say a word for a long time.

    Zhao Lingfeng said to Lu Jiao, ¡°If you have time these days, I¡¯ll have someone take you to the fields to get you familiar with where yournd is.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved the deeds in her hand happily and said, ¡°Okay!¡±

    As Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei saw that it was gettingte, they said goodbye and left. Zhao Lingfeng wanted to take his daughter back, so he told Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯ll take Yuluo back then.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei left, Lu Jiao asked her younger brother, Lu Gui, to see them out.

    In the living room, Xie Yunjin waited for them to leave and then quietly got up to prepare to go to the rented room next door.

    Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t heard Xie Yunjin speak all this time, so she turned her head and looked at him strangely.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was somewhat gloomy, and he looked at Lu Jiao with a lonely gaze and said, ¡°I finally know why you didn¡¯t want the few hundred taels of silver I got from ssmate Han. It was just too little.¡±

    Lu Jiao suddenly remembered the incident where Xie Yunjin had given her the silver that he had kept with ssmate Han.

    She felt that it was his money, so she didn¡¯t ept it.

    Who knew this guy would be so unhappy because of this?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say when she saw him like this, so she could onlyfort him and say, ¡°Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You¡¯re just not good at making money, but you¡¯re good at studying. You¡¯ll definitely be a top schr in the future, or be a top official. Then I¡¯lI have to look up to you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin, however, didn¡¯t seem to beforted by Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    ¡°I feel useless, so it¡¯s no wonder you didn¡¯t want my few hundred taels of silver. It¡¯s just too little, it doesn¡¯t matter if you take it or not.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished, he stood up to leave. Lu Jiao quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want your money, it¡¯s mainly because we¡­¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could finish, Xie Yunjin had already handed over the silver he had taken from ssmate Han and said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t mind the amount, you can keep this money for now.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately said, ¡°No, this is your¡­¡±

    But before Lu Jiao could finish, Xie Yunjin slowly retracted his hand, looking like he had been hit, and said, ¡°In the end, it¡¯s still because the amount is too small.¡±

    Lu Jiao instinctively grabbed the banknote in his hand and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, don¡¯t think too much.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Yunjin let go of his hand, looked at her seriously and said, ¡°I will try to earn more silver.¡±

    After saying that, he turned and left. Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin¡¯s retreating figure. She speechlessly held the banknote in her hand.

    In the end, it was all about making her ept the few hundred taels of silver.

    Lu Jiao thought to herself and her expression suddenly became a bitplex. Could it be that Xie Yunjin insisted on giving her the silver because he wanted her to stay?

    But when she thought about his recent actions, she felt it was unlikely. He had never acted out of line. In the end, she thought she might have been overthinking things. He likely felt bad because the whole family had been spending the money she had earned.

    That night, while the family ate dinner, the four children excitedly talked about what they had learned in ss that day. Lu Jiao had only taught them one lesson in arithmetic that afternoon, which was about recognizing numbers and simple addition and subtraction using numbers under 10.

    The four children were smart and learned quickly. Han¡¯s eldest son had a slightly slower mind, and the younger one was too young. Zhao Yuluo and Hu Lingxue, however, were both very smart. They were just like the four children and recognized all the numbers under 10.

    The First Born told Xie Yunjin, ¡°Mommy taught us some math. But it¡¯s different from what daddy taught us before..¡±

 Chapter 321 - 321: Canâ€™t Control a Woman like that

    Chapter 321: Can¡¯t Control a Woman like that

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyebrows twitched as she carefully nced at Xie Yunjin. This guy wouldn¡¯t suspect anything, would he?

    To her relief, Xie Yunjin showed no suspicion and asked with interest, ¡°What kind of math?¡±

    After the First Born dipped his chopsticks in his soup, he wrote several numbers on the table. Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t taught him how to write numbers yet, but he was able to write them down crookedly from memory.

    ¡°Mommy said these are from zero to ten.¡± The First Born exined.

    Xie Yunjin recognized that this must be something from Lu Jiao¡¯s world, but he was still surprised to see this kind of arithmetic notation. He had never seen anything like it before.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t really understand it. Lu Jiao exined, ¡°This is a new counting method that I developed. It¡¯s more convenient.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled and said, ¡°Can I learn it too? It¡¯ll be useful to use it for counting in the future.¡±

    Since he showed no signs of skepticism, Lu Jiao nodded and said, ¡°Sure, you can learn it.¡±

    Lu Gui, who was eating on the side, couldn¡¯t help butugh when he saw his brother-inw wanting to learn math from his sister. Lu Jiao turned to him and said, ¡°You should let the First Born teach you too when you have time. Learning more is always beneficial.¡±

    Lu Gui was about to protest, as he had no interest in learning these things.

    However, before he could say anything, Feng Zhi came in with an invitation. ¡°Young Master, Lady, someone outside the gate has delivered an invitation for you. I have it here.¡±

    When Lu Jiao heard the word ¡°invitation,¡± she immediately thought of the incident at the Hu family¡¯s full moon banquet. She had developed a phobia of such banquets.

    ¡°Who sent it?¡± she asked. She had only been in Qinghe District for a few days and met only a few people. Miho would send her an invitation?

    Feng Zhi opened the invitation and read it before reporting back, ¡°It¡¯s from the wife of the Qinghe District School¡¯s Dean, Lady Xia. She¡¯s inviting you to a banquet at their house tomorrow afternoon. She says she has invited several other mothers of district schrs to gather together.¡±

    After hearing Feng Zhi l s report, Lu Jiao remembered the headmaster¡¯s wife, Lady Xia, whom she had met before. Lady Xia spoke with elegance and refinement and was clearly well-educated. Lu Jiao believed that her intentions for the banquet were pure.

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Do I have to go?

    Xie Yunjin thought for a moment before he said, ¡°Lady Xia often hosts these types of banquets to socialize and expand herwork. It¡¯ll be easier to get things done in the future if you have more connections. But if you don¡¯t want to go, you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Xie Yunjin did not want to force Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll go. They sent an invitation and if I don¡¯t go, people will say I am too arrogant.¡±

    Moreover, such banquets will likely happen in the future, even when she bes separated from Xie Yunjin. When she bes a doctor or a businesswoman, she will often attend such banquets. So it was better to go.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll go tomorrow at noon.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked worriedly, ¡°Do you want me to apany you?

    Lu Jiao immediately shook her head with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can handle it. Besides, the people invited by Lady Xia should be quite decent. It shouldn¡¯t be like what happened at the Hu familyst time.¡±

    After Lu Jiao spoke, Xie Yunjin nodded in agreement. Indeed, the banquets hosted by the Dean¡¯s wife only include a few people each time, so there shouldn¡¯t be any trouble.

    There were only seven or eight people invited to Lady Xia¡¯s banquet, and several of them were acquaintances of Lu Jiao.

    Zheng Zhixings wife Zhu Baozhu, Du Yi¡¯s wife Tan Xiaoya, Luo Xinwu¡¯s wife Liu Laidi, and several others Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know.

    But one woman in red was particrly eye-catching.

    The woman not only dressed gorgeously but also acted very presumptuously and unconstrained. She gave a feeling of doing whatever she pleased.

    Beside Lu Jiao, Zhu Baozhu whispered in her ear, ¡°Have you seen the woman in red across from us? She is Li Wenbin¡¯s wife, Zhang Biyan.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head in surprise and asked, ¡°Really?¡±

    She knew Li Wenbin, who seemed like a very honest and simple person. How could his wife be so ostentatious? Moreover, judging by her attire and behavior, she should be from a very wealthy family. How could she marry a simple man like Li Wenbin?

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed. Zhu Baozhu quickly gossiped with her.

    ¡°You know the four big surnames in Qinghe District, Zhang, Liang, Cao, and

    Wang, right? This woman is Zhang Biyan, the daughter of the Zhang family. You can¡¯t say she married off to Li Wenbin¡¯s family ¨C it¡¯s more like Li Wenbin married into her family.¡±

    Lu Jiao still didn¡¯t understand. Even if Li Wenbin was less sessful, he should still be very wealthy. Why would he dress the way he did? She always thought Li Wenbin came from a poor family, but in reality, he married the richest woman in the Qinghe District.

    Lu Jiao lowered her voice and said, ¡°I thought Li Wenbin was poor.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu had more to say on this topic, ¡°It¡¯s because Li Wenbin has a strong sense of self-esteem. He says he won¡¯t spend any woman¡¯s money and won¡¯t use anything that belongs to his father-inw. He would rather wear old clothes and eat vegetarian food.¡±

    Lu Jiao pursed her lips, not knowing what to say. If Li Wenbin didn¡¯t want to spend a woman¡¯s money or use his father-inw¡¯s things, why did he ept the invitation to join the Zhang family? Was it just for fun?

    Lu Jiao was thinking to herself when Zhu Baozhu, who was beside her, whispered, ¡°Initially, he was willing to marry into the Zhang family as a proper son-inw. I heard it was because his mother was sick and they couldn¡¯t afford the medical bills, so he agreed to marry into the Zhang family and be financially dependent on them instead. Later on, the Zhang family indeed used their money to cure his mother¡¯s illness, and he fulfilled his promise by marrying into the Zhang family and giving up his independence.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head and looked at Zhang Biyan, the woman in the red dress sitting opposite her.

    Zhang Biyan happened to look up and saw Lu Jiao. She smiled and nodded as a way of greeting.

    With just a simple nod, Lu Jiao could tell that Li Wenbin couldn¡¯t control a woman like Zhang Biyan.

    Although there were only seven or eight people in the flower hall, they divided themselves into two groups.

    One group was led by Lu Jiao andprised several women from poor families, while the other group was led by Zhang Biyan andprised several women from wealthy families. Those on the other side looked down on this side, but luckily the educated women here didn¡¯t say anything, even if they didn¡¯t like it.

    It wasn¡¯t until the wife of the Dean came over and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for keeping you all waiting. I hope you won¡¯t me me.¡±

    Several people quickly replied, ¡°Lady Xia, you are too kind. You invited us here to enjoy delicious food, how could we me you?

    ¡°Yes, Lady Xia, please take a seat and rest.¡±

    ¡°I know that Lady Xia personally made the osmanthus cake for us.¡±

    ¡°Lady Xia¡¯s osmanthus cake is simply unparalleled.¡±

    Everyone was saying something, and it was clear that they had all attended the banquet at Madam Xia¡¯s house before..

 Chapter 322 - 322: Snake Bite

    Chapter 322: Snake Bite

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    This was the first time Lu Jiao visited, and she did not speak much. However, Lady Xia noticed her as soon as she came in. Lu Jiao was the most conspicuous among all thedies. Not only was she beautiful, her skin was also so pale that it seemed to glow. Even Lady Xia, who was older, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her.

    ¡°You young ones are all so sweet-tongued, but today, I want to introduce a new guest who is very important.¡±

    After Lady Xia spoke, she gestured for Lu Jiao with her hand.

    Lu Jiao got up, walked over, and sat down beside Lady Xia. Lady Xia held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and introduced her, ¡°This is the wife of Xie Yunjin. It¡¯s your first time meeting her, right?¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya immediately said, ¡°We have known Lady Lu for some time.¡±

    Zhang Biyan and the others smiled and said, ¡°We are meeting her for the first time. We heard that the wife of schr Xie has been living in the countryside, and we thought she was a person who could not be seen. Now that we see her, we realize that she is too beautiful and has been hiding so that no one can see her. It shows just how narrowed-minded schr Xie is.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, schr Xie is afraid of others seeing his wife. He wants to keep her for his eyes only.¡±

    ¡°I heard that schr Xie has quadruplets. I wonder if all four of them look the same?

    Regardless of whether they looked up to Lu Jiao or not, everyone talked very livelily. They all seemed to be good friends, but the reality was that they were all giving Lady Xia face.

    Lady Xia smiled and looked at everyone, asionally interjecting with one or two words.

    When everyone in the room was talking morously, two to three figures broke in from outside. Thest one was a servant of the Lu family, ¡°Lady Lu, I thought she was a guest invited by Lady Xia, but it turns out she is not. I asked her to leave, but she ignored me.¡±

    The person who broke in was none other than Du Lanzhu.

    Because of her affair with her cousin, Du Lanzhu was ridiculed wherever she went, so she hated Lu Jiao.

    She had previously ordered someone to capture Lu Jiao, hoping to ruin Lu Jiao¡¯s innocence. This way, Xie Yunjin would not want to keep Lu Jiao as his wife, and this woman would end up with the same fate as her.

    As a result, the person who caught Lu Jiao not only failed but also caused the Du family to lose arge sum of money.

    Du Lanzhu became more and more enraged and ordered someone to watch the Xie house. Today, when Lu Jiao appeared, she followed her and found that she was attending an event hosted by Lady Xia, the wife of the district academy.s Dean.

    Du Lanzhu saw this as an opportunity and immediately rushed in with her maid.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, you shameless sl*t who specializes in seducing men! If it weren¡¯t for you, how could Han have divorced me?¡±

    She did not wait for Lu Jiao to react and looked at the people in the banquet hall, shouting, ¡°You must be careful of this woman. She likes to seduce other men, and you will suffer like me!¡±

    In the banquet hall, many people¡¯s faces changed. Feng Zhi was angry and was about toe out to curse when Lu Jiao stopped her.

    Lady Xia¡¯s face looked very ugly.

    She knew about the Han family¡¯s situation. It was clear that this woman, Du Lanzhu, had no respect for the virtue of a married woman, and had fooled around with her own cousin. Now she hade over to cause trouble.

    Lady Xia immediately ordered her servants with a stern face, ¡°This is really absurd. Drag her out of here.¡±

    Two servants rushed in from outside the Lu family¡¯s gate, grabbed Du Lanzhu and tried to drag her out.

    The maid beside Du Lanzhu hurriedly protected her master, ¡°Let go of my master, let her go.¡±

    In the banquet hall, Lu Jiao stood up calmly and looked at Du Lanzhu, saying, ¡°Du Lanzhu, what¡¯s wrong with your head? ssmate Han and I have only talked a few times yet you dance around telling everyone that I seduced him. If I am not blind, why would I choose ssmate Han instead of my husband?

    My husband is much better than ssmate Han in terms of education and appearance. What makes you think I would choose ssmate Han instead of my husband?¡±

    She sneered then continued, ¡°Do you think I am like you, abandoning my own husband and hooking up with your so-called cousin? Are you blind or do you think everyone is as blind as you?

    If her cousin was so good, would her parents let her marry ssmate Han instead of her cousin?

    Aftern she listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Du Lanzhu¡¯s face twisted with anger, and she cursed, ¡°You b!tch! If it weren¡¯t for you seducing him, why would ssmate Han always praise you? If he didn¡¯t constantly tell me how good you were, would I end up like this?¡±

    Lu Jiao jeered, ¡°You sure know how to avoid responsibility. You and your cousin hooked up two or three years ago. I only met ssmate Han two months ago.¡± In the hall, Zhu Baozhu also spoke up for Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Two years ago, I saw you and your cousin shopping together for clothes. At that time, I even said that you and your cousin had such an affectionate rtionship. You didn¡¯t even care that I made thatment. Now you me Lady Lu for what happened? You really have no shame.¡±

    Lady Xia didn¡¯t want her banquet to be ruined like this, so she immediately waved her hand to have her servants remove the troublemakers.

    The servants of the Lu family immediately dragged Du Lanzhu out, and her personal maid went to pull her back. Another servant from the Lu family came in and dragged the maid out as well.

    Because of Du Lanzhu¡¯s outburst, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became somewhat tense. The two to three women behind Zhang Biyan now stared at Lu Jiao with suspicious eyes.

    This woman was probably not to be underestimated, otherwise, why would Du Lanzhu work so hard to drag her down? Flies don¡¯t target eggs that weren¡¯t broken. Maybe she really seduced Du Lanzhu¡¯s husband.

    Lu Jiao naturally saw the look of these women, but she didn¡¯t pay any attention to them.

    Lady Xia spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t believe the words of that woman from the Du family.

    Yunjin is not only highly educated but also good-looking. Moreover, he loves Lu Jiao very much. How could Lu Jiao possibly have anything to do with that boy from the Han family? He hasn¡¯t even passed the schr exam yet.

    During this year¡¯s imperial examination, Yunjin has been helping him review. If they had anything, how could Yunjin help him review¡­¡±

    As Lady Xia finished, a scream suddenly came from outside the courtyard, and the servants of the Lu family panicked and shouted, ¡°Snake, poisonous snake!¡±

    Several people in the banquet hall heard the screams outside, and all looked terrified. It was almost September, why would there be snakes?

    Nobody dared to go out.

    Outside the banquet hall, a servant hurriedly walked in and reported, ¡°Lady

    Xia, Du Lanzhu was bitten by a poisonous snake in our house.¡±

    Lady Xia¡¯s face turned ugly, and she breathed heavily, ¡°The yard was cleared earlier, where did the snakee from? And it¡¯s a poisonous snake?¡±

    Although Lady Xia didn¡¯t want to believe it, she still got up to check on Du Lanzhu¡¯s condition.

    In the back of the banquet hall, Zhu Baozhu grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and watch the show. That woman just insulted you earlier, and now she¡¯s getting karma served to her. She deserves it..¡±

 Chapter 323 - 323: Twisted Mouth and Nose

    Chapter 323: Twisted Mouth and Nose

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Originally, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to get involved, but Zhu Baozhu dragged her out.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t shake off Zhu Baozhu¡¯s hand, so she had to follow her with Feng Zhi trailing behind. Zhang Biyan stood up and walked out, and the other people in the banquet hall, regardless of whether they were afraid or not, stood up and followed.

    In the courtyard, Du Lanzhu¡¯s calf was bitten by a venomous snake Her maid came forward and pulled up Du Lanzhu¡¯s pants, revealing her pale and soft calf, which was visibly swollen.

    Lady Xia looked at her leg with concern. This person better not die on her turf.

    Lady Xia thought of Lu Jiao¡¯s medical skills and turned to look at her, ¡°Lady Lu, can you help examine her? This person cannot die here.¡±

    Although Du Lanzhu was an uninvited guest, the venomous snake came from this household. If Du Lanzhu survives, all could be negotiated. However, if she died, it would be troublesome.

    Lu Jiao naturally understood this, but she did not want to treat Du Lanzhu¡¯s injury. However, in front of Lady Xia and the otherdies, it was not good to not show face. So she pretended to respond and took steps toward Du Lanzhu.

    ¡°Okay, Lady Xia, I¡¯ll take a look at Lady Du.¡±

    A smile that was neither a smile nor a frown appeared on her lips, and her eyes glimmered.

    Du Lanzhu immediately remembered her grudges against Lu Jiao. She knew that this woman could heal and had heard from ssmate Han that her medical skills were quite good.

    If she let this woman treat her¡­ What if she took the opportunity to harm her? After all, she had done many things to harm her.

    The more Du Lanzhu thought about it, the more afraid she became. When she saw Lu Jiao walk towards her, she immediately waved her hand to stop her, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to treat me. Hurry up and get out of here.¡±

    After she finished, she felt dizzy, but she bit her lip hard and didn¡¯t let herself faint.

    ¡°Xiaowen, take me to the clinic immediately, and don¡¯t let this b!tch Lu Jiao treat me.¡±

    Lu Jiao deliberately spoke urgently, I ¡®Lady Du let me examine you. The snake venom cannot be dyed. If it is dyed, you may be crippled in the future.¡±

    Du Lanzhu was so angry that she gritted her teeth and cursed, ¡°B!tch, you even cursed me! Even if I be crippled, I don¡¯t want you to treat me. Get out of here.¡±

    After she scolded her, she stared at her maid, ¡°Xiaowen, did you hear what I said? Don¡¯t let this woman treat me. She will harm me.

    Xiaowen was startled by Du Lanzhu¡¯s words. She thought about their rtionship and it was indeed not appropriate for Lu Jiao to treat her.

    Xiaowen reached out to help Du Lanzhu, but she couldn¡¯t move her all by herself. Lady Xia didn¡¯t want to stand around and do nothing any longer. She didn¡¯t want anything to go wrong.

    She immediately ordered two servants, ¡®You two, go with Lady Du¡¯s maid and take Lady Du to the medical clinic.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the two maids from the Lu family immediately went to help Du Lanzhu.

    Although the Lu family¡¯s banquet proceeded as usual afterward, the guests were somewhat distracted. Two or three women asionally looked at Lu Jiao with suspicious eyes, as if wondering if Lu Jiao was responsible for the incident with the snake.

    Lu Jiao ignored their nces and focused on eating and chatting with herpanions, including Zhu Baozhu.

    asionally, Lady Xia would also nce at Lu Jiao. Although she did not say anything outright, her expression was somewhat unfavorable. She had hosted so many banquets and nothing had ever gone wrong before. She never expected that something like this would happen today because of Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife.

    Lu Jiao naturally sensed the message in Lady Xia¡¯s eyes. Although she didn¡¯t say anything, she felt somewhat displeased.

    Her eyes darkened slightly. In the future, she decided not to attend the Lu family¡¯s banquets anymore to avoid being disliked by others.

    In all honesty, Lu Jiao felt quite unlucky. As soon as she arrived in the district, she encountered a woman as troublesome as Du Lanzhu. She had done nothing wrong, yet she suffered so much because of this woman.

    Zhu Baozhu noticed that Lu Jiao¡¯s mood was not good and quicklyforted her in a low voice, ¡°I believe you didn¡¯t do anything. Du Lanzhu is a lunatic with an abnormal brain.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu had always felt that Du Lanzhu was not normal. Could a normal woman be so tant about her rtionship with her cousin? Even if they had a rtionship, they should keep it discreet. However, Du Lanzhu behaved as if she could do whatever she wanted.

    She was to me for what happened to her with the Han family. Yet she came to me Lu Jiao. She was just looking for excuses.

    Lu Jiaoughed lightly when she heard Zhu Baozhu¡¯s words and said, ¡°It¡¯s

    Just as the banquet was ending, the Lu family¡¯s servants returned and quickly reported to Lady Xia.

    Madam Xia did not avoid the crowd¡¯s gaze and directly asked, ¡°How is Lady Du doing?

    The two servants had difficult expressions on their faces as they replied, ¡°Lady Lu, because we rushed her to the clinic in time, there is no immediate danger to her life. However, she is now unable to speak due to her twisted mouth and nose. The doctor who treated her snake bite also said that there may be other symptoms in the future, such as hair loss, hunchback, and paralysis. In short, while her life was saved, her future will be very bleak.¡±

    Lady Xia¡¯s face turned pale. Since Du Lanzhu was bitten by a poisonous snake while at the Lu family¡¯s house, the Lu family would definitely have to give an exnation to the Du family.

    With a displeased expression, Lady Xia asked her servants to walk severaldies out.

    Lu Jiao and Zhu Baozhu left together. Lady Xia watched them as they left with an extremely unhappy expression.

    Lu Jiao, Zhu Baozhu, Tang Xiaoya, and others had just left the gates of the Lu mansion and were preparing to board their carriages when two or three people across the street surrounded Zhang Biyan, the youngdy of the Zhang family.

    ¡°That woman, Du Lanzhu, really is unlucky. Not only did she lose her man, but she was also bitten by a poisonous snake. Do you think someone intentionally did it? Otherwise, where would the snake havee from in the Lu family?

    We¡¯ve never encountered such a thing before when attending banquets.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe someone had an ulterior motive. If that¡¯s the case, the person who did it is really vicious.¡±

    Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t add fuel to the fire and instead stopped them, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t talk nonsense. She¡¯s just a girl from the countryside and doesn¡¯t understand these things. Du Lanzhu was probably the victim of someone¡¯s evil scheme.¡±

    After Zhang Biyan finished, she boarded the Zhang family¡¯s carriage and left.

    Looking at the departing carriage, Lu Jiao raised her eyebrows and thought to herself, although Zhang Biyan¡¯s words were meant to help her, why did they still make her feel so ufortable?

    Beside her, Feng Zhi spoke angrily, ¡°What kind of people are they? Lady Lu, it¡¯s better not to attend such banquets in the future. It¡¯s really not worth it.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded after some thought, ¡°Unless it¡¯s necessary, we definitely should not attend such banquets in the future.¡±

    She may have been ipatible with these banquets, which is why she always encountered these unpleasant incidents whenever she attended them.

    After speaking, Lu Jiao boarded the Xie family¡¯s carriage with Feng Zhi. Behind them, Zhu Baozhu waved at her and said, ¡°Sister Lu, we¡¯lle to visit your home tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t refuse and replied, ¡°Sure,e over and y.¡± After speaking, she instructed uncle Lin to take her home..

 Chapter 324 - 324: Are you Eyes Unwell?

    Chapter 324: Are you Eyes Unwell?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Zhao Baozhu, Tan Xiaoya, and Liu Laidi gathered together to discuss their visit to the Xie family tomorrow. However, Liu Laidi refused and said, ¡°Forget it, I have something to do tomorrow, so I won¡¯t go.¡±

    Zhao Baozhu looked unhappy and said to Liu Laidi, ¡°You didn¡¯t even bring your child with you. Why do you always spoil our ns?¡±

    Liu Laidi smiled bitterly and waved her hand, ¡° I have to go back to prepare dinner tonight.¡±

    Later, Zhao Baozhu looked at Tan Xiaoya and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together tomorrow.¡±

    Tan Xiaoya actually liked Lu Jiao, who not only looked good but also knew medicine. Lu Jiao was also down to earth and made others feelfortable

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go together tomorrow.¡±

    After they finished speaking, they separated and took the carriage home. As soon as they left, Dean Lu came back with his subordinates and went straight to Lady Xia¡¯s courtyard.

    ¡°I heard that the Du family¡¯s girl came to make trouble?¡±

    Lady Xiained with a headache, ¡°Yes if I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have invited Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife. It was because of her that the Du family¡¯s girl was bitten by a poisonous snake in our yard. How can I exin this to the Du

    family?¡±

    After he heard Lady Xia¡¯s words, Dean Lu also felt a headache. However, he suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Lady Xia. ¡®You didn¡¯t me Yunjin¡¯s wife, did you?

    Lady Xia shook her head uneasily, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    The look on Lady Xia¡¯s face, however, made Dean Lu follow up, ¡°You gave her a hard time.¡±

    Lady Xia stayed silent and Dean Lu immediately understood. Lady Xia had indeed given Lu Jiao a hard time.

    He immediately became unhappy and said to Lady Xia, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to befriend Yunjin¡¯s wife? Why didn¡¯t you listen?¡±

    Lady Xia was already worried about Du Lanzhu¡¯s situation and didn¡¯t know how to exin it to the Du family.

    And now her husband was ming her for everything that¡¯s happened. This made her angry. She red at Dean Lu unhappily and said, ¡°She¡¯s just a schr¡¯s wife. Is it necessary to make such a big deal out of it? I told you before that this woman is trouble. We shouldn¡¯t have invited her. You insisted on inviting her, and now something bad has happened. Instead of thinking about how to deal with the Du family, you¡¯re ming me for giving her a hard time?

    What¡¯s wrong with me giving her a hard time? If it weren¡¯t for her, would Du

    Lanzhu havee over and been bitten by a snake?¡±

    Dean Lu was frustrated that he couldn¡¯t get through to his wife.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I get through to you? Ignore the fact that she is Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife, she¡¯s also a capable doctor. If we ever encounter trouble in the future-¡±

    Dean Lu didn¡¯t finish speaking when Lady Xia grew upset and interrupted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wish for good things for your family? You curse your own family for no reason.¡±

    Dean Lu also felt that what he had said earlier was inappropriate, so he immediately pursed his lips. But after a while, he thought of Lady Lu l s medical skills.

    Since Lady Lu was good at medicine, why didn¡¯t she treat Du Lanzhu at the time.

    ¡°Lady Lu is good at medicine. Why didn¡¯t you ask her to treat Lady Du?¡±

    ¡°I asked her, and she agreed to treat her. She even said that if she wasn¡¯t treated immediately, she would be disabledter. Unfortunately, Lady Du didn¡¯t agree to it because she didn¡¯t trust Lu Jiao She insisted on going to the clinic. As a result, her life was saved, but she can no longer speak and her nose and mouth are now crooked. The doctor even said that she might suffer hair loss, hunchback, and paralysister.¡±

    Dean Lu couldn¡¯t help but sigh and said, ¡°It¡¯s all fate. Lady Lu can cure venomous snakes and make sure there are no prolonged symptoms.¡±

    Just as Dean Lu finished speaking, Lady Xia spoke up, ¡°Then let¡¯s go ask her to treat Du Lanzhu.¡±

    This would also be an exnation to the Du family.

    Dean Lu turned his head to look at Lady Xia, and his expression clearly meant that she should be the one to ask.

    Lady Xia was so angry that she had a stomach ache and waved her hand, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. You go exin to the Du family.¡±

    Now it was Dean Lu i s turn to get a headache.

    Back at the Xie family, Lu Jiao went to the back courtyard to change once she got home. This afternoon, she nned to y a role-ying game with the children. The night before, she had written a short script about a kidnapper who tricks children.

    All the children were excited to y the game with Lu Jiao, except for Han Dongsheng, who seemed uncooperative.

    Lu Jiao noticed his behavior and spoke up immediately, ¡°I think Han

    Dongsheng may not want to act with me, so he doesn¡¯t have to. He can just stand and watch.¡±

    Han Dongsheng was surprised by Lu Jiao¡¯s words and was momentarily stunned.

    Meanwhile, Han Nanfeng rushed over in disbelief, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you want to y? Brother First Born said it¡¯s really fun.¡±

    When Han Dongsheng heard his brother call the First Born ¡°brother,¡± he got angry and red at his brother. How many times had he told him not to call the First Born that?

    Han Nanfeng asked, puzzled, ¡°Brother, are your eyes unwell? Are you sick?¡±

    Han Dongsheng was so angry that he couldn¡¯t speak and looked up at the sky. He didn¡¯t want to talk to his foolish brother.

    In the room, Lu Jiao began to assign roles. The children yed the part of the kidnapped children, but they came on stage one by one.

    Lu Jiao yed the smiling kidnapper. To fit the role, she even put on makeup and styled her hair ordingly. She onlycked a big cotton-padded coat.

    ¡°Little kid, do you want to have some candy?¡±

    Fourth Born didn¡¯t say anything, but Zhao Yuluo, who was watching on the side, said, ¡°I don¡¯t eat candy from strangers. My daddy told me they¡¯re all scammers.¡±

    The Fourth Born turned his head angrily and stared at Zhao Yuluo, ¡°That was my line!¡±

    Lu Jiao also warned Zhao Yuluo, ¡°If you speak out of turn again, your performance today will be canceled.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo immediately covered her mouth with her hand. Beside her, Hu Lingxue whispered, ¡°Auntie will ask us to perform one by er, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo immediately gave Hu Lingxue a cold look and said, ¡°You¡¯re always trying to be a good person, hmmph.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored Zhao Yuluo and turned to the Fourth Born and cajoled, ¡°Do you know where Officer Zhao¡¯s house is? I need to see him about something.¡± The Fourth Born immediately replied, ¡®I l know, his house is next to ours.¡±

    Then he pointed with his finger.

    Lu Jiao immediately smiled at the Fourth Born and said, ¡°Can you take me there, little one?

    The Fourth Born immediately smiled and said, ¡°Sure, mommy.¡±

    Behind them, the First Born impatiently reminded, ¡°She¡¯s not mommy right now. she¡¯s ying the role of a kidnapper. You have to remember that she¡¯s a kidnapper now.¡±

    The Fourth Born eximed and quickly tried to think of a solution.

    The role-ying game continued inside the house.

    Outside, Feng Zhi turned and ran towards the door. Today, Lady Lu was bullied at Dean Lu l s house. Knowing her temperament, she might not tell master Xie. If Dean Lu l s wife invites Lady Lu again in the future, she¡¯ll need to tell master Xie.

    Feng Zhi waited at the door for a while, and sure enough, Xie Yunjin came back.

    His rented house was only three to four houses away. Therefore, he came back when he heard noises.

    Feng Zhiined as soon as he saw Xie Yunjin, ¡°Master, Lady Lu was bullied today at Dean Lu¡¯s house..¡±

 Chapter 325 - 325: Quick to Offend, Quick to Apologize

    Chapter 325: Quick to Offend, Quick to Apologize

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin came back because he wanted to see if Lu Jiao had been wronged by the Lu family. When he heard Feng Zhi¡¯s words, his face turned cold. His eyebrows and eyes turned sharp, and the words he spoke were particrly gloomy.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Feng Zhi told Xie Yunjin about the incident where Du Lanzhu caused trouble in the Lu family¡¯s house. In the end, she mentioned how Lady Xia appeared unhappy and caused people to gossip that it was Lady Lu who nted the poisonous snake.

    ¡°Du Lanzhu causing trouble is one thing, but since Lady Xia invited Lady Lu, how could she treat her with such an attitude? I¡¯m telling you this because I want you to stop Lady Lu from going to any future events Lady Xia hosts.¡±

    Feng Zhi could see clearly that although thedy did not want to be with the master, she was still very good to him.

    Although, Feng Zhi couldn¡¯t understand why two people who were good to each other couldn¡¯t just stay together peacefully.

    After he listened to Feng Zhi, Xie Yuniin said, ¡°I understand. Lu Jiao doesn¡¯t have to go to the Lu family¡¯s banquets in the future.¡±

    No matter how they put it, Lady Xia still looked down on them because of their background. If Lu Jiao came from a rich and noble family, would Lady Xia still treat her the same way?

    Xie Yunjin had made up his mind to strive for sess. Only when he had made a name for himself and became sessful, could Lu Jiao be respected, and their child be unharmed.

    ¡°Where is thedy?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s teaching the children in the east wing.¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned and walked towards the room where Lu Jiao was ying games with the children.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao¡¯s voice could be heard, ¡°Someone, take these kids and lock them up in the dark room.¡±

    Hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s call, Feng Zhi immediately responded and walked in.

    Thedy had told her earlier that if she called for help, she should go in and assist.

    Feng Zhi went in and Lu Jiao instructed her, ¡°Lock all these little ones up and make sure you keep an eye on them. Don¡¯t let them escape. They¡¯re worth a lot of money,¡± Lu Jiao said viciously.

    Three-year-old Han Nanfeng was scared by Lu Jiao¡¯s words and started to cry.

    Zhao Yuluo red at him angrily, ¡°Why are you crying? That¡¯s just Aunt Luu She wont really lock you up. We¡¯re just acting, pretending.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Yuluo speechlessly. This little girl was so naughty and mischievous, but she was also quite smart.

    Lu Jiao warned Zhao Yuluo, ¡°Zhao Yuluo, don¡¯t speak nonsense. Right now, I¡¯m a kidnapper, and we¡¯re acting this out to teach you how to avoid being kidnapped by traffickers and not get hurt by them in the future.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo immediately stuck out her tongue and obediently said, ¡°Auntie Luj

    I know. I was wrong.¡±

    For the past two days, she has been behaving well under the supervision of Lu Jiao. However, her inherent stubbornness and capriciousness still existed. She would asionally act out.

    Feng Zhi immediately grabbed a few kids and pretended to lock them in a room.

    As a result, Han Nanfeng started to cry and refused to go.

    ¡°Ah, ah, I¡¯m not going! I¡¯m not going!¡¯

    Lu Jiao waved her hand, signaling Feng Zhi to stop. She then said to the children inside the room, ¡°Remember, if you encounter real human traffickers, you must behave well and obediently. Don¡¯t cry or make a fuss. That way, the traffickers won¡¯t hit or scold you, nor will they punish you.

    Today we¡¯ll stop here, andter we¡¯ll practice how to seek help from others.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she signaled Feng Zhi to gofort Han Nanfeng.

    Meanwhile, Zhao Yuluo was enjoying this role-ying game and angrily red at Han Nanfeng, ¡°You crybaby, all you know is how to cry. When the traffickers catch you, you¡¯ll definitely get beaten.¡±

    As soon as Zhao Yuluo finished speaking, Han Dongsheng rushed over and pushed her. Zhao Yuluo wasn¡¯t prepared and fell down.

    Zhao Yuluo never let anyone take advantage of her and quickly got up. She charged towards Han Dongsheng, and said while hitting him, ¡°How dare you hit me? Do you think I¡¯m easy to bully? Watch me beat you to death, you sc*mbag. How dare you insult my Aunt Lu, I¡¯ll rip your mouth apart!

    The four little ones didn¡¯t want to get involved, but when they heard Zhao Yuluo¡¯sst words, which were in defense of Lu Jiao, they immediately rushed in to help.

    In fact, two of them quietly held down Han Dongsheng, preventing him from fighting back, while the other two took advantage of the chaos to pinch him. How dare he insult their mommy! How dare he insult them!

    Feeling wronged, Han Dongsheng burst into tears. Seeing this, Han Nanfeng on the side cried even harder.

    Lu Jiao looked at the chaos of the children and got a headache. She coldly ordered, ¡°Stop it.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo felt that she had not suffered a loss, so she quickly got up and ran to the side. She looked up to Lu Jiao and apologized obediently.

    ¡°Aunt Lu, I was wrong. I won¡¯t fight again next time.¡±

    The little girl had already mastered the method of dealing with Lu Jiao ¨C to apologize obediently. Otherwise, she would be punished for sure.

    Lu Jiao red at her unkindly. Although she apologizes easily, she also offends easily.

    In the room, the four little ones quickly released Zhao Dongsheng and looked up guiltily at their mother.

    Lu Jiaoi smiled as she looked at her four sons. The four little ones quickly put on a smile.

    Zhao Dongsheng gained his freedom and got up crying as he rushed outside, ¡°You bullied me! All of you bullied me. I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore, I want to go home.¡±

    He then ran outside Zhao Nanfeng followed his brother.

    ¡°Brother, brother, wait for me!¡±

    But Zhao Dongsheng didn¡¯t run out because Xie Yunjin came out and blocked his way.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Zhao Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng with cold eyes. Han Dongsheng was scared by his gaze and slowly stopped crying. He merely looked at Xie Yunjin andined, ¡°They bullied me, all of them.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at Han Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng. Thinking that since they were ssmate Han¡¯s sons, he will teach these two children well from now on. After all, ssmate Han helped him so much.

    He didn¡¯t expect them to be smart, but at least he could teach them to be honest people and not waste their lives like their mother.

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned and walked outside. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t follow. Instead, she motioned for Han Nanfeng toe over andforted him with a few words.

    Once Han Nanfeng stopped crying, she turned around and looked sternly at Zhao Yuluo and the four little ones.

    ¡°Han Dongsheng was wrong to rush out and knock over Zhao Yuluo. But if he made a mistake, I will punish him. You should not have fought amongst yourselves. Han Dongsheng was wrong, but Zhao Yuluo, you were also wrong.¡±

    Lu Jiao then looked at the four little ones and said, ¡°You were also wrong. Didn¡¯t I tell you to unite and love each other? You should help Han Dongsheng be a good child, not take advantage of him.¡± The four little ones quickly apologized as Zhao Yuluo did.

    ¡°Mommy, we were wrong. We won¡¯t make mistakes again.¡±

    Lu Jiao said with a mix of anger and amusement, ¡°Now reflect on what you did wrong and apologize to Han Dongshengter.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo was unhappy. That guy knocked into her, and now she had to apologize?

    ¡°Auntie Lu, he hit me first.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. ¡®Yes, he hit you first, but look at how you beat him up. He only knocked you down, but you beat him up like that. Is that right?¡±

    Zhao Yuluo felt guilty. She had beaten up the other person¡¯s face so badly that it was now swollen.

    ¡°Okay..¡±

 Chapter 326 - 326: By his Design

    Chapter 326: By his Design

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    In the room, Hu Lingxue quickly spoke up, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be angry. They won¡¯t fight again in the future.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Jiao didnt praise Hu Lingxue either. If she did, it would inevitably divide the rtionship between the kids and make Zhao Yuluo and the four little ones think that Hu Lingxue was not on their side.

    After she scolded the four little ones and Zhao Yuluo, Lu Jiao turned around and left. Zhao Yuluo quickly ran to the Second Born and asked him, ¡°Why did you protect me just now?

    Second Born snorted and said, ¡°I saw you were protecting my mommy, so naturally, I had to help.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo tilted her little head and spoke like a little rooster, ¡°I was definitely protecting Auntie Lu. Actually, I want Auntie Lu to be my mother.¡±

    Then she sighed and said, ¡°How can I make Auntie Lu my mother? She¡¯s such a good person and so capable.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo was talking to herself and didn¡¯t notice the angry looks of the four little ones. Hu Lingxue saw their expressions and was afraid they would fight again, so she quickly ran out and pulled the four little ones, saying, ¡®Let¡¯s go y on the slide.¡±

    As a result, the children forgot about the fight and ran outside to y on the slide

    In the main hall of the Xie family house, Xie Yunjin looked at Zhao Dongsheng and coldly said, ¡®You say everyone is bullying you. Why don¡¯t you reflect on why is everyone bullying only you? People need to learn to find the reasons within themselves instead of just ming others.¡±

    ¡°They made my little brother cry and med my little brother for crying. So I pushed Zhao Yuluo,¡± Zhao Dongsheng exined.

    Xie Yunjin had seen what had happened outside and understood the details, so he said impatiently to Zhao Dongsheng.

    ¡°That was just acting. Your little brother cried because he was scared. Don¡¯t you know that nobody did that intentionally? Also, Zhao Yuluo just muttered something, and you got angry and knocked her down. Are you sure you did it to protect your little brother, and not because you were angry that you didn¡¯t get to act, so you got mad and knocked Zhao Yuluo down?

    The five-year-old Zhao Dongsheng was stunned. He hadn¡¯t thought much about it before. After he heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, he thought seriously about it and realized that he might have done it because he was angry that he didn¡¯t get to act. He didn¡¯t misbehave to protect his little brother.

    After he figured this out, he got angry again and said, ¡°It¡¯s because that bad woman didn¡¯t let me act. She-¡±

    Before Zhao Dongsheng could finish his sentence, Xie Yunjin interrupted him with a stern face, ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Outside the hall, Lu Jiao happened to walk in and heard what Zhao Dongsheng said. She walked up to him and looked down at him. Zhao Dongsheng was young and a little scared. When she looked at him, he instinctively stepped back.

    Lu Jiao asked him, ¡°What did I do to be a bad woman?

    Although Zhao Dongsheng was young, he was quite stubborn. He pursed his lips and said firmly, ¡°Because you seduced my father. My mom said you are a

    As soon as Zhao Dongsheng finished, Xie Yunjin¡¯s face immediately became ugly, and a cold chill surrounded him. He looked at Han Dongsheng with cold eyes, ready to explode.

    Lu Jiao raised her hand to stop him and asked Han Dongsheng, ¡°Do you know what ¡®seducing means?

    Zhao Dongsheng immediately became confused and shook his head. He didn¡¯t understand, but he knew that it inferred something bad. ¡°It means the person is not a good person.¡±

    ¡°Then let me ask you, is your mother a good person?

    Zhao Dongsheng listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words and immediately nodded. ¡°My mom is a good person. She is very good to us and buys us delicious food and fun things.¡±

    When he thought of his mother being divorced by his father and never having a mother again, Zhao Dongsheng felt sad and his big eyes involuntarily turned red.

    Lu Jiao could tell that this kid was upset, but with a mother like that, it was also his bad luck.

    People like Du Lanzhu, even if they do not encounter misfortune today, would in the future.

    ¡°You said she¡¯s a good person because she¡¯s your mother. Go back to the Han mansion and ask other people there how they feel about your mother. If everyone else says your mother is a bad person, can you believe what a bad person says?

    As soon as Lu Jiao spoke, Han Dongsheng became angry and shouted, ¡°My mother is a good person. She is a good person!¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened coldly and said, ¡°Is someone who buys you food and drinks a good person? Is she a good mother? A truly good mother teaches you to be a good child and be a capable person. Did your mother teach you that?¡±

    This time, Han Dongsheng was stunned. His mother only bought them food and drinks and let the servants take them out to y. She never taught them anything.

    Xie Yunjin was toozy to say more to this kid and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t blindly say she¡¯s a good person. Learn to think and see for yourself. When you have nothing to do, ask your grandparents and the servants in the mansion how many of them think your mother is a good person.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he called Lin Dong outside and said, ¡°Take this kid back.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lin Dong took Lin Dongsheng out.

    In the main hall, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Why did youe back?¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled and said, ¡°I saw you guys came back and I came back to see if anyone was causing you trouble at the Lu family today.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to say that everything was fine, but Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t wait for her to speak and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go to any more banquets at the Lu family home in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao could tell that Feng Zhi must have said something to make him say that.

    Lu Jiao felt that she needed to scold Feng Zhi. She needed to tell her to not mention her affairs to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin saw Lu Jiao¡¯s expression and knew what she was thinking. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh silently. When could he break through Lu Jiao¡¯s defenses and make her truly ept him?

    Although Xie Yunjin thought that, he didn¡¯t show it on his face. He asked Lu Jiao, ¡®I l want to tell you something, I hope you won¡¯t me me.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin when she heard this. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The incident where Du Lanzhu was bitten by a poisonous snake was my design. I just didn¡¯t expect her to break into the Lu family home today and cause you trouble.¡±

    Lu Jiao heard this and felt that she had once again suffered unjustly. Why was her luck so bad? Should she go to the temple to pray?

    ¡°How did you plot this?¡±

    Xie Yunjin designed such a scheme because he was afraid that Du Lanzhu would harm Lu Jiao or the four little ones again.

    So this matter was still understandable. Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t me him for it.

    Seeing that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t me him, Xie Yunjin breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t do much. I just told Lin Dong about Du Lanzhu being divorced by the Han family while Du Lanzhu¡¯s cousin-inw passed by. Imented on Du Lanzhu¡¯s bleak future and how it would work out for her if she married her cousin. But what about her cousin¡¯s wife? I deliberately said that her cousin would definitely divorce his wife since the Han family is rich and her cousin wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. I also added that Du Lanzhu would never be willing to be a concubine.

    Then Lin Dong and I murmured quietly, saying that if we were Du Lanzhu l s cousin-inw, we would definitely teach Du Lanzhu a lesson and let a poisonous snake bite her to death..¡±

 Chapter 327 - 327: Web Weaved by Love

    Chapter 327: Web Weaved by Love

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin finished speaking and didn¡¯t say anything else. He looked at Lu Jiao with a cautious expression.

    Would Lu Jiao think that he was a wicked person?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think so much. Xie Yunjin has had a difficult time. He was a poor schr with no connections and no money. In order to protect his family, he had to take action in advance. This couldn¡¯t be considered wicked. People like

    Du Lanzhu, if they weren¡¯t dealt with in advance, would definitely strike again.

    Thinking about this, Lu Jiao reminded Xie Yunjin, ¡®Be careful when you do this, don¡¯t let anyone discover your tracks. Or else you will suffer a big loss.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was relieved to see that Lu Jiao didn¡¯t criticize him and didn¡¯t show any unusual behavior. His heart settled down and he asked softly, ¡°Lu Jiao, do you think I¡¯m very vicious?

    Lu Jiao shook her head. ¡°Not really. Being vicious means attacking unarmed opponents and those who have no enmity with you. If you deal with enemies, there¡¯s no such thing as wickedness. Do you really have to wait until you are harmed before you can act?¡±

    As Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin¡¯s joy and affection overflowed from his chest. Really, many of Lu Jiao¡¯s beliefs were just like his own. If they were together, they would be a perfect match.

    Because he was so excited, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but hug Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I¡¯m so happy that you agree with my ideas. I was afraid you would think I¡¯m wicked.¡±

    Lu Jiao was stunned. What did this mean? How could he hug her out of nowhere?

    After he hugged her, Xie Yunjin quickly realized his mistake. He was too excited and let his true feelings show. Would Lu Jiao be angry?

    He quickly let go of her and said apologetically, ¡°I was just too happy and wanted to share that happiness with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have time to think deeply about it before she heard Xie Yunjin speak again.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I want to tell you.¡±

    When she saw Xie Yunjin¡¯s serious expression, Lu Jiao knew it must be important. Without thinking too much, she asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I schemed against Xu Qingyin from the grandmander¡¯s office today.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said with a cold and stern look. Last time, Xu Qingyin embarrassed Lu Jiao at the Hu family banquet. He had been looking for an opportunity to deal with her, and today he finally caught it.

    Lu Jiao asked immediately, ¡°How did you scheme against her?¡±

    ¡°Today, the sixth daughter of the Tian family hosted a banquet and invited some youngdies from the Qinghe District. Xu Qingyin also went. I happened to be looking for Tian Jinan, the seventh young master of the Tian family. When Xu Qingyin saw me, she actually followed me. I was originally looking for an opportunity to deal with her, and her following me was a good opportunity. I told Tian Jinan that if he hugged Xu Qingyin in public, she would be able to be his wife, and he would have a beautiful wife to y with in the future.¡±

    After speaking, Xie Yunjin exined, ¡°Tian Jinan suffered a brain injury when he was young, and his intelligence is limited. His behavior and actions are like that of a four or five-year-old child. Outsiders call him a fool. I once identally saved him, so he is very attached to me. I promised to give him a toy before and when I saw the boys ying with a toyst night, I thought of him. Today, I went out at noon to buy a toy for Tian Jianan.

    I didn¡¯t expect that the Tian family would be hosting a banquet today. When Xu Qingyin saw me and secretly followed me, I knew I had an opportunity.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°So did Xu Qingyin really get hugged by Tian Jinan in public?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Although Tian Jinan¡¯s brain is not good, the Tian family is afraid that he will suffer any idents, so they taught him martial arts.¡±

    Xie Yunjin paused and said, ¡°I forgot to tell you that the Tian family¡¯s ancestors used to transport goods and have been running a caravan for so many years. Both men and women in the family know martial arts.

    The Tian family spoils Tian Jinan extremely. Mainly because his intelligence is no good. Back in the day, the Tian family provoked someone, and that person retaliated and calcted them, which resulted in the five-year-old Tian Jinan being harmed. Tian Jinan was originally a cute and smart little guy, but he became a fool because of what the Tian family did. The entire family feels guilty about this.

    In addition, when his mother learned that he became a fool, she became ill andter died. The whole family treats him like their lifeblood, so they taught him martial arts from a young age because they were afraid that he would be bullied. Although his brain is not good, he has martial arts skills. So when Tian Jinan hugged Xu Qingyin, she couldn¡¯t break free.¡±

    At the time, Tian Jinan held Xu Qingyin in his arms and shouted, ¡®Beautiful wife,e y with me! ¡±

    After she heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao quickly became worried.

    ¡°You instigated Tian Jinan to do such a thing. The Tian family will definitely find out about itter. You will anger them and you have gone too far with this matter.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin immediately looked at her and said, ¡°I have already told the Tian family about this matter. The Tian family is indeed a bit unhappy, but they didn¡¯t say anything. However, because I taught Tian Jinan to do such a thing, I feel a bit guilty. So I mentioned you to the Tian family and asked you to help check whether Tian Jinan¡¯s brain can be treated. If it can be treated, I will ask you to treat him.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he looked at Lu Jiao and pleaded in a low voice, ¡°Lu Jiao, can you help me with this favor?

    Lu Jiao was originally a doctor, and Xie Yunjin respected her so much. How could she refuse?

    ¡°Okay, let theme tomorrow, and I will check on Tian Jinan.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s handsome face immediately showed a smile, and his eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Lu Jiao, thank you. Your heart is really kind.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head and met Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark eyes. In those eyes, there was a surging me, almost forming an imprable web that caught her.

    As he looked at her with that kind of gaze, her heartbeat became uncontrobly faster.

    However, soon enough, Xie Yunjin looked away and Luo Jiao quickly got up to leave, ¡°You go back to tutoring the students. I¡¯m going to the back courtyard.¡±

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin saw her slightly flustered appearance She was clearly affected by him.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly ¨C his features as exquisite and he was as gorgeous as a painting.

    Luo Jiao was finally affected by him, which was good. He would definitely break down her defenses and make her ept him.

    Xie Yunjin confidently got up to leave, but when he thought about how Lu Jiao had been treated poorly by the Lu family today, his expression grew colder again. He felt that he should go to the Lu family to help Dean Lu find the traitor within the family. That snake was brought in by Du Lanzhu i s sister-inw, which meant that the Lu family must have a traitor.

    Secondly, Xie Yunjin wanted to tell Dean Lu that in the future, if Lady Xia holfd any banquets, they should not invite his wife again..

 Chapter 328 - 328: Make her a Concubine

    Chapter 328: Make her a Concubine

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    At dinner that evening, Xie Yunjin talked to Lu Jiao about the matter. ¡°I went to the Lu family earlier and helped the Dean find who it was that Du Lanzhu¡¯s cousin-inw bribed. The Lu family can exin to the Du family now that this matter has nothing to do with them. It¡¯s something that the Du family brought upon themselves and has nothing to do with the Lu family.¡±

    Xie Yunjin added, ¡°I also told the Dean that you won¡¯t be attending any banquets that the Dean¡¯s wife hosts in the future. We are just a rural family and don¡¯t understand etiquette, which might negatively affect the Dean¡¯s wife¡¯s banquets.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, the Dean¡¯s expression changed several times. He finally sighed and said that he would remind his wife.

    In the main hall, Lu Jiao nodded after she listened to Xie Yunjin. ¡°I understand.

    She never liked attending these banquets, but she had gone to help Xie Yunjin because of her status as his wife.

    Since Xie Yunjin and the Dean had made an agreement, she didn¡¯t have to go anymore.

    Xie Yunjin added, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to attend those banquets in the future, then don¡¯t go. If you want to attend those that interest you, go ahead.¡±

    Qinghe District was a county town, and many families would hold banquets to maintain their social connections. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t have to attend if she didn¡¯t want to.

    The four children were listening to their parents¡¯ conversation, feeling that something was off. The First Born, ¡°Daddy, did someone bully mommy? Who was it?¡±

    The other three immediately perked up their ears to listen. Lu Jiao quickly nced at Xie Yunjin and used gestures to indicate that he should be careful not to say anything in front of the children.

    Xie Yunjin nodded quietly and turned to the four children. ¡°Someone did give your mother a hard time, but I taught that person a lesson, so it won¡¯t happen again.

    The four children nodded heavily and indicated that their father had done the right thing.

    Lu Jiao was afraid that the children would dwell on the matter, so she quickly changed the subject and asked, ¡°Did you guys apologize to Han Dongsheng?¡±

    The four children nodded quickly, and Lu Jiao said, ¡°In the future, we can¡¯t bully him. Han Dongsheng doesn¡¯t have a mother anymore, and he¡¯s already very pitiful. Although he speaks rudely and even insulted me, we still need to help him be a good child. That way, he won¡¯t say bad things about me in the future.¡±

    The Second Born was a little unhappy and pouted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to help him. Bad guys need to be beaten until they change.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged nces and both had ck lines on their faces. They both scolded, ¡°Second Born!¡±

    The Second Born immediately sat up straight and said, ¡°Daddy, mommy, I understand. I¡¯ll help Han Dongsheng be a good person.¡±

    He then asked, ¡°But if he doesn¡¯t change, can I beat him then?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was about to speak when Lu Gui walked in from outside.

    Lu Gui no longer eats with Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao in the back courtyard. He eats with the servants in the front courtyard now. He feels morefortable that way. When he eats with his brother-inw and sister, he feels ufortable and can¡¯t understand what they¡¯re saying. Especially when his brother-inw gives him a certain look, he doesn¡¯t understand what he means. It was better for him to eat in the front yard, so he decided to eat there from now on, and Lu Jiao lets him.

    ¡°Brother-inw, grandmander Xu brought a group of people and they¡¯re here. They seem angry.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao knew right away that he was here regarding Xu Qingyin.

    Regarding today¡¯s incident, Xu Qingyin must have concluded that Xie Yunjin instructed Tian Jinan to do what he did. So grandmander Xu came over to find a resolution.

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin from the side. Xie Yunjin stood up to meet the grandmander. He wasn¡¯t afraid of him because the Tian family couldn¡¯t say that he instructed Tian Jinan to do this. Everything was said by Xu Qingyin. Words needed evidence. He didn¡¯t believe in baseless usations.

    Lu Jiao also stood up and followed Xie Yunjin out. The four little ones behind wanted to follow, but Lu Jiao immediately stopped them and asked Lu Gui to take care of them, feed them, wash them, and put them to bed.

    The four little ones had no choice but to eat with their uncle.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao walked to the front yard together, and on the way, Lu

    Jiao spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t get into a conflict with the grandmander. This person is not a big viin. You are now the counselor of magistrate Hu and therefore you cannot win over the grandmander. But at least, don¡¯t provoke him. If you have to coax him, then do it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed with Lu Jiao¡¯s words and nodded, ¡°I know.¡±

    The two walked together to the front yard, and Lin Dong and Feng Zhi immediately greeted them.

    ¡°Master, Lady, we have brought the grandmander into the main hall.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao nodded and proceeded to the main hall in the front courtyard.

    Grandmander Xu sat in the main hall with a big, gloomy face. Three or four burly men stood by his side and looked like troublemakers.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao acted as if they didn¡¯t see them and greeted grandmander Xu, ¡°What a rare guest! Grandmander, what brings you to our

    Xie family?¡±

    Grandmander Xu stood up unceremoniously and red at Xie Yunjin.

    He shouted in a low voice, ¡°Xie Yunjin, did you ruin my daughter¡¯s reputation? My daughter is my only treasure. How dare you plot against her? This matter won¡¯t just end like this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin asked grandmander Xu, ¡°Who said I plotted against her? Do you have any witnesses?

    The grandmander hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°My daughter said that she was with you, but you disappeared. Then that fool from the Tian family came out and hugged her, shouting that she was his wife. Who else could have nned this if not you?¡±

    Xie Yunjin calmly said, ¡°Just because I went to the Tian family, you assume I plotted against her? If you believe that this is my fault, please provide evidence. You cannot use me without proof.¡±

    The grandmander was taken aback by Xie Yunjin¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t expect Xie Yunjin to be so strong-willed that he couldn¡¯t react for a moment.

    But soon, he spoke again, ¡°No, this matter is clearly your design. You must give my daughter an exnation. My daughter will never marry a fool.¡±

    The grandmander narrowed his eyes and stared at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry her?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was a promising schr and it wouldn¡¯t be bad if his daughter could marry him.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were stunned. Xie Yunjin looked at the grandmander as if he was a moron.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I am already married? I have four sons. How can I marry Lady Xu? Will I make her a concubine?¡± Xie Yunjin sneered.

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, a cold voice came from outside, ¡°I want to see who dares to make my Jiao Jiao a concubine or a secondary wife..¡±

 Chapter 329 - 329: All Doctors are Thick Skinned

    Chapter 329: All Doctors are Thick Skinned

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Two elderly people walked in from outside, they were Grandpa and Grandma Liu from next door. The words spoken earlier were also said by Grandma Liu.

    Grandma Liu rushed in and walked straight to grandmander Xu. She shouted loudly, ¡°So, you want to demote my Jiao Jiao to a concubine or a secondary wife? I think the one who should be demoted is you! you¡¯re a smallmander yet you strut aroundwlessly.¡±

    Although the olddy was thin and small, her imposing manner was very strong, Her demeanor stunned grandmander Xu. He forgot to speak for a while.

    Lu Jiao stood up and invited Grandpa and Grandma Liu to sit down, ¡°Why did Grandpa and Grandma Liue over?

    When Lu Jiao asked, Grandma Liu remembered what she hade for. She excitedly grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, I just came to tell you that after Ziyan drank the medicine you prescribed and took a bath, he felt veryfortable afterward. He used to not be able to sleep all night, but now he can sleep for a while. Your medical skills are really extraordinary! How amazing. Calling you a divine doctor is not an exaggeration.¡±

    Lu Jiao was embarrassed by the praise and quickly said, ¡°Grandma Liu, you are too polite.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about! I am telling the truth. Your medical skills are really amazing. We have consulted many famous doctors in the past, but none of them cured my Ziyan¡¯s illness. Now he feelsfortable after drinking your medicine. He used to wake up cold every time he slept at night, but now he can nap for a while. You really are a miracle doctor.¡±

    Just as Grandma Liu finished, grandmander Xu, who stood aside without reacting, spoke up, I ¡®Lady Lu has excellent medical skills?¡±

    Grandma Liu red at him unkindly and said, ¡°Yes, Jiaojiao has excellent medical skills. She can bring the dead back to life.¡±

    Grandmander Xu looked incredulous, ¡°Is it true?

    Grandma Liu said unhappily, ¡°At my age, how am I still capable of deceiving

    Grandpa Liu, who stood beside her, also said unhappily, ¡°Why are we telling you these things?¡±

    Grandpa Liu finished speaking and turned his head to look at Grandma Liu, ¡°Didn¡¯t you make Jiaojiao some osmanthus cake?¡±

    Grandma Liu immediately put the porcin te with a lid, which she has been holding, next to Lu Jiao and said happily, ¡°Jiaojiao, this is the osmanthus cake that I made. It tastes good. I made it myself and I¡¯m giving it to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately reached out and removed the lid, revealing the hot osmanthus cake. She picked up a small piece and tasted it, and it was really delicious.

    Lu Jiao smiled and thanked Grandma Liu, ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s delicious! I will make other delicious food for Jiaojiao in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too much trouble?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    After saying this, she turned to leave but was worried about the grandmander. She turned around and stared at him, saying, ¡°My Jiaojiao has someone to back her up. Don¡¯t even think about bullying her. If you dare to bully her, we won¡¯t let you go. You,mander, may just have reached the end of your career.¡±

    Grandpa Liu nodded in agreement, and grandmander Xu didn¡¯t dare to say anything for a moment. If these old folks could say such things, it meant they had some background. He didn¡¯t want to offend them recklessly.

    Grandmander Xu kept quiet, and Grandpa and Grandma Liu left. Before they left, they said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Jiaojiao, we¡¯re going back. If anyone bullies you, tell us, and we¡¯ll stand up for you.¡±

    The two old folks left quickly. Behind them, Xie Yunjin gazed at Lu Jiao with a deep look in his eyes. Why did everyone call her Jiaojiao? When could he call her Jiaojiao?

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t notice Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression at all. She took another piece of the osmanthus cake and ate it. It was really delicious ¨C not too sweet. She didn¡¯t like overly sweet foods.

    The sweetness of this te of osmanthus cake was just right. If she wasn¡¯t afraid of eating too much and having digestion problems, she could finish the whole te.

    In the main hall, Xie Yunjin looked at the grandmander, displeased.

    ¡°Grandmander Xu, if you think that I ordered someone to do something to your daughter, then go find evidence. When you find evidence,e talk to me. You can¡¯t just make baseless usations.¡±

    Grandmander Xu was no longer thinking about Xu Qingyin. His mind had wandered elsewhere, and he looked absent-minded.

    Xie Yunjin stood up and dismissed the guest.

    ¡°Grandmander Xu, it¡¯s gettingte and you should go back now.¡±

    Grandmander Xu didn¡¯t leave and stammered, ¡®Can I ask for something¡­

    can Lady Lu help me with my illness?

    After he finished his sentence, he added, ¡°If Lady Lu can help me with my illness, then today¡¯s matter with Schr Xie and my daughter can be considered even.¡±

    As soon as he finished, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t plot against your daughter today. By saying that, it seems like I really did, are you trying to set me up? I¡¯m sorry, I cannot ept this kind of evenness.¡±

    Xie Yunjin wanted to call Lu Gui in to send the person away.

    Grandmander Xu immediately eximed, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! I just want Lady Lu to examine me. As for my daughter¡­ It has nothing to do with Schr Xie, yes, it has nothing to do with him.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at grandmander Xu and thought that since Xie Yunjin had be the magistrate¡¯s aide, it would be more advantageous for him to befriend grandmander Xu.

    Lu Jiao thought for a moment and said to grandmander Xu, ¡°I can examine you, but not because of what you think happened with your daughter. I will examine you because I¡¯m a doctor and it¡¯s my duty to treat people. Since you have asked, I cannot refuse to examine you. Don¡¯t make this about your daughter.¡±

    Grandmander Xu nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t.¡±

    He immediately turned his head and sat next to Lu Jiao. Then, he extended his hand.

    Lu Jiao checked out his pulse and asked him about his daily habits. Then finally, she asked him some more private questions, such as whether he felt pain in his scrotum¡­ Whether the pain increased when walking or standing for a long time¡­ And whether the symptoms improved when lying down.

    When Lu Jiao asked thest question, she found herself having difficulty speaking. Although she was a doctor, in this era, it still felt ufortable to ask such private questions, especially with Xie Yunjin sitting next to her.

    Lu Jiao looked at grandmander Xu and finally calmly said, ¡°Have your testicles increased in size? Can you feel a lump-like varix?¡±

    Grandmander Xu didn¡¯t react for a moment. Xie Yunjin, from beside him, suddenly turned his head to look at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao remained calm andposed, which impressed Xie Yunjin greatly. He felt embarrassed just listening to the private question, but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t seem to feel anything. She was truly a doctor with excellent psychological qualities.

    Grandmander Xu immediately asked, ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 330 - 330: Thunderstruck

    Chapter 330: Thunderstruck

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Grandmander Xu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Xie Yunjin got up, walked over, and muttered a few words in his ear.

    Immediately, grandmander Xu¡¯s face became strange. He turned to look at Lu Jiao and finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s erged, and sometimes I feel a hard lump, especially when standing.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened and was able to confirm the illness that grandmander Xu was suffering from.

    ¡°You have a varicocele, and the symptoms are quite severe, so this is the reason why you can¡¯t have children.¡±

    Grandmander Xu didn¡¯t understand the name of the disease that Lu Jiao mentioned, but he heard the words ¡°can¡¯t have children.¡±

    His mind buzzed for a moment, and it took a long time for him to say, ¡°Are you saying that I can¡¯t have children?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Jiao replied.

    Grandmander Xu¡¯s face immediately turned ashen.

    In a moment, however, he straightened up and stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°This isn¡¯t right. If I can¡¯t have children, where did my daughtere from?

    At first, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin hadn¡¯t noticed this, but now that they heard grandmander Xu mention it.

    The two of them looked at each other, and meaningful smiles appeared in their eyes.

    Xie Yunjin turned to grandmander Xu and said, ¡°That¡¯s your own business, but I can tell you that my wife¡¯s medical skills are potent. She has cured many people with difficult andplicated illnesses that others couldn¡¯t treat. Since she has diagnosed you with an inability to have children, you definitely can¡¯t.

    As for your daughter, you should investigate that yourself.¡±

    Grandmander Xu thought of something and looked incredulous. His chubby body trembled lightly.

    Could it be that the daughter he had always loved was not his own child, but someone else¡¯s?

    He had not only worn the cuckold¡¯s hat for so many years but had also raised someone else¡¯s child at home.

    Grandmander Xu¡¯s face turned white and ck, and finally, with a leap, he stood up and rushed out, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. This isn¡¯t true.¡±

    Grandmander Xu left with his people, and Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao burst intoughter. Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Is it true that grandmander Xu has varicocele?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and the symptoms are quite severe. So he can¡¯t have children. Otherwise, with so many concubines, howe only Xu Qingyin¡¯s mother give birth?¡± Lu Jiao replied.

    Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°Can his illness be cured?¡±

    ¡°He must have surgery. After the surgery, some reproductive function can be restored, but I don¡¯t know to what extent.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished, a strange expression appeared on Xie Yunjin¡¯s face.

    ¡°They won¡¯t operate on that ce, will they?¡±

    As soon as he finished, he felt a sudden pain in his lower body and unconsciously closed his legs.

    Lu Jiao nodded, and Xie Yunjin immediately said, ¡°If you really operate on him, don¡¯t do it yourself. Let Qi Lei do it for him, like he did for Liang Ziwenst time.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about it and agreed, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss itter.¡±

    After speaking, she got up and left to go back to the back courtyard to sleep. The next day, Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya brought their two children to visit the Xie¡¯s home. When they arrived, they saw that Xie¡¯s family had eight children attending sses, and they were learning particrly novel things.

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya had an idea and wanted to leave their children at the Xie¡¯s house to study.

    ¡°Sister Lu, please let my daughter Miaomiao stay and study. Although she is young, she is very obedient.¡±

    Tan Xiaoya also whispered, ¡°My son Kangkang is also a well-behaved child, but he doesn¡¯t have many ymates. Can you let him y with other children in your house?

    Lu Jiao was speechless. She only wanted to open a small kindergarten for the four little ones, but now it had really be a kindergarten.

    Originally, there were already eight little ones plus Lin Xi, and now with two more, it would definitely be even more chaotic.

    However, after she saw Zhu Baozhu pull on her clothes and Tan Xiaoya¡¯s pitiful eyes on her, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t refuse them. She finally said, ¡°They can stay, but the rules are very strict. Don¡¯t be too lenient on them just because they are your children.

    Zhu Baozhu quickly said, ¡°WC won¡¯t be too lenient, thank you, sister Lu.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she called Zheng Miao over and said, ¡°Thank your Aunt Lu.¡±

    Although Zheng Miao was only three years old, she was indeed a cute little girl.

    She grinned at Lu Jiao with her two small tiger teeth showing, ¡°Thank you, auntie.¡±

    Du Kang also said softly, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to do, so she called Feng Zhi over and took the two little ones with her.

    ¡°Tell Master Pan to add these two little ones from now on,¡± she said to Feng Zhi.

    Feng Zhi had a good impression of Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya. They had protected Lady Lu before, which was nice of them.

    Zhu Baozhu thanked Lu Jiao again and again, ¡°Thank you, sister Lu. Thank you so much.¡±

    Tan Xiaoya was also very grateful, ¡°Thank you. We will pay for Kangkang¡¯s expenses incurred at your ce.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu also quickly said, ¡°We will pay for Miaomiao¡¯s food as well.¡±

    Lu Jiao had already done such a good thing for them, so why would she take their money? A three-year-old and a four-year-old couldn¡¯t eat much anyway.

    ¡°Okay, why are you saying these things?¡± Lu Jiao finished speaking and looked at Zhu Baozhu. She thought of Zhu Baozhu¡¯s husband, Zheng Zhixing, and hoped that the person behind the plot against Xie Yunjin was not him.

    At noon, Lu Jiao instructed aunt Hua to prepare for a barbecue. The adults and children had a great time barbecuing in the backyard.

    Aunt Hua, Feng Zhi, and Grandma Qiu immediately went to prepare the food.

    The children were also excited to have a barbecue for lunch and offered to help. With so many children, the scene was quite lively.

    Xie Yunjin avoided them and took Lin Dong to the front yard to have a simple meal. He did not want to get involved with the women and children in the backyard.

    Han Dongsheng remained very silent and didn¡¯t say anything. The little boy looked lonely and depressed, huddled in a corner as if he had been struck.

    Seeing his appearance, Lu Jiao guessed that he had asked the people at the Han manor yesterday whether his mother was a good person or not.

    Knowing Du Lanzhu¡¯s character, Lu Jiao guessed that it was impossible for anyone to say she was a good person.

    Wasnt Han Dongsheng thunderstruck by this? He always thought his mother was a good person ¨C good to them and generous. But everyone said she was not a good person. Could he still believe what his mother said?

    Lu Jiao pretended not to see Han Dongsheng¡¯s unhappiness. Some things had to be processed on one¡¯s own.

    During the barbecue at noon, everyone ate and yed. In the end, they were all full. Lu Jiao urged Lin Xi and the four little ones to take their little friends for a walk.

    The children brought Soot and Marble to y in the yard.

    Lu Jiao ordered someone to make hawthorn tea for Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya

    to aid their digestion. She herself went to the front courtyard to give Liu Ziyan

    acupuncture. After she finished, she went back to the backyard to chat with Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring Lady Liu with you today?¡±

 Chapter 331 - 331: It was Difficult being a Cuckold

    Chapter 331: It was Difficult being a Cuckold

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Liu Laidi was a person that Lu Jiao had quite a good impression of. Even though she was introverted, she was not a bad person.

    After Zhu Baozhu heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhu Baozhu sighed and said, ¡°I called her, but she didn¡¯te. She said she had to cook and take care of her husband. She doesn¡¯t even have children, just a husband. Is it necessary?

    On one side, Tan Xiaoya looked at Zhu Baozhu, then at Lu Jiao, and whispered, ¡°Actually, she is very pitiful.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhu Baozhu immediately turned to Tan Xiaoya and said,

    ¡°What do you mean? Do you know something we don¡¯t? Tell us.¡±

    Tan Xiaoya looked at Zhu Baozhu, bit her lip, and whispered, ¡®You must not tell anyone.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu nodded repeatedly and said, ¡°I won¡¯t. Tell me quickly.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhu Baozhu speechlessly. This woman sure dared to make empty promises. Why did she seem so unreliable?

    But Tan Xiaoya clearly believed her. She looked at Zhu Baozhu and whispered, ¡°Do you know why she always dresses so modestly? It¡¯s because she has scars all over her body and a lot of them.¡±

    When Tan Xiaoya said this, Zhu Baozhu and Lu Jiao were shocked. They looked at her one after the other and asked, ¡°Is it true?

    Although they asked this question, both of them were starting to believe it. Otherwise, why would Lady Liu dress so modestly? Lu Jiao even recalled when she had a quarrel with Liang Ziwenst time, and Lady Liu asked her why she had such strength. At that time, she was clearly so excited that she almost wished that strength was hers.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face looked ugly, and she asked Tan Xiaoya, ¡°Did her husband hit her and cause those scars?

    Tan Xiao Ya nodded and said, ¡°Yes. When I asked her, she dodged the question and said she fell. But when I suggested it was her husband who hit her, she didn¡¯t object.¡±

    When she heard Tan Xiaoya¡¯s words, Zhu Baozhu couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°That bastard Luo Xinwu. He actually beat his own wife like this. Is he still a human being? I want to go and ask him if he has no conscience and can be so ruthless to his own wife.¡±

    After Zhu Baozhu finished, she stood up and wanted to go find Luo Xinwu.

    Tan Xiaoya quickly grabbed her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go find Luo Xinwu. If you do, he will definitely beat Lady Liu again. You know, Luo Xinwu is very proud. Lady Liu has been in the district for three years, has she ever mentioned anything rted to Luo Xinwu? She knows that if she dares to say anything, Luo Xinwu will definitely beat her to death.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu was speechless for a while, but she was still very angry.

    In the main hall, Lu Jiao looked at Zhu Baozhu and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. We need to n this carefully and find a way to help her without letting Luo

    Xinwu beat her again.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that it was really difficult to punish domestically violent men in this era. Even if everyone knew that you beat your wife, at most they would try to persuade you, and they wouldn¡¯t do anything to punish you. As a result, men became even more fearless and would beat people to death. Therefore, the best way to end the abuse was to let Lady Liu and Luo Xinwu divorce. But would Luo Xinwu be willing to do so?

    After she heard what Lu Jiao said, Zhu Baozhu immediately asked, ¡°Sister Lu, do you have any good ideas?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I wille up with a solution. Don¡¯t worry, there is no quick fix for this.¡±

    Just as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Lu Gui walked in and reported, ¡°Sister, grandmander Xu and his wife are here.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya knew that the grandmander and his wife must havee to ask Lu Jiao for medical help. Everyone in the Qinghe

    District knew that the grandmander was desperate to have more children.

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya immediately got up to say goodbye to Lu Jiao. Since there were patients waiting, they decided to leave first.

    ¡°Sister, we¡¯re going home for a nap.¡±

    ¡°Lady Lu, thank you for keeping an eye on Kangkang. I will have his fathere and pick him up tonight.¡±

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. We have teachers watching over the children here.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya left, and Lu Jiao instructed Lu Gui to bring grandmander Xu and his wife into the back courtyard.

    The grandmander and his wife followed Lu Gui into the back courtyard soon after.

    Lu Jiao stood up to invite them to sit down. Grandmander Xu was not in good spirits and looked very sad as if he had lost both of his parents. His wife, on the other hand, was secretly pleased even though she felt a bit guilty.

    In the past, Xu Qingyin had always used the fact that she was the only child in the family to her advantage, and everyone in the Xu family had pampered her. Even Lady Zhang herself dared not offend her in the slightest, despite being the matriarch of the house. But now, things had changed. When her husband found out that Xu Qingyin was not his child, he had her sent away hundreds of miles to marry a peasant man.

    Actually, Lady Zhang knew that grandmander Xu had already shown great

    mercy by not punishing Xu Qingyin and her mother severely for deceiving him. In the end, grandmander Xu still let Xu Qingyin go because she was the child he had loved for over ten years.

    In the room, Lady Zhang looked at Lu Jiao with concern and asked, ¡°Lady Lu, I heard from my husband about how you examined him for his illness. We all believe in your medical skills. Today, my husband and I came to ask you something. Can this illness of his be cured?¡±

    As soon as Lady Zhang asked, grandmander Xu forgot his grief and looked up nervously at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao replied in a gentle voice, ¡°This illness can be cured by surgery, but I don¡¯t know to what extent he can recover. After the surgery, the disease is likely to recur easily. However, he can regain his fertility after the surgery. As for how many children he can have or how long he can be fertile, it¡¯s impossible to say. We can only try our best.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished, grandmander Xu and Lady Zhang¡¯s eyes lit up, especially Lady Zhang¡¯s. Although she was already thirty-five or six years old, many women of the same age could still give birth. In fact, she had always wanted to have a child.

    ¡°Can I still have a child?¡± Lady Zhang asked eagerly.

    Grandmander Xu also helped her by asking, ¡°If she can¡¯t have a child, can you still give her a checkup?¡±

    It was always him who couldn¡¯t have a child, which had caused Lady Zhang to be unable to have a child. So now he wanted Lady Zhang to have a child.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything and gestured for Lady Zhang toe forward. Lady Zhang sat down beside Lu Jiao, and Lu Jiao carefully examined her and asked about her menstrual cycle.

    Then she concluded, ¡°There¡¯s nothing majorly wrong with your body. You¡¯re just a bit weak and anxious. To get pregnant, you need to replenish your Qi and blood and maintain happiness. Don¡¯t let yourself get anxious. Then, you should be able to get pregnant easily.¡±

    Lady Zhang was overjoyed and said, ¡°Lady Lu, if I can get pregnant smoothly, I will give you a basket of red eggs..¡¯

 Chapter 332 - 332: Brain Injury

    Chapter 332: Brain Injury

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao looked at Lady Zhang, who was overly excited, with a wry smile.

    The grandmander Xu was also happy, but he soon thought of the surgery he needed to go through and couldn¡¯t help but be nervous. He was afraid of the surgery and there were not many people who could do it.

    ¡°Lady Lu, there are too few people who can perform surgery. Where can I find someone to do it?¡±

    Lady Zhang¡¯s joy was instantly doused by cold water. Yes, her husband had to undergo surgery to cure his illness before she could conceive. Now, where could they find someone to perform the surgery on her husband?

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Actually, I know how to perform surgery, but I cannot perform the surgery on themander. I will ask my disciple to perform the surgery. Grandmander, need not worry, but before the surgery, you must promise me one thing.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Grandmander Xu asked eagerly.

    Lu Jiao nodded and said, ¡°My husband has be the aide to Hu, the magistrate. Grandmander, you must assist my husband in his career.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, the grandmander and his wife were surprised.

    ¡°You are saying that schr Xie became an assistant to magistrate Hu?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She was not afraid to tell the grandmander and his wife that Xie Yunjin was working as an assistant to the magistrate. At present, the grandmander could only rely on her to perform the surgery. Even if she told him, she was not afraid that he would reveal this secret.

    After themander and his wife exchanged nces, they said, ¡°Although everything seems calm and peaceful in the Qinghe District, there is actually a lot of darkness hidden beneath the surface. The younger generation of the four major families has done many bad things, but they have colluded with the county magistrate¡¯s assistant Yang and administrator Peng. The government officials and businessmen are working together, with the businessmen giving money to officials and the officials giving them great convenience.¡±

    After the grandmander finished speaking, Lady Zhang nodded repeatedly. ¡°This is indeed a troublesome matter. Everyone in Qinghe District thinks my husband is only focused on family and having more children. That is only a tactic of his to iste himself. He does not want to collude with them, but he does not have the ability to resist them, so he can only resort to such a desperate move.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and looked at the grandmander, ¡°Do you want to let them do whatever they want? They are just mere businessmen. If we can find a breakthrough, we can easily take them down. As a government official, don¡¯t you want to do something practical for the people and get rid of these pests?

    Of course, in the past, grandmander, you did not dare to offend those bloodsucking businessmen alone, but now you have the support of magistrate Hu and officer Zhao. If he also joins in, can¡¯t we deal with the four major families, an assistant, and an administrator?

    Grandmander, you do not want to collude with them because you are a man with a conscience. Are you really willing to watch Qinghe District being dominated by the four major families and businessmen, who have the lowest status? Do you government officials really need to fear them?¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words ignited the grandmander¡¯s blood, and he suddenly stood up.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m willing to assist them in bringing down the evil thugs of the four influential families in the Qinghe District and restore peace for the people.¡± Although Lady Zhang was a little worried, she didn¡¯t say much.

    Lu Jiao looked at the grandmander and chuckled as she waved her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t make a fuss about this for now. Let¡¯s catch them off guard first.¡±

    The grandmander nodded and thought of his own illness.

    ¡°When can I have my surgery?

    Lu Jiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to Baohe Tang when I have time and talk to Qi Lei about your surgery. Once it¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll have someone go to your mansion to inform you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Lady Lu.¡±

    As the couple was about to leave, several footsteps were heard outside the door. They turned to look and saw that Xie Yunjin had led a few people in. Beside Xie Yunjin was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, with fair and handsome looks but a somewhat foolish expression. When he smiled, he looked like a three or four-year-old child.

    Upon seeing this person, Lu Jiao immediately thought of Tian Jinan, whom Xie Yunjin had told her about. As for the two women behind Tian Jinan, they should be his sisters, because they looked somewhat simr to him.

    The Tian family were all good-looking.

    While Lu Jiao was deep in thought, the grandmander and his wife had already stood up. ¡°Since Lady Lu has guests, we¡¯ll leave first.¡± As they stood up, the Tian family came over to say hello.

    ¡°Greetings to grandmander Xu and Lady Zhang.¡±

    Grandmander Xu and Lady Zhang nodded and exchanged a few words with the Tian family before they left.

    Afterward, Lu Jiao asked Xie Yunjin to see the couple off.

    Xie Yunjin immediately introduced the people who came from the Tian family to Lu Jiao.

    In addition to Tian Jinan, who had a brain injury, there was his fifth sister, Tian Wan, who was already married, and his sixth sister, Tian Huan, who had not yet married.

    Regarding being a guardian to Tian Jinan, these two girls also participated. Since the only male member of the family was foolish, the women had to take over.

    After all the introductions, Xie Yunjin sent the Xu couple out. Behind him, Lu Jiao invited the Tian family to sit down.

    After they sat for a while, Tian Jinan couldn¡¯t sit still and began to twist his body. He asionally looked outside, and Lu Jiao knew that he wanted to y on the slide in the front courtyard.

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Are you Tian Jinan? After I finish examining you, you can go y on the slide outside.¡±

    Tian Jinan immediately cheered, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll behave.¡±

    Lu Jiao stood up and sat down next to Tian Jinan, gesturing for him to extend his hand.

    While checking Tian Jinan, Lu Jiao talked to the two sisters of the Tian family.

    ¡°Earlier, my husband told me about Tian Jinan¡¯s condition. This kind of illness is generally caused by brain damage. The human brain has many nerves, and it¡¯s difficult to repair them when they are damaged because nerve cells are irreceable cells. However, the brain has neural sticity, so after treatment for brain damage, there is still a possibility of partial recovery. But as for how much recovery, we don¡¯t know.

    Brain injuries can be ssified into mild, moderate, and severe types. Mild ones can basically be cured, but obviously, Tian Jinan is not a mild case. However, he is not a severe case either because severe brain damage can cause paralysis, bedriddenness, and loss of bowel and dder control. Tian Jinan doesn¡¯t have these symptoms, so his brain injury should be moderate.¡± After saying this much, Tian Huan, the sixth sister of the Tian family, anxiously asked, ¡°I just want to know if my brother¡¯s illness can be cured?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Tian Huan. She was tall and handsome, unlike an ordinary girl. She looked like a bold woman who traveled a lot.

    Tian Wan, the fifth sister, was more of a gentle person. She immediately reached out and pulled Lu Jiao¡¯s hand when she saw how Tian Huan reacted.

    Tian Huan sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯m just anxious!¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at them and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Didn¡¯t I just tell you? The brain has sticity. This kind of brain injury can be treated. However, I can¡¯t be sure what it will be like after treatment..¡±

 Chapter 333 - 333: A Murder Case

    Chapter 333: A Murder Case

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Tian¡¯s two sisters listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words and immediately asked excitedly, ¡°Do you mean that my brother¡¯s condition will improve after treatment?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Based on my initial examination, he should be able to live like a normal person after treatment.¡±

    At present, Tian Jinan was like a child, and many things were taken care of by his family for fear of any idents happening again.

    Tian¡¯s second sisters were thrilled to hear Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    They stood up one after the other and said, ¡°Lady Lu, if you can cure my brother¡¯s injury, you will be our Tian family¡¯s greatest savior. If you need anything in the future, our Tian family will do our best to help.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if my brother can marry and have children like a normal person, my mother in the underworld will be able to rest in peace.¡±

    When their mother died, it was because their brother was injured. If he could be cured, their mother would be smiling in the underworld.

    Tian Huan i s eyes were slightly red. The Tian family needed a male descendant to support the family, as their father was getting old.

    Lu Jiao saw the excitement of the Tian sisters and quickly said, ¡°I will do my best to help him with his treatment, but I cannot guarantee what he will be like after the treatment.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to make them angry if the final result did not meet their expectations.

    The Tian sisters immediately thanked Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Outside the door, Xie Yunjin walked in. When Tian Jinan saw Xie Yunjin, he ran over joyfully and said, ¡°Brother Yunjin, I want to y with the fun thing in front of your house.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at Tian Jinan and nodded, reassuring him, ¡°Wait a minute, then I will take you to y on the slide in front.¡±

    ¡°Great!

    Tian Jinan smiled happily, and Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°How is it? Can he be cured?¡±

    Lu Jiao repeated what she had said to the Tian sisters and Xie Yunjin was very pleased.

    Although he was a reserved person, he had a good rtionship with Tian Jinan, so he hoped that Tian Jinan could return to normal.

    ¡°In any case, do your best, don¡¯t burden yourself too much,¡±

    Xie Yunjin did not want Lu Jiao to feel burdened. He said this out loud to also let the Tian sisters know that they should not me Lu Jiao if the treatment does not work.

    The Tian sisters immediately spoke up, ¡°Master Xie, don¡¯t worry. Whether my brother gets better or not, we will not me Lady Lu.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded with a smile, turned around, and said to Tian Jinan, ¡°I will take you out to y for a while.¡±

    Tian Jinan happily walked over and held Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand to walk out.

    The two sisters of the Tian family immediately looked at Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°When will the treatment begin?

    Lu Jiao exined the treatment n, ¡°Let¡¯s start tomorrow. I will exin the treatment process to you. Come over every day after lunch, and I will use acupuncture for him for the time it takes to burn one joss stick.¡±

    Lu Jiao chose noon because Liu Zhiyan woulde over every day at noon, and the two of them could do the acupuncture together.

    ¡°Steam the head twice a day. How do we do it? I¡¯ll give you a prescription. After you boil the herbs, soak them in cloth and wrap them around the brain to create a steaming effect. Remember to do what you can to keep the heat. You can use anything to wrap around the head. Keep steaming for the time it takes to burn one joss stick. Also, drink brewed medicine in the morning and evening.¡±

    Lu Jiao did not let the Tian sisters bring the herbs for her to add spiritual water. Tian Jinan was injured in the head, not the body.

    Therefore, she decided that when she did acupuncture for Tian Jinan at noon every day, she would apply spiritual water on the silver needles so that the nerves in the brain could slowly recover.

    As for whether Tian Jinan could fully recover, she couldn¡¯t predict.

    After Lu Jiao finished, the Tian sisters nodded happily and said, ¡°Okay, we will do as you say.¡±

    For so many years, the Tian family had consulted many doctors, and most of them said that there was no cure. Tian Jinan had been foolish for so many years, how could he be treated?

    Unexpectedly, they met someone like Lu Jiao who said that it was possible to treat him. Even if there was no definite promise to curepletely, any improvement was better than none.

    The Tian sisters repeatedly thanked her.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you very much.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt embarrassed by their gratitude and waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you want to thank me, wait until Tian Jinan¡¯s brain injury is cured, and thene and thank me.¡±

    Tian Wan and Tian Huan shook their heads repeatedly and said, ¡°No, even if he can¡¯t be cured, we appreciate your efforts.¡±

    In the past, when they asked others for help, they were often refused right away.

    Lu Jiao stopped being polite with them and called Feng Zhi in to see the Tian sisters off. Before leaving, the sisters invited Lu Jiao to visit their home in the future. Lu Jiao thought about how she always encountered various troubles whenever she attended banquets, so she quickly declined. However, the Tian sisters insisted, and Lu Jiao had no choice but to agree.

    At night, Lu Jiao talked to Xie Yunjin about the Tian sisters. ¡°They¡¯re really too enthusiastic. It¡¯s overwhelming.¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help butugh at Lu Jiao¡¯s overwhelmed expression. It turned out that even she had moments when she couldn¡¯t handle things.

    But looking at her, he thought she was adorable.

    Xie Yunjin now thought that no matter what Lu Jiao did, she was always cute and lovely. When would he be able to win her heart and call her ¡°Jiaojiao¡± like everyone else?

    At the dinner table, the four little ones whispered about what happened in ss that day and then talked about Han Dongsheng to Lu Jiao. ¡°He didn¡¯t say a word all day today. If only he never spoke again.¡±

    Han Dongsheng¡¯s silence was eptable.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao looked at the four little ones speechlessly. They were happy while the other boy was sad.

    Xie Yunjin spoke gently, ¡°Han Dongsheng is sad now. You should try tofort him, talk to him. Don¡¯t stop ying with him just because of his past mistakes.¡±

    Xie Yunjin reminded the four little ones, ¡°His father helped me before.¡±

    The four little ones immediately promised, ¡°We¡¯ll talk to him andfort him tomorrow.¡±

    The next day, after breakfast, Lu Jiao nned to take Feng Zhi to Baohe Tang to arrange for the grandmander¡¯s operation.

    However, as soon as they reached the front courtyard, they saw Xie Yunjin walking in looking very upset. Lu Jiao was worried and greeted him, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked up at Lu Jiao and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Earlier, officer Zhao came to find me and told me something. Last night, Luo Xinwu was killed.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately thought of what Lady Tan had said about Luo Xinwu¡¯s abusive behavior towards his wife, Liu Laidi.

    Now that the abusive husband of Liu Laidi had been killed, it was truly retribution and he deserved it.

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°I was just about to tell you. Luo Xinwu wasn¡¯t a good person. He abused his wife. I heard from Lady Tan that Liu Laidi was often beaten by him and had bruises all over her body..¡±

 Chapter 334 - 334: It wasnâ€™t me

    Chapter 334: It wasn¡¯t me

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    As Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin looked at her with a knowing expression. He gazed at her with clear and tranquil eyes and asked, ¡°Do you know who killed Luo Xinwu?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, but then suddenly thought of something and looked up at Xie Yunjin. ¡°You mean it was Liu Laidi who killed Luo Xinwu?¡±

    Like a cornered rabbit that bites people, Luo Xinwu had been domestically abusing his wife. It was understandable for Liu Laidi to kill him.

    ¡°I heard from officer Zhao that when they rushed into Luo¡¯s home, his wife was still holding the murder weapon,¡± Xie Yunjin said.

    Lu Jiao thought of Liu Laidi and didn¡¯t know what to say. She had been abused and took revenge, but in the end, it cost her, her own life.

    As she thought more about it, Lu Jiao began to feel depressed. She decided to visit Liu Laidi since she knew her.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, I want to see Liu Laidi. We¡¯ve at least met once, and I think we should go see her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin hesitated and said, ¡°Officer Zhao said that Liu Laid is currently refusing to admit her guilt and can¡¯t see anyone until she confesses. We can only see her then.¡±

    Lu Jiao understood and nodded, but then she thought that given Liu Laidi¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t have killed unless provoked. Maybe Luo Xinwu had beaten her too severely, and that was why she had killed him. Otherwise, why would she kill him when things were fine?

    Despite being domestically abused, she hadn¡¯t killed anyone until now.

    So there must be some other unknown circumstances.

    Suddenly, Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin. ¡°Xie Yunjin, I feel like something is not right. Think about it, Liu Laid didn¡¯t resist despite being beaten all the time. So why did she suddenly kill someone?¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought for a moment and said, ¡°Maybe Luo Xinwu beat her again and went too far, and she killed him in anger.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin with a profound look.

    ¡°Let¡¯s investigate quietly. We can help her if she¡¯s been wrongly used. Also, if Liu Laidi didn¡¯t kill Luo Xinwu, then someone set her up. There must be some big secret that Luo Xinwu was hiding, and this could be the breakthrough to uncover the truth behind the false front of Qinghe District.¡±

    with that, Xie Yunjin was moved, and he looked at Lu Jiao. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Luo¡¯s ce and ask the neighbors quietly to find out if anything happened yesterday evening.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao had uncle Lin take them to Luo Xinwu¡¯s rented ce.

    Xie Yunjin knew where the Luo family lived. Due to poverty, they rented a small room in the poorer demographic neighborhood, which was adjacent to other people¡¯s homes.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao did not get off the carriage to inquire about the situation from Luo Xinwu¡¯s neighbors. Instead, they had Lin Dong dress up as Luo Xinwu¡¯s rtive and go down to investigate.

    After a while, Lin Dong came out and reported, ¡°Young master, madam, everyone inside is talking about this. They say Liu Laid killed her husband, but many people find it hard to believe because Liu Laidi was beaten by Luo Xinwu, and the neighbors knew about it. Many people even taught her how to resist,

    but this woman is very cowardly and didn¡¯t dare to fight back.¡±

    After he paused to catch his breath, Lin Dong continued, ¡°I asked those neighbors if Luo Xinwu had beaten Liu Laid against night. They said that Luo Xinwu seemed very happyst night. He bought several dishes and came back to have dinner. He even drank some alcohol at night and nobody heard him beating Liu Laidi.¡±

    In the carriage, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged a nce. Liu Laid did not get beatenst night, but she still killed Luo Xinwu. This does not fit the typical response of a killer who acts under stress.

    Lu Jiao whispered to Xie Yunjin, ¡°You find a way to contact officer Zhao and arrange for us to meet Liu Laidi. I want to ask her face-to-face if she killed Luo Xinwu. If she didn¡¯t, we must help her. This woman is too pitiful. She has been subjected to domestic violence by men for a long time, and now she has ended up with such a fate.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°Okay, I will arrange this.¡±

    The carriage returned to Xie¡¯s house, and Xie Yunjin nned to ask officer Zhao to arrange this.

    Lu Jiao got off the carriage with Feng Zhi and entered the Xie residence. As soon as she entered, Lu Gui came to report, ¡°Sister, Lady Zhu and Lady Tan havee to our home. They want to see you.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought that Lady Zhu and Lady Tan might also know about Liu Laidi¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Jiao took Feng Zhi to the main hall, where Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya were both shocked. When they saw Lu Jiaoe in, Lady Zhu rushed to her and grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Sister Lu, have you heard about Liu Laid killing her husband? We were just about to help her, but she actually killed someone. Now she won¡¯t be able to live.¡±

    Lady Tan also had tears in her eyes as she said sadly, ¡°Her life is too miserable.

    She was beaten by her husband and in the end, she killed him out of anger. Now she will suffer herself.¡±

    Lu Jiao did not tell Lady Zhu and Lady Tan that there might be other hidden reasons in Liu Laidi¡¯s case.

    It was not suitable for others to know about this kind of thing.

    Therefore, she did not say anything and just agreed with them.

    ¡°Liu Laid has had a hard life. She actually married such a despicable man. We, women, must choose our partners carefully; otherwise, we will suffer for the rest of our lives.¡±

    In this era, divorce was not popr. Although it was possible, most women would rather endure suffering than choose to divorce.

    Moreover, men cared about their reputation. They preferred to beat their wives to death than divorce them. If they do remarry after they kill their wife, they won¡¯t divorce their next wife easily either.

    Lu Jiao felt fortunate that Xie Yunjin was a rational person and didn¡¯t try to plot against her when she suggested a divorce.

    ¡°We had a chance to get to know her. Should we go visit her together?¡±

    Zhu Baozhu suggested, but Tan Xiaoya hesitated and said, ¡°I heard that people who havemitted murder can¡¯t be visited by just anyone.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu turned to Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Sister Lu, can you find a way for us to see her?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and said, ¡°No, she definitely doesn¡¯t want to see anyone right now, and even if we did see her, it wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡±

    Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya couldn¡¯t help but feel dejected, and no one spoke.

    After Lu Jiao chatted with them for a while, Lu Jiao said goodbye and everyone went home. Everyone felt a bit sad when they thought of Liu Laidi¡¯s plight.

    At night, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao finally saw Liu Laidi. Officer Zhao was guarding outside the cell, and that night¡¯s guard happened to be very close to officer Zhao, so they got this opportunity

    Inside the cell, Liu Laid was cowering in a corner, trembling. When she heard Lu Jiao call out to her, she didn¡¯t respond at first.

    It wasn¡¯t until Lu Jiao entered the cell that Liu Laid slowly looked up and, upon seeing that it was Lu Jiao, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer. She reached out and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand tightly as if a person in the dark had finally seen the only light.

    ¡°Lady Lu, it wasn¡¯t me, I didn¡¯t kill him, I didn¡¯t kill him, please save me, I¡¯m scared, I¡¯m so scared here.

 Chapter 335 - 335: A Breakthrough

    Chapter 335: A Breakthrough

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Liu Laidi was obviously in a state of extreme panic, and her words were somewhat incoherent.

    Lu Jiao immediatelyforted her and urged her to answer some questions otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to help Liu Laidi. The most important thing was that she wanted to rify whether or not Liu Laidi had killed Luo Xinwu.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I came here to help you, so now you should listen to me and follow my instructions. Otherwise, neither of us can save you, and you may end up paying for Luo Xinwu¡¯s life.¡±

    After she finished speaking, Lu Jiao looked at Liu Laidi and said in a low voice,

    ¡°Rx, breathe out, and calm your emotions.¡±

    Liu Laidi now regarded Lu Jiao as a floating log in a rushing river, and she did exactly as Lu Jiao instructed.

    Soon, Liu Laidi¡¯s emotions stabilized a bit, and Lu Jiao looked into her eyes and asked, ¡°Liu Laidi, I¡¯m going to ask you something and you must tell the truth. Did you really not kill Luo Xinwu?¡±

    Liu Laidi immediately nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him. I admit that I had thought about killing him many times, but in the end, I was afraid and gave up. Yesterday evening, he seemed to have hit the jackpot, and he brought home food and wine. Also, he gave me two taels of silver for household expenses.

    After he finished drinking, he slept happily, and I also went to sleep after having dinner. When it was close to dawn, I woke up and felt something in my hand. It was sticky, and when I opened my eyes and looked down, I found that I was holding a knife, and there was blood on the knife. I was so scared that I screamed loudly, and then someone rushed in. Finally, the official¡¯s subordinates arrested me and brought me here.¡±

    After she finished her story, Liu Laidi cried in fear, ¡°Lady Lu, I really didn¡¯t kill him. Please save me, save me.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately spoke tofort her, ¡°Shhh¡­ shhhh¡­ I will help you. I

    came here to help you, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t havee.¡±

    As soon as she spoke, Liu Laidi became much quieter.

    Lu Jiao began to ask for details, ¡°Did he exhibit any unusual behavior yesterday?¡±

    ¡°He has been very happy these past few days and didn¡¯t beat me like he used to. He also told me that he had a chance to get arge sum of money and when he does, he would have money and would buy me two sets of clothes.

    When he came backst night, he seemed to have gotten that money. Not only did he buy food and wine, but he also gave me two taels of silver for household expenses.¡±

    After Liu Laidi finished speaking, she subconsciously flipped her clothes over to look for that two taels of silver. She thought that the silver might have fallen out somewhere in her house, or perhaps they were taken by those who arrested her.

    After hearing Liu Laidi¡¯s words, Lu Jiao tentatively concluded that Luo Xinwu had a big secret in his hands and had used it to demand money from someone. The person on the surface gave him the money, but secretly took action and framed Liu Laidi.

    The most important thing now was to clear Liu Laidi¡¯s suspicion. Lu Jiao thought it over and looked at Liu Laidi.

    ¡°When you sleptst night, did you hear any noise at all? Why did you sleep so soundly?¡±

    Liu Laidi shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I know is that I slept soundly and didn¡¯t wake up until dawn when I found that Luo Xinwu had been killed and there was a knife in my hand.¡±

    Lu Jiao guessed that the couple may have been drugged, and then the killer snuck into the room, killed Luo Xinwu, and framed Liu Laidi.

    Liu Laidi had been subjected to long-term abuse by Luo Xinwu. It was reasonable to think that she killed her own husband in a fit of anger, especially since she was holding a knife.

    This was a case with both human and physical evidence.

    However, it was not difficult to see that the person behind the scenes was very calcting, and the scheme was almost wless.

    Lu Jiao asked Liu Laidi a few more questions, but they were of no use. It seemed that she had to find a way to examine the corpse and see if she could find any evidence to prove that Liu Laidi did notmit the murder.

    Lu Jiao got up to leave, but Liu Laidi grabbed her dress from behind, looked at her in panic and said, ¡°Lady Lu, you have to save me. You must save me. I¡¯m afraid, I¡¯m really scared.¡±

    She burst into tears again as she spoke. Lu Jiaoforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go out and find evidence for you. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± Liu Laidi let go of Lu Jiao and Lu Jiao left.

    In the darkness outside the cell, Xie Yunjin suddenly asked, ¡°Last night, did you sleep on the inside or outside of the bed?¡±

    Liu Laidi instinctively replied, ¡°I slept on the inside of the bedst night, and he slept on the outside.¡±

    Usually, Liu Laidi slept on the outside for convenience as she got up in the middle of the night to pour water for Luo Xinwu.

    Butst night, Luo Xinwu had too much to drink, got up two or three times to urinate before bedtime, and found it annoying to get up, so he slept on the outside of the bed.

    After Xie Yunjin finished asking, he looked up and asked Lu Jiao quickly, ¡°If she was the killer and she was on the inside of the bed, the direction of the knife wound should be inward, and the force of the knife should also be nting inward. If the killer stood by the bed, their force should be nting outward.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and she nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. ¡±

    Due to her happiness, Lu Jiao walked out of the cell and excitedly reached out to hug Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°You truly are a talented schr, your brain is smarter than others.¡±

    Xie Yunjin felt happy when he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s praise.

    But Lu Jiao had already let go of him and turned to look at Liu Laidi in the cell.

    ¡°I have found a way to prove your innocence, so don¡¯t be afraid. I will get you out of here soon.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, thank you.¡¯

    Liu Laidi¡¯s emotions calmed downpletely because she had hope and was no longer as afraid.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin turned and walked out. Outside the cell, officer Zhao was waiting with the guard. Upon seeing theme out, the guard breathed a sigh of relief and urged them, ¡°Officer Zhao, you all should leave quickly. Don¡¯t let anyone else know, or I¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±

    Officer Zhao nodded and led Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao away. They didn¡¯t dare to leave through the main entrance and instead left through a small side door.

    After they left, officer Zhao finally had a chance to ask Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao,

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Did that woman really kill her husband?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately shook his head and said, ¡°Unless something unexpected happened, she didn¡¯tmit murder. The killer is likely someone else. Luo Xinwu must have known a secret about someone and took advantage of this opportunity to extort arge sum of money from them. This person then came up with this n to frame Liu Laidi.

    Logically speaking, the forensic examination should have found some details, but it¡¯s clear that they didn¡¯t. There are two possibilities for this: either the forensic examiner was bribed, or the examiner wasn¡¯t skilled enough to find anything.¡±

    Officer Zhao frowned and said heavily, ¡°Song Wuzuo is usually very capable.¡± This indicated that Song Wuzuo was likely bribed.

    Xie Yunjin looked up at officer Zhao and said, ¡°This is a breakthrough. We must find out the real culprit behind the scenes. Perhaps this culprit is the person we need to deal with, and once we deal with them, we will expose the evils beneath the Qinghe District..¡±

 Chapter 336 - 336: Saving a a Young Man who was about to Fall into a Trap

    Chapter 336: Saving a a Young Man who was about to Fall into a Trap

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Officer Zhao frowned and nodded calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with you. What do you want to do next?¡±

    Xie Yunjin quickly spoke up, ¡°Do you have a way to find another coroner to re-examine the body, and also let Lu Jiao take a look?¡±

    Although Lu Jiao could perform autopsies, she was not a coroner. Even if she found something, others would not be convinced. Secondly, Xie Yunjin did not want Lu Jiao toe into contact with the corpse. She was a doctor, not a coroner.

    Officer Zhao thought for a moment and immediately said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll find another coroner to perform the autopsy.¡±

    Officer Zhao used to solve lots of criminal cases outside of the Qinghe District and knew the coroners from other districts. Although there was usually tension between districts, he could still ask a coroner from a neighboring district toe to Qinghe District to perform an autopsy.

    After officer Zhao and Xie Yunjin spoke, Lu Jiao went back home. On the way,

    Lu Jiao said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°If that persones to perform the autopsy, you should let officer Zhao and that person know that I will be there, taking a look.¡± Xie Yunjin looked at her worriedly and asked, ¡°Will you be afraid?¡±

    Although Lu Jiao was a doctor and theoretically should not be afraid, Xie Yunjin was still worried.

    Lu Jiao immediately smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. What am I afraid of? I¡¯m not afraid.

    Officer Zhao spent the night going to the neighboring district to find another coroner and then applied for a new autopsy warrant. Magistrate Hu naturally cooperated, but his assistant magistrate Yang was not happy and tried to stop it.

    ¡°Officer Zhao, what do you mean? This is a case in the Qinghe District. Why do you need to involve a coroner from another district? How can you make Qinghe District lose face?¡±

    Officer Zhao looked at assistant magistrate Yang with a serious expression and said, ¡°This is a homicide case and I am an officer. Liu Laidi has been pleading innocent and iming she did not kill Luo Xinwu. In order to take this case seriously, I need to carefully ask another person to re-examine the body. What about it? Did I do something wrong? Assistant magistrate Yang, you don¡¯t seem to care about human life.

    Assistant magistrate Yang¡¯s expression was not good. He noticed that officer Zhao seemed to have some sort of grudge against him. What did this mean?

    Assistant magistrate Yang¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. Then he put on a smile and said to officer Zhao, ¡°Officer Zhao, I¡¯m thinking about our Qinghe District. If we let coroners from other districts perform the autopsy, doesn¡¯t that bring shame to the Qinghe District? Moreover, by having others re-examine it, aren¡¯t you effectively saying that our coroner is ipetent?

    Song Wuzuo may get angry if you do this. He is the only coroner in our district.

    What if he gets angry and quits?¡±

    Assistant magistrate Yang tried to persuade him.

    Just then, Song Wuzuo, the coroner, burst in angrily, shouting, ¡°Officer Zhao, what is the meaning of this!? Don¡¯t you believe in my autopsy skills?! You brought in someone else from another county to re-examine the corpse!? If you do this, how can I continue working as the coroner in the Qinghe District? If you let others examine it, I will resign from my job as the coroner!¡±

    Officer Zhao turned around and looked at Song Wuzuo, ¡°Are you threatening me, Song Wuzuo? Let me ask you, is your face more important than a human life? Liu Laidi ims that she is wronged. Therefore, I invited someone from another district to re-examine the case out of caution. I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s bothering you two so much that you feel the need toe over to stop me.¡±

    After officer Zhao finished, he squinted his eyes and stared at assistant magistrate Yang and Song Wuzuo, ¡°Is there something here that I don¡¯t know about?¡±

    Assistant magistrate Yang and Song Wuzuo¡¯s hearts sank slightly, and both of them shook their heads, ¡°It has nothing to do with us. We¡¯re just afraid that Qinghe District will lose face.¡±

    Officer Zhao sneered, ¡°By doing this, the people will only praise us for being reliable and responsible in handling matters. We invited someone to examine the case again out of caution.¡±

    Officer Zhao didn¡¯t want to say much to these two anymore, he raised his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already gone to get an official letter from magistrate Hu, so don¡¯t stop me.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he turned around and left with Wang Wuzuo, the coroner from the neighboring district, to go to Yizhuang.

    Liu Jiao and Feng Zhi, disguised as men, followed behind Wang Wuzuo all the way to Yizhuang.

    Officer Zhao told Wang Wuzuo that Liu Jiao wanted to learn the skill of examining corpses and wanted to tag along to observe.

    Wang Wuzuo looked at Liu Jiao and Feng Zhi with an incredulous expression.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a young man, why must you learn this? You can learn anything! Besides, it¡¯s not a profitable or popr job. It¡¯s hard and tiring, and when there¡¯s a murder case at night, you have to get up in the middle of the night. Moreover, you often have to deal with smelly corpses, resulting in a constantly poor appetite.¡±

    After Lu Jiao heard Wang Wuzuo¡¯s words, she secretly rejoiced that she didn¡¯t choose to be a forensic doctor and chose to be a surgeon instead.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and learn today. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll change my profession in the future.¡¯

    Wang Wuzuo looked at Liu Jiao with relief and felt that he had done a good deed by saving a young man who was about to fall into a trap.

    ¡°Then go take a look, I guarantee that after you see it, you won¡¯t want to learn this anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you, Wang Wuzuo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    The group went all the way to Yizhuang.

    Although Luo Xinwu was killed, due to being drugged, his face didn¡¯t show any signs of pain or distress. He appeared as if he were sleeping, and there were no signs of lividity except for arge bloodstain on his chest. Other than that, there was nothing else unpleasant to see.

    Lu Jiao remained calm and Fengzhi let out a sigh of relief. She was afraid that the dead body would be too gruesome to look at, but after seeing it, she thought it was eptable.

    As soon as Wang Wuzuo arrived at Yizhuang, he began to perform the autopsy in a very responsible manner. He checked every inch of the body before finally confirming that the wound on the victim¡¯s chest was fatal and that it was a single, deadly blow. There were no other injuries on his body. ¡°It seems that the woman killed him,¡± sighed Wang Wuzuo.

    Lu Jiao casually asked him for advice.

    ¡°Wang Wuzuo, I heard that thedy was sleeping on the inside of the bed, while her husband was sleeping on the outside. If she killed her husband, isn¡¯t there something wrong with her technique? For example, the weight of the knife might unconsciously tilt inwards due to inertia.¡±

    After Wang Wuzuo hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s question, he immediately brightened up and started to examine the body again. He finally confirmed that the cut was nting outwards, with the outside force point being heavier. This indicated that the killer was standing at the side of the bed, and thedy was sleeping on the inside at the time. When she was found, she was still holding a knife, trembling inside the bed.

    After he made this discovery, Wang Wuzuo carefully examined the body again and said, ¡°The murderer is likely someone else, and it is likely a man. Women who kill are often fearful and do not strike decisively, which makes their wounds unclean. However, this strike was decisive with a heavy force point, indicating that the killer was likely skilled..¡±

 Chapter 337 - 337: Willing to do Anything

    Chapter 337: Willing to do Anything

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After Wang Wuzuo finished, Lu Jiao immediately ttered him, ¡°Wang Wuzuo, you are amazing! You were able to determine the truth with just one examination. It seems that your skills are better than Song Wuzuo from our Qinghe District. Your abilities are truly incredible.¡±

    Wang Wuzuo was so ttered by Lu Jiao¡¯s praise that he was practically jumping with excitement. ¡°He couldn¡¯t match my autopsy skills! I have so many years of experience,¡± he eximed.

    ¡°Of course. Of course.¡±

    Officer Zhao quickly approached Wang Wuzuo and asked, ¡± Can you sign the autopsy report?¡±

    Without hesitation, Wang Wuzuo answered, ¡°Naturally. The woman was not the killer. How could we let her bear the burden of being a murderer when she didn¡¯tmit the crime? It would be unfair to her.¡±

    Wang Wuzuo decisively signed the autopsy report. Lu Jiao breathed a sigh of relief and left Yizhuang with Wang Wuzuo.

    Officer Zhao first escorted Lu Jiao back to the Xie family manor and then sent Wang Wuzuo back to the neighboring district.

    In the afternoon, the court released Liu Laidi, and many people in the district learned of the new developments in the case. It turned out that the woman was not the killer, and someone else hadmitted the murder and framed her. If officer Zhao hadn¡¯t asked Wang Wuzuo from the neighboring district to re-examine the body, an innocent person would have been unjustly executed.

    Many people in the district praised officer Zhao for his honesty and justice. As a result, he gained a wave of goodwill and respect from the people.

    On the Xie family¡¯s side, Lu Jiao was teaching the children how to count. She had previously taught them numbers from zero to ten and was now teaching them numbers beyond ten.

    Because there were so many children, they had apetitive spirit and were all learning very seriously, even Han Dongsheng was studying earnestly.

    Outside the room, Lu Gui quickly came in and called out to Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, Lady Liu hase to see you.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately knew that Liu Laidi had been released. This was good news.

    She told the children to take a break and y outside for a while, and that she would have Master Pan teach them musicter.

    Lu Jiao went out and instructed Lu Gui to bring Liu Laidi inside.

    As soon as Liu Laidi entered, she knelt down to thank Lu Jiao. Although she was timid and weak, she knew that she was able to leave the jail cell smoothly because of Lu Jiao¡¯s help. Otherwise, she would not have been able to leave alive.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my life, Lady Lu.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked over and helped her up. ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. Come, please sit down.¡±

    After she finished her words, she asked Liu Laidi with concern, ¡°What are your ns? Will you go back to the Luo family to take care of the child?¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao spoke, Liu Laidi suddenly knelt down with a ¡°plop¡± and burst into tears.

    Lu Jiao reached out to pull her up, but she refused to get up. She cried to Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, please let me stay with you. I¡¯ll do anything for you. I don¡¯t want to go back to the Luo family.¡±

    Luo Xinwu was the hope of the Luo family. The family had scrimped and saved to support him through his studies. Although he was just a schr, he had brought face to the Luo family. Now that Luo Xinwu had died, the Luo family would definitely me her.

    If she went back to the Luo family, she would have no way out. However, at the same time, she was terrified to go out there to find work. These days, she was really scared of facing other people, especially men.

    She only felt calm when she was with Lu Jiao. That¡¯s why she wanted to stay with her and work for her.

    Lu Jiao was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect Liu Laidi to want to stay with her.

    ¡°Laidi, you should get up first. I¡¯ll help you find a job.¡±

    She could let Liu Laidi keeppany with Lady Xu and have them take care of the shop together in the future.

    But Liu Laidi refused to get up. She didn¡¯t want to go outside. She felt scared as soon as she went out. She wanted to hide in a corner and do something that wouldn¡¯t attract anyone¡¯s attention.

    Liu Laidi cried and begged Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, please buy me. I am willing to be your servant. Please take me in and give me a way out.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. She advised her, ¡°Get up first and we¡¯ll talk about itter.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t get up. Please promise to take me in. I won¡¯t even take your money. I just need your help to get my daughter, Xiaoya, back from the Luo family. My daughter and I will stay with you and serve you in the future.¡±

    Her daughter wouldn¡¯t be happy in the Luo family either. She had seen it clearly when she was at the Xie family¡¯s ce. Even a servant in the Xie family¡¯s mansion was living a happy life. That¡¯s why she wanted to stay with Lu Jiao and work for her, even if she had to be a servant.

    Lu Jiao has never seen anything like this before. She always thought that selling oneself into very was ast resort, forced by others. She had never seen anyone willingly sell themselves.

    On one side of the hallway, Feng Zhi understood that although being a servant was lowly, if one met a good master, life could be veryfortable. Going outside was harder for women as they were often harassed by men, and even if they had some money, they could be targeted by bad people.

    In the main hall, Liu Laidi was still pleading, ¡°Lady, please keep me here. Give my daughter and I a chance.¡±

    Before Lujiao could speak, Xie Yunjin and Lin Dong walked in. Xie Yunjin was not pleased with what he saw and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    Lujiao pointed to Liu Laidi and said, ¡°She wants to sell herself to stay with me. I feel like something¡¯s not right about this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Liu Laidi quite well and thought that she was a smart woman who had recognized Lu Jiao¡¯s potential.

    Although Liu Laidi was released, her future was difficult. Going back to the Luo family would be torture for her, and if she went out to earn a living, people would know that she had once been used of killing her husband. Even if they knew it was not her, people would gossip, and she would face difficulties.

    Therefore, if she could stay with Lu Jiao, it would be a good way out for her.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°If you think she¡¯s okay, buy her. If not, send her away. Don¡¯t hesitate.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin. Was it really that simple?

    Liu Laidi was afraid that Lu Jiao would not want her, so she grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s dress and cried while making a promise, ¡°Lady Lu, I promise to be loyal and serve you. You don¡¯t need to give us money, just give us food to eat. We have no other requests.¡±

    Seeing her desperation to stay, and thinking about how she had no future if she went out there, Lu Jiao finally agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you requested. Get up first.¡±

    Liu Laidi excitedly stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°Lady Lu, you are going to keep me?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and then said, ¡°But if you stay, you must sign a contract to sell yourself. However, I promise that if you want to leave, I will go to the county office to cancel the contract and grant you and your daughter freedom. If your daughter gets married in the future, I will also give her a dowry..¡±

 Chapter 338 - 338: Happiness and Fortune

    Chapter 338: Happiness and Fortune

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Liu Laidi¡¯s crying became louder, ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu. Thank you for saving our lives.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured for Feng Zhi to take her out first and find her some clean clothes and tidy herself up.

    Feng Zhi agreed and led her out, while Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin spoke behind them, ¡°Seeing her made me realize how difficult it is for a woman to survive outside.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes brightened and he turned to Lu Jiao. He considered asking her if she would consider not going through with the divorce now that she knew how difficult the outside world was.

    However, Lu Jiao added another sentence at thest second, ¡°But I don¡¯t think anything can be too difficult for me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes dimmed immediately, and it seemed like he had to keep trying.

    The next day, Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to bring money to Luo Xinwu¡¯s house to get

    Luo Xiaoya out. No matter how much money the Luo family demanded, they had to get her out and get the signatures of Luo¡¯s parents as proof of agreement.

    In the afternoon, Lu Gui took Luo Xiaoya out of the Luo family, but the Luo family demanded thirty taels of silver at once. Lu Gui had been trained well and was proficient in bargaining, so he managed to buy Luo Xiaoya for twenty taels of silver and obtained the signatures of Luo Xiaoya¡¯s grandparents.

    Luo Xiaoya was only seven years old, but she looked even younger due tock of food and from doing chores all year round.

    Seeing her daughter like this, Liu Laidi cried even harder. Actually, she had wanted to take her daughter out of the Luo family before, but the elders of the Luo family refused to let her, given that Luo Xiaoya was old enough to do chores.

    ¡°Xiaoya, it¡¯s all mother¡¯s fault. Mother should have taken you away earlier.¡±

    Luo Xiaoya was delighted to see her mother and hugged her tightly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t leave me. I¡¯ll work harder and eat less. I¡¯ll listen to you in the future.

    Please don¡¯t leave me.¡±

    Liu Laidi cried even harder, and in the main hall, Feng Zhi¡¯s eyes turned red as well. Lu Jiao didn¡¯t stop the mother and daughter from crying. After all, it was good to let out all the frustration in their hearts.

    After a while, Liu Laidi and Luo Xiaoya finally stopped crying. Liu Laidi held Luo Xiaoya¡¯s hand and announced in a serious manner, ¡°Xiaoya, you were able to leave the Luo family because Lady Lu saved you. We have to repay her kindness and serve her with all our hearts in the future, do you understand?¡±

    Luo Xiaoya was already seven years old and was sensible. She immediately nodded obediently, ¡°I understand, mom.¡±

    Liu Laidi held Luo Xiaoya¡¯s hand and knelt down to thank Lu Jiao, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    It cost twenty taels of silver to get Luo Xiaoya out of the Luo family. In fact, no ordinary family would agree to buy a servant girl who was so young and small, let alone for twenty taels of silver. Liu Laidi was even more grateful to Lu Jiao and secretly vowed to serve her with all her heart in the future.

    Liu Jiao gestured for her and her daughter to stand up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you new names. From now onwards, there will be no more Liu Laidi or Luo Xiaoya.¡± Liu Laidi and Luo Xiaoya were eager to leave their past behind and immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Please give us new names, madam.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Liu Jiao said, ¡°Liu Laidi will be called Liu An, may you have peace and happiness for the rest of your life. Luo Xiaoya will be called Liu Fu, may you have good fortune for the rest of your life.¡±

    Liu Laidi, no, Liu An, was delighted and immediately kneeled down, ¡°Thank you for giving us new names, Lady Lu.¡±

    After she finished, she had her daughter Liu Fu kowtow to Liu Jiao.

    Liu Fu happily kowtowed to Liu Jiao. She didn¡¯t have a name before, but now she had a beautiful name that meant good fortune for the rest of her life. This was wonderful news.

    Liu Jiao looked at the mother and daughter and said, ¡°Liu An,e and leave your fingerprint here. Later, I will have Lu Gui go to the county government to change your registration.¡±

    Liu Jiao continued seriously, ¡°Liu An, it¡¯s not that I want you to be a servant. But if you don¡¯t be one, you can¡¯t live in our family. I can¡¯t let someone who¡¯s not a member of my family live in my house. Even though you would be a servant by title, I consider you my family once you enter my house. It¡¯s just that being a servant doesn¡¯t sound good. You can think about it a bit more.

    If you don¡¯t want to be a servant, I can arrange something else for you.¡±

    As soon as Liu Jiao finished speaking, Liu An became uneasy. She darted her gaze toward Liu Jiao and said quickly, ¡°Lady Lu, I¡¯ll leave my fingerprint. Please don¡¯t cast us out.¡±

    Liu Fu also became uneasy and looked at Liu Jiao cautiously. Liu Jiao couldn¡¯t say anything else. She quickly took out the contract and had Liu An and Liu Fu leave their fingerprints. She then said to the mother and daughter, ¡°From now on, you will work with Aunt Qiu and Feng Zhi in the back courtyard and do whatever work needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we understand.¡±

    The mother and daughter left happily. Liu Jiao put away the contract and indicated to Feng Zhi to take the daughter and mother and make arrangements.

    She took the contract to the front courtyard and told Lu Gui to go to the government office to change their registration and to register the mother and daughter under their family name.

    Lu Gui quickly responded, ¡°Actually, they are quite well off staying with us. Sister, you don¡¯t know how despicable the Luo family can be. Lady Liu wouldn¡¯t have had a good life if she had gone back. She might have been tortured to death by them.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Lu Gui and reminded him, ¡°I changed their names. From now on, Liu Laidi will be called Liu An, and her daughter will be called Liu Fu.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Lu Gui took the contract and left to take care of the matter.

    Lu Jiao turned around and nced at the little ones studying in the adjacent room. Lady Liu was attending a music lesson, and she briefly yed a tune on the piano to let the little ones experience music.

    That evening, Lu Jiao instructed aunt Hua to prepare two more dishes to celebrate the addition of two new members to the family.

    The servants of the Xie family soon learned about it. Two new members, Liu An and Liu Fu, had joined the household.

    The mother and daughter enjoyed the atmosphere of the Xie family¡¯s front courtyard for the first time while having dinner with the servants. Everyone was friendly and took good care of them.

    Aunt Qiu and Uncle Wen advised them that everyone would encounter setbacks in life and that they should not dwell on them. They should live happily.

    Liu An and Liu Fu finally felt at ease in the Xie household.

    The front courtyard was lively, and so was the back courtyard, mainly because the four little ones were curious. They used to call Liu An ¡°Aunt Liu,¡± but now, all of a sudden, she had be their servant. Another little girl named Liu Fu had also joined the household.

    ¡°Mommy, why do they have to stay in our house as servants?¡±

    The First Born looked confused. Aren¡¯t servants considered a poor title? Why did Aunt Liu have to bring her daughter and stay in the Xie household as a servant?

    Lushao exined to the four little ones in a serious tone, ¡°Because Aunt Liu¡¯s husband has died, and she, a woman with a daughter, would be bullied if she went out to make a living. So she had to sell herself to our family as a servant. Please be friendly to them in the future.¡±

    The four little ones immediately nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mommy. We won¡¯t bully them.¡±

    As soon as they finished speaking, Lu Gui hurriedly walked in and reported, ¡°Sister, something bad has happened. Brother-inw is injured..¡±

 Chapter 339 - 339: Both were Restless

    Chapter 339: Both were Restless

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao and the four little ones¡¯ faces dropped and they quickly looked over to

    Lu Gui.

    ¡°How did he get injured?¡±

    ¡°What happened to my daddy?! What happened?!¡±

    The four little ones cried in fear. They stopped eating their meal, slid down from their chairs, and ran towards Lu Gui, anxiously asking him.

    Lu Gui quickly spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what happened.¡±

    Lu Jiao stood up and walked out, taking two steps at a time. She instructed

    Feng Zhi on the side, ¡°Go bring my medical kit.¡±

    Although Lu Jiao had her space, she prepared a medical kit containing somemonly used surgical tools and medications to avoid being too obvious.

    Feng Zhi immediately turned around, went back to the room, picked up the medical kit, and followed her out.

    Lu Jiao led the four little ones to the front courtyard.

    On the way, the four little ones kept asking Lu Gui, ¡°Uncle, where is my daddy¡¯s injury?¡±

    ¡°Is his leg injured?¡±

    ¡°Will he not be able to walk again?¡±

    Lu Gui exined, ¡°This time, your father injured his arm. The injury isn¡¯t as deep as his bones. I heard that officer Zhao saved him so he wasn¡¯t seriously ininrpd

    Lu Jiao felt extremely anxious and wondered if this injury was again caused by the person who was calcting Xie Yunjin behind his back.

    As soon as the group entered Xie Yunjin¡¯s room, they heard Xie Yunjin thanking officer Zhao.

    ¡°Thank you, officer Zhao, for saving me today. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I would have suffered a big loss. Thank you.¡±

    Officer Zhao calmly spoke up, ¡°Yunjin, don¡¯t be so polite. You should let Lady Lu treat your wound as soon as possible. Although you didn¡¯t injure your bone, your wound is stillrge. If it gets infected, it will be troublesome.¡±

    As soon as Officer Zhao finished speaking, Lu Jiao, the four little ones, and Lu Gui, walked into the room.

    The four little ones ran to the bed, asking questions one after another, ¡°Daddy, where are you injured? Where?¡± ¡°Uncle said you injured your arm, not your leg.¡±

    ¡°Can you still write with your hand?¡±

    Seeing the concern of the four little ones, and thinking about how much they cared for him when he was bedridden, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but soften. Heforted the four little ones in a gentle voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, daddy only suffered a minor injury, and it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly examined Xie Yunjin and found that he had indeed not injured his bone and only had a surface-level wound. Although it looked scary, it was actually not a big deal.

    Lu Jiao was relieved and turned to thank officer Zhao, ¡°Thank you for saving my husband¡¯s life, officer Zhao.¡±

    Officer Zhao waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Lady Lu, you should treat Yunjin¡¯s wound as soon as possible to avoid infection and aggravating the injury.¡±

    Lu Jiao noticed that officer Zhao was even more nervous than she was about

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury. She couldn¡¯t help but look at officer Zhao a few more times. Previously, she had felt that officer Zhao was very enthusiastic and caring towards Xie Yunjin, and now it seemed that it was indeed the case.

    Could there be some exnation behind this?

    Lu Jiao thought to herself as she turned around to treat Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound. Xie Yunjin obediently stretched out his injured arm.

    The wound on his arm looked somewhat terrifying, with flesh and skin turned outwards.

    The four little ones looked at it with tears in their eyes.

    Lu Jiao breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it. At least his bones weren¡¯t injured. She signaled Feng Zhi to bring the medical kit over, and she took some tools to start treating Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound.

    The four little ones stood quietly on one side of the room without making any noise.

    While cleaning Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound, Lu Jiao asked softly, ¡°Was this caused by the same person who ran over you with a horse carriage?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and said, ¡°No, the person who attacked me tonight was obviously not the same person who plotted against me before. The person who plotted against me before was extremely careful and wasn¡¯t very physically capable. He¡¯s always acted when I was unprepared. The person who came to kill me tonight had several people who were skilled in martial arts. It was obvious that they were not ordinary people.¡±

    After a pause, Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°I suspect that someone leaked the fact that I am aiding magistrate Hu. That person was afraid that I would break the surface peace of Qinghe District, so they took action.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin said this, Lu Jiao frowned, ¡°The fact that you are aiding magistrate Hu has always been kept secret. How could it be leaked?¡±

    Apart from officer Zhao, only the household of Hu and the household of Xu knew about it.

    If someone leaked the secret, it must have been someone from one of these families.

    Even their servants didn¡¯t know about Xie Yunjin¡¯s role as a strategist for magistrate Hu.

    Officer Zhao quickly spoke up, ¡°I haven¡¯t said a word about this. I haven¡¯t even told my wife and children.¡±

    So it must be either the Hu family or the Xu family that leaked the secret?

    This matter must be investigated thoroughly. Nobody should get away with plotting against Xie Yunjin. Moreover, if the person behind them reveals everything the Xie family did, how could they continue their lives here?

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll have someone notify the Hu and Xu households. We must find out who leaked this.

    As soon as he finished, he turned to Lu Jiao and the four children and said, ¡°Stay at home and don¡¯t go out. Otherwise, you might be assassinated by the other side.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately became serious. She was not worried about herself, but was afraid that the four children would be harmed.

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    That night, Lu Jiao stayed in Xie Yunjin¡¯s room to take care of him. She was worried that the wound on his arm might be infected or inmed. After all, they had shared a room before, so she slept on the hard couch in his room.

    The four children also wanted to stay in Xie Yunjin¡¯s room to take care of their father, but they were coaxed back by Lu Jiao.

    The four children went to sleep in the back courtyard, feeling a little unhappy.

    In the room, Xie Yunjin was very happy, but when he saw Lu Jiao sleeping on the couch, he felt a little guilty. Finally, he casually said, ¡°It might not befortable for you to sleep on the couch. How about sleeping on the bed?¡±

    He added seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll each sleep on our own side. I don¡¯t have the habit of moving around.¡±

    Lu Jiao urged him to sleep, ¡°Go to sleep quickly. I¡¯mfortable here.¡± Xie Yunjin wanted to say something more, but Lu Jiao had already closed her eyes and rested. Xie Yunjin had to give up.

    In the room, the fragrance wafted, and although both of them closed their eyes and appeared to be resting, they had a hard time calming their minds. Before, they could sleep peacefully in the same room, but now they both felt restless and couldn¡¯t sleep for a while.

    Finally, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Xie Yunjin, do you think the person who leaked your identity as Hu¡¯s aid was from the Hu family or the Xu family?¡±

    After a careful analysis, Xie Yunjin said, ¡°I suspect it was someone from the Xu family. The Hu family has fewer people and it was magistrate Hu who asked me to work for him. Anyone who knows about it would not be allowed to mention it. The Hu family hopes that I would break the fake peace in Qinghe District. They should be very cautious and not easily leak any information.

    On the other hand, the Xu family is a bit chaotic. Not only are their servants unruly, but they also keep many concubines in their mansion.. Who knows if one of their servants or concubines overheard Xu and his wife talking?¡±

 Chapter 340 - 340: You are my Guiding Light

    Chapter 340: You are my Guiding Light

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao listened to Xie Yunjin¡¯s words and thought for a moment. She thought that his ideas were somewhat correct.

    ¡°We must find out who this person is, otherwise it will be troublesome. If we can find this person, we will know who they leaked everything to. We can follow the clues to find out who is behind your assassination. Maybe that person is the breakthrough we are looking for.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she suddenly became interested and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I go to the Xu family as a guest? Maybe I can help you find that person.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately refused, ¡°No, someone is watching us now, we can¡¯t act recklessly.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought for a moment and didn¡¯t say anything. It was indeed risky for her to go to the Xu family, especially since she didn¡¯t have any martial arts skills and didn¡¯t have a bodyguard to protect her. If she went there recklessly, she might be ambushed by the other party.

    However, Lu Jiao was very worried about the four little ones, so she decided not to let them step out of the house these days.

    On the bed in the room, Xie Yunjin doubted that Lu Jiao listened to what he said. He turned his head and stared deeply at Lu Jiao and confirmed.

    ¡°Did you hear what I said? Don¡¯t take risks lightly. You should know that the people behind this are likely to be from the four influential families. Those people are extremely vicious. If you are not careful, you may lose your life.¡±

    Xie Yunjin became more and more worried as he spoke. He didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to be calcted. If something happened to her, what would he and the four little ones do?

    Xie Yunjin continued, ¡°In the case of Luo Xinwu¡¯s murder, we found out that he had a lover who was a girl from Chunhong Pavilion. We captured her and asked her if Luo Xinwu knew anyone¡¯s secrets. That lover obviously knew talking was a taboo and refused to say.¡±

    Xie Yunjin finished speaking and looked at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao closed her eyes and didn¡¯t say anything, but Xie Yunjin could see her eyshes fluttering, which meant she was listening.

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°But that lover won¡¯tst long sealing her lips. She will definitely confess. The people behind all this are probably getting anxious and will try to kill Luo Xinwu¡¯s lover. Officer Zhao and I have set a trap, and we are waiting for them to fall for it.

    ¡°They attempted to assassinate me because the person behind it didn¡¯t want us to continue investigating. Further investigation might reveal the people who know their secrets.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he suddenly added, ¡°Actually, Luo Xinwu mentioned it to us before, but unfortunately none of us paid attention.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin spoke, Lu Jiao immediately opened her eyes and turned to him. As she turned her head, she saw the man on the bed looking at her with his dark and piercing eyes.

    Lu Jiao coughed ufortably and asked, ¡°What did he mention?¡±

    ¡°He said that magistrate Hu and his son are fools, and that the Qinghe District government has long been controlled by assistant magistrate Yang and administrator Peng. Without any surprises, he must have obtained evidence of their crimes, ckmailed them, and demanded money from them. Yand and Peng are working for the wealthy families in the Qinghe District ¨C definitely the four wealthy families. They cannot afford to let anything happen to them. Once those people found out that we were investigating this matter, they would resort to assassination to stop us from continuing our investigation.¡±

    After Lu Jiao heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, she thought of Luo Xinwu and couldn¡¯t help but show her disgust.

    ¡°Luo Xinwu deserved to die. He only knew how to eat, drink, and fool around outside. When he got unhappy, he beat his wife at home. Such a man deserves to be punished by the heavens.¡±

    While thinking, Lu Jiao turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin, ¡°I won¡¯t go to the

    Xu family for now. Let¡¯s figure out what¡¯s going on first.¡±

    Xie Yunjin breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to get involved in these things.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    On the soft couch, Lu Jiao knew that Xie Yunjin had said so much to her in order to persuade her not to go to the Xu family, fearing that she would be assassinated.

    Lu Jiao epted this and said softly, ¡°Thank you. And thank you on behalf of the people of Qinghe District.¡±

    Everything Xie Yunjin was doing now was beneficial to the people of Qinghe. Only by getting rid of these pests could he convince magistrate Hu to vigorously develop agriculture and make the people prosperous. But if they didn¡¯t get rid of these pests, they would obstruct their ns in every possible way.

    Qinghe District is clearly very poor, but those merchants were getting richer at the expense of the people.

    Xie Yunjin, lying on the bed due to his injury, was weak. He couldn¡¯t help butugh softly after he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words. He really wanted to tell her that it was because of her that he found his positive and sunny side. Her presence had guided him to the light.

    However, these words remained in his heart and he didn¡¯t say anything in the end.

    One day, he would tell her everything she¡¯s brought to him. He used to be a person with many ws, but the moments he spent with her made him realize his shorings. He worked hard to change them and be a better person.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t hear any more movement. She got up quietly and walked to the bed to check if Xie Yunjin had a fever by touching his forehead.

    Unexpectedly, as soon as she touched his forehead, he grabbed her hand tightly and held it in his.

    Lu Jiao was startled and thought he had woken up, but upon closer inspection, she found that he was unconsciously holding her hand in his sleep.

    She smiled and gently withdrew her hand, then walked back to the couch.

    That night, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t have a fever, and Lu Jiao waspletely relieved. When it was almost dawn, she took Feng Zhi to rest in the back courtyard and instructed Lu Gui to take good care of Xie Yunjin in the front courtyard.

    Lu Gui immediately agreed. He had gone through a lot during this period and had be a little more slick and assertive in his dealings with people.

    The news of Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury soon spread to a small circle, and many people on good terms with him came to visit, including the Dean and the families of

    Hu, Xu, and Tian.

    Each family brought generous gifts when they visited.

    Lu Jiao instructed Feng Zhi to write down what was given so that in the future, they could reciprocate with simr items.

    Feng Zhi had good abilities, and Lu Jiao consciously trained her in social skills. She nned to leave external affairs to Feng Zhi to handle in the future.

    In the courtyard, Aunt Qiu took care of Liu An and Liu Fu. Anut Qiu sympathized with the mother and daughter¡¯s situation and treated them with special care.

    Liu An used to be Luo Xinwu¡¯s wife and was good at serving him. Now that she was serving Lu Jiao, she fully demonstrated her ability and treated Lu Jiao just as well as she did Luo Xinwu. This made Lu Jiao feelfortable and at ease.

    At first, Lu Jiao was a bit embarrassed, but it made Liu An and her daughter uneasy. Aunt Qiu reminded Lu Jiao that now Liu An was a servant of the Xie family, so if Lu Jiao treated them differently, it would make things awkward for them. Therefore, from then on, she should treat them as servants of the Xie family..

 Chapter 341 - 341: Even Women are here to Snatch her

    Chapter 341: Even Women are here to Snatch her

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    When Lu Jiao heard the advice, she tried to adapt and as a result, Liu An and her daughter became very happy. Through observation, Lu Jiao found that Liu An had developed post-traumatic stress disorder after a series of beating.

    Initially, when Lu Jiao went to see Liu An in prison tofort her, Liu An became dependent on her. She felt more secure when she was with Lu Jiao, which was also why she sold herself.

    Apart from being dependent on Lu Jiao, she also had a fear of men. When Xie

    Yunjin came, she automatically went to the back courtyard to do other things.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything when she saw her do this, as time would help heal her emotional trauma.

    In the back courtyard, Lu Jiao was eating the grapes that Liu An and her daughter had peeled and seeded for her. Their work made it very convenient for Lu Jiao to eat.

    Liu Fu told Lu Jiao interesting things that had happened in their vige while Liu An massaged Lu Jiao¡¯s shoulders. Seeing her daughter¡¯s smile, Liu An was indescribably happy. Liu An¡¯s massage was neither too strong nor too light, and Lu Jiao felt veryfortable.

    Outside the door, Lu Gui walked in and saw Lu Jiao¡¯s behavior and his mouth twitched. His sister was really living a good life.

    ¡°Sister, Sixth Lady Tian brought two martial artists. She said she¡¯s giving one to you and one to brother-inw for protection.¡±

    Lu Jiao was surprised and stopped eating the grapes. The Tian family was really going all out.

    Lu Gui continued, ¡°The two people are twins, a boy, and a girl. Sixth Lady Tian specially picked them to protect you and brother-inw. They are both young, only sixteen years old.¡±

    Lu Jiao asked, ¡°What did my husband say?

    ¡°My brother-inw¡¯s idea is to ept them, so they can protect you and the four little ones. I just don¡¯t know what you think?¡±

    Lu Jiao was quite interested in the two martial artists that the Tian family had sent over and immediately got up to go outside, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Liu An and Liu Fu stayed in the back to clean up.

    Lu Jiao went to the front courtyard with Feng Zhi and met the two people that the Tian family had sent over.

    Although they were twins, they didn¡¯t look alike. The man looked tough and cold, while the woman was delicate and lively ¨C they were both good-looking.

    Sixthdy Tian saw Lu Jiao and immediately went up to her warmly, holding her hand and saying, ¡°Jiao Jiao, these are the guards trained by the Tian family. Now I¡¯m sending them to your family. What do you think?¡±

    Lu Jiao felt a little embarrassed and said, ¡°Did the Tian family spend a lot of money and manpower on these two?

    Lady Tian shook Lu Jiao¡¯s arm lightly, ¡°Jiao Jiao, you¡¯re being too polite. Don¡¯t worry about the cost. I¡¯m gifting them to you.¡±

    As she spoke, she took out two servant contracts and handed them to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°They are twins named Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu. These are their contracts.

    They will be servants in your household from now on.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin watched as Lady Tian held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. He felt a bit jealous and frustrated that everyone was trying topete for her attention.

    Men were one thing, but even women were now trying to snatch her away. This was getting ridiculous.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s cold ck eyes darted toward Lady Tian, but shepletely ignored him and kept praising Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Jiao Jiao, I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days, but I think you look even prettier now.¡±

    As soon as Lady Tian finished speaking, four little children appeared at the door and interrupted.

    ¡°My mommy is a fairy, so, of course, she¡¯s beautiful. She¡¯ll only get more beautiful in the future.¡±

    Among the four children, the Fourth Born was bing more and more adept at saying pleasing words. He was no longer the timid child who used to be afraid to speak up.

    Lady Tian especially liked the four children and would always y with them whenever she saw them.

    ¡°Who do you think is prettier, Auntie Tian or your mom?

    Second Born spoke directly, ¡°You¡¯re definitely not as pretty as my mom. Look at your dark skin, my mom is much paler, like flour.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Lady Tianughed and pped the table. ¡°Yes, yes, your mom is as white as flour.¡±

    The Third Born red at the Second Born, ¡°Don¡¯t keep saying that mommy is as white as flour. It¡¯s not a nice thing to say. You should say mommy is as white as sheep milk.¡±

    The First Born agreed with the Third Born and spoke up like a little adult, ¡°The Third Born is right.¡±

    The Second Born muttered quietly, ¡°Flour is good too. It¡¯s expensive and delicious. I think it sounds nice.¡±

    However, seeing everyone in the room looking at him, he quickly said, ¡°I know, my mommy is as white as sheep¡¯s milk. She is both beautiful and delicious, so that¡¯s fine, right?¡±

    Luo Jiao rolled her eyes speechlessly and looked at Lady Tian apologetically. ¡°My family has made a fool of themselves in front of you.¡±

    Lady Tian was a fan of everything cute and liked small adorable children. Every time she came to the Xie family, she would y with the four little ones and even wanted to take them home with her in her pocket.

    ¡°When are you guysing to Aunt Tian¡¯s house to y?¡±

    The four little ones immediately shook their heads and said, ¡°Not now.¡±

    Their mommy had told them that they couldn¡¯t go out now, as there were bad people watching their house. So they shouldn¡¯t run around.

    Not only should they not run around, but even Han Dongsheng and others who hade to their house for sses had note in the past few days. Their mommy said to prevent someone from harming them, she asked all the families not to send them over for sses temporarily. They had to study on their own these days.

    After the four little ones finished speaking to Lady Tian, they ran to Xie Yunjin¡¯s bedside to care for their father.

    As soon as the four little ones ran to the bed, they saw that their father¡¯s face was not looking good, and the First Born worriedly spoke up.

    ¡°Daddy, your wound hurts again?

    The Second Born immediately turned to Luo Jiao and called out, ¡°Mommy, daddy¡¯s wound hurts again.¡±

    After she heard the First and Second Born¡¯s words, Luo Jiao instinctively turned to Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Is your wound hurting again?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound looked scary, but it had actually scabbed over after he took the medicine, so it shouldn¡¯t hurt. However, hisplexion did look a little unsightly, so Luo Jiao stood up to go look at his wound.

    Xie Yunjin immediately spoke up, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m thinking about some things that are happening at the district office, and my mood is a little down.¡±

    What could he do? Was he going to tell Luo Jiao that he was jealous of her affectionate behavior with Lady Tian?

    After hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Luo Jiao didn¡¯t suspect anything and asked him, ¡°Then, regarding these two people¡­?

    Xie Yunjin looked at Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu, ¡°Let them stay.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Luo Jiao nodded her head and turned to thank Tian Huan,

    ¡°Thank you for your help this time, Huan Huan. I really appreciate it.¡± After hearing Luo Jiao¡¯s words, Tian Huan smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me.

    We don¡¯t need to say thank you between us.¡±

    She then turned her head to look at Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu in the room and said, ¡°Remember, from now on, they are your masters. You two have nothing to do with the Tian family anymore. If you protect them well, it will be considered as repaying the kindness of my Tian family..¡±

 Chapter 342 - 342: Xie Yunjin is Jealous

    Chapter 342: Xie Yunjin is Jealous

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu respectfully responded, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Tian Huan smiled, ¡°From now on, you should address me as sixth Lady Tian. Remember, from this moment on, you are servants of the Xie family. In fact, this is a stroke of luck for both of you. If you had stayed in the Tian family, you would only have be escorts for transporting goods. By following Schr

    Xie and Lady Lu, your prospects may be even greater than mine in the future.¡± Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu understood that Lady Tian¡¯s words were true. Xie Yunjin was a schr and had a strong academic background. If he passed the imperial examinations in the future and became an official, they would serve as his bodyguards, which would be more promising than staying with the Tian family.

    It was precisely because of this that Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu were even more grateful towards Lady Tian for sending them over.

    ¡°We thank you, Lady Tian, for your generosity.¡±

    After saying this, the two turned around and looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao,

    ¡°We pay our respects to the Young Master and Lady.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao nodded, epting them officially.

    Lu Jiao began to assign tasks, ¡°From now on, Ruan Kai will apany my husband and be primarily responsible for his safety, while Ruan Zhu will follow me.¡±

    As Lu Jiao spoke, Xie Yunjin, lying on the bed, said, ¡°You can have both of them. I don¡¯t need anyone.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately reminded him, ¡°Have you forgotten how you got injured?¡±

    Without waiting for Xie Yunjin to respond, she forcefully dered, ¡°That¡¯s settled.¡±

    Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu saw that Xie Yunjin remained silent and quickly responded, ¡°We ept your orders.¡±

    Lu Jiao called for Lu Gui toe in and said, ¡°Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu will be the bodyguards of the Xie family from now on. Arrange their amodation.¡±

    Lu Gui was delighted to see Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu because they were skilled in martial arts. With them guarding the Xie family, he could rest more peacefully.

    Lately, due to his brother-inw¡¯s injury, everyone in the family was worried, and the atmosphere in the house had be particrly heavy. Now, with two bodyguards, they felt more at ease.

    ¡°Bodyguards Ruan¡¯s, please follow me.¡±

    After bidding farewell to Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, and Lady Tian, Ruan Kai, and Ruan Zhu left.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao held Tian Huan¡¯s hand and smiled, ¡°This time,

    Huanhuan, you helped us solve a big problem. I¡¯m grateful for your assistance. If there¡¯s anything the Tian family needs help with in the future, feel free to ask me.¡±

    Lu Jiao was referring to herself as an individual. If there was anywhere she could be of assistance, she would definitely help.

    However, Lady Tian didn¡¯t notice this detail and replied with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to ask for your help if there¡¯s a genuine need in the future. I¡¯lle to you then.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The two women spoke happily, while the man on the bed gazed at them with deep, alluring eyes that glowed with fiery.

    The First Born quickly noticed something off about his father. He nced at his mother and Aunt Tian, who were speaking affectionately, and suddenly understood why his father¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good. It was because he was unhappy seeing his mother and Aunt Tian getting along well.

    Although the First Born didn¡¯t understand the subtleties, he didn¡¯t want his father to be unhappy.

    So he turned around and walked up to Tian Huan, ¡°Aunt Tian, let me show you the painting I did today. What do you think?¡±

    The three younger children, though they didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind it, followed along and joined in.

    ¡°Yes, Aunt Tian, let us show you the paintings we did today.¡±

    Tian Huan immediately got up happily and followed the four children out. Inside the room, Lu Jiao turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin on the bed, noticing that his expression wasn¡¯t too good.

    Lu Jiao worriedly walked up to Xie Yunjin¡¯s bedside and asked, ¡°Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good again. Are you sure your body is feeling okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face quickly returned to normal. With Tian Huan no longer being a hindrance, he felt much better.

    ¡°Lady Tian sent the two people here because you helped Tian Jinan with his injury. If you sessfully treat Tian Jinan¡¯s brain injury, it would be considered repaying their favor. If you can¡¯t cure him, we¡¯ll find another way to repay the favorter.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. She was about to advise Xie Yunjin to rest well when Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s voice came from outside the door.

    ¡°Schr Xie, is your injury serious?¡±

    As the words fell, a tall and handsome figure walked in from outside the door. Xie Yunjin coolly nced at him and asked, ¡°What are you here for?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng sincerely replied, ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about your injury. After all, you¡¯re the husband of my business partner. How can I note and show my concern?¡±

    Xie Yunjin bluntly exposed him, ¡°It¡¯s because Zhao Yuluo couldn¡¯t stand staying at home, right?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Indeed, you truly live up to being a schr. You guessed it right.¡±

    Earlier, when Xie Yunjin had the ident, Lu Jiao had sent messages to all the families, requesting them not to send their children here temporarily to prevent any idents on the way.

    As a result, Zhao Yuluo felt bored staying at home after a few days and insisted oning to the Xie family for lessons.

    Recently, Zhao Lingfeng had noticed that his daughter had be more sensible, so he immediately brought her over upon hearing her request.

    Inside the room, upon hearing Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words, Lu Jiao immediately frowned in disagreement and said, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous right now. You¡¯d better take her back. Don¡¯t send her over.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng casually replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will personally apany her for pick-up and drop-off every day. I guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen.¡±

    His daughter was bing more sensible. What was wrong with him sending her here?

    With Zhao Lingfeng insisting, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t deny him more. She looked at him and said, ¡°You¡¯d better pick her up every day. If you¡¯re not avable for pick-up, then don¡¯t send her over.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    As Zhao Lingfeng finished speaking, he looked at Lu Jiao and smiled, ¡°How about I send two bodyguards to your house?¡±

    Lu liao didn¡¯t sav anything. but Xie Yuniin on the bed replied. ¡°No need. we already have bodyguards at our house.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng skeptically responded, ¡°The bodyguards I¡¯m sending are skilled in martial arts. Your family doesn¡¯t have such bodyguards.¡±

    Before Zhao Lingfeng could continue speaking, Tian Huan, who was outside the door, entered and interjected, ¡°The ones I¡¯m sending are from the Tian family, what¡¯s the problem?¡±

    Lady Tian had recentlye to the Xie family and had seen Zhao Lingfeng once. Although she didn¡¯t know Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s identity, judging from his demeanor and behavior, she could guess that he held a high position.

    However, Lady Tian didn¡¯t like the sense of superiority he exuded, which is why she saw his unpleasant expression.

    Zhao Lingfeng naturally knew where the Tian family came from; it wasn¡¯t surprising that they had skilled individuals.

    However, now that he had brought people here, wouldn¡¯t it be unreasonable to take them back?

    Ignoring Lady Tian, Zhao Lingfeng turned to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and said, ¡°The people sent by the Tian family are from the Tian family, and the ones I¡¯m sending are from me. If you can ept the people sent by the Tian family, there¡¯s no reason not to ept the ones I¡¯m sending.¡±

    Xie Yunjin casually replied, ¡®My house is already overcrowded. Your family should take your people back.¡±

    Indeed, the Xie residence currently had quite a few servants and didn¡¯t need any additional personnel. While these servants didn¡¯t cost much, they still needed to be taken care of. Moreover, there were only a few masters in total, so having so many servants could lead to trouble.

    After hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s expression turned bitter. He turned to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked at him and said, ¡°There are indeed enough servants in my house. We don¡¯t need any more. Please take them back..¡±

 Chapter 343 - 343: Future First Assistantâ€™s Most Trusted Aides

    Chapter 343: Future First Assistant¡¯s Most Trusted Aides

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Zhao Lingfeng almost cried and wanted to p himself and curse himself for being too talkative.

    Two days ago, his master passed by Qinghe District to visit General Wang.

    Then, Zhao Lingfeng casually mentioned the assassination attempt on Xie

    Yunjin. Immediately, the master rewarded him with two people to deliver to Xie Yunjin. These two individuals were former soldiers, highly skilled, but unfortunately, they got seriously injured while they were rescuing General Cui Ting. One lost an arm and became a one-armed man, while the other had a crippled leg and became a cripple.

    Such individuals couldn¡¯t stay in the military, so General Cui Ting entrusted the master to arrange a ce for them. When the master heard that Xie Yunjin had no one to protect him, he ordered Zhao Lingfeng to send these two people to him. However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want them.

    If he brought the people back, would the master think he was ipetent and incapable of handling even such a small matter?

    Zhao Lingfeng looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao with tearful eyes and said, ¡°Those two people are really highly skilled. If they stay by your side, they will definitely be able to help you.¡±

    Just as Zhao Lingfeng finished speaking, Lady Tian chimed in, ¡°Are you talking about those two handicapped men outside?¡±

    Those two men even brought their whole family along. Lady Tian looked at Zhao Lingfeng in disbelief. This must be a joke.

    In the room, Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened, and she quickly turned her head to look at Lady Tian.

    Handicapped men? She remembered that in the novel, it mentioned a few trusted confidants of Xie Yunjin. There were two of them ¨C a one-armed bodyguard named Li Nantian and a one-legged man named Zhou Shaogong.

    Although these two individuals had lost an arm and a leg, they were highly skilled, and it seemed they were from the military. They possessed both bravery and intelligence and most importantly, they were extremely loyal to Xie Yunjin. In the end, when Xie Yunjin died, they fought with all their might, severely injuring the male and female protagonists before dying themselves while following their master.

    Thinking about the two individuals mentioned in the book, Lu Jiao furrowed her brows. Wasn¡¯t it stated in the book that these two bodyguards were gifts from the future Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Yan Prince, to Xie Yunjin? Why were they now being presented by Zhao Lingfeng? Where was the discrepancying from?

    While Luo Jiao was contemting, Xie Yunjin, with an unpleasant expression, looked at Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Are you joking? Sending me handicapped individuals.¡±

    Hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng helplessly exined, ¡°Let me tell you, these two people are from the military. They couldn¡¯t stay in the military because of their severed arm and crippled leg, so I sent them to you. I assure you, they are highly skilled despite their injuries. Even with a missing arm and leg, they are more than capable of protecting you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was about to ask him to take the people away when Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°Why do I feel that these two individuals are quite pitiful?¡±

    Lu Jiao pretended to show a face full of pity, but in fact, she knew that these two individuals would be Xie Yunjin¡¯s trusted aides in the future. So she had to help Xie Yunjin keep them. When Xie Yunjin enters the capital city in the future, these two people could apany him.

    As for the two individuals sent by the Tian family, the book didn¡¯t mention them. This was probably because of her, causing a butterfly effect and changing certain plotlines in the book.

    With this in mind, Lu Jiao thought of speaking up again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let theme in so we can take a look?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he went out to call the people in.

    As a result, a group of people walked in.

    Besides the two with the amputated arm and the cripple leg, there were several others following behind. There was an elderly blind grandmother and three small children who were so thin it was as if they hadn¡¯t eaten.

    Everyone in the room stared at these people, and then all eyes turned to Zhao Lingfeng.

    Zhao Lingfeng felt like crying. He originally thought his master wanted him to arrange for two individuals, but he soon realized that they had brought their whole family along.

    ¡°This is Li Nantian, and this is Li Nantian¡¯s mother and one of his sons.¡± ¡°This is Zhou Shaogong, and these are his two sons.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s introduction and carefully examined the two individuals, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong. Despite their amputated arms and limp legs, they exuded a strong aura and their eyes revealed a sharpness. These two were indeed military men and seemed formidable.

    While contemting, Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze fell on Li Nantian¡¯s mother beside him. At a nce, she noticed that the mother was blind, and the face of her young son was pale and emaciated,cking flesh. However, they didn¡¯tck courage, as they showed no fear upon being observed.

    Lu Jiao also nced at the two children next to Zhou Shaogong. They were simrly thin and weak,cking in flesh, but they possessed great courage.

    Children raised in military families were truly different. Lu Jiao looked at these individuals and a sudden thought emerged in her mind.

    There were four little ones in her family. Although they were still young, they could each have apanion to take care of them. Growing up together from a young age like this would foster stronger emotional bondspared to others.

    These three, along with Lin Xi, made a total of four. This could be considered her gift to the four little ones.

    With a flicker of thought, Lu Jiao decided to let them stay.

    Xie Yunjin, lying on the bed, was the first to speak, ¡°Zhao Lingfeng, are these the people you brought me? Are you giving me two individuals or two families?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng mumbled, unsure of what to say. He had no idea things would turn out like this.

    Xie Yunjin stared at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong, wanting to see if these two would turn around and leave.

    As military men, they possessed the pride of the heavens and couldn¡¯t bear Xie Yunjin¡¯s obvious disdain.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words were also a test for them, to see if they could withstand such remarks and leave. If they left, he would definitely not keep them. The Xie family sought loyal servants, not military men with pride.

    However, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong didn¡¯t turn around and leave. They raised their gazes and looked at Xie Yunjin, speaking calmly.

    ¡°Master Xie, although we have an amputated arm and a limp leg, we are by no means useless individuals. We won¡¯t freeload. Please let us stay, Master Xie.¡±

    The two of them were originally Captain Cui Ting¡¯s subordinates, and they were entrusted to Prince Yan by the captain due to the injuries they sustained while saving the captain.

    The Yan Prince sent them to the care of this Master Xie, indicating that he held high regard for Master Xie. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sent them over.

    Moreover, during this period, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong gained insight into human nature. Although they were amputated and crippled, they were truly not useless individuals. However, they couldn¡¯t find anything to do.

    Those who saw their amputated limbs and limp legs not only refused to assign them tasks but also looked down on them, treating them like street rats. Some even treated them like beggars.

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong looked at the blind grandmother and their young sons, nearly losing hope. Fortunately, the Yan Prince provided them with such an opportunity, and they naturally wanted to seize it.

    ¡°Please let us stay, Master Xie..¡±

 Chapter 344 - 344: Foolish Appearance

    Chapter 344: Foolish Appearance

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin nced at the people in the room and then turned to look at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°They have been through a lot, so let¡¯s keep them.¡±

    With those words, she looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong, ¡°You can stay, but you have to sign a contract of servitude. In the Xie family, we don¡¯t keep outsiders. Signing the contract makes you a member of my family, and we can return the contract to you in the future if you wholeheartedly serve the master.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong were prepared for this and immediately agreed,

    ¡°Okay, we agree.¡±

    Outside, Lu Gui happened to bring the four little ones and Zhao Yuluo in. As they entered, they were surprised to see the room filled with adults and children.

    Lu Jiao looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong, ¡°Li Nantian, you will be responsible for guarding the house and also for teaching the young masters martial arts. Zhou Shaogong, you will be in charge of driving the carriage for my husband.¡±

    Previously, their family wanted to hire a coachman, and now these two people hade, so they quickly made arrangements.

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, the Second Born happily rushed over and asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Learning martial arts? I want to learn. In the future, I will be a great general.¡±

    When the Second Born said this, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong looked at him with excitement. This young master could be nurtured well. They could fulfill their unfulfilled wishes through him.

    Lu Jiao patted the Second Born¡¯s head and reminded him, ¡°You have to study hard, you know?¡±

    Second Born vigorously nodded and said, ¡°Mother, I know.¡±

    Lu Jiao pointed to the three children in the room and said to the four little ones, ¡°From now on, there will be four other children in the house. I have decided to assign a ymate to each of you. They will be your own ymates from now on, apanying you in y and study. You will all grow up together. You must treat them well.¡±

    The four little ones looked at the three little ones in the room in surprise, and the three little ones stared back in astonishment.

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong were the most excited. ording to Lady Lu¡¯s words, their children would study with the young masters.

    ¡°Master, can our children also study with the young masters in the future?¡± They asked while kneeling down.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Yes, they can study together with the young masters. How much they can learn depends on their efforts.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong were overjoyed and thanked them while kneeling down, ¡°Thank you, masters.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Lu Gui and said, ¡°Take them and settle them down.¡±

    With so many people in the house, it was really getting crowded. They moved here only a short while ago.

    Lu Gui promptly led Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong out, and the four little ones followed behind the three children as they left.

    In the room, Zhao Lingfeng quickly spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve delivered these people, and

    I have something to attend to. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    After saying that, he grabbed his daughter, Zhao Yuluo, and tried to leave. Zhao Yuluo pouted unhappily and looked at her father, ¡°Daddy, why do the quadruplets have their own ymates, but I don¡¯t? I want one too, I want one too.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo threw a tantrum, and Zhao Lingfeng quickly spoke up, ¡°Alright, Dad will find a little maid to serve you when we get back.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo became happy, and Zhao Lingfeng turned around with her and said to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°I¡¯ll take her home for now ande back tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, and Zhao Lingfeng quickly left with his daughter. Lady Tian also bid farewell to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and left. ¡°Jiaojiao, when the crisis is over,e to my house as a guest.¡± ¡°Sure, I will definitely visit your house then.¡±

    Lu Jiao called Feng Zhi to escort Lady Tian out of the residence.

    In the room, Xie Yunjin, with an expression of calmness, nced at the departing Lady Tian. When he turned back to Lu Jiao, his face appeared particrly gentle.

    He looked at Lu Jiao and said gently, ¡°With so many servants added to the household all of a sudden, gather everyone together tonight in the courtyard to distribute tasks properly. We can¡¯t have chaos; we must strictly follow the rules. ¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed with Xie Yunjin¡¯s words; otherwise, things would be unruly.

    In the evening, all the servants were summoned to the front courtyard for a talk.

    Lu Jiao nced down and saw that there were quite a few people. In such a short time, their household had gone from having only seven servants to more than a dozen.

    In fact, if it weren¡¯t for Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong being the two trusted subordinates of Xie Yunjin in the novel, Lu Jiao would not have kept them. But because of her appearance, which disrupted the original plot of the book, she had no choice but to retain Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong.

    However, although there were more people at the moment after she and Xie Yunjin separated, these servants would be divided into two groups, so the number wouldn¡¯t be excessive.

    After some self-reflection and reorganization, Lu Jiao¡¯s mood became more tranquil.

    She looked at the group of servants below and said, ¡°I gathered everyone here today to inform you that our household is growing in numbers. Therefore, we need to reassign tasks. From now on, each of you will have your own responsibilities. You must strictly abide by the rules and not cause any disruptions.¡±

    The people all responded in unison, ¡°Yes, Lady Lu.¡±

    Lu Jiao swept her gaze over the people below and made arrangements, saying,

    ¡°Zhao Gui will be in charge of the courtyards.¡±

    Zhao Gui immediately stood up happily and nced at everyone. In such a short time, his sister¡¯s household had unexpectedly gained so many servants, and now he was in charge of managing all these people. Goodness, Lu Gui felt like he was going to faint.

    Seeing Lu Gui¡¯s foolish appearance, Lu Jiao felt a headacheing on and didn¡¯t bother looking at him. She turned her gaze toward the people below and continued speaking.

    ¡°Uncle Lin will be responsible for the horse. Aunt Hua will be in charge of the kitchen. Lin Dong will run errands for my husband. Uncle Wen will be in charge of guarding the gate. Aunt Qiu will handle the misceneous affairs in the courtyards, and as for Feng Zhi, she will serve as my senior maid and take care of social interactions, weing and bidding farewell to guests.¡± The people arranged at the bottom responded in unison, ¡°Yes, Lady Lu.¡¯ Lu Jiao then looked toward Liu An, Liu Fu, and the others.

    ¡°Liu An and Liu Fu will work in my courtyard, Ruan Kai will be my husband¡¯s bodyguard, and Ruan Zhu will be my bodyguard.¡¯

    These newly assigned individuals responded once again in unison, ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    Lu Jiao then looked toward Li Nantian¡¯s family and Zhou Shaogong¡¯s family.

    ¡°Li Nantian will serve as the guardian of the Xie residence, also responsible for teaching martial arts to the young masters in the household. Of course, if my husband needs you for something, you must follow his instructions.¡± ¡°As for Zhou Shaogong, he will be my husband¡¯s dedicated coachman.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong both epted in unison.

    Lu Jiao lowered her head and looked at the children brought by Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong¡ªthree boys, plus Lin Xi, making a total of four.

    ¡°As for these four little ones, they can be ced alongside my four sons to serve as ymates for them.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, Uncle Lin, Li Nantian, and Zhou Shaogong were all delighted. They could tell that the four young masters of the Xie family had been taught to be very well-mannered and polite. They were also very clever. They undoubtedly had a promising future.

    Their own children would surely benefit from being with the young masters. Being with the young masters would allow them to learn many things..

 Chapter 345 - 345: Concealed Spatial Artifact

    Chapter 345: Concealed Spatial Artifact

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After finishing her words, uncle Lin and Aunt Hua quickly pushed their own son forward.

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong¡¯s children also stepped forward.

    Lu Jiao looked at the four little boys and said, ¡°Here are four little boys. Each of you can choose a ymate. Remember, from now on, they will share honor and disgrace with you. If you make a mistake, they will also be punished.¡± As Lu Jiao finished speaking, the four little boys stared at the four little guys in front of the crowd.

    The four little ones were already familiar with Lin Xi, but they were not familiar with the other three. However, that didn¡¯t stop them from curiously sizing up these little guys.

    Lu Jiao looked at the four little boys and said, ¡°First Born, choose first.¡±

    The First Born immediately spoke responsibly, ¡°Mommy, let the younger brothers choose first.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately vetoed, ¡°As the eldest brother, allowing your younger brothers to choose first shows your magnanimity, but in our family, you are the eldest son. The eldest brother is like a father, so you have the priority to choose.¡±

    Previously, Lu Jiao indulged the four little boys because they were young. Now, she wanted to establish the right mindsets for them.

    She couldn¡¯t let them disregard the feelings of their elder brother just because the First Born was sensible and considerate.

    As soon as Lu Jiao said this, the three little boys immediately called out to First Born, ¡°First Born, you are the older brother, you choose first.¡±

    First Born looked at Lu Jiao with bright eyes, feeling indescribably sweet in his heart. Whether he chose first or not didn¡¯t matter to him, but he was happy that his mommy did it this way. Furthermore, mommy remembered his kindness towards his younger brothers, and he felt very happy, as if he had done something good and was being affirmed.

    The First Born turned and looked at the four little children, and finally chose Lin Xi. Lin Xi was very happy and grabbed the First Born¡¯s hand, smiling,

    ¡°Little Master, I will take good care of you in the future.¡±

    The First Born smiled and said, ¡°I will take care of you too.¡±

    The two of them smiled at each other, establishing the bond between master and servant.

    After the First Born made his choice, Second Born ran out and chose Zhou Shaogong¡¯s eldest son, Zhou Changan. Zhou Changan was strong and sturdy, and Second Born immediately took a liking to him. He thought that Zhou Changan could learn martial arts with him in the future, so he would have someone to practice with.

    The First, Third, and Fourth Born weren¡¯t particrly fond of practicing martial arts. The Second Born felt lonely practicing alone, but now that he had Zhou Changan, he would have someone to practice with. Not bad, not bad.

    Third Bao chose Li Nantian¡¯s son, Li Jincheng, nicknamed Yuanbao.

    Yuanbao was a delicate-looking boy, and Third Born was always particr about appearances. He immediately took a liking to Yuanbao and pulled him in. He smiled at Lu Jiao, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll choose Yuanbao.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and looked at the Fourth Born. In the past, everyone always let the Fourth Born choose first. Most of the time, he was the first one picked, but this time he was left behind. Lu Jiao wanted to see if he would get upset.

    Indeed, the Fourth Born felt ufortable, so he stood there for a while without speaking, feeling a bit wronged.

    Zhou Shaogong¡¯s second son, Zhou Youqin, was a very clever child. He noticed that Fourth Born was unhappy, so he immediately ran over, grabbed Fourth Bao¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°Little Master, I am Xiao Shitou. Please don¡¯t reject me. I will take good care of you in the future.¡±

    When Fourth Bao heard Xiao Shitou¡¯s name, he was surprised and curiously asked him, ¡°Why do you also have the name Shitou? There was also an older brother Shitou in the vige where we used to live, and he was a really nice person.¡±

    Xiao Shitou immediately started talking about his own name, and the two little guys got so engrossed in their conversation that theypletely forgot about everyone else around them.

    Lu Jiao looked at Fourth Born speechlessly. One chatterbox had encountered another chatterbox, and they had plenty to talk about.

    Lu Jiao no longer paid attention to Fourth Born and turned to address the people standing below, ¡°Alright, from now on, just focus on your assigned tasks. I don¡¯t want chaos in the house.¡±

    Lu Jiao spoke with a solemn tone, and everyone in the courtyard responded loudly, ¡°Lady Lu, rest assured, we will fulfill our duties.¡±

    Lu Jiao waved her hand, signaling everyone to disperse. However, just as she finished waving her hand, a weak voice from below spoke up, ¡°Lady Lu, I haven¡¯t been assigned a task yet.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly looked down and was surprised to find that it was Li Nantian¡¯s blind mother who was speaking.

    Although Old Lady Li couldn¡¯t see, she didn¡¯t want to be idle. In a weak voice, she said, ¡°Lady Lu, I can also contribute. Please assign me to help Aunt Hua in the kitchen.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Li Nantian, who was pleading with his eyes, hoping that Lu Jiao would give his mother something to do.

    After considering for a moment, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t refuse and replied, ¡°Alright, from now on, you can help Aunt Hua with cooking and vegetable picking.¡±

    Old Lady Li immediately became more energetic and said, ¡°Okay, I will definitely do more work from now on.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and waved her hand, dispersing the crowd and allowing everyone to go to their respective positions.

    She turned around with Feng Zhi and headed toward Xie Yunjin¡¯s room.

    On the wav. Lu Jiao said to Feng Zhi. ¡°From now on. vou will be mv senior maid and assist me with daily affairs. Liu An and Liu Fu will be responsible for taking care of me.¡¯

    During this period, Lu Jiao observed Feng Zhi¡¯s abilities, and she was quite capable.

    ¡°Lady Lu, I understand,¡± Feng Zhi replied.

    Lu Jiao entered Xie Yunjin¡¯s room and exined the arrangements for the servants to him. She then said, ¡°In the future, Ruan Kai and Zhou Shaogong will protect you personally, so you won¡¯t easily get hurt again.¡±

    However, Xie Yunjin did not fully agree with Lu Jiao¡¯s arrangement. He looked at her earnestly and said, ¡°If Ruan Kai is by your side protecting you, I will have Zhou Shaogong by my side. If you¡¯re still worried, I can bring Li Nantian with me when I go out. That way, I¡¯ll have two people protecting me as well.¡±

    Lu Jiao, however, ignored his suggestion. She knew herself well. She had a concealed spatial artifact on her body and was not concerned about her own life.

    On the contrary, Xie Yunjin needed more people to protect him. Now that the four prominent families knew that he had be the advisor to the magistrate, they would spare no effort in sending people to kill him to prevent him from disrupting theirwork of rtionships with officials. Therefore, Xie Yunjin¡¯s safety was the most important.

    ¡°Stop talking about it. It¡¯s settled. I rarely leave the house anyway, so I don¡¯t need that many people. Having Ruan Zhu with me is enough,¡± Lu Jiao said, finishing her words and preparing to leave.

    Outside the room, Lu Gui and Officer Zhao hurriedly walked in.

    As soon as Officer Zhao entered, he anxiously said, ¡°Yunjin, it¡¯s not good. The lover of Luo Xinwu, whom we previously captured, has been killed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face immediately turned gloomy, and he looked at Officer Zhao with an unhappy expression, ¡°You repeatedly assured me that it would be arranged properly and that there would be no mistakes. But now, the person has been killed again. What does this mean? It means that everyone in the county¡¯s justice system, from top to bottom, has been bribed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin had been hesitant about putting Luo Xinwu¡¯s lover in the district jail. His suggestion was to find another ce and arrange for guards to watch over her.

    However, Officer Zhao thought it would be convenient to keep her in jail, as he believed it would be difficult for the other party to make a move. He thought his few trusted subordinates were reliable, but now it seemed that they had been bought without his knowledge

 Chapter 346 - 346: Equally Ugly

    Chapter 346: Equally Ugly

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Officer Zhao thought over the fact that he had been unaware of the situation inside the district jail for these years. It might be that his trusted subordinates deceived him, causing him to be ignorant of the situation in Qinghe District.

    Officer Zhao fell silent, and after a while, he said with a heavy heart, ¡°This time, it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he turned to Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought of the hidden person in the Xu family and quickly spoke up, ¡°I can go to the Xu family and help you investigate that hidden person. Maybe we can catch them and find out something from them.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao said that, Xie Yunjin sternly stopped her, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with you taking risks. I have another idea.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he looked up at Lu Gui inside the room. Lu Gui immediately cleverly walked out. He understood that his brother-inw wanted to have a confidential conversation and didn¡¯t want him to hear.

    He didn¡¯t want to hear it anyway. He didn¡¯t understand the things they were doing, and he couldn¡¯t even make sense of what he heard.

    After Lu Gui left, Xie Yunjin looked at officer Zhao and Lu Jiao, ¡°Although the person was killed, we can deduce one thing from this: the Qinghe District jail is indeed controlled by assistant magistrate Yang and administrator Peng. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to kill an inmate so smoothly.

    Controlling the prison and bribing everyone there required arge amount of money. Where does their moneye from? Without any surprises, it¡¯s given to them by the merchants and traders in Qinghe. Where do they hide that money? We just need to find the whereabouts of that money to establish their bribery charges. Over the years, the amount of money they¡¯ve received is enough to sentence them to death.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, officer Zhao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as we find the money hidden by the Yang and Peng families, we¡¯ll have a breakthrough. I suspect it¡¯s not in the form of banknotes because banknotes can¡¯t be exchanged at banks. Once they¡¯re exchanged, it would expose their money-receiving activities. So the money given by the merchants to them is likely in the form of gold bars or silver.¡±

    As Zhao finished speaking, Lu Jiao thought of Luo Xinwu¡¯s death and quickly said, ¡°Do you think Luo Xinwu might have discovered Yang and Peng¡¯s money-making activities? Or maybe he knew where they hid the money, and used it to ckmail them?¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin and Officer Zhao exchanged a nce and nodded slightly, indicating that it was indeed a possibility.

    The next morning, the four little ones started ss and they were apanied by their four littlepanions.

    The originally quiet ssroom suddenly became lively. Zhao Yuluo also came.

    Not only did shee, but she also brought a little femalepanion. It was chosen for her overnight by her father. However, Zhao Yuluo was a particrly cunning little girl, and she deliberately chose a little maid who looked like a

    bean sprout in order to exaggerate her own beauty.

    Zhao Yuluo, like a little rooster, raised her head and walked back and forth in front of the four little ones with her little maid.

    ¡°See? What you have, I have too. This is my ymate, Dingding.¡±

    The four little ones gave her a disdained look. She was used to being red at by them, so she wasn¡¯t angry. She asked the second born with great interest, ¡°Second Born, do you think I¡¯m more beautiful or Dingding is beautiful?¡± The Second Born nced at her and replied, ¡°You¡¯re equally ugly.¡±

    Little Zhao Yulo had a surprised expression on her face. She turned her head and examined Dingding closely. She couldn¡¯t believe that she looked just as ugly as Dingding.

    Zhao Yuluo couldn¡¯t bear such shock and burst into tears. She turned around and ran to the backyard toin to Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao was lost in thought in the flower hall of the back courtyard. During breakfast, she had thought about who leaked the information about Xie Yunjin serving as Hu magistrate¡¯s aide.

    In addition, Lu Jiao remembered the strange incident of Xu Qingyin from the Xu family pestering Xie Yunjin. If these two things had happened separately, it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal. But now, two consecutive incidents urred, and it was clear that both were targeting them.

    Lu Jiao felt that there was something more to this. It seemed that there was someone in the Xu family who was unfavorable to them.

    No, she had to visit the Xu family and find out who this person was.

    With her decision made, Lu Jiao turned around, intending to ask Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu to apany her to the Xu family.

    Unexpectedly, outside the main hall, Zhao Yuluo rushed in like a little cannonball, crying.

    ¡°Aunt Lu, the Second Born bullied me.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt a bit of a headache. This little girl caused trouble every day.

    But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t scold her right away. She gestured for Zhao Yuluo toe closer and asked, ¡°How did he bully you?¡±

    Zhao Yuluo immediately wiped her tears and pulled Dingding, who was behind her, over. ¡°He said I¡¯m as ugly as Dingding.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Dingding, who had a thin face without any flesh, looking malnourished and indeed not very attractive.

    Zhao Yuluo was a very vain girl, so it¡¯s no wonder she cried when the Second Bornpare her to Dingding.

    Lu Jiao pulled Zhao Yuluo over andforted her, ¡°Aunt Lu will tell you a secret. Little boys can¡¯t tell the difference between beauty and ugliness. They only know who is nice to them, and that¡¯s who they consider good-looking. As for whether someone is good-looking or not, they¡¯re too young to understand. So if you want them topliment you for being good-looking, you need to be on good terms with them.¡±

    Zhao Yuluo blinked her eyes and looked at Lu Jiao, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. In fact, she wasn¡¯t wrong. Little boys at a young age don¡¯t have a clear concept of beauty and ugliness. They only know who is nice to them and who is not.

    However, the Third Born was an exception. This kid has always liked people and things that looked good.

    Of course, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n to tell Zhao Yuluo all of this to avoid her causing more trouble.

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhao Yuluo immediately shifted her attention.

    ¡°In that case, when they praise Xiaoxiao for being good-looking, it¡¯s because Xiaoxiao is nice to them, not because she looks good. So I¡¯m more good-looking than Xiaoxiao.¡±

    After Zhao Yuluo finished speaking, she happily pulled Dingding away and left. Lu Jiao, with a ck line on her face, watched Zhao Yuluo run away. What was going on?

    Feng Zhi, on the side of the flower hall, chuckled and said, ¡°Kids just do whatever they want.¡±

    Ruan Zhu smiled and said, ¡°But she does look pretty.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Ruan Zhu. Although she had just met Ruan Zhu, she already knew that Ruan Zhu was someone who cared about appearances, liked beautiful things, and loved to eat. Most importantly, Ruan Zhu had a particrly innocent and straightforward personality.

    Dealing with such a person was effortless, and Lu Jiao quite liked her.

    Thinking about it, Lu Jiao stood up and instructed Feng Zhi, ¡°Go quietly and inform uncle Lin to bring the horse out from the west side gate. I¡¯m going to visit the Xu family.¡±

    Feng Zhi immediately disagreed, ¡°Lady Lu, the master has already said that it¡¯s not suitable for you and the four young masters to go out at this time.¡±

    As soon as Feng Zhi finished speaking, Ruan Zhu immediately reached out and patted the soft sword at her waist, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. I guarantee the bad guys won¡¯te back if they dare toe.¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Ruan Zhu. She still didn¡¯t know how skilled this little girl was.

    But since the Tian family had sent her over, this little girl¡¯s skills should be quite good.

    While thinking, Lu Jiao turned around and looked sternly at Feng Zhi, ¡°Feng

    Zhi, are you my personal maid or the master¡¯s maid?¡±

    Feng Zhi immediately understood that she had made a big mistake and lowered her head, apologizing, ¡°Lady Lu, I was wrong.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at her and reprimanded her without reservation, ¡°I hope you understand one thing. You are my senior maid, and you must obey my orders at all times. If you can¡¯t do that, then I can¡¯t use you. If you would rather obey the master¡¯s orders, then go work by his side..¡±

 Chapter 347 - 347: Who Exactly Ruined his Plans?

    Chapter 347: Who Exactly Ruined his ns?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Feng Zhi was frightened and immediately knelt down with a thud, regretting how she crossed the line.

    Recently, she had been spoiled by how well Lady Lu had treated them, and she had be somewhat presumptuous.

    ¡°Lady Lu, I was wrong.¡±

    Luf Jiao nced at Feng Zhi and said, ¡°This is thest time I¡¯m saying this to you. Remember that I am your master. Whenever I give an order, you must obey it without question. Do not disobey my orders on your own ord, and don¡¯t think for me what is good. If you make the same mistake again, I will directly send you away.¡±

    Feng Zhi¡¯s face turned pale. She realized that she had truly angered thedy, and her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t console her. She decided to strictly discipline these maids from now on. Without rules, things wouldn¡¯t go smoothly. Although she wasn¡¯t particrly concerned about these matters, if she didn¡¯t take these matters seriously, her servants would be presumptuous.

    Lu Jiao made up her mind silently. Then she spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you this time, but if it happens again, I won¡¯t easily forgive you.¡±

    Feng Zhi quickly responded, ¡°Yes, Lady Lu.¡±

    As she finished speaking, she stood up and hurriedly arranged for Uncle Lin to bring the carriage.

    When Lu Jiao turned around, she saw Ruan Zhu looking at her, seeming bewildered. Lu Jiao amusingly said, ¡°Did I scare you?¡±

    Ruan Zhu immediately shook her head. She wasn¡¯t scared, but she had always thought that thedy had a gentle temperament. She hadn¡¯t expected her to be so imposing when serious. It seemed she had been mistaken.

    Lu Jiao looked at Ruan Zhu with a serious expression and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like it when someone disobeys my orders. So, from now on, you must follow mymands and not take it upon yourself to make decisions for me.¡±

    Ruan Zhu nodded vigorously like a little chicken pecking at rice. ¡°I understand. I will definitely obey yourmands and never disobey them.¡±

    Lu Jiao was very satisfied with the young woman¡¯s attitude and walked with her toward the front courtyard.

    As soon as Lu Jiao left the Xie residence, Lu Gui rushed into Xie Yunjin¡¯s room and reported that Lu Jiao took Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu to the Xu residence. It wasn¡¯t that Lu Gui enjoyed being a tattletale, but he was mainly concerned about his sister.

    His sister had taken two women to the Xu residence, which was very dangerous.

    Xie Yunjin had been tutoring the students in his room. The provincial examination was just a few days away, so even though he was injured and bedridden, he hadn¡¯t stopped helping the students review. Every day, students woulde to seek his guidance when they encountered difficult problems. ¡°What? Your sister took people to the Xu residence?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Gui with a cold gaze. Lu Gui quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡±

    His sister had warned him not to tell Xie Yunjin about this matter, saying she would return soon.

    But he didn¡¯t dare. If something happened, his brother-inw would definitely kill him. So, he decided to inform his brother-inw about what his sister had done.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin turned his head and looked at the students, saying, ¡°We¡¯ll stop here for today. Come back this afternoon.¡±

    Several students immediately respectfully got up and prepared to leave.

    During this period, Xie Yunjin had been diligently guiding their studies, and they were very grateful to him. Through this learning period, their progress had been remarkable, and it was highly likely that many of them would pass the provincial examination and be schrs.

    The students quickly bid farewell to Xie Yunjin and left. Xie Yunjin abruptly got up from the bed.

    Last time, Lin Dong had assisted him in getting up, and now Lu Gui nervously looked at Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Brother-inw, what are you doing?¡±

    Xie Yunjin gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried about your sister and n to go fetch her.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin said that, Lu Gui became uneasy. He wore a pained expression and said, ¡°Brother-inw, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t go. When my sister went earlier, she warned me not to tell you. If you go now, she will definitely punish me when she returns.¡±

    Being the steward of his sister¡¯s household was really not easy.

    Xie Yunjin red at Lu Gui with annoyance, ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re not worried about your sister¡¯s safety but concerned about hering back to settle scores with you?¡±

    Lu Gui felt guilty. Yes, at this moment, he should be worried about his sister¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have Uncle Zhou bring the carriage to wait at the mansion gate.¡±

    Early in the morning, Lu Gui had taken some people to the horse shop and bought another carriage, which has now proven handy.

    Afterward, Xie Yunjin instructed him, ¡°Bring Li Nantian as well. We¡¯ll go to the Xu residence together.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nned to bring Ruan Kai, Li Nantian, and Zhou Shaogong along.

    First of all, this group of people would help guard against any attacks from behind.

    Second of all, he wanted to test their skills and see how proficient they were in martial arts.

    Lu Gui quickly agreed, and Xie Yunjin tidied up briefly. With Lin Xi and Ruan Kai, he walked towards the mansion gate.

    At the gate, Li Nantian had been waiting. When he saw Xie Yunjin, he immediately respectfully called out, ¡°Master.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and got in the carriage. Lin Dong and Ruan Kai followed him onto the carriage, while Zhou Shaogong steered. Li Nantian sat in the seat beside him. The carriage headed straight for the Xu residence.

    Lu Jiao, apanied by Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu, went to the Xu residence without encountering any ambush. The carriage smoothly arrived outside the gates of the Xu residence.

    Feng Zhi knocked on the door, and someone from the Xu family went to report to Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang.

    These past few days, Grand Commander Xu had been anxious. Firstly, he was frustrated that he couldn¡¯t get the surgery he wanted. Since Xie Yunjin was injured, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t arrange the surgery for him. Secondly, the person leaking Xie Yunjin¡¯s secrets was likely from his household. If it truly was someone from his household, would Lu Jiao refuse to do the surgery out of anger?

    The more Grand Commander Xu thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He didn¡¯t feel like going anywhere and stayed in the house to investigate and determine if the leak of Xie Yunjin serving as Magistrate Hut s adviser came from his household.

    In reality, Grand Commander Xu felt somewhat guilty because that day, when he and Lady Zhang returned from the Xie family, they did discuss Xie Yunjin serving as Magistrate Hu¡¯s adviser. They even mentioned that Yang and Peng would probably be in trouble this time.

    Perhaps someone overheard them at that time and secretly informed Yang and Peng about it.

    Those two must have told the four influential families. Once those people knew about Xie Yunjin¡¯s involvement, there was no way they would spare Xie Yunjin. So it was their doing that led to Xie Yunjin being assassinated and injured.

    The more Grand Commander Xu thought about it, the worse he felt. He really wanted to find out who leaked the secret and give an exnation to the Xie family. However, no matter how much he investigated, even after several days, he couldn¡¯t find any suspicious servants or identify any foolish servants who had approached them when he and his wife were talking. Even their personal servants were standing outside the room and didn¡¯te in.

    In the back hallway, Lady Zhang looked at the distressed Grand Commander Xu and quickly advised him, ¡°Enough, maybe it wasn¡¯t someone from our household who leaked it. So don¡¯t trouble yourself unnecessarily.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu looked up at Lady Zhang and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s highly likely that someone from our household leaked the information. Just think about it, we discussed it that day. If we hadn¡¯t said anything, it would have been fine. But since we did, someone definitely overheard and leaked it. Now I want to find out who exactly leaked my words. Once I find them, I¡¯ll make sure to beat them to death..¡±

 Chapter 348 - 348: All these Women are so Capable

    Chapter 348: All these Women are so Capable

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After angrily speaking, Grand Commander Xu¡¯s wife quickly poured him a ss of water.

    In the past few days, the rtionship between the couple had improved. Previously, Grand Commander Xu med his wife for not bearing children and didn¡¯t pay much attention to her, but now he realized it was his own issue, he felt guilty for burdening his wife with his own infertility.

    Grand Commander Xu felt remorseful and treated his wife better than ever before.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get agitated. Let¡¯s check again. If it¡¯s really someone from our household, why haven¡¯t we found any evidence?¡± Lady Zhang said, trying to calm him down.

    Just then, their maid entered and reported, ¡°Master, Lady, Lady Lu is here to visit.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang exchanged nces and muttered to each other, ¡°Is she here to settle the score or for my illness?¡± Lady Zhang whispered, ¡°I think she¡¯s here to settle the score.¡±

    As for the treatment of his illness. thev couldn¡¯t h0De for too much. Whether or

    not Lady Lu would provide treatment was another matter.

    Of course, Lady Zhang didn¡¯t dare to say that, fearing it would hurt her husband¡¯s feelings.

    Grand Commander Xu immediately instructed the maid, ¡°Go and invite Lady Lu inside.¡±

    Lady Zhang stood up promptly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll personally go and invite her.¡±

    Lady Zhang, apanied by her personal maid, went outside to invite Lady Lu into the house, leading her to the backyard¡¯s main hall.

    Grand Commander Xu noticed Lady Lu¡¯s nervousness and forced a smile. ¡°Lady Lu, how are you daring enough toe out at this time?¡±

    Lady Lu smiled and replied, ¡°I can¡¯t just stay at home because someone is keeping an eye on me, can I?¡±

    She didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly asked, ¡°I came here this time to ask Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang if you have found the person who leaked the matter we discussed.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang immediately put on troubled expressions, ¡°We¡¯ve checked multiple times and questioned all the servants in the house, but we couldn¡¯t find any abnormality.¡±

    Upon hearing Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang¡¯s words, Lady Lu asked, ¡°Have you also investigated Grand Commander Xu¡¯s concubines? Have you checked all of them?¡±

    This question left Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang stunned. They had forgotten to investigate the concubines in their house. They assumed that the leak must havee from one of the servants who overheard their conversation. As a result, they neglected to investigate the concubines in the Xu home.

    Grand Commander Xu, with an incredulous expression, said, ¡°My concubines wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡±

    As he spoke, he remembered the concubine who had deceived him and made him wear the cuckold¡¯s hat.

    If the person responsible for this leak was one of his concubines, then what kind of people had he epted into his household?

    Grand Commander Xu¡¯s face underwent unpredictable changes. Meanwhile, Lady Lu paid no attention to him and turned to the maid beside Lady Zhang, saying, ¡°Which one of the concubines in your household was closest to Lady Xu Qingyin?¡±

    Since the servants in the Xu household had no issues, it was highly likely that one of the concubines was involved.

    Xu Qingyin¡¯s inexplicable pursuit of Xie Yunjin back then might be because someone had encouraged her. Otherwise, how could she be so determined to pursue Xie Yunjin? Lu Jiao had even asked Xie Yun in himself, but he didn¡¯t know Xu Qingyin. Yet suddenly, she appeared and dered him as her target.

    If it weren¡¯t for the leakage of the secret this time, Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t have thought much about it. But with the incident of the secret being leaked, she felt that Xu Qingyin¡¯s initial interest in Xie Yunjin was not pure.

    In the main hall, the maid froze when she heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words and quickly turned to look at her master and Lady Zhang.

    The masters had previously issued a prohibition order that Xu Qingyin¡¯s name should not be mentioned in the Xu mansion anymore.

    Grand Commander Xu paused momentarily and angrily red at the maid,

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Lady Lu¡¯s question?¡±

    The maid hesitated for a moment and quickly said, ¡°Lady Xu and Lady Shen were very close. They got along like sisters.¡±

    ¡°Lady Shen?¡±

    Lu Jiao suddenly became sensitive to this surname. She thought of Shen Xiu from the Xie vige.

    Although she had instructed the scar-faced man to take Shen Xiu to that ce in Qili, she had no idea if he actually delivered her there. So could this Lady Shen be Shen Xiu?

    If this was Shen Xiu, then Lu Jiao could understand Xu Qingyin¡¯s previous actions and the leakage of the secret. It was all because of Shen Xiu¡¯s resentment towards her. By now, she probably resented Xie Yunjin as well.

    Lu Jiao calmly looked at Grand Commander Xu and asked, ¡°What is the full name of this Lady Shen?¡±

    This time, Grand Commander Xu¡¯s answer was, ¡°Her name is Shen Lian.¡±

    The name didn¡¯t quite match, but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t let it go. She further asked, ¡°When did you take Shen Lian as a concubine?¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Grand Commander Xu said, ¡°It was probably about two months ago, I can¡¯t remember the exact time.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes darkened for a moment. The timing matched up, so it¡¯s very likely that this woman named Shen Lian is Shen Xiu. That¡¯s why Xu Qingyin inexplicably pursued Xie Yunjin, and someone from the Xu family leaked the news of Xie Yunjin bing the assistant to the magistrate.

    Lu Jiao spoke in a low voice, ¡°I want to meet this Shen Lian in person.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang exchanged nces and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is there something wrong with this woman?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s too early to say for sure. I¡¯ll know after I meet her.¡±

    Immediately, Grand Commander Xu asked Lady Zhang¡¯s maid to summon Shen Lian and bring her over. If this woman truly leaked the secret, there¡¯d be many ways he could deal with her.

    As the maid went out to fetch Shen Lian, Lu Jiao casually asked Grand Commander Xu, ¡°How did you find and then take in Shen Lian as your concubine?¡±

    ¡°Before, I was drinking with a few friends at a restaurant. After getting drunk, I slept with Shen Lian. It wouldn¡¯t be right to not give her a proper status, so I took her as my concubine.¡±

    Lu Jiao squinted her eyes and asked, ¡°Does Shen Lian have any family?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she has a fierce older brother who wanted to sell her. In the end, I gave her brother a hundred taels of silver.¡±

    After Grand Commander Xu finished speaking, Lady Zhang, who was beside him, red at him with displeasure.

    Grand Commander Xu immediately put on a smiling face and even reached out to pinch Lady Zhang¡¯s hand.

    In front of Lu Jiao, Lady Zhang naturally couldn¡¯t explode in anger.

    Lu Jiao continued to ask Grand Commander Xu, ¡°What does her brother look like?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s tall and sturdy, with a scar on his face. He looked quite intimidating.¡±

    Once Grand Commander Xu said that, Lu Jiao confirmed that the new concubine Grand Commander Xu took in was indeed Shen Xiu. That¡¯s why Xu Qingyin inexplicably pursued Xie Yunjin. This must be Shen Xiu¡¯s doing, and she was the someone who leaked the news of Xie Yunjin bing the advisor to the magistrate.

    Thinking about Shen Xiu hiding in the dark and repeatedly causing these incidents, Lu Jiao¡¯s face involuntarily turned cold. This time, she couldn¡¯t let Shen Xiu off lightly anymore.

    While Lu Jiao was deep in thought, a little maid rushed in from outside the door and reported, ¡°Master, ma¡¯am, there¡¯s a Master Xie waiting to see you outside.¡±

    In the main hall, Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang quickly looked at Lu Jiao. Could this Master Xie be Schr Xie?

    What was going on with this couple? Why did theye one after another? And if they had toe, why didn¡¯t theye together?

 Chapter 349 - 349: A Murder

    Chapter 349: A Murder

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression became somewhat hard to read, and she gritted her teeth. She wondered how she would deal with Lu Gui when she returned. She had repeatedly told him not to mention anything to Xie Yunjin, yet he still went ahead and mentioned it.

    Lu Jiao slowly forced a smile and looked at Grand Commander Xu and Lady

    Zhang, ¡°He mentioned earlier that he woulde to pick me up.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang nodded with understanding. So that¡¯s how it was.

    Grand Commander Xu smiled and said, ¡°Lady Lu and Schr Xie seem to have a strong bond.¡±

    After Grand Commander Xu finished speaking, he turned to Lady Zhang, his expression implying that he would also treat her well in the future.

    Lady Zhang wanted to roll her eyes at him. This guy wasparing himself to Schr Xie? Schr Xie has only one wife from start to finish, while themander got one concubine after another. How dare hepare himself to Schr Xie?

    Lady Zhang ignored Grand Commander Xu and ordered a young maid, ¡°Go and invite Schr Xie in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lady.¡±

    The maid left.

    Xie Yunjin was quickly escorted in.

    Grand Commander Xu, feeling guilty for causing Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury, stood up to greet him as he entered and took a seat.

    ¡°Is Schr Xie¡¯s injury alright?¡± Grand Commander Xu asked with a faint smile. Xie Yunjin nodded indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s much better now.¡±

    After he spoke, he turned his head and looked at Lu Jiao, his dark eyes filled with unspoken meaning. However, he remained silent and simply gazed steadily at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao looked at him and gave him a smile.

    In an instant, Xie Yunjin¡¯s infuriated heart melted like spring rain, and he couldn¡¯t muster any anger.

    Perhaps, in the future, he would be a man who couldn¡¯t stand firm in front of his wife and would be easily swayed.

    But when he thought about that scene, he felt a sweet sensation in his heart.

    It turned out that those who were afraid of their wives were not truly afraid but rather liked their wives and didn¡¯t want to make them angry.

    In the main hall, Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°I might have found out who leaked information about you from the Xu family. Do you know who it is?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately stared at Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could speak, they heard sudden screams outside the Xu residence, followed by a chaoticmotion.

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang naturally heard it too, and they were infuriated. Didn¡¯t they realize there were guests? What was all the fuss about?

    Lady Zhang turned to the maid beside her and ordered, ¡°Xiao Zi, go and see what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Xiao Zi quickly went out and returned shortly to report, ¡°Master, Lady, something bad has happened. A concubine has been severely injured, with blood all over her face. Concubine Shen is missing, and her clothes and jewelry are gone too.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang¡¯s expressions turned extremely grim. They looked at Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin apologetically and said, ¡°We¡¯re sorry for this inconvenience.¡±

    After speaking, the two of them stood up and walked outside, with Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin following them.

    Along the way, Lu Jiao whispered to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Do you know who leaked your secret?¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at the person next to him, feeling a slight dizziness, unable to focus his thoughts.

    ¡°who?¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s Shen Xiu.¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin was taken aback. He quickly asked, ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Shen Xiu. She is Grand Commander Xu¡¯s ninth concubine, now known as Shen Lian. She was most likely the one who instigated Xu Qingyin to pursue you. She probably wanted Xu Qingyin to snatch you away from me and make me lose you.¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes lit up with an rming intensity. He wanted to say, ¡°I am yours, and you will never lose me.¡± But he didn¡¯t dare to say it.

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that she is also the one who leaked information about you being an advisor to Magistrate Hu.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned exceptionally cold upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words.

    He had absolutely no rtionship with Shen Xiu. At most, they had exchanged a few words in the vige because she had always been following him around, and he found it annoying. So he politely refused her and asked her not to follow him.

    But he never expected this woman to bring him such great trouble.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned icy. He followed Lu Jiao, Grand Commander Xu, and Lady Zhang as they walked toward the courtyard where the concubines of the Xu family resided.

    Although Grand Commander Xu was just a minor official, his family was wealthy, and he obtained his position through mary means.

    Although the Xu family was not short of money, several concubines lived together in onerge courtyard. ording to the ancestral rules of the Xu family, a concubine could only have her own courtyard after giving birth to a child. So far, except for Xu Qingyin¡¯s mother who had an independent courtyard, the other concubines lived together in onerge courtyard.

    Inside the courtyard, chaos ensued.

    People were whispering and discussing among themselves. As Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang arrived, all the concubines approached them, saying, ¡°Master, Lady.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu angrily asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? How did things escte like this?¡±

    One of the older concubines walked forward and said, ¡°Master, Concubine Zhang was killed in Concubine Shen¡¯s room. Concubine Shen is missing.

    Everyone spectes that Concubine Shen wanted to escape, but Concubine

    Zhang discovered and tried to stop her, resulting in her being killed.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang¡¯s faces turned dark. They had initially thought Concubine Zhang was only severely injured upon hearing the report, but they never expected her to be dead.

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang lifted their feet and headed towards the small courtyard where Concubine Shen resided.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin nced at each other quickly. If it is proven that

    Concubine Zhang was killed by Shen Xiu, that woman would be a murderer. They wouldn¡¯t need to take care of her themselves this time; she would have no way out.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin followed Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang into Shen Xiu¡¯s room.

    Concubine Zhang is actually Zhao Hehua, the daughter adopted by Officer Zhao. At this moment, half of her face was covered in blood, her body slumped against the edge of a chair, and the floor was scattered with shattered vases. She didn¡¯t move at all, showing no signs of life.

    Grand Commander Xu looked at Concubine Zhang and quickly turned his head to nce at Lu Jiao, ¡°Is she really dead?¡±

    Lu Jiao took a step forward and checked. It was confirmed that Concubine Zhang had indeed passed away.

    Lu Jiao looked at her and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    A precious life had been lost just like that. If she had peacefully married that butcher Niu, none of this would have happened.

    Thinking about this, Lu Jiao stood up and looked at Grand Commander Xu, ¡°She has indeed ceased to breathe. She was severely injured by someone and died due to excessive blood loss.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be any more unsightly. At the same time, he made a silent resolution not to take any more concubines in the future. There weren¡¯t many good ones among them.

    Frustrated, Grand Commander Xu thought to himself while Lady Zhang called out, ¡°Where are the maids who were attending to Concubine Zhang? Why didn¡¯t they follow her?¡±

    As soon as Lady Zhang spoke, two maids, Tou Cuilu who served Concubine

    Zhang and Xiao Hong who served Concubine Shen, were pulled in from outside. The two maids had pale faces and were trembling.

    Seeing Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang, they immediately knelt down and cried, ¡°Master, Lady, it was Concubine Shen who injured Concubine Zhang with a vase. We were frightened at the time, so..

 Chapter 350 - 350: Chill in his Heart

    Chapter 350: Chill in his Heart

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xiao Hong, in a dazed state, spoke up, ¡°Master, Lady, I¡¯ll tell you everything. I¡¯ll tell you everything. Concubine Shen has always harbored resentment towards the wife of Schr Xie. That¡¯s why she instigated Ms. Xu to snatch Schr Xie away. Later, when Concubine Zhang had a quarrel with her father and stayed at our residence, Concubine Shen secretly drugged Concubine Zhang. The reason why Master and Concubine Zhang were together that night was because of the drugs Concubine Shen had given to you both.

    Concubine Shen did all this because Concubine Zhang had previously mocked her for being a concubine, so she wanted Concubine Zhang to experience being a concubine herself.¡¯

    Xiao Hong spoke intermittently, revealing the whole story. Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang wore extremely grim expressions.

    The concubines in their household were beyond belief. First, there was a concubine who implicated him, and now there was a cunning and malicious concubine. Moreover, this person had a grudge against the wife of Schr Xie, Lu Jiao.

    Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang turned to Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Lu Jiao, is this Shen person your enemy?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and replied, ¡°This person is undoubtedly Shen Xiu, the widow from our Xie family¡¯s vige.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao spoke, Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang¡¯s faces turned pale. The concubine they had taken in turned out to be a widow.

    Grand Commander Xu shook his head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. When I was with her, I saw blood on her body. She was still a virgin.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at Grand Commander Xu with displeasure and said, ¡°You were probably drunk at the time. Didn¡¯t she have enough time to fake it? Besides, whether or not you touched her that night, I doubt you even remember.¡± If he was truly drunk, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to perform.

    Grand Commander Xu¡¯s face turned pale and then flushed. Angered, he turned to Xiao Hong and demanded, ¡°Did she instruct you to deliver any messages?¡±

    Xiao Hong nodded quickly and cried, ¡°She asked me to deliver a message to her brother, requesting him to meet her. As for anything else, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Without a doubt, Shen Xiu had instructed that scar-faced man to deliver messages to Yang and Peng, informing them about Xie Yunjin¡¯s role as advisor to Magistrate Hu and revealing that Xie Yunjin had intentions of confronting them.

    Once Yang and Peng knew about this, they would surely inform the members of the four influential families to take action against Xie Yunjin, which is why he was injured.

    Lu Jiao thought about it, and naturally, Xie Yunjin thought about it too. His expression turned cold, his gaze icy as he looked at Grand Commander Xu and said in a deep voice, ¡°Report this to the authorities immediately and have them arrest this woman.¡±

    After he finished his words, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°Her name is Shen Xiu, and she is not only a widow from the Xie vige but is also married to someone else.

    She has a husband.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu¡¯s face couldn¡¯t get any darker. After a long time, he finally spoke, ¡°Isn¡¯t it better not to report this to the authorities?¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to expose such a disgraceful matter.

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t mince his words and said directly, ¡°Is Grand Commander Xu trying to protect the criminal? Don¡¯t forget, the one who died is the daughter of Officer Zhao. Although he doesn¡¯t acknowledge her as his daughter, he raised her. Now that she has been beaten to death, if Officer Zhao finds out and learns that Grand Commander Xu didn¡¯t want to report this, he won¡¯t let it go easily.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang nced at Concubine Zhang behind them with a headache. At this moment, they couldn¡¯t help but feel some sympathy for this woman who had fallen victim to Shen Xiu¡¯s malicious scheme. It was truly unfortunate.

    Grand Commander Xu thought for a moment and finally agreed to report the case to the authorities. He immediately instructed someone to make the report.

    Officer Zhao quickly arrived with his subordinates. Later, Lady Lu arrived as well.

    When the husband and wife and their young daughter saw the lifeless body of Concubine Zhang, or Zhao Hehua, their eyes turned red with tears.

    Lady Lu sorrowfully said, ¡°Why did she have to suffer like this? Why did she lose her life for no reason?¡±

    Officer Zhao angrily retorted, ¡°She brought this upon herself. She was just an ordinary person, yet her ambitions soared. If it weren¡¯t for her lofty ambitions, she would still be living happily.¡±

    Officer Zhao¡¯s younger daughter choked on her words and said, ¡°Father, don¡¯t talk about sister anymore. Catch the culprit for sister¡¯s sake. That would be avenging her.¡±

    Officer Zhao nodded and turned to Grand Commander Xu, inquiring about the details.

    Finally, Xie Yunjin informed Officer Zhao about how their concubine from the Xu family, Shen Xiu, had killed Zhao Hehua.

    ¡°You must apprehend this woman. She is ruthless and cunning. If she isn¡¯t caught, there will likely be more trouble in the future.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Officer Zhao looked at him and said, ¡°Since you know this woman, could you please draw a portrait of her for me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin despised Shen Xiu at this point and didn¡¯t want to draw her portrait.

    Lu Jiao, who stood to the side, immediately spoke up, ¡°Let me draw her portrait.¡±

    As a military doctor, Lu Jiao had learned to sketch human portraits, and the resemnce of her sketches was extremely urate.

    Xie Yunjin nced at Lu Jiao, knowing that she spoke up because she could sense his reluctance to draw the woman¡¯s portrait.

    Lu Jiao paid no attention to Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression and didn¡¯t ask for the materials that Grand Commander Xu had arranged. She found a slender charcoal stick in the kitchen and began to sketch Shen Xiu¡¯s portrait.

    Since it was only a facial sketch, she quicklypleted it.

    Those in the room who knew Shen Xiu nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, this is how she looks. It¡¯s very simr.¡±

    Officer Zhao reached out and took the portrait. With a dark expression, he said,

    ¡°I will find a way to capture her as soon as possible.¡±

    Xie Yunjin pulled Officer Zhao to the side and lowered his voice, hinting,

    ¡°There¡¯s a man with a scar on his face who is often with her. That¡¯s a clue.

    Additionally, she previously instructed this scar-faced man to deliver messages to Yang and Peng. If she has run away this time, she might go to find these two individuals. Keep a close eye on them secretly.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he advised Officer Zhao, ¡°Don¡¯t trust the constables around you. Investigate these matters discreetly on your own.¡± Officer Zhao nodded heavily in a somber mood, agreeing to the suggestion.

    ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± he said.

    After speaking, he turned around and ordered his subordinates to take his foster daughter to the Yi Vige. One of the subordinates behind him spoke up, ¡°Officer Zhao, the maids of Concubine Shen and Zhang should be brought to jail. They are witnesses to the murder case.¡±

    Officer Zhao immediately turned around, wearing a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, and looked at the constable beside him. ¡°Zhu Er, I still need your guidance in my work.¡±

    Zhu Er was someone he referred and got him the job at the district jail as a constable, but he and the others had been bribed. Officer Zhao felt a chill in his heart.

    After speaking, Officer Zhao didn¡¯t pay any attention to Zhu Er. He coldly looked at the other constables behind him and said, ¡°The person we brought back earlier was killed like this. For now, we won¡¯t bring these two individuals back. Leave them under the supervision of the Xu family.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu immediately spoke up, ¡°We will take good care of the witnesses. Officer Zhao, rest assured.

    Officer Zhao gave a faint response, then turned around and led his men to take away the corpse. The other constables hesitated to leave, but seeing their leader walk away, they had no choice but to follow..

 Chapter 351 - 351: To Avoid Accidents

    Chapter 351: To Avoid idents

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Grand Commander Xu stared at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao with a troubled expression. His greatest concern now was that Lu Jiao, due to this incident, would be angry and unwilling to provide medical treatment for his illness. That would result in him losing the opportunity to have any children.

    ¡°Lady Lu, this is not my fault. I had no idea that the concubine I took in would turn out to be such a treacherous woman. Therefore, can you please not refuse to treat my illness,¡± Grand Commander Xu pleaded.

    Lu Jiao looked at him coldly, ¡°At this moment, you still have the audacity to think about your own treatment. You should focus on rectifying the matters within your own family and avoid causing further trouble.¡±

    After her words, she turned her gaze to the two maids of Concubine Shen and

    Zhang and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take these two individuals for custody.¡±

    Xiao Hong and Cui Luer were frightened and quickly shook their heads, ¡°We won¡¯t go, we won¡¯t go!¡±

    Xie Yunjin paid no attention to them and directlymanded Ruan Kai and Li

    Nantian, who stood nearby, ¡°Take them away.¡±

    The two of them stepped forward and lifted the two maids up as if they were picking up small chicks. The maidservants couldn¡¯t break free. They turned their heads towards Grand Commander Xu and Lady Zhang, calling out,

    ¡°Master, Lady, we don¡¯t want to leave. We want to stay at home.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu ignored them and turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°You may take them away, but you cannot refuse to treat my illness.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded with annoyance, ¡°We are currently facing significant troubles within our family. How can I provide treatment for you? If you genuinely wish to receive treatment, find a way to assist us in capturing Assistant Magistrate Yang and Administrator Peng. Once we apprehend these two troublemakers, the merchants will hesitate to act out against us and our family will not encounter any further problems. At that time, I can then provide you with medical treatment.¡±

    Upon realizing the validity of her words, Grand Commander Xu immediately eximed, ¡°Very well, I will find a way to help you capture Yang and Peng. Those two are scoundrels.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao no longer paid him any attention. They turned around and brought Xiao Hong and Cui Luer back to the Xie residence.

    During their journey, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao had initially been concerned about potential assassination attempts. However, to their surprise, they arrived safely without encountering any incidents. It appeared that the person behind the attempts on Xie Yunjin¡¯s life was now exercising extreme caution, fearing falling into their hands.

    ¡°They are being cautious, so we must be even more vignt,¡± Xie Yunjin cautioned Lu Jiao, who nodded in agreement.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel infuriated when she thought about Concubine Shen, who had been lurking in the shadows and plotting against them.

    ¡°If only we had dealt with her earlier. Did you have any knowledge of her intentions before?¡±

    Lu Jiao suddenly halted, realizing that she had never discussed this matter with Xie Yunjin.

    However, when he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin immediately understood that there were undisclosed events between them. He promptly inquired, ¡°Did she attempt to employ malicious tactics against you in the past?¡±

    Recalling Concubine Shen¡¯s sudden disappearance and the incident when Widow Li visited their house asking for Shen Xiu¡­ It became apparent that something significant had urred during that period.

    Xie Yunjin stared intently at Lu Jiao with his dark and shining eyes. Seeing him like this, Lu Jiao decided not to keep anything from him any longer.

    ¡°There was an incident before when I went to Qili to shop around. That woman

    happened to be in town as well. She actually recruited several thugs, led by the

    man with a scarface, to capture me. You know, I am strong, and those guys

    didn¡¯t expect it. I managed to overpower them, and I had scarface sell Shen Xiu

    to a brothel.

    Now it seems that Shen Xiu must have convinced scarface to cooperate with her. They targeted Grand Commander Xu as their prey and set up a scheme.

    Shen Xiu smoothly entered the Xu residence, and scarface received a hundred taels of silver.¡¯

    In fact, if it weren¡¯t for Lu Jiao¡¯s sudden disy of strength that frightened scarface, he might not have obeyed her and would have gone ahead and sold Shen Xiu. But in the end, Shen Xiu managed to persuade him and handed her over to Grand Commander Xu.

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she realized that there was a chilling silence in the carriage. She turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin beside her and saw his brows furrowed deeply, his eyes filled with a cold and dark aura.

    He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, ¡°That damn woman, we must catch her.¡±

    After saying that, he suddenly turned his gaze toward Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Can you inform me if anything like this happens again in the future?¡±

    If Lu Jiao had told him, he would not have easily let Shen Xiu off the hook.

    Lu Jiao let out a long sigh and said, ¡°I underestimated her. I thought she was just a woman from the countryside. The punishment she received was already severe enough. I didn¡¯t expect her to turn the tables. Actually, if she had obediently served as Grand Commander Xu¡¯s concubine, she might have lived a decent life. But she chose to act recklessly. In that case, this time we absolutely cannot let her go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xie Yunjin decided that after returning home, he would send Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong to investigate Shen Xiu¡¯s whereabouts. He couldn¡¯t rely solely on Officer Zhao to find Shen Xiu. That woman was nothing but trouble.

    The carriage returned to the Xie residence, and Xie Yunjin immediately summoned Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong, giving them amand.

    ¡°Li Nantian, Zhou Shaogong, Owner Zhao has always told me that you two are capable individuals. This time, let me see if you truly have the ability.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong immediately saluted and solemnly said, ¡°Please give us the task, master.¡±

    ¡°Find out where Shen Xiu is and locate the gold or silver hidden by Yang and

    Peng.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and replied in a serious tone, ¡°Yes, we will immediately investigate.¡±

    When their Lady drew Shen Xiu¡¯s portrait, they saw it and remembered what she looked like.

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong left the room to carry out the twomands.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t concern herself with these matters. After she returned to the Xie residence, she arranged two sses for the little ones. One was a math ss, and the other was a role-ying ss, where they learned how to calmly handle bad situations when being captured by viins.

    Lu Jiao arranged these courses because of the recent troubles encountered by the Xie family. Although the four children had been staying safely at home, she still taught them how to handle bad people in case of idents.

    ¡°If someone ever captures you, remember one thing: never cry or make a scene. Crying will only anger the kidnappers, and they might seriously harm you in their anger. We must be obedient and wait for an opportunity to escape. This is simr to what we discussed earlier about abduction cases. Now, let¡¯s practice.¡±

    In the evening, the four children excitedly told Xie Yunjin about what they had learned. Xie Yunjin instinctively looked at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao exined, ¡°Although they are safe in the mansion, I still rehearsed with them on how to calmly handle dangerous situations as a precaution.¡±

    Normally, when children encounter a dangerous situation, they be frightened and cried loudly. This easily angers the bad people who have captured them, and they might inflict serious harm. Many children have tragically lost their lives due to this. On the contrary, if one was obedient and well-behaved, nothing will happen in the short term unless the person behind it is determined to take one¡¯s life..

 Chapter 352 - 352: Would Never Want to see her own Sons Sad or Upset

    Chapter 352: Would Never Want to see her own Sons Sad or Upset

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin nodded in agreement after he listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t continue on that topic but talked about something else instead. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to Baohe Tang to treat patients.¡±

    During this period, she hadn¡¯t visited Baohe Tang at all because of Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury. Not going for so long was quite unreasonable.

    Moreover, they didn¡¯t know when the people behind the scene would make a move, and they couldn¡¯t just stay in the house all the time.

    At the dining table, Xie Yunjin immediately spoke up to stop her.

    ¡°It¡¯s better not to go out these days. Let¡¯s wait a few more days.¡±

    Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I previously told Owner Zhao from Baohe Tang that I would be there for consultations every fifth and tenth day. But because of your injury, I haven¡¯t been able to go. It¡¯s quite unreasonable, and we also don¡¯t know when those people will take action against us.¡±

    Actually, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t worried about being targeted by enemies. She had a life-saving trick up her sleeve, so even if she fell into their hands, she could protect herself.

    However, Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t aware of the details, so he persistently said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a few more days. Once we find the evidence of bribery against Yand and Peng, the businessmen in Qinghe won¡¯t easily make a move.¡±

    Currently, they were taking action to preserve thiswork of rtionships, but once Yang and Peng were captured, the merchants in Qinghe wouldn¡¯t dare to act recklessly to avoid their own misfortune.

    After Lu Jiao heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, she thought for a moment and found his reasoning to be valid. However, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to easily find evidence of bribery against Yang and Peng.

    Luo Xinwu had already alerted them, so Yang and Peng must be extremely cautious right now. It would be difficult to find any hidden gold or silver. If they couldn¡¯t find the evidence of their crimes, would they just stay indoors forever?

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin with shimmering eyes and said, ¡°If they are not guilty, then let¡¯s create a crime for them tomit.¡±

    After speaking, Lu Jiao felt that her idea was quite good.

    ¡°Those people want to catch us, right? Let¡¯s turn the tables on them and investigate who these people are. Even if they aren¡¯t instigated by Yang and Peng, we can nt someone among the captured individuals and have them im that Yang and Peng ordered them tomit murder. This way, we can legally capture Yang and Peng. Then, we can search the Yang and Peng residences with our people. I don¡¯t believe we won¡¯t generate a single lead with regards to their bribery money.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s train of thought became smoother as she thought about it. After finishing her exnation, she looked at Xie Yunjin happily and asked, ¡°Do you think my method is feasible?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s mind was slightly moved upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words. Lu Jiao¡¯s method was indeed a good one, but he disagreed with her risking herself to lure those bad people.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea. Alright, I will handle this matter. You just stay at home peacefully. In three to five days at most, I will definitely capture Yang and Peng. Then, you can go wherever you want. I promise not to say a word.¡±

    Lu Jiao reminded Xie Yunjin unhappily, ¡°When I go to Baohe Tang, I¡¯m disguised as a man. The people behind this can¡¯t possibly know that I am Lu Jiao, alright?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. What if they somehow find out who you are? I suspect that there are people watching our house right now. Whenever someone from our family goes out, there will be someone following us.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Lu Jiao realized that this was indeed possible and fell silent.

    Seeing that the atmosphere between their parents was a bit off, the four little ones immediately gathered around Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao to amuse them.

    ¡°Daddy, do you know how much math we learned today? We learned all the numbers up to one hundred!¡±

    ¡°Daddy, do you want us to teach you? We can!¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately became interested and said, ¡°Sure, teach me.¡±

    The First and Fourth Born ran to Lu Jiao¡¯s side and pulled on her affectionately.

    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t you want to stay at home with us instead of going to Baohe Tang?¡±

    ¡°Our mommy is the best. She¡¯s the best mommy in the world, and she would never want to see her own sons sad or upset, right?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the yful Fourth Born speechlessly and said, ¡°Son, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m the kind of mom who is most willing to see her sons sad or upset.¡±

    The Fourth Born stubbornly swung around Lu Jiao¡¯s arm, ¡°Mommy, just

    promise us to stay at home and teach us. Mommy, you¡¯re really good at

    teaching math. I want to keep learning.¡±

    teaching math. I want to keep learning.¡±

    At the same time, the Second Born reminded Lu Jiao with a hint of grievance, ¡°Mommy, you said before that you would write a story about a great general for me to perform, but you haven¡¯t written it yet.¡±

    When Lu Jiao heard the Second Born¡¯s words, she felt a little guilty. Due to recent events, she had been teaching the children various precautions and how to deal with bad people, and she had forgotten about the Second Born¡¯s desire to y the role of a great general.

    Now that the Second Born had brought it up, Lu Jiao immediately promised, ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll write a story about a great general for you.¡±

    The Second Born quickly asked, ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t go out tomorrow?¡±

    Lu Jiao helplessly said with a headache, ¡°I won¡¯t go out. I really have no way to deal with you.¡±

    The four children immediately cheered, then all four of them nced at their father sideways.

    How about that? Aren¡¯t we amazing? As soon as we take action, Mommy won¡¯t go out anymore. Daddy¡¯s words are useless. So, everything still depends on us.

    Xie Yunjin felt a touch of mncholy in his heart. It seemed that his position in Lu Jiao¡¯s heart couldn¡¯tpare to the four children at all.

    No, perhaps not even a little bit. When would he be able to surpass his four sons?

    Since Lu Jiao had promised the four children not to go to Baohe Tang, she had no intention of going there to treat patients.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect that the next day, Zhao Lingfeng would personallye to pick her up.

    ¡°Do you not know how popr you are at Baohe Tang now? Many people are specifically requesting you to treat them by name. By the way, merchant Liu¡¯s athlete¡¯s foot doesn¡¯t itch anymore. He goes to Baohe Tang every day looking for you, wanting to give you a que.¡±

    Lu Jiao said speechlessly, ¡°Just to treat his athlete¡¯s foot, is it necessary? No need for a que. You should tell him that.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng helplessly said, ¡°I did tell him, but he ignored me. Because his athlete¡¯s foot was cured, and news about you assisting General Wang has somehow leaked out. Now, many people know that Baohe Tang has a miraculous doctor, and theye every day to seek treatment from you.

    I didn¡¯t n to find you at this time, but with so many peopleing and sitting in the clinic, causing a disturbance, I couldn¡¯t stand it. So, I had toe and pick you up today. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll personally escort you and guarantee that nothing will happen.¡±

    Since Zhao Lingfeng had already said this much, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t say anything. After all, she was a shareholder of Baohe Tang and there were patients waiting for her. How could she not go?

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡±

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t stop Lu Jiao.. If someone came to pick her up, what could he do?

 Chapter 353 - 353: Divine Doctor

    Chapter 353: Divine Doctor

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin looked at Zhao Lingfeng with deep and piercing eyes and advised, ¡°No matter how you take her there, make sure to bring her back in the afternoon. ¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t escort Lu Jiao there because he knew that he was the real target everyone was after. They wanted to kill him. If he went along, it would be even easier to bring danger to Lu Jiao, so he decided not to go.

    However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. That¡¯s why he repeatedly reminded Zhao Lingfeng.

    Zhao Lingfeng quickly assured him, ¡°Rest assured, Schr Xie. I promise to bring Lady Lu safely back to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao felt embarrassed by Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s teasing and quickly said, ¡°Alright, let me tidy up in the courtyard and go with you.¡±

    This time, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t bring Feng Zhi but brought Ruan Zhu instead. Ruan Zhu was dressed in men¡¯s clothing, just like Lu Jiao.

    Ruan Zhu was amazed to be wearing men¡¯s clothes for the first time. She kept turning her head to look at Lu Jiao, finding it magical. Because not only was Lu Jiao dressed in men¡¯s clothing, but she also drew on her face. As a result, a bright and beautifuldy suddenly transformed into an ordinary andmon man.

    Ruan Zhu thought Lu Jiao was amazing and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    Lu Jiao reached out and rubbed her head,ughing. ¡°What¡¯s so amazing about that? You¡¯re the amazing one.¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t know how skilled Ruan Zhu was in martial arts, the Tian family sent her over, so her martial arts skills should be quite good.

    Ruan Zhu giggled. As the two walked to the front yard, they saw Ruan Kai approach them.

    Ruan Kai respectfully said, ¡°Young Master asked me to apany you and protect you, Lady.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t object. It was already good enough that Xie Yunjin allowed her to go. If Ruan Kai wanted toe along, then let him. After all, there wouldn¡¯t be any trouble at home.

    The group quickly left the Xie home and headed to Baohe Tang.

    They didn¡¯t encounter any danger on the way.

    Inside Baohe Tang, many people were waiting for Lu Jiao. As soon as they saw her, they surrounded her.

    ¡°Doctor Lu, please take a look at my illness. I¡¯ve been having constant headaches and haven¡¯t been able to find a cure. Can you help me?¡±

    ¡°Doctor Lu, do you have a way to remove the scar on my face?¡±

    ¡°Doctor Lu, I want to ask if I can still bear children.¡±

    Everyone spoke at once, causing a chaotic mess. Zhao Lingfeng immediately spoke up to stop them, ¡°Quiet down, don¡¯t be disorderly. One by one, today Doctor Lu will be seeing patients at Baohe Tang all day. Everyone will have a chance, so please don¡¯t rush. Come on, line up, and don¡¯t be chaotic.¡± Soon, a line formed in front of Lu Jiao¡¯s desk, and she began to see patients.

    Just as she finished examining one patient, footsteps could be heard outside the door, and a loud voice rang out, ¡°Doctor Lu, you finally arrived!¡±

    Lu Jiao looked up and saw it was Businessman Liu whose feet she had treated earlier. He walked in excitedly and reached out to grab Lu Jiao¡¯s hand to express his gratitude. Ruan Zhu quickly stepped forward and intercepted his hand.

    Businessman Liu¡¯s hand missed its target, but he didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. He eximed in excitement, ¡°Doctor Lu, do you know? My feet no longer itch, they really don¡¯t itch anymore. And the ulcerated sores on my feet have miraculously healed. There¡¯s no problem at all now! Hahaha, this is truly wonderful.¡±

    Businessman Liu danced with joy as he spoke, saying, ¡°You¡¯re truly a remarkable doctor.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he looked at Lu Jiao excitedly and said, ¡°Doctor Lu, I specially ordered a que for you. You must ept it.¡±

    Liu turned around and called out to the queue of people in front of Baohe Tang¡¯s door, ¡°Come, start making noises, start making noises!¡±

    Instantly, the area in front of Baohe Tang was filled with the deafening sound of drums and gongs, echoing into the clinic.

    All the patients inside Baohe Tang were startled.

    Lu Jiao quickly asked Zhao Lingfeng to stop this impulsive behavior of

    Businessman Liu, as the shop was full of patients who shouldn¡¯t be frightened.

    If he continued like this, some patients might even faint.

    Zhao Lingfeng went out and talked to Businessman Liu, finally managing to get him to stop. However, he still led his people respectfully inside while carrying the que. The que had fourrge characters written on it in a dignified manner: ¡°Remarkable Doctor.¡±

    Lu Jiao had a headache from watching this and didn¡¯t want to ept the que. But in the end, Zhao Lingfeng took matters into his own hands and epted the que, hanging it in the main hall of Baohe Tang.

    Afraid that Businessman Liu might cause more trouble, Lu Jiao quickly had him sit down for a follow-up examination, reminded him of a few small details, and prescribed medicine for him to continue taking for another half month.

    Businessman Liu repeatedly agreed and nodded, indicating that he would listen to Lu Jiao¡¯s advice.

    Lu Jiao finally managed to send this person away and everyone in the shop breathed a sigh of relief. But being too enthusiastic isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.

    However, due to Businessman Liu¡¯s publicity, Lu Jiao gained some local fame.

    Everyone on the nearby streets knew that Baohe Tang had a skilled doctor, extremely talented in medicine,parable to a divine healer.

    This doctor even managed to reattach a severed arm. What? You don¡¯t believe it? The person with the severed arm is currently residing in Baohe Tang.

    In Baohe Tang, General Wang¡¯s arm injury had already healed. He felt that he had no major problems and decided to return to the capital city to recuperate.

    Before leaving, he wanted to see Lu Jiao again.

    That was also the reason why Zhao Lingfeng went to the Xie residence today to bring Lu Jiao over.

    ¡°Lady Lu, if youe to the capital in the future,e as a guest to our Wang Mansion. Our Wang family will treat you as an esteemed guest.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at Wang Kui and replied, ¡°Uncle Wang, you¡¯re too polite. But if I have the opportunity to visit the capital in the future, I will definitelye to pay a visit to your mansion.¡±

    Lu Jiao casually mentioned it and didn¡¯t take the matter to heart.

    Wang Kui respectfully said to Lu Jiao, ¡°I once again thank you, Lady Lu, for your great kindness. This kindness is as heavy as a mountain. If Lady Lu ever needs assistance from me in the future and if I can be of help, I will certainly not let you down.¡±

    ¡°General Wang, you¡¯re too kind. After returning, take good care of yourself. You can do some gentle movements if there are no issues, but don¡¯t rush it. Your arm has recovered very well, and unless there are unexpected circumstances, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±

    Wang Kui was even more delighted andughed, ¡°I have the same feeling. There¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with my arm.¡±

    The two chatted for a while before Wang Kui and Mo Bei turned to leave. When Mo Bei passed by Lu Jiao, he leaned in close to her and whispered, ¡°When I bring someone to you next time, you can¡¯t refuse to treat them.¡±

    Lu Jiao replied irritably, ¡°As long as you pay, I will definitely treat them.¡±

    Mo Bei coldly snorted, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t die if you weren¡¯t greedy for money.¡± Lu Jiao smirked back, ¡°Maybe.¡±

    The two parted ways. In the afternoon, Lu Jiao continued to stay in Baohe Tang to see patients.

    On that day, she saw thirteen patients, and each of them left satisfied.

    Lu Jiao was extremely meticulous in treating patients, from understanding their symptoms, lifestyle habits, and treatment ns, to providing advice on future care.

    In short, every patient who received treatment praised her. Master Lu was truly a patient and skilled doctor, not only was she talented in medicine but also had a good attitude. She is careful and not harsh with the patients.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s reputation was indeed bing more and more prominent..

 Chapter 354 - 354: Possessed by the God of Slaugther

    Chapter 354: Possessed by the God of ugther

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    In thete afternoon, Zhao Lingfeng intended to apany Lu Jiao back to the Xie residence. In the morning, he had promised Schr Xie to personally escort her, so he intended to keep his word.

    However, before Zhao Lingfeng could send Lu Jiao off, he saw that Xie Yunjin had sent Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong to pick her up.

    With so many people apanying her, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t need Zhao Lingfeng to send her off and refused his offer.

    ¡°I have so many people around me escorting me, you don¡¯t need to apany me.¡±

    When he heard this, Zhao Lingfeng protested, ¡°In the morning, I promised Schr Xie to bring you back safely. If I don¡¯t send you off now, wouldn¡¯t I be going back on my word? If anything happens to youter, Schr Xie will surely hold me ountable.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and pointed to Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong behind her, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they¡¯re capable? Since they are, what are you worried about? Rest assured.¡¯

    In fact, Lu Jiao had a n in mind. If those people really came to attack her, she wouldn¡¯t mind capturing a few of them alive and then investigating who was behind them. If those people remained tight-lipped, she wouldn¡¯t mind making someone testify against Yang and Peng.

    Thinking about this, teased Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Unless you were lying and they¡¯re not that capable.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng suddenly became speechless, realizing that his own words had been used against him.

    After looking at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong, Zhao Lingfeng felt that he didn¡¯t need to worry. But considering he would pick up his daughter, he smiled at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here just to send you off. I¡¯m also here to pick up Yuluo and, coincidentally, send you off.¡±

    Lu Jiao had nothing to say and nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lu Jiao, apanied by Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu, boarded Uncle Lin¡¯s carriage, while Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong drove another carriage behind to protect Lu Jiao.

    As for Zhao Lingfeng, he naturally rode in the Zhao family¡¯s carriage, following behind the two carriages.

    Although it was almost evening, the streets were still bustling. Many people were engaged in small businesses, and there were plenty of shoppers.

    If they were to ride along this lively street, it would be impossible for anyone toe and capture Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao suddenly had an idea and instructed Uncle Lin to take a detour.

    Uncle Lin hesitated for a moment but didn¡¯t say much. He followed Lu Jiao¡¯s orders.

    The carriages quickly turned onto another street. Both sides of this street were residential, so it was quite deserted at the moment. Apart from one or two pedestrians passing by in the distance, there was no one else.

    Lu Jiao had a vague feeling in her heart that those people tailing her would definitely make a move. They surely would.

    After the three carriages had been traveling on the secluded brick road for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, figures emerged from the darkness.

    As they moved, Ruan Zhu, who was inside the carriage, turned her head and said to Lu Jiao, ¡°Madam, someone is approaching, and they¡¯re skilled.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in excitement and spoke up, ¡°Good, capture them alive.¡±

    Ruan Zhu responded with a nod and swiftly leaped out of the carriage. At the same time, beside Uncle Lin, Ruan Kai also shot out in front of the carriage.

    Behind them, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong quickly controlled the horses and rushed over. They stood on the left and right sides of the carriage, protecting it.

    Zhao Lingfeng also brought two subordinates and rushed over. He stood on one side of the carriage and reassured Lu Jiao inside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Lu. Nothing will happen.¡± was not worried. She lifted the curtain and looked at Zhao Lingfeng

    outside the carriage, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    As the words fell, over a dozen people emerged from the shadows and surrounded Lu Jiao¡¯s carriage.

    Lu Jiao lifted the curtain and looked outside without a trace of fear. On the contrary, she was excited. Was she going to witness a battle between martial artists?

    In front of the carriage, a masked ck-d person raised his hand and pointed towards the carriage, shouting loudly, ¡°Our target this time is Lady Lu. The others can leave.¡±

    If this were an ordinary person without martial arts skills, they would probably flee. Unfortunately, Ruan Kai, Ruan Zhu, Li Nantian, and the others were all martial artists and were not afraid of the opposing side.

    Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao instructed the people outside, saying, ¡°Capture two or three individuals alive.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    The people outside responded, and two figures swiftly shot out.

    It was Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu, with Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong staying behind to protect Madam Lu.

    Ruan Kai rushed towards the ck-d person while Ruan Zhu¡¯s target was the same. Like shooting stars, they moved swiftly and in the blink of an eye, each of them had a weapon in their hands.

    Ruan Kai wielded a ck whip, while Ruan Zhu held a soft sword.

    The siblings, armed with weapons, transformed into deadly killers.

    Especially Ruan Zhu, the charming young girl, her figure flickered like a ghost. She constantly shuffled through the group of ck-d individuals, leaving a trail of death in her wake. With her long sword resembling a swimming dragon, every step she took was apanied by the sound of blood sttering.

    In the blink of an eye, numerous ck-d individuals fell, but she was still eager to kill. Ruan Kai couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Sister, capture two alive.¡±

    Ruan Zhu finally slowed down her movements slightly and left behind two captives.

    Ruan Kai¡¯s martial arts skills were also formidable, but to be honest,pared to Ruan Zhu, he was slightly inferior. Ruan Zhu¡¯s killing prowess was nothing like that of a young girl. She was like a murderous specter.

    Inside and outside the carriage, Lu Jiao and Zhao Lingfeng watched in astonishment.

    Although Zhao Lingfeng had quite a few guards skilled in martial arts by his side, in reality, among all the guards, only one could match the skill of this Ruan Zhu. Perhaps some of them couldn¡¯t even measure up to her.

    This young girl¡¯s martial arts skills were indeed incredibly formidable. It was

    fortunate that she ended up in Lu Jiao¡¯s hands. If she had fallen into the hands of someone else, she might have be a tool for killing.

    As Zhao Lingfeng looked at the ck-d individuals, who were also skilled and numerous, he couldn¡¯t help but think that they never would have dreamed of encountering someone like Ruan Zhu, a formidable killing machine.

    Not only the opposing side, even Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t expected Ruan Zhu¡¯s martial arts skills to be so powerful.

    This talented girl, Ruan Zhu, was actually willing to be given to Lu Jiao by Lady Tian. Lu Jiao found it somewhat inconceivable and raised her eyebrows, pondering the matter.

    Soon, she figured out why Lady Tian had sent Ruan Zhu to her¡ªit was because she valued talent.

    Ruan Zhu was a martial arts expert, but she had a very pure and sincere character andcked worldly experience. If someone else had discovered her, they would likely try to keep her by their side and turn her into a killing machine. In that case, Ruan Zhu would be ruined.

    Lady Tian believed in her character and,bined with their family¡¯s intention to show gratitude, decided to send Ruan Zhu over. This way, Ruan Zhu wouldn¡¯t be ruined, and their family would undoubtedly owe a favor to the Tian family.

    As Lu Jiao pondered, she quickly looked outside. Ruan Zhu had already put away her soft sword and was smiling as she dragged two ck-d individuals over. She no longer had the appearance of a fierce killer..

 Chapter 355 - 355: An Unexpected Incident

    Chapter 355: An Unexpected Incident

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Behind, Ruan Kai looked at his sister with a speechless expression on his face.

    His sister had extraordinary talent, her martial arts talent was several times higher than an average person. Even though he was a male, his martial arts skills were not as high as his sister¡¯s.

    He had always worried that if his sister fell into the hands of bad people, she would be a tool for killing. Fortunately, the master they were currently following was rtively upright, so his sister would not go down the wrong path. If they had a different master who saw how skilled his sister was, she might have been forced to be a tool for killing.

    Ruan Kai thought as he followed Ruan Zhu.

    Ruan Zhu happily boasted to Lu Jiao, ¡°Madam, I captured two live captives.¡±

    The sixteen-year-old girl smiled innocently and cutely. There was no trace of evil in her, but Lu Jiao had witnessed her skills before and knew that she was extremely formidable. Having her around would make things much easier in the future.

    Lu Jiao nodded with a smile and praised, ¡°Well done, Ruan Zhu. I will reward youter. But for now, we need to leave this ce quickly.¡±

    They had just killed over ten people, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before others arrived.

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Li Nantian eximed by the side of the carriage, ¡°They took their own lives.¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly looked outside the carriage and saw that the two ck-d individuals Ruan Zhu was holding had actually taken poison and ended their lives. The poison was likely hidden in their mouths.

    Ruan Zhu, holding two dead bodies, looked at Lu Jiao with a bewildered expression and said, ¡°Madam, I didn¡¯t kill them.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    Now what should they do? The people were already dead. Was it necessary to bring the two dead bodies back?

    Lu Jiao quickly instructed her subordinates outside, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Several figures swiftly boarded the carriages, and the three carriages quickly sped away. Faint screams could be heard from behind.

    Lu Jiao and the others ignored them and headed straight for the Xie residence. However, an unexpected incident urred in the Xie residence.

    In thete afternoon, each family sent people to pick up their children and return to their respective homes.

    Today, the Han family arrived earliest. ssmate Han¡¯s uing examination was only a few days away, so the household had arranged for a steward and several guards to apany Han Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng.

    However, just as the two youngsters were being escorted out of the Xie residence, and before they could even get on the carriage, two figures shot out from the shadows and snatched Han Nanfeng away. Before they disappeared, they left behind a threatening message.

    ¡°If you want your young master to be safe, immediately enter the Xie residence and lure out one of the Xie family¡¯s children. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for killing him.¡±

    After speaking, the two individuals disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    Han Dongsheng watched as his younger brother was taken away and couldn¡¯t help but shout anxiously, ¡°Little brother, little brother!¡±

    Several guards had extremely grim expressions and turned to chase after them.

    The Han family steward responsible for escorting the two children was named

    Xia. With a cold face, Steward Xia stopped them and ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t chase, be quiet.¡±

    The Han family guards stopped their actions and looked at Steward Xia in unison. Steward Xia paid no attention to them, turned his head, and looked at the crying Han Dongsheng, saying, ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t cry. We should think of a way to save the young master.¡±

    ¡°How do we save him?¡±

    Han Dongsheng stopped crying and looked at Steward Xia beside him.

    Steward Xia quickly spoke, ¡°Didn¡¯t the person who just left say it? If we lure out one of the Xie family¡¯s young masters, our young master will be safe.¡±

    Upon hearing Steward Xia¡¯s words, Han Dongsheng instinctively refused, ¡°No, if the First Born and the otherse out, they will definitely suffer.¡±

    Steward Xia¡¯s face turned gloomy as he red at Han Dongsheng, ¡°This is originally the Xie family¡¯s matter. On the contrary, it is our young master who is being implicated. If you don¡¯t lure them out, those people won¡¯t spare your little brother. Do you want to see your little brother die?¡±

    When these words were said, Han Dongsheng¡¯s expression changed. Steward Xia quickly continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, or else our young master might be in trouble.¡¯

    Han Dongsheng was torn between the two choices but eventually gritted his teeth and turned to rush into the Xie residence.

    Steward Xia¡¯s gaze flickered as he followed closely behind.

    Han Dongsheng rushed into the Xie residence. In the courtyard, the children were ying on a slide. The Second Born was ying while taunting Zhao Yuluo, saying, ¡°Look at how fast and stable I am. Unlike you, you keep falling off. ¡±

    Zhao Yuluo said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m having a good time right now.¡±

    The Second, Third, and Fourth Born were ying on the slide, while the First Born stood below, looking up at his younger brothers enjoying themselves.

    The First Born didn¡¯t have much interest in ying on the slide. As the older brother, he was happy to see his younger brothers having fun.

    Hu Lingxue apanied the First Born and talked to him. Hu Lingxue also didn¡¯t enjoy ying on the slide, so she stayed with the First Born and chatted.

    When Han Dongsheng ran over from behind, the First Born turned his head and saw him. He looked surprised and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave? Why are you back again?¡±

    After saying that, the First Born nced behind Han Dongsheng and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡±

    Han Dongsheng¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. He nced at the First Born and quickly grabbed his hand, saying, ¡°I need to talk to Uncle Xie. Will you apany me?¡±

    ¡°What are you going to tell my dad?¡± The First Born asked curiously, but he didn¡¯t refuse. He held Han Dongsheng¡¯s hand and ran quickly toward his father¡¯s room.

    Xia, the steward of the Han family, had a sudden change in his expression. He took a few quick steps, wanting to catch up with Han Dongsheng and stop him from going to find Xie Yunjin.

    He had thought that with Han Dongsheng¡¯s love for his brother, he would definitely deceive one of the four little ones to go out. But unexpectedly, Han Dongsheng didn¡¯t fool any of the four little ones and instead went to find Xie Yunjin.

    If Xie Yunjin knew about this, he would definitely investigate Steward Xia, and who knows what he might uncover.

    Xia dared not think further and turned to look at the Second Born, who had just slid down the slide, and a flicker of coldness appeared in his eyes.

    At this moment, Han Dongsheng and the First Born had already rushed into the master bedroom in the front courtyard. Xie Yunjin was leaning against the bed, closing his eyes to rest.

    At this moment, he was somewhat worried about Lu Jiao. He didn¡¯t know if anything unexpected had happened to her, so his mind was in turmoil.

    When he heard the footsteps outside the door, Xie Yunjin thought it was Lu Jiao returning and subconsciously turned his head to look.

    When he saw Han Dongsheng and the First Borne in, there was a flicker of disappointment in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. But he quicklyposed himself and looked at the two little ones, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you two?¡±

    Han Dongsheng saw Xie Yunjin and couldn¡¯t help bursting into tears. He cried out, ¡°Uncle Xie, please save my younger brother. He¡¯s been kidnapped.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was greatly shocked and sat up straight quickly, asking, ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    The two brothers from the Han family had been fine in their house earlier. How could Han Nanfeng be kidnapped in the blink of an eye? Moreover, what did the kidnappers want with Han Nanfeng?

    ¡°Slow down and tell me exactly what happened.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression became extremely serious. Han Dongsheng took a deep breath and quickly said, ¡°When my younger brother and I were about to get on the carriage, two people rushed out, took my younger brother, and left. Before they left, they said if I could deceive one of the quadruplets to go out, they would release my younger brother.¡±

    Actually, he had nned to deceive one of them, but then he thought about the mistake he had made before and how his father had been so heartbroken. If he deceived the quadruplets again, his father would be even more devastated.

    He remembered his father telling him that Xie Yunjin and he were like brothers, just like him and his younger brother. So he didn¡¯t want to make his dad sad, especially since the quadruplets had been good to them recently. He didn¡¯t want to deceive them.

    As soon as Han Dongsheng spoke, Xie Yunjin knew that the people behind the scenes wanted to use Han Dongsheng to deceive the quadruplets and take them away. However, they didn¡¯t expect Han Dongsheng to ruin their n.

    Xie Yunjin reached out and patted Han Dongsheng¡¯s hand, praising him, ¡°You did well. Don¡¯t worry, Uncle will find a way to save your younger brother.¡±

    After saying that, Xie Yunjin got up from the bed quickly, preparing to go out. However, amotion suddenly came from the courtyard outside, creating a chaotic noise..

 Chapter 356 - 356: Wished he could Tear his Head off

    Chapter 356: Wished he could Tear his Head off

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression changed, and he immediately rushed out. Lin Dong entered from outside the door and immediately reported.

    ¡°Master, something bad happened. One of the Han family¡¯s servants took the

    Second Young Master away. When Uncle Wen tried to stop him, he was kicked and the servant ran out with the Second Young Master in his arms.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately thought of Han Dongsheng¡¯s earlier words. So Han Family¡¯s kid was taken away by their servant and someone behind the scenes colluded with them. However, Han Dongsheng didn¡¯t follow their n, so the servant took the Second Born away.

    What good would it be for the Second Born to fall into their hands? Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned extremely ugly, and he rushed out.

    In the courtyard, Xie¡¯s servants were in a panic. Outside the main gate, Hu Shan rushed in with the Hu Family guards and quickly spoke up.

    ¡°Just now, I saw someone take one of the quadruplets away. I sent someone to chase after them.¡¯

    But he didn¡¯t know if they could catch up.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was grim. He had been worried about Lu Jiao and feared that the other party would take the opportunity to deal with her. But he didn¡¯t expect these people to brazenly reach into the Xie residence. It was infuriating.

    By Xie Yunjin¡¯s side, the First, Third, and Fourth Born were all crying out of fear, mainly afraid that something bad would happen to the Second Born. ¡°Daddy, what do we do? They took the Second Born.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin¡¯s anger subsided, he calmed down and said in a deep voice,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Second Born will be fine.¡±

    At this moment, Xie Yunjin thought of what Lu Jiao had taught the Second Born and his brothers about how to deal with enemies. So the Second Born would temporarily be fine. The people behind them really wanted to deal with him, and they would surely use the Second Born to threaten him.

    Inside the Xie family courtyard, chaos ensued. Outside the gate, Lu Jiao, Zhao Lingfeng, and the others walked in.

    As soon as they entered, they saw chaos in the courtyard.

    Lu Gui, running over in distress, told Lu Jiao, ¡°Sister, something¡¯s wrong. The

    Second Born was taken away.¡±

    ¡°What? They brazenly entered our Xie residence and abducted someone? How did they get in?¡±

    Lu Gui quickly replied, ¡°No, it was one of the Han Family¡¯s stewards. He has always been following the Han Young Masters to apany them. Today, he came in, and none of us paid attention. Who knew he would go to the Second Born and take him away.

    When Uncle Wen realized something was wrong and tried to stop him, he was kicked over.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned grim. She looked around at the people in the courtyard, and everyone was in a state of panic.

    Lu Jiao spoke in a calm voice, ¡°Alright, everyone disperse. It¡¯s no use staying here. Your Master and I will find a way to rescue the young master.¡±

    Lu Jiao had already figured it out. The real target of the people behind them was Xie Yunjin. They took the Second Born to coerce Xie Yunjin, but they wouldn¡¯t harm the Second Born for now.

    Moreover, she had taught the Second Born how to deal with enemies. Even if he encountered danger, he wouldn¡¯t cry and make a fuss. With his character, the enemy wouldn¡¯t immediately resort to extreme measures.

    The servants in the Xie residence nodded in response and all dispersed, but each of them was still worried about the Second Born.

    At the right moment, Hu Shan spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when I came here earlier, I saw one of the Han Family¡¯s servants taking the Second Born away. I felt something was wrong, so I sent guards to chase after them. Let¡¯s wait for their return.¡±

    Just as Hu Shan finished speaking, several guards from the Hu Family returned from outside the gate. They quickly reported, ¡°Master, we couldn¡¯t catch up. As soon as that person left the Xie residence, they were quickly taken away by a group of skilled experts. We ended up empty-handed.¡±

    Although the guards from the Hu Family had some martial arts skills, their skills were only average and couldn¡¯tpare to the carefully selected individuals behind the scenes.

    Hu Shan looked guilty as he looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we couldn¡¯t be of help.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao shook their heads. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourselves. It¡¯s not your fault.¡¯

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he turned to Han Dongsheng. Although Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression was calm, Han Dongsheng felt that their Han Family had made another mistake.

    That person who took the Second Born was from their own family, so did that make him a bad person?

    After ncing at Han Dongsheng, Xie Yunjin ordered Lu Gui and Zhou Shaogong, ¡°Go and bring ssmate Han.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Brother-inw.¡±

    Lu Gui and Zhou Shaogong went to fetch ssmate Han.

    Meanwhile, Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao, Zhao Lingfeng, and Hu Shan went to the main hall of the Xie residence and sat down.

    Lu Jiao informed Xie Yunjin about the incident they encountered on the way.

    ¡°It seems they split up into two groups. One group went to capture me, while the other came here to try and capture the four little ones. Regardless of which group seeds, they would consider it a sess.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and said, ¡°The Second Born is temporarily safe. Their target is me.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin spoke, Zhao Lingfeng and Hu Shan expressed their concerns. ¡°This time, you¡¯re in great danger, so you must be careful with your arrangements.¡±

    Xie Yunjin remained silent. No matter what, he would rescue his son. Even if he lost his own life in the process, he wouldn¡¯t give up on saving his child. While they were discussing, Officer Zhao strode in urgently and spoke, ¡°I heard that one of the quadruplets has been abducted.¡±

    The incident at the Xie family gate had already spread in the nearby area, and as soon as Officer Zhao returned, he heard about it, so he hurried over.

    Xie Yunjin nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Officer Zhao quickly said, ¡°We should n the next course of action. Their target is you, Yunjin. They only captured the Second Born to kill you. If we don¡¯t arrange things properly, you may lose your life.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded solemnly and said, ¡°We should indeed make careful arrangements.¡±

    Just as he finished speaking, ssmate Han arrived.

    When Han Dongsheng saw his father, he burst into tears and rushed over, clinging to his father¡¯s leg. ¡°Dad, someone took away my brother. Steward Xia also took away the Second Born.¡±

    On the way here, Han had already heard from Lu Gui about the incident, and now he wished he could tear Steward Xia¡¯s head off to vent his anger.

    Han Tong pulled himself together and apologized to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, it¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have let the two little ones from our familye for lessons at a time like this. If they hadn¡¯te, the Second Born wouldn¡¯t have suffered like this.¡±

    Seeing Han¡¯s condition, Xie Yunjin knew he was also feeling guilty. After all, his son was also in the hands of the other party.

    ¡°Now that they¡¯ve targeted our family, they will find a way to capture people. Don¡¯t me yourself. What we need to do now is to find a way to rescue the two children and quickly find evidence of corruption against Yang and Peng. Once they are arrested and thrown into prison, thework in Qinghe County will be severed, and the people behind it will temporarily halt their actions, and we will be safe.¡¯

    At that moment, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong hurriedly entered from outside and said, ¡°Master, we have made some preliminary progress through our investigation. We¡¯d like to discuss it with you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, go ahead..¡±

 Chapter 357 - 357: Donâ€™t Alert the Enemies

    Chapter 357: Don¡¯t Alert the Enemies

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Everyone in the room was trustworthy, and Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t avoid them. He asked Lu Gui to take the children downstairs and arrange for them to eat. Lu Gui took the children downstairs, but the three little ones were hesitant to leave, mainly because they were worried about their sibling.

    Lu Jiao pulled them over, coaxed them, and assured them that they would find a way to rescue their second brother. She told them to eat without worrying their parents, and finally, the three little ones reluctantly followed Lu Gui out.

    After Lu Gui took the children out, everyone in the room looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong.

    Li Nantian spoke up, ¡°Through our investigation, we found out that Assistant County Magistrate Yang is in his fifties this year. He married a woman from the Bai family, and they have three sons and two daughters together. The rtionship between Yang and his eldest son¡¯s wife is extremely bad. It¡¯s said that his eldest son¡¯s wife is a rural woman, fierce and arrogant, and she has no respect for Yang and Lady Bai. So Yang announced that he severed ties with them and would no longer have any contact.

    They took their two sons and started living in Qinghe County. Their life is extremely poor due to ack of money. But the life of Yang¡¯s eldest son is also not easy. Hees to Yang from time to time to ask for money and gets scolded every time. However, Lady Bai couldn¡¯t bear to see her eldest son suffer, so she would secretly give him things.

    We investigated and found that every time Yang¡¯s eldest son came, he would bring a bag, and then Lady Bai would stuff something into it before he left. Based on this, I have a bold guess.

    Perhaps the severed rtionship between Yang and his eldest son¡¯s wife is just a pretense. Think about it, as the assistant magistrate of Qinghe County, Yang may not hold a high position, but he is still an official of the seventh rank. How can his daughter-inw have the audacity to treat him and Lady Bai in such a disrespectful manner? So I suspect that this is a kind of disguise, advocated by Yang himself.

    The house where Yang currently lives is rented. He can¡¯t hide the bribe money in the rented house. But they don¡¯t have any other properties except for the house where their eldest son and his wife live in the countryside. So it¡¯s very likely that the money has been taken back to the Yang family¡¯s ancestral home by his eldest son.¡±

    After Li Nantian finished speaking, everyone in the room carefully considered the information and found it usible.

    Xie Yunjin nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s good information to know. What about the Peng family?¡±

    This time, Zhou Shaogong spoke, ¡°As for the Peng family, Peng married Lady Lin. The couple has three daughters and one son. Their two daughters are married, leaving only one daughter and one son. The youngest child is only eight years old and is doted on. Although Peng¡¯s house is small, it is a family inheritance. I secretly infiltrated the Peng family and observed that they value their donkey. Both Peng and Lady Lin like to go to the donkey shed and asionally feed them with dry fodder.

    I thought that while their donkey is the only valuable thing, there is no need to attach so much importance to it. So I specte that beneath the donkey shed, there might be a stash of money they received. Because they value that money, they are not at ease and keep strolling around the donkey shed.¡± After Zhou Shaogong finished speaking, everyone in the room nodded in agreement.

    Xie Yunjin gave a directmand, ¡°Li Nantian, find a way to visit the vige where the Yang family is located in the next two days. Remember, first investigate where the Yang family¡¯s money is hidden in their old mansion.¡± ¡°As for Zhou Shaogong, find a way to infiltrate the Peng family and keep an eye on them. See if the Peng family¡¯s money is definitely hidden underneath the donkey shed.¡±

    After giving the instructions, Xie Yunjin reminded them, ¡°Remember not to alert the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    The two men left, and in the room, Officer Zhao looked at the retreating figures and raised an eyebrow, ¡°These two have quite impressive investigative skills. They managed to find out so much in such a short time.¡±

    Upon hearing Officer Zhao¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng proudly replied, ¡°You should also consider who sent those people.¡±

    Officer Zhao ignored him and turned to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°I found that concubine from Commander Xu¡¯s residence. She did indeed visit the Yang family that day, but she didn¡¯t enter. Yang¡¯s wife came out and spoke to her, and then she left. I investigated and found out she went to the Zhang family. I haven¡¯t figured out where exactly.

    The Zhang family has many properties, so it¡¯s troublesome to investigate, but I will definitely find out her whereabouts.¡±

    That woman killed his adopted daughter, and he was determined to capture her and avenge his daughter.

    Upon hearing Zhao¡¯s words, Lu Jiao thought of Zhang Biyan, the Lady Zhang she had encountered before. That woman didn¡¯t seem ordinary; she appeared to be formidable.

    Could Shen Xiu have gotten involved with Zhang Biyan? Regardless of which connection she made, as long as she appeared, they could arrest her without a hitch. After all, she hadmitted murder.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin looked at the fading daylight and said to everyone, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s better for all of you to go back.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t worried anymore about these people encountering any further trouble because the person behind them had already captured the Second Born as a way to deal with him. There was no point in capturing anyone else.

    Zhao Lingfeng stood up first. Since there was no movement from the person behind them, it was pointless for them to stay. They could only go back and wait for news.

    ¡°If you have any information, inform me immediately. Perhaps I can be of assistance.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Hu Shan also bid farewell and went back to report what had happened here to his father.

    ssmate Han, on the other hand, refused to leave. The Second Born was taken away because of the steward of the Han family. If anything happened to the Second Born, he would be responsible in the eyes of the Xie family.

    ¡°Yunjin, I won¡¯t leave. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    Xie Yuniin looked at him gently and said, ¡°Staving here won¡¯t make any difference.

    After speaking, he nced at Han and said, ¡°Han, don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s not your fault. I know that if you were given a choice, you would never harm the Second Born. You would rather hurt yourself than hurt them, so don¡¯t me yourself.¡±

    Xie Yunjin could speak like this now because he had been influenced by Lu Jiao. Otherwise, with his previous temperament, he would have immediately turned cold and told Han to get lost.

    But now that he had grown closer to Lu Jiao, his thoughts weren¡¯t as gloomy anymore. They had be brighter and more positive.

    When Han heard Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes.

    ¡°Thank you, Yunjin.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t me him, and he was deeply moved. If Yunjin med him, he would rather die.

    Xie Yunjin looked at him and advised, ¡°Not only will I rescue the Second Born, but I will also save Nanfeng. As for you, there are only a few more days until the examination. At this time, don¡¯t focus on other matters. I will help you rescue Nanfeng so do your best in the examination to strive for the title of schr.¡±

    For the Han family, it would be good news if ssmate Han could pass the examination amidst the recent string of setbacks they had experienced.

    ssmate Han was well aware of this, so he had been working hard recently. He didn¡¯t expect such a situation to happen near the end. He felt angry and couldn¡¯t help but curse Steward Xia.

    ¡°That damn bastard, our Han family has treated him well, yet he treated us like this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned cold upon hearing his words. If he encountered that person, he would make sure he died a gruesome death..

 Chapter 358 - 358: Do you know how much I like you?

    Chapter 358: Do you know how much I like you?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin tried tofort ssmate Han, ¡°You should go back and calm yourself down. Focus on the uing examination in a few days. As for Nanfeng, I will rescue him for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Yunjin. Please take care of yourself.¡±

    ssmate Han was very worried about Xie Yunjin. Although Yunjin was younger than him, his words and actions resembled that of an older brother. He truly didn¡¯t want anything to happen to him.

    ¡°Okay, I will.¡±

    In the end, ssmate Han left with Han Dongsheng.

    Officer Zhao was thest to leave. Before leaving, he said to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Yunjin, don¡¯t worry. Tonight, I will lead a team to investigate secretly and see if we can find any traces of the Second Born.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew that the people involved had nned carefully, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to leave any clues. But he was still worried about the Second Born¡¯s whereabouts. Upon hearing Officer Zhao¡¯s words, he agreed and gestured Ruan Kai over to Officer Zhao. ¡°Ruan Kai will go with you to investigate.¡±

    Zhao was concerned about the safety of the Xie family. ¡°Since Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong have been sent out on a mission, it¡¯s not good to have no one here to protect the residence. Ruan Kai should stay.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could say anything, Ruan Zhu immediately spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Officer Zhao. I¡¯ll stay here. Tonight, I will keep watch.¡±

    Officer Zhao gave Ruan Zhu a strange look. He hadn¡¯t seen her disy any formidable skills and only saw her with a smiling and innocent face. He didn¡¯t think she possessed any impressive martial arts abilities.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to let Ruan Kai stay.¡±

    Ruan Kai spoke, ¡°I will go with Officer Zhao to investigate the young master¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

    He had confidence in his own sister¡¯s abilities.

    Officer Zhao couldn¡¯t say anything further and could only leave with Ruan Kai.

    In the hall, Ruan Zhu patted her chest and said, ¡°Master, rest assured. I will take good care of everyone tonight.¡±

    After saying that, she turned and walked away. Lu Jiao called out from behind, ¡°Go eat something first. By the way, whatever you are craving, ask Aunt Hua to make it for you.¡±

    Ruan Zhu¡¯s biggest joys in life were killing and eating.

    When she heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Ruan Zhu immediately cheered, ¡°Got it, Madam.¡±

    She turned around and hurriedly ran to the kitchen.

    Lu Jiao turned her head and looked at Xie Yunjin. Both of them were filled with anxiety, worry, and impatience. The Second Born had been captured, and they didn¡¯t know how he was doing. Although Lu Jiao had taught him how to deal with enemies, he was still just a young child.

    In the hall, the two remained silent for a while. Suddenly, Xie Yunjin spoke, ¡°Lu

    Jiao, if I can¡¯t escape this time, please take good care of the four children.¡±

    Upon hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao¡¯s face instantly turned grim. She said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen to you.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to him. The thought of him getting into trouble made her feel very ufortable and somewhat sad.

    However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t share Lu Jiao¡¯s optimism. Those people had put in so much effort, just to kill him, right? They must have detailed ns in ce, so this time, he was afraid he couldn¡¯t escape.

    ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Xie Yunjin really wanted to say¡­

    ¡°Do you know how much I like you?¡±

    But at this moment, he didn¡¯t want to say it anymore. If he died, there was no point in saying such words. Wasn¡¯t it better for Lu Jiao to live happily? He believed that this woman would always live a good life no matter when.

    With her taking care of the four children, he could rest assured.

    Lu Jiao thought that Xie Yunjin had something to say and turned to him, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and said, ¡°For now, we can only wait. I believe those people who captured the Second Born will send us a message and tell us what they want us to do.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, and she pondered silently. This time, those people wanted to kill Xie Yunjin, so they must have nned everything carefully. She had to find a way to ensure that both of them would be safe.

    Lu Jiao quickly thought of her own space. If she could bring Xie Yunjin into it at a critical moment, that would be great.

    However, she had previously tried to bring a person into the space secretly, but it was unsessful.

    Should she try again this time? Could she bring a person who was unconscious into the space even if it didn¡¯t work with someone who was awake?

    The more Lu Jiao thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. So she decided to find an opportunity to quietly conduct an experiment.

    In the main hall, no one spoke, and the atmosphere was unusually silent. Then, footsteps sounded outside the door and the three children quickly ran in. They gathered around Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and expressed their worries.

    ¡°Daddy, mommy, will the Second Born be okay?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, you taught us how to deal with bad people before. Daddy, mommy, do you think the Second Born will find a way to escape?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Second Born say he wants to be a great general in the future? If he can sessfully escape this time, I¡¯ll admit that he can be a great general in the future.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged a nce and remained silent. If those people were human traffickers, they might not be on guard against the Second Born, which would allow him to find a way to escape. But the people who captured the Second Born had nned carefully, so it was unlikely they would let him escape.

    This time, they could only hope that the Second Born would be well-behaved and not cause amotion. Perhaps he could escape unharmed that way.

    Although Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao thought this way, when faced with the three children, they reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Second Born will be able to handle it. Maybe he wille up with a way to escape soon.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born nodded vigorously to show their agreement.

    Only the First Born didn¡¯t believe it because he didn¡¯t think the Second Born was very smart. How could someone like hime up with a way to escape? It was impossible.

    The First Born was very worried. Will the Second Born be okay?

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao originally thought that the people behind the capture of the Second Born would quickly send them a message and instruct them on what to do.

    But unexpectedly, there was no movement from those people. Three days had passed in the blink of an eye, and there was still no action from them.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were tormented by the unknown. The people behind it were clearly torturing them.

    Lu Jiao thought of that night when they killed more than ten people from the other side. Perhaps that was the reason why they were being tortured.

    Officer Zhao had been secretly investigating in Qinghe County with Ruan Kai for two or three days, but they hadn¡¯t found any clues. This indicated that the other side didn¡¯t hide the Second Born in the county and had most likely taken him out of Qinghe County early on.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were deeply concerned about the Second Born¡¯s whereabouts, but they were currently at a loss.

    At this moment, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong returned.

    ¡°Master, Madam, we found out where the silver from the Yang family is hiding. It¡¯s right under the pigsty of the Yang family¡¯s old residence, in a small underground secret room. Undercover, I quietly sneaked into the secret room at night and found crates of gold and silver. It is estimated to be over 100,000 taels of silver.¡¯

    Zhou Shaogong also quickly said, ¡°I was worried about alerting them, so I didn¡¯t enter the underground secret room in the Peng family¡¯s residence. However, I can confirm that there is indeed an underground secret room beneath the donkey shed. If nothing goes wrong, the silver should be hidden inside..¡±

 Chapter 359 - 359: None of us will be Harmed

    Chapter 359: None of us will be Harmed

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged nces and gritted their teeth. ¡°Great, that¡¯s fantastic. Immediately inform Magistrate Hu and Grand Commander Xu to secretly confiscate the silver from the Yang and Peng families. Once this batch of silver is confiscated, Yand and Peng will undoubtedly meet their demise.

    Qinghe County is so poor, yet they managed to umte over ten thousand taels of silver in each household. Heh, they are really wealthy.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t really care about the silver since the three workshops would earn that amount soon if they operate normally. However, for someone who had been poor, over ten thousand taels of silver was indeed a significant amount, especially in poverty-stricken Qinghe County.

    So they had caught two big corrupted officials. If Magistrate Hu reported this to the court, it would be considered a great achievement.

    Lu Jiao nodded in agreement, but she whispered, ¡°This operation must be conducted quietly. First, confiscate the silver, then arrest Yang and Peng. Then finally, force them to reveal the Second Born¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

    At this point, finding the Second Born¡¯s location was only possible through this method.

    Xie Yunjin was about to have someone inform Officer Zhao when Lu Gui rushed in from outside. He was holding a letter in his hand.

    ¡°Sister, brother-inw, a neighbor¡¯s child delivered a letter.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao¡¯s expressions changed abruptly. Xie Yunjin quickly reached out and took the letter from Lu Gui¡¯s hand, opening it to read.

    Lu Jiao leaned in beside him and read the letter together with him.

    The letter stated that tonight, at the first quarter of the night, Xie Yunjin should go alone to ck Wind Mountain. He must not bring any subordinates with him. If Xie Yunjin did not go up the mountain at that time, he should be prepared to collect his son¡¯s corpse. On the contrary, if Xie Yunjin went up the mountain alone, they would release his son.

    Xie Yunjin looked at the letter in his hand and thought about his son, who had been in the hands of the viins for three days. He didn¡¯t know how frightened he must be by now. His heart was filled with anxiety and urgency, and he wished he could rush up ck Wind Mountain in exchange for the Second Born immediately.

    He knew that the people behind this wanted him to go up the mountain alone because they intended to kill him. Their target was him.

    Xie Yunjin thought for a moment, then turned to look at Lu Jiao, ¡°You shouldn¡¯te tonight. Stay at home and wait for news.¡±

    There were likely many people around ck Wind Mountain, and Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to take the risk with him. That¡¯s why he said that.

    But Lu Jiao firmly shook her head with determination. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go up the mountain with you. They won¡¯t mind having me there.¡±

    Those people might be watching their subordinates closely because Ruan Zhu had previously killed more than ten people from their side. But they wouldn¡¯t pay much attention to Lu Jiao, considering she was a defenseless woman.

    However, Xie Yunjin disagreed. With determined eyes, he looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Lu Jiao, I must prepare for the worst. If something happens to me tonight, you can take care of our four children. But if something happens to you too, what will happen to them?¡±

    Upon hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao felt an uncontroble difort in her heart. She looked at Xie Yunjin with determined eyes and said, ¡°We will carefully n the operation to ensure that no one is left behind.¡±

    Considering everything that had happened recently, Lu Jiao had made up her mind. Tonight, no matter what, she must ensure Xie Yunjin¡¯s safety.

    She had already conducted an experiment before. As long as she found a way to make Xie Yunjin unconscious, she could bring him into the space. However, this was limited to people who had a connection with her. Someone like Feng Zhi couldn¡¯t be brought into the space even if she knocked her unconscious. But Xie Yunjin and their four children could be brought into the space once he was unconscious.

    Because she could bring Xie Yunjin into the space, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t overly worried. If the situation turned unfavorable, she would make Xie Yunjin unconscious and bring him into the space, preventing those people from capturing them.

    However, the prerequisite for all of this is to sessfully rescue the Second Born. Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin quickly and said, ¡°We will be fine, none of us will be harmed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin insisted, ¡°Lu Jiao, I will arrange everything. Don¡¯t think negatively. The three little ones at home need someone tofort them, so you should stay home and apany them. I will definitely seed in rescuing the

    Second Born and bring him back.¡±

    In essence, he didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to apany him to ck Wind Mountain.

    Lu Jiao squinted her eyes and looked at Xie Yunjin, who had a determined gaze.

    She knew that he didn¡¯t want her toe along in order to protect her. However, if she didn¡¯t go, Xie Yunjin might be in danger. On the other hand, if she apanied him, there would be a chance to save his life in the end. Considering this, Lu Jiao slowly agreed and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she smiled and added, ¡°You muste back safely. The First Born and the others are waiting for you and the Second Born at home.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded quickly, feeling a mix of bitterness and sweetness in his heart. He really wanted to ask Lu Jiao if she could stay with them if he and the Second Born returned safely, and not leave them. But considering the high possibility of not returning, he didn¡¯t say those words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we wille back safely.¡±

    After saying that, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t look at Lu Jiao anymore. He turned his head and looked at Ruan Kai, Ruan Zhu, Li Nantian, Zhou Shaogong, and the others in the room.

    ¡°ck Wind Mountain is about a hundred miles away from here¡­¡±

    Xie Yunjin had just started speaking when his vision cked out, and he fell to the side. Inside the room, Ruan Kai and the others eximed, ¡°Young Master!¡±

    Lu Jiao quickly reached out and caught him. She looked up at the people in the room and said in a deep voice, ¡°Follow my orders from now on.¡±

    ¡°We need to set off immediately to ensure that we reach ck Wind Mountain before the first quarter of the night. Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu, you are in charge of rescuing the Second Young Master. Depart immediately and head towards ck Wind Mountain. Remember to find a way to enter the mountain from the back without leaving any traces. Once we have contact with the other party, keep a close eye on them to confirm if they have the Second Born and Han Nanfeng. If they do, do whatever it takes to save the two children.

    If they don¡¯t, stay put and we will find a way to make the other party bring the children out. You must save them as soon as possible.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she looked at Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu and said, ¡°This is a test for both of you.¡¯

    Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu nodded calmly. They understood the implications of Lu Jiao¡¯s words. If they sessfullypleted this mission, they would be trusted confidants of the masters. If they failed, they would be marginalized.

    Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu nodded solemnly and said, ¡°We understand and will immediately head to ck Wind Mountain.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, and Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu turned and left. Lu Jiao then looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong and said, ¡°The two of you will apany us to ck Wind Mountain. Once we reach the foot of the mountain, we will first confirm if they have the Second Born and Han Nanfeng. If they do, the two of us will switch ces.

    You need to find a way to quietly climb the mountain and ensure our safety at all costs.¡±

    If Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong couldn¡¯t protect them, Lu Jiao decided that in the critical moment, she would knock out Xie Yunjin and bring him into her space. Although this might expose something about herself, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t worry about that at the moment..

 Chapter 360 - 360: Taking Advantage of her

    Chapter 360: Taking Advantage of her

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong exchanged a nce and quickly responded, ¡°We know what to do. Don¡¯t worry, Madam. It¡¯s just that Master seems to disagree with you on going to ck Wind Mountain?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will convince him to let me apany him to ck Wind Mountain.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong then spoke in a low voice, ¡°Madam, let¡¯s depart immediately.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Jiao boarded the carriage carrying Xie Yunjin. Zhou Shaogong steered the carriage, and Li Nantian sat beside him. The carriage quickly left Qinghe County and headed towards ck Wind Mountain.

    On the way, Zhou Shaogong briefly exined the situation of ck Wind Mountain to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Although I haven¡¯t been to ck Wind Mountain before, my family is in the neighboring county next to Qinghe County, so I know about ck Wind Mountain. It used to be a refuge for bandits, who would hide on the mountain and rob nearby vigers and travelers. In the earlier years, these bandits were extremely arrogant. However, as Qinghe County became impoverished and the nearby vigers had nothing worth stealing, and the passing travelers were also poor and had no money to rob, the number of bandits on ck Wind Mountain decreased.

    Thest bandit is gone, and they have all found other ways to make a living. Now ck Wind Mountain is an empty mountain stronghold. The mountain is not high, but the terrain is very dangerous. You both need to be careful when going up the mountain.¡±

    Lu Jiao was about to speak when Xie Yunjin woke up inside the carriage. He opened his eyes and called out with a grievance, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    This woman was truly audacious. She actually drugged him to make him unconscious in order to go to ck Wind Mountain with him.

    Xie Yunjin felt both worried and annoyed as he red at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao smiled at him, and since she was already here, it wouldn¡¯t be good to send her back halfway. If he sent her back now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to save the Second Born in time.

    Seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s smile, Xie Yunjin helplessly reached out and pinched her face.

    Lu Jiao froze, and Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t retract his hand. He stubbornly continued to pinch her face. He had wanted to do this for a long time, and now he finally had the opportunity.

    Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao regained her senses and pped away Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, making sure he wasn¡¯t taking advantage of her.

    Xie Yunjin smiled, and under the dim and yellowish light, his handsome features seemed to be adorned with a hazy halo. He was no longer as aloof and cold as before. Instead, he was full of charm. His eyes, filled with a mesmerizing depth, gazed at Lu Jiao as he lightly called out.

    ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head and found that he didn¡¯t say anything else. He immediately followed up with another call, ¡°Lu Jiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao red at him in anger. What was wrong with him? Calling her for no reason.

    ¡°If there¡¯s something, say it. Don¡¯t call me for no reason.¡±

    Xie Yunjin, with a mesmerizing smile, murmured, ¡°I just want to call you like this. ¡±

    In fact, he wanted to call her like how other people do.

    Jiaojiao.

    Xie Yunjin thought that if he sessfully rescued the Second Born this time and returned safely, he would call her that as many times as he wanted. he didn¡¯t care what she thought.

    Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao listened to Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, turned her head, leaned against the carriage wall, and pretended to ignore Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yuniin wasn¡¯t angry either. He still looked at Lu Jiao with a tender gaze and said, ¡°Lu Jiao, you are the best mother in the world. Sometimes I wonder why I didn¡¯t meet such a good mother when I was young.

    Did you know that my mother never hugged me when I was young? Whenever she looked at me, her eyes were filled with disdain, as if she wished I were dead.

    When I was young, my favorite thing to do was to hide in a secluded ce and observe how other mothers cared for their children. When I saw those children being embraced by their mothers, I couldn¡¯t help but wish that they were my mother. Secretly, I tell you, countless times, dark thoughts arose in my heart. I thought of killing those mothers and making those children, like me, devoid of maternal love.

    Later, my heart grew colder and colder, devoid of any emotional fluctuations. At that time, I had only one thought: I must study hard, seed in my studies, be an official, and make my father and mother regret how they treated me when I was young. I want to see them remorseful and in tears, for the way they mistreated me in the past.

    Later, when I achieved sess in my studies, my father and mother finally treated me with kindness. I thought they had finally acknowledged me¡­¡±

    Xie Yunjin paused for a moment and suddenly burst intoughter. Lu Jiao knew that he was thinking about his experience when he was bedridden and couldn¡¯t help but open her eyes and look at him.

    ¡°The past is gone, and the future will be better,¡± Lu Jiao said to him.

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin immediately agreed with confidence, ¡°Yes, the future will be better.

    Because I met you. You taught me to approach things with a positive mindset, to be kind to the weak, and to see things with a bright heart.¡±

    Jiaojiao, if Ie back safely this time, I will definitely tell you that I want to keep you by my side.

    Xie Yunjin closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage wall.

    Lu Jiao thought he had fallen asleep and closed her eyes to rest as well.

    The carriage sped along the road and arrived at ck Wind Mountain just before midnight.

    ck Wind Mountain was quite far from Qinghe County, and due to its terrain, crops couldn¡¯t grow there. It appeared deste and barren at first nce.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao stepped down from the carriage with antern in hand. Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong apanied them and stood at the foot of the mountain as they looked up at its peak.

    Upon closer inspection, they saw that ck Wind Mountain was extremely treacherous. In the dark night, it resembled a ferocious beast, with the mountain pass resembling a giant mouth, as if it intended to devour anyone below.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were standing at the foot of the mountain, looking downward, when they suddenly noticed a light flickering halfway up the mountain. The light swayed towards the foot of the mountain.

    Recognizing that the person under the light was the one who kidnapped the Second Born and attempted to assassinate Xie Yunjin, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao didn¡¯t make a move. They wouldn¡¯t go up the mountain unless they were certain the Second Born was on this mountain.

    The person on the mountain waited for a while, clearly growing impatient. Under the cover of darkness, a ck-clothed figure swiftly descended using the trees on the mountain, making their way towards Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    However, the person didn¡¯t approach Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao directly. Instead, they stopped on the opposite side of the mountain path and shouted at them.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, hurry up ande up the mountain. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll kill your son.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao¡¯s hearts clenched, their faces turning unsightly. They felt intense hatred in their hearts.

    Both of them made a silent vow that one day they would eliminate all the members of the four influential families.

    Xie Yunjin coldly stared at the ck-d person across from him and said, ¡°I came here to retrieve my son. Until I¡¯m certain that my son is on this mountain, I won¡¯t go up. I won¡¯t foolishly let you kill me and my son. If you want me toe up, have my son call for me. If I confirm that my son is in your hands, I will immediately go up the mountain..¡±

 Chapter 361 - 361: A Foolish Woman

    Chapter 361: A Foolish Woman

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The person in ck red fiercely at Xie Yunjin and turned around to go back up the mountain.

    The people on the mountain received the report from the ck-d person and realized they had no way to deal with Xie Yunjin. They were ordered to kill him, but if he didn¡¯te up the mountain, they couldn¡¯t touch him. Killing his son would only invite his furious revenge.

    After much discussion, they decided to bring the Second Born and Han Nanfeng down the mountain. However, they didn¡¯t descend directly. Instead, they approached the location where Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were. The leading ck-d person ordered the Second Born to shout toward the foot of the mountain.

    The Second Born had been well-behaved for the past three days. He did not cry or make a fuss, which spared him a lot of suffering. The captors found him obedient and sympathetic due to his young age, so they provided him with food and water, not subjecting him to much hardship.

    Han Nanfeng, being younger, cried a lot, but the Second Born was able to soothe him. Eventually, the two little ones stayed quietly in the house on the mountain.

    At one point, the Second Born tried to escape with Han Nanfeng, but the house they were kept in was guarded outside, and there was nothing inside, not even a chair. They couldn¡¯t even reach the windows, so escape was impossible.

    Three days had been the Second Born¡¯s limit, and when he heard the ck-d person say that his parents were at the foot of the mountain, he didn¡¯t think about the person¡¯s intentions. Even if he did think, he couldn¡¯t understand.

    Unable to hold back any longer, he burst into tears, crying out loudly towards the foot of the mountain, ¡°Daddy, mommy!¡±

    Han Nanfeng, seeing him cry, also started wailing and joined in calling for their parents.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were at the foot of the mountain and vaguely heard the Second Born¡¯s cries. After careful listening, they quickly confirmed that the Second Born and Han Nanfeng were indeed up the mountain.

    It seemed that the people behind this had set everything up on the mountain, so they were acting with confidence.

    On the mountain, the leading person in ck used internal force to shout towards Xie Yunjin at the foot of the mountain, ¡°Xie Yunjin, if you don¡¯t want your son to die,e up the mountain alone immediately.¡±

    There were powerful martial artists among the Xie household and that person had already injured a dozen of them with a single move. That¡¯s why the opposing side was cautious of Xie Yunjin¡¯s subordinates and insisted on having him go up the mountain alone.

    Upon hearing the other side¡¯s shout, Xie Yunjin turned to look at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°You stay at the foot of the mountain, don¡¯te up.¡±

    After saying that, he turned his head to look at Li Nantian and said, ¡°You stay at the foot of the mountain and protect my wife. Zhou Shaogong, quietly follow me up the mountainter and see if you can do your best to protect me.¡±

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong exchanged nces but hadn¡¯t had a chance to speak yet when Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll go up the mountain with you.¡±

    The mountain was clearly heavily guarded, and those people were determined to kill Xie Yunjin. It would be difficult for Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong to save him at close range, so this time, it had to be her.

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she looked at Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong and said, ¡°When we go up the mountainter, you two quickly hide and try to intervene if possible.¡±

    If Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong sessfully saved them, she wouldn¡¯t have to risk revealing her spatial abilities to save them. But she couldn¡¯t let Xie Yunjin go up the mountain alone.

    However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to apany him up the mountain and take risks. He wanted to say more.

    However, Lu Jiao had already turned around and started walking towards the mountain. As she walked, she shouted towards the mountain, ¡°I am Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife. I will apany him up the mountain. We, as a couple, live and die together. Can we die together?¡±

    The people in ck on the mountain heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words and quickly nced at each other. One of them said, ¡°We have investigated. Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife is strong, but she doesn¡¯t have any martial arts skills. She¡¯s just an ordinary woman. Maybe she wants to apany her husband up the mountain.¡±

    After the person finished speaking, the leader of the people in ck sneered,

    ¡°Stupid woman! At this time, she still only cares about love. Truly foolish.¡±

    They knew they had to kill Xie Yunjin tonight. If he died and she died too, what would happen to their four children?

    However, the people in ck didn¡¯t care about that. The leader ordered the people around him to shout towards the foot of the mountain, asking Xie Yunjin and his wife toe up the mountain together. But no one else was allowed to follow them. If anyone followed, they would kill their son.

    After the leader of the people in ck finished speaking, he quicklymanded his two subordinates, ¡°You two go down and keep an eye on their servants.¡±

    The two people in ck quickly dashed towards the foot of the mountain, while another person shouted towards the bottom of the mountain, ¡°Since you as a couple want to go up the mountain together, thene together.¡±

    At the foot of the mountain, Xie Yunjin was deeply moved by Lu Jiao¡¯s words about living and dying together. But by this time, the people on the mountain had already shouted towards the bottom of the mountain, and Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t stop them.

    He hurriedly caught up to Lu Jiao and asked, ¡°Lu Jiao, why do you insist oning up the mountain with me?¡±

    In the dark night, the man¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars in the sky. Xie Yunjin really wanted to ask a question.

    Lu Jiao, do you feel differently about me too?

    But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t respond to his words. She nced at him, hinting at something without explicitly mentioning her spatial abilities.

    ¡°I have a way to save you, so don¡¯t worry. None of us will die tonight.¡±

    Xie Yunjin squinted his clear and profound eyes, staring at Lu Jiao. He knew she was a capable person, even though she didn¡¯t have any martial arts skills. He wondered how she would resolve the situation tonight.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything more. They quickened their pace and continued walking up the mountain but stopped at a distance from the people in ck.

    Xie Yunjin shouted to the ck-d individuals on the other side, ¡°Release the two children, and we wille over.¡±

    The people in ck sneered as they looked at the two men and one woman on the opposite side. They found them incredibly foolish. They had alreadye up the mountain, yet they were still bargaining. But they knew that the two of them were doomed to dieter.

    As for the two children, the leader of the people in ck nced at them. The orders from above were to kill them as well, but these two little ones had been well-behaved and obedient for the past three days, reminding the people in ck of their own grandchildren. They felt a bit reluctant.

    After thinking for a moment, the leader of the people in ck waved his hand to agree to release them. Whether they would live or die would depend on the children¡¯s fate.

    ¡°Fine, we will release them. Youe over immediately..¡±

 Chapter 362 - 362: Secret Passage

    Chapter 362: Secret Passage

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin immediately responded, and Lu Jiao quietly took out the sleeping pills. She prepared to drug the opponent once Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu sessfully get the children away. Then, she will take him into her space.

    She couldn¡¯t drug Xie Yunjin and take him into her space before Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu rescued the children. If she did that, the opponents might be furious and harm the Second Born and Han Nanfeng.

    The people in ck on the opposite side waved their hands, and their subordinates behind them released the two children.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao slowly walked forward. Suddenly, two figures shot out from behind the tall trees behind the people in ck like whirlwinds, moving as fast as shooting stars. One of them rushed towards the Second Born and Han Nanfeng, catching them in their arms.

    The other person went straight towards the people in ck, their figure turning into a blur as they attacked with a deadly move.

    Lu Jiao saw the Second Born and Han Nanfeng being taken away and felt relieved. She quickly turned around to drug Xie Yunjin.

    Unexpectedly, a long arrow, as fast as a shooting star, flew towards Xie Yunjin in the dark night. In the darkness, Li Nantian shouted, ¡°Be careful, Master!¡±

    As Li Nantian spoke, he threw a stone, aiming at the arrow. The stone hit the arrow, deflecting its direction elsewhere.

    But immediately after, a second arrow was shot. The second arrow collided with the first arrow, causing the first arrow to change its direction once again, heading straight toward Lu Jiao.

    Li Nantian¡¯s face changed drastically as he yelled, ¡°Madam, be careful!¡±

    Xie Yunjin quickly turned around and saw the arrow flying toward Lu Jiao. Without hesitation, he reached out and embraced her. The arrow hit him in the left shoulder, its force sending both of them flying. Theynded on the mountain path and rolled down to the bottom of the mountain.

    However, after just two rolls, there was a loud noise beneath them as if a mechanism had been activated. The ce where they fell suddenly became empty, and the two of them tightly clung to each other, falling into a dark passage.

    Above their heads, the mechanism closed in an instant.

    Everything happened too quickly, and the people werepletely caught off guard. On the mountain, Ruan Kai, Ruan Zhu, and others eximed, ¡°Master,

    Madam!¡±

    The Second Born and Han Nanfeng were terrified and cried loudly.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiaonded with a thud in the secret passage from above.

    Inside the passage, they couldn¡¯t see their hands in front of their faces. It was pitch-ck all around.

    Although they couldn¡¯t see each other, Lu Jiao smelled the strong scent of blood in the air. She thought about how Xie Yunjin risked his life to save her, and her heart became chaotic.

    She reached out and touched the person beside her, only to feel a sticky substance. Without surprise, it was Xie Yunjin¡¯s blood.

    Lu Jiao panicked and called out, ¡°Xie Yunjin, are you okay? Are you okay?¡±

    In the darkness, Xie Yunjin¡¯s weak voice sounded, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    As he spoke, he reached out for her hand. He then firmly held onto it. ¡°Lu Jiao, can you promise me one thing? If we can sessfully get out of here, can you stay by my side with our children and not leave?

    I may not be good enough, but I will strive to be a good husband. I only hope that you can stay with me. Is that okay?¡±

    Upon hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words and thinking about everything he had done for her recently, Lu Jiao¡¯s mind became a mess. She realized that she had been aware of everything Xie Yunjin had done for her, but she was no longer the same person she used to be.

    In the darkness, Lu Jiao suddenly summoned great courage and softly spoke, ¡°Xie Yunjin, if I tell you that I am not the original Lu Jiao, but just a soul from another world, would you believe me?¡±

    Xie Yunjin listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words and immediately smiled and replied, ¡°Believe you? Why wouldn¡¯t I believe you? I have known for a long time that you are not her.¡±

    This time, Lu Jiao was astonished, and she turned her head toward the direction of darkness. ¡°You are telling me that you knew I wasn¡¯t her a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I knew it a long time ago. I realized it shortly after you arrived here. That¡¯s why I epted you. If you were the original her, I wouldn¡¯t have epted you. Of course, the original her wouldn¡¯t have been as good as you either. ¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s voice grew weaker as he spoke, but he gritted his teeth to persist in order to hear a definite answer from Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, can you promise me to stay by our side with the children?¡±

    Lu Jiao murmured, ¡°I always feel like I¡¯ve taken her ce and shouldn¡¯t take anything else from her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin, upon hearing her words, struggled and spoke, ¡°No, you haven¡¯t taken anything. Neither I nor the children belonged to her. Truly, if it weren¡¯t for your arrival, we would have driven her away and acted against her. So, both I and the children belong to you, not her.¡±

    As Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he tightly held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, can you promise me to stay with us?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought about her wishes from her previous life, which were to find someone who would love and cherish her. Although Xie Yunjin might not be perfect, men like him were rare in this era. He promised not to take concubines, to care for the children, and to strive to be a good husband. Wasn¡¯t he the person she was looking for?

    However, Lu Jiao realized that this was a novel, and in the book, Xie Yunjin had a wife. Would he eventually be influenced by the plot of the book and ept that woman? What should she do then?

    But she wasn¡¯t willing to let go of such a person. To Xie Yunjin, she was never the person in the novel ¨C he was seeing the true version of herself.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, I don¡¯t know if we are suitable for each other, but I have decided to give you a chance. Let¡¯s set a time limit of one and a half years. If during that time we find that we are well-suited for each other, we can be together.¡± The time Lu Jiao gave coincided with the time after Xie Yunjin¡¯s arrival in the Capital City. If Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t influenced by the plot of the book after he arrived in the Capital City and if they werepatible, then they would be together.

    Although Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯tpletely satisfied with Lu Jiao¡¯s words, he was still happy. At least Lu Jiao didn¡¯t outright reject him. She gave him a timeframe, and that was good enough.

    After Xie Yunjin felt happy, his body swayed, and he immediately fell unconscious.

    Lu Jiao felt the weight on her shoulder and couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Xie

    Yunjin, are you alright? Are you alright?¡±

    As she spoke, she suddenly remembered the incident of drugging Xie Yunjin earlier. So, Xie Yunjin¡¯s unconsciousness was likely not due to being shot by an arrow but because of the drug, she had given him.

    She decided to take him into the space first and treat his arrow wound.

    Just as Lu Jiao was about to bring Xie Yunjin into her space, a strange smell surged through the dark secret passage. With a little recognition, she realized that the smell in the secret passage was poisonous.

    What does this mean? It means that they were led into the secret passage by the other party..

 Chapter 363 - 363: Jiaojiao, can you Stay?

    Chapter 363: Jiaojiao, can you Stay?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes turned cold. If it weren¡¯t for her space, they would undoubtedly have died today. This showed that the person behind them was ruthless and cunning. It would be best if these guys didn¡¯t fall into her hands.

    As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Lu Jiao took Xie Yunjin into her

    space.

    Inside the space, the spiritual energy was abundant, and it was bright as daylight. Lu Jiao brought Xie Yunjin to the bed in the bamboo house.

    To prevent Xie Yunjin from waking up, Lu Jiao administered a sedative needle, putting him into a deep sleep.

    She immediately started to remove the arrow and bandage his wound.

    Inside the space, Lu Jiao busily attended to Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound. Outside, chaos had broken out on ck Wind Mountain.

    The Second Born watched as his parents disappeared into the secret passage and burst into tears out of fear.

    Ruan Zhu, seeing that her master had disappeared, became like a killing god,unching a full-scale attack.

    Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong also fought against the ck-d men.

    The ck-d men, seeing Xie Yunjin and his wife fall into the secret passage, did not linger and quickly retreated.

    Although some were killed, most of them managed to escape.

    Li Nantian instructed Zhou Shaogong to immediately return to Qinghe County and report everything to Magistrate Hu. Meanwhile, he took Ruan Kai and Ruan Zhu to search the mountain, hoping to find the switch to the secret room and rescue Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Magistrate Hu received the report and immediately notified Grand Commander Xu and Officer Zhao. After discussing, the three of them brought their household servants and did not bring the constables from the county office.

    The constables had all been bribed, and if they went into the mountain, who knows what mischief they would cause?

    Ultimately, Magistrate Hu, Grand Commander Xu, Officer Zhao, and the others were apanied by servants from their respective homes.

    The Zhao family and Han family also received the news and each brought a group of people to ck Wind Mountain to assist in the search.

    Zhao Lingfeng, upon hearing that Lu Jiao had gone missing, was more anxious than anyone else. Their three workshops were almostpleted, but if something happened to Lu Jiao, what would happen to his workshops? His money!

    On ck Wind Mountain, everyone searched the mountain frantically, looking for the switch mechanism.

    Inside the secret passage, Lu Jiao saw that the time was almost up and quickly brought Xie Yunjin out of the space and into the passage.

    Although the passage was not as dark as before, it was still dim. Lu Jiao took a

    while to adjust to the lighting in the passage.

    At this moment, Xie Yunjin woke up. He opened his eyes and saw the person beside him. Then, he recalled what Lu Jiao had said before he lost consciousness.

    Xie Yunjin doubted if it was just his illusion, so he instinctively reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Lu Jiao, I remember you promised me to give us a year and a half to be together. You won¡¯t deny it, right?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin. Did he really not trust her? Was she someone who couldn¡¯t keep her word?

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who doesn¡¯t keep her word?¡±

    As she spoke, she looked at Xie Yunjin with a serious expression. ¡°Xie Yunjin, the words I said are binding. Let¡¯s give each other a chance to get to know each other and see if we arepatible. You should know that I am not from this era. My thoughts, beliefs, and way of doing things are different from the women of this time. I don¡¯t know to what extent you can ept someone like me, who is different from the women of this era.¡¯

    Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Xie Yunjin interrupted, ¡°I can.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and stopped him, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait and see how we get along first.

    She had given herself and him a year and a half to spend together, not only because Xie Yunjin had a predestined wife in the book, but also because they needed to see if they werepatible. After all, there were many differences between them.

    She didn¡¯t want to end up doing something that Xie Yuniin couldn¡¯t ept.

    Instead of causing conflictster on, it would be better if they didn¡¯t have any intersection from the beginning.

    Xie Yunjin listened to Lu Jiao¡¯s words and knew that she always kept her promises.

    Although he wished she would immediately agree to stay with him, he was already content with the fact that she could give them a year and a half. This time would be enough for them to understand each other and for each other to ept themselves.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do as you say, Jiaojiao.¡±

    Xie Yunjin naturally called her Jiaojiao, which made Lu Jiao feel a bit shy. She felt that these words carried a lot of affection, making her feel embarrassed.

    Lu Jiao turned her head ufortably and said, ¡°We are still in the secret passage. The other side released poisonous smoke inside before, but I already detoxified you. The smoke has dispersed now, so it won¡¯t pose a big threat to us. Let¡¯s explore this ce and find out what it is. The people above must be in chaos, unable to find us. If our children find out that we are missing, they will be worried sick. Let¡¯s find a way to get out quickly.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mention the matter of her space at this moment. If she really ended up being with Xie Yunjin in the future, she could tell him then. If they didn¡¯t end up together, there would be no need to mention it.

    Xie Yunjin immediately nodded in agreement, ¡°Okay.¡±

    As he spoke, he naturally reached out and supported Lu Jiao¡¯s arm to stand up.

    Lu Jiao held onto him, and the two of them walked along the secret passage.

    ¡°This ce was probably dug out by bandits upying the mountains and forests. I don¡¯t know how the people from the four major families found out about it and used it against us.¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, Xie Yunjin added, ¡°Once we get out, we will immediately send people to seize the Yang and Peng families¡¯ silver and capture those two individuals.

    I believe the four major families behind them, as well as the merchants in

    Qinghe County, won¡¯t dare to make any further moves.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes turned cold, and a chilling aura surrounded him. He would definitely eliminate these pests.

    Lu Jiao nodded, and the two of them walked for a while in the secret passage. They discovered that there were three forked paths ahead, which made them pause and hesitate to proceed.

    ¡°Without any surprises, two of these paths should be trap-filled secret passages, and only one is the correct way,¡± Lu Jiao said, about to suggest that she go in and explore. If she found anything suspicious, she could immediately retreat into her space to hide, allowing them to find the real secret passage.

    However, she didn¡¯t have a chance to speak as Xie Yunjin walked to the front of the three secret passages and observed. Soon, he pointed to the leftmost one and said, ¡°This path should be the normal one, while the other two are trap-filled secret passages.¡±

    Lu Jiao walked over to carefully observe and found that the path on the left hadpacted son, Indicating regr usage, willie the soil m the other two secret passages was loose.

    Xie Yunjin spoke, ¡°Since those people used the secret passage to release poisonous smoke, it means they are familiar with this underground passage. They might have walked through it before, and the soil on the path they walked on ispletely different from the untouched ones.¡±

    Lu Jiao praised with a smile, ¡°Xie Yunjin, you¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. However, Lu Jiao called him by his full name, making it seem formal. Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t resist objecting.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I call you Jiaojiao, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to call me Yunjin instead of always calling me Xie Yunjin. You can also call me husband if you want..¡±

 Chapter 364 - 364: The Four Little Ones Making a Commotion

    Chapter 364: The Four Little Ones Making a Commotion

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s heartstrings were touched by his teasing, and when she turned her head, she saw Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes were fixed on her as they burned with desire.

    Although Lu Jiao was a military doctor and had an outgoing personality, she actually had no experience with intimate contact with men. Seeing Xie Yunjin¡¯s intense gaze, she felt a bit at a loss and took a while before she softly said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll call you Yunjin from now on.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    The two continued walking along the secret passage and unexpectedly came across another fork in the road.

    By carefully observing, Xie Yunjin once again determined which one was the normal passage and not a trap-filled one.

    To be honest, the fact that they were able to walk smoothly through the secret passage was thanks to the bandits who originally dug it. Being bandits, they had made the passage rough and hadn¡¯t refined it. Anyone with a bit of refinement could easily find the correct path.

    After walking in the secret passage for a while, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin finally found arge warehouse filled with a considerable amount of salt.

    Upon seeing the salt, Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that even in a small county like Qinghe, there are people smuggling private salt. Most likely, these are the private reserves of the four major families. I wonder if they are all involved, or if it¡¯s just the doing of one of them.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the piles of private salt and said, ¡°No wonder salt is so expensive in Qinghe County. It seems that it¡¯s controlled by the merchants. Although Qinghe County is small and poor, when I went shopping before, I noticed that basic condiments like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar were particrly expensive.¡±

    Initially, she thought those items were naturally expensive, but now it seemed that they were being monopolized by the merchants of Qinghe County, which exined their exorbitant prices and the wealth of the local merchants.

    With a grim expression, Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Once we capture the Yang and Peng, we will crack down on the illegal practices of the profiteering merchants and stabilize the prices. We must rectify thewlessness in Qinghe County.¡± Lu Jiao nodded in agreement. The two continued talking as they walked along the path, convinced that the secret passage must have an exit. They couldn¡¯t keep going without finding an exit. Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao made markings at each exit they passed to ensure they wouldn¡¯t backtrack.

    After going through all that trouble, the two finally emerged from the secret passage as the day was nearing dusk.

    ¡°We finally made it out,¡± Xie Yunjin said, but as soon as the words left his mouth, footsteps could be heard from the outside. Someone opened the door and rushed in.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao quickly turned around and saw that it was Zhao Lingfeng and the guards he had brought.

    Seeing Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, they excitedly eximed, ¡°Are you both okay?¡±

    After Zhao Lingfeng finished speaking, without paying attention to Xie Yunjin, he rushed to Lu Jiao and said excitedly, ¡°Lady Lu, it¡¯s so great that you¡¯re okay!

    Do you know how worried I was?¡±

    Lu Jiao was moved for a rare moment, but then Zhao Lingfeng continued speaking.

    ¡°If something happened to you, what would happen to our coboration of the three workshops? I would be in big trouble.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng with a dark expression, realizing that his concern was because of the potential loss to the three businesses.

    On the side, Xie Yunjin had alreadye over and reached out to hold Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    Now Lu Jiao is officially his wife, and he has the right to disy their rtionship.

    Unfortunately, Zhao Lingfeng was too excited at the moment andpletely ignored Xie Yunjin¡¯s actions.

    After his excitement subsided, Zhao Lingfeng turned around and ordered the guards behind him, ¡°Immediately inform Magistrate Hu, Commander Xu, and the others. Let them know that Schr Xie and Lady Lu have been found and they are safe.¡±

    The guards quickly went to deliver the message, and soon, Magistrate Hu, Commander Xu, Officer Zhao, ssmate Han, and the others received the news and hurried over.

    Several members of the Xie family also rushed over.

    As soon as Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao saw them, they asked with concern about the situation of their two children.

    ¡°How are the Second Born and Han Nanfeng?¡±

    Ruan Kai quickly reported, ¡°Earlier, I personally sent them back to the Xie residence and handed them over to Steward Lu. Don¡¯t worry, they should be fine now.¡¯

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao weren¡¯tpletely reassured. The Second Born must have told the others about their disappearance, and those kids were unpredictable. They must go back immediately.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Qinghe County first. We¡¯ll talkter.¡±

    Magistrate Hu and the others agreed, and everyone descended the mountain, boarding carriages or riding horses, they headed straight for the Xie residence in Qinghe County.

    The Xie residence was in chaos at this time. The First, Third, and Fourth Borns knew that their parents were missing and became frantic, insisting on going out to find them.

    Lu Gui and the servants from the mansion tried to stop them, but the four little ones, despite their small size, were extremely stubborn and caused amotion. Lu Gui and Feng Zhi, among others, were left feeling dizzy and overwhelmed.

    Neighboring Lady Lu, Grandfather Liu, and Grandmother Liu rushed over to persuade the little ones, but it was of no use.

    The four kids refused to eat or drink, firmly determined to go out and find their parents.

    In the end, Lu Gui surrendered and decided to take them to ck Wind Mountain to find Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Not to mention the four little ones, even if he thought about the possibility of something happening to his sister, he was deeply saddened.

    Thinking of the deep affection their mother had for Lu Jiao, if she knew about this, who knows what might happen?

    Lu Gui was both heartbroken and distressed, wishing he could rece his sister and bear this suffering.

    ¡°Uncle, please take us to find our parents. Our dad and mom will be fine. They are strong and won¡¯t be harmed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they will be fine. Our dad and mom are very capable. No one can harm them.¡±

    Seeing their pitiful appearance, Lu Gui felt even more sorrowful. Oh heavens, what will happen to these four little ones if something happens to his sister and brother-inw?

    As Lu Gui was grieving, Uncle Wen rushed over, shouting, ¡°Stop causing amotion! The Master and Madam have returned, they have returned!¡±

    Lu Gui, the four little ones, and everyone in the courtyard turned their heads and indeed saw a group of people walk grandly through the gate of the Xie residence. Leading them were Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    Although the two of them didn¡¯t look too good, it was evident that they were alive.

    Now everyone was overjoyed, and the four little ones ran to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, hugging their legs and bursting into tears.

    Only at this moment did they truly cry out, knowing that their father and mother were safe. This was really wonderful, they were safe.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao crouched down and embraced the two children. Then, theyforted them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, didn¡¯t father and mothere back? We are fine.

    ¡°Yes, we are fine.. We are strong, who can harm us?¡±

 Chapter 365 - 365: Xie Yunjin Teasing

    Chapter 365: Xie Yunjin Teasing

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The First Born immediately tilted his head back and proudly said, ¡°I told you my dad and mom are amazing people. Nothing will happen to them.¡±

    The Second Born vigorously nodded in agreement. Yes, his parents are formidable, and now he understands that the reason he was unharmed before was because his parents went up the mountain to exchange themselves for him and Han Nanfeng. So, he is alive because his parents saved him.

    His dad and mom are the best parents.

    The Third and Fourth Born clung to Lu Jiao¡¯s neck in fear. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re okay.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my mommy is amazing. She won¡¯t have any problems.¡± After the Fourth Born finished speaking, tears streamed down his face. He reached out and hugged Lu Jiao¡¯s neck. ¡°But mommy, I¡¯m so scared.¡± He burst into loud crying.

    Lu Jiao quicklyforted them and said, ¡°Your dad got injured while saving me. Let¡¯s first take him to bed, okay?¡±

    As soon as the four little ones heard that their dad was injured, they immediately stopped making a fuss and became well-behaved. Lu Jiao supported Xie Yunjin and went to his room.

    Due to the rush of the journey back, the arrow wound on Xie Yunjin¡¯s shoulder burst open, and blood flowed out.

    Lu Jiao asked Lu Gui to take the four little ones to eat and bathe. Lu Gui agreed and took the four little ones downstairs. To avoid worrying their parents, the four little ones no longer made a fuss like before and obediently followed Lu Gui to the back courtyard to eat and bathe.

    Lu Jiao re-dressed Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound and bandaged it. Then the two of them then had something to eat.

    Only after that did they have the energy to speak with Magistrate Hu and Commander Xu.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Magistrate Hu and Commander Xu and said in a deep voice, ¡°We have already discovered the whereabouts of where Peng and Yang hide their money. Magistrate Hu and Comander Xu, you should act separately. One should search and confiscate the money from the Yang and Peng households, while the other arrest the people.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin finished speaking and before Magistrate Hu could react,

    Officer Xu eximed excitedly, ¡°Good, I will immediately go and arrest them.¡±

    His voice was so loud that it startled everyone in the room, and they all turned to look at Commander Xu, who smiled dryly.

    Wasn¡¯t he happy? As long as they captured Yang and Peng, Lu Jiao would have time to arrange for his surgery. After the surgery, he could continue the Xu family¡¯s tree. Then in the afterlife, he would have face in front of the ancestors of the Xu family.

    Everyone in the room understood why Commander Xu was so anxious, but they all pretended not to know.

    Magistrate Hu furrowed his brow and looked at Xie Yunjin, ¡°The money found in Yang and Peng households is probably quite substantial?¡±

    After so many years of epting bribes, the amount of money they saved must be significant.

    Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°Each household probably has over a hundred thousand taels. ¡±

    ¡°Over a hundred thousand taels!?¡±

    Magistrate Hu and Commander Xu couldn¡¯t help but shout and curse at Yang and Peng.

    ¡°These damn bastards! They¡¯re so wealthy, yet they wander around in patched clothes all day long. They¡¯re really good at pretending. I used to think they were poor and even gave them ten taels of silver per household.¡±

    ¡°Every time we had a meal together, I would treat them because I thought they were poor and couldn¡¯t afford it. I never expected that they were the richest among us.¡±

    After venting their frustrations, the Magistrate and Commander suddenly turned to look at Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°ording to the rules, I should hand over the confiscated silver to the Prefect in the Capital City. Then he would submit the bribery case to the higher authorities. But even if the silver reaches the Prefect¡¯s hands, he probably won¡¯t mention our contribution. Our credit will be stolen.¡±

    The Magistrate had been hoping for some political achievements for so many years, and now that he finally had the opportunity, he didn¡¯t want to give it away to the Prefect.

    Commander Xu nodded in agreement with Hu¡¯s words.

    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡±

    The Magistrate looked at Xie Yunjin and hoped that he coulde up with a solution.

    Xie Yunjin turned to look at Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°If I hand this silver over to you, can you ensure that the Magistrate receives credit?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng considered his own master¡¯s trip through Qinghe County, if this case could be attributed to his master, then his master would gain credit. It would be a small matter to also credit the Magistrate.

    Zhao Lingfeng thought for a moment then agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±

    Xie Yunjin looked at the Magistrate, ¡°You take your men and search the homes of Yang and Peng overnight, while the Commander takes his men to capture

    Yang and Peng.¡±

    As the two individuals still believed that Xie Yunjin was dead, tonight was the best opportunity. They shouldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow when they find out he¡¯s alive, as they might take action.

    The Magistrate and the Commander nodded immediately and prepared to leave to make arrangements.

    Luo Jiao remembered the underground secret passage in ck Wind Mountain and said to them, ¡°When we fell into the underground passage of in the mountain, we discovered a secret room filled with arge amount of smuggled salt.

    After the Magistrate searches the homes of Yang and Peng, have someone bring back the smuggled salt.¡±

    The Magistrate and the Commander immediately looked at Luo Jiao, and then at Xie Yunjin. Xie Yunjin exined the matter of the smuggled salt again, and then mentioned that after capturing Yang and Peng, they should immediately stabilize the prices in Qinghe County. No unscrupulous merchants should be allowed to raise prices. If caught, their businesses should be shut down immediately.

    The Magistrate and the Commander had been bullied by these merchants for so many years, and now they were finally filled with righteous indignation. They agreed without hesitation.

    The two men left with their respective teams to handle these matters. Zhao Lingfeng also got up to bid farewell. He had to arrange for someone to deliver the message to his master and see how his master would handle this matter.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving too.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After Zhao Lingfeng left, only ssmate Han remained in the room. Han looked at Xie Yunjin, his eyes slightly red, and said, ¡°Yunjing, thank you for saving Nanfeng. Thank you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head and advised, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t say these meaningless words. Don¡¯t worry about anything else and focus on preparing for the provincial examination. Strive to pass this time. If you pass, then my efforts won¡¯t be in vain.¡±

    ¡°Okay, this time I will definitely pass the exam. After the exam, I¡¯lle to apologize to you, Yunjin.¡±

    Xie Yunjin waved his hand, and Han turned and walked out. Xie Yunjin let out a long sigh of relief and turned to look at Luo Jiao.

    ¡°Now that they¡¯re gone, it seems I haven¡¯t taken a bath yet.¡¯

    Since yesterday, he had been busy and hadn¡¯t had a chance to clean up. He would never be able to sleep without taking a bath.

    Luo Jiao, upon hearing his words, thought about how she used to help him wash his body when he was paralyzed, and now he wasfortable asking her directly.

    ¡°Shall I ask Lin Dong toe and help you wash up?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately refused, ¡°You know me, I don¡¯t like having unfamiliar people help me wash.¡¯

    Luo Jiao remembered how he would only let his second brother help him wash when he was bedridden.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin looked at Luo Jiao, who was slightly blushing, and couldn¡¯t help but tease her.

    ¡°If Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t mind, could you help me take a bath?¡±

 Chapter 366 - 366: I Cry when I want to

    Chapter 366: I Cry when I want to

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao listened to Xie Yunjin¡¯s words and quickly looked up at him. Were they progressing too fast? They had just agreed to give each other a chance.

    Lu Jiao decided to firmly express her position and not constantly dwell on wishful thinking.

    However, before she could speak, Xie Yunjin smiled first, ¡°Jiaojiao, why are you so serious? I was just teasing you.¡±

    After saying that, heughed even more joyfully. Lu Jiao snorted coldly, red at him, left, and then ordered Lin Dong, ¡°Prepare hot water immediately. I will personally bathe your master.¡±

    What¡¯s the big deal about bathing? Who¡¯s afraid of who?

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin felt uneasy upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words. A rosy blush appeared on his distinct features, and when Lu Jiao walked in, he shyly avoided looking at her face.

    To bathe him personally¡­ just thinking about the scene made him not dare to imagine too much.

    Lu Jiao calmly directed Lin Dong to bring arge wooden tub into the room, poured half a tub of hot water, and then naturally walked to the side of the bed, ready to help Xie Yunjin sit in the tub.

    Xie Yunjin had an arrow wound on his shoulder, so as long as the water didn¡¯t touch his shoulder, there would be no problem. It was nothing serious.

    However, when he thought about Lu Jiao personally bathing him, he immediately surrendered.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯ll do it myself. You can go out.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at him with a smile that wasn¡¯t really a smile and said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you teasing me? Who¡¯s teasing who?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately admitted his mistake, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have teased you.¡±

    Satisfied, Lu Jiao hummed, ¡°Alright, you wash yourself. I¡¯ll go to the back and take a bath. I¡¯lle backter to chat with you.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him, turned around, and walked out. Lin Dong was standing outside the door, and before she left, Lu Jiao asked him to go in and assist Xie Yunjin in bathing. Then, she walked toward the back courtyard.

    In the back courtyard, Lu Gui had already put the four little ones to sleep. When he saw Lu Jiao return, he suddenly burst into tears and reached out to hold her hand.

    ¡°Sister, you scared me.¡±

    He had been busy taking care of the four little ones all day and had forgotten his own fear. Now, when he thought about it carefully, he realized that he was genuinely scared.

    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go home. This ce is too frightening.¡±

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of her mouth. Look at how scared she had made her little brother.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I won¡¯t get myself in danger anymore. Besides, you¡¯re a man now. Don¡¯t cry at the drop of a hat. What kind of image is that for someone who¡¯s going to get married?¡±

    Lu Gui wiped away his tears unhappily and said, ¡°What does getting married have to do with me crying? Can¡¯t someone who¡¯s getting married cry? If I want to cry, I¡¯ll cry.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, you can cry if you want.¡±

    Lu Jiao exchanged a few words with him, told him to go back to sleep, and watched him walk to the front courtyard. Suddenly, she called out to him, smiling, ¡°Lu Gui, I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Okay, remember what you promised me. Stay out of danger. If something happens to you, our mother will probably copse.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and watched Lu Gui go to the front courtyard.

    After Lu Gui left, Feng Zhi, Lu An, and Lu Fu came out again and cried. Lu Jiao patientlyforted everyone. After all, they were all concerned about her, so she couldn¡¯t get angry or lose her temper.

    After taking a bath and changing into a fresh set of clothes, Lu Jiao went to the front courtyard to chat with Xie Yunjin. ¡°You have an arrow wound, so I¡¯ll stay by your side tonight in case you develop a fever.¡±

    After saying this, Lu Jiao prepared to sleep on the soft couch in Xie Yunjin¡¯s room, just like before. However, before she could lie down, Xie Yunjin spoke up, ¡°Sleeping on the couch isn¡¯tfortable. You should sleep on the bed.¡±

    Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao intently as he said this. Ignoring him, Lu Jiao got ready to sleep on the couch, but Xie Yunjin started to struggle out of bed.

    Hastily, Lu Jiao walked over and asked him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to sleep with me, then I¡¯ll sleep on the couch and you can sleep on the bed.¡±

    Lu Jiao firmly disagreed, ¡°There¡¯s no way I would let an injured patient sleep on the couch while I sleep on the bed.¡±

    ¡°But how can I sleep on the bed when the person I like is sleeping on the couch?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark, star-like eyes gazed at Lu Jiao, seemingly suggesting that either she slept on the bed or they slept together.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to argue with him over such matters. She nodded and agreed to sleep together on the bed. However, before getting into bed, she reminded Xie Yunjin, ¡°We¡¯ll sleep on opposite sides. Don¡¯te over to my side.¡±

    In truth, she was still a little dazed. They had just agreed to give each other a chance, but how did it escte to the point of sleeping together on the bed? However, after a night of exhaustion and an entire day of chaos, she was simply too tired to bother with it anymore.

    Moreover, Xie Yunjin was injured, and even if they slept on the same bed, what could he do? Lu Jiao still believed in his character.

    Xie Yunjin immediately agreed obediently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll only sleep on my side and won¡¯te over to your side.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he proactively moved toward the inner part of the bed and slept in a close-to-the-edge position. Seeing this, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t say anything further andid down on the bed to sleep.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin looked up at the canopy above with a delighted expression. Though he didn¡¯t say a word, Lu Jiao, with her eyes closed, could sense that he was not asleep, and she knew he was happy. Because of his happiness, her mood inexplicably improved, and she felt rxed.

    ¡°Go to sleep quickly.¡±

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin quietly turned his head to nce at Lu Jiao, and then he slowly extended his hand, inch by inch, towards Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    Unaware of his actions, as she was indeed quite tired, Lu Jiao closed her eyes and prepared to sleep. Unexpectedly, the person beside her suddenly reached out and firmly held her hand.

    Lu Jiao instinctively wanted to break free, but Xie Yunjin held her hand tightly.

    He held her hand and pretended to be tired as he said, ¡°I¡¯m so tired, let¡¯s sleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao gave him an annoyed re but noticed that he only held her hand and didn¡¯t do anything else, so she let him be. Both of them closed their eyes and fell asleep.

    In the middle of the night, Xie Yunjin developed a fever. Lu Jiao quickly got up to give him fever-reducing medicine and instructed Lin Dong to bring hot water. She wiped his body for him.

    The man, in a dazed state, muttered a few words from time to time. Although Lu Jiao didn¡¯t listen carefully, she still heard him call her name.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, Jiaojiao¡­¡±

    At first, Lu Jiao thought he needed something, butter she realized he was just calling her name. Even though he was delirious with fever, Lu Jiao could still sense the joy in his voice when he called her name.

    So, he truly likes her. Thinking of this possibility, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. Soft light filled her eyes, and a smile slowly formed on her lips. Her movements became even gentler and more meticulous..

 Chapter 367 - 367: Obsessed

    Chapter 367: Obsessed

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao gave Xie Yunjin some fever-reducing medicine, wiped his body, and tidied up. Xie Yunjin¡¯s fever subsided, and Lu Jiaoid down next to him and fell asleep.

    At dawn, when she was sleeping soundly, she felt someone staring at her.

    Lu Jiao groggily opened her eyes, took a nce, turned over, and continued to sleep. But soon, she had a realization and turned her head to look at the bedside.

    She saw the four little ones standing in front of the bed, staring at her and Xie Yunjin.

    The four little faces were as happy as blooming flowers. When they saw Lu Jiao waking up, they each asked one after another. ¡°Mommy, you slept with daddy.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean you won¡¯t leave anymore?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, are you going to give us a little sister?¡±

    ¡°We will love and take care of our little sister very much. I¡¯m going to start saving money now because we have to support mommy and our little sister, and that takes a lot of money.¡±

    The four little ones began to worry about how to save their money.

    Listening to the words of the four little ones, Lu Jiao felt her cheeks burning hot and felt embarrassed. Thinking ofst night when Xie Yunjin insisted on her sleeping on the bed, she turned her gaze to the person in the bed with an annoyed look.

    Unexpectedly, Xie Yunjin, who was on the bed, had already woken up. He was looking at her with a pair of eyes full of overflowing tenderness.

    That gaze seemed like an unfathomable abyss, wanting to pull her in. Lu Jiao¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. She quickly averted her gaze and looked at the four little ones by the bedside.

    ¡°You guys, stop thinking nonsense. Your dad was sickst night, and I was taking care of him. Your dad had a fever in the middle of the night.¡±

    The First Born quickly spoke up, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡±

    Xie Yunjin followed suit and said, ¡°Thank you, Jiaojiao. Jiaojiao, you¡¯ve had a hard time.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin finished speaking, the Second Born eximed, ¡°Daddy, you finally learned how to coax mommy. This is how you should coax mommy, and then mommy will be happy.¡±

    Lu Jiao was getting increasingly agitated by the presence of the four little ones. She quickly rolled out of bed and muttered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to wash up in the back courtyard.¡±

    The four little ones sensed that Lu Jiao was feeling shy and burst intoughter while covering their mouths. Xie Yunjin raised his hand and made a shushing gesture towards his sons, indicating not to tease their mom anymore, as she would get angry if they continued.

    The four immediately covered their mouths and shook their heads.

    Lu Jiao went to wash up in the backyard, and she calmed down. She regained her previous calm and indifferent demeanor and walked with Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu toward the front courtyard.

    Due to Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury, she decided to have their meals in the front courtyard for the next few days.

    Just as Lu Jiao brought Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu into the main hall of the front courtyard, she heard footsteps behind her. Lu Gui hurriedly ran over to report, ¡°Sister, Magistrate Hu and Commander Xu, as well as Officer Zhao from the arrest office, have arrived.¡¯

    Lu Jiao knew that they hade at this time for the matter concerning the Yang and Peng families. She immediately instructed Lu Gui to quickly invite them in.

    She took Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu to the east bedroom, where the four little ones were talking to Xie Yunjin by the bed.

    Lu Jiao asked Feng Zhi to take the four little ones to have their meal in the backyard.

    ¡°Your dad and I have something to doter, so we won¡¯t have our breakfast together today. Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡±

    The four little ones immediately nodded vigorously to indicate their agreement, and Feng Zhi took them to have their meal in the back courtyard.

    Just as they left, Magistrate Hu, Commander Xu, and Officer Zhao entered the east bedroom.

    Magistrate Hu excitedly eximed, ¡°Yunjin,st night we confiscated over two hundred thousand taels of silver from the Yang and Peng families. Some of it is even gold, the rest is silver.¡±

    Commander Xu quickly followed, ¡°I arrested Yang and Peng. They actually asked us why we were arresting them and cried and imed innocence. It was really funny.¡±

    Officer Zhao interjected, ¡°We have also transported the batch of illegal salt from ck Wind Mountain to Qinghe County.¡±

    Magistrate Hu quickly asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°How should we handle the

    confiscated silver?¡±

    ¡°Someone wille to handle itter. Don¡¯t worry, no one can erase your contributions,¡± Xie Yunjin replied.

    Magistrate Hu nodded eagerly, ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    Then he said in a solemn tone, ¡°I have decided to immediately open a court session to interrogate Yang and Peng.¡±

    Xie Yunjin agreed and said to Magistrate Hu, ¡°You should handle this case openly in front of the county government office. Let the people see how these two major corrupt officials in Qinghe County epted bribes. Show others how you, as the county magistrate, conduct a fair and strict trial.¡±

    Magistrate Hu was thrilled. This was his opportunity to make a name for himself, and he was naturally excited.

    ¡°Good, I will go back and handle the case immediately.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t stop him. Then Commander Xu turned to Lu Jiao and said eagerly, ¡°Madam Lu, I went to great lengths to capture Yang and Peng. Do you think my efforts count as meritorious service? When can you arrange the surgery for me?¡±

    In the room, everyone turned their heads to look at Commander Xu. Was this guy obsessed with having children?

    Commander Xu noticed the gazes but didn¡¯t care. He bought his way up the ranks and at the very most, he will get promoted once more. Going from the seventh rank to the sixth rank didn¡¯t make much of a difference, so he decided to peacefully have his own child.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. This guy had gone crazy. If she didn¡¯t arrange the surgery for him, he would probably go insane.

    ¡°Alright, after this case is concluded, I will discuss it with Dr. Qi to determine the timing of your surgery.¡±

    Commander Xu was pleased and nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s settled.¡± Afterward, he turned and happily walked away.

    Officer Zhao followed Magistrate Hu and left. Then Xie Yunjin called Li Nantian in and instructed him to immediately go and ask Zhao Lingfeng how they nned to handle the more than two hundred thousand taels of silver.

    They couldn¡¯t dy this matter. If the Prefect of Ningzhou knew about this batch of silver, he would quickly rush over to seize it and pin the case on Xie Yunjin¡¯s head. So their actions had to be fast and prompt.

    Li Nantian received Xie Yunjin¡¯s order and immediately went to handle the matter. Based on their investigation of Yang and Peng, Li Nantian and Zhou Shaogong knew that the master and madam had affirmed their abilities, so from now on, they would be the master and madam¡¯s trusted aides.

    This also confirmed their identities. They would now belong to the Xie family.

    Magistrate Hu conducted a public trial of Assistant Magistrate Yang and Administrator Peng for bribery and embezzlement in front of the county government office.

    The entire Qinghe County was in an uproar. When the onlookers heard that these two individuals had epted over two hundred thousand taels of silver in bribes, they all eximed in shock. Many people cursed these two individuals for their madness. Some families even thought of their own deceased rtives who hadmitted crimes and suspected that Yang and Peng had wrongly used and sentenced their loved ones for money.

    The curses filled the air, and the scene became chaotic.

    Officer Zhao quickly intervened to restore order, and finally, Magistrate Hu invited a person toe forward. That person was MO Bei.

    ¡°Thanks to Prince Yan, this case could be sessfully investigated. When Prince Yan passed through our Qinghe County and learned about this case, he made it his duty to uncover the truth behind these two corrupt officials and restore peace to Qinghe County.¡±

    After Magistrate Hu finished speaking, he immediately knelt down gratefully and said, ¡°Prince Yan cares about the people of Qinghe County. On behalf of the people of Qinghe County, I express my gratitude to Prince Yan..¡±

 Chapter 368 - 368: Grandson of the Emperor

    Chapter 368: Grandson of the Emperor

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The people watched as Magistrate Hu knelt down in front of them, and one by one, they also knelt down, expressing their gratitude to Prince Yan. ¡°Thank you, Prince Yan, for upholding justice in our Qinghe County.¡±

    ¡°Prince Yan has returned rity to our Qinghe County.¡±

    MO Bei looked at Magistrate Hu and slightly curved his lips. This seventh-ranked county magistrate of Qinghe County seemed quite capable. He would mention it to his masterter.

    As he thought this, MO Bei walked out with a solemn expression. He scanned the crowd of people and finally spoke, ¡°By the order of Prince Yan, Yang and Peng, as corrupt officials of the court, have epted bribes, leading to a state ofwlessness in Qinghe County. The people have grievances but nowhere to seek justice. Imand County Magistrate Hu to investigate and determine the individuals who have given them bribes. Once identified, they will be severely punished, and no one shall protect them.¡±

    County Magistrate Hu immediately eximed, ¡°Yes, I will carry out Prince Yan¡¯s orders.¡±

    MO Bei personally helped Magistrate Hu up, and Magistrate Hu resumed the trial of Yang and Peng. Meanwhile, MO Bei and his men went to arrange the transportation of the more than two hundred thousand taels of silver. They had to safely escort the silver to the capital and hand it over to the Ministry of Revenue.

    The silver could not be handled casually or lost. If it were lost, it would raise suspicions and possibly implicate his master in the disappearance of the silver.

    While MO Bei handled this matter, Magistrate Hu continued the trial of Yang and Peng, urging them to confess the individuals who had bribed them. However, the two men remained tight-lipped, refusing to disclose the mastermind behind their actions. The enraged people of Qinghe County began to throw things at them.

    In the end, the two men were knocked unconscious from the assault. County Magistrate Hu realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to extract any information from them in the short term, so he ordered them to be temporarily detained in the county government office.

    Due to hisck of trust in the local constables, County Magistrate Hu brought his own guards from his residence and assigned Chief Zhao to personally guard the two men.

    Inside the Xie residence, Lu Gui excitedly described the scene of Magistrate Hu¡¯s trial of Yang and Peng to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    When Lu Gui mentioned MO Bei¡¯s appearance and the scene of gratitude from the people of Qinghe County, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Lu Jiao and say, ¡°Do you know who Prince Yan¡¯s chief guard is? It¡¯s the person who apanied

    General Wang to Baohe Tang when the General needed arm reattachment.¡±

    Lu Gui had seen MO Bei when he went to Baohe Tang to fetch medicine for Xie Yunjin, so he immediately recognized him when he appeared.

    In the room, Lu Jiao raised her eyebrows in surprise and quickly turned to Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was also filled with shock. Compared to others¡¯ astonishment, his heart instantly surged.

    Prince Yan? That person is actually Prince Yan?

    In that case, the Fourth Born¡¯s biological father is actually a prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty. That means the Fourth Born himself is the grandson of the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. What should Xie Yunjin do? Should he tell the Fourth Born about his identity or not?

    If he doesn¡¯t tell the Fourth Born and he finds out in the future, will he resent him as his father? If he does tell him, Lu Jiao may just get deeply hurt.

    Originally, Xie Yunjin thought that the Fourth Born¡¯s father came from a prestigious noble family, so he had no intention of revealing his true heritage. But now, he was unsure of what to do.

    In the corner of the room, Lu Jiao raised her eyebrows and pondered deeply. So, that man with an aristocratic air who was hit by the inverted-hooked arrow is Prince Yan of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

    ording to the plot of the novel, this Prince Yan would be the emperor of the future Great Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, the two people sent by Zhao Lingfeng were likely sent by Prince Yan. Moreover, Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eventual appointment as the Duke of Yongning was also due to his assistance to Prince

    Yan.

    Lu Jiao was deep in thought when Uncle Wen hurriedly walked in and reported,

    ¡°Master, there is a young man surnamed MO visiting.¡±

    In the room, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao snapped out of their thoughts and exchanged a nce, confirming that the young man was most likely MO Bei. Lu Jiao looked at Lu Gui and said, ¡°Go and invite MO Bei inside.¡±

    Lu Gui eximed in excitement and ran out. It was unbelievable that their family had a connection with the chief guard of Prince Yan. This was incredible.

    MO Bei came to the Xie residence today to personally thank Xie Yunjin on behalf of Prince Yan. The benefits Prince Yan received were ultimately thanks to Xie Yunjin¡¯s help.

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t conceal this matter, so Prince Yan knew about it and sent MO Bei to personally thank Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Prince Yan asked me to personallye and express gratitude to Master Xie for the favor he extended today. If Master Xie ever needs assistance from His Majesty Prince Yan in the future, you can send a message through Zhao Lingfeng.¡±

    At this point, MO Bei no longer concealed that he was working for Prince Yan.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression dimmed slightly, but he nodded faintly and said calmly, ¡°If the need arises, I will certainly ask Prince Yan for help.¡±

    For the time being, he didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with Prince Yan. If they had more interactions, would he eventually discover that the Fourth Born was his child? Xie Yunjin hadn¡¯t made up his mind yet on whether to let the Fourth Born return to Prince Yan.

    MO Bei nodded, bid farewell, and left. He had a task at hand¡ªto personally escort over two hundred thousand taels of silver to the Capital City.

    ¡°Then, I will take my leave. If fate allows, we will meet again.¡±

    It was not unexpected that his master had recognized Xie Yunjin¡¯s intelligence, and he would undoubtedly make use of him in the future. They would meet again.

    MO Bei turned and left, and Lu Jiao got up to see him off. As Xie Yunjin was injured, only she, thedy of the house, could apany him.

    ¡°Guard MO Bei, this way.¡±

    MO Bei turned to Lu Jiao. He had expected to see a surprised expression on her face, but instead, he saw her calm andposed demeanor.

    MO Bei couldn¡¯t help but feel a shallow sense of disappointment, but he quickly regained hisposure.

    ¡°Thank you, Lady Lu.¡¯

    Lu Jiao raised her hand in a gesture of invitation and said calmly, ¡°Guard MO, please proceed.¡±

    The two walked out, one after the other. Xie Yunjin was preupied with his thoughts of Fourth Born, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to MO Bei¡¯s expression.

    As Lu Jiao escorted MO Bei out, he couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised at all?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned around and looked at MO Bei, smiling. ¡°Surprised about what? I already knew that your master held a distinguished position. Even if he isn¡¯t a prince or a dragon¡¯s descendant, he should still be a privileged young man in the Capital. Now that I know he is Prince Yan of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it¡¯s only normal. But I finally understand why you were so arrogant and looked down on others. It turns out you are the chief guard by Prince Yan¡¯s side.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s words infuriated MO Bei, and he red at her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you admit that you¡¯re greedy? You demanded five thousand taels for removing the barbed arrow from my master.¡±

    Lu Jiao purposely bit back, ¡°Who knows, if I had known he was Prince Yan, I might have asked for ten thousand taels.¡±

    Without waiting for MO Bei¡¯s response, Lu Jiao continued, ¡°Alright, Guard MO, have a safe journey.¡±

    She turned around and headed back to the Xie residence, ignoring the infuriated MO Bei standing in front of the door.

    MO Bei red at Lu Jiao fiercely. What a woman she was..

 Chapter 369 - 369: Actually, Iâ€™m just a big Child

    Chapter 369: Actually, I¡¯m just a big Child

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After returning to her room, Lu Jiao noticed that Xie Yunjin seemed lost in thought. Unable to hold back, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    Xie Yunjin snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Lu Jiao. He considered how much Lu Jiao loved the Fourth Born and instinctively didn¡¯t want her to know that the Fourth Born wasn¡¯t their child.

    Xie Yunjin smiled and then spoke while contemting, ¡°I was thinking about how you helped Prince Yan remove the barbed arrow. If we consider it that way, Prince Yan owes us more than once, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    Upon hearing his words, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Indeed. If we encounter any trouble in the future, we can ask Prince Yan for help.¡±

    Xie Yunjin sighed and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re truly lucky. You casually help someone remove a barbed arrow, and it turns out to be Prince Yan of the Great Zhou Dynasty. You casually attach someone¡¯s arm, and that person happens to be a general in the Great Zhou Dynasty. From now on, I¡¯ll rely on you, Jiaojiao, to protect me.¡±

    Xie Yunjin teased, and Lu Jiao¡¯s smile grew even brighter. She patted Xie Yunjin¡¯s shoulder with a hearty expression and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, from now on, big sister has got you covered.¡±

    When he heard her words, a mischievous and provocative look appeared in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Big sister?¡± he asked. Was Lu Jiao older than him?

    Lu Jiao immediatelyughed it off. In reality, she was one year older than Xie Yunjin, so it wasn¡¯t wrong for her to call herself a big sister.

    On the bed, Xie Yunjin suddenly grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. He softly whispered,

    ¡°Jiaojiao, can you tell me what you were like before?¡±

    Lu Jiao froze, but at that moment, the four little ones entered the room and interrupted her train of thought.

    ¡°Daddy, mommy.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately let go of Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, turned around, and greeted the four little ones.

    ¡°Have you finished your sses?¡±

    The four little ones ran up to her and nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, mommy, we have.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered her promise to the Second Born to write a story about a great general for him and smiled as she spoke, ¡°Go and have your meal with your friends. In the afternoon, I will y a role-ying game with you. This time, you will y the role of the great general.¡±

    The Second Born widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Mommy, are you for real?¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and praised him, ¡°Yes. When you were caught by the viins, you didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss. You took care of your friend Han Nanfeng. I believe that you will be a great general in the future. Not only will you be skilled yourself but you will also take care of your soldiers.¡±

    The Second Born was filled with excitement from Lu Jiao¡¯s praise. He puffed up his chest and dered, ¡°I will be braver and braver in the future. I will protect myself and also protect my soldiers.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how you¡¯ll act this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Okay, mommy.¡±

    Due to what had happened to the Second Born previously, the three little ones felt a deep affection for him, so this time, they all praised him.

    ¡°I believe the Second Born will be a brave and wise general in the future.¡±

    After the First Born finished speaking, the Third Born vigorously nodded and looked at the Second Born, saying, ¡°Second Born, when you be a great general, you must protect both me and the Fourth Born.¡±

    Second Born pped his chest, which made a loud sound. ¡°We¡¯re brothers, so that¡¯s for sure. If anyone dares to bully you, juste to me, and I¡¯ll bring people to teach the bad guys a lesson.¡±

    The three little ones burst intoughter.

    Lu Jiao saw that the Second Born didn¡¯t have any lingering shadows from his recent experience of falling into the enemy¡¯s hands. She finally let go of her worries and looked at the four little ones, saying,

    ¡°Alright, go and have lunch with the other kids,¡± Lu Jiao said. The children who were studying at the Xie family¡¯s residence would stay there for lunch, and the four little ones would eat together with them without any special treatment.

    After they heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, the four little ones nodded and ran up to Xie Yunjin. Each of them gave him a kiss on the cheek.

    ¡°Daddy, take good care of your injury. I¡¯lle to teach you math in the evening. ¡±

    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯lle back to perform as a great general for you tonight.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, we¡¯re going to have our meal now. Let mommy apany you for lunch.¡±

    ¡°Say nice things to mommy, and she¡¯ll happily have lunch with you.¡±

    After the four little ones finished, they ran out. Lu Jiao looked at their receding figures with a speechless expression.

    From the bed, Xie Yunjin called out, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately instructed Lin Dong to prepare the food and apanied Xie Yunjin for lunch. Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury on his left shoulder didn¡¯t affect his ability to eat, so Lu Jiao sat down and ate with him.

    Xie Yunjin thought about the question he had asked Lu Jiao earlier and couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Jiaojiao, what were you like before?¡±

    Lu Jiao involuntarily recalled her past life, and those memories seemed to have be less profound. Had she be ustomed to her current life?

    After pondering for a while, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want to talk about her past life. There was nothing worth mentioning. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she lived in a boarding school from the age of eight. During summer and winter vacations, her parents would push her around, but she never ended up living with them. Instead, she stayed with rtives.

    Later, she went through university and sessfully joined the military as a doctor. She was always focused on studying and saving lives.

    Lu Jiao shook her head and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say.¡±

    Her words fell with a hint of silence. Seeing her expression, Xie Yunjin realized that her past life didn¡¯t bring her happiness, so he decided not to ask her anymore. He ate the meal in silence, and after dinner, Lu Jiao went to the back

    courtyard to rest.

    In the afternoon, she didn¡¯t go out. She taught the children math and yed role-ying games with them. The little ones were extremely happy.

    During dinner, they kept talking about these things, and Lu Jiao was infected by their excitement, feeling very happy.

    Seeing her in a good mood, Xie Yunjin felt relieved and secretly decided not to ask Lu Jiao about her past life anymore. She must have lived a very unhappy life in her previous life, so he would stop asking.

    After dinner, Lu Jiao nned to take the four little ones to the backyard to sleep.

    Immediately, Xie Yunjinined in a pitiful voice, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m still a patient, you know?¡±

    What?

    Lu Jiao turned to look at him, and Xie Yunjin weakly continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if the wound will get infected tonight.¡±

    Lu Jiao wanted to roll her eyes. Xie Sangou, can you stop being so hypocritical?

    However, the four little ones were clearly worried. They looked up at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Mommy, you should sleep with father tonight.¡± ¡°We can go back to the back courtyard to sleep on our own.¡± ¡°Mommy, if you go back to sleep, what if daddy has a fever again?¡±

    ¡°Yes, daddy is injured. Mommy should stay with father for the night.¡±

    After the four little ones finished speaking, they ran out and called to Feng Zhi outside, ¡°Sister Feng Zhi,e with us to the back courtyard to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Alright, young masters.¡±

    Feng Zhi led the four little ones to the backyard to bathe and sleep.

    In the master bedroom of the front courtyard, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin and said unkindly, ¡°You¡¯repeting with our four sons for attention now?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately protested in a pitiful tone, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m just a big child too. ¡±

    His words instantly made Lu Jiaough. Was there really such a thing as a big child? Xie Sangou was truly living up to his name..

 Chapter 370 - 370: Being there for you

    Chapter 370: Being there for you

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin saw her smile and also beamed in response. He raised his hand and patted the bed beside him, ¡°Jiaojiao,e up and sleep.¡±

    Lu Jiao reminded him with a warning, ¡°I only agreed to give each other a chance to get to know each other and see if we arepatible. Don¡¯t take advantage of the situation, or else I may take back what I said.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately spoke seriously, ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t do it again. The reason I asked you to stay tonight is because I¡¯m injured and I wanted you to apany me.¡±

    After these words, silence fell.

    A person who was originally exceptionally handsome and elegant appeared mncholy as hey quietly on the bed, looking lonely. This sight could stirpassion in anybody. Lu Jiao, however, waspletely unaware of her own softness.

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t let it happen again.¡±

    A fleeting smile shed in Xie Yunjin¡¯s dark eyes. He raised his head and looked at Lu Jiao with a serious promise, ¡°Jiaojiao, rest assured, I won¡¯t make inappropriate requests that I shouldn¡¯t make in the future.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Lu Jiao remained silent and went to lie down beside him to sleep.

    Xie Yunjin slowly reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. Lu Jiao turned her head, seemingly grinning, ¡°You just said you won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin said softly, ¡°I meant starting tomorrow.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at him speechlessly. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything and allowed him to hold her hand.

    She closed her eyes slowly, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Memories of her past life surfaced in her mind, and suddenly she felt the urge to confide in someone, so she opened her mouth and spoke.

    ¡°In fact, my situation was simr to yours. In my past life, my parents didn¡¯t love each other. They were forced into a marriage by their families. Soon after I was born, they both found people they liked and then divorced.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t expect Lu Jiao to suddenly talk about her past life. He turned to look at her silently, listening without saying a word.

    When he heard about the divorce, he couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise, ¡°Divorce?¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to look at him and exined, ¡°Yes, they separated.¡±

    Xie Yunjin gazed at Lu Jiao, unable to control his heartache for her. It turned out that someone as bright and sunny as she had experienced a simr situation to his own. Yet, she still grew up so beautifully.

    Xie Yunjin really wanted to reach out andfort Lu Jiao, but he held back, remembering her warning.

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°At that time, I was just a few years old. I saw them divorce, saw them quarrel, saw that they didn¡¯t want me. In the end, after some discussion, they sent me to a boarding school.¡±

    Lu Jiao exined the concept of a boarding school then, ¡°Boarding school is where students lived and studied in the school premises. Normally, they would go home only once a month.

    Others would go home once a month, but I could only go home every six months because they didn¡¯t want me. During the summer and winter vacations, they pushed me back and forth, not wanting me at all.

    Where I grew up, the schools have summer and winter vacations. Summer vacationsts for over fifty days, and winter vacation is more than twenty days.¡±

    Lu Jiao continued, ¡°During my vacations, I always stayed with rtives. Although they didn¡¯t dare to say it to my face, they gossiped behind my back, saying that I was a child abandoned by my parents. They thought I was a poor thing.¡±

    As she spoke, Lu Jiao seemed remarkably calm. Unlike before, when she talked about this, she used to feel a lot of pain and distress.

    ¡°I studied from elementary school to middle school, then continued to high school and university. I was always alone. Later, in university, I studied medicine and after graduating, I joined the military and became a military doctor,¡± Lu Jiao narrated calmly.

    Beside her, Xie Yunjin looked at her with surprise, ¡°Lu Jiao, you¡¯re a military doctor.¡±

    No wonder she had always been decisive, kind-hearted, and willing to help the weak. It was because she was a military doctor.

    A military doctor!

    Thinking about Lu Jiao¡¯s past life identity, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but admire her. But at the same time, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of such a wonderful person having such heartless parents. Although he didn¡¯t have the love of his own parents, his second brother had always taken care of him and apanied him as he grew up. However, Lu Jiao had always been alone since childhood. He couldn¡¯t imagine how lonely and isted she must have felt.

    Xie Yunjin suddenly reached out and embraced Lu Jiao¡¯s body. Lu Jiao hesitated for a moment and began to struggle. Xie Yunjin gently whispered to her, ¡°Don¡¯t move, let me hold you. If possible, I really want to go back to your childhood and be there for you instead of your parents.¡±

    This sentence instantly struck Lu Jiao¡¯s heart. She quietly nestled in Xie Yunjin¡¯s embrace, enjoying the warmth of this moment.

    Not knowing whether it was because this embrace was toofortable or because she yearned for this feeling, she eventually fell asleep in Xie Yunjin¡¯s arms.

    Xie Yunjin looked down at her, slowly forming a gentle smile. He bent down and kissed her forehead lightly.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, from now on, I will cherish and love you. I won¡¯t let you suffer in this lifetime.¡¯

    The scene of the two of them embracing and sleeping together in the room was like a painting.

    The next day, when Lu Jiao woke up, she saw the man beside her, leaning on his hands and looking at her, his dark eyes filled with affection and tenderness.

    Seeing him like this, Lu Jiao¡¯s cheeks blushed uncontrobly. And when she remembered that she had slept in his armsst night, she felt even more embarrassed.

    Were they moving too fast?

    Lu Jiao thought to herself silently and she quickly got up, rolled off the bed, and headed towards the door.

    Behind her, Xie Yunjin pursed his lips and smiled. Lu Jiao¡¯s awkwardness was really adorable. He now understood her awkvvardness stemmed from the fact that she had never experienced someone loving her, so she didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    After Lu Jiao washed up in the back courtyard, she calmed down.

    As someone who had transmigrated to this world, should she be afraid of the advances of someone from ancient times? If he dared to make a move on her again, she would retaliate.

    Lu Jiao made up her mind firmly in her heart.

    Due to Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury, Lu Jiao took the four little ones to the front yard to eat together.

    During the meal, the four little ones noticed the apparent change in the rtionship between their father and mother. Their father looked at their mother with a smile in his eyes, and their mother seemed a little shy.

    It was really rare for their mommy to act in such a manner. The four little ones looked at them, feeling surprised.

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but snort when she noticed the little ones ncing at her from time to time, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, you seem to be feeling shy?¡± The Second Born, who was always straightforward, said.

    Lu Jiao immediately gave him a disdainful look and said unkindly, ¡°What does a child like you know about being shy? I¡¯m a grown adult, why would I be shy?¡±

    The Second Born¡¯spanion, First Born, was always intelligent. He quickly interjected, ¡°Yes, mommy is not shy. Don¡¯t speak nonsense.¡±

    The Second Born let out a long ¡°oh¡± sound and was about to say something more when Lu Gui hurriedly entered the room and reported, ¡°Brother-inw, sister, Officer Zhao is here.¡¯

    Upon hearing that Officer Zhao had arrived, Xie Yunjin knew there might be important matters. He asked Lu Gui to take the four little ones to the east wing to prepare for their lessons.

    The four little ones obediently followed Lu Gui to attend their lessons..

 Chapter 371 - 371: I Will Stay Home and Recover

    Chapter 371: I Will Stay Home and Recover

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Officer Zhao quickly entered the master bedroom. Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao saw his grim expression and immediately asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Officer Zhao nced at Xie Yunjin and then at Lu Jiao before he spoke in a somber tone, ¡°Last night, Assistant Magistrate Yang and Administrator Pengmitted suicide.¡±

    Xie Yunjin frowned deeply. Lu Jiao was the first to speak, ¡°Theymitted suicide to protect their families, right?¡±

    Assistant Magistrate Yang and Administrator Peng were involved with influential merchants from Qinghe County. Although merchants had low social statuses, they were wealthy, and money could make the impossible happen.

    Moreover, even if Peng and Yang exposed these merchants, the merchants would likely only sacrifice one or two individuals from their families to take the me. Then, the merchants might retaliate against Peng and Yang¡¯s wives, children, and rtives. So, their only option was to take their own lives. Officer Zhao also thought about this and remained silent without saying anything.

    Although Yang and Peng were deeply corrupt, they had worked together for many years. Now that both of them had taken their own lives, Officer Zhao felt uneasy in his heart.

    Previously, he had asked them why they were so greedy for money that they couldn¡¯t use and only dared to hoard it. What was the point of it all? At that time, Yang and Peng replied with bitter smiles, saying that having money was the ultimate goal for the poor. Once they saw the cash, they couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. Initially, they had tried their best to restrain themselves.

    However, they couldn¡¯t resist when people kept offering them money. Each time they saw the silver coins that they had to return, they felt like their hearts were bleeding. Later, they thought they would take the money just once, but their audacity grew, and they ended up in an irredeemable situation. ¡°They bothmitted suicide, so we can¡¯t do anything to those detestable merchants.

    Xie Yunjin said coldly. ¡°The setback is temporary. Now that the merchants don¡¯t have protection, we will find an opportunity to deal with them sooner orter.¡±

    Officer Zhao nodded, looked at Xie Yunjin, and continued, ¡°You should rest and recover from your injuries. As for me, I will help Magistrate Hu to reorganize the county office. Previously, Yang and Peng had control over the county office. Many people there were connected through personal rtionships and took bribes. So, the Magistrate is investigating, and anyone involved in bribery will not escape punishment.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, and Officer Zhao added, ¡°In a few days, when you have time, I will personally investigate the whereabouts of Shen Xiu. We must find this woman.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought of Shen Xiu, and his expression turned dark.

    Officer Zhao said a few more words about resting and recovering, then turned to leave.

    In the room, Xie Yunjin turned to look at Lu Jiao, ¡°Now you can move freely.

    The merchants from Qinghe County won¡¯t easily act against us for now. But be prepared; they might try to win us over in an attempt to rebuild theirwork.

    I¡¯ll be staying at home to recover from my injuries, so they won¡¯t easilye to win me over. During this time, they might focus on you. Be careful when you go out, and make sure to take Ruan Zhu with you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and replied. Because of being watched, she had been cautious and didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. She didn¡¯t even go to see the thousand acres of medicinal fields she purchased or visit her three shops.

    Now that those merchants could no longer act rashly, she could take this opportunity to visit the medicinal fields and workshops.

    As Lu Jiao nned it out, Lu Gui came in quickly from outside and reported,

    ¡°Sister, Lady Xu has returned.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, looking at Xie Yunjin, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the back and entertain Lady Xu first, then we¡¯ll go to the medicinal fields.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled and reminded Lu Jiao, ¡°Remember to take Feng Zhi and Ruan

    Zhu with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao had previously told him about Ruan Zhu¡¯s formidable martial arts skills, so he felt more at ease when she was with Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao nodded and turned to leave. However, just as she was about to step out,

    Xie Yunjin suddenly called out, ¡°Jiaojiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought he needed something and instinctively stopped and turned around to look at him. She saw the man on the bed looking serious as he said, ¡°I will obediently stay at home to recover, so don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Outside the door, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but re fiercely at Xie Yunjin. Who is worrying about you? Who?

    But she couldn¡¯t be bothered to say more to this guy and turned around to leave. Behind her, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    He now enjoyed teasing Lu Jiao. Was it improper? But he couldn¡¯t resist it. Seeing the usually calm andposed woman showing various expressions when he teased her, he couldn¡¯t help but want to tease her even more.

    Lu Jiao took Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu to the back courtyard. Lady Xu and her daughter, Jinxiu, had already been invited over by Lu Gui.

    When they saw Lu Jiao enter, Lady Xu and Jinxiu immediately stood up and respectfully greeted her, ¡°Lady Lu, have you been doing well recently?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Lu, are you alright?¡±

    The Xu family lived quite far from Qinghe County, so they were not aware of the recent events in the county. It wasn¡¯t until they arrived in town that they heard about the various incidents. They were surprised to learn that Yang and Peng turned out to be two big scoundrels, each epting bribes of more than ten thousand taels of silver.

    They also heard about the recent troubles in the Xie family. The Second Born had been kidnapped by bad people.

    After listening to Lady Xu¡¯s concern, Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Everything is fine now. It¡¯s all over.¡¯

    Lady Xu nodded, ¡°As long as nothing happens, that¡¯s good.¡±

    After Lady Xu finished speaking, a little embarrassed, she gestured towards tworge bags of produce brought from the countryside and said, ¡°Although I know that you have everything, I still wanted to give you a small token of my appreciation. Recently, Jinxiu and I have been going up the mountain to collect some wild vegetables and fruits. We dried them and brought some for you.¡± Lu Jiao immediately smiled and said, ¡°You know, I really like this.¡±

    With that, she looked at Feng Zhi and said, ¡°Take these tworge bags of wild vegetables and fruits to the kitchen and tell Aunt Hua to use some of the wild vegetables to prepare dishes for today.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Feng Zhi happily picked up the tworge bags of wild vegetables and fruits and took them to the back courtyard.

    Lady Xu and Jinxiu were also delighted when they saw Feng Zhi¡¯s reaction. They had been worried that Lady Lu would find it inappropriate.

    Now, it seemed they had worried too much.

    Lu Jiao turned to look at Lady Xu and Jinxiu and said, ¡°Both of you should stay for lunch today.¡±

    Lady Xu shook her head in refusal, ¡°Previously, you had asked me to help you look after the fields. Shouldn¡¯t we go and take a look there first?¡±

    Lady Xu didn¡¯t want to stay at the Xie residence for lunch because their neighbors were the Su family. Although she had divorced Su Dahai, she still felt awkward being so close to her ex-husband¡¯s family.

    Lu Jiao could sense Lady Xu¡¯s difort and didn¡¯t insist on her staying.

    Just as Lu Jiao was about to get up and go to Baohe Tang with Lady Xu, Lu Gui ran in with a big smile, reporting, ¡°Sister, someone from Xie Vige hase.¡± Lu Jiao turned her head to look at Lu Gui in surprise and asked, ¡°Who came?¡±

    ¡°Brother-inw¡¯s second brother came. He said he wanted to ask about raising leeches. It seems that some of their leeches have died recently. Second Brother is worried that something might be wrong, so he personally rushed to Qinghe County to find you and ask where the problem lies..¡±

 Chapter 372 - 372: Other Intentions

    Chapter 372: Other Intentions

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao immediately turned around and said to Lady Xu and Jinxiu, ¡°I have

    some things to attend to. Both of you should still stay for lunch. In the afternoon, we can go together to the fields.¡±

    Lady Xu saw that Lu Jiao had something to do, which made it difficult for her to insist on leaving. She agreed immediately.

    ¡°Okay, then Jinxiu and I will go to the kitchen to help Aunt Hua prepare lunch.¡±

    ¡°Sure, thank you.¡±

    Lady Xu shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Lady Xu and Jinxiu stood up and headed towards the kitchen to assist Aunt Hua with the meal preparation.

    Meanwhile, Lu Jiao walked with Ruan Zhu to the front courtyard.

    As she approached Xie Yunjin¡¯s room, she overheard the concerned voice of Xie Yunjin¡¯s second brother, Xie Erzhu.

    ¡°How did you get injured when everything was fine? Your leg just recovered, and now you have a shoulder injury. Brother, your luck has been really badtely. After your injuries heal, you should take sister-inw to the temple and offer incense.¡¯

    Just as Lu Jiao entered, Xie Erzhu noticed her and instinctively greeted her, ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re here. I was just telling my brother that you should all go to the temple and offer incense. His luck hasn¡¯t been good this year.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

    She gestured for Xie Erzhu to take a seat while she exchanged pleasantries with the other two people in the room.

    The other two were also vigers from the Xie vige. It was Xu Duojin and an elderly man named Xiao whom Xu Duojin hunted with. The vigers were addressing him as Uncle Xiao.

    ¡°Brother Xu and Uncle Xiao are also here,¡± Lu Jiao acknowledged.

    Xu Duojin stood up and exined, ¡°Xie Erzhu wasing to Qinghe County, and the vige elders were concerned, so they sent me and Uncle Xiao to apany him here.¡±

    Xie Erzhu chuckled, ¡°Actually, I could havee alone, but they were worried and insisted on sending me.¡±

    He seemed quite confident in his abilities.

    Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin exchanged a nce and both smiled.

    As long as Xie Erzhu was happy, it didn¡¯t matter whether he could make money or how much he made.

    Xie Yunjin turned to Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao and thanked them, ¡°Thank you, Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao, for apanying my brother here.¡±

    Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao shook their heads. Xu Duojin said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Brother Xie is now a famous figure in our vige, and naturally, we want to take good care of him.¡±

    Xie Erzhu rubbed his head, seemingly helpless. However, he quickly thought of the matter of the leeches dying and his expression became serious. He looked at Lu Jiao and asked.

    ¡°Everything was fine with the leech farming, but in recent days, I¡¯ve found that some of the leeches have died. Although it¡¯s not a lot, I¡¯m worried that more will dieter. So, I want to ask my sister-inw, are the leeches sick?¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately asked about the specific details of his leech farming, and she found that Xie Erzhu was doing everything properly. Under these circumstances, the leeches should not have died.

    She then inquired about the lighting conditions, and eventually, she discovered the cause of the leeches¡¯ death: it was due to excessive exposure to light.

    In September, the sun was slightly hitting the west, and although the leech pond was covered with water lilies and water hyacinths, there were no trees nted around the pond. As a result, when the sun was at an angle, it still shone into the pond.

    Leeches are afraid of light, and if they crawl onto the shore, exposure to light would cause them to die.

    Lu Jiao exined the problem to Xie Erzhu and advised him, ¡°When you go back, nt trees around the leech pond to block any light from reaching it. This way, the leeches won¡¯t die.¡±

    Xie Erzhu understood and nodded emphatically, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll have the vigers nt trees around the leech pond.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Lu Jiao affirmed.

    She inquired about the situation in their vige. The Xie family¡¯s vige was doing well, and due to the interdependence of their interests, the neighbors lived harmoniously together.

    Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao also exchanged a few words, and Lu Jiao asked them to talk to Xie Yunjin. She then excused herself to the back courtyard to arrange for lunch.

    Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao were embarrassed and got up to leave, ¡°We should go back. ¡±

    Lu Jiao warmly insisted, ¡°As fellow vigers, you really can¡¯t just leave without having a meal. Are you looking down on us, Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao?¡± Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao instantly shook their heads, ¡°It¡¯s too much work for you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Please just stay and have lunch.¡±

    Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao wanted to say something more, but Xie Erzhu interrupted, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be reserved. My third brother and sister-inw are not strangers to you. They are all very good people. Just stay and have a meal.¡±

    Xu Duojin and Uncle Xiao stopped insisting and watched as Lu Jiao and the other three people leave the room to go to the back courtyard.

    Xie Yunjin said concernedly from behind, ¡°Then, in the afternoon, you can go and see the fields.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lu Jiao replied before walking out. Xie Erzhu curiously asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°What fields?¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to conceal information from his own brother so he told him that Lu Jiao purchased somend and were nning on farming medicinal However, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t mention the exact amount ofnd she bought, so Xie Erzhu and the others assumed it was around one or two hundred acres.

    Even with that assumption, Xie Erzhu and the others still thought highly of Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Brother¡¯s wife is really impressive. In such a short time, she bought one or two hundred acres ofnd.¡¯

    Xu Duojin nodded in agreement, ¡°Lady Lu has always been capable. The days ahead for the Yunjin family will only get better.¡±

    Xie Erzhu and Xu Duojin praised Lu Jiao, and Xie Yunjin felt even happier than if they had praised him. He smiled as he watched the joyful conversation between the two inside the room.

    On one side of the room, Uncle Xiao suddenly spoke up, ¡°Do you need someone to take care of your fields?¡±

    His words caught everyone¡¯s attention, and they turned to look at Uncle Xiao.

    What did Uncle Xiao mean?

    Uncle Xiao spoke proactively, ¡°If your fields have no one to take care of them, I can help you take care of them.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was unsure how to respond because those were Lu Jiao¡¯s medicinal fields, and he had never been involved in her affairs. Besides, he didn¡¯t understand why Uncle Xiao wanted to take care of their fields.

    Xie Yunjin looked at Uncle Xiao with a puzzled expression, and Uncle Xiao looked worried as he exined.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anynd, and I¡¯m getting old. Going hunting in the mountains will be difficult in the future. So, I¡¯ve been looking for something suitable to do in my retirement. If your family¡¯s fields have no one to take care of them, I¡¯d be willing to watch over them for you.¡±

    Xie Yunjin saw the sincere look on Uncle Xiao¡¯s face. It seemed like he genuinely wanted to take care of their fields.

    To be honest, Uncle Xiao was a fellow viger of the Xie family. Although he came to the vigeter, he had been a local for many years. Xie Yunjin trusted his character, and if Lu Jiao indeed needed someone to manage the fields, Uncle Xiao would be a good choice.

    Thinking about this, Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Lu Jiao has been handling the fields all this time, and I haven¡¯t interfered. I¡¯ll ask her about itter.¡¯

    Uncle Xiao didn¡¯t say anything more and agreed to wait and ask Xie Yunjin¡¯s wife when she returns..

 Chapter 373 - 373: Semi -Automatic Oil Press Machine

    Chapter 373: Semi -Automatic Oil Press Machine

    I rantor: coczero ea?ror: xannystars

    At noon, Lu Jiao arranged a table full of dishes in the main hall of the front courtyard to entertain Xie Erzhu, Xu Duojin, and Uncle Xiao.

    The four children found Xie Erzhu and the others particrly familiar and kept asking about the situation in the vige¡ªhow was Gou Shening? How were Brother Stone and the others?

    Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Xie Yunjin whispered to Lu Jiao about Uncle Xiao¡¯s suggestion.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t immediately reject the idea but whispered back, ¡°Helping me manage the fields is not a problem, but I don¡¯t intend to use an outsider. The person managing the fields must sign an indenture. Is Uncle Xiao willing to do

    As soon as Lu Jiao finished speaking, Uncle Xiao beside her spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m willing. ¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to look at Uncle Xiao and asked, ¡°Are you sure, Uncle Xiao?¡± Uncle Xiao nodded firmly, expressing his agreement.

    ¡°I, Xiao Shan, have no rtives and am all alone. There¡¯s nothing wrong with signing an indenture. It¡¯s just a piece of paper.¡±

    After Lu Jiao heard Uncle Xiao¡¯s name, Lu Jiao choked on the food in her mouth. She choked because of Uncle Xiao¡¯s name.

    The vigers referred to him as Uncle Xiao and had never called him by his full name ¨C Xiao Shan.

    This was the first time Uncle Xiao said his full name.

    Others were calm while Lu Jiao was in shock. This was because, in the book, Xie Yunjin had a very capable steward named Xiao Shan.

    This steward was not only loyal andpetent but also skilled in martial arts.

    Could it be that this person was actually Uncle Xiao?

    Lu Jiao was incredulous, but she couldn¡¯t help but look at Uncle Xiao again.

    Seeing her gaze, Uncle Xiao¡¯s eyes dimmed for a moment, but he quicklyposed himself and said calmly, ¡°Yunjin¡¯s wife, do you think I can stay and take care of yournd for you?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, this person was the future First Assistant¡¯s steward. Wasn¡¯t it a bit too much to have him manage the fields for her?

    However, they already had Lu Gui taking care of things at the manor, so she couldn¡¯t simply ask Lu Gui to step down from his position as steward and give it to Uncle Xiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes flickered as she decided to keep Uncle Xiao for now. She would figure out a way to transfer him to Xie Yunjin¡¯s sideter. Alternatively, if she and Xie Yunjin eventually went their separate ways, she would give Uncle Xiao to him as a gift.

    Lu Jiao was lost in thought when Xie Yunjin interrupted, saying, ¡°If you have other arrangements, then don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Uncle Xiao¡¯s eyes dimmed for a moment, but he quicklyposed himself and said, ¡°If it¡¯s causing trouble for you, Yunjin¡¯s wife, I can still go back to hunting.¡±

    Although he spoke these words, his expression appeared exceptionally pitiful and helpless, as if he were a destitute and forlorn old man with no one to rely on.

    Xie Erzhu and Xu Duojin immediately felt some sympathy for Uncle Xiao.

    Lu Jiao, however, secretly cursed the old fox. While others might not understand, she knew that Uncle Xiao possessed martial arts skills. Despite his old and frail appearance, his abilities were far from weak.

    She believed that his act of appearing pitiful was just a ruse. With Uncle Xiao¡¯s capabilities, hunting was not a problem for him at all.

    So, why would he sell himself to take care of their fields?

    The whole situation seemed quite peculiar, but Lu Jiao didn¡¯t doubt Uncle Xiao¡¯s intentions. In the book, Uncle Xiao had shown great loyalty to Xie Yunjin.

    Moreover, their family didn¡¯t possess anything valuable that others might covet.

    Contemting the situation, Lu Jiao turned to Uncle Xiao and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want Uncle Xiao to stay. The main issue is that I¡¯m a bit conflicted. Originally, I wanted to buy someone capable to manage the fields, and I¡¯m sure Uncle Xiao would do a better job than the person I hire. But asking Uncle Xiao to sign a contract to sell himself¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel right in my heart.¡±

    Uncle Xiao immediately said, ¡°What¡¯s there to feel uneasy about? I¡¯m all alone in this world. By signing the contract, at least when I pass away someday, there¡¯ll be someone to take care of my funeral arrangements.¡±

    After speaking, Uncle Xiao noticed the children at the table and quickly smiled, ¡°In any case, I willingly signed this contract to sell myself, so there¡¯s no need for Lady Lu to feel troubled.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin, and he nodded ¡°Since Uncle Xiao is willing to help you with the fields, you should keep him. In the future, we will make arrangements for his retirement.¡±

    Uncle Xiao¡¯s eyes turned slightly red at Yunjin¡¯s words. ¡°With a statement like that from Yunjin, I can rest assured.¡±

    Lu Jiao agreed, ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s settled.¡±

    Xie Erzhu and Xu Duojin didn¡¯t say much about Uncle Xiao¡¯s decision. Everyone had their own considerations. While they all had children and family members, Uncle Xiao had no one, not even a rtive. Although he signed the indenture, Yunjin had promised to take care of his retirement, which was a good oue.

    The atmosphere at the dining table became lively again.

    The four little ones used chopsticks to pick dishes for Xie Erzhu, Xu Duojin, and Uncle Xiao, which delighted everyone. They praised the children for bing more and more sensible.

    Most importantly, the four kids didn¡¯t look down on them, the less fortunate rural folks, just because they were well-off now.

    This made Xie Erzhu, Xu Duojin, Uncle Xiao, and the others very happy.

    In the afternoon, Xie Erzhu and Xu Duojin took a rented carriage back to Xie Family Vige.

    Uncle Xiao stayed behind and signed the indenture to apany Lu Jiao, Lady Xu, and others as they headed toward Baohe Tang.

    Lu Jiao was not dressed in men¡¯s clothing this time, so no one in Baohe Tang knew that this beautiful and charming woman was the miraculous physician, Dr. Lu. The patients in the hall quietly received medical treatment.

    Lu Jiao led Lady Xu, Uncle Xiao, Feng Zhi, and Ruan Zhu to the backyard.

    Zhao Lingfeng had received a report from the staff inside the store and came to greet them.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I need someone to show me the fields I bought. I n to discuss my ns with the tenant farmers.¡¯

    It was already September, and the early rice in the fields was almost ready for harvest. Once it was harvested, she would formally reim thend and start nting medicinal herbs.

    Hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you send someone to guide me instead.¡±

    Although Lu Jiao knew Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s future identity and knew that he would be the emperor¡¯s trusted aide, she didn¡¯t change her attitude toward him. At present, they were coborators.

    Hearing her response, Zhao Lingfeng raised an eyebrow, ¡°After looking at the fields, I can also go to the workshop nearby. Recently, because of the things your family encountered, you haven¡¯t had the chance to visit the workshop.

    The oil mill has already been set up. I had the craftsmen build the oil press machine ording to your drawings. However, no one knows how to use the machine at the moment, so we need you to provide guidance.¡± Lu Jiao was pleasantly surprised by Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words.

    ¡°Great! After checking the fields, I¡¯ll take a look at the oil press machine.¡±

    The design she drew for the oil press machine was an old-style one, not the advanced type she wasn¡¯t familiar with. Also, there was no electricity at this time, so she designed a semi-manual machine. The early stages of picking and sifting the beans will still need to be done manually. After that, for heating, charcoal was used, and for pressing the oilter on, a continuously rotating shaft was employed.

    As for how well this machine would perform, Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t entirely sure. Honestly, her familiarity with this semi-manual oil press machine came from her time living with rtives during her childhood. They used a simr oil press to extract oil, and she used to help them every day. As a result, she gained some understanding of its construction by observing it closely. Now, it was a great opportunity for her to put that knowledge to practical use..

 Chapter 374 - 374: A Deception or a Trick

    Chapter 374: A Deception or a Trick

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After they finished their conversation, the group continued on their way. Lu Jiao, apanied by Lady Xu and Ruan Zhu, sat in the front carriage, while Feng Zhi and Old Man Xiao sat in another carriage behind. Zhao Lingfeng rode in the Zhao family¡¯s carriage. The group headed straight for the outskirts of Qinghe County.

    However, as they reached a bustling street, they unexpectedly encountered someone, causing both horses to be startled.

    Lu Jiao lifted the curtain to look outside and saw that there was a woman on the opposite side also lifting the curtain to look out.

    It turned out to be Zhang Biyan, the wife of Li Wenfu ¨C one of the daughters of the Zhang family, one of the four prominent families in Qinghe County.

    Seeing Zhang Biyan, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but recall what Xie Yunjin had previously told her.

    The merchants in Qinghe County might be eyeing them since they want to reestablish theirwork.

    Did the Zhang family have some hidden intentions by running into her like this?

    Lu Jiao remainedposed and stared at the carriage opposite of her. With a smile on her face, Zhang Binyan said, ¡°It turns out to be Lady Lu. I apologize for startling your horses.¡±

    Zhang Biyan¡¯s attitude was much more polite than before when they were at Dean Lu¡¯s home.

    Lu Jiao responded calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It was our horses that startled your carriage. Please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re too kind. I will treat you to tea another day.¡±

    ¡°Lady Zhang, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. It¡¯s really not a big deal.¡±

    Zhang Biyan continued with a grin, ¡°Actually, our two families should be closer. Wenbin and Schr Xie are good friends from their school days.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed. When my husband was bedridden, Schr Li specially brought gifts to visit us. My husband has always praised him as a genuine person.¡±

    Suddenly, Zhang Biyan raised her hand and patted her forehead, ¡°I just remembered something. It seems like Schr Xie is injured, but we forgot to visit him.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Lady Zhang, no need to be apologetic. My husband encounters various incidents every now and then, and it¡¯s quite a bother to trouble you for visits each time. I feel embarrassed.¡±

    Zhang Biyan replied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional. There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say much more and instructed the coachman outside, ¡°Back up and let Lady Lu and her group go first.¡±

    The Zhang family¡¯s carriage soon moved backward, and Lu Jiao¡¯s expression darkened. They were showing too much solicitude for no reason, which was either a deception or a trick.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lu Jiao instructed the coachman. The Xie family¡¯s carriage passed by the Zhang family¡¯s carriage. As they passed, Lu Jiao lifted the curtain and thanked Zhang

    Biyan, ¡°Thank you, Lady Zhang.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not be overly polite with each other.¡±

    Lu Jiao returned a polite smile and then dropped the curtain, her face turning cold.

    Today¡¯s incident with the frightened horses indicated that the Zhang family had set their sights on her.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression worsened. She sneered, thinking that the Zhang family must have underestimated her and wanted to deceive her. They were overthinking things.

    Inside the carriage, Lady Xu and Ruan Zhu didn¡¯t dare to say a word.

    Lu Jiao noticed that they seemed a bit nervous. She immediately softened her expression and spoke with a smile.

    ¡°Initially, I was going to ask Lady Xu to manage the fields for me. But now, I¡¯ve found someone, and it¡¯s Uncle Xiao. He is a good person from our Xie family vige. Lady Xu will temporarily stay at the fields in theing days. Once everything is settled, she can help at the shop.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t n to expand the two shops too much. The oil mill¡¯s products and the medicinal herbs from the medicine shop couldn¡¯t be sold only in Qinghe County. It would be too conspicuous. They needed to sell the oils and medicines across the entire Zhou empire. When that happens, their stores here would only be able to supply a small percentage of the demand. Therefore, the shops didn¡¯t need to be toorge.

    Since it was a small business, Lu Jiao didn¡¯t intend to have Lady Xu sign an indenture. If she wanted to make a big move, she would use the people she bought herself as others might not be trustworthy. Moreover, without an indenture, it would be difficult to handle any issues if Lady Xu betrayed them.

    If someone signed an indenture and dared to betray their owner and eat the owner¡¯s resources, Lu Jiao not only had the right to deal with them but also to sell them.

    Lady Xu nodded, ¡°Okay, I will follow your arrangements.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    The carriages continued to travel and left Qinghe County, heading towards the fields Lu Jiao had purchased.

    However, the one thousand acres ofnd were not all in one ce, which was a bit inconvenient.

    Zhao Lingfeng took her to a more remote area first, where they found around six to seven hundred acres ofnd. Although it wasn¡¯t entirely contiguous, the plots were not far from each other.

    The tenant farmers on the fields knew that the property had changed hands, and they had been quite worried. However, since the new owners hadn¡¯t shown up, they were extremely anxious.

    As soon as Lu Jiao and the others appeared, they received the news and hurried over, kneeling on the ground.

    ¡°Sir, Madam, please spare us and don¡¯t take back ournd. We won¡¯t be able to survive without it.¡±

    ¡°Sir, Madam, please let us continue working thend. We promise to cultivate it well and pay the rent on time every year.¡±

    The tenant farmers on the estate addressed Zhao Lingfeng and Lu Jiao as a couple, which led to the misunderstanding.

    Lu Jiao gave Zhao Lingfeng a quick nce, and he did the same in return.

    Then, Lu Jiao turned to the kneeling people and scolded them, ¡°What nonsense are all of you saying?¡±

    Although Lu Jiao looked stunning and charming, her aura was strong, and when she scolded people, she had a powerful presence.

    The tenant farmers were all startled and looked uneasy as they raised their heads to face Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression softened slightly as she nced at the crowd, then she spoke in a deep voice, ¡°My surname is Lu, and I am the one who bought this one thousand acres ofnd.

    At this point, Zhao Lingfeng understood that Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t too happy. He knew better than to provoke her now and quickly exined, ¡°I am a friend of

    Lady Lu.¡±

    As Zhao Lingfeng spoke, the tenant farmers realized their mistake. No wonder Lady Lu was angry. Moreover, judging from the young master¡¯s words, Lady Lu already had a husband. They had misunderstood and no wonder Lady Lu was upset.

    Realizing their target, the tenant farmers began to plead again, ¡°Lady Lu, please let us continue to work thend.¡±

    ¡°Without thisnd, we won¡¯t survive.¡±

    ¡°Lady Lu, please show us mercy and let us keep thend.¡±

    ¡°Look, our whole families rely on thisnd. Without it, we won¡¯t have enough to eat.¡±

    ¡°If Lady Lu doesn¡¯t allow us to work thend, it will force us to our deaths.¡±

    Thest statement made Lu Jiao¡¯s face suddenly change. She looked at a burly, dark-skinned man in the crowd. There was a cunning glint in his eyes.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s gaze turned cold as she stared at the rugged man. In a cold voice, she said, ¡°Hmph, are you trying to morally ckmail me into giving you thend?

    Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who can be coerced?¡±

    Lu Jiao disliked being morally ckmailed, especially by men.

    Deep down, she sympathized with the weak and women, and she was more patient with children and women. But when it came to men, she had no sympathy.

    The atmosphere on the scene instantly turned cold..

 Chapter 375 - 375: Bad at Flattery

    Chapter 375: Bad at ttery

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The people kneeling at the bottom turned their heads and red at the man who had threatened Lu Jiao, ¡°Niu Er, why are you spouting nonsense? Are you trying to harm us?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you threaten thendlord? Thisnd belongs to thendlord, and if she doesn¡¯t want to lease it to us, we have no choice.¡±

    Several households scolded Niu Er.

    Niu Er opened his mouth to retort, but Lu Jiao spoke up, ¡°Uncle Xiao, you handle this.¡±

    In the future, Old Man Xiao would be in charge of managing the fields, and Lu Jiao wanted to see how he would handle this situation.

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Uncle Xiao stepped forward and coldly stared at the burly man who had threatened Lu Jiao earlier.

    ¡°So you¡¯re Niu Er? You said that if the madam refuses to lease thend to you, then she¡¯d be forcing you to die. Then go ahead and die, I want to see if you dare.¡±

    Uncle Xiao said in a resolute tone.

    Niu Er¡¯s face changed, and his family members behind him also looked nervous.

    But he quickly started to cry loudly, ¡°Look at this woman! She doesn¡¯t want to lease thend to us. She wants to force us to die! We have no way to survive!¡±

    As Niu Er¡¯s words fell, many families were shocked, and the adults and children were all in a panic. Two households joined Niu Er in crying and making a fuss.

    ¡°How can that be? Why won¡¯t she lease thend to us for cultivation? We were doing well cultivating thisnd before. But as soon as the ownership changes, they won¡¯t lease it to us. Isn¡¯t there any justice left?¡±

    ¡°She is deliberately forcing us to die. If she dares not to lease thend to us, we¡¯ll die!¡±

    Uncle Xiao coldly sneered and said, ¡°If you want to die, go ahead. No need to cry and make a fuss here. I want to see if you dare to kill yourselves. I sure want to see whether or not the county magistrate would punish us for your deaths. We bought thend, and our willingness to lease it to you is an act of kindness, not a reason for you to coerce us.¡±

    After Uncle Xiao finished speaking, Lu Jiao ordered with a stern face, ¡°Uncle Xiao, Ruan Zhu, kick these three families out of the fields. Feng Zhi, calcte the value of thend they cultivated and pay them ordingly. Make them leave immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    At this point, everyone present was shocked. Niu Er stood up to make a scene.

    However, Uncle Xiao walked over, reached out, and easily lifted Niu Er as if he were lifting a small chicken.

    Ruan Zhu also dragged two men out by herself. Even though she was a young girl, she managed to ensure the men were fully restrained.

    Seeing their actions, everyone on the scene finally understood the situation.

    Thendlord was indeed skilled, and they seemed to be quite capable.

    No one dared to speak now; at most, they begged a few times.

    Lu Jiao ordered Uncle Xiao and Ruan Zhu to drive all three families out of the fields.

    Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s men also went to help, and soon Niu Er and the other two families were driven out.

    Lu Jiao looked at the tenant farmers on the scene and gestured for them to stand up.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you all. It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t lease thend to you, it¡¯s just that I purchased thisnd to specifically grow medicinal herbs, not rice.¡±

    As soon as Lu Jiao said this, the tenant farmers realized they had nond to cultivate, and their faces turned pale. The elderly and children started to cry.

    Lu Jiao cleared her throat and continued, ¡°Even if you lease thend for rice, it would barely be enough for subsistence, and you wouldn¡¯t make much money from it.

    An elderly tenant farmer quickly spoke up, ¡°Even if it¡¯s only for subsistence, it still supports arge family. When we go out to work, it¡¯s hard for us as we get older. Moreover, employers often deliberately withhold our money, so in the end, we barely have anything left. What are we supposed to do?¡±

    After the old man finished speaking, tears streamed down his face. Lu Jiao felt a bit sympathetic, and she spoke in a gentle tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad or scared. I have another cooperative method that you might consider.¡±

    ¡°Although mynd is for growing medicinal herbs, it needs people to take care of it. So, I can hire you as my long-term worker for five years. I¡¯ll pay you every month. This way, each household can earn money, and I believe the earnings won¡¯t be inferior to cultivating thend. After covering your expenses, you might have some money left, and in five years, you may even be able to buy several acres ofnd for yourselves. Isn¡¯t that better than leasing someone else¡¯snd?¡±

    After Lu Jiao¡¯s words, some people with quick reactions were tempted and asked eagerly, ¡°Lady Lu, how much will you pay us as long-term workers each month?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at the speaker and said, ¡°Strongborers will receive one tael silver per month, and women and elderly will receive six hundred tokens of silver.¡±

    One tael of silver per month for strongborers was 12 taels in a year, plus six hundred tokens for women and the elderly. After calcting, each household would have more than ten taels of silver left after covering expenses for a year. In five years, that would be fifty taels, which could be used to buy seven or eight acres ofnd near the town.

    At this point, many people on the scene were tempted. However, someone worriedly asked, ¡°Lady Lu, what if you stop paying uster or find excuses to dismiss us?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and replied, ¡°All of these terms will be clearly stated in the contract. Thendlord cannot dismiss long-term workers without legitimate reasons, nor can thendlord withhold your wages for any unjustifiable reasons. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    As Lu Jiao finished speaking, Zhao Lingfeng spoke up, ¡°Do you know who she is? She is the wife of Master Xie, who helped Magistrate Hu take down two corrupt officials. It¡¯s impossible for her to withhold your wages.¡±

    Recently, the hottest topic in Qinghe County was how Magistrate Hu had taken down two corrupt officials. Many mentioned Schr Xie, saying that he had helped Magistrate Hu to deal with Yang and Peng.

    So even themon people in the countryside had heard about it. When they heard Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words, they became happy and called out.

    ¡°So Lady Lu is the wife of Schr Xie. Then we can rest assured.¡±

    Someone whispered, ¡°I heard that Schr Xie came from a poor background.¡±

    This meant that they wondered how Schr Xie, who came from a poor background, could afford to buynd.

    Zhao Lingfeng immediately looked at the person who spoke and exined, ¡°Although Schr Xie came from a poor background, his wife is capable and can make money. Don¡¯t underestimate Lady Lu. She is a very capable person and can earn money.¡±

    The crowd instinctively looked at Lu Jiao. They thought about the two people who had appeared around her earlier and her cold demeanor. She indeed seemed like a formidable person.

    With such a capable wife, would Schr Xie dare to be unfaithful? Even if he became an official, would he dare to take a concubine?

    Many people started to sympathize with Schr Xie.

    Lu Jiao gave Zhao Lingfeng an exasperated look. Why did he need to bring up Xie Yunjin now?

    Zhao Lingfeng smiled wryly. He had intended to tter, but it seemed he ttered in the wrong direction. It appeared that he was not good at ttery..

 Chapter 376 - 376: Secret Formula

    Chapter 376: Secret Form

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    After Lu Jiao finished discussing matters with the tenant farmers, she left Lady Xu and Jinxiu at the fields.

    Thend she purchased already had a ready-made courtyard, which suited Lady Xu and Jinxiu perfectly. Lu Jiao inspected it and found it quite good.

    ¡°You and your daughter can temporarily stay here. In a few days, you can take Jinxiu to live in the workshop.¡±

    Lady Xu nodded and said, ¡°In the future, just call me Xu Dou, no need to call me Lady Xu.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Jiao then apanied Uncle Xiao, Feng Zhi, and Ruan Zhu to visit the fields near the three workshops, where the tenant farmers were.

    Fortunately, there was no trouble, and the tenant farmers were happy to hear about the new cooperation method.

    Lu Jiao left everything to Uncle Xiao, ¡°After the autumn rice harvest isplete, I will start arranging for the cultivation of medicinal herbs. I will let you know when the timees.¡±

    ¡°I understand, madam.¡±

    Lu Jiao, apanied by Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu, went to the workshops.

    The oil mill was alreadypletely built, and the machinery was in ce.

    Lu Jiao inspected everything and found it exactly like the drawings she had provided.

    She asked the managers, Cheng Xiang and Lu An, ¡°What about the soybeans and rapeseed we asked you to prepare?¡±

    Cheng Xiang quickly had workers bring the soybeans and rapeseed over. Lu Jiao inspected them and found that all the bad soybeans had been removed, leaving only the good ones.

    She put the soybeans into the first machine for crushing. After crushing them, she turned the handle to send the chopped soybeans to the steamer for cooking. Once cooked, she wrapped them and started the oil extraction.

    Approximately one hundred pounds of soybeans could produce ten to twelve pounds of soybean oil.

    Although Lu Jiao was guiding Cheng Xiang and Lu An, she was still uncertain whether the oil could be sessfully extracted. When the oil finally came out of the machine, she was overjoyed. ¡°Great, great!¡±

    Inside the workshop, everyone was excited, including Zhao Lingfeng. This was money they were seeing.

    Cheng Xiang and Lu An were also thrilled and eagerly approached the oil bottle. They smelled the oil and found it to be genuinely fragrant. They wanted to straight up drink a bowl of it.

    Lu Jiao looked at them and said, ¡°The soybeans and rapeseeds, even after oil extraction, are Still vamaD1e. we can sell tnem to people ror raismg Pigs ana fish. If we can¡¯t sell them, we can raise pigs ourselves.¡±

    After hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Then let¡¯s raise pigs.¡±

    Lu Jiao was speechless and said, ¡°I meant that if we can¡¯t sell them, we have options. When all three workshops are operating at full capacity, we¡¯ll be very busy. Let¡¯s notplicate things.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded, thinking about when Lu Jiao mentioned penicillin, and murmured, ¡°If only we could produce the kind of antibiotics you mentioned.¡± Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Without potassium salt mines, you can forget about it.¡±

    The two continued to talk as they left the oil mill. They went to other workshops to check on their progress.

    The cosmetics workshop was almostpleted, but the medicine workshop was not yet ready.

    Zhao Lingfeng asked Lu Jiao, ¡°What cosmetics are you nning to make?¡±

    Lu Jiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°I want to make medicated soaps with medicinal value, such as rose-scented soap, whitening soap, and refreshing soap.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhao Lingfeng became excited, ¡°This is great, this is great.¡±

    He knew without a doubt that if these products were made, they would definitely sell well.

    Thedies in the Capital were not short of money; theycked things that could catch their attention. Once these medicated soaps were introduced, they would surely be well-received.

    Thinking of this, Zhao Lingfeng asked Lu Jiao, ¡°Please write down the forms for these soaps as soon as possible.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded without any reservation and said, ¡°Sure.¡±

    For the cosmetics and medicine workshops, she would need to use her spiritual stream water. Even if she shared the forms with them, the products they made without her spiritual stream water wouldn¡¯t be as good.

    So, she wasn¡¯t worried about Zhao Lingfeng stealing her forms.

    Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng and said, ¡°These products must incorporate my special secret ingredient to have the best effects. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to teach it to others, it¡¯s just that the measurements of ingredients are something I haven¡¯t mastered well myself. I always rely on my instincts to make it.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t doubt her because after spending some time with Lu Jiao, he understood her well. She was straightforward in her words and actions. ¡°In that case, then I will rely on you to mix this special secret form.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Half a day went by quickly. Lu Jiao returned to the Xie residence with Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu.

    As soon as the carriage stopped in front of the Xie residence, Lu Gui came out with the four little ones to greet her.

    As soon as Lu Gui saw Lu Jiao, sheined, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t know these four little ones. They¡¯ve been anxiously waiting at the gate, refusing toe in, afraid that something might happen to you.¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Gui¡¯s words, Lu Jiao looked down at the four little ones and smiled, ¡°There¡¯s no danger now. Those two bad people were dealt with by your father. We won¡¯t be in danger anymore, and I won¡¯t have any problems.¡±

    The four little ones breathed a sigh of relief. Two of the children rushed over and held her hand while walking back to the house. As they walked, they eagerly talked to her about Master Shi taking them for outdoor games in the afternoon.

    Today, Lu Jiao arranged a course for Master Shi to conduct outdoor games and a tug-of-warpetition for the children.

    It was their first time ying this game, so they were particrly thrilled.

    The Second Born eximed excitedly, ¡°Mommy, we won! The First Born and the others lost!¡±

    The Fourth Born happily jumped up and said, ¡°The Second Born and I were in the same team, while the Third and First Born were in the other. We were stronger than them, so we won thepetition!¡±

    The First Born didn¡¯t mind losing, but the Third Born was unhappy and pouted.

    Lu Jiao raised her hand and patted his head, ¡°This is just a game. Whether you win or lose, you should be happy and enjoy it. Games are meant to bring us joy and happiness. If you¡¯re unhappy just because you lost, it shows that you can¡¯t handle losing, and that¡¯s not a good trait for a young man.¡±

    The Third Born immediately straightened his chest and nodded firmly, ¡°You¡¯re right. We lost this time, but we¡¯ll win next time.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡±

    The mother and children continued talking as they walked toward Xie Yunjin¡¯s room.

    Xie Yunjin had heard the conversation between the mother and children outside and was waiting at the door with anticipation. As soon as he saw Lu Jiaoing in, a big smile appeared on his handsome face, filled with happiness.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re back?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Feng Zhi then took Ruan Zhu out to prepare dinner.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin mainly talked about how she handlednd matters. Lu Jiao informed him about the incident of the people causing trouble in the fields.

    However, she didn¡¯t mention that the tenants mistook her and Zhao Lingfeng for a married couple. She knew if she told Xie Yunjin, he would probably get angry again.

    As they conversed, Lu Jiao remembered the encounter with Zhang¡¯s wife in the county town earlier, so she quickly told Xie Yunjin about it.

    ¡°Do you know? Today, when I was leaving the city, I almost collided with someone else¡¯s carriage..¡±

 Chapter 377 - 377: Not what she Imagined

    Chapter 377: Not what she Imagined

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    As soon as Lu Jiao spoke, Xie Yunjin became nervous and quickly sat up.

    The sudden movement, strained his injured shoulder, causing him to frown in pain.

    Lu Jiao hurriedly went over and sat beside him, holding him in ce to prevent further movement.

    ¡°Why did you get up so quickly?¡±

    Xie Yunjin reached out and grabbed Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, carefully examining her up and down, and only rxed when he saw that she was fine.

    Seeing him so concerned about her, Lu Jiao¡¯s face remainedposed, but she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She quickly reassured Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The carriages didn¡¯t collide. What I wanted to tell you is that the other party was a person from the Zhang family in Qinghe County. It was Li

    Wenbin¡¯s wife, Zhang Biyan.¡±

    Lu Jiao paused for a moment and continued, ¡°I think your earlier spection was correct. The Zhang family wants to win me over and form a newwork of connections.¡¯

    With a cold smile, Lu Jiao wondered if they thought she was foolish. Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned cold instantly, his gaze bing sharp, ¡°We don¡¯t need to pay attention to them.¡±

    Lu Jiao remembered that Zhang Biyan and Li Wenbin wanted toe to visit Xie Yunjin tomorrow. She immediately informed Xie Yunjin about it, ¡°Zhang¡¯s wife wille tomorrow, along with Li Wenbin, to visit you.¡±

    ¡°Let theme. We¡¯ll wait and see. Even if theye, we won¡¯t fall into their trap.¡±

    Lu Jiao then asked about Li Wenbin and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°If the Zhang¡¯s family asks Li Wenbin to talk to you about joining them, will you be swayed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. If Li Wenbin dares to talk to me like that, then he won¡¯t be my ssmate anymore in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in agreement and didn¡¯t bring up the topic further.

    Outside the room, Feng Zhi brought in the food with Liu An and the family had their meal.

    Although the little ones were young, they sensed that their parents were behaving differently; they seemed to have gotten closer. This made them very happy, and they were pleased to see their parents getting along well.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t think too much about it, but seeing the joy on the faces of the little ones, she couldn¡¯t help but ask with a smile.

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯re happy about? You¡¯ve been smiling so happily.¡±

    The Second Born has always been straightforward and spoke quickly. When he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s question, he eximed loudly.

    ¡°Because daddy learned how to coax mommy. When mommy is happy, we¡¯re happy too!¡±

    The First Born didn¡¯t say anything, but nodded vigorously, expressing that he felt the same joy.

    The Third and Fourth Born giggled.

    Lu Jiao felt extremely embarrassed by the children¡¯s words. On the side, Xie Yunjin put down his chopsticks and reached out to hold Lu Jiao¡¯s hand right in front of the children. He then spoke with respect.

    ¡°I will treat your mother better from now on, to make her happier. In the future, you guys should also make your mom happy, just like I am doing. We, as a family, should all cherish and pamper her.¡±

    The four little ones shouted loudly, ¡°We understand, daddy, don¡¯t worry!¡± Watching this heartwarming scene, Lu Jiao¡¯s heart slowly settled down, and a sense of attachment seemed to take root. She felt as if she was meant to migrate into the book just to meet them.

    Thinking this way, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin with a smile and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Don¡¯t say so much.¡±

    She then served Xie Yunjin some of his favorite dishes, and the little ones did the same for her.

    The atmosphere of the family was warm and harmonious.

    After dinner, Lu Jiao took the four little ones to the back courtyard to bathe.

    In the room, Xie Yunjin looked like an abandoned puppy, making the four little ones feel pity for him. They wanted their mother to stay with their father.

    However, Lu Jiao felt that she shouldn¡¯t spoil someone too much, otherwise, he might get carried away. So she quickly said.

    ¡°Your dad is injured and should rest quietly. When I apany him, he has trouble sleeping.¡±

    Hearing this, the four children chimed in one after another.

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re an adult. You don¡¯t always need someone to apany you.

    Rest on your own and recover from your injury.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re a grown-up now, but you keep asking mommy to be with you. Tonight, mommy will sleep with us.¡±

    ¡°Let mommy apany you after you get better.¡±

    The Fourth Born happily held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Tonight, mommy will sleep with us.¡±

    The four little ones took Lu Jiao away, leaving Xie Yunjin dumbfounded.

    So, he was left behind like this?

    Lu Jiao took the four little ones to bathe in the back courtyard. After the bath, the four children decisively climbed onto Lu Jiao¡¯s bed.

    Lu Jiao looked at them with a helpless smile. It seemed that she was apanying the children¡¯s father and now she was beginning to apany her sons.

    These past two days, while Lu Jiao was apanying Xie Yunjin in the front courtyard, the four little ones were a little disappointed, even though they didn¡¯t say it out loud. So tonight, they slept beside Lu Jiao with more affection than ever. They held her hand and asked her to tell them bedtime stories.

    Since she started the family kindergarten, Lu Jiao hadn¡¯t told bedtime stories. She¡¯s been writing them down and asking the teachers to read them to the children.

    Tonight, the four little ones were in high spirits and pleaded for a story.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t object. She thought for a moment and told them two stories before they all went to sleep together.

    The next day, as expected, Zhang¡¯s wife and Li Wenbin came to visit Xie Yunjin.

    They also brought extremely precious gifts.

    The most important thing was that Li Wenbin was wearing a silk brocade robe, appearing wealthier than usual.

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Li Wenbin, you look like a different person in that outfit. If you walked on the street, I wouldn¡¯t even recognize you.¡±

    To be honest, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t really understand Li Wenbin¡¯s way of thinking as a schr. His wife¡¯s family was wealthy, but he always dressed simply. What was he trying to prove by doing that?

    If he wanted to show integrity, why did he burden his inws, the Zhang family? ording to Lu Jiao¡¯s thinking, he should have many ssmates at the county school who could lend him money. But since he chose to burden the Zhang family, why not use their money?

    As Lu Jiao thought this way, she felt that Li Wenbin¡¯s actions were a bit different from her earlier spections.

    Li Wenbin looked a little ufortable and mumbled, ¡°Ie from a poor family and am not used to wearing such silk brocade robes.¡±

    On the side, Zhang Biyan reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Lady Lu¡¯s skin seems to be exceptionally good. What skincare cream are you using?¡±

    Lu Jiao nced at Zhang Biyan holding her hand. Although she didn¡¯t pull her hand back, there was a cold gleam in her eyes.

    Lu Jiao thought of Xie Yunjin¡¯s injury and the men in ck who tried to abduct the Second Born¡­ Although she couldn¡¯t be sure they were rted to the Zhang family, she was certain that the Zhang family was involved.

    So she kept the Zhang family in mind, and if she and Xie Yunjin had the chance, she would never spare them. And then there was Shen Xiu, who was still in the Zhang family¡¯s hands.

    With these thoughts in mind, Lu Jiao¡¯s face remained smiling. ¡°Skincare cream? There¡¯s no cream or anything like that. I¡¯m just a bit chubby, and when you¡¯re chubby, your skin looks fairer. Actually, I think Lady Zhang has the best skin, and your features are beautiful as well..¡±

 Chapter 378 - 378: Rebuffed

    Chapter 378: Rebuffed

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Zhang Biyanughed heartily, ¡°With the way we¡¯re praising each other, others might make fun of us.¡±

    After speaking, she looked at Lu Jiao with sincerity and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to interact with you before, and I didn¡¯t know that your temperament would suit my taste so well. In the future, we sisters should spend more time together. ¡±

    ¡°Lady Zhang, you¡¯re being too kind. Both Yunjin and I are countryside folks. If we were to visit Lady Zhang¡¯s home, we would probably feel out of ce and be aughing stock.¡±

    This was Lu Jiao¡¯s polite refusal, but Zhang Biyan seemed not to perceive it and continued grinning.

    ¡°What countryside folks? Honestly, Brother Xie here is destined for greatness in the imperial pce. By then, I might have to look up to Lady Lu. I just hope that you will remember to spare a nce at us little folks.¡±

    Zhang Biyan spoke eagerly, and Li Wenbin, who was beside her, suddenly turned to look at her.

    Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t notice, but Lu Jiao caught sight of it and instinctively turned her head to look at Li Wenbin, who promptly smiled and turned to walk inside.

    Lu Jiao felt that Li Wenbin¡¯s expression just now was somewhat strange.

    However, she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. The group walked to the entrance of Xie Yunjin¡¯s main bedroom, where Lin Dong stood respectfully and called out, ¡°Madam.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded and invited Li Wenbin and Zhang Biyan to enter.

    Inside the room, Xie Yunjin had already tidied up and was sitting on the bed. As soon as Li Wenbin entered, he greeted him loudly.

    ¡°Brother Li, you went through much trouble toe here.¡±

    Li Wenbin smiled and said, ¡°You saying that makes me feel like an outsider.¡±

    Li Wenbin then asked with concern, ¡°How¡¯s your injury? Are you okay?¡±

    Xie Yunjin shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. The wound has scabbed over, so I¡¯ll be able to move around soon.¡±

    Actually, he could already move around, but Lu Jiao strictly ordered him to stay in bed for a few more days to prevent the wound from reopening.

    At home, Lu Jiao¡¯s words were final, so he could only stay in bed.

    After hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Li Wenbin breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡±

    Zhang Biyan approached and greeted Xie Yunjin, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wish Brother Xie a speedy recovery.¡±

    Thinking about how his injury was rted to the Zhang family, Xie Yunjin felt extremely disgusted with them.

    However, as there was no evidence to prove that the Zhang family was behind it, he couldn¡¯t show his feelings.

    He simply nodded with a calm expression as a greeting.

    He had always been cold and distant, and Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t challenge him. She turned around and said to Li Wenbin, ¡°You stay here and talk with Brother Xie. I¡¯ll go to the back courtyard to have a chat with Lady Lu.¡±

    Li Wenbin nodded, ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±

    Zhang Biyan turned to Lu Jiao, who then led her to the back pavilion.

    After they sat down, Zhang Biyan had her maidservant present the gifts they had brought today.

    There were not only decades-old ginseng and ganoderma, there were also precious Chinese herbal medicines like Polygonum multiflorum and snow lotus.

    Zhang Biyan thought her gesture would impress Lu Jiao. She found out that Lady Lu was a skilled doctor at Baohe Tang and therefore should be awed by these gifts.

    However, looking at Lu Jiao¡¯s calm and indifferent expression, Zhang Biyan couldn¡¯t tell if she was pleased or indifferent. Did she not care or did she not recognize these decades-old medicinal herbs?

    Zhang Biyan couldn¡¯t help but smile and said, ¡°I actually wanted to give Brother Xie some hundred-year-old ginseng and ganoderma, but those are extremely rare. So, I only found some decades-old ginseng and ganoderma. I hope Lady Lu won¡¯t mind.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned her head and smiled at Zhang Biyan. Did this woman think she didn¡¯t recognize decades-old ginseng and granoderma? She had actually presented them so eagerly, believing that Lu Jiao would be pleased.

    Lu Jiao looked calmly at Zhang Biyan and said, ¡°Ginseng and ganoderma are indeed precious. Lady Zhang, you should take these back. To be honest, although our Xie family is not wealthy, we live by the mountains, and I enjoy collecting medicinal herbs. Therefore, we have an abundance of ginseng and genoderma in our home, even decades-old ones are quitemon in the mountains.¡±

    Afraid that Zhang Biyan wouldn¡¯t believe her, Lu Jiao turned to Feng Zhi, who was beside her, ¡°Feng Zhi, go and bring out our ginseng and ganoderma for Lady Zhang to see.¡±

    Feng Zhi promptly went out and fetched the ginseng and ganoderma from the storage room. Besides these two, he also brought some other precious medicinal herbs.

    The ginseng and ganoderma from the Zhang family were packaged in exquisite and luxurious boxes, while the ones Feng Zhi brought were in ordinary boxes.

    However, as soon as Feng Zhi brought them out, Zhang Biyan noticed that the ginseng and ganoderma from Lu Jiao¡¯s home were of better qualitypared to theirs.

    Zhang Biyan¡¯s cheeks felt a little hot. She had intended to impress Lu Jiao, but

    instead, she ended up being rebutted. Lu Jiao effortlessly presented these precious herbs.

    Zhang Biyan felt a bit embarrassed and suspected that Lu Jiao might have guessed the reason for her and Li Wenbin¡¯s visit today. But Lu Jiao didn¡¯t care for it, which meant she didn¡¯t ept the goodwill from the Zhang family.

    Though feeling somewhat annoyed, Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t show it and continued to speak with a smiling face.

    ¡°It seems that I made a mistake. Lady Lu, please don¡¯tugh at me.¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Lady Zhang, your intention is kind, why would Iugh at you? It¡¯s just that we happen to have these herbs in our home. I won¡¯t hide it from you; the mountains near our home are abundant in medicinal herbs. Some families don¡¯t know what they are and end up stewing decades-old ginseng as if it were ordinary radishes. As a result, the whole family suffers from excessive internal heat and almost got burned to death.¡±

    Lu Jiao deliberately said this to embarrass Zhang Biyan. She wanted to make her realize that while Zhang Biyan considered ginseng and ganoderma precious, some people in their area treated them like ordinary vegetables.

    As expected, Zhang Biyan¡¯s expression turned unsightly. She narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Lu Jiao, unsure whether Lu Jiao¡¯s words were true or false. She didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment.

    However, when she thought about the purpose of today¡¯s visit, she calmed down and said, ¡°Another day, I¡¯ll invite you to go shopping. Although our Qinghe County is poor, we also have some nice things. My family owns several shops like that. If you find something to your liking, you can tell me, and I¡¯ll gift it to you.¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Jiao smiled and looked at Zhang Biyan, ¡°To be honest, Lady Zhang, I¡¯m a bit peculiar in my tastes. I don¡¯t really like women¡¯s stuff like gold and silver jewelry. What I enjoy the most is treating patients. You¡¯ve probably heard that I have some medical knowledge. Apart from my interest in medical practice, I¡¯m not interested in anything else.¡±

    Zhang Biyan¡¯s face turned slightly cold after she heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words. She silently cursed Lu Jiao for not knowing what was good for her and for treating herself so highly.

    Despite her displeasure, Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t re up again. She still left room for maneuvering, nning to schemeter.

    But today, Zhang Biyan no longer had the intention to stay and continue to be courteous. She stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We¡¯ll head back now. We can talk more another day.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and said, ¡°If you ever feel unwell, don¡¯t hesitate to find me for medical treatment!¡±

 Chapter 379 - 379: Made it to the List

    Chapter 379: Made it to the List

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Zhang Biyan couldn¡¯t hold back and almost cursed out loud. She couldn¡¯t fathom why Lu Jiao had to wish such things upon her.

    With a smile on her face, Lu Jiao graciously escorted Zhang Biyan out, as if she had no idea that her words were offensive.

    Zhang Biyan felt extremely ufortable as she couldn¡¯t burst out in anger nor could she let it go. Eventually, she left with a darkened expression and headed to the front courtyard to call Li Wenbin to leave together.

    Xie Yunjin still politely hosted Li Wenbin for a while, and after exchanging a few words, Li Wenbin took his leave.

    As soon as they got into the horse carriage, Zhang Biyan looked at Li Wenbin coldly and sneered, ¡°Others are schrs just like you, yet they have be an aide to the magistrate, earning respect and high status. In this tiny Qinghe County, who doesn¡¯t know that Schr Xie helped the magistrate to remove two corrupt officials? And you? You¡¯ve achieved nothing, you¡¯re just pretending all the time.¡±

    After her sarcastic remark, Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Li

    Wenbin. She instructed the coachman outside, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    The coachman from the Zhang family acknowledged hermand and steered the carriage away.

    Back in the Xie residence, Lu Jiao informed Xie Yunjin about Zhang Biyan¡¯s attempt to gift her ginseng and ganoderma.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe her expression when she presented those items. It was quite amusing. She seemed to think I¡¯d never seen anything valuable in my life. When she saw I didn¡¯t react, she even went out of her way to emphasize that they were decades-old ginseng and ganoderma.¡±

    Lu Jiao shared this with a smile. Xie Yunjin looked at her affectionately and said, ¡°You must have really embarrassed her.¡±

    Xie Yunjin knew Lu Jiao¡¯s personality well.

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°Exactly. I had Feng Zhi immediately bring out our decades-old ginseng and lingzhi.¡±

    After she finished recounting the incident, Xie Yunjin asked with a puzzled expression, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sell the ganoderma we found in our home earlier?¡±

    Lu Jiao was momentarily taken aback, then she realized and awkwardly chuckled, ¡°Actually, I found more ganoderma and ginsengter. But I didn¡¯t sell them. I kept them at home for future use, in case someone gets sick and needs these medicinal herbs.¡±

    Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t doubt Lu Jiao¡¯s exnation. It was Lu Jiao who felt a bit uneasy because he seemed topletely believe her.

    However, her space was an important matter and she couldn¡¯t reveal it now. She decided to wait until she was absolutely sure about being with Xie Yunjin before letting him in on her secret.

    Lu Jiao changed the subject, discussing Zhang Biyan¡¯s invitation to go

    shopping.

    ¡°I sense that the Zhang family is trying to win us over. We need to be cautious.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡±

    After finishing the conversation, they moved on and Lu Jiao helped Xie Yunjin change his bandages and apply medicine.

    On September 13th, the preliminary imperial examination began.

    The preliminary exam took ce in Ningzhou Prefecture,sting for three days. There were three consecutive rounds of examinations: first on the ssics, then on the Four Books and Five ssics, followed by recall andprehensive evaluations.

    After three days of testing, the results were published three dayster.

    The Xie family wasn¡¯t affected much since Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t take part in the preliminary examination, so there was no tension at home.

    However, as the time for the results to be posted approached, Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao became quite anxious. Xie Yunjin had previously received money from some students for tutoring and guiding them, so he wanted to know how many of them had seeded.

    Additionally, he was curious whether ssmate Han and Zhao Hong, the son of the neighboring constable, had made it.

    Anticipating the announcement of the results, Xie Yunjin sent Zhou Shaogong to keep watch near the county office. Once the results were disyed, Zhou Shaogong would check to see if ssmate Han and Zhao Hong were on it.

    Zhou Shaogong had already gone to the county office early in the morning to keep watch.

    Officer Zhao from the neighboring house also had nothing else to do and stationed himself in front of the county office.

    There were quite a few schrs and their families gathered in front of the county office.

    In previous years, Qinghe County might have been lucky to get two or three candidates to pass, sometimes even none.

    But today, when the list was disyed, excitement quickly filled the area in front of the county office.

    Qinghe County had sessfully secured eleven candidates passing the examination, a historical record!

    Not only were the schrs and their families excited, even Magistrate Hu felt ecstatic.

    It was his achievement, after all.

    Upon seeing the list, Zhou Shaogong hurriedly rode back to the Xie residence to report to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done what the master had asked, both Master Han and Master Zhao have made it onto the list. However, Master Zhao is rankedst.¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao could react with happiness, Officer Zhao and his wife Lady Lu entered with big strides.

    ¡°Yunjin, I thank you, I thank you for helping Zhao Hong with his studies and enabling him to pass the schr¡¯s exam.¡±

    Zhao Hong barely made it onto the list. If it weren¡¯t for Yunjin¡¯s guidance, he would have been nameless on the list this time.

    Zhao and his wife were particrly grateful to Xie Yunjin.

    Officer Zhao, growing happier as he thought more, said loudly, ¡°We¡¯re hosting a feast at my house tomorrow. You must alle and join.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were also delighted, responding with smiles, ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll definitelye to the feast tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Zhao.¡±

    After a few more joyful words, Zhao and his wife turned to leave.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged smiles, ¡°Both ssmate Han and Zhao Hong passed. This is great news.¡±

    Before they could finish their conversation, Lu Gui rushed in and eximed,

    ¡°Sister, Brother-inw, Master Han is here.¡±

    No sooner had Lu Gui spoken, ssmate Han burst into the room. He rushed to Xie Yunjin¡¯s side and held his hand, his voice choked with emotion.

    ¡°Yunjin, I passed, I passed.¡±

    What a stroke of luck!

    Given the recent turmoil in the Han family, he managed to pass the schr¡¯s exam. Han felt as though he had been granted a new chapter in his life.

    Tightly gripping Xie Yunjin¡¯s hand, Han said emotionally, ¡°Yunjin, I passed. I finally passed. Thank you. It¡¯s all thanks to you. Without your help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was happy for him, but he didn¡¯t try to im all the credit. He smiled and said, ¡°Your effort yed a significant role in this. Don¡¯t give all the credit to someone else.¡±

    He then added with a smile, ¡°Congrattions. You¡¯re now a schr.¡±

    Han nodded vigorously. After years of studying, he finally passed the schr¡¯s exam. It wasn¡¯t in vain.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Yunjin¡¯s help, he knew that based on his own abilities, he truly wouldn¡¯t have been able to pass the schr¡¯s exam. He was also aware that reaching the level of being a schr was already quite an aplishment. He didn¡¯t n to continue studying further; he intended to focus on his business.

    Thinking about this, Han happily said, ¡°My family will host a meal tomorrow. Yunjin, you and your wife muste.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao immediately thought about the dinner invitation from Officer Zhao¡¯s family.

    ¡°We can¡¯t make it tomorrow. Tomorrow, Officer Zhao¡¯s family has invited the local leaders for dinner, and we had already agreed to attend.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Han promptly suggested, ¡°Then we¡¯ll arrange it for the day after tomorrow. You muste then.¡¯

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were about to agree, but at that moment, Lu Gui entered again and reported, ¡°Brother-inw, Sister, Dean Lu and his wife havee to visit.¡±

    Hearing about Madam Xia¡¯s visit, Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned somewhat cold. However, considering Dean Lu¡¯s status, he refrained from saying anything. He raised his hand to signal Lu Gui to bring them in.

    Lu Gui quickly ushered in Dean Lu and Madam Xia..

 Chapter 380 - 380: Difference between Cloud and Mud

    Chapter 380: Difference between Cloud and Mud

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Dean Lu and Lady Xia walked in and looked at Xie Yunjin with joy, saying, ¡°What a great asion! This time, in Qinghe County, we¡¯ve had a total of eleven schrs passing the exam. It¡¯s the most schrs we¡¯ve ever had in history. Among them, Yunjin, your contribution is the greatest. Eight of the students you guided have be schrs.¡±

    Those students who didn¡¯t seek guidance from Xie Yunjin regretted their decisions immensely.

    As soon as Dean Lu received the news, he brought his wife over to express gratitude to Xie Yunjin. After all, this aplishment also benefitted the Qinghe County school.

    The future enrollment for Qinghe County school wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore, and Dean Lu became happier the more he thought about it.

    Xie Yunjin grinned and said, ¡°This is closely tied to the students¡¯ hard work. My role is not that significant.¡±

    Dean Luughed heartily and looked at Xie Yunjin with satisfaction, saying,

    ¡°Yunjin, you¡¯re truly suited to be a teacher. It¡¯s a pity you have to participate in the imperial examination. Otherwise, I would have liked to keep you at Qinghe County school as a teacher.¡±

    As Dean Lu finished speaking, Lady Xia gave him a stern look and said, ¡°Nonsense! With Yunjin¡¯s talents, he will definitely pass the examination. In the future, you might even need to tter Yunjin.¡±

    Lady Xia¡¯s words made Xie Yunjin ufortable. What did she mean by needing to tter him? If that got around, people might say all sorts of things about him. However, he refrained from showing his annoyance.

    He turned to ssmate Han on the side of the room and said, ¡°You just passed the schr¡¯s exam. Your family is probably waiting for you to celebrate. You should go back.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take my son with me on the way back.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao nodded. Han then turned to Dean Lu and Lady Xia, happily inviting them, ¡°My family will host a meal the day after tomorrow.

    Dean and Madam, you muste.¡±

    Dean Lu smiled, ¡°It¡¯s appropriate to host a meal. We¡¯re nning to host one tomorrow as well. You shoulde tomorrow too.¡±

    Han immediately turned to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao. Tomorrow, the Dean was hosting an event, and Officer Zhao was also hosting a meal. Where should Yunjin go?

    Xie Yunjin calmly smiled and said, ¡°The dean is hosting a gathering tomorrow? Then, we as a couple won¡¯t be able to attend as guests. Tomorrow, our neighbor Officer Zhao is hosting a meal. Our family has already agreed to go to Zhao¡¯s house for dinner.

    As Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Dean Lu¡¯s expression showed a hint of displeasure. Lady Xia immediately frowned and looked at Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re not holding a grudge against me, are you?¡±

    Lu Jiao had an especially strong aversion to Lady Xia. This woman was too sharp-tongued and had an air of superiority. In reality, Lady Xia was only the wife of the dean of the Qinghe County School, and she didn¡¯t even have an official title.

    Lu Jiao really couldn¡¯t fathom the source of her superiorityplex. Perhaps she was used to being praised and thought of herself as something special.

    Lu Jiao smiled at Lady Xia and said, ¡°Lady Xia, you¡¯re overthinking it. Officer Zhao just came earlier to invite us for a feast tomorrow. We promised him, so we can¡¯t break our word.¡±

    Lady Xia immediately interjected with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s just a small officer. It¡¯s not a big deal if you don¡¯t go.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao both disliked Lady Xia¡¯s words. Dismissing a constable so casually, and considering them beneath her, was disrespectful, especially to people like them with rural backgrounds. This probably exined why Lady Xia had been upset with Lu Jiao earlier.

    On the side, Dean Lu¡¯s face darkened suddenly. He coldly rebuked, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Yunjin is an educated man; he can¡¯t go back on his word.¡±

    He red at Lady Xia with sternness, causing her to furrow her brows in displeasure.

    Dean Lu was afraid that she might cause embarrassment at the Xie family¡¯s house. He hurriedly bid farewell to Xie Yunjin, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll take our leave.

    Yunjin, you¡¯re still recovering, so rest well.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back to school in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After saying this, Dean Lu held Lady Xia¡¯s hand and turned to leave. Lady Xia¡¯s face remained displeased.

    In the room behind, Han couldn¡¯t help but mutter quietly, ¡°Why is she like

    He had never noticed that she could be so shallow before. She usually carried herself with great decorum.

    Xie Yunjin asked Han to go back, ¡°You should go back quickly.¡±

    Han acknowledged and left with his son to return to the Han residence.

    In the Lu family¡¯s carriage, Lady Xia and Dean Lu started to argue loudly.

    ¡°A little schr doesn¡¯t even know his ce. If he bes an official in the future, won¡¯t he be arrogant?

    Someone with his character doesn¡¯t deserve to take the imperial examination. Hecks integrity and doesn¡¯t respect his mentors. If I publicize his behavior, I wonder if anyone will let him take the imperial examination.¡±

    Lady Xia spoke without any consideration. Dean Lu¡¯s face turned an iron shade of blue. He red at Lady Xia and shouted in anger, ¡°Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about? Do you even realize the impact your words might have on Yunjin¡¯s reputation if they spread?¡±

    Lady Xia dismissed his concerns, ¡°He brought this upon himself. If he doesn¡¯t respect his mentors, it¡¯s his own fault if his reputation suffers.¡±

    Dean Lu couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing from Lady Xia. He sighed heavily and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to change like this. You weren¡¯t like this before.¡±

    Lady Xia was the daughter of a schr. In the past, she was sensible and rational. However, she had transformed into this. If people slightly didn¡¯t give her face, she would get angry. Who did she think she was?

    A mere wife of the dean of Qinghe County School, yet she considered herself so high and mighty.

    This was probably due to excessive ttery, which had made her conceited.

    Thinking about this, Dean Lu looked at Lady Xia and said, ¡°It seems I have to send you back to your hometown.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lady Xia was shocked. She turned incredulously to Dean Lu,

    ¡°You¡­ you actually want to send me back to my hometown?¡±

    Dean Lu wasn¡¯t originally from Qinghe County, and their hometown was quite remote. Lady Xia had never imagined that she would be sent back to her hometown by her husband. If she were sent back, she would be aughingstock.

    ¡°Why are you treating me like this? I bore you two sons and two daughters. In old age, you treat me like this?¡±

    Dean Lu angrily reprimanded, ¡°If you keep speaking without thinking, I will definitely send you back to your hometown. Your reckless words could ruin our two sons.¡±

    Lady Xia looked at Dean Lu in shock, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Dean Lu lowered his voice and said, ¡°Yunjin might have gotten involved with the Crown Prince¡¯s connections. If that¡¯s true, your thoughtless words could bring disaster upon our children.¡±

    Both of the Lu family¡¯s children were schrs, currently studying in the capital to strive for the imperial examination and eventually be sessful in the civil service.

    If they did something against Xie Yunjin¡¯s interests and he sought help from the Crown Prince, their sons would definitely face trouble.

    Lady Xia turned pale instantly and didn¡¯t dare to say a word.

    Though she was sought after in Qinghe County, she also knew that people like her and the Crown Prince were worlds apart.

    In a low voice, Lady Xia whispered, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t speak recklessly

    anymore.¡±

    Seeing Lady Xia like this, Dean Lu didn¡¯t press further. He had to make his wife realize the consequences of her actions. Otherwise, her careless remarks might harm the foundation of their family.

    At the Xie residence, Xie Yunjin was discussing Lady Xia¡¯s behavior with Lu Jiao.

    ¡°When she first came to Qinghe County, she was quite a good person. But these years of being praised by students¡¯ mothers have made her somewhat arrogant.

    Just ignore her.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know..¡±

 Chapter 381 - 381: Good husbands Proactively Hand over Money

    Chapter 381: Good husbands Proactively Hand over Money

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao nodded. She didn¡¯t take the wife of the dean of Qinghe County School seriously. After all, she had saved Prince Yan and General Wang. If anyone were to trouble her, she believed they would help her out, considering what she had done for them.

    Throughout the day, the Xie residence was bustling with people. The students whom Xie Yunjin had tutored came to express their gratitude to the Xie family. They also brought the promised fifty taels of silver as a token of their appreciation.

    Lu Jiao found the constant stream of people annoying and eventually left Xie

    Yunjin to handle these matters. She took Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu to the clinic at Baohe Tang.

    Inside Baohe Tang, Grand Commander Xu was recuperating. A few days earlier, Lu Jiao had found time to assist Qi Lei in performing a surgery for him.

    After the surgery, Grand Commander Xu hadn¡¯t dared to return to his residence, fearing it might not be safe. He had been staying at Baohe Tang to recover. Today, when Lu Jiao visited, she examined him, not just his wound, but his overall recovery progress.

    Grand Commander Xu¡¯s recovery seemed to be progressing well. Lu Jiao reminded him, ¡°Even though you¡¯re a bit overweight, your health is weak. You should exercise and lose weight; otherwise, it¡¯s not good for your body. Don¡¯t let a situation arise where you¡¯re not well enough before the child is born.¡±

    Grand Commander Xu nodded earnestly. He hadn¡¯t even had a son to continue his family line; how could he die now?

    ¡°As soon as I¡¯m feeling better, I¡¯ll exercise.¡±

    Lu Jiao said with a hint of annoyance, ¡°You can start exercising now. Once your wound heals. you can start moving around and exercising. Don¡¯t iust lie in bed all the time. Your surgery wasn¡¯t a major one. Don¡¯t take it too seriously. In fact, getting up and exercising will be more beneficial for your recovery and fertility.¡±

    As she mentioned this, Grand Commander Xu didn¡¯t dare to oppose. He immediately turned over and prepared to get out of bed.

    His wife hurriedly assisted him out of bed and helped him move around the room.

    Lu Jiao turned and walked out. Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei followed her.

    Zhao Lingfeng said happily, ¡°The oil mill has officially started producing oil. I¡¯ve already contacted a few merchants. The oil we produce is being sold to various ces in the province.¡±

    Speaking of this, Zhao Lingfeng asked with concern, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention earlier that you wanted to open two stores? Have you bought the stores?¡±

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these past few days and haven¡¯t had the time to look at the stores.¡±

    Then, she asked Zhao Lingfeng about the current prices of stores in Qinghe

    County, inquiring, ¡°What¡¯s the normal price range for stores in Qinghe County?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng asked what Lu Jiao was interested in.

    ¡°The ones in good locations are more expensive, while those in less desirable locations are cheaper. It depends on where you want to buy one.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s words, Lu Jiao furrowed her brows in thought.

    After a moment, she replied, ¡°Let¡¯s buy a shop in themoner¡¯s district. While I¡¯m opening a shop to earn money, I also want to provide oil and medicine for the ordinary folks.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng grinned and said, ¡°Heping Street and Jinli Street are near themoner¡¯s district. You can consider buying a shop on either of these streets. Shops there are more affordable.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have Li Nantian inquire about it and see if we can find one.

    Zhao Lingfeng asked, ¡°How big do you want it? I¡¯ll keep an eye out too. Let me know if you need any help.¡±

    Lu Jiao appreciated his willingness to assist and promptly replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be toorge. A regr-sized shop will suffice. I don¡¯t want it to attract too much attention.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng understood her intentions and nodded, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll keep an eye out.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded. If she hadn¡¯t promised to give Xie Yunjin a chance, she might have considered buyingrger shops. However, since she had agreed to give him a chance, she needed to prepare for other possibilities.

    For instance, if they were trulypatible and decided to stay together, they would eventually settle in the Capital City. In that case, she would need to invest in properties there. Hence, the shops in Qinghe County didn¡¯t need to be too big.

    She needed to save her money for investing in the Capital City, where properties were quite valuable.

    As they discussed this, Lu Jiao continued, ¡°Although I¡¯m opening a shop, I don¡¯t n to make it too big. The output from the oil mill and the pharmacy won¡¯t be thatrge due to the manual production process. Also, these items are in high demand. When it¡¯s time to distribute them, many people will want them.

    If I can get a portion of the products to sell, that will be good enough.¡¯

    Even though the secret forms of the three major workshops were excellent, the products were handmade in this era, resulting in lower production rates. Additionally, these products were highly sought after. Therefore, her shop would be fortunate to secure even a portion of the products for sale.

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°You¡¯ve managed to write down the process for making scented soap during these past few days. The cosmetics workshop will bepleted soon and can start production.¡±

    Currently, Zhao Lingfeng was most enthusiastic about making money. He wanted to help Prince Yan earn more and assist him in ascending the throne. This way, he would achieve an honorable status, and he wouldn¡¯t have to tolerate the legitimate children of the Zhao family, including his stepmother, in the future.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After finishing their conversation, Lu Jiao led her group to leave. Qi Lei followed her. In passing, Lu Jiao exchanged a few medical-rted words with him. As the sky grew dark, she returned to the residence with Feng Zhi and

    Ruan Zhu.

    Xie Yunjin and their four children were eagerly awaiting her return for dinner.

    Upon Lu Jiao¡¯s return, the four children hurriedly approached her, pulling her to the table.

    Xie Yunjin proactively ced arge bag of silver in front of Lu Jiao. ¡°Jiaojiao, even though I didn¡¯t earn much, I¡¯ll work hard to make more money in the future.¡¯

    Each of the students who had passed the schr¡¯s examination today had given Xie Yunjin fifty taels of silver. Besides ssmate Han and Zhao Hong, six other students taught by Xie Yunjin had also passed. Consequently, Xie Yunjin received three hundred taels of silver in the afternoon.

    He understood that three hundred taels of silver might not be a significant amount in front of Lu Jiao, but he had earned it through his hard work. Thus, he wanted to present it to her immediately.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t decline his offer. Since she had agreed to give him a chance, there was nothing wrong with epting the money from him.

    If they didn¡¯t end up together in the end, she would return the money to him.

    Smiling, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re a good husband for proactively handing your earnings to your wife. Here, I¡¯ll reward you with a piece of fish.¡±

    She picked up a piece of fish and ced it on Xie Yunjin¡¯s te. Then, she praised him.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart swelled with joy. Although he didn¡¯t earn much, he was working hard to make money. Getting apliment from Lu Jiao made him truly happy.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s actions were not just to boost the man¡¯s confidence; they were also a lesson for the four children. She wanted to teach them that in the future, it was their responsibility to earn money for their wives.

    Parents¡¯ examples were the most important.

    The four children watched the scene with smiles, highly satisfied. The First Born even praised Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re doing really well. Keep it up in the future.¡±

    The Second Born vigorously nodded in agreement. ¡°With that kind of effort, our little sister will arrive very soon.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xie Yunjin turned his head and gazed gently at Lu Jiao. Having a daughter as adorable as Lu Jiao didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea.

    The Third and Fourth Bornughed happily, and the entire room was filled with a joyous atmosphere.

    After dinner, someone began pushing their luck.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, my wound seems to start to hurt again.. Can you stay with me tonight?¡±

 Chapter 382 - 382: Xie Three

    Chapter 382: Xie Three

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao immediately declined, ¡°No.¡±

    Xie Yunjin yfully clutched his chest, as if he had been hurt.

    This act caused the four little ones to think that he was experiencing heart pain. They quickly rushed up, concerned, ¡°Is Daddy¡¯s heart hurting? Let me give you a massage.¡±

    ¡°Let mommy check what¡¯s wrong with you.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, how about I tell you a story? Mommy said it distracts you and makes the pain feel less.¡±

    The Fourth Born chimed in, ¡°Daddy, how about I sing you a song? Mommy said my singing is very pleasant and listening to it makes you feel better.¡±

    Observing the children react so anxiously due to a simple action, Xie Yunjin was about to speak to reassure them, but unexpectedly, the First Born suddenly turned to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Mommy, daddy isn¡¯t feeling well. Can you sleep with him tonight?¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s words were halted instantly, and he turned his gaze toward Lu Jiao with an eager expression.

    With a touch of exasperation, Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at him, then shifted her attention to the four little ones who were staring at her in anticipation.

    She noticed that in the past few days, as she and Xie Yunjin had been getting along well, the four children were visibly happier and in better spirits.

    Even though they seemed fine on the surface before, and the four children didn¡¯t appear to have noticed any problems between their parents, the children were sensitive, and even if they didn¡¯t voice it, they could sense something amiss in their parent¡¯s rtionship.

    Now that she had given Xie Yunjin a chance and their interactions were positive, the four children could clearly feel the difference. Their current happiness was genuine.

    Now that she had given Xie Yunjin a chance and their interactions were

    positive, the four children could clearly feel the difference. Their current happiness was genuine.

    Seeing her four little ones like this, Lu Jiao¡¯s heart softened, especially when she recalled their past when they were frail and weak.

    She addressed the children, ¡°Alright, but just this once. If your dad tries to y tricks again, we will ignore him for ten days and not talk to him.¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s yful words, the four children immediately smiled and turned to tease Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Daddy, did you hear that? You¡¯re not allowed to y tricks next time. If you do, we won¡¯t talk to you for ten days.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and then mommy will sleep with us for ten days.¡±

    Xie Yunjin red at the Second Born, wondering what kind of cheeky kid he was. Snatching his wife like this and feeling so justified.

    Third and Fourth Born, hearing Second Born¡¯s words, immediately raised their hands in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right, if daddy ys tricks again, we¡¯ll sleep with mommy for ten days.¡±

    The two little ones seemed quite pleased with the idea.

    Lu Jiao, with a rather exasperated expression, watched the group of people in the room. Was she doomed to apany them in bed all the time?

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. Hurry up and go to the back courtyard to wash and sleep. You still have sses tomorrow.¡±

    The four children immediately came over and hugged Lu Jiao, taking the opportunity to kiss her cheek. ¡°Good night, mommy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to sleep now.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Love you.¡±

    As she watched her lively and adorable four children, Lu Jiao¡¯s face was constantly filled with smiles. However, as soon as the four little ones left, her expression turned cold as she stared at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin immediately admitted his mistake with a docile tone, ¡°I was wrong. I won¡¯t do that again.¡±

    Lu Jiao scolded him without holding back, ¡°Are you three years old? Still acting up? If that¡¯s the case, I should just call you ¡®Xie Three¡¯.¡±

    Xie Yunjin fixed his gaze on Lu Jiao with clear, bright eyes and said, ¡°If I can sleep together every day, then ¡®Xie Three¡¯ it is.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at his response and looked at him, exasperated. Xie Yunjin then quickly revealed a pleasing smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset anymore ande to bed. Actually, I asked you to stay tonight because I have something to talk to you about.¡±

    Seeing him look genuinely serious, Lu Jiao¡¯s irritation subsided. She walked over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Thinking he was going to discuss something important, she was quite serious.

    However, to her surprise, Xie Yunjin asked, ¡°I want to know how men in your era interacted with women.¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. She thought he was going to talk about something significant, but he ended up asking about this?

    Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but grit her teeth, ¡°Xie Yunjin, are you itching for trouble?¡±

    After saying that, she reached out and pinched the flesh on Xie Yunjin¡¯s arm without hesitation.

    Xie Yunjin endured the pain in silence.

    Lu Jiao only pinched him to vent her frustration, and since he didn¡¯t make a sound, she let go.

    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t act like this.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t. Then can you tell me how men and women interacted in your era?¡±

    He really wanted to know. This way, he would understand how to get along with Lu Jiao and where her boundaries were.

    Seeing his persistence and hisck of objection, Lu Jiao got into bed beside Xie Yunjin and began to talk about her past.

    ¡°In our era, men and women were considered equals.¡±

    ¡°Equals?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was very surprised. While women in the Great Zhou Dynasty had rtively higher status, they still lived in dependence on men. In families, decisions were made by men. For example, his father could divorce his mother whenever he pleased.

    This constant disparity in status between men and women had caused such low status for women.

    Lu Jiao turned to Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Do you want to hear this or not? If you do, then don¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    Xie Yunjin reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s soft hand, finding it incrediblyfortable to touch. He loved holding her hand in his palm.

    Lu Jiao allowed him to hold her hand. She looked up at the canopy above and began to speak slowly.

    ¡°In our era, women could also go out to earn money and support the family. Some women were even more capable than men. Many important leaders in the country were women. So, isn¡¯t it normal for men and women to be considered equals? Women could earn money, support the family, have children, and take care of them. Therefore, they held an equal status with men.¡±

    Listening to this, Xie Yunjin was amazed. This time, however, he stayed silent and didn¡¯t interrupt.

    He couldn¡¯t believe this. Women went out to make money? Many leaders were women?

    Though he couldn¡¯t really imagine such a time, he understood that only that kind of era could have shaped someone like Lu Jiao, making her so capable and different from the women in his era, who only knew about domestic affairs.

    Thinking deeply, Xie Yunjin softly asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, how did men and women who liked each other in your era interact?¡±

    ¡°They would go on dates, have meals together, go shopping, watch movies, and sometimes even travel. But the most important thing was that men and women were considered equals.¡±

    As Lu Jiao spoke, she suddenly turned her gaze toward Xie Yunjin in the bed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re suitable for each other. Because I grew up in that era, I can¡¯t act like the women in this era, who treat their husbands as everything. Many times, I can make my own decisions. I won¡¯t always ask you and let you decide. Also, I have my own career.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll often go out to handle things. Can you ept all of this?¡±

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t mention the predestined wife part from the novel.

    Listening to her, Xie Yunjin felt a little panicked, afraid that Lu Jiao would take back the opportunity she had given him.

    He held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand tightly and said earnestly, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯ve known what kind of person you are from the beginning. I¡¯m sure I can ept you the way you are. However, when you first arrived, I made quite a fool of myself.

    At that time, I knew you were not the original her, but because of your various concerns for me, I suspected that you liked me. I even thought about giving you a chance. Now that I think about it, you were just doing what you thought was right..¡±

 Chapter 383 - 383: Promise not to Drink

    Chapter 383: Promise not to Drink

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin felt somewhat embarrassed as he lowered his gaze and spoke.

    After a good while, he gently said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you may not realize how important you are to me and our four little ones. You are our light, the source of our happiness.

    Sometimes I wonder, if you didn¡¯t exist, what would we have be?

    Certainly not the sunny and cheerful individuals we are now. We might have turned gloomy, ruthless, unable to tolerate the beauty in the world. In the end, we might have destroyed others and ourselves.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin in astonishment. In the book, they did ultimately be such people.

    Seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s stunned expression, Xie Yunjin thought she might be frightened by his words. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

    ¡°I will ovee everything to be with you.¡±

    Lu Jiao took a second to regain herposure. She reacted by ring at him fiercely.

    This man was truly pushing it.

    ¡°Sleep.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled. He held onto her hand and closed his eyes to sleep.

    Lu Jiao fell asleep quickly. After she fell asleep, Xie Yunjin turned to look at her with his gaze filled with adoration. He reached out to gently trace her face, her eyebrows, her nose, her lips.

    [What should I do? Jiaojiao, I¡¯m falling more and more in love with you. So, don¡¯t think about leaving. I won¡¯t let you go.]

    With her by his side, he felt a sense of calm and happiness.

    Officer Zhao¡¯s son, Zhao Hong, passed the schr examination, and Officer Zhao was very pleased. He specially invited neighbors to a meal.

    Although Xie Yunjin¡¯s injuries had notpletely healed, he still brought Lu Jiao and their four little ones to the Zhao¡¯s house for the banquet. Zhao¡¯s family was overjoyed, and neighbors came over to greet them. Grandfather Liu and Grandmother Liu especially praised Lu Jiao.

    They said that Lu Jiao was kind, skilled in medicine, and had raised their four little ones well. In short, they praised Lu Jiao as the bestdy in the world.

    Grandfather Liu and Grandmother Liu have been living in this alley for many years. Although they rarely left their home, their neighbors still trusted their words.

    As a result, the neighbors who didn¡¯t know much about Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were particrly enthusiastic and polite.

    The Zhao family¡¯s banquet was lively and filled with warmth among the local residents.

    The Han family¡¯s banquet, on the other hand, was much more grand. Firstly, the Han family was prosperous as merchants and had wealth. Secondly, due to recent events, the elders in the Han family wanted to do something big to dispel bad luck. They took advantage of ssmate Han¡¯s sess in the imperial examination to host an exceptionallyrge feast. Additionally, County Magistrate Hu privately approached Han and asked him to invite some businessmen who had connections with their family.

    County Magistrate Hu wanted to establish a merchants¡¯ association within Qinghe County to regte prices. However, he couldn¡¯t issue direct orders, as it might easily provoke opposition from the local merchants. So, he wanted to first have discussions with some businessmen to understand their thoughts.

    Due to County Magistrate Hu¡¯s intentions, the Han family¡¯s banquet was exceptionally grand. They not only invited rtives and friends but also businessmen they had dealings with. Furthermore, County Magistrate Hu personally brought some people along.

    When people from the four prominent families received such news, they came in droves. The Han residence, which was already quiterge, was filled with guests, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively.

    Xie Yunjin and ssmate Han were close friends, so he naturally attended the Han family¡¯s banquet.

    Lu Jiao specially reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t drink at the banquet. Although your shoulder injury is almost healed, you still need to be cautious.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°I¡¯ve taken your words to heart, Jiaojiao. I promise not to drink.¡±

    Afterwards, Xie Yunjin thought about the previous incident where Lu Jiao had encountered some trouble at a banquet. Concerned, he looked at her and said, ¡°Be careful today. If someone troubles you, have Fengzhie and call me, and I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and replied, ¡°I can handle it, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Ever since she promised to give Xie Yunjin a chance, Lu Jiao had decided to attend these banquets. Because if she ended up with Xie Yunjin, such gatherings would undoubtedly be part of their life. So, she needed to gradually get used to it.

    Xie Yunjin reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Rx, the Han family is not like the Lu family.¡±

    His words meant that the Han family wouldn¡¯t give Lu Jiao a hard time.

    Just as Xie Yunjin had suspected, the Han family indeed treated Lu Jiao with great warmth.

    When she and the four little ones appeared, Grandfather Han and Grandmother Han were extremely grateful and expressed their thanks. Grandmother Han personally escorted Lu Jiao to the location of the women¡¯s banquet. Still worried that Lu Jiao might find it too noisy, she arranged for Lu Jiao to stay in a smaller adjacent hall. She even instructed one of the Han cousin¡¯s wives to keep Lu Jiaopany.

    Thisdy was skilled at socializing, and everyone called her Lady Qian. ¡°Lady Lu, your four little ones are really good-looking.¡±

    Lady Qian was particrly envious of the four little ones in Lu Jiao¡¯s family, and the more she looked at them, the more she liked them. She reached out and patted the heads of the four little ones.

    The four little ones didn¡¯t resist; they could tell that Lady Qian liked them very much.

    Seeing their obedient and cute appearance, Lady Qian became even more fond of them and wished she could take one of them home.

    ¡°Oh my, I really want to take one of them home. Lady Lu, please teach me how to raise children who are so well-mannered and sensible.¡±

    Lady Qian had two children at home, a boy and a girl. Her son was a little troublemaker, and she was constantly worried about him. Now, seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s children, she couldn¡¯t help but envy her.

    As Lady Qian spoke, Han Dongsheng, who was from her family, joined in.

    ¡°Auntie, are you saying that Fatty doesn¡¯t have manners and is unruly?¡± Following behind Han Dongsheng was Lady Qian¡¯s son, who was nicknamed Fatty.

    When Fatty heard his mother¡¯s words, he became angry and was about to throw a tantrum.

    Han Dongsheng quickly diverted his attention, ¡°This is the quadruplet I told you about. What do you think? Do they look alike?¡±

    Fatty¡¯s attention was quickly diverted, and he didn¡¯t pay any more attention to his mother.

    He turned to look at the four little ones, who also curiously nced at him. He was indeed chubby.

    Following Han Dongsheng, Han Nanfeng rushed over like a little cannonball and hugged the Second Born. ¡°Second Born, you¡¯re here! Let me show you my toys.¡±

    Since the incident where he and the Second Born were abducted together, Han Nanfeng had trulye to regard the Second Born as his real older brother. He couldn¡¯t hide his delight whenever he saw him.

    Han Dongsheng no longer disliked the quadruplets as he used to. On the contrary, he quite liked them now. He approached them and invited them to y together.

    ¡°First, Third and Fourth Born, let¡¯s go y with toys.¡±

    The quadruplets looked back at Lu Jiao, and she nodded, instructing Fengzhi to apany the four little ones.

    Since the four little ones hade without their usual ymates today, Lu Jiao was concerned for their well-being. Therefore, she asked Fengzhi to keep an eye on them.

    Fengzhi nodded and followed the quadruplets towards Han Dongsheng and Han Nanfeng¡¯s courtyard.

    Fatty¡¯s mother, Lady Qian, watched her son leave and breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn¡¯t worried about her son but was more concerned that he might cause a scene at the event.

    She turned to Lu Jiao with a wry smile, ¡°Lady Lu, did you see that? The chubby boy just now is my little troublemaker..¡±

 Chapter 384 - 384: You have yours, I have mine

    Chapter 384: You have yours, I have mine

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao smiled and looked at Lady Qian, ¡°He¡¯s still a child. Just educate him well, and he¡¯ll grow up to be respectful and filial.¡±

    Lady Qian immediately showed interest and sat down beside Lu Jiao to discuss child raising.

    She was well aware that the two Han children regrly went to the Xie residence, where it was rumored that Lady Lu was running some kind of kindergarten. After the children had spent some time there, they had be

    exceptionally well-behaved.

    Lady Qian wished she could send her own children there to receive such an education. However, her family¡¯s rtionship with Lu Jiao wasn¡¯t that good, and it was unlikely that Lady Lu Jiao would ept them.

    Before Lu Jiao could say more, voices could be heard from the entrance of the smaller hall.

    Lu Jiao turned her head to see several women approaching, led by Li Yuyao, who had sworn sisterhood with Lu Jiao. Alongside her was Zhang Biyan from the Zhang family.

    Following them were some women from Qinghe County, including Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya.

    Zhu Baozhu, upon seeing Lu Jiao, rushed over with joy.

    ¡°Lady Lu, you¡¯re really good at hiding. You managed to find a peaceful corner for yourself.¡¯

    Before Lu Jiao could respond, Zhang Biyan spoke up, ¡°Isn¡¯t she good at hiding? She¡¯s managed to find a quiet spot all to herself. But as good as she is at hiding, we¡¯re just as good at finding her.¡±

    She finished with augh, and several women from merchant families who apanied her chimed in.

    ¡°Lady Lu, please don¡¯t mind us making some noise.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see Lady Lu, so we came uninvited.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard that Lady Lu is skilled in medicine. We¡¯vee to ask for advice on some health issues.¡±

    Lu Jiao watched as seven or eight women approached and spoke animatedly. She remained calm and replied with a friendly smile, ¡°I¡¯m not hiding for leisure. I¡¯m afraid my four little ones might disturb you.¡±

    With her words, Zhang Biyan pped her hands, ¡°You¡¯re just teasing us. We¡¯ve heard that your four little ones are exceptionally well-mannered and polite.

    But even if you hide, we¡¯ll find you.¡±

    As Zhang Biyan spoke, she and herpanions sat down beside Lu Jiao.

    Li Yuyao quickly took a seat on the other side of Lu Jiao, and Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya looked at each other before sitting on either side of Li Yuyao. This arrangement made the atmosphere in the hall seem more harmonious.

    At this moment, everyone wore a smile on their faces, engaging in conversations with Lu Jiao. The scene appeared as if they were all drawn to her like stars surrounding the moon.

    Lu Jiao naturally understood the reason behind this, and she calmly engaged in conversation with Zhang Biyan and the others.

    On the other side, Li Yuyao observed the situation and quickly understood the intentions of the Zhang family. She inwardly cursed, thinking that these shameless individuals had previously tried to harm Schr Xie and Jiaojiao. And now, in the blink of an eye, they were pursuing them again.

    Li Yuyao watched the scene unfold and then turned to hold Lu Jiao¡¯s hand,

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m sorry. When you and schr Xie went missing, I couldn¡¯t go to Heifeng Mountain to look for you. Fortunately, you¡¯re safe.¡±

    Although Li Yuyao hadn¡¯t personally gone to Heifeng Mountain, she had sent her husband, Hu Shan, along with County Magistrate Hu to search for them.

    ¡°Sister, your children are still so young. There¡¯s no need for you to go up the mountain to find us.¡¯

    Li Yuyao patted Lu Jiao¡¯s hand and sighed, ¡°Jiaojiao is truly blessed. Those who intended to harm you and Schr Xie ended up empty-handed. Unfortunately, Yang and Peng took their own lives, or else we could have exposed the viins who truly wanted to harm you and Schr Xie.¡±

    Li Yuyao¡¯s words made Zhang Biyan and the women beside her look quite unhappy. One of the women wanted to speak but was silenced by Zhang Biyan¡¯s re.

    Zhang Biyan remained expressionless as she turned to Li Yuyao and Lu Jiao, ¡°On this joyous asion, let¡¯s avoid speaking of inauspicious matters and discuss something cheerful.¡±

    Li Yuyao immediately responded with a smile, ¡°Lady Zhang is right. Let¡¯s talk about joyous things. Don¡¯t let those unpleasant matters dampen our spirits.¡±

    Zhang Biyan¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. She let out a long breath and then turned to Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Lady Lu has be sworn sisters with Lady Li. Why don¡¯t we be sworn sisters too, tomorrow?¡±

    As if excited by her own idea, she grabbed onto Lu Jiao¡¯s hands and earnestly stared at Lu Jiao, ¡°What do you think, Lady Lu? Shall we be sisters?¡±

    Before Lu Jiao could respond, Li Yuyao swiftly took Lu Jiao¡¯s hand, then extended her own to hold Lu Jiao, giving her a determined look. She dered, ¡°No, this little sister is mine. I can¡¯t let others steal her away.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes sparkled briefly, understanding that Li Yuyao was trying to help her out. It seemed that this older sister wasn¡¯t sworn in vain.

    Lu Jiao smiled and remained silent. Zhang Biyan looked quite displeased, wondering what Li Yuyao meant. Was she deliberately interfering in her ns?

    Although Zhang Biyan was irritated, she didn¡¯t show it. After all, Li Yuyao was the magistrate¡¯s senior daughter-inw, and no matter what, she couldn¡¯t afford to quarrel with her.

    So, Zhang Biyan smiled at Li Yuyao and said, ¡°Lady Li, you can have your own sworn sister, and I can have mine. It¡¯s unrted, so why prevent others from forming bonds?¡±

    Li Yuyao asserted, ¡°No, I¡¯ve finally found such a wonderful sister, and I won¡¯t let anyone take her away.¡±

    Zhang Biyan red at Li Yuyao, visibly displeased, and remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Lady Lu¡¯s business? Lady Li, your overbearing behavior, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much?¡±

    Zhang Biyan finished speaking and then looked at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao smiled and replied, ¡°Lady Zhang, let¡¯s just forget about it. If I were to be your sister, I¡¯m afraid my current sister wouldn¡¯t agree.¡±

    Li Yuyao immediately smiled and patted Lu Jiao¡¯s head, ¡°That¡¯s the way it should be.¡±

    At this point, Zhang Biyan realized that Li Yuyao and Lu Jiao were in cahoots, and this left her feeling increasingly frustrated. As the eldest daughter of the Zhang family and someone highly valued by her family, she had never been treated this way. She couldn¡¯t believe that these two women were bullying her. The smile on her face waned slightly.

    She looked at Lu Jiao with an expression of regret andmented, ¡°What a pity. I had actually thought that if I became sworn sisters with Lady Lu, I would give her a special gift. But Lady Lu has unexpectedly been taken away by someone.¡±

    While staring at Lu Jiao, she added, ¡°And this gift is something that Lady Lu has been longing for.¡±

    After uttering these words, Zhang Biyan stood up and headed for the exit. Since it appeared that Lady Lu didn¡¯t want to form a sisterly bond with her, there was no reason for her to stay.

    As Zhang Biyan left, Lu Jiao watched her depart with squinted eyes and thought about the special gift Zhang Biyan had mentioned.

    She quickly realized that the gift was likely Shen Xiu.

    The meaning behind Zhang Biyan¡¯s words was quite clear. If they had be close, she would have handed Shen Xiu over to Lu Jiao to deal with, implying that Shen Xiu was now under Zhang Biyan¡¯s control.

    As Lu Jiao was lost in thought, Li Yuyao, who was beside her, advised her, ¡°Jiaojiao, you should keep your distance from Zhang Biyan. Although Zhang Biyan may not seem harmful on the surface, I¡¯ve heard some rumors. They say she holds significant influence in the Zhang family, and her grandfather regards her greatly. Many important matters in the Zhang family are decided by her..¡±

 Chapter 385 - 385: This Countryside Woman

    Chapter 385: This Countryside Woman

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes narrowed. She had long known that Zhang Biyan was not an ordinary woman.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. Thanks for your concern, sister. Let¡¯s not talk about them.

    Did you bring Ping An with you today?¡±

    Li Yuyao shook her head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t bring him. He¡¯s too young. I had someone take care of him at home.¡¯

    Lu Jiao nodded and then asked how things were at her inws¡¯ ce, if her mother-inw had been causing any trouble, and if the two concubines had been sent away.

    As Lu Jiao and Li Yuyao chatted, Zhu Baozhu and Tan Xiaoya asionally joined in, making the conversation lively.

    Outside, Zhang Biyan and her group were cursing them.

    ¡°A woman from the countryside is so ignorant. Sister Zhang, we can¡¯t just let this slide.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s make her pay.¡±

    ¡°That shameless woman, she thinks too highly of herself.¡¯

    Zhang Biyan listened to herpanions¡¯ words, her face darkening. She red at the women next to her and said, ¡°Shut up. Besides cursing, can any of you think of something useful? Try to find a way to win her over.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhang Biyan¡¯s words, the women didn¡¯t dare to argue. Compared to them, Zhang Biyan was in a different position.

    She had a say in the Zhang family, unlike these women.

    So, despite being scolded, they didn¡¯t dare to confront Zhang Biyan.

    One woman next to Zhang Biyan murmured softly, ¡°Are you really going to let her bully you like this?¡±

    Zhang Biyan¡¯s expression darkened even more, and she coldly replied, ¡°A gentleman takes revenge ten yearster. We¡¯ll let her have her fun for now.¡± With that, she left with her group.

    While there was tension brewing in the back courtyard, the front yard was filled with joy andughter.

    Though Xie Yunjin appeared calm and not overly enthusiastic, the praise from the various merchants and the politeness of the County Magistrate and others made him stand out even more, as if he had achieved something remarkable like passing the Imperial Examination.

    Even though today was meant to be a celebration of Han¡¯s sess in the examination, it seemed that Xie Yunjin had be the center of attention. Fortunately, ssmate Han wasn¡¯t displeased. On the contrary, he was quite happy to see Xie Yunjin being warmly greeted.

    It was clear to him that Xie Yunjin was truly exceptional, a cut above the rest.

    Han felt a bit proud of his discerning eye.

    After the greetings from the guests, they began to engage in various conversations.

    County Magistrate Hu, having already greeted others, pulled Xie Yunjin aside for a chat.

    ¡°Yunjin, I¡¯ve had my people look into it. The prices of goods in Qinghe County are significantly higher than in other ces. I want to mp down on these traders who are inting the prices, but I¡¯m afraid of stirring up trouble and angering the local merchants. I¡¯m not sure how to handle this.¡±

    Listening to County Magistrate Hut s words, Xie Yunjin furrowed his brows slightly. Soon, he spoke, ¡°You can discreetly pass on some information to the merchants with whom you have good rtionships. Let them know that Prince Yan is closely monitoring the progress of the corruption case. If they discover that the prices in Qinghe County are considerably higher than elsewhere, they will likely send people to investigate the situation here.

    Once they know this information, they¡¯ll probably voluntarily lower their prices. You can establish a merchants¡¯ association in Qinghe County and bring the willing merchants into the association. Additionally, provide these merchants with some incentives, like prioritizing them for any good business opportunities in Qinghe County.¡±

    After hearing this, County Magistrate Hu, who had been anxious, looked at Xie Yunjin with relief and asked, ¡°What if Prince Yan finds out that I did this in his name? Will he hold me ountable?¡±

    Xie Yunjin nced at County Magistrate Hu and calmly replied, ¡°This also helps build Prince Yan¡¯s reputation. It¡¯s a win-win situation for both of you. There¡¯s no reason for him to hold a grudge against you.¡±

    County Magistrate Hu couldn¡¯t help but agree. He nodded repeatedly and became quite cheerful. He reached out and patted Xie Yunjin on the shoulder.

    ¡°Yunjin, your brain is indeed smarter than most people¡¯s.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was filled with ck lines as he looked at County Magistrate Hu. He wondered if County Magistrate Hu had forgotten about his shoulder injury.

    County Magistrate Hu recalled the incident and quicklyughed it off, ¡°I forgot, I forgot.¡±

    As they were conversing, Li Wenbin, Zheng Zhixing, and others approached.

    ¡°County Magistrate Hu, greetings.¡±

    County Magistrate Hu nodded and was quite courteous to these schrs. Although they were currently just schrs, there was no telling who among them might pass the county-level exam next year. Once they became officials or achieved higher positions, they could rise faster than him. Therefore, he didn¡¯t want to put on airs in front of these individuals.

    Thinking about this, County Magistrate Hu smiled and asked the schrs, ¡°Are you here to speak with Yunjin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Yunjin has recently been injured, and since he¡¯s rarely out, we naturally want to have a good conversation with him.¡±

    County Magistrate Hu immediately smiled and made some space for them, ¡°In that case, please go ahead and talk.¡±

    Xie Yunjin turned to his fellow students. Regarding the night he was hit by the carriage, he realized that,pared to the past when he felt anger and hatred, he now still felt furious but didn¡¯t harbor as much hatred.

    If those people hadn¡¯t ordered his injury, he might never have met Lu Jiao.

    However, even with these thoughts, he was determined to uncover the people behind the incident as soon as possible.

    As Xie Yunjin was lost in thought, Li Wenbin smiled and asked, ¡°Yunjin, your leg is better, and the injury on your shoulder is almost healed. When can we all get together?¡±

    Zheng Zhixing eagerly added, ¡°Certainly, I¡¯ve wanted to get together as well.

    These days, Yunjin¡¯s injuries created some distance between us.¡±

    Li Yiyi and Jiang Yuansheng nodded in agreement, and no one mentioned Luo Xinwu at all.

    The subsequent Han family banquet didn¡¯t bring any unexpected incidents, and both the male and female guests enjoyed a lively feast.

    In the female guest area, Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t engage much with Lu Jiao. She had animated conversations with the women around her, asionally taking a sip of wine and discussing Qinghe County¡¯stest fashion and jewelry. Zhang Biyan lived a more carefree and mboyant life than any other woman. Lu Jiao paid her no attention. It was clear that she and Zhang Biyan were not on the same page, and there was no need for further conversation.

    Lu Jiao, along with Li Yuyao, Zhu Baozhu, Tan Xiaoya, and others, chatted from time to time, making ns to go shopping together.

    Across from them, although Zhang Biyan appeared lively while conversing with thedies around her, she was discreetly listening to Lu Jiao¡¯s side. She overheard Lu Jiao agreeing to go shopping with Li Yuyao and the others.

    Her expression soured and her face showed signs of unhappiness. She remembered that when she had invited Lu Jiao to go shopping earlier, Lu Jiao had ignored her.

    Did this rural woman look down on her?

    Zhang Biyan was filled with inexplicable anger but clenched her chopsticks tightly and didn¡¯tsh out.

    After the banquet ended, guests began to say their goodbyes and leave. Zhang Biyan didn¡¯t even cast a nce at Lu Jiao and departed with her entourage.

    Lu Jiao, Li Yuyao, and the others said their farewells to Han¡¯s parents, then leisurely walked to the horse-drawn carriage waiting outside the mansion.

    Xie Yunjin and his friends had been waiting by the Xie family¡¯s carriage, along with Lin Dong and others. When they saw Lu Jiao and the four little onesing out, Xie Yunjin immediately approached them.

    Seeing his actions, Li Yuyao couldn¡¯t help but whisper with envy, ¡°Comparison is the thief of joy. It¡¯s such a difference seeing how Schr Xie treats youpared to how my husband treats me. He¡¯s like a wooden block..¡±

 Chapter 386 - 386: Mommy, are you Raising Five Sons?

    Chapter 386: Mommy, are you Raising Five Sons?

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao smiled and pursed her lips. Their rtionships shouldn¡¯t even bepared. They are in the courting phase now, so naturally, he was treating her well. Only if he was able to keep this up, would she conclude that he treated her well.

    Lu Jiao pushed Li Yuyao yfully, ¡°Sister, if you find your brother-inw not good enough, you can train him when you get back.¡±

    Li Yuyao didn¡¯t get a chance to respond; the four little ones around them had already rushed toward Xie Yunjin. ¡°Daddy, did you wait for us?¡±

    ¡°Have you eaten enough?¡±

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t eaten enough, tell Auntie Hua to make more for youter.¡± ¡°But Uncle Han¡¯s family made delicious meatballs today.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the four little ones in front of her, not sure what to say. She was astonished by their antics in front of someone else¡¯s door. Were they afraid that Uncle Han might starve their father?

    Xie Yunjin took the hands of two of the little ones and turned his head to look at Lu Jiao.

    Li Yuyao nudged Lu Jiao, ¡°Hurry, your husband can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±

    The two finished their conversation and parted ways. Lu Jiao followed Xie Yunjin to the front of the carriage.

    Xie Yunjin asked Lu Jiao with concern, ¡°Today among the female guests, you didn¡¯t encounter anyone trying to make things difficult for you, did you?¡±

    Lu Jiao remained silent for a moment and then shook her head. Although

    Zhang Biyan tried to win her over, she didn¡¯t make things difficult for her.

    But Xie Yunjin could tell that something was amiss when he saw her silence and asked with concern.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    By this time, the family had reached the carriage. Both parents lifted the four little ones onto the carriage, and then Xie Yunjin helped Lu Jiao onto the carriage. He was thest to board.

    Once everyone was in the carriage, the Xie family¡¯s carriage left Han¡¯s house.

    Lu Jiao told Xie Yunjin about Zhang Biyan trying to approach her.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s face darkened unconsciously. However, he quickly regained hisposure and turned to Lu Jiao, ¡°Today, Li Wenbin also invited me to join them. It seems the Zhang family is indeed making efforts to win us over.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded in agreement. Thinking back to the time when Xie Yunjin was paralyzed after the carriage ident, she quickly added, ¡°You need to be careful.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything more, as the four little ones were in the carriage, and saying too much might make them anxious.

    Xie Yunjin nodded calmly and said, ¡°Tomorrow, I n to go to school to study.¡±

    Lu Jiao considered Xie Yunjin¡¯s wound. She had cleaned it with her spiritual stream water, so his injury had healed quite well. Although the wound was on his back and Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t see it, it had mostly recovered.

    ¡°Alright, your legs are fine now, and your injury isn¡¯t a big issue anymore. You can go to the county school and study. The exam ising up next year, so you should work hard.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded thoughtfully. However, the thought of going to study at the county school meant he would be leaving home. He had been living at home for some time now, constantly with Lu Jiao and their four little ones. But with school, he knew things wouldn¡¯t be as convenient.

    With that thought, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of reluctance.

    He turned to Lu Jiao with a touch of sadness and asked, ¡°When I go to the county school, will you miss me?¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at him in amazement.

    Was this really the same high and mighty Xie Yunjin she used to know?

    Now he was acting like a three-year-old baby, asking if she would miss him when they hadn¡¯t even left home yet.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, how about I give you a new name?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately looked expectantly at Lu Jiao. She smiled and said,

    ¡°From now on, we won¡¯t call you Xie Yunjin, we¡¯ll call you ¡®Three Years Old Xie¡¯.¡±

    Inside the carriage, Xie Yunjin was instantly shocked. The four little ones in the carriage had caught on to what Lu Jiao said. The First Born quickly asked, ¡°Mommy, are you saying that dad is only three years old?¡±

    Yes, your dad is quite immature now. From now on, we¡¯ll call him ¡®Three Years

    Old Xie¡¯.¡±

    The Second Born¡¯s lips moved fast, ¡°Then, mommy, are you raising five sons?¡±

    Inside the carriage, everyone turned to look at the Second Born. The Second Born, realizing that he had misspoken, quickly covered his mouth.

    Xie Yunjin wickedly teased, ¡°Second Born, are you itching for some yfulness?¡±

    The Second Born hurriedly moved closer to Lu Jiao and begged, ¡°Mommy, help me!¡±

    The whole family was in a lively ruckus, and the carriage quickly returned to the Xie residence.

    The following day, Xie Yunjin left to attend school. Lu Jiao had initially thought he would have to stay at school during the week and only return on the weekends. However, to her surprise, he came back every evening, iming that he was concerned about his dear wife and young sons.

    Lu Jiao gave him an amused look.

    With Xie Yunjin at school, Lu Jiao suddenly had more free time. She decided to take the family to Heping Street and Jinli Street to explore whether they could purchase two shops. The oil mill had already started selling oil to the public, and once she set up a shop on the street, she could expand.

    However, before she could leave, Zhao Lingfeng from Baohe Tang sent word to her. He had already secured two shops on Heping Street for her. The location was excellent, and the shop spaces were quiterge. Moreover, there was a small courtyard at the back of the shops, which would be perfect for living.

    Intrigued, Lu Jiao asked him to show her the shops.

    The shop assistant readily led Lu Jiao to Heping Street to view the storefronts.

    Inside the store, the shopkeeper was waiting for them and received them with utmost hospitality.

    ¡°Is this Lady Lu? Please, have a seat.¡±

    Lu Jiao expressed her thanks and looked around the shop. The two shops were connected, and the ce appeared quite spacious.

    Lu Jiao nned to take over the shops and separate them. One would be an oil mill, while the other would be used for cosmetics and a drugstore. ¡°This ce is nice. May I ask how much the shopkeeper intends to sell it for?¡±

    Intrigued, Lu Jiao asked, and the shopkeeper quickly responded, ¡°In response to Lady Lu, these shops are free.¡±

    Lu Jiao thought she had misunderstood and turned to the shopkeeper, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The shopkeeper smiled and said, ¡°Our master says these shops are a gift to

    Lady Lu, free of charge.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately furrowed her brow and looked at the shopkeeper, unable toprehend who their master was.

    ¡°Who is your master?¡±

    Just as Lu Jiao finished speaking, the door curtain behind her rustled, and someone approached.

    She turned her head and was surprised to find that it was Zhang Biyan and her two maids.

    It turned out that these shops were part of the Zhang family¡¯s property, and Zhang Biyan wanted to give them to Lu Jiao as a way to win her over.

    Lu Jiao felt disappointed inside but maintained aposed demeanor on her face. ¡°So these shops are owned by the Zhang family, a prominent wealthy family in Qinghe County. Your family¡¯s shops can¡¯t be sold. Is this a gift from Lady Zhang to me?¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Zhang Biyan was straightforward and smiled, ¡°Yes, I wanted to give you something even better. I was afraid that Lady Lu wouldn¡¯t ept it. If Lady Lu is willing to take over, you can have anything you want.¡±

    Lu Jiao¡¯s expression turned serious as she furrowed her brow, ¡°Since you¡¯ve put it this way, Lady Zhang, I won¡¯t beat around the bush either. I won¡¯t ept anything from the Zhang family.

    We may not be wealthy, but we won¡¯t ept bribes. I don¡¯t want to end up like

    Peng and Yang..¡±

 Chapter 387 - 387: Kick you Out

    Chapter 387: Kick you Out

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lady Zhang chuckled, ¡°Both Lady Lu and Schr Xie are intelligent people. You

    are not foolish like Yang and Peng. As long as you wish, there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll fall into someone else¡¯s hands.¡¯

    Lu Jiao squinted at Zhang Biyan and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I will never do anything harmful to the people, so don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she turned around intending to leave.

    Behind her, Zhang Biyan¡¯s expression turned particrly unpleasant. Seeing

    Lu Jiao about to leave, she spoke in a cold and stern voice, ¡°Stop.¡±

    Lu Jiao halted and turned to look back, with Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu standing protectively by her side.

    Zhang Biyan walked over briskly and stood in front of Lu Jiao, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Lady Lu, a person should leave themselves some room. Don¡¯t walk yourself into a dead end.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at Zhang Biyan, ¡°Lady Zhang, you¡¯re quite interesting. Refusing to be tainted by you all, does that mean not leaving myself any room?¡±

    Lu Jiao finished speaking and her expression suddenly turned serious, ¡°I was born as a human, I must act like one. I cannot be a b*stard who disregards the lives of the people and harms them.¡±

    After saying this, she pushed past Zhang Biyan and turned to leave.

    Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu followed Lady Lu Jiao as they walked out.

    Zhang Biyan hadn¡¯t expected Lady Lu Jiao to show her no face this time and even publicly use her of being a b*stard.

    As a daughter of the Zhang family, Zhang Biyan had never experienced such mockery. Thinking about the recent attempts to win over Lu Jiao and the humiliation she endured, she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. With a wave of her hand, she smashed the objects nearby.

    The shopkeeper didn¡¯t dare make a sound. After Zhang Biyan finished smashing, she felt slightly relieved. She coldlyughed and said, ¡°She¡¯s just a countryside woman, ignorant of her ce. I¡¯ll wait to see what arrogance she¡¯ll have left when her man abandons her.¡¯

    After Lu Jiao left with Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu, she spoke to the clerks of Baohe Tang, ¡°Pass my thanks to your employer. However, I won¡¯t take over this shop. I¡¯ll find another one.

    Lu Jiao finished speaking and boarded the carriage. Feng Zhi and Ruan Zhu followed suit onto the Xie family¡¯s carriage. The clerk from Baohe Tang went back and informed Zhao Lingfeng about the matter.

    Upon hearing that, Zhao Lingfeng knew that the Zhang family was attempting to win over Lu Jiao, but she declined.

    Zhao Lingfeng admired Lu Jiao¡¯s straightforwardness, yet considering that Lu Jiao had offended Zhang Biyan, the daughter of the Zhang family, he feared she would need to be more cautious from now on. However, the Zhang family wouldn¡¯t openly act against Lu Jiao; at most, they might scheme in secret.

    He wanted to remind Lu Jiao, but considering her character, she probably already knew.

    Meanwhile, in the Xie family¡¯s carriage, Feng Zhi was discussing the matter with Lu Jiao worriedly.

    ¡°Lady Lu, Lady Zhang will hold a grudge against you. You must be careful from now on.¡±

    On the side, Ruan Zhu grinned and raised her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If she dares harm the Lady, watch how I deal with her.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled at Ruan Zhu, reminding her, ¡°Anyone I haven¡¯t asked you to deal with, don¡¯t kill them, understood?¡±

    Ruan Zhu was innocent and didn¡¯t quite understand legal matters. If she killed someone without reason, she¡¯d be in trouble.

    Lu Jiao didn¡¯t want her to suffer.

    Ruan Zhu immediately nodded obediently, ¡°I understand, Lady.¡±

    Lu Jiao turned to the concerned Feng Zhi and said, ¡°Now that she¡¯s set her eyes on us, unless we coborate with them, sooner orter, there will be trouble. Whether she ends up acting sooner orter doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Feng Zhi considered this reasoning and nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll be more cautious in the future.¡¯

    In the evening, when Xie Yunjin returned, Lu Jiao told him about the situation. Xie Yunjin¡¯s face turned cold instantly, speaking in a low voice, ¡°The Zhang family is detestable. They better not make any moves. If we catch any unfavorable evidence against them, we won¡¯t let them off.¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about Lu Jiao rejecting Zhang Biyan. That woman would probably hold a grudge against her, so she needed to be careful.

    ¡°You have to be careful in the future. Wherever you go, take Ruan Zhu with you.

    Otherwise, let Ruan Kai apany you. That way, I¡¯ll feel more at ease.¡±

    Xie Yunjin kept speaking incessantly, but Lu Jiao shook her head and refused, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if the Zhang family plots against me, they won¡¯t openly make a move. They dare not. If they scheme in secret, I¡¯m not afraid of them.¡±

    Lu Jiao finished speaking but thought that Zhang Biyan might retaliate against her. Considering the current situation in Qinghe County, Magistrate Hu had started drawing in some merchants and was forming the Qinghe County Chamber of Commerce.

    The prominent families were in a dilemma. If they joined, they had to lower the prices of their goods, which they were unwilling to do. But if they didn¡¯t, they feared repercussions from Magistrate Huter.

    Therefore, the four prominent families were essentially caught in a dilemma and urgently needed someone to persuade Magistrate Hu against forming the Chamber of Commerce.

    So, they definitely wanted to win over Xie Yunjin to dissuade Magistrate Hu¡¯s ns. By winning Xie Yunjin over and simultaneously striking at her, the best move was to make Xie Yunjin like another woman and abandon Lu Jiao.

    As Lu Jiao pondered, she suddenly turned to Xie Yunjin. Seeing her peculiar expression, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Jiao grinned, ¡°I feel like the four families still want to win you over. What do you think is the best way to win you over and strike at me at the same time?¡±

    Xie Yunjin was already clever and immediately understood. His expression involuntarily turned cold. However, after a moment, he looked at Lu Jiao eagerly and asked.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, are you worried?¡±

    His point was, if another woman had feelings for him, would Lu Jiao be worried or concerned?

    Lu Jiao coldly huffed, ¡°If you fancy someone else, just tell me. I¡¯ll pack up and make room for someone else.¡±

    But as she finished speaking, feeling that her words were off, she quickly added, ¡°The house is mine, so I should pack up your things and kick you out.¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately wore a troubled expression. He reached out to hold Lu Jiao¡¯s face and stated.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m not interested in those women. If I was, I wouldn¡¯t have only fallen for you.¡±

    Seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s indifferent expression, he reaffirmed, ¡°Those women might look a little better at most; they¡¯re merely decorations. Unlike you, Jiaojiao, who looks good, has abilities, a good heart, cares for children, and is all-around excellent, without any ws.¡±

    Lu Jiao blushed from the praise, feeling a bit awkward. Even though she knew Xie Yunjin was exaggerating, hearing those words made her ecstatic.

    She quickly nced at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°I think they might use some means to win you over. I¡¯ll prepare some self-defense remedies for you in the back courtyard.¡±

    As Lu Jiao finished speaking, she turned to leave, but Xie Yunjin suddenly reached out and stopped her, eagerly asking, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯ve been away all day. Did you miss me? I really missed you..¡±

 Chapter 388 - 388: Photographic Memory and Exceptional Strength

    Chapter 388: Photographic Memory and Exceptional Strength

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Xie Yunjin wasn¡¯t wrong. They had been together all this while, and suddenly being apart from Lu Jiao for the whole day made him absent-minded several times. He kept subconsciously thinking about Lu Jiao ¨C what she was doing, eating, and if she missed him too.

    Lu Jiao turned to see Xie Yunjin¡¯s eager gaze upon her, feeling a slight pang of guilt because she hadn¡¯t thought of him at all that day. But she felt she couldn¡¯t be too straightforward; it might hurt his feelings.

    As Lu Jiao was about to give a short response, the four little ones rushed in like happy little birds, hearing what Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were saying. They dashed straight to Xie Yunjin upon entering.

    ¡°Daddy, we missed you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, at lunch, I was so worried about you that I ate one less drumstick than usual.¡±

    Lu Jiao looked at the Second Born, utterly speechless, thinking of rolling her eyes. He might have missed eating one drumstick today, but he still had two drumsticks.

    The Third Born tugged on Xie Yunjin¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°Daddy, you didn¡¯t miss us?¡±

    Xie Yunjin suddenly felt guilty because he had forgotten about his sons.

    Ever since he knew Lu Jiao was a caring mother, Xie Yunjin hadn¡¯t been as attentive to his sons as before. He inherently knew that even if he wasn¡¯t around the four children, Lu Jiao would take excellent care of them and educate them well.

    Because of this, he wasn¡¯t as anxious about the four children as he used to be.

    However, Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t say that; it would hurt his sons¡¯ feelings too much.

    Xie Yunjin looked at the children with a guilty expression and said, ¡°Yes, I thought of you several times.¡±

    The four children were delighted, and Fourth Born looked at Xie Yunjin and asked, ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d take us to your academy to y? When are you going to take us?¡±

    Xie Yunjin thought about it and immediately replied, ¡°We¡¯ll go when the academy has a day off. I will take you to y.¡±

    After saying this, Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao and added, ¡°We¡¯ll all go together.¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored Xie Yunjin, turned around, and went out to prepare dinner. As long as he didn¡¯t ask if she missed him, it was fine.

    Just after the family finished dinner, the two tutors who taught the children unexpectedly came to visit.

    ¡°Master and Madam.¡±

    Lu Jiao gestured to Feng Zhi to bring chairs for the two tutors and asked, ¡°Do you have something to discuss, sirs?¡±

    After exchanging a nce, Teacher Pan and Shi looked at the four children.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao realized they wanted to talk about the children¡¯s matters. The four children had caused trouble today, but they hadn¡¯t heard about it.

    Lu Jiao nced at the four children and coaxed them, ¡°First Born, take your brothers for a bath. Mom and Dad have something to discuss with the teachers.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The First Born joyfully agreed and turned to his brothers, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a bath.¡± The four children had no objections. They weren¡¯t as clingy to their parents as before because they knew their parents loved them. They had gained confidence and were bing more independent.

    After the four children left, Xie Yunjin looked slightly serious and said to the teachers.

    ¡°Did the four children bully someone? Please tell us; we will discipline them.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the teachers quickly stood up and said, ¡°No, the four children are obedient and sensible at school. Moreover, they take care of other children. They¡¯re very kind and haven¡¯t bullied anyone.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao were relieved by their words. They signaled for them to sit down and talk.

    After the two tutors sat down, they said to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°We came here to talk about the four children.

    Master Pan and Shi seemed particrly excited when they mentioned the four children. Their words were also filled with joy.

    ¡°We¡¯ve taught many children, but none have the intelligence of these four. We¡¯ve discovered some exceptional qualities in them and wanted to discuss them with you.¡±

    ¡°Please go on.¡±

    ¡°The four children are very clever. After teaching them for a while, we found that eldest has an exceptional memory.¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao exchanged surprised nces. They knew Eldest was smart, but they had never realized he had an exceptional memory. Why hadn¡¯t they noticed before?

    Xie Yunjin was extremely excited and turned to Master Pan, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Although Xie Yunjin was smart, had a good education, and had a good memory, he had never reached the level of exceptional memory.

    Now, his son unexpectedly had an extraordinary memory. This was truly a great joy.

    The teachers nodded, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve tested it. He used to need to review books two or three times before remembering them. But now, after we exin once, he remembers and doesn¡¯t forget.¡±

    Xie Yunjin was proud to have such an eldest son. Among the four children, the First Born was the most sensible, making Xie Yunjin feel distressed. He never expected his son to have a photographic memory. It was as if the Heavens had favored him.

    Beside Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao¡¯s eyes shed slightly. She had previously tutored the eldest, who, despite being sensible and smart, had never reached a photographic memory level.

    Now that the First Born has disyed such abilities, could it be rted to her giving him spiritual stream water?

    Lu Jiao often liked giving the children spiritual stream water. Regr consumption had made them smarter than before, but she never expected it to have this effect.

    Lu Jiao looked up at the teachers, ¡°What about the other three?¡±

    ¡°The other three also have great memories as well. Although they are slightly inferior to the First Born, they are much strongerpared to the other children. The Second Born, for instance, loves martial arts. Whenever he has spare time, he likes to practice boxing outside. And we found out that he has exceptional strength.¡±

    This was yet another surprise.

    Xie Yunjin looked happily at Master Pan and Shi.

    ¡°Does the Second Born have great strength?¡±

    The two teachers nodded. ¡°Yes, today we saw him effortlessly lift a small chair. It was no effort at all. To test him, we asked him to lift two chairs at once, one in each hand, and he managed it without any difficulty.¡±

    Xie Yunjin couldn¡¯t help but smile. This kid always wanted to pursue a path in martial arts. He never expected him to be so strong. Martial arts seemed quite suitable for him.

    Just as Xie Yunjin was pondering, Master Shi happily continued, ¡°This afternoon, Master Li specifically called him over to test him. In the end, Master Li was excited and said Second Born has a natural talent for martial arts. He mentioned his strong bones and muscles. With time, he will definitely be a skilled martial artist.¡±

    Upon hearing Master Shi¡¯s words, both Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted.

    However, Xie Yunjin quickly sensed something was amiss.

    His four children were indeed good, but they hadn¡¯t shown such exceptional abilities before. What was going on?

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze shifted to Lu Jiao.

    He immediately thought about Lu Jiao¡¯s capabilities.. Could it be that she gave them some potent medicine?

 Chapter 389 - 389: Their Great Fortune

    Chapter 389: Their Great Fortune

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Never in Xie Yunjin¡¯s wildest dreams could he have imagined the existence of spiritual stream water in Lu Jiao¡¯s body. He only thought that the four little ones were so formidable because Lu Jiao had researched some medicine for them to take, hence their exceptional abilities.

    Lu Jiao, noticing Xie Yunjin¡¯s gaze, didn¡¯t think too much about it. Her entire attention was focused on the four little ones.

    Lu Jiao looked at Master Pan and Shi, and asked with concern, ¡°Are there any unusual aspects about the other two little ones?¡±

    Master Pan smiled and said, ¡°The Third Born is extremely passionate about medical skills. He can casually mention many medicinal herbs and even describe their properties. Most importantly, he knows how to treat some illnesses.¡±

    Lu Jiao knew this was because she brought the children with her when treating patients. She didn¡¯t expect the Third Born to have quietly remembered everything.

    It seemed that this kid really intended to learn medicine from her in the future, which was not bad. In the future, the Great Zhou Dynasty would have another talented doctor.

    Lu Jiao smiled, and Master Pan continued, ¡°The Fourth Born is exceptionally talented in mental arithmetic. When Lady Lu taught them arithmetic, he didn¡¯t need a pen and could calcte everything in his mind at an astonishing speed.¡±

    Thinking of the Fourth Born¡¯s desire to make money, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but cover her forehead.

    ¡°That little guy is determined to make money. Is this also fulfilling his wish?¡±

    This made Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression change slightly. He had mixed feelings in his heart.

    The Fourth Born was the child of the Yan Prince and he was so intelligent. If the Yan Prince found out, he would definitely take him back. Would Lu Jiao feel ufortable when she finally learns of that fact?

    Xie Yunjin felt that this matter might eventually be exposed, so he nned to take the opportunity to tell Lu Jiao about it.

    However, seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s joyful expression when talking about the Fourth

    Born, Xie Yunjin thought it might be better to wait untilter to mention it.

    While Xie Yunjin was lost in thought, Lu Jiao noticed his change in expression and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xie Yunjin immediately smiled and said, ¡°I was just surprised. I didn¡¯t expect our four little ones to be so exceptional.¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded happily, ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s their fate. Meeting me is their good fortune.¡±

    Encountering her was truly their good fortune.

    Xie Yunjin looked deeply at Lu Jiao and then turned to thank Master Pan and Shi.

    ¡°Thank you for sharing all this with us.¡±

    Master Pan and Shi stood up, shaking their heads, ¡°We also appreciate talent and don¡¯t want these four to be wasted.¡¯

    Master Pan looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, ¡°Since they are so intelligent, you should now find a great schr to teach them properly. In time, they will surely amaze the Great Zhou Dynasty.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately spoke up, ¡°No need, we, as their parents, just want them to be happy for now. When they reach the age of six, we can find someone to teach them. Right now, let them enjoy a happy childhood.¡±

    Master Pan and Shi were initially feeling sentimental. If the Xie family hired a great schr to teach the four little ones, they wouldn¡¯t have the chance to teach them anymore.

    But hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s decision, they felt a bit regretful initially but soon became happy again.

    If the Xie family didn¡¯t hire a great schr for the four little ones, then they could continue teaching them. Moreover, upon reflection, they thought Lu Jiao¡¯s approach was correct. The four little ones were brilliant, and even if they started learning at six, it would still be fine. On the contrary, they could have a happy childhood, which would be the most beautiful memory of their lives.

    Master Pan and Shi stopped persuading further and bid farewell to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, nning to leave.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao sincerely thanked the teachers for sharing information about the four little ones.

    Once they left, Xie Yunjin suddenly reached out and held Lu Jiao¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, although the four little ones are smart, they haven¡¯t reached such a level. Are they so intelligent because you gave them some medicine?¡±

    Hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao looked at him in surprise but didn¡¯t feel any anxiety or fear.

    At the moment, she didn¡¯t want to disclose the matter of the spiritual stream water, especially since Xie Yunjin suspected that she had given the four little ones some medicine.

    Without denying it, Lu Jiao looked back at Xie Yunjin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that thing has no harm to children¡¯s bodies. It only brings benefits.¡±

    Xie Yunjin smiled, pulled Lu Jiao close, and hugged her.

    ¡°I believe in you, Jiaojiao. Thank you foring into our lives. We appreciate

    it.¡±

    The two of them embraced quietly, feeling close at heart.

    After a while in Xie Yunjin¡¯s embrace, thinking of the intelligence of the four little ones, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the four little ones.¡±

    Xie Yunjin also had the impulse to see his sons immediately, so he let go of Lu Jiao and held her hand, walking together towards the back courtyard.

    Outside the house, Feng Zhi, Ruan Zhu, and others couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    The rtionship between the young master and thedy was really good.

    As servants of the main family, they naturally hoped for their two masters to have a harmonious and loving rtionship. In doing so, they, as servants, would also be happy.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao paid no attention to the others and went hand in hand to the back courtyard.

    In the western room of the back courtyard, the four little ones were ying around.

    The Second Born held down the Fourth Born, letting the First and Third Born tickle him.

    The First and Third Born immediately began tickling the Fourth Born, who giggled but didn¡¯t dodge because he wasn¡¯t afraid of being ticked. As long as he endured a little, it was fine.

    The Fourth Bornughed and said proudly, ¡°I told you I¡¯m not afraid of tickling. You didn¡¯t believe me, see, I¡¯m not afraid of tickling.¡±

    The Second Born looked incredulous, ¡°This isn¡¯t right. Why are the three of us ticklish, but the Fourth Born isn¡¯t?¡±

    The First and Third Born, refusing to give up, extended their hands to tickle a few more times.

    The Fourth Bornughed even more joyfully, proving that he wasn¡¯t very ticklish.

    Outside the door, Xie Yunjin, hearing the conversation inside, had a momentary change in expression. Subconsciously, he turned to look at Lu Jiao.

    Lu Jiao, however, didn¡¯t notice his expression. Lifting her foot, she entered the room with the four little ones, smiling as she addressed the First Born and the others.

    ¡°Some people are ticklish, while others are not. What¡¯s so strange about that?¡±

    The First Born understood this reasoning, but what puzzled him was why the three of them were ticklish while the Fourth Born wasn¡¯t.

    Xie Yunjin, afraid that they might delve into this matter and discover something unusual, quickly stepped forward with a smile, looking at the quadruplets.

    ¡°It¡¯ste at night, and you¡¯re not sleeping. Making such amotion means you¡¯ll end up sweating.¡±

    The Second Bon quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s not that hot now, so we won¡¯t sweat.¡± As he spoke, he withdrew his hand from holding down the Fourth Born and sat down on the edge of the bed.

    At this moment, all four little ones turned to Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, asking in unison, ¡°Why did Mom and Dade over?¡±

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao looked at the four little ones and exined, ¡°Earlier,

    Master Pan and Shi came over and mentioned how exceptionally smart you are.

    They suggested that we find a way to hire a great schr to teach you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the teachers praised you for being very talented.¡±

    Although it was praise, the four little ones were not very pleased.. They quickly looked at Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Does that mean we have to start learning the Four Books and Five ssics and stop learning what we used to learn.

 Chapter 390 - 390: Mommy has Lost Weight

    Chapter 390: Mommy has Lost Weight

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao shook her head, ¡°Your dad and I have decided to stick to the courses I designed. When you turn six, we¡¯ll start studying the Four Books and Five ssics. When that timees, you¡¯ll have to study seriously. For now, it¡¯s time for us to y, so let¡¯s enjoy.¡±

    As Lu Jiao spoke, the four little ones cheered. The First Born quickly eximed, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. When we turn six and start studying, I¡¯ll study hard, strive for the top, and bring honor to you.¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled happily and was about to praise the First Born when¡­

    Beside her, Xie Yunjin interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ll bring honor to your mom. In the future, focus on bringing honor to your wife.¡±

    The First Bornughed heartily.

    The Second Born quickly added, ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll bring honor to mydy by making her the wife of a General.¡±

    The Third and Fourth Born nced at the Second Born then teased, ¡°You¡¯re shameless, thinking about a wife at such a young age.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the Second Born is bashful.

    The Fourth Born yfully touched his own nose, teasing the Second Born.

    The Second Born straightened his chest and snorted.

    Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiaoughed as they watched the chaos caused by the four little ones, their faces filled with smiles.

    But in the end, Xie Yunjin cautioned the four little ones, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about your photographic memory, okay?¡±

    The four little ones, hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, didn¡¯t think much and responded together, ¡°Got it, daddy.¡±

    Looking at the four handsome and cute children, Xie Yunjin felt indescribable joy. He stepped forward and took turns hugging each of the four little ones.

    Seeing Xie Yunjin so enthusiastic tonight, each of the four little ones happily kissed him on the face.

    Lu Jiao also went forward to hug the four little ones. ¡°Alright, time to sleep. Tomorrow, we have lessons again.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we know.¡±

    The four little ones obediently went to sleep. Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao covered them with a thin nket before turning to leave.

    Seeing that it was gettingte, Lu Jiao lifted her foot to go to her room. Xie Yunjin followed behind her, heading towards her room as well.

    Lu Jiao reached the door of her room and found that Xie Yunjin had been following her all along. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going to sleep?

    Why are you following me?¡±

    Looking at Lu Jiao, Xie Yunjin said seriously, ¡°Knowing that the four little ones are extraordinary, I¡¯m too excited to sleep. I want to talk to Jiaojiao. How about we have ate-night chat?¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Lu Jiao turned and entered the room, promptly closing the door.

    Xie Yunjin stood in front of the door, momentarily taken aback. When he reacted, the door was already closed.

    He couldn¡¯t help but call from outside the door, ¡°Jiaojiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao snappily said, ¡°Hurry and go back to sleep. Don¡¯t make me throw you out.¡±

    Finally, the man became aware of the situation. Okay, he had failed tonight. He decided to go to the front courtyard to sleep.

    However, before leaving, Xie Yunjin stood outside the door and sincerely said, ¡°Jiaojiao, I really just wanted to chat with you, with no intention of staying overnight. ¡±

    Lu Jiao ignored him. By now, she learned that this guy was too good at taking advantage, so she couldn¡¯t let him climb up, or he might end up sleeping in her bed everv night.

    Seeing that no one responded inside the room, Xie Yunjin knew that Lu Jiao wouldn¡¯t talk to him tonight. He touched his nose, turned around, and left.

    The next day, Xie Yunjin went to the county school early to study. Lu Jiao got up, had breakfast with the four little ones, and then started making medicine. Without a doubt, the Zhang family had lost to her, and they would likely target Xie Yunjin next.

    If Xie Yunjin ignored them, they might resort to cunning tricks, with poisoning being the mostmon.

    So, she needed to prepare some self-defense medicine for Xie Yunjin, such as an antidote to aphrodisiacs, detoxification medicine, and drugs that could clear one¡¯s mind. In short, Lu Jiao made several kinds of medicines.

    In addition to making medicine, she also wrote down the forms for several types of soaps.

    To make soap, caustic soda is needed. There are two methods to produce caustic soda: the Lenc process and the electrolytic method. However, neither method was feasible with current technology. Lu Jiao decided to extract soluble alkali from natural sources for soap production.

    Alkali can be extracted from evaporatedke water to obtain natural soda, or it can be extracted from the ashes of nts such as seaweed to obtain rich sodium carbonate. It can also be extracted from the ashes of wood to obtain potassium carbonate.

    In any case, extracting alkali is not that difficult. Lu Jiao wrote down the methods for extracting alkali and making soap.

    By this time, it was alreadyte.

    The cheerful voices of the four little ones rang from outside, ¡°Mommy, haven¡¯t you finished yet?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, are you hungry? It¡¯s dinner time!¡±

    The four little ones rushed in from outside and surrounded Lu Jiao.

    ¡°Mommy, what are you busy with? You¡¯ve been busy all day and haven¡¯te out.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much for lunch. You must eat more tonight.¡±

    The Fourth Born, acting like a little adult, reached out and touched Lu Jiao¡¯s face. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯ve lost weight again.¡±

    Hearing that she had lost weight, Lu Jiao immediately looked at the four little ones with joy. ¡°Have I really lost weight?¡±

    Before, it was easy to lose weight when she was chubby, but now, getting slimmer seemed challenging.

    Lu Jiao¡¯s goal was to lose another 10 pounds or so, but Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t agree. He thought she looked cuter and prettier with a bit of flesh, so he opposed her continuing to lose weight.

    Not only did that guy not support her weight loss, but every meal, he put the dishes she liked into her bowl. This resulted in her not being able to slim down quickly.

    Now, hearing her son say that she had lost weight, Lu Jiao became interested and stared at her sons.

    ¡°Have I really lost weight?¡±

    All four little ones stared at her, and they unanimously agreed that their mom had indeed lost a lot of weight.

    The First Born reached out and held onto Lu Jiao, advising, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯ve really lost a lot of weight. You should eat well in the future. Eating more is

    attractive.¡±

    The Second Born vigorously nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, mommy looks good when she¡¯s plump.¡±

    The Third Born immediately red at the Second Born, ¡°Mommy doesn¡¯t like others saying she¡¯s fat.¡±

    The Fourth Born quickly praised, ¡°Yes, even if mommy is fat, you should say she¡¯s thin, and she really has lost a lot of weight.¡±

    Lu Jiao listened to the words of the four little ones, feeling both amused and helpless.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±

    Lu Jiao stood up and stretched, and the four little ones eagerly grabbed her hands, heading to the adjacent dining room for dinner.

    As the mother and her four sons just sat down, Lu Gui walked in.

    Seeing Lu Gui, the four little ones happily greeted, ¡°Uncle,e and eat with

    Lu Gui smiled and said, ¡°Uncle already ate earlier, you go ahead and eat.¡±

    After that, he looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Sister, brother-inw asked Lin Dong toe back and inform you that tonight, Li Wenbin is treating everyone to dinner, so he won¡¯t being back for dinner. You guys should eat without him..¡±

 Chapter 391 - 391: Better Attitude when Admitting Mistakes than his Sons

    Chapter 391: Better Attitude when Admitting Mistakes than his Sons

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao nodded, indicating that she understood.

    However, thinking about Li Wenbin¡¯s identity, she became somewhat worried.

    Li Wenbin was Zhang family¡¯s son-inw, and his loyalty would undoubtedly lean towards the Zhang family. In this case, wouldn¡¯t it be bad for Xie Yunjin? Moreover, that person who had harmed him before might still be lurking in the shadows.

    Lu Jiao stood up, following Lu Gui outside. She handed the various medicines she had made today to Lu Gui.

    ¡°Give these to Lin Dong, in case someone plots against your brother-inw.

    Let him keep them for self-defense.¡±

    Lu Gui was aware that the merchants in Qinghe County were watching over his sister and brother-inw. When he heard Lu Jiao¡¯s words, he immediately took the medicines and headed towards the front yard.

    Later, Lu Jiao returned to the main hall, apanying the four little ones for dinner and inquiring about their day at school.

    The First Born immediately talked a bit about today¡¯s ss. At the same time, The Second Born quickly said, ¡°Did Zhao Yulo and Han Dongsheng fight today?¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately turned to the Second Born, asking with concern, ¡°How did it happen when everything was fine?¡±

    ¡°Master Pan praised Han Dongsheng for reciting with emotion. But Zhao Yulo was unhappy because she got criticized by Master Pan. Master Pan said she didn¡¯t study with diligence andcked emotion. This upset her, and when the teacher unexpectedly praised Han Dongsheng, it made her even angrier.¡±

    The Second Born paused here, and the Third Born continued, ¡°Then she scolded Han Dongsheng, saying that even if he studied well, his mother was still a big viin and not a good person.

    Han Dongsheng got angry and rushed over to fight with Zhao Yulo. In the end, they fought until they were rolling around.¡±

    Lu Jiao rubbed her temples, feeling a headache. The vicious female supporting character truly lived up to her reputation. Her talent for causing trouble was top-notch.

    ¡°Did you try to stop them from fighting?¡±

    The First Born nodded, ¡°We tried, and we also criticized Zhao Yulo. She got angry and said she didn¡¯t like us anymore and wouldn¡¯te to our house for sses in the future.¡¯

    She probably woulde again tomorrow, as she had said such things before and still showed up the next day, as if she had forgotten about it.

    Hearing this, Lu Jiao was toozy to bother with the children¡¯s disputes.

    After the mother and her four sons finished dinner, Lu Jiao bathed them and then coaxed them to sleep. Taking advantage of this, the four little ones proposed that Lu Jiao sing nursery rhymes for them. Lately, the little ones were keen on listening to Lu Jiao sing nursery rhymes, and they even learned to sing along.

    However, before Lu Jiao could finish the nursery rhymes, the four little ones had already fallen asleep. Nowadays, they were very active during the day, so they usually fell asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillows at night.

    Seeing the four little ones asleep, Lu Jiao quietly got up and walked out of the room.

    As soon as she walked out, she heard amotion in the yard.

    Lu Jiao looked up and saw Lu Gui and Lin Dong physically supporting Xie Yunjin¡¯s body.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s steps were a bit unsteady, clearly having had too much to drink and appearing somewhat intoxicated.

    As he walked, he said to Lu Gui beside him, ¡°Come, let¡¯s find your sister.¡±

    Lu Gui originally wanted to help Xie Yunjin go to the front courtyard to sleep, but he insisted on finding Lu Jiao. Thus, Lu Gui and Lin Dong could only help Xie Yunjin to the back courtyard.

    Upon seeing Xie Yunjin¡¯s condition, Lu Jiao felt somewhat displeased. She didn¡¯t like drunk men. Intoxicated men tended to cause trouble, and she remembered a time in her childhood when she stayed at a rtive¡¯s house.

    That rtive, when drunk, would enter her room and say inappropriate things. Unable to tolerate it, she ended up hurting him with an object.

    The result was getting scolded by her own parents.

    Thinking about this, Lu Jiao couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. She didn¡¯t know what kind of sin she hadmitted to be treated like that by her parents. She was the one being taken advantage of by an older man, yet she was the one scolded.

    With these thoughts, a slight coldness appeared in Lu Jiao¡¯s dark eyes. However, Xie Yunjin was oblivious to this. As he turned his head and saw Lu

    Jiao approaching, he immediately smiled and called out, ¡°Jiaojiao.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded lightly, supporting Xie Yunjin with the help of Lu Gui. Lu Gui quickly passed Xie Yunjin into Lu Jiao¡¯s care. Without waiting for Lu Jiao to speak, Lu Gui swiftly walked away with Lin Dong.

    Watching her brother running faster than a rabbit, Lu Jiao had a ck line on her face. What should she do with this overly enthusiastic younger brother?

    On the other hand, Xie Yunjin was exceptionally pleased. His little brother-inw was quite helpful; he could consider giving him a raise in his allowance in the future.

    Xie Yunjin, still somewhat intoxicated, slung his arm around Lu Jiao¡¯s neck and, with a muddled expression, said, ¡°Jiaojiao, let¡¯s go, back to sleep.¡±

    Having said that, he took the initiative to embrace Lu Jiao and led her toward her room.

    Lu Jiao turned her head to look at him. Was he drunk or not? If he was drunk, how could he know to enter her room? If not, his unsteady gait and dazed expression didn¡¯t seem like he was pretending. So, was he half drunk and half sober, somewhat understanding what he was doing?

    While Lu Jiao was still contemting, Xie Yunjin was already hugging her shoulders and walking towards her room. However, just as they reached the door, Lu Jiao suddenly stopped, looked up at Xie Yunjin, and said.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, do you know what I hate the most?¡±

    Sensing that this might not be good, Xie Yunjin promptly shook his head, indicating he didn¡¯t know.

    Lu Jiao pushed away his arm around her neck and said with an unsatisfied tone, ¡°I hate people who are drunk the most. So, go sleep in the front courtyard, and don¡¯te here acting crazy under the influence.¡±

    Having said that, Lu Jiao entered her room expressionlessly and closed the door.

    Though Xie Yunjin¡¯s face was a bit red, he wasn¡¯t actually drunk. He had intended to use the alcohol as an excuse to get a bit closer and sleep with Lu Jiao.

    However, Lu Jiao detested people drinking, so his attempt to get close to her ended up backfiring.

    Schr Xie quickly stood outside the door, obediently admitting his mistake.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I actually didn¡¯t get drunk; I pretended.¡±

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao coldly snorted and asked, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t get drunk, you still drank quite a bit. I didn¡¯t know that Schr Xie enjoys drinking this much. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll buy some booze for you to drink until you¡¯re satisfied. Do you not realize your current situation? How could you drink so much.¡±

    In a hushed tone, Xie Yunjin replied, ¡°Tonight, Li Wenbin treated my former ssmates from the academy. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to see if I could find out something. Unfortunately, I inadvertently drank a bit too much. Jiaojiao, from now on, I promise not to drink anymore.¡±

    Lu Jiao responded indifferently from inside the room, ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t let you drink, just drink less. A moderate amount is sufficient.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll never make the same mistake again.¡±

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s attitude of admitting fault was more positive than that of his own son.

    Inside the room, Lu Jiao felt somewhat satisfied after hearing this. However, thinking that this guy clearly wasn¡¯t drunk but pretended to be, attempting to y a trick and sleep in her room, Lu Jiao became displeased.

    She reminded him, ¡°Xie Yunjin, I¡¯m thinking of taking back the decision I made earlier to give you a chance.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xie Yunjin panicked and quickly expressed, ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s my fault. I promise to abide by the agreement in the future.¡±

    Lu Jiao opened the door, allowing him to enter. This time, Xie Yunjin was exceptionally well-behaved, not daring to misbehave at all.

    He remembered that the divorce letter he wrote was still in Lu Jiao¡¯s hands.

    What if she decided to leave with the children if he caused trouble again and angered her?

    Lu Jiao gestured for Xie Yunjin to sit down, looking serious, she said, ¡°I gave you six months to see if we are suitable for each other. If, in the end, we aren¡¯t, rushing into a rtionship now would only cause heartache, right?¡±

    After finishing her words, when she saw that Xie Yunjin was about to speak, she raised her hand to stop him.

    ¡°I know you genuinely like me now, but how long can this kind of affectionst? You are a man from this era, and I am a woman from the era of gender equality. Can our ideologies truly harmonize? This needs to be witnessed by time; it¡¯s not something that can be achieved by mere words.

    Do you know how many people, initially in love, end up bing a couple full of resentment in the end? I don¡¯t want us to be such a pair..¡±

 Chapter 392 - 392: Natural Instinct, not a Sin

    Chapter 392: Natural Instinct, not a Sin

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao was exceptionally cautious about matters of love, given that she was a sacrificial victim of her parents¡¯ loveless marriage, the one who was abandoned. She didn¡¯t want to experience being abandoned again.

    It could be said that she was somewhat apprehensive about rtionships, requiring a man to give her courage. Xie Yunjin¡¯s hurried actions made her feel uneasy.

    Looking at Xie Yunjin, Lu Jiao straightforwardly said, ¡°Xie Yunjin, have I told you about my parents? Their situation makes me afraid of getting hurt again. I fear that if we are together now, we might end up separating, and in that case, I might never believe in rtionships or men again.

    But your recent impulsive actions have made my heart very unsettled. Everything feels too fast, so fast that it makes me doubt if we are truly suitable for each other. I prefer a rtionship that develops naturally, not one where I agree to give you a chance, and then suddenly, we¡¯re together in a rush.¡±

    Listening to Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin quickly thought about her parents¡¯ divorce and abandonment. Although she spoke in an extremely calm manner, he knew that there were probably many things she hadn¡¯t said, especially as a girl. People who saw her being rejected by her parents might take advantage of it and bully her. That was why she had always been harsh towards men, sympathizing with women and the vulnerable.

    Xie Yunjin suddenly felt that he had indeed acted too eagerly before. He should give her confidence, make her believe that there are good men in this world, so she can ept him, and they can naturally be together.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, it won¡¯t happen again. I was too hasty recently. I¡¯ll go with the flow from now on.

    With these words, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want to dwell on this topic and shifted the conversation.

    ¡°Zhang¡¯s family really made a move against me.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin mentioned this, Lu Jiao¡¯s attention was immediately diverted. She looked at Xie Yunjin and quickly asked, ¡°What did they do to you?¡± ¡°Today, Li Wenbin invited all of us to a restaurant. We ran into a Lady Cao from the Cao family at the entrance of the restaurant.¡¯

    Upon hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao understood. She looked at Xie Yunjin, asking with a hint of a smile.

    ¡°I suppose Lady Cao from the Cao family is quite beautiful?¡±

    Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be noteworthy.

    Xie Yunjin¡¯s survival instinct surged, and he turned to Lu Jiao, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t look too much, so I didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    Lu Jiao snorted and asked Xie Yunjin, ¡°Which Lady from the Cao family?¡±

    Although Lu Jiao had recently arrived in Qinghe County, attending a couple of banquets and moving around Baohe Tang, Zhu Baozhu had told her some things. So, she had some knowledge of the people in Qinghe County. She knew that the Cao family had several youngdies.

    Putting aside others, Cao San, who harmed Liang Ziwen, alone had several daughters. Two or three of them were married, and there were still two or three remaining. Adding the daughters of other wives in the Cao family, there were quite a few Cao daughters.

    After hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, Xie Yunjin quickly nced at her, ¡°Lady Cao Qinglian, the seventh daughter of the Cao family.¡±

    As soon as Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Lu Jiao turned to him.

    ¡°It seems the Cao family is going all out. I heard that Lady Qinglian is the number one beauty in Qinghe County. Her mother used to be a famous courtesan in Ningzhou Prefecture. Her two daughters are exceptionally beautiful, especially the eldest, who resembles her mother.

    Because of her extraordinary beauty, Lady Cao seldom goes out. It¡¯s said that when she does, the streets get congested.¡±

    Lu Jiao finished speaking, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sour. She turned to Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°You just said you didn¡¯t notice such a beauty. Could you really not notice?¡±

    Xie Yunjin quickly exined, ¡°She was wearing a veil, so I didn¡¯t pay attention.¡±

    He firmly wouldn¡¯t mention that when that woman greeted Li Wenbin, she deliberately lifted the veil. However, Xie Yunjin genuinely didn¡¯t pay much

    attention to that woman. Instead, several people around him were stunned

    when they saw her.

    Lu Jiao squinted at Xie Yunjin, and he couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure in her gaze. Finally, he obediently said.

    ¡°When she greeted Li Wenbin, she lifted the veil, but I really didn¡¯t pay much attention. I was thinking about you the whole time, always maintaining a distance from other women. So when she lifted the veil, I felt this matter was inappropriate and automatically avoided it.¡±

    Lu Jiao, seeing him speak seriously, smiled, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s okay to take a look.

    Men like to look at beautiful women; it¡¯s a natural instinct, not a big sin.¡±

    She also liked to look at handsome men, but of course, she wouldn¡¯t tell Xie Yunjin that.

    Although Lu Jiao said so, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t dare to chime in, afraid that answering this question incorrectly might irritate someone and lead her to retract the chance she had given him. That would truly be a loss.

    Thinking about the motives of the Zhang and Cao families, Xie Yunjin¡¯s expression turned particrly cold.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say she looks good. Even if she were a fairy, I wouldn¡¯t be interested in her. It¡¯s clear they are treating me, Xie Yunjin, as a lecher. Do they think I¡¯m the kind of person who can¡¯t distinguish right from wrong for the sake of a woman?¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, he suddenly looked at Lu Jiao and smiled, his eyebrows curved, ¡°Of course, if that person were you, Jiaojiao, I might really be tempted.¡±

    Lu Jiao rolled her eyes at him, but because of his words, she felt somewhat relieved.

    She looked at Xie Yunjin and reminded him, ¡°Be careful with the Cao family; they¡¯re not to be trifled with.¡±

    Especially considering that Cao Qinglian was Cao San¡¯s daughter. Cao San was a ruthless person; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have crippled Liang Ziwen earlier.

    Xie Yunjin nodded, and Lu Jiao squinted, saying, ¡°To be honest, I used to think Li Wenbin was a decent person. Now it seems he might not be. As a son-inw of the Zhang family, shouldn¡¯t he be aware of what kind of family the Cao family is?¡±

    After Lu Jiao finished speaking, she thought about the person who had harmed Xie Yunjin before and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you think the person who harmed you could be Li Wenbin?¡±

    Xie Yunjin hesitated for a moment, ¡°I haven¡¯t had any conflicts or disputes with him. Why would he harm me? I¡¯ve always suspected it was Zheng Zhixing who harmed me. In the academy, I¡¯ve always outshone Zheng Zhixing. If it weren¡¯t for me, Zheng Zhixing would be the most talked-about person in Qinghe Academy. He would have a reason to plot against me. But Li Wenbin has no reason to harm me at all.¡±

    After thinking about it, Lu Jiao realized that it made sense. There was no reason for Li Wenbin to harm Xie Yunjin.

    ¡°Anyway, be careful.¡±

    Xie Yunjin nodded, and seeing that it waste, Lu Jiao urged him to go to the front yard to rest.

    This time, Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t dare to y any tricks. He obediently got up and went to sleep in the front yard.

    Lu Jiao instructed Feng Zhi to ask Aunt Hua to prepare a bowl of hangover soup and sent it to the front yard.

    Fengzhi agreed and walked out. Lu Jiao went to bed, but before falling asleep, thinking about what Xie Yunjin had told her, she couldn¡¯t sleep easily. This matter probably wouldn¡¯t end so easily; there would likely be some follow-up moves..

 Chapter 393 - 393: Mommy is Cute and Lovely

    Chapter 393: Mommy is Cute and Lovely

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    Lu Jiao thought about Lady Cao from the Cao family. The appearance of this woman was undoubtedly the result of Zhang Biyan¡¯s maniption. She had likely used Lady Cao to seduce Xie Yunjin and then nned for Xie Yunjin to break up with Lu Jiao.

    Zhang Biyan probably believed this was the best revenge against her. Perhaps, after Xie Yunjin broke up with her, she woulde to gloat in front of Lu Jiao.

    Thinking about this, Lu Jiao¡¯s face turned cold. This woman was truly detestable. Sooner orter, she would pay her back.

    The next morning, before Lu Jiao woke up, she smelled a strong fragrance of osmanthus. She couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath.

    So fragrant.

    She suddenly opened her eyes and saw Xie Yunjin squatting by her bed, holding arge bunch of osmanthus. He was carefully trying to ce the osmanthus near her pillow. Unexpectedly, Lu Jiao woke up.

    Xie Yunjin guiltily asked, ¡°Did I disturb you with this?¡±

    Lu Jiao smiled and shook her head, saying, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the fragrance disturbed me.¡±

    She liked osmanthus flowers. It was because, every time osmanthus flowers bloomed, it was around mid-August during the Mid -Autumn Festival. When she was young, she always fantasized about her parents taking her home for the reunion festival. Untilter, she realized it was a luxury, and she stopped thinking about it. However, she developed a love for the fragrance of osmanthus.

    Beside the bed, Xie Yunjin, seeing Lu Jiao waking up, smiled and handed the osmanthus to her. ¡°Do you like it? Should I find a vase for you to put them in?¡± Lu Jiao immediately nodded, ¡°Sure, but I think we don¡¯t have osmanthus at home, do we?¡±

    Before Xie Yunjin could respond, the four little ones rushed in like four small cannons, all eagerly speaking.

    ¡°We apanied daddy to Grandpa and Grandma Liu¡¯s house to pick osmanthus.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa and Grandma Liu¡¯s house has a lot of osmanthus trees.¡±

    ¡°These are the best osmanthus flowers daddy picked by climbing the tree.¡±

    After the Third Born finished speaking, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin in surprise, ¡°You can climb trees?¡±

    Xie Yunjin, feeling a bit ufortable, rubbed his nose. ¡°I¡¯m also from the countryside. Why wouldn¡¯t I know how to climb trees?¡±

    He had only added ayer of gloss to himselfter by going to school; in fact, he could do many things that rural boys could do.

    Lu Jiaoughed and took the osmanthus. She looked at the four little ones and said, ¡°Thank you, Xie Yunjin and my sons.

    Lu Jiao finished speaking and bent down to kiss the four little ones one by one.

    After being kissed, the four little ones immediately looked at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°Mommy, daddy contributed too. Daddy climbed the tree to pick these osmanthus flowers, and we just apanied him to Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu¡¯s house.¡±

    Lu Jiao instinctively turned her head to look at Xie Yunjin. There was a fleeting expectation in Xie Yunjin¡¯s eyes. However, recalling what Lu Jiao had saidst night, he immediately turned his head towards the four little ones, intending to sternly lecture them.

    Unexpectedly, as he turned his head, Lu Jiao quickly kissed him on the side of his face.

    Xie Yunjin, surprised, turned to look at Lu Jiao on the bed.

    She had just woken up, her hair was loose, her gaze was unfocused, and her skin was as white as sheep¡¯s milk, translucent and smooth. At this moment, holding flowers in her hands, she truly looked more beautiful than the flowers. Her adorable appearance made his heart beat rapidly as if he were a youth experiencing the first stirrings of love.

    On the bed, Lu Jiao felt a bit embarrassed. She had just firmly advised taking things slowly yesterday, and now she had acted this way. Would Xie Yunjin misunderstand?

    Thinking this, Lu Jiao quietly raised her head to look at Xie Yunjin.

    She had no idea how enchanting she looked at this moment, like a newly awakened fawn in the woods.

    Xie Yunjin instinctively reached out and pinched her cheek, gently saying, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get up and have breakfast.¡±

    Lu Jiao immediately nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Seeing their parents¡¯ affectionate interaction, the four little ones grinned. The Fourth Born imitated their father, pinching Lu Jiao¡¯s cheeks andmented. ¡°Isn¡¯t our mommy very cute and lovely, like a little fairy?

    The Fourth Born firmly believed that their mother was a cute little fairy. The other three little ones immediately nodded, agreeing that their mommy had been cute and lovely just now.

    After hearing the words of the four little ones, Xie Yunjin, afraid that Lu Jiao might feel embarrassed, quickly stood up and took the four little ones outside, saying, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go find a vase and arrange the flowers for your mother.¡± The four little ones obediently followed Xie Yunjin outside.

    In the room, Lu Jiao held a bunch of osmanthus flowers to her nose. It smelled so good. Thinking about Xie Yunjin and the four little ones, she couldn¡¯t help but happily roll around on the bed.

    She realized that she was starting to ept Xie Yunjin. The kiss earlier was an unconscious action, indicating that she didn¡¯t mind being close to Xie Yunjin.

    Feng Zhi entered the room and saw thedy of the house rolling around on the bed in an indescribably cute way.

    Thedy had always beenposed and calm, and Feng Zhi rarely saw her behaving so adorable. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle.

    When Feng Zhi giggled, Lu Jiao woke from her daze, feeling embarrassed. She sat up and handed the flowers to Feng Zhi. Feng Zhi delicately ced them on the bedside table and then approached to help Lu Jiao get ready.

    Just as Lu Jiao had put on her clothes, Xie Yunjin and the four little ones returned with a vase to arrange flowers for her.

    The family happily arranged the flowers and then went to the dining room for breakfast.

    During the meal, Lu Jiao cautioned Xie Yunjin, ¡°You need to be careful with Li Wenbin. This ssmate and friend is not worth forming a deep friendship with. This time, the Zhang family pushed Lady Cao out, and it was quite ruthless. Lady Cao¡¯s father is the one who ruined Liang Ziwen¡¯s prospects.

    I heard that Lady Cao is the favorite concubine of Master Cao, and she is also Master Cao¡¯s beloved daughter. You know Master Cao¡¯s personality ¨C he does as he pleases and is ruthless.

    I don¡¯t believe Li Wenbin doesn¡¯t know Zhang Biyan¡¯s intentions. Knowing the Zhang family¡¯s ns and still participating shows that he doesn¡¯t value your friendship. In that case, there¡¯s no need to deepen the rtionship.¡±

    Xie Yunjin had grown tired of Li Wenbin as a friend since Lady Cao appeared.

    Now, hearing Lu Jiao¡¯s words, he nodded solemnly. At the same time, he turned his head to look at Lu Jiao and said, ¡°You be careful too.¡±

    After saying this, he spoke with a stern expression, ¡°We¡¯ve known from the beginning that one day we¡¯ll eliminate the four pests of Qinghe County.¡± Lu Jiao nodded in agreement.

    Outside the door, Lu Gui quickly walked in and reported, ¡°Brother-inw, sister, Owner Zhao from Baohe Tang is here?¡±

    Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow slightly and instructed, ¡°Please let him in.¡± Xie Yunjin no longer had the initial guard against Zhao Lingfeng because Lu Jiao had promised to give him a chance. Lu Jiao¡¯s words carried weight, and he no longer needed to worry about Zhao Lingfeng trying to undermine his position ¨C even if he tried, he wouldn¡¯t seed.

    Zhao Lingfeng soon followed Lu Gui inside.

    Seeing someoneing, the four little ones spontaneously quickened their movements, finished their meal, and slid off their chairs to go outside.

    However, upon seeing Zhao Lingfeng, the four little ones politely greeted him,

    ¡°Hello, Uncle Zhao.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng nodded, patted the heads of the four little ones, and then said to them, ¡°First, Second, Third and Fourth Born, can Uncle trouble you for a favor?¡±

 Chapter 394 - 394: I canâ€™t become that kind of Woman

    Chapter 394: I can¡¯t be that kind of Woman

    Trantor: CokeZero Editor: Rainystars

    The four little ones stopped in their tracks and looked at him. Zhao Lingfeng earnestly addressed them, ¡°Your sister Yuluo is not as understanding as you four little ones. Can you help her more in your daily lives? I believe that if you are willing to assist your sister Yuluo, she will surely be a good girl.¡±

    Seeing Zhao Lingfeng sincerely asking for their help, the four little ones couldn¡¯t easily refuse. After exchanging nces, they nodded simultaneously.

    ¡°Okay, Uncle Zhao.¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng immediately expressed his sincere thanks, ¡°Thank you, kids. In a few days, when Uncle is free, I¡¯ll treat you to something delicious.¡±

    ¡°No need, Uncle Zhao.¡±

    The four little ones happily walked out.

    Behind them, Xie Yunjin gave Zhao Lingfeng an unfriendly re. ¡°You¡¯re shameless, using coaxing methods on kids.¡±

    If Zhao Lingfeng had been a bit more assertive, the four little ones would have refused to help Zhao Yuluo.

    Unfortunately, he had lowered his stance, and now, just like Lu Jiao, they were bing more like her ¨C resistant to force but responsive to kindness. Outwardly indifferent, yet inherently kind-hearted. With Zhao Lingfeng adopting this approach, the four little ones naturally fell for it.

    Zhao Lingfeng chuckled and sighed, ¡°I have such a troublesome daughter. What can I do? I had to swallow my pride. Unlike you, Yunjin, who has four cute and intelligent little ones. Just for that, you¡¯re better than many others in this world.¡±

    As Zhao Lingfeng¡¯s emotional speech, Xie Yunjin felt pleased to hear him praise the four little ones.

    On the side, Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng speechlessly, then turned to Xie Yunjin, thinking, You¡¯re falling for the same tricks, aren¡¯t you, Xie Yunjin?

    Lu Jiao turned to Zhao Lingfeng, ¡°Did youe to find me because Baohe Tang has patients that need my treatment? Why not have your staffe and inform me?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not about Baohe Tang. It¡¯s about the Chamber of Commerce. We¡¯ve established three major workshops, right? This time, County Magistrate Hu sent me an invitation to join their meeting. I came to discuss whether you could represent the three major workshops and participate.¡±

    As soon as Zhao Lingfeng finished speaking, Xie Yunjin, on the side, openly opposed the idea.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t agree with Jiaojiao participating in such meetings.¡±

    Originally, he was not very willing to have her treat people, and now it turned out that she had to represent the three major workshops to participate in the Qinghe Chamber of Commerce meeting.

    If she joined the Chamber of Commerce, she would have to attend various events in the future. Xie Yunjin didn¡¯t want Lu Jiao to appear in public, especially in such situations, where most of the attendees would be men.

    In the dining room, Zhao Lingfeng and Lu Jiao quickly looked at Xie Yunjin.

    Xie Yunjin, with a stern expression, gazed at Zhao Lingfeng and said solemnly, ¡°I disagree with Jiaojiao representing the three major workshops.

    She¡¯s a woman, how can she expose herself and be with a group of men? How will those men think of her, and what will they say about her?¡±

    In the future, if he passed the imperial examinations and she became his wife, others might use this against her.

    The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more he disagreed with Lu Jiao representing the three major workshops and joining the Qinghe Chamber of Commerce.

    On the side, Lu Jiao lightly frowned. She knew that Xie Yunjin was doing this for her good, but listening to his words made her feel ufortable. What did it mean that a woman couldn¡¯t expose herself and be with a group of men? Then she couldn¡¯t do anything in the future. Even if she became a physician, she would frequently interact with male patients.

    After hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Zhao Lingfeng couldn¡¯t help but exin, ¡°What I meant is that she temporarily represents the three major workshops to join the Qinghe Chamber of Commerce, and then I¡­¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng didn¡¯t finish his sentence as Xie Yunjin interrupted, speaking firmly, ¡°I¡¯ve said she won¡¯t join the Qinghe Chamber of Commerce. This is your matter, Zhao Lingfeng. You can represent the three major workshops and join the Qinghe Chamber of Commerce.¡±

    After Xie Yunjin finished speaking, Lu Jiao, feeling angered, said, ¡°Xie Yunjin.¡± Xie Yunjin¡¯s mind abruptly cleared, turning to look at Lu Jiao beside him.

    Seeing Lu Jiao¡¯s displeased expression, Xie Yunjin¡¯s heart sank. Then he thought about Lu Jiao¡¯s era, where men and women were equal, and women working outside the home was normal. However, this era was not like their time.

    Thinking this, Xie Yunjin turned to Lu Jiao and exined, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. Most of those who join the Chamber of Commerce are men. If you join, it will undoubtedly attract attention, and you might face criticism. ¡±

    Lu Jiao nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±

    After saying this, she turned to Zhao Lingfeng and asked, ¡°Owner Zhao, could you let me have a private conversation with my husband?¡±

    Zhao Lingfeng quickly stood up and walked out. He preferred not to get involved in matters between husband and wife.

    In the dining room, Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yunjin seriously.

    ¡°Xie Yunjin, what do you mean when you say that a woman shouldn¡¯t expose herself and work with men? You should know that in my line of work, it¡¯s impossible not to interact with men. Whether as a physician or in business, I¡¯ll inevitably have interactions with men. I also have a dream of forming a medical team. Wherever patients need us, we will go to treat them. In the medical team, there might be many male doctors. ording to your logic, should I give up on forming this medical team?

    Or do you expect me to stay at home, taking care of the family and bing a housewife?¡±

    As Lu Jiao spoke, her expression became quite displeased. She looked at Xie Yunjin and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let me tell you with certainty, forget about it. I can¡¯t be that kind of woman. I, Lu Jiao, spent so many years studying and learning medical skills in my previous life, not to be a woman who only knows how to take care of the family.

    Perhaps I¡¯m not the kind of woman you want. You have the right to choose.¡±

    Lu Jiao finished speaking and was about to leave, realizing that she needed to reevaluate the men of this era. Xie Yunjin seemed rtively progressive, but he still had such thoughts. What about other men?

    Just as Lu Jiao was thinking this, Xie Yunjin suddenly stood up and grabbed her.

    ¡°Jiaojiao, I will change.¡±

    When Xie Yunjin heard what Zhao Lingfeng said earlier, he subconsciously spoke out to stop it, forgetting Lu Jiao¡¯s personality and what she had done.

    Hearing Xie Yunjin¡¯s words, Lu Jiao turned to look at him.

    Sincerely, Xie Yunjin said, ¡°Jiaojiao, I just momentarily forgot about your character and what you¡¯ve done. I will slowly change in the future. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Seeing Xie Yunjin¡¯s sincere expression, Lu Jiao knew that it was already quite good for him to say such words. She was also willing to give each other a process of figuring out how to get along.

    Lu Jiao looked at Xie Yuniin and nodded slightly, ¡°Now you understand the meaning of what I said about giving each other more than a year to get along, right? We have many different views. This is not your fault or mine; it¡¯s the result of the environment we are in. We need to adapt to each other. If, in the end, we canpromise and get along well, then we can truly be together.

    Otherwise, even if we are together, it¡¯s hard tost..¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!