《Transmigration: The Farm Life of a “Fool”》 Chapter 1 In a daze, Xu Ran heard someone was talking, but he was unable to hear it clearly. He didnt know why, but he was eager to learn what that person was talking about, so Xu Ran struggled to wake up. Tangtang, Guoguo, there is not much farm work now. Then Daddy is to go up the mountain. You need to take good care of your Dad. Dont allow the others to pick on him, understood? Im coming back soon. Xu Ran heard a gentle voice of a man. Yes, Daddy, take care. Yes, Daddy. Dont worry! We wont allow anyone to bully our Dad. And then, the voices of two immature children could be heard. They were having the same tone and their voices were very pleasant to hear. Good boys! And then, the rustling sound could be heard. Since he didnt hear the man with a gentle voice speaking again, Xu Ran guessed that he had left. Guoguo, lets go practice writing! In this way, we wont disturb Dad. Alright, weve gotta to be quiet. Xu Ran heard the voices of the two children and were extremely moved with no reason. The only in his mind right now was to wake up. He believed that as soon as he woke up, everything would be clear. After a long time, Xu Ran finally opened his eyes. The dazzling sunlight came into sight. Then he found he was in a poor room. Xu Ran struggled to stand up. But he was having a strong headache, and was so weak and vulnerable that he could hardly move. Before he could figure out what was going on, a large number of images suddenly surged into his mind. Feeling helpless, Xu Ran closed his eyes and tried to merge all the scenes in his mind. The owner of this body was also named Xu Ran, sharing the same name as he did. He was twenty four years old now. This was a world of men only. Xu Ran was mentally handicapped. He had a husband and two children. His husband was a muscular man, while the children were twins. The own of this body had a father and a daddy, a younger brother and his wife. They were all born in the same family. The original owner of this body had been a regular person without any mental problems. But his younger brother Xu Cheng had a fancy to Xu Rans engaged husband, so Xu Cheng had asked Xu Ran to go up to the mountain before he attended the scholar examination. Xu Cheng had forced Xu Ran to eat some knockout drops before he pushed Xu Ran down the mountain. In fact, Xu Cheng planned to kill Xu Ran, but Xu Ran was lucky enough to have been saved by someone. That was why Xu Ran became a fool since then. Xu Ran didnt have much of his fathers love. Everyone else in the family didnt like him. After Xu Ran became a fool, the situation became even worse. Ever since Zhang Family heard Xu Ran become a fool, they came to ask to cancel the engagement. Xu Cheng, at the time, suddenly proposed to marry Zhang Yue on behalf of his older brother. Xu Chengs talk was very nice and honest. He said, since Xu Family had established an engagement with Zhang Family, Zhang Yue had already become a family member of Xu Family. Even though his older brother had become a fool, he was having normal mentality, so he could take good care of Zhang Yue on behalf of his older brother. Therefore, Xu Cheng won a good reputation in Zhang Family, and Zhang Family had finally decided to approve the marriage between Zhang Yue and Xu Cheng. They two held the wedding ceremony one year later. Right after the approval of both families, Xu Cheng often visited Zhang Family. However, Zhang Yue was having a poor self-discipline, so both of them had made love. Therefore, Zhang Yue became pregnant before the marriage. When Zhang Family found the fact, they requested Xu Cheng and Zhang Yue to get married as soon as possible so as to maintain a good reputation of the two families. But Xu Cheng had an older brother. How could a younger brother get married before the older brother, even though the older brother was a fool? Xu Rans and Xu Chengs daddy was busy finding matchmakers for the sake of the familys reputation. However, Xu Ran was a fool. Which family would like to marry their son to a fool? If Xu Family was wealthy enough, things might be easier, but Xu Family was barely meeting their basic needs. Therefore, no family would like to engage with such a poor family. Zhang Yues daddy had spent all his time in seeking for an appropriate engagement for Xu Family. Finally, they found a suitable person. In the Liu Village next to Xu Village, a man named Liu Tong was somewhat stronger than ordinary people. Liu Tongs father and daddy had been dead, so Liu Tong was now living with his uncle. Liu Tongs uncle and his uncles husband didnt really like Liu Tong so Liu Tong was still single at the age of marriage. As soon as they found a matchmaker coming up, they were very happy to accept the two liang of silver ingots and to have decided to marry Liu Tong to the proposed family. Not only did they accept the marriage, but also they declared to cut off the relationship with Liu Tong. Though Liu Tong was unwilling to marry a fool, he was still taking good care of Xu Ran after his marriage. After Liu Tongs marriage with Xu Ran, Xu Cheng married Zhang Yue half a month later. Zhang Yue was in his pregnancy when getting married. Moreover, Xu Cheng had always been the spoiled child of Xu Family. Right after Zhang Yues marriage, Liu Tong became the hard working one to take good care of the entire family. Liu Tong finally came to understand why Xu Family was willing to accept him. But before Liu Tong had any complaint, his father-in-law and daddy-in-law had given him a severe warning. Liu Tong had to do all the housework. Moreover, Liu needed to help the farm work. Liu Tong didnt like to talk, so the parents-in-laws in Xu Family didnt like him. Xu Chengs family didnt really regard Liu Tong as one of them. Thus, the whole family started to bully Liu Tong and to look down on the foolish Xu Ran. No matter how much grievance he had suffered from the outside, Liu Tong kept silent. Only at night, he slowly told his story to Xu Ran, the fool. Although Xu Ran was having some mental problems, he could properly remember those who were good to him. Liu Tong spent five years to be always remembered by Xu Ran, who didnt forget Liu Tong even until his death. The second winter since Liu Tong married into Xu Family, he got pregnant and gave birth to a couple of twins. The happy thing turned out to be the start of a more miserable life. More people meant more food required. The parents-in-law in the Xu Family were old and could no longer do much work while Xu Cheng was a lazy guy, not to mention Zhang Yue. Xu Ran was a fool, so all the heavy burden felt on Liu Tong. Liu Tong was asked to do the farm work right after the lovely twins were born. Fortunately, Liu Tong was having a strong physical condition. The childhood hard work had given Liu Tong a good practice so that the heavy burden didnt bring him down. But Liu Tong had never given birth to any child in the following four years. Over the years, Liu Tong had done his best to take care of Xu Ran and his two children. Even so, he was sometimes too busy to take good care of them. His two children and Xu Ran were often bullied by Zhang Yue and Zhang Yues kids. But the two children were sensible and considerate. For fear of making Liu Tong upset, both children never dared tell Liu Tong anything even after they were picked on by others. Therefore, Liu Tong knew nothing until his kids were badly injured. Liu Tong had a big fight and declared to revenge ten times more to Zhang Yue, if he found his two kids and Xu Ran were injured once again. That was why Zhang Yue restrained himself. Days passed like this. After five years, when Xu Rans kids turned five years old, another alien soul from another world woke up in Xu Rans body. Only when having received all the memories of this body, did Xu Ran realize that he had transmigrated to this world. Then he was completely stunned. Chapter 2 Fools, big fool and little fools, come out! Fools, why dont you come out today? Are you scared of us? Haha You are scared! Big fool and little fools, haha While Xu Ran was trying to digest the fact that he had transmigrated, a burst of laughter came from outside. Hearing what they were talking about, Xu Ran couldnt help but give a wry smile as he found the life of this bodys family was hard indeed. The two children who were concentrate on writing were also affected by the noise. Guoguo, watch dad indoors. Ill go out and take a look. Tangtang instructed Guoguo. No, Tangtang, you will definitely be bullied if you go out. Dont forget that you were shoved to the ground yesterday. Dont take any notice of them. It will be all right if we dont go out as they dare not enter this room. Guoguo said disapprovingly. But they will disturb our dad for their loud voice. Daddy said dad had fallen ill these days and needed a good rest. But Guoguo wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Tangtang, Guoguo, Ill go take a look and wont go out of the yard. No, Ill go with you. Guoguo insisted that Tangtang would definitely be bullied if he went out alone. Okay, lets go together and drive them away so that dad can have a good sleep. The two children walked out of the room after saying that. Xu Ran, who had clearly heard the conversation between the two children, also opened his eyes at this moment. Looking at the doorway against the light, he saw the two little children going far away step by step hand in hand. Xu Ran sighed silently and thought to himself that the original owner of this body was blessed because he had a devoted husband and two cute and sensible children. What a pity that Again there came a burst of hubbub from outside. Xu Ran couldnt hear it clearly as it was too noisy. He struggled to sit up from the bed. Although he was still weak, he was much better than the first time he woke up and his headache was gone. After putting on the clothes, Xu Ran got out of bed and wanted to see the two children, about whom he was worried. When he arrived at the door, he saw one of the twins being shoved to the ground, and the other one standing beside him immediately picked him up. Then the group of bullying kids made faces at the twins and ran away with grins. The original owner of this body could tell Tangtang and Guoguo at a glance. Tangtang was shorter than Guoguo. The child who had been shoved to the ground was Tangtang. Watching those people run away, Guoguo wanted to rush up and stop them while Tangtang grabbed him, Guoguo, no. Guoguo stomped his feet unwillingly. Then the two children went back after closing the door. They suddenly came to a halt halfway there. Xu Ran just heard their conversation. Guoguo, dont cry, it doesnt hurt. Dont tell dad and daddy. As Tangtang spoke, he also began to cry. The two children, who wore the clothes full of patches, hugged and comforted each other, wiping the tears from the faces of each other repeatedly. The picture was engraved directly upon Xu Rans heart; he felt extremely distressed. The past memories flashed in his mind that for many times when he and his two sons had been bullied, the two children had always stood in front of him with their small bodies. Even they had been shoved to the ground countless times, they had never let him be hurt. The two children were only five years old at present, who were just as tall as the height of his knees. All they did just for Liu Tongs words that dont let anyone bully dad. Xu Ran, how lucky you are! But now he became Xu Ran and those two childrens dad. Naturally, he couldnt just leave his children be bullied like that. Xu Ran clenched his fists and made up his mind that he would never let the two children suffer any more in the future. Besides, he would get even with those who owed the original Xu Ran in his body. Xu Ran clenched his fists and walked out of the door towards the two children, holding them in his arms, Guoguo, Tangtang, dont cry. I will not let you two get hurt in the future. Then he took the children by their hands and walked back. Tangtang and Guoguo still wiped their tears, but they didnt make a sound, nor did they realize that their dad was no longer a fool. Chapter 3 The two children were led into the house, both of them with red eyes and tears in their eyes, but they just still kept quiet. Putting the two children side by side on the bed, Xu Ran wiped their tears with his sleeves, only to find that the faces of the two children were becoming increasingly red due to the poor fabric of the clothes. Xu Ran have no alternative but to withdraw his hands with a little upset. Tangtang and Guoguo both felt that there was something different with their dad today. In the past, when they were bullied, their dad would also rush out to protect them, but he wouldnt embrace them or wipe their tears. Although their dad made their faces hurt badly, Tangtang and Guoguo were still very happy. Tangtang jumped off the bed and said, Dad, dont cry. Im not hurt. Just as Xu Ran was about to say something, Guoguo also jumped down, Dad, Im not hurt as well. Xu Rans heart was filled with sorrow, thinking that the two children were really sensible. He squatted down and gently wiped the faces of the two kids, Both of you are really well-behaved. It was all because I have been useless, making you get bullied. But from now, you dont have to be worried anymore. No one will be able to bully you again in the future as Im on your side. And regardless of what Xu Ran had said was true or not, the two children both nodded heavily, giving all their trust to their father. Xu Ran led the two kids to wash their faces and then took off Tangtangs clothes to make sure if he had been injured just now. Then Xu Ran was shocked to see that Tangtangs body was black and blue and covered with many wounds, all of which looked like bruises. Now it was hot and the kids were wearing less clothes. Even on a muddy ground, it was sure that the children would be hurt badly after being shoved heavily, not to mention that the childrens skin was sensitive. Seeing the physical condition of Tangtang, Xu Ran took off Guoguos clothes as well, only to find that Guoguo was also injured. Fortunately, the injury of Guoguo was not as much and serious as Tangtangs. It seemed that Tangtang had been protecting Guoguo all the time . With no medicine at home, Xu Ran could only spit on the wound. The two children were brave enough not to cry out for pain, which made Xu Ran even sadder. After he had apply both childrens bruises with saliva, Xu Ran put their clothes on. Then he looked at the two children with an extremely serious expression, Tangtang, Guoguo, listen up, I have something very important to tell you. The two children looked at each other, then turned to Xu Ran and nodded at him. Tangtang said, Dad, were listening. Well. I want to tell you the truth that Im not foolish now, but we cant tell anyone else about this. Only you two know about it. Afterwards, I will try to separate with grandpa and his family, then we live alone. Is it okay? As soon as Xu Ran finished his sentence, Guoguo hurriedly asked Xu Ran, Dad, cant we told daddy? Xu Ran patted his head slightly, I will tell him. All you have to keep in mind is not to tell anyone else. Alright, dad, we get it.. Tangtang and Guoguo were still too young to totally understand what the difference is between foolish and not, so there was no sign of extraordinarily happy expression of them. All they cared for was Xu Rans words about living together on their own. Chapter 4 Liu Tong returned home near noon, carrying a pheasant in his left hand and two packets of medicine for Xu Ran in his right. When Liu Tong entered the house, Zhang Yue happened to see him and was quite happy to see the pheasant in Liu Tongs hand. They were busy in the fields recently, so Liu Tong couldnt go hunting in the hills, causing them no meat to eat for a long time. Zhangs fell at once when he saw the medicine in Liu Tongs other hand. Why did you buy the medicine again? Its useless. You may as well buy more meat instead. Liu Tong looked at him without any expression on his face, Get out of my way or Ill sell this pheasant in my hand as well. Zhang Yue was about to say something back when he heard Liu Tongs words, but he finally backed away reluctantly considering the chicken in Liu Tongs hand Liu Tong took the pheasant to the kitchen and then to his room. The life in Xu Family was very hard. Xu Cheng was idle and did nothing all day long while Zhang Yue was also a person who only waited for food to eat. It was the elderly in the family and Liu Tong who planted fields all the time. However, the couple of elderly Xu in Xu Family were getting old and could not do anything, so the burden finally fell on Liu Tong. But even so, Xu Family still disliked Liu Tong, thinking it was all his duty to do it all. Liu Tong had been knuckle under no matter how much anger and hardship he had been suffering for the sake of Xu Ran and his two children. There were five rooms in Xu Family while Liu Tong and his family, altogether four people, only got one room. The couple of the elderly Xu got one room and Xu Cheng and his family got two. As for the remaining one, it was used to store things. The kitchen was separate, with just a thatched shed. When Liu Tong walked to the door of their room, Xu Ran was telling the story to their two children with an extremely tender look. He didnt think there was something different about Xu Ran let alone that Xu Ran would suddenly be not stupid. After all, he had been taking care of Xu Ran for seven years and all he could remember was that he was a fool. Liu Tong watched them at the doorway and found it a lovely image. No matter what he was doing outside , at least he would be happy with his family in this room. Hey? Daddy, you are back. The two children instantly found Liu Tong was standing at the doorway. Then they immediately got up from their stools and ran to him. Liu Tong held the two kids running towards him, Yes, Im back. Did you get bullied today? The two children shook their heads together, No, we didnt get bullied. At this time Xu Ran turned his head sadly. It was all because he was too weak and useless so the first thing when Liu Tong came back home was to ask the children whether they had been bullied or not. Xu Ran felt extremely distressed for that. Xu Ran put on his former silly look and walked to the door, holding out his hand for Liu Tongs hug, Tongtong In his memory, Xu Ran called Liu Tong Tongtong and was the only person who called Liu Tong that. Perhaps because of that calling, Liu Tong was willing to be nice to him for seven years. From now on, it was his turn to be nice to Liu Tong. Liu Tong put the two children down and then placed the medicine in his hand on the empty table in the room before hugging Xu Ran. Ran, Tangtang and Guoguo, I hunted a pheasant today and well have meat to eat today! The two children were also happy to hear that they would have meat to eat, while Xu Ran frowned upon seeing the medicine on that table. Liu Tong took the two children into the room and closed the door, taking out a packet of dessert from the inner pocket of his clothes, which contained only four pieces. Liu Tong gave one piece to each of the two children, and the rest to Xu Ran. The dessert looked exquisite and expensive, and the two children were excited, but they didnt eat it immediately. Instead, they broke it into two pieces, one for themselves and the other one to Liu Tong. Perhaps it had become a habit, Liu Tong didnt refuse and took both small pieces from his twins. However, he didnt eat them either. Instead, he pulled out a cloth from his inner pocket and wrapped them properly. Xu Ran knew that it was kept for the two children to eat the next time. Looking at the two pieces of dessert he had, Xu Ran handed one to Liu Tong as well. Then he split the other one into two pieces as well, stuffed a half into his own mouth and the otherinto Liu Tongs mouth. It was so sudden that Liu Tong had no choice but to eat the dessert. The whole family shared two pieces of desert together happily. Then Liu Tong put the rest away and said that he was going to cook. The two children were left to take care of Xu Ran. Chapter 5 Liu Tong stewed some soup with the pheasant. It was a big bowl of braised soup. As soon as the dishes were served on the table, Xu Chengs two kids extended their chopsticks. Then Xu Cheng and Zhang Yue reached out their chopsticks, and then the couple of elderly Xu. Xu Ran, Tangtang, Guoguo and Liu Tong had yet to sit at the table. Seeing this scene, Xu Ran felt extremely unpleasant. Xu Ran held his two kids and sat at the table. He also participated in the fight for chicken soup and kept putting chicken meat into the bowls of his kids in an more efficient manner. Xu Ran, you fool. You cannot have the chicken. There will be no meat left if you grab all of it. Zhang Yue could no longer stand it and said to Xu Ran after Xu Ran only got a few picks. Xu Ran turned his back on him and continued picking dishes. Zhang Yue planned to say something more, but seeing Liu Tongs glare, Zhang Yue shut his mouth unwillingly. The couple of elderly Xu played favorites. Seeing Zhang Yue dare not to say anything about Xu Ran, Elder Daddy Xu knocked off Xu Rans chopsticks just when he reached out to pick the dishes and said, What are you doing? Its useless for you to eat. You cannot do anything but to eat. Why you didnt die when you fell off the hill? Xu Ran felt sorry for the dead Xu Ran. Seeing the reaction of all the rest family members, Xu Ran realized that such talk must had been repeated a thousand times before. Having such a daddy was really miserable to Xu Ran. Pheasant Tongtong get The others couldnt understand Xu Ran, but Liu Tong could, so Liu Tong said, Daddy-in-law, I took the pheasant back. If Ran wants to eat it, we should allow him to eat more! Elder Daddy Xu gave a glance at Liu Tong ferociously and said, He is such a fool who only knows to eat. Why dont he just die. Elder Daddy Xu once again reached out his chopsticks to pick up some meat from the chicken soup while sayiing so. Xu Cheng and his two children Xu Hua and Xu Kai kept eating silently, eating more than anyone else. Considering that he would leave the family sooner or later, Xu Ran boldly picked up more chicken meat. But Xu Ran was not getting the chicken for himself but for his two kids and Liu Tong. If anyone wanted to say anything, Xu Ran would always keep calling Tongtong. Then, Liu Tong would glare at them, so no one dared to judge anymore. Xu Ran was clear that if he went on like this, the whole family would have a greater hatred towards his family and would believe that his family was freeloading. That was right what Xu Ran expected. If the whole family continued thinking that way, they would be asked to leave the whole family and to have their own individual family. That result was exactly what he needed! Xu Ran would not deliberately propose the offer, but he would wait for the others to point it out. It was in July and the sunshine was fierce. Liu Tong also stayed at home in the afternoon, ready to do some embroidery works. Liu Tong had excellent embroidery skills. His works could be sold at a good price in the town. But he had spent all his income on Xu Ran for medicine. Xu Ran looked down at his clothes, which looked fine. However, the clothes of Liu Tong and two kids were full of patches. He suddenly grabbed Liu Tongs hands and dragged him to the outside. The two children were sleeping. Xu Ran didnt intend to go in and disturb them. Liu Tong didnt know what Xu Ran was going to do, but he still followed him patiently. Xu Ran and Liu Tong went into the kitchen. Then Xu Ran poured all the medicine in the jar out, No more, no more. Tongtong, Im not having medicine any more Liu Tong didnt stop Xu Ran but clutched his hand more tightly. Liu Tongs hands were full of callus because of hard work for years, which made Xu Rans tender hand ache. Xu Ran felt uncomfortable with Liu Tongs grip, but he didnt take it out. Instead, he stretch out his hands and hugged Liu Tong, Tongtong, Im not having medicine no more medicine In Xu Rans memory, Liu Tong had been injured when hunting in order to scrape some money together to buy medicine for Xu Ran. After the accident, Liu Tong had been lying in bed for quite a few days. At that time, Xu Ran threw a tantrum like this and proposed the same request to stop having medicine. Liu Tong had no choice but to listen to him. After one year, Xu Ran completely forgot the accident. Since then, Liu Tong resumed buying medicine for him. But today, Liu Tong was at a loss. Since he was not injured this time, why would Xu Ran made a scene here? Liu Tong assumed Xu Ran must feel wronged at home in the morning, so he acted like this. However, seeing Xu Ran was anticipating his answer, Liu Tong nodded his head unwillingly. In fact, Liu Tong planned to appease Xu Ran at night and continued boiling medicine for Xu Ran in the next day. No matter how, he could allow Xu Ran to stop having medicine. See Liu Tongs agreement, Xu Ran was overjoyed. Then he withdrew his hand from Liu Tongs hand and extended it in front of Liu Tong and said, Its red painful. Liu Tong felt guilty look while looking at Xu Rans red hand because of his grip. Then he gently rubbed Xu Rans hand, blowing it while coaxing him. On the other side, Xu Ran was indeed feeling ashamed for his actions. In fact, Xu Ran was just resembling the same act of a fool he had ever known in the past. Chapter 6 During dinner at night, there was no even a grain of rice, let alone meat on the table. The dishes were all made of wild vegtables. Xu Ran ate a steamed corn bread and got some vegetables for her two children. Although they were wild vegetables, it was still good to have some food to eat. Seeing Xu Rans action, Elder Daddy Xu and Zhang Yue rebuked Xu Ran again. Xu Ran didnt pay any attention to what they had said. What mattered was that the children could get enough food. As for himself, anyway, he was seemed as a fool and shouldnt understand what they said. The farmers had dinner very early. There were also no entertainment programs at night. In order to save the oil in the lamp, they all directly went to bed after having dinner. Liu Tong helped the two children to take a shower and took them to the bed for sleep. After that, he came to help Xu Ran with shower. Ever since Liu Tong married Xu Ran, Liu Tong had been the one to help him shower, but that was before Xu Ran had his senses. Since Xu Rans body had been filled with another soul, he was naturally unwilling to let Liu Tong wash himself. No matter what Liu Tong said, he didnt accept it . Finding it really hard to persuade him, Liu Tong thought that since Ran didnt go out during the day, he was not that dirty so it was fine if he didnt want to be washed today. Then Liu Tong went away to take a bath himself. After Liu Tong left, Xu Ran sat beside the bed considering about whether to tell Liu Tong that he had recovered his mind and become normal. If he didnt told him, something like this would still happen in the future. If he told him, he was worried that some accidents would occur. Before he could decide whether to say it, Liu Tong had already come back in his pajamas. Xu Rans eyes darkened. Regardless of whether he should say it or not, they must separate from the family. Liu Tong took off Xu Rans clothes. After they were lying on the bed, Liu Tong habitually pulled Xu Ran into his arms. Xu Ran was not used to being tightly held by others, but he didnt struggle either. Liu Tong patted his back and whispered softly next to his ear, coaxing him into sleep. But Xu Ran couldnt fall asleep at all. If he didnt say things in his mind out, he wouldnt feel sleepy. So he stretched out his hand and grabbed Liu Tongs collar softly, said, Tongtong. Whats matter with you, Ran? Tongtong is here with you. Liu Tong replied gently. I want bamboo bamboo a lot of it. Liu Tong was puzzled, You want bamboo! Then Ill go and chop some back tomorrow. Why would you ask for bamboo? Dont move it back keep it hidden, hidden in a place others.. others cant find it Xu Ran said, gradually becoming agitated. Seeing his excited aspect, Liu Tong immediately comforted him, Alright, its okay. Why would you ask for bamboo if I dont move it back? The house I dont like Daddy and Tongtong live together Xu Ran stuttering, learning the tone of a fool, which he felt even more tiring than fighting. Liu Tong also understood what Xu Ran meant. He didnt like his Daddy, and wanted to move out. Liu Tong got some thoughts in his mind. Maybe Rans method was feasible. Now even he was not sure how long this family could bear them himself so it was better to make preparations as soon as possible. No drinking medicine anymore Tongtong doesnt want medicine save the money After saying this, Xu Ran felt so tired that he closed his eyes and wanted to sleep. Then he fell asleep. While Liu Tong was pondering, Xu Ran said these words again. He said he no longer wanted to take the medicine and wanted to save the money. When Liu Tong was just about to ask how he knew, he looked at the man in his arms and found that he had fallen asleep . He patted Xu Rans back and murmured beside his ear, Ran, dont worry! I will save money to cure you. And two children will live a good life as well. Dont worry! After saying it, Liu Tong also closed his eyes and fell asleep. Everyone had their own thoughts and decisions this night. Chapter 7 The next day, Liu Tong got up early. He bore in mind what Xu Ran had told him and planned to chop some bamboo in the mountain, and at the same time he would get some wild animals to sell for money. Since Ran was unwilling to take the medicine now, Liu Tong decided to save some money first and then buy medicine for him. When they moved out, no one could control them. After he finished cooking breakfast, Liu Tong quickly had some food himself. Then he got breakfast ready for the two kids and Xu Ran and put them well in the room. Otherwise, when they got up, there would be nothing left in the pot. Afterwards, he didnt wake up the two kids. He only went to Xu Rans bed and informed that he would go out and be back at noon. Xu Ran was sleeping like a log and took no notice of him. By the time he woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. He was awakened by the hot sunshine. When he got up, he saw that the two children were already well dressed and washing their faces in a small wooden basin. Xu Ran stretched his arms out and walked over to the two kids, Tangtang, Guoguo, how smart you are! You have already dressed yourselves well. Dad! the two children called out together. Tangtang even kindly handed a wrung out towel to Xu Ran, Dad, wash your face. They werent a wealthy family, and they werent so particular about their daily life. Thus Xu Ran took the towel, wiped his face, and then wiped the two kids again. Both children were smiling and looked very happy. Grumbling- Hearing the rumbling sounds from his stomach, Xu Ran couldnt help blushing. What a shame it was in front of the two kids! He was really Dad, Daddy has kept some food for us in the room. Lets go and eat! Of course, the two kids heard Xu Rans rumbling sound, but they didnt laugh at him. Instead, they pulled him into the room. Their breakfast was whole grain porridge without even vegetables. Fortunately, Liu Tong had left a big bowl of it, so that they could be full by just drinking this water gruel. Afterwards, Xu Ran got some water from the well. Tangtang and Guoguo washed the dishes and returned them to the kitchen. And then, he had nothing to do. The family members were all out, and even Zhang Yue was not in. Xu Ran thought this was quite good, because they were all the people he didnt want to see. Anyway, out of sight, out of mind. Two five-year-old children and a fool were the only people at home but they could do nothing. Xu Ran decided to go around to have a look at the situation in the village. The memory in his brain was that of the fool before he got stupid, so he didnt know what it was at present. Thus, he wanted to research so that he could find a suitable place to build their house. He asked the two childrens opinions. Tangtang and Guoguo said it was up to their Dad. When going out, Tangtang walked in front, while Guoguo walked beside Xu Ran, hand in hand. It was also at this moment that Xu Ran understood why Tangtangs injuries were so much worse than Guoguos. The difference between their birth time was less than a few minutes, but Tangtang habitually placed Guoguo in the weak position to protect him. Xu Ran stretched out his hand and pulled Tangtang to his side, saying with a smile, Lets go together. Tangtang was a little confused, but he obeyed his Dad and held him tightly by the hand. Both of the children looked pretty, and Liu Tong taught them well. They were very polite and greeted every person passing by them. Xu Villages residents all liked these two kids. Seeing Xu Ran with them, the villagers didnt take Xu Ran as a fool. All the way, Xu Ran kept silent and smiled. He was quite good-looking actually, and his smile could give others a favorable impression. Xu Ran followed his memories and walked to several places. Those places which used to be deserted had houses now. There was only a barren land at the end of the village. Xu Ran decided to build their future house there. The place was not only far away from the Xu Family but also there were few people around. It was naturally the best choice for no one would disturb them there. The two children followed Xu Ran around in a muddle. Although they didnt know what Xu Ran was doing, they remained silent. At last, Xu Ran realized that the two children looked pale, and they had no strength, so he was mostly dragging them all the way. Xu Ran felt a little guilty in his heart, Im sorry, Tangtang and Guoguo. Its all my fault. I didnt notice that you are tired. The twins shook their heads together, Dad, its fine. Well be fine after resting for a while. Guoguo also nodded, Ill be fine right after a rest. Alright, lets take a rest for a while. Xu Ran took the two children and sat down on a clean rock by the roadside. Chapter 8 They had just sat down when Xu Ran heard the two kids call out together, Daddy Wu. Xu Ran raised his head and saw a middle-aged man walking towards them. With the memory of the fool, Xu Ran was able to tell the difference between a man and a kid. Daddy Wu, whom Tangtang and Guoguo had just greeted, was one of Liu Tongs only few friends in Xu Village, named Wu Mei. Xu Ran just smiled at Wu Mei but didnt speak anything. Anyway, as a fool, he should not know who he was. Wu Mei, however, immediately walked up to them after hearing the two kids voices. He took out two candies out of his pocket and gave them to the children, after which, he gave one to Xu Ran. The two children expressed their gratitude politely. Xu Ran looked at the candy which was identical to those given to the two kids in his hand, feeling at a loss. Wu Mei saw his embarrassment and smiled, Take it! It is just a candy. Xu Ran said thanks slowly. Then he held the candy in his hand, thinking of keeping it for Tongtong to eat at home. Wu Mei had just come back from the field and was ready to go home for cooking, so he left without talking more with them. After Wu Mei left, Xu Ran and his two children also went home. Liu Tong had just come back. Seeing that Xu Ran and the children were not in, he decided to go to look for them. Seeing Liu Tong at the door looking around, Xu Ran and the two children quickened their footstep. Tongtong! Daddy! Daddy! The man and his two kids were calling in a chorus. At the sight of them three together, Liu Tong felt relieved right away. He rushed forward to check on them while asking with concern whether they had been bullied or injured outside. Seeing that their dad didnt explain, the two children told their daddy what they had done today. At the same time, they handed Liu Tong the cadies they had treasured and kept. Following the two kids, Xu Ran also stretched out his hand and showed Liu Tong the candy he got. Liu Tong was moved seeing all these. He believed that it was worthwhile for him to devote himself for these people he cared so much. Liu Tong walked up to Guoguos side and took him by the hand. And the whole family entered the house together. Inside the house, upon seeing them, Elder Daddy Xu cursed bitterly, Such a group of useless people! Where have you been the whole morning? Why didnt you come back to cook until so late at noon? Since you all like so much to go out, why didnt you die outside? Xu Ran darted a glance at Elder Daddy Xu and ignored him. He then turned to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lunch no meat, not eat Liu Tong took a look at Elder Daddy Xu, who was still cursing there. He knew that Ran was angry and didnt like Elder Daddy Xu to eat the prey Liu Tong hunted this morning, so he smiled dotingly, Alright, Ill follow Rans idea. The two children were not happy to be scolded, either, but they were already used to it, so they didnt care. Guoguo loosened Liu Tongs hand, and then together with Tangtang led Xu Ran to their room. Liu Tong turned around and entered the kitchen, leaving the dying rabbit aside. He didnt plan to cook it for lunch. Elder Daddy Xu kept scolding there for quite a long time, but he found that no one paid attention to him. He thus spitted and followed Liu Tong into the kitchen. Watching Liu Tongs working there, he began to curse again. Liu Tong just ignored him and let him be. Liu Tongs calm attitude, however, did not stop Elder Daddy Xu from scolding. He cursed all the most terrible remarks. Finally, he even wanted to get the rabbit by himself. Liu Tong was making fire when he saw it. He turned to Elder Daddy Xu, Daddy, we just ate meat yesterday, so we can eat this rabbit for dinner! The Xu Family had lived a hard life and they could only eat meat occasionally, which was from the preys hunted by Liu Tong. They didnt even breed a pig at home. Although Elder Daddy Xu still cursed, he didnt keep picking on the rabbit any more. When Liu Tong brought the rabbit back, all the family members had seen it. Seeing that there was no rabbit meat on the table, Elder Dad Xu struck the table and scolded that Liu Tong had eaten the rabbit by himself. Chapter 9 Elder Daddy Xu actually knew what was going on, but he didnt explain it. Instead, he just leave them scolding Liu Tong. And there, Liu Tong was focusing himself on picking up food for the two children without saying a word. Xu Ran was furious. Although he didnt have much affection for Liu Tong, Liu Tong, such a good man, was bullied under his nose. Xu Ran left the table and rushed to the kitchen. Picking up the rabbit that had just died, he rushed back and threw the dead rabbit directly onto the dinner table, knocking over a whole table of food. And the people at the table were immediately splashed with soup. The crowd stood transfixed, and when they came round, they burst out cursing, You son of a bitch! Dont you want to live? Im gonna kill you today. While cursing, Elder Dad Xu picked up the hoe and was about to hit Xu Ran. Liu Tong pulled the two children away, and then rushed to the front of Xu Ran to protect him with his own body. However, the hoe fell too fast. Before Xu Ran could react, it had hit Liu Tong. After that, Elder Dad Xu didnt plan to stop and and wanted to hit again. Xu Ran didnt want to keep shunning away anymore. Anyway, he was still a fool in peoples eyes. He directly picked up a stool by the table to block the hoe in his fathers hand and pushed Liu Tong aside. Liu Tong also responded; he quickly ran to the back and took the hoe away from Elder Dad Xu. Without a hoe in his hand, Elder Dad Xu wanted to give Liu Tong a slap. Seeing this, Xu Ran rushed up to block the slap for Liu Tong. That slap was so heavy that Xu Rans mouth was instantly covered with blood. Xu Ran spat out a mouthful of blood to the ground, which frightened the whole family. Elder Dad Xu also put down his raised hand, but he still stared at both Xu Ran and Liu Tong fiercely. Beside them, Elder Daddy Xu kept on cursing while Zhang Yue and Xu Cheng were also mocking there. Liu Tong pulled Xu Ran to his arms, Ran, Whats up? Wheres your mouth hurt? Open your mouth and show me. Liu Tong gently coaxed him and wiped the blood off his lips. Xu Ran was in such a terrible pain that he couldnt even speak. He just kept whining. No one in the family would volunteer to go to get a doctor for him. That hoe hit on Liu Tongs back just now was also extremely heavy. Xu Ran felt lucky that his father had not yet dared to kill anyone, or that hoe he had just dropped would have cost Liu Tong almost a life. Of course, Xu Ran wouldnt let this matter go so easily today. He had planned to wait for Liu Tong to get everything ready before talking about separation of the family. After all, it took enough courage to leave home without taking anything, and his family had to eat. But the plan couldnt catch up with the changes. This family could beat people to death just for a rabbit. His daddy, clearly knew what was going on, but he didnt offer his help to explain at all. How could they be a family of his?! Xu Ran believed that even if the previous Xu Ran knew it, he would do the same, because no one could live such a life. Leaning in Liu Tongs arms, Xu Ran put his mouth close to Liu Tongs ear and said in a very small voice, Tongtong, ask the two children to go to the village head. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong was stunned, but he didnt say anything. He didnt know when Ran came back to his senses, but he felt happy. Liu Tong waved at Tangtang and Guoguo. The two kids were also frightened, but they tried not to cry. Liu Tong supported Xu Ran and then bent down to talk to the two kids, Tangtang, Guoguo, you go to the village heads house to get him over here. Got it? The two children used to go to the village heads house, so they knew the way. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded obediently. Liu Tong stroked the heads of the two children, revealing a gentle smile. Both children were crying when they left, but they tried not to make a sound. The Xu Family didnt take the two kids seriously. They felt that they two went out only because they feared they might get hurt by mistake.They hated Liu Tong and Xu Ran, who were so useless and stupid, but no matter what, the two kids were also surnamed Xu, who could work when they grew up as long as they were given some meals. Chapter 10 Dad, lets split the family! This kind of life cant go on anymore. Big brothers family only know to eat instead of working. And they also ask for money every month. Our family is not well off at all. If they go on like this, I guess we will not even have enough food to eat. Xu Cheng, who had been silent there, suddenly came up with the idea of the family separation, while Zhang Yue, standing next to him, also agreed. The couple of elderly Xu looked at Xu Ran as well as Liu Tong and then at their youngest sons family. It was clear whom they were favoring in their hearts. Xu Ran wanted to screw things up. He leaned against Liu Tong and kept moaning, saying it was hurt. In fact, the injury was beyond his expectation, but since he had been injured, he had to make good use of it, otherwise he would suffer in vain. Hearing that Xu Ran felt painful in the wound, Liu Tong tried to comfort him while staring at the couple of elderly Xu hatefully. The old couple were frightened by Liu Tongs gaze, but when they thought that this was their family and that they were the elders, how could they be afraid of this young guy? So Elder Daddy Xu broke out into cursing again while Elder Dad Xu wanted to pick up some tool to beat people. And Xu Cheng and his spouse stopped watching the scene aside; instead, they ordered their sons to take action. Hearing their fathers words, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang ran up to Xu Ran. They both held Xu Rans thigh and began to bite. Liu Tong wanted to push these two kids away, but he was pinched by Xu Ran. Liu Tong stopped moving at once, only feeling heartache for him. Xu Ran was bitten so badly that he screamed loudly. Besides, Elder Dad Xu had slapped hard on his mouth, so Xu Ran was also spitting blood out while screaming. How miserable he was now! Xu Ran guessed that the village head should be arriving, so he screamed louder. As expected, they soon heard the sound outside the door. Tangtang and Guoguo ran fast. They just arrived at the door and saw that Xu Ran was bitten by Xu Hui and Xu Qiang, so they rushed forward to help their dad. The village head also followed behind. Seeing Xu Rans miserable look, he immediately shouted, Xu Houcai, Xu Ran is your son. Are you bullying him because he is a fool? Let the children stop now. The Xu Family didnt expect the village head to come. They glared at Tangtang and Guoguo, and then reluctantly asked Zhang Yue to bring their children away. When Xu Hui loosened his bite on Xu Ran, his mouth was covered with blood. It could be told how hard they bit. Witnessing this, the village head scolded them again. However, they looked like unmoved. They were completely indifferent. Xu Ran ignored them, just kept shouting there. It hurts. Tongtong, hurts so much You bastard, what are you yelling about? Didnt you just get a bite? It is as though you are dying. Why dont you go to hell? Go to hell! Seeing the village head coming and supporting Xu Ran, Elder Daddy Xu was furious. At this time, Zhang Yue and Xu Cheng exchanged glances. Xu Cheng then stepped forward, The village head, we want to divide up our family property and live apart from my big brother. To split the family? Xu Cheng, its not up to you to decide whether to split family or not. Besides, Xu Ran is your big brother. You have no right to do so! The village head really didnt like Xu Cheng, a lazy man. Although to split family was their own business, they had to get the village heads approval, or they would definitely live a terrible life later in Xu Village if they insisted on the family separation. Thus Xu Cheng was anxious. He turned to the couple of elderly Xu and said, But dad and daddy have already agreed. If you dont believe me, you can ask. The village head turned to the couple of elderly Xu, You both agreed? The couple of elderly Xu had been favoring Xu Cheng since he was young. And they were clear that such a request for the family separation would be raised many times in the future if they didnt settle it right away. Anyway, their life would be better with four members less. Thinking of these, Xu Houcai glanced at his second son and agreed without a second thought, Yes, we have to break up the family and live apart. Chapter 11 Seeing Xu Houcais appearance, the village chief felt even more dissatisfied. However, this was a family affair after all, so he couldnt comment too much. He asked Liu Tong, Liu Tong, whats your opinion? Liu Tong looked at Xu Ran, who was in a terrible situation, leaning against him. The corners of his mouth as well as his legs were covered with blood, while he kept crying out for pain. Liu Tong replied, Its up to dad and daddy to decide everything! However, the village head, can I send Ran to see a doctor first? Im afraid hes hurt too much. To see a doctor? Why to see a doctor? Its only good if this good-for-nothing is dead. You are not allowed to go. Elder Daddy Xu shouted as soon as he heard what Liu Tong had said. Liu Tong said nothing in return after being snapped by Elder Daddy Xu. He looked down at Xu Ran and stroked his hand to comfort him. Xu Ran could endure this kind of pain, but he didnt want to. He wanted the village head to see how ruthless the Xu Family was, so he didnt stop but kept shouting for pain. The village head really felt sorry for Xu Rans situation. He knew this family had gone too far. Xu Ran was indeed a fool, but he was Xu Chengs elder brother. The family should not abandon Xu Ran this way. However, this was a household chore after all, and it was not proper for him to intervene. He could only act as the village head and be a witness in the affair. Liu Tong agreed, and the village head turned his eyes to Xu Houcai, Head of the Xu Family, what do you say about the family separation? Xu Houcai was a farmer with deep-rooted thoughts. He had never read books and was very traditional in his bones, so he didnt agree with the separation. However, before Xu Houcai could speak, Elder Daddy Xu stood up and said, Split. This family must be separated. Xu Houcai took a glance at Elder Daddy Xu and agreed silently. The village head asked Xu Cheng again, Then whom will your dad and daddy live with after the separation? Xu Cheng patted his chest, Of course they will live with us. Of course, he was not stupid. If his dad and daddy were to live with his eldest brother, how much land would he get from the family? But if they lived with him, he would not only get much more land but also this house. His brother was only a fool, so how could his dad and daddy give the family property to him? Right. Well live with Cheng. We dont need to be bothered by this idiot in the future, Elder Daddy Xu responded to his sons words. The village head could do nothing further about the separation of the family, and he didnt want to get involved, either. After all, it was their business. At last, the village head took a cold look at Xu Houcai and left. Seeing the village head leave, Xu Houcai was relieved as well. He was clear if the village head kept on watching there, then the family would be hard to split. Thus, the Xu Family began to talk about the division of their family property as soon as the vilage head left. Xu Houcai gave a cold glance at Xu Rans miserable appearance and then said, We have three acres of fields, three acres of land, and a house. This house is for Xu Cheng. Well live here, too. Xu Ran, you can find another place to live. Its impossible to give you the three acres of fields. As for the land, that is, the land at the entrance of the village, Ill give it to you. No, I dont agree. We have planted vegetables in the land at the entrance of the village. If we give it to them, what shall we eat? No, we cant give them anything. He is an unfilial son. As his dad and daddy, we gave birth to him and raised him up, but he didnt make any money for us up till now. He even drives us mad at present. No, we wont give him anything. Just let them get out, Elder Daddy Xu shouted. Liu Tong still kept silent. He held Xu Ran by the hand tighter and tighter. Xu Ran felt his bones were almost broken. Xu Ran patted Liu Tong with another hand, indicating him to calm down. Then he got close to Liu Tongs ear and whispered, Tongtong, let them be. We can earn it by ourselves. Xu Rans movements were very small, so the other Xu Family members did not notice them. After Elder Daddy Xu finished speaking, Xu Cheng went on, Dad, daddy is right. All the vegetables our family eat are from that mere land. If we give the land to Xu Ran, we will not have any food this year, and we will not have any land to grow vegetables in the future! How could we survive if we have no food to eat? Yeah, dad. Hui and Qiang are just growing up. They have to eat too much. How can they grow tall if they dont have enough? Dad, dont you hope Hui and Qiang to be hungry, right? Zhang Yue also pressed. At the same time, he asked his two children to act coquettishly with Xu Houcai. After getting Zhang Yues suggestion, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang ran to Xu Houcais side, hugging Xu Houcais thigh while keeping on calling him grandpa. Looking at the two lovely grandchildren under his feet, and then at Tangtang and Guoguo standing in the corner, Xu Houcai looked disdainful. No, we wont give the land to them. Now, you, get out of here! Right. Get out of here and go far away. Its best to die outside. In fact, the fool and Xu Cheng were both born to Elder Daddy Xu. Then why should Elder Daddy Xu hate Xu Ran so much? Xu Ran really didnt understand. Chapter 12 Liu Tong looked at the Xu family coldly. To him, there was really nothing to be missed in the room. His own family would leave with him, and this family had nothing to do with them from now on. Liu Tong supported Xu Ran and walked towards the door. The two children followed behind their dad and daddy obediently without saying a word. The Xu Family kept eyes on Liu Tong for fear that he would take the things away from their family. Liu Tong had never put anything important at home. He knew that everything in this house would be found out. He was not that stupid. The Xu Family didnt see them off empty-handed, but each of them had a hoe in their hands. At the time they opened the door, they saw a group of people waiting outside to watch a good show. After all, Tangtang and Guoguo had gone to the village heads home crying and many people had seen them on the way. It was the slack season for farming, and people in the countryside like to gather together to chitchat about some gossips around them. They had stood there for some time and seen the village head leave with a cold face. Thus they felt that something must have happened to the Xu Family. Elder Daddy Xu stood at the door looking at the people outside, cursing, What are you looking at? Havent you seen any family separation? Then he pushed Liu Tong and the two kids out and shut the door right away, as if Liu Tong and the others had some kind of virus. This was the family separation! From Xu Rans miserable appearance, the villagers outside felt that the family didnt seem to be spliting up. Instead, it was like a collective bullying of a fool and even driving him out of the house. Liu Tong turned his head to look at the tightly shut door. He had been working hard for seven years here and he had got a foolish husband and two lovely children. Actually, he felt content about it. At least they were still together. Just as Liu Tong was about to leave, he was stopped by Xu Ran. Liu Tong turned to Xu Ran, confused, Ran, whats up? Xu Ran moved close to Liu Tongs ear and muttered a few words. Then he began to frown and groan in pain. Xu Ran didnt want to let the family go so easily. He wanted as many villagers to know how he got out of the Xu Family today, how terrible the Xu Family had treated him, and how he would retaliate against the Xu Family in the future. Not to mention that they might become rich in the future. At that time, Xu Ran would not give them any opportunities if such vicious relatives still wanted to take advantage of them in the name of a family. He would let them remember that they were caught in a trap of their own making. Liu Tong calmly faced all this. He supported Xu Ran, took the two children and walked a few steps out of the door, ignoring the people around him. He suddenly knelt down and Xu Ran also followed. Although the two children didnt know what happened, they all got down on their knees when they saw their dad and daddy were on their knees. Then, Liu Tong began to cry loudly, Dad and daddy, after the separation, we cant do our filial duty in front of you. Here, Liu Tong thanks you two for raising Ran. But please rest assured, although Ran is a fool, I will go on living with him. Besides, I will take good care of our two children. Although dad and daddy gave us nothing, and I dont know where to live with Ran and the children in the future, I wont blame you two. I know about your situation. I know both of you love our younger brother and his two children. I understand all these. Finally, Liu Tong referred to Xu Cheng, Second brother and his spouse, from now on, youll have to take care of both dad and daddy. You cant make them lack of food or clothing. Both dad and daddy are old now and they are not as strong as they used to be, so you should not let them go to work in the fields. You should often take them to see the doctor, and occasionally buy some tonic for them. You should take care of the food at home, especially in eating meat. Youd better have a meal of meat in two days Liu Tong was a tall man. His cry was unbearable to witness. However he expressed himself so sincerely that people around the scene were moved and felt that the Xu Family had really gone too far. Xu Ran didnt expect that Liu Tong would say such words. He had always thought that this man was easy to bully, but now it seemed that this was not the case. As the saying goes, a beast at bay will put up a desperate fight. It was really true. Xu Ran kept moaning in pain, while Liu Tong lowered his head and sobbed. The two children also began to cry behind them. The whole family looked extremely pitiable. People who were watching the show also began to discuss heatedly. They commented that the Xu Family were nominally dividing up family property and living apart, but actually nothing had been distributed. As a result, Xu Ran, Liu Tong and their children didnt even have a resting place. They had in fact been driven out of the house. The reputation of Xu Houcai and his spouse as well as Xu Cheng in the village was not good at the very beginning. And now, they drove the fool and his family out again. People in the village looked down on Xu Houcai and his family more and more. After kneeling at the door for quite a while, Liu Tong supported Xu Ran to stand up. Liu Tong turned to look around. He was at a loss for he really didnt know where they could go now. The discussion around them grew louder and louder, but Liu Tong and Xu Ran paid no attetion to them. At the moment, the door of the Xu Family was still tightly shut, so the family members inside naturally didnt know what was going on outside. They were secretly celebrating in the room that they had finally drove away four useless mouths. Chapter 13 Liu Tong, Liu Tong, wait Liu Tong just stepped out when he heard someone calling him from behind. He turned around and saw Wu Mei and Liu Qing running towards him in a hurry. Liu Tong stopped and looked at the two people who were gasping for breath. He comforted them both, No hurry. Take your time. Puffing a little, Wu Mei said, Liu Tong, weve heard you were driven out. We know you dont have a place to go now, so lets go to my place first! Yeah, Liu Tong, you are supporting the whole family. The kids are still young, while Xu Ran still needs to take the medicine. So lets go. We wont let you starve, Liu Qing also echoed. Well Liu Tong was hesitant. Wu Mei tried to persuade him, Even if you dont think about yourself, you should think about it for your two kids! You must have not eaten lunch yet! Tangtang and Guoguo must be hungry. No matter what, go to my place to have some food first. Yeah, and Ran needs a physician to see his injury, Liu Qing also urged. Looking at the two quiet and obedient children by his side, as well as Xu Ran, who was badly injured, Liu Tong felt very distressed. He blamed himself for being so useless that he couldnt even protect his children. He then nodded at Wu Mei and Liu Qing, Well, I am so sorry to bring you so much trouble. Wu Mei and Liu Qing waved their hands at the same time, What are you talking about? I wouldnt care it if it were others. Naturally, Liu Tong knew that it was because of their friendhsip that Wu Mei and Liu Qing stood out to help him at his most desperate moment. He decided to accept their good favor and was determined to take good care of the two families in the future Wu Meis spouse was called Xu An, who was a craftsman as well as a good hand in the field. Besides, Wu Mei was virtuous and capable, so his family lived a good life, and they could even be considered as wealthy in Xu Village. Wu Mei also had two children. The oldest one was called Dahu, while the younger one was named Yueyaer. Both of them were very obedient. After Wu Mei brought them home, he first asked Dahu and Yueyaer to play with Tangtang and Guoguo. He then arranged Liu Tong and Xu Ran to sit in the hall. After all these were settled, he quickly went to work in the kitchen. Liu Qing went back to his home, saying that he was going to bring some food here. When Xu Ran and Liu Tong were left in the room alone, Xu Ran, sitting in his seat, put his hand on Liu Tongs, who was next to him. He said gently, Tongtong, Im well now. I wont let you suffer any longer. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes immediately turned red. Xu Ran stood up and walked behind him. Avoiding the place where Liu Tong had been hurt, he gently stroked his back to comfort him, Tongtong, youve been working hard for us all these years. Thank you so much. Red-eyed, Liu Tong suddenly stood up and hugged Xu Ran tightly. He kept calling, Ran, Ran Im here, Tongtong, Im well now Xu Ran softly comforted him in his ear while patting his back. Liu Tong was so excited that he didnt know he was sad or happy at this moment. He had been hoping that Xu Ran would recover since he married into the Xu Family. He had been suffering so many years in the Xu Family, but his hopes for Ran never died. Even at the worst time, the hope that Ran was sure to recover had always cheered him up. He had been waiting for seven full years, and today Ran suddenly told him that he was well and that he would not allow him to suffer anymore in the future. Liu Tong really wanted to cry to let out all these years of grievance. In the future, he didnt need to work alone. His husband and his childrens dad was finally healed. After all, they were still in someone elses house, so Liu Tong didnt lose his composure for long. After Liu Tong calmed down, Xu Ran began to tell him his plan, Tongtong, actually I came back to myself the day before yesterday. I remember all the things happening these years since I became a fool. I also know what life you were living. I am sorry. It is I who let you and the children down. No, you didnt bring trouble to me and the children. And I have been willing to do so. Xu Ran was interrupted by Liu Tong. Liu Tong hurriedly expressed himself, showing his willingness and love to the family. Xu Ran endured the pain in his mouth and laughed gently, Dont worry, Tongtong. The past days are over. Our family will be fine and enjoy a better life in the future. Yes, Liu Tong nodded repeatedly. He believed in Xu Ran. Tongtong, listen to me. I have been planning on the family separation since I came back to myself. Whether I am a fool or not, my life in the Xu Family is not easy. Thus, its better to split up with them and live on our own. As for the other arrangements, Ill tell you later this evening. Remember to tell the doctor to have a good check on my head when he comes. Then ask the doctor to prescribe me some more medicine, and Ill get better after I take it. Liu Tong nodded, I got it. Liu Tong still wanted to say something, when he saw Wu Mei come to call them for dinner. Thus it was not convenient for them to go on talking. They got up and were led to the dining room. By then, their two children were already sitting at the table and eating. They looked starving. Getting near, they found that the two kids were having egg soup. Liu Tong was moved, but he didnt say anything. He pulled Xu Ran to sit down and silently bore the gratitude in his heart. Xu Ran also darted a grateful glance at Wu Mei. He knew that the eggs of this era were not cheap, and most people couldnt afford to eat them. People sold them for money instead. Now Wu Mei was so generous as to feed the two kids with the precious eggs. Xu Ran thought to himself that when he was well off, he would definitely help Wu Meis family as a return. Wu Mei and Liu Qing served them rice. It was brown rice, but it was not bad. Besides, there were three dishes and meat on the table. Liu Tong was very moved because someone was willing to help him in the most difficult time. He wanted to say thank you again. However, he swallowed his words. He felt no language could express his real thankfulness. While they were eating, Wu Mei said, Liu Tong, please look after Dahu and Yueyaer for me. Ill go out with Liu Qing. All right. You just go for your business. I will take good care of Dahu and Yueyaer, Liu Tong replied. Chapter 14 After Liu Tong agreed, Wu Mei took Liu Qing out of the house. They planned to go to the village to inquire about the situation. By the way, they would invite a doctor home to check Xu Rans wound. His mouth was bleeding. Both of them were worried whether he had been seriously injured, They had just left the door when they saw someone running towards them in a hurry. After they got close, they found it was Wu Lan, Wu Meis younger brother. Like Wu Mei, he was married to the Xu Village from the Wu Village. Wu Mei and his younger brother had always been on good terms. They both grew up together and married to the same place together, which made them friends with Liu Tong together, too. Lan, why are you running in such a hurry? Anthing happened? Wu Mei stopped Wu Lan and asked. I I I heard that Liu Tong was driven out of his house. Is he all right? Wu Lan stood there with arms akimbo and asked while panting. Wu Mei patted him on the back, Dont worry. Liu Tong is in my house. Hes fine. After resting for a while, Wu Lan was a little relieved. He asked, Bro, whats the matter? Today, I went to the town with Xu Zhen, but when we came back, we were told that Liu Tong was driven out of his house. In a hurry, I ran to Xu Houcais house. However, I saw no one there. Later I was told that Liu Tong is in your house. Wu Mei sighed, Alas, up till now, we dont know much about it. I also heard from others that Xu Houcai kicked out four of them without giving Xu Ran anything. I dont know how they will live in the future. As Wu Mei mentioned this, they three couldnt help but frown. At the moment, Liu Tong and Xu Ran had nothing but a hungry family to feed. How could they live on? Liu Qing was very sad, but he knew that the most important thing was to find a doctor to cure Xu Rans injury first, so he interrupted the two brothers who were lost in their own grief, Alright, well talk about it later tonight. Now wed better find a doctor first to see Xu Rans injury. I am afraid that Liu Tong was also beaten today, though he didnt say anything about it. What? Xu Ran was injured? Xu Houcai, such an old bastard! How could he even beat his son, who is a fool? He is utterly devoid of conscience! Hearing this, Wu Lan got even more angry. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and was about to go out to fight with that evil person. Wu Mei quickly stopped him, Lan, dont be so impulsive. This is others family affair. We cant get involved in it. If we really do something to Xu Houcai and Xu Cheng, we will set tongues wagging. In the future, Liu Tong and Xu Ran may have a bad reputation in the village. After listening to Wu Meis words, Wu Lan also realized his impulse. He immediately calmed down and asked, Bro, what can we do then? We cant let it be this way! Well talk about this after we get back. Later youll summon Xu Zhen and Xu Fa to my house. Well have a good discussion about it then. Now lets go to invite a doctor. Alright, Bro. Then you go with Qing for a docotr. Ill go home first and prepare some things for Liu Tongs family, with that, Wu Lan ran away . Looking at Wu Lans impetuous temperament, Wu Mei smiled, What a boy! Hes married but his character doesnt change. Looking at Wu Lans leaving back, Liu Qing also smiled, Theres nothing bad about it. You suppose everyone is like you? On thinking that if Wu Lan was the same as him, Wu Mei himself would not get used to it. So he smiled, Thats true. At the moment, in Wu Meis house, Liu Tongs family were eating quietly. Dahu and Yueyaer were also in the room, but they had already had lunch. They were just watching aside. After Tangtang and Guoguo finished eating, four children would play together. Liu Tong had invited them to have dinner together, but the two children shook their heads and refused politely. Xu Ran thought that the kids in the countryside were really polite and unpretentious. After the meal, Liu Tong cleared the table, and the two kids went out to play with their new friends. Liu Tongs shoulder had been violently hit by Xu Houcai, which was very hurting at the moment. Thus it was hard for him to work at this time. Seeing that there was no one around, Xu Ran took the bowls from Liu Tongs hands and said, Tongtong, let me do the washing. I know your shoulder hurts. Youll take a rest and see the doctor later. Its fine. Let me do it! You were also injured. There are only a few bowls. I can wash them quickly, Liu Tong insisted. No, your shoulder hurts, Xu Ran aslo insisted. Liu Tong didnt want to annoy Xu Ran with only a few bowls, so he gave the job to him. But still he was afraid that Xu Ran might not know how to wash the bowls. After all, he had never done anything in the past seven or eight years since he became a fool. However, when Liu Tong turned his head, he saw Xu Ran was washing seriously making the bowls very clean. Liu Tong smiled. How nice Ran is now! Chapter 15 After getting everything done in the kitchen, Xu Ran and Liu Tong came to Wu Meis yard. After all, the owner of the house was not at home, and they felt too embarrassed to stay indoors. It happened that the children were all playing in the yard, so they could also watch the children and not let them misbehave. Soon, Wu Mei and Liu Qing came back, followed by a person, who was an itinerant physician in the village surnamed Liu. He was an outsider. People in the village called him Doctor Liu. Seeing Xu Ran and Liu Tong standing in the yard, Wu Mei frowned, Liu Tong, why dont you let Xu Ran sit in the room? Wasnt his leg bitten? How careless you are! Liu Tong smiled, Dont worry. Its just a bite. It will be fine after seeing the doctor. Liu Qing had invited Doctor Liu into the room and asked Liu Tong and Xu Ran to go over there. Liu Tong supported Xu Ran into the room, and then he said to Doctor Liu, Doctor Liu, please take a look for Ran. He was slapped in the face and then his mouth bled. His leg was bitten, too. Doctor Liu asked Xu Ran to lie down on the bed, and then asked him to open his mouth to show him the wound there. The wound in his mouth was difficult to get healed, so he could only let it recover itself slowly. As long as he was healthy with no internal heat, he would recover soon. As for the injury on his leg, Doctor Liu disinfected it with liquor, then applied medicine and put a bandage on it. It was so hot these days that if the wound was not handled properly, it would easily deteriorate. Although Xu Ran was bleeding, his injuries were not very serious, and all he needed was to recuperate. Liu Tong also took the opportunity to consult Dr. Liu, Dr. Liu, Ran seems to be quite conscious these days. Please help him to see if the injury on his head is healed. And please prescribe some medicine. Hearing Liu Tongs words, all the people present were overjoyed. If Xu Ran was really well again, it would be an event of great rejoicing! So Docotr Liu took Xu Rans pulse, gave a few of acupuncture treatments, and then prescribed some medicine for Xu Ran to take first. He told them, It is really getting better, and whether he will totally recover or not depends on this medicine. Lets see if the medicine is effective. Liu Tong nodded, his face full of pleasure and expectation. After treating Xu Ran, Doctor Liu planned to leave, but he was stopped by Xu Ran. He looked at Xu Ran, who was lying on bed, and asked, Yes, Mr. Xu, whats the matter? Xu Ran pointed at Liu Tong, Doctor, please, Tongtong he hurts. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong was stunned for a moment. He then remembered the injury on his own shoulder. If Xu Ran didnt mention it, he wouldnt have thought of its treament. Liu Qing also came to understand it, Liu Tong, were you injured, too? Then be quick. Let Doctor Liu see it. Otherwise, what can your family do if you fall down! Liu Tong also thought of this and didnt refuse. Doctor Liu, I was injured on my shoulder. I was hit by a wooden rod. Please give me some medicine to activate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis. As Liu Tong was a daddy, it was not convenient for Doctor Liu to ask him to take off his clothes to show him his wounds. The doctor could only give him some ointment for him to apply on his wound. Dont do hard work during this period of time. Apply the medicine to the wound regularly. If you use up the medicine, come and get it from me until it doesnt hurt, Doctor Liu advised. Then he took the medical kit and prepared to leave. It was a small village and he had heard the story about Xu Ran and Liu Tong, so he even didnt ask for the medical fees. Doctor Liu, can we owe you the diagnosis fee and give it to you later? Liu Tong said apologetically. Doctor Liu waved his hand, All right. Just forget it. I know you are in trouble. I wont take the money this time. Oh, no. We appreciate your kind offer but we cannot accept it. We have brought you a lot of trouble in coming here. How can I let you get free of the fee? Liu Tong said disapprovingly. Doctor Liu didnt want to argue much. He picked up his medical kit and left. Wu Mei chased after Doctor Liu, saying that he was sending him off. At the door, Wu Mei took out some money and gave it to Doctor Liu, Doctor Liu, this is the fee for Liu Tongs family. Thank you so much. I know you are kind, but you bought this medicine with money. Anyway, I cant let you spend money. Take it, please. Looking at the money in Wu Meis hand, Doctor Liu hesitated for a while and then accepted it. Liu Tong had been in Xu Village for seven years, and he had never submitted to any hardship confronting him. Doctor Liu knew his character well, so he accepted the money as well. Chapter 16 After seeing Doctor Liu to the door, Wu Mei returned to the room. Tangtang and Guoguo were still playing happily with Dahu and Yueyaer. Xu Ran was sitting alone on a chair in the room, while Liu Qing was applying some ointment for Liu Tong. Upon entering the room, Wu Mei caught sight of a large black and blue bruise on Liu Tongs back. It hurt so much when applying the ointment that Liu Tong was in a sweat. However, he gritted his teeth and didnt cry out. This scene moved both Wu Mei and Liu Qing into tears. They realized how happy they were compared with Liu Tong. Wu Mei didnt make a sound. After watching for a while, he retreated silently. Outside there, he saw Xu Ran staring at a certain place in a daze. Wu Mei smiled. He couldnt help but sigh that Xu Ran was really lucky actually. In the evening, Xu An came back from the town with some meat and some snacks. Seeing Liu Tong and his family in his home, he didnt feel strange. On the way back, he had heard people from the village talking about the Xu Family. He knew Wu Mei was on good terms with Liu Tong, so it was reasonable for them to stay in his home. Although Xu An didnt say anything, Liu Tong still felt a little embarrassed when meeting him. Wu Mei made a large table of dishes. Soon Wu Lans and Liu Qings families also arrived. Seeing the arrival of the two families, Liu Tong understood that Wu Mei had asked them to come because of his business. Liu Tong really wanted to express his hearty gratitude. He was very touched in his heart. Wu Lan asked Liu Tong what had happened today as soon as the meal started. Others turned to him with burning eyes. Liu Tong felt helpless and told the truth in detail. Hearing how Xu Houcai called Liu Tong names, Wu Lan struck the table and cursed Xu Houcai. When he heard Xu Ran threw the rabbit to the dinner table, he began to clap the table and applauded. After knowing that Xu Houcai hit Liu Tong with a hoe, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang bit Xu Ran and refused to divide any property to Liu Tongs family, Wu Lan felt as if he had been treated like this. He was so furious that he wanted to go immediately to kill the Xus Family with a long bench. At the sight of Wu Lans angry look, Liu Tong felt both joyful and anguished in his heart. It was really a pleasure to have friends help him at the most difficult time, but it was such a sorrow that his so-called family members had actually forced him and his children into such a state. Finally, Liu Qing came out to ease the situation, All right. Lets not talk about this first. Lets talk about what Liu Tong and his family will do next. They dont even have a place to live at the moment. Its not a good way for them to stay in our families. We agree, but other villagers may definitely gossip about it. Hearing this, everyone present fell into silence. This was indeed a problem. Keeping silent for some time, Liu Tong said at last, I went to the mountain yesterday and chopped a pile of bamboo, which I hid in a cave nearby. I want to buy a piece of land and build a bamboo house to live in first. Now the weather is hot. We can hold on in this way. I will go up the mountain to fetch some wild animals to sell in the market, and my family will not be hungry thus. Hearing what Liu Tong said, Wu Mei agreed that it might be a good way. So he said, A bamboo house is also a possible solution. There is much bamboo on the mountain here. The trouble is only when it is windy or rainy. But now there are no other solutions. Lets build a bamboo house first! I suggest that our three families go to the mountain to help cut bamboo tomorrow. The house must be built as soon as possible. Although Wu Mei was a daddy, he basically decided everything at home. As long as it was not a big deal, Xu An would follow his ideas. As for the other two families, the situation was similar. Besides, they were all friends with Liu Tong, so the matter of building a bamboo house was settled. Well, we can cut bamboo ourselves, but the house must have a tiled roof. Wu Mei, at that time, please help me to see where to get tiles in the village and buy some for me. You dont have to worry about money. Ive been saving money for Rans medical treatment these years. I have got two taels of silver in my hand. Its enough to buy tiles, but other things may have to wait, Liu Tong said frankly. Wu Mei waved his hand, Dont worry about this. Our three families can help you first. Well talk about it after your life is better. I know you well, Liu Tong. Please dont stand on ceremony. The building of the house is the most important thing. Yes, thank you so much. Liu Tong didnt say anything further. He just bore in mind the favor from his good friends. When the adults were discussing heatedly in the room, the children were all playing outside. Seeing it was getting dark, Wu Lan and Liu Qing brought their kids home, while Liu Tongs family stayed at Wu Meis. Wu Mei had three beds in his house. Wu Mei took Yueyaer to sleep with them. Liu Tongs two children shared a bed with with Dahu, while the rest bed was given to Liu Tong and Xu Ran. After a long days work, everyone was tired. But before going to bed, Xu Ran insisted on helping Liu Tong apply medicine to his bruise on the back. Liu Tong lay face-down on the bed, unable to see Xu Ran, who was helping him at the moment. But in his heart, he felt very sweet. At last, Ran was well and everything was different. Xu Ran wanted to tell him his plan, but seeing how tired Liu Tong was and that he would go to the mountain the next day, he restrained his words and lay on the bed with eyes closed. As soon as Xu Ran fell asleep, he rolled into Liu Tongs arms as usual. Liu Tong naturally knew that Xu Rans moving into in his arms. He hadnt slept deeply to begin with, so he smiled. He had supposed that Ran wouldnt be the same as before after he recovered, but he didnt expect that this habit was kept. Even though the injury on his back hurt, Liu Tong still felt that today was his happiest day. Ran was well again, and everything was so good. Chapter 17 Early the next morning, with the first rooster crowing, Liu Tong woke up. He looked at the sweating man who was sleeping soundly in his arms. He first wiped his sweat, then carefully moved his body, trying not to wake him up. He knew that Ran had been sleeping in a shallow way. And a few days ago, he was still ill. However, he seemed to be well these two days, and Liu Tong felt much relieved. After getting out of bed, he went to another room to see Tangtang and Guoguo. There on a bed, three children were sleeping soundly on their backs. Lightly, Liu Tong went away. At the kitchen, Wu Mei had already begun to make a fire and made breakfast. Upon seeing Liu Qing, Wu Mei asked, Why did you get up so early? You were tired for a whole day yesterday, and you were injured. Why not sleep more? Liu Tong shook his head, No, Im used to getting up early. Let me help you cook! Seeing that Liu Tong was in high spirit, Wu Mei agreed, All right. You help me make the fire! I am going to make doughballs this morning. Only when we are full do we have the strength to work. Liu Tong nodded and added firewood into the stove. It was completely daybreak when several children woke up. Dahu took the three younger children to wash their faces, and then they ran to the kitchen to wait at the door. Tangtang and Guoguo had never done this kind of thing before. They had to eat only when the Xu Family had leftovers at home, otherwise they would not have breakfast in the morning. They were hungry so often that they became accustomed to it. But today, when Dahu brought them to the kitchen to wait for food, they were both surprised, and even looked forward to when they might be able to do the same. It made Liu Tongs heart ache to see the overcautious expressons on the faces of both Tangtang and Guoguo. He could do nothing about it in the Xu Family, but he was sure such things would never happen in the future. Wu Mei didnt try to drive the children away after seeing it. He just said, Tangtang, Guoguo, you are hungry, right? Dont worry. One more minute, and the meal will be ready. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded obediently. However, Dahu and Yueyaer felt their daddy ignored them, so both of them began to act pettishly, Daddy, daddy, we are also hungry and we want to eat, too. Wu Mei slapped Dahu on the head, Go outside and wait. Ill be so happy if you are as obedient as Tangtang and Guoguo. Dahu rubbed his head with grievance and left with the other children. Liu Tong found it interesting, Wu Mei, Dahu is also very obedient! Why do you often beat him? That kid needs a spank. Nothing comes into shape until it is knocked by a hammer. He just behaves in front of you, replied Wu Mei. Hes still young. Dont be too hard. Tangtang and Guoguo have been restrained for too long, or they should be very naughty at the age, Liu Tong smiled. Thats true. Well, everything will be fine in the future. In this way, both of them were chatting while busy working in the kitchen. Soon, breakfast was ready. Liu Tong asked Tangtang and Guoguo to wake Xu Ran up for breakfast. Xu Ran was still deep at sleep when the two kids went inside. So the two children were in a bit of a quandary about whether they should wake their dad up or not since he didnt sleep enough. But thinking of the hot breakfast outside, the two kids still decided to wake Xu Ran up. They thought it was no big deal that their dad could eat and then come back to sleep again. Dad, dad Tangtang and Guoguo called out to Xu Ran over and over again. And Xu Ran finally made a move. In a daze, Xu Ran sat up from his bed. Looking at the two children standing in front of his bed, he still felt a little trance and could not respond for a moment. He was about to speak when he felt the pain in his mouth. Only then did Xu Ran realize where he was. Xu Ran noticed that It was already broad daylight outside, and even the children had got up, while he was still sleeping in bed. Xu Ran suddenly felt embarrassed. Seeing Xu Ran still sitting in a daze on the bed, Tangtang and Guoguo couldnt help pushing him, Dad, get up for breakfast. At the same time, they tried to pull him up. Xu Ran followed their ideas. He then dressed himself. At first, as a fool, he could do nothing. It was Liu Tong who had taught him for a long time before he was able to do something like this. When Xu Ran was led to the eating place, all the bowls and chopsticks had already been arranged on the table. Liu Tong was serving some dishes. Seeing Xu Ran, he wiped his hands and walked over, Ran, does your mouth still hurt? Xu Ran shook his head. Even if it hurt, he couldnt say it! He was no longer that fool, so he had to endure the pain. Luckily, the wound on his leg was not painful anymore. Xu Ran felt satisfied about it. Seeing that he shook his head, Liu Tong thought that he was really not in pain. Liu Tong knew, being a fool, Xu Ran wouldnt lie to him. He still habitually regarded Xu Ran as the original fool. It was only when Xu Ran began to eat that he felt really bad. The breakfast was so hot that he felt very painful when the food got into his mouth, but he couldnt say it. He could only try hard to swallow it. His miserable appearance made Wu Mei think that his cooking skills were too poor and Xu Ran could not get used to the food. Xu Ran, is the food not delicious? How about I make something new for you again? Wu Mei was not someone who liked to beat about the bush, so he asked directly. Xu Ran shook his head abruptly, No. Liu Tong also noticed that something was wrong with Xu Ran. He guessed that he was scalded by food, because he knew that the injury in Xu Rans mouth could not be healed so quickly. He smiled at Wu Mei, Wu Mei, dont think too much. Ran should have been scalded. The injury in his mouth does not recover yet, so he ate with a grievance just now. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Wu Mei remembered that Xu Ran was injured yesterday. He stood up and said, Then lets cool the food first. Let me go to get some cold water. No. Thank you. You just sit and eat! Let me do it. I was negligent just now. Liu Tong stopped Wu Mei and went to the kitchen himself. At this time, he realized that Ran had completely recovered and was no longer a fool. He was trying to comfort him by saying that he didnt feel pain. Liu Tong was not used to such a sudden change in their living situation. After both Wu Meis and Liu Tongs families had breakfast, Wu Lan and Liu Qing came over with axes and machetes, and their children were brought over with them, too. The children would stay at Wu Meis house and let Xu Ran watch over them. All the other adults would go up the mountain. Chapter 18 Doctor Liu confirmed that Xu Ran was recovering slowly, and Xu Ran himself also showed amazing progress in his health. Thus before going out to work in the mountain, the adults left the children at home for Xu Ran to look after them. Children were naughty, but because of Xu Ran, plus Tangtang and Guoguo, who had always followed Liu Tongs advice to protect Xu Ran since their childhood, the adults didnt have to worry about their children. Besides, there was nothing terrible around here, and one of them would come back to cook at noon. Thus this was the case. After Liu Tong and others went up the mountain to chop the bamboo, Xu Ran began to play with a bunch of kids in the yard. These kids had known each other well, so Xu Ran didnt need to pay much attention to them. In the end, only Tangtang kept staying there with Xu Ran. He was not as active as Guoguo. He thought it his duty as an elder brother to protect his dad. He let his younger brother go to enjoy playing with others. Tangtang clearly remembered what had happened yesterday. His dad and daddy were both hit by his granddad. And they were even driven out of their house. Thus they now had no place to live. Today, his daddy and Daddy Wu Mei went up the mountain to cut bamboo to build a house for them. Tangtang kept staying by Xu Rans side, while Xu Ran was staring ahead blankly. Out there seen from the yard, it was a vast expanse of greenery. In Xu Rans mind, this was the real rural area. He was somewhat glad that he had grown up in the countryside when he was a child, so that he was now not like a parasite which knew nothing and never toiled. According to Xu Rans memory, he knew that his place was called Qingfeng Land, his country was called Qingyuan Dynasty, and Xu Village was about located in modern Sichuan area. Xu Ran was from Sichuan, so he knew a lot about the crops in the area. He believed as long as he could recover, his family would have a good life soon. Sichuan people loved spicy food. It happened that in this era, chilli and pepper were available. Xu Ran thought that he could work later hard on food. After all, this business worked fastest. However, although he had this idea in his mind, he couldnt implement it immediately. Anyway, he was still a fool, not to mention the new things in this era could always attract peoples eyes, and then might cause some disaster. Now he had no background, and his weakness was too obvious, so he had to think twice about everything he did. Xu Ran knew that the owner of this body was poisoned and mentally handicapped before he went to attend the scholar examination. If Xu Cheng had been a little slower and let the fool go to the examination first, his life now after the transmigration would have been much better. Considering the tax situation of this era, Xu Ran suddenly thought he should first pass the scholar examination. The more he thought about it, the more things he found he needed to do, and he instantly had a feeling that life was too limited. Although he had so many ideas, Xu Ran still felt helpless, because he could not tell others these ideas, and he could only keep them to himself. Xu Ran thus felt very depressed. In this way, Xu Ran was in a daze all morning, while Tangtang sat beside him for a whole morning without even moving. It was not until Xu Ran had returned to his senses that he discovered all this. Looking at the sweaty children running in the distance, and at Tangtang sitting quietly by his side, he felt quite guilty. He held the boy in his arms and asked gently, Tangtang, why dont you go and play with your brother and other kids over there? Seeing his dad finally regaining his wits, Tangtang sighed in relief. In the past, his dad would sit in a daze like this for a long time. Even if someone called him, he gave no response. And he would even get sick if this kind of situation lasted for long, so today Tangtang was worried that his dad would be sick again. However, Tangtang was amzed to see his dad woke up himself after sitting for a long time today. Hearing Xu Rans questions, Tangtang answered obediently, Daddy said that I am a big brother and I must protect you and my little brother. As Guoguo has gone to play with others, I must stay behind to protect you. A five-year-old child showed such a serious look and made such a remark that Xu Ran was very moved. He kissed Tangtang on his forehead, Tangtang, you dont need to protect me from now on. I can protect myself, you and Guoguo. I can also protect daddy and the whole family. Really? Tangtang was obviously very happy. His eyes instantly lit up when he heard these words. Xu Rans heart ached more. He knew how much the child expected his dad to protect his family, just like in all other peoples homes. Yes, of course its true. I have never lied to Tangtang, have I? Tangtang thought for a while and found that what Xu Ran said was true. His dad really didnt lie to him, so he believed and said seriously, Dad, I trust you. Xu Ran was very happy. He felt a sense of being completely trusted. Xu Ran then put Tangtang down, Go! Go and play with them over there. Dont worry about me. Tangtang shook his head, No, Ill talk with you! Okay, then lets talk. Tangtang, what do you want to do when you grow up? Tangtang tilted his head and thought for quite a while, but he didnt think of what he wanted do in the future. Then he turned to Xu Ran bitterly. This scene amused Xu Ran. He then asked, Do you like reading? I like it! Tangtang replied without thinking. Do you like to learn martial arts? I dont like it. Do you like farming? I dont like it. Do you like to do business? I dont like it. They both asked and answered in this way. Finally, Xu Ran asked all the questions he thought about. He concluded that Tangtang liked reading. Xu Ran then touched his head, Tangtang, since you like reading, I will send you to study in two years. Tangtang should study hard and try to become the No.1 scholar in the examination, okay? As if he had been bestowed with a sacred mission, Tangtang nodded seriously, Yes, I will, Dad! Chapter 19 At noon, Wu Mei and Liu Qing came back to cook, while the others continued chopping bamboo on the mountain. To build a new house, they needed much bamboo. There were seven of them working together. It would take them at least two or three days to get enough bamboo, so they decided not to come back to rest at noon. Wu Mei and Liu Qing would go home and get the food ready so that they could all eat on the mountain. Wu Mei raised chickens, ducks and pigs at home. It was Dahus duty to take care of the chickens and ducks, so whenever he was free, he would cut some green grass to feed them. As for pigs, their feed had to be cooked first, and then it had to be carried into the pigsty by barrels. However, at the moment, as the pigs had been hungry for a whole morning, they were grunting loudly there. Thinking that he had recovered, Xu Ran went to help Wu Mei carry the pig feed. Although Xu Ran was a man, he had been a fool for many years and had been spoiled by Liu Tong. Obviously, he couldnt compare with Wu Mei in working. Seeing Xu Ran hurriedly come to help him carry some pig feed, Wu Mei just thought that he was curious and did it as a fun. He didnt laugh at him seeing that he wasnt able to carry up the barrel. However, Xu Ran himself was a little embarrassed. In order to prove that he could help, Xu Ran chose to help Wu Mei to scoop the feed out of the pot into the bucket. Xu Ran understood that he couldnt do heavy physical work at the moment, but this kind of easy job was still a cinch to him, and Xu Ran suddenly felt glad that he was able to do something at last. Although this something was really It was still hot outside. The adults stopped their children from going out, because they were afraid that the children would go to the river at the entrance of the village to take a bath. It would be a miserable result if anything happened in the end. It was the same situation with the children in Wu Mei, Wu Lans and Liu Qings families. None of them was allowed to go out. As for Tangtang and Guoguo, they had never thought of going out to play. After Wu Mei and Liu Qing got the food ready and left, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to organize the other children to sleep on the bed, saying that they were going out to play after waking up. Of course, what Xu Ran meant was not really going out to play, but he meant to help with getting the pig grass. Wu Mei and other adults went up the mountain to help chop the bamboo. They still had a lot of family chores to do at home, like the children needing to eat, chickens and ducks needing to be fed However, they had no time to help with all these until nightfall after they came back from the mountain. Xu Ran felt guilty for all these, thinking that he could do something and try to help. After all, at the moment, all the adults were busy working for his family. Xu Ran seldom talked with the other children. He usually talked to Tangtang and Guoguo only. The two obedient children thus became good messengers between Xu Ran and the other children. It had been about two hours by the time Xu Ran woke up again, but he didnt know the specific time. It was just his guess because Tangtang and Guoguo were still sleeping soundly beside him, snorting and sweating. Xu Ran went to the yard to get a basin of water. He then took a towel and wiped the sweat for the two kids. All these were done and he woke them up. Though still sleepy, the two kids followed Xu Ran to wake up the other children. Similar to Wu Mei, Wu Lan also had two children-one was Xiaozi (a man who couldnt give birth, such as Xu Ran) and the other was a Geer (a man who could give birth, such as Liu Tong). For Liu Qing, he had three children, two Xiaozis and one Geer. Xu Ran helped the two Geers wipe their sweat. As for Xiaozis, he didnt want to care about them, so Dahu took them to the yard to wash themselves. After everything got ready, Xu Ran asked Guoguo to organize all the children to go out for the pig grass. Dahu knew well where all the sickles and baskets were at home. He was already eight years old. He usually helped with the housework. Today, however, Xu Ran didnt let him work. He was going to cut the grass himself. To him, the advantage of growing up in the countryside was to know what the pig grass was. Chapter 20 Carrying baskets with them, Xu Ran set out with the group of children. Outside there, however, he did not know which direction to go better, so he asked, Dahu, where can we get pigweeds? I know, I know. Come with me. Ill show you the way, Dahu ran to the front, wanting to take them to find greenfeed for pigs. Outside, the children ran around like wild horses without reins. Even Tangtang and Guoguo were so attracted that they could not help but join them. Fortunately, there was no one on the road at the moment, so there was no need to worry that they would bump into some pedestrians. Thus Xu Ran just let them be. In his heart, Xu Ran was silently calculating how much pigweed he needed to get this time. Besides Wu Mei, there were still two other families that he needed to help. It seemed that he had to do a lot of work this afternoon. The place Dahu took them to was behind the mountain, which blocked the sunshine. It was a barren land with many wild grass. Xu Ran even saw many wild vegetables. He couldnt control the other kids, so he just told Tangtang and Guoguo to look after them. Xu Ran had no intention of letting the children work with him, but the children were quite sensible. They all worked around Xu Ran to find the greenfeed for pigs. Xu Ran worked very quickly. After all, he had practiced this when he was young. Although he had changed his body, he still remembered the working technique. He even picked out the edible wild vegetables and put them aside. Xu Ran also saw houttuynia cordata, which was good for peoples appetite. Both its leaves and roots were edible, but now that its leaves were old and the roots were almost the same. Xu Ran cut the leaves as pigweeds. As for the roots, Xu Ran called Tangtang, Tangtang, come here. Tangtang was looking for pigweeds. Hearing Xu Ran calling him, he immediately ran over while wiping his sweat, Dad, yes? Tangtang, go back with Dahu and get a hoe here. I have found something for us to eat for dinner. Although Tangtang didnt know what his dad was talking about, he still ran to find Dahu and then came back with him carrying a hoe. In order to get some time to dig cordate houttuynia, Xu Ran sped up his work on the pigweeds. They had carried here two baskets. Xu Ran figured that only two baskets of pigs greenfeed was not enough for three families. However, he did not care so much. He first tried to fill up the two baskets, then went on to cut another large amount of pigweeds and put them aside. He thought that if they could not carry them back, they could wait until Liu Tong came back in the evening to carry the rest. By the time he got three full baskets of greenfeed for pigs, it had taken him totally three hours, and his hands were aching stiff. However, Xu Ran didnt say anything in front of the children. He took the hoe that Tangtang and Dahu had got for him and began to dig cordate houttuynia. He asked the older children to pick them up next to him while he just focused on digging. Tangtang, Dahu, you are going to pick up the tender ones. As for the tough ones, just throw them into the pile of pigweeds, okay? Got it, dad. Yes, Uncle Xu, I got it. The two children replied in a crisp voice. By the time they got a lot of cordate houttuynia, the sun had already set. However, in summer, it was getting dark later. Even if the sun set, it would take a while before it would get dark. However, they didnt bring anything to carry cordate houttuynia. Therefore, Xu Ran looked for some longer grass and tied them up one by one. Then he asked each of the children to carry a bunch of cordate houttuynia, while he himself was carrying a basket full of pigweeds. Xu Ran was worried about whether the left pigweeds there would be taken away by someone else, so Guoguo volunteered to stay to keep watch on them Xu Ran thought that as long as he came back quickly, everything would be fine, so he agreed and left Liu Qings dog for Guoguos company. Chapter 21 When they were still on their way back, Liu Tong and the others had returned home. Seeing that the gate of the courtyard was closed, and that there was no one inside, they were a little worried. They were just about to go out to look for them when they saw that Xu Ran came back with the children. Not only did they come back, but Xu Ran also carried a full basket of pigweeds on his back. Each of the children also carried a bunch of white things looking like grass roots in their hands. Liu Tong hurriedly stepped forward to take Xu Rans baskets over. He looked at him reproachfully, Why did you run out? Xu Ran smiled and gave the basket to Liu Tong without saying a word. Dahu replied quickly, Daddy Liu Tong, Uncle Xu went out to cut some pigweeds. Hes so powerful. Hes got a lot of pigs greenfeed, and theres more outside. Guoguo and the dog were there on guard. Dad, youd better all go out to carry them back. Actually, they had all been very impressed to see Xu Ran come back with a full basket of pigweeds on his back. It was really out of their expectation when they were told by Dahu that there was still a lot of pigweeds left behind. They were all clear that Liu Tong had spoiled Xu Ran for seven years and had not let him do anything. Liu Tong carried the pigweeds into the yard. On hearing that there were still some left outside, Xu An and Xu Zhen had already left the courtyard with baskets on their backs. Xu An knew the place where Dahu often went to get pigs feed, so he didnt ask Dahu to lead the way. Just then Liu Qing and Wu Lan noticed the roots in the childrens hands and asked curiously, Daodao, what is that in your hand? Is it also greenfeed for pigs? Wu Lans words attracted the attention of everyone present. Daodao was Wu Lans child, a Geer, one year younger than Tangtang and Guoguo, and he was only four years old. He shook his head, I dont know what they are. Uncle Xu asked me to take them back. Seeing his dad had no intention of explaining, Tangtang walked up to Daodaos side and explained, Daddy Wu Lan, my dad said that this thing is edible, so weve taken a lot back. This is food? Ran, didnt you make a mistake? Liu Tong was also surprised. Xu Ran shook his head, No. They are edible. Seeing that Xu Ran was so sure, they came to believe it. Wu Mei asked, But Xu Ran, how should we eat them? To make a salad, Xu Ran no longer pretended to be stammer. He just spoke clearly. Liu Tong collected the houttuynia cordata in the hands of the children and put them aside. He said, Since Ran said that they are edible, well try them for dinner in the evening! It will be fine if we just eat little of them. If they are really something good to eat, we will have a new dish in the future. OK, well make salad in the evening then. Wu Lan and Liu Qing, your two families will also have dinner here with us tonight. Havent Xu Ran got a lot of pigweeds? Later each of you can go back home with a basket of pig feed, so that you wont have to go out to get pigweeds again in the dark tonight. Wu Lan agreed straightforwardly, Yes, great! Xu Ran is really recovering gradually. He even helped us get pigweeds and wild vegetables. Liu Tong, youve made it to the end. Liu Tong was indeed very happy. Today, Xu Ran really gave him a good surprise. At night, Xu Ran told Liu Tong the way to make cordate houttuynia salad. When Liu Tong cut the wild vegetable, a pleasant smell wafted through the air. The children all came in because of the attractive fragrance. These wild vegetables could be eaten raw, but Xu Ran selected them again before the making. He was afraid that the children would have put other things in. Xu Ran saw the children drooling over the food, so he asked Liu Tong to get the salad ready first so that the children could taste them. The adults were still worried that the food was poisonous and could not be eaten. In order to prove it, Xu Ran took a bite first. After a while, he was fine. Thus, the children started eating. Chapter 22 The seasonings in ancient times were not as fine as those in modern times, so the salad of Houttuynia cordata was not as delicious as Xu Ran used to eat. However, the food grown in the land without any pollution had a very good taste. And there was no need to worry about the harm of eating too much. The children also liked this food. Everyone ate more than usual in dinner. The adults were even worried that the children would eat too much and got stuffed. After taking another bowl of rice added by Liu Tong, Xu Ran slowly said two words, So appetizing. As the children liked this salad so much, the adults naturally wouldnt eat it so as to save it for the kids, but they still tasted a few mouthfuls and found it was really tasty. Looking at her children eating with such relish, Wu Mei said with a smile, See, our Yueyaer is eating like a dirty cat. Xu Ran has really found something good this time. Now it is the time we lack in food. With this food, we dont have to worry about the shortage. By the way, whats the name of this thing, Xu Ran? Houttuynia cordata, Xu Ran took a mouthful of food and replied. This is a good thing, but we cant let others know it, otherwise many people will rush over and snatch it, and it will cause trouble, Liu Tong exhorted. The other adults present nodded in agreement. Alright then, from now on, we adults will not go for this stuff, but let the children search for it. Anyway, its convenient for them to get it while cutting pigweeds. Okay, thats it. Everyone agreed with Wu Mei. Xu Ran and the children were enjoying themselves with the food there. The long lost taste made Xu Ran feel very happy. After supper, Wu Lan and Liu Qing brought their children back with them and each carried a basket of pigweeds. It was not until Xu Ran went to bed at night that he noticed that his skin on the hand was abraded and very tender. But he tried to endure it and said nothing about it. Liu Tong, however, had guessed it even without being told. After all, Xu Ran hadnt done anything in the past seven years. This afternoon, he had got so much pigweeds and cordate houttuynia. It would be weird if he hadnt hurt his skin. Liu Tong took out the medicine Doctor Liu had given him and applied it for Xu Ran before he went to bed. Upon lying on the bed, Xu Ran thought of the injury on Liu Tongs shoulder, so he got up right away to apply medicine for Liu Tong. In this way, they helped each other and applied medicine before lying on the bed to talk. Although Xu Ran did a lot of work this afternoon, he didnt feel tired. He turned to look at Liu Tong lying next to him, Tongtong, how long will it take you for the bamboo cutting? Two more days. I want to chop more of it to make our new house a little bigger. When its cold in winter, well pull some kraft paper and wrap it outside, so that it wont be cold. Xu Ran had always been looking forward to the bamboo house. Thinking that he would soon have it, he felt excited. However, he soon thought about the other life problems that would follow it. Life couldnt go without firewood, rice, oil, salt, pots and pans. However, they didnt have any of these things now. They had to pay for them. The problem was that they had no money at all. It was really annoying! Xu Ran sighed, Tongtong, do you still have any money? Otherwise, we cant afford for the bowls. Looking at Xu Ran, who was down, Liu Tong shook his head and felt a little guilty, Ran, Im sorry that I havent saved money, otherwise we wouldnt have suffered so much. Xu Ran grabbed Liu Tongs hand and said, Why are you talking about this? Since we dont have money, we can make the bowls ourselves. And the chopsticks are made of wood too. Only the pot has to be made of iron. Xu Ran kept on planning how to make the necessary tableware and cooking materials, while Liu Tong was figuring how to earn a sum of money as soon as possible, because he knew the family was out of food, the two children were still young, and Ran was not in good health There, they were both lying in the same bed but had different ideas. Of course, both of them were figuring how to make their family live a good life, which was a mutual goal actually. Chapter 23 Two days later, the bamboo needed for the new house was finally all cut down, and what they needed to do now was to move them down the mountain. Xu Ran also led a group of children up the mountain to help with the work. As he was still not strong enough, he moved one after another. As for the children, they were also organized to carry one bamboo together once and took a rest when they were tired. Dahu and Gouzi were already eight years old, so they two cooperated to work together, while the other children were divided into two groups. The children were still young, but more people, more powerful! In this way, they went back and forth and successfully moved a lot of bamboo. The adults were very happy, constantly praising the kids. Being so much encouraged, the kids didnt feel tired at all. It took all of them one day to carry all the bamboo down the mountain. And then they had to split each bamboo into two parts. This was also a huge project. Now that they didnt have money, they couldnt pay for other people to do it. They could only do it slowly. Fortunately, it was not the busy farming season. There were so many people to feed every day, and they all stayed at Wu Meis house. Xu Ran felt worried and embarrassed about the situation. So he often took the kids to look for wild vegetables. If he was lucky, he was able to find a lot of food. However, the amount of food was still not plenty enough. Xu Ran had never seen any potatoes here. Logically speaking, he thought this place should grow potatoes. He guessed maybe they had not been discovered yet, so he decided to go up the mountain to search for them. There was danger on the mountain, so he couldnt take any children with him. He went alone without telling Liu Tong and others. He knew that Liu Tong would not agree with him, so he planned to go alone to have a try first. Xu Ran carried a basket on his back, put a little hoe in it, and even took a sickle in his hand. He only planned to go for half a day, so he didnt even prepare any food or water. Since ancient times, there had always been a saying that people living either on mountains or by waters could feed on the nature. Therefore, Xu Ran firmly believed that there should be a lot of food to support human life on this mountain. Now the mushroom harvest season was over, but there were some wood ears. Seeing the thick wood ears growing on the tree trunks, Xu Ran knew that it was because no one here dared to eat them, so he immediately picked them and put them in his basket. However, the main reason he went up the mountain today was to find potatoes. He didnt know if he could find them. In order to find potatoes, Xu Ran made a lot of efforts. At first, he bent down and tried hard to look for it carefully, but nothing was found. Later, he simply lay down on the ground and searched one space after another with a sickle, so his clothes were all stained with mud. At last he found one plant of potato! He was almost weeping with joy. After a potato plant was found, there was a second and a third one The climate here was humid. It was a good place to grow potatoes. Xu Ran poured out the wood ears in the basket and put them aside. He then began to dig out potatoes and threw them into the basket. It was getting hotter and hotter, and Xu Ran found his basket was already full of potatoes. He just stopped his digging. He knew if he went back late, Liu Tong would be worried. When Xu Ran went back with his harvest, Liu Tong and others had not come back yet. They were probably still working with the bamboo at the back of the village. Xu Ran chose to build their new home in this place. First of all, there were few people living around. It was also close to Wu Mei and other families. At the back of their new house was the mountain, so it was convenient for them to go up there whenever needed. In addition, there was a large patch of waste land around. At present, the Qingyuan Dynasty was sparsely populated, so the wasteland was not easy to cultivate. Xu Rans plan was just to make good use of this vast land. As the new home had such a good location, Xu Ran of course would make this good decision. Liu Tong naturally wouldnt have any objections to this good choice. Usually, when building a new house, people here would invite a geomancer to check its Geomantic Omen. Xu Ran and his family didnt have money, so they gave it up. Anyway, they believed that their choice would not be wrong. When Xu Ran returned to Wu Meis house, the children were still playing wildly in the yard driving the chickens and ducks flying here and there, so the whole yard was full of feathers. Xu Ran couldnt help but sigh. This was really the case that with no adults around, the children could even turn the sky. Fortunately, these kids did not run out and cause trouble. Tangtang and Guoguo were the first to see Xu Ran and they ran over, Dad. Xu Ran nodded. He didnt stop because the things on his back were too heavy and he directly went to the kitchen. As Xu Ran was always able to create some rare and good things recently, these children stopped playing around after he entered the door and followed behind him. Dahu saw the things in the basket and asked, Uncle Xu, what are they? Xu Ran intended to get some water outside to wash his face. Hearing Dahus words, he turned around and replied, They are potatoes, edible. Ill cook them for lunch. Upon hearing that they were something to eat, the children were all excited. Seeing their dad was covered with mud and sweat, Tangtang and Guoguo ran out to help Xu Ran get water. Thus Xu Ran just stepped outside, when Tangtang and Guoguo carried a basin of water in. Seeing this, Xu Ran smiled. He was quite touched. What a pair of considerate kids! Chapter 24 After washing his face, Xu Ran rolled up his sleeves and began to cook. The saying that a gentleman was far away from the kitchen didnt hold water in rural areas. Actually, few children who really grew up in the countryside couldnt cook. Naturally, Xu Ran was able to do cooking. He first put some brown rice into the pot. Next, he quickly cut several potatoes with a kitchen knife and then added them into the pot too. At the same time, he asked Dahu to help set a fire, while the other kids were directed to wash more potatoes. Potatoes were not only filling but also easy to grow. Xu Ran thought it was necessary to develop them in the future. He planned to make some dishes with potatoes for lunch today. As for wood ears, he also took them out and put them there with the potatoes. As they looked black and ugly, no children would like them. Xu Ran felt helpless. This was also a world where people made their judgement by the look. The wood ears would be delicious when they were fried with meat. However, they were staying in others house after all, so Xu Ran didnt dare to cut other peoples bacon. He just soaked the wood ears and planned to wait for the other adults to come back. There were a lot of potatoes. Xu Ran fried a few dishes from them. These days, Dahu would also go to dig some cordate houttuynia back. Including the radish pickles from Wu Meis family, there would be five or six dishes at noon. Now, he was waiting for the last stir fried meat with wood ears. At noon, all those working outside came back. As soon as they entered the yard, they smelled an aroma of food. The group hurriedly went to wash their hands. Liu Tong was the first to finish washing, and then he went into the kitchen. He guessed that it was Xu Ran who was cooking. He didnt expect Xu Ran was able to cook. His eyes were full of joy, Ran, what are you doing? I have smelled the fragrance in the yard. When Liu Tong entered the kitchen, he saw Xu Ran washing the pot with a few plates placed next to him, containing things that he didnt recognize. You are back. Potatoes, Xu Ran replied with a smile. He still talked very little at the moment, but he could make people understand his meaning. He was still taking the medicine prescribed by Doctor Liu. He planned to get wellcompletely after their new house was built. Potatoes? What are they? Can they be eaten? How come Ive never heard of it before? Liu Tong looked at the yellow stuff cut into pieces on the plate, feeling very surprised. Edible. Recently, Xu Ran was always able to make some strange and amazing food. Liu Tong didnt feel it strange about this, but he felt surprised why he could find so many edible things. Wu Mei and others came to the kitchen after washing up their hands. They saw not only the fried potatoes, but also some other black stuff there. Xu Ran, what is this? So black, can it also be eaten? Wu Lan asked Xu Ran with a wood ear in his hand. Xu Ran nodded, Black wood ear. Edible, fried with meat. We can eat this as well! Its so amazing! Xu Ran, you used to go to school and you are just different, Wu Lan praised him with some regret. Xu Ran himself didnt care about it. As Wu Mei heard that the wood ears were good to fry with meat, he turned around to get some bacon. Seeing that all the dishes were ready except the stir fry of wood ears, he understood Xu Rans meaning. After all, it was not Xu Rans home, so it was inconvenient. Fortunately, Wu Mei still had reserved some meat at home, so it was fine for them to eat it occasionally. Wu Mei cut some bacon and washed it with the hot water Xu Ran had prepared. Then he chopped it into pieces and handed them to Xu Ran. In his previous life, Xu Ran himself was a bachelor from the countryside, so cooking was a piece of cake for him. The fire in the stove was still on, so Xu Ran made the last dish quickly. After the stir fried meat with wood ears was ready, all the dishes were served on the table. When Liu Tong lifted the lid of the pot, he was surprised to find that Xu Ran had also added potatoes into the rice. He didnt say anything. He gave all the rice to the children, and the potatoes to the adults. During the meal, Xu Ran was praised again. The potatoes were delicious, sweet, and filling. The stir fried meat with wood ears was very tasty too. They had never eaten such good food before. Ran, where did you find these potatoes? Why didnt we find them before? Liu Tong asked. None of them knew where Ran had found such amazing food. Upon hearing this question, other people focused their attention on him. Xu Ran didnt hide anything, On the mountain, dug. At the mention of the mountain, Liu Tongs face changed, Ran, the mountain is dangerous. Dont go alone from now on. Yes! Although this food is good, the mountain is dangerous after all. Besides, you are not familiar with the place, so youd better not go alone in the future, Wu Mei also urged. Xu Ran nodded, Got it, not in the future. After hearing Xu Rans assurance, Liu Tong continued eating, but he was still a little worried. Chapter 25 After lunch, Liu Tong took Xu Ran away. It was only a few days since Xu Ran recovered. He didnt expect that Ran would dare to go up the mountain alone. With so many beasts on the mountain, if he encountered any of them, could he come back alive? Just by imagining those scenes, Liu Tong was terrified. Xu Ran also noticed that he was worried, so he obediently followed behind him. Only when they were alone did Xu Ran start to comfort Liu Tong. Tongtong, dont worry. I know how to deal with it. You see Wu Mei and the others have helped us so much. And we have so many people here to feed. I am obliged to do something in return. I will not go deep into the mountain, and I have just looked for food on the hillside. Trust me. I still need to take care of you. I wont let anything happen to myself. What Xu Ran siad was so moving that Liu Tongs eyes almost turned red. He hugged Xu Ran and said, Ran, its all my fault. Xu Ran patted him on the back, What do you mean? Im in charge of the family. I should support my family. Dear, I wont go up the mountain alone in the future. Ill take you with me in the future, okay? Okay, Liu Tong nodded repeatedly, Take me with you. Ive learned to hunt with my dad, and Im also familiar with the mountain. Alright. Ill go with you. Xu Ran held Liu Tong in his arms tightly and tried to comfort him. At this time, Wu Mei was cleaning up the kitchen. He suddenly found a half basket of potatoes behind the door. He called Xu An over, Xu An, come. You see there are still a half basket of potatoes here. It is clear that Xu Ran has dug a lot of potatoes in the mountain today. Its really a hard job for him. Looking at the potatoes in the basket, Xu An knew that Xu Ran must feel so embarrassed to live and eat in their house that he went up the mountain to work alone. He thought for a moment and said, Lets just eat the potatoes! Otherwise, Xu Ran will not be at ease living here. Fine. Wu Mei agreed readily since his husband said so. Soon, the bamboo was ready. Next was to lay the foundation and build the house. And Xu Ran was trying to cook potatoes in a variety of ways these days. The potatoes were delicious but not greasy, so they were more popular than brown rice. Because of the good early preparatory work, the house was under the construction quickly, No materials like mud or wood were needed, and the bamboo was light and clean. The seven of them worked very effectively. Soon the structure of the house was built in four or five days. Although everything was done in a hurry, the building was indeed strong and sturdy. It looked good too. What came next was to get the tiles back which Wu Mei had helped find. In the village, there was a special place to make tiles. The price was not cheap, with twenty pence for each piece. Thus all Liu Tongs money was spent on the tiles. Another ten days passed. And it had also been twenty days since Xu Ran came to this world. The house was finally built. Once the house was furnished necessarily, they could move into the new house. The bed was made of bamboo, which was helped by Xu An. Actually, most things in the house were made of bamboo. Xu Ran didnt specially make a stove for cooking, instead, he directly built a fire pit with four stones. When he was young, his family did cooking in this kind of fire pit. It was also convenient for people to get warm in winter just by sitting around. They just needed to hang a jar on a hook when cooking. As for the cooking pot, he just made something to lift on its cover. In fact, it was not that Xu Ran didnt want to build a stove. It was just that they didnt have money now, so they had to do without. Except the pot, the other tableware was all made of wood. Xu Ans craftsmanship was good, and the wooden bowls were also very good. In the evening, Liu Tong went to a villages elder who knew about the auspicious days and chose a good day to move into the new house. On the day of moving, in addition to Wu Meis and other two families, Xu Ran also invited the village heads family as well as the elders, who chose the lucky moving day for them. This elder was also a member of Xus clan. The villagers called him Grandad the Third. On this very day, Xu Ran did all the cooking. Though there were no potatoes, the dishes included cordate houttuynia salad and other wild vegetables. The reason why he didnt take out the potatoes was that he wanted to keep it as a secret. If the village head knew about it, everyone in the village would also know the truth. Potatoes were Xu Rans present way to feed his family. He didnt want to let them known to all. That day, Xu Zhen went to the town to buy meat and wine. And two big characters of happiness in red were put up on the wooden door of Xu Rans new house. And since that day, Xu Ran, who had been a fool for seven years, was no longer stupid. And the rumors about Xu Houcais family, which had been stopped in the village, spread again. Standing at the door of his own home, Xu Ran gazed at his spouse by his side, tall and strong, as well as his two lovely children affectionately. Looking back on the month he had been here, he finally felt that he had at last taken root. Chapter 26 On the night that Xu Ran and his family moved to their new home, each taking a wooden stool, the family of four people came to the hall to hold a family meeting, mainly about the future planning. Such as making money, eating and changing to another new house These were Xu Rans current goals. Ahem Xu Ran coughed and then began to speak, Tongtong, Tangtang and Guoguo, now our family has moved out here. Although we will live a little harder life at the beginning, we wont be bullied again. Are you all happy about this? Very happy! the two children replied in a crisp voice, while Liu Tong also wore a gentle smile on his face. Well, this is the case. The brown rice we eat now is still offered by Wu Mei and the other families. We cant grow our food this year, so we can only think of other methods to solve the problem. What methods? Liu Tong asked. Tongtong, you know. People here all love to eat chili, but I found that there is no chili patse here. Lets just make it. Anyway, Chilli is everywhere here on the mountain. As long as we spend some time on the mountain, well get a good harvest of them. What should we do with the chilli? I know nothing about it! What is chilli paste? Liu Tong had never heard of it before. You dont have to worry about this. Leave it to me. This is not your task, either. You just go hunting for wild animals to sell in the town so that we can buy a few acres of wasteland to plant potatoes with the money you got. As for Tangtang and Guoguo, you two go with me to pick chili and dig potatoes. Xu Ran arranged. Okay, Ran, well listen to you. Well listen to dad. The whole family were very supportive of Xu Rans arrangement. The next day, Xu Ran and his family went up the mountain, and the back baskets, hoes as well as sickles were all prepared as well. Liu Tong also had a bow. It had been hidden on the mountain all along. That was why he was so straightforward back then when he had left the Xu Family with nothing. In addition, Liu Tong also brought some tinder. Their family didnt keep any fowls, so they didnt need to come back home at noon. August was a season for chili. The mountain was full of red and green chili. It was wild, so no one cared how much they picked. The chilli paste that Xu Ran wanted to make was something like Lao Ganma chilli paste, which was very popular in his previous life. He had always liked eating it. However, his own mother had always said that there might be some more things added into that paste besides chilli. And actually, what Xu Ran had eaten then was the chilli paste his mother made following the ingredients written on the bottle of Lao Ganma chilli paste. As his mother had done it many times, he had learned it, too. Xu Ran believed that it was very important for everyone to cultivate a sense of transmigration from childhood, and learn everything since young. Xu Ran asked the two kids to pick chili, while he went to find another item, the black soybeans, which would add good flavor to the chilli paste. Tangtang, Guoguo, you must not rub your eyes with your hands after picking chilli, otherwise it will make your eyes sting, Xu Ran urged his two children, who were concentrated on picking chilli Oh, I got it, dad, Tangtang raised his head and replied. Xu Ran knew that such obedient kids shouldnt have any problems, so he calmly went to his own business. As for Liu Tong, he had already gone to undertake his task today. Not like ordinary soybeans, it was not easy to find the black ones. After searching for a long time, Xu Ran still didnt find any sign of black soybeans. He saw a few plants of soybeans. He didnt let them go but plucked them all instead. It was getting hotter and hotter, and it was almost noon. Xu Ran didnt even see a stalk of black soybeans. He almost lost his hope for them here even though he got quite a few soybeans. Liu Tong also came back at this time, holding a few pheasants and hares, two of which were still alive. Seeing the living hares, the two children immediately left their work to play with them. The two adults, so hot and sweaty, looked at each other and smiled, Tired? Come and rest. Xu Ran walked over to pull Liu Tong to a stone beside him and sat down together. Liu Tong didnt feel tired at all. He was used to working this way. However, since Xu Ran was willing to take care of him, he was glad to accept it. Xu Ran handed a bamboo tube with water to Liu Tong, Drink some water first. At noon, we will roast some potatoes to eat, and in the evening we will go home to make delicious food. Alright, up to you. Liu Tong had no objections. He had never had enough food in the Xu Family before. Sometimes, he even had nothing to eat at all and he was used to it. At present, he felt very satisfied to have potatoes to eat. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to sit down to have a rest, while he ran to find firewood for the cooking. The two kids were still chatting and playing with the hares. At the moment, on the quiet mountain, the whole family felt so good and pleased. What a warm scene it was! Chapter 27 This day was quite rewarding. Along with two full baskets of chili, Xu Ran had also harvested a basket of soybean, lots of potatoes in the bag. Liu Tong had hunted quite a few wild things. More importantly, he had found a roe deer which was still alive. This kind of roe deer was much more expensive when it was. With its leg injured, it might be able to survive until tomorrow morning, so Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to sell it in the market tomorrow. They got too many things and it was getting late so Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, you take the kids home first. Ill be here to keep an eye on our stuff. Maybe you can make a second run here to pick things up with me and we will go back together then. Liu Tong took a glance at Xu Ran. Without saying anything, he took the roe deer and brought their kids back home. The two kids had their own little back-basket. They even managed to carry more than half of the back-basket with pepper in it. The sun had just set, and the sky was not dark yet. Xu Ran got bored, so he picked up his hoe again and began to dig potatoes out. He was worried that if others found this potato field, they would all scramble up here to have a piece of it. And that would be the end for their familys own good. Therefore, it was better to make a faster move . Liu Tong came back very quickly with sweat on his forehead. It was obvious that he made it here running. Xu Ran walked up to him and wiped the sweat with his sleeve, Why are you running in such a hurry? You are all sweaty. Liu Tong smiled shyly and didnt say anything. He was just worried that Ran would be afraid in the mountains alone, but he did not say that out loud. The two of them worked together. Xu Ran carried the soybean, while Liu Tong carried the remaining basket of chili pepper on his back with a bag of potatoes on his shoulder. Seeing his man being so strong, Xu Ran felt that his ego as a man had been challenged. Actually, his body was already fully recovered; he was not sick or painful at all. Except lacking a little bit of strength, everything else was fine. When they went back, Xu Ran saw that Dahu and Yueyaer were also at their home. Xu Ran put down the things and asked, Oh, what brings you guys here? Dahu and Yueyaer came when Liu Tong made his second trip to the mountain. Seeing Xu Ran and Liu Tong came back, they greeted them immediately, Uncle Xu Ran, Daddy Liu Tong, our daddy sent us to invite you for dinner. Xu Ran rubbed Dahu on the head, Go back and tell your daddy, we are not going today. We have just come back from the mountain, and we got some food. Well go visit you in a few days. Looking at Xu Rans serious expression, Dahu knew that Xu Ran wouldnt go with him. He didnt say anything and left with Yueyaer. Dahu, wait a moment, take some potatoes with you! Xu Ran stopped Dahu and asked Liu Tong to pack some potatoes for Dahu. Dahu thanked him and went back with his little brother. Xu Ran walked them to the door, Be careful, watch your step! By the way, tell your daddy that Daddy Liu Tong is going to the town tomorrow, and he will wait for you guys at the entrance of the village tomorrow. Got it. Dahu turned back and shouted. Xu Ran did not go back into the room until he lost sight of those two kids completely . Liu Tong was already busy preparing their dinner in the kitchen. Tangtang and Guoguo were playing with those two rabbits. Seeing they were so happy, Xu Ran laughed, Tangtang, lets keep these two rabbits! What do you say? Hearing this, Tangtang and Guoguos eyes lit up, Really? Xu Ran smiled, When did I ever lie to you? Tomorrow, daddy will make a cage for them. But now you have to take a bath first. You guys looks so dirty. Alright, will do. As he spoke, they ran to the kitchen. Xu Ran went to get clothes for the two kids. The clothes were still the same ones as the ones they wore when they left the Xu Family. Later on, Wu Mei gave them some old clothes which once belonged to Dahu and Gouzi. Xu Ran felt sorry for his own kids and decided to make them something new as soon as possible. Liu Tong heated up the water, and then Xu Ran led Tangtang and Guoguo to the bath. The two kids liked to play with water. Now since the weather was getting warm, Xu Ran had no need to worry about them catching a cold, so he just let them play as they wanted. For dinner, Liu Tong stewed a pheasant with potatoes, served with lard oil rice. The whole family had enough. When they went to bed at night, Liu Tong asked Xu Ran if he wanted to go to town with him. Xu Ran shook his head, Nope, you just go by yourself and buy some stuff. I am no expert at this. Tomorrow, I think Ill stay at home, making some chili sauce with soybeans and pepper as soon as possible. Liu Tong lay by Xu Rans side. Xu Ran still habitually wriggled into Liu Tongs arms during the night, but for now, neither of them had the mood to have some extra fun in bed. Chapter 28 Early the next morning, Liu Tong got up and prepared breakfast well. He then left the food for Xu Ran and the kids in the pot hung over the fire so that they could eat when they got up. Liu Tong had a good harvest in his hunting yesterday. Except for the pheasant they had made for food and the two still living hares, he planned to sell the rest. Now they were in need of money. It was fine for them to eat less meat. Nevertheless, they were now enjoying better life than the time in the Xu Family. That river deer was still alive. Liu Tong specially separated it from the other prey. Thus, Liu Tong set off with a bag of dead prey and a living roe deer. Every six days was the market day for Daliang Town. Today, it happened that Xu An was also going to the town, so Liu Tong intended to take a lift in his ox cart. As he had appointed with Dahu last night, Liu Tong went directly to the village entrance to wait. Soon, many people came to the village entrance, and they were all in groups. Liu Tong didnt have any grudge against these people, so he greeted them with a smile. The people in the village liked to talk about family gossip when they were free. Therefore, they all knew the affairs about Liu Tongs family. For this, some of them showed sympathy while some others took a perverse delight. Actually only Wu Meis and other two families had reached out to help them. Liu Tong didnt care about these people who laughed at them. After seven years in Xu Village, he knew what kind of virtue these people had. However, these people were jealous when they saw the living roe deer that Liu Tong was holding. Yet, they could say nothing about it. After all, they all knew that Liu Tong was good at hunting. Liu Tong didnt wait at the village entrance for long before Xu An came with his ox cart. In addition to him, Wu Mei and Wu Lan were also in the carriage. Upon seeing Liu Tong, Wu Mei immediately called him up, Come, Liu Tong. Put the things in the carriage! Alright. Liu Tong put his baggage and the deer onto the carriage, and then he climbed up too. Xu An was in the middle driving the carriage, while the three Geers were chatting behind. Looking at the still living roe deer, both Wu Mei and Wu Lan were surprised, Liu Tong, you are so skilled at hungting. You can catch it alive. Liu Tong smiled, No way out. I have a family to feed. We dont even have a piece of land at the moment. We cant survive if we dont go hunting. You are right. If you have any difficulties, just tell me. I am sure we can definitely help you, Wu Mei said solemnly. Okay, I know. I wont stand on ceremony. Thank you so much. Sitting in the ox cart talking and laughing, they soon came to the town. Xu An found a place to stop his carriage, and then he paid someone there ten copper coins to look after it for him. At last, he went shopping with Wu Mei and Wu Lan. Liu Tong left alone. He went to the restaurant where he usually sold his hunted prey. The shopkeeper was surnamed Chen. He knew something about Liu Tong, so the price he gave him was very fair. That roe deer was still alive, so it was sold for more than one tael of silver, but the pheasant was only sold for 200 pence, while the hare was 300 pence. It was clear that the latter animals were not worth much because they were dead. Totally, Liu Tong earned more than two taels of silver. He put all the money well in his pocket and then went to buy some food. When Xu Ran woke up, Liu Tong had been away for a long time, and the place he had slept on felt cold. Thinking of the two kids at home, Xu Ran immediately got up from his bed. When he cleaned himself up and went to the rooms of the two kids, he found Tangtang and Guoguo had already put on their clothes and looked very energetic. Seeing Xu Ran, the two children greeted in unison, Dad. Xu Ran hugged them both in arms and kissed them each, Go to wash your face first. Your daddy went to the town and left us some food in the pot. After eating, well go to work. Yes, Tangtang and Guoguo nodded obediently and went to do their business. After putting down the two kids, Xu Ran went into the kitchen, took a few wooden bowls and served the brown rice porridge into them. The pot of porridge had been hanging on the fire all the time, so it was still warm and good to eat. When Tangtang and Guoguo finished their washing and came to the kitchen, the three of them began to have their breakfast together. Thus their new day began, and they were full of energy. Chapter 29 After breakfast, the father and sons began to air the chilli, because to make chilli paste, the chilli must be ground into powder first. If the chilli was not dry enough, it would be difficult to be milled into powder. There was still a lot of bamboo left after their house was built. Xu Ran then asked Xu An and others to make bamboo mats for their future use, such as to air rice or wheat. At the moment, Xu Ran laid out a bamboo mat and asked the two kids to spread chilli on it. He then went to carry out the soybeans himself. Yesterday, they picked up the beans together with their shells. Thus they now had to air them out before they were dry enough to beat the beans out. Soybeans were rare here, and they were known to be edible by very few people, let alone be planted. Although there was tofu already, it was not as popular as vegetables and radishes. At present, few families owned a millwheel at home, so in order to eat tofu, they needed to pay someone to grind the beans for them. Xu Ran knew people here were really poor. Anyway, their family were really lucky to have got some soybeans. Xu Ran was to happy at the thought of this. The father and sons had been working for a long time before they laid all the things out on the bamboo mat to air. Guoguo stayed there to keep watch so that the sparrows could not get near to eat the food, though the humble food was nothing very delicious to them. Xu Ran took Tangtang to cut bamboo tubes. After building the house, there were still many useless bamboos left in the yard. Xu Ran picked out a few bamboos that looked in good shape, and prepared to cut them down from each joint, and made them into bamboo tubes to hold chilli paste. There were no glass bottles here, and they didnt have money to buy jars or things like that, so they could only make use of natural bamboo tubes. To make a bamboo tube, first they cut a piece of bamboo from two joints and ensured that the joints at both ends were not penetrated. Then they opened a small round hole in the bamboo joint at one end, after which they plugged it in with a wooden cork so that the chilli paste wouldnt leak out. This was the simplest method Xu Ran could think of so far, but he didnt know whether it could work or not because he hadnt done it before. Tangtang helped keep the bamboo still while Xu Ran cut it off. It took them quite a long time and a lot of effort to cut one piece down with a sickle. Xu Ran went to find a branch and cut it off. He then shaped it into a piece as big as a thumb. Next, he drew a circle on a bamboo joint. In order to prevent the opening of the bamboo from cracking, Xu Ran soaked the bamboo in the water for quite some time before he began to drill a hole in the circle he had drawn. After the hole was chiseled, Xu Ran smoothed its edge and poured water into the bamboo tube. Then he stuffed the small hole with that branch he had just cut. At last, he stood the bamboo tube upside down. He kept watching for quite some time and found there was no water coming out. Xu Ran thus knew that he had succeeded, and his face broke into smiles. Seeing his dad so happy, Tangtang also laughed. Next, Xu Ran began to focus on cutting off the bamboo tubes, while Tangtang carefully helped him to find suitable branches. He also followed Xu Rans ideas and found a fire-stone that had not been burned, with which he drew a circle on the bamboo joints according to the size of the branches. The work was not heavy. Tangtang was very smart, so he enjoyed it and worked very hard However, Xu Ran was still worried that he would be tired, so he asked him and Guoguo to to work in turn. It was noon but Liu Tong still didnt come back. Xu Ran figured that he would be back in the afternoon. For lunch, he made mashed potatoes for the two children. Though there was no seasoning, the taste was also good. He left a large bowl of the food for Liutong. Besides, he prepared a pot of boiled water and let it cool there. On such a hot day, Liu Tong should be very thirsty when he came back. Xu Ran had developed such a habit in modern times that he refused to drink unboiled water. Although it was impossible for the water to be contaminated here in ancient times, there might still be bacteria in it. Anyway, he believed they could not be too careful. After lunch, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to go for a nap, while he continued to work. He believed all sufferings had their reward, and after the bitter came the sweet. At this stage, they had to live a hard life in order to get a better future for their family, so he didnt feel tired at all. When Liu Tong came back, it was already afternoon. He didnt buy many things back. He only bought salt, oil, and some candy for the two kids. These things were really few and unsightly, but they could only afford these because of their present poor situation. Fortunately, Tangtang and Guoguo were sensible and considerate. They never asked for food. Of course, Liu Tong, as their daddy, would never treat them badly. After Liu Tong drank the water and ate the mashed potato Xu Ran specially kept for him, Xu Ran took him to see what he had achieved today, just like a child asking for merit and reward. Chapter 30 The chili had been aired out in the sun for three days, while this process for the soybeans only took two days. In those three days, they had finished making the bamboo tubes. There were more than two hundred of them. When the chili sauce was ready, they could store them in. Still, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to buy a big jar even though it was going to cost them extra money, because the sauce has to be placed somewhere for a while. It probably wouldnt work well if being placed directly in the bamboo tubes as been placed in the jar. The soybean could be fermented by itself, while chili needed to be ground into powder first. However, they did not own any millstones unlike some other families in this village. They could pay a few pennies to have the beans ground, but Xu Ran was just worried that no one would be willing to lend their millstones. He was not very familiar with the villagers, so Liu Tong had to take this responsibility. Moreover, they might raise some suspects that they had so much to grind. Suddenly it occured to Xu Ran that he could simply make one by himself. Anyway, he remembered how that thing was done. If they had their own millstone, it would be convenient for they to grind whatever they wanted. Besides, they did not have visitors that much, so no one would find it. Xu Ran made up his mind. Liu Tong sent Tangtang and Guoguo to Wu Meis the next day, asking him to babysit. He and Xu Ran went up to the mountain to look for some rocks with tools. Although it was pretty inconvenient without a chisel, they could still do the digging with axes. Liu Tongs promise that he could have it done as Xu Ran required was also a relief to Xu ran. The mountains in this era had its primitivity, everything could be found in it. They did not have to worry about food, and they brought enough water. The two of them decided not to leave until the millstone was built. Because Liu Tong often went up the mountain to hunt, he was very familiar with the mountain. He knew where to find the stones they needed. He led Xu Ran to a place where there were many fallen stones, so there was no need for them to chisel. Xu Ran found a place with fairly loose soil, used a branches to draw a rough sketch on the ground, and then asked Liu Tong to work as he drew. He had always believed that what belonged to him was true possession, so in his previous life, he had learnt a little on everything. Although he might not be expert on any of those, he could always understand the general idea. Many people who came from the countryside had high pride, just like Xu Ran, who believed he was just as good as peers from the city. This was why he always tried harder to prove himself. Millstones seemed to be quite simple to build, but the truth was opposite. Especially without a chisel, he had to do all the work with an axe. Fortunately, Liu Tong was skilled enough to shape a big rock with his axe. Liu Tong did the basic grinding of stones. What Xu Ran needed to do was to find a grinding shaft, which was not easy to locate. It was necessary to choose the strongest tree, with deformity that it shouls bend in the front but straight up at the back. The trees in this mountain all grew normally, so this was a difficult task. Liu Tong started the stone-grinding work from morning, but did not finish until it was dark. While Xu Ran spent a whole day searching and finally found a suitable one at dusk. By the time it was dark, Xu Ran had already polished the grinding shaft. He carried it back. As for the body of millstone, he had to wait until it was fully completed so that he could have some helpers to lift it up back home. When they returned home, Xu Ran went to Wu Meis house to pick up Tangtang and Guoguo, while Liu Tong cooked at their own place. Fortunately, their family didnt raise any living stock, otherwise, under this situation, they would starve to death. The only two rabbits were with Tangtang and Guoguo, so they could stay alive. Time flew quietly in the mountains, which always made people forget about its existence. Although they hadnt forgot about time yet, they were on their way of losing idea about time. It took them half a month to polish the stone. In the past half month, the two children had been sent to Wu Meis, Wu Lans and Liu Qings in turn. While Xu Ran and Liu Tong could focus on their own stuff in the mountain with out any concerns. When they had done the final work, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to invite all the three families over. After having a sumptuous meal, they marched to the mountain together and brought the millstone back. Xu Ran had already told them about the millstone thing. They knew about this but didnt think too much. Things made by stones could be really heavy. Since they couldnt get help by any oxen cart, the only thing they could rely on was manpower. For those eight people, aside from a few men who had some strengths, other Geers were basically useless. Of course, Liu Tong was the exception, but Xu Rans strength now belonged to the Geers team. It was a tricky task for only six people, but they had no other choice. The thing had to be brought back, so they made some extra stops, which took a little longer to walk down the mountain. It really took a lot of effort to bring the millstone back. The weather was hot so they didnt wear much. The millstone was hung up on a bamboo stick by a rope, and then they carried the bamboo stick on their shoulders. This scene undoubtedly reminded Xu Ran of a profession called Bangbang (translators note: Bangbang is the name given to the manual laborers who still operate here today, helping deliver heavy loads without the aid of modern vehicles or technology) in Chongqing, a mountainous city in modern China. It was really something of Chongqing! They left in the morning, and it was already noon when they came back. It took them half a day, but when they saw the millstone in the yard, they all felt the joy. It was not a waste of so much effort. Before they went out, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to boil some water so that they could drink when they came back. Good children like Tangtang and Guoguo, naturally followed their parents orders. The water had been prepared for long. When they went back, all eight of them began to pour the water into their mouths. They didnt stop until their bellies were full of water. Tangtang and Guoguo even cooked rice with pots, but they didnt make any dishes. After a long rest, Liu Tong went to the kitchen and had others rest. Xu Ran was so tired that he didnt even want to lift a finger. Ever since he was born, this was the first time he did such a heavy job. However, he also felt a sense of achievement. After all, he was getting closer and closer to make big money. In the afternoon, Xu Ran cleaned up millstone and installed the grinding shaft. He soaked some soybeans and prepared to test it out. Although it looked similar to the real one, he had not no idea if this could work. After the soybeans softened, he asked Liu Tong to push the millstone to have it rotate, while he added the soybeans and water to it with a wooden spoon. All the others held their breaths, afraid that it would not work properly. After taking four to five rounds , the milky liquid began to flow out slowly. Tangtang and Guoguo jumped and shouted, It works, it works, dad, it does work! Looking at the milky liquid, Xu Ran smiled happily. Fortunately, their efforts were not in vain. That really can be done! Xu Ran, I didnt expect you to to so smart. Wu Mei said after seeing the milky liquid. When Xu Ran told them previously, he didnt believe it. It was all for Liu Tongs sake. Liu Tong was willing to spoil him. As a friend, he could give Liu Tong some face. Unexpectedly, Xu Ran really made it. It can be used to make tofu! Thats great. In the future, you wont have to buy tofu. Liu Qing said happily. Yes! If you want to do anything, come to our house directly. But you cant tell anyone about it, otherwise it will be very troublesome. Xu Ran instructed. Of course. We arent that stupid either. Liu Qing said the moment Xu Ran spoke. Then lets eat soybean dregs tonight! Tongtong, lets grind a bit more. Xu Ran added beans into it as he spoke, and Liu Tong also began to spin the shaft. The courtyard was filled with laughter. The millstone had been done. He had already made the preparations for the early stage. Naturally, he would be busy. Xu Ran first asked Liu Tong to buy a big jar of rice in the town, and then bought some brown rice. During this period of time, they had been busy making stone millstones. Liu Tong didnt have time to hunt, so their savings were only about two or two taels of silver. They were really poor. Of course, this was all Xu Ran knew. Originally, his plan for the money was to buy some lands, but the amount was too small. Xu Ran decided to use it on his chili sauce business . Chili had already been ground into powder, but it was not fine enough. Some chili seeds could even be noticed in the powder. A lot of seasonings and oil were required to make chili sauce, and those did not come free. Most of their savings had already been spent, so the remaining money was barely enough. There were no other choices. Liu Tong had to go up to the mountain to hunt, and Xu Ran was also preparing to sell the potatoes. Xu Ran led the two children to the mountain to dig potatoes, and then he made those photos into mashed potatos for Liu Tong to sell them. The mashed photos were also sold to the shopkeeper, for some decent money. It was really hard to start a business. Xu Ran couldnt help having this conclusion. The pot of their family was too small and it was no good to use. So Liu Tong borrowed the big pot of Wu Meis and piled a stove in their yard with stones. The fragrance of the fried chili was too pungent. Xu Ran drove the kids out and asked them to play outside, leaving him and Liu Tong some space to work. Since he was not sure about the ration of seasonings at first, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to start with small portion. Liu Tong had experienced the hardships of these days. He also saw Xu Rans hard work. He didnt want Xu Rans efforts to get wasted, so he was extremely serious. Chapter 31 Xu Ran was very fond of spicy food. Liu Tong was the same. Xu Ran poached a few potatoes on purpose and waited for the sauce to be ready so that he could dip the potatoes into the sauce. Obviously, this was their first time trying this recipe. Following Xu Rans advice, Liu Tong put the seasonings into the pot. After he smelled the savory scent, he poured the oil into the bowl of chili powder. The chili powder immediately sibilated when it was poured on with oil. At the same time, the spicy flavor came out. The temperature was perfect. Xu Ran couldnt wait to put the bowl on the side of the bamboo table, where they already put some potatoes. Xu Ran took a small wooden spoon, dug some chili sauce and spread it over the potato. The reddish chili oil, coupled with some fermented soybeans, made the food look so appetizing. After the potatoes cooled down a little bit, Xu Ran couldnt wait to taste it. Liu Tong was standing on one side and looking at him nervously. The chili sauce was really spicy. After finishing the whole potato, Xu Rans mouth turned red and he couldnt even speak for a while, which made Liu Tong even more nervous. Ran, hows it? Xu Ran was still trying to savor it. It was exactly the taste of the sauce that his mom used to make, which he hadnt tasted for a long time. Xu Ran was so happy that he could finally taste it again today. He gave Liu Tong a bear, who was still nervous right now, and said, Tongtong, thank you. You are so sweet. Liu Tong was extremely nervous, and now he was held in the arms of Xu Ran. This made him quite confused. Xu Ran hugged him for a while and then let him go. Tongtong, you are awesome! You made it. Really? Liu Tong was shocked. Of course, you can try it yourself. Xu Ran responded. With that being said, he took a potato with chili sauce and handed it to Liu Tong. Liu Tong took it and tasted it carefully. Then he opened his mouth wide in astonishment and said, Ran, its so yummy. I made it. Yes, you succeed. Tongtong is awesome. Xu Ran was generous with his compliments. Feeling extremely excited, they two began to cook nonstop. At night, the family gathered around the table, happily eating potatoes dipped with chili sauce. The next day, Xu Ran and Liu Tong gave the chili sauce to Wu Meis and other friends families and got their compliments. Although the chili sauce was quite tasty, it was not good enough to be sold. It would taste better after a period of time. They finally finished cooking the chili sauce. It was already September now, which was the time to harvest rice. Wu Meis family as well as some other families had several acres of land grown with rice. Now it was time to harvest rice. After discussing with Liu Tong, Xu Ran decided to help the three families. Without their help, they would have died of starvation. There were no tools at home, so Xu Ran and Liu Tong went to Wu Meis house empty handed with the kids. The three families agreed that they would help Wu Mei with the harvest first. Then, it would be Liu Qings family, and Wu Lans at last. Given that they had many people, it shouldnt take too much time to get it done. To harvest crops was competing with the weather. It was all about speed. Given that Xu Ran was not familiar with crops and farming, he stayed at home to look after the kids. He also took care of cooking, feeding pigs and collecting pigweeds, which undoubtedly made him a househusband. Xu Ran got a little upset because of this. When it was the busy season for farming, it was of great importance to ensure that everyone was fed properly, otherwise they would not have the strength to do farming. Xu Ran finally got a chance to visit the town. The last time Xu Ran went to the town was 7 years ago, so he didnt quite have a clue what the town was like now. Liu Tong was worried about Xu Ran going to the town alone, so he asked Xu An to drive an ox cart to go with Xu Ran together. He came to the town to buy some meat. Although there was a habit of smoking some bacon here, one pig was still not enough for a family to eat for a year, so people still had to buy some meat when it was busy in the farming season. Fat meat was much more expensive than lean meat. However, Xu Ran didnt like fat meat because it was too greasy. Xu An, in contrast, always favored fat meat and asked the owner of the meat stall for five Jin (1 Jin=0.5kg) of fat meat. One Jin of fat meat would cost ten copper coins. Altogether, the fat meat cost fifty copper coins. Xu Ran also bought some inner organs of the pig, such as the intestine and the pig bones. Because the hot weather was not favorable for the storage of the meat and people in this era didnt want it, the stall owner altogether charged Xu Ran thirty copper coins. Xu An looked at those things that Xu Ran had just bought and felt quite upset. Xu Ran, these are not tasty at all. Why would you spend so much money in vain? Xu Ran laughed. Brother Xu An, dont worry! Ill show you how to cook a gourmet with these. Youll see. Given that Xu Ran already said so, Xu An consoled that thirty coins was not that much. He could still afford it. However, deep in his heart, he still felt that Xu Ran was badly spoiled by Liu Tong. After that, Xu An bought some white flour. Most people could only eat white flour twice a year, once in the harvest while once in the New Year. Xu Ran didnt buy anything else. Even if he wanted to, he was too poor to afford any other stuff. Finally, when they were about to leave, Xu An still bought some candies for the kids. No matter how poor the family was, rhe children should deserve all the best things. Xu Ran knew that the life of Xu Ans family was already relatively good compared to others. However, Xu An was still poor. Xu Ran was so eager to change such a life. Chapter 32 Xu Ran was a little low-spirited on the way back. He was wondering whether it was really the only way out for him to become an official. In the memory of the fool, there were so many days that he got up early while stayed up late to study and read. However, he still failed eventually. The fool also had some regrets and pity. Xu Ran was considering whether to become an official. He didnt like the intrigue against each other in the official career, but he wanted his families and children to have a better life. Xu Ran remembered what he read before that the officials didnt need to serve the army or pay the tax. Xu Ran was not concerned with the military service. However, the tax issue was a big problem indeed. Although he didnt have any farming land now, he eventually would. He didnt want to hand in the things that he got by working so hard. Xu Ran made up his mind that he would take the examinations for officials and try to become a scholar. If he had such a title, it would be good for his children as well. After thinking it through, Xu Ran finally felt better and began to talk to Xu An. By the time they got to Xu Ans home, Xu Ran saw the two kids looking around at people passing by the door and looking for them. He suddenly felt his heart melted. Xu Ran jumped out of the cart happily. Tangtang, Guoguo, Im back. Seeing Xu Ran come back, Tangtang and Guoguo immediately ran to his arms. Dad, you are back! Weve been waiting for you for a long time. Tangtang didnt say anything but looked at him eagerly. Xu Ran kissed each of the two kids faces, and then put them down so that he could help Xu An unload the cart. After the cart was unloaded, Xu An went to the farmland to work, leaving Xu Ran and the kids at home. Xu Ran didnt plan to eat the fat meat at noon, so he salted it first and then put it in a in a wooden basin in a relatively cool room. After cleaning up the intestine, he used it for oil refining. The dregs of fat were stir fried with potatoes. Pigs heart was marinated as well. They couldnt eat that much at one meal. The pig bone he bought was used to make some soup. The other stuff was cooked with potatoes. With such a large pot of food, Xu Ran finally felt that there would be enough food for everyone. The scent of the food also attracted the children. Xu Ran gave each of them a bowl of soup given that he made so much of it. When it came to noon, Xu Ran boiled some water and put some salt in it. Those adults consumed too much energy to do the farming, so it would be better to drink salty boiled water. However, he never thought that he was bantered by others because of his thoughtfulness. At noon, Liu Tong and Wu Mei came back and drank the salty boiled water prepared by Xu Ran. Wu Mei bantered, Xu Ran, you are even more caring than Geers in this village. You are so good in the kitchen. Xu Ran was rendered speechless by the word caring. How could Wu Mei use this word to describe a man? Xu Ran thought of himself as a tough man and therefore shouldnt argue with a Geer, so he completely ignored Wu Meis words. It was until the meal time that Xu Ran felt that other people were staring at him meaningfully. Even Liu Tong looked at him differently than usual. Xu Ran finally got angry. If you guys keep looking at me like this again, I wont cook for you tomorrow. Please dont! You cook so well. Were just kidding. Dont be angry. As soon as Wu Mei found Xu Ran angry, he immediately tried to comfort him. I agree. Ran, please dont be angry. Everyone is just joking around. Liu Tong was afraid that Xu Ran would really get angry, so he stopped eating and came to comfort Xu Ran. Xu Ran felt even more upset. The way they looked at him was like how they looked at a Geer. It was like thinking of him as a woman. He just couldnt bear this. As a result, before he said anything out of anger, they all came to comfort him, which made him look even more stingy and mean. However, he still wanted to show some respect to Liu Tong. He sat down and explained to Liu Tong, Tongtong, Im not angry. I just think you guys shouldnt take me as a Geer. Although I can cook, Im still quite manly. Being afraid that Xu Ran might lose his temper again, Liu Tong quickly comforted him, I know. We wont do that again. Enjoy your meal now! After hearing his promise, Xu Ran finally began to eat. He also kept putting food in Liu Tongs bowl. The kids were at the other table and were eating happily. The bicker happened among the adults did not affect them at all. Wu Meis family had the most farmlands, which took them seven or eight days to finish the harvest. The other two families had much less land, so they finished the harvest within five days. Xu Ran had to come to these three families every day these days. He was so familiar with these families that he knew where the salt pot and hog lot was. When they finally finished, Xu Ran went back home with his family and slept all day long. Everyone was exhausted. Chapter 33 But he didnt expect that the trouble came the next day, when he had just thought that they would have a more comfortable life. The family was having breakfast. Xu Ran planned to put the chilli sauce in the bamboo tubes today. It had been more than twenty days since he made the chilli sauce. Before the breakfast was finished, someone outside asked them to get out rudely. As soon as Xu Ran heard the voice, he could tell that it was from Elder Daddy Xu. He hadnt paid any attention to the news of the Xu Family ever since they left the family. Firstly, he was busy and didnt have time to pay attention to it. Secondly, he didnt want to waste time on it. The condition of the Xu Family had nothing to do with them, but he didnt know why they came to their place today. He still remembered the pain from last time. He put down the bowl and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, stay inside with Tangtang and Guoguo. Ill go out and take a look. Ran, Ill go with you! It upsets me if you go on your own. Liu Tong was worried, since he was really afraid that the Xu Family would do something bad to Xu Ran. Xu Ran patted his hand to console him and replied, Tongtong, dont worry. Im no longer a fool and they cant do harm to me. Ill call you when I need your help later. Sure. Ran, be careful. Although he was worried about Xu Ran, Liu Tong also knew that everything in his family should be handled by him since he had got back to normal, otherwise they would be in trouble. So Liu Tong had to do as Xu Ran said. After getting out of the room, Xu Ran saw many people standing outside. It was so lively. He walked out and opened the door to the courtyard, and then looked at Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng outside. He asked, Daddy, how can I help? Why do you come to my place so early? As soon as he saw Xu Ran, Elder Daddy Xu got angry. He pointed at his nose and said, You are such a ungrateful person. You havent come home to see me and your dad for so long since you lived apart. We have been really busy with the farmwork, but you havent come back to help us. How dare you ask me why I am here? Of course I am here to teach you a lesson. Hearing his words, Xu Ran sneered. Heh! Daddy, have you forgotten that I was driven out from the Xu Family? I havent been fully recovered at that time. My spouse takes care of two kids and me, a fool back then. We were beaten up before being driven out of the family without any property. Luckily, some nice people took us in, otherwise we would definitely be dead and you could only see our tombs. It had only been two months, and many people saw Liu Tong kneeling with his two children and Xu Ran who had been injured. After hearing Xu Rans words, they looked really sullen . Brother, you are wrong. Though we dont live together, we are still a family. We are really busy now while you dont have any land. Why dont you come home to help us? Seeing Elder Daddy Xu was choken on Xu Rans words, Xu Cheng couldnt wait to stand out. Elder Daddy Xu followed Xu Cheng and said, What your younger brother said is right. Youd rather go help others than help your own family. Whats wrong with you? I gave birth to you and raised you, but you are totally ungrateful. Daddy, I respect you because you are my elder, so I cant blame you. I remember what life I lived in the Xu Family even if I was a fool. At that time, my father wanted to give us a piece of land, but you didnt allow. You really wanted my family to have nothing to eat. Daddy, Tangtang and Guoguo are your grandsons and they are only five years old. Why are you so cruel? How can you treat us like this? As he was talking, Xu Rans eyes became red. Xu Houcais spouse, Ive never seen someone as shameless as you. Your younger son snatched his big brothers previous significant other, but you also want to starve your elder son to death. I want to ask you what the hell youre thinkning. They are both your sons, but why are you so cruel to Xu Ran? Hearing that Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng came to Xu Rans place to make trouble, Wu Mei was worried and came over in a hurry. When he arrived, he heard Xu Rans words, so he could not help but speak for him. Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu didnt expect that Wu Mei would suddenly appear.They did snatch Xu Rans previous partner. Although they told others they did not want the other party to have a tough life with Xu Ran, they knew exactly what their intention was. Thus, they felt diffident now. Finding the people around him pointed at them and said something bad about them, Xu Cheng raised his head and said to Wu Mei, Who do you think you are? This is our family affair. Why are you an outsider here to criticize us? Who am I? Heh, Wu Mei sneered and answered, Without me, Xu Ran and his family has died long ago. Now you tell me who I am? He deserves it! Hearing Wu Meis words, Elder Daddy Xu suddenly said. Chapter 34 As soon as Elder Daddy Xu said that, everyone fell silent. The people around didnt expect that Elder Daddy Xu would be so ruthless. He actually wanted his own son to be dead. How could he be so heartless? After momentary silence, some people began to talk about Elder Daddy Xu. What Elder Daddy Xu had said was what he truly thought in his heart, but he had never thought to speak it out in front of so many people. Right after he said it, he knew he made a mistake. It was no use crying over spilt milk. He had already said it out, and so many people had heard it, but he didnt felt regretful until he heard the gossips of these villagers. Xu Cheng also realized that the situation was out of his control, so he gave an immediate explanation, Xu Ran, daddy was just so furious that he said something against his own wish. Xu Cheng was not well-educated, so he was not eloquent. He meant to ease the tension by saying that, but what he had said made the situation worse. Xu Ran didnt want to say anything at this moment. After all, it was not the right time to say something. And thus he showed a sad look on his face. Wu Mei was irritated by Elder Daddy Xus words. He stood with arms akimbo and pointed at Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu Xu Ran didnt say much yet, which even made you furious, and you want him dead as a result. What if you flew into a rage? Would you curse Xu Ran and his spouse as well as their children to be dead? What a heartless person you are! No one in the world is crueller than you! Elder Daddy Xu was so annoyed by Wu Meis words, but he didnt dare to refute. Seeing Xu Ran who was just standing aside silently, Elder Daddy Xu blew off steam on him, How ungrateful you are you! Youre just standing aloof and keeping silent. Dont you see I am bullied by an outsider? Totally ignoring what Elder Daddy Xu said, Xu Ran relied slowly, Daddy, didnt you want me to die? How could I say something which may irritate you again? You you Elder Daddy Xu was so angry that he couldnt even say a word. The village head is here. Someone shouted, and then the crowd made noises again. The village head, along with his spouse, squeezed past the crowd and came to the front of Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu, looking at them angrily, Xu Houcais spouse, why do you make trouble out of nothing once again? I was on the spot when you split up the family with Xu Ran at that time. You had said that Xu Ran would have nothing to do with your family in the future. Why have I heard that you come to make trouble for him again? How could you say Im here to make trouble for Xu Ran, village head? Xu Ran is my son. There are no enough helpers to reap rice in my family. Whats wrong with me to ask him to go back and help me? Couldnt I let my son help? Elder Daddy Xu was a rascal after all. He showed no respect to the village head. To reap rice? How interesting! Dont be insane. You know how you treated Xu Ran yourself. Xu Ran and his family dont get any money or land from you. Even the house hes living in has been built by Xu An and others. As an elder, you shouldnt be so shameless! Dont make a fool of yourself here. The spouse of the village head also couldnt bear Elder Daddy Xus bad manners. Naturally, he stood out to support his husband. At the same time, other people around also said, You should stop what you are doing to maintain the good luck of your grandsons ! Thats right. Dont you even consider your grandchildren? Hearing what people said, Elder Daddy Xu was also a little scared. If the villagers all thought so, then their family would be disdianed by them in the future. Thinking about Xu Hui and Xu Qiang, Elder Daddy Xu fought back his desire to argue and took Xu Cheng home. Xu Cheng, just a coward, didnt dare to say anything but went home with Elder Daddy Xu. After two troublemakers went away, Xu Ran expressed his thanks to all these kind people, and invited the village head, his spouse and Wu Mei into his little bamboo home. The village head had come here when the bamboo house had just been built. At that time, he could see nothing in it. Although the home was poorly equipped now, it was way better than before. And the life of Xu Ran and his spouse would also be better. Liu Tong cleaned up the table after the two kids finished their meal. He hadnt gone out but kept an ear out for the situation outside. Thus, when Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng had done, he immediately walked towards Xu Ran.. Seeing Xu Ran was fine in person, Liu Tong finally rest assured. Wu Mei laughed, You just love Xu Ran so ardently! Hearing what Wu Mei had said, Liu Tong just smiled. And then he invited the village head and his spouse to get into the room and got them some drinking water. Chapter 35 Only after everyone left did Xu Ran feel relieved. He hugged Liu Tong and said, Tongtong! Now I really think bickering is much more exhausting than work. Being hugged at daytime, Liu Tong felt a little too embarassed, so he pushed him away and said, Dont be upset, Ran. I dont know why daddy-in-law would treat us like this either. Xu Ran wasnt upset in the slightest. It was the fool the previous owner of this body who should feel sad about it. However, he had already died. His family only gave him nothing but contempt. Xu Ran cuddled Liu Tong again and went inside the house to see Tangtang and Guoguo. Tangtang and Guoguo had been in the room all along, and Xu Ran was afraid that he might frighten them. Tangtang and Guoguo were sitting in bed. The moment they saw Xu Ran entered the house, they leapt out of bed and grabbed onto his legs and said Dad. The children called him in unison. They were afraid of Elder Daddy Xu as he had often scold them. Since they moved here, they thought they would not be scolded again. To their surprise, Elder Daddy Xu came to their home. Looking at the two kids being low-spirited, Xu Ran held them in his arms and kissed them on their cheeks. Its alright, Tangtang, Guoguo, Im here, so no one can bully you anymore. No one can bully dad either. Guoguo clenched her fists and said unhappily. Yeah, and daddy as well. Tongtong followed. Liu Tong overheard their connversation as she entered the room, and those words warmed his heart. Liu Tong walked up to them and hugged them. It was also a comfort for them to be together. Xu Ran never had unreasonable relatives in his previous life, so he didnt know how to deal with them, but the only thing clear to him was that he could not be soft-hearted. Being kind got you bullied. Now that he had a spouse and children, he had to start making a decent living even if it was for their sakes. After comforting the two kids, Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lets put the chili sauce into the bamboo tubes today! Then you can sell it in the town. We have to buy the land as soon as possible. Alright, then Tongtong and Guoguo, you two play inside the house or find the some leaves outside to write with. Got it, daddy. After replying, Tangtang grabbed Guoguos hand and headed out. When they were in the Xu Family, their daddy taught them to write, but he didnt know too much about it and often said that if only their dad werent stupid. They didnt have the money for paper to write on, so they could only pick some leaves from trees and write on them with leftover flints which had been ground into sticks. They have already got quite proficient at it in order to practice their handwriting. Xu Ran and Liu Tong opened the big jar with chili sauce; there was more than half jar of the chili sauce inside. Tongtong, its hard to fill the bamboo rubes like this. Ill go find some bamboo tubes, and you go fetch a spoon and a funnel. Lets get 20 tubes today. Okay. Liu Tong went into the kitchen and returned with the tools. Meanwhile, Xu Ran finished getting the bamboo tubes he had prepared a long time ago. He placed the plugs on the side, as all these plugs had their own matching tubes, so he couldnt leave them in a mess. One person would hold the funnel on top of the bamboo tube, while the other dipped chili sauce on it and let it trickle into the tube. The funnel was specially prepared for filling the chili sauce by Xu Ran, and it turned out to be quite handy. It took him about an hour to fill the 20 tubes. After plugging each one of them and wiping off all the spilled sauce before putting them inside the basket, both of them were ecstatic. It all comes down to this now. Tongtong, you go get Xu Ans ox cart! Okay, Ling Tong left and went to borrow Wu Meis ox cart. Xu Ran held the basket in his hands as he was waiting for Liu Tongs return. Chapter 36 Liu Tong drove his carriage to the town. He still went to the old place, Mr. Chens restaurant. At the moment, the shopkeeper happened to be in the restaurant, so as soon as he saw Liu Tong, he warmly greeted, Daddy Xu, here you are! What have you brought me this time? All the preys Liu Tong had hunted were sold here, and they were just dead or alive, very popular with the customers here, who liked to eat fresh food. The shopkeeper was very smart, and he bought all Liu Tongs goods at a high price. Smiling, Liu Tong took out the things in the basket, Mr. Chen, all these were made by my husband. They can be served directly or as seasoning. Take a look at them, please. Mr. Chen stepped forward and took a look. He pulled out the cork on the bamboo tube and right away a savoury smell drifted out. He said to Liu Tong, Wait a minute. Ill get a pair of chopsticks. With a pair of chopsticks and a dish in his hand, Mr. Chen couldnt wait to get some chili paste out of the bamboo tube and put it on the plate, and then he dipped some into his mouth. Immediately, he nodded with satisfaction, Its nice. With this seasoning, it will be more convenient for me to make dishes in the restaurant, and it can also be sold separately. Daddy Xu, how much do you have here? Can you sell them all to me? In terms of price, you are free to make the decision. Liu Tong was surprised. He lifted the whole basket up to the table and said, With that bamboo tube in your hand, there are twenty in total. As for the price, Mr. Chen, you decide it! This is the first time I sell them, so I know nothing about the price. Daddy Xu, but do you have any more of this at home? If yes, can you sell them all to me? Ill give you one tael of silver for every two bamboo tubes of the chilli paste, but I have a requirement that you can only sell them to me in the future. Two bamboo tubes of chilli paste could be sold for one tael of silver, which was really a high price, but Liu Tong didnt know whether Xu Ran would agree with it or not. He hesitated and then asked, Mr. Chen, I need to ask my husband about this at home. As for the price of these items today, thats for you to decide! Alright then, you can go back to discuss about it. As for these things today, I will keep them all at the price of one tael of silver for two tubes of chili paste. Then, all right. Thank you, Mr. Chen. Liu Tong smiled and handed the basket of goods to the shopkeeper. Right away, Mr. Chen counted 10 taels of silver and handed it to Liu Tong, who said thanks and left in a hurry. Ten taels of silver! This was the first time that Liu Tong had seen such a large sum of money, so heavy in hand. Liu Tong hurriedly returned home, and gave all the money to Xu Ran. Then he reported to him what Mr. Chen had told him in the restaurant. From Liu Tongs narration, Xu Ran knew what Mr. Chens plan was; he just meant to buy all their chili paste up. After all, this solution was not something bad to them. He was just a farmer now, and his family was still in poverty. It was good to have someone supporting them up. Thus, he said to Ling Tong, Tongtong, you send more goods there tomorrow morning and tell Mr. Chen that I have agreed. Remember to tell him that we have conditions, one of which is that he cant let others know who sell him the paste, while the other is that he has to return all the empty bamboo tubes to us after the chilie paste has been used up. All right. I got it. Liu Tong nodded. No matter what the decision was, he would just listened to Ran. And then Xu Ran gave back the ten taels of silver to Liu Tong saying, From now on, you take care of the money. Xu Ran really exerted the virtues of a good man in the modern times who handed in his salary card. There, Liu Tong held the heavy silver in his hand and bit his lips without saying anything. He only whispered Xu Rans name in his heart, Ran, Ran Chapter 37 Following Xu Rans instruction, the next day, Liu Tong went to the town with twenty bamboo tubes of chili paste. There in the restaurant, he informed Mr. Chen of Xu Rans terms and requirements on their future transactions, and the shopkeeper readily agreed. Oh, Daddy Xu! You cant imagine how popular yesterdays chili paste was. The 20 bamboo tubes of chili paste you brought in were sold out except one for cooking. Some customers even came to order a lot of them after they tasted it. Would you please send more tomorrow? All right, Mr. Chen. Ill send you some more here tomorrow. From now on, you can name a time and Ill deliver them to you at the quantity of twenty bamboo tubes of the paste each time. Alright, Daddy Xu. From now on then, you will send the paste here every seven days, but will you give me 150 bamboo tubes of chili paste each time? In this way, it meant they would only deliver ten more bamboo tubes of the paste for each transaction, and they would not have much extra work actually. Thus, Liu Tong nodded and agreed. It seemed that after he went back, they would still have to go up the mountain to pick more chilies. After settling the account, Liu Tong left the restaurant and went to the grain store. There was neither rice nor brown rice to eat at home, so he had to buy some. Thinking of how hard it was for Xu Ran to swallow every time he ate brown rice, Liu Tong decided to buy rice only this time. It was fine for him to eat something worse himself, but he couldnt let the two kids and Ran suffer. A bag of rice cost Liu Tong five hundred copper coins. After that, he also bought some meat, not only for his own family but also for Wu Meis and other two families. In addition, he bought some pastry for the kids. At last, he went to buy some cloth. His family were all in need of new clothes. At present, each of them had only two sets of clothes to wear in turn. Now it was hot and they could cope with it. When it was cold, however, they would be cold because they didnt wear enough. In addition, they had to buy some tarpaulins to cover their bamboo house to prevent the cold wind from coming in all directions. After calculation, he found that it would cost several taels of silver. Now he had only 20 taels in total, and he still had to save money to buy land. Liu Tong was in a bit of dilemma, but at the thouhgt of the two kids, he gritted his teeth and bought them in the end. On the way back, Liu Tongs carriage was loaded with many things, but they were all covered by a tarpaulin, so that others couldnt see what was inside the carriage. There were two paths between the village and the town. One was at the entrance of the village while the other was at the end of it. However, the latter road was longer, so there were few pedestrians. This was just convenient for Liu Tongs family, because it was better not to drive the ox cart through the village, so as to avoid any cause for gossip. As soon as Liu Tong arrived at the door, he was welcomed by the two kids warmly. However, Xu Ran was not present. Liu Tong unloaded all the things from the ox cart and moved them into the house. After finishing his work, he asked the two kids, Tangtang and Guoguo, where is your father? Tangtang and Guoguo were eating the cakes bought by Liu Tong. Upon hearing Liu Tongs words, Tangtang tried to swallow the food in his mouth and replied, Daddy, dad went up the mountain to pick chilies. He let us wait for you at home. He said that you would cook after you came back. Dont worry about him. He has taken food with him and asked you to pick him up in the afternoon. As soon as Tangtang finished reporting, he continued with the cake. He liked the pastry so much. It was more delicious than what his daddy had bought before. Seeing that the two kids were enjoying the pastry so much there, Liu Tong just let them be. He went to the kitchen, cut the meat into four pieces, picked up three pieces, put them in a basket, covered them with oiled paper, and then left with the basket. When he reached the gate, he called out to the kids, Tangtang and Guoguo, I am going to Daddy Wu Meis home to return the ox cart. You two stay at home and be good. All right, one of them replied. With food in his mouth, he couldnt even speak clearly. Wu Meis and the other two families had finished harvesting the rice. Now they were busy in their grain-basking field. They had to air all the rice out while the weather was fine. Liu Tong stopped the ox cart at the gate of their house. Dahu came to open the door for him, Hello, Daddy Liu Tong, are you coming to return the ox cart? Liu Tong touched him on the head saying, Hello! Yes, I am coming for that. Liu Tong then took out a few candies from the basket and handed them to the kid, Have some sweets. Dahudidnt stand on ceremony. He took the candies happily and called out to his daddy, Daddy, Daddy Liu Tong is here to return the ox cart. Wu Mei was just busy at the moment. It was Xu An who came for the carriage. Liu Tong took out a piece of meat from the basket and handed it to him, Xu An, I went to the town today and bought some meat. Youve helped our family so much. I really dont know how to thank you. Knowing that Liu Tong would feel uneasy if he refused, he accepted his favor saying, Ill take it. But dont stand on ceremony. You are friends with Wu Mei, so we will help you anyway. Thank you so much, Bro Xu An! Ill leave now. Fine. Later, Liu Tong sent the remaining pieces of meat to the other two families and then went home to prepare lunch. After lunch, Liu Tong led his two children up the mountain. Each of them carried a basket. They planned to get not only chilies but also soybeans. Now that the chili paste was their only source of income, they had to collect as much at the time being, otherwise their chili paste would definitely fail to meet Mr. Chens demand. Liu Tong took Tangtang and Guoguo to the place where they had been to last time. He didnt dare to take them too far away. He guessed that Xu Ran was also there, because a lot of chilies were not picked up there. Besides, Xu Ran was not familiar with other places. Sure enough, as soon as Liu Tong stepped into the mountain forest, he caught sight of Xu Rans figure. He was bending over to pick chilies with a basket on his back. In front of him, there were red patches everywhere. Seeing this, the two kids ran over happily, Hello, dad, dad Smiling, Xu Ran raised his head, You are here! Have you finished the meal? Yes, and daddy has bought meat. We didnt finish it. We have saved some for you at home, said Guoguo excitedly. Even Tangtang, by his side, was thrilled apparently. Xu Ran smiled, Okay, you are good boys. Well eat meat after I go back in the evening. Great! Then dad, lets go to pick chilies. Okay, but dont hurry. After the two children left, Liu Tong came over. Seeing the sweat on Xu Rans forehead, he wiped it off with his sleeve, Ran, if youre tired, you can have a rest for a while and then go on with the work. Shaking his head, Xu Ran replied, Its fine. I know it myself. But you should have a rest. You have been to the town today. Are you tired? No, not at all, Liu Tong replied. He was indeed not tired. Compared with the work he had done before in the Xu Family, it was nothing. Alright, Ran. Im going to pick soybeans. You and the kids go on with the chilies. Alright. Thus, they two went on with their own business. At noon, Xu Rans lunch was the potato he had prepared, so he was not hungry. The whole family didnt go back home until it was late in the afternoon. In total, they had got four baskets of chilies and two baskets of soybeans. It took both Liu Tong and Xu Ran twice on the way to carry all their good harvest home. At night, Xu Ran ate the meat that Tangtang and Guoguo had specially left for him. Actually he was not specially fond of meat. He didnt care much whether he could have meat for his food or not. However, he noticed that all his family were watching him and feeling happier than when they had meat themselves. Just for that very moment, Xu Ran felt a wave of emotion swept through his heart. He was so touched. After dinner, they had a rest. Xu Ran told the two kids a fairy tale, after which, he and Liu Tong each took a child to take a bath alone. At night, both children fell asleep. Liu Tong and Xu Ran went into their room. Liu Tong reported to Xu Ran what Mr. Chen had told him today. Xu Ran thought it was all right for them to deliver their goods every seven days, and for the time being, there was no problem with the quantity demanded. However, they should get the products ready as soon as possible. It seemed that they had to go to find more sources of chilies and soybeans. And it was not a good way for them to work this way. They had to buy more land as soon as possible. Liu Tong showed Xu Ran the rest of the money he got today. He had spent four taels of silver, and still had six taels left. Then Liu Tong narrated what and why he had bought today, especially he talked about the meat divided for Wu Meis and the other two families. Suddenly, Liu Tong thought of something and felt worried and anxious. He suddenly realized that he had bought meat without having discussed with Xu Ran in advance. Xu Ran looked at his nervous appearance and laughed, Tongtong, its OK. You can make your own decisions about this kind of things from now on. Youre more sophisticated than me. You just need to tell me about it and let me know. Yes, I will. Hearing this, Liu Tong was relieved. In the past, Ran was a fool. He made decisions on such matters, but he didnt let the Xu Family and other people know about it. In this way, he was able to maintain a good relationship with Wu Meis and the other two families. At present, though Ran recovered, he had got used to it and forgot who was the master in the family. Luckily, Ran didnt mind it and even handed the matter to him. The things Ran had done since he recovered really made him feel very warm and touched. The next day, Liu Tong carried 150 bamboo tubes of chili paste to the town. This time, he went there on foot, because he felt sorry to borrow Wu Meis ox cart every time. On the way, Liu Tong was excited. They would have the money to buy more land after todays transaction. He had bought everything yesterday. So, Today, Liu Tong didnt buy anything else but hurried back home after the delivery. Today, Xu Ran went out to the mountain again with only their two kids staying at home. Liu Tong asked them both to go out to play, but they didnt want to. They had experienced being bullied so much when they were in the Xu Family before that they were now afraid to go out and play. Liu Tong had no way out about all these. Over the past years, in order to prevent his family from being driven out by the Xu Family, he had been working desperately most of the time. Occasionally, when he was free, he would tend to be with Xu Ran. He thus cared little about the two kids. In addition, both of them were so obedient and helpful that they helped take care of Ran. Thus Liu Tong felt guilty for his kids in his heart. It was only that he never said it. Chapter 38 Liu Tong took his two children up the mountain and went to the place they had been to yesterday. Although there might be few chilies left, there were still soybeans. They decided to go and see what they would get. In fact, Liu Tong knew that there were still many chilies, but that they were deep into the mountain. However, the place was also the haunt of fierce beasts, very dangerous. Xu Ran knew nothing about all this, and Liu Tong didnt want to tell him so. He was worried that Xu Ran would take the risk alone there. He decided to wait until all the chilies outside the mountain had been picked, and then he and Xu Ran would go up further onto the mountain to have a research. Today, when Xu Ran was picking chilies, he found something else-garlic. It was easy to plant. He thus dug some garlic out with a branch and prepared to plant it at home. Xu Ran planned to develop garlic products as well as chili paste. After all, garlic bolt tasted good, too. It was just a pity that their family had finished picking the chilies in this place today, but they didnt know where there were chilies to pick tomorrow. Xu Ran sighed. He then asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, do you know where there are more chilies? There are still some further up in the mountain. I used to see them when I went hunting, but its too dangerous to go there alone. I have to go with you, Liu Tong replied. Of course Xu Ran cherished life, and one more person meant more security. He naturally agreed, Alright, lets go in a few days. Lets deal with these chilies and the soybeans first. Well, Ran, I think we have now enough money to buy land. Lets go to find the village head and buy some land tomorrow! OK, Xu Ran replied. He knew that they really needed to do it quickly, because he was not sure if anyone else was as interested in the wasteland as he was. Also, we have to buy some chickens and ducks to raise. As for pigs, we will not buy them for the time being. And well have to wrap the house up with the tarp paper I bought yesterday. It is getting cold, I am worried that you will all be frozen. In addition, we have to buy more quilts, too, Liu Tong kept on talking, while Xu Ran listened to him quietly. He knew his spouse was able to arrange everything properly. Suddenly, Xu Ran stopped him, Tongtong, I feel so lucky to have married you. That was what both he himself and the fool had in mind. Liu Tong was quite good-looking actually. As a Geer, however, in the eyes of the people in this world, he should be like a woman in modern times, gentle and delicate. But for Xu Ran, if Liu Tong really looked like that, it would not be to his taste. Xu Ran had been in this world for three months. They had both slept on the same bed every day. They had been busy all the time, and even their meals had become a problem. How could they think of other things? However, today, Xu Ran was passionate. And Xu Ran didnt intend to restrain himself. This was the man he wanted to guard all his life. As for Liu Tong, he naturally would not object to whatever Xu Ran did to him. It was consensual, so everything between them made sense. The next day, of course, Liu Tong got up late. Who had made Xu Ran suppress for so many months? After getting out of bed, Xu Ran prepared breakfast happily, and then he cooked some porridge for Liu Tong. After the meal, he taught Tangtang and Guoguo how to read. He then let them practise writing on their own, while he went out to find the village head. Tangtang and Guoguo, later when your daddy wakes up, tell him there is porridge in the kitchen. Ill go to the village head to talk about buying land. Got it, replied the two kids who were so focussed on practising writing words that they didnt even lift their heads. At the moment, Xu Ran felt a sense of urgency. He couldnt care much. He immediately set out and closed the door behind him, after which he went straight to the direction of the village heads house. When he arrived, the village head and his family were all busy working on their grain-basking ground. Xu Ran said hello with a smile, and then he talked about his business, Village head, I came here today to ask you for help. I have some money in my hand and I want to buy that wasteland. Oh, youve earned money so quickly! The village head looked a little surprised. Xu Ran grinned, Its all thanks to my spouse, who went hunting in the mountain and sold the preys for money. You also know the danger on the mountain. I cant bear to allow my spouse to adventure in the mountain, but no way out. You know we are so poor and lack money, so I want to buy that land as soon as possible. I can plant some radishes and vegetables after I open it up. In this way, we can also survive the winter. The village head understood Xu Rans situation. He replied, OK, after the Yamen come to collect taxes, I will go to the town and invite people to come and measure the land. The price of land is two taels of silver per mu. Thats it. You dont have to worry about it. Thank you very much, village head, said Xu Ran, smiling while giving him a tael of silver as a return. The village head did not refuse, and he did spend a lot of time on the land issue. In two more days, it would be October. Xu Ran believed that it wouldnt be long before everything about the land was settled. Before leaving, Xu Ran met the village heads spouse, Daddy Xu, have you finished the chili paste we sent last time? We still have some at home, and Ill have my two kids send you some more. Oh, Xu Ran! Id like to tell you that because of the chili paste you sent to us, my children can have more food. Thank you so much. Daddy Xu, you are welcome. Then Ill go back first. And Ill send some more paste here. OK, take your time, Xu Ran. On the way back, Xu Ran suddenly thought of corn, which he had never seen here in this era. He wondered that the corn was the most productive crop, but how could it not be seen here? But he thought that even though there was no corn here, there might be in other places. He decided to get some seeds first and plant them by himself, after which he would lead others to get rich together! He also thought of sweet potatoes and potatoes. Since there were potatoes in the mountain, there must also be sweet potatoes. It seemed that he could pay more attention to it when he went up the mountain next time. When Xu Ran returned home, Liu Tong had already got up and was busy airing chilies. However, Tangtang and Guoguo were still learning those words attentively. Xu Ran saw it and planned to buy some writing brushes, inkstones and paper when he went to the town next time. In addition, he also wanted to buy some books for heimself because he had to prepare for the imperial examinations. Although he still owned the originals memory, he didnt read much actually. Besides, what he had learnt was not exactly the same as what it was in this era. At best, he was only able to read. It seemed that not only did he need to buy a lot of things, but also he had to work very hard! However, all these things needed to be done gradually. Xu Ran temporarily put aside all the plans in his mind and ran to Liu Tong for help. This time, they got much more chili than the last time. It seemed that they needed to take quite some time to deal with it. During the two days at the end of September, Tangtang and Guoguo went out to play with Dahu and several of the village heads children. Xu Ran was busy airing chilies and beating soybeans, while Liu Tong picked up the needles and thread and began to make clothes. Seeing Liu Tong sewing clothes with a needle and thread, Xu Ran couldnt help but curl his lips. He was still not used to watching a man taking a needle and thread. He didnt know whether this was a manifestation of sexism. Of course, he didnt say anything. He knew Liu Tong was working hard for the family. Moreover, he knew Liu Tong had been working in the field since he was a child. Although he knew how to sew, his technique was really poor. Xu Ran couldnt bear to laugh at him. Two days later, Yamen runners brought tools and carriages to the village to collect the taxes. The whole village was bustling with noise and excitement. However, more villagers were crying. Although the harvest this year was good, most of them couldnt afford to buy any more fields. The rice they had got in was just enough to feed the family, but now they had to hand in half of it as taxes. If they ran into a bad situation next year, they could only wait for their deaths. Taxes, military service and labor were always the things ordinary people hated most but had to obey, because they lived at the bottom of society, and they could only be exploited in this era of cannibalism. Xu Ran understood that if he wanted to get ahead, he could only try to enter the official rank by examination, or work hard to establish his own family property. Their family had no land, so they didnt have any taxes to pay. However, he still collected all the chilies and hid them in the cellar they had dug before. There was only little chili paste at the bottom of the jar, because most of them were delivered to the reastaurant owner, Mr. Chen. This method was something Xu Ran suddenly thought of, in order to prevent the Yamen from coming in and searching their room. However, their luck was not so bad. When the officials saw that they lived in a bamboo house, they left without even entering the door. Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. It was really not easy to live in this era. This also strengthened Xu Rans determination to take the test for a scholarly honour or official rank . Only after the taxes were collected did Xu Ran and Liu Tong carry the chilies out of the cellar and grind them into flour, and the soybeans were also made into chili paste. With the previous experience, it was much easier for them this time to produce chili paste. It took them two days to finish grinding all the chilies. Xu Ran was about to go to the town to buy oil when the village head came, saying that someone would come here to measure the land today. So Xu Rans mission to the town was postponed again, which had been handed over to Liu Tong. The arrival of the Yamen was a big event for the villagers, so there were a lot of onlookers. Xu Ran had covered the stonemill with bamboo pieces earlier, making it look like a pile of unwanted firewood, so as not to attract others possible attention. Xu Ran didnt buy anything for the officials who came to work, but secretly gave them two taels of silver. Such a smart person naturally was favored by the officials. Thus, when they measured the land, they gave more land on purpose. Finally, Xu Ran successfully bought the land of 30 mu in total before and behind his house, at a cost of 60 taels of silver. This really made people in the village jealous, and even the village head did not expect that Xu Ran could afford so much money for the land. It was known that Xu Ran was a scholar and he had been a fool for so long. Although he seldom got close to others in the village, he had offended few people there either up till now. Therefore, no one would doubt about the origin of their money. In addition, the villagers all knew that Liu Tong could hunt. No matter what, Xu Ran also said to the public that they not only hunted, but also found some herbs to sell and made some money from it. These words roused many thoughts in the villagers minds. Xu Ran felt lucky that they didnt need to go up the mountain these days, or they might be met by other villagers while they were picking chilies, which would be really hard to explain. Around here, chili had always taken as a seasoning only. All the chilies sold in the town were from other places. Therefore, people in the village just grew their own chilies and ate them in small quantities. And those chilies growing in the mountains had never been noticed by the villagers. Therefore, Xu Ran was not worried that someone would go to pick those chilies high in the mountains. The only trouble was that the 30 mu of land they bought had made a big splash in the village. It seemed that they should be on guard in the future. Chapter 39 The land was bought, but if only Xu Ran and Liu Tong worked together, they would never be able to complete the task of farming, especially when it was still wasteland. Besides, Xu Ran himself knew very little about farming, so they had to hire someone else to work for them. It was much faster to plow with cattle, but now they didnt have the plow, and he couldnt design and make farm tools by himself. It was clear that they were facing great difficulties. At night, Xu Ran and Liu Tong had a discussion. They both felt that they could only hire others to open up the land. But now the family had little money. They had to wait until all the new chili paste was produced and sold. When the time came this year, they planned to open up some land themselves to grow radishes. As for the other land, they decided to wait until next spring. Not only radishes, but also potatoes could be grown in winter, so that their family would have potatoes to eat at the beginning of next spring. In addition, they could plant some houttuynia cordata, and when they grew up, they could sell them in next spring. The more Xu Ran thought about all these, the happier he felt! He felt that he would definitely become a big landlord if everything developed according to his ideas. How bright the future would be! The imagination was beautiful, but the reality was far away from such a beautiful scene. At the moment, the news of Xu Rans land purchase reached the Xu Family. Daddy, did you hear that the eldest brother bought 30 mu of wasteland today? Where do you think he got that much money? Xu Cheng asked. Today, he heard from the villagers that his eldest brother was very capable and that he had made so much money in a few months. He hated it very much. He had always believed that he was the favorite child of his dad and daddy. However, in other peoples eyes, he couldnt compare to his elderest brother in everything. Since he was a child, he had been considered to be inferior to his brother in learning, in appearance, in words and in deeds. Even after he was married, his spouse was commented to be worse than his brothers. That was why he was so cruel that he poisoned his eldest brother into a fool the day before he went to take the examination. He thought his brothers future was over, but he didnt expect that his brother married the bitch, Liu Tong. After that, they not only had children, but also his eldest brother recovered and was no longer a fool after their family separation. It was only three months since they left, but they had bought a land as large as 30 mu. Xu Cheng was so angry about it that he gritted his teeth. As soon as he heard that Xu Ran had bought land and even so much land, Elder Daddy Xu, who had been sitting there, immediately stood up with a shocked look on his face, What? That son of bitch had bought land as large as 30 mu? Where did he get so much money? Should he come to pay homage to his dad and daddy when he is rich? However, he just spent the money on land himself? Xu Cheng nodded, I just heard from a villager that Yamen runners had come to measure the land. I asked him which familys land. He said it was my eldest brothers, and he told me that my brother was very capable because he had saved so much money to buy 30 mu of land in only three months. Daddy, it was 30 mu of land! Where did eldest brother get so much money? Yes. Where did he get so much money? Our family has only three mu of land and 3 mu of field. No. I must go to see him. Why can he have so much land? His daddy is still alive here! Elder Daddy Xu was going out while talking. Xu Cheng followed him closely. Even Zhang Yue, who just entered the door, heard it and went with them. Xu Ran and his family had just had supper. They didnt expect that some people would come to trouble them even when it was dark. Moreover, they were those terrible relatives of theirs. Hearing the shouting and swearing outside, Xu Ran really wanted to go out and slap his daddy in the face. He was really the most abominable person he had ever seen, who even cursed his son like this. Such a person was worse than a brute. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs. Xu Ran opened the door, Tongtong, take the two kids to sleep first. Ill go out and take a look. Elder Daddy Xus roar along the way had awakened many people who had already fallen asleep. Most of them had come out to watch the fun, while some of them were angry and cursed them directly. But Elder Daddy Xu paid no attention to them. Both Xu Cheng and Zhang Yue were thick-skinned, too. When they arrived at the door of Xu Rans bamboo house, they were followed by groups of people. Xu Ran didnt even open the gate of the courtyard this time. He just said to Elder Daddy Xu, Daddy, its dark now. Its not convenient for you to come out at night. And theres no place for you to live in my shabby house here. You can go back first! If there is anything, we can talk about it tomorrow, okay? Look at the villagers behind you. They also need to sleep. Many people there responded to Xu Ran. Though they wanted to watch the fun, it was indeed too late. Someone in the crowd said, Xu Houcais spouse, you have been noisy the whole night. Are you afraid that others will not know you are harassing your son? Lets go to bed, everyone! Its really a pity for Xu Ran to have such a daddy. Then many villagers echoed his ideas and left. Elder Daddy Xu led Xu Cheng and Zhang Yue away in dismay. He knew that if he stayed, he would really be considered to make trouble for his son, which was really not good. Chapter 40 Only when Xu Houcai put his grandson to sleep at home did he realize no one was at home. He was so worried that he even prepared to go out to look for them. But just as he opened the door, he saw his spouse with his two sons came back in a bad mood. He didnt know what had happened, so he asked, What happened? Elder Daddy Xu took a cold glance at Xu Houcai and entered the room. Then Xu Houcai turned to his son and his son-in-law, Cheng, you tell him. Dad, when I came back from the town today, I heard that my eldest brother bought 30 mu of wasteland. Afterwards, I told daddy about it, and we decided to go visit him. While we were on our way, daddy might have said a few words about my brother, so some other villagers heard it and all just came along. But when we arrived, my brother said it was too late today and whatever it was it could wait till tomorrow. Then he sent us back. Xu Houcai now felt the same anger. That was 30 mu of land! Regardless of the fact how Xu Ran got the money for it, he didnt even say a word about it at all, to his own family! What is worse, his own daddy and brother came to pay a visit. How could he just shut the door in their faces! What a disobedient son! I will deal with him tomorrow. Like Elder Daddy Xu, Xu Houcai felt the same way. He believed that since they were doing great now, the first thing they should do was to use those money on their parents. Apparently, Xu Houcai had completely forgotten how they had driven them out of the family. Seeing his father get angry, Xu Cheng sneered in his heart. He wondered how would Xu Ran dodge the bullet this time! But Xu Cheng was good at acting. He didnt show he was gloating in front of his father. Instead, he said with concern, Father, its getting late. Lets go rest first! We will figure this out tomorrow. After sending all of those people who showed up at his door away, Xu Ran went back into the room with a gloomy face, wondering how could he have such shameless relatives. Noticing his fury, Liu Tong consoled him, All right, Ran, dont be mad. It is not the first day you knew your daddy. Hes always like this. Well just live our own lives. He didnt want to stay mad for this jerk either. he calmed down, Sorry. I shouldnt lash out on you. Liu Tong could never blame him for this. Its fine. I dont care. But I dont want you to keep this to yourself. I just didnt expect my daddy would be like this. I think you definitely had no idea how I became a fool before. I didnt fell myself but was poisoned by Xu Cheng. He even brought me to a mountain and pushed me down to kill me. He didnt want me to take the scholar examination, and even tried to steal Zhang Yue from me. Tell me, what did I do to have such an evil brother? Feeling sorry for the fool, he could not help but tell the story. Hearing this, Liu Tong was shocked, How could this even happen? Did your daddy and dad know about this? Humph, of course my daddy knew this. Only my father doesnt. If they ever come to us to make a scene again, Ill tell the truth. They would be too ashamed to stay in this village . Xu Ran didnt plan to give in. The consequence of the fools tolerance was his death. He would never make the same mistake. Hearing about the truth, Liu Tong was outrageous. He didnt expect the truth to be like this. He clenched his fists. If Xu Cheng were in front of him now, he would definitely beat him up without hesitation. Xu Ran noticed Liu Tongs anger. He held Liu Tong into his arms, Dont be angry. Im fine, and it is gonna be fine. We are gonna show them how good life could be by ourselves. They will pay their debts eventually. Liu Tong still couldnt come around, so Xu Ran just kissed him on the lips and took him to the bed. Then, they spent a beautiful night together. Chapter 41 Early the next morning, Xu Ran and his family got harassed. This time, all his relatives came, including Xu Chengs two sons. Everyone was here. It was so obvious that Xu Ran would be a fool if he didnt read their minds. Xu Ran didnt let them in, nor took Liu Tong out, just standing at the gate of the yard. He didnt care about being laughed at as he was not the one to be disgraced. He had got something on Xu Cheng. And Zhang Yue was just a coward. Totally, this big family was nothing. To Xu Rans surprise, it was more than that. A swarm of people appeared suddenly before Xu Rans daddy gave a word, with many passers-by around. Yo, what a big day! So you all coming to see my nephews land he bought latelyYou guys really have nothing better to do?! The wasteland has been there like forever. Anything good to see? Go! Go away The speaker attracted many peoples attention. Xu Ran looked at him, frowning deeply. It was the spouse of Xu Rans eldest uncle. Same as Xu Rans daddy, this guy was also quite unreasonable and shameless. Followed by him was a group, inlcuding Xu Rans third uncles family. The spouse of his third uncle didnt talk much, but he looked also mean just like his eldest uncles spouse did. These two were actually brothers, and both of them married into the Xu Family. Like elder brother, like younger brother. They were both a pain in the neck. These were all the memories of the original owner of this body. Clearly, the original owner didnt like his eldest uncles and third uncles families. Xu Ran didnt speak, nor did his father. Instead, someone, who was at odds with the spouse of his eldest uncle, opened his mouth, Who are you to say that? Xu Rans fathers here. You are in no position to put in a word here. The eldest uncles spouse was rendered speechless. He had known Xu Houcai and his family were here, but just pretended not to know. However, his eldest uncles spouse was not that stupid, he just continued calmly, Oh, sorry! I didnt see my second brother-in-law and his spouse here. There are too many people here, so I might have ignored you. But then again, why didnt you say something since you are here? The eldest uncles spouse even held Xu Houcais family responsible for it. Elder Daddy Xu was neither smart nor good at deal with interpersonal relationship, so he directly argued back, Who are you to speak here? I dont know whats your catch, but I tell you, Xu Ran is my son. Dont ever covet his 30 mu of wasteland! Oh well, my brother-in-laws spouse, you really wrong me. I never meant to get anything from Xu Ran. Im here to congratulate him. He bought 30 mu of wasteland now, which has never been done by anyone before. What a huge surprise! Isnt it? Yup! Thats so true. Id like to say that my nephew is so great. Previously, my second brother-in-laws family went through family division. Everyone knew it, right? My second brother-in-law just drove my nephew out without giving him anything. It has not been long while my nephew just bought his own land. Dont you think he is awesome?! That was said by Xu Rans third uncle. Xu Ran just coldly stared at his uncles spouses echoed each others words. They neither cast them out nor invited them into his house. Right! Xu Ran was a fool before the family division. Not long after the division, he got back to normal. Is there anything wicked in your house, my second brother-in-law? You gotta have an augur to have a look at your place. What if Xu Cheng also became a fool because of that? Thats right! They had already talked like that, Elder Daddy Xu just coulnt suppress his anger anymore. He could bear people to speak ill of himself but never of Xu Cheng because Xu Cheng was the apple of his eye. You two blabbermouths! Im gonna kill you today! After saying that, Elder Daddy Xu rushed towards them. However, he was no match for the two brothers. Seeing his spouse defeated , Xu Houcai rushed up too. How could the other two families bear to see their spouses being bullied? Thus, the two men also joined them. Finally, it turned into a chaotic fight. No on-lookers tried to stop this fight. Some left in case of being hurt accidentally, while some brave ones stood a little far away from them and watched the fun. Kids were still innocent, so they just cheered up by the side. Xu Ran held his arms crossed without saying a word. He was not interested in the fuss, so he turned around and got into the room. Chapter 42 In the end, they several families returned with injuries. As the initiator, the 30 mu of land still belonged to Xu Ran. At most, it was trampled on by a few more feet. But after this incident, the Xu Family probably hated him even more. However, to Xu Ran, it was nothing serious. When they went separated, both parties had agreed that there would be no connection between the two families in the future, whether they were alive or dead. At that time, the village head was also present. It was only a pity that Xu Ran was only short of a documentary proof. Still, he was not afraid of it. If his daddy hadnt treated him like that, and if his dad hadnt beat him and Liu Tong for only a rabbit, he would have intended to take good care of them on behalf of the fool, but since they had done such cruel things, Xu Ran felt he didnt need to be so good to them. Moreover, Elder Daddy Xu was so stupid that his reputation in the village would be even worse from now on. Although Xu Ran might also be affected, it was not a big deal for him. Because of this incident, Wu Mei also came to have a look. Seeing that Xu Ran didnt have any problem, he went back again. He was quite busy these days. If it hadnt been for Liu Tongs sake, he wouldnt even have bothered to come over, let alone watch a group of insignificant ruffians fighting. The Xu Family suffered a loss because of this, so after going back, they were quiet for several days. With no one to disturb them, Xu Ran took its advantage and together with Liu Tong, they made more chili paste. The chili paste they had delivered to Mr. Chen last time had been sold out. It was Oct. the 10th today, and they were going to pack all the chili paste left from the last time to send to the town. Still they were not sure if they were able to hold on this way until they produced more chili paste. Today, all of them were going to the town. The new clothes that Liu Tong had sewn for the two kids were ready, while Xu Rans was still under way. Xu Ran didnt care about clothing actually. He had been a fool for so many years. Did he care what others would comment about his dress? Last time, when he went to the town with Xu An, he only did some shopping, but he didnt take a good look around the market. This time, he wanted to see if there were any corn seeds as well as fruit seedlings to buy. He intended to make an all-out effort in farming during the coming days. There were many things to buy in the town this time, so Liu Tong went to borrow the ox cart from Xu Ans family. On the way, Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, its not a good idea that we have to borrow other peoples carriage all the time. Why dont we buy a donkey ourselves instead? How much is it for one? Liu Tong replied hesitantly, Ran, its enough for us to buy a donkey, but to do this is easy to attract others attention. Weve just bought a land. Its not good to buy a donkey so soon. Xu Ran thought it was right. There was no need for them to show off this time. Then lets wait until next year. All right. Well, lets buy some paper and writing brushes for Tangtang, Guoguo and you, even though they are a little expensive. Besideds, well have to buy quilts. Its getting cold. Alright, Ill listen to my Tongtong. Whatever you want to buy, just buy them. The money is all on you, said Xu Ran in a teasing tone. Liu Tong patted him lightly, Ran, be serious. Xu Ran chuckled, You are my spouse. Am I right? Or you just ask about Tangtang and Guoguo? Both kids looked at them in blank. This was their first time riding a carriage and going to the town. They were so focused and excited that they didnt hear what their dad and daddy were talking about. They had just turned around when they heard their names called. Do you two think so? Xu Ran asked them. Both kids actually knew nothing about their talk, but they nodded in unison. In their minds, whatever their dad said was correct. And this caused a burst of laughter. Liu Tong, who was driving the ox cart stopped annoying himself and began to laugh, too. He thought to himself, Just let it be, as long as Ran likes it. Chapter 43 After arriving at the town, Liu Tong first went to the place where the ox cart was parked and spent a few copper coins to have someone keep watch. Then he led his family to Mr. Chens restaurant. For the first time, Mr. Chen saw Xu Ran whom Liu Tong pampered so much. After the two exchanged pleasantries for a while, Liu Tong handed all the chili paste to Mr. Chen and said, Mr. Chen, this is all we had in our house. The next batch might take a few days, so you might want to sell them sparingly for the time being. Well Mr. Chen was a bit awkward, Couldnt you pick up the pace a little? The customers have already made a habit of buying them; I fear they wont be pleased if I suddenly cut down the stock. Those are my regular customers. Regular customers were indeed very important for a shop. As their living expenses nowadays depended on the high prices Mr. Chen offered for the chili paste, Liu Tong was also a bit hesitant and turned his eyes towards Xu Ran. Xu Ran grinned and said, Mr. Chen, its not something you can make easily, as the paste tastes better after its left for some time. However, I do have a way to satisfy your customers. Mr. Chens eyes lit up from hearing these words and he asked, Whats your idea, Mr. Xu? Mr. Chen, dont you have a lot of porcelain bottles in your restaurant? You can put the paste in these bottles, tell the customers that theyre the last few bottles of chili paste left in this batch, then put on a strict sales limit per person and give away a porcelain bottle to each of them for free. You can also take pre-orders from customers and supply them when the next batch arrives. Im sure theyll be glad to. The restaurant definitely had a lot of porcelain bottles, and in order to keep his customers, Mr. Chen agreed in a snap, Alright, great idea. Mr. Xu, you dont mind if I just call you Ran, right? Youre quite the smart one. Not at all. Xu Ran shook his head. Mr. Chen, if some of the customers miss the deal, you can also offer them a discount, just tell them something like youll treat them to a few dishes for free! Or lower the price of his dish orders by half. Ill leave it up to you. Im sure the customers wont be dissatisfied. Alright, alright, Ill go make the arrangements as you said. Mr. Chen got so excited he was about to leave without even picking up the chili paste. Mr. Chen, Xu Ran stopped him, you forgot this. Mr. Chen patted his forehead in vexation, Look at me. How about you come to my place for lunch then? My treat. Xu Ran didnt feel like being too polite either, Dont mind if I do then, Mr. Chen. Then its settled. I like straightforward people like you. Smiling, Xu Ran replied, Same to you. After Mr. Chen paid for the chili paste, the family of four went for a stroll on the streets. Last time Xu Ran was in a hurry and didnt get a good look at what was on the street, but this time he looked around carefully and found many things he had never seen before, especially some trinkets. They were quite exquisitely made. Xu Ran saw some kites on sale by the street; the two kids had been staring at them for a while, so he took these kids over to the shop and said, Choose one you like. Although Tangtang and Guoguo liked them a lot, they knew kites were very expensive. There was a child who had one in the village and it was an object of much envy. The two kids knew that life wasnt easy, so they shook their head sensibly. Tantang said, Its fine, dad. Im okay with just looking at it. Looking at the two kids made Xu Ran feel sorry for them, as when he was a child, he could ask his parents whatever he wanted and they would buy it as long as it wasnt expensive. Compared to him, his kids couldnt even own a kite. He patted Tangtangs head and said, Go pick! I can afford two kites. Really? Guoguo looked at Xu Ran with sparkly eyes. Xu Ran nodded and said, Of course, ask daddy if you dont believe me. Liu Tong would never go against his will, not to mention that he always pampered the kids to begin with. So he nodded and replied, What your dad said is true, go choose! The variety of kites was extremely limited, with only two variations: the swallow and the eagle. The two kids picked one for each and held them with joy. Afterwards, the family went on to check other things and bought whatever useful. Xu Ran did find some corn kernels in town, but the shopkeeper refused to sell them. Apparently he wasnt allowed to sell the corn kernels without his masters permissions. The master just happened to be away, making Xu Ran feel a little bummed. So he said to the shopkeeper, I want you to keep these for me, please. When your master comes back, please tell him that the Xu Ran from the Xu Village wants to buy them, Ill come back after a few days. Alright, Mr. Xu, Ill keep them for you. Xu Ran made a bow politely and said, You have my thanks. Although disappointed by the turn of events, Xu Ran didnt let it show. The family then went to the bookstore and bought some books as well as various writing materials, which cost about two taels of silver. No one minded, because they all thought the money was well spent. Xu Ran was also going to buy some cotton quilts, but considering it was too big, he decided to go eat first. As the family was making its way to Mr. Chens restaurant, they had no idea that a few pairs of eyes were dead fixed upon them from behind. ޹ݲҵģӦþͻˣԭ¦(ЩЩnЩ)3 Chapter 44 Today was the birthday of Zhang Yues daddy. Zhang Yue went back with his sons to celebrate for his daddy. Unexpectedly, he ran into his parents and elder brother in the town, so they walked together. Zhang Yue bought a bolt of indigo blue coarse cloth for his daddy, which cost him a lot. All was paid with Zhang Yues own money as the Xu Family didnt give him any, which made Zhang Yue felt upset for quite a while. Just out of the cloth store, without any expectation, Zhang Yue saw Xu Ran and his family coming out of the bookstore. Xu Ran was holding some books and stationery. His two sons were having a kite each in their hands, and Liu Tong with his hands full of groceries. Seeing the kites, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang clamoured for one, but Zhang Yue had no more money for kites. Zhang Yue stared at the happy family, the books in Xu Rans hands, green with envy. He knew very well how expensive these books were. Ordinary families couldnt even afford the tuition, not to mention books. And Xu Ran bought several thick books. The only thought in Zhang Yues mind was, Xu Ran became rich. But the money wasnt for him, nor would it be for him, but for Liu Tong the bitch. It drove Zhang Yue crazy at the thought that Liu Tong was living a better life than he was. He almost pinched his fingernails into his palm. Sunk in thought, Zhang Yue didnt notice his sons at all. Seeing the kids crying, Zhang Yues daddy held the little one and comforted, very unsatisfied with Zhang Yue. What are you doing? Cant you hear the kids are crying?! Zhang Yue was even more annoyed seeing the kids crying. What are you crying for? Just two kites, right? Go home and let your father buy for you. They are only kids. How can you be mad at them? And what kites? Zhang Yues daddy was not happy to see his favorite grandsons being shouted at. Xu Hui wiped his tears, pointing at Xu Rans family not far away, The little idiots have kites. I want one too. Zhang Yues daddy was not familiar with the Xu Family, so he asked. Who are the little idiots? Zhang Yue explained reluctantly, Its Xu Rans sons. They were standing across the steet just now with kites. Xu Hui and Xu Qiang want kites as well. Zhang Yues daddy was not familiar with Xu Ran, so he didnt recognize him. Didnt you say that they got nothing from the family division? Where did he get the money for the kites? Hes really a black sheep of his family. You are so lucky that you didnt marry him. said Zhang Yues daddy angrily. Daddy, buying kites is nothing to them. Xu Ran has just bought 30 mu of wasteland. Thats not a small amount of money. Speaking of this, Zhang Yue was even unhappier. Xu Ran was not a fool anymore after the family division. He could be able to afford 30 mu of wasteland in just a few months, and now he could even have spare money to buy kites for the kids. He must have lived a better life than now, if only had married Xu Ran. In the past, all the hosework was done by Liu Tong. Zhang Yue did nothing as Xu Cheng was his parents favorite. Love Xu Cheng, love Zhang Yue. But after the family division, millions of housework had fallen on Zhang Yue. He hadnt cooked for seven years since he got married to Xu Cheng. Before marrying Xu Cheng, Zhang Yue could cook, but he almost forgot everything after seven years. The food he cooked now tasted terrible, either overcooked or not well-done. No dish was edible. He was scolded every day after the family division, even by Xu Cheng. Now he needed to be very careful every day. He was much busier during the harvest time, doing both housework and the grain collection. Whats more, he hadnt eaten any meat since the family separation. Life was so difficult that Zhang Yue began to regret his marriage, especially when he heard that Xu Ran had bought 30 mu of wasteland. Feeling wronged, Zhang Yue told his parents and brother what had happened in the past few months. Hearing this, all got stunned. They knew that Zhang Yue lived a good life at the Xu Family, but never knew it was because of Zhang Yues brother-in-laws spouse. Now the Xu Family showed their true colors after the family division. But what could he do apart from suffering? He had two sons and had to make the life continue no matter how hard it was. He never expected that Xu Cheng was such useless. Zhang Yues parents also regretted this marriage. What a good life if Zhang Yue married Xu Ran. Xu Ran was not stuipid now and he used to be well-educated. It would not only benefit Zhang Yue, but also them. That was really a good plan, but he never thought about that if Zhang Yue married Xu Ran at first, Xu Ran wouldnt live long till today. Zhang Yues daddy felt more satisfied with Xu Ran. He forgot that at the beginning it was because Xu Ran was a fool that they married Zhang Yue to Xu Cheng. Xu Ran felt a chill on the back when he walked, like someone was watching him behind. He didnt feel well until they got to Mr. Chens restaurant. It was their first time to eat in a restaurant. He had eaten in restaurants in the modern world, but not once after he came here. Needless to say, it was more impossible for Liu Tong and other family members. They had been suffering from hunger when lived in the Xu Family, not to mention eat in a restaurant. Xu Ran ordered a few dishes rare seen in their daily life. The dishes were seasoned with their hand-made chili sauce, which wa so delicious! The whole family finished the meal with great satisfaction. Xu Ran still insisted on paying for the meal. He said he would accept the free meal only because he didnt want to refuse the hospitality of Mr. Chen at that time, but for him, there was no such thing eating without paying. After the meal, the family went to buy quilts with cotton wadding. The price was good because it was not cold now. Liu Tong had planned to buy some cotton and got someone made the quilts. Xu Ran thought it troublesome and decided to buy ready-made ones directly. He bought three quilts, one for Tangtang and Guoguo, one for Liu Tong and him, and the third one as a spare. Afterwards, they bought some refined grains, rapeseed oil, then meat and chops, white sugar, and a bottle of wine for the village head. Also snacks for the kids. Xu Ran bought a lot of edible seeds. Tea was luxurious to villagers while edible seeds were affordable. They were grown by the villagers themselves, and the price was not expensive. Finished the shopping, Xu Ran and his family headed home on an oxcart. The large pile of stuff on the ox cart attracted many peoples attention. But all were unfamiliar, so Xu Ran didnt care. Back home, Liu Tong returned the ox cart and took Wu Mei as well as others some meat they had just bought. He also took them many edible seeds. Xu Ran went to the villiage heads house with the wine and meat to express their gratitude. He had saved much money for Xu Ran. Besidess, it would be very helpful if Xu Ran built a good relationship with the head villiage. Seeing the wine, the head villiage liked Xu Ran more, and the spouse of the head villiage kept speaking well of Tangtang and Guoguo, inviting them to come over again. Surely Xu Cheng accepted the invitation. Xu Cheng didnt have enough money at this time, so he was thinking if he should remodel his house first or hire someone to work his land. Xu Ran kept thinking all the way home. When he got home, Liu Tong was back too. Xu Ran decided to discuss with Liu Tong about the money spending issue. Tongtong, what do you think we do first, work the land or remodel our house? Liu Tong thought about this and then said, Ran, lets hire someone to work the land first. We can remodel our house next year. Our money is not enough yet for the remodelling, and Id like to send Tangtang and Guoguo to school next year. Xu Ran fell silent. In this case, their money was too limited. Their house was still okay to live, while the only problem was not warm enough in winter. Maybe they could buy some more firewood. Next year, when they had more money, they could consider the remodling thing then. He really wanted to live a good life in this world, even if it was so different from his previous world before. Decided hiring someone to work the land, Xu Ran was planing to go to the villiage heads house again tomorrow. Since related to money, Wu Mei and several others must be hired. For other hires, it would be up to the villiage head. Xu Ran didnt care about the money he paid, as long as he was satisfied. In the evening, Xu Ran made bone soup noodles with the bones bought during the day. It was so tasty. Everyone ate his fill. After that, Xu Ran had sex with Liu Tong andthen fell asleep. Chapter 45 The next morning after breakfast, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to practise calligraphy at home. As for him and Liu Tong, one went to the village heads house and the other went to find Wu Mei. When Xu Ran arrived, the village heads family were having breakfast. Xu Ran took a look at the food on the table and found that even he was the head of the village, their food was just so so. It was true people in this era were generally poor. Xu Ran directly told the intention of his coming,Village head, I want to invite someone to help our family open up the newly bought land. We cant do the farming by ourselves on the land of more than 30 mu. We can hire short or long-term workers. Money is not a problem and it can be discussed, but only one condition is required, that is, their work is satisfying. The village head looked Xu Ran up and down and then said, Oh, Xu Ran! It costs a lot of money to hire people to work the land. Are you sure you got money for that? Xu Ran nodded, Dont worry about money, village head. I can pay for it since Ive promised it. By the way, village head, how much should I pay a short-term worker a day? Few people in the village hire short-term workers nowadays, but generally speaking, they are willing to pay a worker 80 pence for a day, not including food and accommodation. How about this way, village head? Ill also pay 80 pence a day including lunch? Alright, since you say so, Ill go and ask others to help you. It just so happens that everyone has finished their work by this time, and they are going to look for short-term jobs in the town. Now, they can make money without going out. I think they will like to take your jobs. Xu Ran replied smilingly, Thank you so much, village head. Please tell those who are willing to come prepare their tools well. They can just gather outside my house tomorrow morning. The village head nodded, All right. By the way, village head, I want to buy some rice and vegetables. You know my family has not done any farming and need to buy all the food in the town. These days more people will come to work and need to eat. I wonder if there are any families who are willing to sell us some food? If you want to buy brown rice, I have some in my family. Later, let me weigh some out for you. As for the vegetables, my younger brother can suply you some. Ill let him send them to you. As for the money, you decide how much to pay. After all, we are all from the same village. Well, thank you very much, village head. But can you also deliver your brown rice to my home? You know I dont have any vehicles. Ill pay you according to the price in town. Xu Ran didnt want to let the village head lose money. He also knew he couldnt save much money in it, either. By doing so, he could also make a good impression on the village head. Smilingly, the village head nodded and agreed, Ill send it to you in a minute. Is 200 kilos enough for you! Enough. Thank you, village head. After returning home from the village heads house, Xu Ran began to tidy up the things in his bamboo house. There were not many things in it, actually. As he did not plan to take out the potatoes for the time being, he had to put them in the cellar. The chili paste was already stored in the cellar, so there was no need to worry about it. However, he wanted to find a way to cover the stone mill outside. During this period, the bamboo that was left after the building of the house had been used as firewood and it was almost burnt out, so they were not enough to cover the stone mill well. And he had to find another way instead. After thinking for a while, he decided to go and find some straws. He believed Wu Meis family should have stored a lot of straws, so he instructed Tangtang and Guoguo and left in a hurry. At Wu Meis house, Xu Ran found both Wu Lan and Liu Qing were also in, but only three Geers stayed there. All the Xiaozis of the family were out. Seeing Xu Ran, Liu Tong stood up right away and asked, Ran, why are you here? I need some straws to cover up the stonemill. Do you have any in your family, Wu Mei? Yes, I have some, but not much. I have raised a cow and have to feed it. Liu Qing said to Xu Ran, Go to my house and get it! We have some store of it and plan to use it to light fire. Alright, thank you so much. Liu Tong should have told you that well open up the wasteland! Please come and help me cook tomorrow! The pay for the work is eighty pence a day including food, the same as others. Speaking of money, Wu Mei turned against him, We dont want money. Its not easy for you to earn some money. You have to spend a long time in order to open up the land. Xu Ran waved his hands and said, Its fine. Dont worry about this. It wont be long to finish opening up the land. Tomorrow not only will you come, but even Xu An and the others will come as well. Ill tell you my arrangements when you are all there. Under this circumstance, it was not good for Wu Mei to refuse anymore. Since Liu Qing and others had always been centered around Wu Mei, they naturally wouldnt refuse. After talking for a while, Xu Ran and Liu Tong followed Liu Qing to his house to get the grass. On the way, Liu Qing warned, Liu Tong, you cant hire anyone for help! I believe some people just come to play tricks and earn money. Dont worry about that. Ill find some supervisors. As long as the supervisor finds out anyone that is not doing his job properly, Ill let him go, and Ill never hire him again. Thats fine. Xu Ran, its thoughtful of you. People who have read books are different, Liu Qing said with emotion. Xu Ran felt a little bashful. He knew that modern people were generally clear about this. When they carried the straws back from Liu Qings family, the two kids were already waiting in the yard. They might be hungry, and they immediately went up to both Liu Tong and Xu Ran upon seeing them. Guoguo told them, Hey, dad and daddy, Im hungry. Tangtang was unwilling to lag behind, I am also hungry. He even proved himself by touching his stomach. Xu Ran was amused, All right. Wait a minute. I will cook for you. Xu Rans present culinary skills were better than Liu Tongs so the two children liked to eat his food best. Hearing Xu Ran say that he would cook, they both hurrayed and ran away happily. Xu Ran didnt know whether to laugh or cry now! The kids knew how to be coquettish. Still, Xu Ran felt pleased about it, because both of his kids finally looked like real children. Early the next day, those people the village head had summoned were waiting outside their bamboo house. Xu Ran quickly took a few mouthfuls of food and went out to meet them. First of all, he took out all the edible seeds he had bought the day before, and entertained everyone present sincerely Most of the people who came to be the short-term workers were honest and obedient. Thus, they ate before they started working. After dividing th seeds, Xu Ran started his opening speech, Hello, everybody, my house is too small, so I wont invite you in. You are invited here by the village head for me. You all know that Ive just bought 30 mu of wasteland. In my family, however, there are only two laborers, my spouse and I. It is really out of our ability to manage it by ourselves, so we invite everyone here. However, I can assure you that you will not work for nothing. I will follow the price for short-time workers in the village, that is, eighty pence a day for each person. Apart from that, I will provide you with an additional lunch. However, I have to make sure that everyone should abide by my rules, which are that those who work hard will be rewarded while those who are lazy and cheating will be asked to leave. Moreover, they will be never hired again here even if we have any work in the future. For this reason, I have hired three supervisors. In a minute, we will divide you into three groups each of which has the same number of people. Each group will be given the task of 10 mu of land. Finally, for the first group to finish their task, I will not only pay them the daily wages, but also offer each of them an extra of twenty pence per day. At last, after the work is completed, each of them will get home a kilo of meat. Hearing Xu Rans words, most people there began to whisper. This business was definitely the biggest in the village up till now. They had never made so much money before. Therefore, many people were very excited and full of enthusiasm. They all wanted to fight for the first place. In this way, they could get 100 pence in total every day as well as a kilo of meat, because they all knew that they needed to spend more than 100 pence on a kilo of meat in their place. Xu Ran paused and watched their reaction. Then he went on, The second place also has a reward, that is, an extra one pence a day. However, theres no meat for them. As for the third place, they will only get their planned pay. Now let me introduce you the three supervisors. Xu Ran invited Xu An, Xu Fa and Xu Zhen out from the crowd. Then he pointed to them and said, Everyone knows these three people, right? They are the supervisors. Well, those of you who are willing to stay to work here will be divided into three groups, and my supervisors will lead you to your task land to start your work. I wonder if everyone is willing to stay and help me? Xu Ran looked sincere and modest, and many people present were moved by him. Such a good treatment that I am naturally willing to work here. Bro Xu Ran, Ill do it. Ill do it as well. Ill do it as well. With the first person to respond positively, more and more people agreed and joined the team. At last, over 30 people stayed . Xu Ran then asked Xu An and the other two supervisors to divide the workers in groups. Next, all he had to do was to pay. As for the location of the 30 mu of land, it was easy to find. He didnt need to worry about it at all. Xu An and his colleagues didnt expect Xu Ran to make such an arrangement, but they knew that it was all because they used to help him and his family, otherwise they would not have got such easy tasks while earning money. Naturally, three of them would not fail Xu Rans trust. They three indeed shared the same idea, and all worked very hard. Of course, the task of cooking was handed over to Wu Mei and the other two Geers. Xu Ran himself and Liu Tong were in charge of running errands. Soon, Xu Ran drove Wu Meis ox cart to the town and bought big bones and pork back. The pork would be used to fry with vegetables, while the big bones for stewing soup. The brown rice from the village heads house and the vegetables from his brothers had been delivered yesterday. To pay them both, Xu Ran had also spent several taels of silver. In addition to his own work, Xu Ran also arranged for a group of children to follow the workers opening up the land to pick houttuynia cordata, because he thought it would also be a good dish on the lunch table. In the end, people who came back from work at noon saw that there were totally four dishes and one soup on the table. Usually, these dishes were only eaten during the Spring Festival. Now they could also eat them when they worked for others. Thus they had not only good food to eat, but also money to take. The workers were so moved that they were all appreciated for the kindness and enthusiasm of the host family. Before eating, each of the workers first drank a bowl of delicious bone soup, and then they all ate their fill. In this way, they were naturally more powerful when they worked in the afternoon. Chapter 46 However, Xu Rans kindness got him in a big trouble. Early the next morning, those people who came to work yesterday went to the wasteland with hoes after breakfast. And there were another swarm of people standing at Xu Rans door, after hearing that hearty meals were offered yesterday and that the first-prize winner could get fat meat as an award, so they all wanted to join. Xu Ran looked at these people, explaining patiently that now he had got enough workers, maybe next time for them. These people were in no position to request any more, all leaving disappointedly. Of course, there was always someone being a pain in the neck, like Xu Rans eldest uncles and third uncles families. This time it was the villiage head responsible for the employment. Having received Xu Rans wine, the villiage head must try his best for this task, not to mention that Xu Ran had also bought 100 kilos of brown rice from him with a pretty good price. Therefore, all the people he had found for Xu Ran were honest and diligent. The families of Xu Rans eldest uncle, third uncle and his father hadnt received any news about this employment. Xu Rans eldest uncles spouse and third uncles spouse had kept bothering Xu Ran, Xu Ran, why dont you come to us when you are in need? Theres no need to spend so much money on hiring others. Right. We are all here and you go to others. Why not give the money to us? Anyway, your eldest uncle is your elder. Why dont you invite him? And your third uncle, thats your fathers brother. They echoed each others words around Xu Ran. Hearing the words of his third uncles spouse, Xu Ran laughed. How could he have the nerve to say that his third uncle and his father were brothers! Yes, they really were brothers and so alike-both like to take advantage of others and married the same type, like the old saying, birds of a feather flock together. Xu Ran would have argued with them if he was not afraid of them spreading rumors. My uncles spouses, it was not me who didnt offer you this job, but it was the village head who was in charge of the employment. When the village head was recruiting the day before yesterday, you were not there, were you? We had got enough people yesterday, so no more needed now. Youd better leave. Even outsiders can do it. Why cant your eldest uncle? Just add him to the list and cast someone out. Hearing what the spouse of his eldest uncle said, Xu Ran got angry, How can you say that as an elder? Who do you want me to cast out? If I do so, what reason I should give him if he has done a good job? Tell him that my eldest uncle will take his place, and he has to leave becasue of not my relative? You should just say these words only here, and I wont tell anyone else. You had better forget this idea! Why not say? You are my nephew and its reasonable enough to keep your eldest uncle a position. You pay the money and you are the boss! I dont care. You must give your eldest uncle a job. Besides, I will take the cook job. And your third uncle, he must have a position as well. The spouse of Xu Rans third uncle immediately chime in as soon as the eldest uncles spouse finished. Xu Ran got even angrier. Who are you to get the job? When I was in trouble, where were you? You guys mocked me a lot when I was a fool. Now you claim we are a family. He thought in his heart. Xu Ran sneered, Do you remember that I had been a fool for seven years? Do you remember what you had said and done at that time? Ive remembered it clearly. And when Xu Cheng asked for the family division, I was shut out, terribly wounded. Where were you then? I guess you must have closed the door tightly, afraid that Tongtong and I went to you with Tangtang and Guoguo. You must have felt relieved when you heard that we went to Wu Mei for help, right? My uncles spouses, to be honest, we wouldnt go to you even if we starved to death. I remembered how my father and daddy treated me and how you treated me. As what I had said during the family division, we would have no relationship with my father and daddy, neither with you, whether we are alive or not. Now you all come to me because were living a better life. Do you think you can always bully me like you did before? My uncles spouses, I have a word for you, you reap what you sow, sooner or later. You will pay for it. Seemingly frightened by Xu Rans grim expression, the spouses of Xu Rans eldest and second uncles cried out at the same time. Pretended to see nothing, Xu Ran said calmly, My uncles spouses, youd better leave while no one is here. The spouse of Xu Rans eldest uncle had intended to say something, but he was pulled by Xu Rans third uncles spouse, leaving sullenly. Before left, he gave Xu Ran a fierce look. Xu Ran rubbed his stiff face after they had left. It really was not easy to pretend to be cold. Getting rid of the headache, Xu Ran turned back into the house pleasantly to share the victory with Liu Tong. Chapter 47 It took them about ten days to complete the reclamation of the wasteland, during which most of them worked hard. However, there were also one or two workers who were caught to be too lazy or cheating. As a result, Xu Ran paid them as agreed before, and then let them go after informing them again that they would never be employed again. Only when such workers got their final pay did they realize how regretful they were, but there was no way out already. Obviously, Xu Ran walked the walk. In the end, the results of the three groups got almost the same results. Two groups were the fastest, while the other group was only a little slower. Therefore, Xu Ran decided to put the two groups in the first place while the other group in the second place. In this way, all the workers in the three groups were rewarded, which made all of them very happy. They all promised that they would never refuse whenever Xu Ran should need them in the future Indeed, Xu Ran had won instant fame as well as great support from many people this time. Except that Xu Rans eldest and third uncles came to harass them the next day, no one from the Xu Family ever came including his dad and daddy. This made Xu Ran feel strange. However, he didnt think that the Xu Family would change their attitude. He believed there must be something else waiting for him. The Xu Family really had their own wishful thinking. What they planned was that after Xu Ran opened up the land, they would go straight to do farming on it. They thought Xu Ran was their son and he should let his dad and daddy share the land with him. This scheme was put forward by Elder Daddy Xu. At first, Xu Houcai disagreed with it. However, when he thought that last time Xu Ran stood by and watched them to be bullied by his eldest and third brothers, he hated Xu Rans guts. He thought Xu Ran was an evil-hearted and ungrateful person. After consideration, the family thought that the plan would work, so this time they all waited at home with great patience. Xu Ran planned to grow more wheat and potatoes, as well as garlic and radish. He also planned to hire workers to grow wheat. As for potatoes, he would prefer to ask Wu Meis and the other two families for help. He knew that these families were not going to plant potatoes now, because they did not know how the harvest was. If the crop was planted more while the harvest was less, it would be terrible because it was not enough to feed the whole family. Xu Ran intended to plant a large quantities of potatoes in the village, but he needed to have a test first. This could be considered as his contribution to the village! First of all, he needed to buy wheat seeds because they didnt have them at home. The people in the village didnt leave much, either, only enough for their own use. Xu Ran thus had to go to the town to buy them. Thinking of the corn he had seen before, he felt that he could buy some of it by the way this time. So he could buy corn and wheat seeds together in the same shop. This time, he went the town alone. Liu Tong was busy making clothes at home, and didnt have time to company him. The two kids got familiar with other children in the village because of their familys land opening up event, so they had joined the large group of palymates in the village. Every day, aside from words leaning, eating and sleeping, they were basically not at home. Seeing the joy of the two kids, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were glad and let them be. Apart from the kites they had before, Xu Ran also bought many toys for them. It just so happened that they had just produced more chili paste. Thus early that morning, Xu Ran and Liu Tong got up and got the chili paste ready, after which, Xu Ran went to the town to deliver the paste. He was thinking of buying a donkey cart after they finished their crops planting, otherwise it would be inconvenient for them to go around. Even he himself felt embarrassed by always borrowing the ox cart from Wu Mei. Walking was much slower than taking an ox cart. It usually took only an hour to get to town by ox cart, but it took two hours to walk. In addition, Xu Ran was carrying something heavy on his back. He felt exhausted, so he had to stop and go. At last, he got to his destination. The first thing he did when he got to the town was to go straight to Mr. Chens restaurant. Though the restaurant was a bit remote, its business was really good. Its customers were all rich people. Anyway, Xu Ran knew they didnt know him, so he went in without fear of being noticed. Upon seeing him, Mr. Chen came forward to greet him warmly, Hey, Ran! Here you are. Xu Ran put down his heavy load and pounded himself on the shoulder, Mr. Chen, sorry for the late delivery. A few days ago, we were busy opening up the land, so we didnt have time for the delivery. And I came now right after the work there had been done. Its all right. Its good that you are here. The suggestion you put forward last time worked. But because of the large number of customers who have ordered your chili paste, I think your delievery today will not be enough to supply to the customers. Would you please send me some more tomorrow? Fine. As long as I finish my work tomorrow, Ill send you more. Mr. Chen, please accept todays delivery first! I still need to buy some stuff. Alright, give me everything you have there then! Xu Ran counted and found that he had carried there more than fifty bamboo tubes of chili paste. After settling the account, Xu Ran laft in a hurry. He was going to buy the seeds he needed. Xu Ran got to the shop selling seeds last time and noticed that there were still corn seeds. He rushed inside and asked the shopkeeper, Mister, is your master here now? Please inform him that I want to buy seeds. Upon seeing Xu Ran closely, the shopkeeper thought of who he was. He said with a smile, So its you, Xu Ran! My master came back yesterday. Wait a moment, please. Ill go and inform him. Oh, thank you. As the shopkeeper was the only staff on duty today in the shop, Xu Ran stopped himself from walking around because he felt it was not appropriate to do so when the shopkeeper was not present. Master, its that customer I told you before standing there at the door. His surname is Xu, the shopkeeper informed his master. Hearing the voice behind, Xu Ran turned around and saw that the shopkeeper was talking to a young man. Smilingly, Xu Ran went up to him, Hello, Im Xu Ran. Id like to buy your seeds. Chapter 48 The young man looked gentle and mild-mannered, but didnt look well with a hint of gloom on his face. He must have something bugging him. Hearing Xu Rans words, he also came out with a smile, Sir, may I know what the corn seed is? Seems that we dont have it here in our shop. Xu Ran also realized that there was no word corn yet in this age, so he went directly to get a full ear of corn-on-the-cob. Here it is. I want to buy the seeds of it. The shopkeeper said I should talk to the master and Ive come once ten days ago. The young man turned to the shopkeeper and the shopkeeper nodded, Thats true, master. The gentleman did come ten days ago while you were not here. He requested me to keep it for him and just run into you when you were back today. Sir, this thing is called a cob. I brought it back from the south. Its of high yield but no one has grown here. How did you know it? To tell you the truth, sir, I read it from a book saying it was edible for both men and animals, even the corn stigma also useful. What a good thing to kill two birds with one stone, so I want to give a try. As a man came from the modern society, the most important ability was not eloquence, but the one that convinced people of things that was not true. The master was convinced, I see. Then how many cobs do you want? We dont have many, only about ten. I was concerned no one would buy it, so didnt bring many back. Okay, then I take them all. As long as they are grown and ripe, I will have seeds. You can also buy seeds from me then. I believe its getting popular and selling well next year. Xu Ran talked with great confidence, impressing the master. Okay, you can take them for 10 pences. It didnt cost me much in the south. Xu Ran knew what the master did was for the further cooperation, and that was mutual beneficial, so he agreed immediately. Sure, 10 pences is no problem. Also, Id like some wheat and vegetable seeds, please. Thank you. The boss nodded and the shopkeeper took the order immediately. Nice talking with you, sir. Im Zhuo Yun. May I have you name? Xu Ran looked at him, replying politely, Im Xu Ran and Im from the Xu Village nearby. Exchanging the names, now theyve known each other. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun something about the south. Zhuo Yun was very talkative and shared several interesting things with Xu Ran. When the shopkeeper wrapped up the seeds, they still had a lot to share. But Xu Ran needed to be back early as it took time to walk back. So he had to say goodbye, Mr. Zhuo, I gotta to go now and I will be back next time. You are such an expert at both selling and storytelling! I wish I could stay here if I had time today. But bye for now, and Im visiting the other day. Zhuo Yun was amused by his words, his wrinkly tight eyebrows unfolded, All right, its a deal. Im staying here these days and waiting for you. Complimented each other, Xu Ran paid and left with seeds. Xu Ran bought many things in the town and went back with a heavy pack basket. He found it really troublesome to go out to buy meat every time and thought about raising some livestock themselves. They had enough space, so they could raise some chicken and ducks in the yard, make a pigsty for some pigs, and also raise a head of cattle. Besides the wasteland, they also needed to buy a piece of farmland, growing rice themselves. They couldnt always buy rice to eat. In addition, he also wanted to buy two lands on the top of the hills to cultivate, growing some fruits, such as tangerine, peach and cherry which were popular here. Now money was the first priority, and examination was the second. He needed a status to protect his property coveted by many others. Walking and thinking, soon Xu Ran arrived at the entrance of the village. Xu Ran took another road to the end of the village, straight to his house. Yet arrived, he heard a rush of noise, speeding up and finding it came from his house. Without thinking much, he rushed up with his pack basket. Chapter 49 Xu Ran is my son. Why cant I plant on the land which my son bought? Yet, you bitch can. No sooner had Xu Ran approached than he heard their bitter quarrels. Arrogantly akimbo, Elder Daddy Xu attacked Liu Tong with a torrent of abuse. And Liu Tong was also fighting back with a gloomy face. The two children were standing beside him, tightly grasping his pants. It seemed that they had been quarreling for quite a while. Xu Ran squeezed through the crowd and put the pack basket in the yard. He turned around and came out, only to see the whole Xu Family here. Xu Ran stared at them indifferently, Dad and daddy, what do you mean? Take the chance to bully my family while Im not at home? How kind of you! Dad and daddy, you are all respectable elders. How could you do such a thing? When we lived together, you exploit Tongtong to do everything without mercy. Thats enough. And now though we have been living separately, you even make trouble here. What you are doing is too unreasonable. What do you mean? You are my son. Cant I farm here? Ive raised you for so many years. Arent you supposed to treat me good? The moment Elder Daddy Xus voice faded, Xu Houcai held a cudgel and swung at Xu Ran, Damn it, you bastard. See if I will give you a lesson today. Xu Ran didnt dodge at all and let his father beat him. Father, hasnt you forgotten the injury I got when we split up the family property? And even Tongtong had got injured. All you folks knew the truth, and the village head can also prove it! Most of the people present had been working for Xu Ran recently, so it was not surprised that they spoke for Xu Ran as they had been receiving care from him and his family. Hes right. Definitely, we all saw it at that time. Xu Houcai, isnt Xu Ran also your son? How could you beat your own son up like this? You will go to jail if you really kill him. Thats it. Its really heartless. Nothing was given to them while now you all came here to ask for things from him. How shameless! The ones who spoke were the two powerful Geers in the village. They were so eloquent that no villagers dared to mess with them. Their words froze the cudgel that Xu Houcai was holding in the air. Yet Elder Daddy Xu started to curse Xu Ran. He lambasted Xu Ran that Xu Ran was so ungrateful that he even joined forces with the villagers to bully his own father irrespective of his cultivation for so many years. He would never forget it. He had always remembered the miserable experience when he had beenn cast out of the family. He sneered, Dad and daddy, I dont owe you anything. As for upbringing, I gave you my life back. What do you want more? Daddy, dont pretend that you didnt know how I was stupid back then, I still remember it clearly. What do you think will happen to my good brother if I tell it to the public and submit it to the court? Upon hearing these words, Elder Daddy Xu was stupefied, and so was Xu Cheng. None of them had expected that Xu Ran would still remember that. The other present folks, hearing these words, had their own guesses already. It turned out that the reason why Xu Ran became a fool was not because of his own carelessness but being pushed down by Xu Cheng. At this thought, everyone knew what had happened clearly. Big brother, what are you talking about? That you became a fool had nothing to do with me. You cant talk nonsense. Hearing the whispers of the crowd beside him, Xu Cheng was so panicked that he couldnt stand it. Cheng, do you really think I dont remember anything? I can well remember what kind of life I have been in the family since I was young. Do you want me to tell you? No, no. Stop! Shut up! No one will believe you even if you say so. Well, dad, daddy, lets go back first and come back next time. The hasty words of Xu Cheng heated peoples suspicion, yet Xu Cheng still wanted to leave right away. But Xu Ran was not going to let him go so easily. Hey, dad and daddy, dont rush off. During the family separation, we had already said our life or death had nothing to do with you. And my life was returned to you when I became a fool back then. So, now I dont owe you anything, and you have nothing to do with me. Little brother has inherited all the family land. Im sure he will be able to support you. In case that you make trouble again, today signing a document is a must. Otherwise, its gonna be a problem if you make a fuss saying they youre my family. Sure enough, Xu Houcai naturally refused to sign the document. Are you kidding me? You are my son. No matter what, you are my son. But, there is no father who wants his son to die, and even wants to beat his son to death! Anger erupted with words. If he didnt do something, then they would always look down upon him. Tangtang, go invite the village head here. And, Guoguo, you go grab a writing brush and some paper now. Well, anyway, today this matter must be resolved. My children and spouse have been bullied for so many years. If I let them get bullied again, I wont be worth living! As he said these words, he glared at the whole of the family who wanted to leave. As if Xu Rans eyes were drilling into their soul, the family were frightened out of their wits, daring not move at all. Chapter 50 Guoguo sent paper and a brush to Xu Ran, Dad, here you are. Xu Ran took them, stroked Guoguos head, and then asked Liu Tong to bring a stool to him, after which Xu Ran put the paper on the stool and then wrote the content quickly. Xu Ran just finished writing when Tangtang arrived with the village head. The village head frowned when he saw the people at the door of Xu Rans bamboo house. He really couldnt understand Xu Houcai. Why did he always make trouble like this at such an old age? How could he be so unreasonable? In addition, his spouse was also a shameless person. Whats going on? Xu Houcai, you should remember that when you split your family, youve made a decision that no matter what, Xu Ran has nothing to do with you. So, what are you doing now? Do you look like a dad as an elder? Arent you trying to be a bad role model for the children? criticized the village head. Xu Houcai was rendered speechless. It was true that they did make that decision, but the problem was that they just did it casually then. However, they didnt expect that Xu Ran would take it seriously. Well, village head, you cant think that way. Anyway, we are Xu Rans dad and daddy. Isnt he supposed to respect us? Elder Daddy Xu said. He still wanted to change the situation. The village head disdained to pay attention to him, but directly asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, whats the matter with Tangtang calling me here? Xu Ran moved the stool to him and said, Village head, please sit down. After the village head was seated, Xu Ran said, Village head, this is the case. Didnt we agree that we had nothing to do with my dad and daddy in the future when we were separated in any case? Well, now I think there is no proof of it. Wed better make a relative written statement given as evidence. Look, village head, here is the statement I wrote. The village head took the paper handed over by Xu Ran. He recognized all the words on it. After reading it, he thought it was okay, so he said, Thats OK. Just sign the paper! All the people present will be witnesses with me. Fine. Alright, Ill listen to you, village head. Under the watchful gaze of so many people around, the members of the Xu Family dared not to act rashly. The village head read out the paper in public. After listening, people present said nothing. Xu Rans document stated that in the future, whether he was alive or dead, he would have nothing to do with Xu Houcais family. Normally, the two families would try not to contact with each other, but when Xu Hucai and Elder Daddy Xu passed away, Xu Ran would attend their funerals. However, Xu Cheng should take care of them both in their daily lives. Undoubtedly, Xu Rans statement was quite reasonable. Elder Daddy Xu wanted to argue, but he was stopped by Xu Cheng, because he was afraid that Xu Ran would mention the case that he was fooled by his conspiracy. If this matter was exposed, he would have to go to prison. This was a big deal. Xu Ran copied the document in triplicate instead of being mimeographed. Afterwards, Xu Ran directly bit his finger and pressed it on all the papers with blood. Then he handed the papers to the village head with a smile. The village head took them and then handed them to Xu Houcai. Only when he saw the red blood on the papers did Xu Houcai feel a little shocked. However, with so many people around looking at it, he didnt dare to disobey. All he could do was to learn from Xu Ran by biting his own finger. After pressing both hand seals, the village head kept a copy himself and let Xu Ran and Xu Houcai take one copy for each. Thus, the relationship between the two families was completely separated After watching the good play, people began to disperse slowly, and the Xu Family had to leave angrily. Only when Zhang Yue left, his eyesight to Xu Ran seemed to convey some other meaning. After all the outsiders left, Xu Ran invited the village head into the house and asked Liu Tong to serve water and edible seeds, while he took out one ear of corn he bought in the town today. The village head had never seen this kind of thing before. He felt surprised and looked at it for a long time, Ran, what is it? Village head, this thing comes from the south. I saw it when I went to buy seeds today. The master said that it was called maize, also called corn, and it is a super-high yield crop. It can be used not only for people as food, but also for livestock as feed. It can be more cost-effective than wheat and so on. That master shop had not many seeds, so I bought them back to have a try in planting in my land. Anyway, mine is wasteland. I cant get much from planting anything. Do you want to plant some, village head? The village head looked at the corn in his hand and felt hesitant. Although Xu Ran said that it was good, no one had ever planted it and he was not sure what the situation would be. From the village heads appearance, Xu Ran knew that he didnt want to take his suggestion. However, he still needed to find someone to try planting corn with him, so he advised, Village head, you dont need to plant too much of it, actually. You can just buy a mu of wasteland to open up. Then you can plant it and see how its harvest is. Hearing Xu Rans words, the village head was moved. He knew that if the experiment was successful, it would be really a good thing. In the future, they would not be afraid of starvation. So he nodded, OK, Ill buy a mu of wasteland as you said, but I dont know how to plant it. You should guide me then. Xu Ran nodded, No problem. Village head, you can come directly for the seedling once you are ready. Everything settled, the village head went back home smilingly with his hands on his back. Chapter 51 Seeing that Xu Ran had bought the corn back, Liu Tong asked with concern, Ran, is it really the way as you said? What if we cant plant it out? Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder, Tongtong, dont worry! We will definitely be able to grow it. If one year doesnt work, we will plant it for two years; if two years still dont work, three years then. I am sure we will definitely succeed. You know once this crop is successfully planted, it must have much more output than wheat. Since Xu Ran recovered, Liu Tong had always respected his opinions and acted according to what he said, so he would naturally not refute it at this moment. Xu Ran continued, Later, Ill also persuade Wu Mei and the others to spend two taels of silver on one mu of land. It wont take much effort and they will get good results in harvest time. Xu Ran knew though two taels of silver was not a small sum, Wu Mei and the other families could still afford to squeeze them out. Yes, Liu Tong nodded, Ran, when shall we begin to plant it then? It is about the same time as the grain, maybe only a few days earlier. After its planting, we can just begin to plant grain, without one impacting the other. Thats a good time. Lets talk to Wu Mei and the others tomorrow! You must be tired after carrying so many things back today. You take a hot foot bath, and then have a rest. Xu Ran shook his head and replied, I am all right. I have to get used to it. I am sorry for your being wrongly treated today. Xu Ran stretched out his hand to adjust the hair hanging from Liu Tongs ear, and said in a guilty tone. Liu Tong shook his head and responded, Not at all. Didnt you come back in time? Xu Ran hugged Liu Tong and together entered the room to see their kids. Speaking of all, the children had been scared several times today. At this moment, however, Tangtang and Guoguo were chatting in the room. They were lying on the bed, muttering and whispering. No one knew what they were talking about, but they looked so cute there. Noticing that they both did not show any sign of displeasure, Xu Ran was relieved. He closed the door and came out again. He didnt want to disturb the two whisperers. Actually, the two kids lying on the bed were plotting something big. Guoguo, since grandfather and grandaddy often come to make trouble for us, well have to come up with a way to deal with them. Otherwise, when dad is not at home in the future, daddy will be bullied again, Tangtang said to Guoguo seriously. Guoguo was very upset, But Tangtang, what should we do if we cant win granddad and granddaddy? Well, holding his chin, Tangtang said after thinking for a while, We cant beat granddad and granddaddy, but we can beat Xu Hui and Xu Qiang. Xiaobudian told me that his grandfather has dogs. We can go and get a dog back. If they come to bully us again, we can let the dog bite them. Guoguo thought this was a good way, OK, we will call on Dahu, Gouzi and so on. Afterwards, we will stop Xu Hui and Xu Qiang from running away, and then ask Yueyaer to let the dog out. Yueyaer is smaller than them. If they bully Yueyaer, we will go to report this to the village head. Remember, we cant let dad and daddy know our plan, otherwise they will not be happy. I wont. Lets go to find Xiaobudian first and bring the little dog back from his grandpas home. Fine. The two little guys immediately took action and got out of bed. Opening the door, they found that both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were busy working in the yard, and didnt have time to care about them. Thus Tangtang informed them loudly, Dad and daddy, Guoguo and I are going out to play. Xu Ran raised his head and reminded them , Take care of yourselves. Remember to come back for dinner. Got it, dad. Tangtang and Guoguo ran to the village heads house. Xiaobudian was the village heads grandson. Because of sending chili paste to his home last time, both Tangtang and Guoguo got to know Xiaobudian and became good friends. Xiaobudian was already seven years old. But it was unknown whether its because of his name that he still looked like a five-year-old boy. Xiaobudian had a younger brother, who was a Geer, aged five. He also often played with them, but this time they couldnt take him with them. Both Tangtang and Guoguo arrived at the gate of the village heads house and called, Xiaobudian, Xiaobudian, come out to play with us. Soon, the door opened and a head appeared. He looked around carefully, and then came out, followed by a little boy similar to him. Xiaobudian led his little brother to Tangtang and Guoguo, Hey, here you are. But today, as there are no adults at home, we are not allowed to come out by ourselves. Guoguo took a glance at Xiaobudians younger brother, and then whispered to him about the little dog. Looking at his younger brother, Xiaobudian felt a little hesitant, But theres no one in my family. I have to take my little brother with me. Originally, they didnt plan to take Xiaobudians brother with them. Guoguo thus looked back at Tangtang. Tangtang knew well that it would be very dangerous to leave a little child at home, so he said, Take him with us then! However, you cant tell the adults about it. Xiaobudians younger brother, Xiaomi, nodded and promised, Sure, I wont . Fine, then lets go! Tangtang waved his hand, and the gang headed towards Xiaobudians grandfathers house. Xiaobudians grandfather lived on a hillside in the middle of the Xu village. There lived only his family, so they raised dogs. However, when they arrived there, they found that the door was shut. Xiaobudian got close to the door and knocked on it, Granddad and granddaddy, open the door. I am Xiaobudian. Xiaomi also followed his elder brother knocking at the door while Tangtang and Guoguostanding watching behind them. At last, someone came to open the door. It was Xiaobudians granddaddy. Upon seeing him, Xiaobudian began to chirp, Granddaddy, why did you shut the door? I thought you were not in. Well, I am sick. I was sleeping. Xiaobudian, why are you here? On hearing that his granddaddy was sick, Xiaobudian was anxious, Granddaddy, when did you begin to feel sick? How are you feeling now? The granddaddy looked in high spirit, and he felt happy for his grandsons concern. He replied with a benignant smile, Fine. I am fine now. Well, thats good. Granddaddy, Tangtang and Guoguo want your little dog, so we came. Then he pointed at the two kids behind him and said, Granddaddy, they are Tangtang and Guoguo. Both Tangtang and Guoguo took a few steps forward, greeting him Hello, granddaddy. Both Tangtang and Guoguo had been eating and living well during this period of time, and they were no longer worried about being bullied. They were enjoying a happy life. As a result, their originally good looks were now even better. They were wearing the same clothes, clean and tidy, and they both looked as like as two peas. Xiaobudians granddaddy liked them very much. He opened the door and let them in, Come in! The little dogs are inside over there. They are only ten days old. Go and take a look. All the children ran in. The granddaddys family had two big dogs, one male and one female. The male dog looked so fierce that the children dared not approach it. It was only after the granddaddy took the male dog away that the kids dared to get close to the other dogs. There were four puppets all together. People all said that a total of three cats or four dogs were easy to feed and survive, so the granddaddy kept all of them. Guoguo touched this puppy for a while and then another again. These puppies were furry and very cute. Tangtang, how about taking all of them home? Tangtang looked at the puppies sleeping on the floor. To be honest, he also liked them very much! But he worried that their dad and daddy would blame them if they took back all the puppies. And he didnt know either whether Xiaobudians granddaddy would agree them to do so. It happened that Xiaobudians granddaddy came over. Tangtang then inquired, Granddaddy, can you give all the puppies to us? Well keep them well. The granddaddy nodded and smiled gently, If you like them, just take them home! We cant afford so many dogs. If no one wants them, I may just throw them away. Thank you, Granddady. Thank you, Granddady. Both Tangtang and Guoguo expressed their heartfelt thanks in unison. They were very happy. Tangtang suddenly realized that they couldnt take the puppies away without anything in return. He thought for a moment and then pulled Guoguo aside, Guoguo, we have to give granddaddy money. Otherwise, we will be scolded by daddy when we go home. We cant take advantage of others in this way. But elder brother, I have only three copper coins. Are they enough? Guoguo showed the coins on his hand. Tangtang also took out his coins. There were also only three of them, which were given by his dad. He had told them it was their pocket money. These days, they didnt go to town often, so they didnt spend any money. As they had changed clothes today, they each left only three coins with them. Then lets talk to granddaddy. Lets see whether he will agree with us or not. If he doesnt, lets go home to take more money. Guogguo gave all the money in his hand to Tangtang, Okay, Tangtang, go ahead and have a talk. Tangtang went to Xiaobudians granddaddy with the six coins. He then presented all the money in his hand and said earnestly, Granddaddy, see if this money enough for the little puppies? Xiaobudians granddaddy didnt expect that this kid would pay for the puppies, and he had no intention of accepting the money, either. Thus he refused, No money. Everything will be fine as long as you take good care of these little puppies. Hey, granddaddy. We will take good care of the little dogs, but you have to keep the money. Tangtang put the money into granddaddys hands. He was afraid that he wouldnt accept it, so he called out at the three kids, who were still there playing with the dogs, Hey, hold the dogs, lets go. At the same time, he also ran over to pick up a dog and ran away with the other three kids following him behind. Seeing its puppies being taken away, the mother dog wanted to chase after them. Luckily, the granddaddy reacted and quickly stopped it. The four children didnt stop until they ran down the hill. They then looked at the puppies in their arms and laughed. һǧôôգ Chapter 52 Xiaobudian and Xiaomi held the puppies to Tangtang and Guoguos house. Xu Ran and Liu Tong was busy in the yard when they heard someone called dad. Turning around, they saw four kids standing outside the gate of the yard, each one with a puppy in his arms, including their two sons. Xu Ran opened the gate of the yard, getting the kids in. The kids put down the puppies right away after entered into the yard. Though the puppies were not heavy, but they still felt a little tired after walked such a long way. Seeing the children tired, Xu Ran turned back and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lets get them some drinking water and let them take a break. Xu Ran didnt ask Tangtang and Guoguo about the puppies, nor scolded them, which made Tangtang and Guoguo feel unease, like having butterflies in the stamoch. Liu Tong came out with some water and also brought Xiaobudian and Xiaomi some ediable seeds. Then Xu Ran opened his mouth, Xiaobudian, did your family know where you were going out? It wasnt until that time Xiaobudian realized that him hadnt told anyone before left home. What was worse, he also took his little brother out with him. He couldnt laugh anymore, Now Im dead I must get scolded today. Seeing Xiaobudians face, Xu Ran understood. He said to him, No worries. I will take you home and explain to your family. They wont blame you. Hearing Xu Rans words, Xiaobudian cheered up at once, running to Xu Ran and rubbing Xu Ran with his little head, Mr. Xu, you are the best! Xu Ran petted him on the head, looking at Liu Tong and taking Xiaobudian and Xiaomi out. On the way to Xiaobudians home, Xu Ran asked where the puppies came from. Xiaobudian confessed that they were his grandmas, and also told Xu Ran that Tangtang and Guoguo had paid for the puppies except one thing-what the puppies were for. As a good friend, he must keep the secret for Tangtang and Guoguo. Xiaobudian considered himself completely loyal to his friends. Xu Ran didnt expect these children had any secrets, since he had known where the puppies came from, he just let it go. Anyway, Tangtang and Guoguo had paid for them. If it was not enough, he could pay some more. Xu Ran thought that Tangtang and Guoguo bought the puppies because they liked them, as like the rabbit that they raised before. Tangtang and Guoguo hadnt got many things to cherish in their lives, but for the ones they had got like the rabbit, they took great care of. However, the rabbit hadnt got pregnant yet, and Xu Ran doubted it because there was no male rabbit. When Xu Ran took the two kids to their home, there was no one in the house, which made Xiaobudian relived a little. Then he quickly entered the yard with Xiaomi. Xu Ran smiled and waved to them, turning back to home. When he was back, Tanggang and Guoguo had been talking to the puppies. The puppies were just new born and sleeping on the ground with their eyes closed. Liu Tong was not in the yard. Xu Ran guessed he may be in the kitchen because it was lunch time. The two kids immediately stood up from the ground and put their hands behind their backs, looking very well-hehaved. Xu Ran didnt mean to embarrass them, petting each on their heads, Go get stools to sit down and tell me about the dogs. The two children went inside the room to get stools and sat beside the puppies. Xu Ran looked at them, waiting for them to speak. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at each other. Finally Tangtang opened his month, The puppies are Xiaobudians grandmas. We like them vey much so we took them home. We would have only had one but we took them all at last because Xiaobudians grandma said they would be abandoned if no one raised them. Dad, we gave Xiaobudians grandma six copper coins as we didnt bring much money when we went out Tangtangs voice trailed away. Also, he bowed his head, lower and lower, almost to the ground. Sit up straight and talk. Why dont you dare to admit the words youve said? If dare not, why did it then? Tell me, were you right or wrong? Tangtang sit up straight reflexively, looking up at Xu Ran, Dad, I was wrong. Guoguo also added, Dad, I was wrong. Why were you wrong? Xu Ran said with a look like If you dont have a good reason, I will spank you. Dad, we should not have taken puppies back without your and daddys permission. Tangtang replied seriously. Why did you do that since you have known it was wrong? Tangtang and Guoguo didnt know how to respond, looking at Xu Ran puzzled. They were too young to understand, so Xu Ran changed another way. Let me ask you, will you still bring the puppies back even though you know you will be scolded? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded their heads at the same time, Yes! If so, then you need no regret for what youve done as long as it was not illegal. If its done, then dont be afraid to take the responsibility. Do you understand? The two children still didnt understand what regret and responsibility was, so Xu Ran explained patiently. It means that no matter what the result is, admit what you have done bravely, undetstand? This time they understood, nodding heads at the same time, Yes, dad. Xu Ran smiled with comfort, God boys. Treat the puppies well since youve taken them back. You raise them yourselves. Okay! The two children replied with a crisp voice. Just coming out from the kitchen, Liu Tong saw this scene and smiled too. The puppies were just born more than ten days and still drinking milk. There was no dog mother for them, nor any other milk. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to make some bone soup mixing some porridge for the puppies. Two of the puppies were black, one was white and the fourth one was spotted, looking very cute and feeling so soft in the hands. When the two children were playing with puppies, Xu Ran also joined in for a while, even reluctant to leave when Liu Tong asked them to go to meal. Looking at Xu Ran also like a child, Liu Tong was amused, Ran, you take Tangtang and Guoguo to wash the hands and go to meal, and I will feed the puppies on bone soup. All right. Xu Ran took the two children to wash hands and go to meal. The two children kept discussing which puppy was cuter and which one was fat and cuddly. Xu Ran would like to join, but remembering he had been an adult, he had to eat his meal demurely. Dad, lets name our puppies. Gobbling up his meal, hearing his, Xu Ran raised his head immediately. They were really his sons and knew him so well! Xu Ran has the same thought with the two kids, so they began immediately to discuss names for the puppies. Lets call them Flower and Grass. No. Fluffy and Bean. That doesnt sound good. Lets call it Wangwang. Nope. Lets call Laifu since Xiaobudians grandpas dog called Wangcai. In the name of discussion, the two kids had been proposing and Xu Ran kept opposing. Finally, Xu Ran put down the chopsticks in his hands, pounding the table, I will make the final call. They are Peach, Plum, Tangerine and Peanut. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at Xu Ran, bewildered. Finishing feeding the puppies, Xu Tong saw this scene after he came in from outside. Before he realized what was happening, Liu Tong stood in front of the children, Ran, dont mad at the kids. Speak to me. Liu Tongs words confused all the other three, What was that? Xu Ran took Liu Tongs arm and made him sit, Tongtong, I wasnt angry. I was just talk with Tangtang and Guoguo about giving the names to the puppies. Ah, really? The question was for Tangtang and Guoguo. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded on and on. Liu Tong apologized to Xu Ran, embarrassed, Sorry, Ran. I wronged you. Looking at Liu Tong with excess caution, Xu Ran felt a pain in the heart. Pictures flashed into his mind that many times Liu Tong stood in front of them to protect them, like the gesture just now, beaten and cursed without saying anything. Feeling upset, Xu Ran stopped eating, pulling Liu Tong and standing up, and said to the kids, Tangtang and Guoguo, enjoy your meal. I will talk to your daddy for something. Pulled by Xu Ran, Liu Tong felt a little unease. He didnt know what Xu Ran was going to say, but he wouldnt disprove whatever Xu ran said. It was his fault today and he would take anything as long as Xu Ran didnt leave him. Upon thinking of it, Liu Tong felt unease much more. Entering the room, Xu Ran closed the door, looking at Liu Tong seriously. Liu Tong got frightened by the look and opened mouth stammered, Ah Ran, what are you going to say? See the person frightened in front of him, Xu Ran just realized he had behaved too seriously. He held Liu Tong into his arms, Tongtong, Im sorry.. Liu Tong was bewildered. Hearing that sorry, he was even more flustered. Chapter 53 The dogs names were thus decided. The three males were called Peach, Plum and Orange, while the female was called Peanut. Although the names of the dogs had been settled, there was an uneasy relationship between Xu Ran and Liu Tong. Since Xu Ran said sorry yesterday, both of them had not talked to each other. Xu Ran was guilty, but Liu Tong was scared by Xu Ran. Last time the one who had said sorry to him was his daddy, but the next day after that, his daddy left with his dad. Ever since then, these three words had become an untouchable wound in his heart Today, Ran went out early in the morning. No one even knew when he left, much less where he went. It was noon now and he hadnt come back. After Liu Tong had finished his chores at home, Xu Ran still didnt come back. After the lunch was ready, Liu Tong walked around the courtyard. Still, he saw no one out there. Originally, Liu Tong wanted to wait for Xu Ran for lunch, but he was afraid that the two kids would be hungry, so he let them eat first. After feeding the dogs, Liu Tong went into the room. He took out the small bag hidden in the soil under the bed. There was money from selling chili paste these days. Liu Tong poured out all the money and counted it carefully. There were still one hundred taels of silver and seven taels of small change in it, which could support their whole family for a long time. Liu Tong put the silver back into the small bag and held it tightly in his hand. With this money, he could bring up Tangtang and Guoguo. Besideds, he could earn money himself, too. Their life would not be difficult in the future. The only thing that made Liu Tong sad was that Tangtang and Guoguo would suffer again. They would be harassed by others gossip. However, he didnt think about himself at all, nor did he think about keeping Xu Ran, let alone the fact that Xu Ran would not even want to leave them. Xu Ran came back in the afternoon. At the gate, he called, Hey, Tongtong, is there water? I am so thirsty. As he spoke, he walked in, and after entering the house, he found a bench and sat down, his head covered with sweat. Liu Tong was staring blankly at the food left by Tangtang and Guoguo. Hearing Xu Rans words, he responded at once, went to pour him bowl of water and sent to him at the door. Xu Ran quickly gulped all of it, and then handed the bowl to Liu Tong, indicating that he wanted more. Liu Tong took it and poured another bowl of water for him. He didnt come back to himself until he drank a few bowls of water. Liu Tong then went to fetch a basin of water for Xu Ran. Watching Xu Ran washing his face, Liu Tong asked, Ran, what were you doing? How did you get so sweaty? Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief, and then he told Liu Tong what he had done outside. He first went to Xiaobudians granddaddys house to send money to them. Then he went to the village heads house to talk about the issue of growing wheat. Finally, he went to several families to find some long-term workers. He told Liu Tong that all the work in the field would be contracted out to the workers in the future. And because of these businesses, he forgot the time by running here and there. Besides, the weather was so hot today that he was wet all over. Hearing these, Liu Tong felt relieved. Although Ran hadnt waken him up in the morning and hadnt reported where he was going, at least he was now back at home. Xu Ran turned around and explained to Liu Tong, I didnt wake you up this morning because I saw you were sleeping soundly then. I was considering to settle the issue of hiring long-term workers while we were not so busy at the time being. These days, well make a trip to the mountain. Liu Tong also realized that he really got up late in the morning. He stayed up all night because of something on his mind. He didnt fall asleep until dawn. No wonder that he didnt know when Ran went out this morning. Hearing that they were going to the mountain these two days, Liu Tong hurriedly said, Its too dangerous in the mountain. We cant bring Tangtang and Guoguo with us this time. Xu Ran nodded, Of course. We will send Tangtang, Guoguo and the four dogs to Wu Meis house. Lets pay them some money and let them take care of them for a few days. When we get ready for solid food, we will go up the mountain. Okay, well make some steamed bread tomorrow morning and take it with us. They discussed their work in tacit agreement, as if they had never had any estrangement. Actually, nothing had ever changed. It was just that Liu Tong himself had overthought it. After the discussion, Xu Ran suddenly asked, Tongtong, do we still have any rice? Im so hungry. It was not until he saw Xu Rans pitiful look that Liu Tong realized that he didnt eat anything either. He looked at the dishes on the table in the room and replied, Wait a moment. Im going to heat the food. I didnt know when you would come back, so Ive let the kids eat first. Alright, Ill have a break first. Xu Ran was really tired. He sat there in a daze and soon fell asleep leaning agaist the wall. When Liu Tong came out, he found Xu Ran was sleeping soundly. He wanted to wake him up for dinner. However, looking at the fatigue on his face, Liu Tong kept back his words. He walked over to pick up Xu Ran gently and laid him on the bed. Then he sat down by the bed with a fan in his hand and lightly shook it to fan him. Chapter 54 By the time he woke up, the sun had already set. Xu Ran had had a sound sleep and now felt refreshed all over. There was no one in the room. Suddenly, he went out of the room. He saw Liu Tong was talking to someone he didnt know, and he didnt know where Tangtang and Guoguo had gone. Seeing that the man was also a Geer, Xu Ran didnt disturb him. Then he slowly went to the kitchen. There was still some food left by Liu Tong in the kitchen, which was still preserved on the stove.He was so hungry that he directly brought it out to eat. Now they could have refined rice every meal as their life was getting better. Xu Ran had never been used to eating brown rice. He ate brown rice before because he had to. Since now they had earned enough money, Xu Ran just asked Liu Tong to buy refined rice. The kids were also happy to have refined rice, but Liu Tong was a little worried. He said it was the first time he had eaten refined rice. In the past, there had been no meal without brown rice. Even when celebrating the Chinese New Year, he had never seen refined rice ever since his father died, let alone eat it. His words pierced Xu Rans heart. Thus, after that, they had never eaten brown rice again. While thinking about the past, Xu Ran was having the meal. Until he had finished his meal and even washed the dishes, he found Liu Tong was still talking to that Geer. Xu Ran felt awkward to join them. After all, it was not in the modern world. Here, it would be gossiped if a man met with a Geer alone. As he found nothing better to do, Xu Ran simply went back to his room and started to read. Next spring was just the imperial examinations. He would have a try. Yet, what was frustrating was that he even had to start from the lowest pupil level. But when he thought of the bright future, excitement overwhelmed him. In spite of complex traditional characters, he could understand most. After all, he had received higher education in his original world. By keeping guessing and reading, it was quite fascinating that he was deeply absorbed in reading. Finishing chatting with that Geer, Liu Tong came back, only to find that Xu Ran was reading in the room, so he didnt disturb him. Then he directly entered the kitchen to prepare for dinner. While he was cooking, Tangtang and Guoguo came back. They were happily talkin, mixed with occasional dogs barking. Liu Tong put down his business and brought the kids into the room, Where did you go this afternoon? Like your daddy, you two are back sweating like a pig. Daddy, we are playing. Is dad back? It was Tangtang who replied. Guoguo had already gone washing his face. He was such a lovely boy that he also carried a pot of warm water for his elder brother after he had washed himself. Looking at the adorable faces of the two kids, Liu Tong felt quite warm in his heart, he smiled, Yes, he has already been back in the afternoon. And now he is reading in the room. Be quiet. Dont disturb him. No sooner than Guoguo had finished his washing had he called Tangtang to wash. And he replied on behalf of himself and his brother, Got it! And this time it was Guoguo. They were almost identical, which made him feel a little surprised. It was not until the dinner was ready that Liu Tong called Xu Ran to eat. It was quite relaxing and happy to enjoy the family-chatting. After the meal, Xu Ran would tell the whole family some stories or what he thought, so then the family could communicate with each other. Tangtang and Guoguo, daddy and I will make a trip to the mountain in a few days. Maybe it will take a few days, so could you please stay with Daddy Wu Mei for a few days? With Peanut in his arms, Guoguo asked while tilting his head, Dad, are you going to pick some chillies there? Yup, if we dont go, we wont have money to celebrate the Spring Festival. Do you want to have a good celebration? Yes! The two kids answered without even thinking. They indeed wanted although the past five years they hadnt enjoyed new year. Yet it was the few days that they were free from starvation, so for them Spring Festival always meant happiness. They couldnt refuse it. Of course, Xu Ran was also looking forward to the first year he came to this world, so not only for his children but also for himself he had to fight hard. Chapter 55 The next day, the family began to make steamed buns. They prepared a full steamer of the buns, enough for them to eat for several days. The steamed buns with chili paste tasted very good. In the end, there was still a lot of flour left. Considering that as no one would stay at home these days, the flour might be eaten by rats, Xu Ran decided to make pancakes with all the leftover. Xu Ran knew that potherb egg pancakes were both nutritious and delicious. There were no eggs at home, so Xu Ran took some money out and let Tangtang and Guoguo go to several villagers homes to buy some. As for the price, it was usually thirty pence for an egg. In the village, many people sold eggs for money instead of eating by themselves. Since this price was reasonable, of course, everyone was happy to sell eggs to them. Tangtang and Guoguo were very smart. They knew that they should give priority to those familiar families. Thus, they not only went to the village heads house to buy eggs, but also brought back some home-made food sent by Daddy Chen. On the way home, the two kids were walking and munching food. How happy they were. Now that the eggs were ready, Xu Ran immediately started to make pancakes. He first chopped the wild vegetables into pieces, mixed them into the flour, and then added eggs as well as seasoning to stir them together. Finally, he fried them in the pan. The pot was too small for him to spread out the dough. Thus the pancake was not very thin, but it was something that Liu Tong, Tangtang and Guoguo had never eaten before, so they all felt very amazed. In the end, they had to use two large plates to hold the pancakes. At noon, they ate one share of the pancakes with chili paste. As for the other one, Xu Ran planned to send it to others, especially the Wu Meis Family. After all, they had to ask them to help take care of their two children. He also sent some to the village heads family, who kindly sold the eggs to them. In the evening, after dinner, Xu Ran and Liu Tong took Tangtang as well as Guoguo to Wu Meis house, accompanied by four dogs and a rabbit. During the daytime, they had communicated with Wu Mei in advance, and the money was also given to him. Naturally, Wu Mei would not disagree about it. It was the first night since Tangtang and Guoguo was young that they wouldnt sleep with their parents. They both inevitably felt nervous. The two children were still young. Wu Mei was worried that they would be afraid of being alone, so he specially arranged Dahu to accompany them. In the end, after tossing and turning in bed for a while, they fell asleep. Here in the bamboo house, however, both Xu Ran and Liu Tong missed their kids so much that they were not able to sleep, Tongtong, do you think Tangtang and Guoguo will cry? Liu Tong was also worried about this actually. Hearing Xu Rans words, he became more worried and directly sat up. Now it was getting cold at night. As Liu Tong moved, the cold wind blew in. Xu Ran also shivered with cold. He then sat up and held Liu Tong in his arms, OK, OK, dont worry. I wont tease you now. Lets do something else. With that, Xu Ran fell onto the bed with Liu Tong in his arms, and then the wooden bed began to creak under both of them. Liu Tong got up at dawn the next day. Xu Ran didnt move so much last night, so Liu Tong was not so tired today. Originally, he was stronger than Xu Ran. After breakfast was ready, Liu Tong packed up all the solid food. Yesterday, they had prepared the baskets and the bags they would take with them. At the moment, Liu Tong checked everywhere in and out of the house. After daybreak, he went to wake Xu Ran up for breakfast. After breakfast, they set off with their baskets on their backs. Liu Tong also brought some tools like bows, arrows and machetes. At first, he wanted to bring a quilt as well, because they were going to spend the cold night in the mountains. But considering that there would be too many things to carry when they came back, he only took with them two thick clothes. They both believed they could light a fire to keep warm at night The saying that those living on a mountain live off the mountain was never just a talk. However, it was easier to live outside the mountain. But because there were often people coming, most of the edible things had been taken away. They could only go to the higher and deeper mountains where no one went, where they could get more things edible. Needless to say, they were able to find potatoes here. Although the leaves of its plants were withered now, Xu Ran still saw many of them. There were many herbs here too, as well as peppers that could be used for seasoning. Seeing all these, Xu Ran was very excited. He wanted to start picking immediately. However, Liu Tong reminded him that he could just pick them when they came back, because at the time being, they had nothing to pack them. Xu Ran agreed and obediently followed Liu Tong to go deep into the mountains. Along the way, they saw a lot of pheasants and hares. Liu Tong also hunted several of them, so that if they were hungry, they could have barbecue. Liu Tong led Xu Ran forward until they came to a large open area, where Xu Ran could only see something red all over the mountains. Chapter 56 Here, the whole place was fully planted with chilies. Almost every nook also had been grew. Now it was the time to harvest. They had all turned bright red. And when they got close, they could smell the scent. Surrounded by the blanketing chilies, Xu Ran was wild with joy. Collections of big and fresh chilies on the branches. However, as the best time to harvest had passed, many of them had already fallen to the ground. Xu Ran felt pity and picked up one of them with two steps forward. He found the fallen chilies were still fresh except some dirt, so he said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, later lets pick up the ones on the ground! Seeing Xu Ran picking up the fallen chilies, Liu Tong naturally didnt object him, Ran, lets go find a place to get settled first. Well back to pick them later. Alright. Sure enough, now it was better to find a place to settle first as there might be some wild beasts in this place at night. Safety first was always the best policy. At this time, the mountain was still almost covered by primordial forest. There were also fortunately many caves. After searching for a while, they found a small cave, which was not humid. More importantly, there were no traces of beasts staying, which might be safe for they to stay. Liu Tong looked at the surroundings again and said to Xu Ran, Ran, how about just staying here? I think it is a good choice as there were many trees nearby. If it was dangerous at night, we can also climb up the trees to hide. Alright. As he was not familiar with this, he just listened to Liu Tong. Liu Tong put down the pack basket and took out a bag. Then he took out a few steamed buns, water, and chili sauce preserved in the bamboo tube. With hand full, he went out with Xu Ran together. It was still early in the morning, and it was not hot either so it couldnt be more relaxed for them to pick as much as possible. And they also could come back early as they finished. As long as they thought of the two kids at home, both of them were highly motivated. When they felt tired, they would pause to take a drink. And when they were hungry, they would eat steamed buns with chili sauce. By the time the sun set, they two had picked for two big sacks, which looked about ono hundred kilos. Looking at the fruitful result of the day, Xu Ran chuckled happily. It was too heavy for only one man to carry so they just carried it together and moved towards the cave. Though it was not far away from the chili field, when they finally reached, two people were sweating on their foreheads. Xu Ran gracelessly flopped on the ground and said, Im really tired. Its even tiring than picking chilies. Liu Tong walked over to massage Xu Rans shoulders, You have worked hard all day. I know you must be tired. Ill go find some firewood. You just take a rest. Extremely exhausted, Xu Ran had scarcely the strength to speak, so he just let Liu Tong have his own way. Liu Tong seemed still quite energetic. He left away as if on wings. Looking at Liu Tong leaving, Xu Ran criticized himself for being too weak. Well, he was a tough man, yet he turned out to be weaker than his own Geer. It didnt take long before Liu Tong came back. Besides some firewood, he also brought back some wild pears, which looked quite delicious and juicy. As soon as he saw the pear, Xu Ran was overjoyed. Despite having been in this era for so long, he hadnt even eaten any fruits. It couldnt be worse. Xu Ran stood up and took the firewood from Liu Tong. Then he stared at the pears in his hand with eager. Liu Tong knew what Xu Ran was thinking, so he smiled, Ill wash them first before eating. There are still some on the tree. Lets pick some when we get back. Alright, Xu Ran nodded repeatedly. Liu Tong washed the pear and handed it to Xu Ran. And Xu Ran took it happily and bit a mouthful, So sweet. Yet, Liu Tong just held the pears and didnt eat. Confused, Xu Ran said, You eat it too! I cant eat many by myself. Alright. Liu Tong smiled and took a bite. The pear was not big at all. It was easy to finish one in a few seconds. Most of the pears Liu Tong had picked back had almost got into Xu Rans own stomach. He was too full to have dinner. Replete, Xu Ran just lay on the ground motionless while Liu Tong got up to gather firewood and prepare to make a fire. As the fire was burning up, he used his little knife to deal with the chicken and the rabbit hunted on the way. There was no water here, so he could only have to do without. While roasting, Xu Ran also ran over to help. One of them was toasting the rabbit and the other was toasting the chicken. They kept their meat rolling, and soon the scent wafted in the air. Liu Tong covered the roast meat with the chili sauce, which made the fragrance even more tempting and looked more delicious. This night, both of them were extremely satisfied. After getting full, Xu Ran held Liu Tong tightly in his arms. The two looked at the sky together. Xu Ran even asked Liu Tong to tell him what he had experienced during those seven years when he was a fool. So insistent was Xu Ran that Liu Tong finally gave in and told him all the things. Then the two fell asleep in each others arms. Chapter 57 Both of them had been busy for four days before picking all the chilies on the mountain. It would be winter soon, so Xu Ran didnt need to worry about the chilies rotting. And it was just because of the cold weather, they couldnt go out easily. They could stay at home and make chili paste. At the same time, Xu Ran comforted himself that this place was so poor that there were no entertainment programs. In addition, in the past four days, not only had they picked chilies, but they had also got in all the potatoes and garlic in the surroundings, as well as the wild pears on the trees. Xu Ran was even lucky enough to get a stalk of Ganoderma, which made him so happy that he even jumped up. This was a real harvest for them. But problems came as well. With so many harvests, it was really difficult for only two of them to move all of them home. They dared not ask for help. In this village, a little trifle would be known by all the villagers in less than a meals time. If the villagers knew about them, it would not be so easy for them to come to the mountain again in the future. Seeing the sullen look on Xu Rans face, Liu Tong walked over to hug him, Ran, I can move all of them. By moving back and forth a few times, I can get everything back. No, you are a Geer. How can I let you do such a heavy job? I will share the task with you, but Ive thought of a good way. We wont have to work so hard when it is made, said Xu Ran with a smile. Liu Tong didnt know what kind of person Xu Ran had been before he became a fool. But he knew that after Xu Ran recovered, he could always invented some weird things which were quite useful. Liu Tong felt it was really pity for Xu Ran to be a fool in those years, otherwise he would have passed the imperial exams at the provincial level. But if he was not a fool, how could he, Liu Tong, marry him? Although being a fool was a pity for Xu Ran, Liu Tong felt it was lucky for himself. Anyway, Liu Tong felt very ambivalent. After Xu Ran talked about the design of his handcart, both he and Liu Tong were so excited that they started to go to cut wood. They brought tools with them, one of whose reasons was for convenience, the other was for fear of wild animals, as a result of which they might have a tool for self-defense. The axes and hoes in their house were given by Wu Mei and other friends. Because these tools were not used much, Xu Ran didnt spend money on the new ones. At the moment, seeing Liu Tong trying hard but failing to cut down the tree, Xu Ran realized that these tools should be replaced. After working hard for half a day, Liu Tong only chopped down two trees. Though the trees were not very big, they were enough for a handcart. The modern handcart could be seen everywhere in modern times, but it was probably not popular in this era. After all, it was still so many years away. Liu Tong could not only cut stones, but also do carpentry. He was really versatile. Xu Ran stood by the side to guide the production process. After a days hard work, they managed to make a simple product. The main problem was the wheel. It was not easy to do without tools. Xu Ran tried to push the handcart, and found that its wheels could roll. He then asked Liu Tong to put a bag of chilies on it. He pushed it for a few steps and found that it could work. Xu Ran was relieved. Although the handcart was not good-looking, it could be used. It was precisely because of this cart that Xu Ran suddenly had an idea to make a fortune. He thought of Xu An, who was a carpenter. He believed if this kind of cart could be made in batches and then sold, they would surely make a lot of money. It was getting late, so they two planned to rest for one night on the mountain before going back tomorrow. The number of buns they brought was only enough for them for three days. In the next few days, all of them relied on Liu Tongs hunting of wild animals. At the moment, Xu Ran still felt the smell of roast pheasants or hares in his mouth, and even the taste of wild pears was no longer pleasing. This was not a good phenomenon. Still, Xu Ran was clear that if Liu Tong was not present, he would have starved to death in this mountain. Although to sleep in the cave was not comfortable, it wasnt that bad either. The main reason was that Xu Ran could enjoy a human pillow, Liu Tong. These days, he was lying completely on Liu Tongs body. What was amazing was that he felt natural to do so. The next day, just after the sun came out, Xu Ran and Liu Tong woke up. They packed up the things in the cave and prepared to go back home. Today, there were so many things that they needed to move home. They didnt know how many trips needed to run back and forth, while they couldnt bring them home together. Thus, their transporting work could only be staggered. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lets move some things to the front first, and then come back to move the rest. When they are all moved there, we can move them home one by one because its not very safe here in the cave. Okay, Liu Tong agreed. They put two bags of chilies on the handcart, and then Liu Tong pushed it, while Xu Ran carried a bag on his back. Thus they two walked out along the road where they had come. When they were about to walk out of the forest, Xu Ran said, Tongtong, lets unload the things and keep them here! We need to move quickly, because someone may come here and take them away. Alright, Liu Tong obeyed. At the same time, he quickly put the cart in place, and immediately went to help with Xu Rans bag on his back. After putting well all the three bags of chilies, they both went back to the mountain again. In this way, they hurried back and forth many times. Xu Ran felt weak at the knees and his shoulders hurt badly. However, he saw that Liu Tong, though a Geer, pushed two bags of heavy objects at one time. He controlled himself and did not complain. Thus when Liu Tong noticed this situation, Xu Ran was completely exhausted. Chapter 58 Ran, whats wrong with you? Seeing Xu Ran falling down suddenly with the pack basket, Liu Tong loosenewd the handcart in panic, but before Ling Tong even touched the horns, he had fallen to the ground. Liu Tong ran over quickly to check what happened, Ran, Ran, whats wrong with you? Are you fine? Liu Tong raised his head and held him in his arms, Ran, please, dont scare me. Talk to me, please. Lying in Liu Tongs arms, Xu Ran gasped for breath. The moment he saw that worry had written all over Liu Tongs face, he wanted to say something to comfort him. He opened his mouth and tried to speak but didnt make a sound. He even couldnt move his fingers. Knowing that worry would not help, Liu Tong hurriedly went to fetch the water. It had been quite a few days since they came to the mountain. Because they often ate pears these days, they didnt drink much water. Liu Tong fed Xu Ran some water to moisten his lips and then fed him some more after he looked better. After he drank the water, he could barely speak. After a while, he could also raise his hands. He suddenly raised his hand to touch the face of Liu Tong, Tongtong, dontworry. I I just felt kind of tired The moment he finished talking, he smiled at Liu Tong. But his face was so pale that his smile was even uglier than crying. Liu Tongs eyes reddened, and he didnt stopped crying Xu Rans nickname while holding Xu Ran tightly. Tongtong, let me just lie down for a while. After he finished his words, he lost his strength. He was really beat. Previously, he had been relying on spirit to support himself. Now he fell down, he was short of strength. He had been a fool for seven years. Although he had been busy during this period of time, he had a good rest, so he didnt have any symptoms. After all, the life in the mountain was somewhat worse than at home. Once he felt tired, he just couldnt hang in there. While Xu Ran was lying on the ground, Liu Tong was standing guard at one side, with anxiety written all over his face. Looking at the sky, Xu Ran found that it was already noon as they had troubled halfway. As long as he couldnt move, Liu Tong couldnt feel relieved and focus on his business. They had carried their things to the mountain pass, so they had no choice but to carry these back as soon as possible. He struggled for a few times and tried to get up. Yet he was so exhausted that he couldnt move at all. It was Liu Tong who helped him up. He then said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, dont worry about me. I have lain there for a while and I will just recover. Go ahead and carry these chilies. We must carry everything back today. No, you cant even move. How can I do things without worrying about you? Liu Tong refused without thinking twice. Ahem Tongtong, listen to me. We have been working hard for so many days. We cant let these things be taken away by others. Ill be fine after a rest. Trust me. Seeing Xu Ran was quite confident, Liu Tong was also a little shaken. He certainly knew how much effort they had spent on these things. Putting aside this, chili sauce was their only income now, and the land in the family had not been harvested yet. Without this, it would be too difficult for them to survive with only one hundred taels of silver. Winter was approaching, everything in the family needed be added. Xu Ran held Liu Tongs hand and said, Tongtong, you just go mind your business! Remember to eat some food first before going. If you are tired, you just rest. Ill come to help you if you are angry. Dont push yourself too hard. Yes, Liu Tong nodded. He didnt have any objections to Xu Rans words. He held Xu Ran up and said, Ran, Ill take you back to the cave first. Lets have some food before we go. Alright. He was really too tired. As he had been held by Liu Tong, he had been lying in his arms. The tall and handsome Geer walked forward with his husband in his arms. Every step was steady. Xu Ran was thinking that he was lucky enough to marry such a Geer. After arriving at the cave, both Xu Ran and Liu Tong only ate a few pears. Now it was too troublesome to roast meat, so Liu Tong gave it up, but he still make a fire for Xu Ran. After a hasty meal, Liu Tong left Xu Ran with only some words. After Liu Tong left, Xu Ran took out a few potatoes in the basket and buried them in the fire. They could eat them immediately when Liu Tong came back. Extremely exhausted, Xu Ran leaned against the wall and soon he fell asleep. When he woke up again, the fire was extinguished and his body was covered with clothes. There were only some potatoes left in the cave. He stretched out his arm and felt himself recover all the strength. He took away the clothes on his body and stood up. He walked out of the cave and stretched his body to relax. It was a sound sleep. Looking at the gloomy sky outside, the sun was setting. He also slept a lot. He suddenly turned back and took out the potatoes buried in the fire for a long time. Thanks god, the firewood didnt burn a long time. Otherwise, all the potatoes would have been burnt into black stones long ago. Xu Ran ate another pear and collected all the potatoes in the cave into the basket. After he finished his business, Liu Tong came back with sweat all over his forehead. It seemed he was also quite tired. Xu Ran was frightened by him, worrying that Liu Tong would also be exhausted. He immediately leaned over to wipe his sweat, Tongtong, if you are tired, you can rest for a while. Dont push yourself too hard. Liu Tong frowned, Im fine. Im just running in a hurry. On my way I just thought that the fire has put out. The sun is going to set. Im afraid youll be cold. Smiling on his face, Xu Ran felt completely touched in the bottom of heart. There was no one else in the world who cared about him so much. Im fine. I was fine just now. Wash a pear to eat. I have prepared a few potatoes. You just enjoy your meal. Ill help you move those stuff together. Well be home soon. Alright, Liu Tong took the pear from Xu Ran and took a big bite. Xu Ran let Liu Tong go and went to peel potatoes for him. When the two of them finished eating the potatoes, they began to move the last thing in the cave out. And of course, they also tidied up the cave as this place might be useful next year. When they reached the mouth of the moutain, they had piled up piles of things. There was no way to use the handcart to move the things downhill, and they could only carry them home bag by bag. Both of them carried a large bag and walked back. They had not been home for a few days. The closer they approached home, the more excited they felt. As soon as they approached the room, they saw Tangtang and Guoguo standing at the gate of the yard, surrounded by two little dogs. The other two dogs were held in their arms. Tangtang and Guoguo fixed their eyes on the moutain behind without blinking. It just so happened that they didnt see their dad and daddy as they walked downhill from the opposite direction. Wu Mei stayed with them and was talking to them for a while, but the two kids shook their heads in unison. Suddenly, Xu Ran and Liu Tong exchanged glances and sped up tacitly. After walking in, they heard Wu Mei say, Could you two please come back with me first? Its getting dark. It is very likely that your dad and daddy would not be able to come back today. You can wait tomorrow! The two children still shook their heads. They turned a deaf ear to Wu Meis words. The two kids were quite stubborn. Wu Mei, Tangtang, Guoguo! Xu Ran shouted to the three from their behind. As soon as Tangtang and Guoguo heard his voice, they turned back and put the puppets in his arms aside, dashing towards Xu Ran and Liu Tong. Daddy, dad, you have finally returned. Yes, thats right. We have been left behind for so many days. One of the two brothers held Liu Tongs legs, while the other held Xu Rans legs and echoed each others words. Wu Mei turned his head and also saw the two of them. He walked to them and said in an amusing voice, You guys, if you still didnt come back, the two kids would have been looking through the mountain. They come to wait here every afternoon for you two to come back. Xu Ran rubbed the heads of the two kids and smiled. They were both sensible kids. But he felt somewhat sorry and bitter in the bottom of the heart. Their sensibleness belied their age. It was the trouble-free time that they just enjoyed their childhood. But now they were forced to grow up. On the other hand, Ling Tong thanked Wu Mei for taking care of their two kids, I have troubled you these days. Tangtang and Guoguo must have made you a lot of trouble! No words are strong enough to thank you. Wu Mei hurriedly waved his hands and said, Why did you say these words? Both of them are obedient. They are adorable kids. And then, he said, Enough. You still carry something on your back. I wont say anything else. When you guys come back, Ileave the kids to you. Tomorrow I will ask Wu Lan to help together. Alright, Ill have to trouble you again. Its getting dark, you can go back now! Be careful. While chatting, Liu Tong held Guoguos hand and walked to the courtyard. Xu Ran and Tangtang followed behind them. Wu Mei walked quickly, so soon they couldnt see him. The family went into the room. The two little children hadnt seen their dad and daddy for a few days. Excitement overwhelmed them that they didnt stop chattering. After putting down the pack basket, Liu Tong said to Xu Ran, Ran, you stay home and take care of Tangtang and Guoguo. Ill go carry the rest in the mountain. Of course Xu Ran wouldnt agree as there were still many chilies left there, Tongtong, you stay here to take care of them. Ill go. Youve been tired for the whole afternoon. Im afraid that you have worn out. These words sounded like kind of playful, which made Liu Tong blush slightly. Without giving Liu Tong a chance to refute, Xu Ran put the chilies in the pack basket on the ground and went out directly with carrying the empty basket. Chapter 59 As no one stayed in the house these days, it was dusty. Fortunately, they had covered the furniture before they went out. At the moment, Liu Tong went into the house first, lit up the oil lamp, and then beckoned Tangtang and Guoguo to go inside. There were four little tails behind following Tangtang and Guoguo. Although they couldnt bear to separate from their dad and daddy as soon as they met, they knew they still had their tasks to do. As good and obedient children, they immediately promised that they didnt need to be taken care of and would be good and wait for them to come back home. Of course, Liu Tong knew that they were nice children, but he was still worried about them for it was already getting dark outside. Finally, Tangtang said, Daddy, you can go and help dad first! You can make a fire for us so that we can sit around it and not be afraid. Liu Tong thought that it was a good idea. As long as they could do these things, such as making sure that there was a fire in the house, locking the gate well outside, and they both adults taking turns to leave the house, they didnt have to worry about what would happen to the children. So Liu Tong made a fire, put a pot of water on it, gave the kids a few words of admonishment and hurried out of the house with a basket on his back. When he came to the door, Xu Ran just arrived home. He was carrying not only a bag of chilies, but also a bag of wild pears, which were obviously brought back specially for Tangtang and Guoguo. Smilingly, Xu Ran greeted Liu Tong, Tongtong, well enjoy a good time during this winter after these few days hard and busy work Hearing this, Liu Tong also laughed, Yeah! The two of them staggered their time to be away from home. Thus one of them walked into the house while the other went outside. Even though they were busy and tired, they felt contented. As soon as he entered the room, Xu Ran immediately put down the bag full of chilies from his back, and called his kids, Tangtang and Guoguo, come here. Dad has something good for you. Hearing Xu Rans voice, Tangtang and Guoguo immediately ran over to greet him. Xu Ran handed them the cloth bag in his hand, There are wild pears in it. You can wash them clean first and eat them. There are still many things on the mountain that need to be taken back. I have to run there a few more times. Xu Ran then left the house again. Tangtang shouted behind, Dad, you should be careful and take care of yourself! He waved his hand, wondering if the two kids could see it while answering loudly, Got it. Xu Ran could not remember how many times he had run back and forth. When everything was at last taken back, he was almost in the same state as he was in the daytime. However, this time, Liu Tong was experienced and not as panicked as before. Following Xu Rans instruction, he fed him some salt water and cooked porridge to feed him. At last, Xu Ran came back a little to himself. It was a long time since Tangtang and Guoguo last saw their dad and daddy, so they both were very excited and refused to go to bed. Instead, they became Liu Tongs followers. They were close behind Liu Tong wherever he went. They were afraid that their dad and daddy would disappear again. After all, they were still children. Both Liu Tong and Xu Ran were willing to indulge them both. They both believed thats what children should be. The days of hard work finally passed. When they were at last lying in bed, it was almost midnight. And they had added oil to the lamp twice. Tonight, everyone in the family was sleeping like a log. As expected, the next day, the whole family got up late. It was only after hearing Wu Meis voice outside the yard that Liu Tong woke up. He took a look at Xu Ran still sleeping soundly by his side and got up quietly, trying not to awaken him. After dressing and washing quickly, Liu Tong went to open the door for Wu Mei and others. Outside there, all the three families had come, including the children. Liu Tong greeted them, Hello everyone! Why did you come so early? Have you had breakfast? I supposed you wouldnt come until noon. Yes, weve had breakfast. Hey, havent you got busy recently? Weve just come over and see if you need help. You havent even got up yet? Hearing Wu Meis words, Liu Tong felt a little embarrassed. He then explained smilingly, Actually, we didnt go to bed until midnight last night, so we get up late this morning. Please come in first and sit down. Ill go to wake them up Liu Tong said as he welcomed them in. On hearing that Liu Tong was going to wake them up, Wu Mei stopped him and said, Oh, no. We are not strangers. Just let them sleep more! You know both Tangtang and Guoguo didnt sleep well these days, not to mention Ran is not in good health. And at the moment, we have nothing to do anyway. Fine then. Ill prepare breakfast first. You just make yourselves at home. As Liu Tong spoke, he went into the room, took out some wild pears and divided them up. Then he went to the kitchen. Since the meat of the pheasant and the hare they hunted in the mountain had not been eaten up, Liu Tong planned to make some chicken congee and fry shredded potatoes. All these would be their breakfast today. Although Wu Mei and the others said they had already had their breakfast, Liu Tong still planned to cook more for them. He believed even so they would be able to have one more bowl of chicken congee. As soon as Liu Tong lit the fire, Wu Mei and the other Geers came in, Hey, Liu Tong, what are you going to prepare for the breakfast? Seeing them, Liu Tong asked, Why are you here? Go outside and have a rest. Everything will be ok soon. Thats all right, Liu Tong. We feel sick to have nothing to do. We feel good to be here while talking with you, Liu Qing said. Liu Tong understood him, so he didnt say anything. Thus, these Geers worked together in the kitchen. In the room, Xu Ran was still sleeping soundly, while Tangtang and Guoguo were just awake. Since they were young, the two kids were able to dress themselves, so the adults didnt have to take care of them when they got up. At the moment, they got dressed and did washing by themselves, after which, they went out to say hello to their guests in the yard and then ran to wake Xu Ran up. Dad, dad, get up. Many people are here outside. Dad, dad, get up. Daddy Wu Mei and others are all here. Get up quickly. Dad, dad The two children, like singing duet, kept calling in Xu Rans ears and finally woke him up. Obviously, Xu Ran didnt have enough sleep and still felt very sleepy. With a stiff face, he sat up holding a quilt in his arms while glaring at the front. Tangtang and Guoguo were so frightened by his appearance that they ran away immediately, hand in hand.. As soon as the two brothers left, Xu Ran immediately lay down again and went on sleeping, unaware what had happened just now. Tangtang and Guoguo stood outside for a while and found that Xu Ran didnt come out. After discussing, they tiptoed in again. However, what they saw was that the person who had been sitting was lying down and sleeping again. This time, he even covered his head with the quilt. Seeing this, the two children could only gently open their mouths and marvel at their dads great sleeping skills. Tangtang stuck out his tongue and said to Guoguo, Brother, lets go! Dad will definitely not wake up now. Guoguo took a look at the tightly wrapped quilt on the bed, nodded and replied, Okay. When the two brothers were going out, they met Liu Tong, who was coming to wake Xu Ran up. Tangtang stopped Liu Tong directly, Daddy, you dont have to go. Dad wont get up now. Have you tried to wake him up then? Thus Tangtang and Guoguo recounted what had just happened, but they had just stopped their story when a voice suddenly came from behind, You little brats, is your dad really that terrible? Xu Ran suddenly spoke, and both Tangtang and Guoguo were so startled that they screamed and hid behind Liu Tong. Liu Tong helplessly looked at Xu Ran, Ran, you know these two children are timid, but you still frighten them. Xu Ran scratched his head with embarrassment. How could he know they were so timid! When he himself was a child, he dared to get up and beat ghosts in the middle of the night. Oh, really, how could such a fine gene not be inherited? However, on second thought, Xu Ran felt the fool might be different from him, so he was relieved. All right, lets get washed and prepare for breakfast! Wu Mei and other friends are all here. Didnt you just have something to discuss with them? Alright, Xu Ran walked past Liu Tong while rubbing his eyes. After he left, the two children came out from Liu Tongs back. In fact, they were not really afraid of Xu Ran. They just felt it was fun that way. At the moment, they did not show any sign of fear at all. This speed of change surprised Liu Tong. Although the guests claimed that they had had breakfast, since Wu Mei and the others were here to help, Liu Tong still invited all of them to the table for breakfast together. Xu Rans family ate rice during every meal. Although Wu Meis and the other two families were not very poor, they couldnt eat rice every day, let alone meat at Xu Rans. The adults today, however, were able to resist the temptation of good food, and they talked while eating, so they did not eat much. The children, however, were different. They all ate a hearty meal. Even Tangtang and Guoguo were moved and got excited. This hot porridge is suitable for eating in this weather, especially if there are pickles, Xu Ran thought while eating porridge. He was planning to try making pickles. After breakfast, the Geers went to the kitchen to clean up the bowls. The kids went to play with the dogs and the rabbit, while Xu Ran took a few Xiaozis to see his simple and easy handcart. Because there were no tools, the handcart was small and ugly, but Xu Ran pointed at it and said to the others, Dont think its ugly. It can be used for many purposes. As long as Xu An spends more time on it, it will be more than what it looks like now. In the future, it can be used to harvest corn and wheat. It is not only labor-saving but also fast. In the future, many people will buy this kind of cart. Xu Ran turned to the other three people present and went on, Its almost winter now. Well have nothing to do except grow radishes. Anyway, well all have to stay at home, so why not make use of this time to make this cart? In this way, when the new years busy time comes, we can sell this kind of carts to the town or the neighboring villages. At least, we can sell one for one or two taels of silver. Surely, we will not lose money. You three brothers have helped me a lot during my most difficult time. Naturally, I also hope that you will all have a better life. If you can trust me, we can go to the mountain to cut some wood and start our work as soon as the wheat is planted. Of course we believe you. However, this kind of carts has never appeared before, so its better for you to think of anyone you want to make for you than to simply tell us about it. Xu Ran, I, Xu An, thank you for your kindness. When everything is settled at home, Ill go up the mountain with you. IIm gonna go. Consider me one. Xu An just expressed his idea, when Xu Fa and Xu Zhen also agreed. They had all witnessed how the life of Xu Rans family came to this scene. At the time when they were driven out of the Xu Family, they had nothing, but now their family enjoyed rice every meal, which was unique in this village. Now that Xu Ran was willing to help them, they understood it and felt very much grateful. They were the backbone of their family, and they were not stupid. After the matter was decided, Xu Ran began to tell Xu An in detail about the design of his handcart. As a carpenter, Xu An knew better than Xu Ran how to connect the parts of the cart firmly and make it more beautiful. Hearing Xu Rans blueprint, Xu An was very happy and confident. Chapter 60 Although Xu Fa and Xu Zhen were not skillful at it, at least they knew a little about it, so their reaction was totally the same as that of Xu An. Seeing it with great delight, he also silently felt proud again in his heart. The inventions of Great China always present people with unexpected shock. It was a lovely day today and there were many people present, so Xu Ran immediately asked Xu An and others to help bring out all the chilies and scatter them on the ground. He was quite confident of his skill of making chili paste and also not afraid of it being secretly learned by others. Anyone who could make delicious chili paste just deserved it. Besides, he didnt intend to make a living just by this skill in the future. After all, the income was too low. This time, he and Liu Tong had really picked a lot of chilies, which had been stored up in ten big bags, and all six of them had been busy working for over two hours. At noon, all three families had been invited by Xu Ran to have dinner together, and Xu Ran even asked them to come over to help collect chilies after the sun was set. After lunch, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to put the chili paste they made into the bamboo tube and each family went back home with two tubes of chili paste. Then all the rest chilies were all packed, which would be delivered to the town tomorrow. They hadnt delivered any chili paste over the past few days, wondering whether Mr. Chen had any chili paste in stock. After finishing the business at home, Xu Ran took a rabbit and went to the village heads home. He had talked about planting wheat with the village head before, and he was wondering how things went on now. Xu Ran planned to plant wheat after drying chilies in the sun. Although November came a little late, it was also a time to nourish the land. When Xu Ran arrived at the house, the village head was sittinat the gate, smoking. Now it was not the busy time for farm work, so he got some leisure time to relax. Upon seeing Xu Ran coming with a rabbit in hand, the village head immediately knew what he meant. He acclaimed inwardly that Xu Ran was such a smart guy. Village head, youre at home. It seems Im quite lucky. While talking, Xu Ran handed over the village head the rabbit in his hand. The village head didnt refuse it. He took the rabbit and cracked an affable smile. Xu Ran, are you coming here to talk about the laborers? In my opinio, now it is too late to plant wheat. Are you sure you are going to do that? Xu Ran smiled, Village headd, its fine. You know that my place is a barren wasteland. Ill take it to nourish the land as fertilized as possible. So that it can be suitable for farming. No one dared to say that in this village. It was only the first year that they had started to pay no taxes. It was unexpected that they only bought it after collecting the taxes, so it would take only one year next year. By the year of the next, Xu Ran had to pay taxes for his land. And at that time, it would cost much. After all, it was 30 mu! But since they themselves even didnt care about it, the village head felt that there was no need for him to worry about it. After all, worry didnt help anything, so he said to Xu Ran, When are you planning to start? As long as you need, Ill tell the whole village and let someone work for you. After thinking for a while, Xu Ran replied, Village head, lets start from next month! Itd be best to find some long-term workers so that I wont have to trouble you in the future again. The village head waved his hands and said, It doesnt bother. Fine. Just as you said, Ill find a few long-term workers for you. Thats very nice of you. Thank you very much. Xu Ran immediately thanked him. The good relationship with the village lead was the foundation of his comfortable life here. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, Xu Ran headed home in a gentle stroll. Chapter 61 Then, having been basked in the sun for a few times, all the chilies were dried, and it was October 28th. In a few days, it would be November; in a day, it would be Liu Tongs birthday, and he would be 23. Xu Ran had been so busy these days that he had almost forgotten it, but it finally occurred to him when Tangtang and Guoguo muttered what gifts they should give to their daddy. In fact, they had no idea about giving gifts in the beginning, but this appeared in the stories Xu Ran had told them, so the two children remembered it. Speaking of the birthday, Xu Ran had a headache. Liu Tong didnt seem to lack anything, but he had nothing but the family, and he couldnt figure out what Liu Tong liked by refering to other Geers. It was a real headache. Since he learned tomorrow was Liu Tongs birthday, Xu Ran had been sitting in a daze in the yard for the whole afternoon. For a few times, Liu Tong wanted to ask Xu Ran what was going on, but he was stopped by Tangtang and Guoguo, and their explanation was, Dad is thinking about something. Daddy, you just leave him alone! Liu Tong had no choice but to give up. The situation didnt get better until the chilies were collected at night. There was no telling what good method Xu Ran had thought of, but he was extremely excited. It didnt stop until the next morning. Xu Ran got up early in the morning, went to the kitchen to make a bowl of noodles. The dough of the noodles were kneaded and rolled by himself. He intended to to make Longevity Noodles. On the top of the noodles was a sunny-side-up egg. Looking at the noodles brought by Xu Ran, Liu Tong could not help feeling touched. Since his dad and daddy passed away, no one had ever remembered his birthday. Tangtang and Guoguo were still young. Even if they knew it, they had not done anything. After so many years, he had almost forgetten it, and he had never thought that he could eat the Longevity Noodles Ran cooked for him like today. Liu Tong ate the noodles with tearful eyes and then said to Xu Ran, Ran, these are the most delicious noodles I have ever eaten. Although these words were somewhat pretentious, they were what Liu Tong wanted to say most. Xu Ran held his hand with a smile. Tongtong, I will be cooking the noodles for you every year from now on. These ordinary words were like a vow for a lifetime. After breakfast, Xu Ran borrowed an ox-cart and went to town. Today, he was not only going to deliver chili paste to Mr. Chen but also had bigger fish to fry. After arriving in town and hurriedly parking the ox-cart, Xu Ran went to Mr. Chens restaurant with chili paste in a pack basket on his back. While talking, he even sounded a little anxious. Mr. Chen did not know why he was in a hurry, but he paid him right after jokingly accusing him of being a bad boy. After saying thanks, Xu Ran took the silver to the jewelry shop. Liu Tong didnt have a single jewel or even a single hairpin, so he aimed to buy him a hairpin today. If Liu Tong were a tough man, he would be able to attract many handsome young men. Naturally, he would be handsome and have a good demeanor. Xu Ran didnt know how to select jewels, and he just chose what he thought was good and suitable for Liu Tong. Finally, Xu Ran chose a white jade hairpin with plum blossoms carved at the tail of it. When he imagined the scene that Liu Tong wore this hairpin, he had a beautiful picture of the unity of nature and man in his mind. He chose an emerald crown for himself, which went well with the white jade hairpin. After leaving the jewelry shop, Xu Ran went to the cloth shop hurriedly. He went to a cloth shop that looked a little luxurious. After entering the shop, he said to the shopkeeper directly, Mister, do you have finished wedding dresses here? Although he didnt dress decently, the air of scholars in him could not be concealed. No matter how snobbish a person was, he knew that he needed to treat scholars politely, let alone a rich one. Immediately, the shopkeeper greeted Xu Ran with respect, Yes, this way please, sir. There are many superior clothes in our shop. The shopkeeper led Xu Ran inside. When Xu Ran found that all the clothes inside were not very good-looking. They were all mandarin duck patterns, which looked complicated but were not attractive. He didnt really like them and asked the shopkeeper with a frown, Only these styles, Mister? Are there any other styles? The shopkeeper couldnt tell whether Xu Ran couldnt afford these clothes or just didnt like them or not, but he still took him to see the other two dresses. On one, clouds were embroidered; on the other, winter plums were embroidered. The embroidery was good, and Xu Ran also liked their patterns. He didnt know the taboos about wearing these wedding dresses, nor did he care about them. Anyway, they were just a form, so he made the decision immediately. What is the price of these two? Apart from anything else, these two wedding dresses were larger than the ordinary ones, and neither of them seemed to be suitable for a Geer to wear. Although the shopkeeper was surprised about Xu Rans choice, he did not ask further and said, Sir, these two dresses are customized for someone, but no one came to take them after the deadline. Thats why I began to sell them now. In this case, I can give you a cheaper price. Just pay me 30 taels of silver! Most people thought that it was not worth 30 taels on the wedding dresses that would be worn only once. More importantly, most families could not afford it. Xu Ran thought, My 30 mu of wasteland is just worth 60 taels. The wedding dresses were too expensive. He didnt want to buy a pig in a poke, so he began to haggle over the price. Finally, he bought these two wedding dresses with 20 taels. Later, he also bought some other things, so no income of the chili paste in the pack basket he had brought today was left. Xu Ran was completely unaware that every one of his moves had been seen by others. Chapter 62 Seeing it was late, Xu Ran decided to go back, but he needed to drop by Zhuo Yun before going home. There was still a tube of chili paste in his pack basket, specially for Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran had intended to build a good relationship with Zhuo Yun, so naturally he paid great attention to him and kept him in mind all the time. Just arriving at the door of the seed shop, Xu Ran saw Zhuo Yun coming from other side of the way. They looked at each other, both considering it as a coincidence. Zhuo Yun quickly took a couple of steps forward, Brother Xu, what brings you here? Im in the town to buy some stuff and drop by. By the way, Ive got something for you. Speaking of this, Xu Ran put down the pack basket and took the bamboo tube out, giving it to Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun took it over and gave a look, finding nothing special, so he looked at Xu Ran in bewilderment. Xu Ran smiled, Its nothing special, just some chili paste made by me and my spouse. Have a try and let me know if you like it. Thanks, Brother Xu. Spicy food is my spouses favorite. Zhuo Yun thanked Xu Ran with a smile. He was so happy for the chili paste might be able to bring him a smile from his love which he hadnt seen for many years. Xu Ran had nothing to do here but sent the chili paste, so he was about to leave as Zhuo Yun took the paste. Xu Ran said goodbye to Zhuo Yun, Mr. Zhuo, I have something to deal with at home and gotta go now. Brother Xu, lets go to the tea house to sit for a while. Sorry, Mr. Zhuo. Xu Ran waved his hand, Ive really got something to do. I will come back and bug you next time. Saying that, Xu Ran turned around and left. He was not used to talking to Zhuo Yun in such a cultured way. Why is he, a well-educated man, coming to sell seeds and doing business? Isnt all saying that businessmen is the most inferior job? Beyond his comprehension, Xu Ran stopped thinking about this. Anyway, it was not his business. Having spent so much money, however, Xu Ran forgot to buy some food for the two kids. When he saw the kids looking at him with longing at the gate of the yard, Xu Ran felt namelessly guilty for what he had done to the kids. He coughed embarrassingly, Sorry, Tangtang and Guoguo. I forgot to buy you some food. Is it okay that I make it up next time? It was not until recently that asking for food had become a habit of Tangtang and Guoguo. Getting no food this time didnt get them down since they had been suffering from food shortage for a long time before. They were very tolerant, only asking Xu Ran not to forget to bring some food back next time. Getting through this, Xu Ran immediately entered into his room, holding his pack basket tightly and no one knew what was inside. Upon getting into his room, Xu Ran closed the door. It was still early and Liu Tong was cooking lunch in the kitchen. Xu Ran put down the pack basket and took all the stuff out, hiding them under the quilt. Finishing this, he clapped his hands, going out to the kitchen to tell Liu Tong he was back. Then he went to teach the kids to read. Xu Ran decided to try something new to eat since there were dried chilies instead of soybeans this time. Always eating the same flavor kind of bored him. Xu Ran decided to catch some fishes, smashing and mixing with the chilies. There was only one brook in the Xu Village, and Xu Ran had no high expectation for it. Anyway, Xu Ran decided to have a try and he would have to go to the town if nothing was gained. So the Xu Family marched to the brook with bamboo baskets and water buckets. It was a long brook, coming out of the hill. It wasnt a good idea to catch fishes at the entrance of the village. How could there be fishes at the place where people came to do the laundry and feed cattle every day. Xu Ran and his family were going to the foot of the hill near the source of the brook, few people going there. The same as cutting firewood on the hill, Xu Ran wasnt good at catching fishes in the brook either. In his previous life, Xu Ran was not allowed by his mum to go to ponds or rivers and her reason was that she was afraid of him drowning himself while she wouldnt bother to have a second child. Xu Ran asked himself the same question hundreds of times, Is there any other mothers like her in the world? The water at the foot of the hill was clear and cold, small fishes swimming in it, but not too many. Xu Ran gave the glorious task of catching fish to Liu Tong, and he took the kids to catch the little shrimps, the size of which was small but the amount was large. Working the whole afternoon, they had got something. The shrimps Xu Ran and his kids caught were enough to make a dish, and Liu Tong also caught several fishes, but not big. It was better than never. The family started going back happily. Speaking of Zhuo Yun, after got the chili paste, he took it home pleasantly. Just getting to the kitchen, he saw the servant entering into the kitchen with dishes uneaten. Zhuo Yun frowned, Whats up? Isnt the lord having lunch? Why are all the dishes taken away? Master, the lord said he had no appetite today and asked to take all the food away. Zhuo Yuns frown deepened. He passed the bamboo tube to the servant, Give it to Uncle Zhuo and ask him to make a bowl of noodles for Shuwen. Yes. The servant took the bamboo tube, turning around into the kitchen. Back to the room, Zhuo Yun saw that Qin Shuwen was drawing without even giving him a look. Zhuo Yun had been used to be ignored; he said nothing, draped a piece of clothing over Qin Shuwens shoulders and then said, Why dont you have lunch? Qin Shuwen answered without turning his head, I dont have appetite. Im not hungry either. Zhuo Yun sighed helplessly. It had been five years and he didnt know what had supported him in this five years. His love had been in front of him all the time but never looked him in the face. The only reason was that Shuwen didnt care about him at all. But he couldnt care any more about Shuwen. Ive asked Uncle Zhuo to make you some noodles. Have some anyway. Being hungry is not good for your health. Shuwen didnt agree nor refuse to eat, still drawing. Uncle Zhuo was very efficient. It wasnt long before the servant brought the noodles in. Zhuo Yun took it over and laid it on the table, persuading Qin Shuwen to eat. Qin Shuwen gave the noodles a look grudgingly. The red chili paste on the white noodles looked so tempting, plus the yellow egg, all stimulated his appetite. He walked over and tasted a little chili with the chopsticks, surprised as he had gotten something previous, a rare smile on his face, just caught by Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun felt like he was on cloud nine. I must thank Brother Xu. Zhuo Yun said to himself in his heart. Chapter 63 Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to fry the small shrimps in the evening. The fish could be raised in the bucket and would be killed when they needed to make the chilli paste. While Liu Tong was busy working in the kitchen, Xu Ran slipped into the room again. He took out the red candles he had bought and put them on the table. Then he pasted the Chinese character for happiness on the paper with the potatoes not eaten at noon, and pasted it to the wall near to the door. The bright red bedsheet covered the entire bed, making it look like a room for a newly married couple. He placed the two sets of wedding clothes on the bed, put the jade hairpin on Liu Tongs clothes, and put the crown on his clothes. After everything had been done, Xu Ran quietly left the room. Before eating, Xu Ran specially went to take a bath. Tangtang and Guoguo, who were supposed to play after dinner, were also urged to go to bed by Xu Ran. Although their daddy was very strange tonight, as good kids, they still agreed and went to sleep. Xu Ran didnt plan to let Liu Tong go in the room now, so he told him when Liu Tong was going to take a bath, Tongtong, you take a shower first. Ill get your clothes. Liu Tong didnt feel it strange because Ran had said that this was an enjoyment between couples before. He thought Ran would do it again, so he went to the shower. Xu Ran went back to the room, took the wedding dress to Liu Tong and then went to do something else. After taking a bath, Liu Tong saw the dress Xu Ran had prepared for him. The bright red clothes were beautiful and excellent in style and material. Liu Tong had never seen such decent clothes in his whole life, so he was shocked. He shouted at the outside, Ran, come here. Did you get me the wrong clothes? After he shouted for a while, there was no response. The two kids didnt reply, either. Liu Tong was worried that nothing happened, but he had nothing else to wear, so he had to hastily put on the wedding dress. He was a Geer. Even at home, he couldnt run around naked. Liu Tong went to the two kids. Seeing that they were sleeping on the bed soundly, he didnt disturb them, and he felt relieved. And then he thought of Xu Ran, so he immediately walked to his room. It was not too far away, so he just needed ten steps before he arrived. He pushed the door open and found that Xu Ran in bright red clothes was struggling with his hair. He looked a little embarrassed, but there was a smile on his face. The door was suddenly pushed open, which shocked Xu Ran, but then he understood it and handed the crown to Liu Tong, Tongtong, could you help me with it? Liu Tong was still in shock. The two thick red candles lit up the entire room, and there was also much hot air. On the wall and headboard, there were full of the Chinese characters for happiness, and even the bed was covered by the bright red bedsheet. And Xu Ran, who dressed in the bright red wedding clothes, with his hair untied, was beaming at him, and he held a crown in his hand and intended to hand it to Liu Tong. Tongtong, could you help me put it on? The attractive voice came out again. Before he could react, Liu Tong had already taken it. He walked to the back of Xu Ran and helped him to tie his hair with the jade crown. Then Xu Ran made a circle in front of him. With his smile, the wedding clothes and the jade crown on his head, Xu Ran was a handsome young man, which made Liu Tong flush. Liu Tong didnt wash his hair. Xu Ran helped him tidy his clothes, and then took out a jade hairpin from his behind like a magic. He asked Liu Tong to lower his head and inserted it in his hair, Tongtong, I feel that only you could deserve the jade hairpin when I buy it. Liu Tong was a little bashful, but he was very happy indeed, Ran, how did you think of this? Xu Ran held Liu Tong in his arms and said, I know that you definitely didnt wear the wedding clothes on the day we married. Its the only chance in your entire life, but I failed to give you anything. I feel guilty. Now, lets prepare for the wedding again. In the future, youll be only mine. You are mine. You belong to the man who is standing in front of you, not that stupid guy. What Xu Ran had said was a little strange. Although Liu Tong was puzzled, he didnt think too much. He now had no ability to think about it at all. He would do whatever Xu Ran asked him to do. Xu Ran then pulled Liu Tong to the red candles. They bowed to Heaven and Earth. After finishing it, Liu Tong was still in a daze. Liu Tong in front of Xu Ran was so adorable. Xu Ran raised his head and kissed him, Tongtong, do you like it? Yes I do To be bold and indulgent, Liu Tong bregan to respond. They kissed each other and fell to bed. This night was so wonderful! Chapter 64 Slept early the night before, Tangtang and Guoguo woke up early in the morning. They got up, put on clothes and washed their faces themselves. They walked around in the yard and played with the puppies for a while, but didnt see their dad and daddy until their stomachs were rumbling. Though occasionally dad and daddy got up late before, they didnt get up this late. Tangtang and Guoguo couldnt help worrying. Is there something wrong with them? Thinking of this, the two only five-year-old kids panicked. They didnt feel right when their dad asked them to sleep early last night. This morning, their dad and daddy hadnt gotten up yet till this time, making Tangtang and Guoguo feel something wrong. Without thinking, the brothers ran to Xu Ran and Liu Tongs room, knocking on the door, Day and daddy, get up! We are hungry! Dad and daddy, we are hungry. Get up! Two persons voice could be heard easier than one and could last without pause. In the room Xu Ran and Liu Tong was waken, but still not fully awake. After the amazing night, Liu Tong was covered all over with love bites by Xu Ran. Xu Ran had stared straight at Liu Tong since he woke up. He overjoyed for what happened last night. Liu Tong flushed being stared by Xu Ran, giving him a gentle push, Come on. Get up. Tangtang and Guoguo are hungry. Haha, Tongtong, you look so beautiful! Wear this dress for me next time, will you? Liu Tong didnt reply him, thinking, This is a wedding dress! Shall we marry every day?! However, since Ran liked it, it didnt hurt to wear it occasionally. He would like to have a third child, but never got pregnant after giving birth to Tangtang and Guoguo, not knowing whether because he was too tired at that time or not. After getting up, Xu Ran gave Tangtang and Guoguo a good comfort, reassuring to them that they would never starve them. Liu Tong went to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was already the 30th day of the tenth lunar month and tomorrow people would come to sow wheat. They must go to the town to buy some stuff, especially some meat. They didnt raise pigs, so they should prepare some meat in advance. There would be Chinese New Year in two months and meat price must go up then. After calculating the cost, Liu Tong thought that it would be a large amount of money for the New Years purchase. It also came to him that Xu Ran didnt give money to him after he sold the chili paste in the town. Thinking of the red wedding dress and jade hairpin, he understood. He would not allow Ran to continue doing this from now on. The life they were living was too good, which made Liu Tong feel not real. Finishing breakfast, they were heading to the town. Considering Liu Tongs health condition that he must get exhausted to take a carriage, Xu Ran decided to take only the kids with him. Liu Tong objected, afraid of kids being lost. He insisted that he should go with them, so Xu Ran had to compromise. Then the family went to borrow an ox cart from Wu Mei. Wu Mei and Xu Ran were just considering to go to the town, so they joined too, two families, eight persons in total, filling the ox cart. After parking the ox cart in the town, the two families broke into two groups, buying their own stuff separately and deciding to meet up at the ox cart after noon. Xu Ran had been used to bring a back packet with him when went out, putting everything he bought in, very convenient. Tangtang and Guoguo were as excited as they were in the town last time. Everything was still new to them even though they had seen last time already. What they were buying today was almost the same as those they had bought last time for working the wasteland. There was still some brown rice left, so they didnt have to buy this time. They needed to buy some vegetables, but the weather had become cold and there were not many vegetable vendors. Xu Ran walked around and decided to buy some when he was back. People here liked fat meat, so it was more expensive than lean meat. Xu Ran bought a lot of fat meat and also bones as well as haslet, which were not expensive, so it saved Xu Ran much money. Afterwards, Liu Tong went to buy some stuff for the kitchen use, walking around for a long time, then it was almost noon. Remembering there was a stall selling Wonton near their ox cart, Xu Ran was planning to take his family to have Wonton for lunch. Out of his expectation, Xu Ran saw Xu Cheng and Zhang Yue when he just turned around. Chapter 65 It had been quite a long time since he last met these two people. Especially after those few days on the mountain, Xu Ran had almost forgot that they were his relatives in this world. Xu Ran didnt pay any attention to them, but they couldnt get past because Xu Cheng was blocking the way. Xu Ran then handed the things in his hand to Liu Tong, staring at the two people in front of him and ordered, Get out of the way! Xu Rans words made Xu Chengs face gloomier, especially when he thought of the scene he had just seen, he became more crazed. Of course, Xu Cheng was unwilling to accept this fact. Why could Xu Ran, this fool, enjoy a good life now? He could never accept the truth that Xu Ran could buy 30 mu of land and eat meat every meal, while he himself had to go to labor in the field, and could see no signs of meat for months. Zhang Yue told him that when he came back from his mothers house the day before yesterday, he saw Xu Ran shopping in the street. He was even seen going to a jewelry store to buy a jade hairpin and other jewels. Xu Cheng didnt believe it at that time. Today, he witnessed it with his own eyes, and he was really irritated. Especially when seeing Xu Ran had bought so much meat. Xu Ran, what do you mean? I am your younger brother. How could you talk to me like that? Xu Cheng found that Xu Ran completely ignored him, so he got even angrier. Xu Ran still looked at him coldly, Do you know I am your elder brother? Since you are my younger brother, how can you talk to me with such an attitude? Would you like to show off this way in front of all the people around? Now, get out of the way! You! Xu Cheng didnt expect that there would be such a day when Xu Ran should shout at him. He had been bullying Xu Ran since he was young. Xu Cheng himself was always superior to Xu Ran in terms of his parents favor, other peoples evaluation, not to mention the food and clothing. However, without knowing why, Xu Ran later suddenly became lucky and got money to go to school for several years. But so what? He was in the end poisoned into a fool, and as a result, the pretty Geer, Zhang Yue, married him instead of Xu Ran. So now it was hard for Xu Cheng to accept the huge difference between them, and he was also puzzled why the life in their Xu Family had become more and more difficult since Xu Ran became a fool. Now that Xu Cheng met Xu Ran today, he planned to get benefits from him, Xu Ran, I tell you, if you give me the meat in your basket today, I will let you go. If you dont, you dont hope to pass by me. With that, he put his hands on his chest, looked at Xu Ran, and put on a domineering appearance. However, Xu Ran was amused, Xu Cheng, why didnt I know you are so shameless before? I bought the meat. Why should I give it to you? What is your relationship with me? I am your younger brother. What do you think our relationship is? Cut the crap! Give me the meat! Xu Cheng was very greedy about the meat and he knew the meat in Xu Rans basket could support their family for a long time. Elder brother? Haha, Xu Cheng, you are really shameless. Do you remember what you said when the family split? The most important thing is, do you still remember how I became a fool? The last few words were uttered close to Xu Chengs ear, which frightened him very much. Xu Cheng took two steps backward, YouI dont know what you mean. You naturally know what I mean. Do you think I should tell others about this? How about just report it to the officials in the Yamen? Hearing the word Yamen, Xu Cheng felt guilty, but he could not resist the temptation of so much meat, so he decided to grab directly the meat in Xu Rans pack basket. Xu Ran was not that stupid. Naturally, he wouldnt let him succeed. He turned around and hit the man directly with the basket. Xu Cheng was knocked down onto the ground. He had never expected that he would be hit by Xu Ran. He was also stunned. He wondered how could Xu Ran be so strong? However, Xu Ran ignored him and planned to take the kids away with him while Xu Cheng was lying on the ground. Seeing that Xu Cheng was there on the ground, Zhang Yue was also stunned. Only after all of them left did he realize that he also wanted to stop Xu Ran, and he didnt mean to hold Xu Cheng up. Many people around saw the scene just now. After Xu Ran left, they began to laugh at Xu Cheng still lying on the ground. With so many people watching, Xu Cheng dared not to do anything. After all, this was the town. He could only get up from the ground and walk away. Chapter 66 Zhang Yue chased after Xu Ran. Because of the children, Xu Ran and the others did not go fast, and they were caught up by Zhang Yue within a few steps. Zhang Yue ran to the front to stop them, Stop. Dont go. Xu Ran frowned, What? Do you also want meat? Zhang Yue nodded, but quickly he shook his head again. He was a little flustered, yet he was afraid of being misunderstood by Xu Ran, so he quickly explained, No, I You want it! However, I wont give it to you! Who the hell are you! No, I dont want meat. Xu Ran, Ill just ask you one question. What is it? Why didnt you marry me at that time? Xu Ran seemed to have heard a big joke. He wondered if Zhang Yue had really forgot who on earth saw him become a fool and repented of their engagement. At present, he even dared to come to him asking why he hadnt marry him! What a shameless man he was! Worse still, his current identity was his brother-in-law. Xu Ran didnt want to argue with a Gerer. He took a few steps backward and whispered to Liu Tong, asking him to talk with Zhang Yue. tIn the face of the person who coveted Xu Ran, Liu Tong naturally would not be polite. He went forward to retort solemnly, Zhang Yue, you are shameless. Your kids, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang have grown up. You now dare to question why Ran didnt marry you at that time. Do you really forget who was pregnant with Xu Chengs child before getting married? What Liu Tong said completely poked Zhang Yues heart. Ever since he saw Xu Ran buy a jade hairpin in the town that day, he kept regretting it. He imagined that if he had married Xu Ran, would Xu Rans jade hairpin be given to him? However, Zhang Yue was not willing to be outdone by Liu Tong. He shouted back, Liu Tong, what have made you feel so good? If Xu Ran had not become a fool, would he have married you? Who will like to marry a Geer even sturdier than a Xiaozi like you? You just wait and see. Xu Ran is rich now. Sooner or later, he will keep concubines. Then you will be miserable. Zhang Yues words made Liu Tong feel a little flustered, but he soon calmed down. Although he didnt know if Ran would keep a concubine, he was still Rans wife at present anyway. Really? Im afraid that you should be divorced before Ran gets a concubine. You just turn around and see who is behind you. You shameless bastard. You have got married, but you still covet others. And he is your elder brother-in-law! With that, Liu Tong didnt even dart Zhang Yue another glance and took the his kids away. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and followed. He felt helpless. He was lying down but also being hit by the spear! Hearing Liu Tongs words, Zhang Yue turned around and saw that Xu Cheng was standing behind him, staring at him fiercely. He was panicked. He knew Xu Cheng must have heard what he said just now. Frightened, Zhang Yue ran away in the opposite direction of Xu Cheng. Seeing Zhang Yue run away, Xu Cheng was more angry and chased after him right away. At the same time, he kept cursing that Zhang Yue was a slut, who had married but still seduced others. He didnt care that the person he was chasing and scolding was his Geer. In fact, Liu Tong was also quite angry, but it was not because of Zhang Yue. Anyway, he couldnt express his anger to any others, but he could only keep it silently to himself. Thus, he walked faster and faster. The two kids had to run to keep up with him. Later, however, Liu Tong was so fast that that they couldnt catch up with him. It was not until Tangtang nearly fell down that Liu Tong came back to his senses. He looked at the two children gasping for air, feeling very guilty, Im sorry, its all daddys fault. Both Tangtang and Guoguo shook their heads, indicating that it was ok. Xu Ran, who kept running after Liu Tong, was relieved when he saw Liu Tong stop at last, Tongtong, dont walk so fast. I cant keep up with you because of my small arms and legs. Are you trying to leave me and walk so fast? Actually, Xu Ran meant to make a joke and relax the atmosphere. However, as soon as Liu Tong heard this, he turned around and left without even caring about the children. He was obviously very angry. The dad and sons were left there gazing at one another. At last, Tangtang and Guoguo turned to Xu Ran, Dad, youve made daddy angry! Go to apologize. Xu Ran rubbed his nose. Alright, it was really his fault. However, it was true that he had never wanted to have a concubine. After all, Tongtong alone was already very difficult for him to satisfy, so he thought it was not too much to admit that he himself had small arms and legs. In order to catch up with Liu Tong, who had walked away earlier, the father and sons eagerly trotted towards the direction of the ox cart ahead. Although Liu Tong was angry, he would not run around, so they were not worried that they could not find him. Chapter 67 Liu Tong got to the place where the ox cart was parked. He calmed down for a while before he realized what he had just done. He had run away only because he heard a casual joke from Ran. Although what Zhang Yue said had affected him, he should not have reacted so strongly. He wondered if Ran would be angry about it. Liu Tong was worried again. When Xu Ran arrived with the two kids, Liu Tong was facing them with his back, tilting his head to one side as if he was thinking something. Xu Ran let go of the two kids hands and went over to hug Liu Tong from behind, Tongtong, dont be angry. Liu Tong was surprised and immediately struggled out of his arms. Then he looked around and found that other people were busy and didnt look at them. He was relieved, Ran, this is a public place. Dont do that in the future. Alright, alright, Xu Ran agreed thinking that it was indeed not a proper deed in this era. But you cant be angry any more. I was just joking with you. Dont take it seriously. Even if you leave me, I wont get a concubine, Xu Ran said seriously. Yes, I got it. I wont in the future, either, said Liu Tong with some embarrassment Tangtang and Guoguo raised their heads and saw both of them over there. After observing for a while, they silently covered their eyes because their dad used to tell them that at this situation they should Be polite and not to see. Next, the family went to a wonton stall to have lunch. After waiting for quite some time, Wu Mei and his family came in a hurry. Upon seeing them, Wu Mei apologized, I am sorry to have kept you waiting. Xu Ran waved his hands and said, Its fine. We have just finished our lunch. Have you eaten it? Let me order more wonton for you? Itll be ready soon. Soon enough, the wonton stall boss announced there that their food was ready. Xu Ran responded and let the Wu Mei family go over to have their lunch. During lunch, several adults from the two families talked about their business, while the children had their own topics. Usually, the children seldom came to the town, so they felt very excited, and they exchanged their toys, too. Liu Tong had intended to talk to Wu Mei about what had just happened to her. However, considering that Xu Ran and Xu An were both present, he was embarrassed to speak out. Still, he was anxious about herself and hoped that Wu Mei could give him strength and advice. He remembered Ran often told him that the bystanders had a clear view. He hoped that Wu Mei, as a bystander in this case, should know better than him. In fact, Wu Mei noticed that Liu Tong had something on his mind. However, he was clear that Geers did not like to be heard of their concerns by their spouses. Therefore, Wu Mei refrained himself from mentioning anything about it, but kept his eyes on Xu Ran, who was talking to Xu An over there. Being stared at by Wu Mei this way, Xu Ran was puzzled. He felt that Wu Meis eyes were full of inquiry. He tried hard to recall whether he had offended him, but after thinking for a long time, he could not come up with any result. After eating, all othem got into the ox cart and went home. It was late when getting home. As Wu Meis family still had work to do in the field, Xu Ran and his falily didnt disturb them any more. They just told Wu Mei that their family would need their help tomorrow to plant wheat. Of course, Wu Mei agreed happily. But before he left, he took a few glances at Xu Ran again. Wu Mei felt that Liu Tongs worried expression had something to do with Xu Ran. In fact, it was really like the case. The next day, they would start planting wheat, but there were no vegetables at home. Actually, during this time of the year, every family had nothing to eat except radish and old pumpkin. Xu Ran tried to think about the solution. He decided to go with Liu Tong to buy pumpkins and radishes from other villagers. In this way, pumpkin could be fried with some oil. As for radish, Xu Ran planned to make pickles. He would put some chili paste into them and mix them together to make a salad. Xu Ran believed it would taste good. As for the meat, he had to find other vegetables to cook together. Xu Ran thought of stir fried pork with pickled mustard, but he didnt know if there was any, so he asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, where can I find pickled mustard?Im going to fry it with meat tomorrow. At ordinary times, everyone family will store some pickled mustard for winter, but as we havent grown vegetables in our family, I didnt prepare any of it. Shall I go to Liu Qings house to get some? I remember his family has a lot of stock. Xu Ran nodded and agreed, Yes, please! As for money, you can decide how much you want to pay them. We cant pay less because we are acquaintances, Xu Ran reminded. All right. I know it. Is there anything else? After thinking for a while, Xu Ran replied, No. Thats it. Anyway, it wont be long before the wheat to be planted. In addition, what we employ are long-term workers, so well decide this menu as their working meals, that is, one vegetable and two meat dishes. Thus, Liu Tong went to Liu Qings home to buy pickled mustard back. At night, he and Xu Ran had a careful discussion about their work the next day before going to bed. However, after he was quiet at last, Liu Tong couldnt help thinking about the things happening during the day. He tossed and turned in bed, and couldnt sleep at night. And just in this way, he kept on losing himself in his thought until dawn. Chapter 68 No one dared to wake up late because someone would visit the next day As soon as the family had breakfast, the village head brought some people to the house. These people had been here before, so Xu Ran explained the details to them, My friends, this time I am offering a permanent job. As long as you are willing to take a fixed and permanent job, you are welcome to stay. If you are not, you are free to go. I wont give you any demanding requirements. You only need to help me reap the crops in the season of harvest. As for the payment, I wont let you down. A permanent job meant they would work for Xu Ran for a long time and they had to sign a contract as well. Most people were unwilling to do such kind of thing. The payment of a permanent job was higher, but it allowed less freedom than short-term jobs. Although they had no idea what was the meaning of freedom, they would feel jealous when they saw everyone else could relax when they wanted, have fun when they wanted, and do whatever they wanted to do. However, there was no doubt these people who were terrified with poverty would still agree to take the job after considering how handsome the payment was for a permanent job. Xu Ran had given those people enough time to consider about it since he wasnt in a hurry. Although the village head had helped him by talking with them first, it wasnt as effective as the words came out from the master of this house. After a while, some people left and some stayed. Xu Ran said nothing to those who left. As for the people who stayed, he naturally welcomed them. After confirming the people who would accept the job, Xu Ran finally started to talk about the payment. Three pences would be paid to workers compared to the pervious wasteland reclamation job. The lunch was included and they would receive a bonus if they had worked for one year. As for how much the bonus would be, it was based on their daily performance. There was a lowest bonus but no highest. That was a great temptation for the people who stayed. They could receive over ten pences for one-day work. Meal was included and they could live in their own places. Thus, it was much better than to find a job in the town or somewhere else. Xu Ran had a close inspection on the ten people who left at the end. They had worked here before and performed well. In addition they were all honest. Since Xu An had to help him on building the handcart later, Xu Ran let Xu Fa and Xu Zhen to manage these workers. Xu Ran completed the contracts and every worker signed it under the witness of the village head. Each of them signed a one-year contract. If they were willing to stay one year later, they could renew it. If they didnt want to stay, they could just leave. Because it was under the village heads witness, these people signed contracts without any question. Seeding wheat was much faster than wasteland reclamation. It only took them three days to finish the work. They were all experienced workers. They also helped Xu Ran to get some branches and stuck them around the field. By doing so snow would not cover the newly grown wheats in the winter. Xu Ran gave each of them five more pences and half kilo of meat when giving them payment after seeing what they had done. After seeding was finished, Xu Ran prepared to start making chili paste. He had nothing to do in the field these days, so he went to fish at the river with a group of children. He really managed to get a lot of fish with those children. Since he had made enough chili paste and, of course, to thank these kids, Xu Ran gave them quite a lot of delicious food. It was a great time for collecting chestnuts. They could be seen anywhere in the mountain, so Xu Ran led children into the mountain to pick chestnuts. These naughty children already knew where to find chestnuts when they ran up the mountain. The oldest child in the group was already thirteen years old, which was equivalent to half of a working labor. He left the house to play with them because there was nothing to do recently. Under his guidance, they all harvested a lot of chestnuts. Xu Ran taught them every recipe he knew about chestnut after they returned, which was thought highly of by everyone. Xu Ran suddenly thought that this was a good chance to make money after remembering the price of chestnuts in modern days. However, he didnt have time to manage it so he decided to leave it to Wu Mei. He let Wu Mei sell the chestnuts in the town with Wu Lan and Liu Qing. Warm roasted chestnuts would became very popular since the winter was getting colder and colder. Chapter 69 So Xu Ran began to prepare to buy chestnuts. They would buy raw chestnuts in the village, asking villagers to pick chestnuts, peel the shells and then sell to Xu Ran. They would also buy from the nearby villages if they didnt get enough in their own village. Villagers probably would not deny this opportunity to earn some extra money for their families. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to invite Wu Mei and the other two families over and shared his idea with them. Wu Mei agreed immediately. No one would reject extra money; besides, it was not a difficult job. Xu Ran also said it would be enough that each family sent one family member for this job. Wu Mei and others went to the town to buy chestnuts and Liu Tong stayed in their village. Xu Ran would cover the cost in advance. The tools to roast chestnuts was pretty simple-one wok, one spatula, some firewood and sand, plus some oil paper to wrap chestnuts, not very complicated. Xu Ran trained them at home several times and they had all learned this skill. Before knowing if it was a good business, they had taken many chestnuts picked by Xu Ran from the hill to sell. Xu Ran had put a lot of efforts on this, filling his pack basket with a lot of peeled chestnuts. On the first day, Xu An and other men found somewhere to place the wok in the town, then left leaving their spouses to do the business in the way they liked. Wu Mei had been always bold and after the first batch of chestnuts were done, he started to hawk his wares, Roast chestnuts, hot tasty chestnuts, dont miss when passing. Come to have a look! The hawking was also taught by Xu Ran, no matter it was coarse or not, as long as it worked. Besides, according to Xu Rans instruction, Wu Mei also offered some free chestnuts for customers, so people could taste before they bought. This stuff was surely new here, and no one had done that before. It was not bad to hold the warm chestnuts in hands especially in such a cold weather. The cost of roast chestnuts was not high and the price for customers was quite favorable so many people came to buy a pack of chestnuts. Wu Mei was in charge of hawking and collecting money. Wu Lan and Liu Qing were on the roast and pack work, splitting the work clearly and wasting no time. They sold out all the chestnuts in the pack packet in only one morning. There were still guests who came back to buy some more when they were putting their stall away. Wu Mei answered with a smile, Today all sold out. Please come back tomorrow! We will still be here then. The customer was also very easygoing and said, Okay. If I come late tomorrow, you must keep some more for me. Surely Wu Mei agreed. Xu An and other men came by the ox cart in the morning and walked back, leaving the ox cart to their spouses. Wu Mei, Wu Lan and Liu Qing moved all the stuff on the ox cart, driving back to the Xu Village. They drove the ox cart to Xu Rans first. Entering the room, Wu Mei shouted immediately, Husband, Xu Ran, Liu Tong, are you there? Come out, come out, all sold out, all sold out! Hearing Wu Meis words, several people who had been talking in the room also hurried out. Seeing Wu Mei empty pack basket, they were all surprised. I didnt expect the business so good. Said Xu Ran. Yes! Yes! There were even customers would like us to reserve chestnuts for them tomorrow before we left. Xu Ran, go get some more chestnuts in the village. What if we have nothing to sell tomorrow? Speaking of this, Wu Mei was kind of worried. Xu Ran waved his hand and said, Dont worry about this. We have already prepared all the tools. We are going to buy chestnuts later. You can go back and have a rest first. You must be very tired today. No, not at all. Making so much money, the three Geers all agreed that they could sell chestnuts for another half day. Xu Ran stopped him decisively, More haste, less speed. Dont always think about making money. Leave the rest things to us! Just send your children here. As for you, go back and need no worry! As he spoke, Xu Ran also winked at Xu An and the others, implying that they should take their spouses back home. Sending all to leave, Xu Ran reached out for the tools on the table, hawking in the village with a swarm of kids. Xu Ran was with a brass gong, which was borrowed from the village head. This thing was usually taken out only when something big happened in the village. It took Xu Ran a long time to get the permission to borrow the gong from the village head. Xu Ran was striking the gong while he was walking, hawking, Buy chestnuts, five pence for half kilo of peeled chestnuts! No matter how many you have, I will take all! With Xu Rans hawking, the kids also followed to hawk. Everyone heard it in the village, from the end to the entrance of the village. When they turned back, some people began to ask whether it was true or not, where their chestnuts should be sent and it was paid by cash or something. Xu Ran answered every question. By the time he was home, there were already some chestnuts there. Liu Tong checked the chestnuts on the site, paying brass coins to the sellers after weighed the chestnuts. Since the examples had been set, others just followed. Moreover, many families which didnt have chestnuts went out right away to the hill with their back packets. Not only hawking in the Xu Village, Xu Ran also drove the ox cart to villages nearby to hawk. Xu Ran needed to go to the village himself to buy chestnuts. He visited the village head in the nearby village, leaving some money to the village head, asking him to help to keep the chestnuts temporarily, and he would come to pick up every afternoon. The village head wasnt stupid and of course he was willing to lead his villagers to make some more money so he agreed smilingly. Xu Ran also didnt take it for granted and gave the village head what he was deserved. When Xu Ran checked after arrived at home by the night, there was already more than 50 kilos of chestnuts. Chapter 70 According to Xu Rans plan, he didnt just sell fried chestnuts, which was his present biggest source of income though. He planed to sell them to Mr. Chen because they could be used to make a variety of special dishes, such as chestnut rice, chestnut soup and chestnut pastries. In fact, for the restaurant, it needed to have several famous pastries to attract its customers! With this plan in mind, Xu Ran got to the town with Wu Mei and others the next day. He then went straight to Mr. Chens restaurant with half a basket of chestnuts on his back. Xu Ran had left a good impression on Mr. Chen, because every time Xu Ran came, he would give him opportunities to make money. He believed that this time would be no exception. Of course, Xu Ran was warmly received by Mr. Chen. As the chestnuts in the basket were covered, Mr. Chen didnt know what was inside. He was curious and asked in a hurry, What have you brought to me this time? Is it still chili paste? No, Mr. Chen, but theyre no worse than chili paste. I think the customers to your restaurant for dinner may have been tired of chili paste, so Im here to give them a change this time. What is it? Take it out and let me look at it? asked Mr. Chen. He couldnt wait to see the result. Xu Ran looked around and found that there were many people coming in and out of the restaurant, so he suggested, Mr. Chen, wed better find a room to have a good talk about it! Mr. Chen knew what kind of person Xu Ran was. Since he said so, he must have something important to discuss with him, so Mr. Chen did not refuse but immediately took Xu Ran to the second floor. Mr. Chen had his own room on the second floor. At the moment, as soon as Xu Ran was led into the room, he put down his back basket, and said to Mr. Chen directly, Mr. Chen, these are chestnuts. I think you also know this stuff. It can be mixed in rice, can be used to make soup, can be made into dishes, and can be made into pastries as well. Do you like hem? Yes, definitely! When hearing Xu Ran say that this stuff could be made into dishes, Mr. Chen had already been moved, let alone the fact that it could be made into pastries. Xu Ran, just tell me directly! How much shall I pay to get all these including your recipe for it? Mr. Chen wasnt stupid either. He knew well that Xu Rans purpose of bringing this stuff to his own restaurant was to make money, and that no one would be reluctant to do anything more than buy it. Mr. Chen is really a smart man. Now lets see if my proposal is feasible. From now on, I will offer you chestnuts at the price of 10 pence half a kilo. In addition, I will sell you my complete set of three secret recipes. You only need to pay me 200 taels of silver for all of them. Two hundred taels of silver? Xu Ran, youre not very kind! Lets say 150! You sell them all to me. Dont worry, Mr. Chen. First you can have your servants go to the stalls selling fried chestnuts to buy some back to taste. Youll find out if its worth two hundred taels of silver. The secret recipe for fried chestnuts is also from me. Hearing this, Mr. Chen didnt hesitate. He went out, called a servant over and gave him some money to buy some chestnuts out in the street. The fried chestnuts had only been on the market for a day, but people around here all knew about them.The servant had always been well-informed, so of course he knew them ,too, so he ran out directly for the fried chestnuts. At the moment, Xu Ran asked Mr. Chen to prepare some paper and a writing brush for him, and he began to write down the secret recipes, the main part of which Xu Ran noted was the secret recipe for cooking chestnut rice. When making chestnut rice, people should remember to put some oil and salt , and also add some lean meat into it. In this way, when the chestnut rice was ready, it was fragrant and powdery, very delicious. Of course, it was also good to cook chestnuts directly with rice without oil and salt. As for the ways of making chestnut roast chicken and chestnut chicken soup, they were simple, just remembering to add chestnuts when making them. The last one was the way to make chestnut pastries. The chef of this restaurant was much better than him in the making. What Xu Ran needed to do was to write clearly how to add chestnuts into the process of making the pastries. After Xu Ran finished his writing of the secret recipes, the servant bought back the fried chestnuts, and they were still warm. Mr. Chen took a chestnut and tasted it finding that it was indeed good. Looking at the paper full of writing in Xu Rans hand, Mr. Chen thought that even if he spent 50 taels of silver more, the business was worth it. Moreover, the chestnuts would be kept in supply in the future. He could save a lot of effort. Immediately, Mr. Chen made a decision and said, Xu Ran, as you said, you will provide me with chestnuts in the future. In addition, Ill pay you two hundred taels of silver for these secret recipes. But in the future, you cant give them to anyone except your own family. Xu Ran nodded, Of course Ill keep my promise. Then he pulled his basket over and said, Mr. Chen, I will give you these chestnuts today. You let the chef try them first. If they dont sell well, I will return you the money when I come again tomorrow. All right. You are indeed a trustworthy man. Ha ha. Mr. Chen laughed happily. He immediately settled the account for Xu Ran, and then asked the staff to take the chestnuts to the kitchen. And, Xu Ran went back to Wu Meis selling stall at ease. Chapter 71 Wu Mei and his companions didnt ask any questions when they found that Xu Rans pack basket was empty. Since Xu Ran came to town frequently, he must have acquaintances here, so it was normal for him to give them a few things. Besides, that was the extra amount Xu Ran carried here. How is the business going? Xu Ran approached them and asked. Wu Mei answered with a smile, Not bad. Many of the people who bought yesterday came to buy again and also introduced quite a few friends to come here. Xu Ran, you are so smart. You could even think of such a method. Yes, yes! Wu Lan and Liu Qing echoed. The job was not tiring, but it was much faster to make money than living off the land. When they had just exchanged a few words, someone came to make a purchase. Then, Xu Ran saw Wu Mei greeting the customer, and he realized that there was nothing he could do here. More importantly, it was easy for others to gossip if a man like him stayed together with the three Geers. Thus, Xu Ran picked up some chestnuts from the place where they put their chestnuts and put them into his pack basket. Only when Wu Mei finished his business did Xu Ran say to him, Wu Mei, Ill give these chestnuts to others. You just prepare two more bags of fried chestnuts for me. As he spoke, he was about to pass the prepared money in his hand to him. Wu Mei gave him two bags of fried chestnuts but didnt even look at the money in his hand. Done. Just go! As for the money, how could I accept a friends money? It would be unpleasant to have others know! Xu Ran scratched his head with embarrassment. But Im going to give them to others, after all. It is different from the situation that I eat them myself. Just take the money! Otherwise, you wont be able to verify your accounting records when you do it at night. Wu Mei still refused to accept it. There is no such thing as verifying accounting records correctly. Its such a small amount of things. You just treat them as something we have eaten ourselves, okay? Dont think about it. Just go! Dont make me miss my business deals, Wu Mei said as he pushed Xu Ran away. Seeing that someone had come to buy the fried chestnuts, Xu Ran felt it inappropriate to say anything anymore. Therefore, he left with the chestnuts in his hand and a pack basket on his back. The place Xu Ran was going to visit was Zhuo Yuns shop because Xu Ran wanted to give Zhuo Xun some chestnuts. But it happened that Zhuo Yun was not in the shop today. After Xu Ran left his gift and was about to leave, the shopkeeper stopped him and said, Mr. Xu! Please wait a while. My master said that if you come, I shall go and ask him to come back. Please go into the room and sit there for a while. Ill be back soon. Before Xu Ran could say anything, the shopkeeper had left in a hurry, even without asking anyone to help watch the shop. Speechless, Xu Ran stood at the door. After a while, he fetched a stool and sat there when he saw no one coming in. Soon the shopkeeper came back with Zhuo Yun. When Zhuo Yun saw Xu Ran, he immediately did the fist-palm salute and said, Brother Xu! I must thank you for the chili paste you brought the last time. I wonder if there is still any left in your family? How about selling me some? Xu Ran rose to his feet and said, Mr. Zhuo, youre so courteous. Its just home-made chili paste. Its not worth anything. Ill bring you some when I come next time. Zhuo Yun was about to lead Xu Ran inside. When they came to the door, he saw the two paper bags placed on the counter and the chestnuts in the pack basket on Xu Rans back. While pointing at the pack basket, he said, Are there chestnuts in it, Brother Xu? Xu Ran nodded and said, Right, I got them from the mountain. Today I came to town for something, so I brought them to you, Mr. Zhuo. As he spoke, he handed the two paper bags on the counter to Zhuo Yun and said, Mr. Zhuo, these are fried chestnuts sold on the street, and they are still warm. Take them home to your spouse, and let him try them. Zhuo Yun took them. Indeed, they were still warm. He opened a bag and looked inside, finding that the chestnuts in it were all open and their full yellow insides were shown. Zhuo Yun picked up one and tasted it before saying to Xu Ran, Brother Xu, it tastes very good. I dont know where I can buy such things. I should go and buy a lot. This snack has just been sold since yesterday. Mr. Zhuo, you will know if you ask about it on the street. It is sold every day. No need to worry about it. Seeing that Xu Ran learned his idea with a guess, Zhuo Yun gave an embarrassed smile. These things are only delicious when they are warm. Mr. Zhuo, please send them back to your spouse first! There are still some chestnuts here, which are also prepared for you. You can peel them off and eat them by putting them in the meal. Take them too! Seeing that Xu Ran was about to leave, Zhuo Yun stopped him hurriedly and said, No, Brother Xu, dont leave today. Weve met each other several times, but we were in a hurry every time. I want to make friends with you. Wait for me for a while. Ill be back soon. Ill be back soon! Before leaving, he even asked the shopkeeper to buy a few dishes at the luxury restaurant opposite his shop and bring them here. Xu Ran felt awkward to leave right away. He told Zhuo Yun to take his time and assured him that he wouldnt leave. When Zhuo Yun excitedly went back to Zhuo Mansion in a hurry, Qin Shuwen was reading on the deck chair. He had poor health, so a brazier had already been placed beside him. Zhuo Yun drove the young male servant who was serving away and then passed the chestnuts in his hand to Qin Shuwen like presenting a treasure, saying, Shuwen, these are fried chestnuts. Have a try. They are still warm. Seeing his flattering smile, Qin Shuwen didnt refuse him. He took the paper bags from Zhuo Yuns hand and opened one in front of him. Zhuo Yun immediately took out one chestnut, peeled it off and handed it to Qin Shuwen. This kind of service had been done often, so Qin Shuwen had been used to it. He took it and put it into his mouth. It was delicious. This was the first reaction of Qin Shuwen. When looking back at Zhuo Yuns nervous face, Qin Shuwen couldnt help smiling, Its delicious. Thank you! The politeness and alienation made the trace of joy coming out of Zhuo Yun disappear completely. He forced a smile as he said, Its good that you like the snack. When you have finished it, just tell me. Ill go and buy it. I still have something to do, so I wont come back for lunch today. Zhuo Yun quickly left the room as if he was running away in a panic. When he arrived at the door, he still told the young male servant to watch his lord eat at noon, making sure he ate much. If his lord had no appetite, he should ask the kitchen staff to put chili paste into his noodles. Seeing Zhuo Yun running away, Qin Shuwen was lost in thought. He couldnt remember why his relationship with him had been reduced to such a state. Zhuo Yun had been fawning on him since they got married. Now, five years had passed, but he still hadnt changed at all. Zhuo Yun said that he was marble-hearted, and he himself even thought that was right. Zhuo Yun had endured for five years but still hadnt done anything to him. Then he couldnt help putting a mocking smile. How long can you hold on, Zhuo Yun? When he went back, Zhuo Yun had no good mood at all. Fortunately, he still remembered that Xu Ran was waiting for him in the shop. He really wanted to find someone to talk about the pain in his heart. Undoubtedly, Xu Ran was his best choice. By the time he returned to the shop, the shopkeeper had already brought the dishes back. At this moment, he was talking to Xu Ran. Zhuo Yun had a gloomy face. Both Xu Ran and the shopkeeper could tell that, but the shopkeeper slipped away at once, leaving him to Xu Ran. Xu Ran felt helpless but said, Whats wrong, Brother Zhuo? You were happy when you went home just now? Dont mention it. Brother Xu, come and drink with me. Xu Ran was helpless and knew that this was another man who wanted to drown his sorrows. He sat opposite him. Mr. Zhuo, if you have any pain in your heart, tell me. A person should not put worries into his heart. If he does it, he will easily get tired and sick. Its better to find someone trustworthy to talk about them. If there are difficulties, we can work together to get solutions, right? Brother Xu, youre right. I really want to find someone to talk to. Are you interested in hearing a story from me? Xu Ran poured Zhuo Yun a cup of wine, then poured himself a cup of wine, and finally held the cup with his hands, saying, Id love to. Zhuo Yun studied Xu Ran a few times and drank a few cups of wine as if he was ready. Then he began to talk to Xu Ran about the story between him and Qin Shuwen. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen had been married for five years, but they had been pestering each other for ten years. Zhuo Yun was from a business family, which ran the business of seed. Actually, his family was rich, but his father passed away early. Therefore, he had long been the host of the family. Due to his low profile, not many people knew the Zhuo Family. After his father passed away, Zhuo Yun ended the business of most of the familys seed shops and just left one shop open. As for himself, he began to join a trade caravan to do business. Although it was a bit dangerous, he could make money much faster than keeping those shops. The Qin Family was also a family in the town, in which, there were four brothers, with Qin Shuwen being the only Geer. Since he was young, he had been treated like a treasure. The place where Zhuo Yun met him was the funeral feast of Zhuo Yuns dad. A young man at the age of fourteen, who knew little about worldly affairs, went to the mourning hall of Zhuo Yuns father. When he saw Zhuo Yun kneeling in front of the memorial tablet, he consoled him with kind words. At that time, Zhuo Yun was in a difficult situation. Not long after his daddy passed away, his dad died, leaving him alone in the Zhuo Family. Although he had eldest uncle in the clan, he had been unable to get along with him. After his dad died, his uncle even wanted to take the family properties from him. At that time, the only person who comforted him was Qin Shuwen, so he put this Geer into his heart. In Qin Shuwens eyes, Zhuo Yun was nothing more than a person whom he consoled because of a short-time kindness, but he never took him seriously at all, so there was no such person like Zhuo Yun in his world. It was not until four years later that Zhuo Yun suddenly went to the Qin Family to ask for marrying him. After fully controlling the business of the Qin Family, Zhuo Yun then dared to visit his family to propose to him. Over the past few years, he had been paying attention to Qin Shuwen. He knew that Qin Shuwen was the only Geer and the favorite Geer of the Qin Family. He also knew that Qin Shuwen didnt marry anyone even when he was eighteen because he fell in love with a poor young man, but his family did not allow it. And Qin Shuwen was never willing to marry anyone else. When she was fifteen or sixteen, people from some rich families in the town went to his family to talk about marrying him, but they were all refused by his family with the excuse that he was still young. It was not until Qin Shuwen was seventeen that she fell in love with a poor young man from the outside world. By then, the Qin Family finally realized that it was unsuitable and wanted to ask someone to introduce a person to him, but those who had been declined by the family knew that he loved someone. Naturally, none of them was willing to marry him, and he did not want to marry anyone of them, either, because he only wanted to marry the poor young man. Therefore, his marriage had been delayed until he was eighteen. Knowing that this was a good opportunity, Zhuo Yun entrusted the matchmaker with the job of going to his family. Except for Qin Shuwen, all the others of the Qin Family were satisfied with Zhuo Yun and immediately agreed. As for Zhuo Yun himself, he gave the poor young man money and sent him away. Initially, Qin Shuwen was unwilling to marry and insisted. But when the poor young man had left the town and he did not know where he had gone, then he was forced by his dad to sit in the bridal sedan chair. Yet, a year had passed. That year they married, Qin Shuwen was nineteen and Zhuo Yun was twenty-one. Qin Shuwen didnt like Zhuo Yun and also learned from somewhere that it was Zhuo Yun who sent away the poor young man, so he had never shown Zhuo Yun a kind face ever since he got married. Zhuo Yun knew that he married Qin Shuwen while he was in a disadvantageous situation. Therefore, he cared for Qin Shuwen in every possible way he would bring Qin Shuwen whatever he wanted and had given him the right to deal with everything in the family. But Qin Shuwen was still not satisfied. Qin Shuwen said that he didnt want kids, so Zhuo Yun didnt have any children now. Qin Shuwen said that he didnt want to see Zhuo Yun, so Zhuo Yun joined the trade caravan to do business and often went away for two or three months at a time. In the past five years, he had not really spent much time with Qin Shuwen, and the latter would not show the former a kind face each time the former stayed with him alone. All the people in Zhuo Mansion knew that their lord and their master were at odds with each other. Quite a few Geers had thought about going to Zhuo Yuns bed, but he ignored them all. As of now, he had been holding on for five years. Because of him, Qin Shuwen had not even been back to the Qin Family in the past few years. Zhuo Yun felt guilty towards the Qin Family, so he would visit the family in person during festivals and new years. Five years had passed, but the situation had not improved. In this case, he was so happy when Qin Shuwen smiled at the bowl of noodles a few days ago. It was a smile he hadnt seen for a long time. He only saw it when Qin Shuwen was talking to the poor young man. Chapter 72 Hearing the story, Xu Ran also gave a sigh. He didnt expect that this guy had such an infatuation. No wonder he could go to do business with such a cultured manner. Zhuo Yun drank up the whole pot of wine. He was not in a good mood, so now he almost got drunk. Thinking that he might bother Zhuo Yun in future, Xu Ran considered that he might find some way to ease the relationship between Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen. He stood up and patted Zhuo Yun, Mr. Zhuo, can you hear me? Actually it is easy to solve your problem. All the things happened because your spouse cant let go what you did back then. Everything starts from you asked the poor guy to leave. You have known nothing about how he was after he left. I suggest you send someone to find him. Besides, I also suggest you use a trick of self-torturing. Isnt there a saying that Gerers hearts are made of water? With the softest heart, your spouse may probably be moved by you then. Xu Ran talked a lot to Zhuo Yun and was not sure if the latter had heard him. Getting out of the room and looking up in the sky, Xu Ran just realized it was already past noon. Shit! Have Wu Mei and others left? Xu Ran muttered and turned back to the shopkeeper for a few words. He told the shopkeeper that Zhuo Yun was drunk and asked him to take good care of Zhuo Yun. After this, Xu Ran left. When Xu Ran arrived at Wu Meis stall, no one was there already. Then Xu Ran rushed to the ox cart and just saw Wu Mei and others were chatting on the ox cart. Liu Qing saw Xu Ran with sharp eyes, shouting, Xu Ran, come here! You are finally back! Xu Ran smiled with some awkwardness, Sorry to have kept you waiting. I visited a friend and he must invite me to have a meal with him. He talked a lot to me and I just found it was already past noon when I came out. Thats all right, as long as you are back. Lets get back and dont get our families worried. Xu Ran put the pack basket on the ox cart, walking to the front of the cart, Let me drive. Wu Mei said nothing. Xu Ran was a man and he wouldnt let a Geer to drive. So Wu Mei left his place to Xu Ran. When Xu Ran was back, Liu Tong had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him. There was only 20 mu of their land grown with wheat. For the other land, Xu Ran agreed Liu Tong was in full charge. Liu Tong had started to grow potatoes these days. However, he didt grow many, mainly because it was too cold now and Liu Tong was afraid the potatoes got frozen. During the dinner, Xu Ran told Liu Tong about Zhuo Yuns story and also his suggestion of the self-torturing trick, receiving a cold eye from Liu Tong. How can you do that? How sad the Geer would be if he knew this! Liu Tong criticized Xu Ran seriously. Tangtang and Guoguo kept focusing on their food, knowing nothing about what their dad and daddy were talking about. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran just realized that his suggestion was bad for Qin Shuwen. Relating it to Liu Tongs unusual behavior on that day when he was back, Xu Ran touched his nose in embarrassment, Tongtong, Im sorry. I wont give any bad idea like that any more. Xu Rans helpless look made Liu Tong felt both angry and funny. Lying on the bed at night, Xu Ran intended to have a deep talk with Liu Tong. He pulled Liu Tong who had just taken a bath, Tongtong, shall we have another child? Speaking of the child thing, Liu Tong was a little shy, Why do you mention this suddenly? Xu Ran didnt beat around the bush, You were not happy on that day we were back from the town because of Zhang Yues words, were you? You can be assured that I wont marry any others. Do I look like the one without conscience? Lets have another child, all right? A child as cute as Tangtang and Guoguo. Surely Liu Tong would not object, but he stared down at his belly, looking worried, Ran, I have never got pregnant since I gave birth to Tangtang and Guoguo. Do you think I should go to see a doctor? If Liu Tong had got pregnant once, he must be able to get pregnant twice. Xu Ran didnt think much, pulling Liu Tong to the bed, It must be because I dont work hard enough. Lets work harder this winter and you will surely get pregnant next year. Sure, Ling Tong replied in a low voice. Another amazing night. Zhuo Yun went home soon after Xu Ran had left. With courage stirred by alcohol, Zhuo Yun hugged Qin Shuwen tightly. At first Qin Shuwen tried to struggle, but he knew that Zhuo Yun was drunk when he smelt the alcohol on Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun got drunk several times every month and had sex with Qin Shuwen every time when he got drunk. Qin Shuwen didnt refuse. This might be the only thing he cooperated with Zhuo Yun after he married him. But today it was a little different. Zhuo Yun hugged Qin Shuwen for quite a while and didnt go to bed; instead, he put his chin on Qin Shuwens shoulder and talked to him, Shuwen, could you please give me a child? Only one is enough. Then I will set you free. There was even a hint of pleading in his voice. Qin Shuwens body quivered. Did he say that he would set him free? Having expected for five years, Zhuo Yun finally said that he could free him. He should be happy, but didnt know why he suddenly felt empty in his heart. Shuwen, could you give me a child? Zhuo Yun kept repeating this words in Qin Shuwens ear. Qin Shuwen felt a rush of annoyance, but couldnt tell why. Finally, Qin Shuwen struggled out of Zhuo Yuns embrace, looking coldly at the man. The corner of Zhuo Yuns eyes had been put on some red color because of being drunk. Did you say that you will give me freedom as long as I give birth to a child? Zhuo Yun looked at Qin Shuwen sadly and after a long time he nodded, Yes, at least I have a child as a comfort after you leave. When speaking of this, Zhuo Yun seemed very sober, making Qing Shuwen a little distracted. Afterwards, somehow they fell into bed. While Zhuo Yun was still muttering the child thing, Qin Shuwens mind went blank and he looked bewildered. I should definitely be happy, shouldnt I? I will be free soon and leave this place where I have been living for five years, the place I hate most. Whats more, I wont have to see Zhuo Yun any more. From sunset to late night, Qin Shuwen was so tired that he even fainted finally. Zhuo Yun cupped his face tenderly and murmured softly, Shuwen, why do you always ignore me? Ive been trying hard for such a long time In the following days, Zhuo Yun hardly went out of home. He had been sticking with Qin Shuwen all the time, and developing all kinds of new dishes for him. The chestnuts given by Xu Ran was also made into chestnut rice for Qin Shuwen. It was the rare food that Qin Shuwen liked but he was not happy. As for the reason, he couldnt figure it out himself. Speaking of Mr. Chen, his business was even more prosperous since the restaurant launched new dishes and cakes made with chestnuts. The business was booming. However, the new dishes and cakes were limited to sell since Xu Ran could only provide limited amount of chestnuts. The customers who didnt eat enough all went to Wu Meis stall for fried chestnuts. The previous thought was that the craze for fried chestnuts would cool down with time. Out of expectation, the business was getting better and better. However, it would not be sold for long, because Xu Ran had almost bought all the chestnuts around the villages nearby. Chestnuts were seasonal and only available for a certain period of time during the year. But in Xu Rans mind, they could just rest in winter time after the chestnuts were sold out. It was much colder here than it was in the 21st century. Winter could not be harder to live through without gas, fire, heating pads and down coat. When Xu Ran got up in the morning, he found all of the yard was covered with white frost. Xu Ran felt that his feet were almost frozen. He wondered if he should go to find several pairs of socks to put on. And shoes too. It was better to put some fluffy stuff inside before he could go out in the winter. Xu Ran also noticed that some poor people were still wearing straw sandals in days like this. Xu Ran couldnt help admiring them more. Although Xu Rans bamboo cottage had been put on brown paper outside, it wasnt warm still. After all, there was no heating equipment inside and there were leaks on the cottage. Fortunately, Liu Tong had prepared the winter quilts long ago. Xu Ran could only feel himself when he was sleeping in bed. With teeth chattering, Xu Ran was pretty sure that this was his coldest winter. He had never experienced such a cold winter before. Tangtang and Guoguo didnt feel cold at all, though. They ran outside around all the day with the four puppies. Now the four dogs had grown up a little, so they no longer had to drink soup. Following Xu Rans suggestion, Tangtang and Guoguo trained the puppies to pee and poo in a certain place and time. They were good dogs. It seemed that they were living a decent life. Of course, some people were happy, while some people were not. Chapter 73 That day from the town, Zhang Yue ran back to his own home, the Zhang Family, in front of Xu Cheng. Soon after, however, he was directly taken back to the Xu Family by Xu Cheng. Zhang Yues dad and daddy just watched everything happening there. Zhang Yue ran back in a hurry, followed by Xu Cheng closely. Then Zhang Yue was caught by Xu Cheng. Finally, Xu Cheng even took Zhang Yue away without even saying hello to Zhang Yues dad and daddy. Zhang Yue had wanted to say something to his dad and daddy, but he didnt have any chance to do so. His dad and daddy supposed that the couple had a quarrel and believed that it was not a big problem for a couple to have a little dispute, so they didnt care much about them. Zhang Yue understood that his life would not be easy after returning to the Xu Family, but what he didnt expect was that Xu Cheng totally forgot their good old days and wanted to beat him to death. Zhang Yue wanted to explain something, but he failed. He was beaten to the ground and could not move at all. In the end, if it wasnt for Xu Chengs fear of being charged with murder, he might have wanted to go on with the beating. After Xu Cheng stopped his violence, he began to curse Zhang Yue, saying that he was cheap and shameless. In short, he blustered whatever was unpleasant. Zhang Yue could do nothing but lie on the ground. All the Xu Family members were at home, but no one came to stop Xu Cheng or to have a look at him, including his two kids. Since then, Zhang Yue had been lying in bed, unable to move. However, no one in the family went to get a doctor for him. They would just offer him food to eat and water to drink every day to ensure that he would not die. Xu Cheng even wanted to divorce Zhang Yue , but he was stopped by Xu Houcai, who thought that no matter what, Xu Hui and Xu Qiang were Zhang Yues children, and with their familys current conditions, if Zhang Yue was divorced, Xu Cheng couldnt marry another spouse. Time flies and the eleventh lunar month would soon be over. Their chestnuts were almost sold out, so Xu Ran told Wu Mei and the others not to sell chestnuts on their market stalls anymore. Instead, they began to go up the mountains to cut down trees to make handcarts. This winter, by cutting trees in the mountains, they could not only keep themselves warm, but also take the dried-up branches home for firewood. However, Xu Ran didnt take part in the tree cutting. He was studying and reviewing at home. There would be the Imperial Examinations in the early spring next year. Whether he could pass or not, he would like to have a try. Fortunately, the fools brain was still loaded with a lot of knowledge, so Xu Ran didnt need pay too much effort in the preparation. The eighth of the 12th lunar month was the Laba Festival. Liu Tong bought the ingredients for cooking Laba congee early. On that day, he began to work in the kitchen early in the morning. In this era, there was a tradition that on the Laba Festival, children would go from door to door to have Laba congee, so even the stingiest people would try to make the congee better. Because children always said what they liked at will. They might express themselves anytime they were tasting the Laba congee. Thus, in order to gain a good reputation, every family had to work hard on the cooking of the congee. Liu Tongs cooking skill was not very good, but this time the congee he prepared was not bad. Xu Ran had recalled the eight treasure congee he used to eat before, and told Liu Tong about the ingredients of it. In the end, the congee Liu Tong cooked this year was very good. Sure enough, in the aspect of food, it was always extensive and profound. Xu Ran even taught Tangtang and Guoguo to sing the childrens song of the Laba congee. Dont be greedy, child, my child. It will be Spring Festival after the Laba Festival. We have been eating the Laba congee for days. Its the 23rd. On the 23rd, the sugar gourd is sticky. The 24th is house cleaning day. On the 25th, we fry tofu; on the 26th, we cook white meat; on the 27th, we kill chickens for the Spring Festival; on the 28th, we leaven dough; on the 29th, we steam steamed buns; on the 30th, we have a lively night and on the first day of the new year, we twist and dance happily. After learning the song, Tangtang and Guoguo began to sing around in the village and teach their friends as well. In this way, children who came to ask for the Laba congee later would be able to sing this childrens song. The village was really bustling today. After the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, it would be the Spring Festival. However, the Xu Family didnt prepare any new year goods, mainly because they couldnt afford them. In the past, they had Liu Tong to support their family. This year, however, they really did not have any extra income. Zhang Yue was still in bed. Elder Daddy Xu felt that it was really bad luck to have a patient in the family who was lying in bed like a dead man. So he had to squeeze out a little money to call for a doctor for Zhang Yue. It was Doctor Liu in the village After being beaten by Xu Cheng, Zhang Yue had not been treated at all. In addition, he caught a cold in such freezing winter days. Therefore, he could not recover for a while. After listening to Doctor Lius diagnosis, Elderly Daddy Xu was very angry and drove Doctor Liu out of the door, No, we wont need you for him now. We wont treat him. Isnt he just a little bit sick? How can you say hes dying? He is indeed dying! Doctor Liu was not happy to hear what Elderly Daddy Xu said, but he just argued in his heart. He didnt want to curse Zhang Yue to death. However, although Elderly Daddy Xu expelled Doctor Liu, he still took his words to heart. No one wanted to have funeral affairs during the Spring Festival. Thus, Elder Daddy Xu let Xu Cheng go to buy the cheapest medicine for Zhang Yue in the town. The prescription they followed was the one used by Liu Tong when Xu Ran got a cold. They put the medicine in the jar and kept cooking it repeatedly for Zhang Yue. Later, the medicine that had been cooked many times did not have any taste, but they still were not willing to pour the dregs. Zhang Yue didnt want to die. No matter what, he cooperated with the so-called treatment. Elder Daddy Xu asked Xu Cheng to take good care of Zhang Yue. Although Xu Cheng was reluctant about it, he was not a child after all, and he knew what this matter meant. At the end of the year, Zhang Yue finally got better and was able to get out of bed. C It was the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and people ushered in the first snow of this winter. This snow came late, but it was a fierce one. The snowflakes were flying all over the sky, and soon the ground was a vast expanse of whiteness. And this was still the day time. Feeling cold, Xu Ran lay in the bed and refused to get up. After Liu Tong got breakfast ready, he first took care of the two children, and then he went to wake Xu Ran up. Ran, get up. Its time for breakfast. Xu Ran turned over with his back to him, No. Its cold outside. Its snowy. Of course its cold, said Liu Tong with a smile. Ah! Is it snowing? Xu Ran immediately sat up from the bed. He had not seen snow for a long time. Liu Tong supposed that Xu Ran didnt want to get up after hearing about the snow. However, he was so excited that he wanted to see the snow in a hurry. Get up. Have breakfast first, and then go to play! persuaded Liu Tong. Hearing this, Xu Ran felt as if Liu Tong was saying something to Tangtang and Guoguo. He couldnt help but compressed his lips, but he didnt say anything. After Xu Ran went out, he found that it was really heavily snowing outside. He went around the yard and enjoyed the scenery of snow. Then he went to have breakfast. While he was eating, Liu Tong told him, Ran, I went to check the wheat we have just planted. Fortunately, we have covered them with the branches before. Otherwise, the newly grown seedlings must be crushed by the snow. Xu Ran nodded while eating, Dont worry. Dont you know the saying that wheat should be covered with three layers, and in this way, we can sleep on steamed buns next year? Its snowing hard this year. The wheat will surely grow well next year. Where did you hear this saying? Liu Tong asked him with a smile. Xu Ran suddenly realized that there were not so many sayings here yet, so he had to lie that he read it in the book. Because of the snow, they couldnt go out. Xu Ran decided to go to Wu Meis house. They had had cut many trees back from the mountain. And Xu An had made several handcarts. Their style was much better than what he and Liu Tong made on the mountain. These days, whenever Xu Ran was tired after reading books, he would rush to give Xu An a hand. Gradually, he also learned some simple carpentry. Liu Tong also took their children to go with him. Apart from the Laba Festival, there were no other customs before the Spring Festival. Everyone was staying at home and playing. Zhuo Mansion The snowy day was Qin Shuwens favorite weather. In the morning, hearing Zhuo Yun say that it was snowing outside, Qin Shuwen endured his physical discomfort and insisted on getting up to see the snow. As a result, when walking in the yard, he suddenly passed out and scared the hell out of Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun quickly sent for the doctor. After the doctor took the pulse, he said to Zhuo Yun shortly, Your spouse has been pregnant for a month. Why havent you controlled yourself? From today on, you cant have sex for the first three months. As your spouse is not in good health, you have to take good care of him. Zhuo Yun didnt respond for a moment. He wondered why the doctor was so strange. How could he care about the issue whether they had sex or not? It was the servant beside him who whispered a reminder behind Zhuo Yun, Young master, the lord is expecting a baby. Ah! Really? He is expecting a baby? Zhuo Yun was amazed at the news. Looking at the jumpy people, the doctor shook his head and felt helpless. He believed that Zhuo Yun was unreliable, so he advised the butler some precautions, prescribed some medicine to protect the fetus, took the doctors fee and left. Zhuo Yun didnt care if the doctor had left. Hearing that Qin Shuwen was pregnant, he jumped up with joy, Im going to be a dad. Im going to be a dad. Ive got a baby. Shuwen, weve got a baby. As soon as Qin Shuwen woke up, he heard Zhuo Yuns saying that he had a baby. He immediately understood what was going on. His reaction at that moment was that he wanted to pass out again. However, Zhuo Yun, who had been watching him, naturally noticed that he had woken up and could not wait to share his joy with him, Shuwen, we have a baby. You have a baby in your belly. The doctor said it has been a month now. Under the quilt, Qin Shuwens hands quietly stroked his belly. There was a baby inside there and he was about to be born in nine months. That meant he would be free in nine months. However, compared with Zhuo Yuns excitement, Qin Shuwens heart grew heavier and heavier. At the moent, however, Zhuo Yun, who was immersed in the joy, didnt notice Qin Shuwens reaction. He only thought he was as happy as he was. Chapter 74 After finishing his talk with Qin Shuwen, Zhuo Yun immediately said to the butler who came back after seeing the doctor off, Uncle Fu, reward, reward everyone with money. Yes, Master. Uncle Fu took the order and retired, and the others wisely did the same, leaving Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen behind. Shuwen, Im sorry. Its all my fault. If I hadnt held you last night you wouldnt have fainted today. Dont worry. I wont do it again. I promise. Zhuo Yun was just like a little child at this moment. But Qin Shuwen didnt feel his heart. In his mind, he sneered, Of course, you wont do it again. Im pregant with your child. Qin Shuwen had a prejudice against Zhuo Yun, so he thought that anything the Zhuo Yun did was for something profitable or with a bad intention, although the latter had never hurt him before. It was just like what Xu Ran told Zhuo Yun. All this was caused by the poor young mans case. No doubt, Zhuo Yuns action was really unwise at that time. Zhuo Yun insisted on staying at Qin Shuwens bedside. He asked him whether he wanted to eat this or that, or something sour or spicy, and so on. Qin Shuwen was quite irritable. Leave now. I want to sleep. His tone was a little cold and harsh, but it didnt drain Zhuo Yuns enthusiasm. He still said to Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, I asked the doctor. He said that if you dont give birth to the child now, you wont be able to do it after the New Year. It will be dangerous then. Dont worry. Ill take good care of you and the child. You can sleep now. Let me ask someone to cook a delicious meal for you. Qin Shuwen became even more irritable, thinking, Eat, eat, eat! You just know to eat! Even if Qin Shuwen kept a straight face, Zhuo Yun just pretended that he didnt see it. Anyway, he was the only sufferer, so he was immediately relaxed after Zhuo Yun left the room, but he had to think more seriously about what Zhuo Yun said just now. He was already twenty-five. In a few years, it would be really dangerous to give birth. He didnt expect Zhuo Yun to consider this because even he himself had not thought of it. It was not that he didnt want children, but that he didnt want to give birth to children for Zhuo Yun. In fact, he had lost interest in that poor young man a long time ago. At that time, he was too young, and he had been spoiled since he was young, so he didnt understand many things. But he had witnessed many things over the past few years. Naturally, his thoughts had changed. The reason why he still couldnt forgive Zhuo Yun was that he just didnt like his behavior of taking advantage of the mans disadvantageous situation that year. Now Zhuo Yun suddenly said that he would let him go after he gave birth. Does it mean that he loves someone else? Otherwise why did he ask me to give birth? Qin Shuwen couldnt help thinking wildly about it. When he came in again, Zhuo Yun held the chicken porridge that had just been cooked in the kitchen. But Qin Shuwen had already fallen asleep; he didnt seem to sleep soundly because he frowned a bit as if he had dreamed of something unhappy. Zhuo Yun put the porridge aside, sighed softly, eased Qin Shuwens knitted eyebrows with his hand, and said, What should I do with you, Shuwen? It seemed that he was talking to Qin Shuwen, but it also seemed that he was talking to himself. After sitting by the bed for a while, he kissed Qin Shuwen gently on the forehead before leaving the room with the porridge. This child came too soon and also too late. If he really did as he promised earlier that he would let Qin Shuwen leave after he gave birth, then he only had nine months left. Zhuo Yun suddenly lost his confidence, thinking, I havent moved him in the past five years. Can I really make it in just nine months? The heavy snow outside made his eyes lose focus. With the bowl of porridge in his hand, he stood in the heavy snow for a long time. As a Chinese saying goes: One cant escape from the sins he committed himself. That night, Zhuo Yun began to cough and even had a high fever. So, he even less dared to enter Qin Shuwens room for fear that he would get him infected. When Qin Shuwen woke up, it was already dark outside. He was awoken because he was hungry. After asking a young male servant to light the oil lamp, he then got out of bed to stretch his arms and legs. After eating the porridge that had been warmed on the fire and drinking the medicine soup, he finally realized that he didnt see Zhuo Yun. Only after asking the young male servant did he know that Zhuo Yun caught a cold. Has a physician been invited? Qin Shuwen asked. Lord, the butler has done it. The physician gave the medicine and said, Master will be fine in a few days. It was the first time Qin Shuwen had had the idea of going to see Zhuo Yun. He did it as soon as he said it. He stood up and said to the servant behind him, Lets go! Take a look. The young male servant behind him couldnt help being surprised, but he didnt dare to ask anything about his lords business. He just followed Qin Shuwen while looking at him gingerly. At this time, Zhuo Yun was lying in the guest room. Hearing that Qin Shuwen was coming, he was about to get up right now. But when he remembered that he should not get him infected because he was ill and Qin Shuwen was now pregnant, he said to the servant, Ask your lord to go back and rest. Im fine. Im going to see him tomorrow. Before seeing the patient, Qin Shuwen had been asked to leave. It was the first time he had been treated like this. Naturally, he felt a little uncomfortable and went back to his room angrily. Surely, Zhuo Yun did what he said. The following day he went to see Qin Shuwen as soon as he woke up, but the latter was still asleep, so he could only rub his nose and go back without getting anything done. Although waves were stirred because of this kid, they had to continue their life as they should. In the blink of an eye, it was lunar December 29th. Every kitchen in every house began their busy time. People began to boil rolls, fry New Year rice cakes, and burn incense sticks outside their gates from December 29th. Liu Tong could not handle such things alone, so Xu Ran took the two kids to help him. However, Tangtang and Guoguo did nothing helpful but eat. In the past years, the Xu Family also had such things, but they never had the chance to eat them. It would be good if they could have one mouthful or two on lunar December 30th. This year was a luxury for them. The money of the family was kept by Liu Tong, who had prepared the goods and gifts for the New Year. Xu Ran didnt understand it or ask about it, for he believed that Liu Tong would handle it well. The spring couplets were written by Xu Ran himself, who bought the red paper in the town and wrote according to his memory: The constant explosive happy sounds of fireworks see the old year off; Heaven and earth are teeming with the celebration of the new year. Firecrackers had been bought and brought to their family, but unfortunately, there were no fireworks among them. Xu Ran thought that it was necessary to develop fireworks. After all, they were really nice to watch, especially with the flavor of the farmhouse. December 29th was a transition. After this day, it would be the last day of the lunar year. December 30th was the real-time for the fun. There were not many wealthy families in this village, and these few families were on good terms with the Xu Family. They were Wu Meis and his companions families. When fireworks were being set off, most of the children in the village came to watch. Xu Ran even saw Xu Hui and Xu Qiang. After all, they were just kids, so he didnt have the wish to argue about anything. After the firecrackers were finished, people began to paste up spring couplets. As the bright red spring couplets were pasted up on the two sides of the gate, the shabby bamboo house got a bit of color and the whole family smiled and laughed. The celebration of the New Year should have its taste, and the food on the table was the best proof. The dinner here was eaten at noon, and only at night would they eat dumplings. Fish and pig hooves were eaten at noon. Liu Tong even stewed a chicken, and then cooked a plate of dishes with pickled radish and fat meat, so the table was covered with meat. With the rice in the bowls, this was a very luxurious life in the village. Only when the New Year was coming did Xu Ran suddenly remembered that many things had not been prepared, such as cured meat and sausages, which were all specialties of the Shu Region. However, the people here were too poor to usually eat like this. Xu Ran didnt see anyone prepare such things, so he forgot it. The glutinous rice had not been ground, which meant that they would have no rice balls to eat. In his previous life, his mother made everything prepared. When he went home, he just needed to open his mouth and eat. He didnt find anything so troublesome or need to worry about anything. But when he had his own family, he knew the trouble of it. Truly, only a child being with his or her mother can be as precious as a gem! Besides, it was unpopular to slaughter pigs during the New Year. Therefore, except for the meat that was bought for them to eat during the New Year, there was no extra meat for him to do other things. Forget it. Wait for the next year! Maybe Ill be able to make some money. He comforted himself. After lunch, Xu Ran took the remaining rice to feed the fruit trees. When he was young, his grandparents would force him to feed the fruit trees with the remaining rice after lunch. It was the action of putting rice into ones familys fruit trees. First, one needed to make a small opening in the tree; then he should put a few grains of rice into it while murmuring, Feed fruit trees, feed fruit trees. Neither the wind nor the rain can make your fruit fall. Then bear nice fruit. Their family didnt have fruit trees, but he found that there were many wild fruit trees on the back side of the mountain and he could not tell which family they belonged to. Anyway, after feeding them, he could move them to his home in lunar March. On the back side of the mountain, many different kinds of wild fruit trees could be found, such as pear, peach, cherry, apricot, walnut and so on. Xu Ran toured around there with his two kids and fed a few trees. Knowing that they would have fruit to eat this year, he became so excited that he looked like a child. In the afternoon, he was going to visit the tomb of Liu Tongs dad. Liu Tong came from Liu Village. In the past new years, Liu Tong dare not visit his dads tomb because Daddy Xu would say that he lived off this family but cared about his parents family. This year he didnt mention it, but Xu Ran did. However, Liu village was a little far away so that one would have to spend a long time going and returning, so Xu Ran decided to go there after lunch. Liu Tong had already prepared the things for the worship, and then the whole family headed for Liu Village. Chapter 75 The tombs of Liu Tongs dad and daddy were located on the back side of the mountain behind their house, but if they wanted to go there, they had to pass by Liu Tongs eldest uncles place. Liu Tong had never returned since he got married, nor had he even seen his eldest uncle and his family members. When Liu Tong was young before his dad and daddy passed away, the relationship between the two families was really good. But after his dad and daddy died, the whole family of his eldest uncle had been thinking about how to take his familys land. As for him, he had never been raised as a Geer since then. It was not hatred but just dislike. He was sure to remember those who were good to him, but he would also remember those who were bad to him. So when they were passing by, Liu Tong didnt say he wanted to go and take a look, and Xu Ran just didnt know that was the home of Liu Tongs eldest uncle. However, someone always wanted to give them trouble even when they had no wish to offend anyone. Stop! Liu Tong, you are bold after getting married, right? You even didnt want to come in to greet your eldest uncle when you passed by his home. I raised an ingrate indeed! Liu Tong was suddenly asked to stop, and then lots of accusing words sounded. Hearing that, Xu Ran frowned and looked back, seeing an obvious pregnancy mole near the speakers ear. Also by judging the persons dressing, Xu Ran could tell that he was the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle, but as if he didnt know it, he asked, Who are you? You shout at others whenever you want. You really have no quality. Hearing these words, the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle was furious. He took a few steps forward and stopped Xu Ran and his family members. As he rested his hand on his hip, he pointed at them and said, Hey, how did you talk like that, little beast! I have no quality, but do you have it? Do you know who I am? How dare you swear at me? Xu Ran stood in front of his two kids as their shield and said, You are the big beast, arent you? How could I not know who you are? Besides, a good dog wont stand in the way. Please make way for us. Whom did you accuse of being a beast? Good, you dare to bully me! Liu Tong, this is your secret lover, isnt he? Your husband is a fool as we all know. Let me tell you something. Today you let your secret lover bully me, but tomorrow I will tell all the villagers that you have a secret lover. Ill see if your idiotic husband will divorce you. These words of the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle made Xu Ran even angrier. He passed the basket in his hand to Liu Tong, rolled up his sleeves and said, I am the fool in your words, but I have got back to normal already. You are unhappy, arent you? You just go and tell the villagers! If you dont, I will have to tell them that youve taken away the family land of my spouses parents and sold their Geer. Not only will I talk about it in the village, but I will also go to the officials and sue you. Ill see how your whole family will continue to live in the village, humph! It is just bluffing, isnt it? Im not afraid of you! Xu Ran thought. Now he was a hooligan alive! Seeing the look of their dad from behind, Tangtang and Guoguo did want to applaud, but the situation was not right, so they held back. Ancients were most afraid of going to face officials, especially those who have something on their conscience. The spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle was scared when he heard Xu Ran talking about going to the officials, but he still said, Just go to the officials! Let me tell you something. I raised this ungrateful person for so many years, so whats wrong with me for taking a bit of land from his dad and daddy? Anyway, all his family members are dead, so its useless to keep land for them. Besides, if it were not for me, how could you, a fool, have married Liu Tong? You would have just done it in your dreams! It seemed that he became more confident as he continued his talk. In the end, his voice even became louder. Xu Ran didnt want to argue with him because the latter was the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle. After all, his accusation could not go too far. Finding that Xu Ran was in a difficult situation, he tugged his clothes and said, Ran, lets go to the tombs first. Now I have no relations with them. Since they sold me to you at that time, I have been your spouse. Dont care about them. When the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle heard the words go to the tombs, his eyes brightened. Liu Tong had never come to visit the tombs in the past few years. He even went to ask about it and learned that Liu Tong didnt live a good life in the Xu Family. After coming back, he laughed for a few days. Now Liu Tong had even come to visit the tombs with the fool and their children. The spouse of his eldest uncle stared at the basket, knowing that there must be something good inside. In addition, Liu Tong was now dressed nicely and even had a jade hairpin on his head, which showed that his life now was different from the past. Now Liu Tong was the source of living rewards in the eyes of his eldest uncles spouse. But Xu Ran and his family members could not care what he was thinking. They simply bypassed him and walked away. When the spouse of his eldest uncle awoke from his daydream, they had disappeared. But it didnt matter because they would return. The spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle immediately turned around and ran into the room. Husband, husband, Liu Tong is back. Xu Ran knew that they would not go back smoothly, so he planned to stay in the mountain for a little more while so that Liu Tong could speak more to his dad. After putting the worship items in place, Xu Ran also set off the firecrackers. The whole family kowtowed three times to the two earth tombs respectively. Liu Tong pulled Xu Ran and knelt with him in front of his dads tomb. Dad, this is Ran. Weve been married for seven years, and Ive brought him here to see you at noon today. Previously, he was hurt by others and became a fool, but now he is normal. You two dont have to worry. We also have two kids. They are twin boys. Tangtang, Guoguo, come here. Liu Tong called to Tangtang and Guoguo behind him. The two children walked over obediently, knelt with one on each side of them, and called grandpa to the tomb in front of them. While pointing at Tangtang and Guoguo, Liu Tong said, Dad, they are Tangtang and Guoguo, my and Rans sons. They will be six by the beginning of next spring. Liu Tong nagged for a while. However, Xu Ran kowtowed once again to the tombs while Liu Tong was not paying attention to him. Dad-in-law, daddy-in-law, I am Xu Ran from another world. Liu Tong is my officially married Geer and will be the only one. I will work hard to be good to him and the children. Please feel at ease! Thank you for bringing up such a good Tongtong. After the talk, Xu Ran got up. Looking back, he saw Liu Tong standing behind him with a smile. Ran, Ive heard all you said. I believe in you. Xu Ran smiled, stepped forward, and took his hand. Then, the family packed up their things and began to walk back with their basket. As expected, they were stopped on the way back. All the family members of Liu Tongs eldest uncle were waiting for them at the gate of their house. There were five of them: Liu Tongs eldest uncle and his spouse, his younger cousin and his spouse, and a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old Geer. As soon as he saw them, Liu Tiezhu, the younger cousin of Liu Tong, came up to snatch the basket in Xu Rans hand. Xu Ran was not prepared for it, so the basket was taken away by the cousin like this. In the basket, there was also a chicken leg and a large piece of fat meat apart from rice. No sooner did Liu Tiezhu get the basket than he opened it. Seeing the things inside, he instantly picked up the chicken leg and put it into his mouth despite the fact that they were used as sacrificial offerings. When others saw Liu Tiezhu putting the chicken leg into his mouth, they could not keep motionless anymore. Those who went up first were the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle and Liu Tiezhus spouse. Both of them wanted to get the piece of fat meat in the basket. The spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle swore at someone while trying to take the meat, while Liu Tongs eldest uncle and Liu Piao beside them didnt go for it because they felt too ashamed to do so, although they also wanted it so much. It was really a good show. In the end, the fat meat was split up by the two people, and the rice was even taken and put into their mouths. Truly, they were no different from refugees. After their snatch, Xu Ran retrieved the basket, where there were only three wooden bowls left, but Xu Ran could not bear to lose them. Folks, youve snatched the dishes and eaten them. Please let us go back! Its late, and we still have a long distance to cover. Hearing the word snatch, Liu Tongs eldest uncle glanced at those people and then cursed, Shame on you. The spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle showed that he had a thick skin. Resting his hands on his hips, he stopped Xu Ran and said, Want to go? This road is in front of my house. If you want to pass, you have to pay tolls. Right, pay tolls, Liu Tiezhu echoed. Liu Tiezhu, the only child in the family, had been spoiled since he was young and formed a lawless personality. He, who liked gambling, went to town to gamble from time to time. As a result, he was not lucky and lost every time. Over the years, he owed lots of debts of different amounts in the outside world. Anything that was valuable in his family had been taken by him to gamble, so no money was left here. But where did he get the money to marry someone at that time? The family sold Liu Tong. Yet, the family still lived a poor life. Today when he met Liu Tong, even if the latter were still as poor as before, he would possibly think about getting something from him, but the result he saw now was that the family not only had meat to eat but also got good clothes to wear. Besides, the glistening white jade hairpin on Liu Tongs head was even more attractive to him. The one who also wanted the jade hairpin was Liu Piao, who had been hating Liu Tong since he was young. The reason was that although they were all Geers, Liu Tong could do everything except that he was not as beautiful as Liu Piao. Liu Piao was about to be sixteen, but no one came to his home to introduce anyone to him. For one thing, his family was poor; for another, his daddy was shrewish, his elder brother loved gambling, and he himself didnt know how to do household chores. Therefore, no one visited his home to introduce a man to him even when others should get married at such an age. Indeed, he was quite sad about it. Liu Piao not only took a fancy to the hairpin on Liu Tongs head but also fell in love with Xu Ran. Although Xu Ran had been a fool all these years, he had s good look. Also decorated by his natural temperament, he was even more attractive to Liu Piao. He thought, Since Xu Ran could buy the jade hairpin for Liu Tong, he can surely buy other things for him. No doubt, he must have lots of money. If I marry him As he thought about it, he began to envy. Others didnt notice Liu Piao, but Liu Tong, who had been looking at Xu Ran all the time, did notice him. What he didnt expect was that Liu Piao, an unmarried Geer, was so shameless that he stared at a married young man without blinking. Ever since Ran became normal, more and more people have coveted him, and they are all from our relatives families, Liu Tong thought, but he was speechless about it. Chapter 76 While Liu Tong was staring at Liu Piao, Xu Ran had begun talking to the whole family of Liu Tongs eldest uncle. These people didnt let them go unless they paid the tolls. Naturally, Xu Ran was unwilling to do so. This road was not the property of the uncles family, so why did they have to pay the tolls? Xu Ran didnt go easy on them and said, Eldest uncle, eldest uncles spouse, lets do it this way! Ill pay you the tolls, but you need to return the land of Tongtongs dad and daddy to Tongtong first. We must deal with problems in order, right? Hearing that Xu Ran was willing to pay the tolls, the whole family of Liu Tongs eldest uncle were quite happy, but when they heard the words that followed, they became incensed. You bastard, what are you talking about? The land is Liu Tongs? What nonsense! Let me tell you something. I raised Liu Tong for so many years, so the land is mine. Anyway, you have to pay the tolls today. As for the land, dont think about it! This tone made Xu Ran flare up, What? You want to use force in broad daylight, right? I can tell you that if you folks want to resort to force, just have a try. Not to mention that today is New Years Eve, even if it is the first day of the New Year, Ill go to the Yamen and sue you folks. You make way or not? If not, Ill go to your village head and let him judge. The family of Liu Tongs eldest uncle just wanted to blackmail them. No matter what, this was unreasonable. Previously, Xu Ran also came to Liu Village to collect chestnuts, and many villagers had made enough money for celebrating the New Year. Therefore, few would probably be willing to speak for the uncles family this time. The family of Liu Tongs eldest uncle knew the situation, but they just felt that Xu Ran was easy to bully when seeing his look. Unexpectedly, this man was not a fool but quite a smart person, who was eloquent and good at getting helpers. Instantly, they didnt dare to say anything anymore. Holding the hands of his two kids, Xu Ran rolled his eyes at the family of Liu Tongs eldest uncle before leaving. Liu Tongs family were gone, but his eldest uncles family were unwilling to accept this result. Except for the two pieces of meat they had just eaten, they got nothing. The spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle was just wondering how he could get some money from Liu Tongs family, but he saw Liu Piao staring at Xu Rans back that was disappearing when he looked back. Then the spouse of Liu Tongs eldest uncle had a scheme he wanted to take advantage of Liu Piao. Piao, tell me the truth. Is it that youve fallen in love with Xu Ran? If so, Ill ask a matchmaker to introduce you to him after the New Year holiday. His daddys question was so direct that Liu Piao was a little ashamed, but he still nodded and said, Yes, daddy. If I can truly marry him, surely I will be able to bring money back to improve our familys living condition in the future. Good boy, dont worry! Im with you. Liu Tong is nothing. Xu Ran was sure to be yours. Just wait. As long as I get an opportunity, Ill ask Xu Ran to marry you and divorce Liu Tong. By then, Xu Rans family property will be ours. Liu Piao nodded happily with her hands held together, dreaming of the days after marrying Xu Ran. However, Xu Ran, who was still upset, was totally unaware that he was being calculated again. He had so many unreasonable relatives! Xu Ran was afraid that some people of the Xu Family would also come to trouble them so that they would not be able to spend the New Year holiday peacefully. Therefore, when they were back home, he closed the door quite early and taught Tangtang and Guoguo to recite poems at home. The sound of firecrackers has sent away the old year, and people feel the breath of spring while drinking the mellow Tusu wine; the rising sun shines on thousands of households, and the peach wood talismans on the doors of each house have been replaced with new ones. In his previous life, Xu Rans Chinese level was not high and he just recited a few poems, so he tried hard to remember and finally got the verse for the occasion. While stroking the heads of Tangtang and Guoguo, he said, Learn this poem by heart tonight and recite it in front of me tomorrow morning. Then, Ill give you red envelopes. Tangtang and Guoguo knew what red envelopes were, but they had never had them. Previously in the Xu Family, Elder Daddy Xu only gave red envelopes to Xu Hui and Xu Qiang, but never to them. All kids longed for this gift, so what Xu Ran said inadvertently made them very happy. People would stay up on lunar December 30th. Since their kids were too young, Xu Ran told them a few stories and then coaxed them to sleep, but he sat at the fire chatting with Liu Tong while waiting for the coming of the New Year. The specific time was known, but it might be the midnight, when Xu Ran suddenly held Liu Tong in his arms and said in his ear, Happy New Year, Tongtong. Ill love you all my life. Liu Tong was stunned for a moment, then chuckled, and replied, Ran, Happy New Year. I love you, too. Then they kissed passionately for a while before going to bed. The following day, they woke up in the explosive sound of firecrackers, but they didnt know who made it. And their two kids were also awake and got out of bed happily. Dressed in the new clothes prepared by Liu Tong, they came to knock on the room door of their parents. The couple who wished to enjoy themselves in bed for a little more while had no choice but to get up. As soon as Tangtang and Guoguo saw Xu Ran, they began to chant, The sound of firecrackers has sent away the old year, and people feel the breath of spring while drinking the mellow Tusu wine; the rising sun shines on thousands of households, and the peach wood talismans on the doors of each house have been replaced with new ones. Dad, Happy New Year. Give us red envelopes! Xu Ran caressed the heads of their two kids and said, Good, but remember to say, May you be rich! Give me a red envelope!\\\'' Although he said so, he still took out red envelopes and gave them to the two kids. After getting Xu Rans red envelopes, the two kids went to Liu Tong for the same purpose, and they said May you be rich! Give me a red envelope! this time. Liu Tong also gave a red envelope to each of them, and the amount was not little. Mainly affected by Xu Ran, now Liu Tong had also developed the habit of giving pocket money to their kids, but he asked them to save the money. After washing his face, Liu Tong went into the kitchen. On the morning of the first day of the lunar New Year, people should eat round-shaped food. Ordinary families usually ate glutinous rice balls. Only those families with better living conditions would eat eggs, but since they didnt have glutinous rice balls at home, they had to eat eggs. The eggs were also bought in the town before the New Year. While busying himself with the kitchen chores, Liu Tong asked Tangtang and Guoguo who were playing outside, How many eggs do you want? Three. I want three. As soon as he heard it was food, Guoguo threw away the things in his hands and ran toward the kitchen. Tangtang was unwilling to fall behind and yelled, Daddy, I also want three. Liu Tong said with a gentle smile, All right, three. You go and take the melon seeds and candies at home to the yard. Other children are coming soon. Fine, the two children replied at the same time. Visiting relatives on the first day of the lunar New Year was unpopular, so people could only visit the families that they were familiar with, stay in these places for a while, and share things like melon seeds and candies with each other. Since this was the New Year, even the stingiest family would take out some melon seeds to entertain those dropping by. Quite a few people called at Xu Rans home this day, and they were all Tangtang and Guoguos little friends, who had learned from somewhere that their familys candies were the most delicious. Liu Tong gave melon seeds and candies to all the children coming here and then asked them to go and play. And he just went to entertain the adult visitors. There was nothing lively to watch during the New Year holiday here, even without real monkey shows. Xu Ran didnt want to chat with these Geers, so he went to hang around with these children. In his previous life, he could always hear the song May You Be Rich during the New Year holiday. At that time, he felt that he was tired of it, but now he felt that he missed it when he couldnt hear it. Then he hummed the song unconsciously as he thought about it. Yueyaer, who had come to him, looked at him and asked, What are you singing, uncle? It is so nice. Seeing the look of admiration on Yueyaers face, he suddenly thought that it was easy to have a lively New Year holiday because these children could make this wish come true. Yes, he still remembered the scene that happened on the eighth day of this lunar December. Xu Ran bent down and said to Yueyaer, Yueyaer, I am singing a song. Let me teach you, shall I? Good! Good! Teach me now, Uncle Xu Ran. Tangtang and Guoguo felt that their dads love had been taken, so they, who were unwilling to lag behind, ran over and pulled Xu Rans clothes, saying, Dad, we also want to learn it. Xu Ran stroked their heads one by one and said, No problem. Ill teach you all. Dont worry! First, he told these kids to stand in line, and then he, who stood at the front, cleared his throat and said, Then Ill teach you the song. When I finish singing one sentence, you repeat it. Every street and Lane When people meet each other The first thing they say Is: May you be rich May you be rich, may you be rich After Xu Ran taught them several times, a few bright kids could even sing it, and those who couldnt could hum a few words with them. He told them that they should be patient and they would be able to sing it after a few times of practice. During the day, the song May You Be Rich sounded at every corner of the village. Everyone was all smiles. Chapter 77 On the second day of the lunar new year, everyone began to visit their relatives. Liu Tongs dad and daddy had died, leaving behind his detestable uncles family. He would certainly not go to pay them new years greetings. As for Xu Ran, he would never want to go to his vicious dads house. Anyway, their relationship was broken. If he wanted to, he could send some gifts. If he didnt mean that, people would not say anything bad about him. Wu Meis and the others families all went to visit their spouses homes, so they would not come to them today. Tangtang and Guoguo had already taken their dogs out to play with their little friends. Thus, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were left with nothing to do at home. Xu Ran was not quite familiar with the people in the village. More importantly, they shared few common topics, so Xu Ran was reluctant to go out all the time, while Liu Tong today felt it was not good for him to go out by himself because Xu Ran stayed alone at home. Sitting at the door, Xu Ran was in a daze for a while and then he said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, let me teach you how to write. Liu Tong knew how to read, but he couldnt write. He had recognized about ten words after meeting them over and over again. He was surprised to hear Xu Ran say that he was willing to teach him to write. And he was naturally happy to be able to recognize more words. Thus he immediately agreed, OK! Xu Ran did what he meant. He and Liu Tong moved the table from the house to the yard and got everything ready for writing. Xu Ran then asked Liu Tong to hold the writing brush while he stood behind him holding his hand. They began to write down Liu Tongs name on the paper, and then they wrote his name as well as the names of both Tangtangs and Guoguos. Liu Tong was very active in learning and writing. After practicing for some time, his handwriting became quite good. Xu Ran praised him greatly with a thumbs up. In this way, on the second day of the lunar new year, the couple practiced writing all day long. On the third day of the new year, Wu Meis family invited them for dinner. According to the custom of Spring Festival, several friendly families would take turns to invite each other to dinner. Every year, in such a festival, the whole family always went out together. And then, during the following two days, on the fourth and the fifth were Wu Lans and Liu Qings families turns to stand treat. And on the 6th, it was the turn of Xu Rans family. On that day, however, an unexpected guest came. At that time, Xu Ran was chatting with Xu An and the others in the courtyard. In the kitchen, several Geers were busy cooking, while a group of kids were playing and walking the dogs outside the yard. The approaching sounds of the horses hooves attracted the attention of all the people. Xu Ran thought of the bandits who had robbed the village and immediately went out to drive all the children into the yard. It was not until the carriage drew near that Xu Ran saw who the visitor was. The driver of the carriage was the shopkeeper in the Zhuo Yuns seed shop. They had met several times, so Xu Ran recognized him at a glance Xu Ran touched his chin and said to himself, How could he come here? Does he have any relatives here? Who is he? Do you know the man who is driving the carriage? Xu An asked suddenly, which scared Xu Ran. Pointing at the carriage that had stopped outside their yard, Xu Ran said, I know this person. He is a shopkeeper selling seeds in the town. Lets go and see what he is doing. The shopkeeper had seen Xu Ran and stopped the carriage. And then he saw Xu Ran coming out. He even ignored the people in the carriage, and quickly said hello to Xu Ran, Happy New Year, Mr. Xu! Happy new year! Xu Ran politely replied. Then he asked, Are you here visiting your relatives in the village? No, Mr. Xu, its my master who wants to express his gratitude. Hey, look at my memory. My master is still in the carriage, said the shopkeeper. He was about to turn around when he heard Zhuo Yuns voice, No need. Your master is right behind you. Zhuo Yun looked gloomy. He didnt expect that Old Qian would dare to ignore him, his own master, and go to talk to Xu Ran directly. Looking at the master and his servant, Xu Ran was amused for no reason. Hello, Mr. Zhuo! Here you are! greeted Xu Ran. Zhuo Yun started complaining as soon as he saw Xu Ran, Mr. Xu, you dont know how difficult it is to find you. I only heard that you live in the Xu Village, but I didnt know where the Xu Village was. I asked for directions. As a result, people pointed us to another village. We went around like this for several times before we knew where the Xu Village was. Fortunately, your family lives at the entrance of the village, so we saw you as soon as we entered the village. Xu Ran touched his nose silently. He wanted to tell him that this was the end but not the entrance of the village. But looking at their pathetic appearance, Xu Ran decided not to let them down for the time being. Mr. Zhuo, your shopkeeper told me that you are looking for me? Then please hurry into the house! Take the carriage to the yard, too, Xu Ran said as he made way for zhuo Yun to enter the house. Zhuo Yun had been tossing about on the road all morning, and had never even had a mouthful of water, so he didnt stand on ceremony. After entering the yard, Xu Ran called out to the room inside, Tongtong, get two bowls of warm boiled water for us. Here comes Mr. Zhuo. Then Xu Ran introduced Xu An and the others to Zhuo Yun. Although Xu An and the others were from the rural area, they could speak in a proper way, and they all chatted happily. When they were about to have dinner, Zhuo Yun suddenly remembered the gift that he had brought with him was still on the carriage. He quickly asked the shopkeeper to take it out. Xu Ran accepted the gift, but he didnt open it. He thought that no matter what was presented by others, he should be grateful, because it represented the kindness of others. There were a lot of dishes on the table today, many of which Zhuo Yun had never eaten before, especially potatoes and fried pork with edible fungus. Zhuo Yun tasted a mouthful of them and felt very surprised. And then, he could not stop his chopsticks. In the end, he had finished more than half of the two dishes by himself. As a result, several children present could only cast him a look of reproach. As the childrens dissatisfaction was too obvious, Zhuo Yun realized it and had to stop his chopsticks. He felt embarrassed and apologized with a smile, Im sorry, but Ive never eaten this kind of food. I just couldnt help eating a lot. All the people present showed him a knowing expression, which made Zhuo Yun more embarrassed. Xu Ran didnt expect this to happen. He smiled and said, Mr. Zhuo, Never mind. People are always attracted to something new to them. We were also like you when we first ate it. Really? Zuo Yun rubbed his nose and tried to pick other dishes, but his eyes still didnt leave the two dishes. Others sitting at the table were amused inwardly. After lunch, Wu Meis and the other families went home. As there were guests in Xu Rans home, it was not very convenient for them to go on staying there. Tangtang and Guoguo also went away with Dahu. It was still Chinese New Year and children could always find something new to play with. When the other guests left, Zhuo Yun said happily to Xu Ran, Bro Xu, Im here to thank you. My spouse is pregnant! Ha ha, its nearly two months now. He jumped about excitedly. Hearing the news, Xu Ran was also happy for him. He knew that Zhuo Yun had been looking forward to it for five years, and now his hope came true at last. Xu Ran said to him, Congratulations to you. Dont forget to invite me to have happiness candies then. Of course. How can I forget you, Bro Xu? However, Zhuo Yun suddenly showed a worried look, Bro Xu, do you think its because I promised my spouse Id let him go after he has a baby? Hes been a little glum since he got pregnant. Its no use trying to coax him. As a love expert who had never been in love, Xu Ran thought that this should be a good phenomenon, Mr. Zhuo, I think your spouse should also have you in his heart, but its only that he cant let go of you. Ah! Zhuo Yun opened his mouth wide, Bro Xu, are you telling the truth? Xu Ran rolled his eyes and said to himself, Im not your spouse. How can I know if it is true or not? Xu Ran could only explain patiently, Mr. Zhuo, how is the person you are looking for? I think your spouse heart knot is on that person. If you find that person, bring him to see your spouse. If he has already got a family, bring them with him. As long as they live well, I dont think your spouse will blame you. In addition, its still the Spring Festival. Take your spouse to visit his dad and daddy. Your spouse must be homesick at the moment. Zhuo Yun believed that Xu Ran said was reasonable, Bro Xu, Ill go back today and prepare a gift well. Ill make both my dad-in-law and daddy-in-law satisfied. By the way, can you give me some of those two dishes on the table just now? I think my spouse will love them. I can pay you for them. Xu Ran waved his hand, Youve been too polite and regarded me as an outsider. When you go back, Ill ask Tongtong to prepare some of that kind of food for you. Ive also made a new flavor chili paste. You can take some back with you. Remember, the potatoes are the yellow things you just ate. When you go back, let the servants cut them into shreds and fry them, and then put more vinegar and chili to mix with them. Your spouse must like to eat hot and sour food now. The weather is not hot these days, and the food wont make him sick. Alright, Bro Xu. Thank you so much, Zhuo Yun was very glad and thanked him. How he wished he could fly back to prepare the food for Qin Shuwen. Noticing his eagerness to go home, Xu Ran didnt try to keep him, Mr. Zhuo, wait a moment. Ill let Tongtong get the food ready for you. At the moment, Liu Tong was busy washing in the kitchen. Just now, so many people had dinner together, and many pots and pans were used. Therefore, he had to work for a long time. Xu Ran went into the kitchen and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, Mr. Zhuo wants some potatoes and edible fungus. You put these things in bags and give them to him. Im going to get him some chili paste. His spouse is pregnant. Oh, thats great. Then Ill get some more potatoes for him, said Liu Tong happily. Yes, Xu Ran nodded and went to the cellar storing the chili paste. After all the things were put on the carriage, Zhuo Yun started to go back home. Now his state of mind could only be described in one sentence, that was, he wanted to get home right away. When Zhuo Yun was about to leave, Xu Ran said to him, Mr. Zhuo, I wonder if youve ever heard a saying that people dont usually leave home on the seventh day every lunar month. And people dont go home on the eighth day of every lunar month? Zhuo Yun smiled, Ive never heard of it before, but now Ive heard of it. Thank you, Bro Xu. After he finished, he jumped into the carriage. After the carriage left, Xu Ran clapped his hands and entered the gate. He was a little depressed. He wondered if he did not work hard enough, otherwise why was Tongtong still not pregnant yet? Chapter 78 In the afternoon, Liu Tong went out with something in his hand, and Xu Ran didnt care about him, but when Liu Tong came back at night, he had a bruise on his forehead. Xu Ran was cooking in the kitchen at that time, but hearing the panicky calls of Tangtang and Guoguo, he came out. Dad, hurry up. Daddy is injured. There is running blood on his forehead. As soon as he heard the words of Tangtang and Guoguo, he dropped the spatula and ran out. Whats wrong with you, Tongtong? Whats wrong? Xu Ran asked as he ran. When he got close, he found a bleeding cut on Liu Tongs forehead. Seeing the nervous look of his family, Liu Tong felt guilty, but he smiled and consoled, Ran, Im fine. Its just a small injury. Dont worry. Washing it with water in a while will do. After helping Liu Tong go to the room, Xu Ran remembered that half the dishes in the kitchen had not been fried. Turning around, he said to Tangtang and Guoguo, Tangtang and Guoguo, go to the kitchen and help dad put out the fire. Im taking your daddy to get medicine. Dont worry. Be good. All right. Tangtang and Guoguo were worried, but knowing that nothing could happen when his dad was with his daddy, they nodded obediently and went to the kitchen. Xu Ran fetched warm water, cleaned Liu Tongs cut with a handkerchief, poured some wine, and warmed it in the kitchen. When it turned warm, Xu Ran rubbed his bruise with it hurriedly. But the pain was inevitable once the wine was in the bruise. Liu Tong felt so much pain that her face even turned pale. Xu Ran comforted him while rubbing his cut with the wine. When he had done the initial job, he went out to invite Doctor Liu. Tongtong, endure it for a while. Im going to Doctor Liu right away. Tangtang and Guoguo are in the kitchen. Keep an eye on them. No sooner he finished talking than he ran out of the room and rushed to the home of Doctor Liu. The moment he picked up the doctors medical kits and took his arm, he walked outside. While walking, he said, Doctor Liu, my spouse is injured. Please go and take a look. Doctor Liu wanted to say something, but Xu Rans anxious look made him hold his tongue. When they arrived at Xu Rans home, Xu Ran immediately returned the medicine box to him and stood next to him, looking like he was waiting for his order. After examining Liu Tongs bruise, Doctor Liu found that it had been cleaned and also disinfected with wine. Looking back, he asked, You did this? Xu Ran nodded and said, Doctor Liu, I read it somewhere in the books, but I dont know whether it is right or wrong. Please bandage Tongtongs cut quickly. Dont let the cut continue bleeding. Doctor Liu couldnt help looking at him a few more times, Hey, I didnt expect you to know this. In this case, go and prepare more warm water! Xu Ran said yes and went away hurriedly. Then, Doctor Liu cleaned up Liu Tongs bruise once again, put medicine on it, and wrapped it up with a piece of white cloth. Xu Ran thought that blood wouldnt come out of the cut, but he didnt expect that as soon as Doctor Lius hand touched Liu Tongs cut, blood ran out ceaselessly. Tangtang and Guoguo, who had been watching it behind the door, were so scared that they dared not come out. Doctor Liu spent a lot of time stitching Liu Tongs cut. After that, he gave some ointment for Liu Tong to put on his cut and also made several prescriptions, asking Xu Ran to buy the herbs in the town and boil them for Liu Tong. Xu Ran paid the consultation fee and saw the doctor off with thanks. After everything was done, he then realized that it was already dark and the family hadnt had a meal. Hurriedly, he went to the kitchen and continued to fry the other half of the dishes that had not been well fried. When he was busy in the kitchen, Tangtang and Guoguo went to Liu Tong. They asked him in whispers whether he was in pain or not and also asked him who had hurt him, claiming that they would beat the person to avenge him. Liu Tong comforted them by saying that he didnt feel the pain and little kids could beat no one. Since half the dishes had been fried, Xu Ran cooked the rest fast and brought all of them to the table shortly. Considering the current injury of Liu Tong, who couldnt eat many things now, he even specially prepared one piece of dishes for him alone. Xu Rans considerate behavior made Liu Tong feel a little uneasy. He went out without saying anything today and was injured when he came back, but Xu Ran didnt ask anything. Instead, he helped him wash his cut and brought a doctor for him. Now he was even so considerate that he didnt let him eat chili. However, it was unsuitable for Liu Tong to explain anything in front of their kids. Now he, who had a bowl in his hand, was eating the dishes Xu Ran had brought him. After eating, Tangtang and Guoguo were forced to sleep. After all, it was cold now. If they didnt go to sleep, they could only sit by the fire. Since there was nothing interesting to play with, they had better go to sleep. Liu Tong also walked into the room with the two kids. When the two kids went to bed and fell asleep, Xu Ran had cleaned up the kitchen and fetched hot water, asking Liu Tong to soak his feet into it for a while. After that, he brought a handkerchief and cleaned his face with it, somewhat like serving a disabled man, but Liu Tong had no choice but to allow him. When Xu Ran got himself ready, the two of them entered the room. In the oil lamp light, Xu Ran stared at Liu Tong, seemingly waiting for his explanation. Liu Tong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he saw Xu Rans serious look, he seemed to lose his courage and hung his head. After a long time, Xu Ran heard him whisper, Im sorry, Ran. Xu Ran was a little angry and also wanted to smile. What he wanted was not that he was sorry, but that why he was injured. Xu Ran took two steps forward and held him in his arms tightly, saying, Tongtong, I dont want you to say sorry. I just want you to tell me why you were injured. Besides, do you have injuries in other places? Liu Tong shook his head and said, Theres nowhere else. I accidentally got my forehead hit. Hit by what? Where did you go this afternoon? Xu Rans voice became serious unconsciously. He thought that Liu Tong wouldnt say anything if he didnt ask him. Liu Tong mumbled for a while before saying, I went to Dads home and sent them some meat this afternoon. When he said this, he looked at Xu Ran gingerly. He knew that Xu Ran hated that family, but that was Xu Rans dad after all. If Xu Ran didnt want to go, he was willing to go in his name. At most, they would scold him with a few words, but that didnt matter. But he couldnt help feeling sad when he thought about this today. Tongtong, tell me what exactly happened today. His musing was suddenly interrupted. Xu Rans serious face was just in front of him. Then, he began to tell about what had happened this afternoon. This afternoon, he knew that he had nothing to do, so he bought some meat and went to the Xu Family. Although Xu Ran had already cut off his relationship with them, it was appropriate to give gifts during the New Year holiday. Initially, he planned to leave as soon as he left the meat to them. He didnt expect that not only was the meat directly taken into the kitchen by the Elder Daddy Xu, but he was also instructed to do this and that. Since he had done it before, he didnt think it was a thing. At most, Elder Daddy Xu would scold him and Xu Ran a bit, and then he would pretend that he didnt hear it. When night almost fell, Xu Cheng came back. It was unknown whether he still took what happened on the street last time to heart or it was because of something else, but the result was that when he found that Liu Tong was in the house, he swore at him first and then took out a sickle from the room, saying that he wanted to kill him. Liu Tong didnt know why Xu Cheng hated him so much. At that time, his reaction was to run away, and Xu Cheng was stopped by Elder Daddy Xu. Although Elder Daddy Xu was unreasonable, he didnt dare to kill. But Xu Cheng didnt want to let him off and even threw the sickle in his hand at Liu Tong. Unfortunately, Liu Tong didnt avoid it successfully and got his forehead cut. This result made both Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng petrified. Then, Xu Houcai and Zhang Yue came out. Seeing this, they immediately drove Liu Tong out of the house and warned him not to tell anyone. Liu Tong didnt expect the thing to end like this. After taking a helpless sigh, he went home, but he was still trying hard to think about how he had offended Xu Cheng. As for the cut on his forehead, he didnt care so much. After all, he experienced injuries in the past. Anyway, the cut was not too big. After bandaging it when he was home, he would recover in a few days. Unexpectedly, the two kids and Ran were so nervous. When Liu Tong finished his talk, Xu Ran held him more tightly and patting him on the back, said, Go to sleep! I will deal with this. Liu Tong didnt know how Xu Ran would deal with it, but he dare not ask before going to bed obediently. The following day, Xu Ran went to the home of the village head with gifts. Since the sixth day of the lunar month, some people had begun to work in the fields. Thanks to his early visit, he happened to meet the village head who was going to work in his familys fields. Happy New Year, village head. Im here to pay you the New Years greetings. You are thoughtful, Xu Ran. The village head took the gifts from him and invited him to his home. Xu Ran chatted with him for a while and then mentioned the matter of corn. Xu Ran, as for this matter, Ill listen to you, but its impossible to buy land. This is my familys situation. I plan to test it with one mu of my familys fields. Xu Ran knew how important the grain was in the eyes of peasants, so he understood what the village head thought. And he said to the village head, Village head, you can grow it in one of my familys fields, but I wont collect any grain from you for the renting. If the result is good, we can take all our villagers to grow it next year. What do you think? His proposal just met the village heads hearts desire, so the latter accepted his offer with a smile. As if something had suddenly occurred to him, Xu Ran asked, Village head, I want to ask you if the yamen will handle the case of getting people wounded. Hearing this, the village head changed his expression and said, Anything happened, Xu Ran? Why do you want to take it to the yamen? Xu Ran touched his nose, pretending to be a little embarrassed and said, The thing is like this, village head. Yesterday, my spouse went to send New Years gifts to my dad and daddy. I guess my daddy was so busy that he asked my spouse to work in his house for half a day. But when Xu Cheng returned at dusk, he, to whom no one knew what had happened, held a sickle in hand, saying that he wanted to kill my spouse. When my spouse was running away, his forehead was cut by Xu Chengs sickle. Now he is still at home. Doctor Liu can testify because I invited him to bandage his cut yesterday. After Xu Ran recounted the matter, the village head became even more sullen. Now he understood why Xu Ran had suddenly come here to pay him the New Years greetings and also let him rent one mu of his fields for free. Going to the Yamen was not his aim, but asking him to solve the problem was probably his real purpose. In fact, he, the village head, had the responsibility to deal with such things. Besides, he should also take into account the fact that Xu Ran had no relationship with Xu Houcais family anymore. The village head patted Xu Rans shoulder and said, Xu Ran, go back now, but dont take it to the Yamen. Ill give you an explanation today. Xu Ran was not ignorant. He extended his gratitude with a smile and went home. Chapter 79 Xu Ran didnt want to do anything to the people of the Xu Family. He didnt want to have any relationship with those people, either, but he would never let them hurt the people he cared about. Xu Ran originally planned to go to the town to get the medicine from Liu Tong, but since the village head said that he would deal with this matter, he agreed and gave up going to town in the morning. However, Xu Ran didnt go straight home. Instead, he went to Wu Meis and the other families and invited them to accompany Liu Tong. Hearing that Liu Tong was injured, Wu Mei and the others were naturally angry. They rolled up their sleeves and wanted to go to get even with Xu Cheng. Xu Ran tried to stop them, Dont worry. Go to my house first. Ive already told the village head to give me an clear-cut resolution on this matter. If he cant settle it, Ill go to Yamen to sue him. In the eyes of ordinary people, going to Yamen was a big deal, but every time it came to Xu Ran, it was like something as easy as going to visit his spouse parents. It was really unbelievable. Wu Mei and the others went to his house with Xu Ran. Xu Ran told Liu Tong about the situation. He let the children go out to play. Then all the adults waited at home for the village head to come over. The village head didnt keep them waiting for long. Soon, he brought a group of people over including the Xu Family and the elders of several clans. These people seldom came out, and even the last time when Xu Ran separated with the Xu Family, they didnt show up. Besides them, Xu Ran also saw Doctor Liu, who was his most important witness. Xu Ran greeted them politely, and then they went to the yard. The village head started talking about the event after everyone was seated. Of course, the Xu Family would not admit it because they knew that once they did so, the clan would give them punishment; besides, Liu Tongs injury would require them money for the medicine. Elder Daddy Xu started to roll on the ground while screaming again, stating that their family, old or young were being bullied by Xu Ran. Hearing this, Wu Mei burst into laughter, Xu Houcais spouse, Ive never seen someone so shameless like you. Youre just over forty years old. You said that youre old and your son, Xu Cheng, is already over twenty, while you claimed that he is still young. Arent you afraid of being laughed at There were many people around to watch the scene, most of whom were standing by Wu Meis side. Thus even being so thick-skinned, Elder Daddy Xu felt a little ashamed for himself now. One of the elders of the clan couldnt stand this chaotic scene anymore and criticized Elder Daddy Xu, What do you look like? You neither respect the old nor cherish the young. If this news spreads out, does our Xu Village still have face? What should people in the neighboring villages think of us? Humph! This clan elder was already in his eighties, but his words were indeed full of air and solemnity. All of the people who were chattering there shut up. The village head also smiled with embarrassment. Then he said, Xu Houcai, whether the injury on Liu Tongs forehead is real or not, we can just ask Doctor Liu about it. As a doctor, he definitely wont lie. Doctor Liu, tell us, please. Although Doctor Liu didnt want to get involved in this kind of matter, he was still a member of the village after all. Xu Ran didnt treat him unfairly and paid him for his work. He just needed to speak the plain truth, so Doctor Liu confirmed, Village head, fellow villagers, the wound on the head of Xu Rans spouse was indeed bandaged by me. It was indeed a blunt injury. It also means that he was injured by a sickle, because there is a deep wound in the head and it should be stabbed by a sickle. After hearing Doctor Lius professional explanation, everyone present started to believe that Liu Tong was indeed injured by a sickle. Apart from Elder Daddy Xu, no one else in the Xu Family had said a word. The village head turned to Xu Cheng, Xu Cheng, did you hurt Liu Tong with a sickle? Tell us yourself. No, Xu Cheng denied firmly. Xu Cheng, you are a man. You should have the courage to take the blame for what you have done. You have indeed bullied a Geer, but you dare not admit the fact. What kind of man are you? Hearing Xu Chengs denial, the village head was angry. He had made everything about the case clear. Everyone had known that Liu Tong was indeed injured in the Xu Family by a sickle, but it was not clear who was the person that did it. Although Liu Tong said it was Xu Cheng, there was no way to prove it if Xu Cheng denied it. After all, no one saw it at that time. Xu Ran wanted to settle the matter early enough so that he could go to get medicine in the town for Liu Tong. He took a few steps forward and looked at Xu Cheng closely, Xu Cheng, let me ask you a question. It is true my spouse was injured in your house. You cant deny this. Since you said that it was not done by you, then tell me who did it. Xu Cheng felt difficult to answer Xu Ran, but he wouldnt admit that he hurt Liu Tong. Actually at the moment when he hurt Liu Tong, he regretted it. Xu Cheng looked around and noticed Zhang Yue, who was standing by his side all the time. He suddenly pushed Zhang Yue and said, Its him. He hurt Liu Tong. He has been jealous that Liu Tong is better off than him, so he wanted to kill him and marry Xu Ran himself. As soon as Xu Cheng spoke out, not only Zhang Yue, but also the others present were stunned. None of them expected Xu Cheng to give such an answer. Zhang Yue was his spouse by law, and he was also the biological daddy of their two children. Xu Cheng, a man, had actually pushed his spouse out at such a time. Not only that, he also ruined the reputation of a Geer. Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu reacted the fastest after hearing Xu Chengs words. They hurriedly gave their support to their son, indicating that what their son said was true. Xu Ran did not expect to get such a result. He touched his forehead helplessly. Seeing the fool had such a brother, Xu Ran could not help wondering how many evils he had made in his last life so that he got this result today. At the same time, it was hard for others present to say anything more, for it was, after all, about their own family internal affairs. It took Zhang Yue quite some time to make clear what was happening. He immediately jumped up to his feet and hurled abuse at Xu Cheng. He recounted the whole story about how Liu Tong was injured yesterday. Even the past scandal of his being beaten by Xu Cheng was made public. At this moment, Zhang Yue was so disappointed that he had made up his mind to break up with Xu Cheng. Xu Ran took a glance at Zhang Yue. He knew that from the beginning, he was a man who adored vanity and coveted wealth. At that time, he lived a happy and glorious life. He did nothing all day and no one dared o provoke him. Instead, he often bullied Liu Tong. But now, perhaps because he just recovered from his serious injuries, he looked pale and was in low spirit. More obviously, his strength had been worn away, and he could no longer be proud of himself. From the current situation, the case was not so simple just about Liu Tongs injury. Xu Ran quietly listened to Zhang Yue, who was still accusing Xu Cheng. Zhang Yue was not stupid. He just sometimes couldnt control himself. Zhang Yue gave Xu Cheng absolute hell. With so many people watching, Xu Cheng didnt dare to beat Zhang Yue again no matter how angry he was. At last, Zhang Yue finished his scolding, and he announced, Village head, I want to divorce Xu Cheng. Or if our life continues, I will definitely be killed by him. It was not that there was no divorce here, but so far no one had ever divorced in their Xu Village. Therefore, upon hearing what Zhang Yue said, the people present were all against her, because if the news spread, the Xu Village would lose face! The Xu Family had never thought that Zhang Yue would be so bold to propose divorce. Xu Cheng was so angry that his eyes were red. He could not undestand how Zhang Yue dared to humiliate him in front of so many people and how he himself could go on living in the Xu Village in the future. As for Elder Daddy Xu, he just went straight to beat Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue, however, stood still and didnt move at all. He let Elder Daddy Xu beat him while he kept repeating that Liu Tong was indeed injured by Xu Cheng with a sickle and he was the witness. At the same time, Zhang Yues eyes were focused on Xu Ran. Xu Ran, however, was not that kind-hearted. He didnt intend to have anything to do with it. Therefore, he said to the village head, Village head, after all, this is a family affair of others, and it is not good for us to involve in it. Now that there is a witness who has proved that Xu Cheng is the one who hurt my spouse, should the village head let Xu Cheng give us a solution for it? The village head understood what Xu Ran meant. He coughed a few times to stop the chaos situation around. Then he said, Xu Cheng, this person was injured by you and you must pay for his medicine. Doctor Liu will write down the consultation fee when he changes fresh dressing for Liu Tongs wound. Xu Ran, when you go to buy medicine in the town, ask the drugstore to write a note and bring it to me. Later, Ill go to Xu Chengs family to collect the money and give it to you. As for Zhang Yues divorce request, Im afraid youll have to invite your dad and daddy to come. Although Im the village head, its not proper for me to make such a decision. Thats all. Lets call it a day. Being not able to go on watching the show, some people felt it was a pity. However, what they had heard today was enough for them to chat about it for a long time. When the elders of the clans left, they scolded Zhang Yue and Xu Cheng ,Shameless and immoral! and then they left angrily. After everyone left, the village head sighed in relief, Xu Ran, youve found me a big trouble! Xu Ran rubbed his nose, Village head, I am sorry. I didnt expect things to turn out like this. Ive troubled you today. You should eat at my house in the afternoon. Give me the chance to say sorry to you, ok? Xu Ran required sincerely, and the village head did not refuse. This matter has yet to be resolved and another thing has happened. Liu Tong had been silent all the time and his wound was still hurting, but he was feeling more uncomfortable in his heart. Xu Cheng had just told him that Zhang Yue wanted to marry Xu Ran, and now Zhang Yue indeed proposed to divorce Xu Cheng. Xu Ran supposed that Liu Tong was headache, so he asked him to go to the house to rest. He just asked Wu Mei and the others to help him prepare supper. Liu Tong didnt try to explain anything and went back to the house. Chapter 80 After lunch, the village head went back, the other families had to go to work, and Xu Ran was going to town to get medicine for Liu Tong. After borrowing the carriage of Wu Meis family, he put more than ten bamboo tubes of seafood chili paste into his pack basket, then put the pack basket on the carriage, and drove it to town. During the New Year holiday, the price of the lot for parking ox-carts had increased. In the past, the fee was ten cents for a day and five cents for half a day, but now the price was eight cents for a day. It was expensive indeed. Xu Ran wanted to save time, so he didnt care about these few cents and went to Mr. Chens restaurant with the pack basket on his back. When Xu Ran arrived, Mr. Chen was using an abacus to do accounts, looking happy. It seemed that the business here was quite good. Carrying his pack basket, Xu Ran went over to say New Years greetings to Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen, Happy New Year! May your business boom! May you have plenty of money! Looking up, Mr. Chen saw Xu Ran and greeted him back with a smile, Happy New Year! What good things are there in your pack basket, Xu Ran? You have to replenish the chili paste for me. Ill have nothing to sell after the New Year holiday. Xu Ran put down his pack basket, took out the chili paste, and said, Mr. Chen, Ive brought it to you, havent I? But I changed its taste this time. Its easy to be fed up with a single taste. Do you want to have a try? Xu Ran said as he handed a piece of bamboo in his hand to Mr. Chen. No doubt, Mr. Chen would try it. He asked the waiter to fetch a pair of chopsticks. After tasting it, he said to Xu Ran, This taste is good. It tastes very fresh, better than the previous one. Xu Ran, you are going to sell this to me with the previous price, right? Mr. Chen asked Xu Ran with a little uncertainty. Xu Ran clapped his hands and said, Of course. Mr. Chen, our cooperation is a long-term cooperation, so there is no such thing that I ask for a higher price just because the taste has been changed. I havent brought much here today. You can sell it and see the result first. Xu Ran passed his pack basket to the waiter, asking him to put away the chili paste, and he began to settle accounts with Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen not only paid the money for Xu Rans chili paste but also gave him a red envelope. Holding the red envelope in his hand, Xu Ran looked at Mr. Chen in confusion and asked, What do you want by doing so, Mr. Chen? You just take it as my gift for thanking you. Last year, it was you who helped me. Without your chili paste and chestnuts as well as the idea you came up with, I wouldnt have done such a good business so easily! This is just a show of my little gratitude. Please dont refuse it. Since Mr. Chen spoke so sincerely, it was unsuitable for Xu Ran to continue saying anything. He took the money pouch, put it somewhere on himself, carried the pack basket taken out by the waiter, and said, Mr. Chen, Im leaving now. My spouse is injured, and I have to go and buy him medicine. Why is your spouse injured, Xu Ran? This is the New Year holiday. Its not a big deal. Just a small injury. Ill talk with you next time, Xu Ran said as he left hurriedly. Mr. Chen bit his tongue upon hearing that. After thinking about it for a while, Mr. Chen asked the waiter to come over, handed him a teal of silver, and said, Buy some tonics and send them to the person who came to deliver goods just now. You know him, right? Just tell him that its a show of my little solicitude and let him accept them. OK, dont worry, Mr. Chen! The waiter took the silver and went out immediately. Xu Ran was worried about Liu Tongs injury and was also worried that the Xu Family would come to make trouble again when he was not at home, so he walked extremely fast. First, he took the prescription Doctor Liu provided to the pharmacy, and then he went to the place where meat was sold hurriedly after buying the medicine. He wanted to buy some pig livers to enrich Liu Tongs blood, but unfortunately, he didnt know where he could find red jujubes. It would be better if he could get red jujubes and Chinese wolfberries and make soup with them. When Xu Ran had made his purchase and hurried to the bull cart parking lot, someone suddenly came out from behind him, Mr. Xu, Mr. Xu, wait. Xu Ran looked back and saw the waiter serving the guests at Mr. Chens luxurious restaurant. Since he had met him just now, he asked, Is there anything I can do for you, young man? The waiter handed those paper bags in his hands to Xu Ran and said, Mr. Xu, these are what our manager asked me to buy. He says that this is a show of his solicitude and hopes you accept them. Without giving Xu Ran a chance to refuse, he disappeared instantly. Hey, young man, young man, young man, Xu Ran called out a few times from behind, but he was ignored, so he had to put the paper bags into his pack basket, thinking about thanking Mr. Chen next time. Back at home, Xu Ran boiled the medicine for Liu Tong and also bought two old hens from a villagers home, planning to cook chicken soup for him. What the waiter gave him happened to contain the jujubes and Chinese wolfberries he wanted. So he simply put them into the chicken soup. The pig livers were fried to eat, but he dare not let Liu Tong eat chili, so he didnt add much chili into it. Instead, he just put a little to get a taste. Xu Ran had been busy until the evening since he came back from town so that he hadnt even had a meal, which made Liu Tong feel quite guilty. So, he spoke to himself in his mind that he should never get injured in the future. During the days Liu Tong was injured, Xu Ran served him in the way of serving a woman who had just given birth. As for Zhuo Yun, he accepted Xu Rans suggestion and took Qin Shuwen to his dad-in-laws home on the eighth day of the lunar New Year. Initially, Qin Shuwen refused to go, but Zhuo Yun said that he was pregnant and there was no elder in the family, so they had no idea about many things that needed their attention and it was better to go back and ask his daddy-in-law to give them a reminder. Qin Shuwen said that some old nannies in the house had the experience of giving birth and it was enough to find some of them to take care of him, so why did they have to travel so far? On hearing this, Zhuo Yun became a little angry and refuted, No matter how good the old nannies in our home are, can they match your biological daddy? If these old nannies have a little bad intention, the child will be in danger. Will your daddy do harm to you? Have you ever thought about the child? Qin Shuwen was a little sad when hearing Zhuo Yuns words and pouted, refusing to look at him, but he agreed to go home with Zhuo Yun. No matter how Qin Shuwen was unwilling, he would not treat the child in his belly casually. Seeing that he agreed, Zhuo Yun then softened his attitude and apologized to him. Not until he had teased him for a long while did the latter finally choose to look at him. Zhuo Yun felt that his life was really not easy. But Qin Shuwen felt anxious when approaching his birthplace after many years of absence, so he dawdled at the door for a long time before getting out of the carriage. Zhuo Yun had already sent a letter, but he asked his dad-in-law and daddy-in-law to pretend that they didnt know their coming and waited for them to knock on the door. Naturally, the person who knocked on the door was Zhuo Yun. In the past new years, Zhuo Yun would also come, but he would just send them some gifts and never stay for meals, and Qin Shuwen wouldnt come with him. The one who opened the door was Qin Shuwens eldest brother. When he saw Qin Shuwen, he couldnt help being stunned and merely called Younger brother after a long time. Qin Shuwen felt even sadder when seeing his eldest brothers reaction. He wanted to call him brother, but he didnt know why he couldnt open his mouth. Seeing this, Zhuo Yun came to ease the situation. Eldest Brother, Ive brought Shuwen here to pay you New Years greetings. Happy New Year, Eldest Brother. OK, come in first! Qin Shuwu said. Zhuo Yun nodded and walked inside while supporting Qin Shuwen. For a few times, Qin Shuwen wanted to say something but finally swallowed his words. Qin Shuwen hadnt been home for five years. As soon as he entered the house, he saw his family members standing in the yard. When his daddy saw him, his eyes even turned red. Shuwen, my child, youre finally back. Standing beside his daddy, his dad looked at him excitedly. In fact, he hated them in the beginning, but as time went by, his hatred turned into the feeling of missing them. He remembered his dads and his brothers good treatments of him, but the words he said in anger when he was married back then prevented him from setting foot in the house, the place where he was born and brought up, for five years. It was unsure if it was because he was pregnant or he did miss them, his eyes also turned red, and he called Daddy. Then, he and his daddy embraced and shed tears. His dad said beside them, Its good that youre back. Its good that youre back. Zhuo Yun, why are you still standing in the yard? Go into the room now! Hearing Dad Qins words, Zhuo Yun realized it and said with a smile, Dad-in-law, daddy-in-law, and brothers, I have good news to announce today. Zhuo Yun even kept them in suspense as he spoke. Not until his eldest brother-in-law urged him did he begin to say it. Ahem, ahem, the good news is that Shuwen has been pregnant for almost two months. Daddy Qin immediately let go of Qin Shuwen after hearing Zhuo Yuns words and stared at Qin Shuwens belly. Then, Qin Shuwen felt that everyone was staring at his belly at this moment. Daddy Qin was so excited that he cried and said, My Geer Wen, youre finally pregnant. You finally have a child. Im so happy. Im so happy for you! The other members of the Qin Family surrounded Qin Shuwen, showing joy on their faces. But Qin Shuwen never knew that his pregnancy was such a happy thing for his family. The Geers of the Qin Family were always pampered, including not only Qin Shuwen but also his brothers spouses. Qin Shuwen did not come back often, so no one had any objections against a Geer like him. After learning that Qin Shuwen was pregnant, Daddy Qin asked others to take him back to his room. The spouses of the Qin Family were busy in the kitchen while Zhuo Yun stayed with his dad-in-law and eldest brother-in-law. It was a happy scene. At lunch, the whole family were together. Qin Shuwens brothers all had children. Zhuo Yun had prepared red envelopes for these nephews and gifts for the spouses of the Qin Family, making the whole family beam with joy. All the spouses of the Qin Family told Qin Shuwen about the precautions of pregnancy, saying that he had to pay attention to eating, clothing, house living, and transportation. Qin Shuwen listened attentively. At this moment, he wanted to give birth to the child because the family love he had lost for a long time made him so happy that he almost cried. Zhuo Yun borrowed Xu Rans words and said, People wont go outdoors on the seventh day of the lunar New Year and wont go home on the eighth day. Then, they naturally spent a night in the Qin Family. That night, Qin Shuwen and his daddy chatted throughout the night. It was only after lunch on the ninth day that Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen went back home. Qin Shuwens dad and daddy wanted them to stay for a few more days because this was a rare trip home, but this place was not their home after all. Since Qin Shuwen had not been back for so many years, it was inevitable that he felt a little estranged and insisted on going home. Qin Shuwen had not been so happy for a long time, so he was quite reluctant to leave, and his daddy told him, again and again, to come back often. On the way back to Zhuo Mansion, Qin Shuwen said to Zhuo Yun, This is the sixth year after our marriage. This is the happiest year I have ever had. Thank you, Zhuo Yun. He still addressed Zhuo Yun with his name and surname, but these were the first words of gratitude Zhuo Yun had heard from him, and it was the most genuine gratitude. Zhuo Yun said smilingly, As long as youre happy. After saying that, he turned around but couldnt hide the bitterness in his eyes at all, thinking, Could I still celebrate the New Year with you or go back to your parents home with you next year? Chapter 81 On the 10th day of the first lunar month, the wound on Liu Tongs forehead began to form a scab, and at the same time, the villagers began to get busy. Xu Rans plan this year was to build a new house and buy a piece of land on the mountain to plant fruit trees apart from the imperial examination. At present, his biggest problem was that he was short of money. His savings of a few hundreds of taels of silver was enough to buy a land on the top of a mountain, but there were not so many fruit trees on the mountains here, so he needed to go somewhere else to buy them, which might cost a great deal. Thus, it was impossible for them to build a new house now. Xu Ran was a little upset. He wondered how he could make more money? In spring, there were mushrooms and bamboo shoots in the mountains, which could be sold for money. In addition, there were wild ferns. However, it seemed that not many people bought them, but if dried, they were worth more. What else could be planted without buying mountains? Xu Ran sat at the door with his chin cupped in his hands and was lost in thinking. The wind was blowing, making him shiver in the cold. Liu Tong came out of the house and found Xu Ran sitting at the door. He asked, Ran, why are you sitting at the door? Arent you cold? Xu Ran shivered and stood up to hold Liu Tong in the arms, Tongtong, Im thinking about how to make money! You see that Im going to take the imperial examination this year and were going to build a new house. And maybe you are in the family way. We have to invite someone to take care of our baby then, but I cant do anything if I have no money. Xu Ran felt quite down, which made Liu Tong feel sad and started to blame himself for being useless. Seeing that Liu Tong was silent, Xu Ran realized that he had said something improper. He then changed the topic and asked, Tongtong, what fruit do you like to eat the most? Fruit? Liu Tong was confused. Its something like cherries, strawberries and pears. They are called fruits. Liu Tong thought for a moment and answered, Cherry and strawberry. They are red. Just by seeing them, youll have an appetite. Strawberry! Xu Rans eyes suddenly lit up. Strawberry was really easy to be planted, and he didnt need to buy mountains for its planting. They could directly grow in the field. He remembered that in modern times, he used to see large strawberry plantations in other peoples fields, which was enviable, not to mention the fact that the fruit could help solve the problem of eating and drinking as well as make money by selling it. There was no specific season limit for planting strawberries, as long as there was plenty of sunlight and water in the soil. Xu Ran considered buying a few acres of fields to plant strawberries. He estimated that if the seedlings were planted this year, they would bear fruits this same year. Xu Ran happily shared his thoughts with Liu Tong. Of course, Liu Tong supported Xu Ran in any way he did. He said smilingly, Ran, go ahead. I support you no matter what. Hmm, Tongtong, then we dont build a new house first. You keep 100 taels of silver first and with the rest of the money, Ill go and buy fields and strawberry seedlings. Okay. Liu Tong nodded and then both of them entered the house together. In addition to the two hundred taels of silver notes paid by Mr. Chen before, all the deposits in their family were cash silvers, and there were also a lot of copper coins. Therefore, they were easy to use. Liu Tong kept a silver note of a hundred taels, and after a second thought, he picked up 10 taels of copper coins. He then gave the rest of the money to Xu Ran. Xu Ran did not take all of them, but only took the other silver note of one hundred taels, Keep them well first. This silver note is enough for me to buy the land I need. Ill go to ask Zhuo Yun for help to buy the strawberry seedlings. It should be a lot cheaper. All right. Just follow your idea. In the afternoon, it started to rain. Xu Rans plan to go to the town had to be put off. At this time, the village head was probably busy in the field. The rain in the spring was valuable and the land was the hope of a farmers life. Naturally, it was normal for farmers to work in the fields this time. Xu Ran had nothing to do, so he simply went back to his study. He had recited well all the books he bought back. He planned to buy a few more books in the town in a few days so that he could be well prepared for his coming imperial examination. The rain went on for several days. Although it was light rain, the ground was all wet. People walking outside had to step on the mud. It was just the season to plant potatoes. Unlike those planted in winter, the harvests of the potatoes planted now were different not only in quantity but also in size. The rain didnt stop until the noon on the 14th of the first lunar month. The potatoes had been prepared well at home and the ash was being kept in the pit, waiting to be used as fertilizer for the plants. Thus, their field work began. Liu Tong dug a hole, Guoguo put potato seeds into the hole, Tangtang added ash into it as fertilizer, and at last Xu Ran filled the hole well with earth. After two days of hard work, the family completed a total of two mu of the potato planting work. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were all right, while Tangtang and Guoguo was really exhausted. It was the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. In order to make it up to the two children, Xu Ran planned to take them to the town. In this era, during the Lantern Festival, people at most put on some lanterns, and sold some new and interesting gadgets, apart from which, there was nothing enjoyable. Tangtang and Guoguo were young, after all, they felt everything there was fresh. That day, Wu Meis and the other families were also planning to go to the town. It took the ox-cart back and forth twice to get all the members into the town. Thinking that it would be too late to go back, and it would be inconvenient for the ox-cart to run twice. After Xu Ran arrived at the town, he decided to rent another ox cart so that all the people could get home once at night. It was not cheap to rent an ox cart, especially when it needed to work at night. Xu Ran had to pay 50 copper coins for it, but he didnt mind it because it was only a case once a year. When they arrived at the town, the four families went separated. Xu Ran planned to take Liu Tong and the children to visit Zhuo Yun. Since Zhuo Yun had gone to pay him a New Years visit, he had to call on him anyway. After all, he still needed his help. Xu Ran brought with him potatoes and chili paste to Zhuo Yun. As they didnt know where Zhuo Yun lived, the Xu Ran and his family first went to Zhuo Yuns seed shop. When they got there, it was still not dark and they were just in time to see the shopkeeper coming out to close the door. Hey, sir, why do you close the door so early today? The shopkeeper turned around and saw it was Xu Ran. He smiled and greeted, Hello, Mr. Xu! Have you ever seen any customer come to buy seeds in the evening, let alone the Lantern Festival today? After being lectured, Xu Ran replied modestly, Youre right. Xu Ran asked again, Yes, sir, are you going home? Could you show me to visit Mr. Zhuo? Id like to send him New Years greetings. Im going back to the Zhou Mansion right now. You can go with me! My master has been very happy and in high spirit all over the past few days, said the shopkeeper. He also could not hide the joy on his face. Okay, great. Thank you, sir. Xu Ran and his family thus went to the Zhuo Mansion with the shopkeeper. Zhuo Yun was really happy. Upon knowing Xu Rans coming, he was grinning from ear to ear. Before Zhuo Yun told him, Xu Ran guessed the reason. It must be because Qin Shuwens problem had been solved. After being informed by the servant, Zhuo Yun came to the gate to meet Xu Ran in person. As soon as they met, Zhuo Yun said, Bro Xu, here you are! If you dont come, Ill go to you. Ill tell you that Ill Dont worry about it. I didnt come alone. My spouse and children are all here. Do you want to keep them standing there? Xu Ran interrupted Zhuo Yun before he could finish speaking. Xu Ran knew he was going to talk about Qin Shuwen, but last time Liu Tong was angry with him for this. He wouldnt be so foolish to make the same mistake twice. Until then, Zhuo Yun noticed the people behind Xu Ran. He had seen Liu Tong, Tangtang and Guoguo before, so he apologized to Liu Tong, Hello, Brother Liu, Im sorry. Liu Tong felt that his intimate appellation was quite sickening, but it was not good to show it directly, so he just pulled Xu Rans clothes. Having lived together for so long, Xu Ran understood what Liu Tong felt. He waved at Zhuo Yun, Mr. Zhuo, please dont stand on ceremony. My name is Xu Ran. My spouse is called Liu Tong. You can just call us by names directly in the future. Zhuo Yun smiled, Well, Xu Ran, you can also just call me Zhuo Yun. Dont call me Mr. Zhuo. Okay, fine. Just call you Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran stretched out his fist and touched Zhuo Yuns. After leading the guests into the house, Zhuo Yun said to Xu Ran, Xu Ran, Id like Liu Tong to accompany Shuwen. Its not convenient for him, a Geer, to stay here with us. All right. Xu Ran nodded, Tongtong, take Tangtang and Guoguo over there. Ill call you when leaving. Okay, Liu Tong replied, and followed a servant to go to Qin Shuwens room. As soon as they left, Zhuo Yun couldnt wait to share his success with Xu Ran, Xu Ran, let me tell you. Shuwen has agreed to try living with me. He wont leave right after his labor. Also, he has forgiven what I did back then. Haha, Isnt it good news? Xu Ran had guessed this, but he was still very interested in the story of the event. He touched Zhuo Yun with his arm, who was sitting opposite him, Tell me, what has happened? Zhuo Yun sat upright and then began to narrate what had happened after they came back from the Qin Family. It turned out that on the ninth day of the first month, they came back from the Qin Family. The next day, people who were sent out to find the poor boy reported that they had found the poor man. Zhuo Yun hoped to take advantage of the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot, so he quickly ordered the servants to bring the poor boy to the Zhuo Mansion. The poor boys surname was Zheng and his first name was Zhoumin. His dad and daddy died early, so he grew up on the food from many families in the village. When he grew a little older, he went to the town to find work to support himself. He and Qin Shuwen met by chance. Qin Shuwen valued the honesty of the poor boy, so he fell in love with him wholeheartedly. The poor boy also knew that he was not worthy of Qin Shuwen. He was one year younger than Qin Shuwen and could not give him anything. The poor boy expressed this to Qin Shuwen. However, Qin Shuwen didnt care about those things. He felt that he only needed to be with the person he liked. Qin Shuwens true feelings moved the poor boy. Just at the time when the poor boy was working hard, Zhuo Yun appeared. He offered the poor boy a sum of money and let him leave the town to marry a Geer so that they could live a good life. Besides, he analyzed the situation with the poor boy to see who could give Qin Shuwen a happy life. The poor boy had always felt ashamed of his inferiority, so he talked a lot, hoping Zhuo Yun would cherish Qin Shuwen. Then he took the money and left. The poor boy got married three years ago with a virtuous Geer. Now their child was already two years old, and his Geer was pregnant with another baby. Zhuo Yun invited the poor boy to his home. He just wanted to show Qin Shuwen that the poor boy was living very well now. As long as he let go of the knot in his heart, he could also have a good life. Chapter 82 Qin Shuwen was surprised to see the poor boy to appear at home, but he soon figured it out. Didnt Zhuo Yun promise to let him be free after he gave birth to a child? Maybe now he was looking for an excuse for him to leave. As a matter of fact, Qin Shuwen no longer felt much affection for the poor boy. In his heart, he couldnt let go of the emotional entanglement rather than the poor boy. Both the poor boys son and spouse had come together. The two-year-old child began to walk slowly on his own. The clothes he wore were not very good, but not bad either. The way he wobbled was very lovely. His spouse was not very good-looking, but according to their neighbors, he was hard-working and capable. This was what Zhuo Yun told Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwen asked the poor boy about his life during the past few years. Back then, the poor boy left the town with the money Zhuo Yun gave him. He went to a nearby town to do some small business and earned some money. Two years later, he married his current spouse. Both of them were hard-working and thus lived a good life. After they had a child, their familys life became more and more enjoyable. Knowing that the poor boy had a good life, Qin Shuwen was very pleased. He had been worried about how the he had been living in the past few years. Now that the poor boy had his spouse, a son as well as his own home, Qin Shuwen felt happy for him though all these had nothing to do with him. And he felt glad in his heart, too, because he thought this time Zhuo Yun probably couldnt find any excuse to return him to the poor boy. The poor boys family stayed in the Zhuo Mansion for the whole night. The next day, Zhuo Yun asked someone to send them back. After the poor boy left, the smile on Qin Shuwens face also disappeared, and he didnt give Zhuo Yun a good time. At that moment, Zhuo Yun felt the pain that he had never experienced before. He even doubted whether he was actually nothing in Qin Shuwens heart? At night, Zhuo Yun finally couldnt bear it anymore. He decided to open it up with Qin Shuwen. No matter whether Qin Shuwen could accept him or not, he would still have a child belonging to him and Qin Shuwen. Zhuo Yun told Qin Shuwen his previous saying that he would let him go after he gave birth to the child was not true. He would never let him leave away. Even if he didnt like him, they two would be together. Zhuo Yun also admitted that the reason he got the poor boy here was just to make Qin Shuwen give up his love for him. And their own child would be born in eight months and their family could live a happy life, too. Zhuo Yun had made up his mind to solve the problem. He thought the worst result would be nothing more than the present situation for both of them now. As long as Qin Shuwen was still by his side, he would be satisfied. Qin Shuwen didnt expect Zhuo Yun to be so frank. He had believed that Zhuo Yun would let him be free as he promised. In fact, he was ambivalent about this. Although he longed for freedom, he was not willing to leave. After all, he had lived in this place for five years and he had feelings for it. Qin Shuwen suddenly felt that what Zhuo Yun said was a joke, just to make him laugh. Later, Zhuo Yun would tell him that it was all a lie. Thus Qin Shuwen was furious and kicked Zhuo Yun out of the room. Zhuo Yun knew that if he didnt seize this opportunity, he would lose Qin Shuwen completely. He knelt there at the door for the whole night. The next day, when Qin Shuwen went out, he found Zhuo Yun still kneeling there. He was moved and said that he forgave him and wanted to have a try to live with him. Zhuo Yuns first reaction was that Qin Shuwen was teasing him, but his brain reaction was slower than his physical action. By the time he came to himself, he had already stood up and hugged Qin Shuwen in his arms. Zhuo Yun couldnt care whether Qin Shuwen was serious or not. What he had heard was enough. Then the whole mansion knew that their young master and the lord were finally no longer in the cold war, and the servants could be easier in their work now. For the past few days, Zhuo Yun had been grinning from ear to ear, and he kept on smiling even when he was sleeping. He even hoped to stick with Qin Shuwen all day long. Qin Shuwen also knew about Xu Ran. When he heard that Xu Ran was here, he rushed Zhuo Yun out to receive them. After hearing Zhuo Yuns story, Xu Ran touched his nose and realized that he could be a love expert. At the moment, Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen were also talking. At first, when the servant came to report that there was a guest looking for him, Qin Shuwen still didnt believe that he, a Geer only, would have a guest to see him! When the servant led Liu Tong and the two children in, he couldnt believe that Liu Tong was a Geer because he looked even taller than Zhuo Yun. Until he saw the mole of pregnancy on Zhuo Yuns ear, did Qin Shuwen believe that Liu Tong was really a Geer. Qin Shuwen stood up and greeted with a smile, My name is Qin Shuwen. Im Zhuo Yuns spouse. May I have your name, please? My name is Liu Tong. I came with my husband. His name is Xu Ran. These two are my children. They are twins. The elder brother is Tangtang, while the younger one is called Guoguo, Liu Tong introduced. As soon as Liu Tong said that he was Xu Rans spouse, Qin Shuwen had an inexplicable favor on him. Especially for the food brought back by Zhuo Yun last time, he had been missing it so much. Qin Shuwen asked the servant to serve some pastries for the guests. After the servant left, there were only Liu Tong, the two children and he himself left in the room. Qin Shuwen invited the two children to eat pastries, and then chatted with Liu Tong, especially about the food. He was shocked when he heard Liu Tong say that these things were made by Xu Ran. Then as their talk went on, Liu Tong told him that Xu Ran was going to buy strawberry seedlings. At the moment Qin Shuwen was in the family way. The strawberrys sour and sweet taste was exactly what he liked. During the third and fourth month every year, Zhuo Yun would get some strawberries for him to enjoy. However, he knew it was not easy to buy that kind of fruit. Thus it was really hard to eat it often. Liu Tong, let me ask my brother for you. They should know where there are strawberry seedlings. By the way, how many do you want? Liu Tong only talked about this topic to Qin Shuwen as a chitchat, especially when their relationship was not so good. How could he expect Qin Shuwen to be so helpful? He thus felt embarrassed, Shuwen, I am so sorry to bring you trouble. Qin Shuwen waved his hand, Whats the trouble? Just send me a little more chili paste later then. Ive been fancy to that recently. Liu Tong smiled, Thats something home-made, not a valuable thing. If you finish it, just tell Ran about it. The two of them got along happily. Xu Ran had also told him the affair between Qin Shuwen and Zhuo Yun. Judging from Qin Shuwens current appearance, The problem should have been solved. Liu Tong smiled. He felt happy about it. He believed in this way, Xu Ran didnt need to off his stupid idea now. When it was almost dark, Xu Ran suggested to leave so that they could go to the street to have fun. Zhuo Yun wanted to invite them for dinner, but he failed. Xu Ran had planned to take the children to the town to eat Tangyuan (glutinous rice ball), because on the 15th day, Tangyuan also has a very nice name called Yuanxiao. Qin Shuwen also wanted to go out for fun, but because he was pregnant, and it was the first child of three months in Qin Shuwens belley, Zhuo Yun refused to let him go out, so Qin Shuwen could only stomp into the house with hatred, making Xu Ran and the others laugh. The night on Lantern Festival was really lively. It was said that this was the busiest night of the year. Xu Ran first took the family to a small stall by the roadside to eat Yuanxiao, and then they prepared to go to the street to appreciate the festive lanterns. Both Tangtang and Guoguo had never eaten Yuanxiao. Both of them were so excited that couldnt bear to eat it. Xu Ran stroked the heads of the two children, Alright, just eat quickly. From now on, you will come here every year to enjoy Yuanxiao. Really? Tangtang asked. Xu Ran replied smilingly, Of course its true. Will I lie to you? Both Tangtang and Guoguo replied together, Dad wont lie to us. Surely, I wont lie to you. Just eat it and enjoy yourselves. After that, well go and buy something interesting. Great, the two children replied together. Looking at Xu Ran coaxing the children, Liu Tong smiled and said, You are pampering them this way. Xu Ran frowned, Am I not pampering you? Liu Tong blushed hearing this and gently pushed Xu Ran, Just focus on your Yuanxiao. Ill eat if you let me eat, Xu Ran bantered. Liu Tong frowned and ate his food silently, not looking at Xu Ran. After enjoying Yuanxiao, the family started strolling down the street. Apart from the married Geers on the street, many unmarried ones were seen on the street who were wearing brightly coloured clothes, so good-looking. Seeing the young and beautiful Geers on the street, Liu Tong regretted letting Xu Ran come. What if Ran took a fancy to someone else? In particular, many bold Geers stared at Xu Ran without blinking. Xu Ran also noticed it. He thus changed his position with Tangtang and Guoguo and let them be on his side. He and Liu Tong were in the middle, with one hand holding a child while the other holding Liu Tong. Liu Tong was shocked when he was suddenly held by the hand. He wanted to pull back his hand, but how could Xu Ran let him escape? He held his hand tightly and raised it high so that everyone who looked at them could see it. How about this way, Tongtong? Wont you still be worried? Liu Tong heard Xu Ran ask him about it. Liu Tong looked up and saw that many of the Geers who were watching Xu Ran left in disappointment. Liu Tong turned around and saw that Xu Ran was looking at him smilingly. Liu Tong also smiled, I dont worry at all because Ran is mine. Hes mine only. Mm, Im yours only, Xu Ran assured him. The family bought a festive lantern and let it flow on the river. Then they solved some riddles and got the prizes of a few clay figurines. In the end, they played couplets games and got the reward of ten taels of copper coins. This was the first Lantern Festival that Xu Ran had after he transmigrated in this world. He had enjoyed it with his beloved family members and it was full of laughter. The moon had climbed up onto the sky. It was dark completely and they waited until the crowd slowly dispersed before heading home. C Chapter 83 Liu Tong told Xu Ran that he had mentioned the matter of strawberry seedlings to Qin Shuwen, and Qin Shuwen said that he would help them find the seedlings. Xu Ran pinched Liu Tongs nose and said, Tongtong, were really on the same wavelength. Ive told Zhuo Yun as well. Liu Tong said with a shy smile, I always want to help you do something. Xu Ran hugged him and walked to the bed with his arm around Liu Tongs shoulders. Then give birth to one more child for me! Liu Tong blushed but said softly, OK. Xu Ran went to the village head at six a.m. in lunar January because he wanted to buy ten mu of low-grade fields. The village head looked at Xu Ran with a little surprise and said, Xu Ran, I have to remind you that youve just bought thirty mu of uncultivated fields. If you buy ten more, you wont be able to manage them at all! If you want to grow rice, it is enough for your family of four to manage five mu. As long as your fields are good, they are almost as good as the ten acres of low-grade fields. He knew that the village head said this with a kind heart, but he didnt buy the fields for growing rice, so he didnt care about the reminder. Village head, thank you for your kindness. I dont buy the fields for growing rice, so you dont have to worry about that. You just help me ask if anyone wants to sell his land in our village or anyone from the nearby villages wants. I want some nearby fields because itll be convenient for me to take care of them. Seeing that his persuasion didnt work, the village head sighed and said to Xu Ran, In this case, let me go and ask about it for you, but you have to be mentally prepared. Such land is 1.5 times as expensive as the uncultivated land at least. Xu Ran knew it and thanked the village head, saying that he was going home to prepare the silver, but he didnt turn and leave until he gave the village head the money to show his gratitude. Growing strawberries was not simple. From fields to manpower to strawberry seedlings, these were all basic things. Besides, he had to prepare fertilizers and prevent the leaves from becoming ill. Apart from eating strawberries, he didnt know anything else at all. Moreover, not to mention that no one could give him guidance in this era, it was even impossible for him to find a book to get a reference. This was sure to be a long and tiring road, but Xu Ran was full of confidence because his beloved one supported him wholeheartedly. Xu Ran walked home as he hummed songs. The passers-by looked at him curiously a few more times, and some who were familiar with him specially came to ask if he had met anything good. Xu Ran smiled but shook his head. No, I just feel happy. One should be happy if he has enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear while being alive. Those people felt that what he said made sense, but they couldnt understand it, so they stopped pestering him to ask about it. After going back, he started to discuss where to find fertilizers with Liu Tong. In this era, there was only human waste. As for the dung of pigs and cows, it was rare. No family was willing to give it to others, for they all wanted to put it in their fields to make their crops grow better. Their family had nothing, so this was a difficult problem. More terribly, they couldnt use the fertilizer when growing strawberries because strawberry seedlings couldnt absorb it. Thus, they could only put ash into the fields like growing potatoes and also add some pig dung or the kind into the ash. Xu Ran thought that they should raise one or two pigs. When the time came, they could make cured meat and wouldnt need to buy meat in town. Besides, they could raise a few chickens and ducks. Anyway, they would just feed them grass. Not only could these domestic birds produce fertilizers, but they could also lay eggs when they grew up. He thought that as long as they made more ash by burning, they would have enough fertilizer when the time came. Now their uncultivated fields were full of withered weeds, and their new sprouts had not come out yet, so they could be cut and burned directly. Let Tangtang and Guoguo burn the weeds and get the ash, Xu Ran thought. When he told Liu Tong his idea, the latter agreed. Now he didnt have much work to do, so raising two pigs was not a problem at all. There were lots of uncultivated fields around their house, and it was easy to cut pigweed for pigs. In this case, Tongtong, go and ask if any family has piglets, and we can buy two and bring them home. But few people in our village have chicks and ducklings. Then we can buy them in town, Xu Ran said. OK, Liu Tong nodded. Then let me go to the village and ask about it first. You tell Tangtang and Guoguo, but they are still young. If they cant do it, well have to do it ourselves. OK, I see. They are my sons. I wont let him get tired, Xu Ran said with a smile. Ignoring him, Liu Tong turned around and went outside. Xu Ran went to Tangtang and Guoguo, who were playing with the dog in their arms in the yard outside. The two kids were quite lonely. Probably, the children of other families were pulling weeds with their parents in their fields or doing something mischievously. Since they couldnt find anyone to play with, they had to play with their dog. Tangtang, Guoguo, come over. I have something to tell you. As soon as they heard Xu Rans words, they put down the dog in their arms and rushed to him. What do you want to tell us, dad? Guoguo asked Xu Ran while blinking his big shiny eyes. Xu Ran took out copper coins from his chest, counted a hundred coins, and gave them to Tangtang. Tangtang, Guoguo, Im going to grow strawberries, but there are no fertilizers or ash now. I want your help. Can you help me? Tangtang had to hold the one hundred copper coins with his two hands. After holding them for a while, he felt tired, so he gave half of them to Guoguo. Then he listened attentively, trying to figure out the help Xu Ran was asking for. Its like this. As long as we burn more firewood and more dried grass, we can get ash, but your daddy and I have other things to do and have no time to burn the weeds, so we want you to burn them. These one hundred copper coins are my reward to you. You can burn the weeds and take the money or hire others with the money to help you do it. Are you willing to do it? The two kids did not nod immediately. Instead, Tangtang asked Xu Ran, Dad, how much ash will we have to get by burning? Is the ash left after cooking the meals at home not enough? Xu Ran touched Tangtangs head and said, We need so much. At least, we have to fill up the thirty mu of fields of our family. The two of them didnt know how many fields were thirty mu, but Tangtang knew how many fields their family had. Thinking about the work to fill up such a wide land, the two kids instantly became bitter-faced, thinking, Dont know how long it will take to burn the weeds. For a while, they had joy on their faces; for another while, they became distressed. Yes, their expressions changed quite fast. Seeing that, Xu Ran was amused and said, You only have half a month or fifteen days. Would you like to do it, Tangtang, Guoguo,? How could they bother about like or not like when they worked for their family? Although the job was a little tough, Tangtang and Guoguo still nodded and agreed. Tangtang pulled Guoguo, and the two kids began to murmur. Consciously, Xu Ran covered his ears with his hands, showing that he wouldnt eavesdrop. After a while, the two kids raised their heads, and Xu Ran put down his hands. Tangtang said to Xu Ran, Dad, weve decided to use our money to hire people, but we can only hire children because we cant afford to hire adults. But Dad, well try to burn as much as possible. If its not enough then, please dont scold us. Xu Ran always knew that Tangtang and Guoguo were thoughtful, but he did not expect them to be so thoughtful that he felt sad. He squatted, held the two kids in his arms, and said, You are my treasures. How could I bear to scold you? I believe in you. You just do your best. Thats enough OK. The two kids nodded in unison and ran away with the copper coins in their hands. Xu Ran went to do his job after giving Tangtang and Guoguo the instruction. As for the matter of the ash, he really didnt want to care about it, leaving it all to Tangtang and Guoguo, but he fully trusted them, although they, his sons, were only five years old. The modern strawberry was grown either in pots or in the greenhouse. Even the one grown outdoors was covered by the thin plastic sheet, but he couldnt find such things or get anything to replace them in this era, so he could only try his best to work out ways to avoid the strawberry leaves being eaten or getting sick. However, it was obvious that this was no easy task. He was not so smart, and he had never touched this field before, so he was now completely ignorant of it. Yet, this was not the big trouble. Spring was a busy time for farming. At this time, he probably wouldnt be able to find anyone to plant strawberry seedlings. Therefore, he was even more irritable. Since he had no one to discuss with at home, he simply went out to the village to chat with a few elderlies or see if he could find strawberry seedlings in some familys field. If he found them, he could bring some home. There were few people moving around in the village because they had gone to work. Xu Ran walked around but didnt see many people, so he went straight to the place where there were many fields. Working people were seen everywhere in the fields. He saw that these people kept moving the hoe in their hands while smiling. Spring was their hope. They hoped that they could have a good harvest, have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear, and improve their life with the crops in the fields this year. No matter whom, acquaintances or not acquaintances, he met, he would greet them with a smile and then walk to and fro on the field ridges. When he saw strawberry seedlings occasionally, he would ask for a few cheekily if the field owner was easygoing. Those who were generous would give him some, while those who were mean would just give him one or two seedlings, but he didnt mind. As long as they were willing to give him, he was very happy. He also asked that if anyone would like to work for his family when he went to hire laborers by the time. A few who had worked for his family before instantly agreed, telling him to just go to them when it was time. It was very troublesome to grow strawberries. What was important was to be careful and not to damage the tender seedlings, so Xu Ran thought that it was better to hire Geers, but he also needed to hire ten men to dig the fields. It was naturally better if Geers could make the money. Xu Ran asked about them and almost got all the laborers he needed. When the time came, he would only need to see the specific situation. A difficult problem had been solved, so he was slightly relieved. After that, he went home with a bunch of strawberry seedlings. When he was home, Liu Tong was also home. Then, the two of them planted the strawberry seedlings in the field outside the gate of their house before going to have lunch. C Chapter 84 The next day, Xu Ran went to the village head again. He hoped to settle the issue of buying the land of 10 mu as soon as possible. In March, he was going to take the imperial examination, so he had to manage well the matter of strawberry planting before that. The village head felt a little headache to see that Xu Ran was so active about the land. At the same time, he also felt a little lucky that he had checked out yesterday where he could get some land available for Xu Ran. As usual, this time, Xu Ran also came with his famous chili paste, which was a newly improved one, chili paste mixed with seafood. The village head had often got gifts from Xu Ran. It was true as the saying went, It is hard to bite the hands that feed you. Needless to say, the village head was more active when working for Xu Ran. The village head showed Xu Ran the book of land, All this is the land of inferior quality. There is only one place not far away from your house where the land covers a total of 10 mu. As it has not been cultivated for a long time, it is deserted. The rest is better land scattering around as large as 3 or 4 mu. You take a look and decide which land you want. Xu Ran flipped through the book and finally said, Village head, I want this. Its near my house and convenient, but can you help me with this? Can it be sold as a wasteland? I can develop it myself. The village head took a glance at Xu Ran and then replied, This land has indeed been neglected for three years, and its almost deserted. However, according to the law from the government that only those pieces of land that had been neglected for five years or over can be regarded as wasteland. There is a big difference between whether this is a wasteland or not. You have to pay a lot of money to find the Yamen to handle the affair. In addition, the field is now owned by the government, and the Yamen has records about it. Im afraid this road will not go through. From what the village head mentioned, Xu Ran knew that there was no way for him to get it as wasteland. The main problem of buying wasteland was to pay taxes. He couldnt grow anything there in the first year. How could he afford to pay so much tax? Xu Ran felt a little distressed. But no matter what, he knew he had to buy the land. Thus, Xu Ran gritted his teeth and said to the village head, Ill just take this 10 mu of land! Ill go to town with you tomorrow to go through the formalities. Anyway, well have to live a hard life during the first year. The village head gave Xu Ran a cold stare seemingly to blame him, Youre almost a local rich man. Do you still say youre just living a little harder? How can you let the really miserable families in the village live? Xu Ran just came out of the village heads house when he thought of that he didnt know how much the field might cost, so he went back. Seeing that Xu Ran was back again, the village head supposed that he might ask him something else, so he looked at him expectantly. However, what Xu Ran asked surprised the village head. Xu Ran asked, Village head, whats the price of the land? Only then did the village head realize that Xu Ran hadnt asked how much the field would cost, so he took another look at Xu Ran. He wondered how Xu Ran could be so ignorant. He usually looked very smart. How could he be so stupid when it had something to do with money? Alas! The inferior farmland is sold at five taels of silver per mu. However, since this field has been deserted for too long, tomorrow I will help you to inquire whether you can get it at 45 taels of silver. But dont get your hopes up. After all, this field belongs to the government. It was very kind of the village head to offer to do this, and Xu Ran naturally wouldnt say anything. He was anxious to go home and comfort himself about the tens of taels of silver he was about to lose, so he left in a hurry. After returning home, Xu Ran first went to see Tangtang and Guoguo. Both the children were dragging a bale of hay to the back of the house. There was still a fire burning there with the hay cut by the two children. The two children had been busy since yesterday afternoon, and there were quite a lot of ashes left, which would be kept as fertilizer. Xu Ran helped the two children to carry the hay over there and praised them, Awesome! You have burned so much ash, but didnt you say you want to find someone for help? Why didnt I see anyone coming? The two children were standing by the side to have a break and after a while, Tangtang answered Xu Ran, Someone will come tomorrow. We meant that. Dad, you dont need to worry about us. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and felt that he had been abandoned, Alright, I might just let you be. Ill go and see if there are strawberry seedlings. You guys continue to do your business, but dont be too tired Dad, you just go ahead and do your job! Xu Rans nagging words were interrupted by Guoguo. He was also pushed out too. It was true that the kids couldnt wait to chase him away. Xu Ran felt helpless and left. The busy days always passed quickly. For most of the day, Xu Ran had run all over the village and got a lot of strawberry seedlings, but he was exhausted. Especially in such cold weather, he had to wear so many clothes that later, he was even panting when walking. When Liu Tong returned home in the evening, he brought back over ten chicks in a cage. Tangtang and Guoguo felt so interested that they stopped playing with their puppies. Xu Ran had nothing to do and joined the two brothers. Thus the dad and the sons played chickens together. This picture was as like as two peas when Tangtang and Guoguo had just brought the puppies home. Liu Tong stood at the door and watched smilingly. Then he shook his head and entered the kitchen. After a good nights rest, Xu Ran went to the town with the village head early the next day. As the village head was with him, and the field was an official one, they were able to complete the relevant procedures quickly. However, Xu Ran still failed to save much money. He paid the land at the price of four taels of silver for one mu. He found that he couldnt earn much money as a housekeeper, so he twitched his mouth and paid the money. After inviting the village head for a good meal in the town, Xu Ran went to the seed shop to see Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun was not in the shop. The shopkeeper said that Zhuo Yun was at home and he had not been to the shop for several days. Xu Ran understood about this. If his Tongtong was pregnant, he would also accompany him every day. After saying goodbye to the shopkeeper, Xu Ran went to the Zhuo Mansion himself. As Xu Ran had been there before, the servants recognized him. Thus it didnt take him long to see Zhuo Yun in person. Zhuo Yun was coaxing Qin Shuwen to eat in the living room, but Qin Shuwen must be feeling very sick. He didnt give Zhuo Yun a good look and Xu Ran didnt let the servant announce his arrival. He just stood at the door and watched them. There were no fruits at this season. Xu Ran knew that eating something sour could help alleviate pregnancy vomiting. Thus he said, Zhuo Yun, get someone to make a bowl of sour soup for your spouse. Do you have pickled radish? Cut it into small pieces and make a bowl of soup directly. Only then did they two realize that Xu Ran was also there in the room. Zhuo Yun walked up to meet Xu Ran right away, I am sorry I didnt know you were here. Xu Ran waved his hand, Well, never mind. Just do your business. Qin Shuwen also felt sorry. Zhuo Yun would never let the servants in every time he got angry. He didnt expect Xu Ran to have seen it today. Although they had heard about each other many times, it was the first time they met. As one of them was a Geer while the other was a tough man, it was improper for them to talk too much. Thus Xu Ran just stood there, waiting for Zhuo Yun to come back. Zhuo Yun ran back at the fastest speed. Seeing that both Xu Ran and Qin Shuwen were staring at the door, he felt sorry and called Xu Ran to sit down. Then he introduced Xu Ran and Qin Shuwen to each other. Seeing that Xu Ran and Qin Shuwen were both silent, Zhuo Yun, though careless usually, noticed the awkward atmosphere in the room. He patted Xu Ran on the shoulder and said, Xu Ran, dont stand on ceremony. You see I used to talk to Liu Tong. Why cant people talk to each other since they are acquaintances? Besides, Im here too. Dont worry. Since Zhuo Yun said so, Xu Ran did not hesitate and nodded, Since thats the case, Ill have no worries. I came today to ask you for help. Are you talking about planting strawberries? Zhuo Yun asked. Xu Ran nodded, Yes, Ive been wandering around my house for the past two days, but I havent found enough seedlings. I think you know a lot of people. Can you help me for it? Ive prepared ten mu of land, so I need a lot of strawberry seedlings. Zhuo Yun thought for a moment and then replied, Ill research about it for you. Its true that no one has planted this up till now. Most likely, we can only go from door to door to collect the seedlings. In this way, well have to spend a lot of money and we wont receive many of them. Definitely, in this way we wont be able to get enough seedlings to meet your needs and it will take a long time. Mmm, I also know that this way wont work. At least I need someone to help me gather a large quantity of seedlings. Do you have any other ways? Xu Ran asked. Zhuo Yun frowned and tried to figure it out. Qin Shuwen suddenly said, Maybe my eldest brother can help you. He specializes in selling fruits. He knows where he can collect the fruits, and he will definitely know where there are more strawberry seedlings. He knows more than us. How about this way? Ill go home tomorrow and ask my brother about it. He might be helpful. Shuwen, thank you so much. Regardless of whether it will succeed or not, Im grateful for you help, Xu Ran said happily as if he had got the good news. Qin Shuwen couldnt help smiling, I dont know whether it will work or not, but you are already so happy. No matter what, lets talk about it when it is done! Just send me some more chili paste and potatoes and Ill be very satisfied. Xu Ran grinned, This is natural. At the moment, it seemed that Qin Shuwen did not want to vomit. When the servant brought the sour pickled radish soup, Qin Shuwen was very pleased and finished two bowls of it. They went on chatting. Xu Ran told them everything that he lacked at the moment. However, he still felt shy to admit that he was also in short of money. Nevertheless, Zhuo Yun noticed it. As a rich boss, Mr. Zhuo offered to support him 500 taels of silver. Xu Ran was moved when he received the silver note. At last, he could build a new house, too. Xu Ran said happily, Bro, I should express my thanks first. Ill return you when I have money. Oh, yes, shall I write a receipt for the money? Mr. Zhuo waved his hand, Youve called me brother. What kind of receipt do I need? Anyway, remember to send to me whenever you have something delicious to eat. Xu Ran rolled his eyes and wondered why he could only know about something to eat? Xu Ran was about to rush home, so he left after saying a few words. When he came, he meant to help Zhuo Yun do business. He didnt expect that when he started to go home, he had five hundred taels of silver notes in his hand. He was so happy that his eyes were narrowed into slits with laughter On the way, Xu Ran made a decision immediately. He would build a new house and plant strawberry at the same time. No matter what, he couldnt send all Zhuo Yuns money in planting strawberry, because no one was sure about the profit from the strawberry planting yet. It was safer to build a house, after all, people needed to live in the house. Chapter 85 After Xu Ran got home, he gave the paper money to Liu Tong and told him that he was going to build a new house. Liu Tong felt a little uneasy with money borrowed, Ran, youve borrowed so much money. When can we return it? Why not just return the money right away? You see we can still live in our current house. Xu Ran shook his head and insisted, No, its still so cold living inside our house. Our children cant stand it, either. The house is good in summer, but its definitely bad in winter. You see, my hands are still raw with chilblains. Xu Ran then stretched out his hands to show Liu Tong. It was too cold in winter without heating or a down-filled coat. Xu Ran had chilblains in his hands not long after the first snow. Later, his hands were raw with more and more chilblains, so that both of them were swollen like radishes. It was not until after the first month that the chilblains on his hands began to heal slowly. Liu Tong had a check on Xu Rans hands. He found that the chilblains there had not recovered. He felt pity for him. Xu Ran seldom showed him his hands. Even when he was sleeping, he hid his hands well. Thus Liu Tong didnt know exactly what was going on in Xu Rans hands. He just tried not to let him work. Now that Xu Ran had taken himself as an example to convince him, Liu Tong felt it was not good to refuse it. He thought that although five hundred taels of silver was a large sum of money, as long as their family had always been selling chili paste, they could make money to pay off the debt. Thus Liu Tong nodded, Ran, just follow your arrangement. Great! Seeing Liu Tong agree with it, Xu Ran smirked, Lets find someone to see when its appropriate to start building, and where to build the house. Finally, well discuss who to build it. In fact, Xu Ran had considered about building a house for a long time, so he had a clear mind at the moment. There was indeed someone in the village who specialized in geomantic omen and knew some basic fortune telling skills. Although Xu Ran didnt believe this, he still planned to invite the geomantic master for help in order to make Liu Tong feel at ease. There was wine at home, so Xu Ran poured some out and put it in a bamboo knot. And because of such a gift, the geomantic master naturally took his work seriously. Xu Ran first asked him to choose the most recent and best time to start the construction, and the answer was the 25th of the first lunar month. As it was the 19th of the first month already, and there were only few days ahead, the time was too tight. Thus, Xu Ran asked him to change to a later time. The old master showed him another day, the 15th of the second lunar month. Xu Ran thought about it and felt that this time was okay. The preparation for the early stage would be fine if they could work effectively. Thus both of them thanked the master and hurriedly returned home, ready to work on other related matters. It was also necessary to find someone to choose a good place, but Xu Ran wanted to choose something he liked most. Thus he planned to go and see it himself first. He believed the new house should not be too far from the current house, and their industries were around there. Liu Tong went to Wu Meis house. Xu An was not at home. He often went to work in the town. Xu Ran suggested Liu Tong to ask if there was any good team in the town who specialized in building houses. It was much more convenient to invite a construction team to cover up the house building than to manage everything by themselves. At the moment, in Wu Meis family, Wu Mei felt surprised to hear the news from Liu Tong. Yes? Your family wants to build a new house? Havent you just built this current house? asked Wu Mei. Liu Tong felt a little helpless, Its Ran who wants to build it. He said that bamboo house is cold. We cant stay warm and our children are still young. I agree with him, plus we have some spare money at the moment. We might just build it first. If money is used up, we can earn it back, but as human beings, we have to eat well and live well. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Wu Mei was still a little unhappy, As for your husband, he is really too delicate. You are a Geer and you havent complained about anything yet. He just feels cold. You are spoiling him! In the end, Wu Mei also felt funny. He knew well that it was not a day or two for Liu Tong to pamper Xu Ran. As their friend, he should have got used to it. Seeing Wu Mei laugh, Liu Tong himself also laughed, Indeed, Ive been pampering him for so many years, and Im used to it. Now that we can afford to build a new house, we might just do it first! Please help me to consult Xu An whether he can find such a construction team to help us. All right. You can go back first. Ill ask him about it later. If he cannot help you, you can go and find the person who came to your family last time. He lives in the town and he will definitely know about it. Liu Tong nodded. However, he felt shy to tell him that he had borrowed money from that person. After Liu Tong arrived home, Xu Ran got back too. Tangtang and Guoguo were still busy working behind the house burning a big pile of ash. Xu Ran went to take the two children home. Both of the children looked like two dirty cats and their clothes were all dirty. Xu Ran patted the ashes off their clothes while telling them, Daddy has cooked water for you. Lets take a bath first. Youve really done a hard days work. Both children shook their heads smilingly, Dad, we are happy. We can work well. Obviously, they were not asking for credit. They were really happy because they felt they could do something for the family themselves. Xu Ran patted them and nodded with a smile, I see it. You are both Dads good treasures, smart and capable. The two children ran to take a bath happily while Xu Ran walked to the kitchen. Liu Tong was cooking water there. At the moment, his tall figure blocked the firelight, and Xu Ran gazed at him from behind. This was the person he wanted to be with all his life, and this was also the family member he wished to care about all his life. At night, Xu Ran and Liu Tong had a careful discussion about their plan again. The construction of the new house was thus decided. Xu Ran wanted to build quadrangle dwelling house of two floors. Covering such a big area, the new house surely would cost as much as 500 taels of silver, they knew. Both of them were still figuring about the money issue. They didnt expect their two children to give them a big surprise the next day. Tangtang and Guoguo were about to finish their breakfast in the morning when they were called away by a group of children outside. Both of them put down their bowls and rushed outside. They didnt even care about their dogs and just let them run behind. Seeing that they were running in a hurry, Xu Ran also stopped eating after taking two more mouthfuls of rice. He said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, Ill go out and have a look. Why are many children coming? Liu Tong nodded, All right. Dont let our children be bullied. For some reason, Xu Ran always felt that their children wouldnt be bullied, but he still nodded and replied, Dont worry, I will look after them. As they were a large group of children, it was an easy target. Soon, Xu Ran found that the group of children had gone to the back of their house, where Tangtang and Guoguo had burned a lot of ashes yesterday. Xu Ran also followed them behind secretly. Tangtang and Guoguo led the group of children to the big pile of ashes. Tangtang took out over a dozen of copper coins from his bosom, and then took a step backward. Guoguo took two steps forward and announced seriously, Today I invite all of you here to give you a chance to make money. As long as anyone burns so much ash, he can take a copper coin here away from us. If you are willing to work for us, you can stay; if you dont, you can go now. Hearing that they could make money, the children present of among 5 to 8 years old were very excited and no one left. Dahu was also there in the crowd. He was a little older, so he touched his head and asked Guoguo, Guoguo, how is this ash burned? Yeah, yeah! The other children followed suit. This scene was similar to that when Xu Ran was looking for people to help develop their wasteland then. Guoguo put his hands on his back and tried his best to look serious, You can either go to cut some hay or get firewood in the mountain. But it is easier and faster to cut the hay. You should use your own sickles. You should keep an eye on the fire. You cant burn anything else. The person who burns the most ash will be rewarded with an extra copper coin a reward. While Guoguo was talking about the reward, Tangtang deliberately swayed the copper coin in his hand. When the group of children saw the copper coin, their eyes were shining with stars. All of them expressed that they had no different opinion about it, and then they broke up in an uproar and went home to get their combat tools. Xu Ran watched all these from behind and praised his two children in his heart. He was thinking triumphantly, They are really my sons! The group of children didnt see Xu Ran and he also didnt want to disturb Tangtang and Guoguo. He just went back home with his hands behind his back. After everyone had left, Guoguo felt relaxed right away and rushed towards Tangtang, Elder Brother, its really tiring to have spoken so much! Tangtang hugged him and stroked his head, Well then, in the future, let me do this kind of thing and you can just be my assistant. Guoguo nodded happily, Great! There on the hillside, they two were just like two peas. Both the brothers were the same in their look, height and even wearing the same clothes. And at the moment, they were hugging together. What a beautiful scene! Back in the house, Xu Ran could not help praising their two children in front of Liu Tong. Although both of them were still very young, they were acting quite like generals, which was really rare. Then Xu Ran also flattered Liu Tong, saying that all this was because of his good education. Even though Liu Tong felt shy being praised, actually he was indeed happy in his heart. He felt that having such two children in such bad times was really his great blessings after several generations of cultivation. Soon, they heard the childrens cheering screams from outside. Standing in the yard, Xu Ran watched Tangtang and Guoguo leading a team of children towards the wasteland and everything was in good order and well arranged. Many children saw Xu Ran and greeted him with a smile, and Xu Ran responded them happily. For the next ten days, Xu Ran could hear the cheering screams, laughter, and shouting from these children every morning. They were really energetic, full of vitality. The issue of Xu Rans new house building was already on the schedule. They had decided on the building site. At the moment, Xu Ran and Liu Tong started to run around to look good building bricks and tiles. Chapter 86 C As Xu Ran announced to hire long-term workers to open up his familys barren fields, the whole village knew that they had just bought ten mu of farmland. Although those fields were inferior and deserted, they were large in area. All these became the chatting topics in the village after dinner. No one from the Xu Family came to make trouble for Xu Ran this time because they hadnt settled the problem inside their family. Last time Zhang Yue announced in public that he would divorce Xu Cheng, and this was really what he meant. However, to divorce sounded not good, let alone be a Geer, who mentioned it first. Of course, the Xu Family would not agree with it. After returning home that day, Zhang Yue wanted to go back to live in his dad and daddys home. The Xu Family didnt agree with it, and even locked Zhang Yue at home to prevent him from going out. Even his children were not allowed to see him. Zhang Yue had tried to escape several times, and every time he was caught and beaten by Xu Cheng. Elder Daddy Xus abusive words were intolerable to the ear. Zhang Yue felt that his life was worse than death. When he was lying in bed, he began to regret his decision, but every time Xu Cheng hit him, he was more determined to leave the place. His freedom was restricted so he couldnt go out. Thus he could only endure everything in the family. Still, Zhang Yue believed that he would leave this place. No matter what, even if he died, he would not die here. He concluded that the most regretful thing in his life was to marry Xu Cheng. In order to prevent Zhang Yue from escaping, the Xu Family would have one of them watch him at home every day. Naturally, they were now not in the mood to make trouble for Xu Ran. As for Xu Rans two uncles and their families, there was no need to mention them. The whole village knew that they had broken up with the Xu Family back then. As long as the Xu Family didnt have any contact with them, they had no excuse to come around. Therefore, this time everything went exceptionally smoothly. In the end, Xu Ran got ten long-term workers at home and told them about the distribution of the 10 mu of land. Its like this. This ten mu of land needs to be cultivated quickly, so I plan to divide the fields. Each household has one mu. I will pay 300 pence for each mu of land. You have to do all the work on the land from the beginning to the end. Whoever finishes the work first will get the money first. What do you think about it? 300 pence was a great temptation, and many people agreed on the spot, but there were still a few shrewd ones, Xu Ran, what do you mean by doing all the work on the land from the beginning to the end? Xu Ran knew they would ask about it so he smiled and replied, Actually, I plan to plant fruit trees in the fields. You are first responsible for plowing the field, and then digging holes in it. You can leave the rest work to your Geers to complete. Let them plant the seedlings and spread fertilizer. Next, if we need to do weeding and fertilizing, I will pay you additional money for it. Do you think this is feasible? To work on one mu of land could help them earn 300 pence in total. And it only took a few days, within which they could earn more than what they got after working for one or two months outside. Since they were long-term workers, they naturally had no objections about this offer. After everyone agreed, Xu Ran added, I wont cover the food here, but Ill pay another 50 pences for each family so that you can eat at home yourselves! No problem. No problem. Xu Ran, you are so generous. Dont worry about the work in the field! Well settle everything for you. All the workers were satisfied. Xu Ran felt pleased with the responses from the workers and answered smilingly, Then thank you, everyone. Up till now, all the fields had been farmed out, and the ash for fertilizer was being produced. Now everything was ready except for the strawberry seedlings which were in urgent need. Xu Ran planned to go to the town again to pay a visit to Zhuo Yun, and deliver chili paste to Mr. Chen by the way. Last winter, they had made a lot of chili paste, which could last for a while. Liu Tong had also planted a lot of chili in the field near the house. As long as the chili grew well, it could help support their chili paste business. Xu Ran found that the crops he planted were not up to the time of other peoples, and he was not sure whether it would work or not. But the seeds had been planted, and they could only know the results in the harvest time. If it would not work, they could have a change according to the season! Xu Ran consoled himself silently. On the twenty-fifth of the first lunar month, Xu Ran went to the town with chili paste on his back. He told Mr. Chen that he couldnt send more chili paste for a while. Seeing that he had delivered a lot this time, Mr. Chen didnt say anything and just asked him to come after he finished his work. Xu Ran then went to the Zhuo Mansion, but he was told that Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen had gone to Qin Family. Xu Ran could guess why they went there. He didnt stay there long but just let the shopkeeper say hello to Zhuo Yun. On the way back, he happened to meet Xu An. There was another person beside Xu An, but Xu Ran didnt know him. He was probably not from the Xu Village. Xu Ran ran a few steps forward to greet Xu An, Xu An, are you going back from town? Xu An turned back to see Xu Ran and stopped to wait for him. He said when Xu Ran got nearer, Yes. You see a few days ago, Liu Tong came to ask me to find someone specializing in building houses. I was so lucky that I bumped into this acquaintance of mine, who happened to be from a construction team. I thus brought him to talk to you. Here, this is the person beside me, surnamed Li. Xu Ran took a glance at the foreman and then greeted, Hello, Mr. Li. My name is Xu Ran. Im from the same village as Bro Xu Ans. The foreman seemed to have an education of a sort. He responded to Xu Ran with a smile, I know. Xu An has told me about you. Lets go to your house and see what kind of house you want to build. Okay, then lets go while talking about it. The three of them chatted as they were walking on the way and they soon reached the Xu Village. Xu Ran told Foreman Li that he wanted to build a brick quadrangle dwelling house of two floors. For this, Foreman Li estimated that the total cost of the construction would be 400 taels of silver at the least. If they wanted to add more items to the new house and make the life of the workers undertaking the construction task better, they would have to spend tens of taels of silver more. As the budget was within 500 taels of silver, Xu Ran didnt say anything further about it. What troubled Xu Ran at the moment was that he had no idea where he could get those bricks needed for the construction. They didnt find anything of the kind in the village. He and Liu Tong had researched a few more villages around and got nothing. They could only find bricks in town, but they were so far apart. How many days would it take for them to move all the bricks back? Xu Ran told about his worries, and Foreman Li immediately vouched for it, Bro Xu, dont worry about it! We often work in the town, and some people who dont want to take the trouble would also contract all the projects to us. We know where the bricks are sold, and we can let the brick kiln people deliver the bricks with horse-drawn carriages. The problem is that its a long way to go, and the freight fee has to be calculated. How much will the bricks cost? Xu Ran asked. This depends on how much youll buy. At least three pence for a brick. The price is in the range of three pence for a brick, five pence for two bricks, or sometimes we may even get one at twenty pence. As for the specific quantity of bricks required, I can make the decision after going to see the sizes of the bricks, said Foreman Li. Alright, lets go and take a look then. After arriving at the village, Xu Ran did not go home. Instead, he took Foreman Li and Xu An to the construction site directly. Xu Ran drew a big circle on the land there and told Foreman Li that all that area would be built with bricks instead of any other materials. When Mr. Li saw such a large area and had to build a house of two floors, he felt that 400 taels of silver was not necessarily enough! Xu Ran didnt think money was a problem. He believed money could be earned, but since he wanted to build a house, he had to build it well. Foreman Li said to Xu Ran, Bro Xu Ran, from the current situation, you can buy those bricks at the price of two pence for each. Let me talk to the boss of the brick kiln. His is a private kiln, so I believe we can reach an agreement on the price. Xu Ran knew about the private brick kiln. Those who could run a kiln on their own were either rich or had a background. Their products quality was also good, so Xu Ran nodded and thanked the foreman. After seeing the construction site, Xu Ran took Xu An and Foreman Li to his home. It was almost noon. Before Xu Ran went out in the morning, he had said that he would come back for lunch. At the moment, Liu Tong was busy working in the kitchen. Tangtang and Guoguo were not at home, nor were they seen behind the house. Xu Ran guessed that they should have gone to cut the grass. When there was someone at home, the door to their yard was usually half open and unlocked. Xu Ran led the guests in and called out at the kitchen, Tongtong, we have guests here. Please get three bowls of water for us. Yes, coming, Liu Tongs voice came from the kitchen. Although it was spring, it was still very cold. Xu Ran felt it was not good for all of them to sit outside, so he led the guests into the guest room. There was a brazier in their guest room, burning the charcoal taken from the stove when cooking. Xu Ran had seen other people do this in his previous life, so he came up with this method. However, as there was no one at home today, Liu Tong didnt light up the brazier. After entering the guest room, Xu Ran first seated Xu An and Mr. Li well, and Liu Tong quickly came out to serve them water. Then he turned to light up the brazier. Each of them three drank a bowl of hot water to keep out the cold. At the moment, the brazier was burning, and they began to feel warm. Before they could begin with their talk, Liu Tong came to tell them that dinner was ready. He then went to find Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran began to set the big table. Xu An was used to this kind of habit in their family. Foreman Li, however, was the first time to see in such a family that a Geer would order his husband to do housework, while Xu Ran would not complain at all, and he managed the work very skillfully. There was wine at home, and Xu Ran knew that as manual workers, they liked to drink wine. Thus, he got some wine ready, warmed it up and added some brown sugar inside. The table was covered with delicious food, and there was also wine on the fire. The treatment was really good. Definitely, this was a generous family. Foreman Li believed that if he took over the construction work from Xu Ran, the group of them would surely enjoy a good life during this period of time. Just as Foreman Li was dreaming there, Liu Tong came back with the two children, who just looked the same as two peas. Seeing Liu Tong, Xu Ran introduce him to the guest, Mr. Li, this is my spouse, Liu Tong. These two are my children called Tangtang and Guoguo. Tongtong, this is Mr. Li, the foreman. Bro Xu An helps us find Mr. Li in the town. He came over to take a look. Liu Tong said hello to Foreman Li and asked the two children to call him Uncle Li. The two children politely as requested, and then they were taken to wash hands and got ready for the dinner. Chapter 87 While eating, Xu Ran, Foreman Li, and Xu An started to have a chat again. Xu Ran didnt understand many things about building a house so he asked Foreman Li, who had been building houses for so many years. He was so adept at the construction industry that he could answer all of Xu Rans questions. Xu Ran was also very satisfied with him and thought that if he farmed out the work of building a house to him, he shouldnt have any problems. However, Xu Ran was not sure how much it would cost to build a house per day. Foreman Li said, It would cost twenty coppers to build a house in the town per day if you dont provide free food and accommodation for us. And it would cost fifteen coppers per day if you provide free food without accommodation. Then it would cost only ten coppers per day if you provide free food and accommodation. Usually, well live in a tent built by ourselves. Although the conditions are primitive, it can also mean big savings to us. Xu Ran understood this kind of life; it was not easy to earn money for he had also been a corporate slave back in modern times. He asked Foreman Li, How many people do you have in your construction team? A score, and there are some Geers who just do some easy work and help cook the meals. Usually, they dont have any wages. Only those who are generous will give them a dozen coppers more than they need to pay for the bill. Xu Ran nodded and asked Foreman Li, Mr. Li, if you build the house for me, I would just provide you with free food. My home is not big enough to accommodate all of you. How much wages would you need per day? Foreman Li thought it over and said, Fifteen coppers. Its not easy for my men to leave home and earn a bit of cash. Being displaced, we just hope that we could bring more back home next year for the Spring Festival. So we left home soon after the Spring festival this year. Alright, Mr. Li, Ill leave everything about building my house to you. You can just buy bricks and tiles as you like. After all, you have acquaintances in this field. And you can directly chop down the trees for wood that you need in the mountain behind here. In the end, as long as Im satisfied with the house, Ill give you an extra wage for your hard work of fifty taels of silver. How do you think about it? Fifty taels of silver was not a trifling sum for these people for everyone could be allotted more than 1 tael of silver, which was an extra wage. Foreman Li was so delighted that he was about to jump up. However, Xu Rans words were still hypothetical and had not been decided at all, so no matter how excited Foreman Li was, he still had to disguise his delight. The courtyard which was going to be built was so big that the construction would take at least four or five months with the preparation. So apart from anything else, the labor cost would be five or six hundred taels of silver. And it would be more expensive with the cost of other building materials. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. Everyone at the table including Foreman Li could tell Xu Ran was worried about money. After all, in rural areas, a family could barely afford to build a house which was worth five hundred taels of silver, let alone a more expensive one. Foreman Li promptly comforted Xu Ran, Xu Ran, dont worry! Were all experienced. As long as the bricks, tiles and wood are enough, we would complete the house for you before long. And the cost wont be more than one thousand taels of silver. Less than 1,000 taels of silver?, How about 999 exactly? It hadnt comforted Xu Ran to hear his words at all. However, he couldnt reveal his dissatisfaction in front of so many people. He could only nod, Then would you mind doing me a favor in due course, Foreman Li? If you agree to the business, well find the village head as a witness this afternoon and then sign an agreement so that both sides can be relieved. Alright, youre really decisive, Xu Ran. Foreman Li stood up and said happily. Xu Ran felt that it needed to be completed quickly, otherwise none could know what would happen later if it was dragged out. After dinner, Tangtang and Guoguo ran behind the house to play. With Xu Ran and Liu Tong, the four of them discussed on the empty space for a while. After they settled, Xu Ran went to look for the village head. Seeing that Xu Ran was looking for him again, the village head thought that he was going to talk about the field. But he didnt expect Xu Ran to say that he wanted to build a house. He had just bought the land and now he was building a house again. How rich should he be? Where did Xu Ran get his money? The chief couldnt help thinking about it. After walking behind Xu Ran for a while, the village heads patience finally snapped. He held Xu Ran back and asked, Xu Ran, tell me the truth, where did you get your money? You ought to have been very poor, but after you were driven out, you firstly bought the land and then the field. And now youre going to build a house. Where did you get so much money? The village head looked like Xu Rans mother who was worried about what crimes he had committed outside. The instant Xu Ran imagined it, he couldnt bear the thought. Seeing that Xu Ran was in a daze, the village head thought about it even more. What a good kid he is! But why has him done the foolish things? When Xu Ran came to his senses, he saw the village head looking at him with sympathy in his eyes. Xu Ran rubbed his nose. Village head, you have mistaken what I mean. A friend of mine lent me the money. He runs his business in the town and he has even been to my home during the Spring Festival. Xu An and the others know it, too. You neednt to worry. I didnt do anything bad. The village head stared at Xu Ran again and found that he didnt seem to be lying, so he believed him, patted him on the shoulder and said with great sincerity, Xu Ran, think about your spouse and children. Be careful of the things in the society. Hearing what the village head said, Xu Ran felt a little touched. To be honest, after coming to this world, thevillage head was the first to say such words to him, who was so much better than his dad and daddy. Xu Ran nodded solemnly. Thank you, village head. I got it, and I will. After the chat, the two of them walked towards Xu Rans home. Liu Tong and the others were waiting for them. After thevillage head arrived, Xu Ran introduced them to each other again. Xu Ran took out the writing brush as well as paper and wrote the agreement in front of everyone. What Xu Ran wrote was clear, and the treatment for the construction team was not bad, especially when it came to eating. There were three meals a day. Both lunch and dinner included meat, and breakfast consisted of brown rice porridge and pickles, which was not bad either. The wage was paid half monthly, and if the employer was satisfied after the completion of the house, the construction team could be rewarded with an extra cash bonus of fifty taels of silver. No matter how one looked at the agreement, it would draw and enthrall him. After Foreman Li read it, he immediately signed the name without hesitation. He also put a thumbprint on it. The red ink paste used for seals was brought by the village head, and Xu Ran quickly signed it, too. Finally, there were only the village head and Xu An, the two witnesses, who hadnt signed it. The two parties had signed the agreement, so the two witnesses needed not to hesitate about it. As the people who built the house had been found, Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. He asked Foreman Li, Mr. Li, when will you bring enough men over? Ive found someone to see it. He said that it would be the best to start building the house on February 15th so we have to bring back the wood, bricks and tiles before that. And you also have to find somewhere to live. Well be able to bring people over to work tomorrow and promise you that we can start the construction on February 15th, Foreman Li said. Then thank you for the trouble, Mr. Li. By the way, when you come over, would you mind preparing all the food? I dont have any food here. I can buy the grain in the village, but its impossible for me to prepare meat and vegetables that I havent grown in the field. You can buy them first and bring over here and I will pay the money to you. Is it okay? Xu Ran asked. Foreman Li shook his hand, No problem. Isnt it just to buy food? Rest assured, we also have the tools to cook the meal. Xu Ran, you dont have to worry. Alright, I wont say more platitudes. Mr. Li, Ill put you in charge. After talking for a while, Foreman Li was about to return to the town too. Xu Ran was going to send him back. So Xu An lent his ox cart to him, which could also help Xu Ran return quickly. Xu Ran sent Foreman Li back to the town and met Foreman Lis men. They looked honest with patches on their clothes. Even the Geers were simply dressed, but they were positive and philosophical about that. When Foreman Li introduced Xu Ran to these people, he had many good words to say about him, like he was a fine young man. Xu Ran felt that he must have misjudged the foreman before for he hadnt expected Foreman Li to be so eloquent. After speaking for a while, Xu Ran saw that it was getting late, so he excused himself, and Foreman Li did not keep him there for their place was inconvenient too. When Xu Ran returned home, the sun almost set, and there were red sunset glows in the sky. It seemed to be another fine day tomorrow. The playmates of Tangtang and Guoguo worked very hard this day, and two more piles had banked up behind home. Tangtang and Guoguo were playing in front of the cages with the chicks while four dull dogs followed by them. And the scene was kind of interesting. Xu Ran walked over and patted the two children on their backs. What are you playing? Its smelly here and cold weather is closing in. Do you know its cold for your daddy to wash your clothes? Tangtang and Guoguo were playing happily. As soon as Xu Ran said to them, they immediately stood up and threw away the grass in their hands. They dusted off their hands and stood upright, Dad, we know we are wrong. We wont do that in the future. I didnt say that I wont allow you to play, but I just want you to keep track of time, okay? You neednt to be so obedient. Xu Ran rubbed Tangtangs head, feeling a little sad. These two children were just obedient. Tangtang and Guoguo didnt understand what was wrong with being well-behaved. Xu Ran did not explain to them and walked into the house with the two children. Liu Tong had lit the firewood in the basin as well as the oil lamp and he let the three of them sit down and play. Ever since he handed over every dish he could do to Liu Tong, Xu Ran couldnt be bothered to enter the kitchen. As soon as he came in and out of the kitchen, he was covered with oil, which was completely incomparable to modern times. There was even no detergent when washing the dishes, so he could only wash them in hot water with a dishcloth, which was scalding During dinner, Xu Ran told Liu Tong about Foreman Lis men whom he saw in the town today, expressing his satisfaction and said the food could be better when he prepared for them. Liu Tong got no problem with that. After dinner, the whole family had a talk for a while before they went to bed, looking forward to the arrival of tomorrow. Chapter 88 The next day, Xu Rans family had just finished breakfast. Before Tangtang and Guoguo could run out, Foreman Li led the big group of people kitted out with bags to Xu Rans home at the end of the village. As soon as Xu Ran saw Foreman Li, he hurriedly led them in. With so many people here, it was difficult to serve them with water, and there were not so many bowls at home. And Xu Ran was even ashamed to ask Foreman Li and his men for the bowls. Thinking that there were still remaining sunflower seeds at home after the New Year, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to distribute all of them to the people. Everyone else was sitting in the yard eating the sunflower seeds, while Xu Ran and Foreman Li were discussing where they should live and where it was more convenient to cook the meal. At last they chose the place next to Xu Rans home because it would be more convenient for them to borrow something from his home by the time they started the construction. Xu Ran also didnt mind these. After all, all of them were working for his family. Among the twenty-five people, there were five Geers who were usually in charge of cooking and working as assistants. But Xu Ran didnt understand these things. So he left the people to Liu Tong and asked him to deal with them. Xu Ran led Foreman Lis group to pitch their tents beside his home. It was unknown who had seen the outsiders arriving at the village who were a group of people coming along to build a house and therefore the whole village soon knew it. Almost everyone in the village ran over and most of them were jealous of Xu Ran. He had just bought a wasteland, and now he was going to build a house by hiring people in the town, which certainly would cost a lot of silver. There were also some people who complained that Xu Ran was looking for outsiders instead of them to build the house. Xu Ran didnt even want to respond. Why should I look for you? Do I know you f**king well? The man was originally just complaining that he didnt plan to do anything. However, seeing Xu Ran didnt respond to his complaint, he became angry, saying that he was going to ask the village head to do himself justice. Xu Ran also dismissed his words. These people just had too much time on their hands and liked to stir up trouble whether they were free or not. Because Foreman Li and his men were well equipped for construction, they just needed to chop down some trees in the mountain and bring them back. So Xu Ran led them to the mountain, and those Geers also followed him, saying that they wanted to see where they could find the firewood. After all, there were so many people who had to eat three meals every day that the demand for firewood must be huge. Liu Tong stayed at home and looked after the children and bags. As the saying goes, Two heads are better than one, they started felling in the morning and they had chopped down enough trees for not only themselves but also Xu Ran by noon. The wood they needed to build the hut could be directly used. But the one used for building the house for Xu Rans family had to be artificially processed. The group of people ran back and forth for several times before moving all the logs back. In the past, the end of the village was the quietest place, but after Xu Rans family settled here, it started bustling with more people passing day. After returning home, some of them began to build the hut. Others started cooking the meal, which showed the clear division of labor without influences on each other. Xu Ran originally wanted to ask Xu An and the others for help, but all of them were busy hoeing in the fields to grow crops that they couldnt help him. He naturally wouldnt complain to them as the crop was the foundation of agriculture. Then Xu Ran thought that his family could also start to plant corn and vegetables in a few days. The wheat planted last year just grew a little that other families were much taller, and it was estimated that there would be no good harvest this year. The turnips planted under the field didnt grow well either, let alone the potatoes. they were planted in the wrong season that they couldnt draw enough nutrients. Xu Ran dug one of them to see its size. And Xu Ran felt that there was nothing left after peeling it. He had really miscalculated when when the crops should be planted It seemed that it was very necessary to plant crops at right time of year. After a wander around the field, Xu Ran didnt think the situation of the turnips meant they could grow better. So Xu Ran went to bring Liu Tong over here and pointed at the turnip field. Tongtong, lets just pull these turnips out! Liu Tong looked at Xu Ran in confusion. Ran, why did you pull them out? Just wait a while and they can grow better. Xu Ran shook his head, They probably couldnt, and we must spare the field for planting corn and vegetables. Just treat planting turnips as increasing soil fertility. Now that theres no food to eat, the tender turnip leaves could be cooked to make sauerkraut and the turnips could be pickled after they have been pulled out. Liu Tong thought he was right. Other families may have spared the fields for planting rice. And Xu Rans family couldnt be later anymore to plant crops this year, or how much the time would be wasted. They discussed with each other and immediately decided to start pulling out the turnips. Todays food was all brought by Foreman Li and his men. Xu Ran looked at it and saw that there was not much food which was not good either. And the meat was even less, which was just a small piece that could only be used as lard. There was also no meat at Xu Rans home, while there was still some lard. But they had to eat this kind of food on the first day, which made Xu Ran somewhat disapprove of it. After pulling out the turnips they needed for fixing lunch, Xu Ran decided to talk to Foreman Li. The meat must be bought. If hogs other parts were expensive, it would be enough to buy only hogs guts and thigh bones, which were cheap and edible. Foreman Li was a little unhappy when he heard Xu Ran saying that they would have the hogs guts. They had eaten them and thought they were barely edible. They would rather eat less meat than eat hogs guts Seeing Foreman Lis expression, Xu Ran knew that he had misunderstood. Xu Ran explained, Hogs guts are really edible and the taste is also good. Tomorrow, I will make a checklist to you. Just buy them back according to my requests and Im sure that you will be satisfied. Foreman Li opened his mouth and was about to say something but seeing that Xu Ran explained with great certainty, he didnt say anything at last. Since Xu Ran put it this way, I should believe him. Foreman Li told to himself in mind. The two of them kept talking. After a while, Liu Tong came over and called them for lunch. Guoguo and Tangtang were also back, covered in ash, who were caught by Liu Tong to wash their hands and faces. The first day was just enough for these people to arrange the place for them to live, and then they went to the mountain to collect some firewood. The vat that Xu Rans family had bought for retaining water was also taken out. There were so many people that the water of a vat was not enough to last them for one day. Liu Tong took a few Geers to the river of the village and told them where they could wash clothes. There was small fish in the river, which could also be caught and cooked to make fish soup. Then they walked around the village to know the roads. When he met acquaintances, Liu Tong also greeted and introduced them to these Geers. On the night, because there were so many people joining in, it hummed with life at Xu Rans home for an instant. After all, Xu Rans family was also in need of making a fire at this time, and now there were so many people that it was convenient for him to gather firewood. So Xu Ran just chopped a lot of wood for the fire. And a group of people sat round the fire, eating the sunflower seeds and drinking water. Xu Ran was telling everyone stories that they had never heard before. When hearing the highlights of the stories, all of them applauded. And they didnt go back to sleep until it was dark. The next morning Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to take some Geers to the town to buy vegetables and meat. And he specially told him to buy more hog livers and thigh bones. There were pickled chilies at home, which were perfect to be stir-fried with livers. And there were also the turnips pulled out yesterday, so he could just use them to make soup with thigh bones. Because the hut where they lived had been set up, the next day, all of the workers went to the mountain to chop trees. Because the house to be built was big, the demand for wood was also huge. They hurried to complete chopping tress and airing them after peeling so that it would be more convenient to use them to build the house. Chopping trees was also not a small project, and it would take a long time to chop down a tree. And the branches on it needed to be removed. Then It would be hard to carry the logs back one by one. After that, they would have to be peeled. So it was estimated that they need to spend a few days completing the project. After two hours, Liu Tong and several Geers came back from the town. Besides the vegetables and meat as well as the ingredients that Xu Ran asked for, they didnt buy anything else, so they quickly finished the purchase and returned. Xu Ran happened to be at home, telling a few Geers to clear up the things. The thigh bones had been chopped into small pieces before they bought them, so as long as he soaked them in hot water, he could cooked them to make the soup. Xu Ran took the pickled chilies from his house with garlic, and stir-fried them together with the livers. The livers had to be cut on the slant into triangles so that the dish would look good. Xu Ran patiently told these Geers that how they should cook the dish and what they should put first and next, which could be comparable to a professional chef. One of the Geers even bantered with Liu Tong, saying that he was blessed with such a man at home who also could cook. Xu Ran touched his nose and was ashamed to say that he had not cooked for a long time. Anyway, there was a very popular saying in the 21st century that man who couldnt cook wouldnt be able to marry a wife, although he hadnt marry a wife at that time either even though he could cook. At noon, the stir-fried liver with pickled chili and the bone turnip soup were naturally praised by everyone. On February 2nd of the Chinese lunar calender, which was called the Dragon Head-raising Day (The most popular custom is having a haircut this day), Xu Ran didnt know if the festival was popular here or not. But he still cut the hair of the two children and took them to the street to spend the whole day having fun. These days, they had been running to burning something to ashes every day that they lost some weight, but they also looked more energetic. After cutting trees for so many days, almost all the things they needed to build the house were ready. Xu Ran paid Foreman Li the wages for the past few days and let them to arrange the money themselves. Not only did he take the two children to the town to play, but also he wanted to look for Zhuo Yun to ask about the strawberry plants. The uncultivated land had been cleared up and the holes had been dug ready just waiting for the strawberry plants to be planted, and there had also been a lot of ash behind the house. The playmates of Tangtang and Guoguo were indeed capable. However, as soon as Xu Rans family reached the intersection of the town, they saw the shopkeeper in the carriage was about to leave. When Xu Ran saw it, he hurriedly stopped the shopkeeper, Where are you going, Sir? As soon as the shopkeeper saw Xu Ran, he stopped the carriage and said, My master said he is going to look for you. And now I just come across you by a happy coincidence. At this time, Zhuo Yun also got out of the carriage and smiled at Xu Ran. What a coincidence. Chapter 89 Since they had come to the town, Zhuo Yun decided not to go to the Xu Village. He let Xu Rans family get into the carriage and leave for the Zhuo Mansion. On the carriage, Zhuo Yun told Xu Ran a piece of good news. Qin Shuwens eldest brother had helped him find the strawberry seedlings. Not only that, he also found an old man who was good at growing strawberries. Xu Ran jumped up happily hearing such good news. He grabbed Zhuo Yuns hand and thanked him. He asked eagerly, Zhuo Yun, when can the strawberry seedlings be delivered? Are they from that old man? Zhuo Yun shook his head, Im not sure about that. I went to see you today because my eldest brother-in-law is in my house, so I came to talk to you. Shuwen hasnt asked his eldest brother for anything for five years. Plus, he is still pregnant, so my brother-in-law is really active about your case for his sake. This time, youve really got the best of the bargain. Xu Ran rolled his eyes and said to himself, Is it really good that you show off like this? But for the sake of your help, I wont blame you for it. As both of them were chatting, their carriage had soon arrived and stopped at the entrance of the Zhuo Mansion. The shopkeeper came to meet them. At the moment, Qin Shuwen and his eldest brother, Qin Shuwu, were talking in the living room. As soon as Qin Shuwen saw Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun coming in together, his eyes were fixed on their hands without blinking. However, when he found that they had nothing else but the hands of the two childrens they were holding, his face was filled with disappointment, which was very funny. Seeing this, the two children were in a muddle, but the adults present all covered their mouths to stifle their giggles. Of course, there was also a muddleheaded man on the scene, Qin Shuwens eldest brother, Qin Shuwu. He looked at Qin Shuwen, and then at Xu Ran as well as the other two people present. As Qin Shuwen shot him an angry glance, Zhuo Yun didnt dare to laugh again. He explained to Qin Shuwu, Shuwen likes the food from Xu Rans family, but this time they didnt bring anything, so Shuwen is very disappointed. What Zhuo Yun said made Qin Shuwen blush and he tried to silence him with a glare. Zhuo Yun rubbed his nose and pretended that he didnt see it. He took Xu Ran over and introduced, Eldest brother-in-law, this is Xu Ran I told you. Over there is his spouse, Liu Tong, and their two children, Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran, this is Shuwens eldest brother, so you can also call him brother! Xu Ran bowed and greeted, Nice to meet you, Bro Qin. It was improper for Liu Tong to speak in such an occasion. He just smiled, nodded and let the two children go over to call him Uncle. Tangtang and Guoguo were obedient and did as they were told. Qin Shuwu gave them two oranges, which should have been specially prepared for Qin Shuwen. Both Tangtang and Guoguo thanked him and obediently returned to Liu Tong. After the introduction, they began to sit down and talk about their business. Qin Shuwen felt that he was free from here, so he invited Liu Tong to go to another room to have a chat with him together. After they left, Xu Ran started to consult Qin Shuwu about the strawberry seedlings. Qin Shuwu told him, The strawberry seedlings were seen when I once went out for my purchase of merchandise. The place is not far away from us here, which is a two-days ride by carriage. At that time, there was an old man picking up wilted leaves in the field. I was surprised and went up to ask about the situation. He told me that the strawberry trees were planted by him, and his family had made a fortune by growing strawberries. His sons had already moved to another place. He didnt want to go with them. At the end of last year, however, his spouse passed away, and none of his sons came back. He had to manage the funeral for his spouse on his own. At present, he was not in the mood to serve the strawberries, but it was a pity to throw them away, so he came to weed occasionally. Then is he willing to sell them? Xu Ran asked. Ive also asked him about it. The strawberry plantation is his lifes work from his painstaking labor. He said that its better to sell it to someone who wants to work on it than to let it go, replied Qin Shuwu. His strawberry plantation should have been in operation for many years. Maybe those trees are too old and useless. Do they have new sprouts? Qin Shuwu nodded, I know this. I went to see it in the field at that time. There were indeed a lot of new sprouts on the trees, which should be enough for you to plant in five mu of land. Many of them were planted last year. If you move those trees here this year, you will surely have a good harvest. Xu Ran knew that the strawberry trees in the first year couldnt give much harvest. Their second year, however, was different. At that time, the harvest of this five mu of land was expected to be more than that of the ten mu of land planted with new strawberry seedlings. Did Bro Qin ask how the strawberry seedlings would be sold then? Zhuo Yun asked anxiously. Xu Ran also stared at Qin Shuwu. To him, money was an important issue! Qin Shuwu looked at them two and smiled, That man said that he only needed one hundred taels of silver for it. He just hopes that you can really take good care of the strawberry trees. One hundred taels! Xu Ran was surprised and felt that he had asked for too little. In modern times, a strawberry seedling should be sold for at least two yuan, and here, they had ten mu of land! Obviously, Xu Ran had no any concept of conversion. Mm, Qin Shuwu nodded, This price isnt expensive. Ten mu of land is not a small area. I reckon that you should move all strawberry plants from his place. I know you guys have never got such planting experiences before, so Ive invited the old man to come over to your place for help. Xu Ran thought he was really a considerate person, Thank you, Bro Qin, for having arranged everything so well. Qin Shuwu waved his hand, Not at all. I am grateful for your helps to my brother. Of course, I have conditions for my work. If you succeed in the strawberry planting, you should let me be your sales agent. What do you think of it? No problem, Xu Ran agreed without hesitation. Actually, he was worrying how he could sell his future produce. Qin Shuwu had his own shops and social contacts, which would save him too many troubles. Xu Ran asked again, Bro Qin, when can the plants be transported to my place then? It can be arranged as soon as it is agreed. Someone on my side is in charge of it. We will deliver the plants directly to you at that time, but youll have to pay all the expenses. And Ill send the old man to you first. Youll fix him up with a place to stay, Qin Shuwu said. Xu Ran nodded, Okay, I will. Thank you so much, Bro Qin. The matter of the strawberry seedlings was thus settled. Zhuo Yun kept silent all the time. Seeing that both of them had made an agreement, Zhuo Yun asked, Xu Ran, didnt you say you were going to sit for the imperial examination? Have you registered with Yamen? Xu Ran was stunned. He had been busy recently and had completely forgotten about this. But it was only the 2nd lunar month now, was it too early to register? Seeing Xu Rans confusion, Zhuo Yun explained, There is a limit on the number of people taking the examinations. In the past few years, the test was held in February. Later, it was changed to March. However, the registration time is still in February. Its just the right time for you to register now. Qin Shuwu also nodded, Ive heard of this. You might as well go today! To sign up, he needed to have an identity document, but usually, who would go out with this? Xu Ran shook his head and said, Ill go tomorrow then. I didnt bring any document with me today, so it wont work. Oh, by the way, Bro Qin and Zhuo Yun, you see I have never participated in this kind of examinations. And I was a fool for so many years that Ive forgotten many things. Please tell me if theres anything I need to pay attention to in this case. There are not many things to pay attention to actually, but you have to stay for three days for the test, and we dont know if your health can bear it. After all, its not too hot in March. You can take nothing when you go to the test. However, are you sure you can pass it? with that, Zhuo Yun couldnt help worrying for Xu Ran, because he often saw him doing other things, but never saw him preparing for the test. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and replied shylyNo matter what, I have to try it. Otherwise, I cant even afford to pay taxes for so many fields in my family. Zhuo Yun rolled his eyes at him, You are a real success. You want to be a scholar just for not paying taxes. Xu Ran shrugged, What else can I do? I dont want to be an official. Looking at them two bickering, Qin Shuwu didnt get in a word. He was thinking about what Xu Ran just said about his past that he had been a fool for so many years. At last, both of them stopped arguing, and Qin Shuwu asked, Xu Ran, whats the matter with you saying that you used to be a fool? Xu Ran didnt feel much about this now. After all, the fool wasnt him actually. Plus, he trusted Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwu treated Qin Shuwen well. At least he wouldnt do harm to his brother. Thus, he told them the truth, When I was 17 years old, my brother poisoned me and pushed me down the mountain, and thus I had been a fool for seven years. Fortunately, God had an eye on me, and I recovered from it. Although Xu Ran said it in a plain tone, the two listeners didnt think so. Xu Ran was actually poisoned by his own brother. Zhuo Yun now understood why Xu Ran had never mentioned his dad and daddy. When he went to visit him during the Spring Festival, he used to wonder why his family lived in a bamboo house and there was no elder in the family. Nowthe case was entirely cleared. Qin Shuwu felt a little embarrassed. He didnt expect that there was such an inside story. He apologized, Xu Ran, I am sorry. I was just curious and asked casually. Dont take it to heart. Xu Ran waved his hand and said indifferently, Never mind. Its all past. Im fine now and my life is good. If I were still thinking about what had happened in the past, were I finding troubles for myself? You should take it easy for yourself, Qin Shuwu appreciated for Xu Rans attitude to his past. At noon, the whole family dined at Zhuo Yuns house. In order to reward Qin Shuwen, Liu Tong and Xu Ran did the cooking themselves. Finally, all of them enjoyed a full table of delicious food. Chapter 90 After lunch, Xu Ran and his family were about to go for a stroll on the street. They would also go to Zhuo Yuns shop to get some vegetable seedlings. Qin Shuwen also clamored to go out. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwu were unable to dissuade him and therefore they just accompanied him too. Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong chatted for a long time and his feelings for Liu Tong became stronger. Liu Tong also felt well disposed towards Qin Shuwen. If both of them had not been married, they might have been able to fall in love with each other. Liu Tong was actually very happy in his mind that Qin Shuwen had never cold-shouldered him since the first time they met. He knew that he was too tall as a Geer and people in the village almost had talked about him at first except Wu Mei and the others whom Liu Tong could therefore become friends with. Qin Shuwen was handsome and had a good family background. Now even Zhuo Yun couldnt fuss over him enough and there were many people in the town who wanted to get in with him, but Qin Shuwen just came to click with Liu Tong. Liu Tong also understood that it was just because Xu Ran was a good friend of Zhuo Yuns, but Qin Shuwen was also not bad. At least Liu Tong liked him very much. When they arrived on the town, Qin Shuwen also talked with Liu Tong nonstop. So Tangtang and Guoguo discreetly ran to hold Xu Rans hands. Although they sauntered along the street, they didnt buy anything else except the small toys and snacks for the two children . Qin Shuwen tried several times to buy the food on the side of the street. And he was just stopped by Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwu. The food on sale of the street are not clean. Well let the cook make it for you after going back home if you really want to have something. The words were really reasonable and attractive. Qin Shuwen could only swallow and grumbled at the two in his mind. They didnt sauntered along the street for long. Xu Ran thought that he still had things to do tomorrow, and it was better for him to go back earlier, so he and his family said goodbye to Zhuo Yun and the others. After going back home, he found that Foreman Li and his men were all here clustering together and talking. When they saw Xu Rans family came back, they greeted warmly, and Tangtang and Guoguos playmates also took a day off today. Xu Ran walked over and asked, Why dont you go to have fun? It is a rare holiday today.. Foreman Li shook his head and said, My family is not here, and there is no place worth going at the village. We would have to spend money if we go to the town, so its better to stay here. It was only then that Xu Ran thought that there was no difference between work and holidays in ancient times, which was dissimilar from modern times when people would just spend every possible moment going out. Xu Ran sympathized with him that everyone had his or her own lifestyle, so he couldnt force them. The next day, Xu Ran went to the administrative office of the county and entered for exam of the province, which would last from March 9th to March 11th of the Chinese lunar calendar. Then Xu Ran followed Qin Shuwu to Qingyuan Town to look at the strawberry seedlings as well as bring the old man back. The old mans surnam was Hu and Xu Ran called him Mr. Hu. Mr. Hu was sixty-five years old but he still looked very energetic, although he didnt smile that much, which was probably because he still missed his spouse who had just died that he was also an affectionate person. Knowing that Xu Ran was the one who wanted to buy these strawberry seedlings, Mr. Hu repeatedly reminded Xu Ran to take good care of these the seedlings. Xu Ran nodded, Rest assured, Mr. Hu! Anyway, you will live with us. If I dont treat these strawberries well, you could just give me a lecture and I promise to accept it. Yeah. I will help you fix him if he turns a deaf ear to your words, Mr. Hu. Qin Shuwu said as well. Seeing that the two of them saying it this way, Mr. Hu believed them and laughed, although he seldom smiled. The people who dug the strawberry seedlings were all found by Qin Shuwu. And they were paid ten pence a day, They put the seedlings in the baskets after digging, and then carried them to Xu Village by carriage. Xu Ran reminded them not to damage the roots when digging the plants; then he went back home with Qin Shuwu and Mr. Hu. Liu Tong also knew about Mr. Hus coming. When Xu Ran went out, he just started to tidy up the house and specially prepared something that Mr. Hu could use. The bed at home was also added with several cotton blankets, which was very soft to sleep. Xu Ran came back on the fifth day after going out. When he reached the door, it was almost dark. There were two carriages. One was carrying Xu Ran, Qin Shuwu and Mr. Hu. The other was a wooden cart specially used for carrying strawberry plants. There was no spare room at home for Qin Shuwu and his family to live in. So, the three of Qin Shuwens family also went back before it was completely dark, leaving only a cart of strawberry plants. When Xu Ran and the others came back, they were just in time for dinner. In the past few days of Xu Rans departure, black bricks had begun to be slowly carried from the town to Xu Rans home. And the workers were busy removing and piling bricks those days. They hadnt seen Xu Ran for a few days, and when he came back, not only did he bring a cart of strawberry plants back, but he also returned with an old man, which attracted all the bystanders. Xu Ran introduced him to them with a smile, This is Mr. Hu. who comes here to help me. Would you mind taking care of him, lads? Of course not. When you go out, we will help you look after him. Foreman Li said frankly. Liu Tong came over and said to Xu Ran, Ran, let Mr. Hu eat first! Youguys must be tired and hungry after such a long carriage trip. Xu Ran nodded and introduced Liu Tong as well as his two beloved children to Mr. Hu. Generally speaking, old people like children. Tangtang and Guoguo were very capable speakers who chanted Grandpa Hu! Grandpa hu! which made him laughed happily. Since the construction team came, Xu Rans family hadnt made a fire to cook at their own house, so they just ate with the team that they always had three dishes and soup every day. Liu Tong also helped cook sometimes. The dishes were good and smelled marvelous. Liu Tong gave chopsticks and bowls to Xu Ran and Mr. Hu who had bad teeth in his old age so Liu Tong specially took out the soft rice from the middle part into Mr. Hus bowl There were so many people who occupied three tables, and after they got familiar, they talked a lot. And they didnt regard Mr. Hu as an outsider. Mr. Hu was also satisfied with the meal. Mr. Hu just took a few clothes and some important things when he came here with only a pair of shoes on his feet. Fortunately, Liu Tong went to the town to buy a pair of shoes for the old man, and he also asked him to wear them as a pair of slippers at night. Knowing that they were tired, Liu Tong quickly boiled the water after dinner. After a while, they could take baths and then directly go to bed. Xu Rans family bathed themselves in a wooden barrel. Tangtang and Guoguo also used the barrel when there were adults, and when there were only the two children, they would use the wooden basin to bath themselves. Xu Ran thought that he should add another bigger basin to his family. Xu Ran led Mr. Hu to the room prepared for him; then they had a wander around the house, making Mr. Hu familiarize himself with this place, and then they took baths when Mr. Hu almost absorbed it. Xu Ran was worried that Mr. Hu would not be able to take a bath by himself, so he wanted to get in with him. However, Mr. Hu was reluctant to let him in no matter how. Xu Ran could only guard outside the door and prepare to rush in if he heard something wrong. However, Mr. Hu was still able to rely on himself, and he didnt give Xu Ran a chance to get in. After the bath, Mr. Hu went to sleep. Xu Ran kept the oil lamp burning in the room all the time, being worried that Mr. Hu was not familiar with the room that he would bump against some solid objects when getting up at night. In his mind, Mr. Hu liked this family very much who treated him better than his own son. The night passed peacefully. The next morning, Xu Ran went to find ten long-term labors. When the strawberry plants were carried back, they could begin to plant them. However, the plants were carried back in batches, and it was estimated that there were only two carts of the plants every day. According to the labors speed, two carts of plants were not enough for them to plant for a day, so Xu Ran decided to let them come over one by one in their order of the distances between their homes and Xu Rans field. No one would say anything about this method. Anyway, every one of them just needed to finish his familys work. Xu Ran took the first family and Mr. Hu to the field with a cart of strawberry plants. Because the holes were already dug, they just needed to scatter the ash in the holes and plant the strawberry. It was spring now and it would rain from time to time so there was no need to water the plants. Xu Ran also knew he was not familiar with the practical planting, so he guided the family through the planting process with Mr. Hu. Given a demonstration several times, the family soon learnt it. Xu Ran also felt secure and left it to them. And he planned to go about his own business after returning home. But Mr. Hu was worried about it and wanted to stand over the labors. Xu Ran couldnt dissuade him, so he let him go. Now Xu Ran was very busy, so he had to cram for the exam of the province since the clock ticked on towards it, not to mention his house which was close to completion. Today was February 8th of the Chinese lunar calendar. And the bricks had been carried for a few days. It was estimated that all the bricks would be in place before February 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar. Xu Ran planned to buy some firecrackers and a few books in the town as well as clothes and shoes for Mr. Hu. Since he had come to their house who was an old man alone, Xu Ran certainly had to take good care of him! Liu Tong booked piglets from a family at the village, which could be carried back in the next few days. He just needed to buy some ducklings in the town. It was just time to raise ducks in spring. It was just that all these things needed money; Xu Ran was so worried! The potatoes hadnt grown up yet, so they couldnt do it even if they want to dig them now and sell them. They probably have to wait until April to dig them out. Fortunately, the money they had earned last year could still last them for a while. They could also earn pocket money when the bamboo shoots grew. Xu Ran sighed and turned to tell Liu Tong that he was going to the town. Chapter 91 When Xu Ran came back from the town, he felt that the gazes from the people in the village looking at him were quite suggestive. He had come back from the entrance of the village. Seeing this scene, he felt that it was better for him to take the road from the back of the village in the future. He didnt expect that there were more people in front of his house and all of them were here to watch the show. Xu Ran waited outside the crowd for a long time but was not able to squeeze in. Just then someone shouted, Xu Ran is back. Everyones attention turned to him, and Xu Ran at last was able to walk to his yard under everyones gaze. In the courtyard, Liu Tong, Mr. Hu and the two children were present. Xu Ran pouted his lips at the crowd outside and asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, whats happening there? Liu Tong grinned helplessly, I dont know who spread that our family has invited a senior man who can plant strawberries home. Thus they not only went to the fields to see the newly planted strawberry seedlings, but also came to visit him outside the house. They didnt say anything but just took a look, so I cannot chase them away. Xu Ran shot a quick look at the audience outside, and found they really didnt have any malice. They just kept staring at Mr. Hu, while the latter one didnt feel it strange to be seen as a monkey. At the moment, he was sitting on the chair and enjoyed himself by closing his eyes. Suddenly, a voice came from the crowd, Xu Ran, I heard that the ten mu of land you just bought was all used to plant strawberries, right? Xu Ran nodded, Yes, its indeed for strawberry planting. May I ask what it is about? Seeing that Xu Ran had answered him, the man asked again, Then did you invite this old man back to help you plant strawberries? Xu Ran nodded, Yes. Then how much do you pay him a month? Xu Ran rolled his eyes and said to himself, What does it have to do with you how much money I give him? After a pause, Xu Ran replied, Well, this is my family affair. I am sorry I cant say anything more. If you have nothing to do here, please go back first! Well still have something to do. That person was blocked by the words family affair, and it was indeed not good for him to continue asking any further questions. After all, all this had nothing to do with them. Hearing this, the people who were just here for fun started to disperse. But some people who didnt want to give up returned after the crowd had disappeared. They then continued asking Xu Ran other relevant questions. Xu Ran was speechless about all these. He tried to send all of them away with unannounced answers. He really didnt want to pay attention to these people. They were too boring. And at the moment, it was a busy farming time. After all the people outside left at last, Xu Ran apologized to Mr. Hu. The old man, however, did not mind it, But Xu Ran, they just came to watch the fun and they didnt disturb me. Dont take it to heart. Xu Ran nodded to show that he understood it. Now, Liu Tong would be busy with everything at home, and Xu Ran had to actively go over the books and prepare for the imperial examination. He hoped to pass the test at one time. After all, no one liked to sit for the test several times. It was such a tiring business. Time flew by and on February 14th, all the strawberry planting work on the ten mu of land was finally finished. Of course the strawberry plants from Mr. Hus place were not enough. Luckily, Xu Ran had collected some strawberry seedlings one after another from somewhere else and they all proved to be very helpful. Besides, Qin Shuwu had also helped to get some seedlings from other places, too. Still, there were two other great helpers who had contributed a lot for the event, Tangtang and Guoguo. They two had collected plenty of ash as fertilizer for the whole land with merely a hundred copper coins. Not only that, they had played better with the children in the village, and they seemed to have become the head of the children, too. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were overjoyed about this. They hugged their two children and kissed them happily. Xu Ran also rewarded the two children with ten taels of silver, letting them keep as pocket money. Every child in the village had got more or less money as a reward, too. The adults didnt expect that their children would get back some money while playing outside. Naturally, they were all very happy. Among them, Wu Meis family were the happiest. Dahu was the eldest child among the children in the village, very strong and ran fast. He had earned 15 pence alone. Although Yueyaer worked slowly, he also got three pence. Wu Mei and the others didnt care about how much money they got actually, but they were glad that their children had grown up. At first, Xu Ran and Liu Tong did not expect that both Tangtang and Guoguo would come up with such a plan for collecting ash. Xu Ran felt that these two children were really smart. If they found a good teacher to teach them, they would be the backbone of the country in the future! However, they now met the trouble that there was not much money left in Xu Rans wallet now. To be more exact, they were now short of money. The total cost of labor and freight was more than the money given to Mr. Hu. In an instant, more than 200 taels of silver went away. Whats more, their family just bought two piglets and twenty ducks. All of these added up to a lot of money in payment. Xu Ran felt distressed when counting all these! But there was no way out. They had to pay for all those. On February 15, with the sound of firecrackers, Xu Rans new house construction was officially started. Everything to be prepared was in place. Everyone present was jubilant. This was the beginning of a happy life for the family, the family members as well as their lifetime. Now their new house was at last under construction. And Xu Rans family began to get busy. The villagers had already prepared the land for raising rice seedlings. Xu Ran knew that vegetables and corn seedlings were raised at about the same time, so he managed to keep pace with everyone there and spread all the vegetable seeds he had bought into the field. However, since there were not many corn seeds, they were treated specially. Piece by piece of land was taken out, and the dung was poured on it. Then sickles were used to draw squares on the land, and then the corn seeds were put down in the soil one by one. Since there was no plastic sheeting in this era, people in the village covered the seedlings with tree branches. At first, they covered them tightly, and they would not take away some branches until the seeds germinated. At first, Xu Ran also wanted to cover the land with those branches, but he changed his mind when he saw the brown paper at home. He realized that he could use the brown paper as plastic sheetingwhich could be taken away after the seeds germinated. Thus, the whole family started to get to work, while Mr. Hu helped to put the corn seeds one by one into the field. Liu Tong was quick and neat. He did all the heavy work, while Xu Ran was giving him a hand. Then he instructed several people who were drawing squares on the land and spread corn seeds. After a days hard work, the whole family had finished planting all the corn seeds, covering them with brown paper and then clapping their hands. The work was thus over. And then, Xu Ran began to concentrate on his preparation for the test. He took Tangtang and Guoguo to read and study together. Liu Tong was busy with all the chores at home and outside. Mr. Hu would help cook pig food if he got up early in the morning. The days were fleeting, and it was March 5th. Liu Tong had prepared early the materials for Xu Rans test and even specially bought tea in the town. As he heard that drinking tea could help to refresh himself, he made a few bamboo knots of tea for Xu Ran to drink. The examination would be held in a town. Though the town was the nearest to their county, called He Shui Town, it had to take Xu Ran two whole days on the way to get there and he needed to find a place to stay in the town, so Xu Ran had to start today. Xu Ran felt reassured to leave the family matters to Liu Tong, but the only trouble now was Mr. Hu. Although he was an old man, there was only Liu Tong, a Geer, as well as two children at home. It was always easy for people to gossip about such a situation. People in the village were always bored and gossiping. Xu Ran and Liu Tong had a discussion about it and decided to send Mr. Hu to Zhuo Yuns house for a few days. When Xu Ran came back, he could take him back again. The strawberry field did not need to be watched every day, so there should be no problem. For this arrangement, Mr. Hu had no any objection, and he knew the town was not far from the Xu Village. Xu Ran had also communicated with Zhuo Yun about this earlier. On the same day, March 5th, Zhuo Yun sent the shopkeeper to receive both Xu Ran and Mr. Hu to the town in the carriage. Foreman Li and the others also knew that Xu Ran was going to sit for the test. Foreman Li kept on assuring him that since he had left the new house construction work to him, he would certainly do it well. After spending these days together, Xu Ran knew the construction team well, so he was not worried about their ability. Still, he asked Wu Mei to come and have a look often. Even though Xu Ran did not tell anyone else about his trip, several friends knew about it. Quite many people came to see him off including the village head. The Xu Village had not got a Xiucai (one who passed the imperial examination at the county level) for some years, and even pupils (people failed in the imperial examinations) were rare. Xu Ran thus was now the hope of their village. Naturally, the village head would come to give him encouragement. Xu Ran helped Mr. Hu get on the carriage while exchanging the usual pleasantrie with the people there. Finally, he repeated his encouragement and exhortation to both Tangtang and Guoguo, and gave Liu Tong another hug. Then he got into the carriage and set off. From the carriage, Xu Ran waved his hand at the people outside, Dont worry about me! I will take good care of myself. Goodbye! As Xu Ran had been out before, Liu Tong was not worried about him, and he believed in Xu Rans ability. As for Tangtang and Guoguo, when they saw their dad went out again and that they couldnt see him for a few days, they felt very down lowering their heads as if they had been bullied by someone. Seeing this, Liu Tong learned from Xu Ran and tried to comfort them. He went forward and stroked their heads, All right. Cheer up. Dad will be back soon. Will you give me a hand at home? Both Tangtang and Guoguo looked up at Liu Tong and then Tangtang asked, Daddy, how many days will dad be away? Mm, maybe seven or eight days! Dad will return before you finish counting up your ten fingers, replied Liu Tong. Uh, well wait for Dad to come back, said Tangtang while Guoguo also nodded by the side. Liu Tong smiled and let the two children enter the house. Here on the carriage, Xu Ran and Mr. Hu just got to the Zhuo Mansion. According to the arrangement with Zhuo Yun, Mr. Hu would stay here until Xu Ran came back from the test. Xu Ran had planned to leave directly, but Zhuo Yun insisted on his staying for dinner. Qin Shuwen also tried to keep him stay. It was indeed ungracious not to accept their hearty invitation, and thus Xu Ran had lunch there and then got into the carriage again for He Shui Town. The carriage had been running on the road for two days and two nights so Xu Ran almost collapsed by the roadside. When they had just come out on the way from the village, the carriage drove steadily because Mr. Hu was present. Later, on the way to He Shui Town, only he and the shopkeeper were left in the carriage, so it was naturally not so steady and got faster. Thus when they reached the place, Xu Ran even felt weak in his legs. The shopkeeper had to wait for Xu Ran to go back together, so he would stay in the town. Otherwise, he would be very tired from running back and forth in such a long distance. The first thing for them to do at the moment was to find an inn first. He Shui Town was much richer than their town, which could be seen from the dressing of the people on the streets. It was already March 7th today, so they had to quickly find a place in the town and then went out to get familiar with the surroundings. The time for the test was approaching. When they at last found a inn to settle down, they had a meal and took a shower. It was about time. Xu Ran then decided to get a good sleep first. The shopkeeper naturally learned from Xu Ran. Chapter 92 He Shui Town had been unusually humming with life these days. Many came to take the imperial exam from the neighboring towns, and therefore there were also a lot more people than usual here. After a good nights sleep, Xu Ran awoke feeling rested and refreshed, and he had breakfast with the shopkeeper before sauntering along the street. He Shui Town had always been designated the place for the exam of the province, so there were many scholars and literati, which was also regarded as a cultural center. Besides the pedestrians and traders on the street, there were only scholars in genteel dress. There were obvious differences between the scholars clothing and ordinary peoples in this world, so the scholars were easily recognized at first glance. Xu Ran didnt like the style of their clothing, so he dressed in the same clothes as usual. The shopkeeper tugged at the corner of Xu Rans garment, Xu Ran, look at them, then look at yourself. Dont you think you look like a peasant? Xu Ran sniffed, Whats wrong with peasants? Or do you look down on them, sir? The shopkeeper rolled his eyes at him, You know thats not what I mean. Since youre here, you have to make a few friends. If you dont change your clothes, who will know that youre here to participate in the exam? Xu Ran thought he was right and said to the shopkeeper, Then lets go to buy a piece of clothing! As Xu Ran said, he began to look for a dress shop by the roadside. He thought the traders should be selling clothes these days if they were the businessmen. Although there were a lot of poor scholars, some of them also liked to keep up appearances . After walking for a while, Xu Ran saw a dress shop called He Yue, and he immediately pulled the shopkeeper in. Is there any set of clothes in scholars style, sir? Xu Ran called the merchant who was balancing the books after he entered. The merchant thought Xu Ran was born with a silver spoon as he looked handsome with an old man like a servant next to him, so he immediately came out to greet him, Hello! Are you here to participate in the exam? What style of dress do you want? Even though I do say it myself, we have the widest variety of styles of clothing suiting scholars around the whole He Shui Town Xu Ran strongly felt that all the merchants were talkative. Looking at the merchant that was about to continue talking, Xu Ran stopped him in time, Sir, give me a piece of clothing with the bamboo painted on the chest. The style of Gongsun Ce (the literary character who is kind-hearted and quick-witted in the dress of scholars style in a Chinese fiction)! How about putting on a hat? Maybe I could become a brilliant man like Gongsun Ce! Xu Ran just imagined it a wee bit and couldnt stand the thought. When the merchant heard Xu Rans words, he really found a piece of clothing painted with the bamboo on the chest. Xu Ran took it out of the merchant and looked at it. It was not very similar to the real bamboo, but it also looked nice. He shook the clothes in his hand and asked the merchant, Sir, is there a fitting room in your shop? Yes, yes. Please come here, the merchant hurriedly drew back the room flaps and let Xu Ran in, which humanized the process of shopping Xu Ran went in and changed his clothes. Then he took the original ones in his hand. When he went out, he did a twirl in his new dress and asked, Does this dress suit me? The two shopkeepers outside nodded frequently. Without a mirror, Xu Ran couldnt surveyed himself. However, as they all nodded, Xu Ran felt that the dress shouldnt be any worse, so he said to merchant of the dress shop, Alright, Ill take this one. How much is it? Sir, I must say that you have a good taste. You look really good in such a proper dress. How about two taels of silver? The merchant said with the expression which seemed that he would suffer loses. Xu Ran turned his head to the shopkeeper who understood what Xu Ran meant and immediately stepped forward to bargain with the merchant. Both of them were experienced. In the end, the dress was paid one tael and three mace of silver by Xu Ran. Before leaving the shop, Xu Ran saw the painful face of the merchant and felt a little funny. As Xu Ran walked along the street in his clothes in scholars style, he suddenly attracted a lot more admiring glances than usual. but Xu Ran didnt know why. Xu Ran walked down the street, while the passers-by were staring at him as if he was a monkey. Not until his patience finally snapped did the shopkeeper told him that it was because of the clothes. Xu Ran was not unattractive. Wearing the clothes in scholars style made him look mild-mannered with decorum. If such a charming person appeared on the street, even the guys should cast looks at him, apart from the Geers. Xu Ran pulled his clothes and felt that he should have been possessed by the soul of Mr. Gongsun, so he started to be pretentious, smiling with erect head and straight back, which charmed a lot of passers-by. At noon, Xu Ran went to the restaurant with the shopkeeper. There were a lot of people in the dress of scholars style. They should all be here to take part in the exam. When they saw Xu Ran come in, they were a little shocked. But they quickly recovered their composure. Anyway, as scholars, it was necessary for them to keep reserved. The restaurant was filled to overflowing that there was no spare table in it. The shopkeeper intended to let Xu Ran cultivate these scholars, so he didnt ask for a private room. Xu Ran also felt that it was no big deal to eat with others, so he found a table with only two people and walked over. He knocked on the table. When he saw the two of them looking up at him, he made a bow and said, May I have lunch with you, gentlemen? There are only my uncle and me. The two of them were also dressed in the clothes of scholars style. They looked at Xu Ran in the similar dress with the shopkeeper standing beside him and nodded assent, Please sit here, gentlemen! Xu Ran thanked them and sat down with the shopkeeper. After the waiter saw the two of them sitting down, he deftly stepped forward to ask them what they were going to eat. Xu Ran had never been to this restaurant and there was no menu that he needed to recite, so Xu Ran was hesitating about the choice. Looking at the two people eating silently opposite him, Xu Ran whispered, Gentlemen, is there any delicious dish you can recommend me? I dont quite know about it for its my first time here. The two of them originally wanted to ignore Xu Ran, but they had to answer him now that he had asked them. They told a few dishes that they thought were good. Xu Ran nodded and thanked. Then he told the dishes to the waiter who quickly ran away after remembering the menu. Now that they were all sitting at the same table, it was not proper for him to keep silent. Xu Ran started to talk with them, including where they came from, if they were here to take the exam and how long they had been here. Anyway, Xu Ran asked everything he could possibly think of. One of the two was fine, while the other was extremely talkative. When Xu Ran talked with them, the talkative one went into a long monologue with him. In a short while, there was little for him to talk anymore. The talkative one was called Lin Hua, while the other was Zhao Chen. Both of them were the natives of He Shui Town who often dined at the restaurant. Because of being uneducated, the two were forced to go to school. Their exams had been delayed for a few years, and they couldnt delay anymore this year. So they had to prepare for the exam of the province. The two of them had also got married, but they had no children yet. Xu Ran regarded them for a moment but didnt think that they were uneducated. Lin Hua explained, My father instead of ourselves said we are uneducated. Apart from being good-for-nothing and hating going to school, there is nothing bad with us. Xu Ran understood it. Maybe all the elders thought about the children who were poor performers at school this way. He said to Lin Hua, Its really not easy for you to be misunderstood. Zhao Chen also nodded rarely. In a short while, the dishes that Xu Ran ordered were served. It was no big deal to have a meal together since they had revealed everything to him. The two of them also didnt regard Xu Ran as an outsider, so they started to have the dishes that had just been served. They were chatting as they ate. With these two natives, Xu Ran quickly became familiar with He Shui Town. After lunch, the three of them seemed to have a sympathetic feeling for each other. Xu Ran looked at the two in front of him and an idea suddenly floated into his mind. Although they were not really cut out for studying, they must have broad connections at their home. It shouldnt be difficult to do business with them, and Xu Ran was just currently short of money. Xu Ran rubbed his chin and felt that he needed to think it over. After lunch, Xu Ran took leave of them and said that he wanted to go back to review the books. As soon as the two heard Xu Ran was going to review, they immediately told him to leave quickly, not even letting him ask for the bill. Xu Ran smiled and left with the shopkeeper. After they left, the shopkeeper asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, are you still going to saunter? Xu Ran shook his head. No, lets go back to the inn first. I really want to review. Xu Ran really wanted to review the books because he knew that he would be distracted no matter what he was thinking. So he decided not to think about anything. After the exam, it was also not late to think about it. Anyway, there were only a few days before the exam. Xu Ran hadnt gone out ever since he came back. When he was hungry, he asked the waiter to serve him with food in the room, and he spent the rest of the time reading the books in the room. Instead, the shopkeeper lived happily; he sauntered around the town alone and was familiar with all the roads. Time marched on and it was February 9th of the Chinese lunar calendar now. Xu Ran, who was cramming for the exam, also had learnt something in his mind. With the knowledge learnt in modern times, it was estimated that he should have no problem passing the exam. Xu Ran got up early and rushed to the examination hall led by the shopkeeper. C Chapter 93 Before entering the examination room, every examinee always needed to go over a body-search first. Actually not so many of them wanted to cheat in the examination only for pupils, but still some examinees couldnt avoid cheating. They hid their notes in various ways; some even hid them among their hair. Worse still, some people would boldly write some keys on their arms. Xu Ran touched his nose and felt that these people were too stupid. They even had no idea that the words written with a writting brush were so big there that others would see them easily. Besides, even if they could muddle through, how could they know if they would get that content for the keys? In fact, if it were in modern times when the papers were needed to answer with a ball-point pen, and things would be different. A small piece of paper could contain a lot of content inside. In such a case, it would really be useful when even a small piece of paper was brought in. When it was Xu Rans turn, he went through the body-search honestly, and did everything cooperatively as he was instructed like turning around, raising his hand. Xu Ran passed the check smoothly and entered the examination room. There were already many people inside. Xu Ran saw Lin Hua and Zhao Chen sitting in the corner. Lin Hua waved at him with a smile and Xu Ran nodded to show his greetings. Then he found his seat and sat down to wait for their invigilator. Having not taken any test for a long time, Xu Ran felt a little nervous. This feeling was just like when he took the college entrance examination in modern times. It was very quiet in the examination room. Maybe it was because people present didnt know each other that no one made a sound. Only a few of them were still reciting something in a low voice. Soon, an invigilator came in with a scroll in his hand. He first stressed the rules of the exam, and then he checked every examinees desk. At last, he opened the scroll. There were only a few words on the list, In all walks of life, filial piety first. Ancient sages all said that filial piety was the first, but this filial piety also had several types. In Xu Rans opinion, everyone should be filial, but not blindly filial. The ancients also said that since ancient times it was hard to be both loyal and filial at the same time. Therefore, filial piety was not so easy for one to observe. After showing the scroll to the examinees, the invigilator began to speak, I believe you have seen that todays topic is filial piety first. This is your test item. As todays invigilator, thats what I would remind you. Please start the test now! The imperial examination here was not the same as what Xu Ran had known. Here, the total examination time was three days, including six subjects, two subjects a day. The subjects to be examined were Thesis, Historical Records and The Four Books. The only thing that was the same was The Four Books. The Thesis was simple but also difficult, and it was hard to judge. Therefore, many people began to whisper and sigh. Hearing the voices from below, the invigilator banged the table and shouted, Silence! Answer your paper. Apart from the difficulty in the writing of ancient Chinese, Xu Ran thought he was OK. He always believed that people should be filial, but not blindly filial. As for the issue of loyalty and filial piety, people should understand the reason that no country, no home. After thinking about the topic for a while, Xu Ran picked up his writing brush and wrote quickly. The other examinees also began to quieten down and answered the papers in front of them. The examination time of each subject was two hours. Xu Ran finished writing his paper in about an hour. He didnt know whether he was allowed to hand in his paper in advance, and the invigilator didnt mention that, either. Thus, he could only bend over the desk and play with his writing brush. He wanted to spin the writing brush, but there was still ink on it. If it was spinned, the ink would be splashed everywhere, which would affect many people around him who were still immersed in the examination. Seeing that Xu Ran didnt look around, the invigilator just let him be. He didnt expect that there would be any excellent examinee to appear in the examination room here. If there was any, he believed they wouldnt be here, but went to have the test in the county. At last, time was up. Xu Ran was the first to actively hand in his paper, after which he walked out with ease. However, he did not leave right away. Instead, he stood at the door waiting for Lin Hua and others. As soon as Lin Hua came out, he complained, Xu Ran, I cant write a lot of words even though I can say them. I cant pass the test. This is the first subject only! Oh, my! Xu Ran was confused, too, This can not be compared. What you say is one thing while what you write is different. Xu Ran then took a look at Zhao Chen. Though he didnt say anything, he looked not happy, either. After some hesitation, Xu Ran asked Zhao Chen, You also dont know how to write? After quite some while, Zhao Chen nodded stiffly. Xu Ran touched his forehead. At last, he understood why these two people did not look like good-for-nothing young men at all, but they were scolded by their fathers for being ignorant and incompetent. They really had neither learning nor skill, completely ignorant in knowledge. Looking at Lin Huas gloomy face, Xu Ran could say nothing. He could only pat him on the shoulder to comfort him. Considering that there was still a test in the afternoon, Xu Ran planned to go back and have a good nap after lunch so that he would be in high spirit in the afternoon. He asked Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, Are you ready to go home or go to eat first? Lin Hua glanced at Zhao Chen and replied, Im not going back. Ill be scolded if going back now. Id better go back later at night! Zhao Chen also nodded, indicating that he would do the same as Lin Hua. Then lets go and find a place to eat! Xu Ran suggested while going outside. The rest of the people were all away from the examination house. Only they three were still there at the door. After coming out, they found the shopkeeper was already waiting there. Xu Ran greeted him. When the shopkeeper got near, Xu Ran said, Lets go and find a place to eat first. Well go back to the inn later. Of course, the shopkeeper wouldnt say anything about this idea. So, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen led the way in front of them, while Xu Ran and the shopkeeper followed behind. They quickly found a restaurant. Actually, Xu Ran did not intend to go to a restaurant for lunch. After all, he was now in short of money, but Lin Hua waved his hand and said generously, Its my treat. Naturally, Xu Ran liked this idea and followed him. There in the restaurant, Lin Hua not only ordered the food but also paid the bills in the end. Xu Ran and the shopkeeper only occasionally chatted with them when they were eating. Xu Ran found Lin Hua was loyal to friends and that he would not look down on the poor. He believed that if Lin Hua could be a partner in business, it should be good. As for Zhao Chen, although he had few words, he had a good relationship with Lin Hua. Xu Ran thought that he was worth trying, too. Xu Ran had a rough idea about these two peoples character during this good meal, after which he went back with the shopkeeper to their inn to have a rest. In the following test, Xu Ran began to find a way out. The test items were not difficult, and in Xu Rans opinion, they were also very practical. As Lin Hua said, the test builder this time was the crown prince. Xu Ran told himself that this crown prince should be a good emperor in the future for the state and for the people. Three days passed and the test was finally over. After walking out of the examination room, Xu Ran stretched lazily. This was really similar to the college entrance examinations. If there was a book at hand, he might have torn it into pieces. Of course, there were two people who were happier than him. Lin Hua neednt to be mentioned. Even Zhao Chen was obviously happy this time. Xu Ran told them after the second test. They didnt need any profound words and they could try to express themselves straightforwardly. They should only remember not to say anything out of bounds. Of course, both of them knew the simple words. After taking Xu Rans suggestion, they improved their test strategy. Later, they might have done well in the test. Now it depended on how their papers would be scored. At last, the test was over, and they both were just like the birds released from their cages. They were so excited that they insisted Xu Ran go to drink with them. Xu Ran quickly waved his hand, Its unnecessary to drink, but its OK to talk about business. Lin Hua looked at Xu Ran and asked in confusion, Business? What kind of business? Who are you talking to? Being asked such a series of questions, Xu Ran chuckled, Of course, Im talking to you. As for what business, youll know soon. Lets go! Lets go and find a place to have a talk. As Xu Ran said this, he walked forward. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen looked at each other and then nodded before they followed behind. Xu Ran deliberately didnt ask the shopkeeper to pick him up today because he wanted to have a good talk with them two. Xu Ran had his own plans. He did not wish to take an official career or go into the business field. He just wanted to be a farmer quietly. Although it was slow to earn money by farming for a living, it depended on how he did it. He planned to develop and grow a large number of fruits. After the strawberries were grown successfully, he would start to buy more hills and plant other fruits. Even if the fruit was not a rare thing, people had to eat some of it. Besides, he was going to grow chestnuts and almonds. He believed the future fruit would be so large in quantity that Qin Shuwu could not undertake all the sales for him. Fortunately, the He Shui Town was far away from the Xu Village, so it would not have too much impact on them. In the restaurant, Xu Ran asked for a private room and ordered a few signature dishes. After all the food were served on the table, Xu Ran began to talk to the two men about his business. Xu Ran stated his plan. He admitted though at the moment, he would not be able to earn money from other things, he could sell chili paste for money. In addition, he could make some fermented bean curd, dried tofu and so on. In fact, the only product that Xu Ran could guarantee to make money was his own chili paste, because no one could compete with him for the time being. As for fermented bean curd and dried tofu, neither of them had heard of it, so he could describe their prospects freely. Lin Hua asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, we havent heard of this kind of things before. Can you sell them out? You dont have to worry about this. Ive sold chili paste in my town. Most people like to eat it. As for the other two products, just because no one has ever eaten them, they will try them. Zhao Chen had been silent since he came into the restaurant. He suddenly asked, What do you want us to do then? Xu Ran knew that Zhao Chen was a calm person with a delicate mind and swift brain, except that he was not good at learning. Yeah, Lin Hua also echoed. Xu Ran stretched out his hand and knocked on the table, Arent there shops in your family? You just find a shop and its location doesnt have to be good. You just help me collect some chili and soybeans. Later, I will send you the first products after they are made. Since then, you will find someone to come for the delivery of the new products. As for how often you should come, you decide. Okay? Hearing what Xu Ran said, both of them fell silent. After a while, Zhao Chen asked, How to calculate the share? I get 30% while you two share 70%. How about it? You are doing a good job in this business with no cost, Zhao Chen said with a smile. Xu Ran did not take it seriously, What do you think of it? All right, just a thirty-seventy ratio. You make a list and tell us how many things you want, we can get them for you, Zhao Chen didnt respond, but Lin Hua answered cheerfully. Xu Ran stood up and reached out his hand, In that case, lets have a happy cooperation. Although Lin Hua didnt understand the meaning of their handshaking, both of them still stretched out their hands. Thus their three hands overlapped for a while and then separated. In this way, a cooperation agreement had been reached. After sitting down again, Xu Ran continued, Dont tell others about this matter first. There are so many people outside that they may leak the information. As long as we work quickly and get the store ready before the list of our test is released, you will certainly not be punished by your family law. Both of them thought about it and nodded assent. Xu Ran continued, You need to speed up your collection of chilies and soybeans. I have to rush home because my family is still building a new house, and only my spouse and two children are at home. I am worried about them. In addition, I will pay you one hundred taels of silver before I leave, and you can regard it as the advance payment for my purchase of your goods. Its also reassuring you in the business. When I bring you the chili paste, you can return it to me. Just as Xu Rans voice fell, Lin Hua replied, Theres no need for that. We can still take out one hundred taels of silver. Besides, well work together. We must trust you. Although weve not been together for long, from my years of experience in reading people, I know you are a good person. Both Xu Ran and Zhao Chen were confused at hearing the saying of from my years of experience in reading people, they both wondered how he coud say this only after his limited living years. In Zhao Chens opinion, it should be said that his years of experience in idling away seeking pleasure. Still, Zhao Chen agreed with Lin Hua. He nodded, Lin Hua is right. If you really want to run away with those things, we will just lose that little money. Naturally, we will not deal with you again. We trust you, and we will send you those things. As for the money, youd better keep it! Xu Ran was touched by their trust. He raised his cup and said, In that case, I wont say anything further. You can wait to count money in the future. Well, lets toast for our cooperation. Cheers! Lin Hua raised his cup. Cheers! Zhao Chen also raised his. Then they three tossed off their cups. Chapter 94 Lin Hua and Zhao Chen worked very fast. They said that they would send the things to Xu Ran the next day, and it indeed was done on the next evening. Chilies were not easy to find in this season, so they didnt get much. However, they found a lot of soybeans. Xu Ran thought that there was still chili paste at home, which could support his family until the new chili harvest. In addition, he could add some little fish or chicken into it so that he was also able to make a lot of paste. The carriage was just filled with these things that Xu Ran couldnt buy and put anything more in it. Xu Ran planned to go home tomorrow. Then at night, he took the shopkeeper to have a slap-up meal with Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, which was regarded as the business talk over the dinner table. Then they drank the wine and exchanged banalities for a while. By the time they parted, they were already a little drunk. After Xu Ran and the shopkeeper returned to the inn, they immediately fell asleep. Then they certainly got up late because of being hungover. When Xu Ran woke up, the sun had already risen, which put the mockers on the plan of getting up early. And the shopkeeper was still asleep. He quickly sprang from the bed, got dressed, asked the waiter for water to wash his face, and then went to wake the shopkeeper up. The two of them went downstairs and had breakfast in a hurry before preparing the carriage for going back. Because they had told Lin Hua and Zhao Chen yesterday not to see them off for they would leave early this day, Xu Ran estimated that they were still asleep. After all, they were really drunk. The shopkeeper also had prepared the solid food for the journey. This time, he had just accompanied Xu Ran on the trip to take the exam and was very competent. The carriage would take two days jolting and rattling over the ground. Besides, there were so many more things than usual inside, which made the carriages height much heavier than before. Xu Ran was also not comfortable sitting in the carriage, so he decided to get out and drive with the shopkeeper. Fortunately, it was not so cold in March. It was already green with new growth along the roadside where the buds were sprouting. The cherry tree was also full of green leaves, which had produced little fruits. In March, the peach blossom was really beautiful. The peach trees which grew wild or planted by families were in blossom in rows along the roadside, which looked very pretty. The rape flowers were growing well. And there were many places divided into pieces of land. Xu Ran knew it was the hope of farmers this year in those places, which was also known as rice. It was a good time of year as well as a good hope of people. On March 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar, ten days after leaving home, Xu Ran finally returned to Xu Village. It was already dusk, and light rain began to fall, as if helping the travelers who would return home get the grime off their body. Xu Ran and the shopkeeper started to unload the luggage from the carriage. The sound of their action was a little loud that the people in the house realized it. The construction team had already wrapped up the work, so Xu Ran didnt see where they were. Tangtang and Guoguo in the house realized there was movement outside, and they immediately ran out and shouted, Dad! Liu Tong also went out behind them. Xu Ran caught the two children who were running towards him and tightly held them in both arms. He gave them big kisses on their foreheads; then he just looked up at Liu Tong. Liu Tong stood in the yard and watched them with a smile. Before Xu Ran could say anything to Liu Tong, the people of the construction team over yonder also emerged from the hut. They all greeted Xu Ran enthusiastically and Xu Ran also responded to them one by one. Then Geers called Xu Ran to have dinner together later. They talked for a long time and Xu Ran was standing in the rain whose clothes was almost wet, and it was the shopkeeper who came to get him out of trouble. Gentlemen, please let the couple have a talk. Dont you see him standing in the yard for a long time? His words were greeted by other hoots of laughter, which made Liu Tong and Xu Ran feel a little embarrassed. However, when the shopkeeper finished, these people indeed didnt talk to Xu Ran; instead, they pulled the shopkeeper away. Xu Ran led the two children towards Liu Tong. Then the family walked into the house. Although Tangtang and Guoguo stood in the rain for a while, they didnt get wet for it was raining lightly, so Liu Tong didnt change their clothes; he just asked them to crouched around by the fire for a while. Tangtang and Guoguo had just seen Xu Ran so they wouldnt go anywhere for they just wanted to stay with Xu Ran. Then Xu Ran just simply followed them near the fire that his body was also a little wet. Liu Tong thoughtfully went to take out a handkerchief and dried Xu Rans hair, listening to the chat of the father and his two kids. A familys life would be nothing better than it The next day Xu Ran was inevitably interrogated. Especially the people of the construction team were always curious about a place where they had never been, even Liu Tong, Tangtang and Guoguo were eagerly looking forward to listening to Xu Ran. Last night, Xu Ran didnt have a good rest during a two-day trip by carriage, so he slept early after dinner that he almost hadnt told anything to them. Therefore, it was certainly inevitable for him to be interrogated now. Luckily, Xu Ran escaped from the interrogation on the pretext of going to Zhuo Yuns house with the shopkeeper to take Mr. Hu home. Xu Rans leaving could be regarded as a humiliating escape, and after getting in the carriage, he was still under stress. These people are too terrifying. Fortunately, others in the village still dont know my return. At this moment, the shopkeeper suddenly poured cold water on his thought. When you take Mr. Hu home, everyone in the village will know youre back. Lets see how you could escape from them at that time. Xu Ran trembled when he imagined the scene. What should I do then? They are too many And his sons and spouse all didnt help him, what a pitiful man he was Xu Ran had completely lost the zest, sitting in the carriage and contemplating the methods to deal with the trouble. But the state didnt continue for long. When he arrived at Zhuo Yuns house, Xu Ran was restored as usual with a smile. Zhuo Yun came to meet Xu Ran and greeted him for a while in the doorway before they walked inside. Qin Shuwen and Mr. Hu were talking in the living room, attended by several servants beside them. Qin Shuwen was pregnant for four months and his belly was obviously swollen that Zhuo Yun had to keep a round-the-clock vigil at his side worrying if anything happened to him. Mr. Hu was pretty jealous of the lovey-dovey couple. Therefore, when he saw Xu Ran, he regarded him as the savior and was immediately going to leave with him. Zhuo Yun rubbed his nose in embarrassment, Mr. Hu, its not what you say at all. We dont have much experience for its our first child so I have to stay with my spouse all the time. Anyway, are you so determined to leave? Is it because that we care for you bad? Mr. Hu was an honest peasant. How could he bandy words with Zhuo Yun, a businessman? He could only shook hands. And he was nervous and started to gabble. Xu Ran came to make up for Mr. Hus embarrassment. Well, do you know the tradition of respecting the old and taking care of the young, Zhuo Yun? How could you embarrass him? Youre right, Mr. Hu realized it and also started to criticize Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun turned to look at Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwen just crossed his arms and was watching them, not showing the slightest inclination to help. Zhuo Yun knew that he was unreasonable, so he had to apologize to Mr. Hu, which was greeted by hoots of laughter. Xu Ran was left at the lunch table by Zhuo Yun before going back. Then he asked Xu Ran about Heshui Town. Zhuo Yun often went out for business and had been to many places, so he didnt appeared surprised at his words. Instead, Qin Shuwen and Mr. Hu were listening to Xu Ran with great interest. It was okay for Mr. Hu to be like this. But Qin Shuwen was also similar to Mr. Hu, which made Zhuo Yun become a little envious. So he said jealously, I have been to so many places but youre not curious about them. Isnt it just He Shui Town? Whats the big deal anyway? A slight feeling of aggrieving mingled with his words. Qin Shuwen rolled his eyes at him. Have you told me about those things? It didnt seem that he had. Zhuo Yun thought about it for a while, and he indeed did not seem to have told him because every time he returned, he just centered around Qin Shuwen asking him if he had had enough, if he wanted to go out or if he liked the things. And he really did not mention anything new to him. Zhuo Yun silently reflected on it and he immediately promised Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, from now on, I will tell you as well as our child the novelties every day. How do you think? The flattery was obvious in his words, which made Xu Ran and Mr. Hu feel jealous. Xu Ran was about to leave this place after lunch. He really missed Liu Tong now! Yes, it had been more than ten days since he slept with him. He really missed it, and he especially wanted Tongtong to have a baby in his belly! Xu Ran also started to imagined it himself. After lunch, Xu Ran and Mr. Hu were about to go back to Xu Village. Zhuo Yun asked the shopkeeper to see them off. Xu Ran felt that it was a bother that the shopkeeper would wear himself out since he had followed him for a long time as well as he was old. And Xu Ran thought that his family could just buy a carriage; anyway, the horses would also graze. There was a wide uncultivated land near his house. Wasnt it easy to cut grass for the horses? Besides, he also needed to use the grass, which was much more convenient. Having spent a lot of money, Xu Ran felt that there was no need to save such little expense, so he told Zhuo Yun his thoughts. Zhuo Yun also agreed. He tapped Xu Ran on his shoulder and said, In my opinion, you should have bought it so before. You must go to the town often in the future. Its inconvenient for you to walk or borrow other peoples ox carts. And it would be quick and convenient for your family to have a carriage. Isnt it good? Anyway, a carriage would only cost less than 50 taels of silver. Xu Ran was shocked. It is typically what a wealthy person would say. Are fifty taels of silver a trifling sum? Enough is enough! I could only regard it as a trifling sum when I was richest in my lifetime, okay? Chapter 95 They were Zhuo Yun, Xu Ran and the shopkeeper who were going to buy the carriage. The shopkeeper was familiar with horses. And Zhuo Yun had been a businessman for so many years who also knew a little about this field. Anyway, he would be better than Xu Ran, a layman who knew nothing about buying a carriage. A strong tall black horse caught Zhuo Yuns fancy. According to the trader who owned the horse, it was a horse that had retired from the army. Because the horse was injured, it couldnt fight on the battlefield again, and they didnt have the heart to kill it. So they just sold the horse to ordinary families, and now it belonged to him. Xu Ran liked this horse a lot too. Besides it was imposing, he thought that it would definitely be strong enough for long-distance riding since it had been to the battlefield. Xu Ran stroked its head and asked the trader, Sir, how much is your horse? You have also viewed the horse, sir. Although it is a retired old horse, it is better than all the others in my stable. Ill give it to you for this price, the trader stretched out his hand and made a gesture. It was fifty taels of silver, which could be enough to buy a superior horse. After all, this horse certainly couldnt justify the price because it had been wounded that it couldnt be loaded with heavy weights or used for long-distance riding. Before Xu Ran could say anything, Zhuo Yun stepped forward and said to the trader, You are extorting from us and taking advantage of us for we havent bought a horse, arent you? Ive met innumerable good horses when doing business, and Ive never heard of someone who charged such a price for a horse like you. Tell me, exactly how much is the horse? Zhuo Yun acted as if they were determined to buy this horse and the trader should be careful of being beaten if he quoted the price casually, which could be compared to a bully. Zhuo Yun really frightened the trader. The trader just didnt think they had any experience of buying or breeding horses, so he dared to quote such a price. Who would have thought that they had run business and were experienced? The trader immediately put a finger down, Then how about this price? Zhuo Yun didnt answer; he just glared at him silently. The trader shivered for no apparent reason before putting his another finger down. Thats my rock bottom price. Zhuo Yun shook his head, Its not on. Unless you give another cart to us, or I wont buy this horse anymore or let my friends buy anything from you if they want horses. Now you have to think it over. It was really a threat, and Zhuo Yun exuded an air of fearing no-one, which frightened the trader. In theory, the person who dared to sell horses should have some wealth that he wouldnt be afraid of Zhuo Yuns words, but there just had been some unexpected things happened to the traders family a few days ago. Therefore, he had been keeping a low profile these days. And when he heard Zhuo Yuns words, he agreed without thinking, being afraid that Zhuo Yun would really proclaim his sharp practice . Xu Ran really picked up a good bargain. And he asked the trader to harness the horse to a cart. After paying the cash, he tapped the trader on the shoulder, wishing him a prosperous business. The trader breathed a full sigh of relief after he saw the three of them off. He was having a really bad day. If there hadnt been anything happened at home, he could have dared to say he could sell the horse at what price he wanted. Thinking about his familys wretched business, he was suddenly taken down a peg. How miserable he was! Xu Ran hadnt driven the carriage by himself yet, so Zhuo Yun let Xu Ran try it first. After all, a horse was not as easy to control as a cow, which was even a docile one. Xu Ran also wanted to try it himself. He had never ridden a horse in modern times that he could only watched enviously as others galloped fine horses forward. At this time, he could finally drive a carriage. Although there was a difference between the reality and his imagination, it was still a horse after all. He had to make do with it. Xu Ran sat in the position of the carriage taking the reins and he let the horse trot slowly. The shopkeeper sat next to Xu Ran and taught him how to ride the horse. After walking slowly for a while, Xu Ran started to master the skills and the carriage also started to speed up. After all, he had the experience of driving the ox cart and therefore learned quickly. Xu Ran safely drove the carriage to the entrance of Zhuo Yuns mansion, and then he was going to help Mr. Hu get in the carriage. Xu Ran patted the horses head and proudly said to Mr. Hu, Mr. Hu, we also have a carriage. In the future, I can take you wherever you like. Whoopee, are you happy?. Yes, of course. Mr. Hu was also a little excited. It was not because of the carriage, but because Xu Ran completely treated him as a family member when saying the words. Xu Ran giggled, then helped Mr. Hu get into the carriage. He sat in the drivers seat and waved goodbye to Zhuo Yun and the others. Then he waved the whip in his hand. Hia! Xu Ran successfully drove the carriage back to Xu Village. When he reached the edge of the village, Xu Ran saw Tangtanga and Guoguo as well as four dogs stood in a line waiting for him. Since these dogs were taken back before the New Year, they had been grown up until March now. They looked quite mighty from a distance, but as soon as their owner approached, they would start to wag their tails that Xu Ran didnt know where they learnt from. Tangtang and Guoguo shouted and ran over after they saw the carriage. Xu Ran was afraid that the horse would hurt them for being unfamiliar to them, and therefore hurriedly stopped it. Xu Ran jumped off the carriage and placed Tangtang and Guoguo into it. Sit still and I will give you a ride home. Okay, lets go home! Tangtang and Guoguo clapped their little hands in delight and then went into the carriage to talk with Mr. Hu like the birds chirping. Xu Ran smiled happily and sped up the carriage. And the four dogs ran behind the horse. When they came home, the people of the construction team saw that they had changed a new carriage, which was driven by Xu Ran. They couldnt help coming over to look on. Foreman Li didnt say anything but let them walk around the carriage and watch it for a while before asking them to get back to work. Then he sidled up to Xu Ran. Xu Ran, did you buy this carriage? Xu Ran looked at Foreman Li for a while before nodding. Even though Foreman Li had guessed it, he was shocked when Xu Ran told it to him. He also wanted to know where Xu Ran got the money! He just saw that Xu Ran had spent a lot of money without any incomes! Now he still could afford a carriage, which really staggered Foreman Li. Xu Ran looked at his reaction and smiled. Now only he knew the difficulty of his family that they were really strapped for cash. He didnt know if Tongtong would say he was a big spender. Xu Ran ignored Foreman Lis expression of surprise and carried Tangtang and Guoguo off the carriage. Then he helped Mr. Hu get out and let Tangtang and Guoguo help the old man come into the house. After having been sitting in the carriage for a long time, it was time to have a good rest; after all, he was an old man. When Foreman Li saw Mr. Hu, he immediately recovered his composure and greeted Mr. Hu. Mr. Hu smiled, waving a friendly greeting and followed Tangtang and Guoguo into the house. On the other side, Xu Ran started to unload the carriage. Because he was not so skilled at it for the first time, he spent a lot of time on it. So Foreman Li just looked at the horse so enviously that he wished to take it home. After Xu Ran unloaded the carriage, he saw Foreman Lis greedy expression. (Hm, this was just his thought) Then he showed great mercy to let Foreman Li touch his horse. Xu Ran looked at the black horse in front of him and named it Big Black in his mind. Xu Ran said to Foreman Li, Mr. Li, you can touch Big Blacks head. He wont kick you. The black horse suddenly snorted when he heard Xu Ran call him Big Black, being disgusted with the name, which sounded really unpleasant. Xu Ran ignored his resistance and called him Big Black repeatedly. He even threatened not to feed him if it didnt agree with the name. This kind of behavior was really unashamed. Even a horse would be bullied by him that Foreman Li also couldnt stand his behavior. After unloading the carriage, Xu Ran just found that the cart was outside the yard. The horse could be led in, but how about the cart? Could it walk by itself? Xu Ran felt it was wrong, and then he was about to harness the horse to the cart. Foreman Li hurriedly stopped him, Well, you neednt to harness him. Ill carry the cart into the yard with you. Its only a short distance. By the way, Im wondering if you become silly after taking the exam. Why are you acting a little strangely? Xu Ran strongly approved of Foreman Lis words. He also felt that he needed to reflect on himself. Xu Ran and Foreman Li carried the cart into the yard. Liu Tong was not at home who probably was busy with other things. After Xu Ran led Big Black near the pigsty behind and tied him, he went into the house to find a large piece of oiled paper and covered the cart with it to protect it from the rain. Guoguo and Tangtang were sitting by the side of the fire pit, talking with Mr. Hu. Mr. Hu was in a good mood. The two little guys also liked Mr. Hu and kept jabbering away. Xu Ran went over and asked Tangtang and Guoguo, Tangtang, Guoguo, where has your Daddy gone? Tangtang turned back and said to Xu Ran, Dad, Daddy went to cut the grass for pigs. He said that he would cut more because he was afraid of the rain. He told me to wait for you at home with Guoguo. He also told that you just need to prepare the meal at home instead of looking for him. Alright, he just assigned all the tasks. Xu Ran also wasnt going to look for Liu Tong. He added a bundle of firewood into the fire and went to rinse the rice and cook the meal. Xu Ran did it so quickly that he didnt become rusty although he hadnt cooked for a long time. Their family had also not eaten the meal alone for a long time that they always ate with the construction team. Xu Ran went to the kitchen to look at the cutting board. There was lean meat, two turnips and a bundle of turnip leaves on it. Last year, they hadnt planted many vegetables, and now there wasnt much to eat that they could only cook a few kinds of dishes repeatedly. Xu Ran thought that the vegetable seedlings at home had probably been planted by Liu Tong. He didnt know about the corn seeds, it was also time for him to take a look. Thinking of it, Xu Ran increased his speed. Chapter 96 After cooking, Xu Ran looked at the sky outside and found that it would rain again. When they had come back, it had been almost four p.m. After he cooked the meal, it was almost five. Having guessed that Liu Tong must have cut lots of pigweed outside in the whole afternoon, Xu Ran placed the food on the table, then found a pack basket and asked, Tangtang, do you know where your daddy has gone to cut pigweed? It will rain. I want to bring your daddy home. The place where you cut pigweed last time. Dad, go there quickly! Dont care about us. Tangtang started to ask Xu Ran to leave as soon as he finished talking, afraid that Liu Tong would get caught in the rain. Xu Ran said with a smile, Got it. You guys have dinner first. You dont have to wait for us. After finishing his words, he went outside with a pack basket on his back and closed the bamboo fence of the yard behind him. The place where he had cut pigweed last time was a little far away from their home. Xu Ran had just been there a few times before, but he had never been there again later. From afar, he saw a person cutting something with his back bent. The sickle in his hand was being moved fast, and a lot of cut grass was beside him. Xu Ran walked over and said, Tongtong. Liu Tong stood straight and looked back, saying, Why are you here, Ran? I asked Tangtang and Guoguo to tell you to just stay at home to cook, didnt I? Xu Ran went over and wiped away the small drops of sweat on his forehead. The meal is ready. I found that it would rain and estimated that you must have cut a lot of pigweed in the whole afternoon but would never be able to carry it back alone, so Im here. What? Dont you feel happy? Liu Tong shook his head hurriedly and said, Youve been on the carriage for a few days, and you also went to pick up Mr. Hu in town today, so I was afraid you would get too tired! You really think Im weak! Besides, I also had a sound sleep last night. How could I be tired? Compared with me, youve been busy with the internal and external affairs of our family all these days while I was away. You had a tough time. Liu Tong shook his head and said, It was not tough. Xu Ran pinched his cheek that was not fair and said, All right, lets go back! If it doesnt rain, we can come to cut grass tomorrow. It is the same. Im coming with you. Im afraid I will be too busy to come here tomorrow. Ive planted all the vegetable seedlings, but I didnt dare to deal with the corn seedlings. Their growth shows that it is just right to plant them these days. Tomorrow we should begin cleaning the radish field and then plant the corn seedlings. Right, I think so, too. Almost all the radishes in the field have been pulled out, but Im afraid we will have to sow a few vegetable seeds this year, otherwise we wont have enough vegetables to eat then. When I go to town someday, Ill get some from Zhuo Yuns place and bring them home. Liu Tong nodded and said, OK. The two put the pigweed into their pack baskets while talking. Although they had filled up the two big pack baskets, they had just put half of the grass in. Sure enough, his Tongtong had high work efficiency! They had made two trips before carrying all the pigweed home. After returning home, Liu Tong took a handful of grass to the chicken coop and duck pen and then scooped up some pigweed from the pot to feed the pigs. When he saw the black horse beside the pigpen, Liu Tong was surprised. He guessed that it should be theirs, not Zhuo Yuns familys. He also remembered those few big bags that Xu Ran had unloaded from the carriage yesterday when he had returned home. Since Xu Ran hadnt told him what they were, he hadnt cared about him, so now they were still in the shed where their sundries were placed. Surely, the horses fodder should not be the same as the pigs, so Liu Tong took some of the chickens and ducks green grass to it. Afraid of strangers, the horse turned to anyone who gave it food. Seeing the green grass in Liu Tongs hand, it even rubbed against him before starting to eat. Seeing its intimate look, Liu Tong couldnt help feeling delighted and reached out to touch it. Xu Ran had been waiting for Liu Tong to eat. After back home, the latter had been busy with all kinds of things, and Xu Ran didnt know how to help him. Thus, he could only sit at the table and ask Tangtang and Guoguo about their daddys daily work schedule. Tangtang and Guoguo told him his tasks one by one. From the moment of getting up in the morning, he had to boil grass for their pigs, clean up the chicken coop, feed the pigs, cut green grass, cook meals, sweep the floor, and so on. If all of them were put together, they were more than ten tasks. Xu Ran sighed and felt that he had been raised so well that he knew nothing about human life and farm work. Xu Ran waited for Liu Tong for a long time but still didnt see him. Seeing that he had just gone out with a bucket of pigweed, Xu Ran guessed that he was going to feed the pigs. He walked toward the pigpen but saw Big Black eating green grass while licking the palm of his spouse in a way of currying favor. Tongtong didnt withdraw his hand but touched Big Black. Lord, the stinky horse is flirting with my spouse! First, he glared at Big Black, and then he went over and pulled Liu Tong to himself. Tongtong, I bought a carriage before discussing it with you. You wont be angry, will you? Liu Tong shook his head and said, How could I blame you? But there isnt really much money left in our family these days. Ran, you have to spend money more carefully. Seeing that Liu Tong was really not angry, Xu Ran heaved a sigh of relief and instantly spoke of the way of making money. You dont have to worry about this. Bamboo shoots are probably coming out in a few days. You still remember the place where we went to pick the chili peppers, dont you? I saw bamboo trees there. I guess there should be a lot of bamboo trees on the other side of the mountain. When it is time, we should go there early to dig a few bamboo shoots and sell them in town. Anyway, Mr. Chens family is sure to want them. You just remember Mr. Chens family, but have you ever thought about the number of our bamboo shoots his family can buy? It is tasty to eat them when they are fresh. Its troublesome when no one comes to buy, but we have many! Liu Tong frowned and said. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran then remembered that bamboo shoots really couldnt be kept for too long, or they would become sour and lose their good flavor. He also remembered the modern dish of bamboo shoots with pickled chili peppers, and he liked its flavor very much, but there were no pickled chili peppers in this era, so he couldnt cook the dish. However, he could try putting them into the pickle jar by taking them as radishes. If he couldnt sell the fresh bamboo shoots, he could still sell the dried ones! This tasted good when it was eaten with bacon soup. Besides, their familys potatoes could be harvested next month. Xu Ran thought that he could ask Mr. Chen to set up a barbecue stall and roast potatoes. I just dont know how much this idea is worth, Xu Ran thought joyfully. Seeing the person in a trance before him, Liu Tong smiled helplessly and thought, I always feel that Ran isnt like a grown man. Liu Tong threw the rest of the green grass to Big Black before pulling Xu Ran into the house. As he walked, he said, Ran, the horse has been brought into our home, so we should build a living space for it, right? We cant let it live next to the pigpen every day. Called back to his senses by Liu Tong, Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, Add a small living space next to the pigpen. When our new house has been built then, we can rebuild it and make it larger, in case we raise other animals in the future. Liu Tong nodded and said, OK, then lets build it after finishing the work in the field. Ran, have you named this horse, by the way? Of course, its called Big Black. It sounds so suitable for it, right? Xu Ran said proudly. But Liu Tong was speechless and thought, Its a really suitable name! Its so perfect that nothing can match it! While eating, Liu Tong again remembered those big bags that had been taken down from the carriage yesterday. Liu Tong asked, What are those you and the shopkeeper carried home yesterday, Ran? Once Liu Tong mentioned it, Xu Ran then remembered that he had forgotten another important thing, and he thought, The cooperation with Lin Hua and others! Now Xu Ran stopped eating and stood up immediately. Tongtong, I forgot something very important. Where did you put those bags? Seeing him in such anxiety, Liu Tong also stopped eating. Then he stood up and went out with him. They are in the shed where our sundries are placed. Are they very important? You didnt tell me anything about them, so I didnt pay attention to them. Xu Ran found that Liu Tong was even more anxious than he was. Then, he knew that if he didnt make it clear, Liu Tong would be crazily anxious. Therefore, he told him how he had met Lin Hua and Zhao Chen in He Shui Town as well as their cooperation. What are the fermented bean curd and the dried bean curd? All I know is tofu. Are they made of tofu? Youre so smart, Tongtong. While talking, the two had been standing in front of those few bags for a long time. Xu Ran picked up a bag and opened it for Liu Tong to see. These inside are all chili peppers and soybeans. We need to make chili paste, fermented bean curd, and dried bean curb and send them to He Shui Town, but they will come here to carry them away themselves in the future. Ran, its not convenient for us to make them during the day, so lets do them at night. At most, we will have a tough time these days, but we will be fine after we finish the work in the field. Xu Ran nodded and remembered the members of the labor team. It was inconvenient indeed. It was not that they were too mean, but that if the members of the labor team learned it, but their villagers still didnt know, it would be inconvenient for them to tell and do things in their village. The two worked together to move these few bags into the house. The bags had been placed outside previously because they hadnt paid attention to them. Fortunately, they kept four dogs, otherwise the bags might have already been stolen. Therefore, Xu Rans plan to rest and have sex tonight had been ruined again. They had to start to soak beans tonight because they would need to grind beans to make bean curd tomorrow morning when they were up. With all these things moved into the house, the couple continued to eat. Tangtang and Guoguo had already had dinner and taken food to feed their dogs. Mr. Hu was sitting alone at the fire. Xu Ran talked to him while eating. It was easy to deal with the fermented bean curd. They would just need to put it in the jar after making it, but the dried bean curd couldnt be handled like that. It should be smoked over the fire. He and Liu Tong didnt have so much time; Tangtang and Guoguo, who were still young, wouldnt have the patience to watch it all the time, so Mr. Hu was their only choice. Xu Ran had told Mr. Hu everything. Anyway, the man now lived in their family. Even if Xu Ran wanted to hide this from him, he wouldnt be successful, let alone he also needed his help. Of course, Mr. Hu was very happy to do this. Anyway, he had nothing else to do, and this job just required him to sit there to tend the fire and help watch the curd. Xu Ran had explained things clearly to Mr. Hu while eating. As for Liu Tong, he had taken a wooden basin to start soaking beans after dinner. Xu Ran ate a few mouthfuls of rice quickly and then went to help Liu Tong after washing his bowl. The two only soaked a bag of soybeans. Even if they soaked many more, they couldnt get all of them ground, so it was better to do this bit by bit. When their job was done, they finally found that Tangtang and Guoguo were nodding to doze off at the fire, but Uncle Hu was still very energetic. He watched the two kids, in case they fell into the fire. Xu Ran and Liu Tong, each holding one in his arms, went to wash their faces and feet. After they carried their kids to the bed, Xu Ran then went to the fire pit to help Mr. Hu up and poured him water to wash his face and feet. By the time the two were in bed, the moon had risen quite high. It was believed that it would not be long before the rooster crowed. Xu Rans original plan of having sex had failed again, so he complained inwardly, When can I have one more child? C Chapter 97 On the second day, as soon as the rooster crowed, Liu Tong woke up. After he got up, he went to clean the stone mill and carried the well-prepared soybeans in the buckets to the side of the mill one by one. Then he went to bring over several buckets of water. After everything had been readied, Xu Ran woke up from the noise from outside. Initially, he wanted to stay in bed for a while longer, but when he thought that he still had something to do, he sat up on the bed immediately and got dressed before washing his face to help Liu Tong. Of course it was Liu Tong who did the grinding, and Xu Ran was responsible for adding soybeans and water. After a while, Xu Ran requested to exchange duties with Liu Tong but was rejected. After another short while, Xu Ran strongly requested to exchange positions with Liu Tong and Liu Tong reluctantly agreed. The two of them took turns exchanging their work. It was only at first light when they finally finished grinding a bag of soybeans. Both of them were exhausted, but they couldnt rest and had to finish the work. They didnt cook any breakfast in the morning and they ate bean dreg instead. And because Liu Tong had been busy soaking the beans last night and he hadnt yet mowed and cooked the pigweed. The work was simply too much. By the time the family finished the work at the house and were about to go work on the field, it was almost ten in the morning. As the field was planted with radish, there were pits here and there. However, it was lucky that it had been raining recently at night, so the ground was relatively loose and was easier to dig. There were still a lot of rotten leaves on the field, so they only needed to row them over and let them rot on the field and served as fertilizer. Since they had raised pigs at home, fertilizer was easy to find now. With ash, it would definitely be much better than what they had scattered on the field back then. Tangtang and Guoguo went to the strawberry field to see if there were any grass or insects. They even took four dogs and kept wandering on the field every day. The four dogs were very familiar with their own territory. As long as they saw someone by the side of the strawberry field and tried to do something, they would bark crazily and only stoped after they left. And if they didnt leave, they would run over in a pack, which would certainly scare anyone away. Liu Tong said it was all taught by Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran gave his compliment with pride. They are indeed my good sons. At noon, Xu Rans family had lunch with the construction team. Now that they were busy, they couldnt find any time to cook, so eating together should do. During lunch, the group finally found a chance to ask Xu Ran about the He Shui Town. Since they were eating and wouldnt waste much time, Xu Ran picked a few anecdotes to share. After lunch, they started to work on the field again. It was five days later when the two of them came to their senses. The soybean at home had almost been ground. The first batch of tofu had been cut into big chunk and put on top of the fire while the other half had been cut into small pieces and covered with dry grass to prevent it from molding. Mr. Hu had helped to feed pigs and horses with the pigweed at home, which Xu Ran didnt let him do at first, but as Mr. Hu said they were so busy while he had nothing to do and he could still do something like this. Xu Ran thought about those various and interesting activities of the old men and women in the modern era. Compared to the present, what old people could do was far less. Xu Ran thought to himself that when he had time, he might as well form an old peoples Yangko Dance team or something like that. After a few more days work, it finally reached the end of March, and the work on the field was finished. The corn had been planted one by one, and batches of dried bean curd had been smoked at home; the fermented bean curd had mildewed and needed to be put in jars. Xu Ran felt that he needed to go in town to buy some jars. In addition, vegetable seedlings could also be taken out for sale. Thinking that there was nothing urgent to do at home, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to go to the mountain and see if the bamboo shoots had been growing and to mark the place so that it could be easier to dig in the future. Since in April, the transplant of rice seedlings on the field could commence, and no one would go dig up those bamboo shoots at that time anyway. The busy days passed very quickly while people were exhausted from the work also! For the first time, Xu Ran drove his carriage to the town. Big Black had been raised very well recently and was quite close to Xu Ran. The trip had been a smooth ride along the way without any troubles. After arriving in town, Xu Ran stopped the carriage before he went to Zhuo Yuns seed shop to get a few seeds and then rushed to buy jars. He was so busy that he didnt even have time to visit Zhuo Yuns house. Xu Ran ran back and forth from home to town, then from town to home in the morning. When he got home, he started to put the fermented bean curd into the jars nonstop. After he was done, he washed and stashed the dried bean curd, piece by piece. The day of the imperial examination result was released on the 1th of April. Xu Ran planned to rush to He Shui Town before that and bring with him things like tofu curd and chili paste. Since the trip would be short, Xu Ran didnt send Mr. Hu to the town but had invited Wu Mei to stay at home. Liu Tong was too busy these days and didnt have time to talk to other brothers so he was seizing the opportunity to chat and communicate with them . On March 27th, everything was finally readied. The chili paste had been prepared at home before since they got no time to make the new paste. Xu Ran tidied himself up and drove to He Shui Town alone. The jar and the bamboo tubes had been fastened to the cart; therefore, they remained where they were through the bumpy roads. On March 29th, Xu Ran went to the inn where they had agreed before and waited for Lin Hua and Zhao Chen to come. After handing them the things, Xu Ran went back to his room and planned to sleep as long as he could. He was really tired. Lin Hua and the rest knew that he had been tired from the journey, so they did not disturb him. Instead, they ask someone else to help move the things and were planning to find a place for further look. After Xu Ran woke up, it was already April 1st, and this was an extremely lively day. There were people who had already set firecarckers early to celebrate before they even saw the exam result. There was no telling whether these people were confident or conceited. When Xu Ran was walking downstairs, he saw that Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were already waiting for him. He didnt waste any time and asked the waiter to pack a few steamed buns for him and ate them as he walked with Lin Hua to see the exam result. It was a lie to say that he didnt care. Regardless of the ranking, it was good as long as he could pass. After passing the test could he take the following exams. Only after he was able to pass the imperial examination at the county level could he be able to become a Xiucai exempt from taxation. Xu Ran thought that he had really made his effort to fit himself in the tax exemption policy. It was unavoidable since his family had so many fields and it would continue to grow in the future. The three of them followed the people who came to see the exam result and waited outside the door. People came here with all kinds of emotions. Besides self-confidence, Xu Ran was also worried, and the other two were all worried. After standing for a while, an official finally came, beating gongs along the way to ask the people to give way, and eventually stuck the final four pieces of paper on the wall. Xu Ran looked up one by one from the bottom. At the last one, he saw Lin Huas name, and at the second last, he saw Zhao Chens name. Xu Rans mood was a little complicated. Both of them had passed but they would right at the bottom. That was indeed a close call. But these two didnt care about their rankings at all; they just felt that passing the exam was all that mattered, and they were all happily hugging each other. Xu Ran shook his head and continued to look for his name. He failed to find his own name on the last three papers, while now there was only one left. Xu Ran couldnt help feeling a little flustered. However, Xu Ran was still looking through the list one by one from the bottom. When there were only three peoples names left, Xu Ran was about to give up. However, he found his name at the third place. He was even not sure if this person was himself. He quickly browsed these pieces of paper a few times and there was really only one person named Xu Ran. In the case of repetition of name, there would be town name marked specifically with them. Xu Ran thought if there was no mistake, the third place should be him. He breathed a sigh of relief before he got overjoyed. The third place was good, although it was just a regional test. After Lin Hua and Zhao Chen calmed down from the excitement, they immediately came to Xu Ran. Lin Hua poked at Xu Rans shoulder, Hey, Xu Ran, have you found your name? Whats your ranking? Before Xu Ran could answer, Zhao Chen had called out, Youre amazing, bro! Youre actually the third place. Zhao Chens voice was so loud that many people had heard it and they all looked towards them. The two people ranked before him were both local from the He Shui Town, and they were the proud students of the He Shui Academy master so it was almost a certainty that these first two spots would fall on them. As a result, all these people were actually competing the third place. Apart from the two people ranking before him, there were still many students who had both prestigious family background and social status. Nevertheless, all these people got were the fourth, fifth, sixth place, and none of them got the third place which was taken by an unknown person. Not to mention the students who had both prestigious family background and social status found it hard to accept, even some famous people from other places found it hard to swallow; thereby, more and more unkind looks were cast on Xu Ran. Xu Ran could tell that as well. He didnt want to cause trouble. He only wanted to go home as soon as possible to prepare for his money-making business, so he pulled Lin Hua as well as Zhao Chen and were about to leave. However, there would always be people who was unwilling to let them have their way. Chapter 98 One student in a green gown stood up, So you won the third place, I couldve expected better than someone who looked as weak as a Geer. Tell me, what did you use to bribe the chief examiner? Lin Hua was about to curse him but stopped by Xu Ran. Xu Ran stepped forward, faced the man and then spoke with smile. Sir, its fine that you abuse me but you cant slander the chief examiner. Think about it, it would not be the first time that the chief examiner supervised a test. How come for this time he is accused of being bribed by a student? Its not okay to say that. Xu Ran spoke in a manner that he was caring for the chief examiner, and the people around him were unconciously influenced and started to blame the student, including those who had just accused Xu Ran of bribing the chief examiner. As the blame was getting increadingly loud, the students face darkened. Especially when he saw his companion joined the blame as well, he couldnt even speak properly, You you Xu Ran laughed and was about to give him a harder time when an old man with gray moustache approached from behind, and followed by two young scholars. Xu Ran recognized that he was the chief examiner. The chief examiner looked serious and asked, Why is the noise, what happened? There were many students from the He Shui Academy. After they saw the man, they called him respectfully by Fuzi (respectful appellation of teachers). However, there were few answers to his question. Xu Ran stopped speaking and didnt need to, but Lin Hua couldnt restrain himself anymore. He jumped out and pointed at the student in the green gown and said, Fuzi, Luo Cheng said that Xu Ran bribed you to get the third place. Xu Ran came to He Shui Town only one day before the exam. He didnt know who the chief examiner was, and how could he even bribe anyone? Fuzi, please punish Luo Cheng. Zhao Chen echoed the suggestion as well. Although the two of them didnt study well, they were very obedient students. Plus, they won some places in the rank, not good ones, but they made it after all. Fuzi smoothed his moustache and turned to Luo Cheng with anger on his face, Luo Cheng, did you do what he said? I Luo Cheng mumbled for a moment before he lowered his head. This was undoubtedly an acquiescence to his deeds, and Xu Ran didnt know to call him smart or stupid. He had been taken advantaged by others but done nothing to defend himself. Who knew for how many times they had set him up. Xu Ran didnt want to say anything more. These people were destined not to be businessmen, and he was destined not to be an official, so he wouldnt be too anxious. Xu Ran dragged Lin Hua and said in a low voice, Do we leave, or you want to talk to your Fuzi? Lin Hua hurriedly shaked his head, No, lets go! Lin Hua and Zhao Chen requested their leave to Fuzi and got approved. The latter didnt want to meddle in; their leave just relived him from the trouble and they could talk about this later. The three of them didnt walk too far before being blocked by someone again. Xu Ran raised his head and was certain that this was someone he didnt know. But Lin Hua and Zhao Chen called him, Senior brother Chu. It was their another acquaintance, so Xu Ran silently moved aside and let them talk. But he didnt expect that this senior brother Chu was looking for him. Sir, Im Chu Yuan. I just learned from junior brothers Lin and Zhao that you won the third place in the exam. I wonder if I can have a talk with you? He spoke in such a scholarly manner. Besides, he showed his geniality and won the first place in the test, even though they just met, it was hard for Xu Ran to turn him down, Its my honor to be invited, so I will just obey. Take me, I want to go too, Lin Hua immediately ran over to join in the fun. Zhao Chen didnt talk but followed Lin Hua, indicating that he also wanted to go. Xu Ran smiled, Please dont mind. After all, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were his fellow apprentices. Even if he minded, he couldnt say anything so he said with smile, Of course not. Junior brothers Lin and Zhao, lets go together then! As soon as hearing what Chu Yuan said, Lin Hua immediately took the lead and the rest three of them followed behind. As for the other people who watched the four of them left, many of them were so angry with a gnashing teeth and twisted face, but none of the four saw it. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were only interested in food, so one could find them wherever there was delicious food. They were going to a genteel tea house this time only because of Chu Yuans scholarly manners, otherwise Lin Hua would have gone to a restaurant and had a good meal. The tea house was well decorated and looked genteel indeed, so Chu Yuan was quite satisfied. They asked for a nice and quiet private room, and there were only four of them, so Chu Yuan suddenly turned to another person; the first thing he said after sitting down was, It was too tiresome to pretend to be a decent scholar. The other three twitched their mouths simultaneously for Chu Yuan indeed changed too fast. However, what he was now was more agreeable. Xu Ran smiled and sat down to pour tea. It turns out that senior brother Chu also has such a moment not to stick to trifles. Its really rare. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen had seen Chu Yuan a few times, and also heard how Fuzi talked about Chu Yuan a lot. They really didnt know Chu Yuan has such characteristics, so they were a little surprised as well. Chu Yuan didnt care. He took a piece of cake casually and stuffed it into his mouth. After he chewed it down and swallowed it, he said, You dont know how tiresome it is to act so modestly and courteously every day. Its good this way to pose whatever you want. Xu Ran couldnt help but wonder why Chu Yuan was so relaxed even though they just met each other. With that in mind, Xu Ran asked the quesiton unconsciously. Chu Yuan stuffed all the pastries into his mouth, and then said, You grinned when I was talking to you just now, so I knew it. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, Well, this guy is really careful to notice that. Chu Yuans casualness made the other three drop off their courtesies, and then the four of them had a chat with no specific topics. Chu Yuan was once on a study tour so he saw a lot of things, plus with his good eloquence, the other three were attracted to what he said. From what Chu Yuan said, Xu Ran could tell that he was a talented person. He asked, Senoir brother Chu, I see you have a good literary cultivation. Why you just attended this exam of province? Oh! Chu Yuan leaned on the chair and said, I went to the study tour at 17 and was going to take the test when I came back, but I accidentally wandered outside for aother few more years, so the tour finished a bit late. He said that calmly, but Xu Ran could imagine the look of his family when they expected more and better from him. It must be ferocious! It was also joyful to talk with smart people, Xu Ran thought so. It was Fuzis will that Chu Yuan came to Xu Ran because Fuzi wanted to take Xu Ran as his student. Xu Ran rejected clearly for he had no intention of being an official. As long as he passed the imperial examination at the county, he would not study further, so it was the same if he had a teacher or not. Besides, this place was not his home, and he couldnt stay here to study. In addition to expressing his pity, Chu Yuan did not say anything else. After all, everyone had their own ambition. Knowing that Xu Ran was here to deliver food, Chu Yuan said that he could also help for free. The Chu family was absolutely a big family in He Shui Town. With Chu Yuans help, the business would be just fine. Xu Ran introduced to him the fermented bean curd and dried bean curd carefully, as well as some dishes cooked with the dried bean curd. Just hearing them would stimulate ones appetite. Chu Yuan said that he would definitely visit after there business started. After having enough tea and two plates of pastries, they left the tea house. Then they parted each other, and Chu Yuan went back to reply to his teacher while the other three went to checked the shop. On their way back, Xu Ran bid Lin Hua and Zhao Chen to keep a good relationship with Chu Yuan for Chu Yuan looked like a capable man, which might be helpful when necessary. Under Xu Rans suggestions last time, Zhao Chen and Lin Hua had bought a shop with their own money. Both of their families possessed empty shops, but they didnt want to work for their families. Therefore, they scraped togther some money and found an acquaintance to buy a shop, though the location was unfavorable. As the saying went, Gold will glitter forever. As Xu Ran had said, they believed the goods would sell well. Xu Ran looked at the shop, which had a proper size but less proper decoration since it was a new one. Xu Ran thought there was no need to have it overly decorated. They could just put there some shelves and on which all the goods were put in order with a price tag. As for stuff like finding a shop manager, Xu Ran left it to the two of them. He also wrote down the recipes and ingredients of the dishes he had mentioned and told Lin Hua as well as Zhao Chen as long as the customers spent a certain amount of money, they would be rewarded a recipe of a dish. Xu Ran did not say more methods of the publicity. After all, they only had a short list of things to be sold, and it could wait when they had more. Xu Ran stayed in He Shui Town for three days before going back. He bought some local food for his family and some trinkets as well as books for Guoguo and Tangtang, besides those, he took back home several bags of soybeans. Lin Hua dispatched Lin Xi, his errand boy and also servant of Lins family, to accompany Xu Ran to find the way. While Lin Xi drove the carriage, Xu Ran slept on the bags of the soybeans. They finally got home on the sixth of lunar April. Xu Ran said he would not go out if necessary after this exhausting experience, which was too suffering for him. Xu Rans return didnt cause a stir, and Foreman Li as well as other people probably had been used to it. After Xu Ran came back, Wu Mei returned home. Lin Xi stayed at Xu Rans home for the night. The next day, Xu Ran led him through the village and made him know the way. When Lin Xi left, he took a lot of fermented bean curd and dried bean curd with him. The news that Xu Ran had won the third place in the exam was only known by the family. Even Wu Mei did not know about it. Because there would not be long before the offical messenger come and deliver the news. By then all the people in the village would know. Xu Ran planned to take those days and make more dried bean curds. C Chapter 99 When Xu Ran returned home, he started to get busy again. Whether at home or in the fields, no one felt anything different about him. It was not until the 15th of April that a Yamen messenger came to the village to announce the good news while beating the drums. From the entrance to the end of the village, the Yamen messenger announced all the way, Xu Ran from the Xu Village, got the third place in the pupil test! Then, regardless of whether they were busy or not, the villagers followed the Yamen messenger while looking on for the fun. When they reached the gate of Xu Rans house, Xu Ran was busy. Hearing the sound of drums ringing outside, both Tangtang and Guoguo hurriedly ran out to have a look. Then they ran back, Dad, a Yamen messenger is here. He said that you are in the third place of the test! Xu Ran and Liu Tong exchanged glances, put down the things in their hands, and then wiped their hands clean. Xu Ran smoothed out his clothes and went outside. After two steps, he stopped suddenly and turned to Liu Tong saying, Tongtong, go and prepare a red envelope for me. Liu Tong nodded and turned to the inner room. Xu Ran went out to meet the Yamen messenger for the announcement. Since he had passed the pupil test, it meant he was a pupil now and was qulified to take the Xiucai test in the coming autumn. Xu Ran and the Yamen messenger were having a small talk when Liu Tong came out. The Yamen messenger took the letter out from his pocket and handed it to Xu Ran. Xu Ran took the red envelope from Liu Tong and gave it to the Yamen messenger. Someone there might notice this, and someone might not. Anyway, the Yamen messenger weighed the evelope in his hand, said a few words of congratulations, and then left. Xu Ran didnt try to keep him, and it was not suitable for him to stay. After the Yamen messenger left, Xu Ran was met with curious inquiries repeatedly because many people in the village did not know that Xu Ran had gone to the test. And more people believed that Xu Ran could do it. They thought if he had not become a fool those days, he would probably be a Juren (one who passed the imperial examination at the province level). However, at the moment among the people in the crowd, there was a pair of resentful eyes staring at him angrily. Xu Ran seemed to feel the close eyesight and he tried to find it, but failed. He had to give up his searching. Usually, there were quite few people in the village, but today it seemed quite crowded. Xu Ran smiled and tried to answer some of their questions, saying that he had been studying hard for so many years, but that he resulted to be a fool when he could go for the test in the past. Fortunately, he recovered and he wanted to have another try in the test. And he didnt expect that he was so lucky this time to have got the third place. Xu Ran attributed all his success to luck. Some people believed it, but most of them didnt, because they saw how Xu Ran had behaved after his recovery. They believed that if he didnt have the ability, he would not be able to get the third place. After all, it was a test attended by hundreds of people, and the achievement was not easy to get. However, as they were not very familiar with Xu Ran, it was not good for them to stay for long. After some excitement, they all left. But things were far from over. Next, Xu Ran had to meet with such boisterous scenes from their good friends. The first ones were Wu Meis and the other two families, especially Wu Mei. His reaction was so fierce that he almost grabbed Xu Rans ear and asked him why he took the test without telling them. After blaming Xu Ran, he criticized Liu Tong and asked why he had not taken them as friends and why he even hid such an important matter? In the eyes of many people there who were not able to go to school, to be able to read was already a great thing, let alone to pass the test and become a pupil. Maybe if anyone among them could be a Xiucai or Juren, he would be regarded as a god in their eyes. Xu Ran looked helpless and he had to keep silent when being criticized by Wu Mei and the rest. After them, it was Foreman Lis turn, and the village head was the next that followed. Anyway, all their friends in the village came to express their feelings to him. Xu Ran could only apologize to them and promised that he would treat them for a big dinner, which was why he was let go at last. Xu Ran couldnt help but feel his chest. He felt like he had survived after a disaster. Since it was a treat, Xu Ran had to make some preparations. All the guests were friends, including Wu Meis and the other two families, together with the village head, his spouse, and a group of children. Xu Ran felt that it might be better for him to tell everyone about the business of bamboo shoots. There were many things that needed to be done in this matter, where their family couldnt make much money because they didnt have enough hands. He felt that its better to have more people to participate in it, so that maybe everyone could make a profit from it. After all, his own family was short of money now. Some of the potatoes in the field could be dug out to serve for the dinner, while the rest could be sold to Mr. Chen for money. It was still early and it wasnt even time for lunch, so everyone went back to their homes first and Xu Ran reminded them to come over for dinner in the evening. It had been a long time since they had eaten together. Apart from the village head and his spouse, the other three families had accepted Xu Rans invitation. The village head and his spouse promised to come for the dinner until they had time at night. Xu Ran didnt force them and agreed. Needless to say, Xu Ran was enjoying a happy life, while, here, life in the Xu Family was not peaceful, or to be exact, their life had never been peaceful, especially after Xu Ran left them. Zhang Yue had been cruelly tortured by Xu Cheng all the time. Although he was skinny and too weak to move, the Xu Family still wanted to keep a close watch on him. Let alone run away, Zhang Yue couldnt even meet his dad or daddy, nor could he see his two children. For some reason, Xu Cheng became more and more violent. As long as he got angry, he would hit Zhang Yue desperately. In this way, Zhang Yues old injury was not healed, and new injury was added. How could he not be thin and weak? That day, Xu Cheng went out early. Not long after, Zhang Yue heard the sound of drums from outside. The Yamen messengers voice was quite loud so that Zhang Yue was able to hear Xu Rans name and something like the pupils test. Zhang Yue guessed that Xu Ran should have passed the examination for the pupil, and this Yamen messenger was here announce the good news. Unfortunately, he couldnt see this scene, and it should be said that he was not qualified to watch it, from the moment he agreed to marry Xu Cheng. At the moment, Zhang Yue was crouching on the ground with his head in his arms, feeling sad and a little bewildered. He knew that no matter how good the man was now, he had nothing to do with him, and he had never darted him a glance. As Zhang Yue lost himself in the thinking, the door was kicked open suddenly. Zhang Yue stood up in panic and took two steps backwardtrembling. Xu Chengs angry face was flashed into Zhang Yues eyes, You, you, what are you doing? Even Zhang Yues voice was trembling. Xu Cheng approached him step by step. The anger on his face was obvious and he even wanted to tear him apart, What am I doing? You are my person, so what do you say I want to do? Or are you thinking about others so that you have forgotten your identity? Is it Xu Ran that you are thinking of? You bitch, see if I wont kill you?! Ah! No! It hurts! Stop, stop! It hurts, ouch! Zhang Yue was screaming. Xu Cheng had completely lost his mind. Even if Zhang Yue didnt say anything, he would still put all the blame on Xu Ran. His fists kept falling angrily on Zhang Yues body endlessly. Zhang Yue screamed at the beginning, but later, just like before, he got used to it. He just sat silently at the place and let Xu Cheng be. He knew as long as Xu Cheng was tired, he would stop his beating. But this time, it seemed a little longer than usual. This was what Zhang Yue thought before he passed out. It wasnt until the person under him had no any reaction, and even his breathing started to weaken that Xu Cheng suddenly came to his senses and instantly panicked. You bitch, what are you pretending to be? Get up quickly. Dont you want to see Xu Ran? He is in the third place of the test. You bitch, get up! Zhang Yue, wake up, Zhang Yue! Xu Cheng kept calling. The more he called, the more flustered he was, and Zhang Yue didnt wake up no matter how he tried. Xu Cheng carefully reached his fingers under Zhang Yues nose. He let out a sigh of relief when he felt a weak breath there. Looking at the fainting person, he suddenly felt a little scared. He was clear that his family couldnt afford to hire a physician now. What if Zhang Yue died in their home then? Xu Cheng suddenly thought of an idea. What if Zhang Yue didnt die at their house? What if he was found dead somewhere else, say at Xu Rans home? As for the idea of finding a doctor for Zhang Yue, it had never occurred to him. Xu Cheng did what he wanted. He took a disgusted look at the person lying on the ground who was already in a mess like a corpse. Then he went to find a sack, picked up Zhang Yue and stuffed him into the sack. Then he first sneaked a look outside the door. At this time, everyone was busy, so no one passed by. After the careful observation, Xu Cheng was sure that no one was around. He immediately carried the sack of Zhang Yue out of the house. After quickly closing the door, he went up the hill from the path behind his house. At this very moment, he was on the same road that he had taken that time when he hurt Xu Ran. But today, he didnt want to push Zhang Yue down the mountain. Instead, he planned to go around the mountain at the back of their house to Xu Rans home and secretly left there the sack of the person. However, Xu Cheng seemed to have forgotten about the four dogs of the Xu Rans family which were not very popular in the eyes of outsiders. Xu Cheng walked down from the mountain to the back of Xu Rans house. The workers were busy with their own business, while Xu Ran and his family were also in the house. There was no one in the yard with only the four dogs lazily basking in the sun. The door of the yard was shut, and Xu Cheng didnt dare to go in. He noticed where the pigsty was. He even saw that big black horse was eating grass leisurely, and the jealousy in his eyes could not be concealed. He couldnt help telling himself that he had planted it anyway, so it would be nothing for him to take another horse by the way! Not to mention, the horse was worth at least tens of taels of silver! The four dogs had found Xu Cheng when he just sneaked into the pigsty. They all stood up. Two of them then ran into the house while the other two rushed towards Xu Ran. They were all very smart and didnt bark at all. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were cleaning the house when they were bitten by the two dogs on the trousers. The dogs were trying to drag them out. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong exchanged their glances and guessed that something should have happened outside. At this moment, the dogs barks were suddenly heard from outside. Xu Ran pulled out his trousers from a dogs mouth and ran out quickly. There he saw Xu Cheng carrying a sack on his shoulder with something inside. He was bitten by a dog on the leg while the other dog was barking at him wildly. When the people on the construction site heard the sound of the dogs, they all rushed over. When there was nothing happening, the dogs wouldnt make any noise. Even if someone passed by without entering the yard at night, the dogs wouldnt give any threatening signal at all. Therefore, the moment all the people heard the dogs, they felt that something was wrong. There they saw that Xu Ran was also present, opposite whom, was standing another person with something on his shoulder. Thus, everyone present knew that something was indeed happening. Chapter 100 Everyone was gazing at Xu Cheng, who himself couldnt speak for himself because he had forgot that there were four dogs in Xu Rans house. Now he had been caught on spot before he could put Zhang Yue down, and got his pant leg bitten by the dog when he wanted to flee. Besides, he knew it was meaningless to run any more since so many people had seen him. Xu Cheng was exhausted after carrying Zhang Yue on his shoulder for such a long time, but he didnt dare to put Zhang Yue down, so he could just anxiously watch more and more people surrounded him. Thinking of the plots on TV, Xu Ran seemed to find something. He said to Liu Tong standing beside him, Tongtong, go ask the villagers to come, the more the better. Otherwise it will be difficult to justify ourselves if Xu Cheng says we are framing him. After all, the staff of the construction team work for our family and someone will definitely think that they are on our side. Liu Tong nodded and ran away, taking two kids with him. Plum bit on Xu Chengs pant leg while Peach barked at him. Xu Ran patted them two and commanded all the dogs to go to Xu Cheng. Surrounded by four dogs, he did not worry that Xu Cheng would run away. Some people on the team started asking what was on Xu Chengs shoulder, how he came in and why he often went to another familys pigpen? Xu Cheng was speechless and anxious. But before he could think a way out, Liu Tong had already returned, followed by a lot of people who lived close to them. Now Xu Ran could do something with other people as witnesses. He asked them to grab Xu Cheng and take the sack on his shoulder. Xu Cheng struggled to resist, so naturally he couldnt spare any time holding the sack which was soon snatched away, and Xu Cheng himself was also caught by the crowd. Theres a person inside. Come on, he is still alive. The one who had taken the sack suddenly shouted. Xu Ran had guessed it correctly, but he didnt know who was inside. The sack was quickly opened, and the villagers recognized that it was Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue was injured all over with a bloody nose and a swollen face, and even after such a suffering, he didnt react at all. The man who stood next to him stretched out his hand beneath his nose and relieved when he felt the breath, He is still alive. Go get the doctor! There was only one doctor, Doctor Liu, in the village, so some of the villagers rushed to find him. Zhang Yue looked like he was in shock. Xu Ran stepped forward and shouted, Pinch the acupoint of philtrum and press on his chest! People knew about pinching the acupoint of philtrum, but they were not sure if pressing on chest would help, but they couldnt care too much at that moment. Because Zhang Yue was a Geer, several Geers who were familiar with Zhang Yue came forward and did as Xu Ran instructed. Tangtang and Guoguo brought the village head, who was out of his breath because of running and followed by many people. Seeing Zhang Yue lying on the ground and Xu Cheng who was caught, the village head walked to Xu Ran in the crowd and asked him, What happened? Who is lying on the ground? Why do you take Xu Cheng? Xu Ran greeted the village head and said, The one lying on the ground is Zhang Yue, who was carried by Xu Cheng in a sack and taken to my pigpen. We dont know why. It was our dogs who found him, so we came out. You can take a look at Zhang Yues injuries. Where the village head stood was a little far away from Zhang Yue and was also blocked by someone, so he couldnt see him clearly. After hearing Xu Rans words, the village head went closer to see Zhang Yue, whose face was so badly injured that those less familiar people wouldnt recognize him. Besides, he was too skinny to keep a normal figure. At the same time, the village head heard a few Geers around Zhang Yue said, I havent seen him for a long time. How come he looks like this? I wonder who did it. Who else could it be but the bastard Xu Cheng? another one echoed, Ive heard Zhang Yue screaming for many times when passing by his house. I wanted to have a check but Xu Cheng didnt allow me. One of the Geers raised Zhang Yues hand and said. Really? Then the injuries on his body must be caused by Xu Cheng. Look at his hand, this bruise should have been there for a long time! The rest of the Geers nodded and echoed. Then, someone asked the village head to punish Xu Cheng. The village head listened for a while and one thing came back to his mind that Zhang Yue had talked about having a peaceful divorce with Xu Cheng, which gave him a feeling that it was indeed Xu Cheng who beat Zhang Yue. The village head turned to Xu Cheng, who was also surrounded by people, but none of them beat him. Even that they just stood beside him frightened Xu Cheng so much that he didnt dare to speak. The village head walked over and asked Xu Cheng, Xu Cheng, why did you put Zhang Yue in the sack and take him to Xu Rans house? What do you want? I, I didnt, I didnt, village head. Zhang Yue has been gone for a few days. I came out to search for him. Yes, I just came to find him. Xu Cheng thought of an excuse for himself in a hurry, and repeated this sentence to increase his credibility, which, on the contrary, increased his suspicion. Everyone in the village knew what the Xu Chengs family was like. If Zhang Yue had really been gone for a few days, his daddy would have been cursing him for days; however, they hadnt heard anything recently. So no one bought Xu Chengs story. However, Xu Cheng started to go into details. I went to the mountain and found nothing, and when I came back, I saw a sack on the ground. It looked like someone was in the sack, so I sneaked in. I wouldve carried the sack out and then went for Xu Ran, but before that, his dogs caught me. Village head, please believe me. what I said was the truth. Xu Cheng made a pitiful face in the hope to gain the village heads sympathy and make him believe. However, the village head also had his thought, and what Xu Cheng acted only bothered him even more. They all knew that only proofs told the truth. Xu Cheng carried Zhang Yue out, but no one could find the proof that Zhang Yue was carried out from Xu Rans house. Who would believe it? Besides, what about Zhang Yues injuries? The village head didnt respond to Xu Chengs words but asked, Xu Cheng, what do you say about Zhang Yues injuries? O Of course, obviously Xu Ran made the injuries! Xu Cheng stuttered. This injuries were there for days. Didnt you say that Zhang Yue has just been missing for a few days? How did he get the old injuries? Could it be that Xu Ran went to your house and beat him? the village head asked sharply. Before Xu Cheng could answer, someone from the crowd had shouted, Doctor Liu is here. Come on and make a way! The man guarded Doctor Liu and walked through the crowd to Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue was not woken up after they pinched his acupoint of philtrum. They didnt know if he was really shocked or asleep, it had been a while. Doctor Liu crouched down. He first checked Zhang Yues breath, then pinched his mouth and felt his pulse. Finally, he said that Zhang Yue was asleep. However, his injuries were too serious and had even hurt the inner organs. Without proper treatments, he would definitely die. Injuries that hurt inner organs were extremely serious in the era where the medical skills were not developed. If one could not afford to get good doctors and expensive medicine, he would be just like a dying person. And how would the Xu Family be willing to spend such a large sum of money to treat Zhang Yue? Dont even think about it. One could know just from the fact that Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu didnt appear even at that moment. In usual days, they would had come and made a scene, and everyone in the village would know about it. Xu Ran frowned as he looked at Xu Cheng who kept denying, at Zhang Yue who was lying on the ground, and then at the people around him who were just watching the fun. He was a little annoyed. On one hand, he really hated this Xu Family, especially when he was bullied by them not long after he transmigrated to this body, but on the other hand, when looking at Zhang Yue who was lying on the ground, he somehow felt sorry for him. After all, he was the Geer who was once engaged to the original owner of this body, even if they didnt make it in the end. Xu Ran didnt know if the original owner had feelings for Zhang Yue. He didnt feel it, but he still wanted to help Zhang Yue. After all, this person had something to do with him. He looked at Liu Tong beside him and wanted to ask for his opinion, but Liu Tong spoke first. He said, Ran, why dont you take Zhang Yue into the house and go find a doctor from the town! Or send Zhang Yue to the town, otherwise he will die. Neither of them thought about how to deal with Xu Cheng, but they wanted to save Zhang Yue first. Xu Ran nodded and turned to talk to the village head, Village head, lets send Zhang Yue to the town first! As for Xu Cheng, you can hold him. When Zhang Yue wakes up, let him testify. No, he is my spouse. You cant touch him! Before the village head could say anything, Xu Cheng had interrupted. Then someone immediately slapped Xu Chengs head and cursed him. Xu Ran didnt want to talk to Xu Cheng. The Geers of this world were just like women in modern times. In Xu Rans eyes, the men who beat women couldnt be forgiven. Xu Ran disdained to look at Xu Cheng now. He stared at the village head and waited for the village heads reply. The village head looked at Xu Cheng, then at Zhang Yue who was lying on the ground, and said, Xu Ran, go! No matter what, it is always the priority to save people. Leave Xu Cheng to me, and I will have someone take him to the Xu Familys ancestral hall. Okay, Xu Ran nodded and didnt say anything else. He headed towards the pigpen for Big Black. Chapter 101 Xu Ran didnt let Liu Tong go with him. At least, either of them had to stay at home. If both of them, who could make decisions for the family, were away at this time, the old man and their children would probably be bullied by Xu Cheng. As for the workers of theconstruction team, they were all outsiders, anyway. Since this was Xu Village, they had no say here. The two who went with Xu Ran were two Geers, who were the acquaintances of Zhang Yue, and Spouse Chen. After all, Spouse Chen was the spouse of the village head, so his words were more impartial. On the road, Xu Ran drove the carriage quite fast, shortening much of the time they usually spent on the way to town. Xu Ran didnt know where there were good doctors in town. After all, it was Liu Tong who had used to buy medicine for him. Fortunately, Spouse Chen knew the place, saying that he had been there once or twice. After arriving in town, Xu Ran drove the carriage into an alley according to Spouse Chens direction instructions. Next to the alley was a hospital, and a doctor was sitting outside to diagnose the patients illnesses. A lot of people were here to treat their illnesses, and they stood in a long line. The two Geers got out of the carriage first and ran to the gate of the hospital to call for a doctor. Xu Ran and Spouse Chen were behind. The two were carrying Zhang Yue down from the carriage slowly. Although it was unsuitable for Xu Ran, a man, to appear here, he could not care about it now. After all, saving a life was more urgent. Soon the doctor came with the call of the two Geers walking ahead of them. Xu Ran and Spouse Chen just happened to have carried the patient to the door of the hospital. Many people saw the injury on Zhang Yues face. More importantly, when they saw the pregnancy mole at Zhang Yues ear, they began to whisper to one another. I wonder what kind of ruthless man treated a Geer like that. The doctor was famous for being kind in town. He often gave away medicine for free when treating patients and had good medical skills, so many people in town came here to treat their illnesses. Initially, a few people were dissatisfied with the sudden arrival of the patient jumping in line, but when they saw that he was carried inside, they lost words to accuse him. After all, human life was exceptionally important. The doctor gave Xu Ran and Spouse Chen an instruction. Put him on the bed quickly! Let me take a look. As they heard the doctors instruction, Xu Ran and Spouse Chen put Zhang Yue on an empty bed and asked the medicine boy to bring the medical kit. After taking the patients pulse, the doctor instantly put acupuncture needles into him. With a few needles put into him, Zhang Yue showed signs of waking up, but he didnt wake up in the end. The doctors opinion was similar to that of Doctor Liu, but he had said that the person could wake up but needed some time as well as lots of herbs, with many of them being expensive. After all, Zhang Yue was so weak due to serious nutrient shortage. Xu Ran nodded and said to the doctor, Is it convenient for you to let him stay here for treatment for a while, doctor? If its convenient, well leave him with you. Well find someone to take care of him, and Ill pay you. What do you think? The doctor waved his hand and said, Its not troublesome to simply keep a patient here, but you need to ask someone to attend to him. After all, we only have young men here in this hospital, so its inconvenient for a Geer to be here, especially when he spends his daily life here. Xu Ran cupped one hand with the other to show his respect and said, Thank you, doctor. Just as he finished speaking, he took out ten taels of silver from his inner pocket and handed it to the doctor. This is the diagnosis fee and medicine payment. If its not enough, please tell me later. OK, dont worry! The doctor had not said how much money was enough, but Xu Ran knew that this amount was far from enough. Whether it was in the 21st century or now, the poor always couldnt afford to treat their illnesses. Those who had come here with him were three married Geers. Since the other two were unwilling to stay, Spouse Chen had to stay. Xu Ran didnt want Spouse Chen to stay because he was the spouse of the village head. But the other two were reluctant, so he had no other choice. Although he looked quite generous when he paid the ten taels of silver, he knew that his family would have to live a little more frugal life from now on. He had already found the way to make money, but now such a thing had happened. Xu Ran had no intention to pay all the money, and he could not afford it. Zhang Yue and Xu Cheng were not divorced yet, and the former was still a member of the Xu Family. Besides, his injuries from head to toe were the result of Xu Chengs beating. And Xu Ran didnt want to get the bill for this mans act. At most, he would do his best to help. When the two Geers were on his carriage, Xu Ran drove back to the village. After carrying them to their homes, he did not go home but went straight to the ancestral hall of the village. There were many people in the ancestral hall. The elders of the villages clans were all there, and so were Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu. When Xu Ran came in, all their eyes fell on him. He went to the village head and told him everything. When he spoke of his ten taels of silver, he emphasized it deliberately, for the sake of letting Xu Cheng and his companions hear. What he meant was obvious: he had shown his kindest heart by carrying the patient to town and paying the ten taels. Others sighed as they heard his mention of the ten taels of silver, but Elder Daddy Xu reacted to it by shouting at Xu Ran, saying that Xu Ran would rather give the silver to the bitch than give it to them. Xu Ran stood still and did not say anything. The thing had come to this point, but the family still didnt have reflections. If Zhang Yue had really died, they would probably be too afraid to shed tears. Elder Daddy Xu was silenced by the reprimands of the crowd. Rarely, Xu Houcai asked about Zhang Yues situation. Xu Ran answered honestly. It would need a lot of money to cure the patientboth keeping him at the hospital and hiring someone to attend to him needed payments. And they had to pay for all the expenditures. When Elder Daddy Xu heard that it would need so much money, his legs lost strength, and he started to curse, but his voice was much lower. After thinking a bit, Xu Ran said to the village head, Village head, its best to send someone to inform Zhang Yues dad, daddy and his other family members. Their Geer is like this now. No one can tell what will happen next. His dad and his family members have the right to know it. The village head pondered it and knew that what Xu Ran said was quite right. If Zhang Yue passed away like this, Zhang Yues dad and daddy didnt know the reason, and Xu Village couldnt give an explanation, the consequences might be even worse. If Zhang Yues family said something outside, the villages reputation would be ruined. The villages reputation could not be ruined by Xu Cheng. The village head knew what was more important and his own choice. Elder Daddy Xu wanted to say something again but was stopped by Xu Houcai, so he could only glare at Xu Ran. Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Houcai had not defended Xu Chengs act upon arrival, so Xu Chengs crime was a fact. Finally, the village head gave his opinion: he would ask someone to tell Zhang Yues family to come here; Xu Cheng should be locked up in the ancestral hall, and Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu should go home to scrape together the silver. If Zhang Yue died, Xu Cheng would be imprisoned or beheaded, not simply to be locked up in the ancestral hall. As long as the couple wanted Xu Cheng to live on, they would have to gather all the money even if they had to sell everything they had. In the end, the thing was settled. Xu Ran went home directly, and the construction team did not join in the fun but went back to work. Liu Tong took their two kids out to cut grass, while Mr. Hu was alone at home to watch the fire and smoke the dried bean curd. The four dogs chased each other and rolled in the yard. Probably, it was Tangtang and Guoguo who had made them stay. Xu Ran knew that he had never been to the strawberry field since his return, so he wanted to go and take a look with the time he had today. The ten mu of land were connected so Xu Ran couldnt see the end of them, but only a large piece of greenery. When he went near, he then found that some strawberries were blooming, but some were dead, and he pulled out all the dead strawberries. When the other strawberries had new sprouts, he would cut some and replenish the empty spaces with them. The blooming strawberry seedlings were good, but most of them were not in bloom. Besides, Xu Ran also saw speckles on some of their leaves. He remembered that strawberries would get a disease. Although he couldnt recall its name, he knew that the consequences would be serious if he didnt make it under control. There were no agricultural chemicals here. The only way Xu Ran could think of was to scatter ash on them. With this done, the pests wouldnt climb to their leaves. No sooner said than done. Immediately, he went home and got a bamboo dustpan of ash from the back of their house and then scattered it from field to field, but he didnt scatter much to any of them. After all, it was not good to scatter too much. Ten mu of land were a large field. No doubt, Xu Ran couldnt finish it alone, so he did it while pulling the weeds, doing as much as he could manage. As for the rest, he would deal with it after digging the bamboo shoots. Xu Ran stayed in their fields for about four hours and then realized that the sun was setting. At this time, he finally remembered that he hadnt eaten lunch, or that his family hadnt eaten lunch. Xu Ran thought that he had found something so eventful because it had been a long time since such a thing happened. Then he wondered, Do the two kids and Mr. Hu feel hungry? Xu Ran quickly picked up the empty bamboo dustpan and rushed home. When he got home, he found that Liu Tong was busy in the kitchen, Tangtang and Guoguo were lying face down on the stools, and the four dogs were lying prostrate without strength on the ground. Probably, they were all hungry. Xu Ran himself didnt feel hungry. He walked over and touched the heads of Tangtang and Guoguo, saying, You are all hungry, right? Is there anything to eat at home? Tangtang and Guoguo shook their heads weakly and said, No. Wait a while, then. Let me help your daddy cook. Xu Ran walked into the kitchen while speaking. Mr. Hu was watching the fire, and Liu Tong was chopping vegetables nosily. When he saw Xu Ran, he raised his head and wiped the sweat on his forehead. You are back! You must be hungry! We can eat in a while. Xu Ran rolled up his sleeves and went to help him wash the vegetables. I dont feel hungry, but the two kids are quite hungry. I guess Mr. Hu is hungry, too. Liu Tong said with an ashamed smile, Its my fault. I forgot the time. Hey, Tongtong, thats not right. I dont feel hungry, either. You forgot because you were too busy. Mr. Hu seemed to be afraid that Xu Ran would blame Liu Tong. Therefore, he had begun defending Liu Tong before Xu Ran could speak anything. Xu Ran said smilingly, Right! I also forgot it, didnt I? Then he remembered that he had invited Wu Meis and others families to come here to eat tonight, so he asked Liu Tong, Have you cooked the meal for Wu Mei and all others? Yes, Ran. You ask them to come here. I guess now they havent started cooking yet. OK, Im going, then. Ill be back to help you later, Xu Ran said. Go! Liu Tong nodded and said. Chapter 102 When Xu Ran arrived at Wu Meis home, they had just come back from the fields and really hadnt spared time to cook. Xu Ran said, I told you to go to my home for dinner tonight. Let the two kids go there first, but the three of us should go separately to ask others to go. Xu An nodded and began to assign tasks. OK, let me go to Xu Fas home. Wu Mei, you go to Xu Zhens home. What about you, Xu Ran? Are you going to the village heads home? Xu Ran nodded and said, Yes, Im going there. Lets go! Wu Mei asked his two kids to go to Xu Rans home first, and then the three adults headed in different directions. When all the people arrived, Liu Tongs dishes were ready. Xu Ran had also warmed the liquor and poured a small cup for each one. Everyone at the table knew that Xu Ran had something to say today. After they had eaten and drunk to get something in their stomachs, Xu Ran then began to talk about business. Today I asked all of you to come here because I really have something to say. The village head is also here today, but I still have to make one thing clear: dont tell others what happened today. Village head, I know you are the head of the village, so you naturally hope everyone lives well, but my method is the result of my thinking. I dont want to hide it from anyone, but others should know it later. Do you agree with me, village head? The village head knew that what Xu Ran had said was right. He could not share his method with others for no reason. Back then, when he had been in his hardest time, apart from Wu Meis family and these few families, no others had come to help him. Putting himself in Xu Rans shoes, the village head thought that Xu Rans act was right. But he was the village head, after all! How could he not think about the benefit of the village? Unless he didnt know about it. The village head said, Xu Ran, Ive had dinner today, but I wont listen to your method. When you decide to tell everyone in the village someday, then you can tell me. The village heads reaction was within Xu Rans expectations. He didnt say anything, but raised his cup and toasted the village head. At the dinning table, he didnt mention the matter of making money. Liu Tong was skilled at cooking, and the vegetables were many and fresh, so all the people at the table enjoyed themselves. After dinner, the village head and Spouse Chen went home, while Wu Mei and the others stayed to help Liu Tong clean up the kitchen. These few children were playing in the yard, and they would go and tease Big Black occasionally. Xu Ran and the others went to the yard. Now it was gradually getting hot. Mr. Hu didnt have to stay by the fire at night, so he often took a walk in the yard. After the Geers in the kitchen were done with their work, Xu Ran then asked all the people concerned to start talking about business. The bamboo shoots had come out, and some people had begun digging and selling them on the street. Everyone knew about selling the fresh shoots, so Xu Ran had never thought about it. Painstaking efforts were made, but the seller could not make much money. It was really unnecessary to do something that needed great efforts but would yield no fruits. Xu Ran said, You should also know that some people have begun selling bamboo shoots in town these days! We wont join in the fun. Lets try a different method: making dried shoots and pickled sour shoots. What is that? The group looked at Xu Ran in confusion. Xu Ran said with a smile, It is very simple, in fact. The process is: bring back the bamboo shoots we dug, boil them, cut them into pieces or slices, and then dry them in the sun. In winter, we can make soup with them and bacon. Its quite delicious. The pickled sour shoots actually taste the same as the pickled radish. They are sour and can be eaten with congee. Besides, they can also be fried with fat meat. It tastes good too. Xu Ran imagined the taste as he spoke, his mouth about to water. Can we make money in this way, Ran? Liu Tong asked. Of course, Xu Ran said confidently. Pickled sour shoots can be sold at any time, but we can only sell the dried shoots when the winter comes. When you go sell fried chestnuts, you can put a big pot beside them and make soup with bones and the dried shoots. Sell a bowl of soup for two cents. Then, you put it in the market, right? Remembering the matter of the chestnuts last year, everyone started to feel confident in Xu Rans words. Probably, no one had ever tried such things before. Since people loved fresh things, they could sell lots of them. We have no objections. We all listen to you, Wu Mei said to Xu Ran. Neither do we, Liu Qing and Wu Lan echoed. Xu An and the rest didnt speak anything to object, either. Xu Ran was willing to help them, which made them very happy. Xu Ran remembered that these few families also had relatives, so he specifically gave them a reminder. I know each of your families has more than one son. Some people always want to have a share of the money-making method. To put it bluntly, this is the method I came up with. I dont want to share it with others, so I hope you dont tell others, or none of us might be able to do it then. Everyone nodded. Speaking of this, their family members had leaked lots of information about selling the chestnuts last year. Fortunately, they were all independent of the families of their parents, and none of them was the eldest son. Anyway, they just needed to give the monthly money to support their dads and daddies. With that done, they were basically free to do other things. Since their children had grown up, they needed to attend school and get married, but houses had not been built. Anyway, it was a large sum of money. These few families understood that if they couldnt make much money but just earn money bit by bit, they were not sure when they would accumulate enough. Wu Meis family was a typical example. In those days, when he had found that Xu Ran, of the Xu Family, had bullied Liu Tong because of his mental disorder, he had told Xu An that he wanted to leave the old family and build a new one. Xu An was the second son in his family, with his status being neither high nor low. Due to this reason, he had not been favored. But he had worked in town and learned skills from others, so he had contributed to most of the family income. As for his eldest brother and third brother, they had not been gluttonous and lazy guys, but they had never been diligent. They had always been trying to get money from his pockets, but he had handed in all his money to his daddy, so how could he have been able to give them money? Without money brought back, Wu Mei and their two children would have had to live a hard life. Being strong-willed, Wu Mei had thought that they could not live like this anymore. Remembering Liu Tongs life, he had realized that he was not as capable as he was. Therefore, he had told Xu An that he wanted to leave this family and build a new one. Initially, Xu An had not agreed, but when having seen their children and his spouse bullied several times, he had hardened his heart and agreed to Wu Meis request. After moving out, the two had only relied on themselves, but their life had become better. Taking Wu Mei into consideration, Xu Ran had decided to take care of their family. Naturally, they would not be ignorant of the current situation. Besides, Xu Rans method was indeed a way to make money. After the discussion, no one had any objections. Xu Ran had decided to go to the mountain and dig bamboo shoots tomorrow morning. Liu Tong had chosen the location. The road wasnt difficult to tread. As long as they went early, no one would notice them. Xu Ran didnt plan to bring the shoots home to bask. After all, their house was being built, and many people were here; now Xu Ran was a student who hadnt joined the primary imperial examination, so some people always wanted to come and chat with him. It was not good if this was found. Members of the four families would all go up the mountain together, even including children and elders because they could help peel the shoots, gather firewood, and watch the fires. After thinking it over, Xu Ran began to give tasks. He explained everything clearly, including the things each family should carry on their backs to the mountain, what to do when they were up in the mountain, and how to do each of their tasks. They wouldnt need to dig too many bamboo shoots tomorrow, but they had to prepare all the tools they would need, for this would also facilitate their future work. Fiddleheads could also be processed like this, but it was too late this year because their season had passed. When winter came, this would be something really good. With their discussion closed, each familys parents took their children home, but all of them would gather at the Xu Rans home the next day. After seeing off Wu Meis family and the other families, Xu Ran then began to tell his two children and the old man. The children were very excited when they heard that they were going up the mountain. Mr. Hu had said that there was no problem. Anyway, he would merely sit at home if he was left behind, and it was acceptable to go up the mountain and see something. He hadnt been outside often since he came to Xu Village. The strawberries in the fields were good, and there was no need for him to give any help. He didnt want Xu Rans family to think that he couldnt do anything but eat, so he was always very proactive no matter what Xu Ran said. After that, Liu Tong took the two kids to bathe and sleep, while Xu Ran went to take care of Mr. Hu. When they were all asleep, Xu Ran and Liu Tong began to look for things. There were many bamboo mats in their house, and they could be used when the bamboo shoots were basked, so they would take some to the mountain. Besides, every household had to prepare hoes. From tomorrow on, no one would be at home in the daytime, but there were animals to feed in Xu Rans house. The pigweeds and horse weeds must be prepared in advance. He would only go up the mountain after feeding them tomorrow, and he should come back to check the condition at noon. Eating would also be a little troublesome. It was impossible for them to come back and cook! Xu Ran had a headache as he thought about it. After telling Liu Tong something about what he hadnt finished, he went out to Foreman Li. Foreman Li and his companions were about to sleep, but when he saw Xu Ran, he asked jokingly if he was scared by what had happened during the day so that he had come to huddle with them. Xu Ran answered perfunctorily with a smile and then took him out. Foreman Li looked at Xu Ran with a confused expression. Xu Ran, you dont want me to help you work now, do you? Its dark. Xu Ran hit him once with his fist and said, Its not now but tomorrow. Were going to the mountain tomorrow, along with a few friends. Please cook meals for us tomorrow, and Ill pay for the dishes. Hey! Foreman Li waved his hand and said, I thought it should be something eventful! Just tell me the number. Ill ask them to help cook the meals. Seventeen, including my family members. There were four in each of the other families, and there were five in their family. In total, there were lots of people. Dont worry. Come back for meals tomorrow when it is time. Thank you, Foreman Li, Xu Ran said with his gratitude. Youre welcome. Now go back and sleep. Leave this to me. Then Im leaving. Xu Ran went back after getting this done. Liu Tong had packed up everything, so the two washed up and went to bed! Chapter 103 The next day, at dawn, Wu Meis and the other two families gathered at Xu Rans house with their children and tools for digging bamboo shoots on their backs. However, all the children were still obviously very sleepy. It was really not good for the children to wake up so early, and the weather in the morning was still cold. It would be even worse if they caught a cold when they fell asleep in the mountain. Thus Xu Ran decided to let all the children stay at his home. Three Geers shared a bed, while the rest slept together with Tangtang, Guoguo and Mr. Hu. And Mr. Hu had woken up early and said that he would cook breakfast for the children so that they would be able to eat it later. It was really convenient for them to do so. Such breakfast was also simple. They cooked some porridge, and then they could have a meal with some dried bean curd and pickled radish at home. Xu Ran agreed and told Mr. Hu not to be too worried about it. Then they went up the mountain carrying things on the backs. They had chosen the place where they would go today. Liu Tong led the way, Xu Ran was walking the last, while others were in the middle. They arrived about an hour later after they set off. It was a dense bamboo forest and the ground was full of bamboo shoots. Looking at them gave people the urge to dig them out. The four Geers among them were busy setting up stoves, frying pots and packing up the other things, while the other four men went to dig bamboo shoots. Xu Ran didnt have any practical experience in such work, so he followed them and tried a few times before he slowly became proficient in digging. When the sun rose, the Geers had finished their work, while Xu Ran and the others had also dug a lot of bamboo shoots. After packing up, they could go home to eat, and bring their children as well as the old people with them by the way. To cook bamboo shoots, water was needed and the person who knew here best was Liu Tong. Xu Ran walked up to Liu Tong and asked, Tongtong, do you know where there is water nearby? Usually there were springs in the mountains. Liu Tong thought for a while and said, Ive seen a small spring in the front of this bamboo forest. Theres a lot of water in it. Lets go over there to fetch water later. Xu Ran nodded. He felt relieved to know that there was water. At least, they didnt have to go down to the foot of the mountain to get water. He said, All right, lets go back then. Since there are usually no people here, its okay as long as we go faster. Thus the group of people started to walk back. At Xu Rans house Mr. Hu had already cooked porridge and fried several dishes. At the moment, the children were sitting in rows eating. Each of them had egg soup in their bowls. Xu Ran went in and felt the aroma of food, It smells good! Mr. Hu, I didnt expect you to be so good at making egg soup! Mr. Hu smiled shyly, In the past, my late spouse loved to eat this during his postpartum confinement. It has been many years since I last made this dish. I am not so skillful as before now. I see so many eggs at home that you didnt sell for money, so I made soup with some of them for the children. As for the food, no matter how much it was eaten, Xu Ran would not mind it. He didnt expect to earn much from selling a few eggs, but still Xu Ran joked, Mr. Hu, they all have egg soup. Why dont we have any? Before Xu Ran could finish speaking, Wu Mei replied, Xu Ran, arent you ashamed of yourself? You even want to grab food from a group of children! With that, Wu Mei also laughed. Though he knew Xu Ran was joking, he could not help answering him back. The group of children were very happy to see the adults coming back. They all got off the table and hugged them by the legs. Tangtang and Guoguo heard Xu Ran say that he also wanted to try egg soup. They immediately handed their own food to Xu Ran. Guoguo took the lead and offered, Hey, Dad, Ill give mine to you. Tangtang didnt want to struggle with him, so he went up to Liu Tong, Daddy, you eat mine. The children from other families also learned from Tangtang and Guoguo and did the same like them, which made all the adults present quite touched. After having breakfast, they packed up, went back to feed their livestock in their house, shut the doors well, and then again went up the mountain together. As Xu Ran and the others had dug out a lot of bamboo shoots in the morning, all the children now had something to do-stripping the bamboo shoots. Mr. Hu collected some firewood to make a fire while Liu Tong and Wu Mei went to fetch water. Not too much water was needed to boil the bamboo shoots, so it was enough for both of them to make two trips. The other adults continued to dig bamboo shoots. After all, all the work was a matter of time. After all the bamboo shoots were stripped, they were put into a big pot. After they were done, they were scooped out and then dipped in the water for a while. When cooling, they were taken onto the chopping board and cut into fine slices or shreds, neither too thin nor too thick. Xu Ran was digging bamboo shoots while instructing the Geers how to strip them. The digging work went on very quickly. As here were many children present, the stripping work was also making good progress. Only the cutting didnt work so well, though the Geers there were already working hard and fast. Seeing that they couldnt finish the cutting in time, Xu Ran told Mr. Hu to stop boiling more bamboo shoots. He planned to take them back to make pickled bamboo shoots, which could not only be a dish for the family but also be sold to the town for money. At noon, they all went back for lunch except Mr. Hu. He was old and would feel tired from walking up and down the mountain, so they brought him food to the mountain. After such a busy day, they got a good harvest. The ready-made bamboo shoots were still not dry after being aired outside for only one day, but it was troublesome to collect them back. They could only find something to cover them up, so they rushed home to find something for the purpose. When the sun set, they were finally able to go home. After working with a hoe for a whole day, Xu Rans hands were blistered, his back was sore and his legs were weak. He really hated his incompetence. They carried home all the bamboo shoots that were not boiled and soaked them in water. After returning home, Liu Tong hurriedly went out to cut pigweed. Now that there was Big Black, the grass for them was in great need. Xu Ran also went to help. The other families had gone back and ate supper at their own home. Xu Ran planned to go to the town the next day to deliver some chili paste as well as some bamboo shoots to Mr. Chen. By the way, he would discuss with him about the business of pickled bamboo shoots. Besides, he would also go to Zhuo Yuns. He believed Qin Shuwen would like the soup cooked with bones and bamboo shoots. The next day, Xu Ran got up very early. Those few children still came to their house to sleep. Liu Tong had gone to the mountain with the others. Xu Ran drove the carriage to the town with Foreman Li, who would go to buy vegetables and meat for his team. The new house was under construction for more than a month, and it could already be seen in the shape. Of course, there were still days before everything was done for the building. However, as the construction team was working there, it was convenient for them to go out now. At least, they always had someone there to keep watch everything at home. On the carriage, Foreman Li started to tell Xu Ran about Zhang Yue. They had been on the mountain all day yesterday, so they naturally did not know what was going on with the matter. Foreman Li had been in the village for more than a month, and he had been chatting with many villagers when he was free. As Xu Cheng and Xu Ran were brothers, Foreman Li paid more attention to them. After Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu returned, they first went to the town to see about Zhang Yues injury at the hospital. They asked the doctor about the situation. They had supposed that Xu Ran might have lied to them about the case, but as a result, what the doctor said was exactly the same as what Xu Ran had described. They had to believe it. Seeing that Zhang Yue was dying on the bed, Elder Daddy Xu couldnt help but curse angrily. After a discussion, they immediately went to the village head to request that they wanted to sell their land. The Xu Family did not have much land, and it was not high-class one. The price was naturally cheap. However, they were urgent for money, so they couldnt find the suitable buyer in time. They could only sell their land to the government. To sell the land to the government, they could get less money, but they really had no other valuable things at home. If they didnt sell the land for money, they could only wait for Zhang Yues death. If Zhang Yue really died, if might mean that Xu Cheng had to go to jail, and he might even be sentenced to death. The Xu Family, who were so ignorant about many things, were really scared this time. The village head told them two in detail about the situation. They were really afraid that their son would go to jail. They promised that they would immediately agreed Xu Cheng couples divorce after Zhang Yue came back to his sense. The moment they returned from the village heads house, Zhang Yues family came over to fight with them. What a scene! Zhang Yues dad and daddy would never like to see Zhang Yue die this way. However, it was the fact that the Xu Family was really poor, so they could only think of ways to collect as much money themselves. Still, they kept on threatening Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Houcai. Xu Ran smilingly heard all the story. No matter how the Xu Family fought with him, it had nothing to do with him. Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu had never treated the fool as their son, and naturally Xu Ran would never be so kind to help them. The only thing he would do was not to twist the knife. As they chatted, they soon arrived at the town. Big Black was really much faster than the ox from Wu Meis family. Xu Ran let Foreman Li to buy food, and he went for his own business. After that, they both would gather at the place where Big Black was parked. Xu Ran first went to deliver chili paste to Mr. Chen. He also sent him for free some of the bamboo shoots that they had dug yesterday. However, he mentioned about the pickled bamboo shoots. Mr. Chen had always appreciated all the new things from Xu Ran, of course. After talking with Mr. Chen for a while, Xu Ran went to Zhuo Yuns Mansion. Now, there were many bamboo shoots to buy in town, and Zhuo Yuns family had bought some of them. What Xu Ran brought were naturally the same as the ones they had got from outside. However, as they were gifts from Xu Ran and especially after hearing what Xu Ran said about the ways of eating bamboo shoots, both Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen were very cheerful and looked forward to eating them. Thinking that the potatoes at home should also be dug out, Xu Ran invited Zhuo Yun to their house in a few days. If it was convenient, he could also bring Qin Shuwen with him, which would be good for the unborn baby to be around outside in the village. Of course, Zhuo Yun agreed without saying another word. Qin Shuwen had wanted to go out for a long time. He had been kept at home all the time and felt very bored. Chapter 104 They have been digging up bamboo shoots for five days and most of the bamboo forests bamboo shoots had been collected by them. However, Xu Ran and the others had deliberately left out those bamboo shoots which still had the room to grow. After all, they would come again next year after this years digging. After they finished digging up the bamboo shoots, they started digging up potatoes. Although the potatoes planted in winter were still not big, they could still be served for meals for some time since the ones planted in spring was about to ripe as well. Other familys wheat was readied to be reaped, but theirs still needed a few more days. What was most important was that they still didnt know how much they would be able to harvest. The freshly cut bamboo shoots have not been brought back yet and were still left on the mountain. Several families took turns to send people up to the mountain to guard the bamboo shoots every day. The bamboo shoots piled up inside the house needed to be cut into pieces and made into pickled bamboo shoots. However, they didnt have enough jars in the house and the carrot jar were too small to fit a large volumn. Xu Ran did not dare to use the large jar which had been used to store chili paste to make pickled bamboo shoots for fear that should anything go wrong, an entire jar of bamboo shoots would be ruined. Therefore, Xu Ran went out to buy a large jar again. By the time he had finally done with the work and started digging up small potatoes, it was already April 16th. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were just started to dig up potatoes in the field when they heard the hoofbeats. With a look at the horse, Xu Ran knew that it was Zhuo Yun. Therefore, they could only stop what they were doing to greet the guests. This time, Qin Shuwen also came. He was so happy that he couldnt wait to get out of the cart and have a look around. Qin Shuwen was a Geer who hadnt been to many places nor did he see much. After getting out of the carriage, he asked Xu Ran what they were doing. Xu Ran smiled and said, We were digging up potatoes. The thing that you like to eat very much. Qin Shuwen was curious, How? Is it grown in the soil? Can I go and have a look? Liu Tong covered his mouth while smiling. He felt that this side of Qin Shuwen was kind of cute. He smiled and said, Ill take you there. Ran, you can talk to Zhuo Yun! The driver was the shopkeeper who led the horse to the side of the Xu Rans pigpen and threw in a bunch of grass to feed the horse. When the Big Black saw that its food had been taken by others, it glared at Zhuo Yuns horse but since there were too many ropes and the distance was too far, it was unable to take action and could only watch sullenly. Xu Ran chatted with Zhuo Yun for a while, then he continued to dig up the potatoes. It was already summer, and the weather changed quickly. It was best to put away the things in the field first. Zhuo Yun didnt mind. When Xu Ran was digging, he crouched aside to help pick up the potatoes. Initially, Qin Shuwen wanted to have a try too, but considering he was five-month pregnant, he could only stand by the side. At noon, Xu Ran made a potato feast with a whole tables dishes made of potatoes which served everyone a good meal. After lunch, Xu Ran took Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen for a tour around the village and played in the small river at the end of the village for a while. In the afternoon, Xu Ran and the rest had work to do, and Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen didnt stay for long. They went back with the potatoes and the chilli paste and the bean curd given by Xu Ran. They said that they would come again after Qin Shuwen gave birth, and Xu Ran told them they would be welcome here. Xu Ran didnt plan to eat this patch of potatoes; instead he decided to dry them all. The potatoes were not big in size, so he would cook them in whole before he peeled and dried them and saved them until winter for making soup. It was one of his favorite dishes, but the weather was too hot at this time of the year. If it werent this hot, he could be able to experiment making that dish now. By the time the batch of potatoes was properly prepared, it was already in the 20th of April and the cherries of other people by the roadside had also ripened and hidden behind the leaves, making people drooling. Xu Ran did not have those cherry trees in his house, and Xu Ran forbade Tangtang and Guoguo from picking any from other peoples trees. It was indeed a bad habit to form anyway. They could buy it with money and there were wild cherries on the mountain as well. Their strawberries had also grown green fruits. Xu Ran remembered that strawberry couldnt touch the soil or it would rot. However, it was already the rainy season. Should a few heavy rain occurred, there werent be much hope with the strawberries. However, there was no protective film here and there were no specialized tools to web the strawberries. It was too troublesome to make it himself so Xu Ran naturally wouldnt use this method. The only way left was to put the strawberry on the leaves one by one so that the strawberry wouldnt touch the soil. Ten mu of land was a huge workload, especially when there were about five mu of land planted with strawberries in the second year. There were many fruits, so even if he bent down to work in the field for a day, he probably wouldnt be able to finish one mu a day. But Xu Ran couldnt think of any other way. He didnt have much spare money to hire others for help, so he could only work on his own. The busy working place of the family now shifted to the strawberry field. The first day of May was Xu Rans birthday, and then on the third day of May, it was Tangtang and Guoguos birthday. The families birthdays were all in those few days, but Xu Ran did not really have a birthday thing. In addition, he was too busy, so he celebrated his along with the two childrens birthday. He let Liu Tong cook each a bowl of noodles together with a meal of meat. Tangtang and Guoguo bought him some small things. The sun seemed bigger in May and on the 5th of May, Liu Tong was working in the field in the sun and fainted. It frightened the family. Xu Ran hurriedly carried him back home. Xu Ran thought that he was suffering from acute sunstroke, but there wasnt any Sunstroke medicine in this era. There was only mugwort, and he didnt know how to make it. So he could only press hard on Liu Tongs temple while asking Tangtang and Guoguo to go find Doctor Liu. Not long after Doctor Liu came, Liu Tong woke up. After Doctor Liu took his pulse, he scolded Xu Ran, Even if you dont want the child, you shouldnt let Liu Tong work so hard. Do you still treat him as a teenager? Whats good to you if he hurt himself? Child? Xu Ran was stunned for a while when he heard this. So Liu Tong is pregnant! Not only Xu Ran was stunned, even Liu Tong was a little stunned. He touched his belly. Im pregnant? Doctor Liu looked at the those two who were both stunned and started to scold them again. This time, he scolded Liu Tong as well. Liu Tong, I dont want to scold you but Tangtang and Guoguo are five years old now. Why didnt you know how to take care of yourself? You drove me mad by still exhausting yourself in the field in such a hot day when you are pregnant. Doctor Liu was obviously more excited than the two parties involved, but he should be blamed. It had been some time since their family had moved to Xu Village and he knew about Xu Ran. People in the village knew the life of Liu Tong in those years, but they could not say anything as outsiders. When Xu Ran was able to move out and the good time started, they were expecting another child, which was supposed to be a happy thing but these two didnt take it seriously at all. So how could he not be mad? Xu Ran also knew that Doctor Lius scolding was for their good, so he quickly apologized to him and told him not to be mad and hurriedly offered a bowl of water for him. Seeing Xu Rans actions, Doctor Liu sat down and gave Liu Tong some medicine for the baby. He also urged Xu Ran to take care of the child in Liu Tongs belly and he definitely couldnt work hard in the first three months. Lets see how things were after the first three months to decide whether he would do some work then. Xu Ran nodded hard, saying that he would do as he told. Pregnancy was a happy event. Doctor Liu did not even take the money for his consultation. They had been looking forward to it and had tried hard for a long time, but didnt succeed. No one would have thought that he would get pregnant at such a busy time. After the person left, Xu Ran became in a daze. He stared at Liu Tongs belly and giggled, which made Liu Tong feel a little helpless. After Tangtang and Guoguo saw that the doctor left, they immediately rushed into the house and asked anxiously if Liu Tong was sick. Before Liu Tong could speak, Xu Ran had picked up Guoguo who was closer to him and spinned. He said while spinning, Your Daddy has a baby in his stomach. You will soon have a younger brother. Little brother? The two children tilted their heads and thought about it for a while before they made sense of the situation. Then they revealed a silly smile, just like that of Xu Ran. Liu Tong looked at those happy father and sons, then touched his own belly and smiled. The news of Liu Tong was pregnant was spread by Xu Ran on the day, and then a bunch of people came to congratulate them. Wu Mei and the others naturally came first, and sent over the food which they had been saving to Liu Tong, which made Xu Ran and the family feel flattered. Xu Ran went to town to buy Liu Tongs medicine and a bunch of nutritious food. He went to Zhuo Yuns house to share them with the good news and brought back a bunch of things. There was nothing much they lacked right now and since Liu Tong was pregnant, Xu Ran didnt let him work. Especially when Doctor Liu said Liu Tong fainted from exhaustion and he nearly lost the child for that, it frightened Xu Ran who became responsible for both the housework and the field work. Liu Tong was pregnant for two months. It was the few days before Xu Ran went to the imperial examination. The first three months were the most sensitive time, so Xu Ran naturally did not dare to act rashly. Xu Ran couldnt do all the work by himself. In just a few days, he had lost several pounds of weight, which made Liu Tong feel distressed. While sleeping at night, Liu Tong rubbed Xu Rans shoulders and said, Ran, let me work. I was fine when I was pregnant with Tangtang and Guoguo! No, although Xu Ran didnt have much strength, he said firmly, dont you remember what Doctor Liu said? Its been so hard for you to get pregnant and we cant let anything happen. Liu Tong pouted and said to himself, I dont have the heart to see you so tired! Seeing that Liu Tong grew quiet, Xu Ran softened his tone, Tongtong, its not that I dont let you work. Its just that its inappropriate for you to work now. Wait until three months later, okay? Just wait another month. Listen to me. Although Liu Tong was still not very happy, he didnt say anything about helping Xu Ran again. Xu Ran also knew that this would not work now. Liu Tongs belly was small now and although he was not allowed to work, it was easy for him to walk around. But when his belly began to grow and he wanted to go out? There was only old people and children in the house and they would not be of any help, which made Xu Ran worry. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lets hire someone to take care of you in the house. Look at us now, we need the help in the house and in the field, right? Liu Tong naturally knew about the situation Xu Ran mentioned. If he was not too busy, he wouldnt have fainted. He nodded. Then Ran, lets hire someone! However, he shouldnt need to work here for long. After a month when I gave birth to the child, I would be able to take care of the child myself and help you work. Xu Ran felt that it was feasible, just like hiring a babysitter in the modern times, and they would discuss more at that time! Xu Ran said, Then I might as well go to town tomorrow to ask Zhuo Yun to help me hire someone for our chores as soon as possible, so I can rest assured. After Xu Ran finished speaking, he was so tired that he fell asleep soon. Liu Tong smiled and helped him lie on the pillow before he lay down next to him. Chapter 105 C Xu Ran got up early this morning. He put a pot of pickled bamboo shoots to the carriage. Then, he cooked the pigweed for feeding pigs and horses as well as released the chickens and ducks out of the poultry houses. After making and having breakfast with his two kids and the old, Xu Ran prepared to go out. Liu Tong was still asleep. Ever since Xu Ran knew that Liu Tong was pregnant, he managed to have Liu Tong develop the habit of sleeping late. Liu Tong had been keeping an accurate biological rhythm these years. Although he was awake, he had to listen to Xu Ran and keep himself on the bed. Pregnant men got sleepy easily, and Liu Tong got used to this new normal now. At first, Liu Tong was worried about being lazy after having such a habit, but Xu Ran said that he wanted his son to have enough sleep since he was in his daddys womb so that he wouldnt sleep late after birth. Although he knew that Xu Rans words didnt make any sense, Liu Tong had no idea to refute them. Xu Ran got into the carriage with Foreman Li, who was going to the town to buy some food. Before getting into the carriage, Foreman Li said some flattering words to Xu Ran. Xu Ran sat in the drivers seat with Foreman Li next to him. Then, they were talking on the way. Foreman Li told Xu Ran something about Zhang Yue after that incident. Xu Ran had been extremely busy these days, and he had paid little attention to Zhang Yue. Foreman Li had lived in Xu Village for two months. He liked chatting with other villagers when he was free. Now, he was much familiar with people in this village. When Xu Cheng was prisoned in the ancestral hall, Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Houcai made a scene. Seeing nothing changed, they gave up and went back home. Soon, they went to the hospital in the town and saw Zhang Yue lying on the bed, who was still in a coma and bandaged by the physician. Zhang Yues wounds looked very serious, and the physician explained the condition of Zhang Yue to them two. Actually, Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Houcai had come to visit Zhang Yue because they didnt believe what Xu Ran had said. However, they could do nothing but believe it now. After all, the physician wouldnt tell a lie. Then, they started to hesitate again. They couldnt afford Zhang Yues medical treatment now, unless they sold their fields, which were actually of little value. Even worse, there wouldnt be an instant buyer, so they could only sell their fields to the government, which meant that they would earn less money. They felt upset enough just thinking about it. However, they had to sell the fields for supporting Zhang Yues medical treatment, or the latter would die. Then, their beloved son would go to jail and even have his life ended. No! No way! The two of them made up their mind to save Zhang Yue by hook or crook. Therefore, they went back to Village Xu to visit the village head. The village head explained the implications of this event, which frightened the couple of elderly Xu. Immediately, they took the title deed and prepared to sell their fields. The village head knew that the couple of elderly Xu was poor. Besides, they were of the same village and on good terms. Therefore, he offered a fair price and paid the part which should have been given to the government to the couple of elderly Xu. With ingots of silver in their hands, the old couple went home. However, they kept cursing along the way. Someone heard it and told it to the village head. Upon hearing that, the village head got furious and said that he would never help the couple anymore. However, the old couple were still arrogant, as if nobody in this world was right except for themselves. Hearing that, Xu Ran smiled gently. He knew that Xus had been always like this. Perhaps they would not change until they die. What a pity! The original owner of his body was born in such a miserable family and had his life ended at a young age. However, if this fool didnt die, I wouldnt come to this world, Xu Ran thought and rejoiced suddenly. He had no intention or ability to help the couple of the elderly Xu. All the money should be saved for his pregnant spouse now. How could he help them? The Big Black trotted much faster than Wu Meis old bull. Xu Ran and Foreman Li arrived at the town soon. Chained the Big Black, Xu Ran asked Foreman Li to wait for him after shopping, and he would come back soon. Then, he rushed to Mr. Chens restaurant with his pack basket. Xu Ran brought only two pots of pickled bamboo shoots in his basket. He was not sure whether his pickles would be popular. After all, no one had eaten them before, although he himself liked them very much. The pickled bamboo shoots were prepared by Liu Tong. Xu Ran was sure that Liu Tong was the best pickle expert he had ever seen. Its getting warmer and warmer now. Perhaps the pickles wont be kept well for a long time. There are still a lot of pickles at home. Maybe besides turning to Mr. Chen, I have to find more buyers, thought Xu Ran. Of course Xu Ran had thought of other ways. He had even planned to have the bamboo shoot salted, but he gave up. Different from dried vegetables, bamboo shoots were rather delicate, which could only be kept by being soaked or dried. No way. The vacuum package had not been invented in this world. Arriving at Mr. Chens restaurant, Xu Ran first talked about the happy event in his family, and then gave Mr. Chen the pots of pickled shoots. Xu Ran had told Mr. Chen about the pickled bamboo shoots before, so the latter was not surprised upon seeing it. He took the chopsticks to have a try; then he received the two pots of tasty pickles happily. Moreover, Xu Ran offered Mr. Chen a few recipes, and he didnt bargain because he was in a hurry. As a result, he accepted Mr. Chen only 200 taels of silver as before. Xu Ran also told Mr. Chen that he could provide more pickled bamboo shoots. Hearing that, Mr. Chen patted his chest and promised Xu Ran to help sell them, which made Xu Ran relieved; he also promised Mr. Chen to sent the rest in a few days. In fact, not only himself, but also Wu Mei and others needed Mr. Chens help. However, Xu Ran was in a hurry now. He had to rush to Zhuo Yuns home immediately. Zhuo Yun didnt intend to go out until Qin Shuwen gave birth. Hearing the servant said that Xu Ran came to visit him, he came out happily right away. Xu Ran left some pickled bamboo shoots for Zhuo Yun. The scent of the pickles was strong, which was smelled by Qin Shuwen soon. Xu Ran took the pickle pot out quickly, which made Qin Shuwen satisfied. Xu Ran explained his purpose straightforwardly to Zhuo Yun that he wanted to hire a Geer who had experience in giving birth to serve Liu Tong. Zhuo Yun knew that his pregnant spouse, Qin Shuwen, also needed someone beside him at all times, so he agreed with Xu Rans idea. And Zhuo Yun came up with a good idea, well, Ran! Why dont you buy a maternity matron to serve your spouse? You know, it will cost a lot of money to hire someone. Secondly, how can you assure that the person you hired is honest and wholehearted? What if he makes a mistake? What if he steals your property and runs away? If this happened, you wouldnt even be able to find him! Xu Ran agreed with Zhuo Yun, but he was still reluctant to take part in human trafficking. After all, he had gotten used to the modern law. This was completely different from his accidental transmigration into this world. It was true that he was able to adapt himself to different circumstances, and he was equipped with the memory of the previous Xu Ran, so he could accept all of these easily. However, buying people still made him uncomfortable. Zhuo Yun also perceived something abnormal from the awkward expression on Xu Rans face. He said, Dont you know, Ran? People are unequal at birth. They should be ranked! And of course the people of the lowest-grade can be trafficked. You know, their only wish is to have a good master and to live a peaceful life. Save your sympathy, Ran! They only way to show your mercy is to buy them. Xu Ran nodded. He understood it. He also knew that this crucial fact could not be changed by him or because of him. Perhaps even if he wanted to change it, the so-called inferior people would not be willing to be saved. Thinking of this, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun how much it would cost to buy a maternity matron. Not much. The expensive ones are only a few dozen taels of silver. How about buying a few more people, Ran? Dont you want some servants to help harvest your strawberries? You cant manage it alone! advised Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran smiled and said, of course I want helpers! But you know, even if I have enough money, I dont have enough rooms for them. My house is still under construction. Itll take at least a few months to be finished. Zhuo Yun agreed and said, Fine! Lets buy a maternity matron first. Ill go to the servant market with you. Then, Zhuo Yun turned back and said a few words to Qin Shuwen, telling him not to eat too much sour food, or he would have a toothache. Seeing Qin Shuwen nodded and agreed, Zhuo Yun rested assured and went out with Xu Ran. When reaching the courtyard, they happened to see Housekeeper Zhuo passing by. All the servants in the Zhuo Mansion were bought by Housekeeper Zhuo, so Zhuo Yun brought the him with them since he himself wasnt familiar with buying servants. Chapter 106 There was only one human trafficker in this town, who lived in the east of the city. With Housekeeper Zhuo leading the way, they took the familiar path and found him. The human trafficker was surnamed Wu. Housekeeper Zhuo introduced Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun and added that it was Xu Ran who wanted to buy a person. His condition was that the person should be a Geer with the experience of giving birth or taking care of pregnant spouses. Trafficker Wu replied hurriedly, No problem, no problem. I have plenty. Let me bring some here now. Then he brought a few Geers here. As people who had been sent away by big families, they had given birth or served pregnant spouses before, which met Xu Rans request. However, Xu Ran was not satisfied. Most people from big families were fastidious but incompetent. No matter why they had been sent away, Xu Ran didnt want to take any of them, lest that they would behave like masters before him and Liu Tong in the future. He disliked the tricks of big families most. He shook his head at Trafficker Wu and said, I dont want these people. Do you have other people here? After saying this, he felt that this was like going to the shop to buy something. The feeling was a little bad. Seeing that Xu Ran didnt want anyone, Trafficker Wu brought another group and introduced, These people were sold by their families because their families were too poor to have enough food to eat. They are poor souls. These people were really pathetic. All their clothes had patches, and they looked obedient and weak-willed as if they had been born to be bullied, but this was in line with the honesty of country people. Xu Ran picked some and asked them a few questions, but he started to frown after asking them. Their answers were completely not what he wanted, which meant that these people did not meet his requirements. He and Liu Tong were good-tempered, but he knew one of the poors habits: they catered to their masters will and were quite greedy. Although these people looked well-behaved now, no one knew what they would become in the future. Dissatisfied, Xu Ran didnt choose anyone and shook his head at Trafficker Wu again. Having seen Xu Rans act, Trafficker Wu almost thought that Xu Ran had come here to find fault. However, when he found that Housekeeper Zhuo and Zhuo Yun hadnt said anything and that Xu Ran had been serious to choose just now, he suppressed his anger. He said to Xu Ran, Gentleman, I only have these people who meet your requirements. Finishing speaking, Trafficker Wu immediately patted himself once and then looked at Xu Ran a little hesitantly. Gazed by him, Xu Ran became irritable and asked, If you have something to say, just say it! Trafficker Wu said, I still have one more person who meets your requirements, but he is not to be sold alone. He has a husband, and the two of them must be sold together. This person has just lost his child but has a good character. No one is more suitable than him to serve your spouse. Before Xu Ran could say anything, Zhuo Yun helped him reply, Bring them here! If they are suitable, we will buy them. Trafficker Wu brought them here soon. The man was very tall but didnt look like a person from the south, and his spouse was protected by him in his arms, so his appearance couldnt be seen clearly. Xu Ran was quite satisfied with the mans behavior. At least, the one who knew about protecting his spouse could not be so bad. Xu Ran took two steps forward and came to the two people. After clearing his throat, he asked, I heard Mr. Wu say that your child has just passed away. I want to know the thing you met that led to your childs death? Hearing Xu Rans words, the man held his spouse in his arms even more tightly and looked at Xu Ran vigilantly, but he didnt utter a word. Xu Ran felt helpless and said with a softened tone, I dont mean anything else. I just want to know if it was your fault or someone troubled you. What should I do if I buy you but bring danger to my family? Your child was innocent, and my family members are innocent, too. The mans lips moved, but still, no words came out after a long time. It seemed that he was not good at talking. His spouse in his arms pushed him, the man loosened his hold a little, and his spouse came out of his arms. Then, Xu Ran saw the persons appearance clearly. He was soft and weak, but there was no fear on his face. Looking at Xu Ran, he said, Gentleman, please rest assured. We came from the north to look for our relatives, but we happened to meet a pack of wolves on the way. Our child was taken away by the wolves. He was only five years old, he said, wiping his tears. Xu Ran rubbed his nose with embarrassment. Remembering his two kids who had just turned six, he looked at them apologetically and said, Sorry, I dont know, but dont grieve too much. The spouse said with a smile, It doesnt matter. It has passed. We two sold ourselves. At that time, I was injured by the wolves. In order to heal my injury, my husband sold himself to a human trafficker and said that anyone who wants to buy him has to buy both of us. The buyers didnt think I met their standards. We had been sold from place to place before we came here. Xu Ran believed him inexplicably after hearing his words. Although he knew that they hid some details of their identities, he was going to buy them. Standing in their shoes, he thought that if he and Liu Tong were like this, he would also risk his life to protect Liu Tong. Besides, nothing in his family was so valuable for others to conspire to get. The twos identities probably had no impact on their family. Xu Ran asked the spouse, Are you willing to go to my home? My spouse is pregnant for two months, but Im too busy to attend to him alone, so I came to buy people. The spouse didnt agree but looked at the person behind him. His tall husband was stunned for a moment but then nodded. Seeing it, the spouse smiled softly and said to Xu Ran, Gentleman, we are willing. With the sudden appearance of one more person, naturally, Xu Ran had to prepare an extra budget. But he needed to buy anyway, and then buying two was not bad. Since Housekeeper Zhuo was present, Trafficker Wu didnt ask him to pay a high price. With thirty taels of silver paid, the two people were taken home. Xu Ran also sighed with emotion, What does it mean when the price is the same as that of Big Black? Many people held the view that buying two people and bringing them home meant that they would have two more people to feed. The investment was much more than that of buying cattle or horses, so few had truly bought people and brought them home. Since he wanted to rush home, Xu Ran didnt go to the Zhuo Mansion with Zhuo Yun and the housekeeper. Instead, he headed straight for the place where his carriage was parked with the husband and his spouse he had just bought. Xu Ran asked their names and ages on the way. The mans name was Gao Quan, and the Geers was Shao Yu. Both of them were from the north. Gao Quan was thirty-three, and Shao Yu was three years younger than him. They only had one child, but he had been taken away by the wolves. Xu Ran also told them about his familys situation, especially their current living place. Since the rooms were not enough, Xu Ran meant to let Mr. Hu share the room with Tangtang and Guoguo, and Gao Quan and Shao Yu could live in one room. When their new house was finished, the situation would be better. Gao Quan said nothing, but Shao Yu said that they would just need to make a bed on the floor, and that was enough. When they had been in the hands of the human traffickers, they hadnt had quilts to keep warm even in winter. Therefore, as long as they had a shelter from wind and rain, it was great. Xu Ran said, Ive brought you home, so I will treat you as my family, of course. The new house will be finished soon. Youll have to make do with the condition in the next few months! Shao Yu waved his hand hurriedly and said, What are you talking about, master? This condition is great. Xu Ran did not refuse this address. He needed something to suppress them, and this address was the best reminder. When they reached the place where the carriage was parked, Foreman Li was already waiting, without anything in his hands. Presumably, he had put all the things in the carriage. Seeing Xu Ran coming over with two people in shabby clothes, he was a little surprised and asked, Xu Ran, you said you went to town for something. What are the two people used for? Xu Ran explained, I came to town for the thing of buying people today. You also know that Liu Tong is pregnant, and Im too busy to take care of her alone. Come on, let me introduce them to you. This is Gao Quan. This is Shao Yu. They are a couple. Then he pointed at Foreman Li and said, This is Foreman Li. He is now building the house for my family. After knowing each other, the three of them all got on the carriage. Gao Quan and Shao Yu sat outside driving, while Xu Ran and Foreman Li talked inside and told them directions from time to time. Gao Quan drove the carriage steadily and quickly. It was obvious that he was a very experienced coachman. Not to mention Xu Ran, even Foreman Li had found it, but Xu Ran didnt say anything, so it was improper for him to ask anything. When they were home, Xu Ran spent some time making an introduction and doing an explanation. Tangtang and Guoguo, who were still young, didnt think anything was wrong, and Mr. Hu felt it unsuitable to say anything, but Liu Tong was different. Their plan was to hire someone, but now it had been changed with people bought and brought home. More seriously, two had been bought at a time. Therefore, he felt more or less uneasy. But it was not suitable to ask Xu Ran in their presence. As for Xu Ran, he was busy helping the two settle down and moving Mr. Hus belongings to Tangtang and Guoguos room. After he had explained to Tangtang and Guoguo prudently, the two kids became very generous. There was no enough living space in their house, so huddling together was nothing. Besides, they were small and didnt need much space. When Xu Ran and his companions came back, it was not noon. Xu Ran had told Foreman Li that they would eat with them at noon. Foreman Li had bought lots of vegetables. Even if a few more people came, the food would be enough. Gao Quan and Shao Yu came to their home with nothing valuable, even without clothes to change. They could not wear his or Liu Tongs clothes, mainly because they had different heights. Xu Ran found a few old clothes that Xu An had given them before, asking them to make do with them now, but added that he would buy new ones in town in a few days. Tangtang and Guoguo take Gao Quan and Shao Yu to get familiar with the things and various poultry in their house, while Liu Tong could only sit and chat with Mr. Hu, but he was so anxious that blisters were to appear in his mouth. This situation didnt improve a bit until he finally had the chance to talk to Xu Ran alone at night. Chapter 107 Ran, didnt we just plan to hire someone for help? Why did you buy someone back instead? And youve even bought two people. How much money did you have to spend? Liu Tong pulled Xu Ran and asked anxiously. Xu Ran held Liu Tongs hand and told him not to be too agitated Then he explained, I didnt spend much money. Tongtong, listen to me. Its worth buying people to work for us. I didnt know about it before until today Zhuo Yun told me so. I also think it makes sense to buy people. What did he say to you? Liu Tong asked. Zhuo Yun pointed out that it costs a lot of money to employ workers nowadays, and the employees were not as reliable as those to be bought back. After all, we still have the contract for the indentured workers, who will be more helpful to us. You know that we are busy now. We will have to harvest wheat and pick strawberries soon. We need working hands, so its convenient to buy the workers back. Then why did you buy two? Isnt it good to buy one only? Xu Ran touched Liu Tongs hand and comforted him, I planned to buy one, but I was not satisfied with those people. In the end, only Shao Yu was left and he has borne a child. However, he was sold with Gao Quan. I thought it made no much difference in buying one or two workers, so Ive just bought both of them back together. I believe more people means more help. But Tongtong, are you worried that I cant afford enough food for them both? Liu Tong gave him an angry stare, Im just worried that buying workers may cost a lot of money. You know that our family doesnt have much money now. Xu Ran smiled, Dont worry about this. It didnt cost much. You can set your mind at rest. From tomorrow on, Gao Quan will follow me to work in the field while Shao Yu will take care of you at home and do housework! Liu Tong nodded, Alright. Just follow your idea, but tell me why you bought these two people back. Xu Ran nodded and replied, Well, lets talk on the bed. Gao Quan and Shao Yu are poor people because their child was eaten by wolves Here Gao Quan and Shao Yu had a good rest at night. The next day, Xu Ran assigned them different tasks. It was too hot outside. Xu Ran wouldnt let Mr. Hu, Tangtang or Guoguo go to work in the field. At most, he would let them cut grass in the morning. As for the Geer, Shao Yu, Xu Ran felt that he was not as strong as a man, so he didnt have to go to the fields to work when the weather was hot. He just needed to help with the housework at home. Xu Ran took Gao Quan to the strawberry fields. Gao Quan had not done much farm work before and he was not skillful at all. However, Xu Ran didnt say anything about it but slowly taught him how to do it. Gao Quan was actually a smart person, so he could get started well with his work soon. His only shortcoming was that he couldnt grasp his strength well. He often pulled down strawberries by accident which were growing big and round. Xu Ran really felt pity for all those fruits. Gao Quan also felt sorry for all these. At last, he was able to manage his strength after pulling out more than ten of the fruits. Both of them worked in the field for the whole morning and their working speed was more than twice as fast as when Xu Ran was working alone. Gao Quan was a man of few words, but he still answered Xu Rans questions one by one. From his tone and choice of his words, Xu Ran was even more certain that these two people were not that simple. They might not be some masters or someone important, but they were at least from some distinguished families, some really wealthy and influential families. By the time they went back in the afternoon, Shao Yu had already prepared their lunch well, but he made himself dirty, especially his face, covered with soot. Xu Ran was amused by his look, but he held himself back in front of Liu Tong. Liu Tong asked Shao Yu to go to wash his face. After Xu Ran and the others washed their hands, they would have dinner. All the lunch had been made by Shao Yu alone with Liu Tong occasionally telling him something he didnt know by the side. Shao Yus cooking skills were good, and everyone at the table today was satisfied. After lunch, Xu Ran rushed the two children to go for a nap. He also let Gao Quan and Shao Yu rest for a while at noon. They would go to work again when it was not so hot in the afternoon. And, he and Liu Tong went to their bedroom hand in hand. Mr. Hu would not tave a nap at noon. He had his own way to kill time, by chatting with those workers on the construction site, or wandering around the village. There he could find one or two people who were as free as him, or even he would go to catch fish by the riverside. At first, Xu Ran used to suggest Mr. Hu to take a nap, but Mr. Hu was an old man after all. He didnt sleep much. If he slept during the day, he would probably not be able to sleep at night. Later, Xu Ran just let him be and just asked him to arrange his own time. After a nap, they all felt refreshed, and they continued to work in the afternoon. After all the family matters were handed over to Shao Yu, Xu Ran was really relieved. A few days later, Xu Ran took Gao Quan to the town to buy some clothes and daily necessaries for both of the new comers. By the way, they also delivered two jars of pickled bamboo shoots to Mr. Chen. From Mr. Chen, Xu Ran also got the good news that he had found a market for the pickled bamboo shoots and let Xu Ran send him as many as possible. It was really good news. After Xu Ran returned to the village, he immediately went to Xu An and the others. Soon enough, their ox-carts and carriage were all loaded with jars of pickled bamboo shoots and were sent to the town. Because of Xu Ran, the price that Mr. Chen offered was not low. Each of the several families had made almost the same amount of pickled bamboo shoots, as much as two big jars. For this, they each earned 50 taels of silver in the end. Upon receiving the silver, Xu Ran was fine, but the other three families were obviously shaking with so much money in their hands! Xu Ran was complacent in his heart. He knew it was because of his leadership that they got this benefit. However, he did not show his self-satisfaction but looked calm as usual and suggested them to put the money away. He told them if they wanted to spend the money, they should make them into small change, and that they should keep silent about this after getting back to the village. Of course they all knew well about this even if Xu Ran did not mention it. Still they nodded in agreement. After all, Xu Ran was doing it for their good. Because of the pickled bamboo shoots, Xu Ran had made some money, and now money was not so tight for him. However, he was still busy, because there would be people coming over from He Shui Town to collect their products in the past two days, and they had to work overtime. Xu Ran touched his head, feeling that making money was really hard. By the time the people from He Shui Town indeed came to get what they needed, it was already the end of May. After such a long time, the wheat was finally ripe. Although the yield was small, no matter how little it was, it was a harvest. Xu Ran invited Wu Meis and the other two families to help get the harvest in during those two busy days. Wheat was ground into flour to make noodles and other products. Xu Ran didnt think they needed to grow too much wheat in the future. Maybe next year they could grow rape instead. In this way, they could not only sell rape, but also extract oil from it for their own family. It was June soon after May. The mushrooms in the mountains were about to come out, the strawberries in the fields were going to be ripe, and there were all kinds of vegetables ready in the fields. They really had a good harvest in vegetables and fruits now. The building of the new house was nearing its end. As long as its beams were set and its tiles were covered, the new house was made. Xu Ran asked Xu An to help with the furniture. He had drawn a rough picture and Xu An slowly made it out. Xu Zhen and Xu Fa would also come over to help whenever they had time. From Xu An, they had learned some skills. In early June, Xu Ran went to the town to meet Qin Shuwu. Qin Shuwu had told him before that he would sell his strawberry to him. As the strawberry was ripe, Xu Ran would naturally inform him about it. Now that other peoples strawberries were almost sold out, Xu Ran just happened to catch this point, which was a good time for his business. Fruits were rare in this era, and strawberries werent cheap either. When they were the cheapest in the market, they would be worth about eight pence for one jin. When they were dear, they would be sold at twenty pence for one jin. Xu Ran discussed with Qin Shuwu. He didnt know the exact amount of his produce in the first year. The price Qin Shuwu offered to Xu Ran was ten pence for one jin. As for how much he could sell, the extra money was his anyway. Xu Ran agreed with it. He knew a good cooperation was important for a good business. Due to the fact that they had placed the strawberry fruits on their leaves earlier, with bright sunlight as well as plenty of rain during the passing days, the strawberries were growing big and red. Such strawberries were very inviting. Qin Shuwus shop was not big. The strawberries were picked up every day so that they could be sold fresh. Besides, he didnt need to pay someone to get in the fruit for him, which could save him a lot of money. Still, it was unknown how much he could sell for a day. Xu Ran still remembered the strawberry jam he had eaten before. He thought that he could sell it together with the strawberries. If any customer bought a lot of strawberries, they could sell him strawberry jam too. The jam would taste better when some pastries or biscuits were eaten with it, so it should be very popular with some rich people. On the fifth of June, Xu Rans family started to pick strawberries in the fields. And then Xu Ran took some strawberries back to make jam. By the time the sun rose from the east, two big baskets there were filled with strawberries. These two baskets were specially used to hold strawberries, as big as a pack basket. Xu Ran sent the strawberry jam as well as the fruits to the town to Qin Shuwu. Qin Shuwus fruit shop was in a good position. It was on the main street where crowds of people were hurrying to and fro. The waiters of the shop started yelling for sale after the strawberries arrived. To everyone who came to ask for the price, they would praise the strawberries first and then let them try one before introducing the strawberry jam. Indeed, the fruits had attracted many peoples attention. Xu Ran didnt make much strawberry jam. He thought it might be too luxurious to eat pastries with the jam. On the first day, he only fried some French fries. In this way, not only would the strawberry jam be pushed out, but the chips could be sold out. Xu Ran thought that perhaps Mr. Chens restaurant could also add some desserts of this kind to his restaurant. The result was obvious and amazing. As so many people liked it, those who couldnt buy it on the first day felt a little regretful. They said that they would come back the next day. Those who didnt buy much or had tasted strawberry jam even asked to put down deposit for tomorrows shop. However, Xu Ran did not agree with it, saying that it was better for them to come back tomorrow to buy fresh ones. The strawberry business was really very good for the first day. At night, when they went home, the whole family gathered together to count the coins they had earned. Xu Ran was laughing even when he was sleeping. After struggling for so long, he at last got his work paying off . Chapter 108 As the demand for strawberry increased, Xu Ran had to ask Wu Mei and his three brothers to help harvest the strawberries while he and Liu Tong made strawberry jam at home and Tangtang and Guoguo as errand runners. Xu Ran meant to harvest and sell the strawberries as soon as possible. The weather in June changed quickly and it was unknown when the storm would start. At that time, the strawberry would only rot in the ground. Needless to mention that after the heavy rain, the mushroom in the mountains should grow and it would be about time to go pick the mushroom. After Xu Ran delivered the strawberries to Qin Shuwus shop, he went to Mr. Chens restaurant and brought the strawberry jam and French fries along with him. It was only after Xu Ran discussed with Qin Shuwu and had the approval from Qin Shuwu did Xu Ran go. After all, they had agreed on selling them to Qin Shuwu who had made a lot of effort on those strawberry seedlings. Mr. Chen did not expect that Xu Ran would bring in new food so soon, thereby, he invited people to the room upstairs with great joy. Not until then did Xu Ran take out the strawberry jam and French fries for Mr. Chen to taste. The red strawberry jam looked good with the golden French fries and they also gave off a delicious smell. Xu Ran picked up a French fries and said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, this is called French fries. I made it myself. It was made from a kind of ingredient called potato which I have planted some in my own house and it is easy to make as well. You can decide whether you want me to prepare for you in advance or you make it yourself. Xu Ran dipped the strawberry jam from the porcelain cup with the French fries and then said, This red one is called strawberry jam which is made of strawberry and granulated sugar. We still have some left in our place so, Mr. Chen, if you want it, I can make some more and you can find a place with ice and store it there so that it wont turn bad. It was delicious to eat the French fries with strawberry jam. You can have a try. Xu Ran put one in his mouth and handed another one to Mr. Chen. His movement was skilled, and it didnt looked like it was his first time eat it. Mr. Chen tried it the same way as Xu Ran did, and then nodded with satisfaction, Although I dont like it very much, I think many young people should like it. Mr. Chen said, How about this, sell the potatoes as well as the recipe to me. Youll see which price you seem fit. As for the strawberry jam, you can make more for me. It was a novelty in taste and itll be enough to eat a few times a year for people would get tired of eating it after some time. Xu Ran nodded. He thought so too. Besides, potatoes could be made into so many dishes other than just French fries. He was afraid that too many recipes might be overwhelming for Mr. Chen. After all, the town was not big and the restaurant would only serve this many people. Xu Ran told Mr. Chen about his thoughts, and Mr. Chen smiled, Its nice of you to be so thoughtful. But dont you worry, Im not the only one who opens a restaurant alone in our family. Otherwise, how could I be able to sell so many sour bamboo shoots before? Just sell me the recipe and Ill handle the rest. Since Mr. Chen had said so, Xu Ran didnt argue any more. Anyway, he was only responsible for taking money and he wouldnt care about anything else. Xu Ran said, Well, Mr. Chen, Ill deliver the potatoes to you in a few days. Ill deliver some strawberry jam to you every day. You sell after the strawberries in my field sold out and you should be able to sell at a better price. Okay, okay, Ill listen to you, Mr. Chen smiled happily when he heard Xu Rans words. Xu Ran was a little strange, but he didnt ask why. After chatting for a few more words, Xu Ran left. The selling of the strawberries was arranged by Qin Shuwu. Xu Ran was only responsible for delivering them. He sold them at 0.2 tael of silver for each kilo while the rest were Qin Shuwus. The sun had been blazing for five days, ten mu of strawberries had almost been picked up. At the dawn of the tenth, dark clouds began to form in the sky and a storm seemed to be coming. Xu Ran quickly asked people to pick up the strawberries from the fields. Even if they were not as fresh tomorrow, it would be better than roting in the fields. For the past few days, strawberries were sold very well. Many big families had ice rooms or cellars, so they bought more each time and put them back. Xu Ran had to run twice to deliver the strawberries in town. Therefore, within these five days, they almost finished ten mu of land. It did rain heavily at night with thunder. It was the first thunderstorm in summer. The rain continued till the morning. Xu Ran looked at the strawberries in the house. Since he had sprinkled some water on them, they looked quite nice. However, he couldnt go to the town because of the heavy rain. Xu Ran looked at the sky feeling annoyed, not knowing when it would stop. It wasnt until noon that the rain gradually stopped. Xu Ran didnt mind if it would rain again later. He spoke to Liu Tong and drove Big Black to town. On the way, there was another heavy rain, but it died down soon afterwards and the clouds began to disperse. Xu Ran figured that the weather would clear up soon. After the heavy rain, mushrooms would grow in the mountain, and they would go up the mountain tomorrow morning to pick up the mushroom. When Xu Ran arrived at the door of Qin Shuwus fruit shop, he saw a lot of people standing outside and he thought something might have happened and quickly ran up to ask, Whats wrong? What happened? The staff in Qin Shuwus shop heard Xu Rans voice and immediately replied, Brother Xu, its nothing. They just want to buy strawberries. It had been raining, so I told them you havent brought the strawberry over yet and asked them to wait. Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief and found it kind of funny. Nevertheless, todays strawberries was also the last batch. The rest was either sold or made into strawberry jam and been delivered to Mr. Chen. Of course, Qin Shuwu also had strawberry jam, but there werent many. Xu Ran felt frustrated when he saw that everyone was here to buy strawberries. He started to think he didnt plant enough strawberries. Xu Ran asked the staff, Is your shopkeeper here? The staff nodded, Hes inside. Do you want me to invite him? Xu Ran shook his head. No, Ill go in myself. Can you help me carry the strawberry down from the carriage? Be careful. Those are the last batch this year. Okay, the staff hurried off after he heard Xu Rans words and Xu Ran hurriedly went inside. Qin Shuwu was doing the accounts with the abacus, and he was surprised to see Xu Ran, With such a heavy rain, I thought you wouldnt come. Xu Ran smiled. If I hadnt come, what do you do with the crowd at your door? Qin Shuwu glanced outside. Oh, there are so many people. I was wondering where the noise came from. Have you brought enough strawberries with you today? Xu Ran put his hand on the counter, Theres only so much if its not enough. We would have to wait until next year to eat more. Qin Shuwu raised his head, What? No more strawberries? Xu Ran spread out his hands, Yeah, think about how many strawberries I delivered to you every day. Together with all those made into strawberry jam, there werent many strawberries in the first year anyway. Its good to be able to sell so much this year. Arent you doing the accounts? How is it? How much did you earn? Qin Shuwu put away his abacus and touched his chin. It was quite a lot actually. Especially with the good strawberries you harvest together with the strawberry jam, Ive earned more than what I normally earned for a month or two during these past few days. Xu Ran put up a face which suggested that Qin Shuwu had obviously made a fortune out of it, but Qin Shuwu just smiled without saying much. The two of them went outside and the people who wanted to buy strawberries were already waiting in line. Qin Shuwu looked at the few baskets of red strawberries on the ground and he felt that it was a pity that he sold them all. However, with so many people watching, it seemed inappropriate for him to stash some away. So he had to say unwillingly to the people who were in the line, Everyone, todays strawberries are the last batch of the year. All the strawberries are here and there wont be any after these are sold out. I wont accept any new customers now, but everyone who was waiting in line now will have his share. However, we would have to control the amount to ensure everyone got his share. Lets set the amount of 2.5 kilos for each customers. If there is still some left in the end, well share it then, alright? It was quite reasonable. Everyone felt kind of pity that this should be the last batch of strawberries this year, especially for those who were waiting in the back. However, strawberry was seasonal fruit after all. It was already good to have it at this time, so there was nothing much to be dissatisfied with. Hence, everyone lined up one after one. One of the staff was guarding at the back, preventing newcomers from getting into the line. At the end, the last few baskets of strawberries were divided by about 5 kilos each portion. However, some people bought less and some who asked for more bought more, so it was kind of satisfying and it was worthwhile to line up in the rainy days. Just as they were about to leave after buying strawberries, Xu Ran stopped them. Wait please, may I have your attention for a while and hear me out. Many people who were about to leave stopped and asked Xu Ran what he wanted to say. Xu Ran cleared his throat and said, As we all know, its June now. Mushroom will grow in the mountains after the heavy rain. I want to know if anyone wish to buy mushroom, come here before noon tomorrow and I will deliver some mushroom over tomorrow. Isnt the mushroom poisonous? Is it even edible? Yeah, how can we eat poisonous food. Are you trying to harm us? On the other hand, a few people who had tasted mushroom before had expressed their expectations. As more and more people joined in the discussion, Xu Ran had to speak out to control the situation, Dont worry, as long as you dont pick the poisonous mushroom, you can definitely eat them once cooked. If you dont believe me, I will fry some and bring over one plate tomorrow and eat some myself in front of everyone before you buy. How much do you plan on selling this mushroom? If it is edible, I will buy more back. Xu Ran looked at the person who spoke. He looked decent and dressed well. He must come from a rich family. Xu Ran said, The price for the mushroom wont be expensive. Lets set it at the same price as the strawberrys. Mushroom tastes great and will surely worth the price. I wont say too much now. Anyone who wishes to buy mushroom shall come back here tomorrow. And you may go home now! Xu Ran made a bow with hands folded in front after saying the words, which was quite a show. Chapter 109 After the man left, Xu Ran turned his head and explained to Qin Shuwu. Before he could say anything, Qin Shuwu patted him on the shoulder and said, Well, well, well. You are just thinking of something else soon after the strawberries have just been sold out. How about you quit farming and go into business with me? Xu Ran smiled awkwardly, Brother Qin, dont make fun of me. I am too stupid to go into business, otherwise I wouldnt be still a farmer until now. Im already in my twenties. Qin Shuwu did not take it seriously, Stop thinking that I dont know what youve done. Youve been stupid for so many years, but you were in the third place in the imperial exam in less than a year. You have a quick wit. If that is nothing, then what should I be like? However, you are a scholar after all, and the status as a businessman is low. It is good that you dont choose to be a business man. Xu Ran waved his hand. This isnt what I am caring about. Taking the entrance examination is just to avoid land taxes for my family. Im just an ordinary person who likes to reconcile myself to my situation. Im content to stay with my family for the rest of my life. I dont think about anything else. Businessmen are often on the go outside. I really didnt think about it. Anyway, thank you for your kindness, brother Qin. Haha, you dont need to thank me. I know what you mean. You can bring me a few more guests if you sell things in front of my door. I wont overthink about it. Xu Ran chuckled, Brother Qin, I am glad that you think so. Dont worry, it wont affect your business. Alright, you dont have to explain. The strawberries have been sold out, so its time for me to treat. Come to my house and have lunch! Xu Ran wanted to refuse his invitation, but he wanted to have a good relationship with Qin Shuwu, so he agreed. Qin Shuwu also called Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen to come. Qin Shuwen had been pregnant for seven months and his stomach looked quite big. Xu Ran, who had never seen a man get pregnant, was already used to it. The Qin family had a good impression on Xu Ran. Especially after hearing what Qin Shuwen had said about Xu Ran, his daddy felt so sorry for him, saying that it would be great if he had such a child. The other children of the Qin family rolled their eyes, thinking Arent we good enough? When Elder Daddy Qin was talking, Zhuo Yun also came to join in, suggesting Xu Ran regard Elder Dad Qin as his sworn dad. As soon as Zhuo Yun finished his words, Elder Daddy Qin looked at Xu Ran with sincerity, Child, Zhuo Yun is right. What do you think? Looking at Elder Daddy Qins expectant face, Xu Ran felt so sorry to refuse and nodded involuntarily. The youngest child of the Qin family immediately went make two cups of tea. Xu Ran took the tea and gave the elders of the Qin the tea in front of everyones eyes. Sworn dad, please drink the tea. Elder Dad Qin took the teacup and drank tea saying, Good boy. But it was extemporaneous that Dad Qin did not prepare anything. He directly gave the money bag which was a bit heavy to Xu Ran. Xu Ran was embarrassed to take it, but he was persuaded by Qin Shuwen. Its just a gift to you, so you should accept it. There is not much money inside. Xu Ran said in his heart, There was much money inside? It must be a lot in total. However, he didnt say that he would refuse to take it. After serving Elder Dad Qin the tea, Xu Ran needed to offer the tea to Elder Daddy Qin as well. But Xu Ran was stunned for a long time and didnt say anything. He was still a little frightened. People around could see that he was scared. Elder Dad Qin saw that Xu Ran was a bit embarrassed and asked him, Child, are you okay? Xu Ran was holding the teacup in one hand and scratching his head with the other hand. Then he said with embarrassment, Oh, sorry, I dont know what I should call you. Sworn Daddy always sounds a bit weird. As soon as Xu Ran said that, others also felt that it sounded a bit weird. Elder Daddy Qin smiled gently, Child, just call me daddy like they do. Xu Ran didnt feel it strange anymore and he knelt down and toasted the tea, saying, Daddy, please drink some tea. Elder Daddy Qin took the teacup answering. Good, good, I am glad to drink it. After taking a sip, he put the teacup on the table, then pulled out a jade bracelet around his hand and handed it to Xu Ran. I know your spouse is pregnant. Since youve regarded me as your daddy, I have nothing to give to you but this bracelet to your spouse. If there is a chance, bring him here to visit us. Since Elder Daddy Qin had said so, Xu Ran couldnt refuse. He thanked Elder Daddy Qin and accepted the jade bracelet. Xu Ran was about to go back home after lunch. Elder Daddy Qin knew that Liu Tong was also pregnant, so he went to the house to get a lot of things to Xu Ran. He kept telling him that what a pregnant Geer could not do or eat. ElderDaddy Qin was treating Xu Ran even closer than his own children, which made Qin Shuwen jealous. However, Qin Shuwen was not so mean. After all, they had a good relationship with the Xu Ran and his family. Now that they became relatives with the Xu Rans family, they could just help themselves if there were anything good to eat in the future. Thinking of this, Qin Shuwen was pleased again. Xu Ran felt that he was so lucky after moving out of the Xu Family. It was estimated that the days over the seven years when he had been a fool had taken away all the bad luck. When Xu Ran returned home with a bunch of things, of course he was interrogated again. Xu Ran honestly told Liu Tong the truth and gave him the jade bracelet that Elder Daddy Qin wanted to give him. Liu Tong liked it very much, but he did not wear it on his hand. Not to mention that his hand was much bigger than Elder Daddy Qins, he had already been pregnant for three months. He had been well nurturing during this period of time, and now he had to work. Therefore, it was inconvenient to wear a jade bracelet. Because Xu Ran had already had lunch, he didnt eat at home. Liu Tong asked Xu Ran that there were mushrooms on the mountain, and then he went up the mountain to have a look. It had just rained and the mushrooms hadnt come out yet. Xu Ran was just checking around so it would be convenient to find some mushrooms tomorrow morning. Xu Ran intended to ask Wu Meis family and another two families to help find the mushrooms, but this time it was not a cooperation, so he would pay them. The people here thought that mushrooms were poisonous and very few people dared to eat them. Even for a few of them were bold enough, they dared not to eat a lot. In fact, the way to distinguish mushrooms was very easy. Xu Ran often ran in the mountains when he was a child and was very familiar with mushrooms. He knew poisonous mushrooms, so he was not worried about that. Whats more, he had a secret method. When frying mushrooms with garlic, it could not only distinguish whether the mushrooms were poisonous or not, but also help seasoning. Killing two birds with one stone was just perfect. At the beginning of the year, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to plant a lot of garlic in his own fields, and now, it was just right time to dig them out. After coming back from the mountain, Xu Ran went to Xu Ans home and told them about picking the mushrooms, but he was rejected immediately on the spot. Wu Mei and others were very sure that mushrooms were poisoned and couldnt be eaten, so they were unwilling to help him. Xu Ran explained to them patiently for a long time and promised that he would check the all the mushrooms one after another so that they agreed reluctantly. Because Xu An was busy preparing furniture for Xu Rans new house, only Wu Mei came, while the other two family were all here. The next morning, they gathered at the door of Xu Rans home Xu Ran did not let Liu Tong go up the mountain because the road on the mountain was slippery. He could not guarantee that Liu Tong would be fine, so it was better for him to watch the child at home. Once they reached the mountain, Xu Ran began to tell them how to distinguish the mushrooms. Remember, its so easy to tell whether the mushroom is noxious or not. After you find a mushroom, look at the gear under the mushroom. As long as it is white, it can be eaten. As long as it is not, it cant be eaten. But there are two exceptions. One is a pine mushrooms, which is yellow and its gear is also yellow. This is easy to recognize. If you are not sure, you can ask me. The other is a black mushroom, but dont pick them. For the sake of safety, we dont pick such mushrooms. Remember, as long as you are not sure, just ask me, okay? Alright, we get it. Lets find mushrooms separately! Wu Mei added. Xu Ran nodded and went separately to find mushrooms. He particularly went to a place with lots of pine trees to find pine mushrooms. After all, they were valuable. After the rain, the mushrooms were growing so fast. Soon, Xu Ran had already picked quite a lot. He carried two backpacks, one for the pine mushrooms, and the other for other mushrooms. Occasionally, Xu Ran could hear someone call him by his name and ask him to go over to tell if it was a poisonous mushroom. After coming over to each of them once, they could recognize it by themselves. After all, mushrooms were really easy to tell the difference. They arrived at dawn. When the sun came out, everyone had picked up quite a few. The mushrooms nearby were almost all picked up, so they started to go home. After they went back home from the mountain, Xu Ran checked everyones basket and picked out a few mushrooms that were not edible. He separated the pine mushrooms and put them in a basket. After putting all the mushrooms together from each of then, they had picked three baskets of mushrooms which was quite a lot. There were also a lot of pine mushrooms, filling almost two baskets. The mushrooms could be eaten directly but they must be boiled and soaked in water before eating. Because Xu Ran was worried that some people would just eat them directly and went wrong after they bought the mushrooms, Xu Ran decided to cook all the mushrooms at home. Although the mushrooms did not look good after being boiled, it would be safer after all. As for the pine mushrooms, this can be fried directly. Just add some green peppers in, and it would not only look good but also smell good. After frying a plate of pine mushrooms, Xu Ran put them in the water to cool them down, and then put them in bamboo tubes. It was almost ten oclock, and everything was ready. Xu Ran started to load the carriage and put all the staffs on it. He also brought some garlic which was completely free. There wasnt much garlic, so, each family could get two heads of it. Actually, Xu Ran had seen garlic on the street, but it was only a small amount. Chapter 110 Before noon, Xu Ran arrived at the door of Qin Shuwus fruit shop on time. People had come today though there were not as many as yesterday. He could make money from the mushrooms, albeit a small amount of money which Xu Ran knew very well, so he was already very delighted to see someone have come. After Xu Ran got out of the carriage, he asked the staff to take the mushrooms out. He went into the shop to find Qin Shuwu and asked for a plate as well as a pair of chopsticks, and poured the fried pine mushrooms from the bamboo joint onto the plate. Before those who came for the mushrooms had a taste of it, Qin Shuwu ate first. Then he complimented the dishes several times, and just as he was about to reach out his chopsticks again, Xu Ran took the plate away, Brother Qin, this is for customers to try. If you want to eat, Ill leave some for you later. Also, Ill tell you how to make it, hold yourself for a moment. He put it in a way that made Qin Shuwu looked like he was voracious, which somewhat annoyed Qin Shuwu, but he didnt say anything. Xu Ran brought the plate outside. Those who came to buy the mushrooms had already begun to study the mushrooms. A few people who had eaten mushrooms said that it was edible for a few times and looked quite pleased. The atmosphere stirred many peoples emotions. At the same time, Xu Ran walked out with the fried pine mushrooms. He first took a bite, and then let everyone taste it. Although there were a lot of people, the pine mushrooms had been cut into big pieces; none of them touched the chopsticks when they ate so there was nothing unhygienic about it. Xu Rans cooking skills were good. He added quite a lot of spices in the fried pine mushrooms, including garlic and some chili, so the food was much appreciated by the crowd. After everyone had a taste, Xu Ran started to introduce the mushrooms. There was no need to mention the pine mushrooms which they had just tasted. As for other mushrooms, Xu Ran had said that they could be cooked the same way as the pine mushrooms. As long as they were fried and well cooked, they could be eaten and he had already processed the mixed mushrooms. Xu Ran also said that anyone who bought mushrooms would get two cloves of garlic for free. Garlic could be used as seasoning and could also be used to test if mushrooms were poisonous. The mushrooms were sols at the price that they had agreed on yesterday. As for the mixed mushrooms, it only cost about sixteen wen per kilogram. After all, the mushrooms would give out much water once cooked. Xu Ran promised that he would not cheat on the weight and that he could teach anyone who didnt know how to fry mushroom. Many people who had eaten mushrooms before didnt hesitate to buy them, while other people who hadnt eaten had been influenced and also tried to buy some. Quite a few people remained doubtful, so the mushrooms werent sold out and they still had a lot left after noon. Xu Ran was not in a hurry. He asked the staff to put away the mushrooms and gave Qin Shuwu some for him to take back. Some were sent to Zhuo Yun, after which there werent many left and so he gave the remaining to Mr. Chen. The mushrooms have a total weight of about 50 kilograms which sold more than a dozen taels of silver. Needless to mention how much they earned, they had definitely made a profit. With the time left, Xu Ran wandered around the town and bought some food forhis family at home. He thought that it had been a while since Tangtang and Guoguo went to the town, so he planned to take them out for a look when they had the time. Also, over at He Shui Town, he could also buy some new food, but for the time being, Xu Ran had not thought of anything in particular. After all, there was a distance and all the things he was selling now couldnt be stored for too long, so it was kind of troublesome. On the way home, Xu Ran tried his best to think while driving the carriage. Xu Ran came across two familiar people half way. They were Spouse Chen and Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue walked very slowly. Spouse Chen supported him by the side, fearing that he would fall. Judging by Zhang Yues look, he should be fine. After all, he could walk, but it took him long enough to recover, taking more than a month! Since he saw them, Xu Ran had to give them a ride out of courtesy. Xu Ran drove the carriage closer to the two and shouted, Spouse Chen. Spouse Chen heard the sound of hoofbeat, but he was worried about Zhang Yue so he didnt turn back. Not until he heard Xu Ran call him did he realize it was Xu Ran. Spouse Chen, are you on your way home from town? Hop in. Ill give you a ride. Xu Ran said as he jumped out of the car. He didnt greet Zhang Yue: it was too embarrassing after all. Of course, he didnt help Zhang Yue into the carriage but instead watching from the side. After thanking Xu Ran, Spouse Chen helped Zhang Yue get into the carriage. On the way, Xu Ran asked a few questions about Zhang Yues condition, but he only asked Spouse Chen and did not say a word to Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue also didnt talk to Xu Ran. He was embarrassed for one thing and couldnt bring himself to for another. Spouse Chen had told him the incident about Xu Ran taking him to the clinic and helping him pay for the medical fees. Zhang Yue didnt expect that Xu Ran would help him at the most difficult moment. Then he thought about how he had treated him back then, which made him feel guilty and at a loss. Xu Ran dropped them off at the door of the village heads house and went back. Even though Spouse Chen had invited him inside to have some water, he had refused for he didnt want to get involved with Zhang Yue anymore, which was troublesome. The chicken and ducks which they had been raising at home for a few months had grown up a lot. The biggest one had grown into almost 1.5 kilograms. Xu Ran did not hesitate to kill a chicken for Liu Tong to eat every few days. Liu Tongs body was actually quite good; the reason he had fainted earlier was because he had exhausted himself. And Liu Tong had been resting for a month now so he had regained his strength. He told Xu Ran not to kill any chicken but Xu Ran refused to do it. Liu Tong was not sure whether it was because he had grown a temper from the pregnancy or something else, he became angry with Xu Ran which led to a silent atmosphere in the house. Xu Ran was helpless. He had been coaxing Liu Tong for a long time but failed to make him smile. It was not until Xu Ran stopped killing chickens did Liu Tong start to treat him better. Liu Tong didnt want him to kill chickens, but there were more than ten chickens at home. If they kept them all till Liu Tong gave birth, the chickens would be old then. Looking at the chicken which ate so much and flew around but couldnt be killed, Xu Ran was a little worried. He had to deal with these many chickens somehow. The smell of chicken shit was bad in a hot weather. Also, the ducks next to the chicken pen should also be dealt with somehow. However, Xu Ran was worried when he couldnt think of any solution so he began to wander around. As he walked, he arrived at his potato field. He saw that most of the seedlings had already blossomed and yielded fruit and thus they should be ripe enough for him to dig out. The previous small potatoes had been dried in the sun and so the ones in the field now must be saved to eat fresh or taken out for sale. Xu Ran clapped his hands. He had an idea. I could deliver the chickens to Hai Shui Town to make blanched chicken and duck. Isnt such cool dish perfect for this weather? I can also make bean jelly or cold noodles! The more Xu Ran thought about it, the happier he became. Inspiration just kept coming at him! The cold noodles was very simple; one just needed to mix the noodles when cold. As for bean jeally, peas were needed. Xu Ran recalled that Wu Mei and his family have planted peas and they probably had left some from last year. Xu Ran thought that he could write the steps down and wait until someone from the He Shui town came next time to bring it back with him. Xu Ran immediately ran home in a hurry and looked for the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, on which the dirt made him choke. These things were now covered in dust. He had not moved any of them ever since his test. He was simply too busy. No one helped him clean after Liu Tong got pregnant. Even Tangtang and Guoguo had their own sets so they didnt touched his. Xu Ran took the wet handkerchief over and wiped off the dirt before he ground the ink. The methods of making bean jelly and blanched chicken were very simple. When Xu Ran was young, he had seen his mother make bean jelly and his mother didnt even use pea powder; instead she used a leaf called a turtle leaf. She picked a few leaves, washed them and put them in a jar or pot to cook. Then she smashed the leaves and squeezed out the water inside. It became bean jelly. Next, some water containing soda was added. It was very simple. The bean jelly made from turtle leaf was green, and the taste was not as good as those made from pea powder, nor was it as smooth, let alone the taste. The making of bean jelly did not cost much. Xu Ran thought he could make them just like tofu. Xu Ran did not intend to sell the cold noodles for the time being. It could be sold in winter, not only the cold one, but also the hot fried noodles. He believed they could be poplular. Then it was the blanched chicken and duck. The method was the same and it depended on whether these people preferred chicken or duck. He didnt know when Lin Hua and the others would send people over. So Xu Ran wrote a letter and planned to ask someone to deliver it to post station in the next two days when he went to town. On June 15th, Xu Ran dug out a potato in the ground. Its size was favorable so Xu Ran thought it was about time to dig them up. Now that there were people in the family, he didnt have to hire others. He and Gao Quan was responsible of the digging while Shao Yu cut the vines. Since it was close, they kept digging until it grew dark when they could carry them home. However, Xu Ran did not intend to carry them on his back. He felt that the trolley they made years ago could be used under this circumstances, so he pushed one from Xu Ans house in plain sight. Many people in the village saw it and asked Xu Ran what it was with curiosity. Some bold kids even climbed onto the wheelbarrow and asked Xu Ran to give them a ride. The wheelbarrow could take on some weight and it didnt cost much strength and it was much more convenient than to carry on his back. The people who saw Xu Ran come out from Xu Ans house ran to Xu Ans house. The wheelbarrow was not out in the market yet and Xu Ran was merely putting up an advertisement so that they would know about such a thing. Expectedly, it worked. Xu Ran pushed his wheelbarrow back to his house to move the potatoes. Chapter 111 The potatoes that they sowed in spring could not be compared in size to those sowed in winter naturally. Gao Quan and Shao Yu hadnt eaten potatoes since they came to their home. In the evening, Xu Ran made dinner by himself. He killed a chicken and stewed it with the potatoes. This time, Liu Tong didnt say anything. The potatoes were piled into the cellar of Xu Rans house. On average, they moved five carts every day. After digging for three days, they had quite a few potatoes. After digging the potatoes, Xu Ran took a pack basket to the town. Of course, he could send the letter on the way. He was going to give the potatoes to Mr. Chen. It had been a few days, and the strawberry jam might go bad if he didnt go. Xu Ran didnt received the money for the strawberry jam, for he agreed with Mr. Chen that he would collect money after he gave him the potatoes. He couldnt sell at a high price if potatoes were abundant on the market. However, Xu Ran thought if necessary to quote a high price since no one was selling potatoes at the moment. After all, he needed money as his house would probably finish the house construction by end of the month. Xu Ran went to courier station and sent the letter before going to Mr. Chens restaurant. Xu Ran had already written the recipes for potato chips as well as other dishes made with potatoes, and he showed the steps of making Frech fries to Mr. Chen when he arrived at the restaurant. Xu Ran demonstrated how to make potato chips to convince Mr. Chen that the recipe indeed worked. The chefs here were all men, so no one said that cooking was beneath a gentleman. As he intended to sell the recipe to Mr. Chen, Xu Ran deliberately asked the several people assigned by Mr. Chen to watch beside him. It would be easier for them to make this dish if they watched him cook before they made it themselves following the recipe. He washed the mud off the potatoes and peeled them. After he cut them into chips, he soaked them in water to get rid of the starch. Next he boiled the potato chips in the pot for a while and took them out. After that, he heated some oil in the other pot and fried the chips until they turned golden yellow. You can add other flavors according to the tastes of the customers. It could be sour, sweet and salty. This is very simple. Xu Ran explained as he fried the potato chips in the pot. The potato chips smelt good. Soon one plate was ready. After it cooled down a little , Xu Ran asked the staff in the kitchen to have a taste. New things were attractive to everyone, but everyone had a different taste. Some liked the potato chips while some didnt. However, Xu Ran could not guarantee that all the staff would like this dish, but it was not intended for them anyway. Xu Ran took another plate to Mr. Chen and asked him to have a taste. Mr. Chen looked at the potato chips same as the last time, feeling confident. After he tasted the dish, he got more confident, asking Xu Ran to sell all the potatoes to him. Xu Ran intended to sell him the potatoes, but he decided how to sell them. Xu Ran took out the recipes he had prepared. Mr. Chen, potato is really a good thing, but I dont grow a lot. I have to save some for my own family, so I can only provide you with twenty-five to fifty kilograms every month. In addition, I have a few recipes here, which are made with potatoes. Are you interested? Mr. Chen rubbed his hands. Im interested, of course Im interested. But Xu Ran, twenty-five to fifty kilograms are far from enough. Xu Ran stuck out his index finger and shook it. No, no,no, Mr. Chen. you can sell it as your signature dish and serve one or two dishes every day. Im sure customers will find it more desirable when they cant have it to their content. The price will go up and this amount will be definitely sufficient. Mr. Chen calculated in his heart and felt that what Xu Ran said made sense, but Xu Ran noticed Mr. Chens hesitation, asking, Mr. Chen, I wonder if there are any other problems on your side. Mr. Chen spread out his hands, Oh, theres not any. I just dont know how these dishes taste. It turned out that he was worried about this. Xu Ran stood up and said, You dont have to worry about this. Ill make you the simplest dish, which is sour and spicy shredded potatoes. You will know after you taste it yourself. After he spoke, Xu Ran turned and went to the kitchen. He asked the cook to shred the potatos. After he prepared the seasoning and scrabmed the potatoes in the pot. It didnt take long to make this dish. Xu Ran took it away after he cooked it. This time, he didnt let the chefs have a taste. After all, the ownership of the recipe had not been decided yet. Mr. Chen was waiting for the sour and spicy shredded potatoes made by Xu Ran. He detected a delicious smell with the flavor of spicy chilli from afar. Mr. Chen couldnt wait to have a taste, but Xu Ran stopped him. Mr. Chen, you are not enough of a friend. Weve worked together for a few days, but you dont trust me. Mr. Chen was embarrassed by Xu Rans words. However, on second thought, he didnt care about this as a restaurant owner. He started to joke with Xu Ran, asking to taste the dish. Xu Ran just made a casual comment and he didnt intend to take it seriously. He handed the dish to Mr. Chen, and then told him the names of the dishes on his recipes. They sounded tempting! Mr. Chen paused and asked Xu Ran to stop. He said, Xu Ran, just tell me how much these recipes cost. As long as the price is reasonable, I will take them all. Xu Ran spread out his hands. Mr. Chen, have I ever offered you any unreasonable prices? Mr. Chen thought for a while and agreed. The prices that Xu Ran had offered him before were reasonable, and he could afford it. He said, Okay, Ill take them all. Quote me a price. And your potatoes, tell me how much you ask for. Xu Ran offered him the price of the recipes and the potatoes. Mr. Chen clenched his teeth and slammed the table. Deal. Ill take your offer. Give me all the recipes, and Ill get the money. After he spoke, Mr. Chen went to get the money. Xu Ran folded the pieces of recipes one by one and put them together. After Mr. Chen brought the money, he exchanged money for the recipes with Xu Ran, saying it had been a pleasure to work with Xu Ran. Xu Ran was elated. At least, with the money, he would stay out of debt when the house was built. He would not be busy these days, so he could go to the mountain when he had time. He could pick mushrooms and sell them, which would make a little profit. And he would have more time to accompany Liu Tong at home and teach the two children to read. Xu Ran had been too busy lately to have time for reflection. Now he got up early and went to sleep late every day with good spirits. However, when he thought there was nothing to be done and he had nothing to worry about, he felt very tired. After Xu Ran got home, he hugged Liu Tong and went to sleep. Liu Tong wiped the sweat on his forehead, knowing that Xu Ran was tired, and he let him hugged him. After he got pregnant, his body was a little cold, which made Ran more comfortable when hugging him. Xu Ran slept very little these days, and he went around, so he lost quite some weight. However, he looked sturdier, completely different from the time when he had just recovered. Xu Ran came back at noon time and went to sleep without even having lunch. He didnt know when Liu Tong got up. When he woke up, he didnt see him around. He felt a little hot and was about to take a shower. Just then, Liu Tong came in with a big bowl. Ran, youre awake. Youve slept for a whole afternoon. Are you hungry?. Drink some water and get up. Shao Yu has made some porridge, which is cooling down. Its good that you wake up now as the porridge should be ready. Xu Ran felt a little thirsty. He took the bowl of water in Liu Tongs hand and started to drink. After he finished drinking, he got out of bed and asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, I dont know what you got up. Liu Tong smiled. I havent got up for long. Youve been tired these days. I didnt wake you up cause you were sleeping soundly. Xu Ran edged forward again and leaned on Liu Tong. Tongtong, I have been too busy lately to spend time with you. Im sorry for that. But dont worry, my work is almost done now, so I can spend more time with you. Liu Tong softly punched him. What are you talking about? I know youre busy. Besides, Im grown-up and I know how to take care of myself, so I dont need your company. Thats different. I have to stay with you. Otherwise, the baby will not be close with me after its born. By the way, does it make you suffer? I sleep like a log at night, so I dont know if its behaving well. Liu Tong shook her head. The baby is quite good, even better than Tangtang and Guoguo. It doesnt make a fuss at all. It was the first time that Xu Ran heard Liu Tong talked about Tangtang and Guoguo in his pregnancy. He instantly became interested and grabbed Liu Tong, saying, Tongtong, tell me about them when you were having them, and tell me about their childhood. Liu Tong patted him. Whats there to say when I was pregnant? Isnt it the same as other pregnant women? Tangtang and Guoguo have been very good and clinging to you since they were born, although you havent known them yet. Come on, its been a long time. Why are we talking about this? Go wash your face, and were ready to eat. Seeing that Liu Tong was unwilling to tell him, Xu Ran didnt press him. He listened to him and went out to wash his face. When Xu Ran came back, everyone sat at the table waiting for him. Xu Ran had planned to take a shower before dinner, but he didnt want to hold them up when he saw that they were waiting for him. They used to sit together for dinner, but they didnt chat with each other. After they were through, they left the table for work. Therefore he didnt have a good communication with them, especially Gao Quan and Shao Yu. Xu Ran felt that he was heartless, for he just brought them to the fields for work every day after he bought them, and he didnt care about them. At dinner, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan and Shaoyu, Have you got used to it? I was too busy to pay attention to you. Thank you for your hard work, without which I wouldnt have known what to do. Usually, when Shao Yu was around, Gao Quan would not do the talking, so Shao Yu naturally replied, Master, were pretty good here. We dont lack anything. Lord and the young masters treat us well. We should work hard for you. You bought us with money and proivde us with bed and food. It would be a sin if we dont do anything. Xu Ran nodded. Its good that you dont lack anything. Now you are at our home, and we are family. Dont hesitate to tell me what you need. I know that other families pay the people theyve bought monthly. Ill pay you each one tael of silver each month. What do you think? They should be paid indeed, but the salary that Xu Ran offered them was high. No one in the town could earn a tael of silver in a month, let alone Xu Village. They were even the first house hold which bought people. Shao Yu hurriedly waved his hand. Master, It is too much. We cant take it. Xu Ran pounded the table and made the decision. You might not need the money now, but maybe one day youll need them. Its decided.You dont have to be polite. Since Xu Ran said so, Shao Yu had to accept it. Gao Quan didnt even glance at Xu Ran during the talk, but sat quietly in his seat, helping himself and Shao Yu to the dishes. After that, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo about their homework. Although the brothers were very smart, they were only kids. When Xu Ran assigned them homework, they started to bargain with Xu Ran, which amused the whole table. Chapter 112 Xu Ran, who was finally free, lived a comfortable life, staying at home accompanying his spouse, teaching his children, or reading books by himself. At the end of June, Foreman Li came to tell Xu Ran that the house was built. Since the building work of the house was handed over to Foreman Li, Xu Ran hadnt been to the scene very often. Upon hearing Foreman Li say that the building was completed, he couldnt help praising their speed. However, on second thought, he understood. After all, they were old hands in the field and they had to work hard to support their families. Naturally, they were proficient and efficient. Xu Ran followed Foreman Li to check the new house. He felt quite satisfied. It was only pity that there was no furniture there. It looked empty. It was built according to Xu Rans original requirement of a quadrangle dwelling. There were not many rooms in it. The layout was the same downstairs and upstairs, each with eight rooms, but each one was quite large. There was no cellar under the new house. It seemed that if they had something to store in the future, they should go back to the bamboo house. However, the courtyard was quite large and the house was surrounded. If people didnt enter the house, they couldnt see anything inside. When designing the house, Xu Ran had already planned well what each room would be used for and what to put inside. Xu Ran told Foreman Li about his plans and asked him to help to make some changes in a few rooms. According to Xu Rans plan, the rooms on the second floor were used for family living. Except for two rooms on the first floor for the reception of guests, all the rest would be changed into storage and production rooms. The kitchen was located on the westernmost side, and eating would be also done there. One or two stone tables could be added to the yard, while a few fruit trees could be planted. Xu Ran knew that these alterations would cost some more money, but he felt that as long as the new house was comfortable for the family and looked good, this sum of money was nothing compared with that much money that had been spent anyway. The new house still needed to be painted with lime. In this way, it looked brighter inside. Every room should be equipped with windows that could be pushed open directly. The overall construction effect of the new house was quite good. Taking into account the improvements to be made later and the time to ventilate the new house after the lime painting, Xu Ran felt that his family would definitely be able to live in the new house before the coming Spring Festival. After discussing the improvement of the new house, Xu Ran said, Foreman Li, today the house is basically completed. Ill invite your team to have a good meal. You can order whatever you want. Ill buy the food if I cant make it. Xu Ran was particularly generous as he was speaking, so Foreman Li didnt stand on ceremony with him. He immediately went out of the yard to call his people. Soon the team all came out to order what they liked. The point was that all the dishes they ordered should have meat, and all of them should be fat meat. At the thought of so much fat meat, Xu Ran couldnt help feeling a little sick. He didnt understand why they liked to eat such fat meat. Xu Ran couldnt remember the names of so many dishes, so he simply went home and took a writing brush and paper to note them down. He took the matter so seriously that it made the people around busy ordering food feel quite ashamed. Xu Ran had been staying with them for a few months. Although they were all busy and didnt talk much, he understood what was going on with their minds seeing the sight. Thus he said smilingly, You guys have built the house for me. I am grateful to you. This is the only opportunity that Ill treat you to a good meal. If you dont catch it, there will be no more chances! Hearing this, the group of simple and unpretentious men all laughed, and they gave up standing on ceremony in front of Xu Ran. After noting down the menu, Xu Ran dried the ink on the paper, folded it and put it in his arms. He then took Foreman Li to the town to buy vegetables and meat with him, and asked Liu Tong to invite Wu Meis and the other two families for dinner. Xu Ran also planned to discuss about the furniture with Xu An. Xu Ran really spent a lot of money on this treat. Just in buying meat, he had spent 30 taels of silver. In the Xu Village, so much meat was estimated to be enough for many people to eat for their lifetime; let alone Xu Ran had also bought other food. They bought quite a lot of wine too. A group of rough men couldnt get together without some wine. Although Xu Ran didnt drink much, he could still cope with the occasion. It was already noon after they bought all the food back. The construction team had waited for a long time but they didnt see Xu Ran and Foreman Li come back, so they simply made some noodles. Each of them had only eaten a bowl of noodles, because they wanted to leave more room in their stomachs for the evening feast. Xu Ran and Foreman Li indeed returned with a full load. When they got back, each of them had a bowl of noodles for lunch, too. After Xu Ran returned, the workers started to get busy. Wu Mei and Shao Yu also came over for help. After eating the noodles, Xu Ran ran around the mountain, and then decided to invite the village head over for dinner. After all, the dinner last time was not very pleasant, plus he had been busy recently, so he did not visit the village head so far. Tonight, he felt he had better invite the village head for dinner. After all, this was a joyous occasion. The building of their new house was completed. However, Xu Ran hesitated when he reached the gate of the village heads house. Last time Zhang Yue got off the carriage at the gate of the village heads house. Xu Ran didnt know if he was still there. If he was still there, it would be not good not to invite him. But if he did invite him, people would gossip about it. It was really a dilemma. How he wished Zhang Yue would not be there at the moment. Xu Ran wandered around at the gate of the village heads house and was just seen by Daddy Chen who came out to pour water. Daddy Chen opened the door of the courtyard and called Xu Ran, Xu Ran, what are you doing? Why are you here? Why didnt you knock at the door? Theres someone at home. Now that he was found, Xu Ran had to give up struggling in his heart about Zhang Yue. He followed Daddy Chen and went into the yard. Then he touched his head and said, Daddy Chen, the building of my new house is basically completed. Im going to invite the friends to have a good meal tonight, so I want to see if you and the village head have time to come. Hey, thats a joyous occasion. Why didnt you dare to come in just now? The village head isnt at home right now. Ill tell him later and well definitely go at night. Xu Ran nodded. Daddy Chen was amused when he noticed how Xu Ran behaved thereC about to speak, but saying nothing. He smiled, You are wondering if Zhang Yue is still here, right? Dont worry. Zhang Yue is home now and he and Xu Cheng have already divorced. He probably wont come to our Xu Village anymore in the future. You can rest assured now! Xu Ran was relieved when he heard that Zhang Yue was not there. Xu Ran was more relieved at the latter news. It was clear that there was no need for him to feel bad about it in the future. After reminding Daddy Chen again that they must come to the dinner in the evening, Xu Ran went back and immediately shared with Liu Tong the news about Zhang Yues divorce from Xu Cheng. Liu Tong only commented that Zhang Yue was also a poor person, and then he didnt say anything further about it. Xu Ran thought about it and agreed that Zhang Yue was indeed a pitiful person, but half of his pity composition was caused by himself, while the other half was because of the Xu Family. It was said that poor people must be hateful. Thinking about what Zhang Yue had done before, Xu Ran really didnt want to forgive him. Xu Ran shook his head and told himself that he was no longer in the Xu Village now, so why should he think so much? Then he immediately shifted his position and talked to the unborn child in Liu Tongs belly. Of course, he was talking to himself actually. Sometimes Liu Tong couldnt bear to listen to it anymore and knocked on his head. It was such a sweet scene. The dinner started when the sun was setting, and everyone got what they wanted to eat. All kinds of dishes were served on a large table. Apart from those who couldnt drink, all the others had a small glass of wine. Xu Ran had bought a lot of wine. Those who could drink well had started to compete in drinking. Xu Ran sat next to the village head, clinked glasses with him and apologized for what had happened last time. The village head didnt care about it. He pulled Xu Ran and said, Xu Ran, I understand what you think, but I am the village head after all. Its better not to know something than knowing it but cant be used to help people in the village. Okay, Ive been the village head here for some years. I watched your younger generations grow up. From a young age, I think you are the most promising. At that time, you could go up the mountain to find some mountain produce and sell them in exchange for money to pay your private tutor. You are literate and smart. You dont know how pity I felt when you became a fool at that time. Fortunately you have recovered, and you have created a family business yourself. I am so happy for you. Speaking of all this, the village head was very emotional. Xu Ran was moved, too, so he made another toast to the village head. Xu Ran was not a heavy drinker. Worse still, what he drank was all alcohol, and he didnt eat something before drinking. Thus, after a few cups of alcohol, he was slightly drunk. He kept chatting with the village head. After that, he even went to grab some food to eat from Liu Tongs bowl. This made Liu Tong at a loss whether to cry or to laugh. He could only let Xu Ran eat something. After watching him drink a few more cups, he helped him back to their bedroom. The weather was hot and Xu Ran had been working outside all day. Liu Tong went to prepare some hot water and asked him to take a bath before going to sleep. Xu Ran was not cooperative at all, but Liu Tong said that he would be unhappy if he disturbed the unborn child in his belly. Xu Ran immediately obeyed and acted very obediently. Others were still eating. Both Tangtang and Guoguo were playing with their friends. No one paid attention to them at this moment. Liu Tong thought it was lucky that Ran was obedient, otherwise he really couldnt take care of him alone. However, this thought only lasted for a while. After taking a bath and got into bed, Xu Ran started to toss about. This time, he didnt disturb himself, but he disturbed Liu Tong. He kissed, stroked, and even wanted to take off Liu Tongs clothes. Liu Tong had never seen Xu Ran behave like this. Before, there was time when Rans passion was hard to suppress. However, at that time, they were both clear-headed, and Liu Tong himself was not pregnant. Thus he would let him be. Now that he was pregnant, the situation was completely different. Liu Tong said to Xu Ran while stopping him from tearing his clothes, Ran, Ran, dont do that. I have a baby in my belly and you will hurt the baby The drunken people were not sober at all and their strength would be much greater. Liu Tong dared not push Xu Ran too hard. As a result, his clothes were stripped off by Xu Ran after a short while. Liu Tong wanted to cry. He could not understand why Ran changed like this when he was drunk. After taking off the clothes, it was time to take off the pants. Liu Tong grabbed his pants tightly and tried not to let Xu Ran succeed. Xu Ran deliberately chose Liu Tongs sensitive parts to start. Seeing that his pants were about to be stripped, Liu Tong finally compromised and hugged Xu Ran to kiss and comfort him, Ran, dont move. Listen to me. Im pregnant now. You cant mess around and hurt the baby. If you really want to do that, just listen to me, okay? Liu Tongs tone of coaxing the children at last worked and calmed Xu Ran down. Liu Tong didnt care about other people outside now. He just wanted to appease Xu Ran first. Liu Tong took off the clothes for Xu Ran that had just worn for a short while, took off his own remaining pants and then climbed onto the bed. Then Xu Ran, who was drunk, couldnt hold himself anymore. He did it anyway. Chapter 113 On the next day, there was one person who was rested and refreshed and the other person who had a sore back. As the former had woken up, the latter was still sleeping in bed. When Xu Ran woke up in the morning, he was feeling dizzy with a mild headache, but when he saw the scene on the bed, he immediately woke up with his headache gone. Liu Tong didnt sleep well from the toil of last night. He had just fallen asleep when it was almost dawn and he was sleeping soundly with sweat on his forehead at this moment. Xu Ran got out of bed, put on his clothes and then went to the kitchen to get a basin of warm water so that he would wipe off the sweat of Liu Tongs forehead and wiped clean his whole body. He even cleaned up the house before going out. In the yard, Tangtang and Guoguo was reciting with their heads moving to the rhythm. Four dogs crouched beside them as quiet listeners. When Tangtang and Guoguo saw Xu Ran, he immediately ran over and asked him what was wrong. Tangtang said, Shao Yu Daddy said that you were drunk yesterday and told us not to disturb you. Dad, are you feeling any better now? Facing Tangtangs innocent eyes, Xu Ran touched his nose embarrassedly. Im fine. The one who was not feeling alright is your Daddy. Xu Ran said, Im fine. Have you had breakfast? Tangtang and Guoguo both shook their heads and Guoguo said, Shao Yu Daddy said that we would go eat at Uncle Li and the others places for meals. There were a lot of leftovers from last night. If we dont eat today, it will turn bad. Xu Ran thought about it and agreed. The weather was too hot, many dishes could not be stored for long. It was most likely that they would only eat those food which werent easy to turn bad. Xu Ran held Tangtang and Guoguos hands and said, Lets go, we shall have breakfast first. Your Daddy is still sleeping and he will eat when he wakes up again. So where did Shao Yu and the rest go? They were helping out at Uncle Lis place and Uncle Gao went to cut the pigweed. He said that he shall cut more in the morning when its still cool. Xu Ran nodded, indicating that he knew. After he had breakfast with the workers, Xu Ran specially made congee and cut some pickled radish for Liu Tong. When he went to ask Liu Tong to eat, Liu Tong had already woken up. Xu Ran put the congee on the table and then helped Liu Tong sit up. When Xu Ran touched him, Liu Tong was obviously trembled a little. Obviously, he was still fearful about what happened last night, which had in turn made Xu Ran feel guiltier. Liu Tong rubbed his waist and the first thing he said to Xu Ran was, Ran, dont drink alcohol anymore. Youll hurt the child. Xu Ran nodded and quickly promised, Tongtong, Im sorry. It was my bad last night, but dont worry, I promise you I wont drink again, really. Liu Tong smiled when he saw his anxious face, Alright, its just these coming few months, you can drink after I give birth. Im hungry and Id like to get up and eat. Xu Ran stopped him from moving, I know that your waist will definitely be uncomfortable. Dont rush to get up. Ill bring you the porridge and you shall eat it in bed. Ill give you a massage. Liu Tong did not feel well at his waist, so he did not refuse. He drank the porridge while enjoying Xu Rans massage. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, how about I take you to the town and see a doctor? Im a little worried that I might hurt the child. By the way, we could also go visit sworn dads place where you have never been. Liu Tong was also a little worried, so he agreed to Xu Rans request. It was good to go into town since he had not gone out for a long time. They both agreed that after Liu Tong finished eating and Xu Ran finished massaging, Liu Tong would go out of bed to wash his face. Then, Xu Ran would go seek Tangtang as well as Guoguo and would also told Gao Quan and Shaoyu about it on the way. Xu Ran also asked Mr. Hu if he wanted to go to Zhuo Yuns place but he didnt want to go anywhere in this hot weather and said that hed better stay at home than go and that he would go when Qin Shuwens child was one month old. Xu Ran thought that the trip would be tiresome for him so he didnt say anything much. When the family was ready and packed some things to the carriage, they began driving to town. Tangtang and Guoguo were very excited every time they went to the town and Xu Ran understood such emotion very well because whenever he went to the market as a child, he wouldnt feel tired no matter how long he walked. After they reached town, Xu Ran first took Liu Tong and his two children to the clinic where he sent Zhang Yue last time. The doctor at the clinic recognized Xu Ran and he glanced at Liu Tong and the two children behind him, feeling curious, Sir, are these your spouse and children? Xu Ran nodded. Doctor, this is my spouse. He is pregnant for four months now. Please take a look at him. The doctor glanced at Xu Ran again, which made Xu Ran feel rather baffling and asked, Doctor, whats wrong? Is there anything wrong? The doctor touched his beard and shook his head, Nothing, I merely thought that the Geer who came last time was your spouse. Xu Ran rolled his eyes. Of course, he knew that he was talking about Zhang Yue. Nevertheless, Zhang Yue was so badly injured at the time that Xu Ran carried him here and left after giving him ten taels of silver. He found it hard to believe that the doctor would have such misunderstanding because of it. Xu Ran looked towards Liu Tong and found that Liu Tong was also looking at him so he hurriedly explained, Last time I sent Zhang Yue to this clinic and this doctor still remembers me. Liu Tong nodded, indicating that he understood. Xu Ran explained to the doctor, The Geer from the last time was my younger brothers spouse, not mine. This is my spouse, and these two are my children. Tangtang and Guoguo, whose name had been called out, stood by the side and let the doctor look at him. The doctor realized he had something to do after looking at them for a while and started to take Liu Tongs pulse. Seeing that both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were staring at him nervously, the doctor didnt make fun with them and said directly, The baby is stable and your spouse is healthy. However, you should bear in mind that during pregnancy, try not to have too much sex. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were both embarrassed, and they said to themselves that there hadnt been too many times, it was just the one time from last night which was a bit rough, that was all. Since neither of them have the intention to respond, the doctor mistook the meaning of their silence so he shook his head and said, You young people, how can you still be so insensible when your children are so old now? Im not saying you cant have sex. All Im asking is that you should reduce the amount. The pregnancy would last only 10 months and it would pass before you know it. Seeing that the doctor was going to keep on saying, Xu Ran hurriedly interrupted him and promised immediately, Doctor, dont worry. We will pay attention to it. We all know you are saying it for our good, and it will not happen again. Liu Tong also nodded, indicating that he would pay attention. Only then did the doctor nod with satisfaction and said, I will write down a prescription for your spouse. You take some medicine back, brew them and then drank it. Its for the baby. The babys condition is very stable, so dont worry. Xu Ran and Liu Tong nodded at the same time to show that they understood. After they got the medicine, Xu Ran and his family went to Zhuo Mansion and gave Zhuo Yun some potatoes. In addition, Xu Ran also planned on inviting them to go to the Qin family together. He had just got his sworn dad after all and Xu Ran still hadnt known him that well. Plus, Liu Tong, Tangtang and Guoguo had never been to his place before. It was a little awkward for them to just show up at his door. Therefore, it would be much better to have Qin Shuwen and Zhuo Yun come as well. Both of them had carriages, so it would be convenient for the journey and the distance wasnt quite long anyway. They didnt have to worry about having a pregnant Geer on board. When they arrived at Zhuo Mansion, as usual, Xu Ran talked to Zhuo Yun while Liu Tong took Tangtang and Guoguo to see Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwen was seven months pregnant with a round belly looking like a big watermelon. Tangtang and Guoguo kept looking at his belly. Qin Shuwen generously let them see and was about to let them touch it but was stopped by Liu Tong considering that the two children were already six years old this year. Liu Tong told Qin Shuwen that they were going to Qins house and wanted him to go with Zhuo Yun. However, Qin Shuwen recalled what had happened last time and pouted unhappily, I dont want to go back. With Xu Ran, my dad and daddy dont love me anymore. Liu Tong didnt expect him to have such a childish reaction, and he couldnt help bursting into laughter. After Liu Tong laughed, Qin Shuwen realized what he had just said. He immediately reached out to cover his face. It was indeed quite embarrassing. However, Liu Tong laughed even more happily. Although Qin Shuwen felt embarrassed for a while, he still agreed to go to Qins house with Liu Tong. Qin Shuwen was obviously competing with Xu Ran for favor without other mean thoughts. Especially when they mentioned that they had brought new potatoes over, Zhuo Yun immediately took Xu Ran as his brother-in-law which made Xu Ran not know whether to laugh or cry. Before leaving, Zhuo Yun sent someone to tell the Qin family that they were coming. Otherwise, with so many people, it would be quite troublesome should they have no one home when they arrived, especially when there were two pregnant Geers with them. It was already noon when they arrived, just in time for lunch. Since someone had alerted the Qin family of their visit beforehand, all of the Qin family knew that they were coming, and they had asked a few men to prepare dishes which had been put all over the table. The brothers of the Qin family were all very capable, and they had earned together the familys fortune, so they have a very good relationship. Although the Qin brothers work in town, they would go home for dinner as long as they could. It was convenient for the family to communicate with each other at the dinner table. As they shared all the happy and unhappy things during dinner, their feelings naturally improved. Xu Ran also liked such atmosphere and introduced his family one by one with a smile on his face. Except him, Liu Tong, Tangtang, and Guoguo, all received a red packet. Xu Ran also mimicked Qin Shuwen and complained about the unfair treatment he received, which embarrassed Qin Shuwen even more. After the joyous dinner, Xu Rans family found the Qin family kind, and the Qin family also had a good impression on Xu Rans family. Knowing that Liu Tong has never had dad and daddy since he was a child, and that he hadnt been taught many things, even though he had given birth before for he still didnt know what to pay attention to during pregnancy, Elder Daddy Qin invited Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen as well as other spouses of Qin brothers to the backyard, and was ready to teach them. Xu Ran, on the other hand, was discussing business with the men of the Qin family in the front yard. Although he was not a businessman, he had heard a lot of business talks before and it came natural for him to join the conversation. As for the children, it was obviously for them to blend in quicker! There were five or six children in the Qin family, including Geers and men, who were about the same age as Tangtang and Guoguo. They played together after lunch. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun didnt go home until the sun set at dusk. They left as happily as they came. Xu Ran also gave a lot of food to the Qin family, including potatoes, chili paste, dried bean curd and so on, which was respectful. C Chapter 114 Although the summer had begun in May, the hottest months were July and August. Cicadas had started screaming early in the morning, so people didnt have a quiet environment to sleep in. When it was hot at noon, they had a slimmer chance to sleep well. Since there were no electric fans or air conditioners, they could only cool themselves with palm leaf fans. Recently, Liu Tong had become more addicted to sleep, and now Xu Rans most difficult task was to keep him cool with a fan while he was sleeping. However, he would fall asleep himself as he waved his fan most of the time. His sleeping positions were quite strange: he would skew either left or right and had never maintained a straight position. After that, Liu Tong firmly asked for a substitution, and then the tough task was given to Shao Yu. Xu Ran, who had nothing to do, went to Xu Ans home to see the furniture, but Xu An and Wu Mei were discussing the matter of sending Dahu to school. Dahu was already nine years old this year. If he still didnt go to school, it would be too late. In the past few years, this had been delayed because they had been in the original family. When they had just built their new family, their family conditions had been bad. Now they had made some money with the help of Xu Ran, so they could afford to let Dahu alone attend school. There were a few schools in Xu Village, but not many children went to school here. The Fuzi, who was teaching now, was extremely old and had also been Xu Rans teacher back then. When he heard their discussion, Xu Ran then remembered that his two kids were also at the right age and that he had already been to primary school in June. Although there were no school levels here like primary school, middle school, or high school, it was good to go to school early because people had a good memory at a young age. Wu Mei and Xu An meant to send Dahu to school, but they were worried that Xu Ans brothers would take the chance to ask for money, so they were in a dilemma. Hearing that, Xu Ran had an idea and said to Wu Mei, Even if Dahu goes to school, he must wait until next year. Surely, it is too late this year. Coincidentally, Im going to send Tangtang and Guoguo to school the next year. When the time comes, Dahu can go with them. Xu An, If your brothers ask about it, you can tell them I paid the tuition fee. The villagers all know the relationships between us few families, so it is acceptable to say I paid the tuition fee for you. Xu An, I dont think your brothers will come to me to ask for money!. Wu Mei and Xu An pondered it over and thought that it was a way, and then they nodded and said, OK, well have to bother you, Xu Ran. But we assume that youd better do this for Wu Lans and Liu Qings families too, saying that all of us agree to send our kids to school together next year. If you only do this for us, there are people who will always gossip about it. Xu Ran thought about it and agreed, and he said, Then let me do it. Im not afraid of doing it for many families. The matter of sending children to school was settled. After that, Xu An took Xu Ran to see the furniture he had made. In Xu Villages mountain, there were plenty of bamboo trees, so Xu Ran had asked Xu An to make a few beds for coolness. They had different sizes, and some were even foldable. They could be used as beds to sleep on, but it was best to use them in summer. The rest items were some cabinets and chairs. Some were made of wood, and some bamboo, but all of them were small items. In fact, Xu Ran had not been able to think of any furniture to make, so he had asked Xu An to turn a few of the things in his memory into reality. These items were worth large sums of money even in ancient times, let alone in modern times. Generally speaking, Xu Ran was very satisfied. After walking around in Xu Ans house, he went home and saw a carriage parked outside his house. He knew the horse. It was the one who had carried him home the last time. It seemed that his letter had been received, and Lin Xi had been sent here to take goods. Fortunately, Xu Ran had written down the cooking method of the bean jelly and all things related a long time ago, so he could let him take them straight away. The only nuisance was that all the chickens had been set free this morning, and it was not easy to catch them now. Xu Ran invited Lin Xi to their house and poured him a bowl of cooled boiled water. Lin Xi conversed with Xu Ran for a while, then took out a banknote from his inner pocket, and gave it to Xu Ran. Xu Ran took it and found that its face value was as high as one hundred taels. He shook the banknote and asked Lin Xi, Why so much money? Did your master say anything? Lin Xi said, My master said that the previous goods were sold well, and your share of profits was dozens of taels. Besides, I will take the chickens and ducks back this time, and the rest will be used to buy them. After hearing Lin Xis explanation, Xu Ran no longer refused it. The total number of the chickens and ducks was forty or fifty. Indeed, it costed much money to buy them. No doubt, Lin Xi would not be able to leave today, so Xu Ran asked him to rest for a day and wait until tomorrow morning the chickens and ducks were caught before leaving. Lin Xi had no objections. He had been quite tired after driving the carriage for two days and two nights, and it would be safer to rest for a night and then depart. Lin Xi was a servants son of the Lin Family and the confidant of Lin Hua. Xu Ran had specially introduced the cooking methods of the sliced cold chicken and the bean jelly to Lin Hua, who had recorded them carefully. On the second day, Xu Ran only kept two or three egg-laying chickens and caught all the rest. Lin Xi had come with lots of chili and soybean, which Xu Ran had taken, but he had packed some potatoes, asking Lin Xi to take them back to Lin Hua and others to eat, but not to sell them. Only when Lin Xi had left did Xu Ran have time to tell Liu Tong about letting Tangtang and Guoguo go to school. Liu Tong would definitely not stop their children from going to school, but he thought it was a little too early to let them go to school the following year. After all, they would only be seven in May next year. Therefore, Xu Ran told Liu Tong the idea of not allowing their children to lose at the starting line, which finally convinced Liu Tong. Now with their chickens and ducks gone, they needed to buy a new batch. Xu Ran thought about it silently at home. Perhaps they also needed to buy a female goat. When their child was born, he could go straight to drink the goat milk. Surely, it would be healthier than eating rice porridge or other porridge at a young age. Time flew. It was the end of July in the blink of an eye. Since the arrival of Gao Quan, the cornfields had been given to him to take care of. At night, Xu Ran brought back a few tender corncobs, making corn porridge for the family and boiling some for everyone to eat. The tender corn could also be used to make the steamed corn pulp bread. Xu Ran had eaten it a few times and thought it tasted very good. Maybe he could try making it. Although he didnt know the specific process, he assumed that it was similar to that of the steamed rice pulp cake. Since not many corn seeds had been sown in the first year, Xu Ran had not planned to feed the pigs with the corn. This year, he could pick the tender corncobs and eat them directly. After giving some to the many people he knew and selling some, he estimated that not much would be left. Since the corn had become edible, Xu Ran had been going to their fields several times daily. When he returned, he would never be empty-handed. His family had fallen in love with the corn since they had tried it the last time. Xu Ran had also tried cooking different foods with it, including corn pork rib soup, fried corn, and even popcorn. But now, the corn was still too tender for making popcorn. Of course, there was another very important thing. The house had really been finished this time, including the things Xu Ran had required to build later. The interior of the house had all been covered with lime powder, which was white and created a very bright view. They would have to wait sometime before they could move into the house, but Foreman Li and his colleagues had completed their work, and Xu Ran had paid for all their work. The money for their work alone was hundreds of taels, and Xu Ran had also given them an extra bonus of fifty taels. When the money paid for the previous materials and the money that had not been paid for the furniture Xu An had finished were added to them, the total amount was about one thousand taels. It was really a large amount. The moment he paid the money, Xu Ran did feel that he was an upstart. Of course, this was rare. Presumably, this would be the last time like this in his lifetime. The house was transferred to him on the fifth day of July. In the evening, he also treated the workers of the construction team to a big dinner. This was a farewell dinner. No one knew if they would see each other in the future, but the strangers had become friends after being together for a few months. In this case, it was inevitable that some of them would get drunk, but Xu Ran still remembered what had happened last time, so he didnt taken a sip. The next day, Xu Ran saw the construction workers off himself. In mid-July, Xu Ran started to mobilize his whole family to pick the corn. At first, he gave some to Zhuo Yuns and Qins families, and then he sold some to Mr. Chen. Besides, some were carried to He Shui Town by Lin Xi with his carriage. Previously, the cold noodles and the bean jelly had won a good reputation in He Shui Town, and Xu Ran had pocketed a dividend of two hundred taels, hoping that the corn could get a better effect this time. And the corn production was good this year. Xu Ran did not go and sell the steamed corn pulp bread after making it, but gave some pieces to the families he was familiar with. Then he asked the village head to gather the villagers together, ready to talk about the corn. The production of corn was high, and it could assuage peoples hunger. When rice and brown rice could not sustain peoples lives, corn could be a good substitute for the two kinds of grains. Xu Rans requirement was very simple: if they wanted to sell their corn, they would have to sell half of it to him at least. If they chose to eat it, he would not stop them, but if they wanted to sell, they would have to sell half of it to him before they wished to sell the other half to whomever they liked, and he would not care about it. His family definitely couldnt grow that much, but if the corn got good feedback in He Shui Town, the amount needed was sure to be huge. If he couldnt supply the amount, he would have to buy it somewhere else. Naturally, those in Xu Village who were willing to listen to him were his best candidates. Xu Ran was completely trying to get the villagers opinions. To those who agreed, he would give the corn seeds; those who disagreed could leave directly. At the same time, he also said that the corn seeds were sold in town, but their price was high. Undoubtedly, it was he who had asked Zhuo Yun to raise their pricehalf a kilo sold for a tael of silver. It was believed that those who wanted to grow corn would give up when seeing the price. The village heads family had grown one mu of corn. Naturally, he knew the production of corn, and he had tried the steamed corn pulp bread made by Xu Ran, so he was clear whether the food could keep people from hunger or not. He wished all the villagers to grow the corn. However, they had never grown it though they knew its benefits, so they were still a little hesitant, thinking, What if we harvest nothing due to bad weather the next year? Our fields will be occupied, but we wont have grain. Then well have to starve, wont we? Everyone had their considerations, and Xu Ran did not force them. But he had said what he should say, letting them go back and think about it carefully. If anyone was willing to grown it, he could go to the village head and register his name. When these people had left, Xu Ran bought another ten mu of land from the village head. This time, the land was not uncultivated land, but since it had come to this time, even if he grew something, it would be too late to pay this years taxes for it. With this in mind, Xu Ran simply did nothing. These fields would all be used for growing vegetables and potatoes the following year. This was Xu Rans initial plan. Chapter 115 By borrowing money from others, Xu Ran had finally achieved one of his goals this year, and he had two more left. He intended to take part in the imperial examination at the county level this autumn, which was held from September 9 to 11. He had about a month left to prepare for it. Fortunately, Shao Yu helped him manage his family affairs, and Gao Quan offered help with his fields. Therefore, Xu Ran could cram for the exam with no worries. Xu Ran was not alone because Tangtang and Guoguo accompanied him. Xu Ran was really domineering, as he asked the two little poor guys to read books, practice calligraphy and run with him every day. Not surprisingly, Tangtang and Guoguo had had enough of such sufferings, so they ran away one day. After seeking for Tangtang and Guoguo for a couple of times, Xu Ran found them in the yard of the new house, and he saw they learning martial art from Gao Quan. Yes! Martial art! It stunned Xu Ran, and he quickly realized that Gao Quan was not as simple as he seemed to be. However, Xu Ran didnt intend to figure it out as long as Gao Quan didnt hurt his families. Moreover, Xu Ran was actually willing to have Gao Quan teach his kids martial art, which could at least develop their ability to protect themselves. After talking to Gao Quan for a while, Xu Ran decided to let Gao Quan keep teaching the two children martial art. And in the evening, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo whether they were willing to learn it. After all, as far as Xu Ran considered, to learn martial art could be always painstaking, at least more painstaking than to study knowledge in books. It had been the first time for Tangtang and Guoguo to make different choices since they were born. Guoguo selected martial arts while Tangtang preferred academic knowledge. People had inherent disparities in interests. Both martial art and academic knowledge were worthwhile to learn, and Xu Rans only request for them was to stick to their goals. Even if Tangtang didnt like to learn martial arts, he had to learn some basic skills to protect himself. Meanwhile, even if Guoguo didnt like reading, he had to develop the ability to read and write at least. The two children listened to Xu Ran seriously and remembered his words in their hearts, indicating that they would not easily give up their targets. Xu Ran nodded with satisfaction and went back to Liu Tong. Liu Tong was a little surprised when he heard that Gao Quan was actually good at martial art, but he believed it soon. He thought Gao Quan should be like that. Xu Ran was confused and asked Liu Tong why. Liu Tong said, Well, Ran, I never mentioned my dad and daddy to you, right? Xu Ran nodded. Liu Tong continued, My dad had actually learned some martial art, you know. He was good at hunting. When I was a child, I always asked him to teach me martial art. However, he refused me because I was a Geer. I entreated him many times. Finally, he agreed to teach me hunting. Unfortunately, my dad and daddy passed away soon after I started to learn it. Okay but does it have anything to do with Gao Quan? Xu Ran was confused. You know, my dad and Gao Quan have extremely similar accents. Although my father was from Liu Village, he had grown up somewhere else, and he didnt return the village until my birth. He went back to Liu Village with my daddy and me. Do you know where this accent comes from? Liu Tong shook his head. I dont know. My dad didnt tell me, and the farthest place Ive ever been is the town. I have no idea. How did your dad and daddy pass away, Tongtong? Xu Ran asked. Liu Tong thought for a moment and replied, Illness! He fell ill suddenly and passed away soon. I was young at that time and couldnt realize the death of my dad and daddy, and then my eldest uncle took me to his family. I hardly had time to think about it. Yes! Its weird! Ran! Xu Ran also found it strange. Did Gao Quan have anything to do with Liu Tongs dad? Moreover, Liu Tongs dad and daddy died so accidentally.There must be something unknown. Xu Ran shook his head and cleared away the strange thoughts in his mind. Since Tongtongs dad and daddy had passed away, it might be wiser to stop thinking about it. Maybe it would be better to know less. After all, Xu Ran didnt think he had the ability to protect his family after figuring the truth out. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, well, Tongtong. Gao Quan is teaching Tangtang and Guoguo martial art, right? How about going to see them next time? Then you can figure out whether Gao Quan has the same martial skill as your dad did. Okay, Liu Tong nodded. Then he asked Xu Ran, But Ran, even if they knew each other, what can we do? Xu Ran scratched his head and felt that it was a problem. He did not know what to do either. Xu Ran said with a little impatience, Nothing! Anyway, we know they knew each other. It might be useful in the future. Liu Tong agreed, and they discussed to go to watch the training the next time when Gao Quan taught Tangtang and Guoguo martial art. Tangtang and Guoguo learned more seriously with Xu Rans permission. Although Tangtang didnt like it very much, he was still very serious about it. Meanwhile, Guoguo was so excited that he even acted like a monkey, jumping up and down all day. Xu Ran and Liu Tong went to watch the training. They saw that after teaching Tangtang and Guoguo a few skills, Gao Quan went to practice by himself. Liu Tong watched them very seriously. He even saw his dad from Gao Quan, whose movements were nearly the same as those of his dad. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and then Gao Quan. Then, He understood everything. He took Liu Tong away while Gao Quan hadnt noticed the weirdness of Liu Tong. Tangtang and Guoguo werent disturbed by Xu Ran and Liu Tong, rather, they focused on practicing their martial skills. And Gao Quan did not care about it either. Xu Ran took Liu Tong home and asked him in a low voice, Whats wrong, Tongtong? Did you find anything? Liu Tong nodded. Yes, Ran. He seems to learn the same kind of martial art as my dad. I almost regarded him as my dad just now. According to TV plots Xu Ran had ever watched, it could happen to some professions. Obviously, both Gao Quan and Liu Tongs Dad had had professional training. Maybe they were guards, or secret guards. Xu Ran patted Liu Tongs back and said to him, Forget it, Tongtong. Youve seen nothing today. As long as Gao Quan doesnt do anything harmful to our family, we shall pretend we know nothing. Liu Tong was dazed for a moment, and then nodded submissively, I got it, Ran. Im just a little sad. Xu Ran put him in his arms. Hes not your Dad, Tongtong. Its been so many years. Dont be sad. At least you have me, Tangtang, Guoguo and the baby in your womb, right? Were a family. And youre pregnant now. If youre sad, it wont be good for our baby, Tongtong! Hearing Xu Rans last words, Liu Tong suddenly smiled. He pushed Xu Ran away. I know it, Ran. Its just a little hard to accept it, but its fine now. Dont worry, I wont be sad. Xu Ran held Liu Tongs face and gave a deep kiss on his forehead. The two of them smiled, indicating the end of this incident. At the end of July, many residents in the village visited Xu Ran for their corn. A few of them had agreed to sell their corns to Xu Ran, and the rest came to ask the price of the corn seeds. However, Xu Ran rejected these guys and told them to buy seeds in the town. Xu Rans decision was within reason. Besides, his price for buying corn wouldnt be too low, although there was always someone greedy, it had nothing to do with him. Ultimately, there were only about ten sellers, and Xu Ran had ever sent the corn rice noodles to them. Xu Ran was satisfied with them. Maybe he could take care of these people in the future. Most of the corns in the field were harvested, and Xu Ran only saved about a half hundred kilograms of seeds of corns for the next year. These would be enough for a large field. Xu Ran also left some seeds for Zhuo Yun, but not much. Even if someone was willing to buy seeds at a price of a tael of silver, he couldnt buy much. And if no one buy them, it was very likely that these seeds would become popcorns and be eaten by Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen. Xu Ran then visited the village head and check the seller list. Although the corn seed was cheap, it should be paid, and he could also give these people guidance of planting corns. The village head had his own seeds, and he prepared enough corn for eating. He and his families learned from Xu Ran how to make the corn rice noodles, which were sweet and glutinous. Both adults and children were fond of them. Therefore, he hoped his villagers plant more corns. Although he hoped so, he couldnt require the villagers to act as he wished. That was it. Only those wise could make a fortune. After checking the name list, Xu Ran went to Wu Mei and gathered them together, advising them to buy more wasteland. Anyway, people had nothing to do in winter. By reclaiming the wasteland, they could also do some physical exercise. And in mid-August, the rice grain could be ready to be harvested. There were nearly a hundred trolleys in their yards, and they could earn much in autumn. Wu Mei and others agreed with Xu Ran. Anyway, the desolate land was only two taels of silver. If each of them bought ten acres of land, they would only need to pay twenty taels of silver together. They could afford it as long as they lived more economically. Xu Ran added, If you trust me, it would be nice to buy these lands in my name, and tell others that the lands are lent by me, so that you would not need to pay the taxes as long as I passed my examination sure, you would have to pay them by yourselves if I failed. Its up to you! Well Wu Mei waved his hand. What are you talking about? Of course we trust you! OK! Ill buy my lands in your name! If you failed, we would pay it on our own, but I believe you are able to pass the exam! Hearing that, Liu Tong and Wu Lan also nodded in agreement and expressed their best wishes to Xu Ran. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and felt a lot of pressure. Those were taxes of thirty acres of lands after all! Xu Ran knew he must make full preparations for the coming exam, but he had no idea about the content of the exam at the county level. There were a large number of villagers in the Xu Village, yet it had been many years that no one had won the glorious title of Xiucai (people who passed the imperial examination at the county level). And nobody knew why. Chapter 116 By mid-August, people could begin to reap the early maturing upland rice. The rice-harvesting season should be the busiest and most tiring time of the year. Of course, it was also the happiest time for the people. After a year of hard work, they finally had a harvest. Wu Meis and those few families fields were all paddy fields or curved fields, so they could only reap their rice in a few days. In this case, Xu Ran started to organize the people to do another job. Their wheelbarrows were taken out, and two people from each family were required to hawk them in other villages. The price Xu Ran had set for the wheelbarrow was one tael of silver for the first five buyers. After that, it would sell for one and a half taels of silver, and twenty wheelbarrows were allowed to sell in each village at most. If more should be sold, each one must sell for two taels of silver. This was somewhat like raising the price at the transaction location, but if he didnt make some money with the wheelbarrows, it would be difficult for him to buy the ten mu of land from Wu Mei and those few families. Besides, in modern times, this was not called raising the price at the transaction location but was called sales promotion. After comforting himself, Xu Ran was relieved. Presumably, not only such few people would come to buy it in a village. After all, this tool could help the user save time and energy. It was convenient to use it to carry the rice home or do other things. Xu Ran also asked everyone to hawk and shout their slogans. If not many people were in the village, they should go to the place where there were many fields. Now, most people should still be working in their fields. Xu Ran went to Liu Village with Gao Quan, Wu Mei and Xu An went to Wu Village, Liu Qing and Xu Zhen went to Zhang Village, and Wu Lan and Xu Fa to Xu Village. They were all villages neighboring Xu Village, but there was a large population in each village, with the smallest one accommodating more than a hundred households. The big one was Wu Village, where there were more than three hundred households at least. One team consisted of two members, and each team only took out five wheelbarrows and should come back after selling them out. If anyone else wanted to buy it, he would have to come to Xu Village to buy it himself. Xu Ran was worried that raising the price at the transaction location would cause dissatisfaction, and the two sellers from an outside village would be easily bullied, so he had made such a decision. Of course, the buyers could write down their names and pay the money. In the future, all the wheelbarrows would be delivered to the village heads place. Xu Ran asked every team member to visit the village head first when they arrived at one village and then tell him what they were doing. Xu Ran had fabricated the excuse, which was: Xu An was a carpenter and had the wish to recruit apprentices. In order to get peoples trust, he had made this tool, showing others his craftsmanship. It was the first time the wheelbarrow had been sold, so they had prepared a sales promotion: the first five buyers could get it for half the original price, the buyers between the sixth and the 20th should pay an extra amount of a half taels of silver, and the buyers after that could not get any discounts and had to pay two taels. After all, not every family could afford the one tael or two taels, so they had only brought five wheelbarrows, letting the village head see what the thing was first. If anyone wanted it, he could come and buy it. Xu Ran had also prepared gifts for the head of each villager: half a kilo of white sugar and half a kilo of Chinese liquor. They were not small gifts. Even if the village head himself didnt buy the wheelbarrow, he would not drive them out of the village for the sake of the gifts. Another point was that Xu Ran had been to these villages to buy chestnuts before, as had Xu An and the others, so they had one or two acquaintances, who would give them much help. After arriving at Liu Village with their wheelbarrows, Xu Ran and Gao Quan went straight to the village heads house. They went there quite early and happened to meet the whole family of the village head coming back for breakfast from their fields. The head of Liu Village was named Liu Zheng. Due to his coming to buy chestnuts the last time, Xu Ran had had dealings with him, who was a very easy-going person. Xu Ran directly explained the reason for coming here. Liu Zheng observed the wheelbarrows that Xu Ran and Gao Quan had brought. The thing was not big, just with two wheels installed on it. And he was wondering about its carrying capacity. Xu Ran said to Liu Zheng smilingly, Village head, you dont have to worry about this at all. We have tested its carrying capacity. We thought about this when we were making it, so the wood has all been thickened. Village head, lets do it this way: you take us to carry a few stones here. Well never know until we try. Liu Zheng glanced at the wheelbarrow a few more times and then said to Xu Ran, Come with me, you two. There are stones in my houses yard. Xu Ran walked after the village head, and Gao Quan was behind Xu Ran with the wheelbarrow. When the three of them arrived at the yard, they did see a few big stones. First, Xu Ran asked the village head to keep the wheelbarrow steady, then he and Gao Quan put two big stones into it and told the village head to walk around a few times in the yard. The wheelbarrow remained intact, and Liu Zheng didnt find it strength-consuming. He said with a smile, This is a great tool indeed. I am wondering how much the wheelbarrow costs, Mr. Xu? Xu Ran told him the selling prices of it. Then, he took out a processed wooden stick and said to him, Village head, look at this wooden stick. As long as you support the wheelbarrow with it, one can load and unload goods all alone. Its quick, easy, and simple. More importantly, we just sell it for one tael of silver for the first five buyers. Its so practical and cheap. Dont you want it, village head? The design was really good. Liu Zheng had never seen anything like that before, and he had tried its efficiency in person. As long as the road was even, it was much better to use it than to carry a pack basket. When he heard Xu Ran say that it cost one tael of silver, he thought it was a little expensive. But when he saw Xu Ran take out the processed wooden stick and heard Xu Rans words, the village head felt that it was worth a tael of silver. Liu Zheng immediately decided to buy one. Since he was the village head, his family could afford the one tael of silver. After taking the silver, Xu Ran took out the white sugar and Chinese liquor he had prepared. Village head, I have one more thing to bother you. Ive only brought five wheelbarrows here today. Ive told you the prices. Your village is so big, so there will definitely be others who want it later. Village head, could I ask you to help me register the buyers names? Ill bring the wheelbarrows here at a time then. As the Chinese saying goes, One who eats or takes what others provide will feel difficult to refuse to favor others. After taking Xu Rans liquor and sugar, naturally, Liu Zheng agreed to help him. After that, Xu Ran asked the village head to show him the way to the house of the family with the most fields in the village, and he went there. This familys house was not far from Liu Zhengs. Xu Ran went there but found no one at home. He asked Gao Quan to watch the wheelbarrows, and he went back and asked Liu Zheng where the villages paddy fields were mainly located. Liu Zheng knew that it was cool at this time and not many people were at home, so he showed Xu Ran the way. Following Liu Zhengs instruction, Xu Ran found the place. Watching it from afar, he saw a large yellow area. Since Liu Village was a sunlit village, even the rice of its paddy fields had turned yellow. Laborers could be seen everywhere in the fields. With their backs bent, they were quickly cutting the rice with the sickles in their hands. From time to time, they would raise their heads to wipe their sweat. This was a real show of the most unpretentious working people in the lowest class living with their sweat and blood. Xu Ran went over, greeted the people in the fields, and chatted a bit with them. These unpretentious people would even treat strangers sincerely. Some were curious about what Xu Ran was here for. After Xu Ran had told them about the wheelbarrow, they even came over to check. Xu Ran didnt ask anyone to buy it. He just introduced the functions of the wheelbarrow, letting those who were willing to buy try it. Of course, he didnt forget the prices and stressed that there were only these four wheelbarrows left. And they were bought by several well-off families in a very short time, while some from the poor families could do nothing but watch with jealousy. They thought that they could buy it next year although they couldnt afford it this year. That was also a great way to strive for success. With all the wheelbarrows sold, Xu Ran should go home, but he was not in a hurry. Instead, he went to greet everyone nearby. Although the wheelbarrows were gone, he could still tell them the names of those who had bought them just now and that if they wanted it, they should go to the village head, register their names, and pay the money. In a few days, he would be able to bring them here. It seemed that Heaven was not cooperative today. At one moment, it was sunny, but it turned cloudy at the next. Many families had cut a lot of rice stalks and been basking them, hoping to get paddies from them in a while and take them home. But now when they saw the sky, they all hurried off to put away their rice stalks. Xu Ran returned to those few people who had bought his wheelbarrows, teaching them the way of preventing the rice stalks from spreading apart and the way of loading many fast. Xu Ran couldnt teach them alone, so he asked Gao Quan to do it with him. Gao Quan, who didnt like talking, had to open his mouth after being ordered to take the task at the critical moment. Under the guidance of Xu Ran, the four families were quickly moving the rice stalks they had cut in the fields to their houses. When the heavy rain came, all the rice stalks of these few families had been carried home. Truly, they didnt suffer great losses. But the other families were still rescuing their rice stalks in their fields. Even Xu Ran himself hadnt expected the sales promotion to come so soon. Yes, heaven was cooperative this time. But he didnt say anything and went home with Gao Quan in the rain. The other families had almost met the same situation. Wu Mei and the others had even lent their wheelbarrows to others, but the borrowers were all from the homes of their dads and daddies. Xu An and Wu Mei had even helped put away the rice stalks. It only rained for a while. It came fast and went quickly. When the rice stalks in the field had been brought home, the rain stopped, but there were still losses. As for the amount of grain the rain had damaged, only those who suffered losses knew it themselves. Only after the heavy rain did Xu An and Wu Mei go out to sell their wheelbarrows again. Wu Meis dad, daddy, elder brothers had taken away two wheelbarrows, and the village head had bought one, so only two were left. Just now, many people had seen Wu Meis family carrying their rice stalks home. Then, the moment Wu Mei and Xu An had just left their house, some who were familiar with them came to their door. Wu Mei was good at talking. Immediately, he explained the functions of the wheelbarrow again. Since the price had been set, it wouldnt be lowered. He also said that Xu An was going to recruit apprentices and teach them carpentry and that anyone who was willing to learn it could come to their house to discuss it. Teaching carpentry was the idea of Xu Ran, who thought, In the countryside, people deal with wood logs or mud. Carpentry is quite useful! Many people would be willing to come, and Xu Ans family could make more money then. The business of Xu Zhens and Xu Fas families had also gone smoothly. Today the weather had helped them, so they had a good beginning. In the following days, they would have to speed up, cutting some wood logs in the mountain and bringing them back, so that they could make some wheelbarrows as soon as possible. Xu Ran also had another plan: his family must move into their new house before September. With this done, his family would have a safer environment when he was away. Chapter 117 Xu Ran told the family about his plan of moving, which had been approved by everyone with the only request of picking a good day to move. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, thinking about what they said about picking a good day and wondering how they could be so superstitious. Nevertheless, since the whole family had agreed, his objection would be invalid anyway. Thereby, he had to ask the old man from the last time to see which day was appropriate for moving. The moving day was set on August 14th, which made Xu Ran laugh after hearing it at the time and said, We might even be able celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival in a new house. Mid-Autumn Festival was also celebrated here on August 15th. After all, the moon was roundest on that day, but there was no such custom as eating mooncakes. After Xu Ran learned about the date, he went home in a hurry to prepare for the move, for which he also had to invite people to a meal. This time, it would be the whole village. If he needed to set up tables, he would probably need more than twenty tables. Apart from the meal, he would also need to clean the house before they move, and moving some large furniture to the new house would also be a huge project. Now that the new house has yet to be occupied, it would be strange for them to ask someone to do the cleaning, so his family had to do the cleaning themselves bit by bit. With so many people cleaning two houses, they would definitely finished the work before the 15th. Fortunately, Xu An was already familiar in making the wheelbarrow, and that Xu Zhen and Xu Fa could also help. The lists of orders for the wheelbarrow were sent by several village heads from the few nearby villages, so it shouldnt be too troublesome to deliver them in a batch. The only trouble was that they couldnt finish all the wheelbarrow orders in time, and that people from the Xu Village still didnt get theirs. Decisively, Xu Ran asked Xu An to find someone in town to help make the wheelbarrows, and in the meantime, he began to take apprentices. The apprentices were led by Xu Fa and Xu Zhen and began with some simple work. As a result, the people whom they solicited from town started to make wheelbarrow with Xu An. However, the process of wheelbarrow making had been broken down into steps. No one would made a wheelbarrow from scratch to finish, given that it would be quicker for one thing and that no one would be able to steal the craftsmanship for another. Xu Ran thought it was simple. Whoever wished to stay would only need to sign a contract and he then would learn to make wheelbarrows with monthly payment. Nevertheless, they would need to sign a three-year contract. In three years, wheelbarrows would probably be a common thing in the street. Thereby, he really had no need to worry. A monthly salary of one tael of silver was quite tempting and two people had agreed on the spot while the other three people said they would think about it. He couldnt force people to take the job and he had to respect other peoples wishes. He had done all that he should anyway. On August 12th, Xu Rans new house had finally been cleaned up and they were able to move the furniture in it. Xu Ran was so exhausted that he could not stand up straight. The newly renovated house was brushed with limewash some of which had even stained the floor. The floor was made of quartzite and it certainly did not look good when stained with whiteness. Therefore, Xu Ran requested that all of them be clean which took some effort. However, it was also worthy. The brightly lit house was such a joy to the eyes. The large furniture which Xu An made for Xu Ran had almost been done. As for the small pieces, he could take those from the bamboo cottage for the time being until Xu An had the time to make the new ones. Except from the part of disassembling the bed, Xu Rans family moved all the furniture on their own. Xu Ran felt that after the moving, he became so skillful in every way. As for the meal on the 14th, he had handed over all the work to Wu Mei and his Geers. Since Shao Yu wasnt a local, he wasnt sure which dishes should be served. Thereby, all he could do was to help out and learn. As for Liu Tong, Xu Ran would not let him go anyway. If it were last year, Liu Tong would be the first to show up at these events whenever there was any. Helping in a banquet would mean a meal of free food as well as a few coins for the work. A generous family would even give excess food to the people who had helped in the kitchen. Liu Tong used to acquire the meat for Tangtang and Guoguo by helping out in the kitchen. Otherwise, the brothers would have no chance at all to eat any meat in the year. He had been living a hard life and he had to work even when he was pregnant with Tangtang and Guoguo. Now that he was being served by others, Liu Tong found it a bit strange and had always wanted to help out. After being seen by Xu Ran, he had been scolded by Xu Ran for many times but he had not changed. Later on, Xu Ran stopped scolding him and merely asked him to take care of himself. After Xu Ran said so, Liu Tong began to restrain himself instead. Xu Ran said he didnt want to say any more. Such a meal for the whole village cost another fortune. With a dozen of tables full of guests, it would take half a pig to serve them. Nonetheless, Xu Ran really went to purchase half a pig in the village. It was slaughtered on the morning of the 14th. For the other half of the pig, villagers had bought some while the rest had been taken to town for sell. There were still quite a lot of vegetables in the field in August. In addition, Xu Rans family had planted two batches of vegetables which were just ripe to eat at this time. The people who came to the banquet would also bring something over. They were not rich families so they would bring what they had at home and there was no competition over the gifts. It all depended on their relationship in the days. Xu Ran didnt mind that either. He knew that the gifts he received would not worth half of the cost of the meal anyway. It was held for auspicious omen and to celebrate their new house. On his way to town, Xu Ran also bought a lot of firecrackers which were a luxury for people in the countryside, but Xu Ran felt that only celebrating their moving with firecrackers would make it more auspicious, so he bought some with two taels of silver. The firecrackers went on for a long while on the 14th. Qin Shuwu also came and gave 50 taels of silver to Xu Ran as gift, which was quite generous. Zhuo Yun had to take care of Qin Shuwen and he couldnt come here. Xu Ran was too busy to greet Qin Shuwu and he hurriedly asked Qin Shuwu to take care of the two children. Qin Shuwu liked Tangtang and Guoguo very much, so he didnt mind Xu Rans carelessness. At noon, when the banquet started, the village head shouted for Xu Ran in a loud voice. People who didnt have the opportunities to drink alcohol were excited today and insisted on toasting Xu Ran while saying a lot of good words. As for the promise he made to Liu Tong, Xu Ran had replaced all the alcohol with water. Since everyone in the village knew that Liu Tong was pregnant and it was reasonable that Xu Ran did not drink alcohol. The banquet had lasted for quite a long time. There were many dishes and quite a lot of food so the food was more than enough. People who came were quite satisfied with the meal. However, Xu Ran did not see anyone from the Xu Family came this day nor did he invite them. With Elder Daddy Xus temper, there was no telling what he might say. The least Xu Ran wanted was to quarrel with Elder Daddy Xu on such a day. They had made too many dishes at noon. Even though everyone had eaten as much as he could, there was still quite a lot left. Now that the weather was so hot, Xu Ran let them each pack some home. After packing up and sending people away, Xu Ran saw someone he didnt want to see. Xu Houcai who might be the only person in the Xu Family who had thought of him, even if it was only a moment. Xu Ran still called out, Dad. However, Xu Houcai was excited when he heard Xu Rans words. Xu Ran had not called him Dad for many years. When Xu Ran was still foolish, he had liked this son very much. However, after he became foolish, the burden of the family grew heavier, and the only love he had for him had been destroyed by the reality of life. Seeing that Xu Houcai didnt say anything, Xu Ran asked, Dad, what are you here for? No, no, I just came over to take a look. I heard that you has moved into a new house. Xu Houcai did not dare to look at Xu Ran when he said it, and Xu Ran realized that he might have something to ask for by coming here! Xu Ran said bluntly, Dad, if theres anything you need, just say it. If I can help me, I will help as much as I can, as long as your request is reasonable. No, theres nothing. Im just here to have a look. Xu Houcai was still unwilling to say anything. However, Xu Ran didnt want to talk to him anymore. Holding his tongue was the kind of behavior that Xu Ran hated very much. Seeing that Xu Ran was about to leave, Xu Houcai quickly called out to stop him, Ran, where are you going? Xu Ran had already stepped out of the door when he said, Dad, if you have nothing else to say, Ill go out first. I still have things to attend to. When he heard Xu Ran say he was going out, Xu Houcai became anxious. Ran, I have things to say but I feel it hard to speak out. Xu Ran found it a little amused. He had said it like that and if it was really difficult for him to say, he would have stopped talking. However, this was the biological father of the original owner after all. At that time, he had thought about giving him a part. Thereby, Xu Ran stopped and said to Xu Houcai, Dad, just tell me! Well, you know that we had sold all our fields in order to treat Zhang Yue. Now that we dont have any land at home, we have no harvest at all. Im wondering if we could use a few mu of your land. Dont worry, Ill pay you the rent on time. Xu Houcai was being careful when he said it, fearing that Xu Ran would disapprove, but the way he looked made Xu Ran feel a little sad. This person used to be the pillar of the family, but unfortunately, his spouse was not virtuous and his son was not filial. That was why he came to a sticky end. He had to talk carefully to his own son. Xu Ran felt pity for him. However, this sympathy didnt last long before it got dissolved by a sudden voice. Rent? Xu Ran is my son. His land is also ours. Just ask him to transfer the name of the land to yours. No way we would give him the rent. If it werent Elder Daddy Xu who intervened, who could that be? Xu Ran was having a headache. He had thought that the family would not come today and it turned out that they were waiting here. Xu Ran was even more sympathized with Xu Houcai now. His Daddy should really be the one who accounted for Xu Familys nowadays situation. The Xu Cheng from his childhood memory was not like this. It was unfortunate that this person had such a Daddy. Xu Ran glanced behind Elder Daddy Xu and didnt see Xu Cheng so he figured he hadnt come. Xu Ran thought he would have probably given Xu Houcai the land for rent if Elder Daddy Xu had not jumped out and said those words. However, it was good that Elder Daddy Xu had interrupted since he really didnt have to worry about getting involved with the Xu Family because of his softness. Xu Ran ignored Elder Daddy Xu and strode away. In any case, there was still a door in the courtyard with people at home and they couldnt follow them in anyway. Xu Ran heard the cursing from Elder Daddy Xu behind him as well as the sighing of Xu Houcai. Chapter 118 No one knew whether Xu Rans heart was softened or what happened to him, but at night, he secretly went to see Xu Houcai. He brought him two bowls of meat left during the day and gave him a tael of silver. After that, he left without saying anything. From the moment he moved out of the Xu Family, the responsibility of supporting the family was shifted onto Xu Cheng. Xu Cheng was an adult and a father of two children. He should have taken up his responsibility. Thinking of these, Xu Ran felt quite annoyed. At night in bed, he hugged Liu Tong in his arms and did not fall asleep after a lot of twists and turns. Liu Tong knew that Xu Ran was vexed in his heart, so he let him be. Originally, the family could have happily celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, but now Xu Ran was not in the mood after such a ruckus caused by the Xu Family. He had planned to make delicious food for the family, and it didnt come true, either. Only on that evening, he sat on the stone bench in the yard and told the family two stories about Change flying to the moon. The Xu Family never came again, and Xu Ran also heard that they had destroyed two mu of the village heads land. Sometimes, Xu Ran would meet Xu Houcai when he went up the mountain. They didnt talk much. However, Xu Ran would sometimes give him some herbs and let him sell them. As for the money Xu Houcai might get from the sale, Xu Ran never asked for it. It was September in the blink of an eye. Wheat and rape were about to be planted. Winter potatoes were almost ready. Xu Ran was going to take the test for Xiucai, while the expected date of Qin Shuwens childbirth was approaching. In general, this would be a busy month. Xu Ran told Gao Quan to plant wheat and rape first. If he had anything he didnt know, he could seek advice from Liu Tong. Xu Ran stressed that he didnt have to worry. He could plant as many as he could and he would plant them together when he came back from the test. Gao Quan had no objections about all these. Anyway, he would do as Xu Ran said. Zhuo Yun didnt come when they moved into the new house. Qin Shuwens stomach was getting bigger and bigger. Only by looking at him all the time could Zhuo Yun rest assured. However, when Xu Ran went to his house, he still sent him a generous gift: one hundred taels of silver! At that moment, Xu Ran really wanted to exclaim, Rich man, this is really a substantial gift! Xu Ran didnt stand on ceremony. After taking the sum of money, he added another 400 taels of silver and gave them all to Zhuo Yun meaning to return the amount of 500 taels of silver that he had borrowed from Zhuo Yun before. As Qin Shuwen was going to give birth, Xu Ran also brought over all the eggs he had saved in his home. He told Zhuo Yun to cook them for Qin Shuwen after their baby was born. This time, Xu Rans Autumn Test would be held in the county, one more days trip farther than He Shui Town. Xu Ran had to go to He Shui Town to send some things, so he had to set out on the third day of September. As Gao Quan was at home, Xu Ran was not so worried. He didnt send Mr. Hu to the town, either. After all, Qin Shuwen was about to give birth now and Zhuo Yun had no time to attend to Mr. Hu even if he went there. After handing over all the work in and out of the house to both Gao Qian and Shao Yu, and specially going to tell Wu Mei, the village head and the rest about his leaving for the test, Xu Ran started off with reluctance at last. When he arrived at the town, he first went to say hello to Qin Shuwu. As for the Qin Family, he didnt make a detour to visit them. He planned to see them when he came back. There were many people who participated in the Autumn Test. Xu Ran also saw many candidates on the road. Later, he met a person who was quite like-minded and gave him a free ride. This person was called Du Xin, from Xu Rans neighboring town. After Du Xin got on the carriage, Xu Ran noticed that he had misjudged him. He found the person in front of him was by no means a castaway student, but a complete rich young man! However, Du Xin showed his disdain for Xu Rans carriage as soon as he was inside. He kept complaining about the weak points here and there in the carriage. He commented frankly what should be put in the carriage to make the people inside more comfortable. Xu Ran was so annoyed by him that he almost threw him out. Seeing that Xu Ran was really angry, Du Xin stopped and explained why he, though rich, was going for the test on foot. Du Xin said, You dont know how terrible my father is. Just because my spouse is infertile, he insists on me taking a concubine. Back then, when I didnt want to marry my spouse, he forced me to marry him. After a few years, my spouse and I finally have feelings for each other, while my father changed again, forcing me to marry someone else because of my spouses infertility. Can you imagine there is such a father? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, there is. Its your father. But your father probably thinks that if your spouse cant have a baby, and he will be sorry for an array of ancestors. Hey, how did you know about it? It is exactly what my father has said. Did your father force you like this? Xu Ran rolled his eyes and muttered secretly, Its like this on TV. Ive seen it more than 800 times. Cant I know it? Then he replied, Ive already broken off with my dad. How can he force me? Du Xin gave Xu Ran a thumbs-up and praised him, Youre great. I cant do it well. Look, as I fight against my dad, I can only go out on foot instead of by carriage. I am now almost penniless. If I hadnt met you, I wouldnt have known where I would starve to death. Xu Ran asked him, Did I tell you that Ill offer you food and accommodation? Du Xin scratched his head and replied, It seems not. God knows where he got such a feeling! Xu Ran thought and then turned to focus on his driving and ignored him. Du Xin, however, acted as if he had been resolute in following Xu Ran. Thus whenever Xu Ran got off for a rest or went on driving, Du Xin kept close to him by the side. No way out, Xu Ran had to let him stay and went to He Shui Town together with him. The things in the carriage were to be sent to He Shui Town. Du Xin knew nothing about all these until they reached He Shui Town and realized that they shouldnt have stopped at this place. Du Xin pulled Xu Ran and asked, Xu Ran, arent you going to the county? Why did you stop here? There is still one days journey to the county. Somewhat, Xu Ran smiled maliciously, I plan to sell you before going to the county. Du Xin immediately crossed his arms and looked like he was really about to be forced, Dont come near. Im worthless. Dont sell me. Xu Ran looked helpless, Just you? I dont like you either. Even if I want to sell you, I will sell you to the butchers. Mr. Xu, you are so ruthless! Just because I cant earn money to support my family now, youre going to sell me to the butchers. Do you still remember the solemn vow we once made Xu Ran was speechless and covered his face. Then he moved his steps to leave this incurable lunatic. He really didnt know him and he didnt want to know him. Their current position was where many carriages were parked, so there were still a lot of people passing by. Soon enough, Du Xin noticed that there were more and more onlookers around. Suddenly, he blushed and ran with covering his face. Xu Ran sighed. He wondered how this man grew up and how his dad and daddy were so relieved to let him out like this. They were really too careless about their child. After the crowds had dispersed, Du Xin appeared out of nowhere. As there were still things in the carriage, Xu Ran was worried about leaving the carriage there. Thus he found a staff boy who was looking after the carriages and asked him to send a message for him. Xu Ran paid him ten pence, and told him, Go to the Lin Mansion, whose young master is called Lin Hua. Tell Lin Hua that a Mr. Xu is looking for him. Then you will bring him over here and ask him to take more people with him to move things back. Alright, Young Master. You can rest assured about it. I promise to do all these for you. The young man immediately ran away after he got the money. And Xu Ran sat on the carriage with his legs dangling and waited leisurely for Lin Hua. Du Xin stopped making trouble. He sat down next to Xu Ran and asked, Hey, are you here to find someone? How long will you stop here? Can we still catch up with the Autumn Test? Xu Ran patted him on the head, Youre so chatty. It is only the sixth today and well just need one day more to get there. Our test will start on the ninth, so well definitely be able to catch up with it. And if you cant wait, how about you leave first? Du Xin shook his head, No, I wont. I just have no idea when we can go. Ill follow you. I am sure youll definitely find a way to get there. Xu Ran rolled his eyes, Now that youve already known it, why are you asking so much? Oh, my! Why should I be so softhearted and bother myself at that moment to give you a free ride? Hehe, isnt that because youre kind? Xu Ran shook his head and didnt reply him. He didnt think he was a kind person. A while later, the staff boy brought Lin Hua over. There were four or five people behind Lin Hua, including Lin Xi, but Xu Ran didnt see Zhao Chen among them. He jumped off the carriage, clapped his hands and walked forward greeting, Lin Hua, long time no see. Lin Hua gave him a thump, Its been a long time indeed since I last saw you. I didnt expect you to detour to the He Shui Town. I just come over to take a look. Ive sent you some things by the way. I dont know if you will participate in the Autumn Test. I just come to try my luck. I didnt expect you havent started off yet. Upon hearing the Autumn Test being mentioned, Lin Hua looked grieved, Start off? How to start off? I didnt even have the plan to go. My father didnt force me this time. He just asked me to wait a few more years. At the moment, I am managing the shop. Xu Ran nodded. Lin Hua was indeed not good at learning. It was better for him not to take the test How about Zhao Chen? Why didnt he come with you? Xu Ran asked. Speaking of this, Lin Hua became even more depressed, Dont mention it. He was being locked up by his father at home to recite books. His dad pushed him to participate in the Autumn Test. As he refused, his dad locked him up. His dad even stopped me from seeing him. Well, it was really a trouble then. What Xu Ran could do now was to silently pray for Zhao Chen. Xu Ran just wanted to say something when Du Xin suddenly jumped out, Hey, hey, I came with you. Dont forget me when you meet someone you know! Xu Ran rubbed his nose. He had indeed forgotten about Du Xin Lin Hua looked at Du Xin, who was rushing over and asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, who is this guy? Before Xu Ran could say something, Du Xin took the initiative to introduce himself, My name is Du Xin. Xu Ran and I met each other halfway through the journey. We plan to go to the county to participate in the Autumn Test together. Lin Hua turned to Xu Ran and Xu Ran nodded, Exactly.. Lin Hua said with a smile, Since hes your friend, Xu Ran, hes naturally my friend. Let me see what good things youve brought to me. Then lets go to an inn to rest. Are you going to leave tomorrow? Yes, or Im worried that I wont be able to catch up with the test. Thus Ill leave tomorrow so that I can go to see Zhao Chen today, or maybe I can persuade his dad to let Zhao Chen go to the county with me. Alright, Lin Hua nodded. As you ranked the top three during the last test, Zhao Chens dad would definitely agree with it. Lin Hua went to see what Xu Ran had brought over. They were just potatoes and dried bamboo shoots, which were not rare. Lin Hua asked his people to move them back into the shop and took Xu Ran and Du Xin to find an inn for the night. Lin Hua was familiar with the towns restaurants, and he knew the inns quite well. Thus they soon found an inn called Fu Lai Inn and booked two rooms before taking them to dinner. After lunch, Lin Hua took them to see Zhao Chen. Zhao Chens dad refused to let them in after hearing Lin Huas name. He was really relentless. Getting the report of Xu Rans name as well as his ranking the third place in the last the test, Zhao Chens dad at last agreed to let Zhao Chen come out, but he didnt invite Xu Ran and the others to enter their house. Xu Ran touched his chin and looked at Lin Hua in disdain. He always felt that Zhao Chens dad didnt let him in only because of Lin Hua. He guessed that after they two met each other,they might discuss how to flee away from home. Lin Hua, who was despised, felt puzzled about it, but as he would soon see Zhao Chen, he would not care about Xu Rans distain. Looking at Lin Hua, who was obviously very happy, a thought popped up into Xu Rans mind, an idea that was unacceptable in this era. He pulled Lin Hua aside and asked him quietly, Lin Hua, tell me honestly, do you like Zhao Chen? Lin Huas body stiffened when he heard Xu Rans question. Then he nodded, Yes, I like him. Chapter 119 Xu Ran was surprised that he had guessed right, and he was more surprised that Lin Hua had admitted it so easily. He patted Lin Huas shoulder and said, Dont think too much. I dont have any other meanings. I guess so because I feel you two have been stuck and glued to each other for a long time. Lin Hua shook his head. Its okay. I told you it because youre my friend. Now you know why Zhao Chens dad didnt let me join his family, right? Xu Ran nodded to show his understanding. Even in modern world, few families could accept this, let alone in this world. While they were talking, Zhao Chen came out. Xu Ran didnt ask what he wanted to know as it was not the time, so he bit his tongue. Bleary eyed, Zhao Chen looked a little awkward. However, when he saw Lin Hua, his eyes obviously lit up and he looked more energetic. Xu Ran perceived all of these. No wonder the two were so intimate. After Zhao Chen came out, Du Xin took the initiative to introduce himself again. Then he said a few words to Xu Ran before they walked towards the shop. Zhao Chen had been kept at home by his dad for days, so Lin Hua helped him manage the shop affairs. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen naturally walked side by side soon. They kept the pace the perfectly same, regardless of the difference of the size of their steps or the range of their hands swinging. They werent be too fast or slow, nor did they touch each other. It was as if they had walked like this for many years, and they had reached a secret agreement. Actually, they had indeed walked like this for many years. Xu Ran shook his head. No matter how worried he was, it wasnt his problem and he couldnt help them solve the problem, so he could only bless them silently. He thought that if Tangtang and Guoguo fell in love with a man in the future, he would never stop them. They might not care about other peoples opinions, but they would care that of their families. As a parent, he naturally hoped that his children could be happy. Whats more, he was from modern world. He had modern ideologies. What was beyond Xu Rans expectation was that his prediction would come true. The turnover of his shop had been increasing stably, especially after Xu Ran introduced the bean jelly, the blanched chicken and ducks in summer. When they reached the door, they saw a long line outside for buying food. Some of the customers would added the sauce to the the bean jelly and had a good meal instantly, while others would like to buy it home. And the blanched chicken were sauced and sold according to the weight. Lin Hua said, The blanched chicken and ducks were extremely popular. Over twenty chickens and ducks could be sold every day. I even sent someone to find an ice room, where can store the surplus meat so that they could be sold the next day. Looking at the chili paste and dried bean curd which were not so popular, Xu Ran suddenly came up with an idea that maybe they could sell salad specifically. Besides blanched chicken and ducks, they could also sell some pot-stewed meat and salad. In this way, Xu Ran needed a professional chef in his shop. After thinking for a while, Xu Ran turned to Lin Hua and asked, Do you know a chef with good cooking skills, Lin Hua? I mean, maybe hes not so good at cooking fried dishes, but he should know how to make salad at least. Lin Hua clapped his hands. Right! We have already had one in our restaurant now! It was true that you invented the spice dressing of the blanched chicken, but the sauce of the salad was invented by him! Hes a proficient cook who has worked for my family restaurant for many years. I begged my dad for a long time before he agreed to send him to my shop. Hearing Lin Huas words, Xu Ran suddenly became interested. Well! Lets go! Lets talk to the chef. I came up with another good idea. Hearing that, Lin Hua was very happy too. He believed it could earn him some nice moola. The three of them walked into the shop and Xu Ran found that there was one person missing. When he looked back, he found that Du Xin didnt follow. Xu Ran turned back and saw that Du Xin had been in the line. It was exactly his turn. He bought a sauced bean jelly and showed it to the other two smugly. Xu Ran felt it a little funny, Come here quickly. We have something to tell you. Du Xin failed to be envied and he looked at Xu Ran discontentedly. Soon, he came to Xu Ran happily. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were already waiting in the room, and there was also a strong man, who might be the chief mentioned by Lin Hua. Xu Ran guessed so. After Xu Ran sat down with Du Xin, Lin Hua introduced this tough guy to Xu Ran, This is the chef I mentioned to you. His family name was also Lin, and hes proficient in both cooking and seasoning. Tell him what you want him to do! Xu Ran greeted the guy and then started to talk about business. There are a lot of things we intend to sell. I think you guys have tasted the pot-stewed meat before. We can sell them, including the pot-stewed pork, pig ears, pig heads, chicken feet and chicken wings. Moreover, we can also cook eggs in this way, which will be extremely tasty. As for the salad, such as cucumber and cowpeas, these can be cooked easily. And they are economical too. They must be popular! There are plenty of vegetables in this season, and they can be sowed these days. In two months, these vegetables will be able to be harvested again. They will not only feed ourselves, but also be sold. Theres guarantee that you can make money. Lin Hua, its not troublesome for you to plant some vegetables, right? Do you have a field? Xu Ran asked. Lin Hua tapped on the table with his hand. No, I dont have any, but Zhao Chen does. However, isnt it more costly than before? If we plant vegetables by ourselves, well need to tackle problems of labor, field and seed. Even worse, it can be more costly than buying the vegetables from others. Dont worry. The vegetables planted in August couldnt be harvested until the end of October. Till then, there would be few fresh vegetables on the market. If you sell them at this time, you can raise the price easily. It wont be long before you can make the principals back. Lin Hua thought about it carefully, then glanced at Zhao Chen and nodded, Youre right. If thats the case, why not write down everything you want to sell and discuss everything with Old Lin? Zhao Chen and I are responsible for the rest affairs. While they were discussing the business, Du Xin was enjoying himself with the delicious bean jelly, making a sound that attracted peoples attention. After Xu Ran and others finished their discussion, Du Xin also finished his bean jelly, sitting on the stool and rubbing his stomach. Xu Ran turned his head and saw such an eye-catching scene. Then he couldnt help but ask, Are you getting in the family way? Before Du Xin could understand his meaning, other people started to laugh. Lin Hua also asked, Du Xin, how many months have you been pregnant? Then Du Xin immediately understood it and stood up, seeming to be about to fight against Xu Ran. He looked really a little fierce. Xu Ran dodged while begging for mercy, while the others looked on with folded arms. This afternoon, Xu Ran and the others were sitting in the shop and discussing the new dishes. At night, Lin Hua brought others to a restaurant to have dinner, and Xu Ran finally got a chance to ask Zhao Chen about the autumn test. Zhao Chen shook his head. I dont want to take the exam, but my father would keep me in my room if so maybe I should go. Xu Ran turned to Lin Hua, What about you? Would you go though you dont need to take the exam? Obviously, Xu Ran was trying to get two of them together. Lin Hua understood it immediately and said, Of course I want to go. I will tell it to my dad tonight and go with you tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, Zhao Chen looked at Xu Ran with a bewildered face, but he said nothing due to Du Xin. Du Xin was really a foodie. He started eating as soon as the food was served, and most of the food were eaten by him. Xu Ran really wanted to ask him how long he hadnt eaten food. He behaved like he was about to be starved to death. After dinner, Lin Hua and the others went home. Xu Ran and Du Xin went back to the inn. On the way back, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen walked slowly and silently. They hadnt seen each other for yonks. The two of them didnt say anything. They kept walking for a long time. Thanks to Xu Ran, they had met each other today. Maybe they would have to be like this in the future, but they didnt intend to give up. After spending time together for so many years, they walked into each others hearts step by step. How could they give up so easily? The Zhao Mansion didnt adjoin the Lin Mansion, rather, they situated opposite to each other. Now, Zhao Chen and Lin Hua had to say goodbye at the intersection in the road. Zhao Chen had hesitated for a long time and finally asked, Xu Ran knows about our relationship, right? Lin Hua paused, and then nodded. How did he know that? Did you tell him? Zhao Chen asked. Lin Hua shook his head. He found it by himself. I had thought no one could perceive it. Zhao Chen said nothing and turned to leave. Lin Hua sighed and walked off in the opposite direction. It was indeed fortunate for them to come across and fall in love with each other. However, it was unfortunate for them to be both men, and they were not allowed to be in a normal relationship. Even though, they were happy enough to spend the rest of their lives like this. The next day, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen waited early at the gate of Xu Rans inn. Xu Ran and Du Xin saw them when they went downstairs. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen didnt bring their followers or suitcases, Are you going there empty-handed like this? Xu Ran asked. Lin Hua said, The carriage is waiting outside the city. Zhao Chens dad didnt let him go alone, so he sent a driver to him. My dad doesnt care about me, so I could take the carriage He didnt finish his words so I could take the carriage with Zhao Chen. It would take them a few days to finish their task this time. Although Zhao Chen had to take the exam in three days, Lin Hua was still happy. Thanks to Xu Rans advice, he got a good opportunity. Lin Hua expressed his gratitude to Xu Ran, and Xu Ran just smiled and said nothing. One days journey was not too long, and with Du Xin here, it was also interesting. On September 7, five people including Xu Ran finally arrived at the county before the city gate was closed. The county where the exam would be held was Qingzhou County, and it was considered the bustling area of the Southwestern region. No town could be compared with Qingzhou County, which could be judged from the buildings and stalls by the street there. It was not dark yet, but many lanterns were already on, reflecting the afterglow of the sun, making the street more beautiful and unique. None of them was familiar with Qingzhou County, so they found a place to settle down. They could travel around tomorrow, and today they were exhausted and had better take a good rest. Xu Ran chose an inn that seemed OK and settled down there with the other four. For saving money, Xu Ran and Du Xin shared a room, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen lived together, while the carter lived alone. Then, they spent their first night in Qingzhou County peacefully. Chapter 120 On the second day, Xu Ran and Du Xin got up early. The carter also acted as a part-time servant and had ordered breakfast for them. Xu Ran and Du Xin had waited for a long time but still didnt see Lin Hua and Zhao Chen come down. The carter and Du Xin didnt know what was going on, but they guessed it was highly likely that they wouldnt be able to get up until the sun was high up in the sky. After breakfast, Xu Ran said, Theres no need to wait for the two of them. Lets go out and take a look. Theyll be up when we come back at noon. Why? We dont ask them to come along? Its good to head out in the morning. It would be so hot at noon! Xu Ran slapped him on the head, Lets just forget it. Theyre probably tired, let them sleep! Du Xin touched his head where he had been hit and pouted, Alright then, well go by ourselves. Then he ran off without pausing for a moment. Having seen so many ancient gadgets, Xu Ran didnt found them surprising and he just bought some gadgets planning to give Qin Shuwens children as gifts. In addition, he also bought some hair ornaments, jade hairpin and bracelets for Geers, which were for their family and also for Qin Shuwen, Elder Daddy Qin. As for the men, he didnt know what to buy, so he decided to wait and see for now! On the other hand, Du Xin wanted to buy anything he saw, but due to his lack of money, he had no choice but to browse around the shops. In the end, Du Xin saw a refined pendant and begged Xu Ran to lend him money so as to purchase it. Xu Ran asked him, Are you buying it as a gift to somebody? Du Xin nodded, Yes, its for my spouse. Weve been married for so many years and I havent given him anything. I suck when compared to you, so I want to buy him something. Xu Ran took out the silver and gave it to him, Actually, as long as you have the mind, your spouse wouldnt care about these things. Since these stuff are non-living things after all, and people are living human beings. If you treat your spouse well when you got back, he might actually be very happy. Du Xin rubbed his head. Youre right. Ill treat him well from now on. I just dont know if he would be bullied in the past few days when Im not around. After all, my father wants me to take a concubine. Then why did you leave so carelessly? I didnt think so much before. I thought that if I wasnt home, my dad wouldnt ask me to take a concubine. Xu Ran was speechless and he couldnt help but feel amazed at the way he thought. Xu Ran suddenly recalled what Du Xin told him about his spouse had not had a child for several years. In ancient times, people would assume that there was something wrong with the woman in the case of infertility, so he figured that in this era, people would naturally assumed that the problem lied in the Geer. Xu Ran asked Du Xin, You said that your spouse couldnt get pregnant. Have you taken him to the doctors? Du Xin nodded. Yah, many times, but the doctor said theres nothing wrong with him. You have you ever thought that it might be you who have the problem? Xu Rans question was quite bold. After all, there were very few people in this era who would dare to question the fertility of men. After being shock for a moment, Du Xin immediately retorted, How could it be me who have the problem? Xu Ran had guessed he could react this way. Although the two of them didnt speak loudly, it was inappropriate to keep talking in front of the stall. Xu Ran gave the silver in Du Xins hand to the stall owner, then took the pendant and left with Du Xin. After finding an empty place with no one else around, Xu Ran sent the carter away and continued his talk to Du Xin, I know that it might be hard for you to accept this kind of thing. If there is nothing wrong with your spouse, then it must be you who have the problem. Otherwise, you wouldnt be childless after being married for so many years. If youre sick, youll have to go see a doctor. Do you want me to go with you? It would be best if there is no problem, but if there is, youd better treat it as soon as possible, right? Du Xin was persuaded by Xu Rans words and started to doubt himself, Is there really something wrong with me? Xu Ran spread out his hands, Nobody knows for sure with this kind of thing. Youd better go see the doctor. Dont conceal your illness and avoid treatment. Conceal what? What treatment? What do you mean? Du Xin was confused. Xu Ran explained, What I meant was dont refuse to see the doctor because you have unspeakable illness. Itll be just you and me and no one else knows you here anyway. Du Xin hesitated. Alright then, but you have to promise me that you will tell no one about this. Absolutely no one. Xu Ran nodded, and then raised two fingers. I swear I wont tell another soul. Du Xin nodded with satisfaction. Alright, I believe you now. Lets go! After Du Xin was finished, he quickly strode ahead, but stopped after two steps; he stopped and turned to look at Xu Ran. Xu Ran was confused, Whats wrong? I dont have the money Du Xin had a bitter expression. Xu Ran: It seems that he really kept forgetting the fact that he had no money. Is he really used to being a rich young master? Xu Ran patted his waist. Alright, Ill lend you the money but you are going to return to me when you get home. Then there was no problem left, so the two of them sent the carter away and told him wander around or go back to the inn on his own. The two of them went to look for a doctor along the street. In the end, they came to an old doctor who was almost blind and was found by Du Xin who suggested that with the bad eyes the doctor wouldnt be able to see him clearly so there wouldnt be any trouble in the future. Xu Ran complained silently in his heart. He couldnt think of any possible trouble in the future. The old doctor fumbled with Du Xins hand for a long time and still couldnt find his pulse. It was Xu Ran who helped the old doctor find it. After touching his hand, he started to touch other places. It turned out that apart from his bad eyes, his medical skills were quite good. Nevertheless, truth had been revealed that it was really Du Xin who had the problem. The poor man was so frightened when he heard the old doctors words that his legs went soft. Xu Ran stepped forward to support him, and then asked the old doctor, Doctor, is his condition treatable? The old doctor started to rub his beard, sunk in his own thoughts. Yes, yes, but Im not very good at medicine, so I cant cure it. Try someone else! It was difficult to get Du Xin see a doctor, let alone more doctors, which was simply not possible. As Du Xin came to his senses, he decided that what the old doctor said was a lie and began to pull Xu Ran away. Xu Ran believed it. With the doctors old age, there were still patients who came to him for treatment. He definitely had his strength. Xu Ran pulled Du Xin to prevent him from leaving, and went to ask the old doctor some questions himself. The old doctor answered Xu Rans questions one by one and told them to go to a clinic called Immortal of Life in the south of the city and seek for the doctor there. Albeit young, the doctor was quite skilled in medicine. Regardless of whether the old doctor asked for consultation fees, Xu Ran left some money before leaving. Du Xin was unwilling to go, but Xu Ran insisted that he had to see the doctor. He said, I dont feel embarrassing by going with you and yet you find it embarrassing to have such a condition? Dont you want to have kids? I told you I had twin children and my spouse had another in his belly. My sons are obedient and smart. He said it with pride on his face, which made Du Xin kind of envy. He liked children very much too and wanted to have his own, but his spouse failed to give birth to any. In the end, he found that it was not his spouse who had the problem but him, which was too much to take on at once! The point was whether or not he accepted the fact, there was indeed something wrong with his body which made him unable to have child. I really want a child Hearing Xu Rans tempting words, Du Xin gritted his teeth, Alright, Ill go with you but just this one clinic. If it doesnt work out, Ill go home and ask my father to find me a doctor. I wont get any treatment in this shitty place anymore. Xu Ran was speechless, Where else is not a shitty place. Nevertheless, its better to go to the south of the city first. The name of the clinic sounded badass and he wonder how good the doctor there was. Xu Ran and Du Xin did not know where the east of the city was, so they asked around on the way. It was lucky that this Immortality of Life Clinic was quite famous, and most people knew it. When Xu Ran and Du Xin arrived at the clinic, it was already noon. The sun was blazing and both of them were sweaty all over. There were still a few patients seeking treatment in the Immortality of Life Clinic, and the doctor was indeed young as the old doctor had said. He might be about Xu Rans age. So this kind of person was the so-called Gods favored one. He had such a successful career and reputation at such a young age. Even the old doctor who had been practicing medicine for many years had said that he was good at medicine. After everyone in the clinic left, Xu Ran and Du Xin walked over. The young doctor looked at Xu Ran and Du Xin and asked, Are you here for treatment? Xu Ran nodded. We are indeed here to see a doctor, but this illness is embarrassing to speak out. Doctor, youd better see it yourself! Xu Ran took two steps back and exposed Du Xin. With Xu Rans words, the doctor seemed to have figured it out himself, so he went to wait by the side. After a while, Du Xin came over with a bitter face. Xu Ran knew that it was settled when he saw his face. He asked Du Xin, Is it treatable? Yes, it means taking medicine, and needles Du Xin said with a pitiful tone. Xu Ran started to sympathize with him. This ancient medicine was extremely difficult to swallow. Xu Ran stood up and patted him on the shoulder. Its good that its treatable. Although its hard, you would be able to have a child after that. See it this way and you wont find it as difficulte. Lets go and ask the doctor about the treatment and how long it will take. Well come after the autumn test. Okay, Du Xin nodded. Thank you, Ran. Xu Ran patted him again. I didnt do anything. Theres not much to thank for. Wait till youre cured to thank me! The two of them asked the doctor about the treatment and the time for the treatment. After receiving the answer, they returned to the inn. Afterwards, looking at the people together, Xu Ran immediately recalled the saying, Birds of a feather flock together. He looked at himself who had been foolish for seven years.Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were still in an underground relationship, while Du Xin had an unspeakable illness. Even Zhuo Yun, who weas not here, spent so many years in the entaglement with Qin Shuwen before getting along well. Alas! Xu Ran sighed and sat down. As expected, ancient saying was indeed wise. Chapter 121 In the whole morning, Xu Ran and Du Xin only went to the clinic and didnt read any books. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, however, didnt even go out at all. As it was too hot in the afternoon, they said that they would wait until it was getting dark to go out and have a look. By the way, they would also go to see the place where they were to take the test, otherwise they wouldnt know where they would have their test. In the afternoon, Xu Ran got up after a good nap. He found the sky outside was suffused with crimson. It seemed that tomorrow would be another sunny day! No one knew when Du Xin got up. At the moment, he was concentrating on his reading. Xu Ran didnt disturb him. He went downstairs to ask the waiter for water to wash his face. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were chatting in the lobby downstairs. In front of them was a plate of peanuts, a dish of beef and a pot of wine. As for their carter, he was not there. Anyway, Xu Ran didnt see him present. Xu Ran went up to them, sat down by Lin Huas side, picked up a piece of beef, stuffed it into his mouth and then asked, Werent you sleeping? Did you just sit here for the whole afternoon? Lin Hua shook his head and replied, We didnt get up until noon today. Can we go on to sleep in the afternoon? Do you think we are pigs? Xu Ran exuded an air of You guys, dont suppose I dont know what you did last night! while replying, Then you guys didnt go out today? Lin Hua asked the waiter for a cup and poured some wine for Xu Ran, It is so burning hot that if we go out this time, we will definitely be badly sunburned. Besides, we have to go out at night. Its good for us to sit and chat like this. Zhao Chen nodded in agreement. Xu Ran pursed his lips, Alright, lets get some food first. Well go around after eating. It should be very lively tonight. After all, there are a lot of candidates for the test. Okay, go and call Du Xin downstairs then! Alright, Xu Ran stuffed another piece of beef into his mouth and went upstairs to call Du Xin. By the time supper was ready, the carter came out of nowhere and ate with them. They didnt have any sense of hierarchy. They thought that more people eating together meant that they could eat more food. After dinner, the group started to case the test premises. The test was to held in the largest academy in Qingzhou County, called Yue Lin Academy. It was said that many Zhuangyuan (the title given to the scholar who achieved the highest score on highest level of the Imperial examination) had appeared in this academy and some people had even sent their sons to this academy from afar. Xu Ran went to take a look inside the academy. The academy was exquisitely built. It was not only large, but also looked spectacular. It must have cost a lot of effort and money to build it, which now could be considered as a scene in Qingzhou County. Because of the autumn test, the academy started a holiday a few days ago. The students would not come for their classes until after the autumn test. Xu Ran suddenly felt eager to meet the students in the academy. His expectancy was the same as that of the modern people who wanted to see the excellent students from Tsinghua University or Peking University. After circling around the academy, they were pleased and left for somewhere else to enjoy themselves. The night in Qingzhou County was also very lively. The lights were bright, and the sound of touting was no less than that during the day time. Because of the hot weather, many people came out to enjoy the cooler air. The streets were thus quite humming with life. Of course, the most crowded place was Green Willow Alley. There, some pretty young Geers were standing at the gate of their shops, wearing a light gauze and smiling sweetly to attract customers. However, several of them were all married, so they didnt have the mind to go inside for fun. Plus, they were all candidates. If they indeed went into Green Willow Alley, their reputation would be different when they came out. There were also jugglers in the street. They spit fire from their mouths, played monkeys or broke stones on their chests. Although the games were simple and there were few tricks actually, still many people applauded their performances. Nowadays, these people didnt have much fun in their life, and it was rare for them to see such a lively scene, so they wouldnt miss it. Among the crowd of people there, Xu Ran and the others also gave the jugglers a few coins as a tip. After watching for a while, they wandered to another place. Tonight, they enjoyed the night view of Qingzhou County. Because three of them had to go to the test the next day, they didnt play too late. When the moon came out, they all went back to their inn to sleep. The next day, it was another bustling day. Candidates from all over the country rushed to Yue Lin Academy. The Autumn Test was held on the basis of the Spring Test. As long as one passed the county test, he could participate in the Autumn Test. Every place would send a list of relative names that had passed the county Test. As long as the candidate did not tell that he would not participate in the Autumn Test, he would be tacitly accepted as participating. The Autumn Test was held once every three years. Generally, it was only the examination for Xiucai and Gongshisuccessful candidates of the imperial examination at the country level), and after which, it was the Hall Test. After passing the Hall Test, the top few candidates were like the golden Phoenixes flying out of the chickens nest. The Spring Test was the first test for pupils, after passing which they could go for further tests for Juren and Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). It was also held once every three years. Therefore, if one wanted to enter the Hall Test, he would have to spent at least nine years. He should pass all these tests for once and once he passed all the tests, his best years of life were to come. Every dynasty had its rule. Unless someone changed this rule, they could only go on like this. Because of the previous county Test, this time everything for Xu Ran and others was like returning home. First, they should register at the gate. Then they went to get their own brands for a check, after which they went to the corresponding room according to the guidance on their brands to find their own location. Those who could sit for the Autumn Test must have got well prepared in knowledge, but there were also more people who planned to cheat in the test. Xu Ran and the rest were standing there next to each other, while Zhao Chen looked indifferent. He didnt intend to pass the test this time. Du Xin, however, looked purposeful and determined. As for Xu Ran himself, he thought that if the test this time was still like the last one, he believed it would not be a big problem for him. After all, he was very good at the article talking about peoples livelihood! Anyway, he was a farmer himself! However, the truth was not that simple. This time, it was really not a test to write about peoples livelihood. Anyhow, the first test for them was about the golden mean of the Confucian school Xu Ran was a little frustrated. Ancient Chinese prose was really not his strong point! The first test lasted three hours. Xu Ran had racked his brains to fill up the paper. As for the results, who knew? After the first test was over, all the candidates were like the birds in the cage flying away at the fastest speed. When Xu Ran and others came out, Lin Hua was already waiting outside. Upon seeing them, Lin Hua said, Ive already booked a place to eat. Lets go to eat first. It is so hot today. I have especially asked for a few more cold dishes. Are there some cold dishes here? Xu Ran was curious. Lin Hua shook his head. No, I just asked them to cut some vegetables, cook them well and then prepare some seasoning for us. Ill leave the rest to you. Xu Ran raised his hand, Alright, this afternoon, Ill let you see my cooking skills! Lin Hua had booked a private room. When they got there, the dishes were almost served. Lin Hua had specially ordered cucumber, cowpea and vermicelli, all without seasoning. After the waiter served the last dish, Lin Hua asked him for seasoning and a big bowl. After getting the seasoning, Lin Hua closed the door and handed the seasoning to Xu Ran. He put the big bowl on the table and sat down to watch the chef show his cooking skills. Of course, Xu Ran had practiced all these before, so he was very skillful. He poured the cucumber in the big bowl and then put the seasoning that the waiter had brought to them. The last step was to stir them. It was really very simple. The whole process was nothing special except for those few stirs in mixing the food. Everyone expressed their disappointment. Xu Ran said with a smile, Salad is simple. Do you think its flower carving? Do you think I need to show my knife work or something? But we didnt expect it to be so boring! Du Xin said with disappointment. As long as its delicious, what else do you want?! Alright, lets start eating it is mixed! Salad was also a fresh dish for them. Even though they had tried this kind of dishes many times, they felt the taste was different this time. As a result, there was nothing left in all plates Therefore, when the waiter came in to collect the plates, he wondered how they finished all the dishes that had no tastes at all. And there was no any seasoning left either. After lunch, they all went back to the inn for rest. It was too hot today for them to go around, not to mention that there was another test waiting for them in the afternoon. In fact, the examination time passed quickly. There were two tests in the daytime, and then they would read books or go shopping in the evening. In the blink of an eye, they would finish all the tests. Compared with the previous tests, the content of the last one finally had some changes- about war. This was inevitable in every dynasty, and it was the source of success and failure. The question of the test was If our kingdom is invaded by neighboring countries, should we fight or make peace? Of course, Xu Ran was a hawk. He firmly believed if others did not offend us, we would not offend others, but if others offended us, we would definitely fight back. For a country, it would be meaningless to have others ride roughshod on the back of its people. Peace was not the way out, because once there was a concession, there would be a second one, and the conditions would become more and more harsh. Thus it was unnecessary to choose peace from the beginning. As for war, Xu Ran thought that as long as there was a wise monarch, brilliant generals, troops and horses as well as food and fodder, the country would not be defeated. Xu Ran also specially emphasized the key role of the wise monarch. Then he stated that brilliant generals, food and fodder as well as troops and horses were also very important. However, as these people were a collection of scattered individuals and needed someone to unite them together to form a powerful force, so Xu Ran ranked them last. Xu Ran answered this question very seriously and wrote down all his thoughts. He was very cautious in his choice of words. He believed as long as the judge wasnt too stupid, he would give him some points for his article. He relied on this question to get points. Otherwise, it was really uncertain whether we could pass the test. After answering the question, Xu Ran looked satisfied feeling very refreshed when he came out. Xu Ran was the first one to come out, followed by Zhao Chen, and Du Xin was the last. As soon as Du Xin came out, he started to gossip about the test paper. He complained how they could set such a test question and how ordinary people like them could answer such a question? He even wondered whether any candidates would be beheaded if they wrote something they shouldnt have. Hearing his complaints, other people pursed their lips in disapproval believing that he had really thought too much. Not to mention that the current emperor was a wise monarch, even if he was not, the things written in the imperial examination could not be convicted even if they were disrespectful. This was the rule set by the great Xia Dynasty when it was founded, and it had not changed for hundreds of years. This was also a great benefit for all the candidates now. Xu Ran could not stand his gossip anymore, so he slapped Du Xin. Recently, he slapped him like this from time to time, which was very handy. It was also a relief after this final test, and his anxiety was finally relieved. As for whether or not he could pass the test, it was not something that should be worried about now. Of course, it was not just them who had the same idea. Many of the candidates ran faster than them and they even heard people passing by discussing which Geer in Green Willow Lane was the most beautiful. Those people were laughing licentiously. Xu Ran thought that the so-called civilized scums might mean this kind of people! Xu Ran was disgusted with such people. However, he couldnt care so much about other people. Finally, he could relax himself a little. When eating, Xu Ran asked Lin Hua, Lin Hua, do you know any interesting places in Qingzhou County? Its a rare chance to come here. Id like to go and have a look. Lin Hua had been wandering around these days. He put down his chopsticks and thought for a moment before saying, I heard that there is a lake outside the city of Qingzhou County called Green Lotus Lake. It is full of lotus flowers and people can go boating in the lake. That is a good place. Can we rent a boat by the lake? Should we go ahead of time? It should be more crowded after the test because more visitors will be there soon, Xu Ran asked. Lin Hua replied, You dont have to worry about this. I heard there are many boats available. Not only that, the rent for the boat is not cheap. Not all the candidates are rich people, so we should be free and get our boats easily. How about we go there tomorrow and play for a whole day. Well return home the day after tomorrow, ok? Okay, Im fine, Xu Ran replied. Du Xin shook his head, I dont have any problems, either, but Xu Ran, you have to accompany me for outing after dinner. After saying that, he winked at Xu Ran and Xu Ran felt puzzled. It was not until Du Xin gnashed his teeth and spat out the words the south of the city that Xu Ran suddenly remembered that Du Xin was going to see a physician. Thus he rubbed his nose and replied, Got it. Lets go after dinner. Du Xin nodded with satisfaction. Chapter 122 After dinner, Xu Ran accompanied Du Xin to the south of the city to see the doctor. Lin Hua, Zhao Chen and the carter went outside the city to book tickets for the tomorrows ship. Last time, the doctor told them that Du Xins unmentionable disease could be cured. However, his treatment time would be relatively long, and he had to take not only acupuncture but also medicine. Anyway, it would be a very troublesome process. Today, Du Xin was going to receive acupuncture treatment, and they would also ask the doctor to give a few more prescriptions. With the prescription, Du Xin would be able to get medicine even after he got home. In this way, he didnt need to stay in Qingzhou County all the time. Sure enough, Du Xin cared about himself. Xu Ran had forgotten about this. He still remembered that at the beginning, Du Xin was unwilling to see the doctor, but now he even took the initiative to come. Apparently, he had changed a lot. When they just got to the clinic, the doctor was sending the last patient out. Seeing both Xu Ran and Du Xin, he greeted, Here you are! It seemed he was saying hello to his old acquaintances that long time no see. Du Xin blushed immediately. To him, coming here was an unspeakable choice. However, the doctor seemed to find it interesting. Xu Ran smiled, No kidding, Doctor. Its hard for him to agree to come. If you tease him away, his dad and daddy will come to get even with you for it. Oh, this will really be a big deal. All right. I wont tease you, the doctor replied. Then he continued, Alright, I stop kidding. I guess that youre coming for a medicated bath. Ive got everything ready inside. Just go and dip yourself in the bath. Later, Ill give you acupuncture treatment. And youll come again tomorrow. Well, this doctor was quite considerate, both Xu Ran and Du Xin thought. Du Xin followed the doctor into the house. It was not convenient for Xu Ran to enter, so he could only sit outside and wait while chatting with the clinic attendents. At this moment, in the house How is everything? Are you sure its him? Im not sure, but I was told that it was he who had bought Gao Quan and Shao Yu back in the town. I havent visited his house yet, so Im not sure if hes Second Young Masters husband. What about the others? Can you contact them? I cant. I dont even know if these people are still alive. As the Emperor would spare none back then, Im afraid few of the people who helped Second Young Master escape survived. No matter what, you have to confirm whether Xu Ran is the husband of Second Young Masters. Although his status is a little lower, he is quite good a man. If Second Young Master really loves him, I think the prince wont stop them. I know. I heard Xu Ran say that he already has two children. And now that his spouse is pregnant again, I am afraid we must keep this secret first. If Xu Rans spouse is really Second Young Master, I guess the prince will definitely vent his anger when he knows that Second Young Master has given birth to a few children for others. Dont worry. The prince still knows nothing that we have the news about Second young Master. I will hide it first. You just have to do your own business well. You can just sit in the water for a while. I will give you a few prescriptions to avoid being discovered by Xu Ran. With that, he left and took away the clothes placed by the tub. Hey, hey, you really want me to sit naked in the water?! Come back and return the clothes to me. However, the people who had already left turned deaf ears to him. These two people were Du Xin and the doctor in the clinic. The purpose of Du Xin getting close to Xu Ran was to find out Liu Tongs identity. As for the reason why he said he had unmentionable illness was that he wanted to meet the doctor in the clinic. The doctor was called Lu Qi, and he was a subordinate of the king of the Yan, who was in the Qingzhou County to search for the kings younger brothers whereabouts. King Yan was the only king of the opposite sex in the Great Xia. He did not fight for the throne himself, but inherited it. The story happened twenty years ago, when, the current emperor suspected that King Yan then cherished the wild ambition and ordered to kill the two children of King Yan, who were now the present King Yan and his younger brother. That very year, King Yan fled with his eldest son to the northernmost part of the Great Xia, while the second son was protected by his subordinates and fled to Qingzhou County. The assassins sent by the Emperor chased them all the way to Qingzhou County. Most of the people who protected the second son died and in the end the second son was nowhere to be found. King Yan passed away not long after he arrived at the north, and the Emperor also stopped his hunting for King Yan due to the pressure from the imperial court. As a result, he gave the northernmost states and counties of the Great Xia to King Yan as their fief, renamed Yanzhou, and also ordered King Yan not to enter Changjing without being summoned. King Yan was stabbed by an assassin on his way to escape. Worse still, his second sons whereabouts were unknown. With such excessive sadness, he passed away in just a few years after he got to Yanzhou. The throne was thus passed to the present King Yan, that is, the master of Lu Qi. A few days ago, Lu Qi heard from Du Xin that someone had seen a person who looked like the King of Yan. There were even people who saw Gao Quan and Shao Yu. Du Xin also heard that Gao Quan and Shao Yu were bought back home by a farmer, and the lord of the family happened to be the one who looked like the King of Yan. Du Xin said that he also found out that the lord of the family was called Liu Tong and his husband was Xu Ran. Xu Ran would come to Qingzhou County to participate in the county test. In order to get close to Xu Ran, Du Xin had tried a lot of ways making himself quite embarrassed. He even made up a lot of reasons for himself like his spouse infertility and his dads forcing him to take a concubine. Du Xin didnt expect that Xu Ran would believe him so easily, with no little bit doubt about him. To be honest, he felt very happy on the way. And just as he was giddy with happiness, he received a message from Lu Qi as soon as he arrived at Qingzhou County, asking him to see him. However, Lu Qi was a doctor. It would be strange if he, as a healthy person, went straight to see him. Just as Du Xin was racking his brain about the problem, Xu Ran suggested him to see the doctor to find out if he was suffering from some unmentionable illness. Although it was really difficult to speak out about it, it was still a way to see the doctor. Therefore, he went to find a doctor himself. After his explicit hints, the doctor recommended Lu Qi to them. Thus Du Xin could finally come to see Lu Qi fair and square. Consequently, there was the conversation between them just now. Du Xin was now still lying in the bathtub and feeling sorry for Xu Ran. After all, Xu Ran really regarded him as a friend, while he approached him purposefully and might even hurt him in the end. Just as Du Xin was there deep in thought, Lu Qi came in again. He reached out and stirred the water in the bathtub. Then he threw the clothes to Du Xin, OK, time is almost up. You put on your clothes. Ive prescribed some medicine for you. It wont hurt your body. After you go back, you should decoct the medicinal herbs and drink it. Dont arouse suspicion. Du Xin stood up from the bathtub, wiping himself with a towel and then putting on his clothes. At the same time, he asked Lu Qi, Xu Ran is sitting outside. He wont doubt us, will he? I always feel that acupuncture is not the way to treat this unmentionable disease. Lu Qi rolled his eyes at him, Do you really expect me to prescribe you some medicine for that kind of unmentionable illness? Dont say youre not sick. Even if you are, Im not going to treat you. Du Xin pouted. After so many years, this person in front of him was still like this. He was really a merciless man and only he could endure his tantrums. After Du Xin got dressed, he snorted and walked out. Lu Qi followed him but said nothing After coming out, Du Xins face immediately changed. He pulled Xu Ran and complained how ruthless this doctor was, how much he had suffered when receiving the acupuncture treatment, and he even wanted to take off his clothes to show Xu Ran. Xu Ran hurriedly stopped him, Dont disgrace yourself in public, okay? Besides, you look so ugly that I dont want to see you naked. However, this sentence was quite hurting. Du Xin, who was enthusiastic just now, immediately became dejected. He walked a few steps away from Xu Ran and shouted, Mr. Xu, how can you be this rude? Last night you told me that I was the best looking Hearing this, Xu Ran shivered and got goose bumps. When he looked up, he saw that the young doctor was staring at Du Xin coldly. However, when he saw him looking over, he immediately withdrew his gaze. Although Xu Ran felt a little strange, he didnt think much about it. The doctor gave Du Xin several prescriptions, and then two of them left the clinic with the medicine and the prescription. It was almost dark when they were walking back. But the night scene was just in time. Xu Ran and Du Xin strolled back. The streets were still humming with life, where pedestrians were hurrying to and fro and where peoples laughter and peddlers crying their wares lingered in the air. Xu Ran looked at Du Xin with disgust, and then he said, This should be a place where I am strolling with my spouse. However, Im now actually with you. Its really boring. Similarly, Du Xin also detested Xu Ran, Hey, do you think Id like to come around with you very much? If its not because of that As he said that, his voice subconsciously trailed off. Their surroundings were too noisy, and Xu Ran didnt hear him clearly. He gave no reply but turned his head to look at the scenery by the street. When they returned to their inn, Lin Hua and the rest were already there and were sitting in the lobby downstairs chatting together. Seeing Xu Ran and Du Xin, Lin Hua went forward and asked, Are you two okay? Is everything done? Xu Ran nodded, Its nothing. Its too hot these days during the test. Du Xin is a little uncomfortable, so he asked me to go to the clinic with him. He felt that its embarrassing for a man to get heatstroke, so he didnt tell you about it. Did you book tickets for tomorrow? Weve booked them. Fortunately, you asked us to go there today. There were many people who wanted to book tickets like us when we were there, Lin Hua said. Xu Ran replied, Of course. Think about it. Although many candidates dont have money, there are still so many of them this time coming for the test. Even if one of the ten candidates is rich, the total number is quite a lot, not to mention that some of the passengers are not candidates like us. Now that youve made a reservation, well have an early rest today so that well have a good time tomorrow. None of them had any objections and thus they all went back to their rooms. Xu Ran lay in bed but couldnt sleep that night. He was missing Liu Tong. By and by, however, his mind turned to Du Xin and the young doctor. He felt a little strange why he would think about them, but he couldnt find out the reason for it. He tossed and turned for almost all night before he finally fell asleep. Chapter 123 Therefore, when everyone felt refreshed the next day, only Xu Ran was lethargic. Lin Hua looked at him. Didnt you say you would sleep early last night? Why do you look sleepy? Xu Ran rubbed his face. I didnt sleep well last night. Im fine. Lets go to the lake, and we can buy some food on the way. The others didnt have any objections, so they headed for Green Lotus Lake. The view in Green Lotus Lake in September was not that good, so people came here just to have fun and enjoyed the coolness. The lotus seed had been almost picked, and the lotus leaves were about to wither. There wasnt much to look at. However, the pavilions by the lake were humming with life. There were many Geers who were good at singing. The songs they sang sounds quite pleasant. There were also music players and dancers, who performed in public to make a living. Their performances were much better than those in Green Willow Alley. On the opposite side, it was the place where the scholar gathered. They recited poems, and displayed accomplishments of all kinds. Xu Ran was more interested in the water in the lake. The water in the lake was fresh water flowing in and out, and it was very clear and cool. There were fish swimming in the water, but they were not big. The boat they rented was of a medium size, not big or small. If they wanted to go to the middle of the lake, they would have to row the boat there by themselves. None of the three rich young childes could row, and the carter was just a dabbler in paddling. Xu Ran had tried it before, but he had not rowed a boat for a long time, so he was not confident about it. Lin Hua patted Xu Ran. Xu Ran, go row the boat. Anyway, we know how to swim. If the boat capsizes, we wont get drowned. Besides, its hot today, if we fall into the water, we can take it as a bath. Alright. Xu Ran pressed his lips and accepted the task. He and the carter worked together and clumsily rowed the boat away. The boat sometimes shuddered suddenly, making their hearts beat faster. In the lake, there were other idle boaters who paddled around like them. Occasionally, they met and exchanged a few words. After they went around the whole lake, they felt cooler. Xu Ran and the carter got more skillful in rowing. Green Lotus Lake was a good place where one could not only see the scenery of the lake, but also the views of the outside and inside of the city. There were food pedlars outside the lake. These people were smart enough to know they could make money from this crowded place. They bought from the pedlars some special food of Qingzhou County. In the afternoon, they didnt go boating. Instead, they took a stroll around the lake, listening to the music and watching beautiful girls, or watching others playing chess. When it was not that hot, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen went back to the inn, while Xu Ran and Du Xin went to the clinic. It went almost the same as the previous day, but Xu Ran didnt chat today. Instead, he asked the doctor to give him a simple medical manual to read so he could recognize some herbs when he got bored. The young doctor was quite polite to Xu Ran, and he gave Xu Ran a book on basic medical skills. The two of them went back when it was almost dark. On the way, Xu Ran bought a lot of things. After all, he was leaving tomorrow, and he had to buy some gifts for his family. He had bought gifts for his family. The Qin Family was a big family and Xu Ran bought a lot of superior cloth for those spouses in Qin Family to make new clothes. In addition, he bought the cloth for Wu Meis family. It might get cold after this month, and it was time to make some new clothes. They had come in two empty carriages, but when they went back, both carriages were full and only the passenger seats were available. Lin Hua bought a lot of things during the exams. He bought a lot for himself and Zhao Chen, and even gave Du Xin and Xu Ran some gifts. He was indeed very generous. On the way back, they went to He Shui Town first. After all, Xu Ran had not solved the problem with the salad and pot-stewed meat, and he had to go there again. Du Xin chose to go with Xu Ran. They had planned to find Du Xin a carriage and send him home, but Du Xin said that he was not in a hurry, so he would just go with Xu Ran, which could save the travelling expenses. Xu Ran thought about it and agreed. After they arrived at He Shui Town, Zhao Chen was locked up by his dad again, and the shop affairs were handed over to Lin Hua again. Xu Ran worked hard with Chef Lin for two days and finally sorted out all the dishes. Chef Lin knew how to cook the dishes and Xu Ran could go home at ease. Before he left, Lin Hua gave him another hundred taels of silver, saying that it was payment for the new dishes. Xu Ran took it without hesitation, as he had always been short of money anyway. Xu Ran also gave the recipes of cold noodles and fried noodles to Lin Hua. After October, it would turn cold, and the salad might not sell well, so he guessed they had to wait until next year to make money. On September 17th, Xu Ran set off for home. This was the longest time he had left home. He really missed his family. The baby that Tongtong was having should turn almost seven months. Did it torment its daddy? How were Tangtang and Guoguo? Was Qin Shuwens baby born? Was it a Geer or a boy? Xu An was selling wheelbarrows, and how was it going? How many apprentices did he take? Only then did Xu Ran realize that tthere were a lot in his mind. Du Xin and Xu Ran were not from the same town. Xu Ran dropped him off after they got to Du Xins town and gave him things as well as money. Xu Ran was determined not to drive Du Xin home, for he couldnt wait to go home. Everyone in the village knew that Xu Ran had gone to the county for the provincial examination this time. However, Xu Ran left quietly without alarming anyone, so the villagers didnt know when he would come back. He quietly drove the carriage from the back of the village without being noticed. His family had been anxiously awaiting his return. When Xu Ran got to the bamboo house, he saw Tangtang and Guoguo standing outside the house, staring at him. They were definitely waiting for him. Dad, Dad. The two children shouted as they ran towards Xu Ran, who stopped the carriage and jumped off to hold the two children. Dad, we miss you so bad. Why have you been away for so long? Yeah, I miss you too, and daddy and Grandpa Hu. We all miss you very much. The twins kept chattering. Xu Ran smiled happily. I miss my babies too. Lets go home first. It was the same every time he came back from the journey. The two children were always waiting for him on the way back, and they earnestly stared in the direction that he came. He carried the two children onto the carriage and drove to the gate of the new house. When the dogs in the yard heard the commotion, they started to bark and call out all the family members. Gao Quan and Shao Yu ran at the front, followed by Mr. Hu. Liu Tong was at the back, excited at sight of Xu Ran. Xu Ran left the carriage to Gao Quan and carried Tangtang and Guoguo out of the carriage, entering the house. He exchanged a few words with Shao Yu and Mr. Hu before walking to Liu Tong. Tongtong, Im back. Liu Tong called his name softly, Ran He broke off, his eyes turning red with tears. Pregnant people were said to be very sentimental. Apart from the time when he changed from a fool to a normal man, Liu Tongs eyes had not turned tearful like this. Xu Ran put down Tangtang and Guoguo and stroked their heads, saying, Go and tell Shao Yu that Im hungry. Ask him to prepare some light food for me. Ill talk with your daddy. The children nodded docilely and left. Xu Ran took Liu Tong into the room and hugged him in his arms tightly. Tongtong, Im back. Liu Tong nodded heavily. Ran, I miss you. Youve been away for so long this time. It had been more than ten days, and Liu Tong had not received any message from him. He knew nothing about Xu Ran, so he was worried. Moreover, he missed him. Xu Ran knew how Liu Tong felt as he had the same feeling. He held Liu Tong and said a few sweet words before he began to ask about the situation at home. The baby that Liu Tong was having had turned more than six months now. He didnt suffer from morning sickness anymore, but he started to have difficulties in walking. However, he knew well what was going on at home. Liu Tong said, Nothing big happened at home. Dad-in-law came after you left. He stood at the door and watched for a while. I told him that you went to the county for the provincial examination, so he left. Mr. Hu is old, and hes caught a cold. Perhaps he didnt cover himself well with blanket at night. This new house is much cooler than the old bamboo house. We asked a physician to come, and Mr. Hu is fine now. Shuwens child was born, and it is a Geer. He even brought us the red eggs Liu Tong told him what had happened during Xu Rans absence. Xu Ran listened earnestly, but Liu Tong told him everything except things about himself. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, you only talk about others. What about you? How have you been? Liu Tong smiled. Whats there to say? Every day is the same. Tangtang and Guoguo behave well, and the baby is not fussing. I just As he spoke, his ears suddenly reddened. Xu Ran leaned toward Liu Tong again and the latter could feel Xu Rans warm breath on his face. Xu Ran asked, What is it? I just miss you. Liu Tong stopped talking after he said this, as if he was shy. Xu Ran was very happy, kissing Liu Tong on the face. Tongtong, I miss you too. I miss you very much. The two of them exchanged a few sweet words in the room before Tangtang and Guoguo ran in, asking Xu Ran to have lunch. Shao Yu had made all his favorite dishes. The children had been clinging to Xu Ran. When he had lunch, they watched him quietly. When Xu Ran asked a question, they were eager to answer him. It looked like they missed him very much. It was noon when Xu Ran came back. He didnt go out in the afternoon, spending time with the children at home. In the afternoon, Shao Yu went out and told Wu Mei that Xu Ran was back. He then invited them to come over for dinner in the evening to welcome Xu Ran back. Wu Mei and the others were very happy when they heard Xu Ran come back. They would definitely come over at night. After Shao Yu came back, he went to work in the kitchen, and Liu Tong helped him. Gao Quan was busy outside. Ever since Gao Quan came, they had not attended to the livestock at home. Gao Quan took over everything. Mr. Hu sat in the yard watching them. Xu Ran thought that it must be boring for Mr. Hu to sit like this all day. There were many old people in the village, but even if they sat together, they talked about the same things, which was also boring. Xu Ran thought about the entertainment of those old people in the modern era. They played poker games, went fishing, climbed mountains, played Chinese chess and danced. He dismissed the idea of poker games. It was not easy to have three or four people together. Besides, it was not easy to quit once they got addicted. He dismissed the ideas of fishing, climbing mountains and dancing as well. In the end, only Chinese chess was left. Xu Ran could only think of these entertainments. Chinese chess was a good choice. First of all, it was not difficult to make the chest board and chess pieces. Secondly, Chinese chess was good for the physical and mental health. It was an ideal game for the seniors. Xu Ran only thought about Chinese chess because Gomoku was childish, which suited Tangtang and Guoguo better, while Go game was too complicated for the seniors. Therefore, he chose Chinese chess. Xu Ran and the two children gathered together, discussing on making Chinese chess. Of course, a set of Gomoku would be made for the children as well. Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to bring him paper, ink and writing brushes. Although Xu Ran was not good at drawing, he was able to draw chess pieces. It took him a long time to finish the drawing. Xu Ran blew the ink dry, folded the paper, and put it away, He wanted to hand it over to Xu An and ask them to help make the Chinese chess. The house had not been so lively at night for a long time. Wu Mei was quite talkative. Plus the fact that these Geers were quite familiar with each other, so they seemed to have endless topics to discuss when they gathered together. Even Shao Yu, who had got familiar with them, was able to chat with them. Wu Mei teased Liu Tong for a while, saying that he had lost appetite since Xu Ran left, sitting in a daze all day long without going out at all. Being teased by Wu Mei in front of so many people, Liu Tong felt embarrassed and started to fight back. Their interaction amused everyone. At dinner, Xu An started to tell Xu Ran about the wheelbarrow business. He was busy recently and sold quite a lot. He had taken a few apprentices, who came from nearby villages. Xu An asked Xu Ran to think about something else to make, because wheelbarrows were durable goods and customers didnt change them every year! Xu Ran said, Give me some time to think about it. I cant think of anything new for the time being. Meanwhile we keep making the wheelbarrows, and we can sell them somewhere far away. We cant only sell them in the neighborhood. We can get in contact with some travelling merchants and ask them to sell the wheelbarrows. They travel across the country and pass through many places on the way. The wheelbarrows are novelties and must sell well. Xu An nodded. I agree. After all, we make a handsome profit from the wheelbarrows. Chapter 124 After dinner, the families gathered together to divide the money. The money had not been divided from the beginning, and the families trusted Xu An to keep it. Besides, the price of the wheelbarrow was fixed, and there was a sales record of each family. After Xu Ran left, his family share was handed over to Shao Yu and Gao Quan. Xu Ran had come up with the idea and design, and Xu An made most of the wheelbarrows with the assistance of Xu Zhen and Xu Fa. However, Xu Ran said that the money should be evenly divided. They had been dividing money like this, and they couldnt change it just because they had made the highest profit this time. Most importantly, although their tasks were different, everyone had worked hard. Xu Fa and Xu Zhen would not complain if they got less money, but they would grow apart. If they got the same share of money, they knew that they were overpaid, and they would work harder. As for Xu An and Wu Mei, Xu Ran felt that they would not have any objections. After all, Wu Mei had always taken good care of these two families. He was generous, and Xu An listened to him. When they got the same amount of money, Xu Fa and Xu Zhen did feel awkward, suggesting that they should take less. Xu Ran said, Its been decided long ago. There is no reason for us to give you less just because we sell more. No matter if you will continue to work with us, you should take your share from this business. Wu Mei echoed, Yeah, its been decided. Dont argue. Just take it! The two families took the money awkwardly. Xu Ran didnt say anything else, taking Xu An aside and asking him to help make the Chinese chess. He gave the drawing to Xu An. Xu An, here is the design which I drew this afternoon. Id like you to make it according to my design. Its for Mr. Hu, who sits idle and bored all day. I have to find him some entertainment to kill time. The game is best for the elderly to play. Xu Ran took the paper and studied it for a long time. There were some squares and a round object. Xu An couldnt figure out what it was. He asked Xu Ran, Ran, how would you like it? Is it made of wood? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, its made of wood. Lets make a chessboard according to the square on the paper. Its this big. He made a gesture of the size. And he continued, Make 32 round chess pieces, just like the design on the paper. Characters should be carved on the pieces, and Ill tell you what characters to carve when you finish. As Xu Ran explained, Xu An knew how to make it. He shook the paper in his hand and said, Can Mr. Hu play this game when its made? You say there will be characters. Does Mr. Hu know how to read? Xu Ran rubbed his head. He had forgotten about this. After all, the elderly in modern times were literate. Xu Ran said, Dont worry, I will teach Mr. Hu to read as well as how to play. You can help me make these things first! Okay, Ill go and work on it. Its not that busy lately, and I have people to make the wheelbarrows. By the way, Xu Ran asked Xu An, Where are the apprentices and carpenters staying and eating? How do you arrange it? Xu An answered, They eat in my house. The apprentices go back to their home at night. The carpenters sleep on the floor in my house. I dont charge the apprentices for learning the skills, and they just need to pay for their food. The carpenters dont have to pay for the board and food. Xu Ran nodded. This is not bad, but in this way, youve got to have your house guarded all the time, and its not convenient for your family. How about this? You move them to my bamboo house. Other than the cellar, the rooms are now empty. They can live there, and I can have them keep the house. Xu An thought that his house was too small indeed, and it was not convenient for the outsiders to live with them, so he nodded. Alright. Ill ask them to move over tomorrow. Youd better go and check if youve left anything behind in the house. Take them away if there are any. Youd better lock your cellar. Okay, I know. Ill go check again tomorrow. As the two of them talked about business, the other people on the other side were chatting happily until the children were clamoring to go home and sleep. The results of the provincial examination would be released at the end of September, so he could live peacefully during this period. Xu Ran recalled Liu Tong told him that Xu Houcai had been to the house. He didnt know why he came, so he thought of visiting him the next day. He also planned to go to Zhuo Yuns. After all, Qin Shuwens child was born, and he should give them some gifts. And the Qin Family, when he left, he didnt tell them. Now that he was back, he should go visit them as well. Mr. Chen should need to replenish the supplies. Xu Ran thought he had to come up with other ways, and he had to spend the money carefully when doing the Spring Festival shopping. He found that he was thinking too much, and he simply stopped thinking. After he took care of the elderly and the children, he went to sleep with Liu Tong in his arms. Xu Ran fell asleep when he got in the bed. After all, he had been traveling without taking a good rest. Liu Tong wanted to talk to him, but he dropped the idea when he saw Xu Ran was so tired. The next day Xu Ran went to the bamboo house and checked. There was a door to the cellar. No one could enter unless he broke the door. There was nothing else inside the house. Xu Ran went to inform Xu An after checking the house, telling him that he could move his people in. He asked Xu An to remind those people to take care of the things inside. The bamboo house used to be his shelter when he had nothing. It used to be his home. Even though he didnt live there, he couldnt bear to see it damaged. Xu An said, Dont worry. They are good people. Otherwise, I wont take them as my apprentices. Xu Ran nodded. Okay. Ill leave it to you. I have to go to the town now. See you later. Alright, go ahead and do your work. I will arrange the bamboo house. Xu Ran planned to go to Zhuo Yuns house first. As for Xu Houcai, he could visit him on the way back. Besides, he didnt want to see Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu. When Xu Ran said that he was going to town, Liu Tong wanted to go with him. Xu Ran looked at his belly and resolutely refused, but he agreed to take Tangtang and Guoguo, who had been longing to go to town. They got more excited thinking of visiting the new born baby. Xu Ran took out the gifts that he specially bought for Zhuo Yuns child. He also took out the gifts for Zhuo Yun, Qin Shuwen and the Qin Family. He intended to visit all of them in one trip. Liu Tongs belly grew bigger by the day. Xu Ran had been either busy or out of home, and he wanted to spend more time with Liu Tong at home. Xu Ran first took the children to Mr. Chens restaurant and asked the staff to ran an errand for him and get some people from the Zhuo Mansion to move things. After that, he asked Mr. Chen about his recent business, especially the dishes made by potatoes. Mr. Chen turned gloomy at the mention of potatoes. Xu Ran, dont you have any more potatoes? You dont know how many people come to me every day asking for it, but you provide me with such a small amount every month. I dont dare to sell more every day. Ive really offended many people. Xu Ran chuckled, Mr. Chen, Im not hoarding the potatoes. In fact, I dont have any left. I didnt grow a lot this year. I sell all of them to you except those saved for my own family. The amount is not sufficient, and I can do nothing about it. You have to pull through this year, and it will get better next year. Mr. Chen got gloomier. I wonder if anyone will come to my restaurant next year. Mr. Chen, you dont have to worry about this. I only sell potatoes to you, and other restaurants dont have the recipes. Even if they buy potatoes from someone else, they cant make delicious dishes. As the saying goes, Good wine needs no bush. Your restaurant has been open for so many years, and you dont need to worry about this. Mr. Chen thought about it and agreed with Xu Ran. He said, Please think of a way for me. I really dont want to offend anyone. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, Mr. Chen, you can sequence the old customers who can afford the potatoes. You sell potatoes to one household one day without repetition. In this way, every household has a chance to buy the potatoes. Although they cant buy a lot, they would not make trouble for you. Mr. Chen felt that this method was feasible, so he thanked Xu Ran. After that Mr. Chen pressed Xu Ran to send him more potatoes and chilli sauce. Xu Ran agreed and said that he would produce new things in winter. Only then did Mr. Chen let him go. When they came out of the restaurant, people sent by the Zhuo Mansion had been waiting outside. Xu Ran took them to the carriage to move the things to the Zhuo Mansion, and then they would go to the Qin family together. Chapter 125 This time Zhuo Yun did not come out to greet Xu Ran in person because he was reluctant to let go of his son. Xu Ran went to the living room by himself and saw Zhuo Yun sitting on a chair with something in his arms. The child was wrapped in clothes, so Xu Ran couldnt see what it looked like. He walked over and patted Zhuo Yun, Hey, brother, Ive been away for a long time. You didnt come to greet me, and now arent you going to take a look at me? Zhuo Yun didnt even raise his head. Whats so good about you? You are so big. How can you compare to my baby? He lowered his voice when he said baby, which brought goose bumps to Xu Ran. Xu Ran said, Come on. You wouldnt let go of the baby. Dont you care about Shuwen? Zhuo Yun immediately retorted, Nonsense. Shuwen adores baby more than me. If he hadnt fallen asleep, I would not have been able to take the baby out. Do you want to hold the baby? Hes beautiful. As he said, he carried the baby to Xu Rans arms. Xu Ran had never held a baby before, so he took the baby carefully. He felt it light and soft in his hands, and Xu Ran got stiff, afraid that his movement would hurt the baby. Zhuo Yun taught him as he watched. You hold him like this. I tell you, I was the same as you in the beginning, but I got used to it after I held him for a few days. Your boy is about to be born. If you dont learn how to hold a baby, you can only look at your baby instead of holding him. How pitiful! Xu Ran thought for a while and agreed. He then focused on learning how to hold a baby from Zhuo Yun. The two men were studying how to hold a baby in the living room, which was a funny scene. However, the two of them did not feel it at all, and there were only two children watching them with eager eyes. Fortunately, there were no servants around. If this spread out, they would be a laughing stock for a good while. When Xu Ran could finally hold the baby expertly, he realized that he did not know the name of the baby yet. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, whats your babys name? Oh, his name is Zhuo Qingshu. Xu Ran got the meaning of the name once he heard it. Zhuo Yun showed his love for Qin Shuwen all the time, but the name sounded very nice. The baby was sleeping soundly, and he didnt wake up when Zhuo Yun taught Xu Ran how to hold him. He had grown prettier during these days. His cheeks were red, and the shape of his face was perfect. He would become a beauty when he grew up. Xu Ran was about to discuss this with Zhuo Yun when he felt someone was tugging at his trousers. He looked down and saw the twins were earnestly looking at the baby in his arms. Well, he had forgotten about his own children. Xu Ran sat down on the chair with little Qingshu in his arms, so that the twins could see the baby. Xu Ran said to the twins, Tangtang, Guoguo, this is your brother. He is a Geer. You should protect him, okay? The twins nodded earnestly, and then stared at Qingshu with unblinking eyes in amazement. Seeing that the baby was taken care of, Zhuo Yun went to Qin Shuwen. He didnt worry about the baby when he left it to Xu Ran. Xu Ran and his sons sat in the living room, playing with the baby. He didnt discuss any business. Qin Shuwen was in confinement, so its not convenient for Xu Ran to go to him. At lunch Xu Ran found a chance to return the baby to Zhuo Yun, who took the baby to Qin Shuwen. The things that the servants brought back were all at Zhuo Mansion. After lunch, Xu Ran took out the things one by one and told Zhuo Yun which gift was for whom. After that, the rest was for the Qin Family. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun to go to the Qin family with him, but Zhuo Yun said that Qin Shuwens family had told him to wait on Qin Shuwen without going anywhere during the confinement. Since Zhuo Yun said so, Xu Ran couldnt force him, so he had to drive the carriage to the Qin Family with the twins and the gifts. The Qin family knew that Xu Ran had gone to take the provincial exam. After arriving at the Qin Mansion, Xu Ran and the twins were greeted warmly. The Qin Family was very happy with the gifts that Xu Ran brought all the way from Qingzhou County. Elder Daddy Qin started to regret not having more Geers. Xu Ran was such a good person. When he thought that Liu Tong was also very nice, he dropped the idea. The Qin family invited them to stay for dinner, but Xu Ran saw that it was getting late, and he had two children with him, so he refused. Elder Daddy Qin saw that Xu Ran had children to look after, so he didnt insist, asking him to visit them often. Xu Ran forgot to visit Xu Houcai after he went back in the evening. After dinner at home, he felt sleepy and he went to bed. It was until the next morning that he remembered this. So Xu Ran left home early. The door of the Xu Mansion was closed, and Xu Ran was too embarrassed to knock on the door. Thinking that Xu Houcai might have gone to farm in the field at this hour, Xu Ran went to the Xu familys field from memory. However, when he was halfway to the field, he recalled that the field had been sold Xu Ran heard that they had rented two mus of farmland from the village head, but he didnt know where it was. It was really difficult to find someone in this age. Xu Ran was about to go back when he saw Xu Houcai walking to the field with a hoe. Xu Ran quickly went forward. Seeing that there was no one around, he started to talk at ease, Dad, are you going to the field? Xu Houcai was delighted at sight of Xu Ran. Yes. Ran, are you back from the provincial exam? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, I came back the day before yesterday. Dad, I heard from Tongtong that you came to look for me. What is the matter? Nothing. I just wanted to see you. Im growing old and Ive figured it out. When Im still able to work, Ill earn more money so I wont need anyone to support me when Im old. As for your Daddy and your brother, leave them alone. I cant take care of them, and I dont want to do that anymore. As Xu Houcai spoke, he looked extremely weary as if he had resigned himself to his fate. In fact, it was Elder Daddy Xu who had dragged him down. Although he assumed the responsibility of Elder Daddy Xu, he should know who he should look after. No one could stop him if he wanted to live a miserable life. They were talking at the roadside, where people were coming and going. They might be seen by someone, who might tell Elder Daddy Xu. Xu Ran didnt want to give Elder Daddy Xu an excuse to go to his home and make trouble, so he left without saying much to Xu Houcai. Xu Houcai went to farm in the field with a hoe. The two mus of land was not enough for a family, but Xu Ran didnt know what to say when he saw that Xu Cheng and Elder Daddy Xu were not interested in helping. It wasnt until he returned home and saw his family that he felt a little better. Xu An was making the Chinese chess especially for Mr. Hu. Xu Ran had asked Mr. Hu and found he really couldnt read. Xu Ran thought of asking the twins to teach him. The children would take it seriously since it was the first time that they taught people how to read. Xu Ran told the twins his plan, and both of them agreed and promised they would do their best. When they started, they found it was not easy. Tangtang was fine. He was gentle, and he liked reading, so he patiently repeated the words with Mr. Hu. Guoguo couldnt do that. He didnt like studying. After teaching Mr. Hu for a while, he lost patience and went to Gao Quan to learn martial arts. Xu Ran intended to take him back, but Mr. Hu interceded for him, so Xu Ran let him off. Xu Ran asked Tangtang to leave as well and he started to teach Mr. Hu. Xu Ran taught in a much more vivid manner, and he could even tell short stories when teaching characters. Mr. Hu had never heard of these stories and found them intertesting, so he listened attentively. When listening to the stories, he remembered the characters. He learnt much faster than when he was with the twins. Mr. Hu finally remembered the characters after learning for a few days. Xu An had made the chess pieces and chessboard, waiting for Xu Ran to tell him what characters to be carved. Xu Ran wrote down the characters to be carved on the chess pieces. He went to the town and bought the dyes to color the pieces. The chessboard was marked with the border of two opponents with different colors, which was quite easy to recognize. Xu Ran gave Mr. Hu a task, asking him to find a partner, who should be on good terms with him and had a lot time to his own. Mr. Hu should teach his partner how to read. After the chess pieces were made and colored, Xu Ran would teach them how to play Chinese chess. Mr. Hu had heard many stories from Xu Ran these days, and he remembered quite a few of them. He was thinking of showing off to his old friends, so he took the task happily and went to find a partner. Meanwhile, Xu Ran went to farm in the fields a few times and planted some potatoes. Gao Quan and Shao Yu planted wheat and rape in five mus of land, and they planted potatoes and turnips in the remaining five mus. Turnips would be their major vegetable when it was winter. When it was almost the end of the month, the chessboard and chess pieces were finally ready for use. At the same time, the results of the provincial exam was going to be released. Xu Ran got nervous. He kept pacing up and down in the room all day, even Liu Tong, who was very patient with him, got annoyed and asked him to go out and teach Mr. Hu to play Chinese chess. Mr. Hu was very enthusiastic. He had been busy for so long and had taken pains to learned how to read. His efforts were going to pay off. How could he not get excited? Therefore, he kept pestering Xu Ran all day, who finally gave way. Xu Ran got less nervous and started to concentrate on teaching Mr. Hu to play Chinese chess. Chapter 126 It was easier for Mr. Hu to learn to play Chinese chess than to recognizecharacters. It took him only three days to remember the rule of playing chess. To win a game seemed to be his instinct, which had nothing to do with his age, so Mr. Hu also learnt to rise to the occasion, although sometimes he played chess with slow responses. Knowing that, Xu Ran handed over the chessboard and chess pieces to Mr. Hu, letting him keep them and maybe teach others to play chess. On October 5, the gong rang in the village again, from the gate of the village to Xu Rans home. Hearing that, Xu Ran thought perhaps the envoy came here to collect grains. It wasnt until he heard the words village test that he realized that the envoy was here to inform villagers the test result. Thinking of this, Xu Ran felt anxious. He asked Liu Tong to prepare some red envelopes, and then he went out by himself. There were many people outside as it was the last time. The same envoy stood in front of the crowd. Seeing Xu Ran, he said, Congratulations! Xiucai Xu (Xiucai is one who passed the imperial examination at the county level usually held every three years, and Xiucai is deemed to be well-learned), you ranked fifteenth in the country test. Then, he handed a certificate to Xu Ran. With this certificate, Xu Ran had the title of Xiucai now, while Tongsheng (who ranked behind Xiucai) had no certificate. The ranking of 15 was not bad. If Xu Ran kept studying hard, he would even get a Jurens (Juren is one who passed the imperial examination at the provincial level) Degree. However, Xu Ran didnt want that. With a smile on his face, Xu Ran expressed his thanks, accepting the envoys congratulation. When Liu Tong came out, he took the red envelope from Liu Tong and handed it to the envoy. The envoy knew that it was inappropriate to stay there long because the villagers had barged into Xu Rans yard to ask him to treat them a meal. Indeed, it was a good news for Xu Ran, as he didnt have to pay taxes at least. However, Xu Ran didnt tend to treat these villagers to meals because it would cost him both money and energy. However, Xu Ran didnt reject these villagers directly. He could do nothing but smile and reply, How about a few days later? I need some time to accept it, and I need to prepare the banquet, right? Hearing that, these people thought Xu Ran had agreed their request, so they flattered him again, saying that they would definitely come when they received the invitation. Even though, Xu Ran knew that there were some people he must treat. Thinking about that he was going to lose the money he had just earned, Xu Ran felt pain in his heart. After villagers left, Xu Ran went to consult the village head about the field tax exemption, which was his chief concern now. Feeling Xu Rans impatience, the village head found it quite funny. Did he work so hard to get the Xiucais degree for the tax exemption? Whats wrong with him? thought the village head. Xu Ran held the different idea. Anyway, he didnt intend to plant crops. If he paid taxes, he would have to buy the crop seeds, and it would cost more. The village head replied,Take it easy! As youve obtained the Xiucais Degree, you can definitely enjoy the tax exemption as long as you go to Yamen to take the procedure. OK, village head! You know, I have many fields but no crops. If I have to pay the tax, Im afraid that my families and I would starve to death. Youre kidding! You have so many off-the-wall ideas in your brain. How much have you earned from selling your wheelbarrows? How can you starve to death? the village head raged at Xu Ran. Xu Ran stroked his head and smiled, Im doing all of these for nothing but supporting my family, dont you know, village head? Do you know how much rice and oil are needed per month in my family? My children need money to get education, and my spouse needs money to take good care of the baby in his belly I can never earn too much money! The village head nodded and said, Youre right! Youre indeed the only bread winner in your family. Its not easy to support so many people, but tell me about your two guests! Who are they? I heard that they are actually servants youve bought. Why did you do that? Do you have any food to spare? Xu Ran retorted with a smile, How can I have surplus food? My food couldnt even feed my family but you know, Tongtongs pregnant now, and my children are too young, so theres no labor in my family except me. I have to manage my fields and take care of my families. I couldnt be in two places at once Im overwhelmed. Thats why Ive bought two servants. They can help me a lot, and I only need to give them some food. It cannot be more economical! Xu Ran didnt say that he had to pay for his servants every month, otherwise the village head would blame him again. The village head agreed with Xu Ran, but he still insisted on his idea that two more people would consume more food. Fortunately, he didnt blame Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt tell a lie. It was true that he had just built a new house and planted strawberries, and he was indeed busy. He really needed one to help him manage his family affairs. The village head agreed to bring Xu Ran to take the procedures of tax exemption, so Xu Ran asked him whether he was free these days so that he could finish this task as soon as possible. Hearing that, the village head teased Xu Ran again, Xu Ran, why so anxious? How dare I have no time? I must have time, right? Xu Ran was a little embarrassed, but he was indeed anxious, so he said nothing. The village head asked Xu Ran again, Xu An, Xu Zhen and Xu Fa have visited me to buy 30 mu of field for you. Do you know it? It almost slid Xu Rans mind, and he nodded, Yes! I intend to rent these fields to them, thats why I ask them to visit you by themselves. Are you interested? I can also rent 10 mu of field to you as long as you want. The village head shook his head. No, thanks. I understand your meaning but Im the village head. I cant do it Its not something proud after all. You can buy 30 mu of fields! Theyll be enough. 30 mu? No! The village head suddenly looked up at Xu Ran. What? You want to buy more? Xu Ran smiled. Of course. I have to buy ten mu for myself, right? Is it OK? Can I enjoy the tax exemption if I own so many fields? Its OK but Im afraid that you need to speak a good word to Yamen. Moreover, you need to buy the fields before taking the procedure of tax exemption, and youd better buy waste fields as developing these fields were advocated by policies. In this way, not only will you enjoy the tax exemption, but also you can improve your reputation. replied the village head. Xu Ran didnt care much about his reputation. As the saying went, the peg that stood out was pounded down. He didnt want to be well-known. He preferred low-pitching life. Xu Ran asked, May I have a look about your field booklet? It would be nice if the fields were near my house. Im lazy and I dont want to go far. The village head gave Xu Ran the booklet and the latter selected 10 mu of field next to his original fields. If crops were cultivated in these lands, the village would be filled with green. One mu of wasteland is still two taels of silver, right? Ill buy so many fields this time, asked Xu Ran. The village head nodded, Of course! The village head thought for a moment and asked Xu Ran, Have you visited your dad and daddy? Theyre living a poor life now. Anyway, youre their biological son, and theyve ever fed you. Maybe they did something wrong, but theyre your parents after all! Youd better visit and help them if you get any time! The village head persuaded Xu Ran with grievance. Xu Ran understood him. He was the village head after all, and he witnessed the scene when Xu Ran was ending his relationship with his parents. Now, his parents lived a miserable life, but no one helped them although all the villagers knew it. People always said that peasants were earthy and kind-hearted, but they were not foolish. They themselves werent wealthy, how could they help others? Xu Ran nodded, I got it. Youre right. Anyway, theyre my parents. Xu Ran and the village head arranged to go to the town for the land deed on 9th. Luckily, it was also the day when Zhuo Yun would celebrate the first month birthday of his baby, so Xu Ran planned to take Liu Tong to visit Zhuo Yuns family. It wasnt popular to treat guests a big dinner for celebrating the babys first month birthday in this world, so the banquet was usually held during the day. However, Liu Tongs baby would be borne till then, so they might not be able to attend the banquet in the daytime. Xu Ran returned home and discussed with Liu Tong whether to hold a party for his Xiucais Degree. They had treated many people three months ago for finish expanding their house. Moreover, they had to treat people meals for their newborn baby after two months. They would need to give away many red eggs. Besides, they would also hold the banquet in the daytime for their baby too many banquets, once three months! That was too frequent! Meanwhile, perhaps many villagers wouldnt be willing to attend these banquets because they had to send money or gifts for expressing their love and gratitude, and maybe they wouldnt get a return. That was why they were reluctant to attend such occasions. Xu Ran and Liu Tong came up with a compromise, which was to send happiness candies. Candy was rare in this world, let alone happiness candy. There were only three types of happiness candies in this world: the rock candy wrapped in oil paper, brown candy, and brown candy with something embedded, which tasted better than the other two types. The last type was the rarest. Brown candy with haws was similar to ice sugar gourd, but a little smaller and less sour. Most people would buy this kind of joyful candy. This type of candy was not cheap, a pound of which was worth more than 10 pence. This was as expensive as the rice. Xu Ran and Liu Tong thought these happiness candies were enough to show their heart. More importantly, others didnt need to worry about giving gifts. In this way, Xu Ran could kill two birds with one stone. Although Xu Ran and Liu Tong agreed with this idea, neither did others. It was beyond Xu Rans expectation that villagers were actually willing to be treated a meal by Xu Ran, even if they had to send a gift. After all, they could eat much meat in this way, as long as they prepared a little gift. Therefore, many people had already prepared their gifts and waited for Xu Rans invitation. Xu Ran didnt know what they were thinking at all. If he knew, he would regret being too generous when he held the banquet last time. Time flied and four days passed in the blink of an eye. It was ninth this day, and Xu Ran took his families to the town with the village head. Gao Quan, Shao Yu and Mr. Hu were also going to the town, so Xu Ran borrowed Wu Meis bull cart. Xu Ran didnt take the ox cart. Seeing the bull was walking slowly, he felt anxious. However, the ox cart was different from other vehicles, and the ox couldnt get itself faster. Therefore, Xu Ran decided to walk by himself. In order to wait for the ox cart to catch up, Big Black also walked very slowly, which was actually safe for Liu Tong. Chapter 127 After arriving at the town, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to drive the carriage to the Zhuo Mansion, while he and the village head went to Yamen to deal with the matter of buying land. By this time, Xu Ran hadnt gone through any tax exemption formalities, so few people knew that he was a Xiucai. And now he entered Yamen as usual. The Yamen registrar was clear about the policy, but as Xu Ran did not mention it, he did not pursue the matter. As before, he helped Xu Ran go through the formalities. Instantly, Xu Ran had another 40 mu of land under his name and became a lord. After everything was settled in Yamen, Xu Ran took the village head to the Zhuo Mansion. Since they had come to the town together, Xu Ran felt it was not good to let him go home alone instead of inviting him to go to visit Zhuo Yun together. Not many people came to celebrate Qingshus full month (a traditional activity to celebrate a babys completion of its first month of life). Apart from some of Zhuo Yuns close friends, only the Qins and Xu Rans family came. But at lunch time, there were still many guests who were arranged to sit at five or six tables respectively. Zhuo Yun was wild with joy, and he praised his baby Geer in front of every visitor. Qingshu was indeed beautiful. There were many people who wanted to become his in-laws, but they were all rejected by Zhuo Yun, who announced that he would let his baby to choose the person he liked. At the moment, he was too young to make such a decision. Xu Ran also agreed with Zhuo Yun. Who knew what kind of person the child would like after he grew up? And it was more likely that he liked someone with the same gender? Anyway, who would know? Most of Zhuo Yuns friends went back after dinner, leaving only Xu Rans and the Qin families. The Qin Family did not intend to go back today. At the moment, all the Geers and boys there were divided into two groups, each chatting happily. In modern times, next they would gather together to play mahjong. Here, however, there was no this kind of thing, mahjong, so they could only sit and chat. Liu Tong and Shao Yu also got together with a group of Geers there. Xu Ran just joined those men naturally. While everyone was enjoying themselves, Qingshu suddenly cried very loudly. Qin Shuwen got up and coaxed the baby in his arms. After twice of walking back and forth, the baby still cried. Qin Shuwen lifted his clothes to see if he had peed, but he didnt. Thus he guessed the baby was hungry. Zhuo Yun then quickly asked the servant to get some ewes milk. Seeing Liu Tongs belly, Xu Ran had felt that he might have forgotten something. Until this moment when he heard Zhuo Yun mentioned the ewes milk, he realized that he had wanted to buy an ewe home. As he was so busy these days that he had forgotten about it. Liu Tong probably thought that the baby could drink rice-water, so he never mentioned such kind of thing. It was October now. If time was fast, the baby would be born before the year. Xu Ran felt he should be quick to buy an ewe. After feeding Qingshu the milk, Xu Ran pulled Zhuo Yun aside and asked, Zhuo Yun, your housekeeper bought the ewe back, right? How about this way? Just let your housekeeper go with me to buy an ewe for my family? You see, Tongtong is about to give birth, so its the right time to buy an ewe back and raise it. Yes, the ewe was indeed bought back by the housekeeper. When you go back later, Ill let the housekeeper take you there for it. Thank you, Xu Ran said. After a pause, he went on, By the way, a few days ago, I made something interesting. Later, Ill make another set and send it here. You can see whether there is a market for it or not. What is it? Zhuo Yun asked curiously. Xu Ran replied, Its called Chinese chess. Its not the same as Go game with fewer pieces. They have only 32 pieces all together. This chess is suitable for old people. The chess piece is made of wood. It looks very beautiful when it is colored and polished. You havent seen them yet, so you dont know what they really look like. Ill show them to you when Ive got them ready. Okay, anyway, I have no idea about them at all only by hearing here. As they wanted to go home as well as to buy an ewe, Xu Ran and his family didnt stay for long. When they left, Zhuo Yuns housekeeper also went with them to the market for an ewe first. Gao Quan drove the Geers and children home first. The village head went to the place where the ox cart was parked to wait for Xu Ran. And Xu Ran went to buy an ewe with Zhuo Yuns housekeeper. They knew that it was best to choose an ewe that was more than two months old, because ewes usually gave birth when they were about five months old. At the moment, an ewe of more than two months old would surely produce lambs when Liu Tong also gave birth. In this way, it was just the right time. A pregnant ewe was more expensive, worth eight taels of silver. The price of the ewe that Housekeeper Zhuo had bought was almost the same, so Xu Ran didnt bargain much. He knew it was hard for him to make the price go down further. Xu Ran also asked the seller to teach him how to raise the ewe. After all, this ewe would take the responsibility of feeding his child, so he had to be careful in raising it. The sheep seller told Xu Ran that there was nothing special in raising an ewe. As long as he fed the ewe with more tender grass, it would be okay. He reminded Xu Ran that it was better to have green grass in winter. If there was no green grass, he should prepare hay for the ewe. This was not a problem at all. Xu Ran quickly bought the ewe, put it on the ox cart, and then they all drove back. Not long after Xu Ran got into the carriage, he found that he had forgotten to buy happiness candies. He slapped himself and then told the village head, Village head, I forgot to buy something. Can you wait for me a little while? Ill be back in a minute. Seeing Xu Ran slap himself, the village head smiled and said, Go ahead and Ill wait for you here. Ill help you look after the ewe, too. Thank you so much, village head. Ill be back soon, Xu Ran said and ran away quickly. There were a lot of candy shops in the town, but the kind that Xu Ran wanted to buy could not be found in many shops. After searching in several shops, Xu Ran got them at last. Now that the weather was cold, the candies could last out for long. Xu Ran intended to buy more, so he asked for a whole sack of candies. Though the sack was not very big, it must be as much as twenty or twenty-five kilograms, which was enough to be distributed twice to each family in the village. As the shopkeeper saw that he bought so many candies, he offered him a discount, ten pence per jin only. This time the money he had spent was much less than when he had held a banquet. Xu Ran calculated all these in his heart, and then paid the money and happily left carrying the candies. When he and the village head returned to the Xu Village, the sun had already set. When Xu Ran went to return the ox cart to Wu Meis family, he gave them their land deed, too. When he was in Yamen, he specifically asked to make the deed for ten mu of land. His reason was that they had one more child in the family, so they could share the land easily in the future. The registrar didnt insist on anything, and he went through the formalities according to Xu Rans request. Wu Mei gave Xu Ran twenty two taels of silver, and Xu Ran accepted it happily. In this way, Wu Mei and the rest would feel relieved. Otherwise, if Xu Rans name was always written on the deed and they didnt pay for it, the land might have nothing to do with them if something unexpected happened in the future. Although all this was just thinking at present, no one could be sure about its future. Then, Xu Ran asked Xu An to make another set of chess for him, saying that he wanted to give it away. Although Xu An was a carpenter, he was also a man with brains. Last time, it was easy to understand that Xu Ran asked him to make this for Mr Hu to kill the time. But this time he asked for it again so that he could send it to others. Xu An guessed that Xu Ran must plan to do chess business. Xu An thought about it and then asked, Ran, do you want to sell chess? But no one knows how to play it. Can this work? Xu Ran didnt expect Xu An to think of this as well. He replied, I do have this idea, but I dont know if it will work, so I plan to make a few sets first and send them to others first. I can teach people how to play chess. As long as someone likes it, there is sure a market for it. This is also a way. Then Ill make a few more sets. Anyway, now that Ill make one set of chess, I can easily make a few sets more. Okay, Xu Ran nodded, Thank you so much then. After leaving Xu Ans house, Xu Ran went to send the land deed to the other two familes. He also asked them to help him distribute candies tomorrow. There were more than a hundred households in the village, so he really didnt know when he could finish the task if he did it by himself. More importantly, he was unwilling to go to some peoples, such as his eldest uncles and his third uncles. The next day, Wu Mei, Liu Qing and the others came to Xu Rans house after breakfast. Xu Ran took out the candies and then handed out a bag of candies to each of them. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, how many candies should we give to each person get? Four? Liu Tong said, Theres nothing particular about this. As long as its an even number. Generally speaking, you can give two candies to each person. Otherwise, do you have enough candies to send each person four? Now that there was nothing particular about how many candies to give to each person, Xu Ran packed a small bag for each of Wu Mei and the others, Then you just give each of the person in the village four candies. At the same time, remember to tell them why the candies are sent. Otherwise, many people will ask me to treat them to a good dinner. Liu Qing asked, How shall we say that? You know were stupid. You can just teach us directly, and well just follow suit. Xu Ran thought about it and then began to choose his words, You just say that my baby will be born soon. Ill treat everyone in the village to dinner when he is a hundred days old. And I just held a banquet when moving to the new house. If I have another banquet because of the birth of my child this time, its too frequent, not good. Alright, lets say this way. The three people nodded. Thank you, Xu Ran said politely. You are welcome. And I have never done such things like sending happiness candies. Lets try it today. Alright, lets go. Well try to finish our job early and go back to do our work at home. Wu Mei waved his hand and the others went out together with candies. Many people in the village were still unable to react when they received the happiness candies. They all asked who had a happy occasion in the village and why they sent candies. Then Wu Mei and the others repeated what Xu Ran had prepared for them to speak out. The villagers were very disappointed after hearing this. They had hoped to have a good meal to celebrate the birth of Xu Rans baby, but now they were only settled by a few candies, even though they had never eaten this kind of candies. Although they felt regretful about it, they still looked very happy. They praised Xu Ran for his great ability and that the candies he sent were rare and sweet, because after all, Xu Ran specially sent them happiness candies, After they finished their candies sending task, Wu Mei and the rest were very tired. It was not because of the journey, but because of the same question from all the villagers. They had to answered them one by one. In fact, they understood that these people, like themselves, were looking forward to the meal in Xu Rans family very much, Returning to the Xu Rans house, Wu Mei and his partners told Xu Ran the reaction and responses of the villagers, and let him know that the villagers bore in mind his words of inviting them next time. Hearing this, Xu Ran didnt know whether to laugh or cry. How could he have thought of this? In modern times, when people heard who was going to get married or who would have a full month activity, they would feel quite helpless. Few people liked to attend that kind of activities, except for those who had a good relationship with the hosts. To them, going to an event like this meant that they had to spend money for gifts. No one would look forward to a be invited to such kind of dinners like these people. No matter how small the gift was, as a courtesy, it had to be sent to the host of the banquet. And it was really not good for these people to always think about going to other peoples dinners, was it? Thinking of these, Xu Ran forced himself a smile and said, Thank you for your hard work. I know about this. In the future, I will pay attention to this when inviting guests for dinner. As for silver, what should be saved is still to be saved. After they left, Xu Ran hugged Liu Tong for comfort. Liu Tong pushed him away. People in the village are like this. Dont think too much. Xu Ran nodded. I know, but I am just not used to it. Anyway, Ill pay attention to it in the future. Chapter 128 It was autumn and the weather began to turn cold quickly. Villagers started to store food for their livestock in the winter. Cattle usually ate straw, so the villagers just needed to carry home bales of straw directly from the fields and put them away. As for the pigweed as well as the fodder for chickens and ducks, they were different. In winter, they were basically difficult to get from outside. Besides, it was really too cold for people to go out to get the feed. Now, many families had already bought piglets. These piglets would become big pigs in next June or July, so that they could sell for a lot of money. This benefit was higher than the income of planting crops. Thus these days, some married Geers were seen everywhere carrying baskets on their backs looking for pigweed. Xu Rans family didnt have to worry about all these. After all, pigs could be butchered in the cold December. And after that, they could wait until the next spring to buy more piglets. The radish leaves stored at home would be used to feed Big Black and the Ewe during the cold winter days. Xu Ran figured that almost all the chickens and ducks would be prepared for Liu Tong to eat in his confinement, so they didnt have to worry about the feeding of the fowl, either. What Xu Rans family mainly needed to do at the moment was to corner firewood. Last winters firewood was all cut by Liu Tong, but this year, he was not able to do this job. The branches that the construction team had chopped before were almost used up. And because of last years lesson, Xu Ran knew that they had to store enough firewood this year and that every room needed a brazier to keep them warm. Anyway, the ash from the braziers would be good fertilizer when planting potatoes and strawberries. This year, the main force to chop firewood was Xu Ran and Gao Quan. There, Xu Ran looked at the mountain behind the house, which he had planned to buy since the beginning of this year. He had wanted to plant fruit trees, but as he had no enough money, he had to give up the plan. There was no special ownership for these forests. Anyone who wanted to get firewood could go up the mountain. No one would stop them. There was only one condition C they were not allowed to cut down all the firewood in one place. The mountain Xu Ran decided to go today was the one he had wanted to buy. After he had spare money next year, he would buy the mountain and plant fruit trees. Xu Ran also brought Tangtang and Guoguo with them, as Gao Quan suggested. The two children were learning basic Kungfu skills from Gao Quan. And most importantly, this was good for their health and practice. So Gao Quan planned to let them two run around the mountain with them. Of course, their four dogs had to work, too. Two of them had to watch over the house every day while the others followed and protected Tangtang and Guoguo. The two Geers stayed at home and were busy with housework. They were also making new clothes for the winter. Of course, Shao Yu was mainly responsible for the work. The clothes he was making were for himself, Gao Quan and Mr. Hu. As for the new clothes for Xu Rans family, they were made by Liu Tong last year. These clothes still looked new. Thus they didnt need to have new clothes this year. Mr. Hu was now very good at playing chess, and he had got a few apprentices. Anyway, whoever had time would come to play chess with him. Not only the elderly people but also many other young men liked to come to watch or play chess with him, as long as they werent busy. However, Mr. Hu seldom played chess at home. He was afraid of disturbing Liu Tong, so he would go out to find a place to play. He looked more and more energetic now. Seeing how curious and enthusiastic the villagers were about chess, Xu Ran suddenly had an idea to make money from the game. Especially it was almost the spring festival. Xu Ran knew those who went around to visit their relatives would definitely have to find some fun for themselves during the time. Thus, he planned to wait until he had got enough firewood to go home and write down the rules for how to play chess games. After that, he would pay to print the booklets and sell them during the festival. Xu Ran also figured that there were really a lot of things their family could sell during the festival. They could purchase chestnuts this year and sell them. In addition, potatoes and dried bamboo shoots could also help make money, and they could also make some sausages and bacon to sell in the market. Thinking of these, Xu Ran realized that the two pigs in his family were not enough. He had to buy another one. Xu Ran was thinking about his business plan while chopping firewood. He was so tired that he stopped to wipe his sweat. Who said it was more difficult to keep business than to start a business? It was also hard to start a business, OK? Anyone who wanted to find a way to make money, he had to first find a way to sell the things out. As for how to sell and how much money to sell them, all these needed time and effort. The more Xu Ran thought about them, the more he felt they made sense. Anyway, he had already tacitly admitted that to start a business was more difficult than to keep a business. At the end of October, they had got quite a lot of firewood and Xu Ran was busy again with other businesses. Xu An had made several sets of chess. Xu Ran thus sent Zhuo Yun a set of it and taught him how to play. He then encouraged Zhuo Yun to find someone else to play with him. He could play with Qin Shuwen or others. What Xu Ran hoped was that Zhuo Yun could help promote the business so that he could get its buyer. Xu Ran wrote down the instruction for how to play the chess at Zhuo Yuns house. He waved the paper in his hand where the ink was still not dry and asked Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, can this paper be printed? It doesnt have a lot of words. How much do I need to pay for a copy? Zhuo Yun took the piece of paper in his hand and looked at it, It can be printed of course. I tell you that you dont need to make it so delicately. As long as people can read and understand it, it is okay. You just go and find the person who makes the chess for you. Ask him to get a wooden board, carve the words on it, and then use ink to print it on the paper. Xu Ran thought it was okay, but he was not sure if Xu An could carve characters or not. There were quite a few words and Xu An probably couldnt even recognize them himself. He asked Zhuo Yun, Do you know someone who can carve characters? I am afraid that Xu An cant carve characters, so Ill have to find someone else. The time in the course of contacts would be waste, so why not you directly find one for me? Zhuo Yun thought about whether any of the people he knew could engrave characters. At last, he shook his head, I dont know anyone of that kind, but you can ask my elder brother for help. He is a man of wide knowledge and experience. He should know someone. You can ask him. Xu Ran thought it was true. Qin Shuwu was older than both of them and had a wide range of experience. Even if he didnt know any of that kind of people, he probably knew who had good workmanship. Anyway, he had brought two sets of chess pieces today, and he might as well send one to Qin Shuwu. When Xu Ran was about to leave, Zhuo Yun asked him if he had any new things to leave for him. He said that he was going out for business in the new year. Xu Ran was a little surprised and asked him, You and Shuwen have a good relationship now, and your child was just born. Why are you still going out for business? Zhuo Yun glanced at Xu Ran, Do you suppose that so many people in my family dont need to eat or drink? I have only one shop and how can it support the whole family? Besides, Ive just got a precious baby in my family. I must try to earn some property for him, right? Well, Xu Ran rubbed his nose. Zhuo Yun had always acted very generously, so he had never thought of this. Xu Ran then asked, Which road are you planning to take this time? What are you selling? Zhuo Yun replied, Im going to the north. The people there like our food the most. Im going to sell something new. Im going out twice next year. Does Shuwen know it? Xu Ran asked. Zhuo Yun sighed and shook his head, I havent told him yet. Im afraid if he knows it, we cant be at ease during the spring festival. When he finished speaking, he noticed Xu Ran blinking at him. Zhuo Yun didnt react for a moment and asked, Ran, are you having a cramp in your eyes? However, he noticed Xu Ran blinking even more intensely, and he even squeezed his eyebrows together. Seeing that he said nothing, Zhuo Yun felt that it was a little strange. He guessed boldly and pointed behind him. Xu Ran nodded seemingly telling him you are toast. Although he had the guess, Zhuo Yun still wished for luck, Ran, you can lie to me. Shuwen is now feeding our baby. Xu Ran threw his hands open, I really didnt lie to you. If you dont believe me, you can look back. Shuwen is holding the baby in his arms. Zhuo Yun suddenly felt weak in his legs. He dared not turn back! Qin Shuwen walked to Zhuo Yun with the baby in his arms and stared at him fiercely, What did you mean by that sentence that if you told me we couldnt be at ease to celebrate the spring festival this year? Are you planning to take a concubine? Zhuo Yun hurriedly waved his hand and shook his head, No, no, Shuwen. Dont misunderstand me. I wont take a concubine. Qin Shuwen let out a sigh of relief when he heard that he was not taking a concubine, but his tone was still not very good, Then what were you talking about? Tell me! Zhuo Yun lowered his head, not daring to say anything. He felt that it was even more serious than his taking a concubine. Qin Shuwen saw that he couldnt get anything from Zhuo Yun, so he shifted the target to Xu Ran. Xu Ran also had his thoughts, so he said truthfully, Shuwen, I can testify that Zhuo Yun didnt say he wanted to take a concubine. We were talking about something else. Xu Ran paused and Qin Shuwen pressed anxiously, Xu Ran, whats the matter? If you dont tell me anything, Ill be really angry! Well, Zhuo Yun said that he was going out for business after the the spring festival. He was afraid that you would be worried after you knew it, so he didnt tell you, Xu Ran confessed and then he looked at Zhuo Yun apologetically. Zhuo Yun lowered his head and saw nothing. In the past, when Qin Shuwen didnt love Zhuo Yun, he never cared about when Zhuo Yun went out for business or when he came back. Moreover, he had never seen Zhuo Yun injured before, so he naturally wouldnt be concerned about him. However, it was different now. He and Zhuo Yun were now in deep love. In addition, Zhuo Yun had told him many dangerous things along the way on business. So upon hearing that Zhuo Yun was going out for business, his heart gave a sudden leap. He handed his baby to Xu Ran and walked up to Zhuo Yun. He raised his head, Zhuo Yun, tell me, did you really think so? Zhuo Yun nodded. Shuwen, I want to support the whole family, but the income from our store is definitely not enough. Thus I have to go out to do some business. Qin Shuwen froze up for a second. He had never cared about how much money his family would spend every day, where their money came from and even how many servants their Zhuo Mansion had. She couldnt help but feel a little sad. Seeing Qin Shuwens sudden depressed expression, Zhuo Yun knew what he was thinking. He held him in his arms and comforted him, Shuwen, I didnt mean to blame you. I just want you to live a life like this without worrying about anything. But I should care about these things. I didnt care about it before because I didnt want to at that time. Now, things are different. Yun, I know you have to support this family, but can we not go out for business? Dont we still have shops? I remember that when I got married here back then, my father had sent me two shops. Shall we do our own business here? Dont go out to do business. You used to tell me its so dangerous outside. Zhuo Yun hugged him even tighter. Xu Ran couldnt stand the scene anymore, so he held the baby in his arms and sat aside. Zhuo Yun said, Shuwen, I will only go out for business twice a year within the period of two months from now on. This way, Ill be able to stay at home with you and our baby for the rest of the year. If we run shops only, we cant make much money. Worse still, I have to go to the shop every day. Thus, Id rather go out for business. Qin Shuwen patted him on the head, But its safe to run your own stores. Once you leave home for business outside, you have to be away for a few months. We wont even know what your situation is outside. Can I not be worried? He didnt talk about this with Qin Shuwen in the past. At that time, he knew that Qin Shuwen wouldnt be worried about him, so he never told or sent a letter back to the family about his situation outside. In addition, it was troublesome to send a letter on the way when doing business. Hearing Qin Shuwens words, he really understood now that two months total loss of contact was a terrible thing. And he started to hesitate about his decision. Chapter 129 Xu Ran walked over with the child in his arms after listening for a while. Zhuo Yun, Shuwen, listen to me. I think Zhuo Yun should really make this business trip at the beginning of next year. As he has been making business trips for so many years, deep in his heart, he is sure that he could return safely. Zhuo Yun also said that the northern people love to eat food of the south. When he goes, we will prepare more novel stuff. He can earn a lot by this trip. But this will be the last trip, and it can be considered as your farewell one. I have an idea too. Next year, I plan to buy a hill at the back of my house, on which I can plant fruit trees. Except for the fragile ones, most fruits can be easily preserved for a long period of time. Thus I can sell them to the caravans to transport to the other places to sell, which will cover the profits for the whole year. I think our two families can cooperate to plant fruit trees together. I am already up to my neck in these affairs, and I have long planned to hire people, just not sure about the choices of persons. Since we all trust each other, and you can neither make the business trips any more, nor will you open your own shop. Why dont you work with me? Xu Ran quietly waited for their answers. Zhuo Yun was indeed a good partner, plus, they could get along. It would be best if they could cooperate. As soon as Xu Ran finished, Qin Shuwen said, It may work. Whats more, my eldest brother has his own channels to sell fruits. Then, there will be ready places to sell the fruits. Yun, how about working together with Xu Ran? In this case, you dont have to make the business trips. Zhuo Yun was also interested in Xu Rans offer, but buying a hill and fruit trees would cost them a lot. This business trip at the beginning of next year must be done. He thought about it and said to Xu Ran, Ran, if thats the case, then you should draft a detailed plan. Can I make the decision after reading it? Besides, you also have to prepare for me some fresh food. My family are counting on my trip next year. Xu Ran smiled. Dont worry, Ill prepare for you. Ill buy more hogs this year. When the time comes, Ill borrow a few of your people to make more sausages and preserved pork, which you can take to sell next year. Let me buy the hogs, and I will send some people here too, so you can instruct them what to do. Although I dont want to stand on ceremony with you, I will be ill at ease to trouble you too much. Xu Ran smiled. Its a wonder that you will be ill at ease. Buy hogs if you want to. Ill inform you when its time. Discuss it with Shuwen now. Ill go to visit Brother Qin first. After Xu Ran gave the child back to him, he left with another set of chess and a written moves instruction. Zhuo Mansion was not very far from Qin Shuwus shop, only a quarter of an hours walking distance. It was winter, so there were basically no fruits for sales in market. As the fruits in Qin Shuwus shop were all transported from elsewhere, which were rare in local market. Therefore, a lot of customers came, and the business was booming. When Xu Ran arrived, Qin Shuwu was doing accounts, and the clerks were greeting customers, so Xu Ran went in himself. Xu Ran thought that Qin Shuwu and Mr. Chen were of one kind, who were calculating on abacus all the time, which made one wonder how much money they really had. Xu Ran knocked on the counter. How much did you earn today? Qin Shuwu put down his abacus and said, Just look outside by yourself. I wont tell you anyway. What brings you here today? He fetched a chair himself and sat down. When do you think Im not free? Im here today to bring you something. Hearing that Xu Ran was bringing him something, Qin Shuwu showed interest immediately. He quickly asked, Is it food again? No wonder Qin Shuwen could think of eating every time he saw Xu Ran. It was indeed the family heritage. Xu Ran shook his head and Qin Shuwu, who had already stepped out of the counter, walked back in disappointment. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, speechless. He stood up and put the chess set on the counter. Its a plaything, not food. How come you always think about eating? Food is the first necessity of people. Why I cannot think about eating? It was very reasonable and true, and Xu Ran had nothing to say in reply. While he was speechless, Qin Shuwu opened the chess box. Then he took out the chessboard and two small boxes with chess pieces and asked Xu Ran curiously, What is this? Xu Ran opened the boxes of chess pieces and explained, This is chess. Its fun. I wrote the playing method down and you can read it yourself. Xu Ran said as he handed the game instruction of chess written in Zhuo Yuns house to Qin Shuwu. Then he added, Its simple. As long as you read it, you can understand. Qin Shuwu read for a while, looked at the chess pieces one by one, then put the instruction down and said, Its really interesting. Where did you get this stuff? Xu Ran waved his hand. It was not acquired from anyone else. Because Mr. Hu was bored, and I remembered what I had read in a book before, so I commissioned people to have it made. It is most suitable as old peoples entertainment, especially during the holidays and festivals. About your talent, I wont say anything again. The instruction really aroused my interest, but I still dont know how. You have to teach me. Xu Ran rolled up his sleeves, Of course. Itll take two people to play. After I teach you, you can go back to teach Sworn Dad and the others. Ill ask people to make one more set and send it to you in a few days. Qin Shuwu smiled. I dont know what youre up to. People who genuinely like this stuff will be willing to buy, but I am afraid few people know about it. Xu Ran shook his head. Brother Qin, youre mistaken. I really dont want to sell this now. I just want you to help me find someone who can engrave characters. I want to print some chess instructions. Otherwise, purely by handwriting, I dont know when I can finish them. Oh, talking about this, I happen to know a guy who has terrific engraving skills. How about this, Ill take you to his place now. As your stuff doesnt need to be very exquisite, it probably wont cost you a lot. Qin Shuwu said. Then can he read? Xu Ran was worried. Qin Shuwu looked at Xu Ran smilingly. Who told you that a carver must be literate? These peoples ability is in that they can carve whatever you show them, which has nothing to do with literacy. Xu Ran was a little dumbfounded, feeling that he had just asked a stupid question. Moreover, he really did not know that the one who was illiterate could also carve words. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said, Im ignorant. Then, Brother Qin, lets take a look. Alright, I will instruct some work to the clerks first. By the way, dont go back for lunch today. Join me for dinner, OK? Xu Ran looked at the sky outside. It was almost noon. He nodded, Then Ill sponge this meal off you. Qin Shuwu smiled, walked out of the door, and soon came back. He said to Xu Ran, Alright, lets go! Qin Shuwu led the way in front while Xu Ran followed behind. After walking for a while, he stopped before a very shabby house. Xu Ran looked at Qin Shuwu and asked, Is this the place? Qin Shuwu nodded and went to knock on the door. At the same time, he explained to Xu Ran, This persons craftsmanship is very good. His only defect is that he is addicted to gambling. Now in his thirties, he is still a bachelor. As he has lost most of his earnings on gambling table, he can only settle with this battered house. Without this bad habit, he will be much better off now. Xu Ran nodded. He knew that the occasional gamble was entertaining, while being addicted was another story. On second thought, Xu Ran asked, Then how do you know that he is at home now? Maybe he had gone out to gamble. Qin Shuwu said, No, he has lost all his money a few days ago. He even borrowed one tael of silver from me to buy rice. He wont gamble until he gets the next pay. The moment Qin Shuwu finished his words, the door opened. The person who opened the door had a ferret face. With a grass stalk in mouth, he mumbled impatiently, Who is it? As soon as he saw Qin Shuwu, he immediately changed a new look. Brother Qin, what brings you here? Youre not here to collect the debt, are you? Can you spare me a few more days? Which time have I ever collected debt from you? You always returned me the money and borrowed it again. Im here today to ask you to do me a favor, Qin Shuwu said. Brother Qin, your business is mine. Tell me ahead, as long as I am capable of it, I will try my best, the man said eagerly. What else can I ask you to do? Its nothing but to engrave some characters. This is my fathers sworn son, my younger brother, who wants to carve some characters. Take a look whether you can do it. Xu Ran, come over here. When Xu Ran heard Qin Shuwus words, he walked to his side and nodded at the person. Hello, Im Xu Ran. I want you to carve some booklets for me, only words. The man did not respond to Xu Rans words. He sized up Xu Ran for a while and said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, your younger brother is really gorgeous. Without the birthmark on his ear, I should have mistaken him to be Geer. Being said to be like Geer, although Xu Ran was not very happy, he was not pissed off. After all, he did not select this look by himself. Besides, he was a bit narcissistic for being envied. Qin Shuwu answered matter-of-factly, Your words are true. In our family, he is the most handsome one. So much for the nonsense. Just tell me whether you can carve this stuff or not! Qin Shuwu said as he handed the paper to him. Chapter 130 The man took the paper, had a look at it and then said, I only recognize a few simple characters on it, but there should not be any problem for me to carve them. Who will print it when its done? Qin Shuwu felt that it would be troublesome for Xu Ran to print it himself, so he said, You shall print it as well. Whats the price? Give me a reasonable number. The man smiled, Brother Qin, look at you, when had I charged you an unreasonable price? If not, my business here wont be this good. Qin Shuwu didnt take it seriously, If you have a good business, you wont have the time to gamble. So lets talk about the price. Brother Qin, dont be impatient. Ill put it this way, how about I charge you only one pence for carving one character, and another for printing one sheet. It sounded very cheap with one pence, but it would be a large amount of money for all, not to mention how many characters there would be on this paper. Even if he were to print one character in one piece of paper, they really couldnt afford it. Hearing that persons words, Qin Shuwu was a little angry, Zhao Mazi, you are not trying to scheme against me, are you? One pence for one word and one pence for one piece of paper. If I print a few hundred or thousand copies, I might need to give you my stall as payment? Seeing that Qin Shuwu was angry, the man turned meek and subservient, Brother Qin, dont be angry. Give me your price? Ill make it a deal no matter how much you ask? Since you said so, Ill set the price. There arent many characters on it. You can refer to this size of the paper. I will give you one or two taels of silver. As for the print, I have to print at least 100 copies and there might be more in the future. I will give you 10 taels of silver, and well see if I need more. And you shall buy the paper and ink yourself. This, this, Brother Qin, this is too little. Whoever carves would ask more than that, let alone the print. The man started to bargain. Do you think I dont know what you carve for others? Its just a few characters which would not cost you too much energy. Plus theres a lot of repeated characters on it. You just need to carve it once, and this is the best price I can give. Ive only come looking for you because I see that you dont have much work recently. If you dont do it, then Ill go find someone else! Qin Shuwu pretended to set out, so the man hurriedly stopped him, Dont, Brother Qin, you know that I dont have much business in such a cold day. Ill do it. Ill take as much as you say. We have a deal. After that person agreed, Qin Shuwu turned his eyes to Xu Ran. Xu Ran nodded. The price was within his acceptable range. He said, Then Brother Qin, lets have it your way. I just wonder when I will get the booklet. Ten days, Its quick for me to carve, but the printing will take some time. You can come and get it in ten days. the man said. Xu Ran asked again, Do you need a deposit first? The man waved his hand, No need. You are Brother Qins younger brother. You can pay when you come get it next time. Xu Ran cupped his hands together. Thank you. Alright, alright, I cant stand you pedantic guys. Im going back to work. Brother Qin, you shall return! Qin Shuwu didnt mind and left after speaking a few more words to Xu Ran. At noon, they had lunch at Qin Family. Qin Shuwu offered his chess as if he was offering a treasure, and even pushed Xu Ran out to explain the chess game to the two old people at home. Xu Ran had been very patient with the old. He explained patiently to the two. They both recognized some simple characters, so it was much faster to teach them than Mr. Hu. And there were two of them who could practice with each other. Although they were bumps in the process, they were enjoying themselves. After lunch, Qin Shuwu went to the shop. Xu Ran had nothing to do otherwise so he stayed with the two old people in the Qin Family. It was until about 5 oclock in the afternoon when the two old people could play with each other did Xu Ran return home. It was getting dark earlier and earlier, so it was better to go back early. He was all alone on his way home. Xu Ran had been in a hurry. Nevertheless, it was already dark when he reached home just in time for dinner. Xu Ran was planning to go to Xu Ans house and tell him about starting to make chess. There was no flashlight in this place. It was completely dark after dinner. Liu Tong stopped Xu Ran when he saw the sky outside. Ran, its already dark. Wait till tomorrow morning. Theres no need to rush. At this hour Wu Mei and the rest might have gone to bed. Xu Ran nodded after thinking about it, Fine, Ill go again tomorrow. Its getting colder and colder. Remember to ask Shao Yu to start saving fire stone, or there wont be enough next month. I know, I had told him about it and I had told Shao Yu how to arrange everything at home. I cant help you with things outside but I wont have you worry about things at home. Liu Tong felt a bit embarrassed when he said it. Seeing him like this, Xu Ran felt that he might have started to overthink it, so he hugged him and kissed him, Tongtong, how can you say that? You are a great contributor to our family. You must be tired from carrying such a big belly. He has been torturing you for so long. You just need to give birth to the baby in your stomach. I have got everything else under cover. Liu Tong touched his stomach and smiled gently. Hes coming out in a month. Ran, do you want a Geer or a boy? Xu Ran touched his chin and thought about it seriously, I had already had two boys. I kinda hope that I could have a Geer whom I would spoil a little, but if it is a boy, I wont dislike either. Just deliver it, dont worry! Liu Tong rolled his eyes at Xu Ran. No one talks like you do. What do you mean by not dislike? Even if its a boy, you need to treat him as well as Tangtang Guoguo. Seeing that Liu Tong was getting angry, Xu Ran quickly nodded, Yes, I definitely will. Liu Tong gave him a forgiving look. He paused for a moment and then asked, Ran, we havent given the child a name yet. I dont know if its a Geer or a boy, but he should have a nickname anyway! Nickname, there should be one, but Tongtong, I want to know how you came up with the names of Tangtang and Guoguo. I wanna eat them whenever I hear the names! Liu Tong smiled embarrassedly when he mentioned it, On the day I gave birth to Tangtang and Guoguo, Wu Mei came to see me. He stuffed me a candy in my hand. I looked at that candy and thought that you wouldnt name the child and neither would dad-in-law and daddy-in-law so I would have to name him myself. And it happened to be a twins and Wu Mei had given me a candy in hand so I might as well name them Tangtang and Guoguo. Ran, Tangtang and Guoguo dont have formal names yet. When he said the last sentence, he unconsciously felt a little sad that they still didnt have formal names. In fact, Xu Ran has always thought that there were. Although he didnt know their names in his memory, he believed that there should be names. However, since everyone called them Tangtang and Guoguo, Xu Ran did not give it much thoughts. After all, every child had a name when they were born or before they were born. Xu Ran said in a daze, Then Ill give the baby inside you a nickname first, and Ill think about the formal names for three of them, alright? Liu Tong nodded. Okay, then what do you have in mind for the nickname? Xu Ran recalled those protagonists who ran away pregnant in the romance drama and thought that calling him ball was actually quite good. It got turned down by Liu Tong for the reason of the name being weird. There was no ball in this era, not even Cuju (an ancient Chinese game which is thought to have been the earliest form of football), and the character ball had never been seen, which was indeed quite strange. Xu Ran tilted his head and thought for a while, Then what about Baozi (bun)? Let our son grow as white and fat as a bun. But isnt Mantou (steamed bun) even more like that? Liu Tong asked. Xu Ran started to explain to Liu Tong, You dont know it. Think about it, Mantou is quite big and white. What if our son grows as fat as steamed bun in the future? But whats it different from Baozi? Baozi is also fat and white. Of course its different, Xu Ran said righteously, Baozi has fillings, and Mantou doesnt. If Baozi has no fillings, he would definitely be skinnier. My son can be fat when he is a child, but he cannot be fat when he grows up. Liu Tong pondered for a while and felt that what Xu Ran said made sense, so he did not refute anymore. Therefore, the childs nickname was settled. Baozi. After deciding the nickname, he should think about a formal name. It was really a hard job. Xu Ran racked his brain and thought about it for a long time without anything satisfying. Liu Tong suddenly said to Xu Ran, Ran, how about we name the child in our belly Xu Nian, meaning that hes always be in our mind. Xu Nian, Xu Ran repeated in a low voice, and then happily kissed Liu Tong, Tongtong, you are so smart. Whether he is a Geer or a boy, itll do and Its enjoyable to the ears. Liu Tong smiled embarrassedly and was very happy with Xu Rans approval. Xu Ran continued, Then well name Tangtang Xu Qing, Guoguo Xu Mu. I admire you, Tongtong! (Qing Mu means admiration) Liu Tong became even shyer after hearing it, but the smile on his face became more obvious. The formal names of the three children were settled. Tangtang was called Xu Qing, Guoguo was called Xu Mu, and Baozi was called Xu Nian. Chapter 131 The couple set the names happily and told Tangtang and Guoguo the next day. Tangtang and Guoguo asked in puzzlement, Dad, we have already got names. Why do you give us new names? Xu Ran explained, Those are just your nicknames. Now, you have formal names. I will take the document to the town and register you soon. Daddy says that you havent been registered yet. He said and felt sad because the children had been unregistered citizens for so many years. On the other hand, it was quite normal here. Most people here did not get registered until adulthood because if a person got registered, another share of head tax must be paid. Therefore, many children would not get registered until they turned 15. The Yamen runners did not run it that strictly, so the farmers could still make a living. Tangtang and Guoguo heard those were formal names and understood it because they had been told by others that everyone had two names, a nickname used when they were young, and a formal name used when they grew up. Xu Ran started to bid Tangtang and Guoguo again, If people ask what your names are in the future, tell them your formal names, remember? If it is someone from our village, you still tell your nicknames, which would be a little more friendly. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded and agreed. After Xu Ran finished talking with Tangtang and Guoguo, he followed them to the mountain and ran for two laps as exercise. Then, he went home for breakfast. After breakfast, Xu Ran went to Xu Ans and asked him to start preparing for the chess. Xu An was surprised that Xu Ran said they could make Chinese chess now, Ran, will anyone buy the chess after it is done? It needs to be dyed and carved, and it takes no less time than making a wheelbarrow. Xu Ran said, Dont worry about this. Ive already got an idea. You just need to do it, and then you charge a price for set and Ill pay you according to the quantity. Xu An calculated it roughly, Its more troublesome to dye and carve, but its faster to do it when we familiarized ourselves with it. Its done by a few masters who have signed the contract. How about 50 pence a set, Ran? Fifty pence was not bad. He could do a lot this month and he would not suffer any loss anyway. Now he got apprentices here, so they could help chopping trees. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, We cant treat these apprentices too badly. I think we should pay each person 50 pence every month. Anyway, they just work here for months when farming is not busy every year. In busy farming seasons, they just go home to work. Xu An nodded in agreement when he thought that chopping trees was tiresome, but he didnt ask Xu Ran to increase the price. Xu Ran said himself, I will pay them all the salaries for the two months of making the chess. Xu An pondered for a moment before nodding, OK.. After they set the price, Xu Ran and Xu An talked about the size of the chess. They decided to make it in many sizes. What they had made before was in medium size, not small, but it was not convenient to carry. It was best to do something that could be carried easily. For the smaller ones, it would be more expensive. After all, the characters on the small ones were very hard to carve. Fortunately, there were not too many different characters. After they got familiar, it would be easier. These words were engraved by Xu An in person, which took him great effort and time. The point was that he couldnt read much. Xu Ran specifically asked him to engrave simplified Chinese characters, and he managed with an effort at Xu Rans instruction. Otherwise, Xu Ran wouldnt have given the game carving of chess to someone else. Xu Ran left the errand of chess to Xu An, so he just needed to make some time to take a look here every day. When Xu Ran came home, he saw the village head standing outside the door with no intention of entering. Xu Ran greeted him with a smile, What brings you by, village head? When the village head saw Xu Ran, he stood up and said, Xu Ran, you should come to the town with me today to settle the issue of tax exemption. In the next few days, Yamen runners will come to collect taxes. Xu Ran scratched his head. He did forget about this. They had come here for collecting taxes at about the same time last year! Even though it was not yet the time to pay taxes, the land was counted in, so it was best to settle this as soon as possible. Xu Ran said to him, OK, lets go now. Ill go and tell Tongtong first. The village head waved his hand and said, Okay, go. Ill wait for you here. Xu Ran ran into the house and told Liu Tong that he was going to the town to settle the tax exemption. He took the Xiucai certificate and the landbook and title deed of the family. After that, he went to the stable to lead Big Black out and started to set up the cart. Big Black had been working frequently recently, and basically it went to the town every other day. So, when it was pulled out again, it expressed its dissatisfaction and sneezed at Xu Ran loudly. Xu Ran gave it a slap. Be calm. You dont have to come out when it snows. Big Black lowered its head in grievance, and Xu Ran rubbed its head again, comforting it. After the cart was set up, Xu Ran led Big Black out of the yard. He waited at the front gate until the village head got in, and then they rushed to the town. When they arrived at Yamen, Xu Ran found that there were actually about ten people in line at the place for tax exemption, old and young. It seemed they had received the news. Xu Ran waited patiently. It was very troublesome to get a tax exemption. He had to register all the farmlands under his name and record the time of buying one by one. When it was Xu Rans turn, the officer glanced at the time of him buying the last forty mu and couldnt help taking a second look. The village head stood beside him and said, Sir, this is the case. This land had been chosen for a long time. However, Xu Ran went for Provincial Examination at that time and didnt have time to buy it. He was busy after he came back, plus his spouse was pregnant, so he couldnt come to the town to pay for the title deed. Thats why he is a little late now. The village head spoke with caution and he quietly stuffed some silver to the officer, so the officer stopped questioning, and Xu Ran got to avoid more trouble. After leaving the yamen, Xu Ran immediately returned the silver to the village head and thanked him, Thank you for your help just now, villiage head. The village head waved his hand. Not at all. I am the village head anyway and I should help you with this. Thank you anyway. Its noon now, so lets go for lunch before returning. How about the restaurant I invited you to last time? Lets go! Xu Ran was talking about Mr. Chens restaurant, so the village head naturally remembered it. When he heard Xu Rans words, the village head clearly recalled something and agreed without hesitation. Xu Ran and the village chief went to Mr. Chens restaurant together. Xu Ran would take away some silver every time he came. It was rare that he would spend money here, so Mr. Chen was very happy. Xu Ran didnt know what to order. He just asked the shopkeeper to serve three or four signature dishes except potatoes, which was enough for them. The chef in Mr. Chens restaurant was really good at cooking. In modern times, he would be at least a four-star chef. Xu Ran also asked a pot of arrack for the village head to let him drink slowly. They were talking about planting potatoes next year over lunch. It took almost two hours for this meal. While paying the bill, the shopkeeper secretly asked Xu Ran to send him potatoes. Xu Ran smiled and said, Rest assured, Mr. Chen. Ill send them to you tomorrow. There will be good things for you when its winter. Anyway, Mr. Chen was very happy as long as he heard something good, so he gave Xu Ran a discount on his meal. They were both very happy. Xu Ran took a glance and saw a familiar figure in the shop across as he went out, who seemed to be Du Xin pretty much. As Xu Ran wanted to take a closer look, the man had already entered that cloth shop. Xu Ran couldnt see the figure again. He felt that he had misread it. After all, Du Xin had never mentioned that he had any relative here, and it was unlikely that Du Xin had come to see him! Xu Ran shook his head and felt that he was thinking too much. It was probably another person with a similar figure. After all, he didnt see his face. Xu Ran stopped thinking. He quickly caught up with the village head in front and they went home. Three days later. Yamen runners struck the gong and went to the village to collect grains. Xu Ran found that as long as something big happened in this era, the gong would be struck. But he also admitted that it was the best way to inform everyone as fast as possible. When the yamen runners came to collect grains, they were merciless. Farmers must hand in grains strictly. For families with many people and much land, the days after handing in grains would be harsh, let alone families with many people but little land. There was a lot of noise, but no one dared disobey or insult the soldiers. Xu Rans house was at the end of the village, and the yamen runners collected grains from the entrance of the village to the end. The yamen runners saw the Xu Rans house and said something with a smile. They didnt know that Xu Ran was Xiucai. They just speculated that the family must be rich according to the good house, so they could collect more grains, which was good for them. On the other hand, Xu Ran seemed to have been waiting for this moment, the best time to show himself off. Xu Ran took out his Xiucai certificate and the tax exemption paper that he had got in the yamen a few days ago. He even smiled and said, Nice to meet you, sir. Although these yamen runners worked for the government, they had no titles, so after knowing that Xu Ran was a Xiucai, they naturally became politer to him. The head yamen runner looked the two copies of documents, confirmed that they were real and gave them back to Xu Ran, Sorry to disturb you, lord. You dont have to pay taxes, and were leaving now. He then waved his hand to the people behind him, Lets go. Xu Ran bowed, Goodbye, sir. After the yamen runners left, Xu Ran strolled back to the house. Fortunately, the villagers were busy weighing their own grains today and no one followed the yamen runners to join in the fun, otherwise Xu Ran would have been envied by many people again. Chapter 132 By the middle of November, when they got up in the morning, the ground was already white because of the frost. The frosty season was really cold. Xu Ran even wanted stay in bed every morning. On the contrary, Tangtang and Guoguo was very spirited. They followed Gao Quan to go up to the mountain every day and learned some simple Kungfu moves. But no matter how cold it was, they still had to get up and work. From now on, they could start to collect the chestnuts on the mountain. It was just the right time for that. The people in the village werent too busy now. Most of Geers stayed at home to make winter clothes. Some of the men also began to prepare to go to the town and find some short-time jobs to do before Spring Festival so that they could earn money for it. The smarter ones started to hoard chestnuts early, and most of them sold chestnuts to Xu Ran last year. For the division of labor, Xu Ran still planned to use the same method as last year. However, this year, the person in his family who would collect the chestnuts would be Shao Yu, and Gao Quan would go to other villages to collect chestnuts for him. As for Xu Ran, he planned to look after Liu Tong at home, and start to look for a mid-spouse. The mid-spouse was the person who specially help the pregnant man deliver the baby. They all had given birth to kids, so they were called mid-spouses, which meant the same thing as midwives, just called differently. The clothes for the baby to wear were prepared by Shao Yu and Liu Tong long ago. Xu Ran didnt know much all these things and only wanted the baby to have something to wear. The child would be born in winter, so the house had to be prepared with hot water, otherwise it would be freezing cold if they had to wash the diapers with cold water. Not only that, but also the hogs at home and the ones that were bought by Zhuo Yuns family could be killed for meat now. Also, the bacon and sausages had to be prepared before next month. It would take some time for them to finish all the work. Mid-spouse and pig slaughterer could be found in the village. As long as they were notified in advance, they would come on time. Zhuo Yun also said that he would buy the hogs. When it was time, he would bring them to his house and then send them over to Xu Ran personally. The thing that Xu Ran was busy with right now was to start preparing for the condiments. People would only buy the sausages if the taste was good, so it would definitely take time for him to work on that. Xu Ran went to the town to buy a lot of ingredients as well as meat and then tried it one by one. If it was not good enough, he would roast the meat and gave to Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran toiled for two days to get the taste that he wanted, and Tangtang and Guoguo ate a lot of roasted meat in the past two days; both of them even had diarrhea. They were lying on the bed and complaining about the stomachache so Xu Ran kicked himself hard for it, and then Tangtang and Guoguo actually had to comfort him in turn. In that case, Xu Ran no longer allowed them to eat roasted meat. Even if he had to taste it, he would eat it himself. Fortunately, he finally got the right flavor. Xu Ran has prepared three flavors for the sausages. The first one was spicy, which was suitable for people in their town to eat, and the second one was sweet, which was for the people from Guangdong and Guangxi. The last one was just salty, without many condiments. People in some places liked light taste, so a little bit salty should be enough. Some other people also knew to make bacon. But sausages were a bit rare, especially because the meat should be smoked. As long as the sausages got smoked well, it would smell much better than the dried ones. The best practice for smoked meat was to use cypress branches. Xu Ran figured that he couldnt just smoke the meat at their house because the smoke would be too heavy, and it was bad for Liu Tongs health. So he had to find another place. When the construction team left, Xu Ran did not let them tear down the shed. He thought that if someone suddenly passed by one day, it would not be nice for him to take shelter temporarily. It was quite sturdy after all. When Xu Ran thought about this, he went out to see check on the shed. The place to cook was also spacious. As long as he put on a shelf on it, he could put the meat and sausages on the shelf. On the eighteenth, Xu Ran went to the town with Wu Mei to send some chestnuts to Zhuo Yun as well as Qin Family, and told Zhuo Yun to send him pork in the next two days to start preparing the smoked meat. He also specifically reminded Zhuo Yun to keep everything inside the hogs belly and send them to him if Zhu Yun didnt know how to handle them. Zhuo Yun heard Xu Ran say that the things in hogs belly could be eaten, so he remembered this. He nodded as an acknowledgement. Xu Ran also sent a lot of chestnuts to Mr. Chen. Last year, the chestnut chicken was sold very well, so Mr. Chen contacted Xu Ran since the beginning of November. Xu Ran said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, you can buy some bacon for the next few days. Choose the kind of meat that are mostly fat with a little bit of lean. I will bring you some good stuff the next time I come. But you dont have to buy too much. Ill bring some of my smoked meat to you when its ready. Mr. Chen was very curious about the good stuff that Xu Ran planned to bring to him, but Xu Ran didnt say what it was, which made Mr. Chen feel kinda unpleasant. On the nineteenth, Xu Ran began to kill hogs. The pig slaughterer was hired from the village, and he would bring the helper himself. So Xu Ran just needed to prepare some boiled water. Xu Ran got up early to boil water, and then sent Liu Tong out, asking him to go to Wu Meis house with the two children for a while. After killing the hogs, he would go to pick them up. Xu Ran was mainly afraid that Liu Tong would be scared by the hogs screams, and then it might further affect the baby. So Liu Tong didnt refuse and left with the two children. The two hogs were pulled out of the pigsty and sent to the stool. The chopper knife went in and out of their bodies and the screams were so loud that made people scared. There was also a huge pool of blood on the floor. The blood that had been collected with a basin could become blood curds, which could be eaten after being boiled in the pots. After the hog was killed, they started to put the meat into the boiled water, remove its hair and then take out its organs. Wu Mei and the others went to the town to sell chestnuts, so they couldnt come to help. There were only Xu Ran and Shao Yu who could work at home, so they ran around to help the pig slaughterers, and barely cut all the meat until noon. They had to keep the things inside the stomach. The pig slaughterers were originally going to throw that all away, but Xu Ran stopped them, because those things in the belly could be eaten. Xu Ran asked the pig slaughterers to keep them, and then he instructed them to deal with those things. It was a bit troublesome, but Xu Ran said that they wouldnt bargain of the pig slaughter price. Xu Ran also told the pig slaughterers that if other people had hogs intestines that they didnt want, he would pay three pence for a basket of that. The pig slaughterers were naturally willing to do such a business with no costs. At this time of the year, they would kill four or five hogs every day in this village along with the other villages. It wouldnt take much effort to collect many pig intestines. Xu Ran took Liu Tong and the children back during lunch. Wu Mei and the rest had lunch at their house too. They had to invite people to eat the meal for pig slaughtering, but not everyone in the village, only some families close to them. No one came to help cook today, so Xu Ran didnt invite anyone else besides Wu Meis family and a few pigs slaughterers. There were around three tables of people in total. After lunch, the pig slaughterers packed up their things and left. Wu Mei and the other Geers stayed to help Xu Ran to prepare the meat. All the meat had to be sprinkled with salt, and they also had to cut off the lean meat that was about to be used in the sausages. There was actually a lot of work to do. Wu Meis family and the other two families had only raised one hog for themselves to eat. So they would wait until the next month to kill it and the meat would still be fresh by the Spring Festival. Xu Ran left one hog to make smoked meat for his own family, and the other hogs lean meat was cut off by pieces for making the sausages. The condiments that Xu Ran had been working on for two days could finally be used. The smell was really great, especially after adding the pepper powder and chilli powder onto the meat, and roasting it on the fire for a while. It began to smell pretty nice. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at the meat and wanted to eat, but Xu Ran reminded them seriously about the last time they had diarrhea. Then the two kids just reluctantly gave up and went out of the door hand in hand to avoid the temptation. Liu Tong also wanted to eat, but Xu Ran still didnt let him. Ill roast some for you after you give birth. After thinking for a while, he promised, Itll definitely be better than this. Liu Tong smelt the meat again, thinking about the roasted meat that would be even better than this, and agreed. He just sat on the side, helped to pierce the prepared sausages with needle and put strings on them. The tool that Xu Ran used to make the sausages was a bamboo tube. He cut down a small bamboo, took the hollow part in the middle, and smoothed it out. Then he put the small intestines on the bamboo tube and stuffed meat into the bamboo tube. Once the meat was enough it would naturally be filled into the intestines. There were almost 250 kilograms of meat with the two hogs combined together, and there was a huge basket of intestines, just enough to be filled with one hogs lean meat. The five Geers didnt finish preparing the sausages until when they were so tired that they couldnt even lift their hands. Of course, Xu Ran was very busy with running around to bring the tools, preparing the condiments and helping out. By the time they were finally done with this, it was already dark outside. There were still leftovers of the lunch, so Xu Ran asked Wu Mei and the others to stay for dinner. When they left, Xu Ran gave each one of them a piece of fat meat. Xu Ran thought that apart from the twice-cooked pork, fat meat always tasted uninteresting, so he generously gave away his portion. Xu Ran also left a helping for Xu Houcai and prepared to send it to him early tomorrow morning. The last time at the village heads place, Xu Houcai told him to stop by some time, and he was not just saying it. Xu Ran was still thinking about letting Xu Houcai go to the mountains and collect chestnuts too so that when he went to buy the chestnuts, he could pay Xu Houcai more money for respect. However, Xu Houcai was not a young man after all. Besides, there was no one to take care of him, so Xu Ran was afraid that something might happen if he went up to the mountains. Therefore, Xu Ran never mentioned it. He still had to think of some other ways. Chapter 133 In the morning, Xu Ran went to Xu Houcai to send him the pork. Xu Ran knocked on the door and it was Xu Cheng who opened the door. Xu Ran didnt speak to Xu Cheng; instead, he went into the house directly and handed the pork to Xu Houcai, I slaughtered a hog yesterday, dad. Heres some pork. Please let me know it if you need more. Xu Cheng had been watching at the door. Xu Ran would have given Xu Houcai some lucky money, but since Xu Cheng was staring at them, Xu Ran gave up the idea and planned to do it the next time. Without any hesitation, Xu Ran left. When he went out, he saw Elder Daddy Xu coming out of another room. Elder Daddy Xu always scolded Xu Ran when he saw the latter. This time, he immediately cursed, The short-lived bastard. Xu Ran ignored him and went out of the house quickly. When he got home, he saw that Zhuo Yun was guiding a group of people to move things into his house. Xu Ran walked behind him and patted him, Are you sending pork to me? Zhuo Yun jumped up from the shock caused by Xu Ran. He turned around and found that it was Xu Ran; then he patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. He complained about Xu Ran, You scared me to death! How can you be so silent! Dont do that in the early morning! Its horrible! Xu Ran rubbed his nose and replied, Youre not able to hear my footsteps because youre shouting too loudly. How can you blame me! Anyway, your houses quite well-built. It looks more imposing than my house. You must have spent a lot of money on it! Xu Ran felt kinda proud of it anf said, Its well worth the cost. Go inside and take a look. I promise you will found it nicer. Hearing Xu Rans words, Zhuo Yun walked inside the house with him. When they reached the courtyard, Zhuo Yun was stunned. The house had actually two floors, although it seemed to be a single-floored house with a relatively high roof when Zhuo Yun judged from its appearance. The rooms on two floors were arranged neatly and nicely. There was also a stone table and some stone stools in the yard. Besides, several trees were planted, which could provide cool places in the hot summer. The house was surrounded by the yard, and there were doors at the front and back of the yard. Zhuo Yun felt he liked it at the very sight of the design of the house. He asked Xu Ran, Tell me who designed and constructed this house, Ran. I really want a house like it. Xu Ran saw Zhuo Yuns sparkling eyes. Xu Ran replied, It was designed by myself and constructed by a construction team I invited from the town. Xu Ran continued, Its spacious here. You can live here if you intend to cooperate with me to plant fruit trees next year. It would be convenient for you! Zhuo Yun thought about it and felt delighted. It must be nice to live here. Most importantly, Qin Shuwen must be happy to live here too, and their baby could play with Xu Rans baby. It couldnt be better! He even wanted to live here now. While he was excited, Xu Ran patted him. Alright, wake up please. Lets talk about it later. Now you should tell me how many hogs you bought, how many people you sent to me and how much bacon and sausage you need? The sudden change of the theme of their conversation made Zhuo Yun a little dissatisfied. He pouted, I bought five hogs and five people over here. As for the bacon and sausage, Im not sure its up to you! Hearing that, Xu Ran felt speechless. Five hogs! Does this guy regard everyone as pigs? He has no idea how much pork it would be! And what does he mean by five people? Five hogs for five people? How naive! Seeing that Xu Ran opened his mouth wide when he heard five hogs, Zhuo Yun also realized that he had really bought too much. After all, his housekeeper had also persuaded him about that. He explained to Xu Ran immediately, Yes, I bought five hogs, but I wont send all of them to you at once. After you tackle one, Ill send another to you, okay? Xu Ran rolled his eyes angrily, Could I say no? Youve bought them. How many hogs have you sent here today? Zhuo Yun stretched out a finger. Just one. My housekeeper said that you wouldnt have enough place for five hogs, so he advised me to send only one this time. Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. If five hogs came at once, he would probably throw them outside the door. Although he had a big house, it wasnt for hogs! He had only prepared two wooden buckets for the pork. His own hpg took up more than half of a bucket, and the rest empty bucket would be able to contain two hogs at most. It seemed that he had to borrow more wooden buckets. And he had to manage to protect these pork from burglars. How troublesome! Xu Ran applied his minds. Meanwhile, Zhuo Yun began to visit Xu Rans house. When Xu Ran came back to his senses, he found some pork had been already piled in his kitchen, and there had been also a pile of hogs internal organs that had not been treated in a basket. Next to the pork stood three Geers and two men, and they were people sent by Zhuo Yun. Looking at the pile of pork, Xu Ran felt a headache. He had just finished his pork task yesterday, and he had to continue this task for Zhuo Yun today. Maybe he would still have to deal with pork for a long time, but fortunately, he didnt have to turn to people like Wu Mei for help. Xu Ran called Shao Yu over here and asked him to guide these people to work. Besides, he told them about the things they needed in kitchen. He went to seek for Zhuo Yun and at the same time, arranged rooms for these servants to live. There were quite a lot of guest rooms and beds, while no enough comforters, so Zhuo Yun would have to send these peoples comforters over here. Zhuo Yun had already visited each corner of Xu Rans house, and then he went to the living room to play chess with Mr. Hu. Tangtang, Guoguo and Liu Tong watched from the side. Xu Ran had prepared a brazier in their living room for Mr. Hu, Liu Tong and his two children, lest that they would feel cold. Besides a chair, there was also a summer bed with a soft cotton quilt in the living room for Mr. Hu. Then, Zhuo Yun sized up the house while playing chess with curiosity on his face. Xu Ran walked up to Zhuo Yun and told him, You have to bring something here, Zhuo. Your servants will live here, and I could provide rooms and beds for them, but I dont have enough quilts. Its not economical to buy them new quilts because they wont live here for long. Maybe you can go back to your house and bring their quilts here, or ask your servants to help you do it. OK! Ill get someone to go back and send their quilts here. Ill go home after lunch and Im playing chess with Mr. Hu. Youre busy now, right? Go ahead. Dont worry about me. How can this guy speak like a host? Xu Ran thought. Xu Rans face darkened, Dont forget that Im the host here, okay? Besides, I have something to ask you. Did your servants bring enough clothes and daily necessities? Did you tell them that they would have to stay here for some time? Zhuo Yun shook his head. Nope. I just told them to pack their things up. Anyway, when they were leaving for your home, everyone had a bag in his hands, but I dont know the things inside. Then, Zhuo Yun threw up his hands. Xu Ran felt angry and somehow, amused. He didnt expect that Zhuo Yun was so unreliable. Then, he ignored Zhuo Yun and went to find these people by himself. Xu Ran first went to the kitchen and asked what the five servants had brought with them. Some of them brought nothing but a few clothes, while others had prepared everything. Xu Ran asked those who needed more things to follow him to turn to the carter, who had gone to feed the horse in the stable after removing all the things. Xu Ran said to the carter, Could you do me a favor, buddy? These guys will live here for some days, but they didnt bring enough daily necessities with them, and they dont have quilts. Could you take the two back and bring their quilts over here? The carter said with a smile on his face, Just call me Ma, Mester Xu. Dont worry. Ill go now! Xu Ran nodded. Thanks. Maybe you can have lunch here if youre quick enough. Alright, lets go now, the carter replied Xu Ran and left with the two servants. It was getting late. Xu Ran went to the kitchen again and asked Shao Yu to deal with the internal organs of the hog with the other three servants. After that, the lunch should be prepared. In fact, there must be enough meat to eat during the winter and lunar November and December. After all, each family would raise hogs, and they would also be invited to eat meat by others. Ever since Shao Yu came to Xu Rans home, the latter hadnt needed to care about the affairs in the kitchen. He wouldnt cook meals by himself unless Liu Tong wanted him to do it. Now, Xu Ran would be more free, as he had more helpers. After telling Shao Yu to prepare the lunch, Xu Ran went to the living room to find Liu Tong, and then he took Zhuo Yuns servants to their rooms. It is no problem for two men to live in the same room, but it would be inappropriate for three Geers to share one room. However, they might feel scared if they lived alone. After all, they were quite young, and the room in this house was painted with white, which made the room look emptier. Finally, Xu Ran and Liu Tong discussed it and let the three Geers live in one room. They assigned a larger room with a bigger bed, which was enough for the three. Then, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun to check the rooms for proving to the latter that Xu Ran was quite nice to his servants. Zhuo Yun said that these servants lived in an even better place than he did. Looking at the room with only a bed and a window, Xu Ran found no words to refute. Chapter 134 The little horse ran quickly and happened to be back at lunchtime. Xu Ran and the others laughed because of that. After lunch, Zhuo Yun went home, and Xu Ran led a group of people to work on sausage making business in the kitchen. Two men went to marinate the fat meat, which was actually not difficult. They just had to apply salt on the meat and wipe it evenly. In general, it was much simpler than to stuff sausages. These two men were also efficient workers in Zhuo Yuns house. Xu Ran taught them only once, and they could pick it up. As for stuffing sausages, Xu Ran initially wanted to cut the lean meat into pieces first, and no matter whether the amount of small intestines was enough or not, prepare the condiments in advance. Then they could wait for the pig slaughterer to send the small intestines over to continue stuffing work. These Geers had never made sausages before. They watched the meat going into the bamboo tube bit by bit, and then the intestines bulged. They all felt interested and scrambled to do it themselves. Seeing them arguing, Xu Ran just let them take turns and decide by rock-paper-scissors. This workload was not small. He was afraid that their passion would soon wear off, and then they would not want to do it anymore. Fortunately, these Geers passion for this lasted for a long time. When the intestines were all stuffed, they still havent complained about tiredness, which was kind of impressive. At night, the pig slaughterer brought Xu Ran three small baskets of small intestines. Xu Ran paid nine pence according to the price that they had agreed, and told them to bring more intestines over tomorrow if they had more. The lean meat of one hog for suasage making needed at least two baskets of intestines. There were three hogs that could be used to make sausages, so it should be enough if Xu Ran got more intestines tomorrow. If there was more than enough, he could still use the rest to make other dishes. The intestines wouldnt be wasted anyway. When the bedtime came at night, Xu Ran told these people about their rooms. He could not care much about the two men, but the three Geers needed more attention. He added two oil lamps to their room, and he was worried they might feel cold, so he brought them an extra piece of quilt. Such an attentive person naturally caught the eyes of these Geers. Even though they knew that Xu Ran had a spouse and children, they still wanted to attract him. Xu Ran was different from Zhuo Yun. They had been in the Zhuo Mansion for several years, and they all knew that young master Zhuo was only focused on Qin Shuwen. Even if they had the intention, they wouldnt get any attention from Zhuo Yun. However, Xu Ran treated them very well, and he was gentle and considerate. In addition, his spouse was pregnant now, so he definitely couldnt serve Xu Ran anymore. Besides, very few men were likely not to cheat on their spouses. They looked better than Liu Tong, so they didnt believe that Xu Ran could resist the temptation. The three of them didnt say it out, but they just thought about the same thing, which could be considered as a fantasy or something else. Xu Ran had been sneezing ever since he returned to his room. Liu Tong thought that he caught cold and even wanted to look for a doctor. Xu Ran hurriedly stopped Liu Tong who was about to going out and rubbed his own nose. Tongtong, Im fine. I just feel a little itchy on my nose. Maybe someone might be talking about me. Liu Tong streatched out his hand and touched Xu Rans forehead. He only felt relieved after confirming Xu Ran didnt have a fever. Then he asked Xu Ran, Ran, who do you think is talking about you? Did you think too much? Xu Ran continued to rub his nose, Its scarier that I dont even know why theyre thinking about me. I wish I know. All right, you dont have overthink it. I was just saying. Lets sleep early. Your stomach is getting bigger and bigger. You have to rest well. Okay. Liu Tong nodded and lay down beside Xu Ran when he saw that Xu Ran didnt want to talk more about this. Both of them didnt sleep well all night. Zhuo Yun went to Xu Rans house five days in a row, and Xu Ran didnt go out for five days, either. He stayed in the kitchen, and only finished an initial process of dealing with all the big pieces of meat. As for the other inner organs, there was no time to deal with them. Only a few of them got cleaned up and kept in the containers. He didnt have time to soak those things in water and handle them. These Geers didnt know that those things had to be processed first, and the smell was also poignant so Xu Ran didnt let them do it. He just took the two men to clean it up. It took two more days to finish all that work. Xu Ran felt that it was almost done, so he intended to send these people back. Those three Geers were stunned when they heard that they were going back. They hadnt found a chance to get close to Xu Ran yet. If they returned to Zhuo Mansion, they wouldnt have any chance either because they had to work in the backyard while Xu Ran wouldnt go in there. The two men had no objection. They were originally sold to Zhuo Mansion, and the contracts of selling them was also in Zhuo Yuns hands. They should go back without doubt. Xu Ran told them in the afternoon,indicating that they should go back tomorrow. In the eyes of these three Geers, tonight was the only chance. After dinner, they said they want to wander around in the yard and asked Xu Ran to go with them. Xu Ran didnt have much temper and never put on the airs when he were with them. Since they said so, he went with them but didnt let Liu Tong go as well. After all, the yard was dark. It would be bad if Liu Tong stepped on something like cobbles and got injured. Shao Yu was busy too, so he did not go with Xu Ran. Naturally, Gao Quan stayed with Shao Yu. The two children said it was cold and they wanted to keep warm in the bed. The two men were playing Chinese chess with Mr. Hu. They picked it up in the past few days at Xu Rans house. Therefore, the only ones left were Xu Ran and the three Geers. These Geers were younger than Xu Ran. Besides, Xu Ran had a family, so he never thought too much. When he arrived at the yard, Xu Ran felt something was wrong. Originally, they were sitting at the stone table in the yard and chatting, while enjoying the breeze and appreciating the moon, although it was not suitable to do this at this time of the year. However, since the three Geers didnt say anything, Xu Ran couldnt speak, but things got weird later. The Geers complained about the coldness and leaned closer to Xu Ran. They had their own plans in their minds. Nonetheless, seeing the other two also leaning closer to Xu Ran, they all wanted to fight over it. Xu Ran found that quite baffling, but he quickly reacted. He pushed all of them away and said, Please respect yourselves. If its really that cold, go back to your room and go to sleep. Now that the weather is cold, its not suitable to sit in the yard and let the cool breeze blow. Xu Ran didnt say it out clearly, but letting them go back on their own was a tactful refusal. However, there were always a person who did not know chalk from cheese. Two of the Geers understood what Xu Ran was saying and wanted to go back, but the other one was about to take off his clothes in front of Xu Ran. Xu Ran would really be a pushover if he didnt get angry now. He slapped off the hand of the Geer who was trying to unbutton the clothes and said angrily, Either you go back to your room now and go back to Zhuo Mansion tomorrow, or you leave my house right now and do whatever you want to do. No one will stop you if you want to go crazy at night, but dont do that at my house. Xu Rans words were a bit harsh. No matter how reckless the Geer was, he could tell that Xu Ran didnt like him. Whats more, Xu Ran threatened to chase him out. It was so late. There was no telling what would happen if he got chased out. He couldnt let that happen. The Geer felt wronged and ran to the room upstairs. When he was running, he happened to meet Liu Tong, who came to bring Xu Ran some clothes, and even bumped into him. Fortunately, there was a handrail on the stairs. Liu Tong stood quite steadily and did not fall down. Being hit out of no reason, Liu Tong felt also unhappy. He would not care in the past, but now he had a baby. What if that hurt the baby? Liu Tong hurriedly went downstairs to find Xu Ran and asked him what had happened. The other two Geers who had just got back from the yard saw Liu Tong and felt embarrassed, so they went upstairs without saying a word. Liu Tong held the clothes in his hand tighter and felt even more baffled. Xu Ran was still angry in the yard. When Liu Tong put the clothes on him, he almost accidentally hurt Liu Tong. Xu Ran pinched Liu Tongs wrist tightly and it even hurt a little. Liu Tong struggled and asked, Ran, whats wrong? Why are you so angry? Xu Ran turned around and hugged Liu Tong. Tongtong, I know who was thinking about me now. I also know what they were thinking about, but I would rather not know. I am very unhappy. Liu Tong leaned in his arms obediently and patted his chest. Alright, Ran, dont be angry. How about we go back to the room? Its so cold outside. What if we caught a cold? Dont forget that out baby is about to be born. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran calmed down. He held Liu Tongs hand and walked into the house. After closing the door, they went upstairs together. When they got into the room, Xu Ran still pulled a long face. He didnt want to show his anger to Liu Tong. He was just simply angry. Before this, Zhang Yue had already made Tongtong unhappy. Now there were three more shameless people who had just lived in their house for a few days and began to covet him. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tongs big belly and gentle face under the light. He didnt know if he should tell Liu Tong because he didnt want Liu Tong to be sad. Although nothing happened, he wouldnt want to hide it from Liu Tong either. After thinking for a while, Xu Ran decided to come clean with Liu Tong. He was worried that if he didnt say it clearly, the three Geers might find an opportunity to provoke Liu Tong. By then, it would be a big problem. Xu Ran led Liu Tong hand in hand to sat down on the bed, then kissed him on the forehead and said, Tongtong, Ill tell you something about me. You promise that you wont be angry no matter what you hear later. If you are going to be angry, then I wont tell you. Liu Tong shook his head. Ran, how can I be angry out of no reason? I promise I wont be angry no matter what you say. If I am really angry, I will save that until after the baby is born. Xu Ran smiled when he heard Liu Tong say this. Thats nonsense. As long as you promise that you wont be angry, let me tell you that Chapter 135 Xu Ran told Liu Tong what had happened back in the yard, which didnt make differences on Liu Tongs face but got his own face darken again. It was not that Liu Tongs expression did not change; he just did not get it at the moment. He could never expect such a thing to happen! Liu Tong even asked, Are they really the servants of the Zhuo Yun? How could they do such a thing? Xu Ran was also surprised. Normally people of the Zhuo Mansion shouldnt be like this! He didnt know how these three Geers with evil thoughts got the job in Zhuo Mansion. Liu Tong was not angry as he said, and he even comforted Xu Ran, Ran, youre a good man and we all know it. Youre gentle, smart, and diligent. Besides you have a good temper. We saw how you treated them these past few days. No wonder they have those indecent thoughts. The blame is on me, if not that Im pregnant, they wouldnt have such thoughts. Xu Ran disagreed firmly. Tongtong, there is nothing wrong of you being pregnant. Thats our baby. Besides it has nothing to do with you at all. It was they who had the thoughts and I despise those people who have no self-respect and covet something that doesnt belong to them. Looking at him being furious, Liu Tong uncommonly touched his head and said, Alright, Ran, dont be angry. Theyre going back tomorrow anyway, and you wont see them again. Lets sleep, and youll forget it when we wake up tomorrow. Xu Ran pouted, Dont forget that they are the servants of Zhuo Yuns family, and we definitely will go to Zhuo Yuns house. It will be disgusting to see them there! Besides, if they can seduce me in my house, wont they seduce Zhuo Yun at his house? No way! I have to tell Zhuo Yun tomorrow to send these people away. It a disaster to keep them! The more Xu Ran spoke, the more agitated he became. He wanted to fly to the Zhuo Mansion right now and tell them that these people could not be kept at home. Liu Tong felt that if he continued speaking, he wouldnt be able to sleep tonight, so he dragged him down and leaned sideways to kiss him, blocking his mouth from speaking. Xu Ran was a little upset that he could speak no more but then he was happy since this was the first time that Tongtong took the initiative to kiss him like this, and it was even on his mouth. Then he became upset again because Liu Tong was pregnant, so he could not do anything. Xu Ran gently pushed Liu Tong away. Tongtong, dont turn me on now, but I will remember this. You have to pay it back after giving birth. Liu Tong nodded, and he didnt worry about what Xu Ran said. Anyway, whatever Xu Ran wanted, he would satisfy him. He just couldnt give hard feelings to this man because he really loved him. Looking at Liu Tongs obedient appearance, Xu Ran kissed him on the face. Then he put him in his arms and pulled the quilts over him. Sleep. Ill forget when I get up tomorrow morning. Okay. When Xu Ran got up in the morning the next day, he indeed forgot about what had happened last night. But when he saw the three Geers at breakfast, his face darkened again. Now, anyone could tell that he was unhappy. Xu Ran forced himself to hold back his anger and asked them to leave immediately after the breakfast. It had been planned that Xu Ran drove them back, but now he didnt want that. Instead he asked Gao Quan to drive a carriage to send off the three Geers, and he went to Wu Mei to borrow a ox-cart to drive the two men back. In his mind, he kept reminding himself of telling Zhuo Yun what had happened. The three Geers were quite uneasy in the carriage because they never thought about what would happen if they failed, which was what happened now. Xu Rans expression this morning told them that it wouldnt end well. They all said that people who had no temper were the most terrible when they got angry. Xu Ran had gotten them frightened with just a darkened face. Most importantly, they didnt know what would happen after they arrived at the Zhuo Mansion. The three of them were anxious and sorry, but it was too late to repent. After sending them to the Zhuo Mansion and handing them over to Housekeeper Zhuo, Xu Ran went to find Zhuo Yun and told him what had happened last night. There was no exaggeration, but his tone was very angry as if he was going to eat someone. Zhuo Yun was also unhappy after hearing this. He never thought that there would be this kind of people in his residence. Normally he didnt really contact with these servants. Plus, the people in the residence all knew that he only had Qin Shuwen in his heart, so no one dared have some evil thought about him. He never expected such thing to happen. Zhuo Yun found the housekeeper and told him what had happened. Then he scolded the housekeeper for choosing these people and asked him to send them back to the human traffickers. The Zhuo Mansion didnt want such people and couldnt afford the cost. Because of his negligence, the housekeeper didnt plead for mercy to them. He took the contracts from Zhuo Yun and brought them to the human traffickers. After the housekeeper left, Zhuo Yun started to comfort Xu Ran and told him not to be angry, saying that it was such a fortunate that nothing serious happened. Xu Rans anger rose again. It wont end well If anything happened. If it were you, how can you face Shuwen? Zhuo Yun said without hesitation, I cant for sure. Then you should understand me now! Xu Ran said. Zhuo Yun scratched his head. He understood, but his point was could you not speak in such a tone now? Zhuo Yun did not answer, and Xu Ran found it boring to speak alone and his anger slowly faded. Seeing that Xu Ran was not that angry anymore, Zhuo Yun said, Ran, dont tell Shuwen about this, otherwise I will definitely be in trouble. I will rectify in the residence and there wont necessarily be that many servants. Apart from those who have to stay, I might as well disperse the rest, which will save me a lot of money. Xu Ran also knew that if Qin Shuwen knew about it, he would feel uncomfortable; although he was proud, he was quite innocent. Xu Ran nodded. I wont say that. I will also tell Tongtong not to let Shuwen know. There is no need for so many servants in your residence. Just keep a chef, a coachman, two to clean, and one to guard the gate. Its about enough with the housekeeper. You dont need them to keep up appearances anyway, so why do you raise so many people for nothing? Zhuo Yun sighed. Thats right, I didnt pay attention to it before. I wasnt at home, so I left it to the housekeeper. It seems that there really isnt a need for so many people, especially those with unrealistic fantasies. Xu Ran said, How about this, my house is spacious. When you go to business next year, just let Shuwen live in my house. Liu Tong and I will take care of him as well. Besides Liu Tong and Shao Yu can also be his companion. Alright, I was planning to let Shuwen go back to the Qin Family, but Shuwen says that he is a married Geer after all. He definitely cant live in his daddys house for one or two months, Qin Shuwen himself was unwilling to go back either. Although his brothers treated him well, there were still his brothers spouses. It will be inevitable to have some conflicts living together and that was not what he want. Alright, you go discuss with Shuwen, and dont treat us as outsiders. Okay. Xu Ran talked to Zhuo Yun for a while then went back. Anyway, he was happy to have the three people dealt with and wouldnt see them again. When Xu Ran arrived at the door, he left Big Black for Gao Quan and rushed to share his joy with Liu Tong. However, as soon as he entered the yard, he heard the noise and yell. Xu Rans heart tightened and he immediately ran upstairs to find Liu Tong. The door of Liu Tongs room was closed and there was a groan sound from time to time. Then it was the sound Xu Ran had just heard in the yard. Tangtang and Guoguo stood outside the door. Xu Ran grabbed Tangtang and asked him, Whats wrong? Whats wrong with your Daddy? Tangtang was also a little scared. He said, Daddy just said that his belly hurt and he wanted to use the toilet. Then Daddy Shao Yu said that Daddy might be going to give birth, so he asked me to go and find Daddy Zhou. After Daddy Zhou came over, he let Mr. Hu to boil the water; then he went into Daddys room with Daddy Shao Yu and never came out. Going to give birth? Xu Ran still didnt get what was happening, but he was relieved when he heard that Liu Tong was about to give birth. Fortunately, it was not something else. At this moment, another yell came out, Hot water! Xu Ran quickly ran downstairs to get some hot water when he heard this. In the kitchen, Mr. Hu was hurriedly adding firewood into the stove. There was a big pot of water over the fire. Xu Ran found a clean basin and washed it inside and outside before filling it with hot water and going upstairs. When reaching the door, Xu Ran shouted, Hot water is here. Shao Yu immediately opened the door to fetch hot water and said to Xu Ran, Young master, lord is fine. Dont worry too much. Then he held the basin and went back to the room. Hearing this, Xu Ran felt assured. He knew that one would scream miserably when giving birth; after all, it was painful. Besides no one in this place could do cesarean. Without anesthetic, it would definitely be painful even more! Xu Ran paced up and down at the door and waited for the news inside. Tangtang and Guoguo were also standing there. They had probably never seen this situation before and were so scared that they were about to cry. Xu Ran simply pulled them downstairs. Xu Ran said, Daddy is giving birth to a younger baby. You two need to behave yourselves. Its fine to play at home or go out to see the little ewe. Your younger brother will need milk. Dad needs to go to fetch hot water, so I dont have too much time to be with you. Be good, okay? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded heavily and even pushed Xu Ran away. Dad, go to do your work. We will behave. Xu Ran touched their heads and ran to the kitchen to get hot water. Chapter 136 Xu Ran ran upstairs and downstairs all the time, and then he brought a basin of clean water in and a basin of water completely reddened by blood out. He was frightened to see the blood, while Shao Yu kept telling him that it was fine. Xu Ran had no more helper. Wu Mei and others went to the town. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to kill a chicken to stew chicken soup for Liu Tong. After a long time, Gao Quan got a chicken ready clumsily. In the end, the chicken stewing job was handed to Mr. Hu and Gao Quan was in charge of making a fire. Liu Tong could endure pain and tried his best to keep quiet. He wouldnt make a sound unless he really couldnt stand it, so most of the time, Xu Ran could only hear groans, but Xu Ran would rather Liu Tong scream. He wanted to go in, but Shao Yu and the mid-spouse stopped him. It was sad that he couldnt even speak to Liu Tong. This torment lasted for four hours. At noon, Xu Ran heard the sound of the bowl breaking in the room, followed by the a babys wailing. Shao Yu quickly ran out to congratulate Xu Ran, Young master, the baby is born. Its a Geer. Congratulations. After hearing that the baby was born, Xu Ran got calm finally. He wanted to go into the room to take a look, so he looked at Shao Yu eagerly, Shao Yu, can I go in now? Shao Yu shook his head. Young Master, not yet. You have to wait until the mid-spouse wraps the baby and takes him out. Xu Ran thought about the scene that a baby could be held out as soon as it was born on TV, and nodded, OK, I will wait! As expected, the mid-spouse carried the baby out soon and congratulated Xu Ran and praised the baby was beautiful. Xu Ran looked at the wrinkled baby and didnt feel he was beautiful. Xu Ran asked the mid-spouse to carry the baby first, because he wanted to go into the room to see Liu Tong. Liu Tong was lying weakly on the bed, sweating all over the face. Xu Ran took the wet handkerchief from the basin beside him to wipe the sweat, kissed him on the face and said, Tongtong, thank you. Its a Geer. Themid-wife says he is beautiful. Liu Tong smiled weakly, The babies who are just born all look the same and we cant tell if they are beautiful. Go and squeeze some ewe milk first, heat it and then feed it to the baby later. Ive prepared the reward for the mid-spouse. Just give it to him later. Eggs have been prepared. Ask Shao Yu and Gao Quan to dye and proach them. Hand them out to the villagers later. Liu Tong got strengthless as he said this and his voice became lower. Seeing that he was about to fall asleep, Xu Ran gently touched him, Tongtong, dont fall asleep now. Theres chicken soup in the kitchen. I will ask Shao Yu to bring it to you. Drink it first before you sleep. I know what to do next, so rest assured. Liu Tong closed his eyes and feebly nodded. He was really sleepy, tired and hungry. If he hadnt had breakfast in the morning, it would be harder for him to survive this forenoon. Xu Ran went out and shouted to downstairs. Soon, Shao Yu quickly brought the chicken soup up. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu to take care of Liu Tong and feed him chicken soup while he went to look for the mid-spouse with the prepared reward for him. Xu Ran thought about it and stuffed another piece of silver in. He was too busy now, so he needed the mid-spouse to carry the baby, and the reward should be satisfying. The mid-spouse was happy to receive the reward. He weighed it and knew it was a lot of money. As Xu Ran asked him to help carry the baby for a while, he agreed without hesitation. Xu Ran took the bowl and went to pick up ewe milk. Tangtang and Guoguo squatted beside him to feed the ewe. This ewe bore lambs just a few days ago and there was plenty of milk now. Xu Ran told the kids the little brother was born and the mid-spouse was carrying him. Then, he asked them to see the baby. The kids ran away happily. After Xu Ran got half a bowl of milk, he ran to the kitchen and put the it on the fire he had prepared. Xu Ran let Mr. Hu watch the fire and moved out the two baskets of eggs at home. The dye was a kind of grass that was bought in the pharmacy and it was harmless to the body. After Xu Ran told Gao Quan what to do, he just brought the goat milk to feed the baby. Tangtang and Guoguo followed around the mid-spouse, asking repeatedly to see the little brother. So the mid-spouse squatted down and let them watch clearly. The twins were quite interested in the wrinkled little baby, and they kept calling him little brother. The newly born baby was very fragile with his eyes closed. One couldnt be careful enough when feeding him. Fortunately, the mid-spouse was watching aside and teaching Xu Ran what to do. After Xu Ran finished feeding the baby, it was already past noon. They were so busy that they hadnt eaten yet. Mr. Hu had already put the food on fire, but no one went to fry the dishes. After the baby drank milk, Xu Ran sent the baby to the room and put it beside Liu Tong. He asked Tangtang and Guoguo to accompany him and whispered, Watch your little brother carefully, but dont wake him and Daddy up. If the baby wakes up, you can go outside and call me. Dad, rest assured. We will take good care of our little brother. the kids promised as they patted their own chests. Xu Ran smiled and walked out. Shao Yu wanted to clean up the room, and Xu Ran asked him to watch the children by the way. He went to the kitchen to cook, because the mid-spouse should have lunch here before leaving. As soon as Xu Ran went downstairs, he heard a knock on the door. The dogs didnt bark, so they should be acquaintances. Xu Ran ran to open the door anxiously. Wu Mei and the rest were standing at the door with their packbasket on their backs. The ox cart was still at his door. Probably they just came back from the town. Wu Mei saw Xu Ran and immediately asked, Xu Ran, has Liu Tong given birth? On the way back, we met the husband of mid-spouse Zhou. He told us that Tangtang and Guoguo went to his house to invite mid-spouse Zhou. Not only Wu Mei, but also others looked anxious. They were really worried about Liu Tong. Xu Ran opened the door a little wider and nodded, Just did. You guys came back at a perfect time. We havent had lunch yet and you could help cook. There are not enough people at home and we are too busy. How is Liu Tong? Is the baby a Geer or a man? Have you fed the baby? Is Liu Tong in his room now? Can we look at him first? Wu Mei asked so many questions at a stretch. Xu Ran moved sideways and asked them to come in first. He said then, Its okay. Tongtong fell asleep after having some chicken soup. The baby drank milk and now he is sleeping next to Tongtong, and Shao Yu is watching. Dont worry. Go to cook first and look at him after lunch, OK? Wu Mei and the others heard this and rested assured, and then they went to the kitchen to cook. Xu Ran walked out of the door, led the cow left outside the door to the stable, and threw some withered grass to it. He closed the courtyard door and went to the kitchen to help Gao Quan dye eggs red. Wu Mei had enough helpers and cooked fast, but they didnt want to eat here because there were still people at their homes. They only cooked for the Xu Rans family. When Xu Ran and his family had lunch, Wu Mei and other Geers went upstairs to see Liu Tong. Tangtang and Guoguo and Shao Yu were replaced, and they got downstairs for lunch. When Wu Mei and the others went up, Liu Tong was already awake. They had just come back from the outside and worked in the kitchen for a long time, so they smelt bad. They knew this was not good for the baby, so they didnt carry the baby and just took a look. Liu Tong lay on the bed and greeted them, Why are you here? Have you eaten yet? Not yet. Wu Mei shook his head, We will go home to cook after taking a look at you. There are still people waiting at home. Liu Tong urged them to leave, You should go home quickly then. The baby is born and I am fine. No hurries. We got no news about this before, and you just gave birth to this baby so quickly. Liu Qing stepped forward and said. Yeah, really quickly. Wu Lan echoed. Liu Tong smiled, I didnt expect that either. I was fine when I had breakfast. But my stomach hurt just after Ran went out. Fortunately, Shao Yu was home, or I dont know what to do. Wu Mei said, Its good that youre fine now. Rest well and eat whatever you want. Xu Ran spoils you so much and he will try his best to get everything for you. You didnt eat well enough last time when you gave birth, which made your body weak. Luckily you were young at that time, but youre 26 now. Its different. Liu Tong nodded, I got it. I will take good care of myself. You guys can go home first and come back after eating! Alright, well go now. Well come back later. The three of them reminded Liu Tong of something and left. Liu Tong looked at the baby sleeping soundly aside, and touched the cheek with his fingers with a satisfied smile on his face. This was the baby he gave birth to, a Geer Ran wanted. Liu Tong took his fingers back and was about to sleep when the child woke up and started to cry. Liu Tong was startled and immediately held the baby in his arms to see if he had peed. Xu Ran was eating downstairs and heard the baby crying. He immediately put down his bowl and climbed up hurriedly, Tongtong, whats wrong? Why is the baby crying? Liu Tong patted the child and shook him gently. He pulled out the diaper then and handed it to Xu Ran. He peed. Go and get some hot water. Bring me a piece of dry diaper. Okay, Ill go now. Dont worry! Xu Ran didnt walk now but ran. He climbed up the stairs with hot water quickly. He wrung out the warm handkerchief, handed it to Liu Tong and then went to get the diaper. The diapers were originally cut off from old clothes. However, Xu Ran considered that the babys skin was too tender when it was born, so he went to the town to buy soft cloth and asked Liu Tong to sew it on the old cloth. Liu Tong wouldnt be stingy on issues about the baby, so he did it as told. After Liu Tong wiped the babys butt, changed the diaper and shook him for a while, the baby stopped crying. However, he should feel hungry after peeing, so Xu Ran went downstairs to heat goat milk. C Chapter 137 In the afternoon, Wu Mei and the rest came over to take care of the baby with Liu Tong, while Xu Ran and the others were poaching and dying eggs in the kitchen. When the eggs were ready, Xu Ran had to give them to the whole village, and then there were a bunch of people who came to congratulate him. He had to reply to every one of them, which was physically exhausting. By the time he could rest in the afternoon, he was already dog-tired. Moreover, at night, he couldnt let the baby cry from hunger or pee, nor could he make Liu Tong hungry. Xu Ran had to get up at least four or five times a night. He basically had no sleep for the whole night. As he ran upstairs and downstairs, the weather was cold at night and the wind was blowing. It really gave him a taste of bitter sweetness of life. In the daytime, Xu Ran could finally sleep for a while, but he had not been able to sleep for long and had to get up to take care of the baby. Xu Ran felt that one baby could make him exhausted like this, so he couldnt imagine how Liu Tong went through the time when he had to take care of the two kids alone while taking care of Xu Ran. Running downstairs and upstairs was too troublesome. It was cold anyway, so Xu Ran simply moved a brazier into the room. The teapot has been placed on the brazier to keep the water warm, and they could also put ewe milk in the teapot so that it could be used anytime. Then the chicken soup was warmed in the kitchen, which was prepared for Liu Tong. Xu Ran also cooked two eggs in syrup for Liu Tong every meal and didnt even let him go outside, let alone do other things. He wanted Liu Tong to lie in bed for a month to rest. And that was said in a very serious tone. During his confinement, Liu Tong couldnt do anything. He wouldnt eat anything that he was not supposed to eat. If he was bored stiff, he would play chess with Tangtang and Guoguo, or Xu Ran could teach him to read. Three days after Baozi was born, Xu Ran got used to the pattern of him crying when he felt hungry, wanted to pee or poop. He asked Shao Yu to take care of the baby for one day and then went to the town with the red eggs. Needless to say, he had to tell Mr. Chen, Zhuo Yun and the Qin family. Xu Ran also brought dried bamboo shoots and dried potatoes. These were what he had promised to Mr. Chen. He didnt sent them to Mr.Chen because he was too busy before. The dried bamboo shoots belonged to the four families, and the dried potatoes belonged to him, so were the recipes. Apart from the money that he saved for the New Year, he had to save some more for Baozis hundred-day party and to buy a new mountain next year. In short, he had to budget carefully. Xu Ran had not been to Mr. Chens restaurant for around twenty days. There were all dry foods in his packbasket, so it didnt look like there were too many things. Xu Ran gave Mr.Chen the red egg when he saw him at the restaurant. Mr. Chen looked at the red egg and was stunned for a moment. Xu Ran, Liu Tong gave birth to the baby? Xu Ran nodded. Three days ago. Mr. Chen cupped his hands together, Congratulations! Is he a Geer or boy? Did you name him? Xu Ran answered with a smile, We already had two boys. Of course I want a Geer. Tongtong is awesome. The name has been confirmed long ago. His nickname is Baozi, and formal name is Xu Nian. He actually sounded very proud. Mr. Chen couldnt help but smile, Youre satisfied now. You got two boys and a Geer, and youve also passed the imperial examination. Its really enviable! Xu Ran waved his hand and said politely, Thanks, I could just barely support my family. We still have to rely on you, Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen also copied Xu Rans tone and said, Youre welcome, I still have to expect you to take care of me. Dont say that you came today just to send me the red egg. I still remember what you said a few days ago. Of course. Its the best thing to eat in winter. It doesnt have to be made delicate. Its just a common taste. I can guarantee that this can definitely be sold well. As Xu Ran said this, he brought out the things in the basket, put them on Mr. Chens counter and then intended to open it. Mr. Chen stopped him. Dont, follow me upstairs first. It was almost New Year and there were quite a lot of people going around. Xu Ran looked around and felt that it was not suitable, so he put things in the basket and went to the second floor with Mr. Chen. When they closed the door in the room, Mr. Chen rubbed his hands and hurried Xu Ran to take out the things, as if he was going to do something bad. Xu Ran found that a bit funny. He took the things out, opened the bag and showed them to Mr. Chen. Then he explained, Mr. Chen, these are dried bamboo shoots and dried potatoes. I made the name casually. You can change it if you like. The simplest food that you can make with these two things is soup. Its better to put some bacon in the soup too, and thats why I told you to buy some bacon. There are more foods that you could cook with the dried bamboo shoots. Ill write them down for you later. Mr. Chen took out both things and had a look. Xu Ran paid special attention to the color when he was drying them. So now both of them looked pretty in yellow. Mr. Chen asked Xu Ran, The color looks good, but what about the taste? Have you tried it yourself? Mr. Chen, the things that I brought you all sold good price every time. The dried bamboo shoots are just bamboo shoots which are dried, and the same goes with the potatoes. Havent you sold these things before? You know this better than me. After hearing Xu Rans words, Mr. Chen thought about the popular potatoes which were not enough for sell, and felt heart-broken. Mr. Chen gritted and said, Well, then Ill take both of these things. I know that youre in a hurry to go home now, so I wont let you try for me. Just write me the recipes. The price would be the same as we agreed on before. Okay, please give me some papers and a writing brush. Xu Ran said. Mr. Chen quickly came over with a brush and paper. When Xu Ran was writing, he felt that he was about to become a big chef with all these recipes. But this was not difficult. He saw his mother do it before, and he also cooked on his own after he got a job. His cooking skills were all learned from his mother. Xu Ran only wrote two recipes for Mr. Chen. As for why he didnt write more, it was because he didnt remember Who could remember things for so long? The two of them agreed on the prices of the dried bamboo shoots and potatoes, and Mr. Chen also paid Xu Ran for the two recipes. Then Xu Ran left the restaurant and went to Zhuo Yuns house with the remaining red eggs. The person who opened the door for Xu Ran also changed. Xu Ran didnt know him, but he knew Xu Ran and called master Xu, Our young master at home today. He said that if you come, you can just go in. Xu Ran nodded and walked inside. He really didnt see many people along the way, and nobody was standing at the entrance of the living room. It seemed that Zhuo Yun had really dismissed the servants. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen were teasing their darling Geer. Xu Ran was not envious at all, because he also had a Geer now. Zhuo Yun saw Xu Ran, and stood up to greet him, Ran, youre here! Come and have a look at my baby, hes getting prettier. Xu Ran put down the basket and said, I have a baby too. I dont envy you at all. Ah, you got a baby too? When? Zhuo Yun, who had yet to react, asked. Qin Shuwen realized and hit Zhuo Yun with his hand. Liu Tong had a baby. You didnt even understand that. Youre so silly. Ah! Oh! He had a baby! Congratulations. Have you brought a red egg for me? I have never eaten the red egg.Zhuo Yun who had just reacted was excited. Qin Shuwen couldnt bear to look at him, feeling that he had become more and more silly recently. Xu Ran smiled and said, Its in the basket, go get it yourself. When Zhuo Yun went to get the red egg, Qin Shuwen asked Xu Ran, When did Liu Tong give birth? Is it a Geer or a boy? Three days ago. He is a Geer. Still looks wrinkled by now. Xu Ran said. All babies are like that in the first few days. When Qingshu was born, Zhuo Yun didnt like him either, but as the baby growing up, he didnt want to let go. Thats right, Qingshu is very beautiful. The two of them chatted with each other. Zhuo Yun took out the red egg and placed it on the table one by one. Just as he was about to peel and eat the egg, Qin Shuwen suddenly yelled, Zhuo Yun, this egg is cold. Your stomach will hurt if you eat it. Take it to the kitchen to warm it up before eating! OK! Zhuo Yun reluctantly put down the egg, and left it on the table, then walked over to chat with them. Qin Shuwen was a little dumbfounded after yelling. He really hadnt spoken to Zhuo Yun so loudly, but Xu Ran was there. He could not just apologize. However, Zhuo Yun didnt take it seriously. He just walked over to ask Xu Ran about his Geers name. Therefore, Xu Ran mentioned Baozis nickname and formal name again. Zhuo Yun said that Baozis formal name wasnt as good as his kids. But Xu Ran said that there were two more kids in his family, one was Xu Qing, and the other was Xu Mu, which meant admire when their names combined together. Then Zhuo Yun stopped talking. These two people were just bickering with each other like kids, which sounded really shameless. Xu Ran left soon after. He had to go to the Qin family and then rush home. He was worried that if he wasnt around, they could not handle the stuff at home. Liu Tong gave birth to the baby without any warning. The Qin family was also quite surprised. Qin Daddy even packed up some clothes worn by his grandson when he was young and gave them to Xu Ran. Xu Ran also knew that old clothes were good for the kid, so he happily accepted. Qin Daddy reminded Xu Ran to take good care of Liu Tong, and asked Xu Ran to not let Liu Tong touch cold wind, cold water or do the hard works. Xu Ran already knew about these, but he still nodded obediently. This was out of the concern of an elder. If it was for someone else, Qin Daddy probably wouldnt bother to say that. Xu Ran ate at Qins house and asked Qin Shuwu about the booklet. Qin Shuwu said, Ill go get it after lunch. Do you want to take it back or put it here? These days dad and daddy have gone around a few times, and talked about this chess thing. There are quite a few people around here who are interested, and some of them have come to my house and played with my dad and daddy. I think this might actually work. Hearing Qin Shuwus words, Xu Ran was also very happy. He said, Ill just leave it here then. Save myself some efforts to take it back. But since you say that the chess business might work, Ill rush them to make some more and then Ill bring it here to try out in a few days. Alright, Ill introduce you to my friends then. Thank you, eldest brother. Theres no need to be so courteous to me. Were family Chapter 138 Xu Ran had a big smile on his face as he left the Qin Family. It was obvious that he was in a good mood. However, his good mood didnt last long. Soon after Xu Ran left the Qin Family, he felt that someone was stalking him. He turned back, but he found nothing abnormal when he turned his head. He was now on the street, where there were crowds of people, and no one looked weird. As Xu Ran walked on, however, this weird feeling got stronger and stronger. He decided that it was necessary to find this stalker out, or he would not be able to sleep well at night. So he changed the way he walked and suddenly sped up his pace as if he was running for his life. At the beginning, that man couldnt catch up with Xu Ran. But later when Xu Ran noticed that he was coming near, he suddenly slowed his pace. The man who began to rush behind did a double-take, but the distance between them two was much closer now. Xu Ran turned around and saw him there clearly. He never expected that the stalker was an acquaintance of his. It was Du Xin! Actually, Xu Ran had seen him last time, but he supposed that he made a mistake. Du Xin found that Xu Ran had seen him, so he did not hide anymore. He went up to Xu Ran and greeted, Hey, Xu Ran, I didnt expect to see you on the street here. Xu Ran smiled, What a coincidence! Youve been following me all the way here. Can it be a coincidence? Seeing that Xu Ran had seen him through, Du Xin felt a little embarrassed, I just want to see where youre going! Didnt you recognize me? You could have come to me openly and asked me the question directly. Tell me, why did you have to follow me? asked Xu Ran while hugging himself and waiting for Du Xins answer. Seeing that Xu Ran was demanding his frank answer, Du Xin scratched his head and said in a sorry tone, Xu Ran, Im here to seek refuge with my relatives, but my relatives received my dads letter yesterday, indicating them not to take me in. Thus, now I have nowhere to go With that, he lowered his head, appearing very pitiful. Xu Ran stared at him in wordless surprise. Then he snarled, Is my place your refuge? Why do you look so pitiful every time you come to me? Why did you come here to seek refuge with your relatives? Have you been driven out by your Dad? Du Xin pouted, Its because I got a bad result in the test before, and also because I had the unmentionable illness. After I got home, I went on taking the medicine for a long time. At last, the doctor said that I almost recovered. My dad then immediately forced me take a concubine so that I could have my own children. I refused and so I was chased out by my dad Xu Ran, He still vaguely remembered at that time Du Xin exuded an air of having a card up his sleeve. After he left the examination hall, he was still worried that he would be beheaded because of his answers in the test. The unexpected result was actually that he did badly in the test Xu Ran really wanted to know how bad his test result was that his dad would be so angry. Whats your ranking in the test? Why was your dad so angry? Xu Ran asked. Du Xin stretched out a few fingers and shook them in front of Xu Ran. Xu Ran felt that if he had a brick in his hand, he would definitely knock him down with it. What Du Xin held up before him was five fingers, not fifteen, not twenty-five, and not fifty. It was definitely five! Xu Ran took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Isnt the fifth place already very good? Why did your dad insist that your result was too bad? Du Xin replied, Because in my dads eyes, as long as I didnt get the first place, it was a bad result.The worst score I ever got in the past was the third place. This time, however, I was in the fifth place. My dad was so angry that he stopped me from going on studying. He forced me to go back home to take over his business and to have a bunch of children with my concubine. I certainly dont like it. Are you not willing to go back to do business or to take a concubine? Why do I feel that your favorite thing is running outside? The person who knows me well is you, Xu Ran. I indeed like to stay outside, but my dad rejects it. I can only fight against him and do the opposite. Dont you think Im very smart? Du Xin said with a proud expression. According to the view of modern times, Xu Ran thought that Du Xin must be going soft in the head! It was fine for him to leave his home. However, he was so stupid that he didnt get some money with him. What if he met some evil people and what if he starved to death? He was really such a perfect fool. Thinking of this, Xu Ran started to educate Du Xin with a stern face, You must prepare enough money with you in the future when you come out, otherwise no one will care about you if youre hungry. Also, youre so stupid that youd better not come out alone. Your dad is doing good for you. How I wish I had such a dad Xu Ran chattered. Du Xin obviously didnt listen to him at all. When Xu Ran was tired and stopped at last, Du Xin asked, Xu Ran, Im cold and tired now. Can you take me to your home? Du Xin looked a little pale and he didnt wear much. His condition was really not good. No, Xu Ran rejected very straightforwardly. Liu Tong had just given birth, so he didnt have any energy to take care of an outsider. If you just want to find a place to stay, I can help you find an inn. My house is inconvenient for you at the moment. I wont take you to my house for the time being, Xu Ran said with certainty. Has your spouse given birth? Thats the reason youre not letting me go? Dont worry, I dont need anyone to take care of me. I just need a mouthful of food to eat and a place to live. I can also help your with any work needed. And I wont ask any payment from you. Take me to your home, please! Du Xin pleaded with a coquettish manner. No. If you agree to stay in the inn, follow me. If you dont, Ill leave. Anyway, you cant stay in my house, Without knowing why, Xu Ran insisted not to take Du Xin to his house. He couldnt even explain the reason. This was actually an unconscious defense. Du Xin pouted, looking very reluctant, and he mumbled, How can the inn be compared with your house? I cant even have a hot meal there. Xu Ran ignored him and walked straight forward. Seeing he was about out of sight, Du Xin quickly went up and followed. According to the impression Xu Ran gave him before, Xu Ran had always been an easy-going person. He didnt expect that this time Xu Ran would refuse so definitely. Du Xin sighed. It seemed that he had to think of another way. The most important thing now was to find out where Xu Ran lived first. As Xu Ran saw Du Xin follow him up, he went to find an inn for him. At last, he got a middle-sized room and paid for a months stay and food. All these cost one-third of what he had earned today, so Xu Ran felt really annoyed about it. He said to Du Xin, This month, Ill pay for your room and meals. If you want to go home, you can get the money back from the inn as travelling expenses home. However, you must return the money to me after you get back. Otherwise, if I see you next time, I will pay no attention to you. You can go and rest in the room now. Ill buy you a thick set of clothes. Its getting cold now. You have to wear more. Xu Ran was just like a worried daddy, humming about. Du Xin, however, enjoyed it. Of course, he thought if Xu Ran were a Geer, it would be much better. In that case, he would really be free of worry in the future if he married such a Geer! Du Xin shook his head and murmured to himself, Its a pity, a pity What is a pity? Could it be that you still have other ideas? After I find Second Young Master, I will go back and persuade the prince to reward you with Xu Ran? Wow! How can you eavesdrop on others talking? You suddenly appeared from nowhere. Do you want to scare me to death? That man chuckled, Haha, of course, I just want to scare you to death! You, you, you are so vicious! How can you have such an idea? I dont just have this idea. I even want to do so, he said as he moved up to seize Du Xin by the neck. Du Xin was startled and immediately took a step back, Lu Qi, whats wrong with you? Is it fun to tease me like this? If you have the ability, you think of a way to get to Xu Rans house yourself! Haha, didnt you say that you knew him well and volunteered to go yourself? Why? It is just such a short time that you want to change your mind? Thats not good. Youd better figure out a way to solve the problem. Also, forget all the thoughts that you shouldnt have. If the prince knows about it, youll get no good result in the end. Ill leave first now. Quickly settle the problem with him. With that, Lu Qi disappeared soon. Du Xin looked at his back while muttering to himself. Then went back to the room that Xu Ran had booked for him. He indeed wore very little, which was a misery for himself. He would never do such a stupid thing again! But why didnt Lu Qi allow him to care about Xu Ran? Did he fancy Xu Ran too? Du Xin couldnt help but be frightened by his own speculation. He found he had an extra love rival before his love started. He felt very unsettled. And he couldnt sleep no matter how much he wanted to. He tossed and turned restlessly, thinking about Xu Ran. He wondered why Xu Ran was worthy of Lu Qis attention? Actually, apart from cooking skills, Du Xin didnt find any other strong suits on Xu Ran. He knew Lu Qi didnt like to eat, so he didnt seem to be worried too much. Du Xin spread out his hands. He then tossed and turned again. Finally, he fell asleep Chapter 139 When Xu Ran brought the clothes back for Du Xin, he found that Du Xin had already fallen asleep, and it was not proper to wake him up. Therefore, Xu Ran just went out and asked the waiter to bring him buckets of hot water after he woke up and prepare a meal. Xu Ran left the inn after saying this. It was a completely coincidence to meet Du Xin today. Xu Ran didnt intend to help him at first, but he thought about the days they spent together during the exam. They were already friends and they should help each other as much as possible. Anyone could be in trouble after all. However, Xu Ran always felt that Du Xin was a little strange, but he couldnt tell why, so he stopped thinking. Anyway, he had no plans to come to the town recently. As soon as Xu Ran arrived home, he heard his little Baozi shouting. Xu Ran felt that Baozis voice was particularly good and penetrative. It could be heard from far away, and everyone could be awakened at night. In this case, Xu Ran felt that it was necessary to lower the childs voice. On the other hand, Baozi was easily satisfied. As long as he was full and had no piss, he would be obedient. Xu Ran knew that many people who babysat children professionally lived with children based on a synchronized schedule in modern times, especially sleeping. He thought that his family could do this as well, but the candidates were not easy to choose. Only he and Shao Yu were competent, but it was his baby after all and Xu Ran wanted to take care of the kid himself. He discussed with Liu Tong and decide to do it on his own. Liu Tong would replace him after recovering from childbirth. Liu Tong was fine with that, but he was worried that Xu Ran would be too tired if he could not sleep during the day. Xu Ran said, It doesnt matter. Ill get used to it soon. Im afraid I wont be able to get back to normal easily. Ill call you then. Liu Tong said with a smile. They set this matter finally. From then on, Xu Ran would deal with his things in the morning and at night, and sleep with Baozi at other time. What a dedicated dad! At supper, Xu Ran told them about this and no one had any objection. One person must be specially selected to take care of the kid and Xu Ran and Liu Tong were naturally the best candidates. Xu Ran reminded Shao Yu and Gao Quan that if someone sent a gift at this time, the gift and the name should be recorded and the favor would be returned in the future. Shao Yu and Gao Quan nodded with no objection. Sausage smoking was handed over to Mr. Hu. He played Chinese chess with his friends every day while smoking meat. What a comforting life! In order to prevent people from stealing the sausage, two dogs guarded the door in turn all the time. Mr. Hus chess players were also trustworthy and there was nothing to worry about. As for the bacon, it needed to be salted for a month before it could be taken out of the barrel and smoked, because the meat could get salty and be stored longer only by this way. It was December now, and the family prepared to do Spring Festival shopping and cook the Laba Porridge. These things were handed over to Shao Yu. Shao Yu must have done these things before and accepted the task without hesitation. After all the work in the family had been distributed, Xu Ran could concentrate on accompanying his baby. From the next day, Xu Ran began to take care of Baozi and Liu Tong alone. He even cooked all the meals. Of course, he could sleep, but not long. After all, he needed to adapt the first day. The child was not naughty during the day, but he was very energetic in the evening. He opened his eyes and looked around with no definite objection. Xu Ran just accompanied him all the time. He checked whether he had pissed or not. He fed him with hot ewe milk when he opened his mouth. Occasionally, Xu Ran would doze for a while if he felt sleepy. Luckily, the kid didnt cry at all that night, and all the family slept well. Time flied and it was the eighth day of lunar December, which was called Laba, a lively traditional festival. The children still remembered the Laba Song they had learnt last year. Tangtang and Guoguo took the lead and sang this song all around the village and sponged the Laba porridge in other families. It snowed earlier this year, and it had started on the night of Laba. The next day, when people got up, it was already white on the ground. Xu An came to see Xu Ran with finished chess that day. Xu Ran was sleeping soundly at that time and was not happy when he was suddenly awakened. However, when he heard that Xu An came to send chess, he immediately got high-spirited because it was time to make a fortune. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to watch the kids, dressed himself up and went downstairs to see Xu An. Xu An brought a lot of chess with different sizes. Xu Ran checked them and felt satisfied. He asked, Xu An, have you given them a holiday? Xu An nodded, Yes. Its almost Spring Festival, so its time to go back home. I think it is the first year and there is enough chess, so I gave them a holiday. I agree with you. How about those apprentices? Will they come again next year? Xu Ran asked. Some will, but not all, I think. They chopped trees for days and it was tiresome. Some people might not want to come. Did you pay them? asked Xu Ran. Xu An nodded, Yes, but some people expected it was an easy job to be a carpenter, which was why they came. However, they found that it was quite bitter after they arrived and they couldnt hang in there. Xu Ran waved his hand, We dont need these people anyway. Just accept guys that want to work hard here. Next year, we wont do those petty businesses. Well get the wheelbarrows. After all, we can earn more by digging bamboo shoots. Xu An nodded. Im with you on that, but we have to wait until next spring. Right. On the other hand, about the dried bamboo shoots, Ive already found buyers and we should be able to get the money soon. The four families will share it evenly. You should tell Xu Fa and Xu Zhen about this. Xu An nodded, Okay, you check these chess pieces then. If theres no problem, Ill go back. Wu Mei is busy with Spring Festival shopping these days and I have to go back to help him. Xu Ran waved his hand, Its okay, you can go back. Ill keep them for a while. Ill send you the money after I go to the town in a few days. Dont worry about the money. Were not in a hurry to get it now. You can give me when the time comes. Ill go back now. Youre so sleepy and youd better go to bed now. Xu An left after saying this. Xu Ran didnt send him off because he couldnt even open his eyes. He went to the room and slept like a log for a forenoon. After that, Xu Ran came back to his senses and asked Liu Tong to watch the kids. Then, he went to see the chess. Xu An did do it according to his requirements. The big ones were not thick. Maybe the small ones were not carved pproperly, so they looked a little rough. But as long as it was not used by a meticulous person, there should be no problem. It was the ninth day of lunar December, just the right time to go to the town. Many people went to do Spring Festival shopping recently and there must be many people on the street now. However, Xu Ran had difficulty in setting the price of the chess. It was something new in this era, but maybe too novel for people here. After all, they didnt even know how to play the game. Although there were instruction booklets, they couldnt pick it up in a short time. Most importantly, many people couldnt read Xu Ran got a little annoyed and scratched his head. Xu Ran thought about it and decided to go to the town first. He would set a stall and teach them hand-to-hand by the side of the road if necessary. He wouldnt charge, but he wouldnt give the booklets for free. The booklets would be sold to some rich people along with the chess. People from rich families could read normally. Xu Ran put away his chess and went upstairs to look for Liu Tong. Just as he was about to speak, Liu Tong beat him to it, Ran, Ill take care of Baozi. Go ahead and do your work. Ive been lying in bed for more than ten days and my wound is healed. As long as I dont go out, its fine. Liu Tong was always a diligent person. This pregnancy period was probably the dullest period of his life. Since his wound didnt hurt so much and he could get out of bed, he would wander in the room every day. Xu Ran thought that it was warm inside the room and he was busy now. Tongtong would get recovered at the end of the month and it would be almost time to celebrate Spring Fetsival. So, Xu Ran agreed, Tongtong, watch the child temporarily then. If you feel tired, you can hand it over to Shao Yu. Ill probably always run to the town these days. Liu Tong nodded, All right, go. Were fine at home. We can take care of ourselves. After negotiating with Liu Tong, Xu Ran took a few sets of chess to the town in the afternoon. He went to Qin Shuwus fruit shop first. It was almost Spring Festival and the business of this fruit shop was better. Even Qin Shuwu himself was busy weighing fruits and collecting money. Xu Ran stood there and waited for a while. When there were fewer customers, Qin Shuwu turned around and greeted him. What brings you by here today. Are you here to collect the booklets? asked Qin Shuwu. Xu Ran shook his head, No. Its just that the chess is ready. I come to the town today to take a try and see how it goes. Qin Shuwu wiped his hand with the handkerchief and walked over to Xu Ran, What do you plan to do? You said youd introduce some friends to me, remember? You friends could read, right? Qin Shuwu nodded, They could read, but not much. Are you going to sell the booklet and chess together to them? No, no. Xu Ran stretched out his finger and waved, Naturally, I sell chess and give booklets for free. I can even instruct them on site. Good idea. In that case, Ill ask them out today. There is a teahouse in front of us, and you can meet them there. However, you should pay for the tea. Xu Ran smiled, Thats for sure. Thank you, Brother Qin. Ill go to the teahouse to book a table then. You can bring them over later! Qin Shuwu patted his chest, Okay, count on me. You can go now! Xu Ran smiled and turned away. C Chapter 140 In addition to tea, there were also many pastries in the tea house, most of which Xu Ran had never heard of the names before. He had no idea what those people liked to eat, so he picked up a few with fancy names. As for tea, Xu Ran prepared the good ones too. As the saying went, you couldnt make an omelette without breaking eggs. Each person was connected with a group of people. It was vital to build a good interpersonal relationship. Qin Shuwu must have sent out a lot of people to invite customers. Xu Ran hadnt waited long in the tea house before Qin Shuwu with a group of people came in. As soon as they entered, Xu Ran went up to greet them. Brother Qin, fellow guys. I have booked the table. Come inside please. Xu Ran made a standard inviting gesture. Because of his gorgeous look, none of these people entered the room without their eyes lingering on him for a while. After they went in, Qin Shuwu first introduced Xu Ran and then introduced others one by one. Among these people, some were business friends with Qin Shuwu and some made acquaintance with him for other reasons. They usually had close contacts with each other, or else they wouldnt have come at one summon from Qin Shuwu. When everyone arrived, Xu Ran asked the waiter to serve pastries and tea. In fact, business people were not so particular about food. As long as the pastries were delicious, the look of them were insignificant. No matter the tea was expensive or not, the taste came in the first place. The pastries that Xu Ran ordered quite catered to their appetite. Someone even joked that maybe Xu Ran had inquired about their likes in advance. Xu Ran smiled gently. I really didnt. To be precise, I should say that you havent allowed me the time yet. Today, I have hit the mark by a fluke. I have worried that you might dislike the food. No, no, how can we dislike it? I heard that you are a scholar. You might be a high-ranking official in the future. When it came to this matter, Xu Ran himself hadnt said anything before Qin Shuwu exposed him. You could count more on his son than on him. The reason he wanted to be a scholar was to spare the taxes for his familys farmland. He never thought about taking more exams to be an official. Others burst into peals of laughter when they heard Qin Shuwus words, but no one said that Xu Ran had a low aspiration. As Qin Shuwu talked about it in front of so many people, Xu Ran was a little embarrassed. I dont have much ability and cant be a government official, so Im too lazy to go to the exam again. Someone nodded and said, Brother Xu is a man of true disposition. Being an official isnt that easy. Its better to live a peaceful life as our ordinary people. Brother Xu, theres no wine here. Ill toast you with tea instead of wine. I just appreciate someone as true as you. Come on, count me in. Count me in. A group of people came to join them. Xu Ran also drank up his tea freely. After drinking, Qin Shuwu began to talk. Hey, hey, hey, I do not only invite you guys here for tea today. Theres a good stuff to recommend to you. Xu Ran, bring the chess over and show them. Xu Ran got up and took three chess sets over, which were respectively of large, medium and small sizes. Then he handed out to each of them an instruction booklet. When they saw the chess on the table, they were curious. What is this? Wu, what did you just call it? Chinese chess? Qin Shuwu nodded. It is called Chinese chess. It is a plaything devised by Xu Ran, which my dad and daddy have played long time ago. I cant introduce clearly. Let Xu Ran explain to you in details. Xu Ran opened the smallest chess set and began to introduce the chess pieces inside, including the role of each piece and the rules of moves on the chessboard. At the same time, they combined what he taught with the content of the booklets. As the saying went, the businessmen were all cunning. As businessmen, these people naturally had something up their sleeves, and they had wonderful comprehensive ability. After Xu Ran explained once, plus referring to the booklet, they could basically grasp its gist. Qin Shuwu knew how to play chess, although his chess skills were not very good. Xu Ran and Qin Shuwu played a round on the spot to give them a demonstration. Those who were originally interested were more intrigued now. Xu Ran said, Do you want to try, too? One round wont take you too long. Just take it as a practice. After Xu Ran said this, someone immediately answered, Ill have a try. Wu, Ill play with you. Under the other peoples gaze, the two started their battle. This person was indeed unfamiliar with it and made many wrong moves. Xu Ran gave him advice and explained the reason of moves. In the end, this guy unexpectedly beat Qin Shuwu. Qin Shuwus expression was not very good and he kept staring at Xu Ran. Xu Ran shrugged his shoulders innocently. He was just giving advice, instead of joining in. Thus the blame could only be laid on his own skills. Qin Shuwu quit playing after two rounds and let the rest of them play. When it was about time, Qin Shuwu reminded them. Its late today. Xu Rans kid is no more than one month old. He needs to go back home to look after the baby. You can go home to play chess. If you are not clear about the rules, you can read the booklet, or go to my house to ask my dad and daddy, who are much more proficient than you. Wu, since you have said so, can we each get a chess set? I dont think you have many here. Do you have enough for us all? Qin Shuwu said, Yes, yes, just for you several guys, I surely have enough. Xu Ran had intended to make this stuff for sale. Only because you are my buddies, I introduced it to you first. Spring Festival is coming soon. While relatives get together, the chess can be used either as a gift or a plaything. I didnt produce a lot at present. If you want it, tell Xu Ran immediately, he will spare one for you. Xu Ran stood aside smilingly. Then he took out several identical chess sets, and gave one to each of them. After they took the sets, someone began to ask the price. Xu Ran said, You are friends of Qin. This chess is a gift for everyone. I will expect and appreciate your favor in the future. The person closest to Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder. You are a smart guy, but I definitely cant take this stuff for free. If you will give it to us at a better price, we will accept gladly. However we cannot take it for free. Then he made a gesture of putting the chess set back on the table. To business people, they adhered to give-and-take policy, and no one wanted to owe anyone else. Xu Ran hurriedly stopped him, Dont say it like that. Fine, I had planned to sell one tael of silver for each set. How about selling you at the half price? The man nodded. OK, half price will do. Do the math. How much are these? Ill pay them all. Xu Ran counted the price and the man paid it the right amount of money on the spot. At last, he asked Xu Ran to make a few more sets for him, saying that they would serve as new year gifts. Xu Ran agreed with a smile, No problem. Ill put them in Qins place. You can ask for them from Qin. Good, good. Xu Ran paid for the tea. Then the group of people left the tea house merrily. Compared to the group who wore exquisite clothes, Xu Ran, who was carrying a packbasket on his back, looked a little like a country folk with the face of a city resident, which was very contradictory. Xu Ran himself did not know it. When they came out of the tea house, it was really late. Even if Xu Ran drove the carriage back, it would be dark too. Xu Ran put all the chess sets he brought with him in Qin Shuwus place. Brother Qin, I leave these chess sets here. The price is one tael of silver for each. I will go back today and come again tomorrow. Qin Shuwu nodded. Alright. Be careful on your way back. OK, I have occupied you for so long. Brother Qin, you can leave me alone! After Qin Shuwu saw Xu Ran off, he went back to the store to settle the account. Before Xu Ran drove back home, he went to purchase some goods for Spring Festival. As to Du Xin, he didnt think of going to see him at all. He only thought about if when he was halfway home. Since he had been halfway from home, there was no reason to turn back! So Xu Ran kept going forward. When he got home, it was already dark, just in time for dinner. At the dinner table, Tangtang, Guoguo and Xu Ran had a good conversation of sons and father. Recently, his attention was all on little Baozi and neglected them. Tangtang and Guoguo were as lovely and obedient as always. Now they could run more and more laps in the morning, getting familiar about the whole back hill. Xu Ran didnt expect them to be very powerful. As long as they were able to protect themselves, it would be fine. A strong body was their elementary asset. Xu Ran thought that it was about time to celebrate the new year, and that he had to send Tangtang and Guoguo to school after the Spring Festival, about which he hadnt told them. Thinking about it, Xu Ran wanted to inquire about their opinions. Tangtang,Guoguo, you will be seven years old next year. Do you want to go to school? The two kids nodded. Yes, Dad. After Spring Festival, you should go to school in the village. Maybe not much, you can always learn something. Especially Tangtang, since you love studying, you should study hard. If Fuzi in the village cant teach you much, I will send you to the town school. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded. Okay, we will follow Dads arrangement. Although his goal was achieved, Xu Ran felt that the two kids were too obedient and had no sense of achievement at all. Somehow, he was a little upset. When he sent the food to Liu Tong after dinner, he asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, do you think Tangtang and Guoguo are too obedient? Liu Tong looked up at him and said, Isnt it a good thing to be obedient? Xu Ran frowned. Yes, it is. But they are too obedient. They dont look like children at all. I hope they can be more lively, just like little Baozi. Liu Tong suddenly smiled. You dont know that they were more troublesome than little Baozi when they were babies. If they were to cry, they would cry together. You should be content. If they are really not obedient, youd probably be even more depressed. Xu Ran thought about it, so it was better now. Chapter 141 The next morning, Xu Ran brought more chess sets to the town. He set up a stall next to an old man selling masks. The old man looked very hale. Xu Ran started to talk to him after he set up the stall. They chatted and became familiar. Xu Ran offered to teach him to play chess. The old man hurriedly waved his hand, No, no. I cant read even a character. How can I play chess? Its something you scholars do. Xu Ran pulled his hand, Sir, nobody says its something only scholars can do. Whats more, Ive thought of this myself. Even those scholars cant play this game. Its very simple. Just watch how I place the chess pieces, and then you place the pieces in another color as I do. Xu Ran guided the old man step by step, and taught him to recognize each character. The people who came to buy masks noticed what they were doing, and many of them stayed to watch the fun. This old man was very serious and did exactly as Xu Ran said. He even forgot to watch his own stall. A lot of people around came and watched the fun. Some people gradually understood and started to instruct the old man. This effortless campaign was just what Xu Ran wanted. When the old man could play a full round with Xu Ran, the two stalls were totally surrounded by the people. Seeing this, the old man felt embarrassed. He waved his hand and stood up to tout his masks. Xu Ran thought it was fine, so he started to do promotion. Guys, come and take a look. This is called Chinese chess. You have seen it when I played with this old man just now. You guys definitely want to give it a shot, right? The chess is something novel. People say only scholars can play Go game, but mine is Chinese chess and even scholars have never played it. Dont you want to try it? Rest assured. I will teach you. Hearing this, many people were motivated, especially by even scholars have never played it. In ancient times, scholars were always respected. They thought that if they could beat the scholars to pick up Chinese chess, it would be great honor! How much is your chess? Someone asked about the price first. Xu Ran said, I will charge according to how fast you learn about the chess. The faster you learn, the less I charge. If I teach you once and you learn it, I will only charge 800 pence. If I have to teach it twice, I will charge 900 pence. One more time, another 100 pence. Who wants to try now? Do you really mean it? If I dont need you to teach me, can I pay less? The person who asked was the one who had just guided the old man to play chess, and obviously this man was clever. Watched by so many people, Xu Ran appeared generous, Buddy, if you dont need me to teach you, Ill just charge 750 pence. My business opens today! Xu Ran looked at the person as he spoke. His hands looked very delicate with no calluses, and his face was clean and fair-skinned. It looked he was either a scholar or a childe of a wealthy family. The man didnt seem to care about money. Xu Ran said that he could pay 50 pence less, and he just took out the money and paid Xu Ran without hesitation. He selected a set of a small size and left. Xu Ran smiled and waved his hand from behind, Goodbye, buddy. Someone tried as the first, and naturally others would follow suit. As soon as the young man left, another person said that he wanted to buy one set at the price of 800 pence. Xu Ran didnt fool him. He put the chess pieces in the box and asked him to place them on the chessboard like him. While placing, Xu Ran introduced the moves of each piece. Xu Ran was not afraid that other people around would learn. If they could get the hand o fit and bought the chess directly, he would be pleased. This person learned well. Xu Ran taught him just once and he understood almost all. Xu Ran finished teaching, asked him to choose one set himself and charged him 800 pence. After that, Xu Ran sold two sets of 900 pence, and then the crowd almost dispersed. Most of them couldnt afford to buy it, and even if they could, they were not willing to pay. The winter wind chilled people. Xu Ran wore quite a lot, but after standing in the wind for so long, he still felt cold and started to stomp his feet constantly. If there was no business for both, Xu Ran and the old man would play chess. The vendors nearby would come to watch, and more people would follow them. In this way, Xu Ran would get his business naturally. Xu Ran knew that he couldnt make much money from these people.All he wanted was to attract more people and help them learn about chess. For everyone who came to buy chess, Xu Ran said that it was the most suitable for old people, especially during Spring Festival. They could kill time with it, or send it to relatives as a gift. Poor people wouldnt believe him, but rich people would feel novel and give it a try. Xu Ran stayed on the street for a whole day and only sold nine sets of which the most expensive one was just one tale of silver, much less than he had expected. Xu Ran comforted himself that this was after all the fisrt day and the business would be better tomorrow. Xu Ran stayed on the street for three whole days in a row, and he got windburnis; he felt pain whenever he touched it. He still wanted to do that business himself, but Liu Tong stopped him. Liu Tong said it didnt matter if he couldnt sell more, and he definitely couldnt stay on the street in such cold weather again. Xu Ran touched his face and agreed after a second thought. He wouldnt go to the street to sell chess, but he still had to go to the town. There should be news from Qin Shuwu, and he should go to Zhuo Yuns and take a look. Apart from anything else, the shopkeeper of Zhuo Yun knew a lot of people, especially people almost the same age. Xu Ran felt that he could ask the shopkeeper to help. Xu Ran stayed at home for two days to for face recovery, and Doctor Liu prescribed him ointment. His face was almost healed when he went to the town. Xu Ran had left more than ten sets of chess at Qin Shuwus before, but there was none left as Xu Ran came this time. Seeing Qin Shuwu standing at the door and looking at him with a smug expression, Xu Ran couldnt help but say, Brother Qin, have you sold out all the sets? Qin Shuwu crossed his arms and said, Of course. Whats more, someone even booked some with me. He would come over to pick them up today. Since I sold so much for you, shouldnt you do me a favor? Xu Ran answered, What favor do you want? Qin Shuwu raised his chin and looked at him, I heard that you got much bacon and sausage for the Zhuo Yuns family. Could I expect some from you? Xu Ran chuckled, Well, Brother Qin, I will actually send some to you even if you dont ask. Do you want anything else? Well, I am only interested in the delicacy in your family. Tell me honestly whether you have anything else delicious at home or not. I will help you sell another ten sets and charge you nothing. Qin Shuwu said. Well, I do, Brother Qin. I will cook it at home and bring it here the next time, OK? As for the chess, I hope you can sell another 20 sets. I made about 100 sets this year, just enough for selling and presenting. Presenting? Who do you want to present? asked Qin Shuwu . Xu Ran said, Several friends whom I got acquainted with when I took the imperial exam. They are also from merchant families. Coincidentally, some of them will come here in the next few days, and Ill prepare them a few sets. Qin Shuwu looked at Xu Ran with interest, It seems you can sell your goods far away. Could I get involved? Xu Ran thought about it seriously, Brother Qin, I think it could be done. The stores at their town sell things we cant see at He Shui Town, vice versa. You can buy the shop next door and sell cooked food specially. The business of your fruit shop is so good, and I guess that the business of the cooked food shop will not be bad. Qin Shuwu was originally just joking, but after Xu Ran said that he was really interested. Tell me, what should I see in the deli? Is it easy to run? How big should the shop be? How many people should I employ? Xu Ran sighed with emotions, What a business old bird! I just mentioned it, and he started to think about these things! Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, this cant be rushed. We have to wait until next year. When spring comes next year, I will tell you the details. You should find and buy the shop first. Qin Shuwu touched his chin, Thats right. Lets talk about this next year then. But remember, you should settle this when you deliver food to me as soon as possible. Ill help you sell another 10 sets of chess, OK? Xu Ran reached out and gave him a high-five. Okay, it is a deal then. Thank you for your help. Youre welcome. Just dont forget the food for me. He never forgot to remind Xu Ran in terms of food. C Chapter 142 Xu Ran left Qin Shuwus house for Zhuo Yun, who also liked playing Chinese chess and found it quite interesting. It was completely different from the exhausting Go. Most importantly, when playing Chinese chess, there were times that Qin Shuwen couldnt win and refused to admit his failure shamelessly. This was rarely seen, which made Xu Ran happy. Xu Ran sold 30 sets on his own, and Qin Shuwu helped him sell about 50 sets of them, plus the 10 sets he would like to give Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, so there were only 20 sets left. Xu Ran revealed his request to Zhuo Yun; since Zhuo Yuns family had a long history of living in the town, there must be friends and acquaintances, and Zhuo Yun agreed without hesitation, but he said that he would go to Xu Rans house for the Chinese New Year. There was no one in his family and only one chef in the kitchen, whose cooking skills were not as good as Xu Ran. During the Spring Festival, one naturally preferred delicacies, so going to Xu Rans house would be the best choice. Xu Ran did not mind that, but he remembered that traditionally it would be better to stay in ones own house for New Years Eve. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Are you really not gonna spend New Years Eve in your house? Though Im fine with that if youve made the decision, for me its nothing but to prepare extra chopsticks and bowls. Zhuo Yun waved his hand. Its okay, I dont have that many taboos. My parents are gone and most of the servants have been sent away. I guess there would be just me, Shuwen and a kid who cant speak yet. The more people there are, the better it would be to celebrate the New Year. Ive thought about this and Shuwen is okay with it as well, we are just waiting for your yes. Xu Ran said, Sure, If you come to my house for the New Year, then come on the day before the Eve and live here till the second day of the Spring Festival, and on that morning we can go to visit Sworn Daddy together. Alright, thats settled. Ill sell the Chinese chess for you. Dont worry, just prepare enough food lest its not enough for us. Xu Ran snorted, Hey, are you saying that I will not let you eat enough? After a while of joking with each other, Xu Ran went home. He was going to go to the town again tomorrow and send the dried bamboo shoots as well as potatoes to Mr. Chen. Besides these goods, he would also send Qin Shuwu some sausages. But the bacon probably needs to wait for the next year. However, he would give Qin Shuwu some recipes that he might find someone to cook as per at home. The following events would be receiving Lin Hua and his relatives on the 20th, throwing a one-month-old celebration party for little Baozi on the 25th, then inviting some friends to dinner, and resting a few days to celebrate the Spring Festival. Xu Ran felt that this year was more tiring than every year he had been through. However, he was also very happy. He had a family, kids and friends, and a somewhat successful career. Wait! There was still the one-hundred-day celebration party for little Qinshu in Zhuo Yuns family. Xu Ran patted his head. It was already the 15th of the lunar December today, so it must be close. However, Zhuo Yun didnt mention it at all, so he forgot about it. The worse was that he had forgotten when little Qingshu was born. And no one else seemed to have told him, either. Xu Ran was planning to ask Liu Tong, but when he got back, Shao Yu told him that Liu Tong and the little Baozi were asleep. Xu Ran decided to ask about it in the evening. So Xu Ran went to find Tangtang and Guoguo. Tangtang and Guoguo used not to go out when it was cold. At first, it was because their clothes were too thin to keep warm outside. Later, it was because even if they went out, they had no one else to play with. However, they didnt spend too much time at home nowadays. They went out every day, either to play with other children in the village or to go to the mountain with Gao Quan. Gao Quan went to the mountain so often that he was even more familiar with the mountain than Liu Tong was. The reason was unclear since Gao Quan didnt talk about it, and Xu Ran didnt ask. Tangtang and Guoguo was not at home, Shao Yu said that they followed Gao Quan to the mountain. It had not been snowing or raining for the past few days but the wind was strong. Xu Ran wrapped himself tightly and decided to go to the mountain to find them. When they went out, they usually took two dogs with them. Xu Ran would know where they were by just calling the dogs name. Peach, Plum Xu Ran shouted a few times after he went up the mountain; then he heard the woof of two dogs. Tangtang and Guoguo heard it too. Tangtang tugged on Gao Quans clothes and said, Uncle Gao, my Dad is here. Ill let Peach and Plun bring him over. Gao Quan nodded. Tangtang patted on the dogs heads and said, Peach and Plum, bring Dad over. The two dogs barked twice and ran away. Tangtang, Guoguo and Gao Quan came to help find herbs. Gao Quan meant to take a medicated bath for Tangtang after finding the herbs. It would be beneficial for both of them and could prevent them from poison. However, he had talked about it with Tangtang and Guoguo but not with Xu Ran yet. He used to go up the mountain alone. Later, Tangtang and Guoguo accidentally saw him collecting the herbs. He didnt hide it anymore and told Tangtang and Guoguo everything. The two children didnt read many books, but they heard a lot of stories from Xu Ran, so they could even understand what the medicated bath was. From then on, Gao Quan brought them up the mountain and also taught them to recognize herbs. Xu Ran came over soon following Peach and Plum. When seeing that Gao Quan was carrying a packbasket with quite a lot of grass on his back, Xu Ran asked, Gao Quan, what are you looking for? The grass has withered in the winter. Can you still find it? Gao Quan said, Some herbs can only be found in winter, and I have almost found them. Herbs? Xu Ran was confused. Why are you looking for herbs? Im going to make a medicated bath for Tangtang and Guoguo, Gao Quan said seriously. Xu Ran knew what the medicated bath was, but he didnt understand why Gao Quan suddenly wanted to gave the two children a medicated bath and looked for herbs on his own. Gao Quan looked at Xu Rans suspicious expression and added, I wont harm Tangtang and Guoguo. I swear to God. Xu Ran did not believe in swear, but Gao Quan indeed did. Hearing Gao Quans words, Xu Ran said clearly, I know that its bad to doubt you, but I have to consider my childrens safety. If you just wanted to make experiments with them, you wont be so careful. But I cant allow anything bad to happen to my children. When you get all the herbs, give them to me first. Ill go find a doctor checking on the herbs and if everything is okay. Then, they can take the bath. Alright? Gao Quan nodded. No problem. Youre doing it for Guoguos and Tangtangs benefit. Tangtang and Guoguo could only look at the two adults talking. After being ignored for a while, they unhappily tugged on their clothes, one on each side. Guoguo protested frustratingly, Dad, every time you come, you talk to others first and dont care about us. H looked extremely aggrieved. Xu Ran picked him up and kissed him on his clean face. Dads bad, in the future I will talk to you first, okay? Guoguo immediately smiled and touched Xu Rans face. Dont forget my elder brother, either. Xu Ran lowered his head and saw that Tangtang was also looking at him eagerly. Both the children had gained some weight. Xu Ran couldnt hold them both at the same time. So he could only hold each of them one for a while and followed Gao Quan looking for green plants. In Xu Rans eyes, all the green things looked pretty much the same, so he didnt know which were herbs and which were not. Even the two kids were better at it than him. Tangtang and Guoguo could recognize a lot of weeds after being with Gao Quan. They knew the names of many of the weeds that Xu Ran grabbed. Xu Ran touched his head indicating his embarrassment for he couldnt set the children an example. Fortunately, although Xu Ran didnt know anything about the herbs, Tangtang and Guoguo didnt show any dislike. Xu Ran made up his mind that he would learn to recognize herbs with Gao Quan. Even if he couldnt trick Tangtang and Guoguo, he could trick little Baozi when he grew up. That was really ambitious of him. Gao Quan knew a lot about herbs. He had more than ten kinds of herbs in the packbasket, although for each kind, there were only one or two plants. Xu Ran asked him, Gao Quan, we just entered the mountain. Can you find something good here? How about going deeper? Gao Quan shook his head. No, there must be wild animals in the deep mountains in winter. Its not safe for Tangtang and Guoguo to go inside, so I just need to take a look in the outskirts area. There are also some of them outside, only not too many. With such thorough consideration, Xu Ran thought of his doubt on Gao Quan and felt sorry, but his idea would not change. They only returned home when it was almost dark. Shao Yu had just finished his meal and waited for him. While eating, Mr. Hu told Xu Ran, Ran, the meat needs to be hung up to get smoked. I saw there was salt water seeping through the meat, and its not good to put there too long. Xu Ran said, I have to go to the town tomorrow. Lets hang up the meat together the day after tomorrow. Gao Quan, see if you can put up another shelf. The meat is heavier than the sausages, and we cant hang too much on one shelf. Gao Quan was concentrated on his meal. After hearing Xu Rans words, he swallowed the rice and raised his head, Then Ill put up a bigger shelf next year. Fortunately, there are extra wooden sticks at home. Sure, its up to you. By the way, the one-hundred-day celebration party for little Qinshu in Zhuo Yuns family is close. Are you guys going? Mr. Hu was the first to speak. I wont go. Theres so much meat that needs to be smoked. The bacon indeed needed to be watched over. Xu Ran nodded and asked Shao Yu and Gao Quan, What about you, Shao Yu, Gao Quan? Shao Yu said, Im not going, either. Liu Tong hasnt gone through his confinement of the birth yet, so theres no one at home to cook. Ill have to cook at home. Gao Quan went wherever Shao Yu went. Therefore, he didnt need to answer Xu Ran. Tangtang and Guoguo, who was sitting obediently for dinner, looked eager. Xu Ran smiled and asked them, Do you want to go? The two children nodded and Tangtang said, Dad, we heard that there is a lot of fun in the town. We want to go and see. There is recently. Fine, you can go with me and take a look. Okay. The two children were obviously happy after Xu Ran agreed, which could be seen when each of them ate an extra half bowl of rice. Chapter 143 Liu Tong was tired of eating eggs and chicken. He didnt even want to drink the chicken soup and firmly refused anything related to the chicken. Any food would end like this actually. People could still feel fresh after eating it once or twice. However, if they ate a certain food continuously for more than half a month, it began to cloy. Xu Ran understood all this, so he didnt force Liu Tong to go on eating them. Instead, he let Shao Yu prepare more vegetables for Liu Tong, and occasionally he could also serve him some pickled radish, which was appetizing. Liu Tong felt that Xu Ran had been feeding him like a pig since he was pregnant, and he was getting fatter and fatter. It was clearly seen from the fact that his belly was still like a barrel even after his giving birth. Liu Tong was very dissatisfied with himself. Being so fat now, he even felt walking very tiring. Xu Ran, however, was pleased. Liu Tongs waist was now soft and fleshy. Xu Ran looked forward to the days after Liu Tongs potpartum confinement. He dreamed of the moment when only two of them were together. That day when Liu Tong was eating, Xu Ran sat beside him with little Baozi in his arms and asked him when Qingshu was born. Liu Tong smiled, You still dont know about it? Didnt Zhuo Yun tell you? Qingshu was born on the 10th of September, and on the twentieth of this month he will be a hundred days old. The twentieth! Xu Ran looked a little worried. Liu Tong asked him, Whats the matter? Are you busy on the 20th? Xu Ran shook his head, No. But Lin Hua and the others may came over that day. I will not be home if Im going to Zhuo Yuns house that day. All right. When they come, let Shao Yu keep them and arrange a room for them to stay first. Ill see them when I come back at night. And they can leave the next morning. All right. Liu Tong nodded, I will tell Shao Yu about this. You eat first. Ill take little Baozi outside for some fresh air. He hasnt gone out for a whole day, Xu Ran said and got up with little Baozi. Then be careful. Dont let him catch cold, Liu Tong reminded him. Got it. Xu Ran closed the door after he went out. Then, with little Baozi in his arms, he wandered around in the yard twice before going to Tangtang and Guoguos room. Both Tangtang and Guoguo now had two more things to do every day. Every morning after they got up, they would first visit their brother, and they would visit him again before going to bed at night. With time passing by, Baozi looked kinda like Xu Ran. Because he had ewes milk and was taken good care of, he was chubby and well-nourished. It was now less than a month since he was born, but he had grown one or two jin. Both Tangtang and Guoguo had planned to visit little Baozi after practicing calligraphy. They didnt expect that Xu Ran would come with little Baozi. They were very excited. They lay prone on the bed, coaxing and amusing little Baozi. Xu Ran just went to check on their homework. Xu Ran had taught the two children to recognize Arabic numerals and Pinyinthe Chinese phonetic alphabet), but he also told them that they could only learn these when they were at home. In the future, they could use these words to record their personal matters. In this way, it would be easier to explain their behavior even if they were found by others. Although both Tangtang and Guoguo did not understand why they could not let others know about it, they still nodded obediently. Thus they would only learn Arabic numerals and Pinyin in the evening. These numerals and Pinyin were all quite simple to write, but to read them out was quite difficult. Xu Ran actually taught them these only after little Baozi was born. Seeing the words on the paper today, Xu Ran felt that it was about time to teach them more, so he asked them two, Tangtang and Guoguo, can you write all the numbers and Pinyin out? Guoguo was amusing his little brother and ignored Xu Ran. Tangtang got up and replied, Dad, we can write them now, but we cant read them well. When will you teach us? Xu Ran noticed when Tangtang said this, Guoguo pouted. It seemed that he didnt want to go on with the learning. I think you guys have practiced quite well. Ill start teaching you how to read tomorrow. Didnt you guys want to follow Uncle Gao Quan to the mountain recently? You can practice reading on the mountain there. Its not safe for you to read at home because there are some visitors coming home from time to time. Remember not to let others know about this, or Dad will be in trouble. Xu Ran looked serious when he was speaking. Tangtang listened very carefully. Guoguo also turned to Xu Ran and replied, Dad, I got it. Well, its cold now. You guys should sleep early. Im going back with Baozi . Okay, bye, Dad, the two children took off their clothes and got into the quilt while waving to Xu Ran. Xu Ran felt Baozi waving his little hand, too. He closed the door for the two kids before returning to his room. When he went back, Xu Ran found that their bedroom door was closed. Then he lifted the curtain from the window and found that Liu Tong had taken off his clothes. He was pinching the flesh on his waist that had grown for a long time. Xu Ran was excited at the scene, and he felt hot in his body. As he was still holding the baby in his arms, he told himself not to let his mind in turmoil. Thus he closed his eyes and recited Qingxin Mantra (a mantra for clearing away the heart-fire) In the end, Xu Rans silent reading was even heard by Liu Tong inside. He quickly put on his clothes and called Xu Ran in. After Xu Ran went in, he put little Baozi on the bed and pretended to forget what he had just seen. He said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, its getting late. Lets go to sleep. From now on, we have to let little Baozi develop a good habit of sleeping at night and playing at daytime. This way, it will be convenient for any of us to take care of him. Liu Tong said, Baozi behaves very well right now. He is only naughty during the daytime, so there must be someone watching him at any time then. Ran, I feel that there are two more people now and we can do a lot of things at home. Xu Ran turned back and rubbed his nose, You believe in my eyes now, right? Gao Quan and Shao Yu are both diligent and good to children. How about we give them each a big red packet on New Years Eve? This time, Liu Tong didnt say following Xu Rans idea, but replied, Okay. Alright, lets sleep. I have to go to town tomorrow and prepare a gift for Qingshu. I have to figure out what gift we can send to him. With that, Xu Ran took off his clothes as well as shoes and climbed onto bed. He put little Baozi in the middle and then he slept by the side. The next day, Xu Ran got up early in the morning. After putting everything in the carriage, he went to get ready over ten pieces of sausage and put them in the carriage. On the way, he kept thinking what kind of gifts he could prepare for Qingshu. Llongevity lock (ornament shaped like a lock worn by a child as a symbol of longevity)? This idea popped up in Xu Rans mind. Xu Ran thought about it carefully. He believed the longevity lock was also very good and suitable. Whether it was made of gold or silver, it was a meaningful gift. As Qingshu was a Geer, Xu Ran thought it was better to send him a silver one. He could buy a set of it. In this way, Qingshu could wear the longevity lock on his neck with a small silver bracelet on his wrist. On each of his feet was a small bell. When he crawled around, the bells would clash and jingle making very pleasing sounds. Thinking of such a scene, Xu Ran felt it was very beautiful. However, as soon as he arrived at the town, he was stopped by someone. This person was none other than Du Xin. Du Xin saw Xu Ran coming down from the carriage and threw himself at him, Xu Ran, I have finally got you here. You dont know how hard Ive been waiting for you here. Ive waited in all the parking places in the town and finally got you here. Xu Ran pushed him away immediately, You are all right now. Why are you waiting for me? Du Xin immediately retorted, Who said Im all right? I am here looking for you because I need your help. You and I Before Du Xin got to the point, Xu Ran started to touch his forehead. He really felt headache about it. Xu Ran said, Tell me directly why youre looking for me. I am busy today. I can try my best to help you. I But its definitely impossible for you to go to my house. You dont have to say this, Du Xin was silenced by Xu Ran before he could start the topic. Du Xin replied unhappily, How did you know that I was going to talk about this? Why dont you let me go to your house? Ive spent your money staying in the inn. Youll save a lot of of money if I stay your house instead. Why dont you agree on that? Xu Ran insisted and shook his head, I wont agree. Its going to be the Spring Festival soon. Arent you going back yet? No matter how angry your dad is, he will definitely let you go home for the festival. After all, you are your dads only son. Du Xin touched his head and said, Actually, Im here to bid you farewell. A few days ago, I received a letter from my dad. He asked me to go home for the Spring Festival. He said he will deal with me after the festival. These days, Ive been here waiting for you. It is not easy today for me to get yoiu here. However, you still refuse to let me go to your house. Xu Ran insisted, No, its impossible. Ill let you go when my child grows older. At the moment, Im afraid youll steal my child away, Xu Ran said seriously. Du Xin couldnt tell from his expression whether he was really joking. Du Xin expressed his dissatisfaction, How can I do such a thing? I cant raise such a young child. I might probably throw it away even if I stole it. How can I do such stupid things? Its for the sake of you that I want to go to your house. You see you can cook and make money. Xu Ran was speechless. He then replied, Im already a married man, so dont keep me in your mind. You can go back and ask your spouse if it is true that he is also good at cooking and making money. You should keep him in your mind! Du Xin began to steer the conversation away, Haha, its just a joke. Why are you so serious? Besides, even if you didnt get married, could I marry you? You and I are both men and neither of us is a Geer. Xu Ran gave no response. He supposed that Du Xin was going to leave, so he went to the carriage and found something to send to Du Xin, This is all the food from my family. Take it home and ask someone to cook it for you. You can cook it together with bacon. You can get the money back from the inn as travelling expenses. Its almost spring festival. There must be a lot of people going to your town, so Its safer for you to take a ride. Xu Ran babbled on and on, but Du Xin listened quietly. The more Du Xin listened there, the more he felt that how nice it would be if Xu Ran were a Geer. Actually, Xu Ran didnt tell much before they separated. One of them went home while the other went to work on his own business. Chapter 144 Xu Ran sent the things to Mr. Chens restaurant and said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, these are enough for you to sell before Spring Festival. I will send you the rest after the festival. The sale of this stuff cant last long. The timing is in the one or two months when it is cold. After that, the other goods should take over. Mr. Chen took a look at the amount that Xu Ran had brought and nodded, Thats fine. This is enough to sell before Spring Festival. Im going to close to make a preparation for the festival in these few days. Mr. Chen, do these two things sell well? Xu Ran asked. Mr. Chen said with a smile, Well, very well! The several dishes made from the dried bamboo shoots rarely have leftover. The best seller is potato dough drops. Many people turned to buy it when they failed to buy potatoes. Both are potatoes, but they taste different. Many people like them. Xu Ran pretended to breathe a sigh of relief, That is fine. I was worried that you will blame me if they dont sell well. Mr. Chen patted Xu Ran on the shoulder as if he himself was very easy-going. How can I blame you? Didnt I say I trust you? Xu Ran looked at the sky. He must have forgotten the scene that he asked him in a questioning tone, and that he was still worried after the payment was made. Of course, Xu Ran wouldnt say it out. He smiled and said, Yeah, thank you for your trust, Mr. Chen. I still have some errands to run, so Im leaving first. Sure, sure, come back after the Spring Festival. Xu Ran left smilingly. He first sent the prepared stuff to Qin Shuwus place, and Qin Shuwu gave him the money earned by selling chess sets. After checking the stuff brought by Xu Ran and the recipes given by Xu Ran, Qin Shuwu was very satisfied. The recipe was drafted by Xu Ran this morning. He had thought about doing it yesterday, but it slid his mind later. Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, make these things according to my instruction on the paper. I guarantee you will be satisfied. Qin Shuwu nodded with a smile, Sure, youre very thoughtful. Youre coming during this Spring Festival, arent you? At that time, Ill let my spouse show his cooking skills. Xu Ran nodded. Of course we will come. We will come with Zhuo Yun and the others, so as to spare your trouble to entertain us twice. Alright, the more the merrier. Your spouse has been out of postpartum confinement. Just in time. Xu Ran didnt tell Qin Shuwu that Zhuo Yun was going to his home to spend Spring Festival. Since he was not blood related with them, he was in no position to propose it, which had to be put forward by Zhuo Yun himself. After chatting with Qin Shuwu for a while, Xu Ran went shopping for some gifts for Little Qingshu. He wanted to select some ready-made longevity locks and silver bracelets. If there was none for sale, he didnt know whether there was still time to make some now. Xu Ran patted himself on the head and felt that his brain was getting worse recently. Xu Ran found a specialist shop of jewellery. The shopkeeper wasnt there, and only one staff member was tidying up goods. Xu Ran knocked on the counter and the staff quickly came over to greet him, Sir, what do you want? Xu Ran asked, Do you have longevity locks? I want a silver one. It will be best if you have a set of silver bracelet and bell to match it. The staff replied, Sir, our store has longevity locks, gold and silver ones, and bracelets, but we have no bells. I suppose you buy this longevity lock and bracelet as gifts to others, dont you? Its better to send the gold ones, more elegant and valuable than the silver ones. Its popular. Listening to the staffs eloquent sales promotion, Xu Ran sighed that the eloquency was useful everywhere. Xu Ran said, Bro, Ill buy silver one. It is for a baby about a hundred days old. Wearing silver is good for health. Oh, this is new to me. Sir, you must be a scholar. Ill get you some silver ones, and you can select one by yourself. The staff took several longevity locks and a few silver bracelets out for Xu Ran to choose. Xu Ran thought this staff was amazing. He could figure out that he was an intellect through several words, but Xu Ran did not reply. He started to select the longevity lock and the bracelets attentively. The longevity locks had big sizes and small ones. For kids, the big sizes should be excluded first. Xu Ran picked the smallest and most exquisite one, which would not be too heavy on the neck. With the longevity lock chosen, Xu Ran began to select the silver bracelet. In fact, he didnt have many choices because only one pair was suitable for kids. Xu Ran looked at the silver bracelet and was not very satisfied. He said, Bro, are there any other small-sized silver bracelets in your shop? The craftsmanship of this silver bracelet is not very exquisite. I cant choose it. It was the first time that someone told him that he couldnt choose. Others usually said that they didnt like the stuff or the stuff was not good-looking. So the way the intellects spoke was different? Xu Ran had been staring at the staff all the time. Seeing that he was in distraction, Xu Ran had reminded him again. The staff immediately came to himself, Im sorry, sir. We only have this pair of small-sized silver bracelet. Maybe you could try the other stores? Xu Ran nodded. Fine, then Ill try the other stores! Sir, do you still want this longevity lock? Seeing that he was about to leave, the staff asked in haste. Xu Ran thought for a while and said, Keep it for me for now. Ill try whether I can select a set from the other stores. If I cant, Ill come back to buy this one. At Xu Rans words, the staff suddenly regretted that he had asked Xu Ran to go to the other stores just now. What if he didnt buy any of them? Before he thought of a way to persuade Xu Ran to buy the longevity lock, Xu Ran had stepped out of the store. Such regrets! Xu Ran wandered through two more stores but failed to find a satisfactory bracelet. As to the bell, he hadnt even seen one. There were quite a few stores selling jewelry in the town. After all, these were rare items. With one sold, a lot of money could be made. Xu Ran searched while walking. Then he saw another jewelry store, the decoration of which was not as magnificent as that of the first three. Instead, it had the style of countryside. After several glances, Xu Ran explained his intentions to the staff. The staff carried a bunch of boxes for him and opened them one by one to show to Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt pay much attention to the longevity locks. After all, he had taken a liking to the one in the first store. The ones in the other stores were not as exquisite as that one, so he would not pick again. Xu Ran took up the stuff in the box and looked at them one by one. These were all sizes for kids. Xu Ran looked for a while and chose a bracelet engraved with plum blossoms. There were also bells strung in a silver ring, which jingled at touch, very suitable for kids to wear. Xu Ran liked it very much. He took the two selected ones in his hand and asked the staff, Bro, how much for these two? The staff took the things from Xu Rans hand and checked the purity. Then he gave Xu Ran a price. Xu Ran weighed the weight and felt that they were worth the price, but he couldnt be sure whether they were real. Xu Ran asked the staff, Bro, can you tell me how to judge whether this stuff is really made of silver? The staff said, Dont worry, sir. Our store definitely wont sell fake goods. Real silver cant be easily bent. Sir, try to bend the bracelet in your hand and you will know. According to the staffs instruction, Xu Ran bent the silver bracelet in his hand and found that it was not deformed. He felt that it should be genuine. Xu Ran asked the staff to pack them up. Because it was for little Qingshu, he paid without bargaining and left. The staff said enthusiastically, Goodbye, sir. Welcome to come back next time. Xu Ran froze for a moment, but he didnt look back. Then he walked on. These words were too similar to the lines of the girls in the whorehouse, but he couldnt complain. Xu Ran went back to the first store. Only that staff was in, who was lying on the counter with a bitter face and mumbling something. But Xu Ran didnt hear it clearly. At the sight of Xu Ran, the staff immediately livened up, Sir, youre back! You want that longevity lock, right? Ill pack it for you right away. Then Xu Ran figured out what he had been mumbling earlier. Xu Ran smiled gently, Pack it up for me. It is the best after comparing some in the other stores. I will take this! Okay, sir, please wait a moment, the staff quickly took out the longevity lock and packed it for Xu Ran. Xu Ran took it in his hand, bent it hard and found that there was no deformation Then he believed Xu Ran shook it in his hand, How much? The staff chuckled, Sir, you also saw how exquisite this thing is made. This price wont be too low. You can take it with 10 taels of silver. Xu Ran, He just bought two pairs at this price Xu Ran put down the longevity lock and turned to leave. The staff immediately ran out from behind the counter to stop Xu Ran. Sir, keep cool. Lets talk about the price. Lets talk about it. Xu Ran glanced at him. I dont want to bargain with you, but if you want to rip off me, I wont let you do what you want. Im sincerely willing to buy it. If you sell it sincerely, give me a reasonable price. Sir, how about this price? The staff hesitated and stretched out five fingers. The price dropped by half in an instant. This longevity lock is delicate but small. Xu Ran was not clear about the price of silver is in this era, but he thought it was not worth five taels of silver. Seeing that Xu Ran didnt agree, the staff frowned and offered another price. Then he said, Sir, I cant go any lower, otherwise the shopkeeper will definitely scold me. The staff looked very young, about sixteen or seventeen years old, and he displayed everything on his face. Xu Ran smiled and said, Alright, I will take it at this price. The staffs bitter face immediately turned bright. He stared at Xu Ran and waited for him to take out the silver. Xu Ran shook his head smilingly, took out the silver and gave it to the staff. The staff took it happily and asked if Xu Ran had bought the satisfactory silver bracelets and bell. Xu Ran nodded. Yes, I have. You can also suggest your boss to make some sets. Families with newborn babies will come to buy them. The staff nodded and thanked Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt say anything else. He put the thing in his pocket and left. When he reached the doorway, he heard the same words from the previous staff. Goodbye, sir. Welcome to come back next time! So all the staff greeted the same way? Chapter 145 C After shopping, Xu Ran went to the Zhuo Mansion to confirm with Zhuo Yun about the time for Qingshus hundredth day celebration (a traditional activity to celebrate a babys completion of its first one hundred days of life). Only after hearing Xu Rans question did Zhuo Yun realize the matter, But I didnt seem to have told you when my little darling was born? Xu Ran shook his head, No, you didnt. I only thought of it when I went back yesterday. I asked Tongtong and he told me that Qingshu was born on the tenth of September. I counted the days. Qingshu should be a hundred days old on the twentieth of this month. Zhuo Yun nodded, Its the 20th of this month, but we lack workers in the mansion right now. We cant manage this by ourselves. Well, Ill book a room in a restaurant and there wont be any trouble. This is a good method. Though it will cost more money, you can free yourselves and dont need to care for too much. Yeah, lets decide to go to Mr. Chens restaurant, Zhuo Yun said. Do you want me to add some food to the banquet? Xu Ran asked. Zhuo Yun waved his hand, No. I know the food you will add are all the signature dishes sold in Mr. Chens restaurant. Theres no need to show them up. Im afraid that after this meal, someone will come to my house to scrounge free meals off us every day. Xu Ran thought about it and agreed. What he could add to the banquet was something like potatoes and dried bamboo shoots. It was fine for dried bamboo shoots, but if he took too many potatoes once, it would be easy to bring trouble on Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran then suggested, How about this way? The 25th will be my babys full month celebration (a traditional activity to celebrate a babys completion of its first month of life). You guys are free then, so why not go to my place that day while we can also have a good celebration for Qingshu. Well, let me discuss it with Shuwen first. If he agrees, I have no objection. Alright, then you can discuss it with Shuwen. And Ill go back first, Xu Ran said. Okay. Take care and bye, Zhuo Yun sent Xu Ran to the gate. The winter days at home were always fast, and in the blink of an eye, the days from the 16th to the 20th had passed. Today, it was Qingshus hundredth day celebration. Xu Ran got up early and dressed himself up. Then he helped dress the two children. As a result, when the father and sons stood together, they looked smart and attractive. Todays celebration would be a joyous moment. Xu Ran had taken out the red jackets that Tangtang and Guoguo wore for the New Years Eve and let them wear them. The two children were good-looking originally. As they put on the red jackets, they immediately became more energetic and turned to two rich young masters. The two children were obedient to Xu Ran and dressed themselves as he liked. After everything was done, Xu Ran clapped his hands and touched his chin to enjoy his work. Xu Ran said to Tangtang and Guoguo, You two can go and show Daddy. Both Tangtang and Guoguo looked at the red jackets on themselves and also thought they were good-looking. And they happily left. Liu Tong saw Tangtang and Guoguo running into the room and asked them, Why havent you started off yet? It will be too late if you dont leave now. Guoguo turned around and asked Liu Tong, Daddy, do you think my brother and I look good today? Liu Tong also noticed the red jackets on them. He praised them with a smile, Very good-looking. Both Guoguo and Tangtang look good. Guoguo threw himself to the bedside, Dad asked us to wear the red jackets and he let us come here to show you. Liu Tong replied, Well, no matter what, our Tangtang and Guoguo look good. Today you are more handsome. Hearing this, both Tangtang and Guoguo were happy that they were about to jump up onto Liu Tong. Liu Tong was then holding little Baozi in his arms. He was afraid that they would hurt Baozi, so he quickly stopped them, Dont jump, or you might hurt your little brother. Go downstairs! If you dont go, Dad will leave now. Then the two children thought of the reason why they wore the red jackets today. They waved to Liu Tong as well as little Baozi and went downstairs. And they happened to meet Shao Yu downstairs. They asked Shao Yu the same question as they had asked Liu Tong. Shao Yu was amused by them both. He also praised them for their good looks. At last, Tangtang and Guoguo were satisfied and ran quickly to find Xu Ran. Shao Yu went upstairs to Liu Tongs room and told him what had just happened. Liu Tong smiled after hearing this, They had just asked me about it and they went to you again. I wonder whom they learned this habit from. They are men, but they love so much to be attractive. Shao Yu argued, Who said that men cant be attractive? I think they get this habit from the young master. Didnt they say that the young master took the red jackets out for them? Liu Tong thought of what Guoguo and Tangtang had just said and smiled lightly, I also think they learned from Ran, but Ran was not like this before. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Shao Yu casually asked, What was the young master like before? Well, before! He was a fool. He had been a fool before I married him. At that time, I was sold to their family by my eldest uncle For some reason, Liu Tong suddenly wanted to talk about what had happened in the past. At that time, though he felt life was miserable, he never thought about leaving alone. Now, the past turned to a memory. For the past seven years, he had guarded the family and spent the time with them. Luckily, the day he had been looking forward to finally arrived C Xu Ran had recovered and began to prosper; they were now living a happy life, and he himself had given birth to the baby in his arms. Softly, Liu Tong was telling the story of their past, while Shao Yu was sitting by the side listening attentively. At the time when Shao Yu came to this house, he saw that the family were living happily not worrying about food or clothing. He had never imagined that they had experienced those seven bitter years. He thus felt inexplicably sad for them. It was really lucky that Xu Ran had recovered, and their life had become better. Everything was fine now Speaking of which, Xu Ran and his two sons leisurely arrived at the town. Xu Ran knew that Lin Xi was coming today, so he drove very slowly hoping that he could meet him on the way. However, he didnt see anyone all the way from the village to the town. So when they got to Mr. Chens restaurant, it was already crowded with people everywhere. Zhuo Yun was standing at the gate to receive his guests when he saw Xu Ran. Xu Ran walked over with Tangtang and Guoguo. He was just about to say something when Zhuo Yun started complaining, I say that you know I will be very busy today. Why didnt you come over to help me earlier? Xu Ran was speechless but to turn to the sky. He felt sorry because he had completely been inconsiderate of this. However, Zhuo Yun only complained in speech, and his attention had soon turned to Tangtang and Guoguo. He stroked their heads and bent down to talk to them, Tangtang and Guoguo, why do you look so good today? You are wearing red jackets! Tangtang, who had been serving as the diplomat for them both, explained, Dad said that today is a happy day for Brother Qingshu. Thats why he asked us to come in red clothes. Zhuo Yun took a glance at Xu Ran and said, I didnt expect you to be so thoughtful. In that case, let Tangtang and Guoguo stand by my side and distribute happiness candies. You should go in and serve the guests. Zhuo Yun sent Xu Ran away with that casual remark. He then took Tangtang and Guoguo to his side. There was a table behind Zhuo Yun. Housekeeper Zhuo was busy registering something there. And Zhuo Yun taught Tangtang and Guoguo how to distribute happiness candies. Actually the custom was somewhat similar to that in modern times. The housekeeper was keeping a record of the gifts sent by the guests. All the happiness candies would be handed out at the gate of the restaurants in token of gratitude, so that they didnt have to send them when eating. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Xu Ran walked into the restaurant. There was a red character of happiness hanging at the entrance of the restaurant. All the guests had received invitation cards, and Mr. Chen arranged for a few people to do the reception work. It was quite a grand occasion. Many guests were coming and Qin Shuwen was very busy there. Xu Ran found he was holding his baby while a group of Geers were around them. With a glance, Xu Ran was now able to tell whether the person was a Geer or a man, because the red mole on a Geers ear was too obvious. It could easily be seen as long as his ear was revealed, and a Geers clothes were usually brighter in color. Up till now, Xu Ran didnt make a fool of himself for this. Seeing that Qin Shuwen was busy, Xu Ran didnt go to greet him. Instead, he wanted to ask Mr. Chen which was the room that Zhuo Yun had booked and whether there were other customers coming for dinner today. Mr. Chen was very busy too, and he didnt stay at the counter at the moment. At last, Xu Ran found him in the kitchen. As soon as Mr. Chen saw Xu Ran, he seemed to get his savior, Xu Ran, help me keep watch on the kitchen. Dont let anything go wrong with them. Ill go out and take a look. There are probably many customers outside. I have to arrange to dish up now. Without giving Xu Ran a chance to respond, he quickly walked out. Xu Ran touched his nose and felt helpless. He was only here to ask Mr. Chen which was Zhuo Yuns private room. However, since Mr. Chen had gone out, he should be able to help the guests outside. And Xu Ran himself had to stay to watch the kitchen! The chefs were old people who had been working here for a long time. They were very familiar with their tasks. Thus it was completely unnecessary for Xu Ran to stay there. Xu Ran took a look at the dishes that were ready there and found they all looked very good, with perfect color, smell and taste. There was also salad. Although the weather was very cold and few people might like to eat it, salad would always appear on the tables of the banquet. The salad was not set very well on the plate. Xu Ran picked up a plate and quickly designed a pattern on it. Then, he asked the two busboys to set the salads on the plates again. Although they were quite reluctant about the task, they had to admit that Xu Ran had done much better than them. They had to follow Xu Rans instruction. The banquet was started at exactly noon time, which was considered as an auspicious moment. Therefore, the kitchen was bustling with activity. In the town, when people held a banquet, there were always eight salads and eight hot dishes on each table, which was quite luxurious. Besides, there were so many customers today. The staff in the kitchen had to take a lot of effort in their work. Soon, Xu Ran saw two waiters come to dish up the food. They first dished up salads and then the hot dishes. They had to make a few trips to the kitchen to serve all the eight salads. Xu Ran took this opportunity to go out for a look. At this time, he found firecrackers had been set up outside the restaurant. Maybe they would be exploded when the dishes were ready on the tables. After that, the guests could sit down and eat. Xu Ran found at every table there was alcohol. He guessed that a competition in drinking wine would be inevitable later when eating. By the time he returned to the kitchen, the staff had already started to dish up hot dishes. Suddenly, Xu Ran noticed that two dishes were not prepared. He stopped the waiters who were about to take food out and said, There are two more dishes that havent been prepared. Dont serve them so quickly. It will be not good if there is no food to serve in the course. Take them slowly. Its best that after you dish up the six hot dishes and the other two dishes just come out. The two waiters didnt say anything but nodded in agreement. Xu Ran then told the chefs to hurry up with the other two hot dishes. After about a quarter of an hour, the remaining two dishes were ready, and the two waiters just finished serving the other six hot dishes. Thus Xu Ran finished his task and didnt have to stay in the kitchen. With his hands behind his back, he walked out to watch the fun. Chapter 146 After all the dishes were served, Mr. Chen personally went to the front gate to set off the firecrackers. The firecrackers circled around the entrance of the restaurant and rang for a long time. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen stood together to receive the ones who came to congratulate them. Xu Ran went to bring his kids back, then went to the table of the Qin Familys elders and let Tangtang and Guoguo greet them one by one. There were quite a few people in Qin Family. Plus kids, there were nearly two tables of them. After greeting them, Xu Ran took the two children to the table of the younger generation, and Qin Shuwu was also there. Xu Ran beamed and said, Brother Qin, why are you here too? Qin Shuwu pulled a long face. They handed this group of children to me. Do you think Im willing to sit here? Then the group of children looked up at Qin Shuwu together. Qin Shuwu immediately surrendered, I definitely want to come here. I came here voluntarily. Then the group of children felt satisfied and continued to chat. Xu Ran found it funny, Brother Qin, its nothing. Dont you see Im sitting here, too? There must be someone watching so many children, right? Qin Shuwu nodded. Thats right. By the way, why didnt I see you just now? Where did you go to hide in order to slack off? To slack off? What the heck is that? Xu Ran said, I was dragged to the kitchen to be an overseer the second I cme here. How could I slack off? Didnt you see that Guoguo and Tangtang were with Zhuo Yun just now? Thats right. Those two kids of yours are really sensible. They helped to hand out happiness candies at such a young age. And they are quite good at calculation. After Qin Shuwu praised Tangtang and Guoguo, he saw Xu Rans complacent expression. Qin Shuwu looked at him in disdain, What is that expression? Im praising the children, not you. Xu Ran was even prouder. The kids are mine and I also taught them. Fine. Qin Shuwu had nothing else to say. The two of them chatted on one side, and the group of children were discussing heatedly, but the two of them didnt understand what the kids were saying anyway. After a while, Mr. Chen finally announced the beginning of this meal, and then everyone started to take their chopsticks. Before they had two bites of the food, someone started to make toast to Zhuo Yun, and then those who could drink all drank the toast. Xu Ran was not interested in toasting. He had to go home later with the two kids, so he wouldnt dare to say much. When Xu Ran was just halfway through eating, he saw that Zhuo Yun was available, so he went over and gave Zhuo Yun the gift for Qingshu. Zhuo Yun didnt stand on ceremony, so he opened it on the spot. He even joked and said that Xu Ran was stingy, because the gift was made of silver but not gold. Then Xu Ran replied and said that he was poor so he could only buy silver but not gold. Qin Shuwen ran over to interject and said that he didnt mind that Xu Ran was poor. The people on the table busrt into peals of laughter. They were all familiar with each other, so it was nothing. However, Xu Ran still seriously said that silver was better than gold to the child. Zhuo Yun took off the gold longevity lock hanging around Qingshus neck and changed it to the gift from Xu Ran. The gold one was made by himself for Qingshu. Xu Ran took it and weighed it in his hand. Zhuo Yun saw what Xu Ran meant and said proudly, This is my baby son. Of course I should put more gold. Xu Ran returned the longevity lock to him and said, Have you never thought that it might be too heavy for Qingshu to wear? Hes only one-month old after all. Then Zhuo Yun stopped talking. Then Xu Ran stopped talking, too and returned to his seat with a smile. This meal indeed took a long time to finish. The kitchen had heated up the dishes twice before the guests started to leave. Zhuo Yuns friends were also pretty drunk, but they were still wanted to continue drinking. Zhuo Yun himself was drunk too, and he started to talk recklessly. Qin Shuwen held the child and tried to stop him but failed. In the end, it was Qin Shuwu who dragged Zhuo Yun away. As for the others, there were their family members who would take them back, so there was nothing to worry about. Xu Ran thought about his family matters, and after dinner, he greeted Qin Shuwen and the rest of the Qin Family before going back. After he got out of the restaurant, he didnt head back immediately. Tangtang and Guoguo hadnt come to town for a long time, so they extremely wanted to have a look around. Xu Ran took them to pick some things that they wanted, and bought for them. When the father and sons got back home, they saw that there was another horse in the horse shed. Big Black did not welcome the extra one of its kind that came to snatched food with it. Xu Ran saw its actions and told Big Black strictly that if it bullied Lin Xis horse, Xu Ran would not give food to it. Then Big Black stayed quiet, at least on the surface. When they came out of the shed, Tangtang and Guoguo immediately ran to the yard and shouted, Were back. It seemed that they wanted the family to prepare an welcome ceremony for them. However, Shao Yu, Mr. Hu and Lin Xi really came out. Gao Quan probably went to the mountain to collect herbs again. Tangtang and Guoguo recognized Lin Xi. After greeting Mr. Hu and Shao Yu, they obediently greeted Lin Xi as well. Xu Ran also saw Lin Xi and asked with a smile, When did you arrive? Have you eaten yet? Lin Xi called master Xu and answered Xu Rans question. The group of people entered the living room. Xu Ran saw many things in it, so he asked Shao Yu, Shao Yu, where did these things come from? Before Shao Yu could say anything, Lin Xi said, Master Xu, these are New Year goods that my young master and master Zhao asked me to bring you. He said you dont have to buy these. Xu Ran looked at these things and found that there was everything here. They were quite thoughtful, but he also had bought these This is kind of a waste! But Xu Ran didnt say it out and told Lin Xi, Go back and deliver my appreciation to your young master and Zhao Chen for me, please. They are considerate. I will. Oh, by the way, here is this. Lin Xi took out a stack of paper money and handed them to Xu Ran. Lin Xi said, These are also what young master asked me to give to you. He said that your plan is very good. Pot-stewed meat, cold dishes, and fried noodles are all sold very well. Xu Ran opened the folded money and had a look. The denomination was 100 taels. And there were up to five of those. Xu Ran knew that they could not sell up to 1,500 taels during this period of time, so they probably had given most of the benefits to him. Xu Ran took two and handed the rest to Lin Xi. Take it back and tell your young master that I know how business works clearly. I cant take all of these. I wont be polite when I could really earn so much. Since Xu Ran had given Lin Xi the silver drafts, he definitely wouldnt take it anymore. Lin Xi couldnt say anything else and had to take it. Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder. Just go back and tell your young master what I said. He wont blame you. Lin Xi nodded. Got it, master Xu. Xu Ran continued, Stay here tonight and go back tomorrow. Its not safe for you to travel at night, plus the weather is cold. Yes, I know. Lin Xi said. Xu Ran asked Lin Xi to play chess with Mr. Hu and let Mr. Hu teach Lin Xi. He went upstairs and checked on Liu Tong as well as the child. Then he was busy preparing for the things that Lin Xi would take tomorrow. This time, there were really a lot. He had dried tofu and fermented tofu prepared all the time, but not chilli paste. After all, he was too busy. He should prepare some potatoes too, let alone the dried potatoes and dried bamboo shoots. And there were sausages. He wanted Lin Xi to take some sausages of each of the three flavors. The rest was chess. Xu Ran prepared three booklets and ten sets of chess. All of them had to be taken away by Lin Xi. After he finished packing up, Xu Ran wrote a letter to Lin Hua. In addition to the important business, he also asked about Zhao Chen and Lin Hua. Xu Ran could see that Lin Huas dad and daddy also knew about this, but his attitude was not as tough as Zhao Chens daddy. Xu Ran suggested in the letter that Lin Hua could let his dad and daddy to talk to Zhao Chens family about this. If it could be settled soon, the two of them wouldnt have to suffer like this and set free their spouses instead of wasting their heady time of youth. Xu Ran felt that the two of them were quite suffering, too. They probably had endured for quite a few years! Even if they were forced to get married, they still endured like this. If they werent truly in love, no one would believe this. Perhaps he couldnt understand how scary the parents and the match-makers words could be before, but after transmigrating to this world, Xu Ran felt that he almost understood it. Take Liu Tong as an example. Just because the other party was his eldest uncle and his elder, he was sold without any ability to fight back. He was sad and kind of glad. He felt sad because Liu Tong had been treated like this, and he was glad that the person Liu Tong married was him. In the evening, Xu Ran took Baozi to meet Lin Xi and asked Lin Xi to tell Lin Hua and Zhao Chen that even if they couldnt come to Baozis hundred-day party, they must send the gifts over. Lin Xi smiled, saying that he would definitely tell them about this, and even asked Xu Ran about the date of the party. Xu Ran pulled his fingers and counted the date to him. While eating,it was always lively downstairs, and Liu Tong could only wait alone in the room for Xu Ran to bring him food, and then the two of them talked about something. However, he was also very happy. After all, this kind of days was going to pass soon. In five more days, he would be able to go out. He might turn moldy if he had to stay in the room any longer. After the meal, Xu Ran brought the food to Liu Tong with Baozi. Xu Ran told Liu Tong that Lin Hua had sent him new year goods and money. However, he didnt took all the money but only what he deserved. Xu Ran sighed as he said this. Liu Tong immediately put down his chopsticks and asked him, Ran, whats wrong? Xu Ran thought about it and told Liu Tong about Lin Hua and Zhao Chen. Liu Tong was a little surprised but he didnt show any disgust. He said, Can two men fall in love? So Xu Ran told him something about that it was not wrong to like someone with the same gender. Liu Tong was silent for a longer time after listening. Just as Xu Ran thought he wouldnt speak, he suddenly asked Xu Ran, Ran, tell me if you are still my Ran? The fool whom Ive been with for seven years? Chapter 147 Xu Ran was confused by the question. He had done so many strange things before and Liu Tong had never asked about them. Why he would suddenly ask the question when talking about this, and his face looked a little serious. Xu Ran wasnt sure. He wanted to fob him off, but when he saw Liu Tongs face, he suddenly couldnt speak. Xu Ran closed his eyes. Liu Tong was not the fool he had been with for seven years, so he was afraid that once Liu Tong found out the truth, he would have nothing to do with Liu Tong and his family. Liu Tong had been looking at Xu Ran as if he must get an answer from him. After Xu Ran closed his eyes, he dared not open. He didnt know what he was afraid of seeing, but he just didnt dare to look. Wawl Wawl The sudden sound of crying broke the silence between them. Xu Ran stood up with the child in his arms and said to Liu Tong, Baozi pissed. You eat first, and Ill go change his diaper. The moment he moved away, Xu Ran felt relieved. Little Baozi helped him get off. Even if he had to face this question sooner or later, he hoped that he would be well prepared instead of being questioned suddenly like this. Liu Tong looked at Xu Rans back and his eyes darkened. In fact, he didnt know what answer he wanted. Whether it was yes or no, this Ran was the one living in his life. He would take care of them, make money to support the family, and would rack his brain to make this family better. The old Ran was nothing but his husband and Dad of the two children. In fact, he always knew that Rans change was too unusual, but he chose to remain silent, play dumb and not to ask. He was afraid that once he asked, the person whom he had accompanied for so many years would suddenly leave. But today, when he heard Ran say that two men could love each other, he suddenly panicked. He was afraid that Ran would meet a very capable, smart and good-looking man one day. Ran was so good now but he himself wasnt that competitive. The question escaped his lips unconsciously, and Liu Tong was also flustered while waiting for Rans answer, but he put on a straight face and didnt show it. However, Rans silence made him increasingly uneasy. He was actually thanking Baozi for crying. If not none of them knew what would happen after tonight! And he didnt dare imagine it. In fact, he should be satisfied that Ran was so good to him and his two children were obedient. Little Baozi was cute, too. He didnt need to worry about food and clothing at home, and they had also built a house. He should be content, and he didnt even understand why he asked that question. He never did before. Liu Tong was a little upset, but he couldnt show the feeling because Ran was coming back soon. How should he face him? As Liu Tong thought about it, he fell into meditation, and the food was left cold and untouched for a long time. However, Xu Ran didnt come back for a long time after he left. Liu Tong, who had been waiting in the room, was getting more and more disappointed. After Xu Ran changed the diaper for little Baozi, he left Baozi to Tangtang and Guoguo and asked them to take care of him. If they wanted to sleep, they could take Baozi to Daddy. He needed to go out. Tangtang and Guoguo were able to hold Baozi, so they agreed and didnt ask where Xu Ran was going. Xu Ran left the door alone. It was dark and he didnt know where to go. The place where Liu Tong and the child were was his home, but now he didnt dare to stay in this home. Xu Ran did not dare to wander around in the dark. He walked to the bamboo house by feeling. There was no one living in the house and the door was locked, but the courtyard door wasnt. Xu Ran opened the courtyard door and walked in. He stood there for a long time. This was the place where they lived when they had nothing but each other, and then their life was getting better little by little. At that time, Liu Tong always did more work than he did, and was also more tired. The calluses on Liu Tongs hand were much thicker than his, but Liu Tong never said that he was tired. They supported each other and went through that period of time. But at that time, he never thought that this would happen. Maybe he should have thought about it. After all, his performance was too unusual. Liu Tong, especially, should know it better than anyone else. He knew many things that were strange to others. At that time, he had just woken up, and even if he read, he wouldnt learn that fast. More importantly, they didnt have the money to buy books? Xu Ran looked up at the sky. There was no moon tonight but a few stars hanging there. Black, that was all it got, just like his mood. The door of the bamboo house was locked and he couldnt enter. In fact, he didnt intend to enter, nor did he plan to go back because he had no idea how to face Liu Tong when he went back. Xu Ran walked under the eaves, found a wooden stool and sat down. He held his chin, looked at the pitch-dark sky and finally fell asleep. When Liu Tong saw that Baozi was sent back by Tangtang and Guoguo, he felt that things were not good. He asked Tangtang and Guoguo where was Xu Ran. They told him that Dad wanted to go out, but they didnt know where to go and what to do. And little Baozi was with him, so he didnt dare leave him and go out to look for Xu Ran. More importantly, he didnt knew where to find him. It was dark, and he could see nothing outside. Liu Tong fed little Baozi ewes milk, then untied the rope on him and put him on the bed to let him sleep. However, Liu Tong himself did not sleep. He had been sitting at the bedside and waiting until dawn. That whole night, Xu Ran did not return and Liu Tong did not sleep. On the second day, Liu Tong went out of the room and asked Shao Yu to help take care of little Baozi for a while. Then he went to look for Xu Ran with Tangtang and Guoguo. It was December 21st, and there were four days before he went out of his postpartum confinement. Liu Tong didnt tell Shao Yu and others that Xu Ran didnt come back last night. He asked Lin Xi to wait for a while and said that Xu Ran had gone out. But he couldnt hide it from the two kids. Liu Tong said to Tangtang and Guoguo, Tangtang and Guoguo, bring all the dogs and I will take you to find Dad. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at Liu Tong while tilting their heads, confusingly. Tangtang asked Liu Tong, Daddy, wheres Dad and we have to find him? Liu Tong squatted down and told them, Its my fault. Dad didnt come back after going out last night. Tangtang and Guoguos big eyes widened and they couldnt believe it. Guoguo immediately asked Liu Tong, Daddy, do you know where has Dad gone? Where should we find him? When Liu Tong heard Guoguos words, he seemed to be discouraged. I dont know. Where do you think Dad would go? Tangtang and Guoguo shook his head. Daddy, we dont know, either. Then let Peach and Plum find him. I am worried sick about Dad. He hasnt come back for the whole night, Liu Tong said as his tone unconsciously changed. He shouldnt have asked that improper question last night. If he didnt ask Ran, Ran would still be at home. They should be happily eating breakfast and playing with little Baozi. Tangtang wiped Liu Tongs face with his small hand and said, Daddy, dont cry. Well let Peach and Plum find Dad right away. Daddy, dont cry. Guoguo also said, Daddy, dont cry. Liu Tong held the two children in his arms and couldnt say a word. After that, the three of them brought four dogs to find Xu Ran. They didnt dare to shout Xu Rans name, so they could only look for him all around. Xu Ran woke up in the daylight. He found his eyelids heavy to open and his body heavy to move, as if his body was loaded with lead. He knew he had caught a cold, a serious one. Xu Ran smiled bitterly. He was suffering from the consequence of his own deeds! There seemed to be a dogs bark in his ears. Xu Ran looked up and saw two figures walking towards him. He wanted to stand up, but he collapsed to the ground before he could stand up staright. Then he heard Liu Tong calling him by his name. He tried hard to open his eyes to answer him, but no matter how he tried, it was futile, and then he was unconscious. Liu Tong didnt know where to find Xu Ran, so they simply searched all the places nearby. First, they went to the shed set up by the construction workers in the past and no one was there. Then they headed towards the bamboo house. As they walked, Peach suddenly barked. Guoguo pointed to the bamboo house and said, Daddy, look, there is someone in the bamboo house. Ran, Liu Tong called softly and hurtled towards the bamboo house. When he arrived, he happened to see Xu Ran falling to the ground. He didnt even have time to catch him. Ran! Liu Tong shouted loudly. Then he immediately ran over and helped Xu Ran up from the ground. Tangtang and Guoguo ran over and called Dad non-stop. Xu Ran, who fainted from the high fever, didnt know anything anymore. Xu Ran was carried home by Liu Tong while Tangtang and Guoguo followed behind them with tearful eyes. As soon as he arrived home, Liu Tong asked Gao Quan to find Doctor Liu, Shao Yu to heat the Chinese baijiu, and Tangtang and Guoguo to look after Baozi. As for Lin Xi, Liu Tong had no time for him now. Lin Xi also saw that Xu Ran was carried back by Liu Tong. He knew that something must have happened, so he didnt say to leave in a hurry but helped Shao Yu make a fire in the kitchen. Shao Yu quickly heated the baijiu. Before Doctor Liu came, Liu Tong kept rubbing the baijiu on Xu Ran so as to help him cool down. The fever was so bad and that was why Xu Ran fainted. As long as Liu Tong thought of the scene he had seen just now, he couldnt stop feeling heart-wrenching. It was all because of him. If he didnt ask Ran, he wouldnt have ran out and caught a fever and suffered this. Liu Tong cried until Doctor Liu came. He immediately gave the position to Doctor Liu. After Doctor Liu took Xu Rans pulse, he said, Liu Tong, dont worry too much. Xu Ran is just in a bad fever. As long as his fever goes down, itll be fine. Ill make a prescription. Hurry up and ask someone to buy the medicine for him. Keep rubbing the baijiu on him, which will help cool his fever. Doctor Liu then went to make the prescription. Liu Tong took the prescription from Doctor Liu and handed it to Gao Quan. He said, Gao Quan, please come back quickly. Gao Quan nodded. My lord, I get it. Ill come back as soon as possible. Liu Tong paid the consultation fee and asked Shao Yu to walk the doctor away. After everyone left, Liu Tong went back to the bed and looked at Xu Ran who was lying on the bed with a red face. He couldnt help but cry. So what if he knew the answer? Ran was still his Ran. Even those young and beautiful Geers couldnt get to seduce Ran, let alone other men. He really shouldnt have asked. Chapter 148 Xu Ran heard Liu Tongs cries in a daze, and also heard him said a lot in his ear. In the end, he said he was wrong, and as long as Xu Ran could wake up quickly, he would do everything. Xu Ran still couldnt open his eyes or his mouth. He didnt even have the strength to move his hands. He could only say in his heart, How can I bear to see you do everything for me? This time, it was my fault and you even cry because of me. After I wake up, I will tell you the truth. Dont cry, it breaks my heart. He also said a lot but Liu Tong couldnt hear anything. Then he heard Baozi crying, and Tangtang and Guoguo talking. They whispered in his ear, Dad wakes up now. We miss you. Xu Ran also heard Liu Tong say to Shao Yu, Shao Yu, hand this letter to Lin Xi. Besides, let him take those things that Ran has prepared. Ran hasnt woken up yet, so I wont see him off. Please let him know. Shao Yu comforted Liu Tong and told him that he couldnt cry before the end of his confinement. Xu Ran was even more anxious. He also remembered that he had heard Liu Tong call him before he fell into coma. Liu Tong had run out to find him during his confinement, why couldnt he follow the advice? It was all because of him. Xu Ran wanted to slap himself in his heart. Xu Ran heard a lot of things and felt like he had slept for a long time. By the time he woke up, it was already December 24th. The next day was the one-month celebration of little Baozis birth. When he woke up, Liu Tong was leaning against the bed with his hand supporting his leg. Little Baozi slept next to him soundly. Xu Ran gently moved his stiff legs and awakened Liu Tong, Ran! Liu Tong, before he could react, called Xu Rans name . Xu Ran cracked a smile with difficulty, Tongtong, Im here. The moment he spoke, he realized that his throat was too hoarse. Xu Ran smiled again, Tongtong water first. Liu Tong was still immersed in the joy of Xu Rans waking up. When he heard Xu Rans words, he immediately stood up and poured him water. After two cups of water, Xu Ran finally put himself together. He grabbed Liu Tongs hand and patted the spare place on the bed, indicating him to come up. Liu Tong was stunned for a moment, then he put down the cup and took off his clothes and went to bed. Xu Ran still felt a little stiff all over his body, but after Liu Tong was on the bed, he insisted on holding him and Liu Tong did not resist. Xu Ran kissed Liu Tong and kept saying, Tongtong, Tongtong. Liu Tong didnt respond but leaned closer to him. The two of them just held each other quietly for a long time. Then a certain disharmonious voice of stomach grumbling rang out. Xu Ran was a little awkward. He looked at Liu Tong with a flushing face. Liu Tong left him, Ran, Ill go make some food for you! Wait for a while. Xu Ran pulled him back. Dont go. Its getting cold, and Ill just put on with it. Dont get cold. Thats alright. Its not far. You havent eaten for a few days, and you cant be hungry anymore. While talking, Liu Tong was about to get out of bed. Then Ill go on my own. Sleep, you havent slept for the past few days. Its my fault. I made you worry. Xu Ran said guiltily. Liu Tong put his finger on Xu Rans lips. No, Ran, lets not talk about the past, okay? I have my faults, too. Lets just pretend that nothing happened. Youre all right now, and Im going to be out of the confinement. Can we be as good as before? Xu Ran sighed, Tongtong, if you dont make things clear, youll have a life-long knot in your heart. You cant forget it just because you said you will. So, lets find some time to talk it out. As long as were true to each other, nothing will go wrong. When he was in coma, Xu Ran had heard a lot and thought a lot. As he said, if he didnt make it clear, it would be a pain in the heart. In which case, making things clear would be a better choice. Perhaps after the talk, Liu Tong would accept the truth, ord maybe not; then he will also figure out a way to let Liu Tong accept. They were his family and the only proof of his existence. How could he give up? Liu Tong hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, Alright, then Ill go make food for you first. He quickly threw on his clothes and went out of the room. Xu Ran sighed again and held little Baozi in his arms. Baozi, what should I do if your Daddy abandons me? But little Baozi couldnt respond to him even when he was awake, let alone the fact that he was now soundly asleep. Xu Ran could only talk to himself. He only stopped when he heard the footsteps outside. Liu Tong cooked noodles for Xu Ran. Xu Ran put Baozi down and got out of bed and put on his clothes. Liu Tong said, Ran, maybe you can just eat on the bed. Xu Ran shook his head. No, I can take the chance to get some exercise. Im afraid to wake up Baozi, and you go to get some sleep. Ill clean this up after eating. Mm, Liu Tong nodded. He hadnt slept for a few days. Xu Ran did not go to sleep after eating the egg. He had been lying down for a few days and his bones seemed to have been softened. He touched his forehead and it wasnt hot, so it should be fine. He didnt have any other bad feelings. He just sighed that he was a little weak. One night of staying outdoors made him fall into coma for three days. When it was almost dawn, Xu Ran went to bed and slept with Liu Tong in his arms. In winter, he used not to get up early, nor did he require others like Shao Yu to do so. Anyway, in winter, there werent many things but cold wind awaiting them even if they got up early. They had fed the chicken and ducks, and they didnt have pigs. As long as the Big Black was given enough food overnight, it will not cause any trouble the next day. As for the four dogs, their rest time was pretty much the same as them. Xu Ran thought all was fine in this way. When the sky was bright, Xu Ran heard somebody was knocking on the door. No one was in his arms and Liu Tong must have already gotten up. Xu Ran opened his eyes and saw Liu Tong was putting on clothes. Xu Ran asked Xu Ran, Tongtong, whos knocking! Liu Tong turned back, Its Shao Yu. Does he wake you up? Do you want to sleep for a while longer? Xu Ran sat up, No, I want to go out and take a walk. Tell Shao Yu that I have woken up, and let him go to do his work! He should have come to send you medicine. Ill go take a look, Liu Tong said and opened the door. Indeed, it was Shao Yu who came to deliver the medicine. Is the young master awake? Liu Tong nodded. He woke up last night. It has been a hard time for you. Go ahead with your stuff, and dont worry about us. Alright, the medicine is still hot. Let the young master take it and go downstairs to have some food! He hasnt eaten for a few days, and Ill cook some light food. Okay, please. Well come downstairs later. Liu Tong took the medicine from Shao Yu and closed the door. Only then did Xu Ran get up and put on his clothes. Little Baozi had slept for quite a long time and didnt wake up yet. Liu Tong put the medicine on the table, and he went to make bed; then he hold up little Baozi to see if he peed. Xu Ran said with a smile, Baozi is getting more and more sleep now. Guess he didnt get enough of it in your belly. Liu Tong also smiled, I believed your words and slept too much. Guess Baozi was becoming lazy because of it. He was such a naughty kid at the beginning! Isnt he still naughty? During the day, he cried often. I think he is the most disobedient kid we have. Didnt you just like disobedient kid? Liu Tong said. Xu Ran smiled. You still remember that. I just hope that Tangtang and Guoguo become livelier. They are so obedient at such a young age. How sad children grow up with no childhood! While the two of them were talking, the little Baozi woke up in Liu Tongs arms. Then, after waking up, he started pooping and then crying. Liu Tong laughed, Ran, take your medicine first. Ill go wash little Baozis ass. Xu Ran didnt feel right after Liu Tong said that. Why he had to mention the two things together? However, Liu Tong left after saying this, and Xu Ran could only drink the medicine. It was hard for people to like the flavor of the traditional Chinese medicine. Not to mention drink, even its smelling was bitter. Xu Ran pinched his nose and forced himself to drink it. After he finished drinking, he immediately poured some water to rinse his mouth, and he couldnt express the feeling in words anyway. Xu Ran also went downstairs after taking the medicine. The light food Shao Yu mentioned was congee with sour radish, which was really appetizing and simple. However, it was quite a good match. His stomach had digested the noodles he had eaten overnight. So he wolfed down two bowls of congee during breakfast. Xu Ran had slept in bed for three days. Tangtang and Guoguo came to see him every day. Now that they saw heup, they were so happy that they chatted around him while eating. Mr. Hu also gave Xu Ran a lesson as an elder, telling him not to run out in the middle of the night. If he couldnt sleep, he could just sit in the yard. It was better than going outside, and it would be bad if he ran into some wild animals. Xu Ran kept nodding and said that he would not do it again. As a result, the meal time was quite a hard time for Xu Ran. Chapter 149 Although little Baozis Red Egg and Ginger Party wasnt big, those close friends and relatives were invited. Fortunately, Liu Tong and Shao Yu had prepared the food materials needed for the party in Xu Rans coma. Xu Ran thought that those who came were all close acquaintances, so only some daily dishes would be cooked. The sausages were ready to be eaten. Some shredded meat dishes, a chicken for stewing soup, and a duck dressed with sauce. Plus some other vegetable dishes, it would be enough. Early on the morning of December 25th, Liu Tong changed a brand new red outfit for little Baozi, who looked like a lucky doll. Wu Meis home was the closest, so they came first. Wu Mei sewed a suit of clothes for little Baozi and a pair of tiger-head shoes, while Xu An gave a rattle-drum to him, which made the rattling sound, and little Baozi liked it very much. Not long after, Wu Lans and Liu Qings families came with presents. As soon as they arrived, they went to the kitchen to help. Xu An and the others played chess in the living room. The children played Five-in-a-Row, or looked for fun themselves. After a while, Zhuo Yun family came as well. Zhuo Yun drove the carriage by himself with Qin Shuwen and little Qingshu. He even brought clothes and quilts with him, which was the preparation of staying long. Xu An and the others had known Zhuo Yun, but they had never seen Qin Shuwen. Zhuo Yun was quite easygoing. Very soon, he got familiar with Xu An and the rest. Qin Shuwen, on the other hand, went to meet Liu Tong with the baby after greeting everyone. The two could exchange experience of child rearing. By noon, when they were about to have lunch, some people from the village heads family had also come. It was Xu Shao, the eldest son of the village head. He came with two kids, Xiaobudian and Xiaomi. As a matter of fact, it was inappropriate for the village head, as an elder, to come in person. Except Zhuo Yun, Xu An and the others all knew Xu Shao but they never met. After Xu Ran introduced them to each other, the group of people sat together and chatted while eating dried beancurd as the snack. Xiaobudian was very excited. Because of the cold weather recently, he hadnt been allowed to come out to play, and he hadnt seen Tangtang and Guoguo for a long time. He rushed to Tangtang and Guoguo quickly as soon as he came, and Xiaomi followed closely behind him. Seeing that Guoguo and Tangtang were playing Five-in-a-Row, Xiaobudian kept shouting that he wanted to play, too. However, there was only one set of Five-in-a-Row game. Not enough to distribute. As kids, no one was willing to give way to anyone else. Seeing them quarreling for a long time without deciding who would play first, Xu Ran couldnt stand it anymore. He fetched a flint and several stones and drew a grid on the ground, placing two stones on each square. After finishing it, Xu Ran clapped his hands. Come here, everybody. Stop playing Five-in-a-Row. Ill teach you a new game. At Xu Rans words, the group of children all ran over to him. Xu Ran drew five identical big grids, which were all divided into many small squares inside. Then one more square was drawn outside each of the four sides where a stone was placed. Xu Ran pointed to the grid and introduced, I dont know the name of this game. It needs two players. Firstly decide who go first by playing rock-paper-scissors. When your stone meet the one of your rivals, his stone has to retreat to the starting point. The first one who occupied the ten middle squares will be the winner. Tangtang, come here and lets demonstrate for them. At Xu Rans words, Tangtang walked over and squatted in front of a stone, with Xu Ran being opposite him. Then the father and son started to play. When Tangtang was moving, Xu Ran would instruct him which was better way to go. The other children all listened attentively, more serious than doing anything else. Shortly after, they were surrounded by a group of adults too, who looked itchy for a try. This was simpler than playing Five-in-a-Row. After watching a round of game, one could grasp it . Xu Ran had played with his classmates when he was in primary school. They drew grids on the desk with chalks, and as soon as the class recess began, they started rock-paper-scissors. Xu Ran only remembered the way of playing and drawing the grid. As to the name, he really couldnt remember. After Xu Ran taught them, he let them play on their own. With an adult around, they could not enjoy themselves to their full. Zhuo Yun was very interested in it. He wanted Xu Ran to draw another one and play with him. Such childish behavior was seriously rejected by Xu Ran. You have been a kids father now, How embarrassing it is for you to play childrens games! Zhuo Yun looked at Xu Ran with a not-embarrassed expression, and then reasoned plausibly, I learned it to teach my kid in the future. Otherwise, how bored he will be if he cannot play any game! Facing such a righteous excuse, Xu Ran failed to talk back. Zhuo Yun wanted to continue, but Xu Ran quickly raised up his hand, Stop, stop, I will play with you. Xu Ran had to draw another grid, picked up two stones, and played the extremely childish game with Zhuo Yun. When Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong came downstairs, they saw the two squatting on the ground the same manner as the group of children. Qin Shuwen couldnt help laughing at them. Zhuo Yun was indifferent to it. He even ran to show off to Qin Shuwen, explaining that it was all for their son. Only Xu Ran shrugged helplessly, I was forced. Liu Tong smiled and didnt say anything. He gave the child to Xu Ran and went to the kitchen with Qin Shuwen. It had been a long time since he had cooked. It was time to practice a bit. Wu Mei and the rest had never met Qin Shuwen, but they knew Zhuo Yun. To intimate people, Qin Shuwen was very easygoing. To people with bad relationship, he could not get along with them whatsoever. Liu Tong introduced them to each other. Liu Tong mentioned that the several families were on very good terms, and that Wu Mei family had helped them in his most difficult time. Qin Shuwen got along well with Liu Tong. According to Liu Tongs words, he also had a good impression on Wu Mei and the rest. Though he had a better descent than them and married well, he didnt look down on them. Qin Shuwen didnt know how to cook. He had been spoiled since childhood. After marrying Zhuo Yun, he was more indulged. Thus when he went to the kitchen, he found everything so novel that he was eager to learn some from them. Wu Mei alone could handle cooking. Liu Tong had planned to show off his skills, but found no opportunities. So he might as well teach Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwen was very smart. Although he didnt have much practice experience, he got the hand of it quickly. At least he had known how to slice the potatoes, and the potato shreds he made were not thick . After slicing two potatoes, he laughed. I did a poor job. Dont laugh at me. Wu Mei said immediately, Its good enough for you to slice that well for the first time. In my childhood, when my Daddy taught me to cook, I started from scratch. I could cut my fingers whenever I used a knife. Later, the pain taught me to be careful when cutting vegetables. Yeah, when we were young, we couldnt do as well as you. Wu Mei took the lead and the other two Geers also began to talk about their childhood stories, which greatly intrigued Qin Shuwen. Many hands made light work. The meal was ready before noon, a full table of dishes. To celebrate that little Baozi was one month old, Xu Ran warmed the brown sugar wine to drink, which was an auspicious symbol. Xu Ran even took the lead to play the drinking games. He didnt know a lot of lines, which were all learned from TV. Zhuo Yun, who had made a lot of business trips, knew quite a lot. Xu An and the others did not travel a lot, knowing only one or two of them. Generally speaking, they fully enjoyed themselves at the meal. While eating, Liu Tong suddenly said, Ran, we havent tasted fish mint this year. How about digging some back later?! It would be great if it could be planted by ourselves. As Liu Tong seldom had great craving for food, Xu Ran would naturally satisfy him, Alright, well go after dinner. Anyway, theres nothing else to do. We can also grow some fish mint. Lets dig some back and plant it in nearby fields. When spring comes, new sprouts will come out. Liu Tong was very happy when he heard that fish mint could be planted. Ran, lets plant a lot of them. The stuff is very appetizing. Mix it with chili paste, you can eat a few more bowls of rice. Xu Ran nodded. If that was the case, the deli that he would open with Qin Shuwu next year could also sell it, and they could also recommended it to Lin Hua. Anyway, it was easy to grow. After lunch, Wu Mei with some went to do the dishes. While Xu An with the others went home to fetch hoes, to dig fish mint. The fish mint in this winter was relatively tough, but was more fragrant. It was good to dig some more back and store to eat during the new year. Its appetizing to eat some fish mint while eating a lot of oily meat dishes during the festival. After the house was tidied up, Xu Ran carried the packbasket, and went to dig the fish mint with a large group of people. What a bunch of idling people! The children played by themselves and didnt join in the fun. Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen carrying the babies, were just onlookers. The others each carried a hoe. People not knowing would think they were going to work in the field. Xu Ran was very familiar with surrounding areas of their home now. The ten mu of land that had just been bought were all plowed by their farm-laborers. But as Wu Mei and the other families said they wanted to plow by themselves, their lands remained what they were. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, Lets dig in the wasteland that we bought. Just consider it as plowing the land. Looking at the wasteland that yet to be plowed, Xu An and the others naturally had no objections. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen didnt know what fish mint was. As to Qin Shuwen, he had never heard of it before. When he heard that it would be dug from under the ground, he had thought it must be something black. So when Liu Tong handed him a stalk of fish mint, he even called out, So it looks like this. It smells quite fragrant. Liu Tong said, It does not only smell fragrant, but also tastes very good. When we have dug enough, let Ran dress it with sauce and you can have a try. Okay, Liu Tong, youre really lucky. Your Xu Ran could cook anything. Qin Shuwen said with a look of envy, whose focus was always on eating. Liu Tong smiled, How can you be so fond of eating. Since you can go around freely now, just come to our house with your baby at your leisure time. You can both keep me company and taste whatever novel foods in our home. Qin Shuwen agreed without hesitation, Okay, Ill definitely be your frequent visitor. Oh, right. I wonder if Xu Ran have told you. Next year, I might stay at your house for one or two months. Zhuo Yun is going to make a business trip next year. He is worried about me if Im alone at home, so he told Xu Ran that Ill stay with your family for a while. Xu Ran really did not tell Liu Tong about this, but Liu Tong nodded. Ran has told me. As long as you like, you can stay with us forever. Liu Tong did not mind Qin Shuwen staying in their home. Not to mention Xu Rans good relationship with Zhuo Yun, even Zhuo Yuns affection to Qin Shuwen who was apple in his eyes could be seen. Of course he would not be jealous, but why didnt Ran tell him about it? Liu Tong wondered how many things he didnt know? Perhaps they really needed a good talk. C Chapter 150 They dug heartleaf houttuynia herbs (aka fish mints) for a long time, and of course, gained a lot in the end. Every family took a few, and the old ones were buried in the Xu Rans house, waiting to sprout next year. Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen really did not plan to go back. So Xu Ran asked them to pick a room for themselves, and this room would be specially reserved for them in the future. Therefore, Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen chose the largest room without hesitation and moved the things they brought into the room. After the room was all cleaned up, Qin Shuwen and Zhuo Yun couldnt wait to urge Xu Ran to cook dinner. Of course, the main purpose was to cook the houttuynia herbs. There were still some chili paste at home, but not much. It was only enough for them to eat by themselves. These days, because Liu Tong was in postpatrum confinement, the spicy food was not good for him, so they had been on a bland diet recently. In this case, Xu Ran was very happy that he could make something spicy tonight. Speaking of spicy food, Xu Ran thought of hotpot again. There were very few people in Sichuan province who had never eaten hotpot. The taste was beyond words. Xu Ran felt that it was necessary to eat hotpot at home for once. They also had a brazier. When the time came, he would put more firestones in, put the pot on the brazier and then pile up the bricks so that the whole family would be able to eat hotpot together. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more he felt that it was feasible. He didnt realize that he was cutting the vegetables now, so he accidentally cut his own finger. Ah! Xu Ran screamed, then threw the chopping knife away and quickly pinched his finger. Liu Tong, who was talking to Qin Shuwen outside, immediately ran in when he heard the scream. Ran, whats wrong? Xu Ran pinched his finger and said bitterly, Tongtong, I just wanted to eat human flesh, and I didnt find a suitable one, so I cut myself. Liu Tong also saw the blood oozing from Xu Rans finger. Looking at Xu Rans bitter face and thinking of what he had said, he couldnt help but find it amused. Look at you. How could you cut your own hand while cutting the vegetables? Do you really want to eat human flesh? Its not convenient for me with Baozi in my arms. You have to take care of the wound by yourself. I remember that there is still some gauzes left by Doctor Liu in the room. Bind up your wound and Ill ask Shao Yu to help take care of the kid. Ill cook. Liu Tong left without even looking at Xu Ran. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tongs receding figure and put his finger in his mouth, feeling like he was out of favor now. When Liu Tong came back, he saw Xu Ran still standing there and sucking his own finger in a daze. He felt amused and vexed, Take it easy. I wasnt ignoring you just now. Ill go get you gauzes, OK? Xu Ran nodded with grievance. Liu Tong went to the room to get the gauzes and clreansed the wound for Xu Ran with water. Then he bound it up and chattered about how Xu Ran was so careless. Xu Ran suddenly said, Tongtong, you havent said that to me for a long time Liu Tong was stunned for a moment and looked up at him, only to see his serious expression. Liu Tong lowered his head and said, How could it be? Do you like me nagging you? Dont you find it annoying? Xu Ran shook his head. Tongtong, youre doing it for my own good. How could I find you annoying? Liu Tong sighed, Ran, lets have a talk tonight, OK? Xu Ran nodded. The meal was made by Liu Tong eventually. Xu Ran pinched his finger and went to heal his wound. Then he was mocked by Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran challenged Zhuo Yun to duel in the yard. Like a child. So childish. At night, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were lying side by side on the bed, looking serious. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, promise me first. No matter what I say later, you cant cast me out, okay? Liu Tong became even more nervous when he heard Xu Rans words. But he still nodded. How could he cast Ran out? Xu Ran felt relieved and began to come clean with Liu Tong about his transmigration. He said, Im Xu Ran, but Im not the fool who you have taken care of for seven years. But Im also the fool, at least this body is his. My soul comes from another distant time and space where I could never go back to. That place is very good. There are many advanced technologies, and there are many things that are not available here. The birds flying in the sky, the fishes swimming in the water and even the things in peoples hands are different from what we have here. There is no Geer in that place, only men and women. Giving birth to kids is womens matter, just like Geers here. However, they look different from Geers, but I cant explain how. You just need to know that the other world is very different from here. Then Xu Ran started to talk about many things and people in that world which Liu Tong had never heard of and might never see. Xu Ran talked for a long time and felt that his mouth and his tongue were both dry. However, Liu Tong felt more and more insecure because that world was so good that Ran must want to go back. Then what about him? What about Tangtang, Guoguo and Baozi? What would happen to them? He may have long forgotten what Xu Ran at the beginning that he was not the fool, but a soul from another time and space. After Xu Ran finished speaking, he saw that Liu Tong was silent so he felt a little uneasy, too. He stretched out his hand to poke Liu Tongs cheek, Tongtong, Tongtong. Ah! Liu Tong came to his senses, looking at Xu Ran, and suddenly hugged him. Ran, can you not go back? Only now did Xu Ran realize that his and Liu Tongs focuses were not the same! Xu Ran reminded him again, Tongtong, Im not the fool who you have taken care of for seven years. Can you still accept me? Liu Tong finally noticed the key point of Xu Rans words. Ran, when did you come? What about him? Where did he go? Xu Ran said, Since the day you bought pastries before the family separation, I suddenly woke up and became him. I was also called Xu Ran in the other world. As for him, I dont know, but I remember that I was sick when I first came here so he should be gone. Gone Liu Tong murmured. Xu Ran hugged him and said in a flustered tone, Tongtong, I didnt kill him. I came after he died. Liu Tong suddenly smiled. Ran, I didnt blame you. You dont know how happy I was when I saw you get better. In my heart, you have always been my responsibility. If you continued being stupid like that, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. I didnt know if I liked you at that time. But later, after you got well, the one who accompanied me became alive. You would do anything with me and think about this family. You treated me, Tangtang and Guoguo very well. Although you can always come up with some strange novel things, Ive never thought about anything else. But later on, things became increasingly strange. I started to feel that something was not right. I managed to held back my questions. It wasnt until the day you said that the two men could love each other that I couldnt help but ask. Ran, actually, I was just scared. I was afraid that I wouldnt be able to hold on to you any longer. Xu Ran suddenly smiled when he heard Liu Tong say this. Tongtong, why would you think so? Think about it! If I really like men, how could we have Baozi? Liu Tong agreed. If Ran didnt like him, he would definitely leave when he got better and they wouldnt have Baozi. Xu Ran continued, Tongtong, I know that you only have this idea because you felt insecure, and I felt the same, but as long as we talk it out, there wont be any problems. We are family and lovers. We are the ones who are going to live together for the rest of our lives. By the time when our hair become grey and we become old, we will have children and grandchildren around us. We will die together and be buried in the same grave. Perhaps we will have a reincarnation, and I will still find you in the next life. No matter if you are a man, a woman or a Geer. Xu Rans words were something that Liu Tong had never thought about. He had never thought about it before, and even until now. He had never known that life could be so good. He could grow old with Ran, and be buried in the same grave with him after death. Then perhaps there would be a next life. This was something he never thought of and did not dare to think about. Because it was way too good. But Ran thought of such good things for both of them. Liu Tong didnt speak for a long time. Xu Ran felt that he had said everything he needed to say and didnt know what else to talk about, so he could only quietly wait for Liu Tongs reaction. It seemed that a long time had passed when Liu Tong rubbed against Xu Rans arms. Ran, I believe in you. When Xu Ran heard Liu Tongs words, he felt as though a load had been taken off his mind. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, we cant let others know about this. I dont know what the consequences will be if anyone knows. And we could only tell Tangtang and Guoguo when they are older. Liu Tong nodded. I know. They had done talking about the main problem, and it was already late. Just as Xu Ran was about to go to bed, Liu Tong opened his mouth, Ran, Shuwen said that he was going to stay at our house for a while after the Spring Festival, but why didnt you tell me? Even this time, you didnt tell me that they were coming to our house for the Spring Festival. Liu Tong said this with a sad look, as if Xu Ran had hidden something extremely important from him. Xu Ran was stunned for a moment and realized that he really did not tell Liu Tong about this. He immediately apologized, Tongtong, Im sorry. I was busy earlier and forgot about this. The thing is like this Xu Ran told Liu Tong about his plan to go to do some business with Zhuo Yun. After saying that, he promised that everything he said was true. Looking at Xu Rans serious expression, Liu Tong believed it for sure. But his focus shifted to somewhere else. That was what Xu Ran said about buying mountains and growing fruits. Chapter 151 Liu Tong asked Xu Ran worriedly, Ran, do we need to think twice about buying the mountain? Apart from the fact that we dont have much money, even if we have the money, its not good to buy the mountain. There has never been anyone in the village who bought mountains. Seeing Liu Tongs worried expression which was very cute, Xu Ran couldnt help pinching the tip of his nose and said, Tongtong, this is not about whether anyone has done it before. Its about whether this can be done or not. If it is doable, I will definitely buy it. If we cant, then well have to think of something else. In fact, Liu Tong didnt understand why Xu Ran insisted on growing fruits. He felt that farming was good too! Liu Tong asked after thinking about this. Xu Ran said with a smile, Tongtong, we wont be able to earn much money by farming, and youll be tired from digging the food in the soil. Apart from ourselves, we still have children to raise. If we want to give them better lives, we have to make more money, right? Look how much Tangtang loves to study, he might get into the imperial court in the future. Studying is also very expensive. We cant let Tangtang quit studying because we dont have money, right? And Guoguo likes to practice martial arts. I dont know how Gao Quans kung fu is. If he is not good enough, Ill have to ask someone else to teach Guoguo. This also requires money, right? And our little Baozi is a Geer. He should live in comfort since childhood, just like Qin Shuwen. We have to save him a lot of dowries. Not only that, we also have to take care of Mr. Hu when he gets old Xu Ran said a lot of reasons that they needed money for; Liu Tong thought about it and felt that they indeed needed a lot of money He looked at Xu Ran bitterly, Ran, how long is it going to take to earn so much money? Xu Ran spread his hands, I dont know either, thats why I want to buy mountains and grow fruits! But Ran, why does it have to be fruits? Liu Tong asked in confusion. Xu Ran rubbed his own nose and said embarrassedly, To make money fast, either you have to be a greedy government official or you need to do business. But I cant be a government official and I know nothing about business, either. I can only think of other ways. Think about our strawberries last year. Wasnt it sold very well? If we grow some other fruits, we would only have to be busy for short time in a year and then we could sell them for money. But we still need so many farmlands and fields. What should we do? Liu Tong hesitated. Xu Ran said, We are still going to grow strawberries in the farmlands. As for the fields, aside from planting some vegetables, all the rest is going to be used to plant corns and potatoes. We dont have to plant anything else from next year. If we plant too many vegetables, we wont be able to take care of them all. Xu Ran had already roughly planned it out. He just wanted to grow some fruits, and plant some potatoes and corns. The rest of the mountain products were just for some extra money. If they were too busy, then they could just leave it. As for the wheelbarrow that would be sold next year, he could contact a caravan and let the caravan help to sell it. He could just wait to collect the money. And he could sell the chess sets the same way. Xu Ran thought about it and told Liu Tong about his plan to start a deli with Qin Shuwu next year. Liu Tong asked him, Ran, what kind of ready-to-eat food products are you planning to sell? Xu Ran counted with his fingers. There were braised pigs feet, stewed chicken feet, braised duck necks, and all kinds of vegetables. Eventually, Xu Ran concluded, Its the same as those in He Shui Town. Liu Tong pouted, But I dont even know what the stores are like in He Shui Town. Xu Ran felt sad after hearing this. He quickly added, Ill take you to He Shui Town when we have the chance. Its pretty good. Just the two of us. Just take it as a honeymoon. What is honeymoon? Liu Tong asked. So Xu Ran explained again, and the two of them chatted more and more. At the end, they were still talking with their eyes closed. The two of them didnt even know how they fell asleep. Then they slept until dawn. They were actually awakened by Baozi. Baozi would cry at a certain time every day, and its either because of hungry or piss. He got a reasonable cause anyway. After hearing Baozi crying, Liu Tong immediately got up and went to take care of Baozi, while Xu Ran slept for a bit longer. When he got up, everyone else had finished their breakfast. Zhuo Yun gave Xu Ran a meaningful look, and Xu Ran surprisingly understood. Then he glared at Zhuo Yun. He was not that desperate. Tongtong had just finished the confinement for a while now, so he still had to wait for some time. Fortunately, the weather wasnt hot, and he didnt feel that eager. Xu Ran, who was not accompanied by anyone, ate breakfast silently. Tangtang, Guoguo and Gao Quan had long gone somewhere. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu, and Shao Yu said they went up the mountain. They would go for the last time today, and then they would have to wait until the next year. Xu Ran thought that he should check on the homework of Tangtang and Guoguo, which was how well they remembered Pinyin. After breakfast, he asked Zhuo Yun, Do you want to go to the mountain to take a look? I will take you to see what the mountain that I would like to buy look like. Zhuo Yun agreed and he could go immediately. Qin Shuwen, who was curious about everything, said that he wanted to go with them, too. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and then Liu Tong smiled, Shuwen, stay with me. I will take you to the village and meet Wu Mei and the others. You are going to stay here for a while, so you gotta get to know the people here. Although Qin Shuwen was more interested in the mountain, he knew that Liu Tongs words made more sense, so after weighing it up, he agreed to hang around the village with Liu Tong. Zhuo Yun and Xu Ran went up the mountain together. Xu Ran told Zhuo Yun how the mountain he wanted to buy was like while walking, which tantalized Zhuo Yun. As they walked inside, Xu Ran heard the voices of the two children. Tangtang and Guoguo were reciting Pinyin. Zhuo Yun also heard the sound. He poked Xu Rans back and asked him, What are your sons saying? I dont understand a single word of that. Xu Ran smiled smugly. Think about it yourself. I wont tell you. And then he strode off while laughing out loud. Zhuo Yun really thought by himself for a while, and then he didnt think of anything. But Xu Ran had already walked far away. Zhuo Yun shouted from behind, Xu Ran, wait for me! Dont walk so fast. As soon as Zhuo Yun finished shouting, the dogs on the other side started to bark again. Tangtang and Guoguo started to call Dad. It was quite lively on the mountain at the moment. Xu Ran found Tangtang and Guoguo and waited for Zhuo Yun to catch up. Zhuo Yun looked at the things in Gao Quans packbasket and asked, Are you looking for herbs? Gao Quan nodded. Mm. His tone was extremely emotionless. However, Zhuo Yun also knew Gao Quans personality, so he wasnt concerned about this. Zhuo Yun was not interested in herbs, so he said to Xu Ran, Lets go somewhere else to take a look! Didnt you say this mountain is fun? Actually, there was nothing to play with on the mountain because its winter now. If it was spring, they could pick some wild fruits or something else. Xu Ran said, Alright, Ill take you to see the mountain Im planning to buy. Theres nothing to play with on this mountain in winter. Itll only look better when theres snow. The moment Xu Ran finished speaking, he felt something fly to the tip of his nose, which was wet and soon disappeared. Xu Ran looked up and found that there was snow in the sky. Xu Ran smiled. That snow was really timely. Zhuo Yun also saw it. He asked Xu Ran, Ran, do you think the snow will get heavier? Can we come to the mountain to see the snow tomorrow? Xu Ran shook his head. Youll have to ask Heaven about this. Its useless to ask me. But it hasnt been raining or snowing lately. I guess this snow would get bigger. Lets go and take a look. Xu Ran walked forward and Zhuo Yun followed behind him. The mountain Xu Ran mentioned was a slope that wasnt too steep. It was just right to grow fruits. There werent many trees, but covered with weeds. Zhuo Yun pointed to the slope and said, Ran, are you sure the fruit trees can be planted here? Also, there are not many trees here. It doesnt look very fertile. Can the fruit trees survive here? Xu Ran said, There used to be a lot of trees here, but Gao Quan and I cut them down and took them back to use as firewood. Ive been paying attention to this mountain for a long time. We wont have to spend time logging the trees later! But you cut all the trees. Arent you afraid of the heavy rain which might trigger landslides in the summer? Zhuo Yun asked. Xu Ran pointed behind him. Look, there are so many big trees here. Even if it was a landslide, it wouldnt be able to slip down from here. I will plant all the fruit trees in this mountain before summer arrives. So I still have to rely on your help to find me some fruit trees. Zhuo Yun pointed behind Xu Ran, Is there no fruit tree on this mountain? Why do we need to look elsewhere? Xu Ran said, The big trees on the mountain are definitely not good. The small trees can be dug out and plant here. The artificial raised ones grow faster than the wild ones. Cherry and loquat trees can bear fruits when they are still small. The other fruit trees are slower. Zhuo Yun nodded. He knew this too, so he said, How about this. Ill pay attention on the way to do business. If I see any fruit trees, Ill send you a letter. You can go and see it yourself? Sounds good. Ill go look around myself. I cant ask Brother Qin for help anymore. Ive always troubled him, Xu Ran said. Zhuo Yun patted him on the shoulder and said. If you think like this, then you arent treating him as family. I know what kind of person he is. If you dont ask him for help, he will feel bad. If you really cant take this for granted, then you could just count him in this business. He knows a lot more than us and knows more people. He must be more reliable than us. Xu Ran thought it made sense. Qin Shuwu knew more than them indeed and was definitely more experienced than them. Xu Ran said, Then Ill ask Brother Qin if he would like to do this. But the problem is that it takes a few years to harvest some of these fruits. Thats a long time to wait on. You might as well get another shop. You still need to feed your own family, let alone make money. Zhuo Yun waved his hand. Ive thought about this, but theres no need for it. Shuwen rented the shop in his hand, so itll be fine if we just take the rent. My own seed shop is still open. There are fewer people at home, so the expenses are well covered. Alright, as long as you got no problem. I still have potatoes and corns here. So in the worst case scenario, we would have a tight budget next year. There wont be any problems. As the two of them spoke, the snow grew increasingly heavy. Not long after, their shoulders were covered with snow. Xu Ran patted the snow on his shoulder. Lets go back. Gao Quan and the rest have probably gone back already. It seems that the snow is really getting heavier. It must be cold at night. Ill make you some delicious food today. What delicious food? Zhuo Yun followed closely. Xu Ran shook his head. It wont be a surprise if I tell you now. Ill let you know later at night. Zhuo Yun pouted to express his displeasure. Chapter 152 When Xu Ran and the others went back, everyone else returned home too. As it was not dinner time, they didnt have to cook and there was nothing else to do, so the group of people were warming themselves by the fire in the living room. Xu Ran thought that it was really boring. After all, they could not play chess all the time, and they had to find something fun to do. The point was that everyone turned their eyes to him. Xu Ran grabbed his hair and racked his brains! There were quite a lot of entertainments in modern times. Later on, they were taken over by computers and mobile phones. What he remembered were still the ones in his childhood. However, it seemed that they were not suitable for so many adults to play. More importantly, there was no TV to watch! He was really annoyed! TV! Xu Ran suddenly realized that he could act himself without TV! He remembered that he had told Tangtang and Guoguo about the stories in Journey to the West. Even Liu Tong, Mr. Hu as well as Tangtang and Guoguos friends were lucky enough to have heard of them many times. Xu Ran turned around and asked Tangtang and Guoguo, Tangtang, Guoguo, do you still remember the stories of Monkey King that I told you before? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded hard, Yes, I do. Xu Ran asked again, Then to whom have you told the stories? Can you find a few people who remember them? Lets do something fun. As soon as they heard the word fun, Tangtang and Guoguos eyes widened. It must be fun since dad had said it. Thus, the two kids began to report to him to whom they had told the stories. Xu Ran said, You two, go to find some of these friends. Dad will prepare props for you. Go quickly! Tangtang and Guoguo saw that Xu Ran was serious about it, so they ran out in a hurry. While they were running, Xu Ran heard Tangtang saying the names that he was going to look for and the ones that Guoguo would seek. Xu Ran went to prepare props instead. The others looked in a daze while Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen didnt even know what Monkey King was. Every time Xu Ran came back into the house, he carried in some stuff. Firstly, it was a bamboo stick. Next, a wooden rake which had a big plank attached to a wooden stick, looking like a halberd. Then there were all sorts of other items. In short, they looked very weird. Tangtang and Guoguo ran back soon, followed by a large group of kids, some familiar faces and some strange ones. Xu Ran asked them how many stories they had known and how much they remembered. The children told him what they knew, and then Xu Ran started to assign roles. Since Tangtang and Guoguo knew the most, Tangtang acted as Tang Sanzang (the monk), and Guoguo played Monkey King. Dahu played Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), and Xiaobudian was Sha Wujing. After the four important roles had been assigned, it was the turn for the other characters. Todays scene was called Monkey King Subdues the White-Skeleton Demon. It was the first monster that Tang Sanzang encountered after taking three disciples. The three people whom White-Skeleton Demon was going to transform into were also arranged by Xu Ran. Then he taught them to repeat their lines. As to the action, they could improvise! Xu Ran acted as the voice-over and background. Todays story started as Tang Sanzang, escorted by his three disciples on his journey to the West Heaven (the ancient Buddhist name for India) in search of Buddhist scriptures. This day, they reached Mount Wanzi, where lived the one-thousand-year-old demonCWhite-Skeleton Demon. She was cruel and sly and learned that she would be immortal after eating the meat of the Tang Sanzang. To reach the goal, White-Skeleton Demon came up with a trick. She changed into the form of a village woman. She passed by the Tang Sanzang and his disciples and said that she was going to send lunch to her parents The village woman played by Yueyaer came out. She carried a basket with a piece of cloth over it. However, the basket that Xu Ran found was too big. As Yueyaer had exerted himself to lift it up high, he stuttered and gasped when he spoke her lines. The audience didnt hear clearly what he said, but Yueyaers appearance made everyone laugh. However, Yueyaer was quite composed, and he continued his acting. Tangtang and the rest were alright. They spoke their lines when it was their turn as if they were really acting a serious play. If someone had made some mistakes, Xu Ran would give the reminder. When everything went smoothly, he would just watch or read his voice-over. The others had stopped laughing after that incident. They watched the performance of the group of children attentively. What they cared was the jolly atmosphere, rather than whether the performance was skillful or not. Xu Ran arranged about three scenes, with every kid assigned a role, and they did give a satisfactory performance. Zhuo Yun gazed at the group of children and said, Though their acting was not very good, its quite fresh. If you go to the town to perform, you can make some money. Xu Ran nodded. That might work, but I didnt intend to let them perform in the town. They are still children, whose parents will be worried about them. Besides, I cant take care of so many children. However, maybe during Spring Festival, we can set up a platform in the village, and well give the villagers a free show. Ill take some time to talk about it with the village head. Seeing that it was almost noon, Xu Ran couldnt ask so many kids to stay for lunch, so he asked Liu Tong to cook a bowl of sweet wine for everyone to drink. Then he sent the kids back home. Since they came here happily, naturally they should return in the same manner too. Xu Ran originally wanted to ask Dahu to tell his family to come over for dinner in the evening, but he also needed Wu Mei and the others to prepare some food. Being afraid that the child would not be able to explain it clearly, he decided that he should make a trip later in person. The lunch was made by Shao Yu. Beisdes, the work in kitchen had grown on Qin Shuwen, and he kept claiming that he wanted to learn cooking. In view of his persistence, Zhuo Yun let him do as he liked, but kept reminding him to be careful so as not to hurt himself. Qin Shuwen slapped him on the forehead. Why do you have to mention hurting myself? Are you expecting me to hurt myself? Zhuo Yun covered his head with grievance. I didnt. I just cared about you. Then Qin Shuwen slapped him again. After they finished arguing at the kitchen door, Shao Yu had begun to stir-fry the dish. Qin Shuwen, who went in and took a look, wanted to come out to slap Zhuo Yun again, but he held back. He could learn to stir-fry with Shao Yu, which was a skill too. Shao Yu saw that Qin Shuwen really wanted to learn, so he taught him seriously, such as, to what degree when the oil was heated the vegetables could be placed in pan, and to what degree when the vegetables were cooked the salt and the other ingredients could be added in. Shao Yu stir-fried the ingredients and instructed him at the same time. Qin Shuwen watched and kept Shao Yus words in his mind. When the last dish was to be stir-fried, Qin Shuwen rolled up his sleeves and said to Shao Yu, Shao Yu, let me have a try. You can supervise me. If I do it wrong, you can remind me. Shao Yu had no objections. After washing the pan, he moved aside and let Qin Shuwen try it. Qin Shuwen waited until the water in the pan was heated dry and put the oil in. As it was a bit too much, Shao Yu scooped some of it out. When the oil was hot, he put some garlic slices in the pan to add to the flavor. When the fragrance wafted, he put the ingredients in and stir-fried them in the pan. Although Qin Shuwens action was a little slow, he did all the steps quite smoothly. However, he was not sure about the amount of salt. Shao Yu told him, You can put in a little salt first. After you stir-fry for a while, taste it to find out whether its enough. If its not, add a little more. Dont add too much one time. Youll grasp the amount after a few more times. Qin Shuwen nodded. Thank you, Shao Yu. Lord Zhuo, youre being polite. Its my pleasure, Shao Yu said with a smile. When they were having dinner, Shao Yu specifically introduced which dish was stir-fried by Qin Shuwen. Then Zhuo Yun immediately put it in front of him. Others simply smiled and would not compete with him. However, Qin Shuwen was quite embarrassed. Although Qin Shuwens dish wasnt extremely delicious, it was tasty. Liu Tong also praised Qin Shuwen, while Xu Ran was too embarrassed to speak. As for Zhuo Yun, most of the dish ended up in his stomach, fully demonstrating his love for Qin Shuwen. After lunch, Xu Ran asked Shao Yu to prepare several kinds of vegetables, starch noodles and so on, and slice some potatoes, flake some lean meat, and cut some sausages. Generally speaking, to take some out from all the food materials at home. After Xu Ran instructed Shao Yu, he stepped outside. It was still snowing. Not many people came out in winter and a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the ground. Xu Ran went to Wu Meis house, and Wu Meis family were still having lunch. When they saw Xu Ran coming, Wu Mei immediately called him to join them for dinner. Xu Ran, have you eaten? Do you want to have lunch with us? Xu Ran waved his hand and entered the house. I have eaten. You go on! It was very cold outside. After Xu Ran entered Wu Meis house, he automatically squatted beside the heated brick bed. Having finished eating, Wu Mei asked Xu Ran, What do you come here for? Are you coming to invite Dahu to act as Pigsy again? Since Wu Mei had said so, it must be because Dahu came back and told him what he had done in the morning. Xu Ran smiled, If you want to watch, I will ask Dahu to perform for you! Wu Mei said, I really want to watch it. When you summon them to perform next time, take me along with them so that I can see how my son acts. Xu Ran nodded, Sure! Next time, I will ask Dahu to call you. After a pause, Xu Ran continued, Im here to ask you to have dinner with us. Lets eat something novel today, but you also have to prepare some kinds of vegetables. There are only a few kinds in my house. Each family brings some, then we can taste more kinds. How can we go to your home to eat every day? I have lost count of times Ive eaten in your place in the past year. Ill take a pass today! Wu Mei said. Dont. As its cold in this snowy day, I specially prepared such a meal. Besides, I didnt only invite you. There are other people in your family. Dahu, Yueyaer, do you want to go? Xu Ran asked Dahu and Yueyaer, who were eating. They had heard the conversation between Wu Mei and him. Dahu was a little shy to say yes, but little Yueyaer, thinking of the delicious meal in Xu Rans home, nodded in a hurry. Seeing it, Wu Mei was both annoyed and amused. Greedy! Xu Ran said, Look, Yueyaer has agreed. Dont be polite. Prepare some vegetables and take to my house. Remember to get early. Ill go to Wu Lan and Liu Qings place. Xu Ran warmed his hands on the fire for a while and left. Wu Mei didnt see him off, just saying that he would be there in the evening. Xu Ran nodded and walked out of the courtyard. Chapter 153 After Xu Ran left, Wu Mei told Xu An who was still eating, Dear, Xu Ran often treats us to meals. Maybe we should also treat him back, or I will feel embarrassed to go to his home. Xu An finished the meal in his bowl quickly and said, Youre right. We might be invited by him during the Spring Festival. Lets treat our guests a meal tomorrow. And the other two families must invite us to dinner, too. Then we can have a big meal every day till the New Years Eve. Hearing Xu Ans words, Wu Mei smiled. Good! Now, eat quickly and think about what to cook tomorrow. Only a few dishes could be prepared during winter, and Xu Ran must often eat them at home. Now, we have two more guests, so wed better figure out something new. Xu An replied indifferently, Why do you think so much? Just prepare a daily meal. Since Liu Tong likes to eat our Zha Cai (pickled mustard plant stems), why dont you cook some for him? As for those guests of their family, Zhuo Yun seems not a picky person, and it must be easy to satisfy him. Alright, Ill cook as usual. By the way, weve bought two fish, right? I can cook one for Liu Tong. He likes to eat sour and spicy food. He doesnt have any taboos on eating since he has finished the postpartum confinement now. He must be happy. Xu An didnt have any objections. Up to you. I can buy fish when they are sold again. Then, the two of them decided the invitation. Xu Ran heard the same explanation from the other two families that they felt embarrassed to be treated so frequently. Xu Ran didnt care about that, as his families would have meals even if there was no guest. Besides, these people had helped him a lot. In any case, Xu Ran thought so. Then, he invited Wu Lan and Liu Qing, and they promised to come in the evening. Then, Xu Ran went home. It was the first time for them to eat hotpot, and there were many things to be prepared. Shao Yu must feel overwhelmed. And he didnt know much about the hotpot. After Xu Ran went back, he first went to the living room and saw that Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen were hugging two babies and playing with them on beds. One was his little Baozi, the other was little Qinshu. Besides them, Xu Ran didnt see anyone else and asked, Wherere the others? Why are you looking after little Baozi? Zhuo Yun said while teasing Baozi, Your Liu Tong went to the kitchen to offter help. Mr. Hu went to find someone to play chess. As for Tangtang, Guoguo and Gao Quan, I dont know where theygone. Then, Xu Ran told Zhuo Yun to take good care of Baozi and went to the kitchen. And he saw Shao Yu was cutting vegetables while talking to Liu Tong. Shao Yu asked, I wonder what the master is going to do. Why does he ask me to prepare so many vegetables? Its beyond our appetite. Liu Tong replied with a smile, He likes these strange and interesting things, dont you know? Fortunately, its cold now and the food can be kept fresh easily. Its fine even if we cant consume all of them tonight. Just eat them tomorrow. Shao Yu replied, Right! Hearing their conversation, Xu Ran walked over to Liu Tong. Let me cut the vegetables, Tongtong. Dont touch cold water now. Liu Tong refused. You cut your finger last time, dont you remember? The New Years Eves coming. I dont think it wise to let you cut anything. Xu Ran felt wronged, It was just an accident! You cant stop me from cutting vegetables because of it! Liu Tong smiled, Yes, I can! Go ahead with your work. Why are you preparing so many vegetables? Xu Ran turned around mysteriously. Youll know the answer tonight. Ill go to clean a big iron basin and make delicious food for you. He replied as if teasing a kid. Again, Liu Tong couldnt help laughing. Xu Rans pots were too big, and it was inconvenient to eat hotpot in these pots. Therefore, Xu Ran wanted to make a pot with a big iron basin. There were two basins for washing vegetables, which could be used as pots as long as they were cleaned and sterilized in boiling water. The only disadvantage was that the basin would be faded after being cleaned. Xu Ran wondered if Liu Tong would beat him up. Anyway, he would make the hotpot tonight. After cleaning the iron basin, Xu Ran began to prepare the hotpot base. The two primary ingredients were pepper and chili. Many other ingredients were added too. Liu Tong and Shao Yu had been also busy for half an afternoon making a lot of preparations. Xu Ran asked them to have a rest and wait for the guests including Wu Mei. Did you invite Wu Mei and the others over here? Liu Tong asked. Xu Ran nodded. Yes. Whats up? Liu Tong shook his head. Nothing. I was just worried that they would feel embarrassed to have dinner with us so frequently. Xu Ran touched his nose and thought, Tongtong was so considerate. Looking at Xu Ran, Liu Tong knew what he was thinking. He smiled and explained, There are few happy events in our village, so few people would invite others to their home. Most people are living a frugal life now, you know and their diet tends to be simple. Few people would treat others to meals every now and then like us. Hearing that, Xu Ran understood it instantly. Indeed! He invited his friends to dinner too frequently. Then, he told Liu Tong, Its alright. The Spring Festivals coming. It would be next year if we invite them after the festival. Anyway, its the last time this year! Hearing that, Liu Tong said nothing. He didnt care that Wu Mei had had meals with them so frequently but he was afraid that this might cause some distances between them. When it was almost dark, Wu Mei and the others came. They were holding baskets in their hands, in which were quite a few vegetables. Liu Tong opened the door and found the things in the basket. He was quite surprised, Why are you guys bringing so much food here? Wu Mei walked into the house with the basket, followed by Xu An and their two children. Wu Mei replied, Xu Ran had asked us to bring these things. He said that he was going to cook something interesting and delicious, but you didnt have enough kinds of vegetables, so I picked some in my garden, although they are quite tiny. Liu Tong took the basket and said to Wu Mei, How could he to do that?! How could he ask you to bring vegetables when inviting you to dinner! What if you would feel embarrassed and refuse to come again! Im sorry for that! Wu Mei smiled, Nothing! We knew him well! Just a few vegetables. Dont mind it! Xu An answered, Right! There must be a reason for Xu Ran to ask for vegetables. Im quite curious about that. Liu Tong shook his head. I dont even know what hes going to do. He asked Shao Yu to make preparations in the kitchen after lunch. Shao Yu and I have cut quite a lot of vegetables. Xu Ran himself has been busy in the kitchen for a long time after he came back. Now hes going to move bricks. Anyway, well know it tonight. Lets wait and see! You may take this basket to the kitchen. Xu An and I are here to wait. Xu Ran must have also called my brother to dinner. Okay, Liu Tong nodded and took the basket to the kitchen. After entering the yard, Dahu and Yueyaer didnt see Tangtang and Guoguo. Then, they ran into the living room and found nobody, so they went to ask Liu Tong. Daddy Liu Tong, where are Tangtang and Guoguo? Have they gone out? Liu Tong nodded. Tangtang, Guoguo, and Gao Quan have gone out together. Theyll come back soon. Are you feeling cold? Its snowing outside. Why dont you warm yourselves by the fire? No, Well go to find them, said Dahu and Yueyaer. Liu Tong stopped them instantly, Dahu, Yueyaer, I dont know where they went. Its snowing outside, so dont run around. Maybe you can go to pick up Gouzi and the others. Dahu though for a while and agreed with Liu Tong. Then, he nodded and replied, OK, Daddy Liu Tong. Well go to pick Gouzi up. Waiting at the door, Wu Mei and Xu An saw the two children running outside and asked where they were going. Dahu answered, Daddy Liu Tong asked us to pick Gouzi up. Are you going with us, Daddy? Thinking that Liu Qings family must have brought things over, Wu Mei was worried about letting the two children out by themselves, so he nodded, Alright, Ill go with you. The two children didnt ask Xu An if he wanted to go with them. Xu An, who was left, smiled helplessly and went to the living room to talk with Zhuo Yun. Then, he saw that Xu Ran was building bricks, like constructing a stove. Xu Ran had almost finished it. Its quite tall. If a little bit taller, with a pot on it, people could sit around it and have meals. After finishing the stove, Xu Ran placed a brazier on it. He seemed to measure the height and size and then he took the brazier back. Then he ran out of the door, without even greeting Xu An. Xu An asked Zhuo Yun, Whats he doing? He didnt even say a word to me. Zhuo Yun shook his head. Nobody knows. He has been busy with it for a long time. I wanted to help him but he refused me. Xu An shook his head and sat down with confusion on his face. Then, Xu An and Zhuo Yun started to play Five in a Row. The latter asked Shao Yu to look after little Baozi. Not long after Xu Ran went out, he came back with another brazier in his hand, in which were piles of flints. After putting the brazier down, Xu Ran picked up a few burning stones from the brazier in the living room to make a fire. Xu An was just about to ask a few questions,but Xu Ran was gone again Xu An felt more speechless. Xu Ran ran back and forth a few times. After the fire was up, he brought over a big iron basin with half a basin of water. There were many things floating on the surface of the water, primarily chili and pepper. The scent of the water was obvious before it has started boiling. After putting the iron basin on the brazier, Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat on his forehead. Then he greeted Xu An, Hey, when did you come over, Xu An? I didnt even notice it. Xu An replied, Well actually Ive been here for a while. You were busy just now, so I didnt talk to you. Zhuo Yun, who seemed to be fed up with Xu Ran, finally couldnt help asking him, Are you going to treat us to it tonight, Xu Ran? Xu Ran nodded. Thats right. Youll like it. Zhuo Yun looked at the hot chili in the iron basin and swallowed. It seemed to be appetizing, and he was curious about how it would taste. Looking at Zhuo Yuns look, Xu Ran said, Be patient. you can taste it after all of people are here. Now, please look after the fire for me. Add some flints if the fire is about to be extinguished. There are flints near the door and dont make the fire too large it would be enough to boil the water. Thank you! Ill go to check the attendance. Chapter 154 Xu Ran first turned around in the kitchen. Liu Tong was dealing with the vegetables brought by Wu Mei and the others. Xu Ran said to him, Tongtong, you can first wash half of the vegetables, otherwise Im afraid we cant finish them all this time. Liu Tong nodded. I know. You go and see if Wu Mei and the others are back. Tangtang and Guoguo also went away after dinner. I wonder why Gao Quan took them out. Xu Ran replied, I know it. Dont worry. Gao Quan wont do anything bad to the two children. By the way, youd better prepare some seasonings. Later, let our guests put some of it into their own bowls and choose whatever they want to eat. How to do it? Liu Tong asked Xu Ran with a bowl in his hand. Xu Ran walked over to give him a demonstration of the method, Just take a big bowl, and then put some seasonings in it. Note that the quantity is appropriate. Also, youd better put more garlic which will spice up the flavor to the food. Yes, very good. Then add more Xu Ran explained and demonstrated at the same time how to mix and add the seasoning into his bowl. Liu Tong could only watch him by the side and still didnt know how to do with his. Xu Ran didnt notice this until he had finished his job. He patted his head in annoyance, How about you try again, Tongtong? Liu Tong smiled and shook his head. Alright, next time! Its not like we wont eat anymore after this meal. Ive remembered everything you said. Let me try next time. Xu Ran chuckled and then said, Ill go see if Tangtang and the rest are back. I must remind them to tell us next time when Gao Quan takes them out in the future, otherwise it will be worrying where we can find them. Mm. Liu Tong nodded, Go and take a look. Theyve been out for a long time. As soon as Xu Ran left the kitchen and got to the yard, he heard a knock on the door, Dad, Daddy, open the door. Im Guoguo. Im back. As the Spring Festival was coming, Xu Ran was worried about the safety. Thus as long as no one was in the yard, the door was locked from inside. Upon hearing Guoguos voice, Xu Ran immediately rushed to open the door. Outside the door, both Tangtangs and Guoguo were standing there and their clothes were wet. Xu Ran didnt know if it was because they had been stuck in the snow outside for a long time, or if they were sweating a lot. And their faces were all red. Xu Ran quickly pulled the two children into the house, Where have you been? Why are your pants all wet? Before Tangtang and Guoguo could say something, Gao Quan came in with two dogs. He said to Xu Ran, We went up the mountain. They ran for a long time around the mountain and practiced Kungfu. And it was snowing, so their clothes are wet. Xu Ran nodded but did not say anything. Instead, he led Tangtang and Guoguo go upstairs while telling them, Dont go out if it is snowing in the future. You can also practice calligraphy at home. Look, your clothes are wet and you will catch a cold if you do not take care of yourselves. In a minute, you have to drink some traditional Chinese medicine. You dont like to drink it, do you! Although Tangtang and Guoguo wanted to say that they were not afraid of taking medicine, they had to shake their heads at the thought of its bitterness,No, we dont like it. Thats good! And remember, if you go out next time, remember to inform me and Daddy where you are going so that we can find you. You dont want us to worry about you, do you? Xu Ran lectured the two children while walking into the house. Tangtang and Guoguo obediently agreed, Dad, we will keep it in mind. After they got to their room, Xu Ran quickly looked for clothes for them while asking, Are the clothes you wear inside wet? Do you need to take a shower before changing them? Tangtang replied, Dad, the clothes I wear inside are not wet. Its fine for me. I dont have to change them. Guoguo also nodded, Dad, mine are not wet. After Xu Ran got their clothes from the wardrobe, Tangtang and Guoguo had taken off their clothes and pants. Xu Ran felt the clothes they wore inside. They were not wet indeed. Xu Ran said, Your clothes are not wet, but you must be sweating after running for so long. You should change your clothes! Now that you will feel cold taking a shower, I will get a basin of hot water for you to wipe you two with wet towels. Xu Ran gave them the clothes and went downstairs to get some water. And when he came up, the two children lay naked in the quilt, looking quite comfortable. Xu Ran pulled Tangtang out of the quilt first. He soaked a towel in the water, wrung it out and then wiped Tangtang all over. Then he let him wear clothes by himself. Next, he wiped for Guoguo. Just after serving the two children, Xu Ran heard a voice from downstairs. He guessed that it should be Liu Qing and the rest, so he urged Tangtang and Guoguo to hurry up and went downstairs with the basin of water. There downstairs, Xu Ran found that they were indeed Liu Qing and the others including Wu Mei and Wu Lan. Because of their arrival, the house sprang into life. After pouring away the water , Xu Ran went over to greet them one by one. Both Wu Lan and Liu Qing had also brought baskets of food with them. Liu Tong glared at Xu Ran while picking up the baskets. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, indicating that he was innocent. He was about to go to the kitchen to get the food ready when Xu An ran out and called Xu Ran, saying that the soup was boiling. Xu Ran hurriedly called everyone present to get moving. As a result, some of them went to get the bowls ready, some to move the table, while Xu Ran himself went to the kitchen to put a large plate of sliced meat into the pot to cook. It was really true that more hands made light work. Soon, all of them sat in a big circle around a big iron pot. Next to them was a table with a lot of food and tableware on it. Xu Ran looked around and saw that everyone was in his place, so he said, Today, well eat novel food, which is right there in front of us. Its called hotpot. Well put all the seasonings in the pot and then put them on the fire to cook. You can take whatever you like to eat, put it in the pot and scald it. Once its done, you can eat it immediately. This hotpot is quite spicy, and there is also some seasonings over there. Each of you take a bowl and then add some seasonings yourself. Ive just put some meat into the pot, so hurry up and move if you want to eat meat. With that, Xu Ran started to eat. He got a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. Then he took meat from the pot directly with the chopsticks. Everyone else there learned from him. Following Xu Rans example, they also got themselves bowls and chopsticks, and then picked meat from the pot. Only Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen had to take care of their children while busily helping themselves with the food . After having a few mouthfuls of food, Xu Ran told them to put whatever food they liked into the pot to cook. He reminded them not to put too much food once, or the food might be over cooked in the pot if they couldnt eat it quick enough. In this way, the food would not be delicious. Xu Ran hadnt eaten hotpot for a long time. He didnt really want to eat much. To him, having hotpot this time meant more a kind of feeling and memory for the past. Thus, he took up the task of looking after the two babies and let Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong enjoy eating. The banquet was going on, and Wu Mei said to Xu Ran, Xu Ran, I now understand why you asked each of us to bring over some food. This hot pot is delicious with a lot of food to choose from. Xu Ran nodded. Its because of this that hotpot is popular. You cant really stop coming to my house in the future because I asked you to bring food here for the meal! If that happens, Tongtong will scold me! People present laughed and Wu Mei said, Your Liu Tong is reluctant to hurt you. He wont do anything bad to you even if he should hurt himself. At most, he would rather not go to our homes in the future. Do you guys think so? Of course, Wu Lan and Liu Qing echoed his views, making Liu Tong feel embarrassed. He turned back to roll his eyes at Xu Ran blaming him for bringing up the wrong topic. Xu Ran blinked and teased him. Liu Tong just paid no attention to him and went on with his eating. The most joyful people in eating were the group of children and Zhuo Yun as well as Qin Shuwen. In the whole process, they said nothing but burying themselves enjoying the food. No matter what food was put in the pot, they would have a try of it. Xu Ran watched from behind and laughed at them both, Look at you two. It seems that its been a long time since you two last eat. Dont tell me you havent had enough in my house these past two days. Zhuo Yun waved his hand, signaling for him to go away, completely ignoring him. Of course, Qin Shuwen did not dart him a look. Xu Ran, who was despised, could only take care of the two babies by the side alone. He could only be there watching them eating. Xu Ran felt that he was a little pitiful. He put forward the idea of hotpot and he took a lot of effort to make it out. However, these people at the moment only knew how to eat but was not thankful to his contribution at all. Only Liu Tong would feed him some food every now and then. The first people to get away from the table were Tangtang and Guoguo. They went to Xu Ran and told him, Dad, lets take care of little brothers. You go and eat hot pot. Its so delicious. Xu Ran pinched their faces, Are you full? Do you want to eat some more? You dont have to care about me. Daddy will change with me when finishing eating. You can go eat some more. Xu Ran advised the two children to continue eating. For them, it was just like the beginning of eating. Actually, there was no ending when people ate hotpot. They would go and paly around before coming back to eat again. Xu Ran looked at the two children and could not help exclaiming how obedient and considerate they were. Liu Tong also wanted to exchange his position with Xu Ran. However, he knew he was the host of the banquet after all. He had to go on eating with the guests for longer time. But seeing the two children who obviously had not eaten much but offered to exchange with their dad to eat, Liu Tong was quite touched. Both of the children had been so obedient and had never made him worry. Liu Tong found half of the food on the table was almost eaten. And he was quite full, so he went to take over the job from Xu Ran and looked after the two little babies. Actually, they could ask Shao Yu to take care of the babies for them. They didnt really treat Shao Yu as servants, so Xu Ran would rather do the job himself than let Shao Yu do it. And in front of so many people, they felt it was not good to show who was the master and who was the servant. So Xu Ran and Liu Tong took turns to take care of the little babies and enjoy with others the hotpot. Finally, they even felt that they had eaten the most. After all, every time when it was their turn to come to the table, they would be able to eat as much as they could. The banquet lasted for a long time. It wasnt dark yet when they started to eat. When they finished eating, it was completely dark outside. Thankfully, they all came in families, so when they returned, they had more people for company on the way. There were so many people and almost all the food prepared were eaten up. The rest of the food would be fried tomorrow for breakfast. Once they were full, they should walk home and prepared to sleep. What a life they were enjoying! People should live like this. Chapter 155 On the other side, Wu Mei suddenly shouted at the door, scaring the others. Xu An asked, Whats up, Meimei? What are you shouting for? Wu Mei clapped his hands and said, I forgot to invite Xu Ran to dinner tomorrow. Hearing that, Xu An patted Wu Mei on his shoulder gently, Its fine. Ill invite them over tomorrow. Dont worry. It seemed to be the only solution. Wu Mei patted his forehead, wondering why he had such a bad memory. Xu An persuaded, Alright. Dont think so much. We just need to tell them. Now, we should boil some water for our kids. They are going to sleep. Oh! Hearing Xu Ans words, Wu Mei realized that it was late enough to go to bed now. Anything should be done tomorrow. The next morning, Xu Ran received a message when he was enjoying the snow outside, which was that Xu An and his family wanted to invite them to lunch. Well, Xu Ran didnt have to prepare for lunch at home today. Of course, he still had to have breakfast at home. Xu Ran told his families about this during breakfast and decided to bring all the vegetables they had left last night. However, Liu Tong stopped him. He said, Wu Mei must have invited Wu Lan and Liu Qing. Its not proper to send all the vegetables to Wu Mei. Moreover, we dont have much vegetables in our field. What about just keeping these vegetables and eat them at dinner tonight? Xu Ran was bewildered, Why so many people would treat us to meals since it is not the Spring Festival yet. He thought for a while and agreed with Liu Tong, who was of more worldly wisedom, so he nodded and said nothing. It turned out that Liu Tong was right. They were treated by Wu Mei on twenty-seventh, by Liu Qing on twenty-eighth and by Wu Lan on twenty-ninth. Then, the day after that was the New Years Eve. People should eat dinner at their own homes on New Years Eve. Zhuo Yun told Qin Shuwen that this trip was well worth it, as they had had different meals at different places. It was really a happy thing for foodies. On the New Years Eve, people usually got up early in the morning. There must be enough chicken and fish, and pig heads should be boiled. There should also be many other fried dishes. Anyway, the table must be full of delicious food. When they were enjoy the hearty meal, Xu Ran made a summary for himself and his family, and then he especially extended gratitude to Shao Yu and Gao Quan. And this made the two feel a little bit shy. Gao Quan was fine, but Shao Yu was quite emotional after a few words. He said that he had a good life here and was very satisfied. Xu Ran also said another thing, which was, Shao Yu and Gao Quan didnt need to call him master. Xu Ran said, Shao Yu and Gao Quan, just call me and Liu Tong by our names from now on. Thank you for this year. Shao Yu stood up instantly and replied, Please dont, master. We cant imagine our lives if you hadnt bought we two back. Thank you! Please call me by my name. Theres no master anymore. Weve been living together for almost a year and were quite familiar with each other. Its strange to call me master, Xu Ran said. Then, how should we call you? Shao Yu was in a dilemma. It wasnt proper to call Xu Ran by his full name, and it was also weird to call him Ran. Xu Ran thought the same. Then, he replied, Just call me Xu Ran. Anyway, Im quite used to being called in this way. Xu Ran, Shao Yu called and Xu Ran showed him a smile without saying anything. After finishing this conversation, Xu Ran turned to Zhuo Yun and his spouse. Actually, the only topic was Zhuo Yuns departure. Xu Ran asked, Are you going to leave in January, Zhuo Yun? Zhuo Yun nodded. Sure. Although its a little cold and tough in the north, it would be the good time to sell the sausage and bacon youve prepared. I can also help you find the fruit trees if I came back early. Xu Ran replied, Sounds good! Please tell me if youre ready so that I can make the full preparation. Sure, please help me look after Shuwen when Im not here. Dont worry. Shuwens also my good sworn brother.I will definitely take good care of him! Zhuo Yun smiled after hearing Xu Rans promise. Thats right, thanks! Xu Ran responded, Dont worry, bro. To be honest, if we werent good friends, you wouldnt spend the New Years Eve with me, right? Zhuo Yun didnt answer him, but obviously, he agreed with Xu Ran. Tangtang and Guoguo were as good as gold all day, and Xu Ran had no problem with them, so he remained silent. After lunch, they have to put the food in the branch (a kind of traditional New Year custom that people would make a cleavage in the branch and put their leftover into it, wishing for a good harvest in the coming year) as they did last year. Although they didnt harvest much last year, they still wanted to develop this habit. When they had a fruit tree of their own, they could put the food in it. Zhuo Yun was interested in this custom, so he followed others to the mountain. Then he heard that Xu Ran and his two sons murmuring to the tree like they were chanting scriptures. Then they dug a hole in the tree to stuff the food. Zhuo Yun felt it weird and refused Xu Rans advice of having a try by himself. They did the same thing year by year, but each year was as happy as the first year. It was the second year Xu Ran spent in this world. This year, he had his own house, a family, children and friends. He regarded here as the place where he could live and work in peace. His wish was very simple, which was to spend each year in the future like this year. He wanted to have a happy dinner with his families, put the food in the branch with his kids and go to visit Liu Tongs dead parents tombs. Xu Ran needed to go to their tombs, no matter how unwilling he was to pass by Liu Tongs eldest uncles house. Little Baozi was being looked after by Shao Yu and Zhuo Yun. Then, Xu Rans family of four went to Liu Village to visit Liu Tongs dead parents. They brought the same things as those of last year. However, they left earlier this time because there was no place to stop their carriage, so they needed to get there on foot. More importantly, Xu Ran was afraid that those insane people would rob their carriage. Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to bring two dogs together with them for safety. If there was a fight, they didnt need to attend it by themselves. Xu Rans idea was quite brilliant. Liu Tong knew that Xu Ran didnt want to see his eldest uncle, but he could do nothing but hope that there would be no one in his uncles house. However, things always went contrary to peoples wishes. When they arrived, they saw Liu Tongs uncle and his families were already waiting in the middle of the road, and they could even see them from afar. Xu Ran frowned and asked Liu Tong, Is this the only way, Tongtong? Liu Tong seemed unhappy and he shook his head, Ran, there is indeed another way, but its too far. We would spend much time on it and return home very late. Lets go on this road, Ran, you dont have to care about them. If they really do something, well turn to the village head! The most depressing thing for Xu Ran was his lunatic relatives! Yes! Quite a few lunatics! Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran replied, In that case, lets go. Lets see what they can do? Liu Tong held the basket while Xu Ran held two children. Just as they took a few steps forward, Liu Tongs uncle came over, Hey, isnt this Liu Tong? Are you going to visit your parents? Whats in your basket? Let me check His action was exactly the same as that of his last year. He was stretching his hands into Liu Tongs basket. Last year, he had greeted Xu Ran at least, but he was ruder this year. He robbed Liu Tongs basket without even greeting him. Xu Ran glared at Liu Tongs uncle furiously, How dare you eat food for Tongtongs dead parents? What if they would come to you tonight? After all, they are watching you in Heaven now. Xu Ran said these words with a lowered voice, which sounded sinister. Liu Tongs uncle immediately retracted his hand the moment he touched the basket. Seeing this, Liu Tong took the opportunity to walk away from his uncle. Xu Ran said, If you really dont have meat, its OK to eat these, but you have to let us visit the tombs first. If you make up your mind to stop us today, dont blame me for being rude. Xu Rans words irritated Liu Tiezhu, who dashed over, Being rude? How rude? Dont forget that my dads Liu Tongs uncle. Its fine if you dont respect your uncle, but how can you be rude to us? Dont you believe that I can take you to the village head now! Liu Tiezhu looked thinner and paler than before, but what he said made him like another person now. However, Liu Tiezhu failed to scare Xu Ran. Go the village head? Sounds good! Lets talk about Tongtongs field, OK? Hearing that, Liu Tiezhu lost his imposing manner immediately. He waved his fist at Xu Ran; the latter ignored Liu Tiezhu and took Tangtangs and Guoguos hands walking ahead without looking at him. Then, another person was waiting for him in front. Xu Ran was rendered a little speechless. There were many people waiting for them along this road, and they had to tackle problems one by one. Now, the person standing in front of Xu Ran was Liu Piao, who was obviously looking at Xu Ran shyly. Xu Ran held his forehead. It wasnt his cup of tea. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to walk in front of him. Compared with Liu Tong, Liu Piao was really a dwarf. Seeing Liu Tongs cold face, Liu Piao was speechless with horror in his eyes. Liu Tong pushed Xu Ran aside, letting him and two kids walk ahead. Liu Piao was stunned and couldnt say a word. The other two people, Liu Tiezhus spouse and Liu Tongs uncles spouse, dared say nothing when they saw this. Then the four people finally passed the road. When they reached the tombs, Xu Ran finally felt better. He told Liu Tongs parents that they had a new baby, little Baozi. They hadnt visited them for a year, during which their baby had come to this world for over a month. How time flied! Chapter 156 Liu Tong weeded and cleaned up the area in front of the two tombs. Apart from them, his parents tombs would never have any visitors all year round. But after all, he and Xu Ran did not live in Liu Village. On one hand, it was inconvenient of them to go back and forth, and on the other hand, they had to pass by his uncles house. It would definitely be annoying if each time their tomb visit became uncomfortable because of his uncle. Liu Tong knew what kind of person his uncle and his family had been, so he could only come to pay the visit during the Spring Festival. When the visit was done and the four of them walked back, the whole family of his uncle must be waiting for them on the road. Just the thought of the scene would make Xu Ran feel uncomfortable. However, they had to go back. To their surprise, they didnt see anyone on the way back. Xu Ran looked around and found that no one was there. He let out a long sigh. It was good that no one was there. Just as people said, those who were shameless, feared nothing. Xu Ran didnt fear tough guys, but he feared shameless guys. Liu Tong walked in the front; the two children in the middle; Xu Ran walked at the end. Just as he touched his chest and relieved. He felt that he was being entangled by something that suddenly rushed out. Before he could react, Liu Piaos voice had come, Help, someone is molesting me. Help! Xu Ran was shocked when he saw Liu Piao clearly and the posture of them two at the moment The moment Liu Piao shouted, the whole family of Liu Tongs uncle rushed out. Liu Tongs uncles spouse pointed at Xu Ran and said, Shameless bastard, I had been wondering why you had to pass by my door. It turns out that you were up to this, molesting the Geer of my family. Im gonna beat you to death. Liu Tongs uncles spouse said that he would beat Xu Ran, but he was just talking and his hand did not slap down. Liu Piao hugged Xu Ran very tightly. Xu Ran took a lot of effort to break free, but before he could get up, Liu Piao caught him again. Like Xu Ran, Liu Tong didnt react at first. By the time he figured out what was happening, his uncle and his family had already dashing out at an incredibly fast speed. The whole thing was obviously well-planned. Liu Tong broke Xu Ran free from his uncles family and pulled him up. Before Liu Tong said anything about leaving, his uncles spouse grabbed him and said, Your man molested our Liu Piao. If you dont give me an explanation, do not even think about leaving He rolled up his sleeves and put his hands on the waist, looking fierce. This was something they had planned for a long time. Last year, they had shown interests in Xu Ran, but Xu Ran didnt come to Liu Village often, not even once a year. They had no chance at all and they couldnt do anything in Xu Village. The most important thing was that Liu Piao had already been engaged to someone else. His family had accepted the other familys cash gift and said that they would have a banquet to marry Liu Piao after the Spring Festival. However, the man whom Liu Piao was engaged to was a peasant in his thirties living in the neighboring village. He was ugly and sloppy. Liu Piao himself was reluctant to marry him in any case, but his elder brother lost money because of gambling and couldnt afford the debt, so his brother sold him for the money without getting the permission of his parents. Liu Piao fainted when he heard the news. He didnt agree no matter how, but his family couldnt return the cash gift. Therefore, he could only wait to be taken away after the Spring Festival. Liu Piao had been making scenes at home for more than half a year. Then his Daddy remembered Xu Ran. It was almost Spring Festival and he would come with Liu Tong to visit his parents tombs. Thus, the whole family meticulously planned this, and they meant to escalate it so that Xu Ran couldnt turn them down in front of so many people. However, Xu Ran hated such kind of people the worst. Xu Ran smiled coldly. Were not leaving. Lets go find the village head and ask him to give both of us an explanation. Then Xu Ran left pulling Liu Tong. Tangtang and Guoguo ran in front of Xu Ran cleverly. Xu Ran knew where the village head of Liu Village lived, so he didnt even pause. On the other hand, Liu Tongs uncle and his family were a little stunned. Shouldnt they use the village head to threaten Xu Ran? Then they would ask Xu Ran to marry Liu Piao. Now, Xu Ran was even beat them to find the village head. They didnt know what to do. In the end, Liu Tongs uncles spouse said, Follow him. He molested our Geer and acted as if he was right. I would let everyone in the village see what kind of peorson he is. He said it firmly, but he felt uneasy in his heart. He didnt know why. The village head of Liu Village was called Liu Youcai. He was somehow a scholar and had been the village head for decades. Sitting outside the door and talking to people with barely any tobacco leaves, he saw the Xu Rans family coming over angrily. Xu Ran had been to Liu Village a few times, and he had been to Xu Village as well. He knew that Xu Ran had won the title of Xiucai. Upon seeing Xu Ran, he greeted him warmly, Xiucai Xu, where are you going? Liu Youcai looked like he didnt see Xu Rans darkened face at all. Xu Ran said, Village head Liu, unfortunately, Im coming for you. I want you to get the justice served for me. Liu Youcai frowned. He guessed if someone in the village had offended him, so he asked, Tell me what it was. I will definitely give you an explanation. Before Xu Ran could speak, waves of crying came over. The Geers of the family of Liu Tongs uncle were all crying. Especially Liu Tongs uncles spouse and Liu Piao, who cried most badly. Liu Tongs uncles spouse cried as he said, Village head, you have to uphold justice for our family! Our Liu Piao was molested and they even came to complain first. Liu Tongs uncles spouse sat on the ground and hugged the village heads leg. It was as if he would not let go of the village head if he didnt help them. Xu Ran stared at them coldly without saying a word, and he was just waiting for the village heads reply. Liu Youcais expression was no better than Xu Rans when looking at this family, full of disgust. Everyone in the village knew what kind of people this family were. It was only because of Xu Ran that Liu Youcai found the whole thing a little tricky. He pulled his leg out and said. Liu Dewang, do something and stop being embarrassing. Liu Dewang was Liu Tongs uncle. He meant to let his spouse make the scene, so how could he do anything to stop it? When he heard the village head, he only symbolically asked his spouse to stand up. But in the end, his spouse cried even more badly. Liu Piaos voice was no smaller. He was only crying and didnt say a word, as if he had really suffered a lot. The crying also annoyed Liu Youcai. Alright, stop crying. Whats the use of crying? Tell me everything. If what you said is true, I will naturally give you justice. If not, then dont blame me for not giving you mercy. When Liu Youcai said this, he glanced at Xu Ran from time to time. But Xu Ran was comforting his son and ignored him. Liu Tongs uncles spouse started to talk with tears. Village head, you also know that our Geer Liu Piao has already been engaged to someone. Today, Liu Tong and his family came over to visit his parents tombs and passed by our house. As a family, I thought Liu Piaos engagement was a joy, and they didnt come once a year. So I invited them to stay for dinner and they agreed. But in the end in the end Liu Tongs uncles spouse seemed to be unable to continue speaking. He started to cry again. After crying for a while, he continued, In the end, we heard Piaos scream, saying that he was molested. Our family hurriedly went out and saw that Xu Ran was hugging Piao. Liu Youcai glanced at Liu Piao and then at Xu Ran. He was just about to ask Xu Ran if it was true when Xu Ran said, Let him continue. Liu Youcai turned his head and said to Liu Tongs uncles spouse, You continue. What happened next? Liu Tongs uncles spouse wiped away his tears and continued, We all saw it, and Xu Ran dares refuse to admit it. He even come to complain to you first. Village head, you have to give justice to our Piao. How can Piao marry? He spoke with the sorrow on his face, and Liu Piao also took the opportunity to speak, Village head, please uphold the justice for me, please! Liu Piaos eye got red for crying eyes and he looked convincing. Liu Youcai was a little convinced. He asked Xu Ran, Xiucai Xu, is what Liu Dewangs family said true? If it is, you have to give our Liu Village an explanation. Liu Tong was just about to speak when Xu Ran took a step forward. He walked to Liu Piao and looked down at him, Do you think you are pretty? Liu Piao flushed and looked up at Xu Ran. There were still tears on his face. He had pitiful and weak appearance, but he looked quite adorable. However, Xu Ran couldnt see these in his eyes. He only saw Liu Piaos hateful and contemptible deeds. Xu Ran said, What do you think you have that is comparable to Liu Tong, so I take a fancy to you? Take a look at yourself. Even if you lay naked on my bed, I wont give you a second look. Are you telling me how you set me up or do you want me to speak up? I didnt I didnt set you up. It was you. It was you who molested me. Boohoo Before he could say a few words, he started to cry again. Chapter 157 Xu Ran saved the courtesy. When we came back, I walked at the back. You coming out from nowhere, hugged me and pushed me down to the ground. Then you shouted loudly. As soon as you uttered your first cry, your family members rushed out all of a sudden. Who would believe that you didnt prearrange it? Hmm? Or did you expect that I would molest Liu Piao? If that was the case, how could Liu Piao be alone outside? Hmm? Who can explain to me? Explain to me properly! Xu Ran almost roared out the last sentence, which shocked everyone. In an instant, all the cries stopped. Xu Ran didnt give them a chance to retort. He continued, Since you said that I molested Liu Piao, tell me how I molested him? I clearly remembered that after Liu Piao pushed me down on the ground, I tried to get up, but he pulled me back. He was not willing to let me go even when I hadnt done anything. If I really did something, would Liu Piao take off his clothes and climb into my bed? Hmm? Village head, I think you should know the people in Liu Village the best. What do you think about the reputation of this family in Liu Village? I remember that Tongtongs parents land is still occupied by you, but the land deed is owned by Tongtong. What do you think will happen if I go to Yamen to sue you for land usurpation? Moreover, you said that I molested Liu Piao. What do you want me to do? Marry him? Or do you want me to compensate? Both conditions were extremely tempting and Liu family didnt know how to choose. Liu Piao cried and said, Brother Xu Ran, just take me. I will serve you nicely with my cousin. Xu Ran sneered, Who is your brother? In the previous minute, you had just claimed that I molested you, and in the next, you called me brother. Do you have any sense of shame? You must have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, from last year till this one. As you speculated that I would come for tomb-sweeping on the New Years Eve, your family members have been waiting here early in the morning, and then you gave such a performance. Its really amazing. Xu Ran said as he clapped his hands. Xu Ran squatted down and raised Liu Piaos chin with his hand, Its a pity! I dont like you. I feel dirty when I look at you. Isnt it said that youve been engaged? Why were you still out there to seduce me? How licentious! Xu Rans words were merciless. This person had schemed against him, so he naturally wouldnt show any mercy. Xu Ran stood up and said to Liu Youcai, Village head, I believe you have had a conclusion about who is telling the truth and who is lying! If someone wanted to blackmail me, of course I wouldnt let him succeed. If you dont give me a proper explanation today, dont blame me for escalating the incident and implicating Liu Villages reputation, nor for using my Xiucai title to oppress you. When it came to the reputation of Liu Village, Liu Youcais brow was already tightly knitted. Finally, not until he heard Xu Ran saying that he would use his title to oppress them, did he remember his identity as a Xiucai. If Xu Ran, Xu Villages only Xiucai, was bullied in another village, Xu Villages people wouldnt be so easy on them. Whats more, the reason that Liu Piao family had racked their brains for scheming such a farce, was only because they coveted Xu Rans money, wasnt it? Even Liu Youcai had some calculation in his heart. After auditing such a farce, he had to rule on it. He didnt dare to displease Xu Ran. Many people in Liu Village were counting on him to earn some money for the Spring Festival. If he was offended, he, as the village head, would probably be an eyesore in the village in the future! Liu Youcai said, Liu Dewang, you asked your family members to get up. I have grasped the gist of what happened today. You said that you saw Xu Ran holding Liu Piao, but you didnt see how he molested Liu Piao. Liu Piao himself couldnt explain clearly, either. I also heard that you didnt want to marry Liu Piao to the boor of the neighboring village; instead, you wanted him to become the concubine of Xu Ran. To reach that goal, you schemed everything. Today, you are even cheeky enough to play such a farce in front of me. Now I rule your family to apologize to Xiucai Xu, and ground you in the ancestral hall for seven days. Not one word was about the land of Liu Tongs parents that Xu Ran had mentioned. The village head was partial anyway. After Liu Youcai announced the punishment, he turned to ask Xu Ran, Xiucai Xu, what do you think of this ruling? Xu Ran said, Village head, this is your villages affair. I am in no position to get involved. However, our Xu Villages people are not allowed to be bullied by outsiders. I think I have to go back and negotiate with our village head about this. At Xu Rans words, Liu Youcai felt that though it was winter, his forehead started to sweat. He quickly said, Xiucai Xu, dont do that. How about punishing them to kneel for seven days and eat nothing for three days? Xu Ran said, Village head, there will definitely be problems with them kneeling for seven days in winter. Besides, they might be starved to death without eating for three days. I think its better to let them kneel for three days, and starve for a day. However, I have one more request. Liu Youcai wiped his forehead. Go ahead and speak, please. Even please was used. Its not a difficult thing. I just hope that this family will not appear in front of me when I come for tomb-sweeping every on New Years Eve. As the saying goes, A burnt child dreads the fire. Im afraid the similar things will occur to me again, so I wish village head could agree to this little request. The request was quite little, but it could not be justified not to let the family appear in front of their own doorway. The Liu Dewang family wanted to refute but they swallowed their words under a glare from Liu Youcai. They knew that they had no chance to make a comeback today. As they cried all this way, everyone in the village had known about it. If the words got out, it was doubtful whether Liu Piao could still marry the boor in the neighboring village. But if the boor didnt want him, Liu Piao would really be on the shelf forever. Thinking about it, Liu Dewang Family cried even more pathetically. However, Liu Piao was still in the shock from Xu Ran. Xu Ran said that he seduced him and that he was licentious, so how could he face others in the future? Even if he would not accept him as a concubine, he shouldnt have used such words on him. Obviously he had just given him a hug. Liu Piao felt that he was so wronged as to want to cry. When he heard his daddys cries, he couldnt help but cry too. Thus, his already reddened eyes was swollen even more. Listening to the cries, Xu Ran was a little irritable. At this time, Tangtang and Guoguo, who had kept silent, pulled the clothes of the two adults. Tangtang said, Dad, Daddy, when will we go back? They have been crying and crying all the time, so annoying. The proverb said, Children and fools spoke the truth. As Tangtang and Guoguo, two naive children, said it, not only Liu family, even the village heads expression went sullen, and turned an even more disgusted look at Liu Piao and his dad and daddy. Xu Ran touched Tangtangs head and said, We will go back when the village head agrees to my request. Be good, wait a little longer. Xu Rans words were obvious. He wouldnt leave until his request was fulfilled. Liu Youcai nodded in a hurry, Xiucai Xu, dont worry. I will order them to obey it, and to make sure that in the future you could just go around the neighborhood without them in sight. Xu Ran made a fist-and-palm salute. Then, I appreciate your goodwill. Since village head has promised me, I will go back first. I hope you can handle the other matters properly, and I will pay more visits to Liu Village in the future. After saying that, Xu Ran left with the kids hand in hand, ignoring the farewell from Liu Youcai. As to why he had mentioned paying more visits here in the future, Liu Youcai was embarrassed to ask, and was in no position to ask. Liu Youcai did not spare the punishment to Liu family just because Xu Ran had left. He ordered them to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and eat nothing for a day. Liu Dewang didnt say anything, since he couldnt have the final say in this family. However, as to Liu Tiezhu, it was a different case. The affair arose from Liu Piao. Though they hadnt done anything nor said anything, they had to kneel in the ancestral hall too. How could they not hate Liu Piao? Especially Liu Tiezhu, he was counting on Liu Piao to marry Xu Ran and let Xu Ran pay his gambling debt. If he kept stalling his debt, he would be beaten to death. He looked at Liu Piao with more and more vicious expression. Then, as if he had made a decision, he took the lead to leave the village heads house and walk to the ancestral hall. Seeing that Liu Tiezhu had left, the others couldnt stay any longer. They could only follow him. On the way back home, Xu Ran was not in a better mood. He found that he had bad luck entangling in love affairs recently. With Zhang Yue being counted in, there had been five of them. Xu Ran was really speechless. While Xu Ran was still worrying if Liu Tong would care, Liu Tong comforted him first, Ran, dont take it to heart. Havent you told village head not to let them appear in front of us in the future? Why are you angry with invisible people? Xu Ran shook his head. Tongtong, I was worried that you would be annoyed. It was my fault today. I was too careless. Liu Tong was stunned for a moment before remembering why Xu Ran was worried that he would be angry. He shook his head, Ran, I was here today too. I saw everything. How could I blame you? Besides, it was owing to my Ran standing out so as to attract peoples attention. Tangtang and Guoguo, who were walking in front of them, quietly rubbed their hands, feeling that today was colder than ever before. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran turned his head and looked at him a few more times. Finding no anger on his face, he finally relaxed. Xu Ran said, I really havent taken this family seriously before, but todays incident is obviously schemed by them. After waiting for a whole year, they have tried hard. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong suddenly smiled. My uncles family is actually similar to your parents. However, Im not their biological child after all, so they treated me in a worse way than your parents did to you. Ran, in fact, I have always been glad that they had sold me to your home. If it wasnt for their greed, I wouldnt have met you. Xu Ran smiled and said, Then I should thank them for giving me such a good Tongtong. Liu Tong was a bit shy, but he didnt continue. The family slowly walked home. When they got home, it was dark. Chapter 158 When Zhuo Yun saw them coming back, he asked them why they had been out for so long. Didnt they say that it wasnt too far? As soon as Zhuo Yun asked, Xu Ran started to complain about Liu Dewangs weird family. Zhuo Yun also felt strange after hearing this. He patted Xu Rans shoulder sympathetically and said, Bro, your really got bad luck. Those three just left, and yet here comes another one who is actually engaged. But Im telling you. This man is really cheap. Xu Ran firmly agreed. Xu Ran said, Dont he ever look at himself in the mirror? Why the hell would I take him as a concubine? Dream on! Zhuo Yun said, Although I dont know what he looks like, this kind of person is certainly not nice no matter what he looks like. Besides, that family is just interested in your money. At first, he would say he only wanted to be your concubine, but if they really got what they want, your family is probably about to be screwed up. Xu Ran nodded. Thats right, I think so, too, so I will never give these people any chance. I have to keep this family safe. The two of them had a good chat before going to eat. Today was the New Years Eve, so they have to stay up the whole night. Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen went to sleep early because they had to take care of the little babies. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun sat in the living room, warming themselves by the fire while playing chess. The two of them also talked about the plan for next year. When it was almost twelve oclock, Xu Ran said, Go and tell your spouse happy new year? Zhuo Yun raised his eyebrows, Of course. Then the two men went upstairs and walked into their own rooms. Liu Tong slept soundly with the kid in his arms. Xu Ran leaned down, kissed him on the cheek and then woke him up, Happy New Year! Tongtong. Liu Tong replied to Xu Ran in a daze and then went back to sleep. Xu Ran touched his own nose and felt a little helpless. He felt that he had made Tongtong lazy because Tongtong would never be so perfunctory to him before. However, most of the time, he was happy to see Liu Tong lazy, but it was just not good right now. Xu Ran thought that Liu Tong wanted to sleep so he didnt wake Liu Tong up again. Instead, he went downstairs, only to find that Zhuo Yun had already been waiting for him in the living room. Xu Ran didnt ask what the situation was with Zhuo Yun, but he knew that it didnt go so well since Zhuo Yun was still sitting here. Neither of them brought up this matter and changed to another topic that had nothing to do with the New Years Eve. After a few words, Xu Ran felt that there was someone standing behind him. He turned his head around and saw Liu Tong standing behind him and looking at him. Xu Ran patted his chest and stood up. Tongtong, why did you suddenly appear behind me? I was scared. Xu Ran wanted to say that he was scared to death, but considering that it was the new year now and it was not proper to say that, he immediately changed his words. With Zhuo Yun around, Liu Tong couldnt say anything else. He only said, I slept enough and came downstairs to take a look. Then he said to Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, go get some sleep. Ill stay up with him. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xu Ran also urged Zhuo Yun to go to bed. Zhuo Yun felt that this couple must want to have some lovey-dovey moments and it was inconvenient for him to be here, so he agreed. Liu Tong said, Ill go and bring Baozi down first. Then he also went upstairs. When there only two adults plus the sleeping little Baozi were in the living room, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong why he suddenly woke up. Liu Tong said, Didnt you come up just now? You woke me up. After a while, I couldnt sleep, so I just came down to accompany you. Do you want to sleep for a bit longer? Xu Ran asked. Liu Tong shook his head. No, Ive slept for a long time too. Plus, Ive slept for a long time when I was pregnant with Baozi and when I was in confinement. Ive had enough sleep. However, Xu Ran started dozing off as he spoke. Liu Tong smiled, Ran, why dont you lie on this summer bed for a while? Ill get you a blanket. Xu Ran said, No, youre here to accompany me. How can I sleep? Lets talk! Liu Tong nodded. Okay, but what should we talk about? Xu Ran scratched his head, Let me think about it! Then he did not think of anything Liu Tong said, Then Ran, tell me stories. I dont know as much as Tangtang and Guoguo. Tell me about Journey to the West. I found it very interesting that day. Journey to the West! Xu Ran was very good at telling this story. He still remembers that when he was young, when his family bought a color TV. Journey to the West was very popular then. Nearly every TV studio was playing it. He almost watched that for two years so he could remember all of the story clearly. Xu Ran nodded hurriedly and started to tell Liu Tong the story. When he felt excited, he even acted out the scene with his own body. The husband was telling the story while his spouse was listening carefully. Just like that, the two of them spend the whole night together. Xu Ran didnt stop talking until dawn. He held Liu Tongs hand and said, Tongtong, thank you for giving me a home and so many good family members. Thank you. Liu Tong didnt say anything. He carefully protected Baozi and hugged Xu Ran. On the first day of the new year, people would not go far away. They would just walk around in the village to share some candies and sunflower seeds with other families. Xu Rans family was at the end of the village, so there werent many people coming. The Geers had to watch the children at home and it was not convenient for them to go out. So Xu Ran took Zhuo Yun, Gao Quan and the two children to walk around in the village. As for Mr. Hu, he was very busy. Now, there were more and more chess players in the village. People would probably have to make an appointment in advance if they wanted to see him. Xu Ran did not bring Zhuo Yun and others to Wu Meis house. After all, they often went there so they could go somewhere else instead at the first day of the new year. Xu Ran went to their long-term workers homes and mentioned the plan to plant potatoes in spring. There were more than ten families, and Xu Ran went to greet them one by one. The morning passed in the blink of an eye. The last one to go was the village heads house, but Xu Ran went alone. He asked everyone else to go back first. Xu Ran wanted to talk to the village head about two things, one big matter, and one small matter. The big matter was that he wanted to buy the mountain, and the small one was to set up a stage in the village and let the group of children act Journey to the West on it, which would liven up the atmospheere in the village. The first thing Xu Ran said was to set up the stage. The village head also heard his grandchildren talk about this. He was quite happy too, so he quickly said, This is indeed a good plan. A lot of children went there last time. Ill find some people and tell them about this later. Let them help to set up a stage. Xu Ran said, Indeed, there were quite a few children. I can get Tangtang and Guoguo to help talk to them. But if they dont want to, we dont have to force them. But village head, you have to explain first that this performance is free and there is no money to take. Im afraid that if we dont make it clear, someone will definitely be annoyed. The village head nodded. Dont worry, I will make this clear. It is really not good to cause trouble at new years time. Yeah! After talking about this small matter, Xu Ran instantly changed his expression. Village head, I have something important to tell you. Its about me. The village head saw Xu Ran was so serious, so he thought that something wrong had happened. He comforted Xu Ran, Dont worry. Just say it slowly. If its not a big trouble, we can all help you. Xu Ran said, It is a big deal, village head. I want to buy some lands at the back of the mountain. What do you think? What did you say? The village head was startled and immediately stood up. You said you want to buy the mountain? Xu Ran nodded. Xu Ran, Im not trying to be hard on you. You can just go up to the mountain and do anything you want. Why do you want to buy the mountain? Do you know how much money it would cost to buy a mountain? What could you do if you buy this mountain? The village head looked disappointed. Hearing the village heads words, Xu Ran felt that there was hope in buying the mountain, so it was just a matter of money. Xu Ran pulled the village head to sit down. Village head, dont be so surprised. I was thinking about this last year, but I didnt have enough money at the time. I was building the house and expecting a baby, so I didnt mention it to you. But this year, I dont have anywhere else to spend money. I was wondering if I could borrow some money to buy a mountain. Village head, can I buy this mountain? When the village head sat down, he touched his chest and took a few breaths. When he heard Xu Ran asking this, he said, This mountain can be bought, but its expensive. The price for this mountain is like buying the desolate lands. Its counted by mu, and it would cost no less than two taels of silver per mu. How much do you want to buy? Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, Village head, Ive decided on the location. Ill take you to have a look. I dont know the exact size. Xu Ran, tell me honestly, what are you planning to do with this mountain? Your family has quite a lot of fields. Although its not very good, at least you dont have to worry about food and clothing! Xu Ran shook his head. Village head, who said Im not worried? I got three children at home. How can I not worry? Its not like you dont know that our fields cant plant grains, so we have to buy all the foods. We got a lot of places that require money. Then why would you spend your money to buy mountain? If you have this much money, why dont you save it and find your kids spouses in the future! The village head felt increasingly angry. Xu Ran knew that the village head was so agitated for his own good. Xu Ran stood up and walked behind the village head to slightly pat him on the back. Village head, dont worry. Im not stupid now. I wont spend this money for nothing. Please tell me whether its troublesome to buy the mountain or not. Can I do whatever I want to do after I buy the mountain? The village head sighed and knew that he could not convince Xu Ran. He answered Xu Rans question, Buying the mountain is the same as buying a field. It is just that you need one more witnesses. As long as you buy this mountain, it will be like your familys fields in the future. Everything on it is yours. You can do whatever you want to do with it. Xu Ran! Have you really thought through? Xu Ran said, Of course, village head. Otherwise, I wouldnt have come to ask you for help at the first day of the new year! The village head said, You are not asking for my help. Youre here to wind me up! Xu Ran hurriedly waved his hand. No, no, village head. Thats definitely not my intention. Dont you know me? The village heave flickered his sleeves. I know you, and thats why I said youre here to wind me up. Alright, go back. Ill go ask around for you about this in a few days. Xu Ran smiled and said, Then thank you, village head. Ill come to wish you happy new year in a few days. The village head stared at him. You brat, I didnt hear you say anything good today. It turns out that you still have to count the days before you come to greet me for new year! No, no, village head, Ill greet you now. Xu Ran cupped his hands together and said, Happy new year, village head. I wish you great fortune and prosperity in the new year. The village head acted as if he hadnt heard it. Xu Ran had to force himself to continue and say every blessing word that he knew. He waited until the village head was satisfied before he was allowed to leave. Chapter 159 Xu Ran was so regret! Why did he say that? After saying goodbye to the village head, Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief. He didnt know that paying a New Years call was actually not easy. Fortunately, the village head would help him inquire about buying the mountain. Moreover, his two children felt happy because of this visit. Thinking of this, Xu Ran also felt delighted immediately. Xu Ran had nothing to do in the afternoon except for taking a nap, but he felt it inappropriate to sleep on the first day of the new year, so he started to read a book he had read before. There were few recreational activities in this world, so Xu Ran felt his could suddenly manage much time. Xu Ran thought that if he had been grown up in this world and then transmigrated to the modern world, he would definitely be a top student. After reading the book for an entire afternoon, he went to prepare the dinner. Then, he went to bed early. The first day of the New Year passed. Xu Ran really wanted to do something; after all, it was a memorable day today. However, it had been only a month after Liu Tong had just given birth to little Baozi. He was afraid that having sex at this time would be bad for Liu Tongs health, so he could only give up. Little Baozi could fall asleep easily these days maybe because of the cold weather. He could sleep like a dog even if little Qingshu was crying in his ear. Liu Tong felt that little Baozi had developed this habit in his womb, but Xu Ran disagreed,Even you didnt become lazy because of too much sleep, how could my son be? And Liu Tong didnt know how to rebut it. Little Baozi was now fat and white like a real bun. Xu Rans little sheep was weaned, so Xu Ran mixed the porridge with sheep milk to feed two babies. Surprisingly, little Qingshu seemed to be able to eat more. Xu Ran felt that when little Qingshu came again, he should turn to his another sheep for enough milk. Early in the second day of the New Year, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun took their families to pay a New Years call to Mr. Qin. Shao Yu and the rest didnt go with them as they were servants. It wasnt proper for servants to go to the house of their masters friend in the Spring Festival, so they stayed home. Mr. Hu didnt go either. After all, it was cold outside, and he hated cold weather. Xu Ran thought that they might have to stay for the whole night in Qin Mansion, so he had asked Shao Yu and others to ensure the security of their bacon and sausages. People in Qin family had been busy in the kitchen early in the morning, as Qin Shuwu had told them that Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun would come together at the second day of the New Year. Therefore, all Geers in Qin Mansion was ordered by Elder Daddy Qin to make preparations in the kitchen. Qin Shuwus spouse even smiled and said that their Daddy had preferred Xu Ran after taking him as his sworn son. Hearing that, the others all smiled and nodded. Elder Daddy Qin also knew that they were joking, so he just chided them with a smile and went to the gate to wait for his new son. Actually, who he really missed were not Xu Ran and his Geer, but little Baozi and little Qinshu, especially little Baozi. He had never seen them before! Judging from Tangtang and Guoguos adorable faces, Qin Daddy felt that the little Baozi must be very good-looking, too. When Xu Ran arrived, he knocked on the gate of Qins Mansion and it was opened by Elder Daddy Qin. Xu Ran was quite surprised and immediately started to say auspicious words to pay the New Years call. Happy new year, sworn daddy! I wish you younger and younger, richer and richer, luckier and luckier Before Xu Ran could finish his blessing, he had been pushed aside by Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun followed Xu Rans words, Daddy-in-law, I wish you to be the youngest, richest and luckiest! Hearing these words and seeing the two handsome son, Elder Daddy Qin grinned ear to ear and said, Good! Thank you! Thank you! Men finished and then children started. Xu Ran taught Tangtang and Guoguo a lot of auspicious words on their way the Qins Mansion, sp yjay they could say to others. Hearing the sweet words from two identical children who stood in front of him, Elder Daddy Qin was even happier and wanted to hug Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran thought that Elder Daddy Qin wasnt young anyway, so he stopped him. Tangtang and Guoguo also said that they could walk on their own. Then, Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen started to pay New Years call with babies in their arms. Qin Shuwen said, Happy new year, Daddy! Good luck this year! Good, good, let me see if little Qinshu gets fat. Qin Shuwen passed the baby to him. Elder Daddy Qin hugged little Qinshu for a while and returned the child. Then, he called Liu Tong to him. Liu Tong replied, Sworn daddy! Liu Tong didnt come here often. He was an adult now, and he liked to keep silent, so he didnt have many words to say. Elder Daddy Qin looked at the baby in Liu Tongs arms and said, He has been over a month, right? May I hug him? I havent seen him before. Liu Tong handed the child to Elder Daddy Qin and told him, Sworn daddy, he has grown up a lot. Hes quite heavy now. Hugging little Baozi, Elder Daddy Qin called him his good grandson. Of course, he didnt ignore his own Geer, too, so he hugged Qin Shuwens baby in his arm. Since he couldnt hug Tangtang and Guoguo, he could hug the two babies. When he was young, he could walk everywhere with two babies in his arms. Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong looked at each other. They really lost favor now, completely different from before. Elder Daddy Qin hugged the the two babies and went into the room. He didnt even invite them. Qin Shuwen said, Yun, take Xu Ran to the carriage and move gifts into the room. We dont need it now. Ill go in with Liu Tong. Then, Qin Shuwen pulled Liu Tong into the door and started shouting in the yard, Dad, brother, brothers spose, Im back Before Qin Shuwen said something else, everyone had already got out. Elder Dad Qin was very happy when he saw Qin Shuwen. Youre back, Shuwen! Liu Tongs also here! Wherere Zhuo Yun and the others? Qin Shuwen took Liu Tong to Elder Dad Qin and said, Dad, Happy New Year! Liu Tong also called him sworn dad. Compared with Qin Shuwen, he was a little shy. However, Elder Dad Qin didnt care that much. He asked Liu Tong, You have given birth to a Geer, right? Wheres him? Before Liu Tong could speak, Qin Shuwen had interrupted him, Dad, Daddy had snatched two babies! Go to find him! Hurry up! Hearing that, Elder Dad Qin turned around and left immediately. Liu Tong, It seemed to be different from what he had imagined? Qin Shuwen said to Liu Tong, Dont worry about him. He loves children like my Daddy. When my brothers baby was born, they wouldnt even let my brother hug him. I remember that you were absent when my baby was born. How did you know that? A voice suddenly hit Qin Shuwens ear. Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong turned back at the same time and saw Qin Shuwu beaming at them behind. Qin Shuwen let loose of Liu Tongs hand and patted Qin Shuwu gently, You scared me! Dont you know? How can you just appear behind me so suddenly? Qin Shuwu took two steps to the side and said, What? Im standing behind Liu Tong, OK? Qin Shuwen felt speechless. Qin Shuwu then asked him, Tell me! How did you know that? I told you to go home, but you refused me at that time! Qin Shuwen pouted, Mind your own business! I just know it! And Ill never tell you! Qin Shuwu scratched Qin Shuwen an itch and they started playing like children. Qin Shuwen shouted while running, Ill never let you know! Never! Others were laughing and watching them. It was true that there were a lot of family members in this mansion, but it hadnt been humming with life for a long time. The Qin family always worried that their only Geer would live an unhappy life in other places. Even though Qin Shuwen had already gotten married with Zhuo Yun and they had had a child, they were still concerned. Qin Shuwen was grown up in the heart of Qin Shuwu. They had been much more closer to each other than to others, and Qin Shuwu had always been protective of Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwu knew that his younger brother didnt like to be too intimate to others, but as long as he cared about you, he would treat you warmly. Seeing Qin Shuwens smile and hearing his words, Qin Shuwu felt like he had returned to his childhood. When he came back to earth, seeing that Qin Shuwen had been an adult, he felt it dreamy. Qin Shuwen ran for a while and saw that Qin Shuwu wasnt chasing him, and the former stopped and made a ghost face at Qin Shuwu. Then, he went to play with someone else. Liu Tong also felt envious when seeing this scene. He had no brother and no one else besides Xu Ran would protect him. However, he really wanted an elder brother. After standing and watching for a while, he turned to find Tangtang and Guoguo. He already had Xu Ran. However, he was so greedy that he wanted a brother who could protect him wholeheartedly. He wondered whether he would live a better life in the past if he had such a brother. Liu Tong shook his head and felt that he had thought too much. He must be too idle to have such an unrealistic idea. Chapter 160 Following the noise, he found a group of children over there. The group of children were playing Rock-Paper-Scissors and their voices were so loud that they could be heard from far away. Liu Tong got nearer and found that they were playing hopscotch (a childrens game played on a pattern of squares marked on the ground. Each child throws a stone into a square then hops on one leg and jumps along the empty squares to pick up the stone again.) that Ran taught them last time. As they came here last time, these children knew Liu Tong. The Qin Family had a good upbringing, so when they saw Liu Tong, they all stood up and said auspicious words to him. Liu Tong smiled gently and handed them the red packets he had prepared. The children didnt want to take them. Liu Tong encouraged, They are what Uncle Xu and I have specially prepared for you. I wont let your dads and daddies know it. Just take it as your pocket money. Tangtang and Guoguo also have their pocket money. If you dont believe me, you can ask them. All the children turned to look at Tangtang and Guoguo. And both Tangtang and Guoguo nodded their heads. Tangtang said, We have pocket money every month. Dad gave it to us and let us spend it or save it. Weve saved a lot of money now. While saying this, he patted his own pocket. Guoguo just directly took out all the red packets from his pocket. They were given by the adults on the morning of lunar new years day. Liu Tong didnt expect Guoguo to bring all the red packets on him, but he didnt say anything. Instead, he turned his head and said to the other children, See, these are Guoguos. You are almost at the same age and you should have your pocket money. But you have to think about how to spend this money properly. Come on, take it! Liu Tong handed the red packets to them one by one. Seeing a thick wad of red packets in Guoguos hands, the children from the Qin Family were envious. Thus this time they did not reject Liu Tongs red packets. Dad, Uncle Zhuo. Liu Tong heard Tangtang and Guoguos calling after sending out the red packets. Liu Tong turned his head and saw Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun walking towards them. As soon as the group of children from the Qin Family saw Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun, they hurriedly crammed the red packets into their pockets. Zhuo Yun walked past them and said smilingly, Dont worry. Since they were given by your Uncle Xu and Liu Tong Daddy, I wont criticize you. Xu Ran touched the heads of Tangtang and Guoguo and walked up to Zhuo Yun, Ive already sent red packets to these children, so dont you send yours? Zhuo Yun threw up his hands and said, My familys money is not with me. If you want it, go to your Uncle Shuwen. Upon hearing this, the group of children instantly felt that there was no hope of getting them. Xu Ran encouraged them, Go ahead. There must be red packets. Really? A very good-looking Geer ran to Xu Ran and asked him. He was the oldest Geer from the Qin Shuwu Family. He was eight years old and was also the best looking one among the members of younger generation in the Qin Family. He looked kinda like Qin Shuwen. Xu Ran nodded. Of course, its true. You can just go and ask about it. The Geer stared at Xu Ran for quite some time. Seeing that he wasnt lying, he waved his hand and brought the group of children with him. Looking at the group of children who were running away, Zhuo Yun smiled. I didnt expect him to be a leader of the children. This child must not be simple after he grows up. Itd be better if he werent a Geer. Xu Ran said, So what if he isnt a Geer? A person who is really capable will not be restricted by his identity. You can see that he is smart now. Who can foretell what will happen to him in the future? Zhuo Yun nodded, You are right. Actually, I dont wish how much he, as a Geer, can amount to. I just hope he can find a good husband so that hell live a stable life. Xu Ran jabbed his finger at him, Why do I feel that youre like his dad? Brother Qin is not worried about him at all. Zhuo Yun replied, Thats just because my family has a Geer, too! So, I have to care about it. Xu Ran said, At present, the Geer in your family doesnt know anything other than eating, drinking, sleeping and crying. So you really dont have to worry about it so early. You have the ability. I hope you wont worry about this kind of thing in the future! Zhuo Yun retorted. Xu Ran replied, Well, lets talk about it later. Now, wed better meet sworn dad. Weve been here for a while. Its not good for us not to show up until this moment. Well, lets go! Zhuo Yun said as he walked in front of him. Then both of them left ignoring Liu Tong and the two kids standing by the side. Liu Tong touched his nose and felt that his presence today meant little to others. Both Tangtang and Guoguo felt the same way. Guoguo asked Liu Tong, Daddy, do you think we will get more red packets? Liu Tong patted him lightly and said with a smile, I know you care about the red packets. You must have got a lot of them! Guoguo raised his head and replied, Dad says that skills are no burden. I believe the more money the better. Liu Tong smiled, Well, you hope to get as much money as possible. Who did you learn all these from? I should have pointed out why you bring all your red packets with you? Arent you afraid losing them? Guoguo looked around and found that apart from them three, there was no one else. Guoguo then replied, Daddy, you touch these red packets. Liu Tong reached out to touch the red packets handed by Guoguo and found that there was nothing Liu Tong was speechless. This boy, he came out with empty red packets to bluff. Noticing Liu Tong showing signs of getting angry, Tangtang immediately explained for his brother, Daddy, this is my idea. Dont blame my brother. I havent said anything yet. Youve spoken for your brother. Tangtang, Guoguo, tell me why you brought out the empty red packets? As a response, both Tangtang and Guoguo shook their heads mysteriously, The Buddha says that its unspeakable. Liu Tong wanted to give them each a blow on the back of their heads. However, before he could make a move, both Tangtang and Guoguo had already run away. It was not until this moment that Liu Tong realized that his two sons did not seem to be as obedient as they appeared! Liu Tong could not help wondering if this was good? He was a little worried. Then he thought of what Ran once said that every man had his life. Anyway, he thought that their two children were still young and this shouldnt be a bad thing! And Liu Tong could only comfort himself like this. Liu Tong followed behind the others and walked into the house. There a bunch of people were sitting around the old couple of the Qin Family, each of them holding a child very lovingly. Liu Tong seated herself by Xu Rans side. She asked Xu Ran, Ran, what are they doing? Xu Ran replied, Putting a red packet into the little guys pocket. He must have got a lot of red packets in his pocket. With so many people here, if one person gives one red packet, the child gains a lot. Didnt you say that the sworn dads family didnt like to give red packets? Liu Tong was confused. Xu Ran spread out his hands, Who knows? Maybe they have changed the rules seeing the children are so lovely. Anyway, both sworn parents didnt say anything. Liu Tong thought that the red packet was only a small gift of blessing. There was not much money in it, but it was meaningful. So he sat there talking to Xu Ran. Only when his baby cried did he take him over to change his diaper and feed him rice soup. At the Qins mansion, Qin Shuwen was also a guest. When the family were getting ready for dinner, he did not join them to make a fuss. He had learned to fry a few simple dishes in Xu Rans house, and every time what he cooked had served Zhuo Yun. There were many people having dinner together sitting at a few tables. Qin Shuwu told Xu Ran, Ive told you that Ill show ask my spouse to show his cook skills when you come over. Try it today and see what it is like? Xu Ran knew all the dishes on the table, especially braised chicken with potatoes, sour and spicy shredded potatoes, fried meat with dried bean curd, etc. These were all home-made dishes whose recipes were given by him himself. Hearing Qin Shuwus words, Xu Ran picked up his chopsticks and got a piece of the sour and spicy shredded potatoes, which was the simplest one among the dishes there. It was indeed good, sour, crisp and spicy. Xu Ran nodded and praised, Bro Qin, your spouse cooking is really good. You have a good feast. Qin Shuwu replied, You are right. He didnt make these dishes before but insisted on cooking them during the Spring Festival. He said that if we eat too much of the delicious food, we will be tired of it. But you see how can we feel tired with such delicious dishes? Qin Shuwu was serious when talking about this. At the same time, he didnt forget to take a large piece of food into his bowl. Qin Shuwus spouse felt a little embarrassed, but he kept silent. He was obviously a reticent person. But his cooking craftsmanship was really good. It was comparable to the head chef in Mr. Chens restaurant. Xu Ran had planned to go back after lunch, or go to Zhuo Yuns house. However, Qin Daddy said that he was reluctant to let Qin Shuwen go home and insisted that they stay for one night or leave after supper. No matter what, three rooms were needed for them all at night if they stayed. This was impossible. Thus Zhuo Yun suggested that they have supper at the Qins mansion and then go back to his for the night. Anyway, they had a carriage. Their house was not very far away, and it would not take much time. Xu Ran had told him his plan when they came, so he didnt say anything further. Thus, the matter was settled. Still they had to find something to do to kill the time in the afternoon! It was definitely not enough to just chat. This was the very time that the chess was very helpful. Anyway, the Qin Family were never tired of playing chess. Thus they took turns to play it, and their opponents were different every time. The chess they played was naturally interesting, which would give them another experience. Such was their afternoon time, playing and guessing who was winning. It was fast and interesting. In the evening, it was still Qin Shuwus spouse who did the cooking. There was also a lot of meat. Xu Ran felt that he couldnt eat much, so he made wheat flour dough, which proved to be very popular during the meal. The Qin Family was quite wealthy, and they didnt lack meat in their daily life. And there would be more during the Spring Festival. Naturally, they had fed up with meat. Thus they loved the wheat flour dough very much. Xu Ran had cooked a pot of it and all of it was eaten up. After dinner, they went to Zhuo Yuns house together. Zhuo Yuns mansion was large and had many rooms. As they had fewer people now, there were definitely a lot of places to live. And the most important thing was that Zhuo Yun was going out on business again after the Spring Festival in the first lunar month. Xu Ran needed to have a good talk with Zhuo Yun about this. Even though it was just the second of the lunar new year, it seemed quite early for them to visit their relatives. However, the days would pass in the blink of an eye. In addition to the fact that their family had to start planting potatoes after the tenth of this month. In that case, they would definitely not have time. Chapter 161 When they arrived at Zhuo Yuns house, they only rushed the two children to sleep. They themselves were not in a hurry to sleep. It was clear that they had to have a good talk. In any case, the matter of Zhuo Yun travelling for business had been settled, but he didnt decide when to start. After sitting on the stool, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, have you told Brother Qin that youre going to travel for business? Zhuo Yun shook his head. Not yet. I didnt mention it earlier since I didnt want to spoil their Spring Festival. I intended to tell them after the festival and it was still early, so I didnt say a thing. Xu Ran nodded and expressed his understanding. He said, You have to talk about it yourself, and let Shuwen act as mediator. I will incidentally bring up the business cooperation with Brother Qin. I can see that Brother Qin is now the one in charge of my sworn daddys family. As long as he agrees, it will be fine. Okay, Ill talk about it myself. I plan to leave after the 10th. At that time, the festival is almost over, Zhuo Yun said. Alright, the schedule is up to you. I will be busy after the 10th, so Ill send the things to you soon. You had experience in travelling for business, so you certainly know what kind of trade caravan youre looking for. Thats all I wanna say. Liu Tong and I will definitely take good care of Shuwen. If you can write letters, remember to send back some. I know. I will also notify my friends in a few days and ask them to help keep an eye on the seed shop. And for the rest of the stuff, I will have to bother you with them. Xu Ran waved his hand, Its too polite using the word bother. Zhuo Yun smiled. OK. Anyway, I will be counting on you. Haha, thats right, Xu Ran stood up and touched hands with Zhuo Yun, which was a way to show their agreement. Xu Rans family had only stayed at Zhuo Yuns house for one night. The street market was not opened yet, so it was not lively. After they got home, they started to take turns to treat guests and be treated among a fixed group of families. After the whole round of treating guests was over, Xu Ran went to give his new years greeting to the village head, and told him about buying mountains again. The village head promised that he will help do some consultation. Xu Ran also went to the Xu Family and send them a lot of food, mostly meat. He didnt say many greeting words, and Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Cheng still didnt like him. The Xu Family seemed to be in a worse state. Not to mention the adults, even the children were skinny and did not look spirited at all, and Xu Houcai also looked older. He was younger than Elder Dad Qin, but looked much older. Everyone knew the reason, but some didnt learn to reflect on it. Xu Houcai didnt say anything and neither would Xu Ran. He didnt want to get himself in trouble. Xu Ran thought that maybe he could visit Xu Houcai more often in the future. Of course, just for him. Xu Ran told Liu Tong his thought when he came back. Liu Tong asked Xu Ran, Ran, do you want to bring Dad to our house? He can also be a companion to Mr. Hu. Xu Ran was stunned for a moment. He did not think of this. If there were no other encumbrances in the Xu Family, he would definitely be willing to do so, but there were, so he couldnt. Xu Ran said, Let me ask Dads opinion! Well talk about it later. Okay, Liu Tong nodded and then said, By the way, Ran, Mr. Hu just told me that he wanted to go back. He said he dreamed that his son came back to pick him up. He wanted to go back and take a look. Xu Ran was surprised, Is this the case? Liu Tong shook his head. Im not sure about the details. Mr. Hu told me. You may go ask him! Hes in his own room. Okay, Ill go ask him, Xu Ran said and walked into Mr. Hus room. Mr. Hu was packing up his things. He didnt bring much when he came, but now he could pack up a lot, which were bought by Xu Ran. When the spring came in March, he would have been living in this place for almost a year. This wasnt his home, but he felt even more comfortable. His own son had never been as thoughtful as Xu Ran. When It was hot, Xu Ran would worry if he got burned, and when it was cold, Xu Ran would worry if he got cold. Xu Ran also brought him various stuff specifically in case that he might be bored. And he even served him to wash his face and feet. Here he dressed well and ate well and had never fallen ill. He was in his sixties. How could he not be satisfied living like this? However, no matter how good this place was, it was not his home. Even if he had regarded it as a home and Xu Ran his own son. But after all, he was not, no matter how good he was. It was just that he was going back to his own home. His biological son was back. Mr. Hu knew exactly what his son was up to when he came back. He was no better than what he used to be. However, Mr. Hu was old and his spouse had passed away. He only worried that when he was gone, on whom his son could rely. Mr. Hu felt sad and cried secretly. Xu Ran happened to see that when he came in and he asked, Mr. Hu, what happened? Why do you suddenly want to leave? And you are crying. Mr. Hu turned his head and wiped his thin hand on his face. He forced a smile and said, Xu Ran, youre back. Thats tears with joy. My son is finally back. I have to go back and see him. Xu Ran obviously didnt believe him when he said this, but he couldnt say that he was lying in front of Mr. Hu. Xu Ran said, Mr. Hu, your son comes back and shed tears with joy for him. So can you bear to leave us? No matter what, weve been living together for almost a year. Hearing Xu Rans words, Mr. Hu seemed even more upset. I cant. You guys are still young. When I get there, Ill ask my son to send you a letter. If someday you go there, come and see me. Im just afraid that Ill be gone then. Xu Ran was a little unhappy, Dont say that. Mr. Hu, why are you talking about this during the Spring Festival? Look at you, arent you healthy now? You can surely live long. Mr. Hu, you told Tongtong that you dreamed that your son came back to pick you up, and thats why you want to go back? Mr. Hu waved hands, No, my son has been here before, but you guys werent at home at the time. Its hard for me to tell Liu Tong the truth so I made up a story. Dont tell him, and Im going back today. I havent gone back for so long. Im afraid the house cleaning would cost a long time. Dont be in such a hurry and leave suddenly. Mr. Hu. If you insist to leave, I wont keep you. But just rest for another day and leave tomorrow. Then I will take you there. If you go on foot, how long will it take? And Its cold outside, Xu Ran packed up the things and put them back in the chest again. Obviously, he wouldnt let Mr. Hu leave today. Mr. Hu was in a delimma, Oh boy, my son came on the 2nd. I didnt mention it since you guys had not been home these days and now its the 7th, so I cant delay it. Xu Ran shook his head and said, Mr. Hu, have you never heard the saying that do not go outdoors on the 7th and go home on the 8th? Look, well leave tomorrow, and then well take a slow ride and make it home on the 9th. However, he shook his head after he said this. No, no, you are going home, so we cant leave tomorrow either. Lets just leave the day after tomorrow. Mr. Hu, dont tell me that you cant even take this small request. I will cook you delicious food tomorrow. If you go back, I dont know if you will come again or when to see you Mr. Hu sighed helplessly, Fine. It was all up to you. Ill leave the day after tomorrow then. Anyway I have delayed one day, so it wouldnt bother to delay one more day. Xu Ran was very happy to get Mr. Hus approval. He was afraid of seeing Mr. Hu being stubborn. The old man was tough when being stubborn. Fortunately, Mr. Hu was not. Mr. Hu wouldnt leave today and Xu Ran went to share the news with Liu Tong. Then he felt that something was wrong. Mr. Hu said that his son had come on the 2nd. How could he not stay in their house for the night? If he really came to pick up Mr. Hu, it would be fine to just notify them when they came back. How come Mr. Hu had to wait for a few days to mention it? Xu Ran did not rush to find Liu Tong at the thought of this but went to Gao Quan instead. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan directly, Gao Quan, did we have any strangers coming here on the 2nd? Gao Quan thought about it carefully and shook his head. No, whats wrong? What happened? Xu Ran said, Mr. Hu said that his son came on the 2nd and wanted to take him home, but I feel a little strange. If he wants to pick up Mr. Hu, why didnt he stay at our house for the night? Mr. Hu also knows that we will come back on the 3rd. Gao Quan had no idea about the hidden information. He asked Xu Ran, Is Mr. Hu leaving? Where is his son now? Xu Ran shook his head. Im not sure either. Mr. Hu wanted to go back alone. He didnt say where his son was, nor did he tell me where he met his son. Think about it carefully. Did you see anyone strange that day? And if Mr. Hu went out that day. Gao Quan still shook his head. I really didnt see anyone that day. Should I call Shao Yu over? However, Mr. Hu did go out that day. I remembered that when he came back, he ignored me when I was talking to him. I thought he didnt hear me, so I didnt pay much attention. Xu Ran waved his hand and said, Dont need to ask Shao Yu. I roughly get it. Mr. Hu probably met his son when he went out. The two of them might have an unpleasant talk. He was probably being angry when you talked to him, so he didnt hear you. Xu Rans analysis made Gao Quan feel the same way. He had a rare amount of words today and asked Xu Ran, When will Mr. Hu leave? Do you want to send him off home? Xu Ran said, We agreed to leave on the 9th. Ive been to his house before, so we will be there in a day. Gao Quan nodded and didnt say anything else. They also had a good time with Mr. Hu and they were reluctant to part with him, but he felt like it was a little strange just as Xu Ran. But he didnt say it, and it was not for him to guess it. Chapter 162 That night, Xu Ran told everyone that Mr. Hu was going to leave on January ninth. Hearing this, Tangtang and Guoguo felt it hard to accept the fact because they had been on good terms with Mr. Hu who regarded them as his own grandchildren. Looking at two teary-eyed kids, Mr. Hu also felt sad. Liu Tong handed little Baozi to Shao Yu and went to console two kids with Xu Ran. Xu Ran said, Alright, baby, dont cry. Mr. Hus going home. His son comes to bring him a happy family. What are you crying for? Moreover, we can go to visit him at his home in the future. Dont cry, baby. Liu Tong was also console the kids, but it didnt seem to work. After consoling them for a while, Xu Ran said, Forget it, just let them cry. I havent seen them cry before. Sometimes, crying can be good for health. Where was the logic here? Nobody knew of it. However, it turned out that Xu Rans words worked. Two children stopped crying after hearing that. Xu Ran smiled and asked them, Why do you strop crying? You can stop it as soon as you want! Its quite cool! Tangtang and Guoguo were amused by Xu Rans words and burst into laughter. There were snot bubbles emerged from their noses. Xu Ran looked at the two with a frowned face, and the he took a handkerchief to clean their faces. Xu Ran asked again, Tell me, how can you stop crying so quickly at the same time? Tangtang said with teary eyes, Dad, I found it hard to keep crying after hearing your words. Xu Ran asked Guoguo again, How about you, Guoguo? Are you the same as Tangtang? Guoguo shook his head. Nope, I found that if Tangtang stops crying, I cant cry anymore. Alright, this was called telepathy between twins. There was no need to explain it. Seeing two kids were crying, Mr. Hu felt sorrow. In order to liven up the atmosphere, Xu Ran kept telling jokes and finally made it. In the evening, Liu Tong asked Xu Ran what was going on. Xu Ran told him what Mr. Hu and Gao Quan had told him during the day. Liu Tong didnt think too much about it, but he couldnt bear to accept Mr. Hus sudden leaving. Xu Ran consoled him, Its OK! Dont be upset. We dont know the real situation. Maybe well know it after sending Mr. Hu back. Liu Tong nodded. Okay, if theres something wrong, please take Mr. Hu back. You said that we had enough food to support Mr. Hu, right? Xu Ran touched Liu Tongs face, I know. Just sleep, dear. We can get up early tomorrow and cook something delicious for Mr. Hu. Maybe he wouldnt want to leave here after he had the food. Okay, Liu Tong agreed; then he blew the oil candle out and lay next to Xu Ran, holding little Baozi in his arms. However, someone was doomed to fail to fall asleep tonight. Mr. Hu tossed and turned on the bed for a long time. As soon as he closed his eyes, he could see his son with dishevelled hair and a dirty face. Before his spouse was dead, they had made their living by planting and selling strawberries, and lived actually a happy life. Later on, their son told them that he wanted to to run a business with the money they had earned, and they trusted him. However, they didnt waited until their son came back, rather, they saw only a group of gangsters who came for debt collection. Unfortunately, all their money had been taken away by their son. How could they pay the debt? Therefore, Mr. Hus spouse was bashed up by those bastards. Even worse, Mr. Hu had no money to take his poor spouse to the doctor. After lying in bed for a few days, his spouse finally left him. Mr. Hu believed this tragedy was caused by his strawberries, without which, they wouldnt make money. Without money, their son wouldnt be depraved, and his spouse wouldnt lose his life. That was why he promised to sell the strawberry seedlings to Qin Shuwen. He didnt dare tell anyone that his spouse was killed because of his son, who owed much gambling debt; instead, he told others that his spouse died because he had fallen ill badly and there had been no cure. Nobody in that village knew the truth. Neither did Qin Shuwu knew it even if he had sent someone to investigate it. Mr. Hus son had never come back. Actually he had been willing to leave his house when Qin Shuwu promised him to take him away. Therefore, he agreed to help Xu Ran plant strawberries, but in fact, he didnt need to do anything as Xu Ran and his families treated him like he was their dad. They wouldnt allow him to do any hard work. However, it turned out that he failed to get rid of his fate, and his happy life came to an end finally. His son was back. His son, who had been away for more than two years, was back now. He could tell that his son hadnt had a good life these years. He must come for money this time. Even worse, his damned son came to Xu Rans house. Of course Mr. Hu wouldnt cause more trouble for Xu Ran, so he could only return his own home. He didnt know what would happen after he returned, but he was sure that he had to leave now. Anyway, he couldnt turn a blind eye to his biological son. Anyway, he had to go back to his own home. He couldnt sleep but kept tossing and turning in bed all night. When it was day break, he finally fell asleep for a while. The next morning, he woke up like nothing had happened and went to the kitchen to help Shao Yu cook breakfast. Xu Ran said that he would make delicious food for Mr. Hu, so he got up quite early this day. After entering the kitchen, he rolled his sleeves up to make food. However, he forgot to make sweet dumplings this year again. He could do nothing but accept that he was getting senile. Fortunately, there were some wine rice in the kitchen, and he can make something new. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu, Can you help me cook some wine rice? Shao Yu nodded, Sure! Xu Ran wanted to make glutinous rice cake, and it wasnt difficult. Moreover, it could be eaten as long as it was finished. In addition, Xu Ran could also make fried potato pancakes. Although it was a little bit unhealthy to eat fried food early in the morning, it didnt matter to do it for once. With porridge, sweet glutinous rice cake and pickles, they could had a good breakfast. Xu Ran had been busy in the kitchen for much time. It would take long to make fried potato cakes, and even longer for glutinous rice cake. It was a little hard for him to achieve all of these at a short period, so he asked Gao Quan to offer help. The dough of the glutinous rice cake should be pressed. Since there would be fried potato cake, Xu Ran didnt plan to fry the glutinous rice cake, which could be eaten with sugar. Tangtang and Guoguo were also fond of sweet. However, Xu Ran didnt allow them eat too much for the health of their teeth. They must be happy this morning to be allowed to eat sweet food again. The glutinous rice was soft, and Mr. Hu had healthy teeth, so he must be able to enjoy the breakfast. During the breakfast, Tangtang and Guoguo found something new on the table and their eyes widened, Whats that? Xu Ran answered their question and showed how to dip the glutinous rice cake into sugar. Tangtang and Guoguo felt excited. After washing hands, they followed Xu Ran, dipping the glutinous rice cake into sugar and had a try. Mr. Hu also smiled. He didnt expect that Xu Ran had really cooked delicious food for him. Indeed, it was tasty. Unfortunately, he didnt know whether he would have a chance to taste it again. Xu Ran said while eating, Mr. Hu, Ive made quite a lot of glutinous rice cakes. Please bring some back. You can steam or fry them before eating, and you can eat them with sugar or salt. Mr. Hu didnt refuse him. He nodded. Okay, old man like me is always fond of these things! Somehow, Xu Ran felt that Mr. Hu was actually sad when he said these words, but he also knew that Mr. Hu wouldnt tell him the truth, and it was inappropriate to ask him directly. Xu Ran helped Mr. Hu pack up his personal belongings including chess. Xu Ran had also prepared quite a lot of food such as cured meat, sausages and potatoes for him. On January 9, Xu Ran drove Mr. Hu home in a carriage. Tangtang and Guoguo badgered Xu Ran to take them to Mr. Hus home. However, it was too cold and they were too young now, so Xu Ran rejected their request. Seeing the carriage left, Tangtang and Guoguo still chased it for a while. Xu Ran didnt plan to ride fast, so they would spend two days on the road and arrive at Mr. Hus house on January 11. They didnt seek for any lodging during this journey; rather, they spent the night in the carriage. Xu Ran had comforter in his carriage. He had always kept them in case that he forget to bring them in the long journey. Xu Ran and Mr. Hu wore many clothes and the comforter was quite thick, so it was fine to sleep in the carriage for the night. Finally, Xu Ran and Mr. Hu arrived at the latters village early this morning, but Mr. Hu didnt invite Xu Ran to his house. He even rejected his request. Xu Ran wondered why, but he couldnt leave the carriage and follow Mr. Hu. Xu Ran looked at Mr. Hu ,who bent over, carried bags of things and walked forward step by step. Mr. Hu even turned around to look and wave at Xu Ran from time to time to ask him to go back. Xu Ran saw Mr. Hus figure disappeared little by little until he could no longer see it. Xu Ran wasnt familiar with this place and he didnt see anyone else, so he didnt dare to stop the carriage. If it was really stolen, it would be impossible for him to go home. He didnt take much money with him, and he had given some to Mr. Hu. It was still early. If he went home, he could walk long. Xu Ran stood at the gate of the village and hesitated for a while before leaving. He thought that since Mr. Hu had lived here so many years, it would be fine for him to go back here again. Moreover, he could visit him later. On the way back, Xu Ran was still wondering why Mr. Hu rejected him to enter his house. After all, they had spent two days on the way and they needed to have a good rest. Anyway, Mr. Hu was really weird. Thinking of this, Xu Ran turned the carriage around and planned to go back to check the situation. Mr. Hu said that since his son was back, it was not proper for him to take others carriage. Xu Ran thought that Mr. Hu probably didnt want others to see him, so he had better to visit Mr. Hu at night. After all, he was familiar with the way to his house, and few people would notice his Big Black as long as he tied it around a tree; then he didnt need to worry that Big Black would be stolen away by others. There were food and water in his carriage. Xu Ran led the Big Black to a wasteland to allow it to find food by itself. Then, he rested in the carriage for a while and waited for the night. When Xu Ran woke up, he saw the sun setting. He was on a lifeless wasteland, and no one would work nearby because it was the Spring Festival. It was almost the time. Xu Ran ate some food, wore extra and tied the Big Black around a little tree. He told the Big Black not to run away and he would come back soon. Then he heard a snort of the Big Black, as if it understood and agreed with Xu Ran. Then, Xu Ran walked towards the village alone. There werent many people in the village and there were fewer people in the evening. Xu Ran saw two people from afar. When he walked to Mr. Hus house, he found it dark and silent inside. So weird! He walked in and knocked on the door but nobody responded. Xu Ran wondered if Mr. Hu was asleep. Although it wasnt too late, Mr. Hu had been in the carriage for two days. After all, he wasnt young and energetic and Mr. Hu indeed needed to rest. As for Mr. Hus son, Xu Ran totally forgot him. After knocking on the door for a while, Xu Ran planned to leave. However, he felt that he couldnt leave like this, so he shouted to the door, Please take good care of yourself, Mr. Hu! If you need help, please ask someone to send me a letter. You know where I live! Ill go back now. However, there was still no response. Xu Ran could do nothing but shake his head and left, feeling that Mr. Hu was over stubborn. Xu Ran turned around and he would never know what was happening behind the door, and he would never know that someone was now taking his life to protect him. Chapter 163 On the 13th of the first lunar month, Xu Ran returned home and started to prepare for planting potatoes. Ten mu of newly opened wasteland that hasnt been planted yet. Xu Ran planned to plant potatoes with five mu and to plant corn with the remaining. The harvest would not be much, but it shouldnt be too bad. Anyway, he thought so. There were still only three people who could work at home. After all, they had to have one person take care of children. And Tangtang and Guoguo were going to school after this month, so they couldnt help to take care of little Baozi. They would get the seeds of the potatoes at home by themselves. The long-term workers would do for the rest. Anyway, Xu Ran had to pay them, and they could learn how to plant them without teaching them by himself. It saved time and energy. It was a big workload and would take at least half a month to plant ten mu of potatoes. After getting the potato seeds prepared, Xu Ran just left the rest to the long-term laborers and fully believed them. On the 15th of the first lunar month, the whole family went to the town to appreciate the various lanterns and ate the Yuanxiao (or Tangyuan, food eaten on the Lantern Festival, which is on the 15th of the first lunar month), they had to spend the festival together no matter how busy they were. On the 16th, Xu Ran sent Tangtang and Guoguo to the villages school with the present for their Fuzi. Liu Tong specially made book bags which were embroidered with patterns for the twins. Although the bags were not very delicate, it looked good. It was the liveliest at school that day. Apart from the children who had been studying originally in school, there would be many new students. The students of Xu Villages school were not only from the Xu Village, but also from neighboring villages. There were 20 or 30 children in this school every year, which could be said to be a lot. Fuzi, who was living in the village, did not know Xu Ran, but he had seen Xu Ran a few times, so he enthusiastically greeted Xu Ran when seeing him, Xiucai Xu, are you sending children here to study? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, they are almost seven years old, and its time to come.Ill trouble you to teach my children in the future. A flattering smile appeared on Fuzis wrinkled face. Youre welcome. Its my honor to teach your little childes. Xiucai Xu, rest assured. Ill definitely teach them well. Xu Ran got goosebumps all over his body upon hearing that. He handed the thing in his hand to Fuzi, Thank you Fuzi. This is the present of my children. Please accept it. Fuzi hesitated and stretched his hand out but didnt take it as if in a dilemma. Then Xu Ran said, Fuzi, just accept it. Im just the same as everyone else. You dont have to be so polite. Im here to send the two children to school. Its no different from others. Just do what you have to do. I see, I see. Xiucai Xu, rest assured, Fuzi said sincerely. But Xu Ran didnt know exactly what Fuzi knew. Fuzi accepted Xu Rans present, and then Xu Ran started to remind his children. Xu Ran said, Tangtang, Guoguo, you guys are still young here, but mark my words, we will not attack unless we are attacked; if we are attacked, a tooth for a tooth. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded although they were still a little confused. Xu Ran explained to them, It means that if others dont come to make trouble for you, you should not go to make trouble for others, but if someone makes trouble to you, you just do the same back to them, but dont be stupid to be found by others that you are tricking them. And you got me no matter what happens, dont worry! Tangtang and Guoguo understood. Guoguo clenched his fists and said, Dad, dont worry, I wont let people bully me and my brother. Im not very strong yet, but I can definitely protect Tangtang. His firm promise suddenly reminded Xu Ran of the scene that Tangtang had been protecting Guoguo when he woke up. Fortunately, those days had passed, and they were not that weak and got bullied. Xu Ran touched Guoguos head and said gently, Guoguo, you are right. Tangtang was protecting you when you were younger. Now, you know to protect him, so youve gotta protect him well, got it? Xu Ran clenched his fist and touched Guoguos fist. Guoguo nodded seriously, Got it. Tangtang, on the other hand, was a little dissatisfied. He rubbed against Xu Rans thigh and said, Dad, Im the elder brother. I should protect my younger brother. Xu Ran smiled, Mm, Tangtang is right, too. How about this? You protect Guoguo, and Guoguo protects you, okay? Tangtang turned happy now and put on a bright smile, Okay. Xu Ran continued to rub the childrens heads. Their hair was so soft, which feels quite comfortable. Xu Ran said, Go ahead, ask Fuzi where your seats are. I will pick you up in the afternoon. Alright, Dad, you can go home. I know its busy at home, Tangtang said sensibly. Ill see you go in and then go back, Xu Ran said. Tangtang and Guoguo waved their hands at Xu Ran and then walked inside hand in hand. When he couldnt see them, Xu Ran turned around and walked back. He happened to meet Xu An and the others who came here with their children. Xu Ran greeted with a smile, Xu An, Xu Fa, Xu Zhen, youre here! They nodded; Xu An asked Xu Ran, Why are you here so early? Wherere Tangtang and Guoguo? Xu Ran said, They have already entered. They have always been very obedient, and I dont have to worry about them too much. Theyre indeed very obedient, unlike my nuaghty children. Youre really lucky. Xu Fa teased Xu Ran with a smile. Xu Ran also smiled, How come. Are your children not obedient? Xu Fa said, Not really, but just look at your children, I always feel that my children are not that good. Xu Ran rubbed his nose. People tended to think that children in other families were more obedient that their own. Xu Ran said, Hurry up. Im afraid you wont have good seats if too late. Ill go back first. My family is a little busy now. Alright, dont mind us. Well come to you later and talk about potatoes, Xu An waved at Xu Ran. Okay, then Ill wait for you to come over. When Xu Ran returned home, Baozi was blubbering. Xu Ran walked over to Liu Tong and asked, Tongtong, whats wrong? Why is Baozi crying so badly? Liu Tong shook his head. I dont know, either. I just fed him ewe milk, but he started to cry while drinking. Xu Ran asked, Tongtong, when was the milk got? Is there anything added in it? Liu Tong said, I milked the ewe this morning, and I didnt add anything else. He used to drink like this but never cried. Thats probably because of the food that the ewe ate. Dont feed him now. See whether Baozi will have diarrhea. Ill invite Doctor Liu to check on him, Xu Ran said and hurtled out of the home. They couldnt afford to be negligent since Baozi was such a little baby. Liu Tong moved Baozis legs apart to see if he had had diarrhea. However, there was nothing unusual, except that he was crying. He even hiccupped while crying, which scared Liu Tong, so he hurriedly coaxed him. Good Geer, Baozi, dont cry! Dad has gone to ask a doctor for you, dont cry! Liu Tong was holding the child and anxiously walking around the yard. Now he was alone at home. Since no one could help him, he could only wait for Xu Ran to come back with Doctor Liu. When Xu Ran arrived at the Doctor Lius home, but Doctor Liu went to work in the field. He found the doctor after asked the children of Doctor Lius family. Xu Ran asked Doctor Liu to get the medical kit from home; then he pulled the doctor and hurriedly ran back home. On the way, he also told Doctor Liu about Baozis situation. Xu Ran said, Doctor Liu, Baozi hadnt eaten anything else, so I suspect that the ewe might have eaten something by mistake. Please come and check on him with me. Baozi has been crying for a long time. Doctor Liu was already forty years old. How could he run like Xu Ran, who was twenty-something? Being dragged by Xu Ran, he was out of breath all the way and reached Xu Rans home before he could say a word. Xu Ran shouted toward inside when they just reached the gate, Tongtong, Tongtong, Doctor Liu is here, Doctor Liu is here. Liu Tong hurriedly ran to open the door for Xu Ran. Baozi was still crying in his arms, but he was probably tired from crying. His voice was a little weaker than before, but his little face was pale. Liu Tong looked so anxious as if he were about to cry. Xu Ran asked Doctor Liu to treat Baozi directly in the yard without letting him enter the house. It was a little difficult for Doctor Liu to take the pulse for such a young child, but Doctor Lius medical skills were not bad. In addition, he had lived in the village for so many years, so he had some experience. Doctor Liu finished taking the pulse and frowned tightly. He asked Xu Ran to take the ewe milk. Doctor Liu smelled it and said with certainty, There is croton seeds in the milk. It should be fed by someone. It would be fine as long as he poops. Dont worry. Xu Ran looked at Baozis pale face; how could he be not worried? Xu Ran said, Could you please let him not cry now? Hes still young and cant keep crying like this. Do something about it, please. Xu Ran was upset but didnt know what to do. Doctor Liu said, I dont dare to prescribe him since hes so young. Ill try to find a way for him to excrete it out. Okay, okay, Xu Ran nodded nonstop. Liu Tong handed the child to Doctor Liu, and the latter checked on the child;. He pinched here and there on Baozi, but Liu Tong and Xu Ran had no idea what the doctor was doing. After a while, Baozi really stopped crying. When Xu Ran took a closer look and found Baozi had already fallen asleep. Xu Ran asked worriedly, Doctor Liu, is there no problem for Baozi to fall asleep like this? Doctor Liu said, Dont worry, theres no problem. Feed him some warm water. He would excrete it out later and will be fine. Xu Ran, take me to see your ewe. This child must want to drink milk when he wakes up. I have to check on the ewe. Okay, okay, Xu Ran led the way. He didnt think it was strange that the doctor was going to see the ewe right after treating Baozi. Xu Ran thought that Baozi cried so badly after drinking a little milk, so the ewe must have worse symptons after having eaten croton seeds, but they didnt hear the sound of the ewe. In that case, Xu Ran couldnt help feeling it a little strange. However, after really seeing that scene, Xu Ran knew better what was called anger came with reasons. Chapter 164 The ewe was dead, and its blood was scattered all over the ground. The ewe was also stained with blood, whose wound was still bleeding. Obviously, it had just died. Who did it! Xu Ran shouted but no one responded. Doctor Liu, who walked behind Xu Ran, saw this scene. He mumbled, This is really sinful! Xu Ran was worried that something had happened to Big Black and the lamb, too, so he hurriedly ran over to the stable to check Big Black. Big Black was still chewing on the grass and nothing happened. Xu Ran was relieved; then he went to look at the lamb, which was also crouched in the pen, sound and safe. It seemed that the only victim was the ewe. The goal of this person was obvious Baozi. But who on earth was he? What feud did he have with him? When Xu Ran went back to see the ewe, Doctor Liu was examining its wound. Doctor Liu said, Xu Ran, I found that it was killed by a scraper. Since every household owns scrapers, it is difficult to judge who did it. Leave it alone for now. Go prepare dinner for your kid first. Report the incident of ewe to the village head, and I will be your witness. Xu Ran nodded. I appreciate it. Doctor Liu, please check whether there is any croton seeds in this ewes belly. Im worried that someone is killing it to cover up the existence of croton. Doctor Liu waved at Xu Ran, Alright, go ahead, Ill check it, and tell you the result later. Xu Ran left and went to tell Liu Tong what had happened. Liu Tong was shocked and said, Today, all the dogs followed Shao Yu and the others out. I didnt pay much attention and didnt expect such a thing to happen. In the future, Id better keep two dogs at home. Tongtong, this is targeting Baozi. Im afraid that this person has quite a grudge with our family. He actually wants to harm a baby who is only one month old. This is too cruel. I will never let it go. If village head doesnt uphold justice, I will go to the Yamen to file a suit. Liu Tong was silent. Seeing that he didnt say anything, Xu Ran asked him, Tongtong, what are you thinking about? Ran, Im a little worried. Im afraid that this person is Xu Ran also thought of the one whom Liu Tong had thought of. This person had really a bad history! However, they had no evidence now, and couldnt be sure that he was the perpetrator. As long as the baby was fine, it was nothing to lose an ewe. However, this guy must be captured, or else their life wouldnt be peaceful. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, dont worry. No matter who this person is, I will never let him go. Go make some rice soup for the baby. I will carry Baozi and wait for Doctor Liu to come over. Okay, Liu Tong handed the baby to Xu Ran and went into the kitchen. Xu Ran waited for a while with Baozi in his arms and Doctor Liu came over, whose hands were still stained with blood. Xu Ran was afraid it would scare Baozi, so he hurriedly got away from Doctor Liu. Then he suggested, Doctor Liu, why dont you wash your hands first. Baozi is too little to smell the blood. Looking at Xu Rans nervous expression, Doctor Liu could only wash his hands first and then talk to him. Doctor Liu said, Xu Ran, there really is some croton seeds in the ewes stomach. The croton seeds were mixed with the grass. I presume that they were fed directly to the ewe along with the grass. However, croton seeds werent added this morning; instead, it was put in last night. The ewe had digested most of it. Xu Ran asked, But we didnt hear its moaning. Shouldnt the ewe have a stomachache after eating the croton seeds? Doctor Liu said, I reckon that not long after the croton seeds came to the ewes stomach, you guys went to milk it. Thus, it was passed out of its system, without affecting the ewe much. And later, it was killed, so you were unaware of it. Xu Ran thought about it and assumed that it was the case. However, Doctor Lius deduction was like a professional, which made Xu Ran chucke. Doctor Liu was a little annoyed, Youre still young and inexperienced. Why dont you go to ask village head to handle the incident. Xu Ran said with a smile, No hurries. Anyway, you said that you will be a witness. Doctor Liu, please write down everything in details. If village head wont uphold justice for me, I will go to Yamen. Doctor Liu did not have any objections. He said, Village head will definitely uphold justice for you. With such things having happened in the village, if everyone knows about it, Im afraid that people will be in a panic. Village head will definitely settle this matter, or else something serious will happen. At Doctor Lius words, Xu Ran felt that he was more and more extraordinary, since his words really held water. However, he also felt that he was lost in various fancies and conjectures recently, detecting the unusualness from anybody. Doctor Liu seemed to have seen through Xu Rans mind. He smiled and said, As a doctor, I surely have read a few books before. Maybe not as many as the ones you have read, I have common senses at least. Xu Ran touched his nose with one hand, feeling a little embarrassed. Doctor Liu asked Xu Ran to fetch a writing brush and a piece of paper for him to write. After finishing, he showed it to Xu Ran. What Doctor Liu wrote was perfectly neutral and objective, without any fabrication or exaggerations. He just wrote down everything he had seen and had found out through his diagnosis by pulse-feeling. Xu Ran folded the paper and put it in the pocket near his chest. Then he said to Doctor Liu, Thank you, Doctor Liu. After Baozi wakes up, I will feed him rice soup, and please help me examine him again. Since Baozi is too little, Im afraid he cant take it. Doctor Liu nodded. Although this croton seeds are poisonous, the perpetrator did not put in a lot, possibly for fear of killing people. Moreover, the ewe ate it with the grass, so the baby did not take in a lot of it. Dont worry. Hell be fine. Later, I will check him again. Thank you, Doctor Liu, Xu Ran said when the baby in his arms cried. Liu Tong ran out of the kitchen and asked, Ran, whats wrong? Baozi cried again. Xu Ran patted Baozi and said, He must be hungry. Tongtong, have you made the rice soup? If its done, bring it over and feed him when it cools down. Okay, Ill go now. Liu Tong went out. At this time, Xu Ran felt the heat from his hands, and he had a bad feeling about it. When he took off Baozis pants, the premonition came true. Baozi had peed on him before, but it was his first time pooping on him. Xu Ran took Baozi out of the room, and went to the yard to let him continue pooping. Doctor Liu followed him happily and said to Xu Ran, Hell be fine once he poops it out. Baozi didnt cry when he pooped. He sobbed softly and kept opening his mouth, probably hungry. Xu Ran was relieved to see it. After Baozi was cleaned up, the rice soup cooled and fit for feeding him. Xu Ran took over the bowl and fed him himself. Then he let Liu Tong go and find Gao Quan and Shao Yu back from the field. Things at field could be suspended, while those at home must be handled immediately. Plus, Doctor Liu was still waiting here. Liu Tong nodded and went out. If Xu Ran went, he and Doctor Liu would be the only ones at home, which was inappropriate, so it was bette for him to go. After Xu Ran fed Baozi rice soup, he coaxed him to sleep. When Baozi had fallen asleep, he asked Doctor Liu to check if there were any problems. Doctor Liu took his pulse, prized open Baozis little mouth and examined him again. Afterwards, he said to Xu Ran, Nothing serious. Let him poop more so as to remove the poison from the croton seeds. Remember to feed him rice soup recently, which can clean his stomach. Xu Ran nodded. Its good that hes fine. Thank you, Doctor Liu. Doctor Liu smiled and said, Alright, we are living in the same village. Dont stand on ceremony! Xu Ran scratched his head. This is not ceremony. You know that Im really anxious. Doctor Liu consoled him, Alright, alright. I understand. Parents all worry too much even about the minor illness when it comes to their kids. As they were talking, Liu Tong came back very soon. Behind him were Gao Quan and Shao Yu. Gao Quan didnt enter the room. He gave a glance at the doorway and took the four dogs to the pen. After Shao Yu entered, he went to see little Baozi. Xu Ran, is little Baozi is alright now? Its all my fault. I didnt take good care of him. Xu Ran handed Baozi to him. Hes fine. Doctor Liu just checked him. How can it be your fault? Everyone was so busy that they didnt pay attention to these things. Who would have thought that someone would have such a vicious mind as to harm a baby? Yeah! Shao Yu was worried, I wonder who is so vicious. Fortunately, Baozi is fine. Xu Ran said, Dont worry, I will definitely deal with this matter, and the perpetrator will be found out. Thats good. We have to find out whoever wanted to harm our little Baozi, Shao Yu said while holding little Baozi. Seeing that Shao Yu was back, who could help Liu Tong, Xu Ran let the two of them look after the baby. He and Doctor Liu went to check the pen. Gao Quan was examining the ewe, when Xu Ran stood behind him and asked, Did Gao Quan find anything? Seeing that Xu Ran and Doctor Liu had arrived, Gao Quan stood up. This ewe didnt die for long. Its probably about the moment I went out when I happened to take the dogs away. I think the guy had been hiding nearby and he should be from the village. The ewe had been stabbed twice. The ways of using knives are different. It should be done by two people. Upon hearing Gao Quans analysis, Xu Ran fell into deep thought. Before this, he and Liu Tong had thought that it was Xu Cheng. After all, he had never offended anyone else and no one else had a motive. However, Gao Quan said it was done by two people, so Xu Ran started to doubt whether this person was Xu Cheng. While Gao Quan continued, You can let Peach and the other dogs track the guy following the smell. Four dogs working together should make it work. At Gao Quans words, Xu Ran clapped his hands and remembered that dogs were very sensitive in their sense of smell. He thought about modern military dogs, but could their family ones work? Xu Ran was doubtful. Gao Quan said, No matter it works or not, let them try! After all, we have four dogs! Doctor Liu agreed, Then lets try. It will be best if they find him, otherwise village head will handle it. Uhm, lets try, Xu Ran said. Peach, Plum, come over. I dont care if you understand it or not. Smell this ewe first, then take us to find the perpetrator. Doctor Liu, I have to trouble you to take the trip to village heads. Doctor Liu said, No problem. I cant do anything else today anyway. I will go now! Doctor Liu was about to leave when Xu Ran saw him out of the door. When Xu Ran returned to the pen, he saw four dogs running out, with Gao Quan following behind. Xu Ran touched his nose. He also wanted to go. Chapter 165 As Xu Ran did not catch up with Gao Quan, he could only go back to accompany his son. He had no intention of moving the ewe. After all, it was also a crime scene. In addition, he would come here for a stroll at any time to see Big Black and the lamb. Before this matter was resolved, he did not dare to go to the town for fear that something might happen at home. Little Baozi was still sleeping and Liu Tong was chatting with Shao Yu. Xu Ran went over to pick up Baozi and sat aside in a trance. He was thinking about who he had offended. Xu Ran felt that the only person who hated him the most should be Xu Cheng. If there was another one to add to the list, he was probably from Liu Tongs eldest uncles family. But they were in Xu Village, so they shouldnt have come here to hurt him! However, once this idea came to his mind, Xu Ran could not stop himself from thinking about it. Anyway, Gao Quan said that there were two people who had come against him. Xu Ran wondered if it would be possible for these two people to work together, one of whom was Xu Cheng while the other was from the Liu Family? Xu Ran had never imagined how the two families would get together, but he couldnt help holding the idea that it was just these two people who had come against him. Xu Ran stood up suddenly, Tongtong, Shao Yu, are there any strangers in the village recently? Tongtong, have you seen someone from your eldest uncles family? Liu Tong shook his head, I dont go out often so I didnt see any strangers here. And Ive never seen anyone from my eldest uncles family. They even dont know where we live, so they wont come! Xu Ran shook his head, But Tongtong, as long as they ask around in the village, theyll know about it. After all, our house is so eye-catching. Liu Tong was stunned. He obviously did not expect this. He then asked Xu Ran, Ran, did you notice something? Xu Ran replied, There are two wounds on the ewe, both on the stomach. Gao Quan deduced that they were done by two people. Didnt we guess before that it might be done by Xu Cheng? But following Gao Quans deduction, I have to doubt that there is someone else in the case. Do you mean the people from my eldest uncles family? But why would my eldest uncle and others come to the Xu Village to do such a thing? Liu Tong was confused. Thats why I asked if you saw any stranger appearing before. Im afraid that the person most likely coming here is Liu Tiezhu. Tongtong, you should know what kind of person your cousin is. Liu Tong indeed knew about Liu Tiezhus character and his nature to gamble. He agreed it was possible for him to make trouble here, but it was still not easy for him to accept the fact. Shao Yu suddenly said, Ive seen one. I saw a stranger here the day before yesterday. Ive basically known everyone in this village. Its still the Spring Festival, so I supposed he might be a relative to someones family. Thus I didnt mind it. The stranger had been circling outside our house a few times. I supposed hed never seen such a house before, so he would be curious. Xu Ran quickly asked Shao Yu, Do you still remember what he looks like? franklyShao Yu thought for a moment and said , I cant tell what exactly he looks like, but he appeared very tall and somewhat sloppy. Xu Ran and Liu Tong exchanged glances. They both thought that the person must be Liu Tiezhu. Anyway, Liu Tiezhu was this image in Xu Rans eyes. According to Shao Yu, he saw the stranger the day before. As the incident happened today, it was obvious that he was well prepared! But their sheeps pen and the stable were enclosed with the courtyard wall, which was not low at all. No matter how Liu Tiezhu observed around their house, it was impossible for him to know what was going on inside. Xu Cheng was not familiar with their house, either. If both of them were really the perpetrators, then how on earth did they sneak into the courtyard quietly?? Anyway, things happened. Xu Ran felt that his initial idea about the case was too simple. Imperceptibly, the incident had become a cold case. Before he could figure out everything inside, there was a knock on the door outside. Shao Yu opened the door and they were Doctor Liu and the village head. As soon as the village head entered, he started yelling at Xu Ran. Xu Ran quickly ran out, Hello, Village head. Here you are! The village head asked with a serious face, Whats going on? I heard from Doctor Liu that your ewe had been killed and your child felt stomachache after drinking the milk? Xu Ran replied, Village head, it is indeed so. Doctor Liu saw it with me. I still left the ewe there and I didnt touch it. The village head sighed. Lets go to have a look! I wonder what bad luck youve got, or what kind of person youve provoked so someone should come to hurt you during the Spring Festival. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said to himself, Its not that I have offended anyone, but that there are always people who find me an eyesore and want to make trouble for me. I am really annoyed with it. The village head looked at the dead ewe on the ground and his reaction was exactly the same as Doctor Lius. The village head then said, Dont worry. Ill give you an account of this. Its OK to just kill the ewe, but its not good to hurt a child. There are such vicious people in our village that Im afraid every family will be restless from now on. Dont move the ewe yet. Im going to ask the elders from the clan to testify about this. Doctor Liu, go and help me gather all the people in the village here. Okay, then Ill make a trip again. Xu Ran, dont go out now. Who knows what this person wants to do next? Doctor Liu reminded Xu Ran and then he left with the village head. Seeing both of them leaving in a hurry, Xu Ran didnt know what to say. Originally, everything was fine, and the Spring Festival was almost over. No one expected that such a thing would happen. Soon, many people arrived at Xu Rans house. They were all from the same village. Tangtang and Guoguo came back from school, too. They didnt know what had happened. Seeing so many people outside their house, they quickly went to find Xu Ran and Liu Tong to ask why. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to give Tangtang and Guoguo a detailed explanation while he went outside the door himself. When the village head saw that Xu Ran had come, he shouted to the public, Silence. Listen to me, you guys. Today, I called everyone here because there was a bloody case in the village. An ewe from Xu Rans family was killed. Not only that, there was even someone who didnt even let go of a baby who has just been one month old. This person must be found out and dealt with severely, or else the village would not be peaceful in the future! As soon as the village head finished speaking, many discussions started in the crowd. Wu Meis and and the other families were also present. They heard that Xu Rans ewe had been killed and even some people wanted to do harm to little Baozi. They were very angry about it. Wu Mei shouted loudly, Village head, you must find the perpetrator out and hand him over to Yamen! Yes, hand him over to Yamen! Hand him over to Yamen! Following Wu Mei, the rest of the people immediately responded. Who in the village had no children? Giving birth to a child was not a simple and easy thing. How evil the person was to do harm to a little child! People in the village basically thought that way, and the village head also knew it would be such a reaction. He said to everyone, Lets start counting the number of people present now. The head of each family comes to me to report the number of your family members. No matter whether your relatives have left or not, as long as they are still in the village, they all count. And explain where you all were last night and this morning, what you did, and who can prove it . As for their response to this kind of survey, those who were innocent would be very cooperative, but those who had done something wrong would be very reluctant. Village head, is the Xu Ran Familys ewe really dead? Take it out and show us then. We didnt see anything yet up till now, otherwise how can we know if it is real? The village head didnt know the person who said this. Many people in the village didnt know him, either, but Xu Ran knew him. At the sight of him, Xu Ran knew he had guessed correctly. This case really had something to do with Liu Tiezhu. Xu Ran then said, Village head, this is the son of my Tongtongs eldest uncles. Their family have forcefully taken over the land from Tongtongs family. I am afraid he came here at the Xu Village ill-disposed. Yeah, yeah! Maybe it was he who killed the sheep of the Liu Tong Familys. You see this person has no relatives at the Xu Village, so why is he here? Yes, village head, quickly get someone to capture him and properly interrogate him. If he doesnt admit it, send him to Yamen. The villagers present echoed one another and were even about to capture Liu Tiezhu. At this time, Liu Tiezhu felt flustered and wanted to escape quietly. Unfortunately, the person standing beside him was Xu An. Xu An grabbed Liu Tiezhu to stop his action, and then he said loudly, Village head, he must have done something wrong so that he wanted to escape. Please give the order! The village head looked around. Xu Ran nodded at him, indicating to catch hold of that person. The village head understood his meaning. Thus he ordered, Come on. Grab this person and properly interrogate him. Its not impossible to see the dead ewe. Doctor Liu is also a witness, so he can tell you what the situation is. Doctor Lius prestige in the village was second only to the village head. After all, there were so many people in the village, and whoever had a headache or slight fever had to see him. Doctor Liu told the villagers everything he had seen and let Xu Ran show the paper he had written to everyone present. Though most people there couldnt read, there were still a few who could. They found what was written on the paper was the same as what they they had just heard. Thus, no one suspected that Doctor Liu was helping Xu Ran. The most important thing Doctor Liu said was that it was done by two people, not by one alone. Now, everyone was convinced that one of them was Liu Tiezhu, so people all demanded that he be interrogated immediately. Liu Tiezhu was caught by a few people, so he couldnt run away even if he wanted to. He now regretted running over to watch the fun as well as talking too much. He knew if he was really sent to Yamen, everything would be over for him. Actually, the village head also thought the same. No matter what, this person must know about this matter, so he must not let him go. The interrogation in the village was very simple. They didnt need a knife or a whip. They just let dogs out to bite. Although the four dogs from the Xu Ran Family went out with Gao Quan, there were still other dogs in the village. At the news that dogs were needed to bite the baddy, many people were willing to contribute their dogs. Liu Tiezhu was thus tied on a chair, and the big dogs around were all staring at him fiercely, as if they were going to devour him alive. Liu Tiezhu was so scared that his legs went weak in a sudden, I sayIll say everything He was originally a man who was greedy but afraid of death, so he copped out without any trial. Liu Tiezhu confessed, I was the one who did this, but I didnt do it alone. There was another person in the case. Who is it? Xu Ran asked coldly. Its, its Liu Tiezhu seemed to have been frightened but he didnt say who it was. Even though he didnt say it out, Xu Ran was also able to guess who it was. It seemed that intuition really worked, and what he had identified at the beginning would prove to be true. Xu Ran then said to Liu Tiezhu, I know who it is. Tell me, how did you two collude with each other? If you dont confess, Ill just let the dogs out to bite you. At the same time, the dogs beside Xu Ran seemed to understand what he meant and began to bark at Liu Tiezhu. Liu Tiezhu trembled again, I say Ill say Dont bite me. Xu Ran hugged himself and looked at him with a smile, Then tell me! Liu Tiezhu had to resign himself to failure at last and closed his eyes while admitting, Its him, who came to the Liu Village to find me. Chapter 166 Hearing Liu Tiezhus words, Xu Ran couldnt help wondering how much Xu Cheng hated him. Where is him? Xu Ran pinched Liu Tiezhus chin and asked him. Hehehe ran away. He even asked me to run with him, but I wanted to watch the fun, so I didnt. Do you know where he went? The strength of Xu Rans grip grew stronger. Liu Tiezhu felt that his bones were about to be crushed. Liu Tiezhu gritted his teeth and said to Xu Ran, You, you, take your hands off me . Xu Ran loosened his grip. Speak, where is he going? Tell me and I can spare you. If not, Ill take you to your debtor, and you know what awaits you. Xu Ran said this with a trace of ruthlessness on his face. But he lowered his head, so only Liu Tiezhu could see it. Others thought Xu Ran was asking Liu Tiezhu nicely because the voice they heard was gentle. Xu Ran was angry now, but his anger could only be felt by Liu Tiezhu. But he didnt dare to say anything even more, because he didnt know where Xu Cheng was either. Seeing how Liu Tiezhu didnt speak for such a long time, Xu Ran guessed that Liu Tiezhu didnt know where Xu Cheng had gone. But it was alright. There was still Gao Quan, and he believed Xu Cheng would be back soon. Xu Ran straightened up and turned to the villagers. Liu Tiezhu said that the other person is Xu Cheng, who went to find him in Liu Village. Everyone knew that I had separated from my parents. They were supported by my younger brother, but what has he done? Certainly everyone knows about it. This time, he wants to harm my child. I really dont know how I have such a younger brother. Xu Rans face was full of sorrow when he said this. In the crowd, Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu were there, but none of them stood up and said anything. Even Elder Daddy Xu, who had always defended Xu Cheng indiscriminately, did not say anything. Not only Xu Ran, but the villagers saw it. This time Xu Cheng was really disappointing. Xu Ran handed Liu Tiezhu to the village head. He said that he would deal with the matter when Xu Cheng came back and let the other villagers go back for now. In the villagers eyes, this was a farce. But in Xu Rans eyes, this was a great opportunity. He wanted Xu Cheng and Liu Tiezhu to never have the chance to start over. How could those who hurt his son be spared? Following the four dogs, Gao Quan ran all the way to the mountain. He couldnt say he was the one who was the most familiar with the mountain in the village, but the mountain was definitely not strange to him. Why did the four dogs take him to the mountain? The four dogs almost ran in this direction together, and they ran very quickly. Even he couldnt catch up with them. Could it be that the one who had killed the ewe was on the mountain? Gao Quan couldnt help wondering. The dogs ran on the main road when they got up the mountain. Gao Quan remembered the road lead to a cave. People would usually take there as a shelter from the rainstorm. It looked like the four dogs were taking him to the cave. Why did anyone run to this cave to hide? This was too obvious. Almost everyone in the village knew about this cave. If it was someone from the village, Gao Quan thought it would be too unwise. He walked while guessing and imperceptibly he had already reached the entrance of the cave. Gao Quan wanted to go inside, but the four dogs dragged his trousers to prevent him from doing so, and Gao Quan also smelled the blood. It looked like the people inside were not very friendly! Suddenly, a voice rang from behind, Youre here! Gao Quan suddenly turned back and found that the four dogs beside him had fainted. No wonder they didnt make a sound. Gao Quan only knew one person who had such capability and used poison, but the person in front of him was not like what he had seen before. Who are you? Gao Quan asked. The man smiled. I guess you know me. Its just a different look. Are you Lu Yuan? No, Im Lu Qi, his son, Lu Qi said. Whats your purpose luring me here? What do you want me to do? Dont be so nervous. I dont want you to do anything. You just need to find an opportunity to let the Second Young Master, namely, Liu Tong, know his true identity. Then someone else will take over the task. Why should I take your order, Gao Quan said coldly. Just because you were the only one alive who once served the old prince, and you happened to be bought back home by the Second Young Masters husband. But unexpectedly, Gao Quan said, Before today, I didnt know that Liu Tong was the Second Young Master. How could it be? Doesnt he look like the prince? They are twins, Lu Qi was a little surprised. Gao Quan said, I have never seen the prince and I have never gone back since that incident. For many years,, life has been bumpy to me and Shao Yu. We ended up here and were bought home by Xu Ran. Although Liu Tong looks similar to the old prince, I didnt think too much about it. He has parents and relatives, so how can he be the Second Young Master? Lu Qi frowned, I forget about this. After all, it has been twenty years. The prince and the Second Young Master were both young at that time, so its no wonder you dont recognize him. Gao Quan looked at Lu Qi and said, Even if Liu Tong is the Second Young Master, I wont help you. The Second Young Master is living very well now. The old princes biggest wish is that the Second Young Master can survive and marry a good man. In that case, I will naturally follow the old princes wishes. Lu Qi was a little angry. Why? Dont you want them siblings to find each other? The prince has been sending people to find the Second Young Master. Before, it was my father and not long after the old prince passed away, he was gone too. Now its me. You dont know how many efforts the lord has made to find the Second Young Master. You can just go back and tell the prince that the Second Young Master is doing very well now. I think if the prince is doing whats good for the Second Young Master, he wont want to ruin his life. Even if you bring the Second Young Master back, the Second Young Master will not thank you. Youd better ask the princes opinions before making any decisions. Besides, this has hurt the little Young Master. I think the Second Young Master will not forgive you if he knows the truth, and Im sure the prince didnt order you to hurt the Second Young Masters family. Gao Quan rarely said so much, mainly because Liu Tong was actually the Second Young Master, which shocked him. And when he thought about how Lu Qi and the others hurt the little Young Master just to lure him, Gao Quan felt an indescribable anger in his heart. You misunderstood, we didnt do anything. I just used the smell to let the dogs bring you here. As for the person who hurt the little Young Master, he is caught by the beast-trap. You can take him away directly. As for what you said, I will send news to the prince. Take good care of the Second Young Master and his family. I will not appear for the time being. After Lu Qi said this, he turned around and left. At the same time, many people came out from the cave and left with him. After they left, Gao Quan went to find water to wake the four dogs up, and then went into the cave to see the person inside. The person in the cave was naturally Xu Cheng. Gao Quan knew this person and had seen him many times. He knew that he was Xu Rans younger brother, but he did not expect that he would hurt his nephew, what a bastard. But he couldnt deal with him directly, nor did he want to bear the crime of muder. Gao Quan found that Xu Cheng was lying in the hole, but his hands and feet were tied up and his mouth was stuffed by rug. It seemed that he wanted to run away but couldnt . Gao Quan didnt care about anything else. He put him on his shoulder and walked back, not paying attention to the beast-trap on one of Xu Chengs feet. Xu Cheng struggled on Gao Quans shoulder, so Gao Quan slapped him twice on his bottom, and then he behaved. By the time Gao Quan carried him back, Xu Ran had asked the village head to take Liu Tiezhu away. Gao Quan threw Xu Cheng into the yard and Xu Ran asked where he found him. Gao Quan said, The dog found him on the mountain. He was injured by the beast-trap and couldnt run. So I tied him back. Xu Ran also saw that Xu Chengs hands and feet were tied up, but all by cloths. Gao Quans clothes were unbroken. Xu Rans sight swept back and forth on both of them but didnt say anything. Xu Ran said, Since the person is brought back, just bring him to the village head first! Lets settle this matter together. Okay, Gao Quan put the man on his shoulder again and went to the village heads house with Xu Ran. The village head had just asked someone to bring Liu Tiezhu to his house and he didnt figure out how to deal with him, then Xu Ran came. When Liu Tiezhu saw Xu Cheng, he shouted, It is him, he is the one who instigated me. I was following his order. Let me go! Let you go? Why didnt you let my ewe and my child go! Xu Ran walked forward and said coldly. Its just an ewe. How much money do you want, Ill pay you, Liu Tiezhu said unconcernedly. Xu Ran grabbed his hair. If someone kills you and asks how much you want, you tell me a price. Liu Tiezhu was frightened by Xu Rans words and took a few steps back tremblingly. You wont kill me, will you? Murder is illegal. Xu Ran clapped his hands, Why would I kill you? I dont want to dirty my hands on you. Dont worry, I wont kill you. Someone will take care of you. Chapter 167 Xu Ran ignored him and said to village head, Village head, Xu Cheng and I are brothers, which everyone in the village knows. But he never treated me as a brother. Everyone knows that I had suffered from dementia for seven years, but I didnt get sick by rolling down the cliff. I was drugged first and then pushed down from the mountain. Fortunately, I was lucky that someone passing by found me. Fellow folks, maybe you dont know that the person who drugged me is my good brother. I remember it clearly. Even after I became a fool, I still remembered it. Before I recovered, Xu Family chased my family out of the home. Apart from being badly battered all over, Xu Family didnt give us anything. Thankfully, I recovered after being chased out. I need to credit my recovery to them. So I wont pursue the case that Xu Cheng poisoned me and wanted to kill me. However, they caused me trouble again and again. Consequently, I was forced to break up with them, which everyone knew. Thus, our family had lived peacefully for a period of time, but it did not last long. Xu Cheng caused grievous injuries to his husband and then carried him to my house, trying to frame my family. Fortunately, there were many people on spot and we escaped it. I knew that they sold their fields in order to treat Zhang Yue and couldnt make ends meet. So I sent food to their family, but Xu Cheng, instead of appreciating my kindness, even schemed with others to poison my one-month-old child. Fellow folks, please bear witness for me. If you want to check the goat, come with me to my home later. Xu Ran exposed all the dirty linen in public. Seeing the villagers expression of dawning comprehension, Xu Ran was relieved. He was counting on this incident to strip Xu Chengs chance of rising again. If it was not for the nasty things he had done before, Xu Ran would not do anything to him only because of this incident. After all, people in ancient times valued the concepts of fathers being benignant, sons being filial and brothers being friendly and harmonious. If he sued Xu Cheng in Yamen just because he had used croton seeds to poison Baozi, very probably he would end up as a merciless guy in everyones eyes. Their family still had to live in Xu Village, and their kids were still too little. He absolutely couldnt let himself bear this reputation, especially after he became Xiucai. This was a stain for life and it would seriously affect his two kids. For a long time, no one said anything after Xu Ran finished his words. No matter how despicable Xu Cheng was, they were still brothers, so they could only condemn him a bit at most. Seeing that no one was speaking, Xu Ran turned to village head. Village head, Ive also explained everything. Liu Tiezhu can also bear witness that Xu Cheng is the one who fed my ewe croton seeds to poison my kid, and killed the ewe. Xu Cheng was also found by Gao Quan in the cave on the mountain. He was wounded by the trap so he couldnt escape. Please uphold justice for me. Village head sighed, Xu Ran, untie Xu Cheng! I will ask him about the ins and outs of the matter. Dont worry, Ill definitely uphold justice for you. Doctor Liu can also testify for you. Xu Ran thought about it. Since he had told the truth, and even Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu didnt say anything, he was not worried. Thus, he nodded and said, Okay, Gao Quan, untie him and take off the trap from his foot. Gao Quan nodded and untied Xu Cheng as well as his foot. Village head walked to Xu Cheng and asked, Xu Cheng, you have heard what Xu Ran said. What do you wanna say? Xu Cheng didnt say anything. After a long time, he said, What he said is true. I know I was wrong, but there is one thing I dont understand. How did he know I was on the mountain? The person Xu Cheng was referring to was Gao Quan, so everyones eyes turned to him. Xu Ran suddenly smiled. Didnt you guys sneak into my house when my dogs were not home? But how could you escape the second time? Dont forget that the dogs nose is most acute, not to mention that you still carry croton seeds with you. What Xu Ran didnt say was that the places that Xu Cheng could go to were limited. When things went wrong, he would definitely run up the mountain and sneak back home in the middle of the night. If he ran somewhere else, he would probably be starved to death. How do you know I carry croton seeds with me? Xu Cheng looked shocked. He clearly remembered that Xu Ran had not frisked him. Xu Ran spread his hands, I dont know. I just spoke without thinking. I didnt expect you to admit it yourself. Gao Quan, take out the croton seeds on him and let Doctor Liu see if it is the same thing. Gao Quan started to frisk Xu Cheng and finally found a paper bag. As it was opened, it turned out to be some white powder. Doctor Liu took it and smelled it. It is exactly croton seeds. Since we have both secured the witness and material evidence, we will count on village head to rule on it. How should we deal with this matter, or leave it to the Yamen to handle it? Xu Ran asked village head. Village head said, There is no need to trouble the Yamen. If words spread out, it will implicate the reputation of Xu Village. Xu Cheng will be dealt with by our own village. As for Liu Tiezhu, send him back to Liu Village and let village head of Liu Village uphold justice for us. Xu Ran said, Since village head said so, I have no objections. How should village head do with Xu Cheng? Village head glanced at the crowd. Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu supported each other and waited for the answer. Elder Daddy Xu didnt come out to cause a ruckus as he usually would do. Village head said, I announce that Xu Cheng is expelled from Xu Village. In this life, he is not allowed to step into Xu Village and not to take anything away from the village. Once Xu Cheng appears in Xu Village, we will break his legs and throw him out of the village. Village heads last sentence was really ruthless. As village head, he could punish people. As long as he did not take ones life, the Yamen would not interfere in such affairs. However, Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu couldnt help but rush out, Village head, dont chase Xu Cheng out of the village. He has nowhere else to go! This time, Elder Daddy Xu didnt make a scene of himself and said a coherent sentence. How can you have the face to beg for mercy? Its all because you failed to teach your son that Xu Cheng is like this today. A person who could even harm his own brother and nephew can never be allowed to stay in Xu Village. If you say one more word, then you can leave the village together! Village heads words were ruthless. Xu Houcai had wanted to say something, but when he heard village heads words, he bit his tongue. If Xu Cheng left, would his two kids go with him? As they were his grandsons, he couldnt leave them alone! Xu Houcai pulled Elder Daddy Xu. Enough. Stop pleading. If we are all driven out, what will happen to Xu Hui and Xu Qiang? They are still young, can they support themselves? Thinking of his two grandchildren, Elder Daddy Xu calmed down and stopped pleading with village head. He just looked at Xu Cheng sadly. On the other hand, Xu Cheng wore a completely indifferent look from beginning to the end. He thought that village head was right about one thing, which was that Elder Daddy Xu failed to teach his kid. Half of the reasons why he was like what he was today were because of his own daddy. What a pity! He had realized it too late, and he was not prepared to make changes. As village head had said so, the villagers would not say anything. After all, their relationship with Xu Cheng was not good. Perhaps the life philosophy of these people was minding their own business. Village head called two people over and asked them to send Xu Cheng out of the village. When Xu Cheng was pulled up and passed by Xu Ran, Xu Cheng looked at him with a sinister gaze. Xu Ran, your child almost ends up the same as that ewe. Do you really think I just wanted your child to have loose bowels? No, I wanted him to die but there was just no enough time. He was lucky to have survived. Xu Ran, do you know why I targeted you everywhere and even harmed your child? Because I want you to die! Why are you better than me in every aspect?! Dont worry, even if Im not in Xu Village, I wont let you live well. The more Xu Cheng said, the more malicious he became. Even his expression was full of such hatred as to want Xu Ran to die. Hearing what Xu Cheng said, Xu Ran smiled. Only cowardly and incompetent people will be jealous that others are better than him, and you are doomed to be a failure in this life. Dont worry, I will wait for you to take revenge on me. Maybe next time it wont be as simple as being chased out of the village. Xu Ran glanced at Xu Chengs feet with his eyes casually. You! Xu Cheng wanted to say something more but he was suddenly pulled away from Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt care whether the two people or others had heard his conversation with Xu Cheng or not, but this time he won. At least in the village, no one would plot against his son all the time. Outside the village, Xu Cheng would scheme to retaliate against him, so wouldnt he make plans? He couldnt violate the law, but he would never allow a saboteur targeting on him all the time. After dealing with Xu Cheng, it was Liu Tiezhus turn. Chapter 168 The village head said, Xu Cheng, follow us to Liu Village! Doctor Liu should go as well. Their village head has to make the decision, but no matter what, they have to give Xu Village an explanation. Xu Ran nodded. Alright, Ill go with you. Shall we take more people with us? Im afraid that Liu Tiezhu will go back on his words when he gets back to Liu Village, which will put us at a disadvantage. The village head thought for a moment before he said, Youre right that we should take more people with us. Besides, we have to ask Liu Tiezhu to write down his confession and make his mark on it. When we get to Liu Village, we will give his confession to the village head. Xu Ran said, Wed better have two copies. Ill write them! Liu Tiezhu was at Xu Village with so many people watching him, and what he had done had been known, so he couldnt make up any lies. Besides, he had been threatened by Xu Ran just now. Therefore, he honestly came clean with them. Liu Tiezhu owed some gambling debt, and he was punished because of Liu Piao last time, so he thought of selling Liu Piao. He took Liu Piao to town. Just as he was about to send Liu Piao to Green Willow Alley, he bumped into Xu Cheng. Xu Cheng knew Liu Tiezhu. He guessed Liu Tiezhus plan and told him that if he helped him do one thing, he would help him pay off the gambling debt. Liu Tiezhu did not know the situation in Xu Chengs home. He thought that he and Xu Ran were brothers, so he must be rich. With that thought, he agreed. No matter what, Liu Piao was his brother, so hed better keep him if he could, or he would wait and see. Anyway, Liu Piao would not run away. After Liu Tiezhu sent Liu Piao home that day, he followed Xu Cheng to Xu Village, and then they wandered around the village every day. Most of the time, they walked around Xu Rans house. Xu Cheng told him that there were dogs in Xu Ran family, but the dogs would go out every day, so they could take actions when the dogs were out. On Lantern Festival, Xu Ran and his family went to the town. There was no one at home except four dogs, so they climbed over the wall and sneaked in. They stayed in the sheep pen for the night and fed croton seeds to the ewe at dawn. Before the ewe ate any seeds, Shao Yu came to milk the ewe, so they hid for fear of being discovered. After Shao Yu left, they killed the ewe. Afraid that Xu Ran and his family would find that the ewe had been fed croton seeds. They fled after they killed the ewe. Xu Cheng went to the mountain, but Liu Tiezhu stayed to watch the fun. That was why he was caught. He regretted it, thinking that he would be fine if he ran away with Xu Cheng. To his surprise, Baozi got so sick that Xu Ran asked Doctor Liu to come, who discovered everything. Liu Tiezhu knew that after he got back to Liu Village, he would be expelled out of the village and had nowhere to go just like Xu Cheng, if his village head was unwilling to fight with Xu Village. But he couldnt resist, and he had only himself to blame. After Xu Ran and the others arrived at Liu Village, the village head was not home. The villagers got flustered at sight of so many people came escorting Liu Tiezhu, so they hurriedly went to look for the village head. When Liu Youcai came back, his heart sank at sight of so many people at his door. When he saw Liu Tiezhu, he got furious. It was this brat again! But no matter what, since so many people came to his door, he had to deal with it. Forcing a smile, Liu Youcai talked with the head of Xu Village, and then he knew what they had come for. Xu Ran gave Liu Youcai the confession, which was written on the paper with Liu Tiezhus fingerprint. There was no way for him to deny it. Liu Youcai knew that he had to come up with a solution. Liu Village and Xu Village were neighboring villages, and they had relatives in both villages. Usually, they were related by marriages. If this was not handled well, the two villages might become enemies in the future. Liu Youcai hated Liu Tiezhu, who kept causing troubles during and after the Spring Festival. Liu Youcai wished to kick the whole of his family out of the village. Liu Youcai smiled apologetically and said, Village head Xu and everyone, please dont worry. I will handle this well, I will handle this well. Ill have the villagers informed to come here, and settle this in front of everyone. Village head was pleased when he saw that Liu Youcai intended to handle this sincerely. He guessed Liu Tiezhu had a bad reputation in the village. However, it might be another farce when all the villagers arrived. There were quite some people in Liu Village with a total of several villagers. Liu Youcai didnt say anything, and instead he asked a literate villager to read out Liu Tiezhus confession. Everyone sighed after they heard it. Some villagers asked their village head to expel Liu Tiezhu or hand him to Yamen. They couldnt keep him in the village. They were being nice actually. Some other villagers even complained about trivial bad things that the Liu Dewang family had done, asking to kick the whole family out of the village. More villagers joined in and said the family was good for nothing. Xu Ran and his village head exchanged a glance. It seemed that the reputation of this family was worse than that of Xu Cheng in Xu Village! Since so many people complained about the family, no one objected to Liu Youcais suggestion of expelling Liu Tiezhu. In fact, a few villagers stood up for the Liu Dewang family, but it didnt work. A village head could do nothing but threaten people. Obviously, Liu Youcai was the same as the village head of Xu Village. Xu Ran coldly looked at Liu Tiezhu who was forced to kneel on the ground. Evildoers were bound to be punished in the end. A man who schemed against his brother should be punished. Xu Ran thought that maybe he could help Liu Tiezhu reflect on his mistakes. However, the result was that the two of them were kicked out of their villages. Of course, the Liu Dewang family would hold more grudges against Xu Ran from now on. He would help his dad and daddy occasionally. As long as his daddy didnt cause him any trouble, he wouldnt leave them alone. Xu Ran was not going to let off the two people who were expelled. After he got home and disposed of the dead ewe, Xu Ran went to Gao Quan. Xu Ran said, It looks that things are settled, but the two of them have not suffered any substantial damage, and they will be a threat to my family in the future, so I like to ask you for a favor. Gao Quan asked, What do you want me to do? Xu Ran said, Its nothing big. You take Liu Tiezhu to his debtors and tell him that Liu Tiezhu has been kicked out of the village. He wont be able to pay off the debt. Gao Quan nodded and asked Xu Ran, What about Xu Cheng? Isnt Xu Chengs foot injured? He will lose his foot if the big wound is not healed. After Xu Ran spoke, he stopped talking, and Gao Quan naturally understood Xu Rans intention. He said, I got it. I will take care of this. Okay. Clasping his hands behind himself, Xu Ran turned his back to Gao Quan, his hands trembling. This was the first time that he had someone harmed. Even if he didnt do it himself, he couldnt accept it, but he couldnt think of any other ways to protect his family from any harm. Coincidentally, Gao Quan saw his subtle movements. Gao Quan said, Xu Ran, youre not wrong about this. Dont think too much. Xu Ran clenched his fists and tried hard not to tremble. After a long time, he turned to Gao Quan. I know, but I still cant accept it. Dont worry! Ill get over it. Looking at Xu Ran, Gao Quan thought for a moment and decided to tell him everything. I have something to tell you. Its more serious than this. I think you will stop thinking about it once you know what Im going to tell you. Xu Ran quickly asked, What is it? Gao Quan replied, Something related to Liu Tongs identity. Xu Ran felt a little nervous when he heard this. Tell me now. Who is he? He is King Yans twin brother. Who is King Yan? Xu Ran was confused. Although he knew that he was a prince, he had never paid any attention to the royal family. It was natural that he didnt know King Yan. Gao Quan guessed that Xu Ran probably didnt know who King Yan was, so he briefed King Yans identity. The final summary was that Liu Tongs identity was noble and honorable. If not for the Emperors suspicion in the past, Liu Tong would not live a hard life like that. Xu Ran was shocked. He had never imagined such a thing would happen! Suddenly, Tongtong was the younger sibling of King Yan. He instantly felt himself much inferior. Xu Ran said coldly, How do you know? Did you scheme to make me buy you and Shao Yu? Gao Quan explained, Only today did I find out that Liu Tong is the Second Young Master. How do you know? Who did you meet today? What were you told to do? Tell me everything. Gao Quan said, I met King Yans subordinate when I went to chase Xu Cheng today. He deliberately led me up the mountain and told me to take Second Young Master to Yanzhou, but I didnt agree. I told him to ask King Yan to make a decision. He said that he wouldnt appear again in the near future. You dont have to worry. I tell you this to prepare you for that. Xu Ran laughed sarcastically. How absurd! His family loved each other deeply, and suddenly he was told that Liu Tong was the brother of King Yan. Why couldnt they leave his family alone? Xu Ran said, I wont allow anyone to take Tongtong away, even if King Yan comes personally. You say that King Yans subordinate wont appear in the near future. Is he someone I know? Gao Quan shook his head. I only know that he is Lu Yuans son, called Lu Qi. Lu Qi! That makes perfect sense. Xu Ran instantly understood why Du Xin insisted on coming to his house. It seemed that Du Xin also worked for King Yan. When they were in the county, Du Xin deliberately led him to see Lu Qi. What a scheme! Xu Ran said, You should forget about this. I will pretend that I dont know about it. If one day someone shows up, we will make our plans then. We will continue our life before anyone comes up. Dont tell Tongtong about it. After Xu Ran spoke, he quickly left the room as he needed a quiet place to calm down. Chapter 169 Xu Ran had not expected this kind of thing would happen to him. In fact, there had been signs, but he never thought about it. Gao Quans identity was not simple. He knew it from the beginning, so did Tongtong, who said that Gao Quan had the same kung fu as his Dad. Xu Ran thought Gao Quan and Tongtongs dad, no, Tongtongs foster dad, were both men working for Tongtongs biological dad. People from the same place naturally had something in common. Tongtongs uncles looked very ordinary and simple, who were real farmers. However, his foster dad was different. He knew hunting and kung fu, and he was even literate. How could he be a simple farmer? Even if other people couldnt figure it out, how could he, a person from the 21st century, not know about it? He was just unwilling to think too much. As for Du Xin and Lu Qi, they must have been watching over his family! He put on an inexplicable guard against Du Xin back then. He didnt know why, but now he understood clearly. He had not expected that they still found his place. Thankfully, Gao Quan didnt agree to take Tongtong away, otherwise he wouldnt know where to find him. It was possible that he would never see Tongtong or his children again in his life. He knew very well that the gap between the nobles and a commoner in this era was huge. King Yan was the only king who was not a royal member, and his father was a famous general. It was easy for King Yan to hide a person or make a person disappear from this world forever. Xu Ran suddenly felt scared. He didnt understand why such things happened. The person who was so close to him suddenly turned out to be an aristocrat. He was only a commoner, and the gap between their social statuses was too huge. It made him panic. His Tongtong, who belonged only to him, suddenly had an older brother. It turned out he came from a noble family Tongtong! Xu Ran abruptly turned around to look for Liu Tong. Tongtong was his, and he could only be his! Liu Tong was holding little Baozi in the room while talking to the twins, who got scared by what they were told and would not leave Liu Tong. When Xu Ran entered the room, he heard Guoguo saying, Daddy, dont worry. Brother and I will learn kung fu from Uncle Gao Quan, and we will protect our little brother. Xu Ran saw Liu Tong stroking Guoguos head and smiling gently. You both are good children. Ill let you protect your little brother from now on. The twins nodded earnestly. Daddy, we will. Xu Ran stood at the door for a while. He was touched deeply. This was his family, his beloved family. However, someone wanted to break them apart. Ran, why are you standing at the door? Its cold outside. Come on in! Liu Tong looked up and saw Xu Ran standing in a daze at the door, so he called him to enter the room. The twins quickly walked up to Xu Ran when they saw him. Dad, dont worry, we will protect our brother. Xu Ran smiled. Great. You are so sweet. Xu Ran walked in and pretended he didnt hear what they just said, asking what they were talking about. Therefore, the twins repeated their promise of protecting their brother. Xu Ran said, You need to protect not only brother, but also Daddy. Dont forget that he gave birth to you. Tangtang Guoguo did not understand what he meant, but they always listened to Xu Ran, so they nodded earnestly. The family sat together and chatted for a while before Shao Yu called them for dinner. During dinner, Xu Ran said to everyone, When I was building the house, I made a high wall to prevent people from climbing over, but I didnt expect someone to be able to climb in. I think we need to add something on the wall. Liu Tong asked, To add what? Porcelain and iron nails. Shatter the bowls or the jars and put the sharp pieces on the top of the wall. Buy some iron nails, and put them on the wall, too. Let those fearless ruffians climb over the wall! After the accident, no one objected to Xu Rans decision. Xu Ran continued, Not only that. We have to keep two dogs at home all the time. One will guard the sheepfold and the stable at the back, and the other will guard the front door. Tangtang, Guoguo, ask the children in the village to see who has puppies. We can buy two and let them guard the orchard when they grow up. Liu Tong nudged Xu Ran and said, Ran, dont buy puppies from others. In spring, Peanut will probably give birth to puppies and we can raise them ourselves. Xu Ran clapped his head, I forgot that Peanut is a female dog. In this case, we wont buy any puppies. Lets get the wall ready as soon as possible. I will go to town tomorrow and buy all the stuff. Gao Quan, please watch over the potato planting these days. Shao Yu, please stay with Liu Tong. Tangtang and Guoguo, watch out when you go to school, okay? Xu Ran now was highly alert, assigning tasks to everyone. Gao Quan said, Id better go to town with you tomorrow. We dont know where Xu Cheng is now. If I go with you, I can help you if anything comes up. Liu Tong said, Ran, thats right! Were fine at home. Shao Yu and I stay here. Besides, Xu Cheng is no longer in the village, so dont worry. Xu Ran thought about it and nodded. Alright, Gao Quan, go with me to the town tomorrow! They had been working for a whole day, and they could only sit down for lunch in the afternoon. Tangtang and Guoguo couldnt go to school today, so they stayed at home with Liu Tong and spent time on reading and writing. Xu Ran went with Gao Quan to look for workers to continue the farming. Only after the farm work was finished would they have time to do something else. After planting the potatoes, they had to take care of the weeds in the strawberry field and planted the new seedlings. After they were done with the strawberry field, they might need to plant the corn. They would be busy until the end of February, and then they would have time to buy the mountain and look for fruit trees. He didnt know when Zhuo Yun would leave. He had to find time to send the meat to him and bring Qin Shuwen over. He might as well ask them when he went to town tomorrow. Besides, Spring Festival was over, and they had to deliver potatoes to Mr. Chens restaurant. The dried pork and sausages at home were ready to be sold. Xu Ran found that there were a lot of things to do. In order to leave early tomorrow, after dinner in the evening, Xu Ran and Gao Quan packed up the things and prepared to go out early the next morning. Xu Ran didnt sleep well at night. His mind was filled with pictures of the dead sheep and Liu Tong being taken away. Later on, he even started to talk in his dream. Liu Tong heard him calling his name and he woke up to find Xu Ran was talking in his dream. Xu Ran kept begging him not to leave and tangled him with his arms and legs. Liu Tong guessed that Xu Ran had a nightmare because of what happened during the day, so he wanted to wake him up. Ran, wake up. You are having a nightmare, wake up. Liu Tong called Xu Ran as he shook him, but he didnt dare to raise his voice, fearing that he would wake Baozi up. However, Xu Ran didnt wake up, and his forehead was sweating. Liu Tong reluctantly pinched Xu Ran. Xu Ran screamed and suddenly sat up, clearly frightened. Liu Tong said, Ran, wake up. It is only a dream. Dont be afraid. Xu Ran rubbed his face and turned to Liu Tong. Tongtong, did I have a nightmare? Liu Tong nodded. Yeah. You were sweating. You kept calling my name, asking me not to leave. Youre here, where can I go? Xu Ran hugged him, My Tongtong is still there. Im here with you. Im here all the time. Liu Tong stroked Xu Rans head like he was comforting the twins. Xu Ran had not recovered from his dream, and he didnt notice Liu Tongs movements. Xu Ran couldnt sleep for the rest of the night. He sat in bed for a while and felt better. He told Liu Tong, Tongtong, go back to sleep. Dont worry about me. Ill get up and walk around. It was still dark outside, so he guessed it was probably midnight. Liu Tong was quite sleepy, and he lay down in bed when he saw Xu Ran was fine. He told Xu Ran, Ran, if youre sleepy, go to sleep. Its still early. You are going to town tomorrow, and you will feel tired if you dont go back to sleep. Xu Ran nodded. I know. Go to sleep! Dont worry about me. Xu Ran got out of bed and put on his clothes. He lit the oil lamp and went to the other side of the room. He was worried that Liu Tong and Baozi might not sleep well because of the light, so he lit up the hibachi and sat there in a daze. He was stricken by Gao Quans words. If someone really came, he would be devastated, but his mind was blank, and he couldnt think of a better way. King Yan was wealthy and powerful with soldiers in his command, while Xu Ran had nothing but Liu Tong and the children. He was not King Yans rival at all! Xu Ran had been sitting on the stool all the time, but he didnt feel cold with a hibachi in front of him. When the sky was about to light up, he heard someone talk outside. There were no other families nearby, so it must be his family. Xu Ran thought that it was almost dawn, and he wouldnt be able to sleep for long if he went to sleep. Therefore he dropped the idea of going to sleep and went outside to take a look. Chapter 170 The twins got up earlier than before. After Gao Quan got up, they got up as well. Gao Quan was surprised to see them get up so early, asking, Tangtang, Guoguo, why are you up so early? Guoguo said, Uncle Gao Quan, from now on we will get up at this time and learn kungfu from you. Tangtang also nodded. Although they didnt tell the reason, Gao Quan guessed it was because of what had happened yesterday. He heard the twins saying that they wanted to protect their little brother and Daddy. Everyone thought they were paying lip service. To his surprise, the two children actually meant it and got up so early to learn kungfu from him. Looking at the two children who were under seven and just reached his waist, Gao Quan was touched. The eldest master was always protecting the second master in childhood, saying that he would find his younger brother the best husband so that he would not worry about anything. Nephews were like their uncles. Although they had never met before, and they didnt even know that they had an uncle, their behavior was the same, as if they were born with it. Gao Quan nodded. Alright, go out with me now. But we cant go up the mountain yet as its not bright yet, and you cant see the way. As he said, he opened the door and went out. The two children followed him. Guoguo asked Gao Quan to teach them some powerful moves. He wanted to beat people who wanted to harm his little brother with one fist. Gao Quan wanted to laugh when he heard that. He was not laughing at GuoGuos ambition, but he was happy that his second master had two such good children. No, three. The one in his infancy should be good as well. Although Tangtang was not interested in kungfu, he followed Guoguo and never complained. Gao Quan was touched by their perseverance. He recalled when he was seven years old, he was naughty and didnt even know what kungfu was. Back then, he never thought about what kind of life he would lead in the future, and what he would grow up to be. And these two children had already started to plan for their family at such a young age. He was touched, but at the same time, he felt distressed. They worked so hard at such a young age. What about the future? Sunk in thought, he suddenly heard a voice in his ear, Uncle Gao Quan, you dont have to think too much. Dad has said that no pains, no gains. One could never have too many skills. We have to learn something. Gao Quan looked down and saw the two children looking up at him. Even if he couldnt see it clearly, Gao Quan knew that their eyes were glinting of hope and beauty, which indicated how they looked at the world. He thought no matter how difficult it would be, the two children would support each other and achieve their goals. Gao Quan raised his head and said, I understand. I will change my mind. The twins didnt say anything this time because they didnt know what to say. Outside their house was a big wide road, and very few people would pass by. Recently, the road was frequented because of the potato business, but at this time, there would be no one around. Therefore, Gao Quan was relieved to let the two children stand by the roadside and practice kungfu with him. After Xu Ran went downstairs, he didnt hear the voices. He searched the house in the faint moonlight, but he didnt find anyone or any light. He went to the living room and lit an oil lamp. Taking the lamp in his hand, he went to the stable and the sheep pen, but he found nothing. He put the oil lamp away, guessing that the twins might have followed Gao Quan out. Xu Ran opened the door and saw three figures, one big and two small, practicing the same moves not far away on the road. Recalling the twins said that they would protect their little brother, Xu Ran couldnt name his feeling. He remembered when he woke up, Guoguo said he would take care of his elder brother. These two scenes came up and merged. Xu Ran thought that no matter what would become of him in the future, whether he accomplished both success and fame, whether he would become rich, what he was most proud of was that he had two such good sons. They were the sons of the fool, also his sons, who made him feel proud. Xu Ran didnt go out, standing at the door for a long time. It dawned, and Gao Quan led Tangtang Guoguo up the mountain. Then, Xu Ran closed the door and walked to the kitchen. Shao Yu happened to go downstairs. He was surprised to see Xu Ran. He greeted him like a family, Why are you up so early? Xu Ran said, I had a nightmare, and I couldnt sleep, so I got up early. Ill fix breakfast today. Help me ask who has piglets during the day. Its time to buy two and raise them here. Shao Yu nodded. Okay, Ill ask. Dont forget to make rice soup for Baozi when you fix breakfast. Ill go cut the grass first. Xu Ran said, Go ahead! Its not bright yet. Be careful not to go too far. Okay. Shao Yu nodded and went to wash his face. Xu Ran boiled the water for Liu Tong and the twins to wash their faces, and then he made rice soup for Baozi and warmed it on one side. After that, he started to knead the dough. It was a blessing to be able to cook for his family. Xu Ran wanted to make shaved noodles. He had never tried it before. Now that he thought of it, he wanted to give it a try. It was not difficult, but he could only knead the dough, which might not be as delicious as fermenting the dough. However, they probably couldnt taste any difference. When Xu Ran kneaded the dough, Liu Tong got up with Baozi in his hand. When he got to the kitchen, he found that Xu Ran was cooking. He asked him, Ran, you didnt sleep after midnight. Why not go to sleep for a while now? Xu Ran was tired from the dough kneading, shaking his head at Liu Tong. No, Im kneading the dough. The rice soup for Baozi is ready, and theres also hot water in the pot. You wash your face and then feed him. Ill go see if the twins are back. If theyve come back, Ill cook the noodles. Xu Ran went to wash his hands and then took Baozi from Liu Tong. He carried him to the door to see if the twins had come back. Xu Ran stood at the door for a while and didnt see anyone. Liu Tong had washed his face and came out with a bowl of rice soup to feed Baozi. Xu Ran thought he could see if the twins come back at the door, so he held Baozi there and let Liu Tong feed him. Baozi ate more than before. Besides, the rice soup was not as good as ewes milk, so he ate more frequently in a day than before. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, Ill go buy another ewe today. Baozi is too small. How can he not drink milk? Liu Tong said, Okay. Go buy an ewe that has just given birth! Baozi doesnt have to wait anymore. I dont think he likes rice soup. Although the rice soup didnt taste fishy, Baozi was more used to ewes milk as he drank it from the beginning. As the two of them spoke, Liu Tong didnt stop feeding Baozi the rice soup in the bowl. Just then, Shao Yu returned with a full basket of grass on his back. Xu Ran passed Baozi to Liu Tong and took the bowl. Im going to shave the dough. The sun is up, and they should be back soon. Liu Tong said, Go! I can watch here. Xu Ran went to the kitchen. He added some firewood into the stove, making the fire flare, and then began to shave the dough into noodles. The kitchen knife was made of iron, so it was heavy. Xu Ran hadnt used it to shave the dough before, so he was a little clumsy. The size and thickness of the noodles that he shaved varied a lot. As he practiced, he got more skillful, but the noodles didnt look good. Xu Ran thought that he was not the one to blame. The knife was not good. He should buy a better knife next time. However, he didnt know this knife was used to kill people before. Just as he put the noodles in the pot, he heard the voices of the twins outside. Xu Ran heard Liu Tong tell them that Dad was fixing breakfast in the kitchen. The two children shouted happily and ran to the kitchen. They liked it best when Xu Ran cooked. Although the taste wasnt the best, they could taste something they hadnt eaten before. Even if Shao Yu or their daddy later made the same dish better than their dad, it didnt taste better than the first time they ate it. The two children went up to Xu Ran and asked, Dad, what are we eating this morning? Xu Ran stirred the water with chopsticks and looked back at the two sweating, saying with a smile, We will have shaved noodles. Itll be ready soon. Theres hot water in the pot. Go wash your face first. You are as dirty as small cats. Tangtang covered his face in embarrassment and walked over to fetch some water. Guoguo made a face at Xu Ran and ran over. Xu Ran smiled again. They were so adorable. At breakfast, everyone had a large bowl of shaved noodles in front of them. Although it didnt look very good, it looked appetizing with some red chili paste in the white noodles. Xu Ran explained about shaved noodles and told them how to make it. He said if they liked the taste of it, they could have it as breakfast from now on. He guessed Liu Tong and Shao Yu would make it more delicious than he did. After Xu Ran told them to eat, the two children couldnt wait to take the noodles with chopsticks and stuff them into their mouths. They chewed and swallowed, saying that it was delicious, which pleased Xu Ran. Xu Ran smiled happily. No matter how it tasted, it was good that they liked it. Chapter 171 After breakfast, Xu Ran and Gao Quan drove a carriage to the town. The two of them kept searching for Xu Cheng along the way but failed. Xu Ran guessed that Liu Tiezhu was likely to be with Xu Cheng, who was injured on his foot. Thus they definitely couldnt have gone too far. Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Shall I stop halfway so that you can go to find them? Gao Quan shook his head. No need. Ill ask village head where he has sent them. Im not familiar with any other places outside the village. Even if you ask me to look for them, I cant. Its best to look for them at night. They have to find a place to live at night, and very likely they might sneak back to Xu Village and get into the mountain. Gao Quans analysis made sense. Xu Ran nodded, Well, then Ill leave it to you. Okay, Gao Quan had no objections. After they arrived at the town, their first thing to do was to send the goods to Mr. Chens restaurant. The price of the cured meat was the same as the market one. Xu Ran didnt demand a high price and Mr. Chen didnt take advantage of him, either. As for sausages, this price was definitely higher than the preserved meat. Neither did Xu Ran demand much for it. Three pennies more for each jin. This time, Mr. Chen paid without hesitation at the price Xu Ran demanded. Xu Ran told Mr. Chen that he was in a rush, so he didnt request to cook some to taste. After leaving the restaurant, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to go shopping and he went to Zhuo Yuns home. When he arrived at Zhuo Yuns home, he saw a bunch of things piling in the yard. Xu Ran went in and said with a smile, Hey, are you making a move? Zhuo Yun was moving things with his servants. Seeing Xu Ran, he stopped and walked over, Im putting things out to air in the sun. You know that I will be out for a trip, and Shuwen will live in your home. As so many things will be left at home unattended, I dispose of them now. What brings you here? I am just thinking about looking for you tomorrow. Xu Ran said, Something was up at home. I came to the town to do some shopping. By the way, when you were leaving? Have you contacted the caravan? The two walked into the house as they spoke. Zhuo Yun said, Yes, I have. Well head out to the north on 20th of the first month of the lunar year. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I will go to your place both to transport back the cured meat and sausages, and to send Shuwen to your home. By the way, what happened in your family? Xu Ran sighed and felt a little helpless, Ive offended some mean people. Someone fed croton seeds to my ewe to harm my little child. Fortunately, we found it in time, so nothing serious happened, but my ewe got killed. Zhuo Yun, who was sitting at first, suddenly stood up. Whats going on? Someone actually wanted to harm Baozi? Was that person caught? Xu Ran nodded. Sit down first. Ill tell you in details. Therefore, Xu Ran repeated the whole story again, and Zhuo Yun became even angrier after listening. Maybe this Xu Cheng is not your biological brother, is he? How was he capable of doing such a thing? Zhuo Yun said angrily. Xu Ran threw up his hand. Who knows, but this is nothing. At the beginning, my dad and daddy treated me the similar way. The only reason I could forgive them is that they didnt do anything to my children. However, Xu Cheng is different. He actually harmed a one-month-old baby, which I cant tolerate. Thats right. It can definitely not be tolerated. I will send people to find them. Then, you may decide how to deal with them, Yun said. Your people dont know the two of them. How are you going to find them? Zhuo Yun clapped his hands. This is very simple. Just draw their looks in pictures. Xu Ran rubbed his nose. You think too highly of me. If I can draw pictures, I wont be living on farming now. Then Zhuo Yun was stunned. You said you cant draw, then how did you draw the Chinese chess pieces? That is different. Chess pieces are a lot of circles. When Xu An made them, I just needed to tell him how, which didnt require any drawing skills. Xu Ran nodded as he said so. Zhuo Yun felt a little upset. He had always thought that Xu Ran was omnipotent. This one matter had subverted Xu Rans image in his heart. Then Zhuo Yun heard Xu Ran saying, Xu Chengs foot is injured and he wont have gone far away. As for Liu Tiezhu, I have an idea. He owes a lot of gambling debts in the town. We can find those creditors and ask them to find Liu Tiezhu. I originally planned to send Liu Tiezhu to those people after I found him, but I forgot that no one could tell me their whereabouts. Xu Rans image was really totally ruined, but it didnt matter. What mattered now was to find them first. Zhuo Yun said, Only a few guys in the town issue loans for people to gamble. Ill send the butler to enquire and offer them some money to solve the problem. You dont have to think about such troublesome things anymore. Xu Ran felt that in Zhuo Yuns eyes, what could be solved with money was not a real matter, and it was true. Xu Ran said, Alright, Ill leave that to you. Ill send Gao Quan to find Xu Cheng. Itd be best if they are together. Remember that persons name is Liu Tiezhu. You can come to my house tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to take the cured meat. I wont stay any longer. I have to buy another ewe for Baozi. Its wont work only to feed him rice soup. Hmm, Zhuo Yun nodded. Then you should go back quickly. Dont go out for the next few days. The priority now is to get them caught and get rid of the potential danger. I see. Dont worry. Be careful when you go to my house. Xu Cheng might be able to recognize your carriage. Bring as many people with you as possible. Even if you encounter with them, you wont be afraid. Zhuo Yun waved his hand. Fine. Sounds as if how powerful he is. After all, Ive made so many business trips. Ive met many even more powerful people. How can I be afraid of him. Thats not what I meant. Shuwen will be with you when you go there. Putting everything else aside, you need to take the safety of him and children into consideration. Do as I told you. Take more people with you. Zhuo Yun knew that Xu Ran was considering for his good. He nodded and said, Okay, Ill do as you said, and be careful. You should be careful when you go back. Sure. Xu Ran responded, and left the room. Then he went to buy ewe in the place where Housekeeper Zhuo took him the last time. The goat seller still remembered Xu Ran. When he saw him, he thought he was coming to sell the lamb. Childe, are you here to sell the lamb born by the ewe? Its been two months now. Its time to sell it. Xu Ran waved his hand. No, Im not going to sell that lamb. Im here today to buy another ewe. I want one which has just given birth to a lamb and can produce milk. The man wanted to ask Xu Ran what happened to the ewe before, but seeing that Xu Ran didnt intend to share anything, he gave up and picked up an ewe that could produce milk for Xu Ran. There was no lamb this time, so the price was lower than that of previous time. Xu Ran could be counted as a regular customer. Not many people would come to buy two ewes within a few months, so the goat seller didnt demand a high price. After Xu Ran bought the ewe, he walked to the place where the carriage was parked. Gao Quan was already waiting for him. Xu Ran looked at the carriage and was stumped. There was an ox cart last time, which made it easy to bring the ewe back. But this time the carriage cant hold the ewe within. Its really difficult to take it home. Gao Quan looked at the carriage and found that it was indeed a problem. He said, In that case, tie the ewe behind it. Let the horse go slowly, as long as the ewe can keep up. After the two discussed, they tied the ewe behind the carriage. In order to prevent it from being kicked by Big Black, the rope was released quite long. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan, Have you bought everything? Are there enough iron nails and ceramics? Gao Quan nodded. Yes. But should we place these things directly on the wall? Xu Ran shook his head. Definitely not. In that case, they will be swept away by people, and fail to work. You need to stick them to the wall. The material of brick-laying may work. There is still some remaining lime from the previous construction team. I have put it away. Xu Ran put it away in order to avoid wasting. Unexpectedly, it came in handy now. Since they had bought everything they needed, the two got into the carriage and drove home. Big Black, which wanted to run faster, was threatened by Xu Ran who tried to take care of the ewe behind it. When they were about to get close to Xu Village, someone suddenly came out of the road and grabbed the ewe. Not only did he frighten Xu Ran and the others, even Big Black was given a start, which gave the man a kick. Xu Ran jumped off the carriage quickly to get back the ewe. Big Black didnt show any mercy by this kick. The man lay on the ground with the ewe in his arms. Fortunately, Big Black didnt kick the ewe, otherwise it would die directly. When he saw the person lying on the ground, Xu Ran smiled. As the saying went, Fancy finding by sheer luck what one has searched for far and wide, which suits the scene perfectly! The one who snatched the ewe was exactly Liu Tiezhu, who was chased out yesterday. Presumably he couldnt find anything to eat and was too hungry, so he came to attack Xu Rans ewe. Xu Ran thought of another saying. Success or failure, an ewe was always behind it. Xu Ran walked over and said to Liu Tiezhu, Are you hungry?! No food? So stealing an ewe? What a pity! You bumped into me, and it just so happens that Im looking for you, too. Theres no one else here today. You, you, you, what are you up to? Liu Tiezhu retreated as he spoke, as if Xu Ran was about to attack him. Xu Ran smiled, What do I want to do? I dont want to do anything. I remember that you still owe a lot of peoples debts. At this time, Gao Quan also made Big Black calm down, and stopped by the side of the road. Then he walked over. Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Weve found him and it saved us some time. By the way, ask him where Xu Cheng is. Ill attend to the carriage. Xu Ran was worried that someone else would suddenly come out. If they robbed the carriage away, that loss would outweigh the gain. Gao Quan nodded. Chapter 172 Sitting on the carriage, Xu Ran looked around as well as at Gao Quan. Being driven out of the village, Liu Tiezhu should stay near Liu Village , but now he showed up near Xu Village, which must be because of Xu Cheng. Xu Ran didnt expect that Xu Cheng was quite persuasive. Even if being made homeless, Liu Tiezhu was willing to follow him. However, he didnt know that the reason why Liu Tiezhu did so was because of his misunderstanding. He thought that Xu Cheng was Xu Rans younger brother, so Xu Cheng would go back sooner or later. If he had a good relationship with Xu Cheng, with the help of Xu Ran, he would be able to go back as well. But he completely forgot what Xu Ran had said. The person whom Xu Cheng wanted to kill was not only him, but his little child; in this case, how could Xu Ran forgive him? Since being chased out, Liu Tiezhu had never eaten anything. He couldnt find any food even wild fruit in the cold winter. Noticing a carriage followed by an ewe passing by, the idea came to him. Xu Cheng didnt know it, and he never thought he would have the misfortune to meet Xu Ran again. The difference in force between Gao Quan and Xu Ran was obvious, which made their different questioning methods. Xu Ran would not hit anyone, at most threatened him verbally, but Gao Quan did the opposite! Gao Quan went up directly and stepped Liu Tiezhu on the chest, which made him dared not even think of running away. The tone of Gao Quan was even colder than Xu Rans. Tell me, where is Xu Cheng now? Otherwise, in the wilderness, no one will discover you until your bones are rotten if you die here. So telling me or not, it is up to you! Although being told to choose on his own, Gao Quan didnt dare to move, he knew he must tell him about Xu Cheng. After all, there was not much friendship between Liu Tiezhu and Xu Cheng, for his own life, Liu Tiezhu told Gao Quan their temporary hiding place, unhesitatingly and detailedly. Hearing his words, Gao Quan turned to Xu Ran, who had already heard their conversation. Xu Ran nodded and said, Now that he has told us, let him go! Without hesitation, raising his foot, Gao Quan kicked Liu Tiezhu and exclaimed, Get lost! Picking himself up quickly from the ground, Liu Tiezhu fled in the direction that he told Gao Quan. Until Liu Tiezhu was out of sight, Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Follow him! Take the rope and send Liu Tiezhu to the town today. If you dont know how to find those people, go to Zhuo Yun, he knows it. Alright, Gao Quan responded, taking out the rope from the carriage which tied the cured meat in the morning, and soon it would be used for something else. Taking the rope, Gao Quan was about to leave, Xu Ran added, Gao Quan, remember to come back tonight. You have to return no matter what happened to the two of them, okay? Stunned for a moment, Gao Quan nodded and walked in the direction in which Liu Tiezhu fled. Xu Ran didnt drove home until Gao Quan was out of sight. Arriving at home, Xu Ran began to move the contents on the carriage into the yard. Tangtang and Guoguo were not at home. Only Liu Tong and Shao Yu were there. Seeing Xu Ran carrying something, Shao Yu came to help. It was not until they had finished moving all the things did she notice one person was missing. Then Shao Yu asked Xu Ran, Why didnt Gao Quan come back with you? I asked Gao Quan to do something for me, and he will come back late. Youd better leave some lunch for him, Xu Ran said. Shao Yu didnt think much about it, nodded and said, Then Im going to cook first. Not telling her about it wasnt not because Xu Ran wanted to hide something from her. He knew Shao Yu had experienced definitely more than he did. He just didnt want them to know that their peaceful life was about to be broken. Therefore, he didnt tell the truth. While Shao Yu was cooking, Xu Ran took out the remaining limestone from the room where the trash was placed. The limestone had to be mixed with glutinous rice milk to be sticky. Without the help of Gao Quan, he had to do it himself . After moving the lime into the yard, Xu Ran smashed all the canes, with Liu Tong watching aside, full of pity. Xu Ran smiled, Tongtong, the canteens arent valuable, but being stuck onto the wall, they can keep us safe. Liu Tong said, I just think its a waste. Okay, just this once. I wont do it again. If you dont like it, go into the house and do not stay here with me. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong left. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, having mixed feelings. After lunch, Xu Ran climbed up a ladder to stick the broken ceramic and the iron nail he bought back to the wall with glutinous rice paste. He learned it from others in modern times. He was busy all afternoon and half the wall had been pasted. The sun was setting, but Gao Quan had not come back. Being asked several times by Shao Yu about what he had asked Gao Quan to do, Xu Ran only told her that Gao Quan went to find a person in the town whom she also knew. But it had been so long that Shao Yu didnt believe him. He stopped asking him and just paced up and down in the yard anxiously. Xu Ran wanted to persuade him but didnt know what to say. Tangtang and Guoguo saw this scene the moment they came back. They thought there must be something bad had happened and rushed into the house. Seeing Liu Tong sitting on the cold bed with Baozi in his hand, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Then they turned to ask Xu Ran. After learning about what had happened, Xu Ran asked them to comfort Shao Yu. Putting their bags away, the two children came to talk to Shao Yu. In front of Shao Yu, they praised Gao Quan over and over again, convincing her that nothing would happen to a man of his ability. There was finally a faint smile on Shao Yus face. Gao Quan came back during dinner with his hands empty. Seeing him come back safely, Xu Ran was relieved. Shao Yu looked Gao Quan up and down and served him dinner after confirming that he was really fine. While eating, Gao Quan didnt say anything. He had always been a man of few words, and only because something had happened these days to make him say more. After lunch, Gao Quan went back to their room with Shao Yu for Shao Yu wanted to ask him something about today. Knowing that Gao Quan would take a chance to report to him, Xu Ran didnt stop them. Xu Ran went to check the homework of the two children. Today was Tangtang and Guoguos first day of school, the knowledge that Fuzi taught was very simple and easy for them. Xu Ran knew it and asked them how they were getting along with their classmates. Tangtang said, Weve played with Dahu. Xiaobudian and many other children in the village are at school too, just like usual. Xu Ran asked, Has Fuzi asked you to answer questions? Tangtang answered, shaking his head, No, many children cant read now, so Fuzi said that he would teach us how to read first. Thinking about it, Xu Ran said, What Fuzi teaches first must be some simple characters that youve all known, but others dont, so dont tell others about it or show off about it. You should learn with them even if its a little slow. Why? Tangtang asked, tilting his head in confusion. Guoguo didnt say anything, but looked just like Tangtang. Looking at their adorable faces, Xu Rans heart melted. Xu Ran said, People say that the gun shoot the bird which takes the lead. You must have never heard of that, but you should know that everyone knows that your dad is a Xiucai, and you definitely can read a few characters, but just a few. In this small place, we dont know if anyone will come up with some bad ideas about us. Listen to me, you will understand when you grow up. His explanation amounted to nothing! Tangtang and Guoguo nodded blankly and said, Well listen to Dad. In their minds, everything Dad said was right. Then Xu Ran asked them to count the Arabic numbers and read Pinyin they had learned before to him. Even though they learned those some time ago and were busy practicing kungfu, playing and doing some other things every day, it was not difficult for them to keep these in mind. After all, childrens memory was always good. Xu Ran was very satisfied after hearing them, and then he taught them how to read Pinyin, which would help them read much faster in the future. As for the Arabic numbers, to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, they just needed to know the numbers. In this era, there was only addition and subtraction, no multiplication or division, which was much more useful than the first two. Mastering these methods, they would not have to count by abacus or their fingers. Xu Ran wrote down two copies of the rules for addition, each of them had one, and asked them to recite it. Only mastering some knowledge, people could use it independently and develop other associations with their endless brains. Therefore, people with a lot of knowledge in their heads would become top students, and those who with trash are still good-for-nothing. Of course Xu Ran wanted Tangtang and Guoguo to be top students; they were clever indeed, and the credit must be given to their good genes. Chapter 173 Xu Ran had been in the two childrens room all the time. He didnt leave until it was time for them to sleep. As soon as he got out, he found Gao Quan waiting outside. The two of them went downstairs together and sat in the living room warming themselves at the fire. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan, How was it? Gao Quan said, I followed Liu Tiezhu all the way to the cave where they had been hiding. Liu Tiezhu went back to inform Xu Cheng that we had found them. He didnt expect that I would follow him up the hill. When I appeared, the two of them were about to escape. Xu Chengs legs were not well so he couldnt walk fast, and Liu Tiezhu just left him alone. I knew he couldnt get too far, so I ran after Xu Cheng. Behind the cave was a cliff. Xu Cheng probably didnt know that, and he fell down as he ran. Speaking of this, Gao Quan seemed to be a little regretful since he hadnt handled Xu Cheng personally. What about Liu Tiezhu? Did you catch up to him? Xu Ran asked. Gao Quan nodded, I did. He was quite good at running. It was just because I was running after him that I came back so late. How did you handle him? Gao Quan said, I brought him to the town. The Housekeeper Zhuo took me to meet those people and gave them a lot of money. After I handed Liu Tiezhu to them, I returned. Xu Ran nodded, In that case, lets just end this matter here! These two people will never appear again in the future, and we can live a peaceful life. Gao Quan nodded, indicating that he got it. On the 19th day of the lunar January, Zhuo Yun brought his people with him to get the cured meat, and sent Qin Shuwen and the child over here. There came a carriage and another two oxcarts. It was unknown where Zhuo Yun had found them and there were many things on it. Xu Ran saw that and said with a smile, Well, are you moving? Zhuo Yun really nodded, Yeah! Ive thought about it. When I come back from the business trip, Ill move over here too. Xu Ran was dumbfounded, How shameless of him. And then he said, I was just saying it. Why did you take it seriously? Zhuo Yun threw up his hands, Then why did you say that? Besides, I really like it here! Hey, no matter you like it or not, dont forget that this is my house, okay? Xu Ran said. Zhuo Yun consoled him, It doesnt matter. After all, were brothers. Were on good terms. Your house is my house. Dont worry! If you live in the town, my house will be yours. Xu Ran rolled his eyes. This was not the right way to do things. However, he welcomed Zhuo Yun if he would live here. The more the merrier. On the other hand, Qin Shuwen had already directed the people to move things inside, completely ignoring these two who were bickering. As long as they were not talking about something important, they started to squabble like this. At first, Qin Shuwen had worried that they would fight each other, but later he found out that he was thinking too much. These two were simply bored and had nothing to do. Liu Tong was also very happy that Qin Shuwen came. Since he had to take care of Baozi now, he couldnt work in the field. Most of the time, he was alone. If he wanted to talk with someone, he had to see if that one had any time. Otherwise, he could only talk to Baozi, and he got really bored. After Qin Shuwen came, someone would keep him company, and helped him take care of the children for him. When it got busy, he could also do some chores at home, while Shao Yu could work outside. When Zhuo Yun and Xu Ran had done bickering, they started to get down to business. Xu Ran had prepared quite a few things for Zhuo Yun. There were many dried bamboo shoots made in last year. Besides the two-month supply left for Mr. Chen, the rest would all be taken away with Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun had also put the better part of the cured meat and sausages onto the oxcart. They had lunch at Xu Rans house at noon. After lunch, Zhuo Yun had to go back to town. After all, the caravan had to leave tomorrow, and he needed to pack so many things today, so that they could set out early tomorrow morning. Before leaving, Zhuo Yun told Xu Ran repeatedly to take good care of Qin Shuwen and his child. Xu Ran would be held responsible if Zhuo Yun came back and found that something went wrong with them. Xu Ran kept nodding, You can just rest assured! I will definitely take good care of them. Shuwen is my sworn brother and Qingshu is my nephew, so how could I not treat them well. But you, you have to be careful on your trip. Remember, what your family wants the most is your safe return. Nothing else matters. Zhuo Yun said, I know that. Ive been traveling for so many times, and how couldnt I know these? Dont worry! I will take good care of myself, and I will keep an eye on anything about fruit trees. I will write to you then. I will definitely be back in two months at the soonest, three months at the longest. Please take care of them. Xu Ran patted Zhuo Yun on the shoulder, Okay, okay. Ill take good care of them. Stop nagging. You might as well talk to Shuwen instead of me. Hearing Xu Rans words, Zhuo Yun also felt that he had been talking to Xu Ran for too long, so he went to Qin Shuwen and whispered to him. As for what the two were talking about, no one knew. Anyway, when Zhuo Yun left, Qin Shuwens eyes were red and his face was blushing. Liu Tong was afraid that Qin Shuwen would cry when he saw this scene, so he pulled him away. Therefore, only Xu Ran was left to see Zhuo Yun off. When Zhuo Yun went far away, Xu Ran was still telling him to rest assured and leave everything at home to him. Once Zhuo Yun set out, he wouldnt be back in months. Since his relationship with Qin Shuwen had become better, they would meet each other no longer than ten days, unless Zhuo Yun was out for business. Now, suddenly they needed to be apart for so long, they indeed felt unwilling. It was not until the carriage was unseen that Xu Ran turned around and went upstairs to console Qin Shuwen with Liu Tong. Seeing Xu Ran and Liu Tong, Qin Shuwen smiled through tears before the two could say anything. Alright, you dont have to comfort me. Hes only away for a few months. Im not a child, and I wont cry or horse around. Dont worry! Im fine. Seeing him like this, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were relieved. Qin Shuwen was right. After all, he was an adult. Xu Ran told Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, take here as your own home. When you want to eat anything or use anything, just tell us about it. You dont have to be too courteous. Qin Shuwen smiled, When have I ever been courteous to you? Xu Ran thought about it and agreed. Qin Shuwen was not courteous at all when he asked him for food. He said, Then I can rest assured. Liu Tong helped Qin Shuwen clean up the room and put the things he had brought with him in order. Qin Shuwen had also brought that ewe of his. But since it had been a few months, that ewe was running out of milk, so Qingshu had to share the ewe with Baozi then. When Qingshu grew a little older, he could start to eat rice paste, so one ewe should be enough. On the 25th day of the lunar January, Xu Ran finally finished planting the 10 mu of potatoes. He also gave the potato seeds in his home to the dozen households that had agreed to buy them back then, and collected some money symbolically as the fee. After everything with potatoes was done, Xu Ran started to work on the strawberry field. All of the longterm hands were busy with their own farm work, so Xu Ran didnt ask them for help. He, together with Gao Quan and Shao Yu, the three of them went to the field, did the hoeing and nourished the seedlings themselves. Liu Tong would also spend half of the day working on the field and the rest half taking care of the children. When the children were asleep, Qin Shuwen would help do the cooking. Xu Ran thought that it was getting warmer and the children couldnt be held whole day long then, so he might as well use bamboo to make two wheelbarrows for them. They could be put into the wheelbarrows then, so it wouldnt be too difficult for Qin Shuwen to take care of them alone at the same time. However, he had to finish the farm work first. On the second day of the lunar February, just like last year, Xu Ran took the two children into the town, got them nominal haircuts and went for Qin Shuwu. He had never seen Qin Shuwu since the second day of the lunar January, nor had he gone to the Qins House. It had almost been a month. Now in such weather, everyone got busy, so the business of the fruit shop was not very good. Qin Shuwu was bored stiff, so he set up a chess game stand at the door and taught people to play chess. He only charged five pence. Finally, the shopkeepers and the clerks of the surrounding shops were taught by him how to play chess. When Xu Ran arrived with Tangtang and Guoguo, Qin Shuwu was counting the copper coins and saying, Welcome to come again! If I meet the one who sells chess, I will keep one set for you. Xu Ran found this scene familiar. Wasnt it the same scene when he had bought the longevity lock? Xu Ran walked over, Brother Qin, what are you doing? The two children were following Xu Ran and obediently called, Uncle Qin. Qin Shuwu saw Xu Ran, Tangtang and Guoguo, he got excited immediately, Well, you guys are here! I havent seen you for a long time. Im drumming up business for you! Several people have ordered chess from me. Do you have any more? If yes, give them to me at once. Xu Ran said, No, I dont. I cant make them until I finish spring ploughing. But dont worry, you wont be busy soon. What? Youve got a new idea? Qin Shuwu asked. Xu Ran said, Didnt I mention to you about the deli before? Now that spring has arrived, it will get warmer soon. We can decorate the shop, hire some people and train them. When everything is ready, then we can open the shop. Ive already selected the right shop and am waiting for your instruction. But I heard from Zhuo Yun that you wanted to do something about hills. Do you have enough cash to meet the needs? Xu Ran said, Dont worry! I know what to do and wont be short of money. But today, I happen to want to tell you about buying the hills. It was inappropriate to talk business on the street, so Qin Shuwu put away the table quickly, Lets go! Lets talk inside. Tell me everything about what you want to do indeed. Xu Ran nodded, Ive been busy recently, and it was not right time to tell you about it during the Spring Festival, so I didnt say anything. Alright then, tell me everything about it today! You must be busy recently. I didnt even know when you could come to town. When they sat down in the room, Qin Shuwu asked the clerk to make a pot of tea. As the two were talking about business, Tangtang and Guoguo got bored listening to them aside. Qin Shuwu thought that there was nothing to do in the shop now and that one clerk would be enough, so he asked the other clerk to bring Tangtang and Guoguo out on the streets and buy them whatever they wanted. Xu Ran asked the two children, Do you want to go out? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded. To be honest, they hadnt really hung out on the streets before, so of course, they wanted to go and take a look. Seeing that they wanted to go, Xu Ran said, Then you have to remember to stick to the one who takes you out. Dont get lost, alright? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded eagerly, Got it, Daddy. Xu Ran warned that clerk a few more times before letting them go out. The two children ran out recklessly as two birds that had just been released from the cage. After the children left, Xu Ran started to talk to Qin Shuwu about the deli and buying the hills. Chapter 174 Xu Ran said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, since Zhuo Yun mentioned to you that I wanted to buy hills, then I will just put everything on the table. I buy these hills just to grow fruits, and only fruits. I have selected the right place, and will go to the Yamen to go through the formalities in a few days. What kinds of fruits do you want to grow? It will take you several years to produce fruits. If you invested all your money in it, what would you do if you have to use money somewhere else? Qin Shuwu asked, frowning. I also know that. It will take three to fives years for many kinds of fruits to produce, so my family can only live on the strawberries and the deli, as well as you, Brother Qin. Qin Shuwu asked, Youve been mentioning the deli, but never told me how exactly you would like to do it. Tell me, what would you like to sell and how? As to what to sell, Xu Ran told Qin Shuwu about what the deli was selling in He Shui Town, and the items he sold would basically be the same as theirs, no additional ones. As to how to sell it, Xu Ran said, Its simple. We will just cook and season the food. Then put it in containers, and charge by catty. If someone wants to buy it, we will just weigh whatever he wants. This is convenient, but what about the price? Qin Shuwu asked. The price will naturally be higher than that of the vegetables sold on the street. After all, we put time and energy to process the food. Lets not talk about anything else, but our taste. As long as it tastes good, not only people may buy it and eat it at home, but even some restaurants may also buy from us. Therefore, the choice of chef is crucial. Qin Shuwu thought for a moment and said, Then, how about my spouse? You know his cooking skills well. You just have to write down the recipe, and I will tell him how to do it. He should be familiar with it after trying a few times at home. Xu Ran thought of Qin Shuwus spouses cooking skills and nodded, Sure! Not only his cooking skills are great, he is also family, so I can rest assured. But he alone must be too busy to do everything. Brother Qin, you have to find another one to help him. Qin Shuwu chuckled, Dont forget that there are so many Geers in our family. Whoever has time could come over to help him. Xu Ran clapped his hands, That is a great idea. Well then, Brother Qin, give me a writing brush and paper, and I will write down all the recipes for you. Now, you have to rent a shop front and renovate it as soon as possible. You are going to pay for everything for now, and I will give you my share when its done. No problem. Ive almost done renting the shop. You just have to write down what we need to buy, and leave the rest to me. Qin Shuwu said. Thank you, Brother Qin. I have been bothering you. Qin Shuwu waved his hands, Youre too courteous. We are family and you still say such things. Once you finish writing, lets talk about buying the hills to grow fruits. Qin Shuwu got up and fetch a writing brush and a stack of paper for Xu Ran as he spoke. Xu Ran wrote carefully the dish names, recipes and the ingredients down on the paper. He had filled up more than ten sheets of paper, and it became a thick stack. Qin Shuwu took it over and had a look, only to find that those were only some common vegetables, and the only thing novel was braised meat. He asked Xu Ran, Will it taste good if the meat is cooked this way? Xu Ran nodded, Dont worry about this! There must be no problem. But about the meat! We cant cook too much every day. When it gets warmer, the meat will definitely go bad if we cant sell it all the same day. We need to take advantage of the coolness now and make our name. Once the customer source is stable later, we will take reservations, and cook as much as people order. We will cook a little more at most, and sell it to individual customers. Qin Shuwu nodded, Well, lets just do as you say! I will take these back today and let my spouse try it out. Now, tell me about buying hills and growing fruits. What are you planning to do? Xu Ran said, Ive been thinking about growing fruits for a long time. You also know that although I have the title of Xiucai, I do have no talent for being an official, nor am I good at farming, but mainly because it takes a lot of time to gain profit by farming. Ive thought it over and over again and finally could come up with this idea. Arent I growing strawberries at home? This is just the beginning. Later, I will gradually grow whatever fruits that can be grown. Then I will live on these. Zhuo Yun and I are both agreed that he will give up traveling on business once he finishes his trip this time. After all, he is gone for several months and has no idea what happened at home, and the family also doesnt know what happened to him, so we are worried. I just asked him to join me. Later, I thought about it. Neither of us know anything, but Brother Qin, you run fruit business, so I also want you to join us. What about your opinion? Xu Ran was being straightforward. It was just because he and Zhuo Yun knew nothing about fruits that they thought of asking Qin Shuwu to join them. If they could do it themselves, they would definitely not let him have a finger in the pie. Qin Shuwu smiled after listening to him, You guys are still so green. I dont care whether I will gain profit or not, because my family can live on this fruit shop. Shuwen is my younger brother and you are my sworn brother, so Ill just get involved in it! If you want me to do anything, just say it. I will do whatever I can. If I cant, you need to sort it out yourselves! Xu Ran kept nodding, Brother Qin, dont worry about this. What Zhuo Yun and I are thinking is that you could help us find the fruit trees. You have been selling fruits for so many years, so you must have the connections and know where to get those trees. Zhuo Yun and I will think of ways to solve other problems. We cant let you do everything, while we two just sit back and reap the rewards, right? You get to the point. I like it. Qin Shuwu smiled. Then he continued, Tell me what kinds of fruit trees you want! Ill look out for them for you. You have to buy the hills and finish hoeing as soon as possible, so that when I get those fruit trees, you could take them back and grow them. The timing now is perfect, and many trees can survive. Alright. Xu Ran nodded, I think so too, so I came to you now. Then, Brother Qin, please help me look out for them. I will go to the Yamen to go through the formalities in the next few days, and then I can rest assured. Sure. Qin Shuwu thought for a while and added, You have to take good care of Shuwen at your home! I also knew the relationship between him and Zhuo Yun, and I wont ask him to stay at our home. After all, he is a married Geer. Even if my family members dont talk about him, the neighbors will gossip about it. Sorry to trouble you. Brother Qin, you told me not to be too courteous, but arent you being courteous by saying these? Not to mention that Shuwen is my sworn brother, I wont treat him poorly in terms of my relationship with Zhuo Yun. Just rest assured! I realized that as long as you mentioned Shuwen, you would keep nagging like Zhuo Yun. The last remark was somewhat joking. Qin Shuwu heard him and got a little shy. Even though Qin Shuwen already had a baby, he still regarded him as that child. After they finished talking about business, the two started to make some idle talk. About noon, the clerk came back with Tangtang and Guoguo. Their cheeks were flushed, probably because they had got blown by the wind outside. Xu Ran pulled the two children over to him and rubbed their cheeks one by one, Did you have a great time? What did you see? Did you buy anything? The two children nodded at the same time, and the spokesman of the twins, Tangtang, said, We went to many places. We havent seen them before. Well, we bought things for our younger brothers and Daddy. Nothing for me? Xu Ran looked bitter. Well Tangtang lowered his head and remained silent. Xu Ran looked at Guoguo, and Guoguo copied what Tangtang was doing. Xu Ran threw up his hands, Alright! Ill forgive you this time. You must remember Dad next time! Tangtang and Guoguo raised their heads and smiled, Dad, we will remember you from now on. Xu Ran smiled and said, Okay, then Ill keep this in mind. Yeah. The two children kept nodding. Xu Ran said, We are going back now. Say goodbye to Uncle Qin. Before the two children could speak, Qin Shuwu said, Its already noon. Have lunch here before go back! A lunch wont cost you too much time. Xu Ran thought that the two children had hung out for the whole morning and they must be hungry, so he nodded, Alright, then we will have lunch here before going back! Great! Dad, Guoguo and I are hungry. Tangtang said to Xu Ran as he touched his stomach. Then, Brother Qin, are you going back for lunch or eating with us? Xu Ran asked. Qin Shuwu touched his chin and said, Arent you going to my house together with me? Xu Ran shook his head, No, we can just go to Mr. Chens restaurant for lunch. If we go to your house, we have to bother your spouse and the others. Wed better not go. Qin Shuwu said, Well then, I will go with you guys! Okay, then lets go! Xu Ran led the two children and went out as he spoke. Hearing that they were going to have lunch at the restaurant, the two children were happy. After all, they had never been to a restaurant before. If Xu Ran hadnt come to town, they wouldnt even have the chance to come to town, let alone go to the restaurant to have lunch. Although they didnt say anything, the two children actually knew that, so they had been asking Xu Ran about the food in the restaurant all the way. Looking at the two excited children, Xu Ran said, When you arrive at the restaurant later, you can order whatever you want to eat. Dad will pay for the bill. Dad, youre the best. The two children smiled very happily. Seeing this, Qin Shuwu, who was following them, couldnt help but smile. What two adorable children! C Chapter 175 Mr. Chen had seen these two kids before. Tangtang and Guoguo, with two identical cute faces, plus their clever and sensible personality, were very lovable. Seeing Tangtang and Guoguo, Mr. Chen fancied them very much, and he greeted Xu Ran and the others in a hurry. He and Qin Shuwu were acquaintances, since they both ran business in the town. Mr. Chen smiled at Qin Shuwu, Mr. Qin is really a sight for sore eyes! I am honored with your visit. Qin Shuwu smiled, Sure. Since this is my first visit here, will Mr. Chen treat me nicely? Qin Shuwu was joking obviously, which drew close their relationship at once. Mr. Chen responded with a smile, Of course, I will surely serve you well. Just order any signature dishes in my restaurant, and I will only charge you half the price today. Charging him half the price could both do Qin Shuwu a favor, and get paid without belittling him. No wonder Mr. Chen was a qualified businessman, speaking in a smooth and pleasing way. Especially that he said he could order any signature dishes in the restaurant, many of which rationed supplies. Xu Ran smiled. Mr. Chen, Brother Qin, can you two dispense with the formalities? We are starved. Mr. Chen, if you really want to do us good! Quickly serve us a few dishes! Tangtang and Guoguo also looked at Mr. Chen with an expectant look, which was irresistible to Mr. Chen, who immediately said, Sure, sure. Ill serve you dishes immediately. Tangtang and Guoguo, order whatever you like. As soon as Mr. Chen said this, the waiter came over to report the names of dishes for them. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at Xu Ran blankly as they had no idea about what were the dishes mentioned by the waiter. Xu Ran was also a little stunned because he didnt know the names either. Maybe he could guess literally if they were written down. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, dont report the dish names, since we dont know what they are. Just serve us a few dishes directly, but dont serve the ones I brought over. Wed like to eat something novel. Mr. Chen was annoyed when he heard it. Xu Ran, are you serious? You are bored with those dishes that the others are desiring but fail to get! If you are so bored with them, why dont you send some to me? Having rubbed it in, Xu Ran quickly got up to appease him, Mr. Chen, calm down. I have no other intentions. For the first time, I brought two kids to eat at your restaurant. Shall I give them some food that they havent tasted before? Save the other dishes for the other guests. Isnt that better? Humph! Mr. Chen snorted coldly, obviously not wanting to talk to Xu Ran. Xu Ran whispered to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, I have an good idea. Get me a private room and Ill share it with you. The moment he heard the word idea, Mr. Chens eyes lit up, but he didnt show it on his face, and maintained his indifferent expression. Xu Ran pulled at Mr. Chens sleeve. Mr. Chen, Im serious. If you dont agree, Ill share it with someone else. Xu Ran pretended to leave. Knowing it was a blackmail, Mr. Chen could not help but get angry! Stop! Xu Ran, remember this. If you cant come up with a good idea today, I will charge you twice the price today. Xu Ran smiled, What if youre satisfied? Satisfied, then Ill treat you to a free meal! Mr. Chen still wore an arrogant look on his face. Xu Ran was amused. He didnt expect that Mr. Chen, at this age, still got moody. Fortunately, not many people were in the restaurant right now, and they were eating in their seats without seeing this scene, otherwise many people would have made fun of him. Mr. Chen asked the waiter to take Xu Ran and the rest to the private room upstairs, and mentioned a few dishes for the waiter to inform the kitchen. He also asked the waiter to bring a dish of pastries for the two kids to eat. It was quite thoughtful. They were the only guests upstairs. The two kids were really starved and pitched into the pastries. Qin Shuwu took the opportunity to ask Xu Ran, Xu Ran, what is your idea? So mysterious! Xu Ran chuckled, Its nothing sophisticated, but it will be much more convenient once applied in the restaurant. Then tell me, whats the idea? The suspense makes me itchy. Qin Shuwu said unhappily. Yeah! Me too. Tell us! As soon as Qin Shuwu finished, Mr. Chen pushed the door open and entered. Xu Ran said, Mr. Chen, its fine that you didnt knock upon the door before you came in. However you didnt even bring a plate of food here. Thats too much! Mr. Chen didnt expect to be questioned by Xu Ran. He smiled and said, Xu Ran! Dont forget this restaurant is mine! Besides, Im a shopkeeper at least. Im not responsible for serving food. You just tell me what the idea is, and you can enjoy your meal. I promise that I wont go up here again. There were so many twists and turns only for a meal; Xu Ran also felt troublesome. Thus, he nodded, Okay! The idea is actually very simple: make a menu and let the people who come to the restaurant read it by themselves. Those who read would rather read it by themselves. As to those who cant read, the waiter will report the menu for them, so there wouldnt be an awkward situation. Xu Ran paused for a moment and then continued, The menu must be delicate, which will make people desire to open it as long as they see it. The dish names on it should be exquisite, too, and they should be easy to understand. As soon as people see them, they will know what they are made from, and whether they are something they want to eat. Mr. Chen burst into laughter upon hearing Xu Rans words, Ha-ha! This is a good idea! Okay! I will do as you said. You know, a lot of scholarly people frequent my restaurant and they are very particular about eating. Xu Ran, this idea is really good. Ha-ha! Ill have it made tomorrow. When its ready, give me some advice. Finishing his words, Mr. Chen went out, just in time for the waiter to deliver the food. Mr. Chen waved his hand and said that this meal was for free. Xu Ran didnt care much. It was already past noon, and he had long been hungry. The bill could wait after the dinner. Of course, eating for free would definitely be the best. After dinner, Xu Ran didnt pay for the meal, since Mr. Chen had said that he would spare their payment. Not only did Xu Ran eat his fill, but he packed some and took it away, not standing on ceremony with Mr. Chen at all. Qin Shuwu made fun of him, saying that he got more than he bargained for. Xu Ran looked proud. Both eating and taking for free were also a skill set. When they got home, it was quite late. As soon as they returned home, Tangtang and Guoguo gave the things they bought on the street away to the other family members, as if they was offering them some treasures. Though the things were not expensive, they were the good will of the two kids. Everyone who received the gifts was very happy, and praised the two kids so much until they were embarrassed. Then the twins slipped into the room claiming to practice calligraphy. Xu Ran didnt join in the fun. He greeted those at home and went out to village heads house. Village heads family were busy planting potatoes. They had bought a few mu of wasteland to plant potatoes, but had not hired hands to reclaim it. Thus, they were much slower than the others. When Xu Ran arrived at their home, he didnt see anyone. While the weather was fine these days, village heads family were busy with tail-in work. Xu Ran did not know where the village heads land was. He circled their house without seeing anyone, so Xu Ran decided to quit looking for them. He thought about coming over at dinnertime the next day! Maybe it would not be good to interrupt their meal, but he would surely find them then. On his way back, Xu Ran suddenly wanted to visit Xu Family. It was impossible for Xu Cheng to come back. Anyway, the fact that Xu Family had come down like this was more or less his obligation to offer them a hand. Xu Familys door was closed, and it was unknown whether anyone was home. Xu Ran knocked at the door. After a while, the door was opened, and the one who opened it was Xu Qiang, the person who had been bullying Tangtang and Guoguo back then. He was now skinny. Seeing that it was Xu Ran, he was a little surprised. But he didnt call anyone, nor did he let him come in. At this moment, Elder Daddy Xus voice came from inside, Xu Qiang, who is it? Xu Qiang didnt say anything. Probably he didnt know what to say. Xu Ran didnt say anything, either and kept standing at the door. The scene was a little awkward. Seeing that Xu Qiang didnt reply, Elder Daddy Xu came out with a curse. In fact, Xu Ran didnt understand why he was always cursing. Although he was a Geer, his cursing skill was even better than a modern womans. Elder Daddy Xu went to the door and saw that it was Xu Ran. Looking even more sullen, he asked, What are you doing here? Are you coming to watch how miserable we have come down to without Xu Cheng? The words were a little harsh, but Xu Ran thought it could be understood. He shook his head, I dont mean that. Im just here to check. Check? What are you checking? Whether are we dead? But I have to disappoint you. Our family are still alive and well. He said that with a smug expression. Xu Ran felt that the words of Elder Daddy Xu today were the smoothest he ever said, also the most serious ones, which was perhaps because they had never talked properly. Xu Ran said, Since you guys are very well, then I can rest assured. I will go back now. Xu Ran then turned and left. Maybe Elder Daddy Xu still had some unspoken words, or wanted to curse, but he didnt hear any of those. Elder Daddy Xu, who saw that Xu Ran turned around and left, felt even angrier. They were not doing well now and were badly in need of Xu Rans help, but before he could say it, Xu Ran had left, without even looking back. Bah! After Xu Ran left, Elder Daddy Xu spit and cursed. Then he closed the door and pulled Xu Qiang in. Xu Qiang opened his mouth and finally didnt ask what he wanted to. Now in this house, he and Xu Hui could only rely on Elder Daddy Xu and Xu Houcai to survive. After so many things, he was no longer the Xu Qiang who only knew about bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Elder Daddy Xu seemed to be unwilling to let Xu Ran leave just like that. After entering the house, he started to curse again, and even started to smash things. Xu Houcai just came back with a hoe on his shoulder. Seeing this, he asked Xu Hui and Xu Qiang what had happened. Xu Hui shook his head, indicating that he did not know what was going on. Xu Qiang hesitated for a moment and told him that Xu Ran had been here and the words he had said. Xu Houcai sighed and went to put down the hoe without saying anything. While working, Elder Daddy Xu was still cursing tirelessly. At this, Xu Houcai just shook his head. This family was no longer like a family. All had fallen apart. He didnt even know how long he could hold on, nor did he know what to do with the two kids. Xu Houcai sighed. Xu Qiang and Xu Hui standing outside the door looked at each other without saying anything. Other than themselves, nobody knew what they were thinking. When Xu Ran got home, he had dinner, and slept. This day had passed, and Xu Ran felt exhausted. It seemed that he could only relax during sleeping time every day. Chapter 176 Because he wanted to settle the matter of buying the mountain as soon as possible, Xu Ran went to the village heads house early the next morning and asked for it. The village head knew that this would be done sooner or later. He had gone to Yamen to inquire about it for Xu Ran during the spring festival. The Yamen assured him that as long as Xu Ran paid money and got the deed, it meant that he was the owner of the mountain. The money of buying the mountain was calculated according to the half price of buying wasteland, which was less than he had thought. However, the area of the mountain Xu Ran had chosen was not small, so he still had to spend a lot of money on it. The village head let Xu Ran enter the house and told him, Xu Ran! Ive already made everything clear about buying the mountain, and my work in the field is almost done. Thus today, Ill go to the town with you to handle the matter, so that you dont need to care about it every day. Xu Ran was very happy after hearing this, Village head, thank you so much. Im really not at ease if I cant get this deed for the mountain! Without it, I can do nothing on the mountain. Xu Ran, why are you buying this mountain? I dont think youve ever mentioned this, asked the village head. Xu Ran thought that even if the village head or the other people in the village knew about it, it would not matter to him. Not to mention anything else, buying the mountains or buying fruit trees would cost a large amount of money. If the villagers had that amount of money, they would probably not have lived in this kind of place. Thus Xu Ran told the village head frankly that he wanted to plant fruit trees on the mountain. He didnt expect the village head to agree with him. The village head told him, When I was young, I saw this somewhere else. Many people there were growing fruit trees and relying on selling fruits for living. Their life was much better than ours. Xu Ran! Just try your best to do it! I will definitely support you. In the future, we will have to rely on you for help. Xu Ran didnt expect the village head to have such an idea. He nodded and replied, Village head, of course, Ill try my best to help our village. Xu Ran! To be honest, the Xu Village must thank you. You dont know that there hasnt been a Xiucai in our village for a long time. Over the years, we dont even have a single pupil. Compared with the nearby villages, this is the most shameful thing for us. In addition, the villagers life is not rich, and those who have children at the age of marriage are very worried. They have to ask people everywhere to help introduce them partners, and they are afraid that their requests will be rejected. Alas! The village head sighed heavily, his tone full of helplessness. Xu Ran was stunned for a moment. He did not expect that the title of Xiucai would have such a big impact. He clearly saw many children going to school! Then why was there no Xiucai at all here? Xu Ran expressed his doubts after thinking about it. The village head turned around and replied, Xu Ran! You may not be aware of all these. The reason why we have so many students here now is that the private tutors remuneration here is relatively small. Another reason is that there are no schools in some nearby villages. As for the third reason for the fact that there are more students here this year than before, it is all because of you. You are the Xiucai in the Xu Village so many people now want to send their children to the school here. In this way, they think they can be also blessed like you. In addition, arent your two precious sons also studying in the school? You may not know all these, but others know them very well. Xu Ran was even more surprised to hear that. He did not expect that there was such a time when the news spread so well in ancient times. The village head waved his hand, All right. Lets stop talking about this. By the way, have you eaten breakfast? If not, why not eat at my house? After that, well go to town together. Xu Ran replied, Village head, Im going back for breakfast. My family have got it ready. Im just here to see when you have time. You can wait for me at home after eating breakfast. Ill drive a carriage and pick you up at your gate. With that, Xu Ran went away without giving the village head a chance to keep him. Seeing Xu Rans running back, the village head shook his head helplessly. He wondered how he could still be so impetuous even when he was already the dad of three children? When Xu Ran got home, he saw his breakfast placed on the table. He quickly washed his hands and sat down while urging Tangtang and Guoguo to have breakfast. After eating, they should go to school. And he said that he was going to town today. He told the family that some Yamen runners might come to their house for dinner at noon, and Xu Ran let Shao Yu prepare a few more dishes. He reminded Shao Yu not to take potatoes, dried bamboo shoots and so on out so that they might avoid the unnecessary trouble. Shao Yu nodded, I got it. Dont worry! I will definitely prepare the dishes well. Hmm, replied Xu Ran and then he continued, I am not sure how many Yamen runners may come for dinner this time, but we have to prepare enough food. Dont take wine out this time. Just pretend that we dont have any wine at home. Shao Yu, put the wine in the cellar. Im afraid that drinking too much will cause trouble. Okay, I will store the wine away, Shao Yu said. Xu Ran thought about it and felt that there shouldnt be anything else. After all, the Yamen runners were just here for a meal but not search their house. There shouldnt be any problems. Besides, he was a Xiucai now, and the Yamen runners wouldnt have to trouble him for no reason. After breakfast, Xu Ran first sent Tangtang and Guoguo to school. Then he spun his carriage round to pick up the village head. On the way, the village head told him that the Yamen runners would probably come with them today. It was thus necessary to keep them for lunch. He reminded Xu Ran to get ready for it. Xu Ran assured him, Village head, dont worry! I have already enjoined my family about it. The village head nodded, Thats fine. Although these Yamen runners are petty officials, they are still members from the government. If the reception is not good, things will be very troublesome in the future. Since you know it, I wont gossip now. Xu Ran smiled, No matter what, thank you for your reminder. Both of them didnt go on talking and drove the carriage all the way to the town. When they arrived at the Yamen, they first explained their purpose. The Zhubu( the section official in chief) had seen Xu Ran and the village head many times. He especially remembered Xu Ran, who used to come with the certificate of Xiucai to apply for the tax exemption. Indeed, Xu Ran and the village head had been here quite frequently. Xu Ran expressed his intention to the Zhubu. When hearing that Xu Ran was going to buy a mountain, the Zhubu was surprised and kindly reminded him, Xiucai Xu, its not cheap to buy a mountain. And how large mountain do you want to buy then? Xu Ran smiled. Im not sure how large thise mountain is. I have to ask someone to measure it first. Since thats the case, Ill send someone to go with you guys then! With that, the Zhubu sent for two Yamen runners, saying that he had assignments for them. Actually in such a small town, there were no high-ranking officials, and the Zhubu was basically the top leader there. Usually, there was nothing serious happening. If there was indeed something serious, the Xiancheng (the assistant of the county magistrate) would come to deal with it. Till now, however, Xu Ran had never seen the Xiancheng in person. The Zhubu didnt talk much. He just told the two runners to take the tools and go with Xu Ran to the Xu Village. Usually the Yamen runners would go to the Xu Village on foot. It happened that today Xu Ran and the village head came by carriage, so they just took a lift. On the way, the Yamen runners asked Xu Ran how much money he paid for the carriage in a roundabout manner. Xu Ran understood what they meant by asking this question, but he couldnt tell the truth. Xu Ran then replied, My lord, you are joking. How can I afford this carriage! This carriage belongs to a friend of mine. He is doing some small business in the town and has gone out recently. No one is looking after the horse for him, so he asked me to help take care of it. Thats why I drive the carriage out today. The Zhubu did not tell them anything in detail. In addition, it was the other runners who had gone to the Xu Village for the land measurement before, so these two runners did not know that Xu Ran was a Xiucai. They only took him as a farmer in the field. The expression they showed when they looked at Xu Rans carriage and horse made him extremely unhappy. Fortunately, Xu Ran was driving in the front of the carriage while the village head sat with the two Yamen runners inside. After arriving at the village, Xu Ran felt not good to directly ask them to go for the measurement. On the way, he had found that these two runners were not so friendly nor decent. Xu Ran also felt that if they two saw his house, their thoughts would be even more different. He was afraid that they would not believe his story about the carriage. But there was no way out. He didnt expect things to be that way. If he had known it earlier, he would have asked Shao Yu to go to the bamboo house to prepare the dinner. Xu Ran sighed. He was about to stop the carriage at the door of his house when the village head stopped him, Xu Ran! Go to my house! Your spouse may be busy taking care of the children and cannot serve the meal to the two officials. So why not go to my house? My spouse should be free at home today. Xu Ran knew that the village head had seen through the two Yamen runners thoughts. He paused and then continued to drive the carriage forward. It was really lucky that the village head was willing to help him. After this incident, he really had to thank the village head. When they reached the village heads house, Xu Ran stopped the carriage. The village head got out of the carriage first, and then went to the yard to announce their guests coming. Spouse Chen happened to be at home. Xiaomi grabbed the corner of his clothes and stood next to him. He looked outside and saw that the two people who came down from the carriage. As he didnt know the two new comers, he hid himself behind Spouse Chen. Spouse Chen was stunned when he saw the two men dressed as Yamen runners. However, he remembered what Xu Ran had said in the morning and understood what was going on. He persuaded Xiaomi to go inside the house to play; then he smiled and greeted the guests. After all, Spouse Chen was the village heads spouse, and he had seen many Yamen runners over the years. He knew about the etiquette that he should have. He politely invited the guests into the house and served them warm water. Xu Ran took the opportunity to say that he wanted to go home and report his family that he would have lunch here. Before the Yamen runners could say something, the village head waved at him, Go, just go ahead! But you have to prepare well, understand? Xu Ran nodded in a hurry, Definitely. Xu Ran then nodded at the two Yamen runners and left. He ran back and told them to change the place to the bamboo house. After Xu Ran left, the village head smiled and said to the two Yamen runners, My lords, please dont laugh at us. Xu Ran is a scholar and he just became a Xiucai last year. He knew little about many family matters. Thus he has to depend on his spouse for help. I hope you two can understand it. The village head seemed to have unintentionally revealed Xu Rans Xiucai identity. Though Xiucai was not an official of high-ranking, the Yamen runners still dared not to offend Xu Ran anyway. The two Yamen runners frowned upon hearing that Xu Ran was a Xiucai. They originally wanted to make a fortune from this trip, but now it seemed that it was impossible. They were clear that Xiucai was not an official of high-ranking, but he was a respected scholar anyway Chapter 177 Xu Ran rushed into the kitchen in a hurry once he went home. He saw that Shao Yu and Liu Tong were both in the kitchen and then said to them. Tongtong and Shao Yu, Go to clean up the bamboo house hurriedly and we will have lunch there today. Shao Yu, Gao Quan and Shuwen, dont go over there because two Yamen runners will come here today and they would not be as friendly as the ones before. Liu Tong hadnt immediately understood Xu Rans words but Shao Yu did. Because Shao Yu had followed Gao Quan to travel all over the world for many years, so he had seen this kind of thing many times and he also had encountered it himself once upon a time. Shao Yu said, Got it. Ill quickly carry the stuff over there and come back after cooking as soon as possible. Liu Tong had probably understood after thinking for a while. He started to help Shao Yu pack up without saying anything. Xu Ran went to tell Gao Quan and Qin Shuwen, Dont go out today, dont open the door and leave all four dogs outside to guard the door. They had no objection to it. It was just for today anyway and would be fine later. Furthermore, it was better to keep a low profile so as not to attract the attention of the two Yamen runners or to cause any trouble in the future. Xu Ran opened the door of the bamboo house with the key after giving these instructions, making it look like someone was living inside. Shao Yu and the others was also carrying the stuff here gradually. Xu Ran had been busy with all these for a while and it was almost the time to see the Yamen runners. He could just take them to measure the area in the mountain before lunch. Then he would go to town to get the things done after lunch. When Xu Ran returned to the village heads house, the village chief first said, Why have you gone so long that the two lords have been waiting here for a long time? Xu Ran apologised with a smile, Im really sorry. Only my spouse is at home and he still has to take care of the child. His hands are full tied so I have stayed for a little longer to help him. The village head understood what Xu Ran meant after hearing Xu Rans words. He coughed twice and said, Now that youre back, lets go up the mountain! Dont waste the time of the two officials. All right, all right, Xu Ran nodded repeatedly, My lords, please. Being called by Xu Ran like this, the two Yamen runners said with respect, Xiucai Xu, you are too polite. We really cant bear the title. Just call us by our names! My name is Liu. He is Wang. Xu Ran guessed that it was the village head who had told them that he was a Xiucai, but he couldnt really call them by their names. Xu Ran nodded without saying a word and walked out of the door to lead the way, while the coordination was left to the village head. The village head was also a person who could play it by ear and the Yamen runners also hadnt shown any dissatisfaction. The village head didnt know the place where Xu Ran was going to buy until Xu Ran pointed to the place when they arrived at the mountain. The village head couldnt help feeling a little worried, Xu Ran! Can you plant fruit trees on this kind of slope? Xu Ran smiled, Village head, dont worry! I know what to do. This is just the right place. The Yamen runners started to measure the area according to what Xu Ran said, while the village head was using stone on the ground to record the number that the Yamen runners said. It had been taken a while to measure the area and Xu Ran was looking at the Yamen runners all the time to see if they were doing something to cheat him. Xu Ran really had found it a few times, but he didnt say it out. Instead, he just walked over to them and chatted with them. It was so obvious that Xu Ran could see as long as he had eyes, the two Yamen runners must not have gone too far in front of Xu Ran. As the Yamen runners also knew that Xu Ran would have perceived their little trick. After trying to exaggerate area a few times, they started to measure the area seriously. It was finally measured to be 50 mu for this place on the mountain. It was not big for the whole mountain, but it was really big in terms of planting. It was fifty taels for fifty mu according to one mu was calculated at a price of one tael. Xu Ran didnt think it was expensive, but the village head still felt Xu Ran lost too much as it was not a fertile land and nothing could grow well in it. Xu Ran did not care about it and said to the village head, Village head, if its a good place, I probably wont be easy to buy it. Not to mention Yamen, even the villagers must have complaints. Though it is not good now, I can cultivate it by myself, and then no one could say anything. The village head felt Xu Rans words were indeed reasonable at the thought of the villagers, so he said, Your call! You have to buy it even if you dont want now since the area has been measured already. Xu Ran chuckled and walked over to greet the Yamen runners, Thank you for your hard work. Lets have lunch at my house! I will go to the town to handle the deed with you after lunch. The Yamen runners both nodded in agreement when hearing Xu Ran wanted to invite them to lunch. They didnt notice the newly renovated house of Xu Ran on their way up the mountain. But when they went downhills, they could see the house easily. It was a newly built house with black bricks and tiles, which looked very big and could belong to only extremely wealthy people in the town. One of the runners asked the village head, I didnt expect there is such a nice house in your village. Whose house is it? Xu Ran looked at the village head and found that he had no intention of saying, so Xu Ran said, Sir, the owner of this house is also from the town and used to live in Xu Village. Later, he moved to the town since he had made a fortune in business. However, the owner is nostalgic, so he came back to build that house last year and often comes back to live for some time. Is there usually no one living in such a good house? I really want to visit the owner of this house, another runner echoed. I am not clear, but someone should live there! The family has four big dogs and strangers would be biten as long as they approach the house. And Xu Ran pretended that it was inconvenient to say the remaining words and stopped. Since Xu Ran had said like this, how could the two of them not understand? The runner immediately shook his head, Since thats the case, forget it! The owner may also not be at home. Xu Ran nodded hurriedly. I think so. I live near the house and havent seen them for a long time. The two runners looked at the bamboo house, which was the only one next to the green brick house, and then pointed at it, asking, Is this your house? Xu Ran nodded, Im guilty of burying myself in books, so my life is not very good. Now, Ive figured out that I should live a life well before thinking about studying. Furthermore, the exam will be taken in two years, so I decide to buy this mountain with everything I have. The two runners looked at the Xu Rans bamboo house, and then compared the green brick house next to him: Xu Rans status in their mind dropped again. Xu Ran did not care about that, not to mention the fact that the village head turned a blind eye to his lies. He did not want the runners to know the truth and then to blackmail some money out of him. In this situation, he would give them a little more taels at most. But once they knew that the owner of the house was him, he probably wouldnt know how many times it would be higher than the current price. Qin Shuwen was still there. Xu Ran could not believe that runners would not have an improper thought of Qin Shuwen. As the road was not far away, so they had arrived at the bamboo house after got down the mountain. Xu Ran called Liu Tongs name outside the yard of the bamboo house, Tongtong, were here. Is lunch ready? When he heard Xu Rans calling, Liu Tong wiped his hands and carried Baozi in his arms to walk out. He nodded to Xu Ran. Its ready to eat. Xu Ran introduced Liu Tong to the two Yamen runners, This is my spouse. We have prepared some simply food at home. Hope you can enjoy it. Liu Tong didnt say anything, just bowed down to salute. Xu Ran led them inside. The food and chopsticks had been already prepared well on the table. Liu Tong walked behind them. After serving the food for them, he carried the child into the room. After all, it was not convenient for him, a Geer, to be here. As Xu Rans order, Liu Tong did not prepare any wine. These two Yamen runners probably just thought that Xu Rans family had no wine and would not think too much. These were just simple and home-made dishes. The runners were quite satisfied with the dishes and praised Liu Tong for his good cooking skills. Xu Ran responded modestly, He is a country folk. Its our pleasure to have your praise. Xu Ran took the advantage of getting rice for the two runners to give each of them a bunch of copper coins with 500 copper plates. Xu Ran didnt say anything else and both of them understood. It was easy to communicate with the runners naturally after they accepted the money,. Xu Ran didnt let his guests leave right away after lunch. He asked Liu Tong to boil some water,. Then, each of them drank a bowl of boiled water with sugar and they also chatted for a while before the two runners left. On the way, the two of them didnt make difficulties for Xu Ran and didnt talk much. It was probably because they had accepted Xu Rans money. After arriving at the Yamen, the runners honestly reported the area of the mountain that Xu Ran had bought, and then their job had been done. What came next would be the matter of the Zhubu. The village head had already inquired about the price earlier. Xu Ran gave the money directly and the Zhubu sealed the deed. No pay, no goods. Then the area of mountain was Xu Rans after the process. Obviously, Xu Ran was so overjoyed that he kissed the deed hard when he turned around. If there wasnt someone else at the scene, Xu Ran would have screamed directly. He had finally taken the first step for the plan of this year. Xu Ran didnt go back immediately. He also wanted to visit Zhuo Yuns mansion. Although there was the housekeeper as well as other servants and there was nothing to do for Xu Ran, it was still better for him to take a look; after all, Zhuo Yun had told him to take care of his spouse and home before he left. Chapter 178 It was just past lunch time, Xu Ran did not think it appropriate to ask the village head to wait for him in the restaurant. Thinking for a moment, Xu Ran decided to go to Zhuo Yuns house together with the village head. After all, he was just going to visit and greet Housekeeper Zhuo and the others. Xu Ran said to the village head, Village head, I have to go to Zhuo Yuns mansion. Hes not at home now, but he asked me to look after his home when hes away. He has been gone for more than ten days now, and I should go and take a look. Village head, please go with me and well come back together. Anyway, we wont have time to do anything else today. The village head nodded. Alright, Ill go with you. Xu Ran walked in front and the village head followed behind him. They came to Zhuo Yuns seed shop first. It happened to be the time to buy seeds recently, so the business there was very good. There were a lot of customers when Xu Ran arrived, so the shopkeeper was too busy to greet him. Xu Ran stood next to the shopkeeper and asked him a few questions. The shopkeeper said everything in the shop was in order. Seeing that the shopkeeper was busy, Xu Ran didnt stay any longer and turned to the Zhuo Mansion. Without the two masters, Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen, the Zhuo Mansion became even colder. It was Housekeeper Zhuo who opened the door for them and he was as energetic as ever. Seeing Xu Ran, he smiled and greeted him, Mr. Xu, welcome. Does the lord need anything? Xu Ran shook his head, No, Im just here to see you. When Zhuo Yun left, he asked me to help look after his home. Housekeeper Zhuo, how many people are there in the residence now? Housekeeper Zhuo said, Only three, a cook, a cleaner and me. The shopkeeper will also come back in the evening. Alas, with fewer people in such a large house, its really lonely. Mr. Xu and village head, come in ,please! Although they had nothing important, it was not good to talk at the door. Xu Ran nodded and walked into the room, followed by the village head. In the living room, Housekeeper Zhuo brew tea for them. Xu Ran asked Housekeeper Zhuo to sit down and have a chat with him, without considering he was just a servant. Xu Ran asked Housekeeper Zhuo, Housekeeper Zhuo, how are you? Since there is nothing in the mansion that you need to worry about now, take good care of yourself and dont be too tired. Housekeeper Zhuo laughed, Mr. Xu, I am just enjoying a happy life here. I dont need to work and someone even serves the meal in my hand. There is nothing wrong in the mansion and please rest assured. Then he asked Xu Ran, How are the lord and the little master? Does the little master often cry? Maybe the ewes milk is not enough. How about buying another one? Xu Ran said, Shuwen and Qingshu are very good. Qingshu is getting better and better looking. That ewe has run out of milk, but dont worry, we have another one in our family. In addition, Qingshu can eat rice paste slowly, so it should be enough. If you miss them, go and see them. You can come in the family carriage, Its very fast. Housekeeper Zhuo said, Ill go and visit them with the shopkeeper when he is not busy. I just remembered that I havent visited your new house yet. The shopkeeper has mentioned it to me quite a few times, and for this reason I must call at your house one day, said Housekeeper Zhuo with a smile. Xu Ran smiled as well. After chatting a few more words, he left with the village head. On their way back, Xu Ran bought some wine and pastries. The wine was for the village head, and he also gave the village head some pastries for his children. The rest were for his children and spouse. Xu Ran sent the village head to his door. When the village head got out of the car, Xu Ran stuffed one tale of silver to him. Looking at the village heads confused eyes, Xu Ran smiled and said, Thanks to you today. If you hadnt been here, I dont konw what would have happened. The village head also smiled,Xu Ran, the Yamen runners who will come to our village are different every time. Only the two of them dare to act like that. Dont worry! If there is anything to claim next time, other Yamen runners should come. The person in charge of this town is Zhubu who is considered as a good official. He wont let go of these two people. Xu Ran nodded, indicating that he understood it, but he did not believe it very much. After all, the performance of these two Yamen runners could not be developed in a short time. Zhubu still allowed them to work there, probably because there were someone powerful background! He knew that bureaucrats shielded one another and also knew what the consequence would be. But it didnt matter, he wouldnt go to the Yamen in the near future. Also, the two Yamen runners would not come to make trouble with him for no reason. He would be content as long as he could live in peace and quiet. Xu Ran said to the village head, Village head, I didnt give you the silver for nothing. Youve been running the errands with me for a whole day today and helped me a lot. Please take it as my gratitude. The village head shook the wine in his hand, Xu Ran! Youve already bought me the wine. I definitely cant accept the silver anymore. After that, the village head returned the silver to Xu Ran. This meant that he wouldnt accept the silver anymore. Xu Ran didnt persist, and he was glad that he had bought the wine for him, otherwise it would really be a waste of time for him . Xu Ran said, Village head, since you wont accept the money, I will take it back. If you need any help in the future, I will do my best. The village head looked at Xu Ran and smiled. Its a deal! Dont worry! I definitely wont stand on ceremony with you. Xu Ran knew what he said was true and nodded, Of course, I will do as I said. Please get in now, village head! I will go back too. Ive been out for a whole day today and I havent even got to hold my baby yet. Waving his hand, the village head said, Okay, okay, go back! Ive never seen a man who likes to hold babies as much as you do. Thats what Geers are supposed to do. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said in his heart, Ive seen someone like me. Compared with him, Im nothing to mention. Seeing the village head enter his house, Xu Ran turned the carriage round and went home. Tangtang and Guoguo left school earlier today. They were already at home when Xu Ran went back. Havent seen Xu Ran for a day, they all surrounded him and would not leave. Seeing this, Liu Tong said jealously, holding Baozi in his arms, Tangtang and Guoguo just greeted me when they came back, and then they went to see their brother. However, when you come back, they stuck to you all the time. I feel like a fifth wheel! Tangtang Guoguo and Xu Ran all heard what Liu Tong said. Xu Ran looked at the two children and asked, What should we do? Daddy is angry. Tilting their heads, Tangtang and Guoguo looked at Xu Ran and then at Liu Tong. They immediately let go of Xu Rans thigh and leaned over to Liu Tong. Daddy is not a fifth wheel. We are wrong. We will never be like this in the future. The two children hugged Liu Tongs thigh and apologized coquettishly. Seeing how miserable they looked, Liu Tong felt as if he had said something wrong. Xu Ran stood watching on the side. These two children were so cute and smart. How lucky he was to have such two good sons! Apart from Baozi who couldnt speak, they went on playing for a while. Later, Tangtang and Guoguo clamoured to eat hot pot, so Xu Ran went to the kitchen to prepare the meal. Holding the baby, Liu Tong went to Qin Shuwen while Tangtang and Guoguo went back to their room to practice calligraphy. The twins now led very regular lives. After getting up in the morning, Gao Quan taught them to practice martial arts and then ran in the mountain, and then they went home for breakfast. After eating, they went to school. Sometimes they went by themselves and sometimes Xu Ran sent them. They had lunch at school. The end time of school was not fixed: it might be earlier or later. After school, the family would talk for a while. Every day, they practiced writing before or after dinner, but never missed it. The two children were very self-desciplined. Even though Guoguo didnt like to study and Tangtang didnt like to practice martial arts, they never said no. Xu Ran guessed that something he had said might have affected them, but they were still young, they would not learn much if they didnt rely on themselves. Xu Ran was gratified and Liu Tong was happy. Everyone in the family was proud of their two children. Xu Ran prepared quite a lot of dishes for hotpot. Their family had planted a lot of vegetables in winter, and it was just the right time to eat. With fewer people in the house, they definitely couldnt eat up. While eating, Gao Quan suddenly said, I want Tangtang and Guoguo to take a medicated bath as soon as possible. In order to unlock their meridians, they need to soak in the medicated soup for a month. It will be a painful process, and I still lack some herbs. Hearing Gao Quans words, Xu Ran remembered the matter. Apart from him and Tangtang Guoguo, no one else knew what the medicated bath was. Seeing that Gao Quan did not intend to say about it, Xu Ran told the others what he knew, It happened like this. Last winter, Gao Quan often took Tangtang and Guoguo to the mountain to look for herbs. If the two children took a medicated bath when they were young, their constitution can be enhanced and they wouldnt be poisoned in the future. It could also strengthen their bodies. Anyway, it was good for them. Gao Quan, what herbs do you lack? Ill go to the town to buy them. Gao Quan said, The missing herbs are common, but I need larger quantities. Im afraid buying so much at a time will arouse suspicion. Xu Ran thought for a while and said, Well, write them down and give it to me. Ill ask Brother Qin to help buy it and I will buy as much as I can. Write down all the herbs you need and the things I need to pay attention to. Gao Quan understood the meaning of Xu Rans words, because Xu Ran had said at the beginning that he would find a doctor to see if that was suitable for the children. Although he trusted Gao Quan more than before, he couldnt do experiments with his two children. Gao Quan nodded, Ive got it. Ill write them down. Its just spring now and its good to take a medicated bath at this time. Xu Ran and Gao Quan agreed but they had not asked Tangtang and Guoguos opinions. Chapter 179 Xu Ran shifted his gaze to the two children who were absorbed in eating. Xu Ran asked, Tangtang Guoguo, are the two of you willing to do that? You might feel a little pain then. Can you endure that? Apparently, Tangtang and Guoguo hadnt heard their conversation just now. When Xu Ran asked them the question, they looked blank and had no idea what Xu Ran was talking about. So Xu Ran explained it to them again, and then the two children knew about the situation. Tangtang said, Dad, dont worry! Uncle Gao Quan told us about it before. We can endure it. We just need to do it for a month. Tangtang said in an extremely flat tone, as if he would have the same dish every day this month. Xu Ran still couldnt believe that what he had just heard was from Tangtang. After all, he was still a child under the age of seven. Seeing that Xu Ran didnt believe him, Tangtang tugged at Guoguo, who was still stretching out his chopsticks, Guoguo, tell Dad. Can we endure it? There was still food in Guoguos mouth. He said something indistinctly, which was almost the same with what Tangtang had said anyway. Xu Ran heard them and believed them, saying, The two of you agree to this yourselves. By then, you have to hold on to the last no matter what, alright? If you want to go back on your word, then tell me as early as possible before I buy those herbs. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded hard, Got it, Dad. We can definitely do it. After that, smiles showed on their faces. They looked really cute. Xu Ran believed in them. He knew it from the fact that the two children got up very early in the morning themselves to practice martial arts with Gao Quan. The children were fine with it, but the eyes of the three Geers were fixing worriedly on the two children. Xu Ran also knew that if he didnt communicate with them on this matter, he might not be able to sleep for a night or two. Xu Ran told them everything he knew and gave a detailed explanation for the benefits of a medicated bath. Especially if the two children started it from childhood, it would be much easier for them to practice martial arts in the future when their bodily channels were clear and open. He deliberately avoided what they would suffer from it. Firstly, he himself had no idea how the pain would be exactly. Secondly, he was afraid that these Geers would not agree after he said it. After all, the children were still too young. After Xu Ran explained the background information to them, the three men accepted it. After all, Xu Ran was the father of the two children, and would definitely not hurt his children. After dinner, Xu Ran discussed it again carefully with Gao Quan. Gao Quan also told what he knew, and that the real expert on this was Lu Yuan. Since he was dead, he might have passed on all his knowledge to Lu Qi. Unfortunately, they couldnt ask Lu Qi for help. It was a pity that he couldnt go for Lu Qi, but Xu Ran also knew that it was an impossibility. If he went to Lu Qi, it would prove that he had recognized Liu Tongs identity. Then the situation would be too hard to handle. Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Then lets do it your way, as long as it wont hurt the two children. Gao Quan nodded. Of course not. When I didnt know that they were the children of Second Young Masters before, I never thought of hurting them, not to mention that now I know his real identity. Xu Ran knew that people in ancient times, as long as they were loyal to someone, they would do anything for him even at the cost of their lives, and took it as flatly as they were having meals. Gao Quan was loyal to the deceased King Yan, so he wouldnt hurt Liu Tong, and naturally wouldnt hurt his child. Gao Quan wrote down all the names of the herbs and gave it to Xu Ran. Xu Ran said, Im going to town in the next few days, and will buy them together by then. You could have all the preparations done! Gao Quan nodded, I see, and I will. After that, the two of them went back to their own rooms. While lying in bed, Liu Tong was still a little worried. He asked Xu Ran about it again. After Xu Ran explained it to him, Xu Ran remembered that he forgot to mention another thing during dinner tonight because of the medicated bath. Xu Ran patted his head and was about to get out of bed. The moment his toes touched the floor, he drew back his feet and said to himself, Its already too late, and its improper. Ill tell him about it tomorrow! Liu Tong heard what Xu Ran said and turned to ask him, Ran, whats wrong with you? You were talking to yourself. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and explained to him, Tongtong, so this is what happened. When I was in town today, I went to the Zhuos Mansion and met the shopkeeper and Housekeeper Zhuo. Theyre both well. I just wanted to tell Shuwen about it, and ask him not to worry about home. Liu Tong said, Since thats the case, tell him about it tomorrow morning. Shuwen must be asleep now. Besides, hes a Geer, and its improper of you to go for him now. Xu Ran nodded, I know that. Ill go for him tomorrow. Its late. Lets sleep! As soon as he lay down, Xu Ran felt that something was not quite right. Baozi was already two months old! However, even if he and Liu Tong slept on the same bed every day, it had already been long since the last time they had done it. Previously, because of Liu Tongs physical condition, he hadnt thought of it. Later on, he had been busy, so he had had no time thinking about it. Then now, finally he was not that busy, so could he think about it? Once he had this idea, his actions were out of his control. Xu Ran started to touch Liu Tong. After a while, Liu Tong understood what Xu Ran wanted to do. It had been a few months and he thought about it himself too. Liu Tong didnt stop Xu Ran and let him do anything to him. Little Baozi was fast asleep, so he had no idea that the two adults were doing it at all. After all, they hadnt done it for a long time, so the two did it excitedly. When they got up the next morning, Liu Tong held his waist and felt a little unwell. Seeing that Liu Tong was like this, Xu Ran also knew that he had gone too far last night. He pressed Liu Tong against the bed, All right, get some more sleep. No one will laugh at you. Liu Tong hadnt thought about it yet before Xu Ran mentioned it. Now that Xu Ran mentioned it, he blushed immediately. Id better get up! If I really fell asleep, they would probably all know whats going on. Liu Tong said. Seeing Baozi also turning over next to Liu Tong, Xu Ran said, Then get up. Get some sleep atl noon, but dont do chores. Liu Tong did feel unwell, so he wouldnt force himself either, Got it. I wont do chores. Xu Ran was afraid that Liu Tong would feel shy, so he took Baozi away first. When he went downstairs, Tangtang and Guoguo had already been sitting on their seats, waiting for breakfast. Xu Ran sat down with Baozi in his arms, You might eat now! You have to go to school later. Dont be late. Hearing Xu Ran, Tangtang and Guoguo started to have breakfast. It was made from last nights leftovers. Shao Yu cooked fried rice with eggs for them. The two children were gulping. Xu Ran found it appetitive. Shao Yu and Gao Quan had the chores done, came over and sat down. Xu Ran told them, You guys eat first. It will take a while before Tongtong comes down. Shuwen might also be dressing Qingshu. Gao Quan and Shao Yu didnt stand on ceremony. After all, they had to do farm work after breakfast, so they started eating first. Xu Ran held Baozi in his arms, waiting for the other two people to come down. Liu Tong came down with Qin Shuwen when Tangtang and Guoguo had done eating and was about to leave. Seeing Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong coming down, they returned and greeted them before leaving. Xu Ran called the two over to him and said, Come over here and have breakfast. The fried rice with egg cooked by Shao Yu tastes great. Liu Tong didnt move. I havent washed my face yet. Hold Qingshu and Baozi. Shuwen and I are going to wash our faces first. Liu Tong said and pulled Qin Shuwen away with him. Xu Ran held the two children, watched the food in front of him and couldnt use his hands to have breakfast. He was upset! When Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong came over for breakfast, Xu Ran told Qin Shuwen that he had gone to the Zhuos Mansion and mentioned that Housekeeper Zhuo and the shopkeeper might come over here after some time. Qin Shuwen didnt say anything and was a little unhappy. It seemed that he was missing Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran scratched his head and felt that he shouldnt have said this. Liu Tong comforted him, Shuwen, dont think too much. Zhuo Yun must be on his way right now. He probably hasnt arrived yet and definitely cant write to you. It might arrive here in a few days. Qin Shuwen nodded. Im fine. I know that. But he still couldnt help but miss him. Liu Tong found out that what he said was useless, so he did not speak again. This kind of thing had to be dealt with by the experiencer himself. After breakfast, Xu Ran also went to the strawberry field with Gao Quan and the others. He finished his work as soon as possible, and sowed the corn seeds. Then he started to hoe the field on the mountain. After that, he had to find the fruit trees. He thought about it and found that his schedule was full till April, among which there were still some other trifles he needed to do. In March, Baozi would be 100 days old. And there were some other things to do. In this case, he would have no free time. They had been doing the farm work in the strawberry field till the middle of February, which was now, and it was almost done. No one would burn ashes this year. Fortunately, they had raised pigs at home last year, so it would be enough to have pig dung. When the strawberry field was done, he was about to start to sow the corn seeds. This year, with the help of Shao Yu and Gao Quan, it took much less time than last year. They had it done in four days. When the work was done, Xu Ran could finally have a rest and take a few days off. Xu Ran went to town to buy herbs and work on the deli. Qin Shuwu had also been busy recently, because he had bought the shop next door. The owner of this shop had long wanted to transfer it. It happened to be close to Qin Shuwus shop, and he also planned to open a deli with Xu Ran, so it was the perfect time for him to take it over. The shop cost several hundred taels of silver. The location was great and the area was not small, either. Its interior had to be renovated, which would cost a fortune in total. It was all thanks to the recipe written by Xu Ran that Qin Shuwu was so eager to do everything. His husband cooked the dishes according to the recipe. The whole family tasted them and everyone felt that they were delicious, so Qin Shuwu brought up the idea of the deli on the spot. The old couple of the Qin family didnt care about business. Their children were old enough, and they could make their own decisions outside home. Besides, they also had their own children so the old couple just needed to take care of their grandchildren at home and enjoy life. The other brothers of Qin Shuwu agreed with this, too. The husbands of the family would go to work in turns. Not only would they get a job, but they also had the time to do chores at home. It was great. As for the partnership with Xu Ran, in their opinion, Xu Ran could be considered a family member. Besides, the idea was put forward by Xu Ran, so they had no objections. When Xu Ran arrived, Qin Shuwu was directing the renovation, telling people how to do the work. Moreover, it was not his own shop. Xu Ran guessed that Qin Shuwu should have bought the shop. He went forward and greeted him, Brother Qin. Qin Shuwu turned his head, saw Xu Ran, and walked over happily, Xu Ran! I bought this shop, and the renovation is almost done. Come and see, is there anywhere else that needs more work? Ill have them handle it. Chapter 180 Xu Ran followed Qin Shuwu and went over there to have a look. He found that the decoration inside the shop was almost finished. Of course, its decoration was quite common, which was no different from that of many shops that Xu Ran had seen up till now. Standing at the door, he pointed to a place and said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, one more thing needs to be added here. Qin Shuwu came up and asked him, What is it? Xu Ran said, Get a wooden shelf here, just like the kind of thing to store something in the house with no planks on both sides of it while there is a plank either on the bottom or on the top of it. In this way, the food for sale will be put on the wooden shelf, and its label will be pasted beside it. In that case, customers can see the food clearly and know its title and ingredients. They just need to raise their hands and get the food they like. This is a good idea, but it will take some time to make a wooden shelf! Worse still, you cant supervise the work by the side. Its hard to be satisfied with things that are made in a hurry. All these will be very troublesome! Qin Shuwu said frankly. Xu Ran waved his hand, Dont worry about this! I will arrange for Brother Xu An to do it, and I will watch it myself. This wooden shelf is sure to be made. As long as we have enough timber available and hurry up, this work should be completed soon. Since thats the case, you will just arrange this matter! Qin Shuwu agreed. Xu Ran nodded, Yes, I will. Qin Shuwu added, This shop should have a name. You give it a name, okay? After all, you are a Xiucai. Youd better christen the shop! To christen the shop! Xu Ran touched the back of his head. He was at a loss how to complete the task as a stupid fellow in naming himself. He understood that as a deli, its name should not be too literary and artistic. If it was too literary and artistic, the general public would not come to visit it. Its name should be easy to remember, so that people could keep it in their mind at a glance. It was really a hard task! Xu Ran replied, All right. Let me think about it carefully. Next time I come, Ill tell you the result. At the moment, I cant think it out all of a sudden. Qin Shuwu nodded in agreement, No problem, but you have to hurry up. Im still waiting to make a signboard for the shop. Xu Ran responded with a troubled expression, All right. After a pause, Xu Ran told Qin Shuwu something else. Brother Qin, I wonder if you can help me buy something? As Xu Ran requested so politely, Qin Shuwu guessed that it was not something simple. No matter what, Qin Shuwu felt he should know what it was, so he asked, Tell me what it is. Let me see if I can help you. Xu Ran pulled Qin Shuwu into his own shop and did not talk about it until he was sure that no one was around, Its some common herb-medicine actually. However, as I need a large quantity of it, I cant buy it alone. Thus I am here to ask you for help. You see if you can get someone to help me for it? Qin Shuwu knew that medicine could not be taken casually. If the medicine was bought to harm people, he would be finished once he was caught. At the thought of this, he frowned. He didnt expect Xu Ran to request him for this. He asked Xu Ran, What kind of medicine do you want to buy? Tell me, please. And what do you want to buy it for? Xu Ran handed Qin Shuwu the paper where Gao Quan had noted down the medical herbs he wanted to buy, and then said, These herbs are for the medicated bath treatment of Tangtang and Guoguo. It is for the good of their health. Qin Shuwu was relieved to hear that it was for Tangtang and Guoguo, and he did not doubt that Xu Ran would do anything bad. After all, Xu Ran would never harm his children. Qin Shuwu then asked, Tell me then how much medicine you want to buy. Ill ask some of my acquaintances to buy it for you. I know a few physicians in the towns clinics. We can buy the medicine in different clinics so that we wont cause suspicion. Xu Ran told Qin Shuwu the specific quantity that he needed, and then added, Ill buy one of these herbs on this paper, and youll get the rest for me. Qin Shuwu took a closer look at the names of the herbs on the paper and then replied, All right. Lets go about the work separately. Do you have money with you today? Ive just bought the shop. I am afraid I dont have enough money for these herbs. Xu Ran took out some silver notes from his arms, Ive got 500 taels of silver with me. I wonder if its enough? Xu Ran then gave Qin Shuwu 400 taels and left 100 taels for himself. Qin Shuwu replied, It should be enough. Anyway this is also a huge expense. Do you still have money for your family? Not to mention this shop for processed food, you should have spent a lot on fruit trees! Xu Ran said, Dont worry! I can mange it. What I am not sure is that I how much these herbs will cost right now. Lets just buy them first! If its not enough, Ill think of a way to settle the problem. Qin Shuwu accepted the silver notes and replied, All right. Lets start our work now. Good bye. Thus both of them left. Qin Shuwu went to arrange the decoration next door and then went away with a staff member working in a fruit shop. Xu Ran was alone. He didnt buy much, so he could carry them on his own. Although he had been to the town many times, Xu Ran was not very familiar with the clinics or medical stores in the town. He could only look for them one by one. Xu Ran thought of the clinic where he once took Liu Tong to see the doctor. He guessed that maybe he could go there and have a look. He remembered that the doctor appeared to be good at medicine. He wanted to let him see if there were any problems with the herbs written by Gao Quan. While thinking about these, Xu Ran walked towards the clinic. At the moment, there were no patients in the clinic when Xu Ran arrived. The doctor was sitting on a chair reading something. Xu Ran guessed that he had nothing to do because no assistants were seen around. The doctor still remembered Xu Ran. He asked, Hello, mister. Did your spouse give birth Xu Ran nodded Yes. And my baby has just had his hundredth day celebration. Haha, he must be a handsome Geer. Youre so blessed! The doctor smiled. Xu Ran didnt expect that he knew this, so he also smiled, Its indeed a blessing. Thank you a lot. The doctor waved his hand, Not to mention it. As a physician, I should offer my help to anyone in need. Besides, your spouse was basically healthy, but only that you young people were a little too impulsive. Xu Ran could say nothing about it, and he knew he was really too stupid at that time. The physician noticed Xu Rans awkward expression and stopped teasing him. He asked him, Mister, what can I do for you this time? Hearing this, Xu Ran quickly took out the prescription written by Gao Quan, This time, Im here to buy some herbs. Also, I hope you to see this prescription for me. The physician took the prescription and read it seriously. After that, he took a look at Xu Ran and his eyes exposed his subtle feeling, Mister, this is a master who wrote this prescription! I believe I cant write this out with my ability. Xu Ran was surprised to hear that. He didnt expect the physician to respond that way. He told the physician, This was brought back by a friend of mine, saying that it is good for my health. I have been poisoned before and I have been in poor health ever since. Thats why I want to use these herbs to have a medicated bath to see if it works for me. Reach your hand out, the physician said to Xu Ran. Xu Ran reached out his hand without hesitation. His body was indeed poisoned once and he had nothing to fear. The physician took Xu Rans pulse, and then watched Xu Ran seriously. He then took back his hand and said, Your body was indeed poisoned. As long as you dont work too hard, it wont affect you much. This medicated bath treatment costs a lot of money, although it will definitely work for you. Tell me which herbs you still need. If I have them here, I will give them all to you. Xu Ran pointed to a name of a herb on the paper and said, I want this medicine. I have to go back and see the other ones. If I still need them, I will come to you again. All right. I happen to have the herb you mentioned. A few days ago, my apprentices went to other places and collected a lot of medical herbs. I hope you can go back and ask your friend if this prescription can spread out. If can, can you lend me this prescription? Its a good thing! Xu Ran knew that the old physician requiring this way meant that he was an honest person and would not use the prescription without permission. Xu Ran nodded, All right. Ill ask him about it. And we will not know its effect until I have tried it. If a doctor rashly writes a prescription to his patient without any test, he will be in trouble if anything goes wrong. The physician stroked his beard and nodded, It is true. Wait a minute, please. Ill go and get you the medicine. With that, the physician turned around and went into the counter to get the medicine for Xu Ran. Xu Ran was wandering and looking around in the shop. As the physician only needed to get a herb, he soon got everything ready. He had packed two large bags of herbs for Xu Ran. Xu Ran took the medicine and asked the physician, Doctor, how much is this medicine? The doctor smiled, This medical herb is really not cheap. It costs 10 taels of silver for this little bit of herbs in your hand. Xu Ran weighed the medicine in his hand and then asked, Are they five jin all together? Why do I feel them very light? The physician replied, If you dont believe me, you can go to weigh them yourself. This is definitely five jin. As the physician had said so, it was not good for him to have a check again. Xu Ran weighed the herbs in his hand again and this time he felt that they were a little heavier, so he nodded, Ten taels of silver, right? Yes, ten taels of silver. I promise that my price is right and I wont cheat you. If you dont believe me, go and check in the other clinics. Xu Ran paid the money and thanked the physician. As soon as Xu Ran reached the door, he saw Qin Shuwu coming over with his men and a lot of bags. Qin Shuwu also saw Xu Ran and joked, I didnt expect to bump into you like this. Xu Ran smiled, too, Ive only been to this clinic in town, so I came over to take a look. The physician here is also an acquaintance of Brother Qins? Qin Shuwu nodded, Yes, weve known each other for over ten years. Well, did you get what you need? Yes. I bought them here, Xu Ran replied. The physicain had noticed that Xu Ran stopped at the door greeting someone. He took a look at them and then smiled. He was amazed to find they were all acquaintances. Chapter 181 The doctor walked out and said, Since we all know each other, please come in and have a seat! This Qin wont come to you if he hasnt something to ask of you. I havent seen him for a long time. Qin Shuwu glanced at the doctor and said, Who will come to the hospital if he is well! The doctor also retorted, Who says that one cant come to the hospital if he is well! According to what you said, cant a doctor have friends? The two of them were probably enemies. Xu Ran saw that the situation was heating up, so he took up the role of the peacemaker immediately, Doctor, Brother Qin, since you havent seen each other for a long time, shouldnt you sit down and have a nice chat peacefully? Didnt you miss each other? After Xu Ran asked this question, he got two eye-rollings and two snorts at the same time. Humph, who would miss him! They even said the same thing. Xu Ran threw up his hands, hinting that since you two had a tacit understanding, why would you keep on acting this way. Xu Ran stared carefully at the doctor and found that although he had a long beard, he didnt seem old. He might be at the same age as Qin Shuwu. It seemed that he grew a beard as a cover-up! Without Xu Ran chiming in, the two of them started to bicker again. All kinds of trifles and old memories were mentioned. Xu Ran stood aside helplessly and watched them. Actually, these twos ages added up to 80 or 90 years old! It was really childish of them to do so. However, the two of them had completely forgotten about their business. When they talked their mouths dry and wanted to drink water, Xu Ran finally found a chance to chime in. Brother Qin, what herbs did you buy before? Lets see if the doctor has the ones you didnt get. Its getting late now, and I have to go home and do farm work. It was now that Qin Shuwu remembered why he was here, so he took out a piece of paper and handed it to the doctor, Old He, have a look and tell me if you still have these kinds of herbs on the paper. I buy them for Xu Ran. Dont fool me. Only then did Xu Ran know that the doctors surname was He. Hearing Qin Shuwus words, Xu Ran chipped in at once, Please, Dr. He. Dr. He had initially thought that Qin Shuwu was annoying, so he didnt want to sell herbs to him. However, it was actually Xu Ran who wanted to buy them. Now that five jins of herbs had been sold, Dr. He was not afraid that his herbs would be unsalable later. Dr. He stood up and said, Alright, Ill look for them for the sake of you. But Im telling you, you are so lucky. I just got my latest batch of herbs. Xu Ran laughed, Thank you, Dr. He. Dr. He waved his hand. Never mind. Its not like you wont pay me. Speaking of this, Qin, the herbs your clerk is carrying are bought from somewhere else by you, right? Im telling you, Qin, you just wait and see. Since you buy herbs from others, see if Ill buy fruits from you in the future! As soon as Xu Ran heard this, he knew that they were going to rake up the past. Although things turned out this way because Qin Shuwu had bought the herbs for him, instinct told Xu Ran he wouldnt want to get involved. Once it got started, no one would know how long it would take them to stop. Xu Ran really wanted to go home. So Xu Ran winked madly at Qin Shuwu. Qin Shuwu saw it. He glanced at Dr. He and didnt talk back but only said, Go get your herbs! If I knew that you had everything here, why would I go somewhere else? Im not stupid. Dr. He seemed quite satisfied with what he said, so he didnt go after Qin Shuwu and focused on getting his herbs. Xu Ran leaned closer to Qin Shuwu to thank him. Qin Shuwu gave him a look, meaning- I will remember this. You will repay me in the future! Xu Ran touched his own chest. How could he get rid of this strong sense of guilt? After getting the herbs, Xu Ran paid for them. Qin Shuwu bickered with Dr. He again before leaving. Dr. He might have charged Xu Ran at a discount price. The herbs that Xu Ran had bought here weighed about 20 to 30 jins in total, but the price was the same as that of 10 jins from someone else. Whats more, Qin Shuwu had said that Dr. He charged Xu Ran this price for his sake. Xu Ran found himself speechless. It was a huge price spread. The poor couldnt afford seeing a doctor. This was something that had been passed down since ancient times. On their way back, Xu Ran mentioned the wooden shelf to Qin Shuwu again. Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, heres my idea. I will just engrave the names of these dishes directly in this wooden shelf, and then dye them, like what they do with Chinese chess. It will be conspicuous and attract peoples attention for sure. Qin Shuwu nodded, You have so many ideas, and you could make decisions on stuff like this yourself. Anyway, Ill just be responsible for the shop front and its renovation. Everything else depends on you. If you have so much work to do at home, hire someone to do it. This shop must be opened as soon as possible. Didnt you say that you still wanted to look for fruit trees? By the way, when it comes to this, now I remember. Did you buy that mountain or not? Xu Ran nodded, I did. It has fifty acres. However, Xu Ran didnt seem to want to talk about it. Qin Shuwu could also tell that. He asked, Whats wrong? Did something happen? Xu Ran looked around and saw that there were not many around. The clerk was quite far away from them, so he told Qin Shuwu what had happened that day in a low voice. Qin Shuwu sighed after listening and patted Xu Ran on the shoulder, You did right. It would be troublesome if such people really knew that the house belongs to you. You know, its just how the world works. A higher official has a say. Even though you are a Xiucai, you dont have the real power. You are actually nobody. Xu Ran knew this. As a matter of fact, the case was just the same as modern times. He was a university student but university students were everywhere. It wouldnt make much difference if he just disappeared. Xu Ran said, I know that, so I have never taken this identity seriously. If I really dont want to be bullied by these Yamen officials for the rest of my life again, I can only count on my sons. I dont want to take the imperial examination again since its location is getting further and further away, and I cant take my spouse and kids with me. This time, Qin Shuwu didnt blame Xu Ran for not being ambitious. In fact, they were both the same kind of people. No matter how good it was outside home, they always wanted to go home. The so-called fame, money and positions, they sounded attractive, but it varied with each individual. Just like how their idea was to just live a good life as a family, the rest was not that important to them. After Xu Ran said this, the two of them went silent. Qin Shuwu didnt continue the topic, while Xu Ran didnt know what to say. They walked to the front of Qin Shuwus fruit shop. The renovating workers were still working, and Xu Ran also offered some small opinions. Then he carried the herbs, bought rice and flour and went home. When Xu Ran got back home, he handed the herbs he bought to Gao Quan. Have a look to see if I got the right ones. I dont know about herbs. The doctors got them for me. If there is a problem, tell me. Ill go back to town to sort it out. Gao Quan took over the herbs and said, I will check them carefully. Of course I will tell you if theres any problem. Xu Ran nodded and didnt speak again. Gao Quan also understood that since Xu Ran had given him the herbs, Xu Ran naturally trusted the prescription made by him. The prescription had been personally tried by his group of people before, so Gao Quan definitely remembered it correctly. Whats more, Tangtang and Guoguo were the old Lords grandchildren, so how would he hurt them? Gao Quan spent a whole day examining these herbs, and then told Xu Ran that there was no problem. Some of the herbs were of high quality. He named those quality ones. After hearing it, Xu Ran found that they were all bought from Dr. He. It seemed that not only did this Dr. He have great medical skill, but he was also good at running business. No wonder he was friend with Qin Shuwu. Although they bickered once they met, apparently, they were on good terms. Since there was no problem with the herbs, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to arrange the medicated bath. While he went for Xu An himself. Xu An and the others had just finished raising the seedlings recently, so they were not very busy. Yueyaer at home was getting one year older and didnt need someone to look after him often. Wu Mei could just rest assured while doing farm work outside. Xu Ran told Xu An about the wooden shelf, and then showed him the shelf roughly with his hands. He also said that when Xu An got the wooden planks and was about to make the shelf, Xu Ran would come over and watch, so that there would be no mistakes. Xu An agreed. After all, he couldnt draw himself and nor could Xu Ran. He might not understand Xu Ran completely just by words, so Xu Ran might as well come over and watch it personally. Xu An said, Then Ill find time to make it for you in the next few days. But Xu Ran, how did you come up with these bizarre ideas? Xu Ran smiled and didnt answer Xu An. He couldnt come up with a reason himself. Could he say that he got those ideas from his dreams? Fortunately, Xu An just asked casually. Seeing that Xu Ran was unwilling to answer him, he stopped talking about it. Someone would make the wooden shelf, but there was another important thing that Xu Ran had to think over himself, which was the name of the shop. Looking back, it had taken a long time for him to name Tangtang and Guoguo, and he had referred how Zhuo Yun had named Qingshu. It was very difficult for him to name the shop! On his way back home from Xu Ans place, Xu Ran had been thinking about the name. He even wanted to ask Tangtang and Guoguo to name the shop when they came back. However, this was absolutely impossible. It was embarrassing to say that. He was a model in the eyes of Tangtang and Guoguo. He couldnt do that. Xu Ran was twiddling his fingers. He didnt look at the ground while walking, and was almost tripped by the stone under his feet. He was torn. He thought of all kinds of private dishes now, private dishes! Xu Ran clapped a hand to his forehead. He would call it Private Dishes! Just add a surname in front of it, and that would be the name! Xu Ran thought about it and felt that it was better to call the shop the Qins Private Dishes. Although he and Qin Shuwu owned half of the shop separately, the shop was purchased by Qin Shuwu. Everyone around must know it, and the shop was next to his fruit shop. Thus, everyone could tell that the two shops shared the same boss at a glance. Presumably, many customers from next door would visit the shop for the sake of Qin Shuwu. And he just needed to be responsible for collecting money and creating some new dishes regularly. He didnt have to worry about anything else at all. There was no pressure on him. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the happier he got. He would really like to give a like to his resources. Hardly had he arrived at home than he came up with the name, so he kept a smile on his face when he was at home. Those who didnt know the situation would think that he had picked up some gold. Chapter 182 In the next few days, Xu Ran and Gao Quan went to the mountain to log the remaining trees. After weeding, they burned it directly, as a way to fertilize the soil. Fifty mu was enough to keep him and Gao Quan busy for days. On February 20th, Tangtang and Guoguos medicated bath officially started. Every night, they started the bath a little while after dinner. Since the children were young, their tender skin turned red once they got into the boiling water. It was difficult to even stick one finger into the water, let alone the whole body. But Gao Quan said that this temperature had the best effect, so it was definitely impossible to decrease the temperature. The children couldnt just give it up because they thought it was too hot after so much work had been done previously! Xu Ran came up with an idea thinking of the story of boiling frog. He asked the two children to soak in the warm water first, and then slowly added the boiling water in. As long as it didnt get too hot all of a sudden, they should be able to bear it. As for the fact that their skin turned red, in their opinion, it was fine. Tangtang and Guoguo did not say anything about it themselves either. The medicated bath was a very miserable process. The two children had to soak in it for a long time. Besides, it was the night time. The twins tended to fall asleep while in the bath. The bathtub was a little big. If they fell asleep, it would be easy for them to have an accident. Therefore, someone had to be around all the time. Gao Quan had to help them dredge their bodily channels, so one person was not enough. Xu Ran stayed with them every day. At first, they felt nothing else other than hot. But after a few days, when Gao Quan dredged their bodily channels gradually, the two children felt a stinging pain once they got into the water. Sometimes they couldnt help but cry out. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan what was going on. Gao Quan said that their bodies started to absorb the essence of the herbs, so they felt pain. Xu Ran felt that this was like a human body modification. Even so, Tangtang and Guoguo would at most cry, and didnt say anything about giving up. The lengthy speech that Xu Ran had prepared seemed useless. To divert the attention of the two children, Xu Ran told them stories in Journey to the West and A Dream in Red Mansions. He also recited all the ancient poetry he could memorize. This medicated bath had to last a month. During the daytime, the two children needed to go to school as usual. They spent most of their nighttime in the bathtub, and didnt sleep well, but they were still very energetic. The only one in low spirits was Xu Ran, who kept yawning all day long. A dozen days passed in the blink of an eye. On the third of March, there were four days left before Baozis 100-day celebration. In the past two days, in addition to watching Tangtang and Guoguo at night, Xu Ran had to go to town to buy stuff. By the way, he took the wooden shelf Xu An had made to Qin Shuwu and told him the shop name. In a word, Xu Ran had been hectic. Xu Ran attached great importance to Little Baozis 100-day celebration, so he prepared many styles of dishes for that day, and the quantity was also enormous. He didnt have to hire people to cook for him. Just Wu Mei and the others would suffice. As for the rest, he would leave it to Liu Tong and Shao Yu. Xu Ran only needed to buy the ingredients back. On the sixth of March, Xu Ran received three more guests. They were Lin Hua, Zhao Chen and Lin Xi coming from He Shui Town. Xu Ran still got a little surprised when he saw them. He had just mentioned it to Lin Xi, and it didnt occur to him that they really would come. Lin Hua ignored Xu Ran after entering the door. Instead, he walked around the house. Lin Xi also went to unload the carriage in a familiar way. Only Zhao Chen stayed to talk to Xu Ran, Although you live in the village, your house is better than the ones in town! Xu Ran smiled, One needs a place to settle down! I dont want to mistreat myself in the place I live in, right? Speaking of it, I didnt really expect you guys to come. Zhao Chen said, You said that to us. Can we not come? We are still counting on you to make money. You guys have no idea what kind of person I am? Im all about talking. You could only rely on yourselves if you want to make money. By the way, how did your father agree to let you come with them? Xu Ran asked. Zhao Chen smiled, and his smile was both bitter and sweet. He said, I told father everything. During the Spring Festival, Lin Hua had knelt down at my door for three days and almost died. After that, my father finally agreed. Since Zhao family and the Lin family are old family friends, no matter how much he didnt approve of our relationship, he wouldnt take Lin Huas life carelessly. Thats a good thing! You should be happy. Xu Ran said. Zhao Chen shook his head, My father! He is an old stick-in-the-mud. He asked me to make my own choice. Either I would no longer see Lin Hua again or get out of the Zhao family. The answer was obvious, or else Xu Ran wouldnt be able to see him now. Xu Ran said, Then you really got out? Zhao Chen nodded. Actually, I didnt think so much back then. Lin Hua was kneeling outside. It was freezing and he had knelt down for three whole days. After my father said that, I ran out. When I saw him, he had fainted. Xu Ran frowned. What happened afterwards? Afterwards! Zhao Chen sighed, Lin Hua had been in bed for half a month and suffered a high fever. He almost lost his life. But fortunately, he pulled through, and I never went back home. That was a sad story to listen to. Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder, Forget about what happened in the past! After all, your father is your father, and you are his only son. He has pinned all his hopes on you. He just hasnt come round yet. When he does, and misses you, he will naturally let you go home. You! Since Lin Hua was willing to do that for you, settle down with him good. Work hard for your career and show it to your father. Zhao Chen nodded. I know that. Actually, my father is just like that. He is my father. Dont I know about his personality? After all, it was all my fault. If I were to marry a spouse and have a baby, he wouldnt have had to worry about me so much. Xu Ran said, Have you thought about Lin Hua when you said this? He is the same with you, but he is always the one who takes more responsibility between the two of you. Although he looks unreliable, he probably has done a lot of stupid things for you. Zhao Chen smiled bitterly, Exactly! Just because of this, when my father asked me to make a choice, I rushed out without hesitation. I knew that the person I owed the most was him, Lin Hua! He is so kind. If it werent for me, how would he become an ignorant and incompetent playboy? Xu Ran didnt answer him. He was afraid that the more he said, the more sad and guilty he would be. He took a step back and said, Come on in! We cant just stand at the door like this. Nobody knows where this lad Lin Hua is now. He didnt even greet me. Hearing Xu Ran, Zhao Chen also smiled, Hes just like that. He doesnt pay attention to these minor details when he is with the people he knows well. Never mind. Xu Ran said, Do I look like I mind? If I really minded, how would I say that to you? Zhao Chen nodded. Exactly, lets go! You have to take me on a great house tour. Just looking from the outside, this house is pretty big. Xu Ran let him in, then closed the door and told him, Actually, its not that big. Its just a big yard, with parts connected together, and is divided into four pieces. You also built a second floor! It must have cost you so much! Zhao Chen pointed at the second floor and asked. Xu Ran nodded. Indeed, its not cheap. When we built this house, we borrowed money from someone. At that time, we were short of money, and we bought the food we ate and the clothes we wore. We led a hand-to-mouth life. Zhao Chen said, I didnt see it at all. If you really led a hand-to-mouth life, how could you have built such a big and beautiful house? Although Im ignorant, I can still see such obvious things. Even if the truth was revealed, Xu Ran didnt feel awkward at all. Alright, alright, dont you ever mention that you are ignorant. You seemed so proud when you were talking about it. You could not even compare with my sons. Zhao Chen turned to look around and ignored Xu Ran. Although he himself knew the truth, he still felt embarrassed once Xu Ran said that! In the living room, Lin Hua was already holding and teasing the two children. When he had just entered the door, Liu Tong and the other two Geers were talking. When they saw Lin Hua entering the door and that there was no pregnancy mole on his ear, the three Geers were a little surprised. After all, they didnt know this person. Why would he come to the living room all of a sudden? When Lin Hua came in, he saw that there were only three Geers, two of whom were still holding the children. He was also a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and introduced himself, Well Hello, Im Lin Hua, Xu Rans friend. I come from He Shui Town. Shao Yu knew Lin Xi, but he didnt really know such a person, Lin Hua. The only one who knew Lin Hua was Liu Tong. After all, Xu Ran had mentioned Lin Hua to him many times. After all, Liu Tong was the host. He handed the child in his arms to Shao Yu, stood up and said, I am Liu Tong, Xu Rans spouse. He mentioned you to me before. Finally, someone knew him. Now, Lin Hua felt less embarrassed now. Chapter 183 Liu Tong introduced Shao Yu and Qin Shuwen to Lin Hua one by one. Lin Hua was a very straightforward person. He thought that since they were all Xu Rans family, they were definitely not outsiders. Thus, he said carelessly, You dont have to worry. I already have someone I like. He is a man like me. I wont do anything. Can I hold the child? When Liu Tong and the others were still astonished, Lin Hua had already taken the child away from Shao Yus arms. Xu Ran had told Liu Tong about the story of Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, and they had argued with each other over this, and Xu Ran had been in bed for days. Thus, Liu Tong was just stunned for a while before he came to his sense. However, the other two, Qin Shuwen and Shao Yu had never heard that two men could also be in love with each other, so they opened their mouths in surprise. Shao Yu didnt even react when the child in his arms was taken away. It seemed that Lin Hua adored children. When he took Baozi over to himself, he started to tease him. Baozi was awake, and a three months old baby was able to giggle. Being teased, Baozi couldnt stop giggling. When Qingshu, who was in Qin Shuwens arms, heard the giggle, he started to giggle too. Lin Hua just took Qingshu into his arms, too. Because he saw little Baozi, Qingshu was not shy with the stranger either. The two children had got familiar with each other for over a month. Therefore, when Xu Ran brought Zhao Chen into the living room, he saw Lin Hua holding a child with each arm. Xu Ran walked over and took the child in Lin Huas arm back to Qin Shuwen, and then took Baozi into his own arms, You entered the door, and held my child without even greeting me. Also, didnt you see that they were all Geers here? You should have run into the room regardless. Lin Hua, tell me that there is no problem with your brain! Lin Hua was a little unhappy for the child was taken away, but when he heard Xu Ran asking him, he also felt a little embarrassed, Dont be like this! Anyway, were already so close. It doesnt make any difference whether I greet you or not. Besides, its not like that you dont know I like Zhao Chen, so I definitely wont do anything to Geers. Xu Ran clenched his teeth and stared at him, You really dare to say anything! If some stranger comes to my house and what you said gets out, you will be killed by rumors. Can you knock some sense into your head? Lin Hua was taught a lesson by Xu Ran, but he was not angry at all. He thought about Xu Rans words and admitted that he had been too careless. He smiled and apologized to Xu Ran, I know I was wrong. Dont be angry. You get angry the first time I come to your house. I would think that you dont welcome me. Lin Hua tugged at his sleeves like a child and winked at Zhao Chen standing next to him. Zhao Chen sighed, stepped forward and said to Xu Ran, Xu Ran, this is Lin Hua. Dont bother with him. Hes right. Were here for the first time. You cant just ignore us because youre angry. Obviously, Zhao Chen was here to be the peacemaker. Xu Ran also knew that. He glanced at Lin Hua and decided to ignore him for the time being. Xu Ran introduced Zhao Chen to Liu Tong and the others. Tongtong, Shuwen, Shao Yu, this is Zhao Chen, the one Lin Hua likes. I met them when I went to He Shui Town for the Spring Test. Xu Ran pointed at Liu Tong as well as the other two and introduced them one by one. They greeted each other, and now they were all acquaintances. After Xu Ran introduced Zhao Chen, Lin Hua went over and wanted to hold the child in Xu Rans arms. Xu Ran looked displeased. He just wanted to say, Why dont you have a baby of your own if you like babies? But at the thought that Zhao Chen and Lin Hua couldnt give birth, Xu Ran bit his tongue. Forget it. He might as well be kind for once and wouldnt provoke Lin Hua anymore. When they arrived, it was almost noon. Now that they had been talking for a while on their feet, Xu Ran said to Zhao Chen and Lin Hua, The two of you must be tired from your trip. You must not have had a good rest on the road. Take a warm shower first. After you have lunch, go to sleep for a while. By the way, have you brought clothes with you? Lin Hua was too busy teasing the child to listen to Xu Ran. Zhao Chen could only answer by himself. He said, Yes. We thought that we would spend a few days here. You know that we have nothing to do, and it doesnt matter to us if we stay here for a few more days, so we have long prepared clothes and stuff like that. Xu Ran said, Thats good. You guys have a seat first. Ill go to see Lin Xi. Your luggage is still kept by him. I dont know why it takes him so long to unload the carriage. Xu Ran walked outside as he spoke, to the stable. As a result, when Xu Ran arrived there, he saw Gao Quan and Lin Xi talking together. Xu Ran thought that no wonder it took Lin Xi so long to unload the carriage. It turned out that he met someone whom could talk to. Speaking of it, the last time Lin Xi had left, Xu Ran was still unconscious. It was Liu Tong who had given Lin Xi all those stuff. After that, Xu Ran had also forgotten about it. It seemed that Xu Ran should apologize to him. Gao Quan noticed Xu Ran as soon as he walked over. He raised his head but said nothing. Xu Ran was used to it. Gao Quan was a quiet person, and had always been like this. Lin Xi also raised his head when he saw Gao Quan raising his head, so he saw Xu Ran. He walked forward hurriedly, Young Master Xu. Xu Ran smiled and said, Lin Xi, I apologize to you for what happened last time. Please forgive me. Lin Xi waved his hand instantly, Dont say that. I brought everything back. Its great that you dont mind it. You must be tired from the long trip. Go to the front yard and have a rest for a while. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen are still waiting for their luggage. Lin Xi heard Xu Ran and scratched his head awkwardly, I forgot about it. Im going now. After that, he went to the carriage, took out two big bags and walked to the front yard. Xu Ran was amused. He felt that the three of them were all careless. On the other hand, Gao Quan was already feeding the horses with the hay. He seemed to enjoy feeding horses so much. Xu Ran didnt say anything, stood for a while and headed to the front yard. No matter what, it was improper to have Liu Tong and the others talk with Zhao Chen. Besides, there was now a Lin Xi, so it was better for Xu Ran to keep them company. When he got into the living room, Xu Ran found that there were only Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen in the living room. Both of them had a child in their arms. Xu Ran didnt see Lin Xi who had just come over here. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, where are they? Liu Tong said, Shao Yu has heated up the water. They went to take a shower. Lin Xi went over to send them clothes. Xu Ran nodded, signaling that he got it, Then Ill go upstairs and check the rooms they are going to live in. The rooms have been empty for too long, and they need to be cleaned up. There were so many rooms in their house, but only four were occupied. Lin Xi had been here before, so he could live in the room he had stayed last time. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen could share one room. But it hadnt been decided yet whether they would live in the room on their side or opposite them. Liu Tong glanced at Qin Shuwen next to him and said to Xu Ran, Ran, let Lin Hua live in the opposite room! Xu Ran thought about it. Qin Shuwens room was next to theirs. Tangtang and Guoguos room was on their right. If Lin Hua lived in the room on their side, it could only be the room next to Qin Shuwens, which was really inappropriate. Xu Ran nodded, I got it. Ill ask them to stay in the room next to Lin Xis. I guess that my godfather and the others will arrive tomorrow, and they will definitely stay, so I will just tidy up the rooms! Tongtong, help Shao Yu cook! Okay, Liu Tong nodded and stood up, handing Baozi to Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, take care of Baozi for me. Ill go help Shao Yu. Qin Shuwen took Baozi and held him in his arm. With each baby in one arm, Qin Shuwen stood up and said, Im going to the yard to have a walk. I havent been out for a long time. That was the truth. When Liu Tong went to do chores, it was Qin Shuwen who helped him take care of Baozi. It was not convenient for him to walk outside with two children in his arms, so he decided not to go out. However, the making of wheelbarrows Xu Ran had mentioned before was delayed because he had been busy. Now everyone had work to do. Since there were two people cooking, the meal was made very quickly. When Lin Hua and the others came out, they started to have lunch soon. After making beds, Xu Ran went downstairs to have lunch. The quilts were prepared by him before, just in case they had visitors but no quilts, which was so embarrassing. After lunch, Lin Hua and the other two went to rest. Xu Ran went for Wu Mei. Now they were about to prepare for the food tomorrow. He also went to someone elses house to borrow the table. Originally, Xu Ran didnt want to put a table in his own yard, mainly because he didnt want people to get in and see the interior of his house. But eating outside in this weather was not good either. Everyone knew that they no longer lived in the bamboo house, so they could not put the table outside. After much consideration, the front yard was the most suitable place. Fortunately, Xu Ran was familiar with the people he hired to cook for them, and he didnt need to worry that there would be strangers wandering around his home. There was nothing valuable downstairs, and no one would go upstairs without invitation. Xu Ran thought about it carefully and felt that it was acceptable. In fact, if it wasnt for the fact that the village was far away from the town and there were too many people, he would go to the restaurant as how Zhuo Yun had done it. But it was not very appropriate to invite people from the village to the restaurant, because the quantity of food in the restaurant was small. Having attended the banquets in the village twice, Xu Ran knew the general situation of the village banquets. As for the idea of eating out in a restaurant, Xu Ran just thought about it once and then gave it up. Wu Mei and the other Geers were responsible for cooking, while Xu An and the others serving the dishes. With the help of the two eldest sons of the village head, there was enough help. Xu Ran didnt intend to invite anyone else. Xu Ran went to tell Wu Mei and the others about what to do, and soon everyone gathered at their house. Xu Ran specifically told them that there were guests sleeping in their house, so they had to talk gently. Wu Mei and the others were very curious about the guests Xu Ran mentioned, so they kept asking him who they were. Xu Ran didnt know whether to laugh or cry since he felt that they were too gossipy. But judging from the current situation, they wouldnt stop if Xu Ran didnt tell them the truth. Xu Ran was helpless and could only say, I met them in He Shui Town when I took the Spring Test. Later, I met them again when I went to the county to take the Autumn Test. Thats why we got familiar. They heard Xu Rans explanation, and thought that they couldnt just continue asking him anymore. Since they took the Spring and Autumn Test together, the guests must be intellectuals. Thus, they all got back to work. Chapter 184 When Lin Hua woke up, he saw through the window. It was almost dark. It seemed that the sun had been set long ago. Zhao Chen was still sleeping beside him and Lin Hua didnt wake him up. Then as he focused, he heard many people talking downstairs. Lin Hua guessed that this should be the helpers invited by Xu Ran. Whenever their family had a banquet or guests, the house would go very lively. Lin Hua stretched himself and sat up lazily from the bed. An iron basin was on the wooden shelf in the room, with some water inside. Lin Hua got dressed and washed his face, admiring for Xu Rans thoughtfulness. When Lin Hua walked to the doorway, he saw that the door to the next room was also open, from which Lin Xi came out. As Lin Xi greeted him, Lin Hua nodded and asked, How was your sleep?. Lin Xi scratched his head and was a bit embarrassed, Im fine. How about you? Lin Hua nodded, Ive slept enough too. You can go down now! I will go to call Zhao Chen. Okay! Lin Xi responded and went downstairs. After all, this was not their own home. There were still guests in Xu Rans home. Lin Hua thought for a moment and decided to wake him up. Zhao Chen couldnt sleep well in unfamiliar beds. However, as he hadnt slept well when he was at home earlier, and hadnt slept on his way to here. At present, he was so sleepy that he fell asleep without even picking on the bed. Besides, the bed of Xu Rans home was quite soft and the quilt was warm. Plus the living environment. Lin Hua even felt a bit envious. He toured inside the house, then walked to the window and looked outside carefully, talking to himself, Zhao Chen, when were old, lets move in and live here. Okay? Okay! Hearing the response, Lin Hua suddenly turned his head and saw Zhao Chen sitting on the bed in a daze. Lin Hua smiled and leaned over to kiss him. I have wanted to call you, but you wake up by yourself. Zhao Chen rubbed his eyes and asked Lin Hua, What time is it now? He looked like a child at the moment. Lin Hua was so tempted to do something, but neither the time and the location was right, so he had to endure. Lin Hua said, It is getting dark, dusk time! Will you get up? Yes, I will. It sounds so lively. Is someone here? Zhao Chen asked. Lin Hua fetched his clothes over for him to dress and answered, It should be the helpers invited by Xu Ran. After all, Baozi will reach his first hundred day in life tomorrow. Mm, Im hungry. Lets go downstairs to eat something. By the way, I want to wash my face. Go downstairs and get me some water, Zhao Chen said. Lin Hua pointed to the basin on the wooden shelf behind him. Theres water inside, but Ive used it. If you dont mind. Zhao Chen rolled his eyes at Lin Hua, Have I ever minded? Lin Hua thought about it seriously, No. Zhao Chen got dressed and pushed him away. Stay away. I shall wash my face. Lin Hua, who had wanted to be lovey-dovey with Zhao Chen, seeing his resistance, could only pout and move aside. Zhao Chen washed his face, and then the two went downstairs together. The voices downstairs came from the kitchen, so they went straight to the kitchen. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were both in the kitchen and there were other Geers and men. They talked while working. Lin Hua also saw Lin Xi was among them. He walked over with Zhao Chen and said with a smile, Its so lively. Xu Ran raised his head at the words. You two are up! Are you hungry? We can have the meal dinner soon. Lin Hua shook his head. Not yet. We have just eaten before the sleep. How can we be hungry so soon? Are you guys preparing for tomorrow? Xu Ran nodded, Yes! Then he said to Lin Hua, Let me give you an introduction. Theyre all from Xu Village and were on good terms, so we invited them over to help. This is Xu An, this is his spouse, Wu Mei. Xu Ran introduced everyone one by one, and then pointed at Lin Hua as well as Zhao Chen, saying, They are the friends I knew in He Shui Town. This is Lin Hua, and this is Zhao Chen. There is no need to stand on ceremony, just call them by names. After Xu Ran finished speaking, Wu Mei and others all greeted them, and Lin Hua and Zhao Chen responded one by one. Lin Hua was jocular by nature, and his words always made people burst into laughter. After a few words, the distance between them was much closer. Dad. Dad. Just as Lin Hua was about to continue talking, the voices of two identical kids came from behind him. Lin Hua turned back and saw the twins looking at Xu Ran in front of him. Lin Hua felt he had lost his heart to them. He squatted down and kissed each of the two children on the cheek, You must be Xu Rans kids! What are your names? You are so cute! Xu Ran, can you give me one? Before Xu Ran could react, Zhao Chen had given him a slap from behind, What are you blabbering? The kids are human beings rather than objects. How can they be given to you? Xu Ran touched his chin and looked at Lin Hua, then at Zhao Chen. Although he was unhappy about what Lin Hua said, he could understand since his child was so cute. Xu Ran was afraid that Lin Hua would scare the two kids, so he pulled them to his side and told them, Tangtang, Guoguo, these two have no ill intentions. They are my friends, this is Uncle Lin and this is Uncle Zhao. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at Lin Hua and Zhao Chen up and down. Until they didnt find they didnt look like bad guys, they greeted them. Lin Hua felt that his heart was being melted by the greetings. Although the two babies who were still in the cradles were cute too, it was obvious that the two in front of them were even cuter, and they looked exactly the same. Xu Ran hadnt intended to let Lin Hua to play with Tangtang and Guoguo. However, he felt that if he refused, Lin Hua would definitely be sad. So, he said generously, Tangtang, Guoguo, have some fun with these two uncles for a while. You can play Chinese chess and Five in a Row. Tangtang and Guoguo were obedient to Xu Ran. Since their dad had said that the two guys were not bad people, it was fine to have fun with them. Anyway, it was good to have new opponents to play. The twins planned very well; then they walked over to hold their hand each. Lets go to the living room! Guoguo and I will play chess with you, said the diplomat Tangtang. Okay! Lin Hua assented in a hurry, lest that Tangtang and Guoguo would change their ideas if he gave his answer a little late. Tangtang and Guoguo did not go back on their words, but they felt that Lin Hua was a little weird. There was only one set of Five in a Row, so it could only be played by two. Tangtang and Guoguo had to be split. Zhao Chen gave the opportunity to Lin Hua, and the one who taught him was Tangtang. Guoguo was not as patient as Tangtang after all. Guoguo played chess with Zhao Chen. They had studied chess after Lin Xi took it back from Xu Ran last year. In addition, they had somehow mastered it by playing it every now and then in the past few months. However, Zhao Chen was a little hesitant. He wondered if he should compromise a bit; after all, Guoguo was a kid. What if he refused to play with him after he lost? But it turned out that he had thought too much. Guoguo was obviously much better than him. After losing the first round unaccountably, Zhao Chen could not recollect what was going on. Guoguo didnt show any mercy when playing chess. According to his dad, if one could not even beat a kid, he should not claim that he knew how to play. Shame on him! Zhao Chen lost several rounds to Guoguo. Looking at his frustrated look, Guoguo kindly explained how to eat the other players chess pieces when opening a new game. Zhao Chen sincerely felt his inferiority! He now believed in Xu Rans words, about his son being better than him. According to Xu Ran, the child was less than seven years old. If there was a hole on the ground now, Zhao Chen felt that he would probably crawl into it. However, Lin Hua on the other game was not better than Zhao Chen. In the first few rounds, Tangtang was teaching Lin Hua how to play, so he didnt play seriously. When Lin Hua said he had mastered it, Tangtangs style changed constantly. Not long before Lin Hua could place several pieces onto the board, the round was over. Whats more, the same thing was happening again and again. At first, Lin Hua could use his unfamiliarity as an excuse, but after so many rounds, plus Five in a Row was not difficult, he was embarrassed! But kids were naive. Tangtang had no other thoughts. When they played chess with the other family members, they might win or lose. When he played with Guoguo, they mostly drew a tie. They lost more when they battled with Xu Ran, but obviously Xu Ran was more experienced in it. Come in high spirits but return frustrated, it was probably the condition of Lin Hua and Zhao Chen. They had planned to tease the two kids, but they wound up being teased by kids. When Xu Ran came over to call them to have dinner, he saw them drooping their heads in frustration. Looking at the chess pieces that had been put away and the confused look of Tangtang and Guoguo, Xu Ran smiled. Alright, dont underestimate them because of their age. They are very good at playing chess. I cant even beat them. You guys are going to stay here anyway. Let them teach you two after school. Alright, lets go eat now! Seeing the look of Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, the two kids realized that they had won too many rounds today, which was why they were so battered. Chapter 185 Tangtang gave Guoguo a light push. Guoguo walked over to Zhao Chen and comforted, Uncle Zhao, dont be sad. I will teach you how to play chess. You will definitely become very strong in playing it. Looking at Guoguos lovely appearance, Zhao Chen felt his displeasure vanished and he just wanted to hug Guoguo in his arms. Lin Hua had been staring at them. After Guoguo finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Tangtang. His meaning was obvious: What about me? Tangtang seemed a little helpless. He touched Lin Huas head as if he was coaxing a child. Then he said seriously, Uncle Lin, I will teach you, too. Lin Hua was speechless. He thought to himself, Im very happy to hear that! But what does your action mean? Before he could figure it out how to respond, both Xu Ran and Zhao Chen were already laughing there. Lin Hua rolled his eyes. He knew what they were laughing at. He just held Tangtang in his arms and retorted, Let you envy there! To you, this is your pipe dream, you know? Xu Ran smiled and replied, Im the childs dad. I really dont want it. If you still want to continue the comfort, I can let Guoguo touch you too. Come on then! Lin Hua affected not to care. Xu Ran gently pushed Guoguo behind him, Guoguo, go and touch Uncle Lins head. He has a bump there. Guoguo went over him. He comforted him while touching his head, Let Guoguo help you, it wont hurt. This time, Lin Hua could say nothing any more. There both Xu Ran and Zhao Chen laughed more happily. Although the two children did not know what was really going on, they were happy to see the two adults laughing. What are you talking about? You are so happy. Come. Dinner is ready. You guys can talk later! Liu Tong suddenly appeared at the door and said to them. Xu Ran replied, Well, lets eat first. We can discuss about it later. With that, he held Guoguo in his arms and went out. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen followed behind, while Tangtang was also held by Lin Hua. The dishes in the evening were much richer than that at lunchtime. For that lunch, Liu Tong and Shao Yu didnt cook much because they hoped to let Lin Hua and the others quickly have a rest after eating. This dinner was different. There were more people and they had prepared more dishes. Needless to say, this was a hearty meal. It seems that their family had nothing more than potatoes and sausages, so Xu Ran asked them to make potatoes in various ways. As for sausages, there were also plenty on the table. Both Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were really fond of their family. They were unstinting in their praise while enjoying their dinner there. Lin Hua told them, Ive eaten in all the restaurants in He Shui Town, but Xu Ran, the dishes on your family table are better than any of those restaurants. Xu Ran smiled and responded, Cant the food stop your mouth? Dont you see who prepared the dishes today? Who? Lin Hua asked. Xu Ran glanced at the people at the table. Lin Hua understood it at once. He stopped talking and began to eat obediently. He knew with so many people preparing the dinner together, it was not good to praise anyone present. Besides, Xu Rans spouse was present, which was even worse for him to say too much. Lin Hua was aware that although he had neither learning nor skill, he still knew this common sense and basic rules of etiquette. After supper, Wu Mei and the others went home, leaving the kitchen work to Liu Tong and Shao Yu. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen went on pestering Tangtang and Guoguo. As for Lin Xi, his presence was often neglected. At the moment, however, he was seen chatting with Gao Quan. In the end, only Xu Ran and Qin Shuwen were left in the living room. At the moment, each of them was holding a baby in his arms. Both of them did not feel too embarrassed. After all, they two families were in close relationship. Xu Ran, who was amusing Baozi, suddenly heard Qin Shuwen ask, Xu Ran, do you know where Yun is now? Why havent I heard from him yet? Confronted with these questions, Xu Ran started to feel headache because he couldnt give him a proper answer. He knew that Qin Shuwen must be worried about Zhuo Yun, just like how he had been worried about his family during those days being away from home. He understood this kind of feeling very well, but he really couldnt give him any help for this problem. Before Xu Ran could say anything, Qin Shuwen sighed, Well, you dont have to worry about me. Actually, I know you dont know anything like me. I just ask about it casually. Seeing this, Xu Ran felt sorry too. Still, he tried to comfort him, Shuwen, I know youre worried but I am not good at comforting others. I think you should believe Zhuo Yun. He has been on business many times and he is a very experienced businessman. Besides, hes smart. As for leaving home doing business outside, weve long shared the common view that nothing is more important than our being able to return home safely. Whats more, hes clear that you and Qingshu are waiting for him at home, so he wont do anything bad outside. Qin Shuwen replied, I understand what you mean, and I believe you should understand me too. I am fine. I just ask about it casually. Of Course I trust him. Maybe he will be back by the end of the month. As if he really saw that Zhuo Yun was really on the way back, Qin Shuwen even had a slight smile on his face. Upon seeing this scene, Xu Ran could say nothing further. The present atmosphere around them became a little oppressive and neither of them spoke. Fortunately, Liu Tong and Shao Yu came in after finishing the cleaning in the kitchen. Xu Ran handed the child to Liu Tong as if he had seen his savior. He quickly left after saying, Ill go upstairs to see Tangtang and Guoguo. Liu Tong felt a little strange. He asked Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, why is Ran so anxious? What were you talking just now? Qin Shuwen replied, He is probably trying to hide from me. I just asked him why Yun didnt write to me. He didnt know how to give me a proper answer. Thus, he ran away. Liu Tong smiled after hearing this. He said to Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, dont worry. It is not the first time that Zhuo Yun went to a business. Qin Shuwen nodded. I know, but I still cant help but miss him, so I asked about it. I know Xu Ran doesnt know about him either. I didnt ask him to give me an answer. However, I didnt expect him to run so quickly. Liu Tong said, He is probably afraid of your being sad. Qin Shuwen smiled. Im not that weak. After saying that, she laughed again. Seeing that he was laughing, Liu Tong felt relieved that he had come round to the idea. Liu Tong then discussed with Qin Shuwen, Shuwen, it is getting hot. The childrens clothes should be changed too. Tell me what kind of cloth you like. When Ran goes shopping, Ill ask him to buy some back. It was March now. The adults had taken off their thick cotton clothes and changed into the thin ones. Although the children were young, they would feel hot too. Qin Shuwen said, Just buy the same cloth as yours. Qingshu is older than Baozi. He can also wear that kind of clothes that Baozi wears. Liu Tong nodded, All right, Ill ask Ran to buy more of the cloth. Maybe these two children will look like twins just like Tangtang and Guoguo when they are dressed up. Hearing this, both Shao Yu and Qin Shuwen laughed. It was naturally beautiful to imagine the scene. After talking about the clothes, they began to talk about tomorrows hundredth day celebration party. Liu Tong said to Qin Shuwen, Tomorrow Sworn Dad and the others may come . Ran and I hope to keep them to stay for the night. If they disagree, you will have to help us to persuade them. Then my dad and daddy will criticize me for it. He will say that I have regarded myself as a member of your family, Qin Shuwen said with a smile. Arent you a member of our family? Dont forget that you have just celebrated the Spring Festival here. Liu Tong laughed. Shao Yu nodded in agreement. The three of them were chatting in the living room happily. On the other side of the house, Xu Ran was going upstairs into Tangtang and Guoguos room. Since there were others staying at home these few days, it was not convenient for Tangtang and Guoguo to take the medicated bath. Xu Ran thus discussed with Gao Quan and let them stop it for a few days. In the room at the moment, Tangtang and Guoguo were quietly writing something. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were watching them nearby. Occasionally, they would whisper or even argue something with each other, not as concentrated as the two little children. Xu Ran entered the room, What are you two doing? Dont you see them practicing? Why are you guys still focused on arguing like this?! As a response, Xu Ran received a rebuttal right away from his children, Dad, were fine. We can take it as if we didnt hear anything. And immediately Xu Ran saw the proud look on the faces of both Lin Hua and Zhao Chen. The feeling of being slapped in the face by his own children was very bad. Xu Ran was quite embarrassed. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen covered their mouths and sneered. Xu Ran pulled the two of them out of the room in the name of not letting them disturb his two children in studying. After coming out, Xu Ran said, I say you two are really boring! The two children didnt pay attention to you because they were doing practice. How come you could stay there for so long? Lin Hua spread his hands, We were bored to begin with! Weve just slept during the day and we cant sleep now. In your family, there are many Geers. Thus besides having fun with children , who else can I find? Xu Ran thought about it and agreed, Thats true, but its late at night now. I cant find anything else for you to enjoy. Why not just go back to your room and enjoy yourselves there? The soundproofing in my house is very good. Upon hearing this, both Lin Hua and Zhao Chen blushed scarlet. Well, they were both adults anyway. They knew this kind of things well. However, they didnt expect Xu Ran would mention it so flatly. Its just like asking them to have supper. Lin Hua patted Xu Ran on the back, How could you say something like that? Youre still a scholar. Xu Ran shrugged while thinking, Isnt this normal? You both are pretending that youve never done that kind of things. While Xu Ran was looking at them, Lin Hua pulled Zhao Chen and they both fled away. Seeing their leaving backs, Xu Ran laughed and snorted to himself, Humph, who asked you two to laugh at me just now? After enjoying himself, he went into Tangtang and Guoguos room to educate them. He should let the kids know they should never shame their Dad in front of any outsiders. Tangtang deeply understood his mistake and promised that he would never make the same mistake again. Guoguo also expressed his determination. Thus Xu Ran felt satisfied and went back to his bedroom. In fact, he decided that he could also hug Liu Tong and enjoyed their intimate night. Their house was indeed soundproof. Chapter 186 The seventh day of the third lunar month, the day little Baozi was a hundred days in the world. Xu Ran family had grown busy since dawn. Having asked for leave from Fuzi in the previous day, Tangtang and Guoguo did not go to school this day. The tables, stools, bowls, and chopsticks that Xu Ran had borrowed from neighbors were being sent to his house continuously from early morning. By dawn, breakfast was already ready. After breakfast, they started to prepare the formal feast. Xu Ran knew that all people in the village would come, so he added two more tables for Qin family. There would be two rounds of feasts, for each twelve tables of dishes were arranged. With all tables set, the originally empty yard looked a little crowded. The melon seeds and candies were already prepared by Xu Ran. He had to go to welcome guests himself, so he assigned the task of registering the list of gifts to the village head. The village heads family came quite early as well. They arrived not long after they finished their breakfast. The village heads family brought five kilograms of rice and some vegetables. Compared to the money sent from the town, the gifts from the village might not look good, but they were practical. Rice and vegetables could be cooked to eat, and the favor was easy to return in the future. Xu Ran preferred these. Then, people from Xu Village came over on and off. It was a busy day, but not too busy, as everyone was using it to chill out. At about nine oclock, Xu Ran saw two carriages coming from the far end of the village. Xu Ran guessed that it might be Qin Shuwu and the others. Although they did not specify when to come, it was about the time. As the carriages got closer and closer, Xu Ran walked over to greet the guests. He was right. The carriages carried Qin Shuwu and the others. One of the carters was Qin Shuwu, while the other turned out to be the shopkeeper. The old couple of Qin family were also in the carriages. The others included the brothers of Qin family, whose spouses did not come. Several kids got off from the second carriage, after them came Housekeeper Zhuo. Xu Ran greeted them one by one, Sworn Dad and Daddy, Housekeeper Zhuo, shopkeeper, Brother Qin After greeting all of them, the children of Qin family also went to greet Xu Ran as uncle. When Xu Ran turned back, he saw Liu Tong standing by the doorway. He waved at him, asking him to come over. Today, the whole family were in festive clothes, especially the three kids. Tangtang and Guoguo were still wearing the red coat, and Baozi was in a new outfit made by Liu Tong. Since the previous croton seeds incident, Baozi had been healthy. Plus good nutrition, he was chubby and fair, really looking like a steamed bun, tempting people to tease him. Baozi could grin now. After Liu Tong came over, Elder Qin Daddy immediately carried Baozi, calling him as dear grandson. Elder Dad Qin also circled around him. Xu Ran went to greet Housekeeper Zhuo and the shopkeeper. Xu Ran said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, there are too many guests today. I might not have the time to accompany you. Since youve been here before and Shuwen is also inside, you can find him yourself! Well, take your younger brothers with you. Qin Shuwu smiled. Its rare for me to come to your place. Are you treating me like this? Xu Ran said, Didnt you say not to stand on ceremony with you? Im following your words. Go find a place to play. Im going to greet others. Ill leave you alone. Fine, you brat, go! Qin Shuwu gave him a nudge. Xu Ran walked to Housekeeper Zhuo and the shopkeeper. Housekeeper Zhuo, shopkeeper, I didnt expect that you will come. Housekeeper Zhuo looked very happy, Of course I shall come. Today is not only your childs special day, but is also a joyous occasion. Oh, what is it? Xu Ran asked with curiosity. Housekeeper Zhuo took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Xu Ran. Thats it, Young Masters letter arrived yesterday! Housekeeper Zhuo was beamed with joy when he said this. Xu Ran took the letter, on which were four words, For Shuwens Eyes Only. Although he was not familiar with the handwriting of Zhuo Yun, Xu Ran was sure that it was written by Zhuo Yun. He returned the letter to Housekeeper Zhuo and said, Housekeeper Zhuo, please come inside and hand this letter to Shuwen. He has been waiting for it for a long time. I wonder how happy he will be when he receive it. Sure, sure, sure. Ill send this letter to master. Ill go now, With the words, Housekeeper Zhuo pulled the shopkeeper inside. Originally, he had planned to take a closer look at his house, but now he completely forgot it. Xu Ran turned his head and saw that Elder Daddy Qin was still holding Baozi and talking to Liu Tong. Qin Shuwu and the rest were nowhere to be seen. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, why dont you take Sworn Daddy into the room? Zhuo Yun has sent a letter to Shuwen. Let Sworn Daddy go and take a look. Ill deal with the affairs outside. Liu Tong nodded and said to Elder Daddy Qin, Daddy, Lets go inside now. We cannot keep talking at the doorway. You havent seen Shuwen for a long time, have you? Lets go and find Shuwen. Elder Daddy Qin nodded. Okay, lets go in and talk. Liu Tong led the way in front while Elder Daddy Qin followed behind him. As they walked, they talked about the house. After they left, Xu Ran was going to the doorway to welcome guests. As he turned around, he found that a carriage was coming from the entrance of the village, which was obviously heading towards their home. Xu Ran couldnt figure out who it was. After all, he only knew a few people who could drive a carriage over, and they were already here. Was it possible that Zhuo Yun is back? Just as Xu Ran was guessing the identity of the comers, the carriage stopped in front of his house. Xu Ran didnt wait long to see the people coming out of the carriage. He wasnt familiar with the person driving the carriage but he knew very well the two people who got off. Mr. Chen and Doctor He! Xu Ran never expected that the two would come. They were already at his doorway, which allowed him no time to be surprised. Xu Ran smiled and went up to greet them, Mr. Chen, Doctor He, you two are really rare guests! Mr. Chen glared at Xu Ran, You dont even inform me of the childs one-hundred-day celebration, Xu Ran! With our relationship, you dont even tell me something like this. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said in his mind, Our relationship is between a buyer and a seller! Dont make it feel like that I have failed you, okay? Before he could answer Mr. Chen, Doctor He came over too. He said, Xu Ran! Ill call you that way! Whats your relationship with that Qin? When I met him today, he said he was coming to your house, but he refused to take me here with him. Tell me whether he is here. If he has come, Ill beat him up. Dont think that I cant find my way here without him taking me. Xu Ran was sweaty. It turned out that he was here to fight, not for him. However, Xu Ran honestly answered Doctor Hes question, Doctor He, Brother Qins father is my adopted father, and he is also my big brother. This is our relationship. Doctor He slammed Xu Ran on the shoulder, Is he here? I will settle the score with him! Xu Ran said, Doctor He, dont be angry. Today is my sons day, you cant be like this! Even if you want to beat him up, youll have to wait for a few days. Mr. Chen also consoled him, Old He, Xu Ran is right. You can beat him up tomorrow. After that, Ill treat you in my restaurant for dinner. Doctor He was being childish. Hearing Mr. Chens words, he nodded and agreed, saying, Dont forget what you said. You have to treat me to dinner. The dinner worked! Doctor He did not sense anything, but Mr. Chen was a little embarrassed. He was really just casually talking. Xu Ran smiled. Mr. Chen, Doctor He, please come in. Im a little busy today. Help yourselves. Mr. Chen waved his hand. We are the crashers in the party. Its good that you didnt kick us out. What are you talking about? Mr. Chen, as you said, were already so close. How can I kick you out? Speaking of which, why are you here together with Doctor He? Xu Ran asked. Well, its a long story. Then Mr. Chen started talking about his experience of meeting Doctor He. The two had met a few times, but they werent very familiar. This morning, Doctor He met Qin Shuwu family and found out that Qin Shuwu was coming to Xu Rans house. Then he proposed to come together. However, Qin Shuwu rejected him mercilessly. Then as Doctor He was strolling around, he bumped into Mr. Chen who was going to the restaurant. The two had known each other, so Mr. Chen casually asked, and then Doctor He told him blah blah blah. Thus Mr. Chen found out about Xu Rans childs one-hundred-day celebration. Then he casually said that he was also coming to Xu Rans house too, and as Doctor He said that he was going to find Qin Shuwu to settle the score, the two came together. Xu Ran was speechless after listening the whole story. Was Doctor He dim-witted? Xu Ran glanced at Doctor He and thought to himself that this Doctor He was completely different from the one who battled with Qin Shuwu in the clinic back then! However, it only showed that he didnt know thoroughly about him. Xu Ran ushered Doctor He and Mr. Chen into the room, and then led them to Qin Shuwu and the others. The possible brawling later would be none of his business, since he had to go to the front to greet the guests. Tangtang and Guoguo were still in charge of distributing the candies today. They were already very skilled at it. More or less, people from the village all brought things over. But there were too many people coming, almost all the members of each family had been here. Xu Ran estimated that his preparations today were not enough. He now understood why many people were displeased when they were distributing candies earlier. The whole family of them had been here to eat! However, seeing that these people being so accustomed to the occasion, he assumed that they probably did it often. Xu Ran was in no position to say anything. However, as more people were coming, he went to the kitchen to instruct them to prepare more food, in case it would be awkward if food was not enough. Chapter 187 When the lunch feast began at noon, Xu Ran said something to express his gratitude. Of course, these people probably liked his last remark the most, which was Please enjoy the lunch. Xu Ran couldnt find time to eat, so he asked Liu Tong to accompany the Qin family and Housekeeper Zhuo as well as the others, while he himself was bustling around. There were two rounds of lunch feasts. Even during the second round, all tables were full and there was no empty seat. Those who had finished eating said goodbye to Xu Ran and went home. Then those who hadnt started eating started to eat. From what was left on the table, Xu Ran reckoned that the villagers should have been quite satisfied with the feast this time. When the lunch feast was over, Wu Mei and the others came to clean up the tables. The village head pulled Xu Ran aside and showed him the list of presents. Xu Ran glanced it over and found that the amount of money he converted from the presents he had received was no more than half of what he had spent. Fortunately, he was doing it for the 100-day celebration of Baozi, not to collect money, otherwise he might have been so angry that he would vomit blood. The present list was long but no one sent cash. Xu Ran put it away and said to the village head, Thank you so much, village head. Thank you for your hard work for the whole morning. Have dinner at my house tonight! I also have guests tonight. The more the merrier. The village head didnt refuse, Alright, Ill go back for now and come back at night. Entertain your guests! They dont look like ordinary people. Xu Ran smiled, You are joking. Im just a peasant. Even if I want to know extraordinary people, I can never! The village head smiled without saying a word. It was after Xu Ran saw the village head off that he could finally greet Qin Shuwu and the others. However, once he greeted them, Qin Shuwu said that he was going back. Xu Ran said, Are you blaming me for not treating you well? Why are you leaving right after you finished lunch? Even if you wont stay overnight, you have to stay a little longer! Qin Shuwu said, No, I really have something to do. Since the renovation is done and you have also sent the wooden shelf over, I have to go back and get it done as soon as possible. Dad and daddy will spend the night here, and you have to take good care of them. Xu Ran smiled, Brother Qin, what are you talking about? Those are my sworn dad and daddy, so thats what I should do. Since you really have something important to do, I wont ask you to stay. Once Xu Ran finished his words, Mr. Chen took out a piece of note from his top pocket, Xu Ran! I came halfway, so I didnt prepare any gifts for the child. Take this money as my red packet money for the child. Xu Ran pushed the note back, Mr. Chen, what are you doing? Im already very happy that you are here. Dont say anything else. Mr. Chen said, Xu Ran, weve known each other for almost two years! Thanks to you, my restaurant business has got better and better over the past two years. Apart from anything else, I have to attend the 100-day celebration of your child. The only thing is that you actually didnt tell me about it. Today, you must take my note, no matter what. If you dont take it, you are looking down on me. Xu Rans face was full of embarrassment. He had never seen anyone forcing someone else to take money, and it was such a terrible excuse. However, the most important thing was that, it worked! With so many people here, Xu Ran definitely couldnt refuse Mr. Chen on the table. Xu Ran felt helpless, took over the note and said, I thank you, Mr. Chen, on behalf of Baozi. Mr. Chen, just rest assured. In the future, as long as I have mountain products for sale, the first one I will think of is still you. Mr. Chen smiled, Since you said that, then Im relieved. Im leaving. The restaurant cant be left without anyone looking after it all day long. And me, and me, Xu Ran! Im leaving too. I dont have anything good for you. Ill just give you a 100-year ginseng! I originally wanted to bring it to the hospital for sale today, but before I went to the hospital, I came here. After that, Doctor He took out a 100-year ginseng from his top pocket. Probably, only Dr. He would take a 100-year ginseng with him like this! Just as Xu Ran was about to refuse, Doctor He spoke again, Xu Ran, since youve already accepted Old Chens present, you cant just refuse mine. If you dont accept it, I wont leave today. Xu Ran, Actually Im not afraid of that. I have enough food and room for you in my house Before Xu Ran could speak, Mr. Chen leaned over and whispered in Doctor Hes ear. Then Xu Ran heard something else from Doctor He soon, which was obviously from Mr. Chen. Doctor He might have just recited it all. Xu Ran smiled, Fine, fine. Doctor He, I will take your ginseng too. I thank you on behalf of Baozi. After Xu Ran accepted it, Doctor He was satisfied. He said, Im leaving with Old Chen and the others. By the way, Ill get even with that Qin on the way. Dr. He was obsessed. Xu Ran even started to wonder if Qin Shuwu had betrayed Doctor He when he was young. Of course, that thought just crossed Xu Rans mind. After all, there were not so many men who liked men. Qin Shuwus brothers, Housekeeper Zhuo and the shopkeeper, were also leaving. Anyway, only the old Qin couple would stay in the end. Xu Ran thought that it was good for them to leave together, so that they could take care of each other on the road. After all, except for Qin Shuwu and the shopkeeper, it was the first time for the rest to ever visit Xu Village. Xu Ran sent everyone outside the door, and didnt come back until the carriages went far away. Qin Shuwu and the others hadnt given Xu Ran anything. He might have either given something to Liu Tong or the child. Xu Ran already felt very happy that they had come. After seeing off the guests, Xu Ran still had a lot of business to attend to. He had to deal with the leftovers in the kitchen, and return all the tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks that he had borrowed. He also needed to give red packets to Wu Mei and the others. Anyway, Xu Ran had to bustle around the rest of the day except for sleep time. After working for a while, Xu Ran remembered that he hadnt seen his children, Lin Hua or any other one. He went to ask Liu Tong where they were. Liu Tong said, They couldnt just sit there doing nothing. After lunch, they asked Tangtang and Guoguo to take them up to the mountain. Its spring now. Many trees on the mountain are blooming. Its great for them to watch. Xu Ran nodded, indicating that he got it. He thought that since his two children were with them, there should not be any problem, so he went back to work on his own business. It was when it got dark that Lin Hua and the others came back. The food was ready. Those who should appear appeared too. Everyone was waiting for them. Lin Hua looked a little embarrassed and was limping. Xu Ran saw it when he opened the door. He asked Lin Hua, What happened? How did you make yourself like this on the mountain? Lin Hua gave a bitter smile, I didnt pay attention while walking down the mountain. I slipped and fell. Xu Ran smiled unkindly, Bro! Its better for you not to go to the mountain. I wanted to take you to town tomorrow, but I didnt expect you to turn yourself this way. Just rest at home tomorrow! Ill only take Zhao Chen to town. After that, Xu Ran started laughing again. Lin Hua stretched out his injured ankle in front of Xu Ran, Didnt you see that Im injured? Are we still friends! Im injured yet you are laughing so happily! Xu Ran pointed at Lin Huas ankle, Come on. How serious could it be since you walked home yourself? Besides, it was because you didnt pay attention while walking that you fell. I dont feel for you. But no worries. Im a kind person, and I will offer white wine at night for you to rub your ankle. Maybe you will get well tomorrow. Although his previous words made Lin Hua angry, Lin Hua decided to be magnanimous on this for the sake of Xu Rans last remark and not bother with him. They had been at the door for a little while. It was when Liu Tong came out to call them for dinner that Lin Hua limped inside the house. Zhao Chen wanted to help him but Lin Hua refused him, Xu Ran is right. Its not that serious. But if you help me, I would feel that Im seriously injured. Thats not Okay. I still hope that I will get well tomorrow morning. Zhao Chen looked at him, speechless. But when he saw that Lin Hua didnt really need help, he withdrew his hands. When Lin Hua limped to the table, he was greeted by everyone present. Although he felt embarrassed, Lin Hua still told the truth. After all, there were elders there. There were two more people tonight. After dinner, they got together. Xu Ran thought that they needed to do something to spend the night. However, there were so many people and the age gap was big, so the only thing he could think of was story-telling. But this time, Xu Ran wouldnt tell stories in Chinas Four Great Classic Novels, but suspense stories. Young Judge Bao Qingtian was one of Xu Rans favorite suspense dramas. After all, there were only a few decent Chinese suspense dramas, and Xu Ran could count them on one hand. Xu Ran remembered when he had been obsessed with Young Judge Bao Qingtian. He had sat in front of the TV and watched it alone in the daytime. Then during night time, he couldnt help but think too much about the scenes he had watched in TV. He had been too frightened to sleep. However, this had not stopped him. The next day, he would have kept watching. He even admired his own courage then. Before Xu Ran told the story, he said frankly, If you think you will be scared, dont listen to me. Im afraid you wont sleep well at night. Whats important is that Im afraid you wont dare to get up and go to the toilet tonight. Lin Hua waved his hand, Just tell the story! How old are we? Were not afraid of it. Besides, its not true. Whats there to be afraid of? While the others stared at Xu Ran with the same look on their faces. Xu Ran said, You want to listen to the story yourselves. Dont blame me tomorrow. After that, Xu Ran smiled, as if something wicked was brewing up in his mind. Seeing that no one objected to it, Xu Ran began to tell the story slowly. Chapter 188 However, many people were destined to lose sleep this night. In the middle of the night, Xu Ran was woken up by a scream. Liu Tong also woke up. Xu Ran kissed Liu Tong and said with a smile, I told them not to listen. They didnt believe me. Liu Tong also smiled, We had nothing to do anyway! Besides, there would have been no problem if you told another story. Xu Ran put his hand on Liu Tongs waist, hugged him, and then said, I can hardly remember anything else. You guys are probably fed up with stories in Four Great Classical Novels, so I just wanted to try something new. Besides, arent you not afraid either? They are cowards themselves. Liu Tong said, Then you are the same with me. Im bold to begin with, and I dont believe such things either. Xu Ran said, Why not? Think about me. Liu Tong shook his head. Thats different, and those are obviously artificial. Xu Ran kissed Liu Tong again, Tongtong, youre so smart. You even know about this. Liu Tong smiled, Alright, lets not talk about this. Lets sleep! Arent you going to town tomorrow? Xu Ran looked bitter, But I dont want to sleep now! Liu Tong stroked his face, Then what should we do? Xu Ran suddenly gave an evil grin,Then lets do something meaningful! Liu Tong naturally knew what he was talking about and nodded with a blush, Fine. The next morning, Lin Hua seemed to have forgotten about the nightmare that he had had last night. He ran cheerfully down the stairs, My foot is well! My foot is well! Xu Ran, my foot is well. His tone was so excited, as if he found himself pregnant. Xu Ran walked over and patted him, Alright, why so excited? Its just that your ankle recovered. Its not like youre pregnant. Lin Hua stamped on Xu Rans foot with his injured foot yesterday, Im not a Geer. How could I get pregnant? Xu Rans foot hurt, Then why are you so excited? Lin Hua chuckled, How could I not be excited? I recovered overnight. Xu Ran folded his arms over his chest, Then you have to thank me. If it werent for the words I said last night and baijiu, how could you have recovered so quickly? Lin Hua curled his lips, Thank you so much. Lin Hua said with no sincerity at all. Xu Ran said, Alright, stop dillydallying. Go wash your face and have breakfast. We are going to town after that. Although its a small town like He Shui Town and theres not much difference between them, its still worth a visit. Ha ha, Im going now. Lin Hua said and left. Xu Ran looked at him from behind and found that he didnt limp anymore, so he should have recovered for real. The purpose of his trip to town today was to have the things of the deli settled. Although he had not been busy by day recently, he had had to stay at Tangtang and Guoguos side at night. He hadnt gone to town for some time, and all things had been handled by Qin Shuwu alone. Now it was time for him to visit the deli, or else he would feel sorry. Lin Hua was very excited that he could go to town. After breakfast, he urged Xu Ran to leave. It was naturally impossible for Xu Ran to leave soon because he still needed to send the old Qin couple back. Xu Ran had initially wanted them to stay for another night, but the old couple kept thinking about home and insisted on going back. In fact, there was nothing in their home that needed them to worry about, but it was probably because they were not used to living in other peoples home. Xu Ran could understand it, so he did not force them to stay. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to pack up some food. There were still a lot of leftovers from yesterday and they couldnt finish them, so it was perfect for the old Qin couple to take the food back with them. They left when it was about noon. Xu Ran first sent the old Qin couple back to the Qins house, then parked the carriage and brought Lin Hua and Zhao Chen to visit Qin Shuwu. The deli, which was next to Qin Shuwus fruit shop, was almost done renovating. Xu Ran even saw that the plaque had been hung up. Qin Shuwu was quite efficient. Xu Ran didnt brought Lin Hua and Zhao Chen here for no reason. After all, they were the first ones who had started to sell cooked food. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen could have a look at the decoration style, and comment on it. Anyway, it was to kill two birds with one stone. Yesterday, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen had met Qin Shuwu and talked a little, but not much. Xu Ran had also told Lin Hua and Zhao Chen about the deli frankly. Lin Hua praised Xu Ran, Arent you doing great! You shops are everywhere. Xu Ran said with a smile, I just came up with this idea. Its you guys who offer all the money. I hardly do anything. But Lin Hua, your words just reminded me. Let me tell you. When you go back, open another branch shop of your current one. You couldnt manage all business with just one shop. Some customers would think its too far away from them so they dont want to visit your shop. With one shop on each side of the city, people are closer to your shops, so that there will be more customers. Lin Hua touched his chin, Well fine. Then I will go back and do some further research. But should I name it the same way? Xu Ran said, This is simple. The original shop is the main one, while the subsequent ones the branch shops. Then put the number on the name. When you open your branches to other places later, it will be easier for you to manage them. When Xu Ran finished his words, he saw Lin Hua staring at him with a frown, and Zhao Chen and Qin Shuwus expressions were also a little funny. Xu Ran was confused, Why are you guys looking at me? Lin Hua went around Xu Ran, and then said in a tone that sounded even more confused than Xu Ran, I havent noticed anything different about you! Yet how could you come up with so many ideas? Xu Ran broke out in cold sweat. He couldnt really take the credit. It was just because he had lived for so many years in his previous life, and remembered a lot of things even if he didnt want to remember. He happened to put them in use this life. This would only prove that the wisdom of the later generations was not worse than that of their ancestors. Xu Ran said, I dont know how I came up with them either. Anyway, I did. Besides, dont be bothered with how I came up with them. Since you are silly, do you want me to be silly like you? Xu Rans last remark cut Lin Hua deeply. Lin Hua trembled and felt very hurt. He looked very funny though, which amused the other two people. Qin Shuwu said, Alright, you guys might discuss that when you go back. Today, lets talk about my shop. Lin Hua, havent you two sold cooked food before? Could you tell me what are the best-selling products? Ill prepare more on the day of my opening. Lin Hua did not hold back the truth and told him all the names of the dishes. It was just those few things, not too much. Qin Shuwu wrote them down carefully. Xu Ran asked Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, when will the shop open? Do we need anything else? Qin Shuwu said, Ive found some fortune-teller to tell me the date. He said that March 12th was an auspicious date and would be perfect for store opening. As for what we need, we dont need anything else. But you have to show me how to put the food on the wooden shelf. And about the training you mentioned, Ive also got the clerk, and he will be here tomorrow. You could train him then. Xu Ran nodded, No problem. Ill show you how to display the food on the wooden shelf right now. As for the training of the clerk, I will come to town tomorrow again. Okay! Qin Shuwu nodded, then took the key over and opened the door next to his shop. The moment the door was opened, a strange smell greeted them. Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, you should keep this door open! This shop is used for food selling. If it smells strange, no one would dare to buy food here. Naturally, Qin Shuwu also smelled it. He said, Got it. I will leave the door open at daytime these days. I guess its from the renovation. Before the lime on the wall went dry, I closed the door. Xu Ran didnt say anything more. The wooden shelf had already been placed in the shop. He walked over and took a look at it. When he had asked Xu An to make the wooden shelf for him, he had also asked him to make something else. When he had sent the shelf to Qin Shuwu, Xu Ran had been in a hurry so he hadnt told him that much about these things. He had just put them in a sack. Xu Ran glanced at the sack still lying on the ground, guessing that Qin Shuwu had not even opened it yet. Xu Ran asked Qin Shuwu to move the sack out with him, opened it and took the contents out. Those were the wooden frames and wooden tongs that Xu Ran had asked Xu An to make. Wooden frames were used for displaying the food and put on the wooden shelf, so it would be easy to move different kinds of food. As for the wooden tongs, they were naturally used for picking up the food. Xu Ran hadnt found the springs, so he had asked Xu An to use nails. People might not be used to the wooden tongs at first, but they would definitely get used to them after some time. Xu Ran put the wooden frames on the shelf one by one and explained to Qin Shuwu and the others why he had made these. He also showed them how to use the wooden tongs. Qin Shuwu had never seen how things were sold in delis, so he felt it ordinary, but Lin Hua and Zhao Chen felt different. After all, they knew how food were sold in delis. They had been using chopsticks and it took longer for people to pick up what they wanted. In addition, they had been using metal bowls to display food. They were heavy and ugly. Seeing these, Lin Hua got delighted. He squatted down to help Xu Ran sort out the stuff and asked him, Xu Ran, how did you know these would work without telling us about it? Its not like you dont know how we sell things. Xu Ran smiled, I didnt come up with this idea before! If I really didnt want you to know about this, I wouldnt have brought you here today. Take a closer look at this thing and memorize it. When you get back, find a carpenter and make one like this. I thought about it. Not only can this thing be used for cold dishes, but also for pastries. Lin Hua looked over the wooden shelf with wooden frames on it and then nodded, Its indeed a good stuff. Only you have a bright mind. Xu Ran laughed. After all, he had lived another life. How would he survive if he didnt know anything? The originally empty wooden shelf wasnt very good-looking, but it looked much fuller after wooden frames and tongs were put on it. If food were put within the frames, with the engraved and dyed dish names in front of the frames, it would look really good. After Xu Ran finished the work, he clapped his hands and said smugly, Lets not talk about anything else. Just this wooden frame is quite attractive. Brother Qin, pay attention for me whether anyone will come to buy this kind of wooden shelf then. Brother Xu An has helped me, so I have to get some work for him. Qin Shuwu nodded. No problem. I will ask my spouse to cook some dishes tomorrow and bring them over to check it out. Xu Ran smiled, This is naturally good. Then they talked about the interior decoration of the shop for a while, and Qin Shuwu advised that they go to town to hang out. Chapter 189 Although Xu Ran often came to town, the places he visited the most were Zhuo Yuns house, Mr. Chens restaurant and Qin Shuwus shop. If not for grocery shopping, he would never visit other places. Therefore, Xu Ran was definitely not so familiar with the town as Qin Shuwu, who had been doing business in town for so many years. Qin Shuwu said that he would show them around, and the happiest one was nobody but Lin Hua, because he enjoyed crowds, as well as delicious food. Xu Ran looked at the excited Lin Hua and tugged at Zhao Chens sleeve, Has he always been like this? Zhao Chen glanced at Lin Hua and nodded, From the day I ever knew him. The two families were family friends, so Lin Hua had been like this for more than 20 years. Xu Ran patted Zhao Chen, Im impressed that you could put up with him. Zhao Chen smiled, Im used to it. If it were you, you would also get used to it since youve been watching him from childhood . Xu Ran nodded in agreement, indicating that habit was a terrible thing. Qin Shuwu took them to a lot of places. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen also bought a lot of things. According to them, those were the things they could never find in He Shui Town, and most of them were food. Xu Ran didnt quite believe their words. If it were something else, Xu Ran would have believed it, but food? And so much food? Was it even possible that so much food was nowhere to be found in their town? Were they fooling a kid? However, since both of them were guests, Xu Ran was kind enough not to expose them. They went to Mr. Chens restaurant to have lunch at noon. Dr. He also joined them. Well, it was Qin Shuwu who specifically called Dr. He over, which also fulfilled Mr. Chens previous promise that he would invite Dr. He for a meal. Xu Ran felt so gossipy at this moment. He really wanted to know whether Dr. He had done anything to Qin Shuwu on their way back that day. However, seeing that neither of them intended to talk about it, Xu Ran couldnt broach the subject either. He blinked at Mr. Chen a few times, but the latter just pretended not to have seen it. Xu Ran felt so itchy, as if a cat was scratching his heart. Luckily, the meal didnt last for long. Once Dr. He finished lunch, he went back, and Qin Shuwu also had to go back to the shop. Xu Ran asked Lin Hua and Zhao Chen for their opinions. Both of them said they wanted to go back. They also knew that Xu Ran was actually quite busy. After all, he had to deal with the aftermath of the feast. Meanwhile, Xu Ran was indeed thinking about home. He didnt know what had Zhuo Yun written in the letter arrived yesterday. Had he mentioned the fruit trees or the deli? That would cost Xu Ran a large sum of money. He also needed to discuss it with Liu Tong. And most importantly, he had to check how much money was left at home, and whether it was enough to buy fruit trees. Xu Ran thought it over and over again. His mind was entangled with money. As the old saying goes, a cent defeats a hero. When Xu Ran and the others returned home, he saw Gao Quan coming over from the village entrance, his hands carrying something. Xu Ran could even hear their screams from afar. It was when Gao Quan got closer that Xu Ran realized that he was carrying two piglets, both tied up, one in each hand. Gao Quan couldnt look more relaxed. Xu Ran smiled. He had previously mentioned that he should buy two pigs and raise them at home. However, since he had been busy, and not known who had piglets in the village, he could only have put it off. It didnt occur to him that Gao Quan still remembered this. Xu Ran got off the carriage, took a piglet from Gao Quan and asked him, Where are these from? It weighs 20 to 30 jins! Gao Quan said, I dont know. It was Shao Yu who asked me to go. He made a deal with them. As long as we give the money, we can take them back. Gao Quan had been here for almost a year, and was still not very familiar with the people in the village. However, it was normal for him not to know them since he had always been minding his own business quietly. Xu Ran asked, Did you give that money? Or do I need to pay for them? Gao Quan nodded, I did. Shao Yu gave me the money. Gao Quan didnt mention where Shao Yus money was from. Probably they paid for the piglets with their own money. Gao Quan and Shao Yu were paid every month. However, they didnt go out that often, and usually it was Xu Ran who did the grocery shopping for all, so they didnt need to spend much money. Therefore, their savings should be enough to buy a piglet. Xu Ran asked Lin Hua and Zhao Chen to unload the carriage while he went to the pigpen with Gao Quan, each person with one piglet. When the two piglets landed on the ground, they immediately found a corner to hide. They just arrived at a strange place, and did that to protect themselves by instinct. Gao Quan went to scoop up a gourdful of water, kept the water in his mouth and spat out a few mouthfuls of water into the pigpen. Meanwhile, he was murmuring something. Xu Ran didnt understand him, and assumed that this was probably the custom of somewhere. And it must be because Shao Yu had told him so that Gao Quan did this. Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, You have to work hard again. Gao Quan was stunned, and then he realized that Xu Ran was talking about feeding piglets. He shook his head. Its fine. Its what I should do. Xu Ran said, Theres nothing you should or shouldnt do. I did buy you back to work for me, but Ive been with you for almost a year now, and I know that you guys are very kind, so I treat you as my family. Theres nothing a family should or shouldnt do. After that, Xu Ran left before Gao Quan could answer. When Xu Ran got to the front yard, no one was there, so he assumed that people were all in the room. Xu Ran saw Liu Tong in the living room, who was holding the baby alone. Liu Tong saw Xu Ran and said with a smile, Ran, youre back. Did you have lunch? Xu Ran walked over and sat down beside him, I did. Is Baozi being a kind boy today? Liu Tong smiled, He is much better than Tangtang and Guoguo when they were young. I dont know if he will keep being so good when he grows up. I just hope he will be the same as now. After all, he is a Geer. Xu Ran took Baozi into his arms and said to Liu Tong, I dont think so. We have never worried about Tangtang or Guoguo, so we need to worry about Baozi. Otherwise, we wouldnt be able to enjoy the pleasure of being a daddy or dad. Anyway, as long as our children dont do anything against their conscience, itll be fine if they are a little naughty. Xu Ran said as if Baozi would definitely be naughty in the future. Liu Tong had no opinion about that. No matter what, he loved this child. After teasing the child for a while, Xu Ran suddenly asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, Gao Quan came back with two piglets. Did you know that? Liu Tong nodded, Shao Yu told me about it this morning. Then, how did they pay? Did you give them money? Liu Tong shook his head, They didnt ask me for money. Shao Yu said you would give them the money when you were back. Xu Ran said, It seems that the two of them paid by themselves. I happened to bump into Gao Quan when I came back. He told me that the piglets had already been paid. That wont do. Liu Tong stood up when he heard Xu Rans words, Ill go ask Shao Yu. Xu Ran pulled him down. Alright, since they want to buy them, we will say no more on this matter. I told them we were family. If we draw a clear distinction between us, theyll feel they are being treated as a stranger instead. We do have to give them the money, but not in this way. We will just give them some bonus when we pay them every month in the future. Its time to give them a pay rise. Xu Ran had always been the one who decided on things like this, and Liu Tong wouldnt have any opinion on it, Then Ran, its up to you. Okay! The two of them talked intimately for a little while, and then saw Zhao Chen and Lin Hua coming in with Lin Xi following behind. Thinking of the fact that Lin Xi had been left at home and not brought to town today, Xu Ran felt a little embarrassed. He stood up and said, Lin Xi, I didnt take you to town today. Im really sorry. When Lin Xi heard this, he waved his hand immediately, Its fine. Childe Xu, dont say that. Ive been happy at home. After Lin Xi said that, Lin Hua chimed in, Xu Ran, just leave him alone. He is an adult. He will definitely find something to do. Lin Xi nodded at once. Since the young master said so, that must be the case. Lin Hua and the others lived in Xu Rans house until March 10th, and then there was nothing fun left to do. It was getting warmer, and the shop was about to get busy. Furthermore, Lin Hua had great interest in the branch shop Xu Ran mentioned, so they planned to go back. Xu Ran gave them all kinds of food available at home, and came up with a few new dishes. Lin Hua got satisfied. When they left, Lin Hua slipped a few notes to Xu Ran. Xu Ran unfolded them and saw that there were 500 taels in total! Xu Ran wanted to hold Lin Huas thigh and call him rich man. One casual shot was worth 500 taels! Lin Hua said to Xu Ran, These are for Baozi. Speaking of this, I wanted to have Baozi to recognize me as his godfather, but he is too young now. When he is one year old, Ill come again. Just dont object to it then. Xu Ran held the notes in his hand, not knowing to take them or not. He felt like he was selling his son. After thinking for a while, Xu Ran said, Theres no problem with you giving the money to Baozi. As for the godfather thing, I have to discuss it with Tongtong and Baozis brothers. If they agree, then I have no opinion about it. Lin Hua clapped his hands. Okay. No matter you agree or not, I will come over anyway. I appreciate your kindness. When you get back, have a nice chat with Zhao Chens father. They cant just remain deadlocked like this forever. It would naturally be best if the ending is to the satisfaction of all. Xu Rans last remarks were told in a low voice, and only he and Lin Hua could hear them. Lin Hua nodded. I know that. I will handle it well. Thank you for your concern. Xu Ran smiled and patted him, Dont mention it. Alright, you guys might leave now! It would be better for you to find a place to spend the night on your way home. I know what happened to you during the Spring Festival. It was freezing and that took toll on your health. I will say no more. Write to me if anything happens. I will just take your money. I need it now anyway. Alright, then were leaving. You can write to us too if something happens. Xu Ran nodded and said goodbye to Zhao Chen. Then he watched the three of them get into the carriage. Xu Ran waved his hand, Be careful on the road. The carriage went further and further away. Xu Ran still heard Lin Huas voice, Got it. Chapter 190 After Xu Ran saw off Lin Hua and the others, Tangtang and Guoguos medicated bath could continue. However, Xu Ran always felt that he had forgotten something very important. It was not about the opening of the deli because it was not time yet. Nor was it about the chores at home or farm work because they were almost done. Xu Ran pondered over and over and failed to remember what it was. He spent half of the day walking around in circles in the yard. Liu Tong saw Xu Ran when he went downstairs with Baozi in his arms and asked him, Ran, what are you doing? Xu Ran raised his head and said to him, I forgot something very important. Tongtong, help me remember it. Liu Tong stared at him, smiling, I didnt expect that you would really forgot about this. I was talking about it with Shuwen yesterday. Shuwen! Zhuo Yun? Xu Ran patted himself on the forehead, Now I remember. I havent read the letter Zhuo Yun wrote to Shuwen yet. By the way, Tongtong, have you read it? Did Zhuo Yun mention in the letter where I could get those fruit trees? Liu Tong walked to his side, He did. How forgetful you are! You really should get a good sleep. You almost forgot everything. Xu Ran touched his nose. It seemed that what Liu Tong said was the truth. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, where is Shuwen? Ask him to show me the letter. When the deli opens the day after tomorrow, Ill find someone to fetch the fruit trees with me. Otherwise, it will be too late. Shuwen is upstairs. Ill call him. Zhuo Yun mentioned in the letter that fruit trees were available in Ban Yue Town, but he was also told this information by someone else. He wouldnt pass by Ban Yue Town, so he had no idea what the specific situation was. You have to go and take a look yourself. Liu Tong said as he walked upstairs. However, when Xu Ran heard what Liu Tong said, he went silent. Wasnt Ban Yue Town where Du Xin lived? Would he bump into Du Xin if he went there? To be honest, ever since Xu Ran had found out that Du Xin was related to Liu Tongs identity, Du Xin had no image in his heart. If Ban Yue Town was not mentioned now, he might not have remembered this person. Xu Ran only felt that it would be troublesome for him to go to Ban Yue Town. Who knew if they would take advantage of Liu Tong again. However, if there really were fruit trees that he wanted in Ban Yue Town, then he must make a trip. Xu Ran shook his head. Hed better read the letter first! Before long, Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen came downstairs together. Qin Shuwen was holding two sheets of paper in his hand, which should be the letter written by Zhuo Yun. Qin Shuwen handed the paper to Xu Ran and said, This is what Yun wrote about the fruit trees. It didnt occur to me that you would forget such an important thing. Xu Ran took the letter and turned his face away. Obviously he was embarrassed. In the letter, Zhuo Yun said that some had told him before that there were many fruit trees in Ban Yue Town. Some people specialized in the cultivation of fruit trees there. If Xu Ran went over and took a look, he might be able to buy a lot. Although he didnt know if it was true, Zhuo Yun still suggested Xu Ran go there personally. In the letter, there were so many names of fruit trees, peaches, plums, cherries and so on, which were exactly what Xu Ran wanted. Xu Ran thought for a while and said to the two of them, The fruit trees Zhuo Yun mentioned in the letter are exactly what I want, so I plan to visit this Ban Yue Town. Besides, I have to visit another place. Both Qin Shuwen and Liu Tong were staring at him, waiting for him to say the name of the location. Xu Ran said, I want to visit Mr. Hu. Some people at his place grow strawberries, so there must be many other kinds of fruit trees. I remember when I was there, I might have seen them. Liu Tong said, Ran, are you planning to go alone? How about I go with you? So that I can rest assured. Xu Ran thought about it. He could definitely not take Gao Quan away with him. Not to mention anything else, it was impossible for him to leave no man in the house. The ones left were all Geers and children. Therefore, if Xu Ran wanted someone to go with him, he had to hire help. But according to the current situation, Xu Ran was not sure whether there would be fruit trees that he wanted there or not. If not, since he hired so many people to go with him, he still had to pay them, but he would bring nothing back. That would be a huge loss. In fact, Liu Tong was the right person. At least when they were traveling together, it was Liu Tong who would be protecting him, except when he was pregnant. Xu Ran felt as if he was treating Liu Tong like a woman. Tongtong probably didnt like this idea very much. Thinking about this, Xu Ran nodded, Tongtong, come with me. We will ask Shuwen and Shao Yu to take care of Baozi then. Baozi is a good kid, so there should be no problem. Qin Shuwen also said, Its better to have Liu Tong go with you. He looks stronger. Obviously, one could tell at a glance by Liu Tongs height and physique. Xu Ran was deeply cut. Although Xu Rans height was already set and he could no longer grow taller, he ate a lot! How come he never grew bigger? He looked little and wiry. It hurt! This matter was settled for the time being. Xu Ran thought for a moment and added, The deli will open the day after tomorrow. Shuwen, come with us! The whole family is coming. It should be very busy. Qin Shuwen nodded, Okay, I havent been in town for a long time. I can also go back home by the way. Speaking of which, Xu Ran, have you discussed with Zhuo Yun that we will stay at your home when we grow fruit trees in the future? Qin Shuwen asked Xu Ran. Xu Ran nodded. Weve discussed it before, but Zhuo Yun said that he wanted to ask your opinion. It depends on whether you will agree or not. You must know that we will definitely get busy by then, and it will be impossible for him to run back and forth every day. Not only will he get exhausted, he will also be short of time. It will be much more convenient for you to stay at my place. Qin Shuwen said, To be honest, this place is very good, especially when I will see a field of fruit trees behind the house planted by ourselves in the future. Imagine that kind of feeling. I have no opinion about it, as long as the two of you wont say that my family is lingering at your house and wouldnt go. Xu Ran smiled, So will you leave if I say that? Qin Shuwen also laughed, Not necessarily. Maybe you want me to leave but I just wouldnt leave. Look. Since you said that you would linger at my house, how could I drive you away? Or else how could your dream come true! After that, Xu Ran ran away. He was sure that Qin Shuwen would fly into a rage. Of course, Qin Shuwen would fly into a rage, but Liu Tong stopped him, Wen, its alright. Arent you afraid of hurting us by saying that? Qin Shuwen heard Liu Tongs words and felt as if it was his fault, but he failed to make an adequate defense. Now Qin Shuwen was feeling upset. Liu Tong looked at him and smiled again, Shuwen, youre so cute. Qin Shuwen rolled his eyes at Liu Tong and left with the child in his arms. Meanwhile, Qin Shuwen was muttering that Xu Ran must have misled Liu Tong. On March 12th, Xu Ran took the whole family to town. Today was the opening day of Qins Private Dish Deli. As an investor, he must be there. Qin Shuwu had invited a lot of friends. He introduced Xu Ran in front of everyone, saying that they ran this shop together. Xu Ran knew only a few of Qin Shuwus friends. Apart from these people who were not surprised, the others gasped more or less. When Qin Shuwu finished saying what he should say, he asked Xu Ran to introduce this deli. Xu Ran asked people to move the wooden shelf out. There were already a lot of dishes on it. Xu Ran pointed at the engraved words on the wooden shelf and introduced these dishes one by one. Finally, he said that any cooked food sold from Qins Private Dish could be eaten immediately, whether it was hot or cold. These cold dishes were very appetizing in summer, and many people liked them so much. At the same time, Xu Ran introduced the prices. The prices were set by Qin Shuwu. After all, he knew better about the consumption level of these people in town better than Xu Ran did. The last remark of Xu Rans was, Everyone, today, all of the cooked food has a 20% discount, which means, if the original price is ten pence per jin, todays price is only eight pence. Our little deli has just opened today, and there is only one chance. Your patronage is cordially invited! After Xu Ran finished speaking, a clerk came out with a plate of dish, on which there were many little bamboo sticks, so that everyone on the street could have a taste for free. Qin Shuwus spouse had tested the taste several times. Xu Ran thought it was delicious too, so these passers-by should also be satisfied. In addition, the employees of the deli were all trained by Xu Ran. He taught them everything, from how to talk to how to behave. Xu Ran promised that as long as the business was good, they would get the commission. These people would naturally work harder when money was involved. There was no need for the two shopkeepers to be present afterwards. Qin Shuwu invited his group of friends to the fruit shop. He put a table in his fruit shop, and then took the cold dishes and braised meat from the deli for them to have a taste. These people were rich. As long as they were served well, Qin Shuwu and Xu Ran wouldnt have to worry about business in the future. Qin Shuwu was good at socializing, and these were some sensible friends. They would spare no effort to support him when they should support him. Xu Ran also took this opportunity to socialize with these people. This was also Qin Shuwus intention. Of course, Xu Ran would not be stupid and disappoint his good intention. As for Liu Tong and the rest, they went back to help Qin Shuwus spouse and the other people. Today was the first day of opening, and there must be a lot of people. The deli wouldnt close until it was dinner time, so there were many things to prepare. Qin Shuwus group of friends were also busy. After tasting the cold dishes and braised meat, everyone packed up one portion of food and went back to work with it. Xu Ran and the others didnt go back for lunch at noon. They ate in Qin Shuwus fruit shop. They ate the cold dishes and braised meat sold in the deli. Their food tasted good, and could make people eat more bowls of rice. Chapter 191 As they ate, Qin Shuwu talked about preparing a few more dishes. Xu Ran remembered the fiddlehead they planted last year, and it should come into leaf now. Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, I will go back and see if I can find anything else to eat. I think that the fiddlehead in the mountains should be fine now. In that case, it can be used to make cold dishes and it tastes very good. Alright, its up to you. Anyway, just send anything fresh you can get! Qin Shuwu said. Xu Ran nodded and continued, Brother Qin, you should contact those restaurants again. For example, Mr. Chens restaurant will definitely sell these things at a higher price. In this way, both he and us can make more money. It was cheap and convenient to buy dishes in the store. It would cost more to eat the dishes in the restaurant and it showed a lifestyle. Although people didnt know much about lifestyle in that era, there were a lot of rich people and they definitely would feel ashamed to buy things at this store. Qin Shuwu took some vegetables and said to Xu Ran, You are really clever. Ill ask about this of course. On the other hand, you should plant more vegetables in your farm, because it will cost less. I dont have much land and I plan to plant vegetables on all my land. If you plant more, it should be enough. Xu Ran nodded, I agree. Several acres are left uncultured and I will plant vegetables there soon. Good. Xu Lan replied. Then they discussed on details, and when they finished, other people had been full and left. Xu Ran thought of the fruit trees and asked Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, have you been to Half Month Town? Zhuo Yun sent me a letter saying that he was told there are many fruit trees in the own. He asked me go over and take a look. Qin Shuwu thought for a moment and said, Ive been to this town once. Im not sure if there are fruit trees there, but there are surely quite a lot of fruits. I was told local people planted them. There should be fruit trees since there are so many fruits. Zhuo Yun wrote to tell you this from far away. I think he is right and you should go and take a look. Xu Ran nodded, I agree, but I plan to go to Mr. Hus first. They plant strawberries there, so there must be other fruits there. Qin Shuwu nodded, There are indeed, but not many. The most important problem is that these trees have grown up and you cant transport them here even if you buy them. Another problem is that maybe people are not willing to sell them. I think might as well go to the mountain to take a look. There are probably many fruit trees on the mountain behind you house. Xu Ran recalled that he had seen some wild cherry trees and wild pear trees on the mountain behind. There were many indeed. He smiled, Thanks for reminding me, Brother Qin. I have planned to go out tomorrow to check it out. Now it seems that it must be postponed for some time. You are welcome. Seldom do you care about this deli, and Im not going to care about your planting fruit trees. Ill look for as many as I can and you may do what you like. He meant courtesy called for reciprocity of course. Xu Ran said, Okay, thank you. Qin Shuwu waved his hand, You are welcome. Xu Ran pouted and stopped talking. Xu Ran didnt leave until the store was about to close. Qin Shuwu checked and he could make at least one hundred taels of silver today, which was definitely an incredible sum. It was hard for most restaurants to make so much money in one day. On the other hand, Qin Shuwus friends paid most, so he owed them a favour. It was a good start anyway. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were going out on the 13th of the month, but they decided to go to the mountain first after Qin Shuwu said that. Shao Yu and Qin Shuwen stayed at home with two of the four dogs. Huasheng was pregnant and got very fierce, so she must stay at home. Xu Ran, Liu Tong and Gao Quan went to the mountain with Taozi and Lizi. They knew some common fruit trees, and now many fruit trees were in bloom or just withered away, so it was even more easy to recognize them. The mountain was owned by no one, they could dig as many trees as they could. When we reached the mountain, Xu Ran said, Lets split up. Tongtong will go with one dog, and I will take the other. Just dig small trees and dont dig the big ones. Dont hurt the roots. It is the time to bloom now, and the trees might die if their roots get hurt. Gao Quan and Liu Tong nodded and split up. Both of them were more familiar with the mountain than Xu Ran. Xu Ran was not worried. He didnt dare to go deep into the forest, so he just checked around it. There werent many fruit trees, but there were many wild bur trees with edible fruits. This basically matured at the same time as cherries. When it was ripe, it tasted sweet and sour, not bad. Xu Ran got an idea. He thought that this would not occupy much land, and he could plant it at a corner. He thought the family could eat it even if they couldnt sell it! It must taste good dipped with sugar. Xu Ran seemed to have completely forgotten the point and just dug the bur tree. At noon, he still didnt find a fruit tree, or perhaps he saw it, but he didnt do anything. He just stayed around the forest. Liu Tong saw him as soon as they came out. Liu Tong was holding several small saplings, some with flowers, and some even with fruits. He saw the bur trees piled beside Xu Ran and felt a little strange. Liu Tong asked him, Ran, why are you digging this? Do you plan to plant this too? Xu Ran said, Yes, I will try! After we plant it, the kids could eat this even if we cant sell it. Besides, as long as it is planted well this year, we can eat the fruit next year. It was up to Xu Ran. Anyway, it was simple to plant this and it was convenient to pick it up in their own garden. Liu Tong saw that there were also a few little cherry trees beside Xu Ran, so he took a hoe to dig them. After a while, Gao Quan came back with a pile of fruit trees like Liu Tong, and there were many kinds. Xu Ran looked at the pile of bur trees in front of himself and touched his nose with embarrassment. Gao Quan just glanced at the bur trees in front of Xu Ran and didnt say anything. Since Xu Ran didnt work seriously in the morning, he planted fruit trees industriously in the afternoon, especially when he was digging holes. Now the sun was not too bright, and the roots of the fruit trees were not injured and there was soil on them, so after the trees were planted and watered, at half of them would survive. They searched fruit trees on the mountain for three days and didnt get many. They were planted on at least five acres of land, not very densely. Xu Ran specially spared a piece of land and planted the bur trees he took back on it, which was quite dense. Many of them bloomed and it looked nice. As they searched fruit trees on the mountain, Xu Ran saw that the fiddlehead sprouted. Xu Ran recalled that he had told Qin Shuwu about selling fiddlehead, so he spent two days on getting it with his family. By the time he went out, it was March 18th. He prepared to deliver everything to Qin Shuwu when he passed through the town, and he let Gao Quan take care of the family temporarily. It was the first time that Xu Ran and Liu Tong went out together. More importantly, Liu Tong went out far away for the first time, so he couldnt help get excited. It was sunny spring, and it was great pleasure to travel with his lover. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more excited he got. He even wanted to have sex with Liu Tong in the open air. Of course, he just thought it for a while and it couldnt be done. Even if he could be shameless, Liu Tong would definitely feel too ashamed and refuse. Liu Tong and Xu Ran sat in the drivers seat. They talked and watched the scenery by the road. It was so relaxing! Occasionally, when they saw many fruit trees, they would stop and ask about the price, but people werent willing to sell. On the other hand, sometimes the trees were too big and they couldnt bring them away, so they got a little disappointed. Because Liu Tong was with him, they didnt sleep in the carriage that night. They found a farmer and gave him some copper money, and then they stayed in his house for one night. By the time they arrived, it was already in the morning, March 20th. It was a busy farming season and many families were plowing land, so Xu Ran saw many people this time. The villagers saw two outsiders came to the village in a carriage from nowhere, and they naturally got quite a lot of attention. Someone came over to ask who they were looking for in the village. Xu Ran said that he was looking for Mr. Hu. The person asked them, Who are you? Mr. Hu left the village last year. Dont you know? Xu Ran was stunned at this, Didnt Mr. Hu come back on Spring Festival? I sent him back myself! Xu Ran felt that something was wrong, so he ran towards Mr. Hus house, with the carriage left aside. Chapter 192 Xu Ran went with some people of the village. Afraid the carriage would be stolen, Liu Tong didnt go with him, waiting by the side of the carriage. Xu Ran ran very quickly. It was so strange that the villagers didnt know that Mr. Hu was back. Even though Mr. Hu lived in a separate house, he couldnt stay in it all the time. Xu Ran had thought that Mr. Hu was picked up by his son, so the people who didnt associate with him much in the village might not know about it. But the look on their faces just now, as if no one knew about it, was very strange. Arriving at Mr. Hus house, Xu Ran found that it was a house with a flat area in front of it instead of a yard, where he could have done some house work, such as drying something there. From the outside, it did not look like an inhabited house. Xu Ran also found that the objects outside the house were arranged the same as on his previous evening visit. Even it was night, he could see it. Looking back at the villagers behind him, Xu Ran asked, Are you sure none of you have ever seen Mr. Hu? It was me who sent him back on the New Years Eve. And I was also driving a carriage at that time. Didnt you see me? Xu Ran remembered that he had met two people that night. Was it about to dark, at the entrance of the village? someone asked. Xu Ran nodded hurriedly, Yes, yes, I brought Mr. Hu back during the day, but when we got to the entrance of the village, he didnt let me in. I was afraid something would happen, so I quietly came over at night. I knocked on the door, but there was no response. I didnt think much about it, after all, I saw Mr. Hu entered the village. I guessed he must have fallen asleep, so I went back. Someone did see Xu Ran that day and Xu Ran drove a carriage over today, so they believed Xu Rans words. Looking at each other, they didnt know what had happened. Suddenly, someone said, What smells so smelly?! With a gust of wind blowing over, everyone present smelled it. It was really stinky, just like something had rotted. Its coming from inside! The person who smelled the smell first said again, then all eyes turned to the house. Without thinking too much, Xu Ran rushed up to the door and kicked it open. Suddenly an even thicker stench came out of it. It was certain that something had died in the house and begun to decompose, which meant it had been dead for a long time. Otherwise, it was March and the weather was not very hot, how could it give off the bad smell? Smelling the stinky smell, the villagers walked to Xu Rans side. Just as Xu Ran was about to enter, he saw the blood on the doorsill. He pointed to the doorsill and said, Look here, this is blood, and the color of it shows that it was left a long time ago. I suspect Mr. Hu may have had an accident. Lets go inside and have a look. It was obvious what he meant. Only if they went into the house together would they not be suspected to have killed Mr. Hu. They were from the same village and none of them had any objections, so they all went in. Everyone walked in the direction where the stinky smell had come from and entered a room. Like a normal room, there was a bed in it. What mattered was that there was a person lying on the bed. No, it was more like a corpse than a person. And it was a rotting body. After they entered the house, the smell became even more stinky. Many people couldnt bear it and ran out. Only a few were still standing there with Xu Ran. Ah! This is Mr. Hu! Someone recognized him. Xu Ran knew that it was Mr. Hu, and he also noticed that there was something in his hand. Although the hand was rotten, Xu Ran could still make out that it was a block of wood, as if it had been pulled down from another piece of wood. Xu Ran thought for a while and walked out. He went to the door and brought the door button back. It was obviously broken and there was still blood on it. Xu Ran showed the deadbolt to the people in the house and said, Look at this, the piece of wood in Mr. Hus hand seemed to have been torn from the deadbolt. Xu Ran could figure it out so quickly was because he didnt kick the door too hard, he thought it had not been locked. Seeing the piece of wood in Mr. Hus hand, he soon guessed that the door was not unlocked, but because the deadbolt was broken and too short to lock. Looking at the deadbolt in Xu Rans hand, and then at the block in Mr. Hus hand, they found that the break in the two pieces of wood matched perfectly, and the most important thing was there was blood on both of them. Xu Ran said, It must be broken off the deadbolt by Mr. Hu, and he did it with great effort. In that case, there was probably other causes for Mr. Hus death. Otherwise, he wouldnt have broken the deadbolt for no reason. Lets go to Yamen to report the case! No sooner had Xu Ran said that than someone immediately objected, No, wed better inform the village head to come over first and wait for him to decide! Yeah, yeah! Ill ask the village head to come. the man said and walked out. Xu Ran knew that it happened in their village after all, it was better to inform their village head. After that, Xu Ran looked at Mr. Hus body without saying anything. He thought to himself, Did goodbye mean never to see again? If he had known what would happen, he shouldnt have allowed Mr. Hu to come back. No matter what his son would do, at least Mr. Hu was still alive. Having been together for almost a year, he had developed a deep bond with him. At this moment, apart from sad he was more regret. If only he hadnt sent him back, or he had opened the door when he knocked, nothing would have happened. After a long time, Xu Ran heard someone say, This must be done by his goddamn son. He is a real jerk to kill his own father. Being stunned for a moment, Xu Ran asked, What do you mean? Is Mr. Hus son very filial? Mr. Hu said that his son had gone on business somewhere else. The man sighed, He is not in business. His son is the black sheep of the familhy. Previously, his family made some money by growing strawberries, then his son said that he wanted the money to go into business. But for some reason he became addicted to gambling. As soon as he lost all his money in gamble, he came back for it. We often went to the town and definitely heard about it. We pretended not to know it was because we were afraid the old couple would be sad. It was fine if only a few people knew about it, but as more people knew, it couldnt be hidden. Another person continued, Mr. Hus wife was also killed by his son. Mr. Hu hid it from the people in our village, so we didnt know at first. I heard about it one day I was in town. At that time, Mr. Hu had no longer lived in the village, and his son never came back, so we didnt say anything. If I had known what was going to happen today, I would have reported it to the government. After hearing that, Xu Ran felt a bit disbelieveing. If this was the truth, then what Mr. Hu had said to them was all lies. Did Mr. Hu do this to protect his son? But why did he ask to come back suddenly when he lived well in his family? Did his son really go to Xu Village and how did his son know that Mr. Hu was in Xu Village? Xu Ran asked the two people, Have you ever seen his son come back after Mr. Hu left the village? On New Years Eve, Mr. Hu insisted on going home. He said that his son would come to pick him up to enjoy a happy life. So I brought him back, but I didnt see his son. Then someone said, We met his son once, but every time he was unkempt. He always came back when it was getting dark and left at dawn the next day. The people of the village didnt like him, so he didnt come back very often. Then do you remember the last time you saw him? asked Xu Ran. It seems to be on New Years Eve! Quite a few people in the village saw him, but all didnt speak to him . Shaking the deadbolt in his hand, Xu Ran said, If it is true that Mr. Hus son killed his father, how could he be so cruel? Moreover, Mr. Hu was wounded at the door but now he is in his bed. His son must have carried Mr. Hu onto the bed, then why didnt he ask a doctor for his father ? Someone immediately added, His son is a white wolf. How could he ask Mr. Hu for a doctor? He is probably looking forward to Mr. Hus death, but we dont know what happened, so wed better wait for the village head to decide. These people had a blind faith in the village head. After all, Xu Ran was not from this village. It was not good for him to say more. Chapter 193 The people who went to call the village head ran back soon. They shouted at the crowd there, The village head is here. The village head is here. The villagers looked this side and indeed they saw a middle-aged man coming towards them. Village head, these people greeted him right away. The village head just nodded and walked over to Mr. Hus bedside. He did not move the corpse. After all, it was rotten and could not be touched. After the village head checked Mr. Hus body, he turned to Xu Ran, Who are you? Why did you come to our village? Xu Ran cupped his hands to the village head, My name is Xu Ran. Im from the Xu Village in Lingshui Town. I came to your village to buy fruit trees. By the way, I came to visit Mr. Hu. He used to stay at my house last year, and before last Spring Festival, he said that his son would ask him to go back home to enjoy his life. Thus I sent him back to his home. Today I wanted to pay him a visit. However, no villager had ever seen him. I felt it strange and came over for a check. Village head, you can ask these villagers about it. They have been with me all the time since I came into the village.. After listening to Xu Rans description, the village head looked at the several people behind Xu Ran. They were indeed from the village and they were indeed nice people. The village head asked the people behind Xu Ran, Is that the case? Xu Ran also turned around and looked at those people. One of them nodded, Thats the case. He has been with us ever since he came to the village. From what the several villagers had proved, the village head believed Xu Rans words and at seeing the door bolt in his hand, he asked, Whats that in your hand? Xu Ran raised his hand, Well, this is the door bolt that was taken down from the door. Look, village head, there is a missing piece in the bolt. However, it just so happens to fit the piece held in Mr. Hus hand. Thus we doubt that Mr. Hu was killed by someone. We can see from the blood at the door and the half piece of wood in his hand. The village head replied, We know now there is a murder in the village. You are an outsider after all, so you must stay in the village for the time being! I will get someone to report it to the Yamen, and you will be able to leave after the investigation. With that, the village head asked someone to go to the Yamen for the report of the case. Xu Ran had no objections about the arrangement. He was just about to talk to someone when he remembered that he had left Liu Tong and the carriage at the entrance of the village. Xu Ran thus said to the village head, Village head, my spouse is still at the entrance of the village. Can I go and tell him about the situation first? Besides, its fine for me to stay, but I wonder if you can help find a house for us couple. Weve spent a few days on the way and we havent even had a hot meal up till now. Actually, the village head also thought of this problem. He knew that for the two new comers, if they were to stay in the village, they would have to find a place to live. Mr. Hus house was not available now. Obviously, these two visitors food and accommodation in the village was a problem. Anyway, it was he who kept them to stay. The village head was aware of the situation of the people in the village, so he thought for a moment and then offered, If you dont mind, just live in my house. I still have a vacant room for you. Xu Ran nodded, Well, thank you so much, village head. Well have to disturb your family in the following few days, but I still have one more request. I wonder if the village head will agree to it. What is it? The village head asked. Xu Ran said, You see, village head. Ive told you that I came to the village to buy fruit trees. I wonder if your village has any fruit trees. I hope I can walk around the village. Dont worry, village head, I will definitely not leave the village. I do hope the government can find out the murderer as soon as possible and comfort Mr. Hus spirit in heaven. The village head thought for a moment and then said, As long as you dont leave the village, it will be fine. Xu Ran cupped his hands and replied. Thank you, village head. Please arrange for someone to guard this place! Ill go to the village entrance to meet my spouse first. Ive been away for a while now. Im afraid hell be worried. All right. Ill go with you. Ill bring you to my house by the way, the village head said before walking out together with Xu Ran. It seemed that the village head was not surprised by what had happened to Mr. Hu except when he first came in and saw Xu Ran. His attitude made Xu Ran feel a little weird. Xu Ran looked at the crowd of people behind him and found that they seemed to be accustomed to it. Hence he didnt ask much about it, but just reminded himself to be careful of the village head. When they went out, they saw that there were already many people standing outside the door. Xu Ran guessed the the reason why none of them went in was probably because the people who had entered earlier had said something so that none of them dared to move their steps further inside. Xu Ran noticed that Liu Tong, who was leading the carriage, was also standing in the crowd. At the moment, quite a few people around him were looking at the carriage thoughtfully. Xu Ran went up to Liu Tong and apologized, Tongtong, Im sorry, I didnt mean to leave you for so long. Liu Tong shook his head, Its okay! I know that you are worried about Mr. Hu. When I came with the crowd, I heard someone say that Mr. Hu is dead. What has happened? Wasnt he still okay when you sent him back? Xu Ran answered, Mr. Hu is indeed dead. His body is rotten and even can be smelled from outside the room. It seems that he is dead for at least two months. The surprise on Liu Tongs face was clearly seen, How can it be? None of the people here found it out? Xu Ran wanted to get close to Liu Tong and tell him about his guess, but he gave up because he suddenly realized he had just come out of the room and that he must have been full of the smell. Thus he just said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, their village head has sent someone to report to Yamen. He told us to live in the village first and not to leave. We can only wait until the case is settled. The village head said that we can stay in his house temporarily. Lets go and find him first! Liu Tong did smell something from Xu Ran. He thought that Xu Ran really needed to take a bath to change his clothes. He nodded, Okay, lets go! On the way to see the village head, Xu Ran didnt take the Big Black and kept some distance with Liu Tong. Liu Tong knew the reason and kept silent. There, the village head was being badgered by the villagers with questions. Xu Ran walked over and interrupted them, I am sorry, village head. Will you bring us to your house now? Im full of the smell now, so I need to take a bath right away. Those several people, who had gone into the room together with Xu Ran and had stayed inside for a long time also noticed the smell on them after Xu Rans reminder. They frowned and said that they would go home to clean themselves. The smell was really strong. Anyone close to them could smell it, so the village head did not say anything further to stop them. He arranged for people to keep watch on the scene, then he let the others go back home. At last, he took Xu Ran and Liu Tong to his house himself. The village heads house was also very shabby. Most surprisingly, it seemed he was the only one living in the house. Xu Ran considered that as they would stay here for a few days, he should know about its general situation. Hence, he asked, Village head, how many people are there in your family? How should we address them? The village head seemed very reluctant to talk about this topic. He might be thinking that Xu Ran had just arrived and didnt know anything. He said in a somewhat impolite tone, Im the only one in my family and the others are gone, so you wont meet anyone else here. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were stunned. Xu Ran immediately reacted and apologized to the village head, Im sorry, we dont know it. The village head waved his hand, Its all right. It has all passed. Besides, you arent from this village. This really meant that he forgave them both only because they were not from this village. Thus Xu Ran thought that if this was the village heads nature, it showed that the village head was really a difficult person to get along with. The village head told them to keep the Big Black in the yard, and then bring their luggage into the house with him. When they came this time, they brought a lot of money with them. They wanted to buy fruit trees, but now they felt the money was a little burning in their hands! Not to mention that something like this happened, the village head who knew nothing about what was going on made Xu Ran quite worried. Liu Tong noticed his worry and reached out to hold his hand. Then he patted his own chest. Xu Ran hurriedly touched his luggage, but he didnt feel what he wanted. He glanced at Liu Tong to show that he understood his meaning. Indeed, whether the money was placed in his bag or on his body, it was not as safe as to put it on Liu Tong. After entering the house, the village head said to Xu Ran, You just stay here these days and eat with me. If you need to do something, you can do it as long as you dont leave the village. But you have to feed your horse yourself. Xu Ran nodded. Thank you, village head. We will feed our horse ourselves. I am sorry that well have to disturb you in the following days. Xu Ran took out a tael of silver from his arms and gave it to the village head. Village head, this is the money to pay for our food and accommodation these days. The village head took the money and weighed it in his hand. His skillful action reminded Xu Ran of the debtor or the trafficker he had seen on TV. However, although Xu Ran was puzzled, he did not think about it. After all, he believed him because he was the village head. Xu Ran then asked, Village head, may I prepare some hot water for myself to take a bath? The smell in Mr Hus house was too strong. I have the smell all over my body. The village head nodded, Yes, wait a minute. Let me prepare the hot water for you. Youd better stand in the yard right now. Otherwise, the house will be smelly too. Xu Ran nodded and didnt say anything further. After all, the smell was really too strong. Liu Tong tidied up their luggage in the house. When everything was done, the village head had also got the hot water ready. Liu Tong gave Xu Ran clothes and let him take a bath. They arrived at the village in the morning, and it was almost noon now. Thus it was almost lunch time. Liu Tong thought that since they lived in the village heads house, they couldnt be lazy and do nothing, so he told the village head that he was going to cook lunch. The village head refused without hesitation, No need. Ill prepare lunch myself. You can go and rest. Since the village head said so, Liu Tong couldnt insist. Thus he went to the yard to have a look. He also noticed that the village head was quite weird. His life seemed to be extremely bitter, but he was the village head after all. Plus, he was the only one at home. As long as he was more diligent, he would never be like this! Xu Ran and Liu Tong both had doubts in their hearts, so they both took precautions against the village head. As they were in the others house, Xu Ran didnt take a bath for long. He washed his clothes by the way. Then went to the yard to talk to Liu Tong while drying his hair there. Soon, the village head came to tell them supper was ready. There were only three bowls of porridge and a plate of pickles on the dining table. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were stunned. It was really a long time since they last ate such a poor meal. Unless someone at home caught a cold, Xu Ran would not prepare so little and simple food. Anyway, it was really not good to eat porridge at noon. Seeing that Xu Ran and Liu Tong were in a daze, the village head said, Thats it. You guys will have to make do with it these days! The village is poor, so there arent many people who can eat rice in the village here. Even this porridge is rare. Hearing this, both Xu Ran and Liu Tong could say nothing. After sitting down, Xu Ran said, Village head, are you so late in every meal? Can you be full by only eating porridge and pickles? The village head replied, Usually, even the porridge is mixed with brown rice. Today, you two are guests, so I didnt put any brown rice in the porridge. Xu Ran took a mouthful of porridge and said, Village head, we can eat whatever you have in your usual life. We wont care about it. As long as we can fill up our stomachs, its ok. We used to eat brown rice before. Although Xu Ran said that, he had never eaten brown rice before. It was the fool who ate it. After his transmigration, he used to eat a few such meals, but soon he ate rice. Liu Tong gave Xu Ran a worried look. He naturally knew that Xu Ran had really not suffered much. Perhaps the worst was when he just woke up. Xu Ran smiled at him, indicating that he was fine. Hearing Xu Rans words, the village head did not object, All right, Ill make brown rice tonight! As long as you can make yourself full, it will be fine. Xu Ran was sure that the village chief was really poor. After they finished lunch, someone from the village came to inform the village head that someone from the Yamen had come. Xu Ran thought to himself that the speed of the officials in the Yamen was really not fast enough. If they really wanted to save a person, they should not have been so late. But in fact, it was not the Yamen peoples fault for being so late. The person who went to the Yamen to report the case was going there on foot. It thus took a lot of time for the report to get to the Yamen. And the Yamen people had to walk to the spot Fortunately, Mr. Hu didnt need to wait for the Yamen officials to save his life any longer. He just needed an investigation for his cause of death. But after waiting for so long, could they really find out the truth? With this confusion in mind, Xu Ran came to Mr. Hus house again with the village head and Liu Tong. Chapter 194 When they went over, the Yamen runners happened to arrive at the gate, along with a man who looked like a Zhubu. Now there should be no high official in town, so it was Zhubu who took charge. The village head saw Zhubu and walked up to greet him, Hello, Your Lordship. Thank you for being here. Zhubu waved his hand, Okay. So this is the family that had an accident, right? What happened on earth? You tell me about it in details. When Zhubu finished talking to the village head, he turned to the Yamen runners behind him and said, Go inside and see if there are any clues. Dont move the body and let the coroner check it out. It was when Zhubu mentioned the coroner that Xu Ran saw a person carrying a box behind him. He looked like a doctor. It didnt occur to Xu Ran that he was actually a coroner. After the Yamen runners and the coroner went into the room, the village head started to provide the background information about Mr. Hu. Anyway, he told all he knew truthfully. After that, Zhubu asked, Who is Xu Ran? Why had the deceased stayed at your house for so long? Xu Ran came out and said to Zhubu, Your Lordship, I am Xu Ran. Zhubu didnt care about Xu Ran calling himself I. After all, he was just a Zhubu, which was not a high position, so it was normal for Xu Ran to call himself I. Zhubu asked Xu Ran, Tell me, why had Mr. Hu stayed at your house for almost a year? Why did he suddenly come back during the Spring Festival? How much do you know about his cause of death? Each of Zhubus question was harsher than the last one, as if he had already regarded Xu Ran as the suspect who had killed Mr. Hu. Xu Ran said unhurriedly, Your Lordship, last year, I bought strawberry seedlings from Mr. Hu. I had never grown strawberries before, so I asked Mr. Hu to teach me at my house. Mr. Hu was alone at home at that time, and he had nothing to worry about, so he went home with me. The reason he came back this year was because Mr. Hu said that his son had gone to our village to find him. His son said that he would take Mr. Hu back home and let him enjoy a happy life. Mr. Hu insisted that he go back, and that was why I sent him back. However, on the day I sent him back, Mr. Hu did not let me go into the village. Your Lordship, I heard something else today. Mr. Hu told me that his son was doing business, but people in the village told me something different. Please look into it. Well! What did you hear? Zhubu asked Xu Ran. Xu Ran said, Your Lordship, my words are not so convincing as the villagers. Since I also heard it from them, Your Lordship, I think you could ask them. There were many people standing behind Xu Ran. They were all from this village. Zhubu shifted his eyes from Xu Ran to people behind him and asked, Is what he said the truth? Many villagers in the know nodded and one of them chimed in, Your Lordship, its true. Last year, we did see some people come to Mr. Hus house to buy strawberry seedlings. Then they took him away. This year during the Spring Festival, I also saw a carriage coming to the village, but I didnt see anyone exactly. After they arrived today, they have been with us all the time, and they had lunch in the village heads house. Besides, Mr. Hus son is a gambler indeed. A gambler? Zhubu mused, and then asked, How many of you know about this? Does he usually steal things from the village? The person who had been talking went on, I dont know how many people in the village know he is a gambler, but all those who often go to town know about it. As for whether he steals, he doesnt, because he hardly came back to the village since he started gambling, especially during the year when Mr. Hu was not in the village. The man spoke very smoothly, as well as logically. He looked quite young. Xu Ran glanced at him and he replied with a smile. This person should be an intellectual. Xu Ran guessed secretly. When that man finished speaking, other villagers in the know started to echo his words. Since so many people said so, Zhubu just believed it. Zhubu asked the village head again, How long has this person been dead? As the village head, you actually didnt know that something like this happened in your village, and you came to notify it to the Yamen now. If it wasnt for someone looking for the deceased, you wouldnt even know about it when the deceased became a skeleton! The more Zhubu spoke, the louder he was. Being lectured in front of so many people, the village head was deeply ashamed. The village head hummed and hawed, not daring to give an explanation. Zhubu seemed to be even angrier when seeing the village head like that. He flicked his sleeve and walked into the house. The village head followed behind him immediately, and Xu Ran also followed them with Liu Tong. A group of Yamen runners were searching the room, while the coroner was studying Mr. Hus body at the bedside. Zhubu walked over and asked, How is it? Can we find out the cause of death? The coroner said, It has already been found out that his back was broken and thus his chest was squeezed. He couldnt breathe and died. It can be judged that the murderer hit him from his back, and that he did it in an extremely brutal way. Zhubu glanced at the body on the bed and asked, Is there anything else? The coroner answered, There is also a piece of wood gripped in his hand. He was holding it very tight and I couldnt take it out, but I could tell that it was pulled apart from the bolt. I also found this broken bolt. With that, the coroner picked up the bolt placed on the cabinet aside and passed it to Zhubu. Zhubu took a look at the bolt, and then walked over to look at Mr. Hus hand. He stuck the bolt out to see if they matched, and nodded, Exactly. It seems that this murderer wanted to go out, and the deceased was stopping him, which is why he was killed. However, the identity of the killer remains to be verified. According to the villagers, it is very likely that the murderer is his son. After that, Zhubu glanced meaningfully at Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt dodge his glance and looked Zhubu in the eye. He didnt do it anyway, so he was confident. Xu Ran thought for a moment before he decided to tell Zhubu what had happened that night. He said, Your Lordship, on the day I sent Mr. Hu back during the Spring Festival, he didnt let me go into the village with him. I was worrying about him, so I came back secretly at night. However, I called him at the gate for a long time and no one answered. So I guess, it was because Mr. Hus son wanted to do something, and Mr. Hu was stopping him from going out, that Mr. Hus son killed Mr. Hu when the two of them were fighting with each other. Xu Ran didnt exclude himself in his words. He had also thought that if Mr. Hu was not killed by his son, then he would be the most probable suspect. Besides, Zhubu was already suspecting him. However, Xu Ran believed that a clean hand wanted no washing, so he still told the truth. As expected, as soon as Xu Ran finished speaking, Zhubu asked, You said that you came back, and it was at night, so no one saw you, right? In that case, you are also a suspect. Old Zhang, could you tell when the deceased died? Old Zhang was the coroner. He had already got the answer, so he replied when Zhubu asked him, I just checked. Judging from the bloodstains and the degree of decay of the body, the deceased has been dead for more than two months. He should have died in January of the lunar year. Zhubu stared at Xu Ran, Is there anything else you want to say? Now the son of the deceased is not here, and no one saw the son of the deceased appear in January. Now it seems that you are the most probable suspect. I heard that you were the first one to kick open the deceaseds gate. Xu Ran gave a laugh, Your Lordship, is it too soon to draw a conclusion? You also know that Im not from this village. If I really killed Mr. Hu, would I be stupid enough to come back two months after I killed him? More importantly, Your Lordship, Mr. Hu had been at my house before. If I really wanted to do something to him, why would I go to the trouble of sending him back from my house and then kill him here? Mr. Hu is an old man after all. If I made a casual excuse, saying that he was ill, and then killed him, no one would say anything. Your Lordship is smart and should definitely know what I mean. Xu Ran was being straightforward. All those present, as long as they were not too stupid, would get him. Xu Ran had no motive for murder, nor would he kill someone and then come back after the murder. Seeing that people went silent, Xu Ran added, Your Lordship, if you were me and killed Mr. Hu, would you come back two months later? If you didnt come back, how many people in this village would remember that someone like you had come before? Who would have thought that you were the murderer? Xu Ran also took a risk. He took the example on Zhubu. If Zhubu was an extremely sensitive person, he could have been able to declare Xu Ran guilty on the spot. Zhubu smiled after listening to Xu Rans example. This was the first time he had smiled since he had come. Zhubu said, You are indeed a smart person. You are right. Compared to his gambler son, you really have no motive for murder. Furthermore, as long as you are not stupid, you wouldnt have to go to the trouble. Then tell me, whats his sons motive for murder? Xu Ran also smiled, Money. One word, simple and clear. Zhubu asked, Why are you so sure its about money? Xu Ran said, For a gambler, as long as the banker wins money, as long as he is addicted to gambling, as long as he loses every time he gambles, money is naturally crucial to him. He will do anything for money. And whats important is that Mr. Hu should be rich. I gave Mr. Hu 100 taels of silver when I bought strawberry seedlings from him back then. It was a large sum. I dont know where Mr. Hu put the money. Besides, when he was at my house, I also gave him money. Your Lordship, you might have people search the place to see whether there is still money in this room. Hearing Xu Rans words, Zhubu also felt that he was walking towards the truth step by step. The Yamen runners were standing neatly outside. Zhubu walked over to them, Is there anything? Your Lordship, no. The head of the Yamen runners answered. Did you find money in the room? Or anything valuable? Zhubu continued. Your Lordship, no. Zhubu walked over to the coroner and asked him, Old Zhang, did you find any money or anything valuable on the deceased? The coroner shook his head, Your Lordship, no. Zhubu squinted his eyes. It seemed that Xu Ran was right. Chapter 195 Although Zhubu thought it like that, he did not intend to let Xu Ran go so easily. After all, this person was smart enough and he would definitely be helpful. Besides, he would do his best to clear his name of suspicion. However, it was just Zhubus idea. After this thought crossed his mind, he heard Xu Ran said, Lord Zhubu, I think you should have your own judgment now! In front of so many people, Zhubu naturally couldnt say that he had no judgment. Besides that, Xu Ran was obviously supported by many people. After all, compared to Mr. Hus son, who had a bad reputation in the village, Xu Ran was much more respected. What mattered most was that the villagers took Xu Ran as a rich man. Lord Zhubu, I believe what this husband said. Besides, he has the title, so he would never do this. The sudden voice made everyone turn around at the same time. The speaker stood out from the crowd boldly. This person answered Zhubu outside a moment ago and he obviously sided with Xu Ran now. Xu Ran was confused why this person knew that he had the title. The man seemed to have seen through Xu Rans confusion and explained, Im honored that I took the exam at the same time as Mr. Xu. I also went there when the exam result was announced. I knew that Mr. Xu came third in the test at that time, and Im sure hes a Xiucai now! His tone was very certain, as if he had seen it himself. Xu Ran nodded, I am indeed a Xiucai now. Whats your name, please? I am Hu Jin, also a Xiucai. Xu Ran bowed, Nice to meet you. After Xu Ran said this, he felt it was strange. How come Hu Jin met him suddenly? It was odd that they met like this! Humm As Xu Ran was pondering what was going on, the Zhubu beside him coughed. Xu Ran hurriedly took two steps back, and Hu Jin took his hands back and stood upright gracefully. Seeing that both of them had stood upright, Zhubu said to Xu Ran, It turns out youre a Lord Xiucai. As a Xiucai, you naturally wont do such a thing. In that case, I believe you. Xu Ran bowed, Thank you, Lord Zhubu. Zhubu looked at Xu Ran with some embarrassment, Although you didnt kill this person, his death has more or less something to do with you. Maybe he wouldnt die if you hadnt sent him back during Spring Festival. You should help me catch the murderer before going back, OK? Zhubu said that casually, as if the killer would appear as long as Xu Ran did something. Xu Ran was astonished, Lord Zhubu, I can not do this. First, Im not from this village. I dont know Mr. Hus son and I dont even know his name. Of course, we dont know if he is the murderer. Its just speculation. Second, Mr. Hu demanded to come back himself. Its true that I sent him back. If I knew that something like this could happen, I would never send him back. For the past year, Ive treated Mr. Hu as my own father. I would not bear to watch him killed. Third, Zhubu, youre being unreasonable. Im just a Xiucai with no right to catch the murderer. Please be mercy and take my advice, Lord Zhubu. Xu Ran finished speaking and looked at Zhubu quietly and waited for his answer. Zhubu did not expect that Xu Ran would refute him so well. He originally wanted him to catch the murderer, but it seemed it wouldnt go now. This person was not under his jurisdiction after all. If anything happened here to a Xiucai from somewhere else, he would be in trouble! The Zhubu sighed, In that case, you wont be involved in catching the murderer, but you have to live in the village until we find the murderer. I will send the Yamen runners to stay in the village. Xu Ran said, Lord Zhubu, this is unreasonable. You should at least give me a time limit. Please forgive my rudeness. If you cant find the murderer forever, do I have to stay in the village forever? Zhubu was struck dumb. On the other hand, Xu Ran did have a point. Even if they couldnt catch the murderer, he would be allowed to leave the village. Zhubu thought for a while and stretched out several fingers and signed. Xu Ran saw it and shook his head, No, Zhubu, its too long. You know that its the busy farming season and my family is busy. It will take a few days for me to get back home. Ill leave three days later, no matter if you can find the murderer. Is that alright? Xu Ran talked tough and he was a little afraid after he said this, but he had no choice. He couldnt stay here for so long because of this. He had three children at home, so he must rush back as soon as possible. Zhubu got Xu Rans idea and nodded when he thought that he was not suspicious, Okay, three days, but you have to help me catch the murderer in the three days. Zhubu respected him, so Xu Ran nodded, Zhubu, dont worry, I will help you search the clue. Zhubu agreed with Xu Ran and then he turned to the village head. The village head was basically silent since he came in, and he was nearly ignored. Zhubu didnt know the name of the village head, so he called the title, Village head, get someone to draw a portrait of the son of the deceased. Ill have the Yamen runners take it to the town and neighboring villages to search for him. You have to organize the villagers to search for him. We must find the son of the deceased as soon as possible. By the way, whats his name? His name is Hu Ming, Mr. Hus only son. The village head said. Zhubu nodded, and then he asked, I think you all know Hu Ming! Send some villagers to go to the town with the Yamen runners at once. Make the portrait done as soon as possible. Yes, my lord. The village head replied. The village head finished speaking and left first. Zhubu asked the court doctor to check the corpse again and the Yamen runners searched the room again. They still found nothing and left. Zhubu looked at Xu Ran and Liu Tong again before he left. Xu Ran was puzzled, Would Mr. Hus corpse just be left like this? As Xu Ran was pondering, another person opened his mouth beside them. Xu Ran, I didnt expect to meet you here. Xu Ran knew it was Hu Jin, so he turned his head to look at him, I didnt expect to meet someone who attended the Spring Test with me. Did you go to the County to attend the Autumn Test later? Hu Jin nodded, Yes! It was a pity that I was in a hurry and didnt pay you a visit. Xu Ran, I think this is your spouse! Your taste is really extraordinary. Hu Jin was just joking and he didnt mean to be sarcastic. But Xu Ran was still a little upset. He didnt like it when people said that his spouse was bad, even if it was just a joke. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and found that he was calm, so he was relieved and said to Hu Jin, I used to be a fool and my spouse has been with me for seven years. He is quite nice, isnt he? Hu Jin was stunned and he obviously did not expect this. He was a scholar after all and he realized that he had just said something wrong, so he apologized to Liu Tong immediately, Please forgive me. I didnt mean to be rude. Liu Tong was astonished and looked at Xu Ran at a loss. Xu Ran smiled, Never mind. My spouse doesnt like it if you speak like a book. I know you didnt mean to be rude. I dont mind. Hehe! Hu Jin scratched his head, Actually, I dont like to speak like a book either, but if I dont do this, others cant tell that I am a scholar. It is just your case. Xu Ran glanced at himself. He did not look like a scholar, nor a farmer, nor a businessman. He didnt know what he looked like. Xu Ran said, On the other hand, I feel that the people in your village are weird and they seem to never care about each other. One can easily smell the stench at the door, but no one came. Hu Jin approached and whispered into Xu Ran, You are right. There are many other strange aspects about this village. I work so hard to take the imperial examination just because I want to take my family out of this place. Xu Ran was confused, Do you know whats going on? Tell me the strange aspects about this village. Hu Jin looked around and saw that all people had left, so he said to Xu Ran and Liu Tong, This is not a place for talking. I will bring you to a secret place and tell you. Xu Ran looked at him and smiled, I just realize youre as weird as other people in your village. Hu Jin shook his head, Im not. They would never spare anyone from other villages. You are just their target now. Hu Jins words were a little frightening and Xu Ran felt he was in trouble now. They left with Hu Jin anyway finally. Chapter 196 Hu Jin took them to the river in the village, where few people came. Most of the men in the village joined village chiefs searching team, while their spouses were only working at homes without going out. Xu Ran asked Hu Jin, Why do you have to be careful even when you are talking? What is weird about your village? Do you think our village is poor? Hu Jin asked Xu Ran. Thinking about the porridge plus salted vegetables they ate at noon, Xu Ran nodded. Village chief had mentioned it. Hu Jin waved his hand, Actually, thats not true. The villagers were actually very rich, and they only posed the false impression of being poor to the outsiders. Xu Ran was stunned, Are you afraid of being robbed? As far as I know, the family of village chief doesnt seem to be rich at all! Hu Jin said, His family has always been like this. Let me tell you, village chiefs family has ten acres of farmland and ten acres of field. Even if he has rented all the farmland to the others, his family condition wouldnt have to be like this. They are just putting on this false appearance for outsiders. Besides, didnt you say that people in the village were not sad at all when they knew Mr. Hus death? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, villagers reaction was barely acceptable, but village chief was too indifferent. Hu Jin said, They are used to it because a lot of people died in the village, and shortly afterwards, the other people will move in. Thus the total number of people never goes down. The more Xu Ran listened, the more weird he felt. He turned to look at Liu Tong, and Liu Tongs reaction was similar to his. Why? How could so many people die in the village? Xu Ran was very confused about it. They were all alive and kicking people, how could they die all of a sudden? Hu Jin said, I dont know. Actually, I just moved here not too long ago. Neither am I familiar with the people in the village, nor do I pay visit to the others. When I first came to the village, I have sensed something wrong. However my daddy insisted on moving in, as I disagreed, they even beat me up. The more he said, the less secure Xu Ran felt. Was it possible that they had moved to a gangster village? However, wasnt everything normal when they came last year? Xu Ran asked Hu Jin, When did you move here? When did you feel that something was wrong? How did people die in the village? Hu Jin answered these series of questions one by one, I moved here the year before. Before that I was in another village. My daddy made us move here out of no reason regardless of my pleading. After moving into the village, my daddy seemed to have lived here for many years, being so familiar with the surroundings. People in the village were very easygoing. They would greet each other when they met, and everyone was willing to offer help when it was needed. However, he never went to visit the others. I didnt feel anything wrong at the beginning. But when I planned to go to someone elses house, my father dragged me home and beat me up without any explanation, which puzzled me till now. Whats more, all the members of the family I went to, died the next day, all died. The people in the village didnt look into the cause of their death at all and buried them in the first place At that time, I was scared. I thought I was the reason of their death, but my daddy said that it had nothing to do with me. Later, after I could barely accept this statement, I saw someone in the village go to another villagers home. Then the next day, the whole family died. At that time, I started to suspect that something was wrong with the village. It was as if someone had casted a curse. Gradually, as I stayed in the village for a long time. I witnessed more and more deaths, and then I saw more and more outsiders moving in. Some of them are still alive, while others are already dead. After Hu Jin finished his words, Xu Ran suddenly sensed something unusual and asked him, Im just an outsider to this village. Why are you willing to tell all these things? Hu Jin said, Its because youre not from this village. Youre normal, thats why I told you, A trace of ruthless light flashed across Hu Jins eyes, so quick that nobody caught it. Xu Ran felt that something was wrong. He poked his head and tried hard to figure out what was wrong. Whereas Liu Tongs attention was always on Xu Ran, he didnt pay any attention to Hu Jin at all. However, Xu Ran suddenly felt someone pushing him from behind, and then he fell into the water. Then he heard Liu Tongs exclamation, Ran! Ran! When Xu Ran came back to his senses, he realized that he was in the water and Liu Tong was rushing in to pull him. The water in the third month was chill, and the water was flowing and a little deep. There was still mud under his feet, so he would lose his life if he was careless. After being pulled up by Liu Tong, Xu Ran saw Hu Jin standing by the shore, smiling happily. Dont think about coming up. Nobody ever comes up alive as long as they fall into the river. Xu Ran, dont you want to know why the village has so many deaths? Im telling you, its because they have fallen into this river. Haha, just wait to die slowly! No one will know where you have gone to and no one will know that you have been to this village, Hu Jin said with laughters and left. Xu Ran felt something was pulling his feet. Then he looked above his head. This place was covered by trees and the sunlight couldnt go through. He was shocked. Tongtong, hurry up! Theres something below. Ran, I Just as Liu Tong was about to refute, he felt that the pulling power was getting bigger and bigger. He pushed Liu Tong to the shore, Tongtong, how can you pull me up if you dont go up? Im not as strong as you. Xu Ran said half-jokingly, then felt his body starting to sink. Xu Ran was flustered and shouted at Liu Tong, Tongtong, go up, now! Liu Tongs reaction was very fast, especially when it was concerned with Xu Rans life. After he got on the shore, he immediately reached out to pull Xu Ran. Xu Ran also struggled to get close to the shore, but the things below were very powerful, and he even started to suspect that there was a water ghost beneath. Liu Tong had a lot of strength, even more than the force which pulled Xu Ran down. For Xu Ran, Liu Tong clenched his teeth and tried hard to fight with the thing in the water. Xu Ran being in the middle, felt his hands and feet being strained from both sides. Xu Ran knew that he had to come up with a way. Otherwise, he would really die here today. After all, he didnt know what was underneath. He signaled to Liu Tong to let go. As Liu Tong failed to get his idea, he repeated it silently again. Liu Tong understood this time but his hand didnt let go of Xu Ran. Instead, he relaxed his strength and allowed himself being drawn closer to the water. Xu Ran took this opportunity to sink his body abruptly. He felt that as he stamped down, the thing loosened the grip on his ankle. Liu Tong took this opportunity to pull Xu Ran up. The two spread themselves by the river, exhausted. Until now, Xu Ran felt his hands and feet hurt a lot. No matter what the thing in the water was, they couldnt stay here for long. Whats more, they didnt know what Hu Jin was scheming. Xu Ran offered his hand to Liu Tong. Tongtong, help me up and find a place where the sun is bright enough. Fortunately, the sun hasnt set yet. If it really goes down, who knows what will happen? Liu Tong was also scared, so he helped Xu Ran up and walked to the place where there was sunshine. He asked Xu Ran, Ran, what was in the water just now? Why do I feel you are sinking? Xu Ran said, I was sinking. I dont know what it is precisely, but lets not look back now. This village is very evil. Who knows what it is? Hu Jin pushed me into the water and left, which shows that he is very confident of what the thing in the water is capable of. Lets find out later by checking the remaining traces on my ankle.I dont believe in the existence of ghosts and gods. It must be their devise rather than some water ghosts. Liu Tong felt that Xu Rans words made sense and walked faster supporting Xu Ran. When they reached an open field under the sun, Xu Ran sat down. Then he flicked his trouser legs and found a handprint. Could there be a real water ghost? Xu Ran still didnt believe it. Liu Tong also saw it and asked Xu Ran worriedly, Ran, is it really a water ghost? Xu Ran shook his head. According to the print on my feet, there are only two situations below. One is that someone is there, the other is that there is really a water ghost. But I would rather believe the previous one. Someone? Liu Tong asked. Xu Ran said, I felt that the thing pulling me was active. It couldnt be an animal anyway and there is mud below. Its really hard to judge. As long as I know Hu Jins motive of killing me, Ill know whats below. A motive? Why is he trying to kill you? This is the first time you have met today! Xu Ran nodded. This is indeed the first time Ive seen him. Im not sure how he knew my identity, but he cant manage to do this alone. Even if both of us have died, he will have to obliterate the body to wipe out the traces. Although the river is a little deep, it cant completely submerge a human body. What should we do now? Liu Tong asked. Looking at the stenching mud all over his body, Xu Ran sighed, Lets go back to village chiefs house first to get changed. I have to change my clothes twice today. Liu Tong nodded and helped him walk back. Perhaps they should have been alert since Hu Jin and the rest came to this place. Xu Ran felt that he was too credulous of strangers. Chapter 197 Based on their memories, both Xu Ran and Liu Tong walked back to the village heads house and found that the village head had returned. Seeing the mud on Xu Rans clothes, the village head looked disgusted, Do you have a lot of clothes with you? Do you like to keep changing clothes? Hearing this, Xu Ran felt embarrassed. He replied, I am so sorry, village head. Ill have to trouble you again. Ill explain this to you later. But can you allow us to take a bath first? The village head took another glance at them and then turned around in disgust after saying, Wait there. Then he went straight to the kitchen. Xu Ran smiled and whispered to Liu Tong, The village head has a sharp tongue but a tender heart. If he is really not a bad person, I will be at ease. Liu Tong gave no response. This was the first time he had gone so far away from home. However, he encountered such an incident. He grabbed Xu Rans clothes tightly, afraid that he would disappear in the blink of an eye. Xu Ran felt his nervousness and tried to comfort him, Tongtong, this kind of thing is not something that happens every time. I myself havent met this before though I have been out for so many times. You know it was fine when I sent Mr. Hu home alone last time. I can only say that were not lucky enough this time. You have to believe that there are still many kind people in this world. At hearing Xu Ran say that he had never got any troubles when coming out before, Liu Tong could not help thinking of something about himself. This was the first time he followed Xu Ran out, but he encountered such an incident. First, Mr. Hu died, and then Ran was treated as a suspect, and then he was even pushed into the river to be almost killed. Was it all because of Liu Tong himself? The more Liu Tong thought about it, the more possible he felt it would be, and he even began to split hairs on this issue. Xu Ran noticed that something was wrong with Liu Tong. He gently patted his face, Tongtong, what are you thinking? How can you blame yourself for this? Think about it. Wouldnt Mr. Hu die just because you came here? The fact is that he was already dead in January. Obviously, this has nothing to do with you, so dont take unnecessary pains to study such an insignificant problem anymore. You see Ive been in such a situation. Do you still want my heart ache for you? Hearing this, Liu Tong came back to himself. He then looked at Xu Ran with guilt, Ran, I dont Xu Ran interrupted him, Of course I know you dont hope so. I know you too well. Dont you think so? Xu Ran supposed that no one was around, so he gave Liu Tong a kiss, Tongtong, you have to cheer up from now on. I decide not to buy fruit trees now. Once we leave the village three days later, we will both be safe! Well have to go back safe and sound, understand? Xu Ran said solemnly. He appeared very serious. Liu Tong took a look at him and then nodded, Ran, I know. I will. We will go back safe and sound. Mm, Xu Ran nodded with satisfaction. The water is ready. Go and take a bath! By the way, if you did fall into the village river today, then you dont need to keep the clothes on you any more. If you keep on wearing them, you probably wont be able to survive tonight, The village head suddenly appeared at the door and said to them both. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were stunned. They didnt expect the village head to have known that they had fallen into the river. However, they could not understand why they couldnt keep their clothes on them. Could there really be water ghosts in the river? Or did the village head actually know something? The village head seemed unwilling to say anything further but just went inside directly. Liu Tong was afraid that Xu Ran would be uncomfortable because of his muddy and wet clothes, so he went to the kitchen to fetch hot water for him. Actually, Liu Tongs clothes were wet too, though only from the waist down. Xu Ran felt that it would be troublesome for him running back and forth, so he suggested to have a bath together. Although he felt embarrassed and was aware that they were still in other peoples house, Liu Tong agreed because he knew he couldnt let the village head prepare hot water for him again. As for the silver notes they had brought with them this time, Liu Tong had put them on the innermost layer of his clothes and wrapped them tightly with a handkerchief. At the moment, Liu Tong took the package out and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that it was not wet. Fortunately, the water in the river was not too deep and their clothes were not completely wet. Both of them enjoyed themselves in the bath. As Xu Rans hands and feet were still hurting, Liu Tong let him sit there and planned to wash their clothes himself. The village head suddenly came out of nowhere and said to Liu Tong, If you dont hope something to happen to you again, you must throw the clothes away! What the village head said sounded so certain as if something really would happen if they refused to throw the clothes away. Liu Tong glanced at Xu Ran and made up his mind. He took the clothes and walked out. Xu Ran knew what he meant. He was going to throw the clothes. Actually, Liu Tong did not believe what the village head had said. However, since it was related to Ran, he would rather believe what he said was trustworthy. Xu Ran took a stool and sat in the yard, ready to tell the village head about his falling into the river. He didnt expect, however, the village head to speak first, If you want to say that you fell into the river, dont say it. I dont want to know it, and I dont want to deal with it. Since you are all right now, you can go back where you are in three days! Remember not to come here again. Xu Ran didnt expect the village head to say to him in such a manner. He swallowed what he had wanted to say. From the village heads appearance, Xu Ran knew that he couldnt get any further information from him. Still, Xu Ran was a little unwilling to let it be, especially something about Hu Jin, who was trying to kill him. At the same time, he could not help guessing that maybe the cases Hu Jin told him about the dead in the village were true, but only that the causes of death were different. Xu Ran thought about it carefully. He decided to change the topic since the village head was unwilling to answer his question in this respect. He believed it was always good to know more information. After all, there were still three days left. If he didnt know anything here, he guessed he would probably be murdered. Xu Ran then asked the village head, Village head, are there always people from other villages coming here? Did Hu Jin tell you about it? The village head sounded extremely dangerous. He acted like believing Xu Ran had known a secret that he shouldnt have known and he would even kill him once he admitted it. This reaction was too great and Xu Ran became even more alert. Xu Ran replied, No, he didnt. I just guess so. You know I used to come to buy strawberry seedlings in the village before. I know that your village has fruits. I thus think there will definitely be many people here to buy fruits, so I asked about it. The village head still did not seem to believe it. However, he found Xu Ran was looking at him innocently and did not show the slightest sense of guilt. After a short pause, the village head turned his back to Xu Ran and said, No, there are very few people coming to our village. Only some familiar merchants often come to buy fruits, but they dont usually stay for long. Xu Ran felt that the village where he was staying now was completely different from what he saw last year when he came with Qin Shuwu. Xu Ran decided that after returning home, he would talk to Qin Shuwu and ask him how he had found the village. Before Xu Ran could get any further information from the village head, Liu Tong came back. The village head turned around and left after seeing Liu Tong, saying that he would go to prepare supper in the kitchen. Liu Tong looked at the leaving back of the village head, and then he turned to Xu Ran, Ran, what happened just now? Xu Ran shook his head looking a little irritated, The village head seems to have known that we fell into the river in the village. He even knows that it has something to do with Hu Jin. However, he didnt say anything further and didnt let me inquire about it. Although I think all these are strange, I cant figure them out. Both of us are new in this place and have to be careful of other people harming us. Im a little annoyed. Liu Tong squatted down and consoled him, Ran, dont think too much. You know the most important thing for us right now is to wait here for three days and then leave this place. It doesnt matter if we can find the reason why Hu Jin harmed us. We can come back again in the future after were fully prepared. Would they come again? Xu Ran felt that he didnt want to step into this very village anymore, but he really felt reluctant to do so in his heart. After all, what they only knew now was that Hu Jin wanted to kill them, but they still had no idea what his real purpose was in doing so. Xu Ran frowned and could not help wondering how he had offended this person? If it was the time during the Spring Test, then it would be impossible for him to have offended Hu JIn. Everyone knew the test result was based on the individuals ability. Also, didnt Hu Jin also say that he was a Xiucai already? Now that both of them were Xiucai, Hu Jin shouldnt mind something in this respect. It really puzzled Xu Ran why Hu Jin was so hostile to him. Without waiting for Xu Ran to think it over, the village head came to call them for supper. Thankfully, the food was better this time. It was brown rice plus rice, so they could be full this time. During lunch, they had only had some porridge. As for Xu Ran, he had just used up so much strength fighting in the river. If he hadnt been occupied in thinking just now, he might have felt hungry long ago. When eating, Xu Ran still hoped to ask the village head some questions, but the village head obviously focused himself on the food and was reluctant to speak. This stopped Xu Ran from opening his mouth. Hence he planned to ask him after supper! However, after supper, he was dismissed by the village head with a piece of advice that he mind his own business. Well! Xu Ran made up his mind that since the village head advised him not to mind other peoples business, then he wouldnt mind it. However, he really wanted to know why Hu Jin wanted to do harm to him! If he didnt know the reason, he wouldnt even be able to take his own revenge! Xu Ran felt very anxious. Liu Tong held him by the hand, Ran, dont think too much. Didnt you agree to help them find the murderer? Perhaps after we find the murderer, we will find out why Hu Jin attacked us. We have been busy all day today and have experienced so much. We should sleep early tonight! Xu Ran nodded. He knew what Liu Tong said was right, so he suggested, Then you go to bed first! Ill go to feed Big Black some grass. Thinking that the shed was not far away behind the house, Liu Tong felt easy and agreed to let him go alone. The village heads family raised cows, so Xu Ran just got some grass from the cowshed and threw it to Big Black. When Xu Ran walked back after feeding the Big Black, he saw a flashing figure outside the cowshed. Xu Ran suddenly had an idea. He quickly walked into the house to find Liu Tong. Chapter 198 Xu Ran walked into the room and told Liu Tong what he had just seen. That figure was probably planning something against them, or else he wanted to steal Big Black. Liu Tong heard Xu Rans words. He did not expect that the villagers would be so bold. After all, they were living in the village heads house, but why would someone still dare to steal? Could it be that he was not from this village? Xu Ran was also thinking what Liu Tong was thinking. He wondered if this person might be Hu Ming. Although someone had said that Hu Ming would not steal from the village, what if the stolen one was not from the village? What if he was new to the village and thus had no idea what was happening? Could it be that the stolen one found something missing but had nowhere to go to complain, and he didnt want to screw up his relationships with other villagers due to this kind of thing, so he just swallowed his grievances? The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more he felt it was possible, and then he started to wonder if he was too imaginative. Xu Ran and Liu Tong thought it over, then lit the oil lamp in the room, opened the door and sneaked out. However, they didnt take the oil lamp with them. The oil lamp in the room was lit, so others would probably believe that they were in the room. No one would think that they went out late at night. However, Xu Ran had another doubt. The village head was too poor to have rice, while he should have oil lamp at his home. Wasnt that weird? Oil was quite expensive. But Xu Ran did not think that much for the time being. Instead, he went to find the killer with Liu Tong actively. When they caught the murderer, if the village head still didnt handle him, then Xu Ran would notify the Yamen of the incident. After all, a murder happened in the village, so Zhubu must be paying close attention to it. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong remained silent. They sneaked into the cowshed discreetly. Xu Ran saw two people pulling each other, as if something had happened. Xu Ran and Liu Tong watched them quietly. The two of them had pulled each other for a while, and Xu Ran heard one of them saying, You cant do this. It will arouse their suspicion. Then the other one said, Why not? If you hadnt left too soon today, I would have drowned them. In that case, their horse will be ownerless and eventually belong to us. In the final analysis, you were a coward and ran away too soon. The one who talked first said, It wasnt like this last time. All of them died. It was because they were lucky that they survived this time, but its good that they didnt die. Then we can blame the murder on them. In that case, arent their belongings still ours? The other one replied, Do you think its so easy? They are currently living in the village heads house. What if the village head does something to them before we do? These two seemed to be thinking of a way for this matter, while Xu Ran and Liu Tong were totally astonished. The two of them were discussing how to murder for money, and even the village head was actually thinking about the same thing! The two of them didnt speak in a low voice, as if they were not afraid of being discovered at all, but it was not strange. Only the village head lived in this place and there was no one else. Moreover, according to these two, the village head was not a good person either, and he was very likely to attack them. Therefore, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were ambushed on both sides. Alright, stop appearing in the village recently. If you really were seen by Yamen runners or other people in the village, then you would be finished. Its not that Im blaming you, but you really were inhuman. You even killed your own dad. These words were quite informative to Xu Ran. The speaker was Hu Jin, the one who had pushed them into the water during the day, while the other one should be Hu Ming. Hu Ming was actually in cahoots with Hu Jin and they wanted to kill Xu Ran and Liu Tong. Thinking of that, Xu Ran got devastated. Since the identities of the two speakers were confirmed, then it was much easier to make out their voices. Xu Ran listened very carefully. When Hu Jin finished speaking, Hu Ming said, My dad? Humph, he treated that Xu better than me. If he hadnt stopped me back then, how would I have attacked him? I guess that Xu is his biological son. Hu Ming didnt feel guilty when he said this, as if Xu Ran really was Mr. Hus son, while he wasnt. He was nothing more than an outsider. When Xu Ran heard this, his body twitched. He wanted to rush up and slap Hu Ming. When Xu Ran was twitching, Liu Tong could tell what he wanted to do. Liu Tong tugged at Xu Rans clothes, not letting him go. Xu Ran didnt stand up. He looked back at Liu Tong and calmed down. There were too many scumbags, and anyone would meet several in his life. Of course, there werent many people who would even kill their own dads. The two speakers on the other side had no idea that they had been overheard. They were still discussing how to steal their horse without arousing any suspicion. Most importantly, they could blame the village head for the stolen horse. It seemed that these three had been holding a grudge for a long time! Xu Ran thought that he might have the village head deal with these two. After all, finding the murderer was also a contribution, right? On the other side, Hu Jin ran from the cowshed to the front to see if they were asleep. Xu Ran thought of the oil lamp he had lit, and also wanted to follow him and have a look. Ah! Xu Ran didnt expect to hear a scream. He looked back at Liu Tong, both speechless. They had no idea what was going on. Then Xu Ran heard the village heads loud voice, Come out! Xu Ran and Liu Tong thought the village head was talking about them. Just as the two of them clenched their fists and were about to walk out, it didnt occur to them that the one who walked out was Hu Ming. He didnt actually run away after being discovered? Xu Ran was confused. Xu Ran also pulled Liu Tong along. They were walking very gently, so apart from the village head who was facing them, neither Hu Jin nor Hu Ming saw them. Xu Ran heard Hu Ming saying to the village head, Arent you afraid of waking up the people in your house with such a loud voice? Oh, thats not right. This lamp is on, so are the two people in the room still awake? How about coming out and chatting? Hu Ming was talking louder and louder. Apparently, he was talking to Xu Ran and Liu Tong. After Hu Ming finished his words, the village head told him, Look back. Hearing the village head, Hu Jin and Hu Ming both looked back, and saw two people behind them staring at them. Hu Ming and Hu Jin were at a loss. Why were these two behind them? Xu Ran and Liu Tong had no intention of moving. Xu Rans idea was simple. If these two wanted to run away, he and Liu Tong could still stop them. Judging from the current situation, either the two of them united with the village head, or Hu Ming and Hu Jin united with the village head. Now the village head held the option. In the dark night, Xu Ran chuckled, Village head, make your choice. Whose side are you going to take? You know what they have done, and so do we. Theres an old saying. God sees the truth but waits. One will eventually run into ghosts if he always walks outside late at night. Just like the one who wanted to drown me today, arent you afraid that someday, you will also be drowned by those who died in the water? Xu Ran ask the last question very flatly, but it made the listener shivering. After that, Xu Ran said nothing and waited for the village heads answer, as well as Hu Mings. Hu Ming seemed to have been frightened for real, but probably by his own thoughts. He kept trembling. Hu Jin saw him and patted him, Whats the point of being afraid now? You werent so sentimental when you killed your dad. Weve got a fat chance of winning. Hu Jin whispered these words to Hu Mings ear, so Xu Ran and the others didnt hear what Hu Jin said. Having heard Hu Jin, Hu Ming was not that scared instead, Who told you there are three of them? Didnt you hear Xu saying just now that he was waiting for the village heads decision? That means they havent done negotiating yet. In that case, we can also negotiate with the village head, right? These two are rich, and we can definitely make a fortune if we kill them. Hu Jin thought about it and found that Hu Ming made sense. Hu Jin said, I didnt expect you to be so smart. Why havent I noticed it before? Hu Ming smiled, Ive been in town for a long time, so I have naturally learned a little. He sounded somewhat proud. After a while, Xu Ran heard Hu Ming telling the village head, Village head, I also know your history. Those two are not from our village. You cant just support the outsiders, right? As long as this is over, we can still live life the way we like in the future. Village head, what do you think? Xu Ran stared at the village head nervously. If the village head agreed, they would be in trouble. After all, he was not good at fighting, and Liu Tong alone might not be able to beat three! Under Xu Rans gaze, the village head nodded cruelly, Youre right. As long as this is over, we can live life the way we like. Hu Ming clapped his hands and walked towards the village head, Now youre talking! I knew you were sensible, village head. However, things did not turn out exactly as he imagined. As soon as Hu Ming approached the village head, the village head caught him rapidly. Those with sharp eyes could tell that the village head was a martial artist. But unfortunately, it was too dark. Hu Ming did not expect the reversal of the situation. The moment he wanted to ask the village head about it, he felt that something was poking his waist, and then he just screamed. Your Lordship, you might come out now. Hearing this, everyone present except for the village head was stunned. What was going on? It was astonishing! Zhubu had stayed awake and made an ambush in the middle of the night? When the village head finished speaking, there were actually more than one person coming out. Then, more and more people came out. Not only Zhubu, but even the villagers were there. All of them came out from behind the cowshed. So many people should have been lying in ambush. How come they hadnt noticed them before? Xu Ran also found it strange. He looked back at Zhubu. In the faint light, Xu Ran saw him smiling. Zhubu seemed to know Xu Rans doubts and said to him, There is a huge pit behind the cowshed. Most people were in it. It suddenly dawned on Xu Ran. No wonder they hadnt noticed them. After all, who would pay attention to a huge pit in the middle of the night? Zhubu walked towards the village head. He stood on the steps and looked down at the crowd down below, Everyone, Im really sorry for asking you all to watch a show in the midnight. Its dark now. Please burn your torch if you have one. Let all of us take a closer look at this beast who killed his own dad! Zhubu specially emphasized his last remark. After that, many torches were burned soon down below. Meanwhile, the villagers started to criticize him. Xu Ran thought that the village head might have deliberately created this illusion for them. But Xu Ran wondered since when they had been targeted? Otherwise, they would have been too insignificant to be noticed. Chapter 199 Then followed the condemnation. Zhubu rebuked angrily, I heard what you two said personally. Hu Ming killed his biological dad, and you two worked together in the daytime, trying to kill Xu Ran and his spouse, so that you could occupy their money. Besides, I learned from your words that you two have killed other people in the village before. You two daredevils have committed the most heinous crimes! Since Zhubu said that he had heard them personally, these two didnt know how to argue back even if they wanted. After all, they had said those words themselves. They could only blame it on their own carelessness and negligence. Hu Ming and Hu Jin could only regret that they had been talking too rashly because they had believed that nobody was around in the middle of the night. Now Zhubu intended to call them to account. He asked the villagers, Does any of you have family members pass away all of a sudden? Step out and let me have a look. You may take your revenge today. I have made this decision for you. As soon as Zhubu said this, many people stepped out and began to vent their grievances. People were telling how many people had died in their families, or how they had died. Those people had died in various ways, but most of them had been drowned. Of course, some of the crimes might not have been committed by Hu Ming and Hu Jin, but no one cared about that now. They were to blame for everything, whether they had done it or not. There were so many victims. Xu Ran thought to himself. Maybe what Hu Jin had told him was real. The only thing was that those people had all been killed by them. As for whether those people had come from other places, there was no way of knowing. Xu Ran held Liu Tongs hand and listened quietly to the villagers talking about how their families had died and how their bodies had been discovered. The tellers were heartbroken, while the listeners hated Hu Jin and Hu Ming to the core after they had been listening so many stories of their sin. Xu Ran was even wondering why someone like Hu Ming would have been able to pass the imperial examination and become a Xiucai? Zhubu also got furious after hearing them, You are heartless indeed. Is there anything else you two want to say? Although he was asking, Zhubu had already made up his mind. He believed these villagers, and this was simply a formality. Whether these two talked or not didnt make any difference. As a result, before they could speak, Zhubu asked people to catch them directly. Just as the two wanted to argue, their mouths were covered by Yamen runners. Whether it was an unjust case or not, they would all wind up on these two people. Xu Ran felt as if he was witnessing a joke. What a dramatic reversal. If he hadnt experienced the feeling of death in person this afternoon, he would have believed that what had happened was a dream. Xu Ran watched Zhubu leave with those people. Before leaving, he told Xu Ran that the case was settled, and that they could leave this village tomorrow. Also, Mr. Hus body would be interred. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and asked him, Tongtong, do you feel like dreaming? Liu Tong nodded, Ran, I feel so, too. The villagers started to disassemble and go back to their own homes. They reacted very flatly to this, as if they thought what had happened tonight was supposed to happen. Only the three of them were left in the yard. The village head walked towards them, but his eyes fixed on Liu Tong all the time. The words King Yan suddenly popped up in Xu Rans mind. He stepped forward immediately and stood in front of Liu Tong, Village head, the case is settled. What do you want to say? Second The village head was interrupted by Xu Ran just as he said one word. Village head, its quite late at night, and its freezing. Lets talk about it tomorrow if you have anything to say! After that, Xu Ran pulled Liu Tong into the room. When he left, Liu Tong glanced back at the village head. He found it weird that the village head was still staring at him. Liu Tong asked Xu Ran, Ran, why is the village head staring at me? Is there anything on my face? Xu Ran looked at Liu Tongs face seriously and then shook his head, No. Dont be bothered with him. Lets have a good sleep today. We can go back tomorrow. Okay, you are the boss. Liu Tong said with a smile. Only Xu Ran knew that he was destined to lose sleep tonight. The moment the village head said Second, he was certain that the village head should be King Yans man. They really were everywhere! And this position was very well arranged. He had probably been the village head for many years! Xu Ran had been tossing and turning and thinking about strategies the whole night, but most importantly, Liu Tong must be kept out of it. Thus, Xu Ran felt it necessary for him to have a nice talk with the village head. After all, Gao Quan had said before that King Yans people would not disturb them for the time being. Xu Ran had thought about taking Liu Tong to meet King Yan to see if they were real brothers, but not now, at least not until their children grew up. Xu Ran, who hadnt slept all night, got up early the next morning. He found the village head, who also got up very early, and pulled him into the yard. Xu Ran didnt beat around the bush and came straight to the point, Youre King Yans man? The village head was stunned for a moment. He did not expect that Xu Ran would know that, How did you know King Yan? How did you know Im King Yans man? Undoubtedly, he admitted that he was King Yans subordinate by saying that. Xu Ran said, It has nothing to do with you as to how I found that out. But I have to tell you, someone promised that King Yans people wouldnt appear in front of us in the short term. It was just a coincidence that we came to this village, and I didnt know that you were King Yans man at first. If I had known that, I wouldnt have come, no matter what. Tongtong still has no idea about his own identity. I dont plan to let him know about it either for the time being, so please dont tell him about it. Xu Ran knew that he had nothing to threaten the village head, so he chose the words he used very carefully. When the village head heard Xu Rans words, he was also sure that Xu Ran knew Liu Tongs identity for real. The village head had indeed received the message, but after all, King Yan had been looking for him for so many years and suddenly he was found, so the village head couldnt help telling Liu Tong his real identity. Seeing that the village head didnt say anything, Xu Ran continued, I will take Tongtong to King Yan, but its not time yet. You might tell King Yan that we are doing very well now. Please dont disturb us for the time being. Also, could you tell me since when Tongtong and I were targeted? How did you prepare everything in such a short time? The topic changed a little too abruptly and the village head didnt react for a moment. When he reacted, he could only remember Xu Rans last question. He said, The night before yesterday, Hu Jin and Hu Ming knew that you were coming to the village. I also got the message, but I didnt do anything. I just set up the house. Xu Ran asked, Your words are full of loopholes. Why do you pretend to be poor? Also, since you knew that Hu Jin would kill me and Tongtong, why didnt you warn us? Besides, havent you really found that Mr. Hu was dead? How did you know that Hu Jin and Hu Ming would come to steal our horse last night, and set Yamen runners to lie in ambush nearby? Xu Ran threw out a series of questions, which baffled the village head. Baffled, the village head didnt want to answer Xu Ran. He waved his hand, You dont have to ask anymore. Why would you want to know everything? You just need to know that the problem is solved and nothing else. But Im curious! Xu Ran felt that he was on pins and needles. However, the man in front of him had I dont want to talk about it written all over his face. Xu Ran repeated the questions several times to the village head, but he still didnt get the answers. Xu Ran realized that the village head really didnt want him to know them. Xu Ran thought about it and felt that it was too unfair to him. After all, he was the victim. Even though the murderers were caught, and they might be beheaded, Xu Ran didnt know why they had wanted to kill him. He felt restless. Xu Rans mind wandered for a while, and then he stared at the village head, his eyes widening. Seeing Xu Ran like that, the village head knew that trouble was brewing in his mind. The village head said, Tell me! Whats your problem? I wont tell you the truth anyway. Xu Ran said, Well then, village head, you knew why I came to the village. Since you dont want to tell me the truth, help me buy some fruit trees! After that, Xu Ran looked eagerly at the village head, just like a kid asking his dad to buy something for him. The village head thought about it. After all, he was Second Young Masters husband. Helping him was equal to helping Second Young Master, so the village head nodded in agreement. Xu Ran was very happy to see him nod. Well, problems will be solved very quickly if someone offers help. More importantly, he is the village head. Since people in the village respect him, it will be much easier for me to buy fruit trees. Xu Ran added, Village head, since youve agreed, Ill leave it to you. Im probably going to stay in this village for a few more days, and Ill just stay at your house. After all, I paid. In addition, about the fruit trees, you couldnt let the villagers rip me off. Im relying on this money to support my spouse and children. The village head rolled his eyes at Xu Ran before turning to leave. So he should have agreed! Xu Ran looked at his back and thought. It suddenly occurred to Xu Ran that the village head had always been looking at him with disdain, but he seldom looked at Liu Tong. Xu Ran should have noticed it much earlier. Alas! Sure enough, Xu Ran was not careful enough. Well, but it might have something to do with his IQ. Although Xu Ran had always found it suspicious, he couldnt tell exactly. Whats wrong? Why are you sighing early in the morning? Hearing the voice behind him, Xu Ran turned around at once and saw Liu Tong smiling at him. Xu Ran shook his head, Nothing. Why are you up so early? Liu Tong said, The sun is about to rise. Its not early! Besides, arent you up earlier than me? Xu Ran rubbed his nose gently and said affectionately, Why does it sound like I cant get up early? Liu Tong couldnt help laughing, In the past, youve always got up later than me. Suddenly, you get up earlier than me, so Im not used to it. Xu Ran thought to himself. Indeed. Liu Tong had got up earlier than him before he was pregnant. Of course, the only exception at that time was when Liu Tong had had a backache and couldnt get up. Xu Ran said, Aint that good? In the past, you were the one who took care of me, but now its my turn to take care of you. Liu Tong nodded, his eyes full of tenderness, Good. My Ran is always good, no matter what. The village head was nowhere to be found, and there was no one else in the yard. The two of them were sweet talking, not feeling shy at all. C Chapter 200 The village head did not break his promise. After breakfast, he went out and asked Xu Ran and Liu Tong not to run around. If they really had nothing to do, they could cut some grass for their horse. Xu Ran had wanted to go with the village head and look for fruit trees himself, but the village head rejected them mercilessly. Then he could only watch the village head go out, and get some grass with Liu Tong for Big Black. Xu Ran asked unwillingly, Isnt the village head afraid that we will steal from him since he has left two outsiders at his home? Liu Tong answered suddenly, Ran, shall we steal the oil lamp? Xu Ran, Liu Tongs answer was really good! Among all visible items in the village heads house, the oil lamp might be the only thing that was easy to carry and of value. Xu Ran lowered his head helplessly. The village head didnt come back until noon. Xu Ran even started to wonder if he had been pushed into the river. As a result, just as they were about to cook themselves, the village head came back with a lot of people following behind. Well, there werent that many, about a dozen, all from the village. The village head pointed at the people behind him and said, All of them have fruit trees in their homes and they are willing to sell them. After lunch, go and take a look. Buy anyones you need, and you may set the price yourself. If you want someone to help you carry the fruit trees back, they are here. After that, Xu Ran saw the dozen people looking at him with expectation. He couldnt rub his nose in front of so many people, so Xu Ran nodded and gave thanks to the the village head. After that, the village head asked these people to go back first, showing no intention of inviting them to stay for lunch at all. The village head said, Didnt you see that Im poor? They would consume my one months food supply within one meal. If they stayed for lunch, I would starve to death. Since there were fewer people, Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said, Village head, I heard that you own ten mu of field and ten mu of land. Even if you collect money from tenants, your earnings would be enough to cover your daily expenses. Why are you leading such a miserable life? Xu Ran was confused, but the village head didnt answer the curious childs question kindly. Instead, he went to the kitchen to cook. Xu Ran, Why had he always been ignored recently? Xu Ran was really puzzled. However, since the village head was unwilling to answer his question, Xu Ran couldnt force him. But that was not the point. The point was that it was useless for Xu Ran to force him, because he couldnt really do anything to him. It was unknown whether it was the village head showing mercy to them or anything else, they had meat at lunch. Although it was cured meat, there was a lot of fat in it. However, it was still great since they hadnt had any meat for the last few days. After lunch, the village head took the two of them to the village to pick the fruit trees. The village head also took them to visit the dozen peoples homes. There were many fruit trees, but Xu Ran didnt pick many. It was mainly because these trees were too big, and they couldnt move them back even though they wanted them. Xu Ran bought all those that could be carried, which were less than 200 trees. Xu Ran was a little disappointed because it was still far from what he needed after all. Liu Tong said to Xu Ran, Ran, why dont we go to their mountain too? There should be fruit trees on their mountain that we have on our mountain. Lets go ask the village head if we can do it? Xu Ran thought about it. Since they had come and experienced so many twists and turns, it was better to bring more fruit trees back. Therefore, he nodded and agreed, Okay, then Ill go ask. The village head was talking to someone. Xu Ran walked over and waited. After they finished speaking, he said to the village head, Village head, I want to go to the mountain. There are many wild fruit trees there, and they are small. May I carry some back? Mountain? Do you know how dangerous it is on the mountain, yet you still want to go to the mountain? The village head had You must want to die so badly written all over his face. Xu Ran said to himself. There was no dreadful monsters on the mountain, so why couldnt he go? However, he felt that if he said it, the village head would definitely get mad, so it was wise to not say it. Xu Ran said, Dont worry, village head. We wont go deep into the woods, and well just look for them at the edge of the woods. Well take whatever we could get. If theres none, its fine. Seeing how sincere Xu Ran was, the village head thought for a moment and nodded, Alright, Ill go with you then, but you cant go deep. Youd better listen to me. Otherwise, Ill tell Second Young Master his real identity. So that was a threat! Xu Ran pouted and found it childish. Of course, he had to admit that this threat was effective. Xu Ran nodded, Village head, youre the boss. We will follow your arrangement. We will have the ones in the village dug up tomorrow. After that, we would carry them to Xu Village with an ox cart. Well have to trouble you then. The village head waved his hand impatiently, Alright, alright, Ill arrange that. After the village head agreed, Xu Ran went back to Liu Tong happily and shared the news with him. After they finished negotiating with the people in the village about the fruit trees, the village head took them to the mountain. They had stayed at the edge of the woods till dark. Although there wasnt much, at least they didnt get nothing. They got about 200 fruit trees from the mountain in total. The price of fruit trees wasnt low. The trees on the mountain were free, but Xu Ran paid some good money for the ones he got from the villagers. Plus the transportation fee, the cost was quite high. Xu Ran thought to himself. Thanks to the money Lin Hua had given him, otherwise! They would have nothing to live on when they bought these trees. Xu Ran and Liu Tong set off on March 23rd. There was a large group of people going home with them. The fruit trees were all carried by an ox cart, and five people were with them. The speed of the ox cart was quite slow. It took about three days for them to arrive at Xu Village. At his own home, Xu Ran was not so vigilant against these people as he had been on the road. After all, Gao Quan was at home. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu to tidy up the bamboo house and let these people stay for the night. Then they went back home with the money the next day. Xu Ran was generous to them. Tangtang and Guoguo were the happiest ones when Xu Ran and Liu Tong arrived home. They even wanted to go to bed with Xu Ran and Liu Tong, which had not happened before. Of course, Baozi was also happy. He also remembered Xu Ran and Liu Tong, but he was too young. While eating, Xu Ran told everything that had happened these days. After that, he exclaimed that he was so naive that he believed anyone. While Tangtang and Guoguo, as well as Shao Yu, were very sad that Mr. Hu had died. Xu Ran remembered how he had felt back then. From the sadness at the beginning to the shock then, to the undescribable feeling, he had not expected any of them. He had not expected that Mr. Hu would pass away like this, and in such a miserable way. And then, since he had been involved, he hadnt even got the time to think about Mr. Hu. When they had left, he and Liu Tong had gone to see Mr. Hu, in front of a little mound without a tombstone. If he had known that it was a farewell back then, Xu Ran wouldnt have had Mr. Hu leave, no matter what, but the die was cast. Xu Ran comforted Tangtang and Guoguo. He told them a few jokes and failed to make the two children happy. Was it a good thing for one to have too much empathy? Xu Ran started to worry again. However, Mr. Hu was an elder after all, so it was acceptable. Xu Ran could only comfort himself like this. The next day, Xu Ran got up early and watched Tangtang and Guoguo practicing martial arts together with Gao Quan. The medicated bath was almost done, and their bodily channels were almost clear. The two children looked very energetic and even better when they were practicing martial arts. Xu Ran had nothing to do and practiced with them. He also did some jogging with them on the mountain. After breakfast, Xu Ran had to start planting fruit trees. He took a look at the ones he had planted before. Some of them had died, but not that many, so it went well. The burs he had planted were growing very well. After the flowers had withered, some of them had already born fruit. Xu Ran thanked Gao Quan, saying that he had taken good care of the fruit trees. As a result, Gao Quan replied coldly, It was Tangtang and Guoguo who have been taking care of them. They said that they wanted Baozi to have the fruit in autumn. Xu Ran rubbed his nose, feeling that his sense of presence withered a little. Why had his sons always thought of their younger brother, not their dad? It was very necessary for him to look into the problem. Thinking so, Xu Ran kept working. It took the four of them three whole days to plant all 200 fruit trees. Now the field on the mountain he had bought looked quite decent, but the other half was still empty. It seemed that Xu Ran had to make another trip to Ban Yue Town. But not for now. Zhuo Yun was about to come back too. Xu Ran thought that they might as well go together after Zhuo Yun came back. He wouldnt take Liu Tong with him. After all, it was not safe. Du Xin was still there. Besides, Xu Ran couldnt just leave right after he had come back. He had to visit the deli. And also, Xu Ran needed to send some new food materials to Mr. Chen. After all, Mr. Chen had paid him before. April was approaching. Xu Ran had to grow corns too, so he had a lot of business to attend to. Xu Ran went to town the next day after he had finished planting the fruit trees. Now it was getting warmer, and there were more people buying fruits. Xu Ran went alone. When he got there, he saw that there were people in front of both shops, and many of them went shopping in both shops. Xu Ran smiled. Qin Shuwu was really good at running business. C Chapter 201 Xu Ran had stood aside and waited for a little while. When there were fewer people, he went over to greet Qin Shuwu. Brother Qin, business is good! Qin Shuwu looked up at Xu Ran and smiled immediately, Bro, youre back! So soon! How was it? How many fruit trees have you bought? You got everything you need? Xu Ran walked over with a smile, Ive been standing here for a while. Not only havent you invited me for a cup of tea, but you also asked me so many questions. Are you going to have me standing here talking to you? Qin Shuwu glanced at Xu Ran, Alright, stop acting. How could I not know you enough? Come on in! I havent seen you in a few days. Lets have a good chat. Xu Ran followed Qin Shuwu into the shop, and found a place to sit down. Qin Shuwu really went to pour some tea for him. You look tired! Things didnt go well? Qin Shuwu asked. Xu Ran drank his tea, No! Nothing escapes your eyes. I sure am tired! Qin Shuwu sat down next to him, Tell me, what happened? You dont look like youre tired from working. Xu Ran said, Not exactly. Labor work is quite tiring. I carried 200 fruit trees back and finished planting them in three days. How could I not be tired? And thats all? Qin Shuwu didnt buy it. Xu Ran said, Of course not. Mr. Hu is dead. What did you say? Qin Shuwu thought he had misheard Xu Ran and asked loudly again. Xu Ran sighed and said, You didnt mishear me. I didnt expect things to be like this either. He was killed right after he arrived home, by his son. That beast! Qin Shuwu swore the moment Xu Ran finished his words. Xu Ran pulled Qin Shuwu down, and then told him everything that they had experienced. Of course, he didnt tell him Liu Tong and the village heads identities. Qin Shuwu became even angrier after hearing him, You really are unlucky. You obviously havent done anything, but someone has always wanted to do something to you. Xu Ran nodded in agreement. He thought so too. He could tell it from what had happened between Liu Tiezhus family and him. However, this was the second time. Actually, I dont know whats going on either. Do they think its easy to hurt me? Is that why they have always wanted to do something to me? Xu Ran asked. Qin Shuwu shook his head with his arms crossed, Who knows? Xu Ran shook his head, Forget it, lets not talk about this. Its already over anyway. I dont plan to go to that place again. Lets talk about something else! About the deli, when I just arrived, I saw that business was really good. Has it been like this recently? Qin Shuwu shook his head, Not exactly. It has become better in the past two days since it got warmer suddenly. Those who have bought cold dishes from the deli have come to do some fruit shopping as well. Now, some of the cherries and apricots are ripe, so naturally many people are attracted by the freshly arrived fruits. Xu Ran said with a smile, Thats good. Business has been doing well recently, and now one days income is probably equal to the sum of two or three days income before. Qin Shuwu nodded, Yes! Its a good thing to be busy for a few days. Dont go back for lunch, just eat here! And we can talk about creating some new dishes. People will get bored if we dont. Xu Ran nodded, Let me think about it. Summer is coming, and cold dishes must be more popular. Of course. Think it over. We have to establish our brand when we start, and itll get easier in the future. Qin Shuwu said. Xu Ran smiled, Brother Qin, you are indeed experienced. So was that how you started your fruit shop? Ive seen that there is only one fruit shop in town. Others just set up a stall on the street casually. Qin Shuwu said smugly, Of course. At first, I worked hard to bring the fruits back from other places, and I had to ensure that the fruits stayed fresh. It took me a lot of time and energy. It was a simple thing to say, but Xu Ran also understood that Qin Shuwu must have spent a lot of effort at the time. Otherwise, he wouldnt have been able to own the only fruit shop in town. Although it was not a big town, the population here was not small, not to mention that there were other villagers nearby. Xu Ran thought about it and asked Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, does anyone sell ice in town? If we have ice, we might make a fortune this summer. Xu Ran thought of the ice that was a necessity in modern summertime, such as ice cream, popsicles and so on. They were essential items in summer. Although he couldnt make ice cream or anything like that, he knew how to make soda water! Now that fruits were getting ripe, if he mixed them with some juice, water, ice and sugar, it would taste delicious. Especially for children, they would adore it. However, they shouldnt sell it in the shops. Instead, they should use it as a giveaway. Xu Ran thought about it and told Qin Shuwu his idea. Qin Shuwu also thought it was great, but now there was a problem. Where could they get ice? After all, no one had thought about it before. Xu Ran knew that ice could be made. He had read it in a book before, but now he couldnt remember it for the time being, so he was frowning like Qin Shuwu. The two of them were stuck with this problem. Since they were not in the mood of chatting, they sat together in a trance. What happened to you two? Both of you look depressed. A gentle voice came from behind them and made the two of them turn around at the same time. Then they saw Qin Shuwus spouse staring at them from behind. Xu Ran got up at once and greeted him, Brother. Qin Shuwus spouse nodded, Wu told me that you went to buy fruit trees. How was it? Did you get them? Xu Ran nodded, Thank you for your concern. I got some, but thats not enough. Dont worry, take it slow. Its only March now and summer hasnt come yet. Youll definitely get enough fruit trees this year. There was no reason for Xu Ran not to nod when he heard such comforting words. Qin Shuwu also stood up and asked his spouse, So? Are you done with work? Seeing that the two of them were about to talk, Xu Ran deliberately moved his feet. However, the moment he moved his feet, Xu Ran heard Qin Shuwu talking to him, Why are you leaving! We are not sweet talking. Im just asking my spouse to cook some dishes so that you could stay for lunch. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and said to himself, If you just want to talk, just sit and talk. Why did you stand up? And you were so close to your spouse. How could I have not been overthinking? Of course, Xu Ran just kept his thought totally in his mind. He didnt dare to spit it out. Xu Ran didnt get shy, but Qin Shuwus spouse got shy instead. He left when Qin Shuwu was talking to Xu Ran. Then Qin Shuwu looked at Xu Ran resentfully. Xu Ran spread his hands. He was innocent, alright? He had done nothing yet he was on the receiving end of Qin Shuwus anger. Although Qin Shuwu failed to tell his spouse what to cook, there were a lot of dishes on the table during lunch. While eating, Xu Ran said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, ask around how to make ice. There must be someone who knows how. When we get ice, things will get much easier in summer. You could also freeze your fruits with ice and then sell them, and you will definitely sell more. Qin Shuwu nodded, Okay, Ill go ask around. I guess He should know how. Although Xu Ran didnt know why Doctor He, a physician, should know how to make ice, since Qin Shuwu believed that Doctor He knew how, then he should know how. Xu Ran didnt ask too much. Then he started to ponder as he ate. What kind of juice should he make? In fact, lemons and oranges were the best options, but since now he had neither of them, he could only think of something else. He had never drunk cherry juice. Perhaps he should try it. Well, he could also make dried cherry out of cherries, and sell it to the rich. The price could go rather high. As for apricots, making apricot juice might not work. But apricots could be eaten! It suddenly dawned on Xu Ran. When he had planted those apricots trees, what he wanted was actually almonds. He should have forgotten such an important thing. Xu Ran pounded the table in excitement. Everyone who was eating was stunned. Looking at Xu Ran, Qin Shuwu reacted first, Xu Ran, we are eating. What are you doing? Qin Shuwu sounded irritated. He thought that Xu Ran might be angry. Xu Ran was not annoyed at all. He smiled and said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, when you sell apricots in the future, ask the buyers to send back those almonds! The price of apricots could go lower, as long as we could get the almonds. They are a good thing. Almonds? Can this thing be eaten? Qin Shuwu asked. Qin Shuwu didnt care about the fact that Xu Ran had just pounded the table. After all, Xu Ran was so excited that he had just come up with a good idea. Xu Ran explained, They are definitely a good thing, and they can also be eaten. Their price will definitely be several times that of apricots. Just believe me! You wont lose money anyway. Xu Ran said with certainty, and Qin Shuwu had always believed in his ideas of making money. After all, each of Xu Rans ideas had come true. The best proof would be the deli next to him. Even though it was noon now, there were still customers coming. The deli had also brought in business for his fruit shop. Just like what Xu Ran had said, it was to kill two birds with one stone. Qin Shuwu said, Well, Ill listen to you then, but how many almonds do you want? It wont work if there arent many, right? Xu Ran nodded, Thats right. So just collect whatever you could get. Brother Qin, when you buy fruits, buy more. Give me everything you couldnt sell in your shop. Ill find a way to deal with it and wont let you lose money. Hearing Xu Ran, Qin Shuwu laughed, Alright, what are you talking about? If I really lose money, how could I blame it on you? Xu Ran showed his fine teeth with a grin, Haha. Brother Qin, youre such a good person, and you wont lose money. Then thats the deal. Also, when you buy fruits, dont forget to buy some fruit trees for me. I have half of my field empty on the mountain. Dont worry! When have I not put your business in mind? I have contacted some people before and will send those fruit trees to your house tomorrow. Take them as my whip-round! Brother Qin, thank you. Xu Ran smiled even brighter when he heard this. Chapter 202 After lunch, Xu Ran bought something in the town and went back to the village. He didnt go directly through the exit of the village, but the entrance of the village. Xu Ran stopped the carriage in front of the Xu familys house and knocked on the door. Xu Hui opened the door again, and said nothing to Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt want to say anything either. He just handed him a piece of meat he bought in the town. It was totally fat meat. They could eat the meat directly or press oil, so they could improve their lives in the next few days. Xu Hui took the meat and stayed silent for a long time before saying Thanks. Xu Ran didnt care, Take the meat in! Its hot now. Remember to tell granddaddy not to reserve it too long. Xu Ran finished speaking and turned around. He got into the carriage and drove away. Xu Hui stood at the door with the meat in his hand and looked at the carriage with envy. However, he got disappointed soon. The carriage belonged to his uncle, also with the family name of Xu. It had nothing to do with him after all. The meat in his hand was heavy. Xu Hui looked at it for a while and took it into the house. Xu Hui knew he would eat meat tonight, so he couldnt help licking his lips. After Xu Ran got home, he asked Gao Quan to unload everything he bought and put them at home. He gave the snacks to Liu Tong and asked him to distribute to kids. He went back to his room alone and started to think hard about what else people could eat in the summer in this era. Bean jelly and cold noodles were fine, but the price couldnt be too high. Otherwise, few people would buy. As for other food, Xu Ran didnt know if they could make it here. After all, he was neither a chef nor a gastrosoph, and he did not know much about this. Xu Ran stayed in his room for almost an afternoon since he came home. Liu Tong knocked on the door at sunset. Ran, youve been in the room for the whole afternoon. Are you alright? When Xu Ran heard Liu Tong, he opened the door for him. Looking at the worried look on his face, he felt guilty, Tongtong, Im fine. Im just thinking about something. I shouldnt have made you worried. Sorry. Liu Tong shook his head, Not at all. I am glad youre fine. I was worried that you might be unhappy. Ill make you crispy pork slice tonight! It seems we have never tasted it before. Crispy pork slice! Xu Rans eyes brightened and he got an idea immediately. He said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, lets go to the small river to fish tomorrow! Weve been busy for so long. Lets take a rest and have fun. Liu Tong naturally wouldnt object. He had experienced a lot in the past few days, which gave him a new understanding of the outside world. He wouldnt blindly think that the outside world was great. Liu Tong nodded with a smile, Its up to you. Do you want to bring Guoguo and Tangtang? If just the two of us go, they might be disappointed. Xu Ran said, They have to go to school tomorrow, so let them decide! If theyre willing to go, Ill talk to Fuzi. If theyre not, you and will go. We can catch many fish for them. Liu Tong nodded, Okay, Im going to cook. Dont always stay in the room. You can sit in the yard and talk to Shu Wen and the others, or you can hold Baozi. Mm. Xu Ran walked out of the room and walked down with Liu Tong hand in hand. It was getting hot now. Qin Shuwen didnt always stay in the room, but often carried the two children in the yard. The two children were placed on the stone table while Qin Shuwen sat aside and watched. Xu Ran was glad that he had been prescient and made a big table. Otherwise, the table couldnt accommodate two children, or they would fall off if they turned over. At this time, Xu Ran recalled that he said he would make a trolley for the two children. He touched his forehead and felt upset for being oblivious now. Liu Tong felt the change in his mood and asked, Ran, whats wrong with you? Xu Ran said, Tongtong, I forgot something again. You just go to cook! Ill go to Wu Meis first. If I dont go today, Ill probably forget it tomorrow. Oh, Liu Tong was about to nod when he saw that Xu Ran was going to leave. He pulled him back, Ran, wait, its not polite for you to go there empty-handed. I guess you want Brother Xu An to help you make something, and you should bring a little gift. I will go to fry the meat now. You can take a bowl of crispy pork slice to him later, all right? Xu Ran thought it was not proper to go to their house empty-handed at dinner time. Besides, maybe Xu An wouldnt charge for making the trolley, so it was better to bring him a little gift. Xu Ran nodded, Alright, I will fry the meat with you before it gets dark. Ill take it there when its done. Liu Tong said, Shao Yu is also in the kitchen, so you dont have to cook. Go and see Baozi! We were away for many days, and weve been always busy since we came back. If you dont hold him now, he might get unfamiliar with you! Liu Tong smiled and left. Xu Ran rubbed his nose helplessly from behind. He wondered why his spouse started joking because he clearly used to be a very serious person. On the other hand, it was fine as long as he was happy. There was no need for Xu Ran to cook, so he sat opposite to Qin Shuwen and entertained the kids together. After a while, Liu Tong came out with a bowl of crispy pork slice. It was freshly cooked with oil still bubbling. It smells so good! Tongtong, is this for us? Qin Shuwen stood up the moment he smelled the fragrance. Seeing the golden meat, he was really greedy. Liu Tong said, No, Ran will bring this over to Wu Mei. Ran wants to ask Brother Xu An for help, so I think he should bring a bowl of meat over. If you want to eat, I will bring another bowl later. Shao Yu is still frying it. Xu Ran took the hot bowl and wrapped it with the handkerchief from Liu Tong. He waved at them, Im off. Ill be back later. Its getting dark. Come back early. Well wait for you for supper. Liu Tong reminded him from behind. Got it! Xu Ran replied and opened the door and left. After Xu Ran left, Qin Shuwen let Liu Tong watch the kids and he slipped to the kitchen to see Shao Yu. Seeing that he was too impatient to wait, Liu Tong chuckled. He wondered why such a good-looking person liked eating so much. On the other hand, Qin Shuwen looked very beautiful even when he was gobbling food. Liu Tong touched his face and did not feel inferior. He knew that Ran did not care much about appearance, because he was not very beautiful but Ran still loved him. Ran had both money and the title now, so it was easy to take a concubine, but he didnt. Ran said that he was the only one. Liu Tong was happy and his smile got bigger. Xu Ran went to Wu Meis house and found Dahu and Yueyaer were playing in the yard. It was then that Xu Ran recalled he didnt see his two children when he went out. He didnt know where they had run. When Dahu and Yueyaer saw Xu Ran, they ran over to greet him, Hello, Uncle Xu Ran. Xu Ran touched their heads with one hand and saw the two children staring curiously at the bowl in the other hand. Xu Ran wanted to entertain them, so he deliberately raised the bowl high so that they could not see the meat. Xu Ran asked Dahu, Wheres your Dad? Its so late. Hasnt he returned home yet? Although Dahu did not see what was in Xu Rans bowl, he answered Xu Ran seriously, Dad is doing carpentry work in the room and Daddy is cutting grass for pigs. Uncle Xu Ran, have you had dinner? Xu Ran shook his head, I havent yet. Dahu, do you want me to eat here? Dahu scratched his head, Uncle Xu Ran, I cant cook. Wait until Daddy finishes the grass. OK? After that, he emphasized, It wouldnt be long. Dahu was so funny that Xu Ran couldnt help but laugh. Wu Mei heard the laughter and walked out of the room. He found it was Xu Ran and said, I didnt expect you would come at this time. Come in! Xu An is doing carpentry work. Xu Ran walked over and handed the bowl to Wu Mei, Its so late. I cant believe Xu An is still doing carpentry work! Could he see clearly? Wu Mei said, No problem. He is familiar with this. Besides, we have the lights on. Wu Mei shook the bowl in his hand, You were in town today? Xu Ran nodded, Yes. This crispy pork slice is freshly fried and it is still hot. Give it to Dahu and the others! I will talk to Brother Xu An. Wu Mei said, Okay, go! He is in the room. One room of the house was specially spared so that Xu An could do carpentry work. Xu Ran often went in, so he found Xu An easily. Xu Ran greeted with a smile, Brother Xu An. Xu An looked up and found that it was Xu Ran, You are back! I havent seen you for long. Xu Ran nodded, Ive been back for a few days, but Ive been busy planting trees, so I didnt come to see you. Xu An stopped his work and said to Xu Juan, I know how busy you are. Why are you here at this time? Its already dark. Have you had dinner? Xu Ran shook his head, Not yet. I come here to ask for help. For help? I will definitely try my best to help you. Xu An said. Xu Ran said as he gestured, I want to make a trolley for the kids. Its hot now and its not proper to hold them all the time. A trolley? What kind? Like the one I am making now? Xu An pointed to a trolley that was nearly done beside him and asked. Xu Ran shook his head, No, I want it made with bamboo. It should be more complicated and more exquisite. Xu An touched his head, I dont understand. You have to draw a rough diagram for me. Xu Ran said, I cant draw well, but I know the general profile. Let me tell you what to do. Xu Ran started to gesture to Xu An as he said this. He even piled some unused wood in a shape. He said so much that his mouth was dry and finally Xu An got a general idea. Xu Ran said, Brother Xu An, I want it made with bamboo. I will bring you the diagram tomorrow. When you make it, I will come over and tell you the details, just like before. Xu An nodded, Alright, it will be fine as long as you come over. In that case, I wouldnt make mistakes. Chapter 203 The two walked outside while talking. As soon as they reached the door, Yueyaer rushed over and stuffed a slice of deep-fried pork into his fathers mouth. With another one in his own mouth, he mumbled,Vegetarian meat, Xu Ran, crispy. After all, he was the childs father, and he could understand this. Xu An chewed and swallowed the pork, and said to Yueyaer who was still chewing, You said the meat was brought by Uncle Xu Ran, right? Yueyaer nodded non-stop. Xu An patted his head and told him to go play. Then he asked Xu Ran, Was the pork brought by you? Xu Ran said, Yes! It happened that I needed to come over for you and some pork had been fried today. It was already dark. Xu Ran remembered that Liu Tong had mentioned that he would wait for him for dinner, so he said to Xu An, Xu An, lets call it a day! Tomorrow lets go on with our talk. Its dark, I will leave now. Xu An urged him to stay, Why not leave after dinner? Xu Ran shook his head. No, my family are still waiting for me. Xu An saw him out of the yard and reminded him from behind, Watch out on your way back. Xu Rans figure had disappeared under the curtain of the night and Xu An could only hear his voice. Having walked on this road many times, very familiar, he made it home safely.. As expected, everyone was waiting for him. They sat around the table, with the dishes and chopsticks set, and they would start to eat as long as he came back. Xu Ran washed his hands and sat down. Im back. I forgot about the time while talking. The family naturally didnt mind this. Qin Shuwen asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, are you there to ask Xu An to make trolleys for the children? Qin Shuwens words attracted many peoples attention. Xu Ran nodded, Yes, thats it. I had the idea a long time ago. But as Ive been busy these days, plus it hasnt been hot yet, I forgot it. It was not until you put two kids on the stone table today that I recalled the matter. What is that trolley like? Is it convenient? Qin Shuwen was very concerned about this question. Xu Ran said, I cant describe clearly. Youll know when it is made. As for convenience, it must be very convenient. If its not, I wont do it. Qin Shuwen thought about it and asked, How long will it take? Xu Ran said, Im not sure about this either. After all, we are going to plant grain soon. Everyone will be very busy, but we will make one first anyway. Now that Qing Shu has grown bigger, which requires greater effort from you to carry him. Plus, you have to help take care of Baozi. Qin Shuwen thought alike. It was no problem for him to take care of one kid, but as far as two were concerned, it would be a bit troublesome. It was getting hot, the children were wearing less, and they were active. If the trolley worked, it would be more convenient. After talking about the trolley, Xu Ran remembered that Qin Shuwu had told him that someone would deliver fruit trees over here tomorrow. If so, his original plan of catching fish might have to be postponed. When Xu Ran talked about it, Gao Quan said, I will take charge of planting the fruit trees. You go to fish-catching! Xu Ran quickly shook his head. No, how can I let you do it alone? Gao Quan was about to say something when Xu Ran interrupted him, How about this!? We planted trees at home in the morning, and then at noon when the sun was high above the sky, we would catch fish by the river. When the sun was down, we would come back and plant trees. The more people, the faster. Although the sun was not very hot now, it was better than a scorching one! As Xu Ran said so, Liu Tong nodded, Lets do as Ran said! There shouldnt be many trees. We just need to plant them faster and it wont take us long. Fine, thats it then. Ill take care of the child, Qin Shuwen agreed. Only Gao Quan and Shao Yu were a little hesitated, but since everyone had agreed, they would not disagree. After this, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo, Tangtang, Guoguo, why dont you skip the classes tomorrow afternoon and catch fish with us? His tone was like he was trying to trick children with candy. The two kids shook their heads and the ambassador Tangtang said, Dad, you go! Guoguo and I will go to school. Xu Ran really wanted to ask what they could get from the school, so engaging that two would rather give up playing. He remembered how happy he was when he was a child, especially when he took sick leave and didnt go to school. But the two kids of theirs were really strange. Wasnt they fond of playing at this age? However, since they already decided, Xu Ran was in no position to say anything else. After all, he could not force the children to skip school to play. So it was decided. After dinner, they sat in the yard for a while. Tangtang and Guoguo were going to take a medicated bath. Today it would be the last time. According to Gao Quan, it might hurt today. After Xu Ran heard this, he was in agony. He had personally witnessed that the two kids were in so much pain that they couldnt utter any word. However, Tangtang and Guoguo didnt react much. After all, they had experienced it before. Having been more than a month, they were already used to it. Whats more, the last time was vital. If they refused to do it because they were afraid of pain, wouldnt all their previous efforts be wasted? It was something that no one would allow to happen. In order to divert the attention of the two kids, Xu Ran kept asking them about their school. Since Tangtang and Guoguo had a lot of contact with people of the same age, they knew a lot of fresh tricks, and even knew how to tease people. The two kids turned on the nagging mode and gossiped about school affairs to Xu Ran. Xu Ran asked them, What have you learned in school? Dont you want to play? Tangtang and Guoguo thought about it and shook their head. Dad, all were things that you had taught us. Xu Ran was confused, Why do you still want to go to school? Tangtang and Guoguo shook their head, indicating that they did not know the reason. Okay! Let it be! It was a good thing for two kids to be motivated. He had to encourage and support them. Although Xu Ran was chatting non-stop next to them, the pain was still unbearable. Tangtang had bitten into his lips but still didnt want to utter a sound. Feeling his heart ache when Xu Ran saw it. He reached out his arm for him to bite. With tears hanging on face, Guoguo was no better than him. The two kids were so tough that they would not sob only when the pain was too unbearable. But it only rendered the onlookers even more heartbroken. While Xu Ran was comforting the two kids, he asked Gao Quan, Is there any way to relieve their pain? Do they have to suffer like this? Gao Quan was behind Tangtang and Xu Ran could not see what he was doing. Gao Quan shook his head when he heard Xu Rans words. They have to go through it by themselves. As long as they can rub through tonight, it would be fine. Gao Quans words showed that there was really no way. Xu Ran could only think of some way to divert their attention. However, he felt a sharp pain on his arm and almost cried out. He gritted his teeth and tried hard to swallow the cry. This bite was exerted by Tangtang. He gritted neatly and the trace of a row of teeth showed on it. Some blood was seeping out. Xu Ran looked towards the other side. As Guoguo was raising his arm to his mouth, Xu Ran grabbed Guoguos hand and offered his instead. Another bite. Now with one on both sides, it was very symmetrical. Only Xu Rans face was twisted. Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Give the two kids two chopsticks or some clean cloth for them to bite! Biting people like this will definitely not work. Gao Quan took a look at Xu Rans arm and nodded. Then he went out to get two pairs of chopsticks and stuffed two into each childs mouth. Since he wouldnt be bitten again, Xu Ran was able to spare his mind on the other things. In front of the two kids, Xu Ran racked his brain to juggle, which did work. At least they smiled though still in pain. From the start of the bathing until midnight, the pain finally receded. However, after seeing the tooth print on Xu Rans arm, Tangtang suddenly cried, and Guoguo, who was unknown of ins and outs, also cried after his brother. Xu Ran held his forehead helplessly. He didnt even cry when he was in so much pain. With a shake of his arm, Xu Ran comforted Tangtang, Tangtang, what are you crying about? I am just being bitten? No big deal. The tooth marks would fade in two days. Daddy and the others were sleeping. It would be bad if they woke up. Dont cry, be good! At Xu Rans words, Tangtang wanted to stop crying, but he just cried so violently that he couldnt stop it completely and had to sob in Xu Rans arms. Dad hurts The voice that had just cried was a little soft, mixed with the nasal sound, sounded unusually nice. Xu Ran knew what he meant, so he shook his head. It doesnt hurt for Dad. A true man can sweat but cant shed tears. Why are you crying? You didnt cry when you were in so much pain just now. If it really hurts for Dad in the future, theres no use in crying. You have to think of a way to make it not hurt for Dad. Listen to Dad. Stop crying or you wont be pretty anymore. I dont want to be pretty! Tangtang curled his lips and said unhappily. Fine! Pretty is a description of boys, but Xu Ran thought that his two kids were really pretty. He hurriedly coaxed, Okay, okay, okay, not pretty, handsome, little man. Tangtang was satisfied and his sobbing lowered. Seeing that his brother didnt cry anymore, Guoguo stopped too. Then he was carried out of the bucket by Gao Quan, and was placed side by side with Tangtang. Tears smudging his face, Guoguo immediately started to comfort Tangtang as soon as they got together, Brother, dont cry. The pain goes away. From his look, he must havent seen the tooth print on Xu Rans arm. When he bit on it, he probably didnt know what he was biting, so it was normal for him not to remember. Xu Ran quickly pulled down his sleeves to cover his arm in case that Guoguo would cry again after seeing it. Tangtang wanted to say something to Guoguo, but before he could speak, Xu Ran stopped him by rubbing his face. In order to show fairness, he also rubbed Guoguo after kneading Tangtang. Xu Ran then asked Gao Quan, Can they go to sleep now? Its about midnight. They must have been exhausted after all this ordeal. Gao Quan touched the water temperature, felt Tangtangs and Guoguos pulse, and then nodded, It worked. No need to take the bath again in the future. This meant that the medicated bath had done its stuff. Xu Ran was happy, and he didnt make his hands idle, reaching out to slap high five with the two kids. So excited. Chapter 204 Xu Ran and Gao Quan lifted the children out of the bathtub one by one and dried them off. Then they wrapped the towels that Xu Ran specially asked Liu Tong to sew around them and carried them into the room. After putting the two children on the bed, Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, Its late now and you should go to bed, too. Get up later tomorrow morning. The fruit trees wont be brought over so early. Gao Quan nodded and left. Xu Ran thought that Liu Tong and Baozi must be sleeping soundly at this moment. He must disturb them if he went back. And Tangtang and Guoguo had just been through some pain, so he decided to stay with them. After putting the two children into the quilt, Xu Ran also took off his clothes and went to bed. Facing their puzzled gazes, Xu Ran explained, Sleep in peace, Dad will accompany you! You dont have to get up so early to practice martial arts tomorrow morning. Its OK to be lazy occasionally and Dad will cook delicious food for you in the evening. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded obediently and then closed their eyes to sleep. Xu Ran slept in between them, holding one hand in each of his. On the second day, Tangtang and Guoguo woke up very early but Xu Ran didnt allow them to get up. He asked them to tuck up and continue to sleep. So they didnt get up until Liu Tong called them for breakfast. Tangtang and Guoguo havent got up so late like today for a long time, they were not used to it. Watching their reactions, Xu Ran felt like the two children were born toiling. It was really necessary for them to change. After breakfast, the two children went to school. The pain they suffered last night seemed to had passed away now. After the two children left, Xu Ran pulled Liu Tong back to their room. He rolled up his sleeves and showed his arms to him. Seeing the tooth prints on his arm, Liu Tong asked with his lips pursed, Are these bitten by Tangtang and Guoguo? Xu Ran nodded and said, Mm, they were in great pain last night. At first, I didnt know I could stuff something into their mouths, so I didnt. I was afraid that they would bite themselves, so I let them bite me. Tangtang cried when he saw these last night. Fortunately, Guoguo didnt see these. Liu Tong was still feeling distressed at first, but when he heard Xu Rans words, he suddenly smiled, How did we give birth to such two wonderful children? Xu Ran also smiled and said, Yeah! They are very obedient, sensible, and smart. While talking to Xu Ran, Liu Tong brought the medicine kit which Xu Ran had prepared at home and put the medicine on his arms. Although the wounds were not deep, some were bleeding, so it was better to dress his arms up. Liu Tong said while wiping his wounds, Youd better stay at home and not plant trees today. Otherwise the wounds will be slow to heal. Xu Ran disagreed, shaking his head, Dont worry, they are not big wounds. I dont plant big trees but I can still plant small ones. Besides, if we plant fewer trees in the morning, we probably wont be happy when we catch fish in the afternoon. Liu Tong thought about it and agreed. It was their relaxation time, they couldnt keep worrying about the work they hadnt finished. He said to Xu Ran, Then you remember to plant the small trees. You must take care of yourself! Xu Ran nodded his head and agreed, I know, I definitely will. No one wants to be in pain every day! As they were talking, Liu Tong quickly bandaged his wounds. Just as they were about to go downstairs when they heard Qin Shuwens voice calling to them from the yard. Xu Ran, Liu Tong, come down quickly. Someones delivering fruit trees. Xu Ran responded from upstairs and went downstairs with Liu Tong. Gao Quan and Shao Yu were standing at the door of the yard. There were three bull carts outside, and the fruit trees were piled on each cart. There seemed to be a lot of fruit trees. The person who came to deliver the fruit trees was the staff in Qin Shuwus shop, and also the one who took Tangtang and Guoguo to play on the street, so Xu Ran knew him. But Xu Ran forgot what his name was However, whether he remembered his name or not, Xu Ran had to go over to greet him. Bro, youre here so early. Put the fruit trees here! Well unload them later. Come in and have a drink of water and rest. Liu Tong had already prepared water, so they could drink it as soon as they went in. Without much ceremony, they went into the house. After all, they were tired from delivering the fruit trees so early in the morning. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to cook them noodles. After finishing a bowl of noodles, they began to work. They could not unload the fruit trees at the gate of the yard, but moved them to the mountain, which required them to work harder. But having drunk their water and eaten their noodles, they felt ashamed not to carry the fruit trees. In addition, they had already gotten the money given by Qin Shuwu when they came. After the three-car fruit trees had been moved to the mountain, it was nearly noon. Xu Ran had not expected there would be so many trees. He had even thought that they could finish planting the trees after they moved them to the mountain. It was already noon and he was sure to keep them for lunch. Letting Shao Yu and Liu Tong go home to prepare lunch, Xu Ran began to plant trees with Gao Quan. They had to plant as many trees as they could. The servants who were kept for lunch were embarrassed not to help. As strong men, they worked very fast. When lunch was ready, they had planted a lot. The food Xu Ran prepared was always good and the servants all said that it was more delicious than that of the restaurant. The food in the restaurant was so expensive, even if they went, they could not order too much food. Compared with that, the food here was naturally better than that of the restaurant. After lunch, the servants went back in the bull carts. The Xu Ran family cleaned up and set out for the riverside of the village. It was time for others either to have lunch at home or work in the fields, so there was no one by the riverside. Like Xu Ran said, they went there to catch fish. They wanted both big fish and small fish. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan and Liu Tong to catch fish as his hand was inconvenient. Shao Yu and Qin Shuwen looked after the baby and he coducted them from the side. Not a single person came in the afternoon, which gave them a great harvest. Although there werent many big fish, they got a bucket of small fish and shrimps. Looking at the shrimps in the bucket, Liu Tong asked Xu Ran, Ran, they are too small and not delicious. Why do you keep them? What Xu Ran wanted was just the shrimps and his idea was from the crispy meat Liu Tong cooked. Fried small fish! Fried the small fish in oil, and then added some seasonings and sesame seeds, then the dish would be both beautiful and delicious. Xu Ran still remembered that when he was a child, the fried fish was very expensive. Because he was clamoring for it and his family couldnt buy it for him very often, so his mother fried the fish for him. At the beginning, his mother didnt know how to cook it well and the fried fish wasnt delicious, but Xu Ran didnt mind. He ate up all the fish because there were no other snacks to eat. Later on, as his mother cooked it more and more, he became more skillful, so the fish became more and more delicious. The little fish didnt cost anything. There was a large swallow pool with many fish in it near their home. Xu Ran couldnt catch the big fish, so he just looked for shrimps by the side. Then he brought the shrimps back home and asked his mother to fry them for him. If Liu Tong hadnt fried the crispy meat, he wouldnt think of this and there must be someone selling small fish in town. As long as he knew how to cook them delicious, it would be OK. The fish must be expensive, and he could also sell it in Mr. Chens shop. There were three dishes, small fish, cool noodles and bean jellys. It was enough for them now and he would look for other food when summer came. Maybe he could find other food then. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the happier he felt and even couldnt close his mouth. Liu Tong was about to ask him how to cook the little fish, seeing how happy Xu Ran was, he didnt ask him. He thought, Ran must know it. I just need to wait to eat, because Ran always comes up with some outlandish ideas. When they went back, the sun didnt set yet, so they went to plant trees again. They didnt go home to prepare dinner until Tangtang and Guoguo arrived at home. Although the trees Xu Ran planted were small, he still took some effort, so his hand couldnt move freely at the moment. In order not to be found by Tangtang and Guoguo , Xu Ran could only stiffly hold Baozi, motionless. Playing with their brother for a while, Liu Tong asked Tangtang and Guoguo to go back to study in their room . Xu Ran felt relieved finally. Giving the baby to Shao Yu, he went to cook the fish with Liu Tong. Ran, are you going to fry so many small fish at once? Liu Tong asked. Xu Ran nodded,Mm, all of them. It is not very hot now and it can be given to children as snacks. We can also give some to Big Brother Qin and the others if we cant eat up. Besides, Im going to sell it. Oh, thats all right. In that case, Ill clean all the fish. But how will you fry it? What seasonings do you need? Xu Ran said, I forgot this, but it should be the same as your fried crisp meat, with less starch and some chilli. Mm, just try the way you fried the meat. Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong nodded and began to think about how to get rid of the fishy smell, or it would not taste good. Then Xu Ran went on, Tongtong, keep the fishy smell and dont get rid of it, otherwise it will taste different. Liu Tong believed that everything Ran said was right, so he had no objection. Nodding his head to indicate that he knew it, he went on with his work. At night, there was another dish that they hadnt eaten before. Tangtang and Guoguo were very happy. They still remembered Xu Ran said last night that he would catch fish for them today. Although it was too small to be called a fish, the two children were still happy. Xu Ran gave each of them some fish with his chopsticks and said, Try it, thiss a new dish. If you like it, we will often make it in the future and buy more fish. It was just at this moment Xu Ran realized that they had eaten very little fish. He didnt like to eat fish because he was lazy to pick fish bones, but his family loved to eat it. They had eaten a lot during the New Years Eve, but he didnt notice it at that time. It was his negligence, after all, fish was very nutritious. Especially the fish soup, Xu Ran thought that maybe they could build a pond to keep some fish by themselves, not too many, just enough to feed her family. While he was thinking about it, the others had started to eat, as Tangtang and Guoguo all said it was delicious. Liu Tong touched Xu Ran who was in a daze and asked, Ran, why dont you eat? Think about the other things tomorrow! Youre so tired today. As soon as Liu Tong finished speaking, Xu Ran felt Tangtang looking towards him. The child still remembered the tooth print. Xu Ran hurriedly smiled and said, Nothing, Im just thinking whether you like the fish or not. It seems that you all like it. Guoguo, who didnt know this, kept nodding his head in praise the little fish. Xu Ran added, If you like it, eat more. In the future, I will buy more fish for you. You will be smarter if you eat more fish. Okay, okay! Guoguo agreed at once and even Tangtang was looking forward to it. Xu Ran felt that they were clever enough and couldnt be smarter, but the two children didnt seem satisfied. Seeing that he had successfully diverted Tangtangs attention, Xu Ran was relieved to have dinner. It was not good for a child to be too sensitive, and his Dad even had to keep something from him. Alas! What if a father was not as smart as his son? Please! Waiting online! It was a pity that no one could answer his question right now. Holding the bowl, Xu Ran ate the rice quickly and thought about how to improve his IQ. He wondered if he could become wiser if he ate more bowls of rice. Are you not able to visit Lian City recently? Then you may try another browser. If you use your mobile data usage, you should be able to get on it. Uncle Lian has been a little busy lately, and it may spend you a long time. Thank you for your understanding and love you. Chapter 205 There were many small fish. Xu Ran specially spared some for Guoguo and Qin Shuwen as snacks, and let Liu Tong put the rest away. When they finished planting this batch of trees, he would take it to the town and let Qin Shuwu sell it. After this batch of trees were planted, the mountain behind the house looked nice. At the same time, there was another piece of good news. Huasheng gave birth to puppies. There were four little puppies with four colors. One could tell their fathers from the color, and they were Taozi, Lizi, and Juzi. The rest one had the same color as Huasheng. But this time they got two male dogs and two female dogs. They were all very cute. Since Xu Ran named the four big dogs himself, Xu Ran decided to let Guoguo and Tangtang name the four puppies. The two children seriously thought for a whole day before setting the names. Another four kinds of food were selected as the names, but they were more meaningful and more complicated than what Xu Ran had selected. The two female dogs were named Cherry and Strawberry, and the male ones were named Walnut and Chestnut. In comparison, they were indeed better. Then the families praised the two children one by one. Xu Ran told them that he planned to keep the four dogs in the family. After they grew up, they would guard the orchard. After all, the orchard might bring them wealth as well as trouble in the future. Maybe some people would be jealous and steal something or do damage. It would be safer with four dogs there. After planting trees, they took care of the puppies at home. Time flied and it was April 5th. Xu Ran had postponed going to the town for long. On the other hand, the dried fish he had originally saved at home were eaten up because he could not keep them for too long. Therefore, Xu Ran went to the town empty-handed finally. The business was as good as ever. It attracted not only the people in the town, but also the people from the nearby villages. Pot-stewed meat sold particularly well, mainly because many people had started rice transplanting and they wanted to eat better. This time, Qin Shuwu did not work at the fruit shop, but at the deli. Xu Ran walked over and said with a smile, Brother Qin, you really work hard and stay wherever you are needed. Qin Shuwu was busy and ignored Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt know how to help, so he could only watch aside. The customers were quite orderly and waited in line. Qin Shuwu sold fast and soon the work was done. After that, he turned to Xu Ran, Hello. Whats up? Xu Ran repeated it again boldly, mainly because he felt Qin Shuwu did not seem rough. After all, he could also pay lip service. However, he was unlucky this time. Xu Ran felt a pain in his head as soon as he finished speaking. Qin Shuwus raised his hand and gestured to continue tapping on him. Xu Ran almost collapsed They laughed and made a fuss. Qin Shuwu asked another clerk to address customers and he took Xu Ran to the fruit shop. After they sat down, Qin Shuwus asked first, Have you thought of the new dishes? Many customers have been asking me these days and I really dont know how to answer. Xu Ran smiled, Really? I cant believe youre stumped! Dont worry, Ive already thought of this. We can add three more dishes and they are easy to make. Qin Shuwu was interested and moved his stool closer to Xu Ran, Tell me, what dishes? How to do them? Xu Ran said, The first is called cold noodles. It is the noodles we usually eat, but served cold. It cant be boiled as usual. We should try it ourselves first, and it is convenient for us. Qin Shuwu nodded and quickly asked, What about the other two? Xu Ran continued, The second is called bean jelly. Grind peas into powder, and then put it into boiling water. Mix them and add some alkali, and you get bean jelly. It can be sold after it is dressed with sauce, or we can sell it directly. Qin Shuwu stared at Xu Ran, waiting for the third dish. Xu Ran looked at Qin Shuwus impatient expression and said with a smile, The third is just fried dried fish. Many vendors sell fish in town! Just buy the smallest fish, about the size of small shrimp, and then get them fried like frying meat. In addition, embellish the fish with some sesame seeds outside, so it looks good and tastes delicious. I think it will definitely be popular. More importantly, we should sell it at a high price! After Xu Ran finished, he waited for Qin Shuwus respond. Qin Shuwu answered with respect, Okay! Xu Ran continued smiling, Brother Qin, I can only think of these for the time being. Besides, its best not to display them at the same time. Set one first and set another after about a week, so that people will know that we can design new dishes on a regular basis. In this way, we can attract more stable customers. Besides, these dishes could be sold here as well as in restaurants. Its up to you. Qin Shuwu promised, No problem. Consider it done. On the other hand, you have to go to Mr. Chens today. Otherwise, he will be angry with me. Xu Ran was stunned, and then he understood what Qin Shuwu meant. It was really a long time since he went to Mr. Chens. After all, he had received gift money from him, so he had to repay him! Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, I got it. I will write a note about how to do the dishes for you, and then I will go to Mr. Chens, all right? OK, good. Qin Shuwu said and stood up to get him a pen and paper. After Xu Ran finished writing, he packed some cold dishes and walked to Mr. Chens restaurant. On the road, Xu Ran kept thinking about what new dishes to provide to Mr. Chen. Anyway, the restaurant was mainly a place for eating and dishes were the most important, so it was better to focus on dishes. Xu Ran was indecisive. He didnt get his idea until he reached the gate of the restaurant. He got confident and greeted Mr. Chen bravely and enthusiastically. However, Mr. Chen didnt respond. Xu Ran knew that Mr. Chen was a little angry with him. Xu Ran approached the counter and called Mr. Chen his name again and again. Mr. Chen was annoyed by the nagging and put down his abacus heavily, I cant believe you are here! Im honored that you come to my restaurant today! Xu Ran smiled, I went out a few days ago. I was busy planting trees after I came back, so I didnt come here until now. It was my fault. Im sorry, Mr. Chen. Xu Ran bowed to Mr. Chen as he spoke. After Xu Ran apologized, Mr. Chen was no longer angry in his heart, but he pretended to be still upset. Xu Ran said, Mr. Chen, its my fault, dont be angry. Im sorry! Ive thought of new dishes today, do you want to know? After Xu Ran said this, Mr. Chen immediately put on a smile. What a chameleon! Many people acted like a child as they grew old. Although Mr. Chen was not very old, he got white hair now. Xu Ran didnt tantalize him and said directly, Mr. Chen, Ill write it for you later. It wouldnt be in short supply as before and you can sell as much as you want. Well, its something you cant buy from other places, even the deli Brother Qin and I owned. After Xu Ran said this, Mr. Chen was really no longer angry. Xu Ran showed his sincerity. If he was still pretentious, it was not polite. Mr. Chen said to Xu Ran, Well, follow me upstairs and tell me the details. Xu Ran and Mr. Chen went to the second floor. Just as they sat down, the pen and paper were placed in front of Xu Ran. It was obvious that Mr. Chen wanted him to write at once. Xu Ran smiled helplessly and started writing. Actually, it was very simple. It was fried chicken wings and fried chicken legs, like the food of KFC in modern time. Of course, there were hamburgers. Although they could not be taken as staple food, they could be sold as snacks at the door. As for cooking, only the bread part of hamburgers was a bit troublesome and the main problem was butter. But as long as one knew the cooking process, it wasnt difficult. There were many good cooks in Mr. Chens restaurant with good culinary skill, so there would be no problem. After Xu Ran finished writing, Mr. Chen took a look at it. Mr. Chen was not surprised at fried chicken legs, fried chicken wings and fried chicken nuggets. After all, he had seen them before and they were just cooked in different ways. But when Mr. Chen saw hamburgers, he was no longer calm. He asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran! What was a hamburger on earth? Although youve written it in detail, weve never seen it before, so I dont know if we can make it! Xu Ran himself had never made it. He got these cooking methods as he was boring and surfed the Internet in the past. At that time, he memorized all of them as he was young and had a good memory. He remembered them as he thought deeply just now. Xu Ran had a bad memory now, and he considered it a sequela of transmigration. After all, there was nothing wrong with him except the memory. Xu Ran thought about it and said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, you can make the first dishes that are related to the chicken now. You often make chicken in this restaurant, so it is very convenient. As for the hamburger, you can prepare some ingredients first, not many. I will try and see if it can be done next time I come. Mr. Chen also wanted to get the hamburger done. After all, novel food could attract customers, so he agreed with Xu Ran and said, Alright, in that case, Ill ask cooks to prepare ingredients first. As for these things, how do you plan to sell them? Xu Ran said, Lets leave the price aside for the time being. Im not sure if they could sell well. You can try selling first give me the price later according to sales status. Mr. Chen thought about it and agreed. After all, he had never treated Xu Ran unfairly, so he said, In that case, lets talk about the price later! Xu Ran nodded. At noon, Mr. Chen invited Xu Ran for lunch and asked him to pack some dishes to take home. Xu Ran held two big bags of dishes in his hands and thought as he walked, We dont need to cook tonight. C Chapter 206 They really didnt cook dinner. The whole family failed to finish all the cold dishes brought back from the deli and the dishes packed up by Mr. Chen. Qin Shuwen exclaimed that bought food was always more delicious. This was indeed the case. People always thought that food cooked at home was not so tasty as the one bought from others, although home cooking was free. At the beginning of April, it was time for them to grow corn, but Xu Ran still wanted to dig some bamboo shoots first because now was bamboo shoot season. Xu Ran wanted to repeat what he had done last year, which was to dig bamboo shoots for a few days. After all, things like bamboo shoots could be considered the main source of income of their family in winter. Besides, fruit trees would cost the family a lot this year and so far they hadnt made money on them. Therefore, Xu Ran had to think of ways to earn a bit extra. Wu Mei and the others families had earned a lot of money with Xu Ran last year. If they saved their earnings this year, it might be enough for them to build a house. In any case, Xu Rans family alone couldnt dig many bamboo shoots, so Xu Ran decided to have these families work together just like last year. But this time, they had to do it very quickly. After digging those bamboo shoots first, they could carry them home and shell them slowly. The bamboo shoots could also be dried in the yard of Xu Rans house. After all, as long as the gate was shut and nobody got in, no one would know anything. After dinner, Xu Ran, Liu Tong, and Gao Quan, with torches and oil lamps in their hands, each visited one family and told them about bamboo shoots digging. The decision was made very hastily and Xu Ran planned to start digging tomorrow. Wu Mei and the others had made money on bamboo shoots last year, so they naturally knew about the situation, and agreed at once. Other issues could be put off a little, or they could just work harder and multitask. When each household had agreed on it, they got up early the next morning and went to the mountain. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu and Qin Shuwen to stay at home to take care of the children and cook by the way, while they went to the mountain to dig bamboo shoots. Half of the people did the digging while the other half carried the bamboo shoots home. Tender bamboo shoot shells could also be used to feed the cows and horses, while those that couldnt be eaten by cows or horses could be used for the fire. Those shells were versatile. They had spent two whole days on bamboo shoots digging. There were quite a lot in the yard of Xu Rans house. If there was not thousands of jin of bamboo shoots, there was at least hundreds of. Thinking of the fact that the dried bamboo shoots had sold well last year, Xu Ran felt that he could probably store up more this year. More tasks were assigned. Geers would stay at home, shell the bamboo shoots and then did the boiling, cutting and drying work, while men would all go to the mountain and dig bamboo shoots as many as possible. Anyway, the moment they had decided to do this, they were prepared that their farm work would be delayed for a few days. No one else had any objections, so they followed Xu Rans instructions. By the time they had finished the work with bamboo shoots, it was already April 10th. However, they couldnt hang around idly. After all, they had to start growing corn, and Wu Mei and the others had to do their own farm work. There was a lot of work in the field, which was no picnic. The corn they had to grow this year was much more than last year, and now they couldnt ask anyone for help, so they could only do it own their own. Qin Shuwen alone was responsible for cooking and taking care of the children. Fortunately, Xu An had already made a wheelbarrow, so it was much easier for Qin Shuwen to look after the kids. Xu Ran even joked with Qin Shuwen that he could not complain to Zhuo Yun when he came back. Otherwise, Zhuo Yun would definitely fall out with him. Qin Shuwen also smiled and said that he must complain to Zhuo Yun. Qin Shuwen had used to be someone who had never done any housework, but since he had come to Xu Rans house, he could even cook. He did it well. The whole table of people were amused. By the time they had finished growing corn, it was already after April 20th. It had been three months since Zhuo Yun had left home. Qin Shuwen was a little anxious. Although Zhuo Yun had said that he would come back in two or three months, Qin Shuwen had always thought that Zhuo Yun would come back in two months. When he had been busy a while ago, Qin Shuwen hadnt noticed it, but now that he had free time, he was a little worried. However, others didnt know how to comfort him. No matter how close they were, no one could empathize with him exactly. In addition, they themselves were anxious too. Xu Ran had been waiting for Zhuo Yun to come back. He still had a lot of things to do. He hadnt bought enough fruit trees yet. He needed to dig up potatoes in the field in May. He also needed to take care of the strawberries. There were so much work that needed to be done. However, since Zhuo Yun hadnt come back, Xu Ran couldnt go away. Xu Ran was still waiting for him to come back so that they could make another trip to Ban Yue Town. Xu Ran had been busy recently, so he hadnt been to town in more than ten days. He guessed that Mr. Chen should be angry again, and it was time that he paid him a visit. Xu Ran prepared the carriage and went to town with Liu Tong. As a result, they met a carriage halfway coming from the opposite direction, and the driver was the shopkeeper from Zhuo Yuns family. Just as Xu Ran stopped the carriage and was about to say hello to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper stopped the carriage too. Then someone jumped off the carriage and it was actually Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran got excited and also jumped off the carriage. Zhuo Yun! Finally youre back. Zhuo Yun also got excited when he saw Xu Ran. The two of them went closer to each other and pounded their fists. Zhuo Yun said, Yeah! Finally Im back now. How is my Shuwen and my baby? You didnt bully them, did you! Xu Ran glared at him, What are you talking about? Be careful that I wont let you enter my house! Zhuo Yun apologized immediately, Fine, fine, I was wrong. I had it wrong, but you have to understand me. Im anxious. Xu Ran naturally understood his mood and said, They are doing pretty well. Well, your Shuwen is able to cook now, and he can do it quite well. You can ask him to cook lunch for you. Zhuo Yun flew into a fury when he heard this, How can you let him cook? Do you know that he has never stepped into the kitchen when he was at home? Cooking is so hard and it makes one hot and dirty. You actually let him do it! Xu Ran patted Zhuo Yun on the shoulder, Alright, calm down. Why dont you ask your Shuwen whether he is willing or not? After all, he is a Geer. Seeing that other Geers can cook, he must want to learn it. If he is unwilling to do it, can any of us force him? Wasnt he bustling around in the kitchen during the Spring Festival? Do you really think he was playing around in the kitchen? Zhuo Yun nodded, It didnt occur to me that he really wanted to learn how to cook! I thought he did that for fun. Xu Ran knocked him again, You idiot. If he wanted to have fun, why didnt he go to anywhere else but the kitchen? Whats fun with kitchen? Alright, I wont talk to you anymore. Since youre back, hurry to my house! Shuwen has got too anxious these days. Im going to town with Tongtong now and well come back soon. Fine, fine. Then hurry and go! Im going to see Shuwen and my baby. After that, Zhuo Yun turned around and walked towards his carriage. What a short temper. Xu Ran touched his nose and also walked to his carriage. He said to Liu Tong, It seems that we cant go shopping again today. Liu Tong smiled and shook his head, Its a great thing that Zhuo Yun came back! We can go shopping anytime, but not today. Lets hurry up and go to town! Okay. Xu Ran got into the carriage and drove away from Zhuo Yuns. They headed off in opposite directions. When they got to town, they went to Qin Shuwus shop first. Qin Shuwu had put two new dishes on the menu, bean jelly and cold noodles. He told Xu Ran that they had sold well, and that he would put little fish on the menu in May. Qin Shuwu asked Xu Ran to come up with new ideas soon. Xu Ran remembered that he had asked Qin Shuwu about how to make ice. Qin Shuwu patted his head, I forgot to tell you. He told me that adding niter would work. I asked him to make it for me. You will get as much ice as you need then. Xu Ran nodded, Thats fine. As long as we have ice, our business will boom in summer. By the way, Zhuo Yun is back. Did you know that? Qin Shuwu nodded, I did. He came to my shop this morning and left, saying that he would go to your house to see Shuwen. Did you bump into each other on the way? Yeah! However, I still have something to do in town. I will go back after Im done with work. Qin Shuwu said, Your spouse is a rare guest here, and I wanted to have you stay for lunch. But since Zhuo Yun is back, lets meet next time! Liu Tong stood aside and said with a smile, Thank you, Brother Qin. Im really sorry today. Qin Shuwu waved his hand, Theres nothing to be sorry for. Well, if you have something to do, go ahead! Then go back early. They are probably still waiting for you to go back for lunch. Xu Ran nodded, Alright, then were leaving now. Well come again next time. Qin Shuwu waved his hand, Alright, go! Xu Ran and Liu Tong left Qin Shuwus shop and went to Mr. Chens restaurant. When Mr. Chen saw Xu Ran, he put on a livid face. After all, Xu Ran had told him that he would visit him in several days, but now it had already been more than ten days. However, for Liu Tongs sake, Mr. Chen didnt say anything. He had to respect Xu Ran in front of his spouse. If Mr. Chen really offended Xu Ran, that would be a huge loss for him. Xu Ran also knew that it was his fault. After all, he failed to keep his promise. Xu Ran apologized to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, its my fault. Ive been too busy these days. I also have to rush back today. Zhuo Yun just came back, and I have to go back and throw a welcome lunch party for him. Have you prepared all the materials? If yes, lets try it now! Mr. Chen also knew that Zhuo Yun had been on a business trip. It had already been three months since he had left, so he deserved a welcome lunch party indeed. Mr. Chen could understand it. Mr. Chen said, Ive been ready for a long time and waiting for you. Since youre in a rush, I wont dillydally anymore. Lets go! Lets try it in the kitchen right now. Mr. Chen led the way in the front while Xu Ran and Liu Tong followed him. C Chapter 207 Everything was ready in the kitchen, and they were all waiting for Xu Ran. Mr. Chen called a chef over and asked him to learn from Xu Ran. Xu Ran had not done it personally, but he still remembered the steps. He rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands, feeling itchy to try. Liu Tong acted like Xu Rans assistant and passed items to Xu Ran. The dough was kneaded and ready. Xu Ran just needed to add butter and other ingredients onto it and put it into the steamer. Although baking would have a better effect, but since they didnt have an oven, they could only use a steamer instead. Once the hamburger buns were put into the steamer, Xu Ran began to prepare the stuffing, such as chicken and some vegetables that could be eaten raw. Since everything was fully prepared, Xu Ran went on very smoothly. After he finished preparing the stuffing, the hamburger buns were almost ready too. When they cooled down a little bit, Xu Ran took two out and put meat and vegetables on the bun, as well as chilli sauce. Then he cut it into two halves, one for himself and one for Mr. Chen to have a taste. Xu Ran took a bite and felt it was fine. Despite the fact that the taste of the buns werent ideal, the rest was quite delicious, just like what he had eaten in modern times. Xu Ran didnt care that there were others in the kitchen. He took a bite and sent the rest to Liu Tongs mouth. Since Xu Ran was staring at him, Liu Tong could only eat it. After taking a bite, Liu Tong stared at Xu Ran with a funny look, Ran, its so hot. Xu Ran took the hamburger apart and had a look. He discovered that Liu Tong had had all the chilli sauce. No wonder he found it spicy. Xu Ran smiled and sent the hamburger over again, You just had the chilli sauce. Now its gone. Take another bite. Liu Tong obediently took another bite. Xu Ran looked at him, waiting for his feedback. When Liu Tong finished chewing and swallowed it, Xu Ran asked him, Tongtong, is it delicious? Liu Tong didnt nod or shake his head. He just said, It tastes a little better than steamed stuff bun. Alright! In fact, steamed stuff buns could also be considered one of the quintessence of Chinese cuisine, and hamburgers were comparable with them. However, Liu Tong said that it tasted better than steamed stuff buns, which could be an indirect positive feedback. After listening to Liu Tongs opinion, Xu Ran shifted his eyes to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, what do you think? Mr. Chen put on an act and commented, It does taste better than steamed stuff buns. But when I bit it, apart from the stuffing, it felt empty in the front. Therere not many goods inside! They must not be that hunger-resistant than steamed stuff buns. Besides, there are a lot of meat and vegetables inside, and they must be more expensive than steamed stuff buns. Xu Ran, do you think this thing will sell? Xu Ran said, Mr. Chen, they sure will, but not by that many. How about this? Dont sell them at the entrance. You dont sell breakfast now, do you? After all, few people have rice in the morning. People usually have steamed stuff buns, steamed buns or noodles for breakfast. You might sell this specially as breakfast in the future. I will tell you another thing and you could sell it with this. Xu Ran shoveled the hamburger in his hand into his mouth and ate it. Then he wandered around the kitchen and found the beans. Xu Ran scooped up a handful of beans and said to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, since you have these here, you should know the benefits of them. Not only could you make doufu and raise sprouts out of them, but you could also grind them and make soya milk. You might sell hamburgers with soya milk and chips as a set meal in the future. The price can be set now and you might start selling them when they are all ready. Mr. Chen looked at the beans in Xu Rans hand and stared at him suspiciously, You could make soya milk by grinding them? Is it drinkable? Xu Ran said, Naturally, but it will take a little more procedure. You could definitely get soya milk by grinding them. As for drinking, I wouldnt have mentioned it if its not drinkable. How about this. I will write the steps down for you. I dont know whether someone sells doufu in town or not. If yes, pay him and ask him to grind the beans for you every day. But you have to reach an agreement in advance that he cant sell it. Mr. Chen thought for a moment and said, Well fine, Ill try it. As for the mills, I know someone who can do it. Ill just take the beans with me and have a try. Then write the steps down for me now! You might go back when you are done writing. Xu Ran could imagine the scene that the whole table of people were waiting for them to have lunch, and he got embarrassed, so he hurried to write the steps down for Mr. Chen. When Xu Ran left, he took the rest of the hamburgers with him. He found them delicious, and could take them home and let his family have a taste. As for Mr. Chen, he had the ingredients anyway, and making hamburgers was simply an easy thing to do. If they wanted to have more, they could make them themselves. It was already late when Xu Ran and Liu Tong came out of the restaurant. They had planned to buy some fabric today, but according to the time now, they might as well buy it next time! On their way home, Xu Ran drove faster than before. As a result, it was already noon when they rushed back. As soon as Xu Ran entered the gate, Zhuo Yun started to complain, Xu Ran, you are the master of the house at least. Doesnt it bother you that Ive been waiting for you for so long? Xu Ran spread his hands, Did I shut the door upon your face or did I not allow you to have lunch? You went into someones home while the master of the house was out, and now youre complaining about me. Dont you feel ashamed? Why should I feel ashamed? Let me tell you Alas! Shuwen, dont pull me! I havent finished yet. Before Zhuo Yun could finish his words, Qin Shuwen suddenly pulled him up from the chair and dragged him outside the door. Qin Shuwen said to Zhuo Yun, Dont do that. The moment you are back, you bicker with Xu Ran. Do you want to eat or not? If not, stand by the door. If Qin Shuwen put his hands on his hips, the show would be more wonderful to watch. Xu Ran smiled smugly at Zhuo Yun with his arms crossed at the gate. Zhuo Yun glared at Xu Ran, and then suddenly begged Qin Shuwen for mercy like a lamb. Shuwen, at least save me some face. Dont let that guy Xu Ran have a good laugh at me, Okay? I know that you cooked all the dishes on the table. Dont worry, Ill definitely finish them all. Xu Ran smiled knowingly. So that was the reason! Xu Ran knew that since Zhuo Yun said so, Qin Shuwen definitely wouldnt bother with him anymore. Xu Ran stopped watching the show, went back to his seat and waited to eat. A variety of dishes was all over the table. Xu Ran asked Shao Yu, These are all cooked by Shuwen? Shao Yu nodded, Yes, I just helped him. They are all cooked by him. Xu Ran exclaimed, Impressive! Shao Yu nodded, Exactly! Shuwen just started learning and now he is able to cook so many dishes. I tasted them and they are quite good. Xu Ran stuffed a chopstick of food into his mouth and then nodded, Really nice. Hes talented. The two people at the door were still talking, and Xu Ran didnt bother waiting for them. After all, absence made the heart grow fonder. Moreover, it had been months since they had been apart. Their scene could have been hotter. Xu Ran said, Lets eat first! There is no need to wait for them. After that, Xu Ran shouted at the door, Zhuo Yun, if you dont come, well finish all the dishes! However, hardly had Xu Ran finished shouting than Zhuo Yun rushed in. Xu Ran rolled his eyes. How could this be so effective? Qin Shuwen also came in after Zhuo Yun. It was better since everyone was here. Zhuo Yun wouldnt go back today for sure. After lunch, the group could finally sit together and chat. As soon as Zhuo Yun sat down, he held his baby and did not let go. If the baby needed anything, he did everything by himself. He enjoyed every moment of it. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, When did you arrive? Zhuo Yun said, This morning. I didnt do anything when I got home, and asked the shopkeeper to drive me here. Xu Ran could understand his impatience and nodded, Weve been anxious waiting for you these days. We thought you would come back in two months, but you didnt. Then it has been three months, and you still didnt. There has been no letters from you either. Shuwen has been really anxious. Qin Shuwen felt a little embarrassed when he heard Xu Ran say this in front of so many people. He covered his face secretly. Zhuo Yun said, It was just because I wanted to come back sooner that I didnt go too far. Weve been really fast on the road. It would originally have taken us one month to come back, but we managed to reduce the journey to 25 days. The guide is rich in experience so we havent had any accidents. We were lucky, but I wont go again. It was easy for Zhuo Yun to say so, but those who had been away from home all knew what the situation was on the road. This was not modern times, and one could go anywhere as long as he had money. In this era, when one went away, the most roads he would be on were mountain roads. Sometimes the journey would last for days in wilderness with no villages or shops. People could only sleep in the open. And not to mention the food. If one was skilful at hunting, he could hunt, roast the prey and eat it. If one was good at nothing, he could only eat his rations. If there was no rations, he could only starve. However, Zhuo Yun didnt mention that because he didnt want Qin Shuwen to know it. He wouldnt go on a long journey in the future anyway. He wouldnt be gone for months again, which would be good. Zhuo Yun also told them something interesting on the road. Those who had never heard of it before were amused. Xu Ran thought of that letter from Zhuo Yun and asked him, Zhuo Yun, where did you learn that there were fruit trees in Ban Yue Town? Well, about this! Zhuo Yun held Qingshu, let him stand on his laps and answered Xu Ran, I learned that from a person in the caravan. He was from Ban Yue Town. He told me that there were a lot of fruit trees in his town, and advised me to go there and have a look, as I wrote in the letter. Did you know any detail? Xu Ran continued. I asked about it. That person also told me that they had everything there, peaches, plums, cherries and so on. I figured that there was no need for this person to lie to me. I said that it was my friend who wanted to buy them, not me myself. Xu Ran nodded, Indeed. Heres my opinion. Ive planted more than 500 trees now, but half of the field is still empty. Ive been waiting for you to come back so that you could make another trip to Ban Yue Town with me. No matter or not there are that many fruit trees there like what that man said, we could definitely buy some back more or less. Together with the ones I get from other places, that should be enough. If theres still not enough, we could make plans next year. Xu Ran finished his words and waited quietly for Zhuo Yuns reply. Since Zhuo Yun had just come back, and now he had to leave soon, he must have something to say. Zhuo Yun didnt answer Xu Ran. Instead, he turned his eyes to Qin Shuwen. Qin Shuwen knew Zhuo Yuns choice when his eyes met Zhuo Yuns. Qin Shuwen said, Yun, you should make a trip to Ban Yue Town. After all, we run the fruit tree business together, and Ran is the one who has been working on this all the time. Since he has bought those fruit trees back, you have to do something! When Qin Shuwen said this, he wasnt treating all present as outsiders. Xu Ran and the others did not chip in and just listened to them. Having heard Qin Shuwen, Zhuo Yun hesitated, Shuwen, I understand what you said. Its just that I just came back and Im leaving again. I dont want to be apart from you. Zhuo Yun even started to act coquettishly and leaned his head against Qin Shuwens body. Qin Shuwen pushed him away, Why didnt you say that when I asked you to join the trade caravan? Now you are being sentimental. I put it very clearly. You must go, no matter you want or not. Seeing that there was no room for rebuttal, Zhuo Yun pouted discontentedly like a child. Then Xu Ran smiled unkindly again. Chapter 208 They had chatted for a while before Xu Ran took Zhuo Yun to the orchard. The mountain had originally been bare, but now half of the field was covered with trees. Some were blossoming while others had already born fruit. Although several trees were wilted, most of them flourished. Xu Ran pointed to the mountain and said, Three years, within three years, I will make this orchard produce the largest, the most and the best fruits, and stay evergreen. He was telling Zhuo Yun, but it was also like an oath to himself that this was his goal. In three years, he would make a productive orchard. Before Zhuo Yun could speak, Xu Ran continued, This mountain is not only for ourselves, but also for our children. We will leave them a way to make a living and an eternal home, a home that they can come back anytime. Now Zhuo Yun understood what Xu Ran meant, So you could predict that they will be away from home or what? Xu Ran burst into laughter and said smugly, Look at my Tangtang and Guoguo. I cant cut their wings just because I dont want them to fly away. You know, some people are blessed. They are the chosen one, while Tangtang and Guoguo are two of them. Although they suffered a little when they were young, they will be spreading their wings now and the future. What about your Baozi? Zhuo Yun asked. Xu Ran said, Baozi is different. He is still young now, and loved by us. He wont suffer in the future. He can choose his own life. He can marry a man as his spouse or someone he likes. As long as we exist, we wont allow anyone to bully our children, so he can live life at his own will. Xu Ran started to long for such a life himself as he spoke, but he seemed to be too old for this. Zhuo Yun heard him and was stunned for a while. He said to Xu Ran, A Geer can marry a man as his spouse? Xu Ran, are you kidding? Xu Ran argued back immediately, Why not? You cant discriminate against Geers, right? As long as the two love each other, nothing is impossible. Zhuo Yun opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Xu Ran had originally wanted to say that even a man could fall in love with another man. Despite the fact that they couldnt bear children, there was no other difference. However, considering how Zhuo Yun was acting now, Xu Ran chose not to provoke him. After all, it was not the right thing to do. Xu Ran changed the topic and said to Zhuo Yun, Lets go! I will take you to recognize the fruit trees. I have planted the same kind of fruit trees together, so that when we pick fruits, we dont have to bustle about to look for them. When they arrived at the orchard, Xu Ran pointed at the trees and told Zhuo Yun their names one by one. Although Zhuo Yun could recognize all of them, he still listened very carefully. Xu Ran also told him the dos and donts for the cultivation of these trees. It was not until now that Zhuo Yun realized that the orchard was related to him for real, and that he was more than a spectator. The two of them had stayed in the orchard for a long time and gone through all the trees. Both of them brought tools with them when they had left. They removed the dead trees. Some of the places became vacant and would be filled up when new ones were bought. At this time, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Are the goods selling well? Is there anything else selling well over there? We cannot gain any profit from this orchard in the first two years. Not only this, but we also have to invest more money into it. We need to think of other ways to make a living. Zhuo Yun said, I was about to discuss this with you. Cured meat and sausages are selling very well and their prices are not low. This year, we could produce more and then sell them to the trade caravan. The caravan and I are agreed that as long as they go to the north, they will come to town to find me. Isnt there much left that were made last year? Xu Ran nodded, There is much left indeed, but we probably couldnt give too much to the caravan. Both Mr. Chen and Lin Hua want more. We could only kill the pigs earlier this year. Otherwise, there will not be enough. Zhuo Yun waved his hand, Its fine. Just give them as much as we have. A thing is valued if its rare. If they take too much with them, it wont sell well on the contrary. Xu Ran agreed with Zhuo Yun. The two of them thought it over and decided the quantity of the cured meat and sausages that they were going to produce this year. After this, Zhuo Yun asked Xu Ran, How much have you spent on fruit trees? Xu Ran made a quick mental calculation, Ive spent more than 300 taels. Brother Qin has sent 200 fruit trees to me, and Im not sure about the money. Ill ask him later. I figure that if we want the whole orchard full, Im afraid we need another 600 or 700 taels of silver. Zhuo Yun took out a stack of bank notes from his top pocket and handed them to Xu Ran, Heres 500 taels, on me. Xu Ran didnt stand on ceremony, took them over and shook them with his hand, Are these what you have made from this trip? Zhuo Yun nodded, Just about 500 or 600! Anyway, since I live in your house and eat with your family now, I dont worry about my daily expenses. Use this money on the fruit trees first. I guess you dont have much money with you now. Also, you must have spent a lot on the deli you run with my brother-in-law! Xu Ran said, Brother Qin has covered the major part, and Ive only invested 200 taels of silver. Actually, it didnt cost much to open the shop. It was just because Brother Qin bought the shop next to him, and that was why he spent more. Actually, its pretty good to buy it. The location of his shop is great. Besides, the two shops are linked. Even if he doesnt do business himself in the future, he can still collect a lot of money by renting them out. Zhuo Yun said. Xu Ran nodded, That is indeed the case. However, it takes much less time for the deli to get the cost than the orchard. I guess we might make it back this summer. Zhuo Yun smiled, Yeah! When we spend all of our money on the fruit trees, we will live on that deli. Xu Ran spread his hands, Exactly! But do you agree to go to Ban Yue Town with me or not? If yes, lets go tomorrow so that we could hurry back. I dont want to go out since its getting warm, and its best to stay at home. Zhuo Yun looked bitter, You have to let me rest for a few days! I just came back this morning. I havent had a good sleep yet, and now you ask me to travel with you tomorrow. How could you do this to me? Zhuo Yuns condemnation made Xu Ran a little embarrassed. He touched his nose and said, Its just that I want to get those fruit trees as soon as possible! Look, soon it will be time for me to dig up the potatoes and pick the strawberries. I will be busy then and wont have time to make a trip. How about this? Take a break for two days and we will set out the day after tomorrow. Zhuo Yun glanced at Xu Ran and nodded unwillingly, which could be considered as agreement. Xu Ran said, Since you want to sleep, lets go back now! You dont have to have dinner either. Start from now, and you will get up tomorrow morning. I guarantee you will get enough sleep. Zhuo Yun rolled his eyes, I havent had many meals at your house! And now you dont allow me to have dinner. Xu Ran laughed, I just dont want you to eat. The two of them walked back while talking. Since Zhuo Yun was here today, Liu Tong and the others didnt go out to do farm work. When they got home, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun to go to bed, and let Qin Shuwen accompany him by the way. He even took the baby away. Others were amazed by his behavior. How come it felt like Qin Shuwen was going to sleep with an emperor? It was when Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen went into the room that Xu Ran realized the situation himself. He was too embarrassed to face everyone, so he walked away with Qingshu in his arms, his back perfectly straight. Tangtang and Guoguo got home from school early today. The moment they arrived home, they saw Xu Ran holding little Qingshu. They looked around but failed to see Qin Shuwen, so Guoguo leaned in and whispered in Xu Rans ear, Dad, Daddy Shuwen doesnt want Brother Qingshu anymore, right? Xu Ran was stunned and stared at Guoguo in confusion, Why did you ask that? Guoguo said, Because youre the one holding Brother Qingshu! Besides, Daddy Shuwen is gone, too. Now Xu Ran understood why the two children had been looking around. Xu Ran smiled and said, Its because Uncle Zhuo Yun is back. Hes sleeping, and Daddy Shuwen is with him now, so Brother Qingshu is mine. Tangtang and Guoguo heaved a sigh of relief when hearing this, Thats good. Xu Ran was speechless, Have the two of you seen anyone being dumped? Why did you ask such a weird question? The two children looked at each other, and Tangtang even closed the door. When he came back, he said to Xu Ran, Dad, its said today that Little Donkeys daddy dumped him and went away with someone else, so Little Donkey didnt go to school today. Who is Little Donkey? Xu Ran asked. This was such a terrible name. Tangtang and Guoguo thought about it and found that Xu Ran did not know who Little Donkey was, so they explained to him where Little Donkey lived and so on. Xu Ran still didnt get it after listening for a long time, but now he knew that Little Donkey was from the village. Xu Ran asked them, You said that Little Donkeys daddy ran away with someone. What happened? Tangtang and Guoguo answered, Xiaobudian said it when we went to school today! He said that last night, Little Donkeys dad went for his granddad and told him that Little Donkeys daddy had run away with someone else. He wanted Little Donkeys granddad helped him get Little Donkeys daddy back. Having heard that, Xu Ran felt embarrassed. Since he had already gone, where could he find him? More importantly, was the village head responsible for looking for the spouse who had run away? But Xu Ran got the picture. He said to Tangtang and Guoguo, Dont worry about other peoples domestic affairs. And you couldnt laugh at Little Donkey in the future because his daddy ran away with someone else. Just act like you dont know it, understand? Tangtang and Guoguo nodded obediently, Got it, dad. Xu Ran patted them on their heads and said, Alright, go back to your room and review your lessons! When Tangtang and Guoguo left, Xu Ran exclaimed over this absurd story alone. Chapter 209 The date of Xu Ran and Zhuo Yuns trip to Ban Yue Town was set, and nobody else had any objection. After all, summer was approaching. If they postponed the trip, it would be much more difficult for the trees to survive in summer rather than in spring. Therefore, they decided to take advantage of this favorable opportunity. Liu Tong had originally wanted to go with them, but Xu Ran did not agree. Du Xin was in Ban Yue Town, which was a hidden danger. Besides, he was a person of hot temper. Who knew if he would disclose the secret on impulse. If that happened, it would be too late. Preparations had been done at home. Xu Ran also went to town to notify Qin Shuwu and Mr. Chen of his trip. On April 28, he and Zhuo Yun drove the carriage to Ban Yue Town. Neither of them knew Ban Yue Town well, so they had been asking for directions on their way, and occasionally guessing. Thus, they spent more days on the journey. When they arrived at Ban Yue Town, it was already May 5th. However, it had been raining, so the roads were in terrible condition and mud was all over their carriage. The two of them looked messy when they arrived at Ban Yue Town. If they hadnt been driving a carriage, no inn would let them in. Because they didnt know where exactly to get the fruit trees, they could only find a place in town to stay first and then ask about it. Hardly had Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun arrived in town than someone set his sight on them. The two arrived at noon. After they found an inn and booked a room, they planned to have lunch first, then get some good rest and start working tomorrow. During lunch, an unexpected guest joined them at the table. It was no one else but Du Xin. And the one who set his sight on them was also Du Xin. He had originally been hanging around on the streets, and seen a carriage covered in mud. He had looked at it with disdain. However, he should know the driver, so he had been following them all the way. Xu Ran ignored him, mainly because of Liu Tong. If it werent for this, they might have been good friends. However, Zhuo Yun was also there, and Xu Ran couldnt just pretend not to know Du Xin, so he introduced them to each other. Du Xin pulled out the stool, sat down and asked the waiter to bring another pair of chopsticks to eat with them. He asked Xu Ran while eating, Why are you here at Ban Yue Town? I remember you dont have any relatives here. Xu Ran pouted. Obviously, this guy was giving back what he had said to him back then, but the difference was that Du Xin was able to make up a relative at that time, while Xu Ran wasnt. Before Xu Ran could figure out whether to tell him the real reason or not, Zhuo Yun said, Were here to buy fruit trees. By the way, Du Xin, since youre from Ban Yue Town, you must know that! Tell us where we could get them! So that we dont have to look around. Although Xu Ran was reluctant to reveal his purpose in coming, he knew that Zhuo Yun was telling the truth. After all, with help, it would save them a lot of time and energy. They were totally unfamiliar with this place and the people, and it would be bad if what had happened to Xu Ran last time happened to them again. Du Xin saw Zhuo Yuns earnest eyes and looked at Xu Ran. Although Xu Ran was not staring at him, he was also listening very attentively. Du Xin had to clean up his act now. He knew why Xu Ran had distanced himself from him. If Du Xin could offer some help, they might get closer again. Du Xin was pleased with this thought! He smiled and said, You are talking to the right guy here! Ban Yue Town is exactly the place that produces fruits. Let me tell you something. Im very familiar with the villages nearby. When do you want to visit them? Ill take you there. Of course, he was completely bragging. He didnt even know the names of the villages nearby, let alone their further information. But it didnt matter. Although Du Xin was not familiar with it, someone in his family was! Du Xin just needed to go home, talked to his dad about it, and then asked his dad to find someone to lead the way for them. Therefore, there was a confident smile on Du Xins face. However, Xu Ran was a little doubtful about what he had heard. This person appeared to be a dandy. Was it possible that he was familiar with the villages nearby? Could it be that he said so because of Tongtong? The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more he strayed from the point. On the contrary, he did not doubt whether Du Xin was really familiar with this place. Zhuo Yun, on the other hand, didnt know Du Xin. He thought that since Du Xin was from Ban Yue Town, he believed whatever he said. Therefore, Du Xin took on the job, saying that he would come to them tomorrow morning. After that, he left. Xu Ran was speechless when he saw Du Xin running away. It was when Du Xin was gone that Zhuo Yun got back at Xu Ran. Why didnt you tell me you have acquaintance here? Xu Ran touched his nose, trying to come up with an answer to Zhuo Yuns question. Since Liu Tong wasnt with them, Du Xin was out of his plan, so he hadnt mentioned him to Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran said to Zhuo Yun, We just met when we took the imperial examination. We hadnt spent so much time together. I worried that he doesnt remember me while I still remember him. How awkward that would be! After all, we are not good friends. Zhuo Yun rolled his eyes, Do you think I didnt see it? It was obviously you who didnt want to talk to him. He was making up to you. And he generously suggested that he help us find the fruit trees. It was kind of him to do so. Xu Ran couldnt argue with that. After all, Du Xin had been earnest with them. Xu Ran thought for a while and said, I didnt expect this would happen, nor did I expect that we would meet him once we got to town, so its not my fault. Hurry up and eat! We have to get some sleep after this, and we still have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Zhuo Yun didnt talk back and hunched over his lunch. After all, what Xu Ran said made sense. The road condition of these villages were still unclear. If it was bad, it would be a big trouble for them to move the fruit trees out. After a few moments of consideration, Zhuo Yun also asked this question. Xu Ran replied, You dont have to worry about this. As long as there are fruit trees in the village, they have to move the fruits out to sell them. If the roads are bad, it would be troublesome to them too. Zhuo Yun agreed with Xu Ran, didnt talk again and focused on his lunch. Zhuo Yuns question inspired Xu Ran. He began to think of the trolleys. Not only could they carry unhusked rice, but also fruits. However, since now they were unclear about the specific situation, they might as well play it by ear! After lunch, the two took a shower and went to bed. They booked two rooms. After all, they were men and not a couple, and it was embarrassing for them to live together. It was true that they were close, but they couldnt just live together due to their good relationship. It simply didnt make sense. Both of them were aware of that, so when Xu Ran booked two rooms, Zhuo Yun didnt say anything. After a good night of sleep, early the next morning, just as Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun went downstairs, they saw Du Xin waiting at the entrance of the inn with a large group of people. Looked like Du Xin was serious! Having Zhuo Yun order breakfast, Xu Ran went to the door and asked Du Xin, Why did you bring so many people here? Du Xin explained, These are my retainers. They more or less have acquaintances or relatives in the villages nearby, and it would make things easier for you. Although Im familiar with those villages, Ive never talked to those people. Xu Ran nodded. That was indeed the case. He asked Du Xin, Its so early. Have you guys had breakfast? Du Xin shook his head at once. No, I got up too late. I havent had breakfast. Xu Rans mouth twitched. Do you think I dont know that you are a rich kid? How would I believe such a terrible lie? However, since Xu Ran had put on a show, the show must go on. Now that he had ask Du Xin whether he had had breakfast or not, Xu Ran still invited him, Since you havent, eat with us! But the food here must not be so good as at your home. Please dont mind. Du Xin was overjoyed to hear this, so how could he mind that? He waved his hand immediately, No, no, definitely no. Xu Ran didnt answer him. He glanced at Du Xin and turned to walk in. Zhuo Yun had already ordered breakfast and was waiting for the waiter to serve food. Du Xin followed behind Xu Ran. He sat down and greeted Zhuo Yun with enthusiasm. Zhuo Yun held the opinion that Xu Rans friend was also his friend, so he talked to Du Xin. While Du Xin, who engaged with people very naturally, talked back and they started to chat. Xu Ran watched them, his mouth twitching. As for Du Xins group of retainers, since Du Xin did not care about them, Xu Ran wouldnt either. After breakfast, Xu Ran went to the village nearby with Du Xin and his people. Of course, Du Xin was definitely not the one leading the way. After all, Du Xin had said that he was a young master, and that he should make full use of the servants. It would be degrading for him to lead the way himself! Zhuo Yun had used to be a young master before, but he hadnt treated himself in so big a way as Du Xin did at all. More importantly, Zhuo Yun would not keep telling people his identity as a young master, so Xu Ran still appreciated Zhuo Yun more. The village they were going to visit was called Li Jia Village. Most of the villagers were named after the villages name and they basically shared the same surname, Li. In fact, this was pretty good, because it would be easy for one to read and remember those names. As for the person leading the way, he was called Du Bai, which sounded a little like Dubai. Du Xin told them he was his personal servant. Of course, Xu Ran did not buy it. After all, every time he saw Du Xin, he was alone, including yesterday. If he really were Du Xins personal servant, why would Du Xin have always been on his own? However, this was just a thought and Xu Ran didnt speak it out. There were indeed many fruit trees in Li Jia Village. Just as they reached the entrance of the village, they saw rows of cherry trees. Some even had cherries on them. This was probably because the temperature here was low, and the cherries got ripe relatively late. However, the moment Du Xin saw those cherries on the tree, he wanted to ask someone to pick them for him. Xu Ran stopped him instantly. Could you leave a good impression on the villagers? Were here to buy fruit trees after all. If you pick cherries from the tree that is privately owned the moment you arrive, it would be generous of them to beat you with the stick, let alone sell you fruit trees. Du Xin did not expect that what would be waiting for his casual words was actually Xu Rans long monologue. Du Xin nodded reluctantly, I got it. I promise I wont let anyone touch anything in the village, alright? I wont ask my people to buy cherries until you finish buying fruit trees, alright? Du Xin said with great grievance. However, when Du Bai, who was leading the way in the front, saw how wronged his young master was, he almost rushed up to Xu Ran to argue with him. His young master had never been wronged before since birth. Of course, Du Bai certainly didnt dare to do this. After all, he was smart. Even his young master was treating this person so meticulously, and he must not drag him down. Of course, what Du Bai didnt know was that it was only at home that Du Xin had never been wronged, while he had suffered a lot with Xu Ran and Lu Qi. However, as long as Xu Ran and Lu Qi didnt say it, Du Xin would not disclose that secret like a fool, and that was why no one knew about it. Chapter 210 Du Bai took them directly to the home of the village chief of Li Village. Since he used to be a member of the Li Village, he was indeed very familiar with it. If it werent for the fact that his family were too poor to make ends meet, he wouldnt have been sold to the Du Residence. He had been doing fine in the Du Residence for the past few years. The Du Residence was generous and provided servants sufficiently in all aspects. Although they still had to work, compared with the dirty and tiring wok they did at home, what they did in the Du Residence was much lighter. Thus, they naturally prefer the Du Residence. Besides, Du Bai had been promoted to be a footboy by his young master because of his quick response. Henceforth he had an even better life. But what was disturbing was that the young master never took him when he went out. Thus it was hard for the friends of the young master to believe that he was his foofboy. It hurt. Du Bai knew the village chief of Li Village. In terms of seniority, he should address the village chief as uncle. When they arrived, the village chief of the Li Village was carrying a hoe on his way to the field. When he saw such a group of people swarming in, he thought that some villains had barged into the village. It wasnt until he saw Du Bai at the front that he let out a sigh of relief. Du Bais original name was Li Wazi. He changed his name after entering the Du Residence, Du Bai. When the village chief saw Du Bai, he called him, Li Wazi! Why did you bring so many people to the village?! Xu Ran suddenly laughed when he heard the name, but he was quick enough to cover his mouth, so no one noticed. Li Wazi, or Du Bai, hearing village chief calling him, immediately ran over to him and explained, Village chief, this is what happened. Two friends of our young master want to buy some fruit trees. I think there are many trees in our village! So I brought them over. Then he went to Du Xin and introduced the village chief to him. Then to village chief he introduced Xu Ran and others. It was a good thing that someone came to buy fruit trees! Their village was scarce in the other resources, but abundant in fruit trees.However, in past few years, because the harvest of the fruit trees was not satisfactory, many people were unwilling to plant them any longer. To the family with a large population, the sales of fruits could not support the whole family. At this time, someone coming to buy the fruit trees meant incoming money for their village, the village chief could not welcome more. Hearing this, he immediately put down his hoe and stepped forward to greet Du Xin and the others. Du Xin didnt feel like getting familiar with the village chief. He just nodded and said to the village chief, Its them who want to buy the fruit trees. Just talk with them. Although the village chief really wanted to make friends with Du Xin, he detected his unwillingness from his expression. However, it should be good as well to get to know the friends of Du Xun! After all, the ones who could be friends with Du Xuan should also be the masters! After all, both Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun wore decently and looked good. Especially Xu Rans face, gorgeous. Therefore, the village chief immediately shifted his target and started to be enthusiastic towards Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. The corners of Xu Rans mouth twitched when he saw this. In fact, these ancient people deserved to be the Oscar winners for Best Actor! Xu Ran was also quite polite to the village chief. After all, he hoped that the village chief would give him a discount. Xu Ran said, Village Chief, I dont know how many fruit trees are there in your village. Im not from Half Moon Town. I cant bring back any trees that are too big, so I can only ask for small ones. The village chief nodded repeatedly. Yes, there are all kinds of fruit trees in the village, big ones and small ones. How about I show you around and you can take a look by yourself? Originally, Xu Ran had the same idea, and it was better for the village chief to bring it out. Xu Ran nodded, Then Ill trouble you to lead the way. The village chief was stunned by Xu Rans tone. He wiped his sweat and said, Sure, sure. Xu Ran looked at the village chief and felt a little strange. He was at least a village chief. Why was he so meticulous? Could that Du Family got a reputation in this Half Moon Town? Even the village chief was reverent and respectful to them. Xu Ran looked towards Du Xin and saw Du Xin nodding arrogantly, as if he had seen through Xu Rans thoughts. Xu Ran was speechless. Could Du Xins family be a gangster one!? Otherwise, how could a businessman make a village chief so respectful? Of course, this was just his speculation. After all, this era had no such gangsters. This time, the person leading the way became the village chief, who introduced the fruit trees on both sides while walking. Most were the facts about how big the fruits could be, and how many ones they could bear. It seemed that he was quite familiar with them. When Xu Ran was listening attentively, Du Xin whispered in his ear, My family has a government officer in capital city. Xu Ran was stunned for a moment. He did not expect that this guys backer was so powerful. He even had a capital official relative. However he was still wondering, wasnt this guy the man of King Yan? Seeing Xu Rans reaction, Du Xin shook his head. You are not suitable for being an official. Xu Ran rolled his eyes. There was no need for others to remind him about this. He knew quite well. Of course, this was just an interlude. After that, Xu Ran listened carefully to the village chief introducing the fruit trees in the village. After a round trip of village, people who were at home all came along for the ride. The farther they walked, the larger the group. Even some people who worked in the fields came back to join in the fun. The village chief concluded by saying that they were glad to sell the fruit trees in the village. It depended on how many Xu Ran wanted and how to pick. Xu Ran didnt expect things to go so smoothly. He looked at Du Xin, who still wore an indifferent look, and he looked at Zhuo Yun, who, similar to him, was also surprised at the smooth development. Of course, things couldnt have been so smoothly. The reason why the village chief was so easy-going was completely owing to Du Xin. Yesterday afternoon, after he returned from the inn, he sent people to inform the village chief in advance. Otherwise, it would be a wonder that so many people staying at home at the busy farming season. Of course, Du Xin, holding his chin high elegantly, was just worrying that he cant help telling the truth if he gloated too much. Anyone who laid an eye on him would find that his style today was completely different from that in normal days. Seeing that Du Xin didnt plan to answer his question, Xu Ran didnt ask him anymore. Instead, he turned to the village chief, Village chief, I would picked the fruit trees freely. You have a lot of fruit trees in your village. I think I can pick enough ones, but I am wondering the price. The village chiefs forehead was drenched in cold sweat. This was the key point, and he really did not have a ready answer! Because Du Xin had sent someone over to instruct that he couldnt let Xu Ran know that the matter of buying the fruit trees had been mediated in advance, and asked him to offer a reasonable price that was neither high nor low. But he had never sold any fruit tree before, so how could he know how much the tree price was! But the village chief was not stupid. Without directly saying the price. He transferred the decision right to Xu Ran and said, Master Xu, as we havent sold the fruit trees and are not clear about the price, the price is up to you! Xu Ran didnt expect that the problem with the price would wind up back to him. He originally planned either to drive a bargain if the price the village chief offered was high, or to ask people to dig the trees directly if the price was fair. He never expected it would be up to him. Fortunately, he had bought some before, so Xu Ran reported the price according to the one he bought in Mr. Hus village, only two pence lower. At the number, the village chief was also confused. He wondered whether they would suffer losses if they sold the trees at the price. The village chief looked left and right. The villagers were as confused as him. The village chief turned his gaze to Du Bai, who also had no better idea. Then Du Bai immediately looked towards his young master. Of course, Du Xin did not know better either. He touched Xu Ran with his arm, How did you come up with this price? They didnt know if it was fair. Do you want to explain it? Xu Ran looked around and found that these people were really confused. Even Zhuo Yun was looking at him in confusion. So, he cleared his throat and said, This price is actually the price I bought in other places before. I thought that since these are all the same fruit trees, I reported this price to you. Previously I have bought more than two hundred trees. This time I want to buy more in your village. I think this price should be quite reasonable! When they heard Xu Rans explanation, everyone felt that it was quite fair. But as they didnt have the concept of selling with low profits for big quantity and these fruits were not from one single family, some people started to ask if the price could be a penny higher. One penny could be raised, but it also cost money to transport them back! It would take a lot of oxcarts and people to send them to Xu Village. Although he could pay extra money, if the villagers were not willing to transport them, it would be troublesome for him to look for helpers. Thus, Xu Ran said, Village chief, its not impossible to add one penny, but I need a favor from you. When he heard Xu Rans first half sentence, the village chief was just about to grin, but then when he heard him saying he needed a favor, he wanted to wipe his sweat again. But even if he was sweating, he had to answer Xu Rans question! Thus, he said tremblingly, Whatwhat favor does Master Xu want fromfrom me? When Xu Ran heard the village chiefs stuttering words, he suddenly smiled. Village chief, you dont have to be nervous. Its no big deal. I just need some people in your village as well as a few oxcarts to help me transport the fruit trees back. Dont worry. Ill pay for the transportation, and Ill also cover the expenses on road. The journey isnt too long. If we walk quickly, it wont take ten days to go and be back. When the village chief heard what Xu Ran said, he was relieved and quickly said, No problem. Master Xu, please rest reassured. Well definitely send the fruit trees to your home. With the village chiefs guarantee, Xu Ran breathed a sigh of relief and said, In that case, I will thank village chief in advance. I will give you a list of the trees I want later. All are acceptable as long as they are not big trees. The village chief hurriedly nodded. Fine, fine, no problem. Such a rapid answer. - Chapter 211 The matter of buying the fruit trees was settled. Xu Ran also wrote down the names and numbers of trees needed to village chief and asked him to arrange people to dig. Xu Ran also said that if the trees were not enough, tell him directly, he would try in other places. Since they were already there, they wouldnt come back until they had purchased all the trees they needed. It was not a trivial matter to dig up hundreds of fruit trees. Although Xu Ran didnt want to stay for too long, he didnt want to work against the clock. While the villagers dug the trees too quickly, they might get the roots injured. If that was the case, all trees would die even if they were sent back. Whats more, many trees had borne fruits, so they had to be very cautious. Xu Ran instructed village chief again and again, and village chief repeatedly promised that there would be no problem. Thus Xu Ran was relieved to follow Du Xin and the others back. On the way back, Zhuo Yun said to Xu Ran, I feel that Im only here to accompany you, with no strength exerted at all. Xu Ran smiled, If you really want to put forth your strength, go to the village and dig trees with them! I promise I wont stop you. Zhuo Yun rolled his eyes at him. Wheres your conscience? Were good brothers. How can you say such things? Xu Ran couldnt help making fun of Zhuo Yun. When the two were arguing, Du Xin had seen it all, but he didnt get in a word. In fact, he really wanted to, but he didnt dare to! Because he would become wordy as long as he began to talk, and then it was easy to go wrong. In that case, would all his previous efforts be wasted? Of course, it wasnt out of kindness for Du Xin to hide it from Xu Ran. He just wanted to use this to threaten Xu Ran and let him take him to his house. Well, he actually wanted to see Second Childe. Du Xins calculation was quite good. The only variable now was Xu Ran. If Xu Ran owed a debt of gratitude for the matter of fruit trees, then he would definitely agree to his request. Therefore, he had to put in a lot of effort to keep Xu Ran from knowing the truth. If Xu Ran knew it, he might go back immediately to stop the villagers from digging fruit trees. Du Xin knew Xu Ran quite well. However, Xu Ran was completely in the dark. He was only tricked into believing that everything was going smoothly. After returning to the town, Du Xin immediately returned to his nature and invited Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun to play. He thought that as long as he left Li family village, he could control his mouth. More importantly, he could divert his attention into some other matters. And Du Xin also dispelled the gang of people who followed him. Although these people did not help much and just went to make up the number for their Young Master, Du Xin treated them as disposable ones. These people consciously left after Du Xin said so. Even the so-called personal footboy of Du Xin went away without asking a word. It seemed that they must be very accustomed to this. Xu Ran felt that having a master like this would be a pity! Xu Ran thought about it for a while and agreed to Du Xins request and followed him together with Zhuo Yun. It turned out that the place that he took them to was Green Willow Alley. Xu Ran rolled up his sleeves to beat him up on the spot. Although Zhuo Yun was not as irritated as Xu Ran, when Xu Ran was about to beat Du Xin, he didnt intervene at all. Xu Ran didnt show any mercy. Though he didnt hit Du Xins face, he hit him hard on the other places. Du Xin screamed in pain, but others couldnt see his injuries. After all, under the a public occasion, he couldnt take off his clothes and show it to others! Zhuo Yun was such a happy onlooker that he even clapped. Du Xin only endured it for a short while. Then he started to beg Xu Ran for mercy, Xu Ran, Im wrong, forgive me! Ouch! Seeing how miserable Du Xin screamed, Xu Ran stopped and planned to leave with Zhuo Yun. He didnt believe that they two could not find somewhere to entertain themselves in Half Moon Town without Du Xin leading the way. Seeing that they were about to leave, Du Xin quickly stopped them, Dont! Dont leave! Listen to my explanation! Its not that I dont know that you two have gotten married. Theres a reason for me to bring you here, so just believe me once! Hearing him say so, Xu Ran turned his head and gave him a look, which meant, say whatever you had to quickly! Du Xin cut the crap this time. He said to Xu Ran, A newbie was here in the past two days. A performer. Its said that he looks very pretty. Today is the day he auctions his first night, so I want to take you guys to see the fun. I wont let you guys do anything. I heard that this newbie plays the instrument very well. Xu Ran shook his head lightly. Im not interested in this. Zhuo Yun also shook his head, indicating that he was not interested either. Seeing their reactions, Du Xin hurriedly continued, Not only that. I heard that he sold himself. It is said that he did it in a fit of pique with his lover, and was self-degraded afterwards. Everyone who knows their story is saying that his lover will come to snatch him away today. Since you have nothing to do, why dont you take a look? Xu Ran was speechless. How melodramatic it was! Xu Ran said, Why are you interested in it? This is someone elses business. What does it have to do with you? Du Xin said, Let me tell you why. Fresh news is rare in Half Moon Town. Many people who have never been to Green Willow Alley are planning to go today. It will start at night. Were here now to book a position upstairs. Then itll be convenient for us to watch the fun. If its too late, we wont have seats. Fine! Xu Ran understood now. After all, everyone was curious about fresh things. As long as they wouldnt do anything else, it was acceptable to only be the on-lookers. However, Xu Ran looked at the closed gate and asked Du Xin, The gate is closed. How do you get in and order seats? Besides, only you want to book seats now. How come others didnt think of it? Du Xin was stunned after hearing Xu Rans words and then said happily, Xu Ran, have you agreed? Xu Ran looked at Zhuo Yun and said, If its just to watch, itll be fine. After all, the story you have told is so lively. Zhuo Yun nodded when he saw that Xu Ran agreed. Du Xin went around in circles happily and said to Xu Ran, Dont worry, Im very familiar with this place. Ill go in whenever I want to. His smug tone made Xu Ran want to beat him up. After the three came to agreement, Du Xin started knocking at the gate. Green Willow Alley was the general name for all brothels, and the one whose gate that Du Xin was knocking at is called Wind Moon Pavilion. From the name, you know what it was, but the word Wind Moon still had a element of elegance. Not long after Du Xin knocked at the gate, someone came to open it. It was an old man with a fierce look, who seemed to be the hatchet man . What are you knocking at? Its not time yet. Why are you so anxious? Of course, it was before he saw Du Xin. At the sight of Du Xin, he immediately changed his tone, Master Du! Why does Master Du come here so early? Master Du, as a regular guest, you should know that we only open at night. Du Xin nodded. Of course I know it, but you know what day today is. Im here just to join in the fun. Is there still a place now? Reserve me one at the second floor. The man smiled knowingly. Todays indeed an extraordinary day. I didnt expect that Master Du would come personally today. There has to be a place for you. There must be plenty of people here at night. Du Xin nodded. It will be nice, reserve me a good position on the second floor. I will treat honored guests today. If anything goes wrong, dont blame me for being rude. Xu Ran stood behind him with his arms crossed to look on. He didnt expect this guy was capable of posing a threat. The man nodded in a hurry. Definitely. Dont worry, Master Du, no problem. Du Xin nodded with satisfaction. Alright, Ill come back tonight. Du Xin turned and left. The man said behind Du Xin, Master Du, go slowly. Du Xin came over and signaled to Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun before leaving swaggeringly. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun ended up as his attendants. After leaving Green Willow Alley, Du Xin said that he would take the two to dinner. Anyway, since both of them were not familiar with Half Moon Town, they would only follow Du Xins lead. It was at a restaurant that they ate, where there was nothing special about it. After lunch, they really have nothing to do. After all, the Wind Moon Pavilion would only open the door at night, so they had to find something else to do. If it was in modern times, he would definitely want to sleep, but it doesnt seem very suitable here. It is estimated that others will think that he is too lazy. Xu Ran thought that since he had maintained his image for so long, he couldnt allow it to collapse on one day! Therefore, Xu Ran told Xu Du Xin, Is there an opera house? If you cant find a place to entertain, we might as well go and listen to the opera. Du Xin thought for a moment, Theres a place for this scene. But I am not sure whether you will like it. I dont like it anyway. Xu Ran waved his hand. That doesnt matter. We just need to kill the time. Zhuo Yun nodded in agreement. Not being at home, it was really difficult to find something as entertainment. Chapter 212 Seeing that the two of them wanted to watch the show, Du Xin took them to a theater. The theater was quite lively and crowded. At first, Xu Ran could not understand about it. He wondered why these people lay around dopping in broad daylight. Du Xin pointed to the platform. Xu Ran understood at first glance that these people were probably coming for the person on the stage. Xu Ran didnt know if that person was a Geer or a Xiaoz, but he could see from the persons well-proportioned figure that he really looked gorgeous. Soon enough, that person on the stage began to sing. He really had a beautiful singing voice, and Xu Ran could not help praising him. Du Xin first took the two of them to sit down, and then explained to them, The one singing on the stage is the prima donna of the theatrical troupe. He just came this year when the troupe was about to be disbanded. However, because of this persons coming, the troupe became popular. The theater is always full, just as you can see now. Hearing this, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun couldnt help but praise, This person is quite capable. Du Xin answered, Yes, indeed! He is really able to play his cards well. Though he is not here for long, he has become the master of the troupe, which means that he is now the owner of the troupe. Xu Ran asked, Is this person a Geer or a Xiaozi? Du Xin replied, No one knows this. He never shows his real look, so no one is sure about it. What do you think about it? Is he a Geer or a Xiaozi? Du Xin asked Xu Ran instead. After a pause, Xu Ran said, I think this person should be a Geer. If he is really a Xiaozi, he doesnt have to worry about showing his real look. However, if he is a Geer, things will be different. Look at the audience sitting around. They are all coming for him. You can guess what the situation will be if they know he is actually a Geer. Du Xin nodded showing his agreement. Xu Ran continued, But this is none of our business. Lets just listen here quietly! Xu Ran then closed his eyes and planned to be a quiet appreciator. Seeing this, Zhuo Yun also closed his eyes as Xu Ran did. He was just a accompanying person anyway and he didnt have any sense of existence. As long as the shopping of fruit trees was settled, he would be fine. When the trees were sent back, he would not go out but stay at home accompanying his spouse and children while planting fruit trees. Du Xin saw that both of them were closing their eyes and didnt intend to speak. He was surprised and felt bored. Thus he began to look around and then he saw a waiter carrying a plate of cakes to the next table. This reminded Du Xin that there were cakes here for sale. Actually, he used to come here with his friends before, but they always spent their time chatting and laughing until the show was over. This moment, however, no one was talking with him, so he could only find other ways to pass the time. Anyway, he couldnt understand what was singing on the stage. Hence, Du Xin stopped the waiter passing by him and asked him to serve a few signature cakes. The waiter knew Du Xin because he often came here. As he had never ordered food, this time the waiter was quite surprised. After all, he was just a waiter here, and he should obey their customers. Thus he answered, Mr. Du, please wait a moment. Your cakes, coming right up. Xu Ran opened his eyes at hearing the voice. He saw a man dressed as a waiter running away quickly. Xu Ran then asked Du Xin, What are you doing? Du Xin replied, Ive ordered some cakes. As you dont talk to me, I have to find something to do myself. Xu Ran glanced at him but didnt say anything. He just muttered silently in his heart, This man is indeed a chatterbox. Of course, after the cakes were served, both Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun didnt stand on ceremony.They ate several plates of cakes and drank a lot of tea. In this way, after spending the whole afternoon listening to a play that they could not understand at all, they finally managed to make it until nightfall. Xu Ran originally planned to stay for supper, but Du Xin suggested that the dishes in Fengyue Pavilion were more delicious and that they go to Fengyue Pavilion for supper. Xu Ran retorted, Isnt Fengyue Pavilion a brothel? Why is the food there delicious? Du Xin stretched out two fingers to swear, Why am I lying to you? Im very familiar with the Fengyue Pavilion because I often go to eat there. Besides, you can think about it for yourselves. We have been here watching the show for so long. You know well how it feels like with nothing to do! Thus isnt it better for us now to go to eat while enjoying ourselves there? Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun exchanged glances. Both of them felt that his idea sounded quite good. Xu Ran patted Du Xin on the shoulder and said to him, I didnt expect you would enjoy your life this way. You actually treated the Fengyue Pavilion as a restaurant for you and went there just to eat. Du Xin was embarrassed, Well, I just have nothing to do every day and I have to find some fun for myself. Xu Ran agreed with him. He knew that unlike him, Du Xin did not lack money, nor did he have to make money on his own. He didnt have any children to take care of either. Moreover, he did not even have to take a test for any official rank. Of course, he was bored. However, Xu Ran did not appreciate such life. He was clear that anyone who had nothing to do all the time would become a person good-for-nothing in the end. He would always hang around to look for thrills or entertainment only. Its better to be busy. The three of them came out of the theater and went to the Fengyue Pavilion. The sun went down and darkness just fell. The Green Willow Alley was already quite humming with life, especially in the Fengyue Pavilion. At the entrance, although no Geer came out to solicit customers, crowds of people kept walking inside. As for the reason, everyone knew it, just to watch the fun tonight. As it was so crowded, Xu Ran suggested waiting at the entrance for a while until there were fewer people. Du Xin, however, told them, It is fine to wait here for a while at ordinary times, but it is impossible tonight. The Fengyue Pavillion is sure to be overcrowded inside now. Fortunately, I made a reservation during the day. Lets go in now! Im so hungry at the moment. With that, Du Xin walked inside. Xu Ran took a look at Zhuo Yun but found that Zhuo Yun was looking at him, too. Xu Ran said, This is the first time Ive come to this kind of place. Im a little nervous. Zhuo Yun nodded, No matter how many times you come to this kind of place, you will feel nervous. After all, this is not the place you want to come. Xu Ran agreed. Seeing that Du Xin was about to be out of sight, Xu Ran said to Zhuo Yun, No matter what, lets go quickly. Anyway, we are coming for eating while watching the fun. Zhuo Yun agreed and thus both of them walked inside together. As soon as they entered, they saw that Du Xin was talking to someone. It was a Geer and he looked good. Of course, his beauty was largely due to the powder on his face. And he was quite old. Xu Ran didnt think he was good-looking. He thought that this person was the so-called procuress! He just didnt know what it was called in this place now. Du Xin turned to look in their direction after talking with that Geer. He thus saw Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. He waved at them, Come here! Lets go upstairs first. There are too many people on the first floor. Xu Ran heard his words clearly. There were indeed too many people present. He was worried that he and Zhuo Yun would be separated by the crowds, so he took him by the hand and walked over to meet Du Xin together. And the eyes of the Geer whether to be called a procuress or not were always focused on Xu Ran as well as his hand holding Zhuo Yuns. At the same time, he also showed him twice his meaningful expression. Xu Ran calmly held Zhuo Yun by one hand, while touching his nose with the other to hide his embarrassment. Du Xin introduced them. He pointed to the Geer by his side and said, Xu Ran, Zhuo Yun, this is Daddy Procuress of the Fengyue Pavilion. You can just call him Daddy. Daddy Procuress bowed and greeted Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun, Nice to see you two misters. Xu Ran didnt know how to respond, but fortunately, Du Xin went on with his introduction. He introduced Xu Ran to Daddy Procuress, Daddy Procuress, these two are my friends, which is to say that they are the honored guests I have to entertain tonight. I dont know where the place I booked is today. Daddy Procuress, can you ask someone to take us there? Daddy Procuress covered his mouth and smiled charmingly, Of course, Mister Du. And will you also order some food to eat? Du Xin smiled and replied, Of course. I remember that I was here before! Daddy Procuress, have you forgotten my usual practice so quickly? Daddy Procuress waved the handkerchief in his hand, How can I be so forgetful? Just follow Mr. Dus usual practice, right? Ive deeply remembered them. Dont worry, Mr. Du. Ill let someone take Mr. Du and the honored guests upstairs. There are so many people today. Please forgive us if we cant serve you properly. And then, a big man came over. This person was obviously a thug. He probably hadnt done anything like bringing a guest upstairs before and his movements were very clumsy. Daddy Procuress told the big man the position that he had left for Du Xin. The big man nodded and took them upstairs. There was indeed a place reserved for Du Xin. However, after they sat down, they felt it was a little crowded. Du Xin told them, The Fengyue Pavilion today is more crowded than usual. There are people around here and its not good to let them move away. Lets just make do with it! Xu Ran shook his head, indicating that he didnt mind it. He said, Youd better quickly let them serve the food! Even though we had eaten a lot of cakes in the theater, that could not be regarded as a meal. Du Xin replied, Ive told Daddy Procuress about it downstairs. Lets just wait for a while. Someone will deliver us food, soon. I guess that the Fengyue Pavilion has been busy all day today. Otherwise, these people who are temporarily arranged to set the table or cook the dishes will definitely be too busy. Xu Ran nodded and was about to drink some water from a cup on the table when Du Xin suddenly stopped him, You cant touch the things in Fengyue Pavilion casually, especially wine. You must control yourselves tonight! You have drunk so much tea in the afternoon and you should have had enough of it now! Hearing Du Xins words, Xu Ran immediately retracted his hand and asked Du Xin, You said we cant touch this wine, so the food can be eaten? Du Xin smiled and replied, This is natural. They dont dare to do anything in the meal, especially the food for me. Everyone knows that Im specially here to eat. If they offend me, they will find it difficult to get out of it. Xu Ran pouted and said disdainfully, Why are you so proud of eating in Green Willow Alley? Hearing this question, however, Du Xin was even more proud. He replied, You dont know this! There are many people who can afford eating at the restaurants, but few can afford the food in the Green Willow Alley. You dont know that once you come into this place, youd better spend at least 100 taels of silver a night. Otherwise, youd better not come in. Xu Ran was stunned, This meal is so expensive? I can order a few tables of dishes in the hotel! Du Xin nodded, Yes! Only rich people can come here to eat, and the taste of the dishes here is really good. Otherwise, I wont come often. A wastrel, Xu Ran muttered. Du Xin didnt hear it but Zhuo Yun did. Zhuo Yun said, Ive also heard that the food in Green Willow Alley is expensive, but I didnt expect it to be so expensive. A hundred taels of silver is probably enough for some poor people to eat for a lifetime. Xu Ran echoed, That is indeed the case, so you should scold the wicked rich people. As soon as Xu Ran finished complaining about the rich, someone brought their food over. Chapter 213 The dish was not served table by table, but all in one tray. They arranged a special person to serve the dish and he would bring a plate to every table that ordered it. Even though the dish was served quickly, some were not satisfied and they felt that they were being despised. After all, many people didnt want other people to see what they were eating. But today was a special day. With so many people in the restaurant, the waiter was very busy. However, if the waiter said sorry when the food was served, the guests would be embarrassed to lose their temper. This time, the dish they ordered was served. It looked very nice, but they didnt know what it was called. Pointing to the dishe on the table, Du Xin introduced to them, This dish is called Cranes Directing the Way. In fact, it was a dove with something on it, and then being posed. Anything will be more valuable if it is done tastefully. Hearing Du Xin s words, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun watched the dish for a while and found that it was really a dove, and the cook seemed really skilful. Xu Ran had never seen this before, even in modern times, he had never eaten it. While Zhuo Yun had heard of this dish before, but he had never eaten it, too. Both of them were amateurs in this area. Comparing with Du Xin, they were green hands. Looking at them like they didnt know anything, Du Xin felt very proud. When he was with Xu Ran at first, it was so difficult for him to pretend to be a rural man who knew nothing! He felt miserable to think of it. Today he must hold his head high. Of course, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun had no idea what Du Xin was thinking. They had already begun to eat. If Du Xin hadnt told them that they couldnt drink the wine on the table, they would have been eating and drinking. Seeing that no one was listening to him, Du Xin felt very unhappy. When he looked down, he found that the only dish on the table was missing a lot. As for where it had gone, the answer was obvious. It must have been eaten by the two of them. Du Xin hurriedly stopped them and said, Stop eating and well be here for a long time. If you are full now, you can only sit here later! Xu Ran was dissatisfied and complained, You are so wordy. Its just a meal! With so many rules, how can we eat ease? Xu Ran spoke in a loud voice and even attracted the attention of the people next to him. But they only looked at him for a few moments and then turned their heads back. They might think that Xu Ran was just hungry, after all, the people who could eat in the Wind Moon Pavilion were really rich. Du Xin treated Xu Ran as if he was his ancestor. He had to take good care of him, and if Xu Ran was not satisfied, he might beat him up or do something bad, then except crying, he could do nothing. All because there was a person he couldnt mess with in his home. There was a popular saying that the time had not come. He was worried that when the time came, he would die a terrible death. He had ever loved Xu Ran at first, but after Lu Qi warned him that King Yan would not break them up, he dismissed the idea completely. His greatest wish right now was to go to Xu Rans house to see the Second Young Master and eat meals. That was his purpose. After thinking about it, he found that the food on the table was even less. The two people who had been eating had no intention of stopping at all. Touching his forehead helplessly, Du Xin hadnt expected that the two of them could eat so much. They had already eaten a lot of pastries in the theatre, how could they still eat? However, Du Xin could not waste any time, if he went on thinking about it, the dish would be eaten up. So without any hesitation, picking up his chopsticks, he began to compete with them for the meat. Mm, as for his image, being a person with no image, he didnt care it at all. By the time they finished the dish, the next one was served, which meant they could continue to eat. But before eating, they were willing to listen to Du Xins introduction. After all, they should know what they were eating! Therefore, the two looked at Du Xin expectantly. Du Xin, who found his presence finally, introduced the dish to them very enthusiastically. However, after finishing his introduction, they started eating very rudely again. Du Xin was so angry that he wanted to throw the table into pieces. Every time they had finished using him, they would immediately throw him away and came back to him when they needed him again. Du Xin felt very angry, but except himself, no one else knew about it. So after a brief of anger, he quickly joined them and began to scrambled the dish. He felt as if it was the first time he ate at the Windmoon Pavilion,too. Because the food tasted better than usual. Of course, it was his illusion. When he was here before, he used to eat and talk, so he didnt care what the dish tasted like. Besides, his friends definitely wouldnt snatch food from him like this. Mm, it was too embarrassing! When they finished the second dish, Du Xin wiped his mouth with the handkerchief and asked Xu Ran, Arent you afraid that others will see how you eat? Xu Ran Shook his head, indicating that he didnt care, then said, It doesnt matter. I wont stay here for a long time anyway. When I leave, who can remember me? so I dont have to care. Zhuo Yun also nodded, indicating that he agreed with Xu Ran. Hearing this, Du Xin became angry again. Only he himself, who would feel apprehensive after this voracious eating, which made him even unhappier. In their expectation, the third dish was served. Before Xu Ran could see what the dish looked like, suddenly there came great noise, clapping of hands, even cheering voices. Xu Ran looked up and found there was a person in white clothes walking down the stairs. That person was wearing a veil and no one couldnt see what he looked like clearly. He just walked down and didnt do anything, but got a lot of applause. Looking at Du Xin, Xu Ran found him staring blankly at the man on the stairs. Xu Ran poked him and said, Hey, Du Xin, this must be the person youve mentioned! Dont you think his figure is very similar to the performer in the theatre? And they are almost the same height. Du Xin and Zhuo Yun recalled the people they had seen in the theatre today and found that they really looked very much alike. Slapping his hand on the table, Du Xin suddenly realized , Maybe he is jusy the one in the theatre. No wonder he never shows his face. Xu Ran shook his head and said, Im not sure. I just think theyre a little bit alike. Besides, weve nerver seen both of them before, so we dont konw if these two are the same person. If that is true, Im confused how does he manage to do two jobs at the same time? After all, he needs to go to the troupe to film very often. Du Xin continued, picking up on what Xu Ran had said, You dont understand it. Performing troupes usually play during the day, not at night, while the Wind Moon Pavilion opens at night, let alone he hasnt been here for so long. Xu Ran rolled his eyes at him and said, Do you think he is an abnormal person? Dosent he need to sleep at night? Then he wont have the energy to play during the day. So in my opinion, these two people cant be the same person. They are more likely to be twins, just like Tangtang and Guoguo. Zhuo Yun nodded after listening and agreed, It should be like this. Du Xin, who had never seen Tangtang and Guoguo before, felt very aggrieved. He had seen the twins of the Second Young Master, but why did Xu Ran stop him from seeing them? He really just wanted to see them, nothing more. Of course, if he asked the reason to Xu Ran, his answer must be that he was up to no good. He had lost his integrity in Xu Rans mind now. As the three of them were talking, the man who had been at the staircase was already standing on the stage downstairs. Perhaps because people were closer to him and could see him more clearly, their shouts from the underside of the stage grew louder. Xu Ran said with a smile,I really didnt expect he is so popular. Just let him out every day, the Wind Moon Pavilion can earn a lot of money! Why does the procuress still want to sell him? He is really bad at making money! Zhuo Yun echoed, I think so. Du Xin knocked on the table again and said, You are wrong, its of his own free will. How could a person of great caculation like the procuress not have thought of this? But this man is free to leave whenever he wants, so the procuress cant stop him from making any decisions. Xu Ran shook his head and sighed, How stupid he was! Its late, sorry. Today is Saturday, Ill try to release three chapters. Happy weekend! Chapter 214 Next, Daddy Procuress was also standing on stage to quieten the spectators down. However, it didnt seem to have much effect. Everyone was shouting for Lian Yue to take off his veil. This so-called Lian Yue was naturally that beauty on stage. It was said that no one had ever seen him in person before. Thus what confused Xu Ran was that why these people would think he was a beauty. As everyone knew this was also a time when peoples looks mattered. In the face of so many enthusiastic spectators, Daddy Procuress yelled for a long time, and even warned that if everyone did not listen to him, Lian Yue would not sell his first-night tonight, which quietened everyone present at last. Just then, Lian Yue raised her own veil. The spectators immediately screamed again. The place where Xu Ran and his friends stood was just on the front of the platform, so they were lucky to see Lian Yues face clearly. Right away, Du Xin could not hide his greed for Lian Yue. Xu Ran was just stunned by his beauty for that moment but he didnt express too much of it. As for Zhuo Yun, he just said that Lian Yue was not as good-looking as his Shuwen. The truth was that this person was indeed better looking than Qin Shuwen. It was true that beauty was in the eye of the beholder. In fact, they just took it as a fun. After Lian Yue took off his veil, he started playing the piano while singing. His voice was really good. The atmosphere was getting more and more electric. After playing the piano and singing, the auction of Lian Yues first- night began. Lian Yue showed no sign of shyness.He looked very free and easy. No one knew exactly whether he was indifferent or overconfident. With so much money to earn, Daddy Procuress naturally would not let go of such a good chance. Thus the starting price was 1,000 taels, which was by no means a low price. Xu Ran himself was clear that his current home property was estimated to be that much. There were a lot of people who responded. Soon the price was raised to over ten thousand taels of silver. Xu Ran squinted and then exclaimed, The people in the Ban Yue Town are really rich. They are willing to pay 10,000 taels of silver for a first-night. When Du Xin heard this, he replied proudly, Thats right. There are a lot of rich people in the Ban Yue Town, and they are very rich. Xu Ran said, But there are also many poor people. And the difference between the rich and the poor was obvious. Du Xin answered Xu Ran, Thats the poors problem. They themselves are to blame for their own poverty. Think about yourself. You used to be poor, too, but now you can afford such a meal of one hundred taels of silver. Xu Ran rolled his eyes and complained in his heart, Please, this meal is your treat, OK? Whats the connection with me? However, he agreed with what Du Xin had just said. On the issue of the gap between the rich and the poor, no one else could help. One could only rely on himself. Since others could start a business from scratch, why couldnt you? This issue was worth pondering. More and more people continued to bid there. It didnt stop until someone offered a price of 20,000 taels. Xu Ran and the rest heard the price too, Is it worth it to spend 20,000 taels of silver on a Geers first-night from Green Willow Alley? There were a lot of people who echoed, but the man who offered the price replied, Its worth it! Why isnt it? Hes so good-looking that Id like to sleep with him all night and then die. Then you just go to die! The voice outside the door shocked everyone. That voice was very similar to Lian Yues. Along with the man came a group of thugs who were thrown inside. On the stage, Lian Yue seemed to smile happily, Here you are! Seeing this, everyone present immediately understood that this person was the legendary lover Lian Yues. However, the person covered his face with black cloth, which was very out of place with the white clothes he was wearing. Xu Ran pointed to the man who just came in and asked, Do you notice their figures are very similar? I guess they two are twins. So who sent out the news about his lover? Du Xin shook his head, Im not sure about the detail of the story. Anyway, everyone on the streets knows about it. I guess there are many people guarding outside. Xu Ran felt bored, This is obviously just a game. No matter how much money one pays today, he cant get it. No matter what, the Fengyue Pavilion earned money tonight ! My child, dont come and join in this kind of fun from now on. These two people wont do it. They look like the same person. How can they be incestuous? Hearing Xu Rans words, Zhuo Yun asked, Why are you so sure that these two people are twins? What if he is really his lover? Xu Ran shook his head, Thats impossible.They look so much alike. Their behavior, voice and tone are very similar. If they were not related by blood, they would not be so similar. Who are you? How dare you break into my Fengyue Pavilion? Believe me or not, Ill let you be completely destroyed! shouted Daddy Procuress. He glared at that man threateningly. Immediately a group of thugs surrounded the man. Well, some of them clenched their hands on their chest. The man paid no attention to Daddy Procuress. Instead, he walked straight to the stage. He raised Lian Yues chin and said, You show my face in front of so many people. Shouldnt you give me an explanation about it? Who gave you the guts to come to this place? The mans tone was extremely arrogant, as if he was used to being on his high horse. Lian Yue moved away her chin and replied, This face isnt ugly. Why cant you let people see it? Whats more, this face is also mine. Can you stop it if Id like to show it to anyone I prefer? Also, have I ever controlled where you are going? Thus what right do you have to control me? From their conversation, anyone with a little brain could guess what their relationship was. The spectators there all watched the two people on stage quietly. Only then did they all realize that the two of them looked very similar. Things quieted down and all around was still. At the moment, the stage became a special one for both of them. That person frowned slightly at hearing Lian Yues words, I didnt care what you did before, but now, you must return with me. Youre not allowed to come to this kind of place again. If you dont follow my ideas, Ill naturally have a way to stop you from coming out again. What? You want to threaten me? Lian Yue raised her chin and asked haughtily. You know better than me if its a threat. Its not like you dont know about my tricks. Ive even tried them on myself, but now its your turn. Do you want to have a try? Hearing this, Lian Yues was not so arrogant, which seemed to be because of what that person said, Ive even tried them on myself.. Both of them must have experienced too many things and shared a lot of common past. If not, one of them would not have come to such a place of carnal pleasure, while the other would have come to smash it. The scene was completely controlled by the two of them. Xu Ran didnt know if he was impulsive or if he was just out of mind. Suddenly, he shouted at the two people on the stage, Since you two are of the same origin, why should you torture each other? After saying this, he immediately lowered his head and sat in his seat as if nothing had happened. This attracted others attention. Haha! It sounds good. Is this young master interested in having a good talk with us? Xu Ran heard it, but he pretended not. Du Xin poked him, Hey! Dont you want to talk to them? That beauty is inviting you. Xu Ran shook his head, feeling a little annoyed. He regretted to have said something so impulsively just now. He told Du Xin and Zhuo Yun, Lets go! There is no fun to watch anymore. Du Xin smiled, Why are you wilting as soon as you finish talking? At least you have to go there and have a look! Besides, the excitement has just begun! However, as soon as Du Xin finished speaking, the spectators began to panic and screamed. Xu Ran and others quickly took a look and saw many people rushing out of the door while screaming. Xu Ran looked at the stage and found that that person had taken off his black mask. Th is was not unusual. What was unusual was his face. It was very ugly. It seemed that it had been cut by countless knives, and it was like it had been burned by fire. It was beyond description. Xu Ran heard that person say to Lian Yue, You havent seen this face for a long time, have you? Thus did you forget how the wound had appeared? Lian Yue was suddenly out of control and screamed, Stop it! Dont talk about it anymore! Ill follow you, Ill follow you back. I wont come to such a place again. Please stop it! He even cried in the end. That person burst into laughter, At last, you remember it! Thats good. Ive told you not to let anyone else see this face, but why didnt you listen to me? Lian Yue opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he didnt. He just shook his head. Almost all the guests in the Fengyue Pavilion left, and the only ones left were those who stayed with the purpose of watching a good play. Standing at the door, Daddy Procuress was almost mad by the scene. There, he watched Lian Yue was being hugged and left openly, without even saying hello to him. Because of tonights chaos, he estimated that the Fengyue Pavilion would not have any business recently. Fortunately, he made a lot of money tonight, which could be regarded as a comfort. After Lian Yue left with that person, Xu Ran and the others got up too. They didnt want to stay for the fun anymore. However, at the door, they were stopped by a group of people who had also come to see the fun. They asked about the source of the sentence Since you two are of the same origin, why should you torture each other? Xu Ran felt annoyed and didnt want to deal with them, so he gave the task to Du Xin. Among these people, Du Xin knew most of them, so he made some small talks with them until he could finally muddle through. Then the three of them quickly left the Fengyue Pavilion and fled from Green Willow Alley. Chapter 215 After a long time, Xu Ran said at last, Du Xin! I swear that I will never see such boring things with you in the future. We like very different things. Du Xin expressed his innocence, Didnt you say something just now? However, I didnt say anything. Now youre the one whos benefited, arent you? Xu Ran looked at Du Xin as if he didnt care who was benefited. Thus Du Xin stopped talking. Zhuo Yun saw this and interrupted, Xu Ran, its too late. Lets go back to the inn first! If we are free tomorrow, we might as well go to the Li Village. Maybe we can find a few wild fruit trees on the mountain! Xu Ran looked up at the sky and realized that the moon was coming out. He nodded, Well, lets go back to sleep today now. Du Xin, if you want to follow us to the Li Village tomorrow, just come to join us. If you dont go, then you wont have to look for us. Then without giving Du Xin a chance to reply, Xu Ran turned around and left. Zhuo Yun said goodbye to Du Xin and left, too. Seeing the two of them leaving, Du Xin was a little disappointed. He muttered to himself, You did speak at that time, how come you still find fault with me? Ive told you not to be self righteous. Why did you refuse to accept my suggestion? said someone behind and then sighed. Du Xin immediately turned around. It was Lu Qi. Du Xin immediately shouted unhappily, Why is it you again?! When did you come here? Lu Qi smiled, Well, I miss you! When I found out that Xu Ran was coming to Banyue Town, I was afraid that he would take you away. Thus I am here! Upon hearing what Lu Qi said, Du Xin immediately reached out and hugged himself, What are you doing? He acted as if he was warning against being molested. Seeing the situation, Lu Qi smiled even more happily, Youre still a man this late at night. What do you think I want to do to you? Hearing this, Du Xin suddenly put down his hand. After all, he agreed that Lu Qi could do nothing to him since he was a man himself. Lu Qi didnt know whether to laugh or to cry seeing his appearance. He felt it was difficult to tell whether Du Xin was smart or stupid, because he really sometimes did some stupid things. Lu Qi then said, Ive just arrived today and I havent found a place to live yet. Can you take me in for the night? pleaded Lu Qi with a smile on his face. It was rare for him to appear so serious, so Du Xin believed it. He then nodded his head, Okay! However, he suddenly felt that something was wrong! He wondered why he should agree to this person?! He hated him the most. Every time he was upset, this person would come out and laugh at him. Looking at Du Xins awkward expression, Lu Qi could not help smiling, Youve agreed to accept me, so you should keep your word! If you regret it, Ill tell the whole town tomorrow that Mr. Du is that kind of man who will go back on his word. Hearing Lu Qis words, Du Xin immediately retorted, Who do you mean dont keep his word? Its just a place for you to stay for the night! Ill just let you stay at my house! Great! Then show me the way to your house please. Lu Qi looked at Du Xin and pointed at the road. Du Xin stopped showing his forced kindness. Although he felt cheated, he was a man of his word. Thus, he still led Lu Qi home. On their way to the Du Mansion, Lu Qi reminded Du Xin not to provoke Xu Ran in the future and even advised him not to trouble himself pleasing Xu Ran. Du Xin was annoyed by his interference, so he replied, Its none of your business. Right away, Lu Qi stopped talking. Du Xin realized that he had gone too far. After all, he knew Lu Qi was just concerned about him. He opened his mouth and wanted to apologize. When he looked up, he found that they were already at the entrance of their mansion. Thus he swallowed his apology. As the only young master of the Du Family, Du Xins bringing someone home would not attract too much attention. Of course, if this person was King Yans subordinate, things would be different. Du Xins initial apology to Lu Qi disappeared when he saw that his dad was so respectful to Lu Qi, while the latter one was there putting on airs. Although Du Xin always liked to do the opposite to fight against his dad, he was his dad after all. Lu Qi, however, was about his age, so he was a junior. How dared he make his dad grovel before him? Du Xin felt very uncomfortable about it. Thus, he left without even staying there listening to them. However, just as he was walking out, he heard his dad offer his apologies to Lu Qi. Du Xin felt even more annoyed. However, he knew that he couldnt go back to them at the moment, so he went directly to his room and laid down straight in bed. He felt Lu Qi was the most hateful person. Although Xu Ran didnt treat him well, he had never been so rude to his dad. Although, Xu Ran had never seen his dad Du Xin thought he would not be able to fall sleep, but as soon as he was covered with the blanket, he was fast asleep. Later, he didnt know how Lu Qi got into his room. He didnt even know that Lu Qi had been sharing the same bed and sleeping with him the whole night. On the second day, Du Xin did not go out to meet Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. Instead, he fought with the person lying on his bed. Du Xin was mad at Lu Qi. Lu Qi also thought that he had done something wrong. Thus he tried to put up with Du Xin and let Du Xins dad not interfere in this matter. So this time, Du Xin was really satisfied. He felt very happy and excited! As for Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun, they went to the Li Village early the next morning. They had been there before. As they were two people together, they could barely remember the road. The people from the Li Village were busy digging trees at that moment. Many people had seen Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun before, so all the way, there were people greeting them. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun had nothing to do, so they went to help dig the fruit trees together. After getting familiar with the villagers, they suggested going up the mountain for a visit. As the adults in the village were busy digging trees and no one led the way, they let a group of children go with them instead. After all, they were not familiar with the place, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun didnt visit too many places. They just walked around outside. There were fruit trees around the area, but not too many. Actually, many of the trees had been taken away by Xu Ran. After all, they didnt need to spend money on those trees, for which Xu Ran would never stop seeking. It took them five days to dig the fruit trees and all the villagers were out for help until they got enough of them. This had almost dug out half of the fruit trees in the village, which made the whole village look a little deserted. Xu Ran felt quite sorry for it, but the village head said that it was all right because they still had big trees left. When the seeds grew into saplings, the village would recover to its original appearance. Since the village head said so, Xu Ran naturally would not go on with the topic. When all the fruit trees were loaded into the ox cart, they would leave early the next morning. Apart from the second day, Du Xin had always followed Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. They went to the Li Village every day mainly to observe the progress of digging trees. Du Xin was afraid that after all the trees were dug out, Xu Ran would leave with the fruit trees without leaving him any message. In that case, he would be very sad. That night, Du Xin stealthily pulled Xu Ran aside from Zhuo Yun. Seeing him act so mysteriously, Xu Ran asked, What are you doing? Is there anything that Zhuo Yun cant hear? Why do you have to avoid him? Du Xin nodded seriously, I cant let him know about this. I dont think you will be willing to, either. Hearing this, Xu Ran guessed that this was most likely related to Liu Tong. Thus he asked Du Xin, Is it related to Tongtong? Du Xin nodded but then he shook his head again. Xu Ran was puzzled, so he pressed, Stop prevaricating and come to the point. If you think about taking advantage of Tongtong, believe it or not, Ill beat you so badly that even your dad could not recognize you. Du Xin curled up in horror. He felt that Xu Ran was too cruel. However, he only hesitated for a while. Then he announced, Xu Ran, I want to go to your house. No way! Xu Ran refused without hesitation. Seeing that Xu Ran reject him so straightforwardly, Du Xin was a little upset. He then explained, I dont want to do anything there. I just want to see the Second Master and your children. Xu Ran snorted, Do you think I will believe you? Youre a blabbermouth. You will definitely make a slip of the tongue then. I wont allow you to go to my house. Dont even think about it! Xu Ran, dont force me! I dont want to say it out, but if you go on forcing me, I wont keep it! Du Xin threatened. Xu Ran looked at him disdainfully, If you have any tricks, show them out! I will not yield. Seeing that Xu Ran was still so stubborn, Du Xin told Xu Ran the story about the fruit trees in the Li Village. If you still dont agree with my idea, then I wont let them upload the trees now. You can only go back empty-handed tomorrow Du Xin said triumphantly. After hearing these, Xu Rans face darkened. He tried hard to control himself not to give him a good beat. Xu Ran said coldly, Du Xin, you are great! How dare you do such things?! Do you think Ill sell my spouse and children for a few fruit trees? Or is it that in your heart Im the one who values money? Here, Ill tell you one thing as clear as noonday. Ill buy these fruit trees if I can. If I cant, I will give up planting them. But please listen carefully. I will never agree to your request. Please remember it firmly! Xu Ran turned around and left after his speech. However, he was stopped by someone right away. Xu Ran didnt care who it was. He shouted without even looking up, Get away! Calm down, no need to speak so angrily. Dont worry. Those fruit trees are yours. No one can take them away, and Du Xin will not go to your house. You can just regard that nothing has ever happened and forget them all, okay? The clear voice came from the front, but it made Xu Ran even more irritated. Do you suppose that I dont know youre from the same gang? I remember that you used to promise not to appear in front of us for the time being. It hasnt been long since, right? Xu Ran replied coldly. Chapter 216 The person standing in front of him was Lu Qi. He didnt stay with Du Xin for a few days, because he had some other things to do. He just came to see Du Xin today, but he didnt expect to see this. He wondered what was inside Du Xins head. He didnt make any good impressions on Xu Ran because of the past, now he came to find trouble again. King Yan had said to him clearly that the Second Young Masters husband waited for himself to make a dicision. After so many years of marriage and three children, the Second Young Master would never be separated from Xu Ran. So he was King Yans brother-in-law, nobody would offend him. But Du Xin was a idiot. Mm, the biggest idiot. He really needed to be taught a lesson! Lu Qi thought hard about how to make Xu Ran less angry. Zhuo Yun, who didnt find Xu Ran and Du Xin , also came over. Seeing the angry look on Xu Rans face and the person who he didnt know, standing in front of him, Zhuo Yun thought that Xu Ran must be in conflict with this person. In an unreasonable way, Zhuo Yun rushed up to Lu Qi and said, What do you want to do? Xu Ran, who was angry, calmed down a little when he saw Zhuo Yun come. He was afraid of scaring Zhuo Yun and he also didnt want Zhuo Yun to know that he knew Lu Qi. Shaking his head, Xu Ran explained, Nothing. He is Du Xins friend. We just talked about some things, but we didnt agree. He tried to stop me and continue the conversation, but I wouldnt. Lets go! After saying that, before Lu Qi and Zhuo Yun could react, Xu Ran pulled Zhuo Yun away, still very angry. Du Xin wanted to chase Xu Ran but was stopped by Lu Qi. Du Xin shouted angrily, stamping his feet, Let go of me! Xu Ran has left. I must stop him and Im going to his house! Du Xin spoke louder and louder. Lu Qi was afraid that the people in front of them would hear him, so he covered Du Xins mouth with his hand. Unable to chase or shout, Du Xin would be angry to death. After Xu Ran disappeared, Lu Qi let go of him. Du Xin was very unhappy, he bit on the back of Lu Qis hand so hard that it was bleeding. Lu Qi instinctively pushed him away, but he was so strong that he pushed Du Xin over. Du Xin, lying on the ground, felt even more aggrieved and started to blame Lu Qi, Why are you stopping me?! Whoever I want to find is my freedom. I can do whatever I want. Who are you to interfere with me?! You even pushed me over. How does it matter to you? Pushing Du Xin over, Lu Qi felt a little guilty, but Du Xins constant questioning made Lu Qi angry, too. Then he pulled Du Xin up and gave him a slap, which made Du Xin confused. Instead of stopping, Lu Qi began to scold Du Xin about the things in the past. How many times have I told you not to provoke Xu Ran? But you dont listen to me. Dont you know his identity? This time, you even threatened him with hundreds of trees for the same reason. Do you know if King Yan know about that, you will die. Du Xin, your uaual stupidity is understandable, but how can you do such a thing? You really have no brains! Lu Qi roared these out , which attracted the attention of the pedestrians. Du Xin who was in a rage became more angry by his roar, and he said carelessly, What does it matter to you? Did I let you get involved? Lu Qi, let me tell you, even King Yan kills me, Im still going to his house. Im going today and I want to see what you can do with me. You only think about you. Have you ever thought about your father or your family? If King Yan is angry at them, what should they do? Du Xin, how can you be so selfish, Youre really a villain! Lu Qis words calmed Du Xin down. If he really made a mistake, then what should his father and his family do? Du Xin suddenly became dumbfounded, without the momentum he quarreled with Lu Qi just now. Seeing him less agitated, Lu Qi also became softer. He started to persuade him patiently, Du Xin, youre not young and you cant just be idle away in seeking pleasure. Think a little more about the consequence before you do anything. Youre not alone and you have a family. They might lose their lives because of a single word from you. Yes, I have nothing to do with you and I should leave you alone. But if I dont care about you, then who will? The anger in his eyes completely disappeared and there was only tenderness left, but the person with his head down did not see it. For a long time, Du Xin didnt say anything, nor did Lu Qi. One of them kept his head down, the other looked at the one who lowered his head, and so a long time passed. Lu Qi sighed slowly and then said, Since you dont want me to meddle in your affairs, you can rest assured that I wont interfere in your affairs in the future. But you must remember to look before you leap. Im leaving first and Ill also leave the Half Moon Town. Its hot, avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, go home early and take good care of yourself. After that, Lu Qi stayed for a moment and left. Du Xin didnt even look up at him when he left. If someone missed at a time, maybe it would become the regret of his life. Lu Qi stopped from time to time, until Du Xin was almost out of sight, he looked back at him. Du Xins head was still down, so Lu Qi couldnt see the expression on his face. With a wry smile, Lu Qi clenched his fists and strode away. Maybe they wouldnt be together at all. Du Xin stood for a long time, until it was dark and the lights were on. He could not feel his tired legs or lift his head. Flexing his legs and stiff neck, he realized where he was. It was still the Li family village! It was a long away from the town and was already dark, how could he go back? Damn Lu Qi, how could he leave him like that! Reflecing on himself, Du Xin felt that Lu Qi was right. He was impulsive and didnt think about it carefully, but it wasnt as serious as he said. King Yan was not a murderer and wouldnt kill anyone casually. No! This was not the point. Did Lu Qi say that he would not appear in front of him in the future and wont care about him anymore? Lu Qi couldnt be so petty! Could he really not show up? Du Xin started to recall what Lu Qi had said before he left. How could things have come to this, it was completely different from what he had expected. He just wanted to go to the Xu Ran family to see the Second Young Master and didnt want to do anything else! As for Lu Qi, he didnt want to quarrel with him, and they had never argued before. Because of Lu Qis tolerance, they never quarreled. Damn it, why didnt he let him go this time? As long as he talked to him patiently, they wouldnt quarrel! The more Du Xin thought about it, the more he realized that it was Lu Qis fault. Young master, young master, where are you? Young master, where are you? When Du Xin was complaining about Lu Qi, he heard a voice from afar and saw some torches approaching. The people who came to find him must be the servants of the Du Residence. Seeing them, Du Xin jumped out of joy. He could go home now. Hearing the servants calling for him, he responded and shouted, Du Bai, Im here. Here, come over. The person leading the servants was Du Bai. Hearing Du Xins voice, he immediately lead the way. With a large group of people standing in front of Du Xin, Du Bai said, gasping heavily, Young master, we finally found you. Why are you still in Lis village so late at night?! If Luo Yu hadnt come to the Du Residence this afternoon and said if you werent back late, wed come here to find you, we wouldnt know that you were in the Li Residence. Du Xin was stunned when he heard Du Bais words and then asked, Did Lu Qi tell you that? Du Bai nodded and aswered, Yes, young master, but master Lu seemed to be unhappy at that time. He left without drinking any tea. After hearing master Lus words, I have been standing at the door for you to come back. But its getting dark, you havent come back, so I come here with them to look for you. Du Xin didnt expect it was Lu Qi who helped him. He smiled and thought, he said he would not care about me, then why did he do it? Young master, lets hurry back! It was difficult to walk in the dark. Besides, with so many mosquitoes here, Its bad to be bitten. As soon as he finished, a mosquito flew into Du Xins face. Giving himself a hard slap in the face, the servants were startled. While Du Xin said, Damn mosquitoes. Then everyone understood that the young master was just slapping at the mosquitoes, not hitting himself! Swatting away the mosquitoes, Du Xin remembered the last word Lu Qi said when he left, it was hot and there would be many mosquitoes at night. Of couse he still cared about him. But since he knew there were many mosquitoes here, he left him alone. How outrageous he was! Then he would also stop talking to him recently, hmph! Seeing his young masters dreamy face, Du Bai knew that his young master was thinking about someting again. Du Xin came back to his senses when Du Bai reminded him to go back as soon as possible. Then the group of people walked back. On the other side, after Xu Ran left with Zhuo Yun with angry, they went straight back to the inn.Being angry and in such a mess, Xu Ran didnt explain what had happened to Zhuo Yun. Zhuo Yun also knew that Xu Ran was angry. He didnt disturb him and went back to his room to let him calm down. At dinner time, Zhuo Yun ordered the dishes before asking Xu Ran to go downstairs to eat. Seeing that Xu Ran looked better, Zhuo Yun asked him what had happened. Xu Ran told him that Du Xin wanted to threaten him with the fruit trees, but didnt mention why Du Xin came to his house. Instead, he said that he was worried about what Du Xin would do, so he disagreed. After all, there must be a reason why Du Xin was so stubborn about this matter. Zhuo Yun would understand after thinking about it himself. Chapter 217 Zhuo Yun comforted Xu Ran with a few words. After all, it was a private matter between him and Du Xin. Besides, he was not familiar with Du Xin, so he was in no position to say something, which could only be thought through by Xu Ran himself. And Zhuo Yun now understood why Xu Ran wasnt fond of Du Xin at the beginning. It was only when he helped them find a place to sell the fruit trees did he change his attitude. It turned out that this guy had a bad history. No wonder Xu Ran was like this. In the end, this incident turned out to be a scheme. It was not surprising that Xu Ran got angry. Of course, Zhuo Yun guessed that Du Xin probably had some designs on Xu Rans twins. After all, the twins were pretty and smart. More importantly, there were two of them, and Du Xin himself had no children. So in Zhuo Yuns opinion, this possibility was the largest. As to Liu Tong, he never thought about him. It was not because he looked down on Liu Tongs appearance, but he thought that Du Xin, a rich playboy, would not like Liu Tongs type. The two talked while eating. Xu Ran was still unhappy, so he drank some wine, but Zhuo Yun didnt let him drink much. No matter whether they succeeded, they still had to go back tomorrow. It would be bad if they got up late because of a hangover. However, Xu Ran had a good nights sleep because he had drunk a few glasses of wine. The next day, he got up quite early and looked energetic. The two packed up their things and had breakfast in the inn. Then they asked the waiter to prepare some solid food for them before heading to the Li Village. Xu Ran followed Lu Qis words because Lu Qis words were obviously much more reliable than that of Du Xin. No matter what, they had to go to take a look at Li Village. When they arrived at Li Village, they saw a long row of oxcarts lined up. The oxcarts in front had already been loaded with fruit trees, and the ones behind them were packing. It wouldnt take long in that speed. Seeing this scene, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun were overjoyed. At least for the time being, Du Xin hadnt got chance to say that they wouldnt let the people from Li Village sell the fruit trees to them. As long as they transport all the fruit trees away before Du Xin came, it would be fine. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun looked at each other. Both of them understood each others meaning. They were to quickly finish their work and leave, so they started to press the villagers. As they had never urged them before, everyone thought they were eager to go home, which they could understand. Then they sped up their work. After all, they would be able to get the money after they finished working. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun were also helping. After all, the more helpers, the faster. Fortunately, Du Xin and his guys did not show up after all the fruit trees were loaded onto the oxcarts. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun to check whether there were any problems with the fruit trees, and then he went to the village station to settle the accounts. The money was given to the village chief, who had recorded how many trees each household had sold. Then the village chief distribute the money to them, which would save Xu Ran a lot of trouble. After Zhuo Yuns inspection, Xu Ran paid the large sum of money, and then let Zhuo Yun follow them to the official road. He went to the inn to check out and drive the carriage to catch up with them, since the speed of the carriage was faster than the oxcarts. Thus, the arrangement was very efficient. On the other hand, Du Xin didnt make it to Li Village because he was bitten by mosquitoes last night. He didnt sleep well for the whole night and barely fell asleep until dawn. Then, he woke up late naturally. So he and Xu Ran missed each other just like that Xu Ran returned to the town to check out and loaded the solid food and water prepared by the waiter onto the carriage. Then he drove the carriage to catch up with the big troops which were carrying the fruit trees. As for Du Xin, Xu Ran had tried his best to avoid him, how could he bade farewell with him? No one stopping them along the way, they left Half Moon Town smoothly. The first thing Du Xin did after he got up was to go to the inn to find Xu Ran and the others. It turned out that they had checked out this morning. Du Xin felt that the things were going wrong, and he might be late, so he hurriedly rushed to the Li Village. When they arrived at Li Village, he saw that the village chief was distributing money to the villagers. Du Xin stomped his feet. He was really late. Du Xin was so annoyed that he wanted to cry, but he didnt know on whom it was to blame. He went home dejected and ran out to play after staying at home for a long time. Though he gathered a pack of cronies, he still didnt get interested. Mm, more importantly Lu Qi didnt come out to comfort him, which was strange. Because they had already explored the way when they came, they still remembered the route when they went back, which saved them more than a day. The troop of oxcarts marching on the road naturally attracted the attention of many people in the village. Everyone in the village knew that Xu Ran had bought a tract of hill and intended to plant fruit trees in it. Many people also went there to have a look. At that time, it was so bare that even the grass didnt grow well. Everyone said that Xu Ran was prodigal. However, no one ever imagined that in a few months, half of the hill had been planted with well grown fruit trees. At this, the people in the village were getting jealous. Especially this time, Xu Ran came back with so many fruit trees. Many people in the village who were close to Xu Ran hoped that they could get one slice of pie. They thought that the trees would not cost much money, but if the fruit trees bore fruits, it would definitely make a lot of money. Xu Ran did not reject these people. He claimed straightly that a tree would cost one tael of silver, and as long as one gave the money, he would deliver him the tree. Such an obvious price gouging, only he could say it. Everyone knew that the fruit trees couldnt be sold at this price. Xu Ran just said so to keep them out of it. But to think from the perspective of Xu Ran, why did the things he had made such great efforts on had to be shared with others? Did he lack these pence? Did they consider him to be a fool? Xu Ran didnt want to cause a ruckus. He wanted to raise the price to send them away. These people would never be satisfied. He thought that he had treated the people in his village nicely, Except for the household affairs and house-repairing matters, he hired villagers to deal with all other things. As a result, these people still wanted to take a bite off him, that would be impossible. Xu Ran felt that this might have something to do with his kindness since the incident of Xu Cheng. More importantly, although these people in the village knew his identity as a Scholar, he never used this identity to suppress others, so no one cared. But today, Xu Ran decided to try it. The moment they reached the door, the oxcarts were blocked. He couldnt even make it into his house. Not only would the outsiders laugh at him, he himself felt very uncomfortable. Luckily, this spectacle was too eye-catching, and the village chief was brought over. Xu Ran was not afraid of offending these people. After all, apart from several Families, there werent many other people. If he wanted to hire someone to work, he would as well find people from the other villages, who didnt have to be from his own village. Since these people wanted to mess with him for this matter today, Xu Ran felt that he didnt have to show any mercy. The village chief managed to suppress the ruckus, and Xu Ran told the village chief directly, Village chief, from today onwards, the job of my family, no matter if its in the fields or anything else, I will never hire people of our village again. Since I have to pay anyway, how can I not find someone who pleases me? Xu Rans words made the village chief quite uncomfortable. However when he looked at all these people, coveting to take a slice of the pie, he knew that Xu Ran was angry. The village chief said, Xu Ran! I know youre not feeling well. Dont be angry. Listen to what they have to say. Xu Ran waved his hand. Village chief, there are some words that I dont want to hear for a second time. You just need to tell them what I said. If they still want the fuss continue, then I have no intention of being polite. If village chief cant solve it, the Yamen can. Please tell them to move aside. Im still waiting to unload the oxcarts. Xu Ran didnt even save the village chiefs face when he said this. He was really angry. The village chief also knew that Xu Ran couldnt listen to anything now, so he wanted the villagers to say less and apologize to Xu Ran. Thus Xu Ran might not mind so much. But he seems to have underestimated the greed of these people. Hardly had he said a few words to persuade people from doing so, when the unanimous objection arose from the people below. The village chief couldnt help but get angry at this scene. He was furious and shouted, If you continue to cause trouble today, the Xu Ran family will have nothing to do with you in the future. As you please. Its your own business! As the village chief said this, the people who had ever worked for Xu Rans family calmed down. They knew about the treatment given by Xu Ran, which was a lot better than that in the town. If Xu Ran was offended, he would never hire them to work in the future. At this, these people were quite afraid. After all, they were still counting on making more money. Of course, these were just a part of people. Others who hadnt worked for the Xu Rans family, or had wanted to but was rejected by Xu Ran, naturally refused to let go. They kicked up a row. Among them, the two families of Xu Rans uncle and third uncle were especially unbridled. Xu Ran looked at the group of people coldly, then turned and said to Zhuo Yun, Anyway, they have made a spectacle here. Let them unload the fruit trees first. Besides, make sure that they wont come over and cause trouble, in case they might damage the fruit tress. Since these people are so shameless, I have no need to talk to them properly. Zhuo Yun looked at Xu Ran with concern, Ran, what will you do? Chapter 218 Xu Ran smiled and said, Zhuo Yun, dont worry, I wont do anything out of line. After all, I will still live in this village. But as the old saying goes I will not attack unless they attact me; if they attack me, I will pay back tenfold. I cant be bullied anyway! After that Xu Ran turned his head back. Lookeing at him, Zhuo Yun didnt say anything. He went to command the workers to unload the fruit trees. If the fruit trees could be unloaded sooner, they could take the money home sooner. Although they wanted to see the fun, it was not their own business and it was better for them not to get involved in it. So when Zhuo Yun asked them to unload the fruit trees, they went to work without any hesitation. The loud noise attracted the attention of the villagers. Glancing at the people next to him and then looking back at those people, Xu Ran could only smile helplessly. Xu Ran said, Folks, I, Xu Ran, have never done anything bad to you. I dont understand why you treat me like this. I just bought a variety of fruit trees in the mountains, but that didnt hinder you! What do you mean by this? Thinking that he was a Xiucai, Xu Ran began to speak in a literary way. But he just said a few simple words so that the villagers could understand. After Xu Ran said that, someone started to complain that Xu Ran didnt take them to sell things and only thought about himself. In short, Xu Ran was a selfish man and had never thought about the villagers. Hearing this, Xu Ran burst into laughter and said, Who are you? Why should I take you to make money? Who are you to me?! How can you say that in front of me? Xu Ran was so angry that he was even incoherent! How shameless they were! Hearing Xu Rans words, many people fell silent. They realized that Xu Ran really had nothing to do with them, except for living in the same village. However, some people just took this as an excuse. Xu Ran sneered, Haha, I think you must have forgotten who the village chief is! It should be the village head who leads you to enrich your family, what has it to do with me? I dont want to say anything to you today, if you want to quarrel with me, lets go to Yamen and ask Lord Zhubu what will you be accused of robbing the forest of Xiucais family? When he said this, all the people began to look at each other. They didnt know what Xu Ran said? Who snatched the forest of Xiucais house? Many people who reacted suddenly remembered that the Xiucai was just Xu Ran, and that was exactly what they were doing. Xu Ran, were in the same village. You wont really do that, will you? Yeah! Xu Ran, Xiucai Xu, we are all neighbors. How could we go to Yamen? Right, right, neighbors, we dont have to go to Yamen? We were just joking, nothing more. Xu Ran didnt say anything and nor did the village head, who was standing next to Xu Ran, he just watched them. After being the village head for so many years, he knew what these people were like, so he didnt want to persuade them. He believed that sooner or later, someone would teach them a lesson. The villagers said in a flurry. They asked Xu Ran to forgive them and not report it to Yamen. After all, Xu Ran was a person with a good reputation. Ordinary people like them could not bully him. If they really went to Yamen, it must be their fault. Xu Ran just listened to them but didnt answer. Many people who were standing behind him had already slipped away quietly, and those who had seen them followed. The more people left, the louder noise they made. At last, only a few people left. Seeing that others had run away, they looked at Xu Ran and then ran away, too. Xu Ran didnt stop them, and he wouldnt have any communications with them in the future. Every time this happened, he was glad he had chosen the house at the end of the village. He wouldnt pass by the house of the people he didnt like when he went to town. Seeing them leave, Xu Ran apologized to the Li family, Im sorry to have you seen these. They all waved their hands to show that they didnt mind and continued to do their work. After that Xu Ran walked back to the village head and said, Village head, come inside for a while! What I just said was a little serious, but I will do as I said. I will never ask the villagers to do anything in the future. The village head said with a helplessly sigh, Xu Ran! In all the years Ive been the village head, theres never been so much things. Its not your fault but their own incompetence and jealousy. Youve been the best in our village for years, with a reputation and can make money. No wonder theyre jealous of you. Xu Ran sneered, Village head, I earned all of these on my own. We are all men, but they havent been a fool as me for seven years. They have no ability of their own, but why will they come and trouble me? How shameless they are! Village head, do you see these people? They are also famers, but not like the person in our village. Village head, They cant blame anyone but themselves for being greedy and incompetent. Thats true, but theyve always been like that. There is a school in the village and all the children go to school, but none of them have been successful. They are even obsessed with other people. Do you have some ideas? Since they have been like this for so many years, I cant change them. Xu Ran said to the village head as they walked, Village head, You cant control these things, it depends on what they think. I have given them chances to get rich, but they didnt listen, so there is nothing I can do. Anyway, I wont care about them in the future. As long as they dont bother me, I wont disturb them. But if they are still going to target my family, I will definitely report them to Yamen. The village head also understood what Xu Ran meant. He just didnt want him to get into trouble. But he was still the village head! What could he do? Xu Ran couldnt understand the village heads helplessness. Without thinking too much, he invited the village head into the house. Liu Tong and the rest had been standing at the door, waiting for them to come in. They knew what had happened outside, in order not to disturb the two children, Liu Tong didnt go out. He just asked Gao Quan to go outside and watch, lest Xu Ran was bullied. Of course, he believed that Ran could not be bullied. It was true that Xu Ran could not be bullied, but this time he probably had offended everyone in the village. While it didnt matter to him, he wouldnt rely on them anyway. Xu Ran just invited the village head into the house to rest for a while and they didnt say anything. Soon Xu Ran went out to unload the trees. Seeing that Xu Ran was busy, the village head was embarrassed to keep staying there. He knew it would have to be that way, even if he stayed on, Xu Ran couldnt change, so he gave up the idea. With so many fruit trees, Xu Ran and the others had been unloading until night. Feeding the oxen and arranging rooms for the people, Xu Ran was really busy. The next day, people from the Li family went back after lunch. After that, Xu Ran led the whole family to plant trees. He even asked Wu Mei to help. After all, with so many fruit trees, relying on the few of them, they didnt know when to finish. If the trees were putting outside too long, they would not live, so they needed to hurry up and plant all these trees. Tangtang and Guoguo were very embarrassed when they came home. It was obvious that they had fought with someone, because there were two scratches on Guoguos face. It was obvious that they were scratched by nails. Seeing the scratch marks, Xu Ran was furious. He knew it must be related to what happened yesterday. Xu Ran asked, Tangtang Guoguo, are there a lot of people troubling you today? Raising their heads in surprise, Tangtang and Guoguo wondered how Xu Ran knew. Xu Ran continued, You should know what happened yesterday and do you think Dad did the right thing? The two children thought for a moment and nodded seriously. Tangtang said, Dad, youre right. We spent money buying the mountain and the fruit trees. Why should we share with them? Dad, dont worry, we know how to deal with it. They were so considerable as if they were not just little kids. Guoguo also promised, Dad, Im sure I wont get hurt again. There were so many of them today and we didnt dare to use the kung fu that uncle Gao Quan taught us, so my face was scrached. But not all of them were against us, such as brother Hu Zi and the others. When Xu Ran saw the wound on Guoguos face, he had two thoughts; one was to keep the children at home and teach them by himself, but he quickly dismissed it. The second one was to let Tangtang Guoguo beat up those who bullied them. It was just kids fighting, their parents could not say anything. Anyway, it was his children being hurt today, so he had reason to ask them. Xu Ran decided to go to their houses with his children from door to door. He knew that these people would not apologize to them, and would only say that it was the childrens fighting. While that was just what he wanted, he could also said like that when Tangtang and Guoguo beat them in the future. You could say something like that when my child was bullied, but when your child was bullied, why couldnt I speak like that? It only blamed yourself for being inferior! In the morning, I was eating a steamed bun while walking, and almost choked on it Steamed Bun said: Was I the one to blame? I: If it was not you, it was me? Steamed Bun: This all blamed your big mouth and small throat, how could you blame me? You were so unreasonable! I: Ill try to realse three chapters today, but I want to say that I want your collections, recommendtions and book reviews. The recommendations and book reviews are really lacking. Please supply my demand. Chapter 219 Xu Ran suddenly smiled at this thought and asked Guoguo, Guoguo, does your face hurt? Guoguo nodded and shook his head. Dad, it doesnt hurt. Naturally, it was painful. The wound was bleeding. Not to mention that he was only a kid. It was good that he could endure it and did not cry. Xu Ran was not worried that it would leave a scar on Guoguos face. After all, after they took the medicated bath, their recovery ability was better than ordinary people. However, Xu Ran decided to ask Gao Quan first. Xu Ran said to Guoguo, Guoguo, later, make a trip with Dad, Dad will first ask your uncle Gao Quan whether your wound is serious. If it is not, then you should endure it and lets reason with the children who bullied you. Guoguo nodded obediently. Dad, it doesnt hurt, but will it leave a scar? Guoguo also felt a bit embarrassed when he asked this. After Xu Ran heard it, he smiled and said, I didnt expect that our Guoguo cherishes his look. Guoguo was even more embarrassed at Xu Rans words. He covered his wound with his hand, If it does, I cant be like my brother. Grievance was all over his face. Xu Ran took off his hand, There are germs on your hand. Dont touch the wound. Dont worry! Dad wont allow any scar left on your pretty face. Our Guoguo has to rely on this face to find his husband when he grows up. Then he saw Tangtang looking at him nervously. Xu Ran rubbed Tangtangs face and said, Tangtang is like his brother. He must be very handsome when he grows up. Then the two brothers were both happy. Xu Ran went to the orchard to find Gao Quan and showed him the wound on Guoguos face. To adults, this wound wasnt serious at all. However, Guoguo was a child, with a long scratch mark lying across his tender face, which looked very serious. Gao Quan took a look and said to Xu Ran, Theres no problem, and there wont be any scars left. Wipe some ointment for him later. Just use the one you bought from town. Xu Ran nodded, feeling relieved. He had been storing medicine at home, just in case anybody was cut or scratched. It turned out that it was quite necessary. Knowing that there wouldnt be a scar, not only Xu Ran, but also Guoguo was relieved. He pulled at Xu Rans clothes and said to him, Dad, lets go out now! When we go back, well wipe the ointment. Maybe it will heal tomorrow. Xu Ran smiled, thinking that how would it be so magical as to heal tomorrow. However, Xu Ran did not say anything but smiled and promised Guoguo, Okay! Lets go right now. Mm, besides, we will take two dogs along with us. If someone attacks us, well let the dogs bite them, okay? As Tangtang and Guoguo heard Xu Rans words, they were so happy that they almost jumped up and clapped. Xu Ran told Gao Quan about their goal and went out with Tangtang, Guoguo and two dogs. Tangtang and Guoguo had a good memory. They still remembered the people who bullied them today. Xu Ran even made a detour to Wu Meis house and asked Hu Zi to go with them as a witness. Between the people in the village and Xu Ran, Wu Mei naturally was partial to the latter. Whats more, Wu Mei was a nervy guy. Some people in the village considered Xu Ran as an eyesore. Who could say nobody see them this way?! Many people in the village felt that they were too close to the Xu Ran family. Under the wing of Xu Ran, the life of their family was much better than before, about which Wu Mei was very clear. But no matter what, ever since he decided to offer his hand to Xu Ran and Liu Tong when they were chased out, their families were stuck together. Therefore, Wu Mei naturally supported Xu Ran unswervingly. As soon as Xu Ran came to their house and told them his intention, Wu Mei, without any hesitation, asked Huzi to go with them. Xu Ran with his kids went door by door to visit the perpetrators, whose parents reactions were as expected, not even apologizing. Those with better temper would say that it was children playing around, and they would pay attention to it later. Those with bad temper or those who were in the mood to make fun of Xu Ran would say harsh words. Words like: it was just children playing around. How shameless it was to lose and tell parents! Xu Ran was very angry at the time, but he didnt say anything. After he turned around, he and his sons started to grin together. Even Hu Zi was confused, but after several times, he was used to seeing it. After they had visited all these people, the faces of the Xu Ran and his sons were almost cramped, as if their trick had succeeded. Hu Zi was even more confused. To thank Hu Zi for his help, Xu Ran asked Hu Zi to stay for dinner, and intended to send him home after dinner. The wound on Guoguos face made everyone feel heartache, especially the few brothers, who were usually good-tempered, all pulled their faces long, obviously unhappy. Xu Ran took Guoguo to treat the wound, leaving Tangtang alone to endure their anger. Tangtang was so exhausted, consoling them one by one. Of course, it was useless even if he consoled them because they were so angry that they wanted to beat someone up. Tangtang had to reveal to them the idea that Xu Ran had told them. Out of partiality of some other reasons, no one objected. When Xu Ran came back to take Tangtang and Guoguo downstairs, he happened to see this scene. He smiled and said, Arent you afraid of spoiling these two kids? How reckless they might be in the future! After hearing Tangtangs idea, the brothers were not very worried. After all, they had a Dad who would never allow others to bully his children. When he heard Xu Rans words, Qin Shuwen joked with him, You tell me. Didnt you come up with this idea? If the kids are really spoiled, it is definitely because of you. Xu Ran touched his nose and wore an innocent look, I cant watch my kid being bullied by others, but its not good for adults to handle the matter, so I have to leave it to the kids. Since they have learned from Gao Quan for so long, its time to practise. Thats right, let them practice their kung fu, so as to know their deficiencies, Zhuo Yun said as he was walking from outside. Gao Quan followed behind him. From Gao Quans expression, he might think alike to Zhuo Yun. Therefore, Xu Rans practice got unanimous support. Tangtang and Guoguo also said that they were ready to punch someone tomorrow. Only Hu Zi, an outsider, had no idea about what was going on. After returning, he told Wu Mei what had happened and got a slap from Wu Mei, who instructed him to protect Tangtang and Guoguo tomorrow and not let others bully them again. Hu Zi looked at Daddys palm and didnt dare say that Tangtang and Guoguo were the toughest persons in their school. Of course, he didnt dare say it. His Daddy, obviously thought that the good-looking ones like Guoguo and Tangtang wouldnt be capable of beating people. Hu Zi took another look at himself and sighed heavily. Even he himself did like his own look, no wonder his Daddy would be partial. When they got up the next day, the scratch marks on Guoguos face were still there, but they werent as red as yesterday. Guoguo was a little depressed, because he was not identical with Tangtang any more and couldnt play tricks on people. However, Guoguo thought about what Xu Ran said yesterday, and his mood instantly improved. He got together with Tangtang early in the morning to discuss with him how to give them a hard time today. The two brothers had discussed it well. When they left the house after breakfast, they both wore a smile on their faces. They were ready to return the grievances they suffered yesterday. Xu Ran said they would be waiting for their good news at home. Of course, they still had to continue planting fruit trees in the daytime. It was better to wait until night to watch the fun. After planting these fruit trees, it would be time to dig potatoes. They were actually very busy. Besides these, the livestock at home had to be attended to, two kids also needed one person to look after. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun had to visit the town now and then, dealing with the business of the deli, and the affairs of the caravan that Zhuo Yun mentioned. Thus, there was really no one in their family who could focus on working. However, everyone worked hard when planting trees. The hundreds of trees must be planted as soon as possible. On this day, everyone seemed to be working harder because they were looking forward to the show at night. In the morning, Liu Qing and Wu Lan also found out about the experience of Tangtang and Guoguo and were very angry. They had watched the two kids grow up. In addition to their good looks, their mouths were sweet too. As they adored them so much, how could they not be annoyed seeing that Guoguo had got scratched? Probably having inherited his brothers impatience recently, Wu Lan rolled up his sleeves, and was going to beat someone up. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, The fighting job can be handled by themselves. Lets just wait and watch the show. Have dinner at our house tonight! In the evening, lets listen to their story. I felt really indebted to you for your help of planting trees these days, which had delayed your own familys work. As soon as Xu Ran finished, Wu Lan was dissatisfied. Xu Ran, have you considered us as friends? As you said, we delayed our work to work for you, but were not here to hear you say this. If you continue saying so, Ill leave immediately. Xu Ran hurriedly apologized, Ill not say it anymore. I promise I wont say it in the future. Actually, I did not stand on ceremony with you. Look, I turn to you whenever I need help. Do you see my point? Wu Lan was satisfied when he heard Xu Rans words. He said, You have helped us a lot. The money to buy ten acres of land was earned with your help, and you even put it under your name to shun our taxes. It is we who should thank you for such a big favor. Liu Qing echoed, Yes, Xu Ran, you were busy when you came back. We didnt even treat you to a meal. If you werent really too busy to do it yourself, you wouldnt have told us. So lets save the ceremony. We have kept in heart how have you helped us. These brothers didnt usually talk much, but when they really wanted to speak, they did it methodically. Just like in the 21st century, one should not offend women; in this era, one should not offend the brothers. Since both of them had said so, Xu Ran wouldnt say anything more. Just like Liu Qing said, they would keep in heart how he had helped them. In the same way, Xu Ran would remembered their favor as well. Chapter 220 Amidst everyones expectations, it was evening. The Geers went home to prepare greenfeed for pigs and grass for cattle, while the men were still working in the orchards. Tangtang and Guoguo happily ran home today. They called their dad and daddy from far away. And also they didnt forget to greet their uncles or uncles spouses they met on the way. When they got home at last, they told about the good deeds they had done in school today. Mm, they were really good deeds. Tangtang and Guoguo promised. Then they hurriedly reported in detail what they had done in school. When the teacher ordered the kids to answer questions, they could not answer them, so the two brothers helped to answer them. When others had something they didnt like to eat at noon, they two also helped to pour the food out. Even when others swept the floor, they both helped sprinkle some water on the floor. Of course, the real situation was not as simple as they described, and the adults were able to guess it. As a matter of fact, the two brothers today were not less engaged in fighting with others. But from the smiling faces of the two kids, Xu Ran did not find any marks of wounds. Xu Ran asked them to turn around a few times but didnt see any problem with them. They insisted that they were not injured today but they had returned all the grievances they suffered yesterday. The teachers education today was the same as that for the other kids who fought yesterday. He turned a blind eye to their mistakes, actually because he did not think these several children could cause much trouble. During supper, several children exaggerated what happened during the day, and vividly described the expressions of the bullied children, which amused the adults present. After supper, Xu Ran called Tangtang and Guoguo to the yard and told them that it was not difficult to win for a moment, but what they needed to strive for was the eternal victory. Even though to win the eternal victory was too difficult, how could they know if they didnt try it? Thus they had to study harder as well as practice martial arts, so that they could show those who used to bully them their real strength. Both Tangtang and Guoguo understood that they would work hard. They were already seven years old and they should grow up. Looking at the two kids who had reached his chest height, Xu Ran couldnt help stroking their hair. He knew that these two children would not be willing to be ordinary when they grew up under his education. Although he was willing to be a farmer himself, he would not stop his childrens choice about their future. However, he understood that the current Emperor still had a deep grudge with King Yan, so the children could not leave the Xu Village for the time being. When the time was right, he would take the children to see King Yan. He believed that as long as the new emperor was not fatuous, he would not have to worry about any threat to his two children. However, the trouble among the children in school didnt come to an end. Children actually bore grudges. In addition, as these children were influenced by their elders, there appeared no big contradictions, but there appeared a lot of small ones. From that day on, there would often be people bringing their wounded children to demand their reasonable explanation. Xu Ran recalled what these people had done to him at that time when he was a fool, and then treated them in their own way without any mercy. Xu Rans response made these people feel like that they had experienced before. They thought about it carefully and remembered that they indeed used to treat Xu Ran that way before. They realized that they were wrong. This time, they at last knew that several of their children worked together to bully Xu Rans two kids. The result was that they even lost to them two. It was really an embarrassing fight actually. Of course, Xu Ran bitterly satirized their deeds. In the end, they had to take their children to retreat with tails tucked firmly between their legs. In this battle, the dad and sons played in perfect unison. Needless to say, they made some progress. And Tangtang and Guoguos life in school was much more lively than before. They would fight with others from time to time. Well, nothing serious would happen actually. It could be regarded as their exercise. At the same time, the impression of Tangtang and Guoguo is getting better and better in their teachers mind. Although the teacher may be not good at many other things, he had read a lot of The Four Books and The Five Classics. From time to time, he would teach the two kids in private, which benefited them a lot. However, in this situation, the growth of Tangtang and Guoguo was also starting to divide. One of them was adept with the pen while the other, the sword. They would never develop in the same way. There were too few perfect people in the world. Xu Ran did not require his two children to be so perfect, so he let them be. He just asked them to learn what they should. After the fruit trees were planted, it was time to get in the potatoes. This year, they had planted more potatoes. After they dug the potatoes out, Xu Ran began to send them to the town. Both Mr. Chen and Qin Shuwu were waiting for their produce. Of course, Xu Ran did not forget to write to Lin Hua and ask them to come over to collect the potatoes. And also, it was time for him to collect the money. After all, he had no spare food at home. To raise such a large family, the expenses were not small. Luckily, this batch of potatoes could support the family for some time. This years strawberry harvest was good. Most of the strawberries were sold to Qin Shuwu, while some of them were made into strawberry jam by Liu Tong to sell to Mr. Chen. And, after all the fruit trees in the orchard were planted, Xu Ran fenced the orchard with bamboo and named it Mountain Garden. Anyway, he thought it was nice. For this name, no one could talk him round, so they just let him be. He also carved a big wooden sign and hung it on the tree. As long as people looked up when they passed by, they could see it. Because of this sign, Xu Ran was very satisfied and had a smile on his face for several days. This period of busy time finally passed, Xu Ran took their four puppies to the orchard every day, in order to make them familiar with the surroundings there. In addition, he also prepared a kennel for the dogs in the orchard. After all, these puppies would live there in the future. In this way, they could get familiar with it earlier. At the end of June, Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwen went back to their home with Qingshu. However, a few days later, the whole family returned. Because its too hot. Not to mention the town was much hotter than the village, and their house was also hotter than Xu Rans. At that time, as soon as they got home, Qingshu cried. How could they continue to live in their own home? They had to come back to escape the summer heat. Together Zhuo Yun also brought news that he would make a trip to the north in July with the caravan who used to work with him. He specifically came to Xu Ran and asked if he had any bacon to sell to them. As for the price, it was negotiable. The bacon was still in stock, of course. Since he told Xu Ran last time, Xu Ran had kept it specially. Apart from bacon, Xu Ran had stored sausages, too. Thus, all these were no problem at all. At the same time, Xu Ran had other ideas about the handcart and chess. Since last year, he had prepared at least two hundred handcarts, occupying a lot of space around. As for the chess, they started make it from early June this year. Since the New Year last year, the carpenters and the apprentices had been away at home until early this June. Xu Ran let them make chess pieces as soon as they returned, so that they could get things ready when the caravan started their journey for business. After hearing Xu Rans idea, Zhuo Yun had no objection to chess. As for handcarts, he hesitated because they were too big to carry. Xu Ran tried to persuade Zhuo Yun,These handcarts dont have to be transported to the north to sell, but they can be sold on the way. As long as you and the caravan go into more villages, it will work. Do you remember the Li Village? In such a village where fruits are their main produce, they have to use handcarts when picking fruits. So handcarts must sell well there. Why dont you take me to have a talk with the people of the caravan? Zhuo Yun nodded, All right, Ill go back to town again and make an appointment with them. Later you can bring some samples of the handcarts and chess to talk with them. After all, I dont understand this as well as you and its hard for me to do it well in the talk. Yeah, We have invested too much money in the orchards now, and apart from that we will spend a lot of time and energy later on. Thus we have to find other ways to make some money now. Although we wont make as much money by selling these things to the caravan as we sell them by ourselves, its also a good thing for us because we dont have to go out, isnt it? Xu Ran said. Yes, this way is really better than our going out for the selling. Then, you get those items ready. Ill go back to town now, said Zhuo Yun and hurriedly went away. Xu Ran didnt have a spare moment either. He immediately went to Xu Ans house. According to the previous practice, Xu An was not at home at this time. He should have gone to work in town. But since Xu Ran recovered, he didnt need to go to work in the town. And he didnt have to be separated from his family. Thus, no matter what, he was very grateful to Xu Ran. At the moment, Xu Ran told Xu An about his plan, and Xu An was also very happy to hear that. He said, I originally planned to build a new house this year, but my family doesnt have enough money. I had planned to borrow some. Now it seems that as long as these products are sold, I dont have to borrow money. Xu Ans eyes were full of excitement as if he saw that the house had been built. Xu Ran replied with a smile, Brother Xu An, you guys are great. Now, you have saved up all the money for your new house. Is it possible that youll be able to save the money for Dahu to marry his spouse soon? Xu An was a little embarrassed. He then said smilingly, We have saved this money for several years. How can we compare with you?! Your new house has been there for almost a year. We envy you! We want our own new house. Although its not as good as yours, a brick house is certainly better than an adobe house, isnt it? Dahu is growing older and we should prepare something for his future marriage. People in this era got married early. Maybe in a few years, when Dahu didnt go to school, his family would be busy making arrangements for his marriage. Xu An and his family should have been anxious about these tasks. Xu Ran smiled, Then Brother Xu An, dont worry! Your new house will surely be built this year. Xu An also smiled, Yes, I am looking forward to it! Chapter 221 Zhuo Yun went back to the town that day and did not come back until the next day.Then he told Xu Ran that he had made an appointment with the caravan and it was at Mr. Chens restaurant the next day. Xu Ran laughed and said, Youre willing to do that! At a restaurant. TThese men are rough traders. Do you expect us to invite them to the tea house? If that were the case, they would probably think that we were insincere.. said Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran thought it was true that these traders were just like these who were On the tramp.When they eat or drink, they must do it outright . He said, Alright, then we will go to town tomorrow. I told Xu An that they will continue to do these things. All we need to is to contact with the caravan. Its probably easier to make money than bacon, except that there are more places to run. Zhuo Yun said, Thats easy! There is more than one caravan passing by from the town. Well just have to find a few more. If we spread them out, we wont have to worry about it. Xu Ran nodded. Thats fine, then Ill leave the caravan to you. Youre familiar with it anyway. Zhuo Yun patted his chest and said, No problem! Early the next morning, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun drove to the town with their things. They first placed these things in Mr. Chens restaurant , then went to take a look at where Qin Shuwu was. Now that the business of the charcuterie had stabilized, and there were no leftovers from every days dishes. Qin Shuwu urged Xu Ran to think of new dishes. Now that the vegetables had come out, many people could make them at home, so the only way to attract peoples attention was to come up with new dishes. Xu Ran thought about it, and he is really ready to go for it. Anything will do, like Mapo beancurd and shredded pork with garlic sauce. Its all delicatessen anyway. Xu Ran said to Qin Shuwu, Ill think about it when I got back and we will bring them over When Zhuo Yun comes to town next time, but today we are going to talk about something with the caravan first, we shall leave first. Qin Shuwu smiled and joked, The two of you are really capable. You can make a profit even when you dont go out. And you can still spend time with your husband and children every day, not like me! Xu Ran got dissatisfied As soon as Qin Shuwu said that. Brother Qin, youre saying this as if youre out of the door. Isnt your lover living next door? How come you cant stay with him? As for the children thing, except for the baby, I didnt spend the whole day with Tangtang and Guoguo. Zhuo Yun began to answer, I only have a child, who is still feeding. Qin Shuwu and Xu Ran looked at Zhuo Yun with contempt at the same time. Zhuo Yun touched his nose to pretend to be innocent, just as Xu Ran did. people say that three women are enough for a drama, but three men are obviously enoughh, too, for a big drama. The three of them talked for a long time until they really that they could not continue talking any more. So they separated to do their own business. When they reached Mr. Chens restaurant, the caravan hadnt arrived yet. They had booked a private room upstairs. Downstairs, after all, is no place for business. Zhuo Yun asked Xu Ran to order dishes first. He stood at the door waiting for the caravan to come, and also talked to Mr. Chen. Zhuo Yun stood for a while and noticed that the whether was changing outside. It was estimated that it would be a storm soon. He was a little worried that the caravan wouldnt come. It started to pour after a while. The caravan still had not come. Zhuo Yun looked at the heavy rain outside and was ready to talk to Xu Ran that if the caravan dont come, they should order no dishes and go back after the rain stopped. But as soon as he turned around, he heard someone calling him from behind, Hey! Zhuo Yun brother! Zhuo Yun turned back and saw a person running into the restaurant with an umbrella. When he walked in, Zhuo Yun saw his appearance clearly. He was the boss of the caravan and everyone called him Chief Li. Zhuo Yun waved at him and called, Chief Li. Li closed the umbrella and said to Zhuo Yun, Brother Zhuo Yun, so sorry for making you wait for a long time. Something happened in the morning and I was late already. Moreover, it began to rain heavily unexpectedly soon after I went out. Zhuo Yun smiled and said, Its nothing. I just came here for a second. Is everything okay? Chief Li naturally knew that Zhuo Yun was asking about what happened in the morning. Li nodded and said, Its not a big deal. Ive already handled it. Didnt Zhuo Yun say that he wanted to introduce me a person? Why are you here alone? Zhuo Yun said, Hes ordering dishes in the kitchen. Chief Li, Ill get someone to take you to the private room upstairs first, and Ill bring him over later. Alright, Ill go upstairs first, Chief Li said as he handed the umbrella to the waiter Then he followed the waiter upstairs. Zhuo Yun went to the kitchen after he told Mr. Chen about it. Xu Ran had ordered the dishes already, but Zhuo Yun didnt come to call him. He thought it was probably because no one had come yet, so he just stayed in the kitchen to see how they cook. These chefs were not afraid that he would copy them in secret. Xu Ran had been to the kitchen many times. He still remembered how they made hamburger before, and Xu Rans cooking skills were not too bad. Xu Ran was still discussing how to cook a meal with a big chef when Zhuo Yun came in. Both of them looked serious. Zhuo Yun stood at the door and looked at it for a while, thinking that Xu Ran must be able to run a restaurant and be the chef himself. After Xu Ran finished talking with the chef, he saw Zhuo Yun standing at the door when he turned back. He wiped his hands and walked over to ask, Is the caravan here? Zhuo Yun nodded. They just arrived. I asked the waiter to take him to the private room upstairs. Are the dishes ready? Its almost done. We can go upstairs first said Xu Ran. Okay, the two of them left the kitchen to the second floor. Zhuo Yun walked in front of Xu Ran and found that the door was not closed, and Chief Li was studying the chess on the table. Zhuo Yun and Xu Ran walked in and Zhuo Yun asked Chief Li, Chief Li , what do you think of this thing? On hearing Zhuo Yuns words, he looked up, Hey there! He must be your friend! Zhuo Yun nodded and introduced Xu Ran to Chief Li. The three of them sat down and Zhuo Yun made a cup of tea for everyone. Then he asked about chess, Chief Li, How do you like this chess? Chief Li turned the chess over and looked at it again and said, This thing is for killing time. Ive heard it before in the town. And I dont know where to buy it, but Im afraid that Im gonna need a teacher! Otherwise, I wouldnt know how to play it even if I own one! Xu Ran smiled and said. Chief Li, this is no problem. I have already prepared a booklet. All we need to do is to copy them and sell with chess. I just dont know when you are going to leave if can you wait. Chief Li asked Xu Ran, How long will it take? We cant wait too long because the caravan plans to leave at July 10th. Xu Ran calculated the time. Last time it took only ten days, and its even including the lettering. Now that he had the booklet, it should be much faster to print. Xu Ran estimated it and said, Five days! Chief Li said, Its only July 2nd today. Five days should be enough. If it works, we shall talk about the price of the chess! No sooner had Li Tou said that than there was a knock at the door. Xu Ran said that it must be the waiter to deliver the food, then he got up and opened the door. It was really a waiter outside, carrying a big tray of dishes. After the waiter put the dished on the table one by one, Chief Li turned around and said, How do you think we should price it Xu Ran answered while eating, Chief Li , pricing is actually not a problem. It costs a tael of silver to buy a chess in town, and how much your caravan would charge depends on yourselves. Chief Li, sinceits the first time we cooperate, How about nien hundred pence a chess, Is it okay with you? When Chief Li Chaocheng heard Xu Rans words, he opened it again. He checked the chess one by one and thought for a while before he accepted Xu Rans offer. He said, the workmanship of the chess is not bad is not bad, plus it is a novelty, it definitely worth a tael of silver. Besides, we are going to charge more since we have to transport them from the south to the north. Okay, thats it. As you said, how much we charge depends on ourselves. Xu Ran didnt expect Chief Li would be so straightforward. He picked up the wine glass from the waiter and filled everyones glass with wine. He proposed a toast to Chief Li, To Chief Li, for being such a refreshing man. Zhuo Yun continued, To Chief Li, for being such a refreshing man. Thank you for your caring all the way. What they said was so reasopnable, leaving Chief Li no choice but to drink his wine. He didnt refuse it and replied straightforwardly, Ill drink this glass of wine for you. After drinking a glass of wine, Xu Ran asked Chief Li to eat some food. When he was slightly full, he started talking about other things. The second thing he was going to say was the big thing on his back, the trolley. Chief Li told them that he really didnt want to take it because it was too huge. If there were hundreds of them, how much carriages would he need to pack them! besides, It was heavy and they moved really slowly already. Chief Li didnt want to take it. Xu Ran said to Chief Li , Chief Li , it is not for you to send to the north to sell. You just need to go to a few more villages on the road. This thing might not popular in the north, but it does in the south. Those who plant wheat, rices and fruits here will buy it. Hearing Xu Rans words, Chief Li was lost in thought. He was probably thinking about whether to sell the trolley. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun were not in a hurry and started eating themselves. During this period, there was no time for me to wrute at daytime, so I could only write at night. But I will try my best to keep the update. Trust me. After all, I am a man of great credit. Chapter 222 Chief Li thought for a while and said, Ill have to discuss it with the caravan! Although it sounds like a good idea, it is definitely impossible if we are in a hurry. Since he had already said so, Xu Ran could not say anything else. He just fixed a time, and then they would meet again six days later when when the booklet are ready. As for the cured meat and sausage, Chief Li had brought it up by himself. He had seen how Zhuo Yun sell them. These things were absolutely salable and people would definitely buy them. Of course, no one bought it at first. It was Zhuo Yuns idea to cook a pot of it first and let people taste it before they buy it. It completely changed peoples attitude towards these things. However, it was Zhuo Yuns quick thinking and boldness that made these cured meat sold out. He agreed to Chief Lis request for sausages and cured meat, but he also said that there were only a little bit of them left now. Anyway, they would give him as much as they can. Chief Li hurriedly said, All right, all right, as long as you have it, but you are gonna have to make more of this cured meat this year,. Ill buy them all. If it sells not well it in the north, then Ill go to other places. There is no good thing that doesnt sell. Chief Li must be interested in cured meat and sausages, but it is quite normal. Meats were rare enough, besides, People in the north and the south have different taste preferences.And the way they cook were also different, so the things they made would naturally be different. Xu Ran cant guarantee how good his cured meat is, but the sausage is absolutely delicious. Xu Ran continued to say, Dont worry, Chief Li. We will definitely make more this year, but not too much. The main reason is that there is enough room for the meat. How about this, Ill give you two batches of them. First batch in the twelfth month of the lunar year so you can sell them in the first moon, and Ill give you the second batch in the first moon so you can sell them the next month. That may solve the problem. Alright, alright, just as you said. Chief Li hurriedly agreed. In the end, apart from the trolley, everything else had been settled and it was considered a happy ending for all. Besides, the trolley thing was not entirely hopeless. It just might need more negotiation. They could sell the trolley for two taels of silver themselves, Then Chief Li would definitely charge more. Xu Ran didnt intend to charge them too much, one tael of silver would be enough. Anyway, they were all made of wood and wouldnt cost lots of time to make once you got familiar with it. After dinner, Chief Li was in a hurry to go back and discuss things with the caravan, and Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun also had to go to Qin Shuwu. Xu Ran could barely remember the person that Qin Shuwu had introduced before, he still needed Qin Shuwus help . Xu Ran said to Zhuo Yun while they were walking, Zhuo Yun! I felt like I was always bothering Big Brother Qin. I feel a little bit sorry already. Zhuo Yun patted him on the shoulder and said, I think he treated you as if you were his own son. Before this, Im used to not going to him for anything. But when you ask him for help at the very beginning, he had a good impression on you, So he was very motivated to help you deal with your problems, then you got used to asking him for help when you got any trouble. Xu Ran nodded. Indeed. Maybe its a kind of dependence! He can help me solve the problem every time. Although I call him Big Brother,he is like a father in my heart. You know how my own father treated me. Zhuo Yun nodded because he certainly was aware of that. The two of them chatted and returned to Qin Shuwus shop. Qin Shuwu saw them and smiled. What do you mean by these smiles? Are you coming to me for dinner? Like we couldnt even afford a meal, Xu Ran touched his nose and thought. Seeing Xu Rans expression, Zhuo Yun knew that he was not going to say anything, so he told Qin Shuwu what they had just talked with Chief Li. After hearing this, Qin Shuwu said, Do you mean I need to get more people to print the booklets? Zhuo Yun nodded. Hadnt that person done it last time?There is no need for lettering, so there will be a lot of time left. Qin Shuwu nodded and said. Okay, then Ill arrange it. How many booklets do you want? Zhuo Yun looked at Xu Ran. He was not sure how many chesses were there. Xu Ran said, Lets see how much he can print in five days! A hundred booklets would be necessary because there are at least 100 pairs of chess that are ready now. Okay, Ill take care of it later. By the way, have you had lunch yet? If not, Ill let your brother make it for you. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun nodded at the same time. Yes, we had. We came here just for this matter. Brother Qin, go ahead and do your work! We will go back first. said Xu Ran. Qin Shuwu said, Wait a second. Go and get some cool dishes back. Its quite hot now anyway, and you dont have to make it by yourselves. Xu Ran refused. No, we shall do it ourselves! Besides, Its still hot now and might be spoiled after we take it back. Qin Shuwu thought about it and said, Well, you have planted your own vegetables anyway. Do you want to sit for a while before going back? Xu Ran looked at the sky outside. The eaves were still dripping water. He shook his head and said, No, Were leaving now. Im afraid itll rain heavily later, plus its not hot even if its just raining now. Alright then, and Im gonna go to get your things done as soon as possible. Than Qin Shuwu gave Xu Ran a glance and stopped him before he could finish his words. He waved at him and walked out with Zhuo Yun. The two of them went shopping before they go back home. Zhuo Yun said to Xu Ran on their way home, Guess Im gonna live with you till this winter, not just in summer. It is much warmer than my house. Xu Ran answered with a smile, If youre willing, I definitely wont say anything. To be honest, I really hope that you guys will live here. We dont have any conflicts, and were just like a family. More importantly, itll be more alive. You know that we dont have our own family, so you are always welcome here. Zhuo Yun also smiled, At the beginning, we probably didnt expect the two of us to be fiends. Fortunately, you know corn, or else we wouldnt be such close. Xu Ran also smiled, Yeah! It is all fate. As for the fate thing, Xu Ran has always felt that it was better to let nature take its course.They e would meet if it was predestined. Of course, it was also important to be honest. People will treat you the way you treat them, and Most of the time, the effort and the reward are always equal. Five days later, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun went to town again. They brought 100 pairs of chess and got 150 booklets from Qin Shuwu. Then they went to Mr. Chens restaurant and saw Chief Li Chaocheng in same room. This time, there was another person who came with Chielf Li. Zhuo Yun also knew him and introduced him to Xu Ran. This person was the second-in-command of the caravan. The caravan called him Acquarius, just as these bandits did. Hearing Zhuo Yun called him Acquarius, Xu Ran had no choice but to call him so, though he felt it was quite improper. The reason why Chief Li brought him this time was to showing him the trolley. Though Xu Ran had shown it to him last time, he still didnt know how to use this trolley because he was raised in a rich family. He didnt dare to move anything he has never tried though it was said to be very good, so he brought Acquarius over. The Acquarius was a farmer by birth, and he still had to Work in the fields often. He is more professional than Chief Li in this area. It was more appropriate for Chief Li to ask him to check the trolley. Xu Ran didnt object. He had brought the things anyway. Moreover, he dared to guarantee the quality of this thing is very good. At least no one has come to them to complain about it so far since it was sold last year. One reason, though, was that the village was far away from thembut many people in Xu Village had also bought it and no complaint yet also. Anyway, the quality of this thing must be up to standard. Xu Ran stood up and walked to the trolley. He gestured to the Acquarius and said, Acquarius, this thing is sturdy, and the weight it can bear is definitely heavier than the weight you can carry. In addition, Pushing by hand also saves your energy. More importantly, even if you put some tiny things in it, they wont fall out, such as grain, and so on. It is much more convenient than carrying a basket. Xu Ran had been looking at the Acquarius after saying this, but the Acquarius havent noticed that. His eyes had already shifted to the trolley. After looking at it for a while, he got up and walked over to take the handle from Xu Ran. When he finally put it down, there was a lingering smile on his face. Alright, alright, this is indeed a good thing. I dont know who came up with such a clever idea. Chief Li, let me tell you, this thing is not only used to carry millet and so on, it can also be used to carry bricks and tiles to decorate the house. It s much faster than carrying by hand. Xu Rans eyelids twitched and he was a little annoyed. Why hadnt he thought of this aspect back then? Wasnt it what people use in construction site? It was just that these were made of iron. Xu Ran glanced at the Acquarius, thinking that The older, the wiser was absolutely true! The traders were really brilliant, even if they had never seen this thing before,they can still immediately think of its other uses. Chapter 223 Chief Li had absolute trust on the second chief. After hearing his words, he immediately asked him, Second Bro, do you think that it can work? But he was still a bit hesitant, But this thing is too big. How many carriages do we have to prepare to transport them? The second chief, looking at the size of the trolley, felt that this was indeed a problem and was stumped. Xu Ran was speechless! He would have to cut in. He leaned over and said, Chief Li, second chief, listen to me. When you leave, hire a few temporary oxcarts to pack the trolleys, and then sell it as you make the trip. After the trolleys have been sold out, let these people drive their oxcarts home. You just have to pay them for the work. After all, the things cant be taken back with you to the north. The second chief had a discussion with Chief Li, and thought that Xu Rans method was feasible, but they was still hesitant about something else. Even a small piece like chess could sell for one tael of silver. How much would this trolley cost? Xu Ran had been paying attention to them, so he knew what they were hesitating about. He hurriedly said, You dont have to worry about the price. We sell the trolley for two taels of silver each. However, we will only charge you one tael of silver. Because the things are too big, plus you will have to hire oxcarts as well as people, we will charge less. Chief Li calculated in his mind that this was more profitable than chess. It was really hard to say if chess could sell for two taels of silver. Besides the things had to be taken to the north. Although one piece was not too big, there were hundreds of them, which would definitely take up a lot of places. After careful consideration, Chief LI decided to take the business of trolleys. Of the four people in the private room, three were waiting for his decision. Chief Li couldnt procrastinate and simply pretended to be straightforward. He told Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun that he was going to take the business of trolleys. As for the method, Im going to follow the advice of Xu Ran bro. Give me all the trolleys you have. When Xu Ran heard him say this, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried that he wouldnt take the business. As long as he took it, he would definitely think of ways to sell it. Xu Ran also said, Chief Li, how about this, the goods were from me. If you really fail to sell them out, you can return them to me, and I will give you refund. Xu Rans words were bold. As he said so, he was almost 100% confident that the things could be sold out. However, Xu Ran was really confident about it. Besides, Chief Li had the second chief to help him, so he was even more confident. Chief Li was stunned when he heard Xu Rans words. Then he laughed and slapped on the table. Xu Ran bro is really a straightforward person. With your words here, I will have to sell them out. Dont worry, Xu Ran bro, besides the courage, we also have eloquency. Since I have take the business, I will never ask the refund from you. Now you have to deliver me the trolleys, and I will pay you silver. Xu Ran still felt that his previous proposal was very good. After all, Chief Li and his people wouldnt run the risk of losing money. He didnt expect Chief Li would reject it. Xu Ran was still going to say something, but he saw that Zhuo Yun was winking at him. Xu Ran felt that this might be the rule of their Run Business, so he didnt say anything further and just followed the opinion of Chief Li. This time, both business had been accomplished. Xu Ran not only was relieved, but also felt that he didnt fail Xu AnCafter all he had promised it back then. Today was already the eighth of the seventh month in lunar calendar. They were about to leave on the tenth day. Xu Ran said to Chief Li, Chief Li, I have brought you the chess, but the sausage and the trolleys are still in my place. When are you going to send someone to take them? I only have one carriage, which cannot load a lot. Chief Li had just thought of this. As they still had to hire the oxcarts, the time was really a little tight. Chief Li thought for a while and said to Xu Ran, Brother Xu Ran, how about I go to your place to transport the goods back tomorrow? Ill go find a carriage today, but I dont know where you live. You have to send someone to lead the way. Xu Ran turned his gaze to Zhuo Yun and Zhuo Yun understood what Xu Ran meant. He continued, Chief Li, you know where I live. You can ask someone to look for me tomorrow. I will take you to Xu Village, which is not far away from here. Chief Li smiled brightly. Alright, then well come to you tomorrow. Well go back and find the oxcarts today. Chief Li turned around and left with the second chief. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun cupped their hands towards them to bid farewell. After they left, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun sat opposite to each other and started to grin. This time, it was really possible to make money without leaving the house. Although a large portion of it had to be given away, it was still a good thing. Zhuo Yun had to wait for Chief Li, so he didnt go back to Xu Village with Xu Ran. Instead, they went back to their own home. When they reached the door, they were laughed at by Housekeeper Zhuo. He said that he lived in other peoples home as if it were his own home, but considered his own one as an inn. Zhuo Yun wasnt annoyed and said with a smile, Uncle Zhuo, you havent lived in Xu Rans place, and didnt know its good points.To be honest, if you didnt have to watch the house, I would have made you move in together. Housekeeper Zhuo didnt expect that Zhuo Yun would be so tempted. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, Young master, this cant be done. No matter how close your relationship with Master Xu is, your house cant be sold. Zhuo Yun nodded to show that he knew it. He said, It is just an idea. I dont really plan to do it. I wont go so far, Uncle Zhuo, dont worry. There are other servants at home, so you can enjoy the leisure. If you really feel bored, go buy a kid to raise. Housekeeper Zhuo said, I almost forgot if you didnt remind me of it. Its time for me to foster an successor. Im old now. I dont know how many years I can still live. It will be reassuring to make early arrangements. Hearing Housekeeper Zhuos words, Zhuo Yuns heart tightened. Only at this time did he notice that the white hairs all over Housekeeper Zhuos temples. Uncle Zhuo was already in his sixties and Zhuo Yun silently repeated it in his mind. When one got old, what he was most afraid of would be the word death. Of course, it was the same word that one was least afraid of. People are always greedy to live for a few more years. When Housekeeper Zhuo said this, he must have planned it out long ago, or else he wouldnt have said it so naturally. Zhuo Yun frowned and said, Uncle Zhuo, what are you talking about? Youre still young. I hope you can help me manage my house for a lot more years. Housekeeper Zhuo smiled after hearing Zhuo Yuns words. Young master, I know how I am. When one gets old, he will have to accept the fact. Since I have a lot of leisure, I can foster a child now. If Uncle Zhuo is gone one day, there will be people in Zhuo Mansion helping the young master. Young master and your people will always come back to live. Housekeeper Zhuo sighed with such an emotion that he gave Zhuo Yun a feeling that he had gone out to wander, and then his father was waiting for him at home, expectantly. Zhuo Yun also knew what Housekeeper Zhuo meant. Uncle Zhuo had been with him for so many years. Years ago, when he and Qin Shuwen hadnt reconciled with each other, Uncle Zhuo dealt with all household matters. Actually, it was him that he was most indebted to. However, as Uncle Zhuo said he was old, Zhuo Yun still couldnt accept it. He was obviously still so young and his child was still in the cradle. How could Uncle Zhuo be old? As to a successor, Zhuo Yun also understood it. He should have asked Uncle Zhuo to cultivate an successor. Even if it was not for him, for Qing Shu or the other children of him and Shu Wen, there should be one. Seeing that Zhuo Yun didnt say anything, Housekeeper Zhuo said, Young master, dont worry about this. Its not so urgent now, and it is not so easy to find a successor. Anyway, since I have nothing to do, Ill go to visit the human traffickers every day. Ill talk to you when I see the right candidate, and then well go take a look together. Zhuo Yun nodded. He had never chosen someone, so it was better for Housekeeper Zhuo to handle this kind of thing, plus Housekeeper Zhuo had always been a good judge of human character. Seeing that Zhuo Yun agreed, Housekeeper Zhuo asked again, Is the young master living at home today? Zhuo Yun nodded. Yes! I have to lead the way for the caravan tomorrow, I wont go to Xu Village today. When Housekeeper Zhuo heard this, he was very happy, and then he said, Its good to stay. Ill go buy some delicious food and let the chef cook for you. Ill go shopping now. Go and rest for a while! Housekeeper Zhuo left after saying this. From his footsteps and his figure, one couldnt tell he was old at all. Zhuo Yun shook his head helplessly. The older he was, the more he looked like a child. However, this was good for him. When Xu Ran arrived at the door, he saw a group of people standing at the door watching the sky. Xu Ran got out of the carriage and asked Liu Tong with a smile, Tongtong, what are you looking at? What is so rare? Xu Ran looked up but didnt see anything unusual. Liu Tong walked over and pointed for him. Look, theres a rainbow. Xu Ran followed Liu Tongs finger and found that there was really a rainbow. In his memory, he only saw it when he was a child. After he grew up, maybe because he was busy, or because he didnt care, he never saw it again. It was also the first time he had seen it in this world. In rainy days, he either stayed at home to read books or did something else. Thus he never noticed the beautiful instant after the rain. Xu Ran stared straight at the rainbow, which was very beautiful. Then he took another look at the front of the house, where there was a whole patch of green. The person beside him was the one he loved the most. It was really picturesque. The farmyard was picturesque. Chapter 224 The next morning, hardly had the Xu Ran family finished breakfast than they heard the sound of bells coming from outside. The moment Liu Tong heard the noise, he said, Probably the cattle are put out on pasture. Xu Ran thought that it might be Zhuo Yun with the people from the caravan. After all, trolleys couldnt be carried by the carriage. Just as Xu Ran was about to say that, they heard a knock on the door. Xu Ran opened the door instantly. The person who was knocking was exactly Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran said, How come you guys are so early? Have you had breakfast? Zhuo Yun nodded. Yes, the caravan said that they were in a hurry, so they wanted to come over earlier, so that they could rush back after loading up. Well, okay, let me tell my family and well go to Brother Xu Ans house. After that, Xu Ran yelled to his family inside the house, Tongtong, the caravan is here. Im leaving now! Before Liu Tong could respond, Xu Ran left with Zhuo Yun and set out for Xu Ans house with the caravan. When Xu Ran had come back yesterday, he had told Xu An that people would come to take the trolleys away today, so Xu An was not surprised when they came to his house. Xu An had planned to entertain them, but Zhuo Yun told him that the caravan was in a rush, and Xu An gave up the idea. He carried all the trolleys at home to the outside and let these people move them onto the ox carts. Although these people were from the caravan, they were also good at doing labor. They were quick. It took each of them 20 or 30 trips before they finished loading up the ox carts, and it was not noon yet. Xu Ran had been watching the time. Since they had finished the work so soon, it was not the right time to ask them to stay for lunch. But these people showed no intention of staying for lunch either. They were about to leave after finishing loading up. Seeing that neither Head Li or deputy head had come, Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Have you discussed with Head Li about the charge? Besides, we havent charged him for the chess yet. Also, do they still want the cured meat or not? Zhuo Yun answered, I will leave with them later to collect the money. As for the cured meat, they will take it with them within this trip. They wont come back later. Xu Ran nodded. Alright, Ill go home first and move the cured meat out. As for collecting money, Ill go with you. I dont feel easy letting you go alone. Zhuo Yun had no objection to it. After all, the total sum would be about several hundred taels of silver, and they didnt have complete trust in the caravan. It would be troublesome if the caravan bilked them, or did something else to them. Therefore, it would be better for Xu Ran to go with Zhuo Yun, so that they could take care of each other. When all the trolleys were loaded onto the ox carts, someone came at once to ask Zhuo Yun about the cured meat with a linen pouch. Probably Head Li had told him to do so. Zhuo Yun said, Someone is on his way fetching it. Please wait for a while. Zhuo Yun didnt know any of the people who had come this time, and they werent the same people from the previous business trip. If Head Li hadnt come to Zhuo Yun with these people in person this morning, Zhuo Yun wouldnt have believed these people if they had come straight to him. The cured meat at home was put in one place. Xu Ran took it off from the rack quickly and carried it to the outside with Gao Quan. Zhuo Yun also went to help. But those from the caravan didnt go into Xu Rans house. Instead, they took the meat from them and put it into the sacks. When all the cured meat was loaded onto the ox cart, it was still early. Xu Ran had counted all the cured meat and sausages, and there would be no problem later when they collected the money, no matter by weight or number. Just as the caravan was about to leave, Zhuo Yun told Xu Ran, Xu Ran, these people are not the same ones from my previous business trip. Do you think we should be wary of them? Xu Ran gave up his original thought of going with Zhuo Yun and said, Its better to keep an eye on them. How about this? Ill let Gao Quan go with you. He is an expert on martial arts, and can protect you, no matter what. Since you were the one who met Head Li this morning, and you know the price, you are the right one to negotiate with him about the price. Zhuo Yun nodded. It was quite reasonable to make such arrangement. After all, it was impossible for Xu Ran to leave three Geers and two infants at home. Now, people in the village hated his family. If there was no man at home, Xu Ran would definitely feel worried. Zhuo Yun said, Alright, Ill go with Gao Quan. You stay at home. By the way, how much cured meat and sausages did we give them? Tell me the exact numbers. Xu Ran told him the numbers. He worried that Zhuo Yun would forget about them, so he ran into the house and wrote a note to him. Xu Ran went to Gao Quan, told him about the situation, and asked him to go with Zhuo Yun. Gao Quan naturally had no objections. He said to Xu Ran, Let me wash my hands and Im leaving. Okay, Xu Ran nodded and took out Big Black. Then Xu Ran warned Zhuo Yun, No matter what, safety first. Itd be best if we get the money back, but it doesnt matter if we dont. We can just take it as a lesson. Of course, you could also destroy everything when necessary. Just play to the score. Zhuo Yun said, I see. I will keep an eye on them. You dont have to worry too much. Maybe they are simply new to the caravan, and thats why I dont know them. Xu Ran also felt that he was overthinking it. Indeed, a burnt child dreaded the fire. After what he had gone through in Mr. Hus village and Ban Yue Town, Xu Ran always believed that he needed to be warier of others, but it wore him out. Xu Ran thought for a while and decided that it was better to be himself. Anyway, he had no loss. As he was talking with Zhuo Yun, Gao Quan came out and waited for them by the carriage. Xu Ran couldnt let Gao Quan wait, let alone the caravan members. He patted Zhuo Yun on the shoulder, Okay, thats it! Zhuo Yun nodded and got into the carriage. When Zhuo Yun came back, he was driving the ox cart. When they had departed, Gao Quan had been driving the carriage in the front. While Gao Quan had been driving, Zhuo Yun had been keeping an eye on those people, in case they played tricks. In fact, Zhuo Yun was the same kind of people as Xu Ran. However, the situation had turned out far better than they had expected. These people were indeed hired by Head Li as casual laborers to specially carry the trolleys. As for the money, Head Li had paid Zhuo Yun generously. Head Li had also said that he was looking forward to their next cooperation, and mentioned intentionally or unintentionally the cured meat several times to Zhuo Yun. Head Li was probably fearful that they would sell the cured meat to others. Zhuo Yun had promised to him repeatedly that as long as they could work things out, Zhuo Yun would definitely not sell it to others. Head Li also understood what it meant by working things out. Naturally, the things referred to the price. However, it was hard to tell yet because it was still unknown how this batch of cured meat would be selling. After taking the money, Zhuo Yun went back to Xu Village with Gao Quan. On their way back, Zhuo Yun told Gao Quan about Xu Ran and his concerns. Gao Quan didnt say much but replied, There are indeed people with ill intentions, but they have nothing to do with us. Zhuo Yun estimated that Gao Quan must have noticed something, but he didnt ask him. He just pretended that he didnt know about it, so as not to cause trouble for himself. Zhuo Yun told Xu Ran everything when he returned. Xu Ran also smiled and said that he had thought too much, but was still very excited when he saw the bank notes given by Zhuo Yun. Xu Ran took half of the notes out and put them in his top pocket. Those were for Xu An. Then he divided the remaining half into two equal parts. Because it was a round figure, it was very easy to share the money. Xu Ran handed the notes to Zhuo Yun. Take it as your thank you reward. Although Xu Ran said it was Zhuo Yuns thank you reward, he said that in a decisive tone. Zhuo Yun took the notes over with a wry face. This really is some rich thank you reward. Xu Ran said, Since youve already taken it, shut up. I cant let you work for nothing. But this is just some easy gains for us. Brother Xu An is the one who has really worked. Zhuo Yun waved the notes in his hand and asked Xu Ran, Shall we give more to him? Xu Ran shook his head. You forgot that the cured meat and sausages were also included. We shouldnt give him that money. Its already a meager profit for me. Zhuo Yun thought about it and agreed with Xu Ran, so he didnt say anything else. He took the money away and went to hold the baby. While Xu Ran went to Xu Ans house with the notes. When he got there, only Xu An was at home, fiddling with a heap of wood. Xu Ran called Xu An. Xu An stopped what he was doing and stared at him. Why are you here? Did they take away everything? Xu Ran nodded, then took out the money and gave it to him. I also got the money, so now you dont have to worry that you are too poor to renovate your house. Xu An looked at the bank notes in Xu Rans hand and did not dare to take them. He had never seen the bank notes before. Xu Ran pushed the bank notes into his hand and said, These are bank notes. Its the money for chess and trolleys. The price of the chess is 800 pence per set while that of the trolleys is one tael of silver per trolley. Do you want to count it? Xu An spread out the bank notes in his hands and looked at them as if they were hot potatoes. He still couldnt believe it. Xu Ran, dont fool me. Is there really so much? It reads 100 on each note. Xu Ran said, Why should I fool you? If you dont believe in these bank notes, shall I give you silver instead? Hearing that, Xu An waved his hand at once. No, no, I believe you. How could I not believe you? I just didnt expect it to be so much. What about yours? Did you get your share? Xu Ran patted him and said, Didnt I promise that you will have enough money for renovation this year? This money should be enough for you to build a house with grey bricks! As long as it wont be big as ours, it should be enough. As for my share, dont worry about it! I will not mistreat myself, right? Count yours first. Xu An read the numbers on the notes. Actually, he knew it was enough without counting them. There might be even more. Xu Ran hadnt taken advantage of him. Xu An didnt know what to say when he saw so many bank notes. Xu Ran said that he totally understood how Xu An felt. He only said, Brother Xu An, put the money away. Remember to come to me when you renovate your house. I will help when Im not busy. After that, Xu Ran left Xu Ans house and walked back home. About halfway home, Xu Ran wanted to go to the orchard to have a look first. When he reached the orchard, he saw Liu Tong working in the orchard and called out, Tongtong. Liu Tong looked back at him, his smile shining brightly under the sunlight. Xu Ran was fascinated all of a sudden. In the third year of coming to this world, Xu Ran had a home, a spouse and kids. Everything was perfect. Chapter 225 Xu Rans orchard took him three years effort to finally bear fruits. Now after another three years, the fruits in the orchards had been picked up one batch after another, and the strawberry seedlings in the strawberry fields had been altered several times. Xu Ran was also in his thirties. Tangtang and Guoguo were 13 years old, and even Baozi was seven years old. He could only exclaim that time was a file that wore and made no noise. Actually, what Xu Ran was most happy about these years was not how much money he earned in his orchards, but Tangtang and Guoguo already achieved the title of Scholar last year. 12 year old Scholar, they really did not fail his studious education all these years, and so he thought. Over the years, Zhuo Yuns family lived in Xu Rans house most of the time, and during the rest time, the family stayed in their own home. One much happier thing was when Qing Shu was three years old, Qin Shuwen gave birth to another baby, who was a son. However, his name was so contrasted with that of Qing Shu. He was called Zhuo Han, nicknamed Doggy. From the name, it fully reflected Qing Shus position in their family. Moreover, this name was the one that Zhuo Yuns persisted in picking. No one could stop him and Xu Ran was so stunned at the time. However Zhuo Yun blocked everyones mouth by saying that a kid with a humble name was easy to raise. After all, Qing shu had been constantly sick since the age of one, and everyone was a little worried. Zhuo Yun was probably worried too, so there came so a name, but it was really heartless. Compared to Qing Shu, Baozi was vivacious. Xu Ran felt that all of his familys sports genes were on Baozi, and he would cry from time to time, in a heart-wrenching way. Uhm, when Baozi howled like this, he was hungry. It was not until this time did Xu Ran realize that a foodie was born to his family. However, Baozi was a real foodie because he could not only eat, he was also very thin. He had a body shape that made people jealous and hateful. Every time the old couple of Qin Family and Lin Hua came over, they would scold Xu Ran and Liu Tong that a brother needed to be spoiled, so he should be allowed to eat more. As to the shape, he could maintain it when he grew up. Xu Ran and Liu Tong were really bitter. He ate the most at home, but did not gain weight, while they were the ones to be scolded. So every time when he ate, Xu Ran stared at Baozi so fiercely and was eager to know where the food had been. Three bowls of rice for each meal, every day without variation. From the current situation, Xu Ran felt that Baozi would have to find a wealthy family to marry, or he would suffer there. Xu Ran had to say this to Liu Tong every time after dinner. At first, Liu Tong didnt care at all. But as Baozi grew bigger and bigger, his appetite didnt decrease at all. Instead, he seemed to eat more. Thus, Liu Tong started to worry. The whole family were really worried about Little Baozis appetite. This day, while the rain was getting lighter. Xu Ran with Baozi went to the orchard to pick some fruits. Of course, he did not forget to instruct Baozi not to eat too much at noon and eat more fruits, otherwise he would not look pretty when he grew up. Baozi completely ignored Xu Rans words. He picked up a peach to eat and threw some into Xu Rans back-basket. It was not a problem for him to do anything else. But to control his appetite was out of the question. Between the son and father, the former was eating happily, while the latter was exhorting earnestly. At the same time both were busy picking fruits, quite a pretty picture. Yee-haw! Yee-haw! However, not long after they picked the fruits, they heard the sound of someone riding a horse. The sound of hoofbeat was very hurried. Xu Ran hurriedly got down from the tree, put the basket on his back, carried Baozi in his arms, and then walked out of the orchard. He remembered that Tangtang and Guoguo had got out riding horses this morning. The two kids had been sensible since childhood. If it werent for anything wrong, they would never have been riding in the village. Xu Ran subconsciously felt that something was up. As soon as they left the orchard, they saw Guoguo running over on his horse. Xu Ran hurriedly called out from behind, Guoguo, Guoguo, why are you running in such a hurry? Did something happen? Because Guoguo had learned kung fu, and had acute hearing, he heard when Xu Ran uttered his first call, but didnt stop only owing to the fast speed of the horse. Xu Ran thought he didnt hear him, so he ran home with Baozi. However, he saw Guoguo on his horse running back after a few steps. Guoguo jumped down from the horse and said to Xu Ran, Dad, things are not good. I just heard the news from the town that someone has been infected with the plague. After Guoguo said this, Xu Ran was stunned. After the disasters like flood or drought, there must be accompanied by the plague. He patted his head in annoyance. After summer, the torrential rain had not stopped, and recently there was constant rainstorm-related news about the breaching of the dyke, or about the flooded villages. He should have been on guard. Maybe it was because he didnt expect it, or because their life had been too peaceful, he had been completely off guard. Xu Ran looked up and saw that Guoguo was alone. He asked, Guoguo, wheres your brother? Didnt the two of you go together? Guoguo said, Dad dont worry. Brother said he wanted to buy something first, and then he was going to pick up Uncle Zhuo Yun and the others. Xu Ran put down Baozi and said to him, Baozi, go back and tell Daddy that a plague occurred. Ill talk with your second brother about what happened first. Xu Ran was very serious when he said this. In Baozis eyes, Dad would only be so serious when he taught him a lesson. Although he was only seven years old, he was not stupid. He knew that things were not simple, so he immediately ran towards home. After Baozi left, Xu Ran asked Guoguo, Guoguo, whats happening in the town now? Where did you hear the news? Guoguo said, Dad, this is what Doctor He told us. Didnt you say that the frequently-used ointments at home was used up and when my brother and I went shopping, we could buy some back? Today, we happened to go to Doctor Hes shop. When we arrived, it happened that a person was carried in, and it seemed that he was very sick. After Doctor He checked his pulse, he shook his head and said that he could not help it. We waited for a long time. After the person was carried away, Doctor He had the shop closed, and called us into the room, saying that the previous person might have caught the plague. Because he had met the similar case, he was able to tell. Xu Ran asked Guoguo, Cant Doctor He deal with it? Guoguo shook his head. Brother and I also asked Doctor He about it. He said that the downpour was continuing and there was a shortage of medicinal materials. Whats more, he didnt know how to treat it. Besides, he couldnt declare that this person was infected by a plague or it would cause panic. He estimated that more and more people would come to his door, so he closed the shop. The plague was a big issue, and it absolutely could not be declared casually. Since now it was not sure whether the source of the disease was in the town, how many people had infected it, it was really a troublesome and serious issue. Xu Ran couldnt help but worry. Who could come to rescue these people from the plague? Guoguo continued, After brother and I heard what Doctor He said, we asked him to prepare a lot of medicinal ingredients just in case. Brother asked me to go home first and tell Dad that he went to inform Uncle Uncle Zhuo and the others. Dad, should we go to town to find brother now? Of course they should. Xu Ran didnt think that he had the ability to rescue others. The most important thing for him right now was to find a way to make good arrangements for his family. Baozi was a kid and Liu Tong and Shao Yu were brothers. All of them were vulnerable, and should be under close protection. The father and son were discussing what to do by the roadside while Liu Tong was running over with Baozi. He was still gasping when they got near. He asked Xu Ran, Ran, is what Baozi said true? Xu Ran nodded. It is Guoguo who came back from the town and told us, Tongtong, Guoguo and I are going to the town soon. You with Baozi quickly go to the field, gather as many vegetables as possible and store them at home. Also prepare a lot of hay for the livestock. Guoguo and I will take care of the grains. Besides, in these few days, Baozi cannot go outside. Got it? Xu Ran looked at Baozi with a serious expression. Baozi knew the severity of the situation and nodded in a hurry, Dad, I got it. After that, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to bring Baozi back first, and he went to harness the horse to the carriage. Guoguo had already rode on the horse and headed towards town. After Xu Ran set up the carriage, he went to chase after Guoguo. In the meanwhile, he thought about his experiencesCfirstly it was the time&space travel, this time it was the plague, which was life-threatening! Furthermore, he had to take care of the whole large family. Thus he was really worried. After arriving at the town, Xu Ran asked Guoguo to inform the familiar people. No matter it was true or not, they had to be on guard anyway. He went to buy grains. Because of the need to carry things, Xu Ran harnessed the horse to the wooden cart, which could be loaded with more grains. Xu Ran thought that when the worst time came, Xu Ran and Qin Shuwus families could all live in his place, so he had to store a lot of food. As the plague would take at least a few months, it would definitely not be enough without a thousand jin of grains. Fortunately, they were not short in silver now. Zhuo Yun also went to buy grains. After Tangtang told him that someone in the town was infected with plague, he immediately asked Tangtang to take Qin Shuwen and the others to go to Xu Village, while he went to the grain store to buy rice. The two even bumped into each other while doing the shopping, but they just exchanged a look and didnt say anything. After they bought food, they went to purchase other things, including oil, salt, various spices, and cloth. Anyway, as long as the stuff could be used in daily life, they bought it. Xu Ran also counted in the portion of Wu Meis family. They had food in their own home, but they must need things like oil and salt. Xu Ran didnt dare to buy the medicinal herbs, since he couldnt get them without a prescription. Thus he let Gao Quan go to the mountain to gather some after returning home. Xu Ran was somewhat glad that Tangtang and Guoguo had grown up when the plague came. They could help the family a lot. If it was several years earlier, he would be more anxious. Chapter 226 They came empty and went back with a full cart. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun got together, and they were discussing while driving. Xu Ran asked Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, have you informed Brother Qin yet? They have to shut down the shop first whether it is true or not. There are so many people in the summer and after such a long time of rain, there will definitely be many people coming out to buy fruits and cooked food. It will be easy to get into trouble if there are too many people. Zhuo Yun nodded. Ive already told them. Brother Qin is a wise man and he knows what to do. He is probably preparing now. By the way, Xu Ran, can we take his family in? After all, it was discovered in the town. Xus Village must be safer than the town. Xu Ran looked back at the food in his carriage and said to Zhuo Yun, Thats what I was going to do, otherwise I wouldnt have bought so much food. The food is enough, but Im still a little worried. None of us had experienced the plague, so we didnt know much about it. We really dont know what to do. Hearing this, Xu Ran comforted him, Were not sure if its true. Were just on guard. Children are not allowed to go out. We just need to have less contact with the outside. We dont have much to do with ourselves. Were in good health, but we need to pay more attention to the children, especially Qing Shu. We must keep an eye on him. Zhuoyun didnt feel any relieved, but even more worried. To Zhuo Yun, Qing Shu was like his life, which Gou Dan couldnt completely compare with. Xu Ran also felt that he had said something wrong when he finished, but he couldnt say anything else. He simply let Zhuo Yun think about it himself. He began to try his best to remember how to deal with the plague on TV. He cleaned everything inside and outside of the house, and then maintained ventilation. He paid attention to be clean when eating. It seems that as long as he keep it under control and not to touch the source of infection, it should be fine. It seemed quite simple. Xu Ran felt a little relieved when he thought about it. He only remembered one sentence firmly, that is, not to touch the source of infection. After they got home, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun unloaded everything in the yard, and then rushed to the town immediately. This time, they went to pick up people, and buying too much things could easily arouse suspicion. When they went to Qin Shuwus store, they found that the shop was closed, so they rushed to his house. When they arrived, they saw Qin Shuwu asking his family to work and move things outside. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun walked over and asked him, Brother Qin, what are you doing? Where are you moving to? Qin Shuwu was so busy and he scolded them, Its not like you dont know about it. Why are you still running to the town? Do you know how dangerous the town is now?Zhuo Yun, you must take Shu Wen to live with Xu Ran immediately, and dont come to town for a while. Brother Qin, where are you going? Xu Ran interrupted Qin Shuwu and asked. Qin Shuwu explained to him, We are planning to go back to Qins Village. We had a house there, but no one had lived in it for a long time. Look at my family, both the old and the young. Im worried about living in this town, so I might as well go to the village for a while. Xu Ran reached out to stop him and said, Brother Qin, if you move back to the village like this, you will definitely be suspected. Youd better not go back. Come to my house! Zhuo Yun and I had bought a lot of food. Its not a problem. You just have to bring the quilt and clothes to my house. You know that I have enough room for you, and I still have a bamboo house! It is also in the village, but much better than going back to Qins Village. Zhuo Yun also saidd, Big Brother, Xu Ran is right. You cant be at ease anywhere with so many children.You should move to Xu Rans. All of us can come up with a solution no matter what, cant we? They took turns to persuade Qin Shuwu,which made him a little hesitating, but it was definitely inconvenient to if they had to live in such a big family. However, before he could speak, His father walked over and said, Shu Wu! I will make the decision and go to Xu Rans house. We have to think for the children. Qin family has not gone back for so many years, so people will definitely overthink about it if we suddenly go back. If something bad comes out then, it will be troublesome. Xu Ran quickly continued, Brother Qin, thats what the godfather said. You have to listen to him. Things are settled. Zhuo Yun and I came here by carriage. Since youre all going to carry things anyway, you can just put them in our carriage. Dont take too much stuff. Just bring the important things, like clothes and the quilt. We have everything else. Qin Shuwu had to agree since his father said so, and Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun had been persuading him. But he still felt a little sorry because there were too many people. However, the two of them didnt care whether he agreed or not, they moved things directly into the carriage, and the rest of the family seemed to agree with them.In fact when he thought about it carefully, Qin Shuwu knew that what they said was reasonable, but he never liked to trouble others, even its Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. But now that this is the case, his objection is invalid, then lets just move! Qin Shuwus family also had carriages. Two carriages must be enough for the things, but they would have to come here once more to pick up these people. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun were planning to go back first when they saw Guoguo coming with a broken wooden car from the alley inside. Xu Ran was about to say something when he heard Guoguo say something went wrong. Dad, Uncle Zhuo, something bad happened. Now the people in the town know about the plague and several people have died. I went to the Yamen and found that Zhubu has already gathered Yamen runners. Dad, lets go back quickly. Otherwise, it would be too late. After hearing Guoguos words, both Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun were shocked. They didnt expect things to spread so quickly. It had only been two hours! How did happen that the whole town knew about it, but it was not the time to think about that now. Xu Ran shouted brother Qin and Qin Shuwu came out of the house in a hurry, Xu Ran, whats the matter? Xu Ran said, Brother Qin, something bad happened. Pack up your important things and get into the carriage right now, or it would be too late. Although Xu Ran did not say much, he knew that there must be a big problem after seeing Xu Rans anxious expression and the sweaty face of Guoguo beside him, so he rushed in and brought the children out one by one. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun moved everything onto the carriage. Guoguo also began to move things to the broken wooden car he had found somewhere. The three people moved very quickly. When the Qin family got into the carriage, Xu Ran and the rest had already moved their things to the carriage. Qin Shuwu was the last one to come out, and then he locked the door and jumped on the back of the carriage, driving the carriage to go in the front. Although there might be a lot of things in there that havent been cleaned up, but now they cant care about these things. Xu Ran and the others followed behind Qin Shuwu and started running outside the town. Once theyre out of town, they didnt have to worry again. They met Tangtang on the way, who was coming to pick them up. Xu Ran yelled at Tangtang, Turn around and dont go to town. Its not safe in town now. Hearing Xu Rans words, Tangtang stopped the carriage and let Qin Shuwu and other people sit in his carriage to lighten the weight of the carriage and run faster. Now everyone only had one wish, that is to get to the Xus village as soon as possible, they would be safe as long as they reached there. After reaching Xus Village, Xu Ran didnt even enter the house and jumped out of the carriage. Xu Ran didnt know if Wu Mei and the rest had already knew about this, but he still ran over and told Wu Mei that she should inform the other two families. Then he ran to find the village chief. He didnt care what happened to the rest of the village, but if people from ouitside the village came to the town for shelter, they would take them in, and it would be a big problem if something happened. Village chief, is the village chief home? Something bad happened. Before Xu Ran could reach the village heads house, he started shouting. The village chief was enjoying the cool in the yard. Even though the rain had just stopped, it was still very hot this day. When the village chief heard Xu Rans voice, he immediately got up and opened the door of the yard. Seeing that he was running in such a hurry, the village chief quickly asked, Xu Ran, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry? Xu Ran said as he panted, Something bad happened. There are people in the town who were infected with the plague. Now everyone in the town knows that. We just came back from the town. Call the villagers together and explain the matter quickly before the news spreads. Tell them not to take in anyone from other villages anymore. Children should not be allowed to go out recently. The plague? The village chief asked in shock. He was also someone who had been through the plague. It was already ten years ago, so he absolutely knew how terrible it was. He quickly asked Xu Ran, Xu Ran, is this true? Is there really a plague in town? Xu Ran said, Village Chief, how can I possibly make a joke with you about such a big thing? wasnt it said that a while ago, there was a storm and the reservoir broke the dam to cause a flood? You should know that floods are usually followed by the plague.I dont think the plague started in town, but it has already arrived in the town. It will soon reach the village nearby. Our village is not far from the town. When the time comes, there will definitely be people fleeing into the village. Village chief, we have to be prepared first! When the village chief thought about it, he agreed. Xu Ran would not make a joke about such a big matter. He said, How about You go back first and I will immediately inform the villagers. The people in the village probably still hate you now. Even if you told them, they might not believe it. Its better for me to tell them about it! I cant do anything else, but it can certainly be done to keep outsiders out of the village. Xu Ran nodded. Alright, village chief, Ill go back first. The rest is up to you! And Im not going out recently. Xu Ran left after he said that, thinking that the village chief would make the decision himself. Chapter 227 When Xu Ran reached home, he found that there was nothing outside. The horse was led in and the door was closed. It seemed that Tangtang and Guoguo moved quite quickly. Xu Ran knocked on the door and it was soon opened. The person who opened the door said, Dad, there you are. Come in quickly. We are packing up. Xu Ran nodded and walked in. Then he was a little shocked to see the yard was full of people and things. Tangtang said behind his back, Dad, we are waiting for you to come back and assign the rooms. Then these things can be moved into the right room. Why dont you let your Daddy do that? You dont have to wait for me. said Xu Ran. This is what Daddy said. He said that you are more appropriate, so he asked you to come. Godfathers are waiting in the room. said Tangtang. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and felt a little weird in his heart. Did Tongtong think that the room was not enough to assign? Or was he just being shy? After thinking about it carefully, Xu Ran felt that it must because he is shy. It is true that they have to live here for a long time. It is not proper to separate the couple, but if they dont separate, It is estimated that it would be much harder for Liu Tong to arrange. Thinking about this, Xu Ran understood what was going on here. He went to the middle of the yard and clapped his hands and said, Every one, listen to me please. There are eight rooms on both sides of my house upstairs. And seven of them were taken. Tangtang, Guoguo, you two can live in one room, then Baozi and Qingshu can also live in a room together, so we will have seven rooms left, so its done. One room for Godfathers, and another for Big Brother Qin and his husband Nine rooms were completely enough, and the things were started to be placed in the rooms one by one. Everyone picks up their stuff so the things in the yard were quickly removed . But it started to rain heavily again soon. And there was the sound of a gong outside. Xu Ran guessed that must be the village chief looking for people from the village. Even though the rain was getting heavier, Xu Ran still decided to go out and take a look. By the way, he had to explain for the extra members of his family. He was afraid that if the village really got infected with the plague, they would be blamed. Xu Ran went to grab an umbrella and called Liu Tong, Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwu to come. He started to remind them, Tongtong, take your brothers and friends to clean up the house first, then change their clothes and throw them off. Dont be reluctant to part with this. After all, theyve all run through teh town, okay? Liu Tong nodded. Got it, Ill go now. Then, Xu Ransaid to Zhuo Yun, Zhuo Yun, everyone in the village knows that you often come to my house. Im not worried about this. You should be responsible for taking care of the children. Dont let them go out recently. Zhuo Yun nodded. Mm, I got it. The children are very sensible, and they know what to do at this moment. After he finished talking to Zhuo Yun, Xu Ran said to Qin Shuwu, Brother Qin, I dont think anyone saw it when you came here today. They would probably say that we went to the town to buy things even if they saw us. You must tell them that you came here with Zhuo Yun. You came over after the rain stopped a few days ago. You are in-laws and its normal to come together. Remember to remind the children what and how to say and not let others find an excuse to convict us. Qin Shuwu also got serious when he saw Xu Rans face. Of course he knew the seriousness of the situation. Qin Shuwu said, Okay, I know I will remind them. Ill have to be bothering you these days. Xu Ran waved his hand and said, Its not bothering at all and you used to help me a lot before. The village chief is calling, so Ill go out first. You go and tidy up the room first. Be sure to throw away the things you cant use any more. Xu Ran left with his umbrella and Qin Shuwu said from behind, I know, dont worry! Xu Ran didnt know where the village chief want them to gather. He was about to look for them after he went out when he saw a person in a coat and a bamboo hat walking towards him. Xu Ran couldnt see clearly who it was because the rain was too heavy. He also walked forward and found that it was Xu An. Xu An, why are you here? Isnt the village chief calling for a gathering? asked Xu Ran. Xu An said, Im afraid that you dont know where to gather, so I came over to see you. Why did you come alone? What is Liu Tong and other people? Xu Ran thought that they were really considerate to think about it, and he even came over with such a heavy rain. Xu Ran answered, Lets talk as we go along. Liu Tong and the rest of the family were tidying up at home. This plague thing is true. I asked Tongtong to clean up the house and prevent it. Bro Xu An, you should also do that after you got home. Dont be reluctant to throw away the things you dont need. Food must be well cooked before you eat it. You have to wash your hands before you eat, and the house needs ventilation. Then you wouldnt be infected easily even if the plague comes to the village. They had to talk aloud Because of the heavy rain, even though they were walking next to each other. Fortunately, Xu An heard everything he said, so he didnt have to repeat it. Xu Ran told Xu An what he knew about infection control, and asked him to tell Wu Mei about that because Wu Mei was quick-witted and she should know how to deal with it. They might need to say it again when they meet Xu Fa and Xu Zhen later. After thinking about it for a while, Xu Ran thought that hed better asked everyone to come to his house. It would be better if everybody knows that. In that case, he did not have to explain why Qin Shuwu and his family were there. This could be considered as a few witnesses. They saw with they had been at his home before the plague came. Xu Ran and Xu An chatted as they walked. They soon arrived at the gathering place. It was in the middle of the village where they had previously set up a stage. The village chief was standing on a stool, with a bamboo hat. He didnt even wear a coat and his clothes were almost wet. Xu Ran walked in and found that he was the only one who used the umbrella. The others were all wearing straw hats. Some of them were even standing in the rain, but Xu Ran couldnt mind other peoples business. When the village chief saw that almost everyone was here, he struck the gong a few more times to these people to ask them to be silent. The reason why I aked you to gather here on such a rainy day was because there is a very important thing to say. The rainstorm hasnt stopped after summer. Everyone has heard before that there were floods in many places. Everyone knows that most of floods will be accompanied by the plague. I dont know how the other places are doing, but the news that someone has been suffering from the plague was spreading in Our town today. The town is probably under lockdown by now. Ive gathered all of you here to say two things. One, dont go to town these days, and two, dont ever take in any outsiders, no matter who they are! As soon as the village chief finished talking, the people below were in a mess. Some people immediately ran home while others started to ask the village chief about the plague. Shouting was definitely not enough in such a heavy rain, so the village chief started to strike the gong again. After controlling the situation, the village chief began to answer these peoples questions one by one. The younger generation did not know what the plague was, but the old man in the village, even if they had not experienced it, they must have known or heard about it. The village chief asked a few old man to tell them the seriousness of the plague. Most of the people were frightened and feared that they would be dead in the next moment. The village chief also took the opportunity to put forward the matter of not letting outsiders into the village. Xu Ran felt that this was not very appropriate. The village chief couldnt stare at them all the time, so he didnt know even if there were other people coming to the village. Xu Ran thought about it and turned to told Xu An , asking him to tell the village chief about it. He had someone in his own home so it was inappropriate for him to talk about it. After hearing what Xu Ran said, Xu An ran over to the village chief. The village chief nodded and turned to the people below, From now on, we have to select two teams to patrol in the village. One team at night, and one during the day. In order to prevent some people sneaking into the village, we also have to check how many people in your family now one by one.From now on, people in the village can only go out, and those who went out will not be able to return until the plague is over. people started to make a fuss again after the village chief finished. The village chief striked the gong and said. Be quite! If any of you volunteer to patrol, please stand to the left. If there is no one,Ill make the arrangement. A few people stood out, but it was not enough for a team. So the village chief mentioned some people by name to do that, including Xu An, Xu Fa and Xu Zhen. However, Xu Ran was not included. After all, as a scholar, it was not suitable for him to do such things. After that, the village chief said, All of you go back to your own home firstand well check house by house later. The villagers who are leaving now must leave immediately, or the village will be under lockdown later. People dispersed right away afterthe village chief finished talking, and Xu Ran also left with the crowd. Chapter 228 After Xu Ran went back, he told the group of people in his house about the incident, after which he comforted them, You dont have to worry at all. Now people in the village can only go out but not in. Everything should be fine. People present were relieved to hear what Xu Ran said. Then they went to do their own work. Now that they all lived together, they needed to work together, too. Since so many people had to eat, it was impossible for only one or two people to work there. Most of the people were busy doing a thorough cleanup at the moment. Xu Ran also divided the work of the kitchen. Every Geer had his division of labor, too. Fortunately, none of them was pregnant at the time being. Otherwise it would be bad, because any pregnant Geer was also a susceptible body to the epidemic. Apart from the kitchen work, there were also problems about fodder for horses. Although Xu Ran had asked Gao Quan to prepare it, it was definitely not enough because so many more horses came to their house suddenly. So as long as it didnt rain, all the Geers took turns to go out and cut the grass. Fortunately, there was little work in the fields now. They didnt have to worry about the lack of labor. In the orchards, cherries, apricots and plums had long been picked, and now there were only peaches left there. Those fruits that couldnt be sold were picked and kept for themselves. Now that there were so many people in their house, this fruit was definitely in timely supply. In this way, they just didnt have to buy fruit. The villages epidemic investigation had to be carried out from house to house, and Xu Rans family was arranged in the last place. That day, when everyone had finished their work and was ready for lunch, the village head came at last with his people. Xu Ran was open about his familys situation. He called everyone out and introduced them. He told the village head that these guests had come a few days before to celebrate Elder Dad Qins birthday. However, they couldnt leave after that because of the heavy rain. They wanted to leave today, but Xu Ran heard about the epidemic when he went shopping in the town. Hence, he quickly came back and kept the guests to stay in their house. Some people who were not fond of Xu Ran doubted about his kindness and someone even doubted that he had been infected with the epidemic. Xu Ran scoffed at this, You are really not able to tell good from bad. Im open and aboveboard, and I dont need to cover anything up. I just tell you all here that its I who informed the village head about the epidemic. If I wanted to do harm to the people around, would I still have informed the village head about this? I dont mind what you are thinking this time, but next time if something happens again, you dont hope I will offer you any help. I think some people may really have to wait until they die to understand the truth. The people present understood what Xu Ran meant, especially when they heard Xu Ran say that he would not provide any information or other help to them in the future, they started to complain about that person who had accused Xu Ran for no reason. Xu Ran said frankly, All of you, please go out to discuss and dont quarrel here in my house. You can rest assured that for the sake of my own family, I will not accept people from other places. You just try to take care of yourselves. You are not welcome here. At the same time, he drove those people out. Many people present resented Xu Ran for being so rude, but they knew it was their own fault. Thus the man who had mistaken about Xu Ran for no reason was even more despised. After Xu Ran chased those people away, he clapped his hands. He then turned around but to see everyone there in the house was fixing their eyes on him. As for Xu Rans performance just now, his and Zhuo Yuns family didnt feel too surprised. Qin Shuwus family, however, was different. They had never seen Xu Ran like this before. Xu Ran felt embarrassed being stared at this way. He rubbed his nose and wanted to slip away quietly. Of course, he couldnt. Qin Shuwu patted him on the shoulder and said, You were brilliant, man! You were so tough just now! I supposed that a man like you could only be bullied. Xu Ran looked up at the sky. He couldnt help asking himself whether he really looked like a little sheep so much that others thought he could only be bullied. To Xu Rans surprise, Zhuo Yun would come to get the last word in at this time, Eldest brother, I also thought he was easy to be bullied at the beginning just like you, because I found he always smiles at people. I didnt know that he would be so fierce until I saw him once quarrel with others. Xu Ran immediately retorted, How can I be so fierce? I never talk with arms akimbo. Upon hearing this, everyone present burst into laughter. Xu Ran rolled his eyes upwards, pushed his way through the crowd, and left. However, he wasnt angry. He had other things to attend to actually. He planned to visit the Xu Family. He guessed that because of the epidemic, the Xu Family was even more short of food. Although they usually didnt eat well, they could cope with it. At present, however, in this situation, they must have a hard time. Xu Ran was worried about them. There was still some brown rice at home, not much, though. Xu Ran took out the whole sack of it. In addition, he got another sack of peeled rice. With these two sacks on his shoulder, he was about to leave home. However, he stopped at the thought that it was raining outside. He thus put the rice down and found some oiled paper to wrap the two sacks up tightly before going out. There was no one in the yard at the moment. They must have gone back to their rooms. As no one there, Xu Ran directly went out without telling anyone else. It was still raining hard outside, and because the rain had lasted too long, the ground was covered in mud. Xu Ran stepped on it and his shoes were all wet. Now that this was the case anyway, Xu Ran didnt mind it and strode forward with the rice on his shoulder. When he reached the Xu Familys house, he found the door was closed as always. Xu Ran tried to reach out a hand to knock on the door. It was unknown whether it was because the heavy rain or some other reason. Anyway, a long time passed and no one came to answer the door. Xu Ran had no choice but to continue knocking even with his feet sometimes. The rain was getting heavier and Xu Ran waited at the door for a long time. In the end, he was so angry that he shouted, Dont you want to open the door? If you dont, Ill go back! In response, the door suddenly opened, and Xu Ran and Xu Hui, who came to open the door, looked at each other in dismay. Xu Ran complained, Youre standing at the door. Why dont you open the door? How long have I been calling? Xu Hui opened his mouth and wanted to explain, but when he saw the two sacks on Xu Rans shoulder, he bit back the words. Actually it was his granddaddy who stopped him from opening the door, but he was afraid that if he told the truth, Xu Ran would turn around and leave with the precious food. This was the experience Xu Hui had got from his previous lesson. As long as Xu Ran heard what his granddaddy said or how he was scolding him, he would leave right away with the things he brought. Later, if his granddaddy stopped uttering, Xu Ran would leave things behind. In fact, their days were not as bad as before. He and Xu Qiang had grown up and could help with some work in their family. Still the food they ate was not as good as what Xu Ran had given them. Needless to say, they were still looking forward to Xu Rans coming. Xu Ran didnt waste time with him talking there. With the rice still on his shoulder, he went straight into the house. Xu Houcai and Elder Daddy Xu were both there. Their backs had been bent over the years and they looked even older, but they were still quite energetic. Xu Ran called Xu Houcai dad, but he didnt greet Elder Daddy Xu. Xu Ran said to Xu Houcai, Dad, you know about the epidemic. You cant go to town recently, and you cant go to buy food. Thus I am sending you some rice. There are brown rice and peeled rice. If you dont have vegetables, you can go to my house to pick them directly. You have to take care of yourselves. Remember to keep good ventilation at home and eat the food that has been well cooked, okay? Xu Houcai nodded, Actually, I used to experience an epidemic when I was young. I know about the situation, so you dont worry about me. However, you should remember to take good care of your children. I heard that there are many people living in your house. Are they from the town? Is everything all right there? Xu Ran was quite happy to hear what Xu Houcai said with concern. He replied, Its all right. The guests came before the epidemic. Dont worry, dad. If you have any difficulties, just come to me. It is raining harder now. Im afraid that I must go back right away. With that, Xu Ran left without greeting anyone else. To be honest, the only person he cared about there was Xu Houcai. Xu Houcai didnt keep him to stay. He knew that Xu Ran wouldnt stay either. Elder Daddy Xu had often scolded him before when he came. At that time, Xu Ran often turned around and left. Although this kind of situation no longer appeared, the two of them would never talk to each other. For this, he had no way to ease it, and could only let it be. After Xu Ran left the Xu Family, he didnt go home directly. He thought that he was all wet anyway, so he decided to make another trip. He first went to Wu Lans house and told him everything he wanted to say, then he went to Liu Qings house. As there was no man at home there, Xu Ran didnt stay long but left right after leaving a message. When he came home at last, he found that his family were looking for him. Now that they had done all their distributed work, they felt bored with so many people sitting together only! Besides, it was raining outside, so it was impossible for them to go out. Thus, they were now looking for Xu Ran for his suggestion on what they should do further on. However, after searching for a long time, they couldnt see him. They had no idea when Xu Ran had gone out. They went to ask Liu Tong about the situation. They got no positive answer from there of course, so they could only sit and wait. As soon as Xu Ran arrived at the living room door, he heard someone say, I havent been so idle for many years. Im not used to this sudden appearance. The person who spoke this was Qin Shuwus spouse. He had been busy in his deli ever since its opening, whose business had been good for the past few years. Of course, he had been busy all the time. Then Xu Ran heard the voices of others who echoed, but there was no Liu Tongs. Xu Ran guessed that it was not that Liu Tong didnt speak, but that he couldnt say anything about it. He only went to work when he was needed in the past few years. Usually, he would only cook at home, make clothes, and so on. Compared to those years, his life now had become much better. Chapter 229 Xu Ran didnt stand at the door for long before he entered the room, Mainly because he was too embarrassed to eavesdrop too long. He was about to ask what they were talking about so happily when he entered the room, but Qin Shuwu pulled him over and started complaining, Xu Ran, youre also the owner of this house, right? You didnt say a word before you left, so we looked for you everywhere. I thought we scared you away. Xu Ran hurriedly waved his hand and said, Brother Qin, dont make jokes like that. Why would I think so? I was out to send some rice to my father. But it took a long time before they opened the door for me, so I came back late. It was all my fault. Hearing Xu Rans words, Qin Shuwu got a little angry. Why are you apologizing to me? Its not your fault. I didnt mean to criticize you. We all know about your familys affairs. You sent these things to them in such a heavy rain, but in the end, they were not even grateful. Youd better not go there in the future. What kind of father he is! Xu Ran didnt say much since the Qin family were still there. He just smiled and said, I guess they didnt hear me because of the heavy rain, speaking of which, what are you looking for me for? what can I do for you? Although Qin Shuwu was dissatisfied that Xu Ran had changed the topic, he still answered him, Heres the thing. Look, there are a lot of people here and we all have nothing to do.Its too boring, so we come to you to see if there is anything for us to do. Xu Ran looked at them and saw that there were a large group of people in the house. He must find something for them to do. However, it had been so many years and everyone was probably not interested in chess any more. As for the rest, he couldnt think of anything else! Xu Ran touched his head in embarrassment and said, I really cant think of anything now. Why dont you give me some advice? Do you want to sit like this or do you want to stand up? Qin Shuwu said, Lets all get up ! Anyway, its not hot, so its boring to just sit here. Xu Ran thought for a moment and came up with an idea. He said, How about this, all of you stand up and step aside, then move all the beds and stools to the side to see how much space we can make in the middle. Well play in the middle. After Xu Ran said that, everyone started to move. They all stepped aside and moved their things away to empty the space in the middle of the room. In the end, there was actually a lot of space in the middle. In fact, the thing that Xu Ran wants to play was very simple, that is to kick the shuttlecock, to pass the shuttlecock from one person to another and the one who kicks the most wins. Of course, this game was not suitable for all members, so Xu Ran asked if they were willing to play it. Although these guys knew about it, they had never played it before, so they all felt interested. Xu Ran ruthlessly separated the twin brothers and asked them to choose their teams by playing rock-paper-scissors. The team who lost would be responsible for dinner tonight and the straw weeds of tomorrow. The atmosphere instantly heated up. It wasnt too difficult to do these tasks, but the feeling would be different if its the punishment . Tangtang and Guoguo each chose five people to form two teams, six in each team, and they were holding hands to make a circle. Xu Ran wass the referee. The rules of the game was to pass the shuttlecock. One person kicked to another to see which team kicked the most. If the shuttlecock fell on the ground, then it would pass to another team. And when the game is over, the team who kicked the most would be the winner. Everyone found it quite easy. Xu Ran even organized two cheerfulleaders for each team to cheer them up. Finally, the atmosphere became lively. Although it was childish, the people present were all in high spirits, which made Xu Ran expected for it a little bit. Tangtang beat Guoguo with the rock-paper-scissors and she picked Gao Quan. He thought that Gao Quan was good at kung fu and there must be no problem for him to kick the shuttlecocks. However, Tangtang felt very regretful when the game started! Gao Quan behaved very well when the shuttlecok was passed to him, but when he passed it to others, there were a lot of problems. It was either too high or crooked. Sometimes, it could even go to the opposite direction, so their group had never played a full circle. On the other side, Guoguos team was much better, sometimes they could even kick two or three rounds. Instantly, the gap between the two teams was widened. All eyes were fixed on Gao Quan when he was kicking, even the cheerleaders stopped cheering, because they were afraid to disturb him. As a result, they got disappointed after he finished kicking, and then started to laugh at him instantly. Every time Gao Quan was playing, Xu Ran consciously ran to pick up the shuttlecock, as if he knew that it was going to fall, which made everyone laugh again. No one knew if Gao Quan was sorry from his expression. Anyway, he still kicked it the way he should, and it was obviously not that masterly. At last, when the game was about to end, Xu Ran specifically asked Gao Quan to kick alone. Anyway, there were all kinds of situations, and the people watching by the side were laughing very hard. Tangtangs team lost in the end. Mmm, unfortunately, none of this team was man. Moreover, none of the them could cook besides Tangtang, and Tangtang was not a very good cook, either. Tangtang felt a lot of pressure with the expectations of so many people! Just as he was about to ask if he could ask other people for help, Xu Ran said, No one is allwed to help them with the dinner! If it was something else, but they lost the game today and they must be willing to admit defeat. Everyone knows this principle, we would rather eat worse and later than to help them. Tangtang looked at Xu Ran bittely after Xu Ran said that. In fact, there was also a reason why Xu Ran said that. These two children have had a good time these years, and they were admitted as a scholar at the age of 12. They had never suffered any setbacks. Xu Ran was worried that they would think that world outside was that easy and simple, so he wanted them to suffer a little. The thing happened today was quite suitable for Tangtang to learn his lessons. We should pick out and promote talents. If you want to choose a person to work for you, he must be qualified and suitable for the things you wanted him to do. If not, youd better not choose him. Just like Gao Quan, although he was very good at kung fu, but he was not good at kicking shuttlecocks. But Tangtang only saw his advantages and chose him blindly. Tangtang understood what Xu Ran meant when Xu Ran said he wouldnt let others help them. Although he still had some resentment, he could understand Xu Rans care and thought. Tangtang glanced at Xu Ran and didnt say anything. He just turned around and went to the kitchen to cook. Tangtang made dinner mostly by herself. Some of thers just made a fire or helped wash the vegetables, and the rest of them couldnt do anything. In the end, Tangtang was so tired that he could barely stand up straight. It was certainly not that delicious, but no one said anything bad about it. Instead, they all complimented Tangtang, saying that its good that he can cook, just like his dad. Even Guoguo comforted his brother, but Xu Ran didnt say anything. He was not angry, but he was all silent. After dinner, Tangtang took the initiative to find Xu Ran to apologize. Xu Ran asked him, What did you do wrong? Tangtang said seriously, Dad, its my fault. I prejudiced by first impressions. I should not take it for granted that Uncle Gao Quan could kick the shuttlecock well just because he is good at Kung Fu. It is just a little thing, and it doesnt matter much, but Tangtang, you should understand why you worked so hard.I wont stop you if you want to engage in the official career, but if you cant do something as simple as that, how are you going to survive in the capital? said Xu Ran. You are now thirteen years old. You can take the exam for provincial graduate when you got fifteen, and then you will have to go to the capital. Dad can not always be by your side. More importantly, we cant do anything for you even if we are here. As you know, Im just a scholar. There are so many dignitaries and nobles in the capital, what can your I do? So, Tangtang, you can only rely on yourself and get stronger step by step. However, the premise is that you have the ability to protect yourself. I just need you to remember one thing today. You cant judge a person by his appearance. You have to weigh a persons strengths as well as her weaknesses. Tangtang didnt answer him immediately. Instead, he lowered his head and started to think seriously about Xu Rans words. Xu Ran was not in a hurry, and he was just holding his arms and waiting for him. He knew how ordinary he was. What he said would not matter in this era. He couldnt pave the path for the child. All he could do was to teach him how to be an officer since he was a child, and to teach him how to learn and ask, how to survive. As for the rest past, the children would have to find their way slowly. The two children were too obedient, and Xu Ran couldnt help but spoiled them too much. Now, he couldnt see any shortcomings of them. They were even much smarter than the children of their age, but Xu Ran knew that this was not enough, far from enough, and they needed to experience some more before he knew the cruelty of this world. Unfortunately, the village was too small and they could not go through anything. Xu Ran was wondering if it was time to let them go out? Or should he go out and take a look at the world. He is only in his thirties. If he stayed in this village for teh rest of his life, he wouldnt know how to educate his descendants in the future! While both father and son were thinking of their own business, Guoguo, who is eavesdropping behind the door, has thought of a lot of things. He knew that Dad was not only talking about his brother, but also him. It was his brother who made a mistake today, so Dad would talk to his brother alone. Just come out! The sudden voice from inside stunned Guoguo, but he quickly realized that he was talking about himself. The person who called him in was Tangtang. After Guoguo came in, Tangtang turned to Xu Ran and said, Dad, I have remembered and understood everything you said, and I will not let you down. Tangtang even clenched his fists. Xu Ran didnt say anything but stared at Guoguo and asked, What did you hear just now? Everything. said Guoguo. What do you want to say then? Guoguo answered the same way as Tangtang, Dad, Ive also learned my lesson today. And I wont let you down. Xu Ran will not doubt whether their words were true or not, because they would say it themselves if they didnt understand what he said, and they wouldnt be perfunctory about it. Since they all said they had remembered and understood it, it must be true. Xu Ran smiled with relief. They were really good boys. Chapter 230 Xu Ran Xu Ran gave the two children a lecture on the shuttlecock thing, and the two children were more close to Xu Ran. Of course, Xu Ran did not forget to let them take good care of Baozi. After all, Baozi was favored by their family. Apart from eating, he had no advantages, nor disadvantages. He would learn whatever you told him to, but he wouldnt be good at it, and wouldnt know much. But you couldnt blame him either. After all, he knew a little bit about everything. Xu Ran deeply felt that that if you introduce Baozi to others, the only quality you could say about him would be no leftovers when he ate. Helpless as he was, he would still have to spoil him because he was still young after all. More importantly, both of his brothers were very capable, so he wouldnt have to worry about food or clothing in the future. The village had been quite calm for the past few days, mainly because it was raining heavily. People barely went out and no one knew what was going on outside. Xu Ran wanted to let Gao Quan go to the town to take a look, but the rain was too heavy and it was not convenient for him to go out. However, the quite days would not last long. The rain had just become lighter and Xu Ran was ready to go out to take a breath. As soon as he was out, he stretched himself a little at the door and noticed something was going on at the back of the mountain. Someone was talking, and more importantly, Xu Ran saw vaguely what those people were carrying. Xu Ran felt something was wrong. What was it so important that they had to carry it up a mountain on such a rainy day? He called Gao Quan over again and said to him, Let us follow behind them quietly to see what happened, Could it be that someone has been infected by the plague? Now, this was the only thing Xu Ran could suspect. Gao Quan had no objections. Each of them took a stick and quietly walked up the mountain. When they got close enough to them, they found that there were seven or eight people there, and all of them were from the village. Young and old, and six of them were carried three people while the other two were each carrying one, and it looked like a family. People who were carried seemed to be dead. Xu Ran and Gao Quan couldnt be sure because they were far away. Xu Ran just said to Gao Quan, Remember these peoples faces. Ill go find the village chief. There must be something wrong with these people. Its better to be on guard early. Gao Quan nodded, indicating that he would keep an eye on these people. Xu Ran quietly slipped down the mountain after he said that. He didnt go home but went straight to find the village chief. Xu Ran met someone on patrol on the way and Xu An happened to be there. He pulled Xu An over and told him what had just happened. Xu An didnt believe it at first. Then, he patted his hand and said, Oh, no! Xu Ran quickly asked him, Brother Xu An, whats wrong? Whats the problem? Xu An said to Xu Ran, We saw footprints at the entrance of the village the day before yesterday when we were on patrol. They went from the outside to the inside. We found it strange but we didnt see anyone coming in so we didnt take it seriously. However, we have been thinking about this for the past few days, so we would pay more attention to them when we were patrolling. Isnt it normal to have footprints at the entrance of the village? Why is it strange? asked Xu Ran. But the village chief had already asked us to wipe out the footprints before the village was under lockdown. Apart from the patrolling team, no one else was allowed to go to the entrance of the village. Even if there were footprints, they could only be from the inside to the outside. Thats why we felt strange, but we didnt find anything unusual in the past few days. Just as we were about to feel relieved, you came. Xu An answered. Xu An and Xu Ran muttered to each other while the others were waiting by the side. They finally called Xu An because the two of them had talked for a long time. So Xu An told them what Xu Ran had just seen and they all got anxious. It seemed that someone from the outside had came in, and they were probably still infected with the plague. Xu An said, Guys, Ill go to the mountain to see whose relatives they are. If they were really infected with the plague, these people who have come into contact with them cant live in the village anymore. People are dead, and these people might be infected with the plague. Everyone agreed with Xu An and they all ran up the mountain one after another. Xu An walked at the back of the line and he asked Xu Ran what he was going to do. Xu Ran said, I was about to go out to take a breath, but as soon as I went out the door, I saw someone on the mountain and I felt something was wrong. So I followed them with Gao Quan and saw someone walking up the mountain. I was afraid that something might happen, so I decided to go find the village chief, then I saw you on the way. Xu An said, Since thats the case, let us go there and take a look first. And you should continue to go to the village chief and ask him to come together. It would be much easier to deal with if something really happens. Xu Ran nodded. All right, you go ahead first! And Ill go find the village chief. So the two of them ran away separately. Xu Ran was thinking as he ran, what if the village was really infected with the plague? There were so many people in his family, young and old, it would be quite difficult to deal with. Fortunately, they had enough precautions, and they barely had contact with people in the village except him. They should be fine. Xu Ran could only comfort himself now. Xu Ranran to the village chiefs home quickly and called the village chief aloud. The village chief soon came out. Seeing that it was Xu Ran again, he had a bad feeling instantly. The village chief asked, Xu Ran! What happened again? Dont tell me that someone in the village had been infected with plague. That would be a big trouble. Xu Ran waved his hand and said, It isnt the case, but not much of a difference. I just noticed that some people from the village were carrying others to the mountain, and the people who were carried didnt look like the villagers. I came to you because I was worried that something might happen. I ran into a patrol team on the way and I told them. They were probably rushing up the mountain now. The village chief felt a sudden dart of panic when he heard this. He hurriedly said to Xu Ran, Lets go to the mountain and take a look. If someone from another village really came in and got infected with the plague, it would be a big problem. The village chief said very urgently, but Xu Ran could understand him. He hurriedly rushed to the mountain with the village chief. He also went home and told them not to go in any case. Hearing to Xu Rans words, everyone knew that something had happened in the village, so they all promised that they would not go out. The patrol party had already arrested all of them when Xu Ran and the Village Chief arrived. There were five people lying on the ground, four adults and a child. Some of them had already died and the others were almost dying, too. These people looked pale and there are a lot of red spots on their faces.What else could it be but the plague? The village chief asked the patrol party, Whats going on? These people lying on the ground are not from the village! Everyone of the patrol party looked at each other and no one said anything. They probably didnt know what was going on themselves. Xu Ran looked around and found that Gao Quan was not there. He guessed that he might be hiding somewhere. But it would be okay. If there was something wrong, he would handle it all by himself. Since no one was speaking, Xu Ran asked Xu An, Whats going on? Have you seen these people when you checked? Xu An shook his head and said. Weve never seen them before. There were no outsiders in Xu Dafangs home when we were checking, so I guessed that these people had probably sneaked in the day before yesterday. Being caught, Xu Dafangs family was also frightened. They told the truth before the village chief ask. These people were distant relatives of Xu Dafang in the town, and they had secretly come to the village the night before yesterday. It was raining heavily and the sky was very dark, so the patrol team did not notice them. Initially, the Xu family was unwilling to take them in because they were afraid of the plague, but these distant relatives gave them fifty taels of silver and asked Xu Dafang to allow them to stay here for a few days. They promised they were not infected and they would leave immediately as soon as it was over. Xu Dafang agreed for the sake of the silver. They thought that since they were not infected, it would be fine if they stayed for a while. After all, this was 50 taels of silver! They hadnt earned so much for so many years. However, things did not turn out as he had expected. Xu Dafangs family had suddenly suffered a fever and their faces gotten red the morning before yesterday. They didnt even speak very flueThe Xu Dawang family was frightened and wanted to chase these distant relative away. But his distant relatives were not easy to deal with. He clearly told Xu Dafang that their family had long been infected with the plague but it was not that serious. However, it got worse and worse after the rain. He also threatened that if he chased them out, he would tell the villagers that the Xu family was infected with the plague. His words frightened Xu Dafang and he did not dare to drive them away. Therefore, Xu Dawang did nothing about it. He even thought that there might be a chance that they would get well soon . However, Xu Dawang noticed there was something wrong with his relatives this morning. A few of the children were dead, and two young men also stopped breathing. Only this distant relative and his eldest son was alive, but they also looked like they were dying soon. Xu Dafang was frightened again. He discussed with his family and decided to bury the corpse to destroy the evidence. He decided to carry them up the hill and throw them down the cliff, so no one would know that they were there. However, they were not that lucky. They got caught by Xu Ran when he came out of his home. Chapter 231 Xu Dawang recounted what had happened in details. He said during the time they carried people from home to the mountain, they encountered no one else, except for Xu Ran, which was owing to their bad luck. The people lying on the ground indeed could not be saved back, and they couldnt be allowed to appear in the village again. The dead people were estimated to be more infectious, so it was best to be careful. In fact, it was also easy to handle the dead onesCburn the bodies, and dig a hole to bury them. It was Xu Dawangs family that was not easy to deal with. After all, they had lived with the infected people for a few days, and then carried the dead bodies for so long today. The possibility of being infected was very high. Xu Ran looked at the village chief and saw him frowning. He was probably thinking about how to deal with Xu Dawangs family. There were eight vigorous young men here, let alone the brothers, children, and old people at home. There were really a lot of people in this family. Xu Dawang was also staring at the village chief. He knew that the village chief was thinking about how to deal with this family. After a while, the village chief said, Xu An, send some people to fetch some firewood and burn the bodies of these outlanders. Then bury the ashes. As for Xu Dawong, your family will definitely not be able to live in the village anymore. No matter you have infected with plague or not, its not safe for villagers. How about you go outside the village and get a shed to live temporarily. If you are clean, then you can move back to the village, and I will ask Doctor Liu to check you. This arrangement was already very good for Xu Dawangs family. After all, the village chief did not chase them out. They could still come back, if they were not infected by the plague. Xu Dawang was very happy about the arrangement. However, the only thing he didnt think about was what would happen if their family were infected by the plague. Xu Dawangs family probably knew that they were wrong, so no matter what the village chief said, he did not refute. The village chief called someone out from the patrol and asked him to take Xu Dawangs family back and move their stuff out of the village. As for the others, they stayed to incinerate the bodies. Xu Ran also stayed to help with the inspection. Besides, he needed an opportunity to ask Xu An some questions. Because when the village chief asked them earlier, they didnt tell the truth. Xu Ran felt that they might have hidden something. It turned out that Xu Ran was right about it. Xu An said, When we came, other than the child, everyone else was still alive. The two brothers were strangled to death by Xu Dawang and the others. When we arrived, it was too late. As to the other two men, they were also pinched on the necks, and were released by Xu Dawang family only when we came. Although they survived, they werent too far away from death. Xu Ran sneered, The family looked quite well-behaved, but actually were so ruthless. It was all for 50 taels of silver. When I first saw them carrying people, I thought that these people were all dead. Now, Im afraid that they were knocked unconscious. Xu An said, Who said not? It has been long said that the outlanders cant be taken in. They did such a thing just for fifty taels of silver. Xu Ran, if it werent for you, they would have brought disaster to the whole village. By the way, do you think their family have infected with plague? Xu Ran said while adding the firewood, Its about 90% possibility! It would be fine if they just stayed in their house for a few days, but they carried people up the mountain like this. Even if they didnt have it, they could be infected during this period, but dont worry, as long as we dont have too close contact with them, it will be fine. Xu An said, No, we dont. The several people on the ground were also put there by them from the beginning. They probably wanted to kill them and then destroy the evidence, but we came too quickly. They havent got the time. Xu Ran said, Fortunately, they havent had time yet. If they really threw the bodies down the mountain, I dont know how many people will be harmed. I guess no one will dare to come to the mountain in the future. Xu An sighed and said, Exactly. Fortunately, you saw it. Xu Ran didnt reply but changed the topic to the firewood. Brother Xu An, the firewood is wet. Can you light it? Xu An said, It doesnt matter. You can fetch here some hay, and set up the frame with some dry woods. The firewood will serve as pyre. When the hay is burned up, the firewood will be dry too. Xu Ran remembered that there was usually a pyre when dead bodies were burned on TV, so he didnt ask further. He just kept helping to pick up the firewood. The incineration would be held on the mountain. After they picked up enough firewood, the villagers also brought dried wood and hay to the mountain. However, the resentment was very strong, and it seemed that they had a grudge with Xu Dawong and the dead family. In addition, there were not many spectators because they were afraid of infection. If the village chief hadnt let these people watch, they would have left. Xu Ran didnt care, since it was not the way of infection. The fire lasted for a long time, and the village chief and the patrol had been guarding the place. The pit had been dug long ago, waiting for the ashes to be buried in. Xu Ran without staying there for long, went home after watching for a while. After returning home, he first rinse himself, changed his clothes, burned the clothes he had worn, and then went out to see everyone. He told the ins and outs of the matter to everyone. After he was done, he found out that Gao Quan was not around. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Gao Quan has gone out with me, but we separated in the middle. I didnt see him when we were on the mountain. Did he come back? Liu Tong said, I didnt see him. I wonder if he went out to cut the grass. Yesterday, he mentioned that the grass was gone. He probably went to gather some seeing it didnt rain today! Xu Ran didnt think much about Liu Tongs words. After all, Gao Quan had always behaved in a strange way. Gao Quan came back about supper time. Clothes all wet, he came back empty-handed. It happened that Xu Ran opened the door for him. Seeing him like this, Xu Ran couldnt help asking where he had been. Gao Quan looked at Xu Ran, hesitated a bit and said. I went to meet Lu Qi, who said that he was here to take Second Young Master away. Now that the plague is out of control, it might be spread into the village at any time. It is too dangerous. Whats more, the prince already knew about the plague. Lu Qi said that if he doesnt take Second Young Master away, The prince will come over to pick him personally. Xu Ran, frowning, opened the door and said to Gao Quan, Come in first. Well talk about this later. I shall think it over. Gao Quan nodded, walked into the house, and went upstairs to change his clothes as usual. He left but Xu Ran couldnt calm down anymore. He knew from Gao Quan that Lu Qis father had excellent medical skills. Judging from Lu Qis appearance, he probably had acquired all the skills from his father. If even he could do nothing with the plague, it would be terrible. If a doctor said such words, the plague should be very serious. The other thing was how he should talk to Liu Tong. Lu Qi and the others hadnt appeared in front of them for six years and Xu Ran almost thought they wouldnt appear. Now it seemed that they were paying attention to them all the time. Although Xu Ran also wanted to go out for a tour, let the children experience more, and also visit King Yan in Yanzhou, he really wasnt sure how to tell Liu Tong that he had a twin brother. However, from the fact that Liu Tong could give birth to twins, it was very likely that King Yans matter was true. After all, twins were inherited. Xu Ran patted his head. He had forgotten to ask Gao Quan if Lu Qi would come here tonight. In Xu Rans eyes, Lu Qi was a kung fu master. His kung fu was even better than Gao Quan. He had always come and gone like a shadow. It would be great if such a person could teach Tangtang and Guoguo martial arts. Besides, he could also learn medical skills from him, which seemed quite good. In Xu Rans fantasy, he went farther and farther. When he came back to his senses, he couldnt help but smile. Really, he was always in the habit of overthinking. He had to explain not only to Liu Tong, but also to Zhuo Yun and Qin Shuwu! After all, if they suddenly left, it would be impossible for them not to say anything about it. Furthermore, they were still living in his house. Xu Ran, a little vexed, scratched his head hard. However, he was just seen by Baozi and Qingshu upstairs. Baozi shouted from upstairs, Dad, dont scratch your head. You are getting bald. Xu Rans face darkened instantly. He thought that he was not in his seventies and eighties, how come some scratching would make him bald! Xu Ran made a gesture of beating to Baozi, but Qing Shu next to him immediately pushed Baozi behind. Uncle Xu, dont beat Baozi. If you want to beat somebody, beat me. Im more resistant than Baozi. Qingshus voice was quite loud. It attracted a group of people from the house. They heard that Xu Ran was going to beat someone. Before they could ask what was going on, they hugged Xu Ran first. Calm down, why did you beat the child? Xu Ran didnt know whether to laugh or cry, looking at the person who hugged him, the third brother of the Qin family, the one who pampered children most. Xu Ran said, Third Brother, let me go first. These two bear kids are upstairs. How can I hit them! Can you listen to me first? Third Brother Qin saw that Baozi and Qingshu were really upstairs, so he bought Xu Rans words and let go of him. Xu Ran looked at Baozi and Qingshu for a while and said, Baozi, shouldnt you explain for Dad? Baozi, who was called, looked confused and said that he had no idea about what to explain. Similarly, Qingshu wore the same expression as him Xu Ran cursed again in his heart and had to explain himself, I was just thinking about things! Then I scratched my head as I walked. This is my habit. As a result, Baozi saw it from upstairs and said that I would go bald. I didnt even scold him. I just made a gesture and Qingshu called out. After saying this, Xu Ran smiled helplessly, indicating that he was wronged. Hearing his explanation, and seeing that the two kids were playing happily upstairs, Third Brother Qin knew that he had wronged Xu Ran. He apologized to Xu Ran repeatedly to express his apology. Xu Ran waved his hand. Third Brother Qin, dont apologize. Its just a misunderstanding. Besides, you are out of care for the children. Hearing Xu Ran say this, Third Brother Qin couldnt say anything else. He followed the group of people back into the house. Chapter 232 Xu Ran went upstairs. As soon as Baozi and Qingshu saw him, they ran into the room and locked the door tightly. Xu Ran wanted to laugh even more. He thought that he would find a chance to beat up Baozi. Qing Shu, who was originally such a nice and obedient child, had been spoiled by him. Xu Ran went to Tangtang and Guoguos room to check. The two kids sat side by side on the bed, reading their own books. Xu Ran walked over and took a look at their books. Guoguo was reading a military book while Tangtang was reading a history one. Both kids were very attentive. When Xu Ran came in, Tangtang and Guoguo also saw him. They put down the book and Tangtang asked Xu Ran, Dad, what are you doing here? Xu Ran thought for a while. He had nothing to do, but as Tangtang and Guoguo asked, he wanted to tell them about Liu Tongs identity. Xu Ran went to close the door, sat down and said to them, You sit down too. Ill tell you something important. Dont be too surprised later. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded. Got it, Dad. Xu Ran said, Here is what I want to tell you. This matter concerns your Daddy. Daddy is not surnamed Liu, nor is he from Liu Village. His identity is the younger brother of Yanzhou King Yan. Just like you two, they are twins. However, they were separated for some reasons when they were young. I knew about this seven years ago. At that time, someone tried all means to take Daddy away, but I didnt agree. At that time, since you were very little and Baozi was just born. I was worried. Today someone came again, I thought that no matter it was true or not, I should take you guys to take a look Xu Ran told Tangtang and Guoguo everything he knew, including his doubts and worries. The two kids were 13 years old and Xu Ran felt that it was time for them to know about these things and had their own judgment. After that, Xu Ran asked Tangtang, Tangtang, in your opinion, should I go or not? Tangtang thought for a moment and said, Dad, no matter what, we should make the trip. You also said that Uncle Gao Quan works for the old prince. He has lived in our house for so many years. If he really has an evil mind, then he should have revealed it in so many years. However, we didnt find anything. Accordingly, Uncle Gao Quan wouldnt harm us. Dad, you have said that King Yan and Daddy are twins, so they must be alike. As long as we see King Yan, we will know whether it is true. Xu Ran nodded. Tangtang, what you said makes sense. Its about what I thought. Then Xu Ran asked Guoguo, Guoguo, what do you think? Guoguo said, Dad, I also think we should go. Even if its not to help Daddy find his brother, we can also go and have a visit. After all, its not good to keep staying here. You and Daddy have never been to places too far away, and the three of us have not even been out of town. Its good to broaden our horizon. Guoguo hesitated for a moment, then continued, Besides, Dad, you know that I have wanted to be a general since childhood. Yanzhou is in the north, having a cold climate, and borders the Mo Luo Kingdom. There are wars all year round, which is a practicing opportunity for me. After Guoguo said this, Tangtang nodded. Dad, we really should go out and see the world. We remember what youve been teaching us all the time. However, there are some things about which if we dont see in person, will never truly know. Moreover, since our family doesnt lack money now, it doesnt matter even if we go out for a few years. Xu Ran smiled after hearing it. It seems that instead of caring about that you might have a lord uncle, you are more interested in going out and take a look. Xu Ran stood up. Actually, I also want to go out and take a look. In that case, I will talk with your Daddy tonight. No matter he accepts this brother or not, our family will be on a tour! Anyway, the plague is getting more and more out of control. Its good to stay away from it. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded and asked carefully, Dad, what if Daddy cant accept this? Xu Ran smiled and shook his head. Since both of you can accept it. Why cant you Daddy? Dont underestimate your Daddy, who has survived the difficult seven years in the Xu Family. After Xu Ran said it, he opened the door to leave. Dad, youve been so spoiling Daddy for the past few years. How can you still compare to the past? Guoguos voice was very small when he said this, but Xu Ran still heard it. He walked back and knocked on Guoguos head. You have to believe that people will change in many ways, but their nature will not change. No matter what your Daddy is pampered by me, he will still be Liu Tong, the same person who have supported the whole family at the very beginning. Guoguo was shocked when he heard Xu Rans serious words and said, Dad, I was wrong. Xu Ran said, Its good that you realize you are wrong. Dont say something like this in the future. Guoguo nodded. I know Dad, I wont say it again. Xu Ran didnt say anything else and went downstairs. In the evening, after dinner, when everyone was chatting and took no notice of them. Xu Ran and his family, plus Gao Quan, went back to their room, about to have a meeting. Everyone knew what they were going to say, except Liu Tong, who was a little nervous and asked as soon as he entered the room, Ran, what are you doing? Do you want to announce something? Xu Ran sat down with Liu Tong and said with a serious tone, Tongtong, I am going to say something that has to do with you. Dont be too surprised when you hear it. Liu Tong nodded. After so many years, even Baozi was seven years old. What else could he be surprised about? Xu Ran took a deep breath and said, Tongtong, have you ever doubted about your own background? About whether you might not be the biological son of your Dad. Liu Tong was stunned and said, Ran, why would you ask such a question? Of course, I wont doubt it. Xu Ran said, What I want to say is related to your background. Your Dad is not your real Dad. You have a twin brother who looks the same as you. He is King Yan. Tongtong, can you understand what I said? Liu Tong was confused when he heard this. Ran, why is there such a thing? That is King Yan. How could he be my brother? Then why is my Dad not my biological Dad? What is going on? Liu Tong shot out the questions one by one. At this, Xu Ran, remaining calm, pulled over his hand and comforted him by saying softly, I have known about this for many years, but as the kids were too little at the time, I didnt want our peaceful life to be disturbed, so I never told you. Let me tell you the whole story. You and King Yan are twin brothers, but you have been separated since childhood. King Yan went to Yanzhou with the old lord while you were stranded in LIu Village under some protection. Tongtong, havent you mentioned that your Daddys kung fu is similar with that of Gao Quan? It was because they both work for the old lord. Whats more, dont you think something was strange about your Dad? How could he, a peasant, be able to hunt, read and to practice kung fu? Tongtong, you should think clearly about what happened when you were young. Is it so? I didnt lie to you and I wouldnt lie to you. Seven years ago, King Yans men found us and wanted to take you away, but I rejected them. Our lives have been good and peaceful all these years, so they never came to disturb us, but this time its different. Liu Tong still didnt believe it. He didnt say anything and only listened to Xu Ran. Xu Ran continued, This plague is very serious. King Yans subordinates said that if we dont go to Yanzhou, King Yan will come over personally. Tongtong, if there is no decree, how can King Yan leave his territory? If it is discovered, it will be a felony. I have discussed it with Tangtang and Guoguo. No matter it is true or not, we will go to Yanzhou, just considering it a traveling experience. Liu Tong still didnt say anything and Xu Ran couldnt continue, so the room was quiet for a while. Second Master, what Xu Ran said is true. You are indeed King Yans younger brother because you look very similar to the deceased old lord. Ive been with old lord for over ten years. I wont make the mistake. Gao Quan suddenly said. Liu Tong looked at Gao Quan, Are you telling the truth? You already knew about it? Why are you hiding it from me? Liu Tong was still a little agitated. After all, it was such a big thing. His Dad was no longer his real Dad all of a sudden! It had been thirty years. Whoever in his shoes would be agitated. Xu Ran said softly, Tongtong, only Gao Quan and I knew it a few years ago, Tangtang and Guoguo only found it out today. How can we tell you under the situation at that time? We wont tell you during the rest of the years when our lives were very peaceful. Besides, since the people from King Yan didnt appear, we naturally wont say it. Now that were at this point, we cant tell you even if we dont want to. Tongtong, I am clear what kind of people you are. You just cannot absorb it for now Xu Ran was right. He really couldnt absorb it immediately, but he knew that Xu Ran had made the case. Liu Tong thought for a moment and said, Ran, let me think about it first. Ill just wait until I figure it out. If I really want to go to Yanzhou, Ill go too. Just as you have said, to travel around. Since Liu Tong had said so, Xu Ran couldnt say anything else. Liu Tong needed to absorb the matter by himself, but Xu Ran knew that it wouldnt take too long. Liu Tong was still the same Liu Tong as he said to Guoguo. Before Tangtang andn Guoguo could say a word, he followed Xu Ran out. Xu Ran said, You go downstairs first. Its not good if all our family dont show up. I have something to say to Gao Quan. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded and quickly went downstairs. Chapter 233 After Tangtang and Guoguo left, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan, Gao Quan, did Lu Qi say that he would come tonight? I want to ask him something. Gao Quan said, He didnt say that he would com, but I guess he will. Xu Ran nodded. Well, Come to find me when he is here. Besides, inform Shao Yu of the whole thing. We will go to Yanzhou together. Mm, I got it, Gao Quan said. After they finished talking to Gao Quan, the two went downstairs together. The eyes of the people in the house were on Guoguo and Tangtang and nobody noticed them. Xu Ran cut in for a while and slipped away quietly. He went back to his room to find Liu Tong. Liu Tong sat by the bed in a daze while Liu Tong sat beside him and hugged him. Whats the matter? Cant you accept it? Liu Tong shook his head. No, Dad and Daddy have been gone for more than 20 years. I have forgotten what they look like, but I never thought that I would have something to do with a prince. Ran, do you think this is a good thing? Xu Ran said, There is nothing good or bad about it. Things change. Roll with the punches. We will see if it is true as we go there. Although King Yan is not on good terms with the emperor now, he might have a good relationship with the next emperor. At that time, Tangtang and Guoguo will have a backer when they want to establish themselves in the court. At least he is a prince. When Liu Tong heard him say this, he suddenly smiled. You even thought of this. Didnt you always tell them to rely on themselves? Xu Ran said, This only applies when they encounter difficulties! Its not that I am asking them to shout on the street that their uncle is King Yan. If you hold a grudge about it, go ahead, hit me if you can! Liu Tong was even happier when he heard this. He didnt bother about what he had just been obsessed, and said to Xu Ran, Ran, Ill listen to you. Lets go to Yanzhou to see if we look alike. If hes good, Ill acknowledge him. If hes not, then I wont. Xu Ran smiled gently, Well, if hes not good, we wont acknowledge him. I heard that the plague is getting more and more serious, so we should make thorough preparation first. We will leave when things go wrong. Okay. The couple were chatting in the room while the people downstairs were chitchatting too. As for what was going on outside, none of them cared. Lu Qi came at the mid-night. He secretly jumped from the roof of the Xu Family into the yard. The moment he came, Gao Quan detected it, and not long after, Tangtang and Guoguo woke up too, probably sensing danger instinctively. However, Tangtang and Guoguo did not go down. They just watched from the dark. Previously when they saw Gao Quan come out, they kept staring at him without blinking, afraid that Gao Quan would do something betraying them. Later, when they saw Gao Quan calling their Dad down, the two kids fell back to sleep relievedly. Anyway, their Dad would not harm them. On the other side, the first thing Lu Qi said when he saw Xu Ran was, The two young masters have found out that Im here. Xu Ran was stunned for a moment before realizing who he was talking about. Xu Ran said, It turned out they have the ability now. Lets not talk about this. Tell me about the plague first. Though it wasnt raining at night, it wasnt appropriate to talk in the yard. Lu Qi looked around, and Xu Ran understood what he meant, and said, Lets go to the living room first, but we cant light the lamp. After all, everyone is asleep, and theyll know if the lamp is lighted. About this, Lu Qi had no objection. He only needed a place to sit down. In the darkness, they found seats to sit down in the living room. Then Xu Ran asked Lu Qi about the plague. Lu Qi said, The plague came from elsewhere. The first place affected is your town. The plague spread too quickly. Most of the people have been infected before people could study how to treat it. The towns clinics are either closed or are helpless in front of the plague. Thats why its a troublesome thing. The officials in the town are intentionally trying to suppress the problem of the plague. In not distant future, there would be numerous casualties. Thus, I am so eager to take you away. Xu Ran was a little surprised. The situation has already been so serious. Does the court not know? Could there be countless casualties in the village? Lu Qi said, As long as there is a one infected with plague in the village, it will affect the whole village. At that time, the yamen would not differentiate whether everyone has got infected, they might set the whole village to a blaze. From Lu Qis words, Xu Ran could sense the cruelty of this eraChuman lives were light like dirt. Xu Ran said, Then the yamen will not know about what happened today! Even if I want to leave, I wont be willing to let anyone burn this village. My house took me thousands of taels of sliver to repair, and my orchards, in which I have worked hard for three years to make the trees bear fruits. These are fruits of my painstaking labour. I would be devastated if all are ruined. Lu Qi was speechless. While human lives were lost every day, Xu Ran was still thinking about the house and orchards. Lu Qi said, Thats not the point. The situation is very serious now. You have to follow me to the Yanzhou. Ive already prepared everything. All you have to do is bring your necessities and dont care about anything else. Xu Ran waved his hand. Well go, but its not now. Its not that fast. Were not going to be back in a short while. I still have something to arrange, so I need some more time. I know the seriousness of the situation and Ill arrange it as soon as possible. Right, arent you good at the medical skills? Dont you know how to deal with this plague? Lu Qi shook his head. I havent studied the plague, and I dont have the time to manage it. You know that Im King Yans subordinate. Now that the old emperor is still in power, I dont want to work for him. It seemed that the grudge was quite deep. Xu Ran thought. But if what they said was true, Xu Ran himself should hate the emperor. However, this was not the focus now. Xu Ran said to Lu Qi, In the next few days, I will make plans as soon as possible. You should also study how to deal with the plague, Just in case. Lu Qi nodded, Alright, but you have to hurry up. If King Yan comes over personally, itll be troublesome. Got it, Ill do it as soon as possible. Its not suitable for us to chat in the middle of the night. Youd better leave first! It would be bad if the villagers found out. Lu Qi got up and said, Well, Ill leave first. Ill come back in two days. Then he got out of the door and disappeared in a blink of an eye. Xu Ran didnt say anything to Gao Quan and went back to their separate rooms. Liu Tong also woke up in the room. After Xu Ran came back, he asked him where he had gone. Xu Ran did not hide it from him and told Liu Tong what had happened. Liu Tong sighed after listening, I didnt expect the yamen to do something like this. Xu Ran sighed, Yeah! However, the fact that the local officials can behave like that can only attribute blame to the emperor, who is not capable of using people. Liu Tong, not knowing much about this, only listened to Xu Ran talking. When Xu Ran had finished, he asked him, Ran, when are we leaving? Xu Ran said, In less than five days. Today, the infected villagers have been discovered in the village, and more cases will be found in the future, and it will be more dangerous. However, what I am worried are Zhuo Yun and Brother Qin. We are able to leave, but they are definitely not, because their root is here. They will definitely not leave with us, but if it wont be safe if they stay in the village. We can leave our house for them to live. However, I am still worried about something else. Liu Tong couldnt think of a way either. Tomorrow, lets talk about it and ask about their opinions. We have stored food, and it wont be a problem to live here. As long as they dont go out, they wont be infected. If someone comes to the village to catch people, then run up the mountain. Ran, do you remember the cave we ever lived in before? Xu Ran said, Remember, Tongtong, youre smart. How could I not have thought of it! That cave is very spacious and can accommodate a lot of people. Plus the weather is hot, as long as theres enough food and water, staying there for a period is no problem at all. Haha! Xu Ran was so happy that he burst into laughter. Liu Tong quickly covered his mouth, Ran, dont laugh. Its not dawn yet. When he was reminded by Liu Tong, Xu Ran remembered that it was still midnight. He immediately stopped laughing, but he didnt let Liu Tong go. He hugged him and gave him a few kisses, and then he simply tumbled together with him, keeping him awake till daybreak. Liu Tong glared at him weakly but didnt say anything. In the morning, enduring his physical discomfort, he got up from bed and went to the kitchen to cook. Xu Ran felt a bit guilty. Chapter 234 The next day, Xu Ran gathered everyone after breakfast. He told them about the plague and they might go out to find Liu Tongs brother. Everyone except those in the know expressed surprise at that Liu Tong had a twin brother. Liu Tong said that he did not know it either. It was a friend of Xu Rans who said that he had met someone who looked exactly like him. And his Geer lost a little brother when he was young, they had been looking for him for many years. Since the plague was serious now, they couldnt do anything, so it was just right for them to go out and look for his brother. Moreover, the two children were big enough to go out and see the world. This was all Xu Ran said but he didnt say that Liu Tongs brother might be King Yan. He was afraid that if he told them, they would be scared. What was more, he was not sure if it was true.It would be too bad if it wasnt true. The others understood what Xu Ran said. They knew that staying in this small village all the time was boring. It was because they had no other places to go and there were too many people in their family, otherwise they would leave, too. After saying that, Xu Ran quietly found Zhuo Yun and Zhuo Yun also guessed Xu Rans intention. Zhuo Yun said, I know that you mean well, but I cant leave. Although my family is few, this is my home. More importantly, Shu Wens family is here, so he definitely doesnt want to separate from them. Xu Ran agreed, I have thought about it, but I still want to ask you. I dont know when to come back after we leave and its dangerous here now. I think we can take care of each other if we go together. Lowering his head, Zhuo Yun said, Actually, I dont want you to leave either. If you are all gone Ill feel like missing something. With fewer people here, it will not be as lively as before. But be assured that Ill look after the fruit trees and the fields for you while you are away. I promise you that theyll be the same when you come back. Xu Ran said, You neednt stay here very often and you just help me sell the things. I will arrange other things to Wu Mei and the others. You can use the money from selling the fruit to hire someone to help when it comes time to start growing crops. The contents in the house will still be sold to Mr. Chen and let Lin Hua take some if he comes. I just remember that I should write a letter to Lin Hua and I need you to send the letter for me. Zhuo Yun nodded and said, No problem, dont worry! I will do everything you told me. But youd better come back soon, no matter what, this is still your home, and even the fallen leaf will always return to its roots. Xu Ran knew what Zhuo Yun meant. His father used to live here and of course he belonged here. But Xu Ran felt that apart from these friends, the fruit trees he grew and the field he planted, he didnt have any longing for this place. At least, his father wasnt the reason for him to miss the place. Although it was quite a good place. Seeing that Zhuo Yun had known this and things were arranged almost, Xu Ran went to Wu Meis house with Liu Tong. It was not raining, but the road was muddy, so Wu Mei and the others didnt go out to work. Seeing Xu Ran and Liu Tong coming together, Wu Mei laughed at them and said, Oh, its been a long time since I saw the two of you come to my house together. Looking at each other, Xu Ran and Liu Tong found that this was indeed the case. Liu Tong hadnt been out much since he was pregnant with Baozi. The people here were all like that. Except for dinner, they never came together. Xu Ran replied with a smile, Do you still expect us to come if we have business to trouble you with as soon as we arrive? Wu Mei answered, If you come to my house with nothing to do, I should wonder why youre here. Tell me! Why are you here today? While speaking, Wu Mei brought two stools out of the house for them to sit on. Sitting down with Liu Tong, Xu Ran simmered for a moment and then said, Wu Mei, were going out. Go out? So what? You have been out before. After saying that, Wu Mei also felt that there was something wrong. After all, Xu Ran and the others used directly to tell him what they were going to do and for how many days, but this time, they just said they would leave. Wu Mei asked quickly, Xu Ran, where are you going and for how long? Xu Ran replied, This time,Ill take the whole family away, to the north. I dont know when we will be back, maybe one year, maybe three or five years, or even longer. Wu Mei became not calm when he heard Xu Rans words and asked, Why are you going to the north? Ive heard that its very cold. You arent familiar with that region and youll suffer a lot in the future. The plague here will soon go away, and then we can live as before, wouldnt that be good? Xu Ran sighed, indicating that he didnt want to leave home, either. Then he touched Liu Tong to explain to him. So Liu Tong told Wu Mei the reason that Xu Ran had said to Zhuo Yun and the others. After hearing this, Wu Mei was too surprised to close his mouth, then he asked, Liu Tong! You arent your fathers biological son. No wonder your uncle treated you like that after your father died and he even sold you for money! It seemed that there was nothing to do with this. Xu Ran thought to himself, even if Liu Tong was his fathers biological son, his uncle would also sell him, just like him, who was the biological son, but his father still treated him like that! It was obviously that biological was not the reason, but the matter of the person! However, if Wu Mei thought that way, Xu Ran did not intend to explain. It was easier for him to believe the misunderstanding. Thinking about that it was more important for Liu Tong to find his brother, Wu Mei couldnt persuade them not to leave. Wu Mei said, But do you have to go north? Is your brother over there? If youre not sure, you can look for the town nearby first ,its better than going so far. Liu Tong replied, The person we are looking for is over there. Rans friend said that he had seen him in the north. We just happen to be able to take the kids out to take a look. The children have grown up and its time for them to go out and see the world. Although Wu Mei felt reluctant to part with them, they were not his family after all, and Liu Tong had good reasons, so he couldnt say anything more. She only said, Then you can go without worry. I can look after your home and Ill find someone to plant the field for you. I guarantee that when you come back, everything will be the same as before. You neednt worry about food and clothing. Xu Ran said, taking up the subject, Were here just to ask you for help. Ive asked Zhuo Yun to take care of the orchards and strawberry fields. He will still live in my house in the future, just like now. When the fruit trees are ripe, please come over and sell the fruit for me. As so many years of planting the orchard, I feel it a pity to give it up. Wu Mei sighed, Thats true. We all watched these trees grow little by little. How could you have encountered such a thing? Youve just had a better life and can live in peace, unexpectedly, you have another brother. Liu Tong, youve really got a tough life. Xu Ran, without me watching you, you cant bully Liu Tong outside, otherwise Im gonna have to deal with you when you come back in the future. Xu Ran laughed at him for being so protective. Compared to Liu Tong, he was the person who was more easily bullied. However, Wu Mei had always stood up for Liu Tong. Xu Ran believed that if he really bullied Liu Tong, he wouldnt let him go. At the same time, he felt moved. After all, there was someone who would wholeheartedly protect you. Xu Ran suddenly wanted to thank Wu Mei. Thinking about this, he said, Wu Mei, thank you. Youve helped us when we were at the most difficult time. Later, when we lived better, you never changed. So I really thank you for so many years. After Xu Ran finished his words, Wu Meis eyes suddenly turned red, Why are you saying this? Youre leaving now and do you want me to cry? After saying this, he actually began to cry. Liu Tong hurried to comfort him and gave Xu Ran a look as well. Touching his nose innocently, Xu Ran really wanted to thank Wu Mei, but he didnt expect to make Wu Mei cry. Xu Ran spread out his hands to show that he really didnt bully him. Just then, Xu An came back from outside. Seeing Wu Mei crying in Liu Tongs arms, he put down the things in his hand and rushed over, Whats wrong? Whats wrong with Meimei? Shaking his head to him, Xu Ran pointed at himself. But Xu An didnt understand what was going on and he kept asking why. Being annoyed by his question, Wu Mei didnt cry anymore. He got up from Liu Tongs arms and wiped his eyes randomly, shouted angrily, Why do you keep asking why I cant cry for nothing? She was going to be crazy! Xu Ran looked at Xu An sympathetically. He completely forgot that Wu Mei was venting his anger to Xu An, while he was the one who made him cry. When Wu Mei finished losing his temper with Xu An, Xu An also knew that Xu Ran was leaving. Instead of persuading him like Wu Mei, he only said, Well take care of your house,everything you have will be kept for you. The only sentence of his was enough. Xu Ran had never been so moved at this moment and it was between friends. He wanted to say thank you to Xu An, but considering what Wu Mei looked like just now, he didnt say anything. He just patted his shoulder and said, Ill thank you when we come back. Xu An also patted Xu Rans shoulder and said with a smile, Youre welcome. Its just a small matter with our relationship. Youve taken care of us well all these years but weve never said thank you. Xu Ran didnt say anything. Suddenly, he felt a little reluctant to leave. No matter what kind of love it was, people would concern it all the time. Chapter 235 Soon, both Wu Lans and Liu Qings families learned that Xu Ran and his family were going out. They all rushed over to express their concern, and Xu Ran asked them to help take care of his familys fields. He summoned all of them into his house.Then he talked about the epidemic as well as his plan. It was about the cave that Liu Tong mentioned last night. Xu Ran said, Recently, the epidemic is becoming more and more serious and the villagers here will be affected sooner or later. Thus the village will definitely not be a safe place. We have to leave in these few days. Last night, Liu Tong and I thought of an idea, which is to find another place for us to stay. In this way, when something urgent does happen, everyone can move away quickly. Upon hearing this, Xu An asked quickly, Xu Ran, now in the village, people can only go out but not in. How can we go out and find another place to stay? Yeah! Weve been living in this village for so many years. I wonder where else can we live! Xu Fa and the others echoed. Xu Ran replied, Xu An, dont you often go up the mountain? And do you know anything about the situation on the mountain? Xu An shook his head, You know I seldom go up the mountain, so naturally I know little about it. Well, do you mean that we will all move to the mountain? Xu Ran nodded, Thats right. These days we will go to the mountain to find some available places in the mountain so that we can later move things up there and get everything ready to live. If anything happens in the village, you can all hurry up the mountain. The Yamen will definitely not send soldiers up the mountain to search for you. Since there are so many of you, you can find several more hiding places on the mountain, so that you can run away even if the soldiers come up the mountain for you. As long as we survive the epidemic, we will be fine. Ive bought a lot of food from Zhuo Yun before, so all of us dont have to worry about eating. Then Xu Ran paused to see how everyone there reacted. It was Qin Shuwu who spoke first, I am not familiar with your village, but I will follow your arrangements. Surely my family will cooperate well. All the others from the Qin Family around him nodded in agreement. Zhuo Yun also said, Although I often come to live in the Xu Village, what I am most familiar with are only the orchards and Xu Rans house. And although I have been to the mountain a few times, I know little about it. Surely Ill also follow your arrangements. Xu Ran then turned to Xu An and his family. Xu An replied, Xu Ran, well also follow your instruction. You are concerned about us before you leave. We will definitely cooperate with you. We agree with you that we should go to the mountain to find places to live. Just as you said, as long as we can survive the epidemic, we are not afraid of any difficulties. Yeah! Xu Ran, Its up to you. Yes, we will listen to you. Other people present also expressed their agreement with Xu Ran. Suddenly, Xu Ran felt that all the burden was on him. Still, he was touched by their trust. The person among them who used to be most familiar with the mountain was Liu Tong, but now it should be Gao Quan. Thus Xu Ran called Gao Quan over and asked him, Gao Quan, do you know how many huge caves there are in the mountain? Gao Quan indeed often went up the mountain to collect Chinese medicinal herbs. Thus he was very familiar with the back side of the mountain. He thus hurriedly replied Xu Ran, There are at least four or five big ones there. However, two of them had traces of beasts and are not available for living. The other three are fine, but they are far away from each other. With that, Gao Quan looked at Xu Ran, waiting to answer Xu Rans next possible questions. Xu Ran asked, Are there small caves near the big one? These small caves may not be easily to be seen. If people dont research carefully, they cant find them. Gao Quan nodded, Yes, there are, but not many. Those small caves are really hard to find. I myself was not able to find them out until I went there several times. Xu Ran nodded, As long as there are such small caves, its fine. When you go up the mountain, you can put some objects in the big cave, and more objects in the nearby small ones. You all need to know where the small caves are, so that you can later go back there to get them when you want to eat or use something. You should keep the caves secret, so that other people who also go up the mountain will not see them and rob you. Later, if there is an outbreak of epidemic in the village, the villagers will definitely go up to the mountains to hide themselves. This time we will not take the dogs with us, but leave them all behind to protect you. Now they had more than ten dogs. When these dogs stood together, it was a quite spectacular scene. However, just because there were so many dogs, they had eaten a lot of food every day. Thus each of the dog grew big and strong. And as they followed Tangtang and Guoguo to the mountain every day and had a lot of exercises, they didnt look fat. After the decision was made, Xu Ran asked each of the families to send a person, together with Gao Quan and Liu Tong, and the party quietly slipped up the mountain at last. The first cave they went to see was the one where Xu Ran used to stay with Liu Tong. At this time, maybe it was because there were many people in their team that they found the road to the cave was easy and smooth. When they reached the place, Xu Ran saw that the land was still there, all green and covered with chili plants. Xu Ran pointed to chilies and said, From the very beginning, it was these chilies that fed our family. Tongtong discovered this place. If there wasnt the chili, we might have starved to death. Xu Ran smiled and then led the group of people into the cave before them. The cave was very clean and there were no traces of wild beasts in it. It was a very big cave. Xu Ran said to the group, Ive mentioned this place before. It is big and quite clean. It is not a problem for us to hide from the wind or rain in the summer. As it is deep in the mountain, no one can hear us even if we shout inside the cave. As long as no one comes near, it is safe. Then Xu Ran asked Gao Quan if there was a hidden small cave nearby. Gao Quan pointed in two directions. Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to take them over to have a look. From a place full of weeds, Gao Quan found a cave out and then took them in. This cave was very dry. As it was so hidden, no one should have ever entered, and it was not small, available for more than 20 people to stay inside. Then they went to another cave, which was much smaller than the previous one. However, this cave was very wet inside. And as they walked inside further, they found that there was a spring there, and water came out continuously from underground. Seeing all these, Xu Ran immediately decided on the cave. As for other places, they just went to have a look. Here, not only was the cave big, but also there was water source, which really saved them a lot of troubles. Xu Ran consulted other people on the scene, and no one had any objections. But they suggested that they should still do some preparation in other caves. After all, the reason why they went up the mountain was for safety and they didnt want to be discovered. To this, Xu Ran had no objection, either. After all, safety was the most important thing. Gao Quan then took them to the other caves. At last, they still decided on the first place. And they all agreed to have more preparations for the cave. Later, Xu Ran took a group of men to cut the trees. The cave entrance must be blocked, so it was best to make a big wooden door. Because there were so many people working together, the work was done very quickly. At present, villagers were all deterred by the danger of the epidemic and many of them didnt even come out at all. Plus, Xu An helped to cover up in the patrol, so these things they did were not found bu other villagers. By the time everything was settled on the mountain, and all the objects and the like were all taken to the mountain to hide, five days had passed, which was a day earlier than Xu Ran had planned. So at night, Lu Qi came naturally. He asked when to leave and talked about the epidemic situation in the town. More importantly, he had developed a method to treat the epidemic in the past few days, so they didnt have to worry about it. This was really good news and Xu Ran immediately decided to set out in three days. It was just the beginning of July. As they had been busy running up to the hill lately, they had not packed up anything. And before he left, Xu Ran felt that there were still things to be done, such as writing a letter to Lin Hua and informing the village head and his dad of his situation. Lu Qi had thought it was too late for them to leave until three days later. But after listening to Xu Rans explanation, he didnt insist on his own opinion. He just agreed that whatever the situation, they would set out in three days. Xu Ran nodded and agreed. He couldnt delay what he had promised. Thus they could only wait three days later! Still, he could not help wondering when the epidemic would come to an end. Xu Ran sighed. On the second day, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Tangtang and Guoguo to pack their things up. He himself first went to the Xu Family, sending some rice and meat over. At the same time, he secretly gave Xu Houcai some money, telling him that his family was going to stay outside for a while. Xu Houcai knew that he couldnt control him, so he didnt ask much about it. He just reminded him to be careful, take care of the children and come back early. Xu Ran realized that Xu Houcai was really old now. In addition, coupled with the hardship brought about by life, he had lost the ferocious look he once had in the past. Now he was like a very old man. Therefore, Xu Ran couldnt bear to listen to his advice at this moment. And he gave more money to him and let him take good care of himself. He reminded Xu Houcai that Xu Hui and other children had grown up, so that he didnt have to worry too much. Its good that he had brought them up. As for other things, just let the children deal with them themselves! Xu Houcai nodded in agreement, but he was not sure whether he would do it or not. When Xu Ran left, he met Xu Hui. Both of them didnt say anything. Xu Ran darted him a few glances and then went away. Xu Ran had been to the Xu Family many times over the years, but the number of times he spoke to Xu Hui or Xu Qiang was limited to opening the door greetings. Gradually this had become a routine for them every time he came. After coming out of the Xu Family, Xu Ran went to the village heads house. The village head was a little afraid of seeing Xu Ran, because something bad would always happen every time he met Xu Ran, especially during the the recent occasions. Xu Ran stood at the entrance of the courtyard for a long time before the village head came to open the door for him at last. Xu Ran repeatedly promised that nothing would happen so that he wouldnt be worried and opened the door for him. C Chapter 236 Xu Ran didnt have any hesitation. He immediately indicated his intentions after he came in, Village chief, Im here to say goodbye to you. The village chief was confused when he heard this, Goodbye? why are you saying goodbye? Xu Ran said, Village Chief, Im going to take my family to the north to take a look. Anyway, theres nothing we can do with the plague. Its good to go out and see.In any case, the plague cant do anything. It would be better to go out and have a look. So how long are you going to be gone? And when do you plan to come back? asked the village chief. Xu Ran said, Were not quite sure about it. For those who are out of town for fun, when they will come back may not be certain. Xu Ran still had a smile on his face when he said this, but the village chief was obviously different. He said seriously, Why do you want to go out at this time? How dangerous it is outside! Besides, theres nothing good outside. Why do you have to go out? Xu Ran said with a smile, People always say that the sky is more blue outside. I just want to go out and take a look. Dont worry, village chief. Ill definitely come back. Im just not sure when. The village chief did not say much. After all, he was not his own child. So he just nodded to show that he got it. Then he asked Xu Ran, Then, what about your guests? What should they do? I remember that they are from the town. Now that the town is under strict lockdown, they definitely cant go back. Xu Ran said, They still lived in my house. You know that Zhuo Yun and his family have been lived in my house for half a year. I can trust him. No matter how good the house is, it will fall apart if nobody lives in it. I cant bear to give up such a good house. Although Xu Ran meant to make the village chief laugh, the village chief still remained serious and asked Xu Ran, What about your fields, orchards, and animals? Have you abandoned all that? Xu Ran shook his head and said. Of course not. Dont worry, village chief! Ive made all the arrangements. And youll have to help me if the villagers try to take them away. The village chief waved his hand. Alright, you can count on me for that. I wont let the villagers occupy your land. Go back early! Xu Ran said thanks, Thank you, the village chief. Please take care of these things too. Come on! Dont say that again. Its not like you would never come back, the village chief scolded. Xu Ran touched his head and repeatedly promised that he would come back. When he left the village chiefs house, Xu Ran was still reluctant to part with him. For so many years, the village chief was the only elder who can give him some advice from time to time. He had always respected the village chief, but time and tide wait for no man and it seemed that the white hair on the the village chiefs head was getting much more. He hoped that the village chief would be as healthy and healthy as he is now when he returned. Xu Ran returned home and helped Liu Tong pack up his things. It was getting closer and closer to the day to leave. The more it got close to the day he left, the more reluctant he felt to part. Xu Ran thought that he would not miss so many people, but he still couldnt help it. And the person who was even more reluctant than them was Baozi. Baozi was very happy when he knew that he was going out. But later he found out that it was only his family who would leave, and Qing Shu wouldnt go with them. He suddenly felt disappointed and said he was unwilling to leave, but Xu Ran stopped him ruthlessly. Therefore, in the past few days, Baozi has always been together with Qing Shu. Xu Ran even joked that Baozi would marry Qingshu so that he woule belong to him forever. Unexpectedly, Baozi said yes immediately, and Qing Shu did not refute it. Xu Ran felt something was wrong, but he wouldnt admit it because he was the one who said that. Its not a big deal for two brothers to be together, right? He was quite indifferent to it. Three days passed away and they had packed up all the things, but suddenly they didnt want to leave.. Even Xu Ran himself was like this, not to mention the others. But there was no time for hesitation. Lu Qi appeared. and Xu Rans expression seemed to say, I knew this was going to happen. Im glad I came. Xu Ran had to introduce Lu Qi to other people since he had already appeared, but he said Lu Qi was his friend and they met when they went to the County for exams. Lu Qi took out a piece of paper from his arms and handed it to Xu Ran. This is a prescription for the plague. Whenever you can go to the town, buy these medicine secretly and give them to everyone as a precaution against the plague. Xu Ran did not look at the prescription and handed it to Qin Shuwu. Brother Qin, youre on good terms with Doctor He. Please sneak to the town when people are not paying attention to find him to buy these medicine and prepare it for everyone. Qin Shuwu took the prescription and opened it. He knew every word on it, but he didnt know what it was when they were together. They couldnt find these medicine by themselves, so he just nodded and said, Okay, I get it. Ill do it as soon as possible. He had already said goodbye, so there was no need to say it a again now. Everything that needs to be explained has been done. Lu Qi urged Xu Ran to leave quickly. In addition to the dried food he had to eat on the road, Xu Ran also brought a bag of potatoes and corn, which he planned to take with him for seeds. If King Yan was really Liu Tongs brother, he wouldnt mind taking these things out and letting King Yans people live better. Xu Ran remembered that it was possible to grow corn and potatoes in the Northeast, And he thought the climate of the Yanzhou was probably similar to the Northeast! Theyve brought a lot of clothes and cotton quilts, because the farther north you go, the colder it would be. In addition, the weather would slowly turn cool after autumn. They had three carriages, but Tangtang and Guoguo loved to ride horses, so the wooden carriage was barely used since they bought it. And now it looks good again. Things were moved to the carriage one by one and soon, the three cars were almost full, and the rest was for people. Xu Ran first carried Baozi, who could not bear to part with Qing Shu, into the carriage. Then he asked Liu Tong to stop him from coming down and bid Zhuo Yun farewell himself. When they all got into the carriage and were about to leave, Wu Mei and the rest of people came. Even the village chief was included. At the same time, Xu Ran saw a person standing far away and looking at them. However, Xu Ran still recognized who him immediately, it was his father Xu Houcai. Xu Ran thought for a moment before getting out of the carriage and walking to Xu Houcai. Father, why are you here? Xu Houcai said, Im just here to send you off. Its not like home outside, so you have to take care of yourself. I am sorry fot treated you badly in the past, but now that Im old, I understand that you are a good boy, so I wont say much. Xu Ran nodded and said. Father, I understand. You can go back now! I promisde I will return. Xu Houcai waved his hand. Its okay. Ill just stand here for a while. Ill leave when you guys go. Xu Ran did not force him since Xu Houcai said so. So many people were waiting for him. Xu Ran waved at Xu Houcai and walked back to the carriage. After saying goodbye to Wu Mei, the carriage finally moved and started to walk out of the village. The group of people behind them was waving at them, saying that they must be careful on the road and come back early. After leaving the village, Xu Ran saw another carriage parked on the road. There was another person standing beside the carriage and it was Du Xin. It had been so many years since they had seen each other. Moreover, they were going to Yanzhou now, so Xu Ran didnt hate Du Xin anymore. As soon as Du Xin saw Xu Ran, he behaved in a noisy, gay and boisterous manner and said, Xu Ran, Im Du Xin, do you still remember me? I finally know where you live this time. Show me the second childe. I want to see what he looks like. Xu Ran slapped him away, Shut Your Mouth! Dont you know he is a master? How could you look at him easily? Get the hell out of here! Du Xin turned to Lu Qi injuredly and complained about Xu Rans bad behavior. Ill go back to the village immediately if you keep saying so! Hearing Xu Rans words, Du Xin obediently shut up, but he still looked aggrieved. Liu Tong heard the voice outside and lifted the curtain to look out. Ran, who is it? Du Xin was lucky enough to see the face of the second childe when he turned back and stared at Xu Ran. Du Xin covered his eyes in excitement and said, Lu Qi, Lu Qi, I saw the second childe! I saw him! Lu Qis face was full of anger while Xu Ran just wanted to scold him. What a fool! Lu Qi pulled Du Xin away before long and got into their own carriage and walked in the front. Xu Ran also got into the carriage and explained to Liu Tong, His name is Du Xin. I met him when I went to the county for an exam. As for Lu Qi, he is a doctor and I knew him. However, I guess theyre having a fling. Xu Ran didnt lower his voice when he said this. so Lu Qi, who was not far away from them, just heard it. He smiled and thought that the second childes husband was quite impressive to see that . There were nine people and four carriages in total. Lu Qi and Du Xins carriage was in front whileXu Rans was in the middle. Liu Tong and Baozi were sitting in the same carriage with Xu Ran, Gao Quan and Shao Yus carriage was behind them. Tangtang and Guoguos carriage was at the the rear. The two of them were sitting outside while Tangtang was driving and Guoguo was swinging a straw in his hand. Chapter 237 Of course, there were also some who were depressed, such as our little Baozi. He was not very happy ever since he went out, and he looked upset all the way. It was obvious that he was unhappy and a little bit angry. Xu Ran actually knew that he was unhappy. After all, he was young and had played with Qing shu ever since he was very young. He definitely couldnt bear to leave, but they couldnt leave without him and let him stay at home, so they had to be separated. Xu Ran thought he wouldnt be angry for a long time. After all, he was just a chiled. But he didnt expect Baozi to be very stubborn. They had been gone for two days, and he had been angry for two days, too. He did nothing besides eating. He did not even talk. Liu Tong was afraid that he would get sick, so he asked Xu Ran to talk with him. Xu Ran comforted him a few times but Baozi ignored him.And Xu Ran said, Are you gonna be angry all the time? Cuz if you go on like this, then we will never go back and you will never meet Qing Shu again. Baozi suddenly cried when he heard Xu Rans words. Liu Tong wanted to comfort him but was stopped by Xu Ran. Let him cry. Let s see how long he could cry. We had a deal before we left. But he had been angry as soon as we left. I dont believe that there is nothing I can do with you. He didnt do what he promised me, but he still dares to cry. He can cry if he likes! Tongtong, leave him alone. Xu Ran said fiercely and Liu Tong looked at him helplessly. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Baozi secretly looking up at Xu Ran while wiping his tears. Xu Ran was so angry that made Baozi too frightened to cry. Baozi looked at Xu Ran, his eyes still filled with tears. After a while, he said, Dad, I know I was wrong. Xu Ran looked at hime and didnt say anything, Baozi continued to say, Dad, I shouldnt have broken my promise. Dad, please dont be angry, I promise Ill be good. Lets go back to the village in the future, okay? Ive already told Qing Shu that Ill go back to marry him. It was alright at first, but when Xu Ran heard what he said later, he was even more angry. He looked around and found that everyone else had stopped. They were surrounding them to watch the show, especially Du Xin. He looked so exciting. Xu Ran glared at him and asked, What are you doing? Tangtang explained, Dad, we just heard Baozis crying and thought something happened, so we came over to take a look. Xu Ran waved his hand and said. Its okay. I was just talking to him. Hes been depressed for two days without saying a word. You can all go back now! And Ill follow you after I teach him a lesson. Baozi looked at Tangtang and Guoguo injuredly. Obviously, he wanted his two brothers to save him, but Tangtang and Guoguo didnt say anything. After all, they knew that Xu Ran was doing it for Baozis own good. Du Xin wanted to say something, but was pulled away by Lu Qi before he could say anything. After all, its their own business. Xu Ran was the father of Baozi and it was appropriate for him to teach the child a lesson. Besides, the Second Childe hadnt say anything yet. And Baozi was his own child, so it was obvious that he was on Xu Rans side. And didnt you see that the two young men just didnt speak? Only Du Xin, who was unwise, would do such things. Lu Qi really didnt understand why he liked such a stupid man. Baozi, who had no one to turn to for help, looked so sad and tried hard to blink his eyes. He wanted to make himself look more pitiful, so that Xu Ran would not scold him anymore. But he didnt want to cry any more, so he struggled for a long time and could not muster a single tear. However, Xu Ran was amused by him. He said, Alright, you can stop it now. I wont scold you any more.Recite all the books you brought in the carriage these days. If there is a word you dont know, ask. Youre in trouble if we get there and you still dont remember them. Xu Ran ignored him after he said that. He put down the curtain and sat down to start driving the carriage. Baozi looked even more upset in the carriage. He threw himself into Liu Tongs arms and said, Daddy, please help me and plead with dad for me. I cant recite so many books. Liu Tong touched his head and said, Naughty boy! Didnt I tell you before not to be upset and angry? But you didnt listen to me. You just wont stop until your dad scolds you. Dont beg me now, I cant help you either. You know how stubborn your dad is when he gets serious. He wouldnt listen to me. We didnt know if Baozi has understood what Liu Tong said, but he stopped acting coquettishly. He came out of his arms and found the book as if he had accepted his fate. Liu Tong thought that he didnt recognize many words and couldnt help Baozi, so he said, How about you go to your brothers carriage? The two of them knew more, so you just need to listen to them. Baozi thought that it was a good idea and hurriedly opened the curtain and said. Dad, stop the car please. Im going to my brothers carriage? Xu Ran had heard what Liu Tong said from outside. Seeing Baozi being so energetic, he couldnt help smiling and stopped the carriage. Your brothers are in front of us. Do you want to run over to them yourself? Baozi looked at the fast carriage in front of him and said unhappily, Dad, let these horses run faster to keep up with them. After Baozi finished talking to Xu Ran, he climbed out of the carriage and sat next to Xu Ran. He shouted to the carriage in front of him, Brother, brother, stop and wait for us. Of course, he did not forget to ask Xu Ran to hurry up. Xu Ran smiled and waved the whip in his hand. Then the carriage moved forward quicky. After catching up with the carriage in front of them, Xu Ran asked Baozi to call Tangtang and Guoguo. And Baozi also called loudly, afraid that they wouldnt hear him. Tangtang stopped the carriage and ran to Xu Ran. Dad, whats wrong? Did something happen? Xu Ran handed Baozi to him. Ill leave Baozi to you. As for what happened, let him speak for himself! Xu Ran then took out a bag of books and handed it to Tangtang. Then he waved at Tangtang and said. Just take him and these things and drive forward. Me and your Daddy will follow you guys. Tangtang took the heavy bag and Baozi, who was also quite heavy, and walked back helplessly. Xu Ran sat leisurely on the carriage and looked at Tangtang. He didnt feel that there was anything wrong with his behaviors. When the carriage in front moved, Xu Ran let Liu Tong out and talked with him. Then he drove to follow the carriage in front. After they left the village, they went north and encountered some refugees on the road. However, Xu Ran and the rest did not do anything with them. After all, there were so many of them and no matter how kind they were, they could not help so many people. The most important thing was that even if they had saved these people, they still didnt know if these people would repay their kindness or bite the hand that feeds them. Their carriages were stopped, but it was all solved by Lu Qi. And there was no trouble along the way. Because the plague was in the south, the heavy rain in the past days was also in the south, it did not affect the north much. Lu Qi has been leading the way and he must have known the route long ago, so they had a very smooth journey. They didnt spend the night in the wilderness because there were childe and children. They always rushed to a town and found an inn before it got dark. The food was also prepared by themselves. Xu Ran made a lot of steamed stuffed buns and pancakes so they wouldnt have to starve. After five or six days walking on the road, they arrived at a town called Qianhua Town. This town was very prosperous and it was the main road of traffic from south to north. There were many merchants and visitors passing by. The group of people were also a little tired after travelling for so many day. Xu Ran meant to rest here for a day before going on. Although Lu Qi was anxious, he didnt say anything. There was still a long way from here to Yanzhou, and there was no waterway to go. They could only ride in a carriage and move cross mountains like this. And the farther north they went, the more barren hills there would be.The following days would be more tough. He also thought that Baozi was only seven years old and he was definitely too young to stand such bumps. After a days rest in Qianhua and a taste of the local customs, they set out for the next place. There were too many people, and the carriages had been exchanged for sevral times, so it wasnt boring on the road. And there were problems with Baozi from time to time, which was quite lively. Lu Qi said that the old emperor was fatuous and incompetent and unfit to be an emperor. Therefore, the world was not very peaceful, and they were very unlucky to meet bandits not long after they left Qianhua Town. There were a lot of them, at least 20. The first thing they said was Money or life? If you want life, leave your money behind; and if you want money, leave both behind. Xu Ran shouted at the time, You should say like that, This road is mine, this tree is mine, and you want to go through here, leave your money behind. Everyone was quiet at once The number of collection has decreased! What was going on here? Sorry. I was complaining and I didnt mean anything else. After all, this was the first time I saw the number decrease. Chapter 238 Xu Ran covered his mouth immediately after he said that, cursing himself for his stupidity. He should have talked back to a bandit. Who would have thought that this bandit would actually learn Xu Rans words and repeat them at once? When he finished repeating, the crowd went silent again At this point, a tough guy popped up, whose arm was as thick as Xu Rans thigh. The tough guy gave a resentful stare at the one who had shouted the slogan and said, We are robbers. Why did you learn that? Away, good-for-nothing. When the tough guy finished talking to the slogan shouter, he yelled at Xu Ran and the others, People in the carriage, I dont care who you are. Be smart and hand over your money. Maybe we will consider spare your lives. Yes yes, be smart and hand over your money. If we are happy, we can spare your lives. The slogan shouter echoed. Xu Ran could see that the tough guy gave him another resentful stare Xu Ran thought that if he were one of the robbers, he would do that too, because that slogan shouter couldnt even come up with some original slogans. All he did was repeat someone elses words. Xu Ran and the others did not answer. Suddenly, Guoguo jumped off the carriage and walked up to the tough guy. How about this? Lets play a round. If I lose, I will give you my money. If I win, you go away with your people and let us go safely. The tough guy was much taller than Guoguo. In addition, Guoguo looked fair and refined. In the tough guys opinion, Guoguo seemed to be a Geer, but he didnt point out that there was no red mole on Guoguos ear. He looked at Guoguo contemptuously. Little brat, you want to play a round with me with your small body? I can take your life with a snap. Guoguo was calm and not afraid at all. In that case, are you agreeing to my proposal? Humph! The tough guy snorted disdainfully and said, Then lets play a round! Little brat, come on. Dont blame me for being merciless! Guoguo clenched his fists, wiggled his fingers and got ready for the fight. Seeing that Guoguo was not joking with him, the tough guy also pulled out the knife from his waist and chopped at Guoguo without saying anything. Xu Ran wanted to yell in shock, but covered his mouth quietly when thinking of what he had just said. He thought to himself. Not only did the big guy bully the small, but he also bullied an unarmed small. Shame on him. Although Guoguo was young and unarmed, in terms of combat skills, the tough guy was no match for Guoguo. However, the problem was that Guoguo had no practical experience. He had usually fought with two people, and they had never gone too far, so that wasnt comparable to a life-or-death fight like this. The tough guy was experienced, but he had no technique. Guoguo was agile and could dodge each chop from him. The tough guy was unable to hurt Guoguo, while Guoguo didnt earn himself any advantage either. He wasnt able to get close to the tough guy. To the laymen like Xu Ran and the others, they couldnt take in the situation, while Lu Qi, who was in the front, had already been discussing with Tangtang what Guoguo should do to win. Xu Ran was anxious! He leaned forward to hear them. Lu Qi said, Guoguo should dash behind this guy after dodging this attack, and kick him on the center of his back to gain some initiative. As long as the tough guy is kicked on the back, he would definitely react more slowly, as well as more carefully, and Guoguo could take advantage of that. Tangtang replied, But the tough guy is reacting too fast. My brother cant get close to him. If this keeps going on, my brothers physical strength wont keep up. Arms crossed, Lu Qi asked Tangtang, Have you come up with a counterplan? Tangtang answered, I have, but Im unable to do it. Im not so powerful as my brother, and not so skilIful at marital arts as him. Lu Qi smiled. Youre thinking for Guoguo, not for yourself. What would you do if you were fighting? Tangtang kept staring at the fight in front of him. Suddenly, his eyes gleamed and he shouted in excitement. Xu Ran had thought that Tangtang had come up with some great idea, but it didnt occur to him that Guoguo kicked the tough guy to the ground all of a sudden and snatched his knife. Baozi was the first to call out, Second Brother is amazing! Great! He killed the bad guy. The bad guy lying on the ground, still alive, Xu Ran, who was just about to cheer, went over and held Baozi in his arms at once after hearing what Baozi said. What if those bandits came to take revenge? While Xu Ran was having a bee in his head, Guoguo had already started to negotiate with the tough guy, I won. Keep your promise. The tough guy spat out, feeling extremely embarrassed. He moved away the knife pointed at him by Guoguo. Ill keep my promise, but let me get up first. Guoguo shook his head. After all, you are a robber, not some upright gentlemen. I dont believe your words. How about this? Ill tie you up and youll leave with us. When we get away from here, well let you back. Is that alright? Although it was a question, Guoguo had already grabbed him up, pushed the knife up against his throat and dragged him to the carriage. Xu Ran asked him when he saw Guoguo bringing the tough guy over, Guoguo, why are you bringing him here? Guoguo elaborated his plan. Xu Ran nodded in agreement. Since he had agreed, no one else would object. Meanwhile, the gangsters were also approaching them step by step. Baozi yelled in Xu Rans arms, Dad, the bad guys are coming at us. Let Second Brother beat them up! Now that Baozi reminded them, the other people also saw the group of bandits walking towards them. Guoguo moved slightly the knife against the tough guys throat. Tell them to step back, or I will kill you. Just as the tough guy was about to say something, Lu Qi took something out of his arms suddenly. Then he walked over and waved his hand at the bandits approaching them. Soon, someone fell. One, two, three, and then there were more. Only those who were in the rear didnt fall. Lu Qi clapped his hands and said, Whoever suits his action to the times is wise. If you want to rob someone, you have to take a look at who he is before you take actions. But obviously, you are no match for us, so you should know what to do now! I do. I do. The tough guy might have been frightened by what Lu Qi had just done, so he could only agree, nodding. Seeing that the tough guy had given in, Lu Qi explained, We are just some ordinary people. Your people will wake up in a while. They are fine and you dont have to worry about them. As long as you play along and let us go safely, we wont bother you. But if something happens when we leave, I cant guarantee that. When Lu Qi finished his words, he gave a meaningful laugh that terrified the tough guy. His arms, which were held, shook unconsciously. The tough guy looked back and roared at the people who were still standing there, If you dont want me to die, dont come over. If you come over, I wont be responsible for your death. The tough guy seemed to be quite authoritative in his gang. After that, all those gangsters left. As for those who were lying on the ground, no one cared about them, mainly because no one dared. Lu Qi went to his carriage to fetch some rope and tied up the tough guys hands. He asked Xu Ran and the others to get into the carriages while he followed in the rear. Lu Qi got into the carriage with the rope tying up the tough guy in his hand. However, considering that the tough guy was on foot while they took carriages, they didnt go too fast. They didnt stop until they had climbed over the hill and could see a town in front of them. Lu Qi untied the tough guy and also gave him a lesson. When you rob someone in the future, be more careful. The more ordinary people look, the farther you should stay away from them. On the contrary, some wealthy families know nothing about martial arts and cant protect themselves. You guys must have been hanging around here for years! But how come you dont even know some basic knowledge of robbery? Shame on you. By the way, how about following me? You may join the army with me. It would be great if we can fight with those barbarians together! The others didnt react, while Xu Ran was embarrassed to hear that. Lu Qi was working for King Yan at any time. He even wanted to ask the bandits they had met halfway to join the army and fight with the barbarians. How loyal he was. But this wasnt the point. The point was that the tough guy was actually swayed after hearing him. He answered, Of course its better to beat those barbarians than to rob. But I have to look for a general I like. Otherwise, I cant go on either. Well, so this guy wanted to find himself a boss. Somehow, Lu Qi talked back in whispers, and Xu Ran failed to eavesdrop on them. Although Xu Ran really wanted to know, what if they were talking about something confidential? So Xu Ran just gave up, turned around and watched the view with Liu Tong and the others. On the other side, it was unknown what Lu Qi had told the tough guy. When the tough guy left in the end, he was grinning, and kept looking back and telling Lu Qi that he would definitely go for Lu Qi with his people in the future. It seemed that Lu Qi had achieved a great success! Chapter 239 Xu Ran couldnt help giving him a thumb up and walked over to ask him, Lu Qi, what position do you have under King Yan? You even helped him recruit people on the road. Lu Qi smiled mysteriously, Have a guess! What position would someone like me have? Xu Ran stroked his chin and started to think seriously. The first presumption was naturally a doctor, but he had never seen a doctor managing this kind of thing. Xu Ran excluded this first. Putting aside the fact that he knew medical skills, his kung fu was quite good too, he also looked like a scholar and he was so dutiful. Xu Ran suddenly thought of the type. He blurted out, Mastermind? Lu Qi nodded, then shook his head. I prefer to be called Master. Xu Ran taunted him, Arent the two similar? But dont you think Master sounds better than Mastermind? Mastermind doesnt sound like a decent person, while Master gives one the feeling of devising strategies. Xu Ran snorted disdainfully, Arent they doing the same job?! But then again, as a Master, you are also quite leisure. Are you not in Yanzhou all these years? Could King Yan manage without you? Lu Qi waved his hand. Dont underestimate King Yan. He was cultivated by the old prince himself, who raised him as the heir since he was a child. The old prince is the warlord of Great Xia Empire. Do you think how inferior King Yan can be? Besides, my task is to find Second Young Master. As long as I bring Second Young Master back to Yanzhou, my mission is accomplished. Xu Ran shook his head. Although the old prince is a warlord, that worked on the battlefield. Does he know schemes and plots of framing people in court? Lu Qi shook his head disapprovingly, Youre wrong. The old prince is not only a warlord, but is strong in his ability to win the hearts of people. Gao Quan and the adoptive father of Second Young Master are two good examples, who risked their lives to protect Second Young Master just because of an order from the old prince. The old prince also left King Yan a lot of capable talents and soldiers before he died, otherwise Yanzhou would not be so good now. Xu Ran said, I cant assert whether Yanzhou is good or not now, but Im quite curious about the old prince. Tell me your impression about him. Lu Qi recalled attentively, The old prince was gone at earlier years. At that time, I was still young. I remembered some words from the old prince. He gave King Yan three orders. The first thing was to manage well Yanzhou, which, at that time, was a desolate and poverty-stricken place, with not many people and little land. Whats worse, being robbed from time to time by barbarians, the civilians lived a miserable life. Thats why the old prince required the prince to manage Yanzhou in a good way after he inherited the throne, which was his unfinished dream. At this, Lu Qis expression was full of nostalgia. To prevent him from thinking too far, Xu Ran quickly asked, What about the other two things? When Lu Qi was reminded by Xu Ran, he quickly came back to his senses and said, The second thing is to find Second Young Master, take him to Yanzhou and let Second Young Master find his origin. King Yan had accomplished the first thing. The second one would be completed after Second Young Master arrived at Yanzhou. As to the third thing, it was to wait for the old emperor to die. There were no outsiders nearby and other people were also resting, so Lu Qi said it recklessly. Xu Ran frowned and asked, How come the third thing sounds so strange? Lu Qi explained: The prince said that the most regretful thing in his life was helping the dog emperor win the war, and be bitten by him instead. He said that if he was able to choose again, he would definitely kill the dog emperor. The Great Xia has a history of hundreds of years, only came out one such bad emperor, who had snatched the throne from his own brother. Shame on him! Thus, he would look forward to the new emperor. Only when the new emperor ascends the throne, will the ignored talent of King Yan be of use. Xu Ran pouted and let Lu Qi look towards the direction where Tangtang and Guoguo were standing. Lu Qi looked at him in confusion, There might be no hope for King Yan. If he wants to exhibit his talent, he has to count on the next generation. Dont you see that even Guoguo can fight with the bandits? Lu Qi could not help but defend for King Yan, King Yan is now thirty three years old. Hes not old. Xu Ran pointed to himself and said, Im only thirty-three too, but my sons are thirteen years old. Okay! Now Lu Qi was speechless. King Yans eldest child was only ten years old, and he was a brother. The younger son was only eight years old, too far away from being able to go to the battlefield. The two forgot about the time as they talked. Liu Tong and the others waited and waited, without seeing them. As they were too anxious, Liu Tong asked Tangtang and Guoguo to call them. Xu Ran, being reminded by Tangtang and Guoguo, immediately looked up at the sky and found that the sun was already halfway down and there was still some distance away from town. Thus, the two immediately stopped talking, hurriedly called Liu Tong and the rest into the carriage, and continued their journey towards the town. The nine of them needed at least four rooms. Xu Ran did not want to make do, nor did he want his kids make do, so all the rooms he ordered were first-class ones. With the high price, there would come the better service. Traveling outside, Xu Ran had put quite a lot of money in everyones pockets, including Baozi. In his assumption, nobody would expect that a kid would have money with him. Xu Ran and the others seemed to be down on their luck todayCthey ran into another gangster inn. Things went like this. As the inn had no other guests, the moment they entered, the shopkeeper had been paying attention to them. It just so happened that Xu Ran was kept speaking. Naturally, he took Xu Ran as the boss of this group of people. At night, when they fell asleep, he blew narcotic smoke into their room. However, Xu Ran coincidentally woke up and sensed that something was wrong. He covered his nose and Liu Tongs nose. Xu Ran only had two hands, so he didnt care about Baozi. After they waited in the room for a while, someone pried open the door bolt and entered, and then he started flipping around, obviously looking for their packages. However, to be cautious, Xu Ran had put the package on the head of the bed. After searching for a while, the guy couldnt find it anywhere except for the bed. Then he walked towards them. As soon as his hand touched the package, Liu Tong grabbed his wrist and forcefully twisted it, which broke the mans wrist directly and made him utter a scream. At the same time, miserable screams came from the room next door. It seemed that there was not an only invader, but several of them took action at the same time! The person was subdued by Liu Tong. Xu Ran carried Baozi out of bed, lit the candles and saw clearly the one who was kneeling on the groundCthe shopkeeper. Xu Ran smiled, Manager, it turned out that this is your formal job. You must have earned a lot out of it! A lot of passers-by have been trapped by you, havent they? How many lives you have taken away?! Should we send you to the yamen, and let you be truly taken care of? After Xu Ran finished his words, and before this person could answer, Tangtang and Guoguo had marched a person into their room, who was the waiter of the inn. Lu Qi and Gao Quan also marched people over. Xu Ran handed Baozi over to Tangtang and clapped, Manager, it seems that all of your staff are here! It really is a generous gesture. Seeing that everyone had been caught, the shopkeeper felt scared. He knelt on the ground and begged Xu Ran for mercy, Dear masters, it must be devil that made us do it. Please spare our lives! After the shopkeeper, the staff also followed suit and begged for mercy, asking Xu Ran to spare them. Xu Ran said, Im afraid that were not the only victims! Before us, who knows how many people you have harmed? How can I forgive you? The meaning of Xu Rans words was that he would not let them go. Seeing that the mercy was not given, the shopkeeper wanted to resist. However, Liu Tong had been watching him. When he tried to get up, Liu Tong gave him another kick, which made him behaved nice finally. Xu Ran meant to send them to the yamen. As it was still night, they had to wait until dawn. However, they couldnt keep looking at these people. It was possible for them to escape even while being tied. Xu Ran said to Lu Qi, Lu Qi, use some medicine to make them unconscious, then tie them up. When the day breaks, we will send them to the yamen. The shopkeeper wanted to refute, but before he could speak, Lu Qi gave him a slap and he fainted directly. Xu Ran had only seen this scene in TV dramas. Lu Qi, what did you do to him? Why did he faint so quickly? Lu Qi said, Its just a click on his sleeping acupoint, which can let them sleep for two hours. If we drug them, it wont be easy to explain, and they might even bite back at us. As he answered Xu Ran, he knocked down the other three people. Gao Quan went to the firewood shed and fetched ropes over. Then they tied up the pack of people. It was time for them to go back to their respective rooms to sleep, but Xu Ran was a little worried. He asked, If we just send them over to the yamen like this, will people in the yamen believe us? After all, these people are the local ones in the town, and we are just outsiders. Other people were also stumped. After all, they did not lose anything, instead they tied the people of the town up and sent them to the yamen. In addition, this inn had been open for a long time. Though similar things had happened before, the inn still existed. It was uncertain what relationship these people had with the yamen. It was feared that they might bite them back. The more Xu Ran thought about it, the more he thought it would not work. He scratched his head fretfully. Other people have not dealt with such a thing. Although Lu Qi had seen a lot, it all happened to others. He had never been wronged, so he had never experienced this feeling. The reason why Xu Ran was so worried was because of Mr. Hus incident a few years ago. He pounded his head and walked around the room. After walking for a while, he was suddenly thrilled by an idea, I got it. Come on! Come on! Let me explain to you, we can Chapter 240 Xu Ran muttered to the group of people about the idea he had come up with, and then everyone got up and started to roll up their sleeves to work. As for Baozi, he has been knocked out by the smoke.So Lu Qi took out a bottlewhich no one knew what was inside , and he let Baozi smell it, then Baozi woke up. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong and Liu Shao Yu to look after him, then they went to work. Du Xin was the most excited one among them, and his voice was very loud. Xu Ran didnt want him to go, but he got really impatient and finally agreed reluctantly. He also reminded Lu Qi that he must take good care of Du Xin and Du Xin also promised that he would be obedient. Xu Ran went to the kitchen with the oil lamp on his own. He lit a fire and poured water into the remaining rice in the pot and boiled it over a high heat. Tangtang and Guoguo went to find a pen and paper and started writing after grinding the ink. Xu Ran came up with all the ideas. He asked Lu Qi and the others to send them to the Yamen and sticked a few posters on them by the way. Theyve wrote down everything they had done on the posters. And they were going to put up posters around town, wherever it looked like there was going to be a lot of people. They woulld leave at dawn, so they wouldnt get caught even if there was a government official who would come to the inn to find them. Then they would be able to deal with the gangster inn and ensure their own safety at the same time, which is also a matter of Kill two birds with one stone. However, the only bad thing was that they were doomed to not sleep tonight. Xu Ran was cooking the rice milk in the kitchen, which would be used it to stick posters later. Tangtang and Guoguo gave the posters to Lu Qi and Gao Quan after they wrote everything down. They asked them to take these people to the Yamen and then continued to make on the posters to post them elsewhere. After they finished writing, all of them started to post these psters on the street. When people started to set up the stall on the street, they finally finished their work and hurried back to pack up and leave. It was dawn and no one had noticed them when they came out of the inn. Only after they left the town did they breathe a sigh of relief. Lu Qi started to complain, This is the first time I have been a wimp in my life. Xu Ran said jokingly, How ould this be a wimp? I think it was right for you people of so called dignity to experience such things before you know the sufferings of the common people. Lu Qi waved his hand and didnt want to talk to Xu Ran. They rested on the ground yesterday for a while, ate some dry food, and then started to move forward. And it could be that all the bad luck in the past has run out, and the road behind it has been smooth, and nothing has happened. The only bad thing was that there are more and more refugees on the way. Lu Qi had asked some people who had been arranged by the king Yan in the vicinity and knew that these people are refugees from the south. They had been here because of the flood and plague. They were lucky enough to have reached these places alive, but no one dared to take them in because they were afraid of being infected with the plague. A full month has passed since they left Xu Village. Now there were still refugees walking this way, which means that the plague has not been cured. If the plague was over, these people would probably be heading back. They were in rags and always starving all this way. There was no place for them to stay, and they were all thin and pale.They looked very miserable indeed. The man arranged by King Yan was just a small official here, so he has no right to intervene in this matter. These refugees had no choice but to continue wandering. Lu Qi only said, I guess the plague hasnt passed yet. The old emperor should come to an end. Xu Ran didnt understand why he said that, but he did in the next town. Rumors began to spread among the people that it was the emperors incompetence that had resulted in the punishment of disaster from the God. This was summarized by Xu Ran from many rumors. It happened in the South, but there were already rumors in the North, which has shown how serious the situation was in the South. No wonder Lu Qi would say that. Without the support of the people, the emperor could not last long. While they were resting in the town, Lu Qi got a letter from somewhere. The letter had come from the capital, and it also described the situation of the capital. The rumor was originated in the capital, and was spread rapidly among the people. The officials could not keep it a secret, so they reported it to their superiors. When the rumor reached the old emperor, he was so furious that he killed the official who handed the memorial to the throne. Whats more, he killed some people to make an example of others. The old emperor didnt like the prince, so he he left it to the prince to do the killing part. After reading it, Xu Ran understood why the Emperor had really come to an end. Xu Ran asked Lu Qi, Was it the prince whom King Yan supported? Lu Qi nodded. Although it was not explicitly stated, the person King Yan supported was the prince. The prince was also a a man of ability. He could make a better emperor than his father. And it will be good for King Yan then. After all, the Yanzhou is not big and it is also cold. There were too many things in Lu Qis words. Xu Ran understood most of them and didnt ask the rest. He handed the letter to Lu Qi and said. What happened in the capital now is our business, the prince has the ability to handle these things. Tangtang and Guoguo are still young, so I can rest assured for a few years. Lu Qi put the letter away and said, Lets hurry to Yanzhou! Once this incident got serious, the Emperor would be dissatisfied or the people would be dissatisfied with it, and both of these situations are to our disadvantage.We wont be safe until we reach Yanzhou. Xu Ran asked, Why are you so sure that the people in Yanzhou will not be dissatisfied? Lu Qi said, Because King Yans management over the years was not just a matter of wordsBesides, these refugees cant reach Yanzhou. Even if they can, it would be winter and they would freeze to death in Yanzhou. Xu Ran agreed with him. In order not to get hurt, they took a days rest and then started to move forward. The days passed away quickly from July to August, and then from August to September. In autumn, it became cold in the North. Due to the endemic and the fatigue of traveling,, Baozi had a fever on the road. Therefore, they had to stop and wait for Baozi to recover before they went on. Fortunately, Lu Qi was a doctor and Baozi was just a little weak when he had the fever. After a delay of five or six days, Baozi became lively again and they could finally continue on their journey. Xu Ran was still very anxious on the road. Only when they arrived earlier could they be able to rest at ease. After two months of bumping on the road, they were almost dead. Lu Qi said that they would probably be able to reach Yanzhou in November, which meant that they would have to spend two months more on the road. Xu Ran almost fainted after he heard that. Xu Ran shouted angrily at Lu Qi , Two months! Seriously, weve been on the road for two whole months. Lu Qi answered. Its far from south to north, plus the Yanzhou is at the northernmost side of the Great Xia. We went so slowly that we lost so much time that the journey, which should have been three months, became four. It was true that they moved slowly and have wasted a lot of time. Xu Ran had to stop complaining. He only said, If thats the case, dont forget to buy some herbs. Its getting colder and we might catch a cold. Its better to pay attention to it. Lu Qi nodded repeatedly, Dont worry! Ill buy it. Lu Qi had already prepared the herbs, but not much. After hearing Xu Rans words, he specially bought more and Xu Ran was relieved finally. When they went out, they were dressed in summer clothes, and now they have skipped the autumn clothes and started to wear winter clothes. It was estimated that these clothes would not be able to keep them warm in Yanzhou. In his first year, Xu Ran was already feeling very cold in winter. Who would have thought that autumn in the North would be as cold as the winter in the South. And it was getting even colder and colder. By October, they had to stop to buy heavy padded clothes like those in the North. It made them clumsy, especially when driving the carriage. Xu Ran tired for carry his hands all the time. Xu Ran soon began to think of other ways. He felt that the first thing he had to do after arriving at Yanzhou was to change their clothes. So he started to ask Lu Qi if they raised sheep in Yanzhou and what what they usually ate. Lu Qi said, Yanzhou is a desolate place so the grain was not very abundant, and there are only few cows and sheep. We grow wheat mostly in this place, so what we usually eat is cooked wheaten food. Xu Ran touched his head and said to Lu Qi, If King Yan is really my brother-in-law, I will tell you a way to get rich and make Yanzhou the land of abundance. Of course, Lu Qi didnt know what the land of abundance was, but he heard the word rich. He wanted to fly to Yanzhou immediately to let Xu Ran meet King Yan and let him believe that King Yan was his brother-in-law. Every day, I was immersed in the fact that I couldnt write and didnt want to write. Today, I tried hard to write three chapters, Come on! By the way, there were so many flash-news on Weibo yesterday. It felt like everything happened in one day. God bless Tianjin, and God bless China! Chapter 241 On the eighth of November, it was a joyous day for Xu Ran and the rest. After four months traveling, they finally reached Yanzhou. When they saw the three words Yanzhou on the city gate, Xu Ran felt so happy that he wanted to jump up. Arriving in Yanzhou meant that they could finally have a good rest, have a good meal and there was no need to travel every day. It seemed that the checking was extremely strict when entering Yanzhou. The carriage had to stop at the gate, and the horses had to be led in. Lu Qi got off the carriage first. Finally! he exclaimed as soon as his feet touched the ground. When they saw Lu Qi get out of the carriage, everyone else followed him. They led the carriage to line up and walked forward. After being checked by the guards at the door, they went into the town one by one. Unexpectedly, Lu Qi met an acquaintance at the gate. A man in armor, with a sword at his waist. And he looked like a general. The man saw Lu Qi and greeted him from afar, Hey, military counsellor! Lu Qi smiled at him and said. Commander Mu, why have you come to guard the gates yourself today? Commander Mu started to talk to him, Ah! It was all because of the plague in the South. Some of the refugees fled north. We thought that no one of them could reach Yanzhou, but who would have thought that someone would take another way to Yanzhou. The Yan King thought that the refugees must be settled down properly, so he asked me to guard the city gate in person. But apart from the first few refugees, I never saw anyone else again. I thought something was wrong, so I reported it to the king. It happened that the king received a letter from the capital, saying that something had happened there and we must be careful. So the king commanded me to check the people who came to Yanzhou. Thats why I came here to check every day. After Commander Mu said this, he looked behind Lu Qi. There were four carriages and people standing beside the carriage. Commander Mu asked Lu Qi, Master, Who are these people behind you? Did they come with you? There were some people else standing next to Commander Mu, and there were other people lining up next to them. Commander Mu was also King Yans trusted follower. Lu Qi went over to tell him the identity of Xu Ran and the other people. Commander Mu was quite shocked to hear that and he quickly asked Lu Qi, Master, we just stood here and talked and kept childe waiting. Will the Young Childe blame me for that? Lu Qi shook his head and said, Dont worry! He wont blame you. I will not talk with you more for the time being. You can come to the palace to find me when you are free. Ill take them to the palace first. The Childe grew up in the South and could not stand the cold in the North. Commander Mu moved aside quickly. This way, please wait for me to have a drink with you. Lu Qi laughed and led his horse into the town. Xu Ran and the other people, who were following behind Lu Qi, felt that Commander Mu was watching them constantly even when they walked far away. Lu Qi led Xu Ran and the others straight to King Yans residence. King Yans residence was located in the middle of Yanzhou. Its not far from anywhere else in the town and the position was excellent. There were a lot of people passing by at the entrance, and there were only two guards. When Xu Ran and his four carriages stopped at the door, they attracted a lot of people. The guard was probablynew here. He had never seen Lu Qi before, so he didnt know him. But he spoke in a polite way. Did you stop at the gate to ente the King Yans residence? What can I do for you? Lu Qi also felt a little strange and said, Just go in and announce that the master is back. Well wait at the door. The guard had already known that there was a Master in the King Yans palace, but he had never seen him before. Hearing his words, he quickly asked another person to report it. Please wait a moment. Theyve already gone to report. Lu Qi waved his hand and said, Alright, just guard your door! I havent come back for the past few years. How come the gatekeepers are talking so deliberately? The man seemed embarrassed when hearing Lu Qis words, but he did not refute him and he just stood aside. The people who were watching around started to chatter. Hey, Master is back! As soon as the man said this, people started to approach Lu Qi. After seeing him clearly, they said, It is really Master! Master is back. Someone started asking if Master had gone out before and why he didnt come back for a few years. Some also asked if Master has been married, his son has been waiting for Master. Xu Ran touched his chin and thought that Lu Qi might be quite popular in Yanzhou. He was also very close to the people. Lu Qi had already been talking with the people of Yanzhou who had come up to him. Some of them were probably his acquaintances, and Lu Qi could even call out many names. Xu Ran and the rest stood beside him and looked at it in amazement The only person who didnt care about the crowd was Du Xin. As soon as Du Xin arrived at the front door of King Yans residence, he started to look at King Yans residence and complimented it from time to time. Xu Ran and the others didnt wait for too long before the person who went to report came out. There was also a dignified man following him. You could tell by the pomp and circumstance. Alas! King Yan came out. King Yan is out, King Yan is out. There was an inexplicable excitement in these peoples voices. When King Yan walked down the stairs, the people were already kneeling below. Greetings to King Yan! They said loudly. Xu Ran looked back at the people who were kneeling, then he looked at King Yan standing in front of him. With just a glance, Xu Ran was sure that Liu Tong was really King Yans brother because they are exactly alike. Xu Ran did not kneel and salute, neither did Tangtang and Guoguo. Liu Tong and Baozi did not come out of the carriage. Xu Ran only clasped his hands to King Yan and said, Greetings to King of Yan. King Yan looked at Xu Ran for a while and seemed quite satisfied. He nodded and said, Since were here, lets go in! Even his voice sounded like Liu Tong. After King Yan finished talking to Xu Ran, he turned to the people kneeling on the ground and said, Get up! There is no need to be so courteous. Everyone, please go ahead to do your own business! What he said was quite effective. These people got up and left one after another. Some of them passed by behind their carriages. Lu Qi got up after the people left. King Yan walked over and said, Finally! Lu Qi nodded in excitement. Lu Qi was talking to King Yan, and by the way, he introduced Gao Quan to King Yan. Xu Ran saw that King Yan had no intention of paying attention to them for the time being, so he called the two children to him. He asked them, King Yan does look exactly like your Daddy. What do you think about this? The two children tilted their heads and thought seriously. After a while, Tangtang said, Dad, lets see how they treat us first. If they treat us well, we will stay here. If not, lets find another place to live and take a look around the Yanzhou then go back. Xu Ran nodded after hearing Tangtangs words and then looked at Guoguo. Guoguo, what about you? Guoguo said, Dad, I agree with him, but should we let Daddy and Baozi come down the carriage to have a look? After Guoguo said this, Liu Tong pulled back the curtain of the carriage and poked his head out, Ran, Its up to you! Ill do what you say. After he said that, he handed Baozi out. Baozi was probably tired from sitting on the carriage. He was very sleepy. So he grabbed Xu Rans sleeve and and closed his eyes. Xu Ran chuckled and touched his nose. Then he held Liu Tongs hand to help him get out of the carriage. Brother, Brother-in-law, are these three my nephew? The voice behind them made everyone turn back and raise their heads. Xu Ran and Tangtang Guoguo had already met King Yan before, so they had no expression. On the contrary, Liu Tong was a little bewildered when he saw the same face as his. Xu Ran held Baozi in one hand and Liu Tong in the other. He stared at King Yan without saying a word, as if he was waiting for his response. King Yan was looking at Liu Tong seriously. The dignity of a superior was a little oppressive to them, especially Baozi in Xu Rans arms. He couldnt sleep well. King Yan, Baozi is still young, Xu Ran couldnt help but reminded him. King Yan, who was reminded, was stunned and restrained his breath. He said with a smile, Finally home. I wonder if youre willing to recognize me as your brother? This was obviously said to Liu Tong, but Liu Tong did not answer him. Instead, he lowered his head, probably did not know how to reply. Xu Ran held Baozi with one hand and he got tired, so he gave Baozi to Tangtang who was standing behind him and pulled Liu Tong into his arms in a protective manner. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, lift up your head. Whatever decision you make, we are all behind you. Liu Tong raised his head and looked at King Yan, then looked at Xu Ran. He shook his head after a while and said, Ran, I dont know. Can you let me think about it? Not only did Xu Ran hear this, but King Yan also heard it. A trace of disappointment flashed across his face, but he adjusted it wellquickly. Tongtong?Is this your current name? The name Father gave you is Yan Zheng. He called you Zheng, I dont know if you remember it or not. But its fine if you forget it. After all, you were still young at the time, and I will also call you Tongtong! Tongtong, take your time. I wont force you. We have plenty of time, and you guys must be tired now. Go ahead and have a rest! Well talk about it later. After talking to himself for a while, King Yan asked someone to take them into his residence. Chapter 242 King Yans residence was bigger than what they saw from outside, from which there were many servants coming and going. Xu Ran had a dazzling feeling, but he looked extremely calm. They were really too tired. King Yan had ordered the servants to prepare hot water and rooms for them, one for Baozi and one for Tangtang and Guoguo. However, as Baozi was too little, Xu Ran still let Baozi sleep with them. A long sound sleep. They arrived at noon and it was already evening when they woke up. They could only see the lights in the yard outside. The Palace of prince is indeed extraordinary. It was lit up by so many lights as if it was in daytime. Not long after Xu Ran woke up, Liu Tong was also awake, but Baozi was still asleep. Liu Tong asked Xu Ran, Ran, shall I wake up Baozi too? Xu Ran looked at the sleeping Baozi, reached out to rub his nose and said, Call him up! After sleeping for so long, He has to get up and eat something. As Liu Tong was calling Baozi, there was a knock at the door. Second Young Master, Xu Juan, have you got up? Do you need someone to serve you? The voice from outside made Xu Ran frown. He had actually forgotten that this was the princes residence, where masters were served from eating to getting dressed. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong and saw that he was fine, so he replied to the people outside. No need, we can do it ourselves. The man responded, and said, My name is Gu Yu. Im here to serve Second Young Master and Xu Juan on the order of the prince. If Second Young Master and Xu Juan have any needs, please call me straightly, I will be guarding at the door. When they heard Gu Yus words, Xu Ran and Liu Tong were both a little uncomfortable. Although they had bought the servantsCGao Quan and Shao Yu. However, the two had been bought back to help with their work, instead of serving them. The period when Shao Yu took care of Xu Ran was because he was pregnant, but now they were alive and kicking, it was uncomfortable to be served by others. Fortunately, they didnt come in. Xu Ran quickly dressed himself up and put on clothes for Baozi as Liu Tong woke him up. Baozi was still in a daze. He didnt realize that it was not his home until Xu Ran led him out of the room. Baozi asked Xu Ran, Dad, where is this? Xu Ran explained, Weve reached Yanzhou. This is King Yans residence. We dont have to ride on a carriage recently. Are you happy? Baozi tilted his head and thought seriously. His action and his expression were identical with his two brothers. At this, the dazed Baozi shouted happily, Great! I dont have to ride on the carriage! Dad, I dont like riding carriages at all. It feels terrible, but on the way, I dont dare tell you that. Dad, lets take no more carriage in the future, okay? Baozi sounded a little aggrieved. He must have been in a carriage for too long and felt uncomfortable. Plus that illness, he felt some rejection to the carriage. However, Xu Ran felt a little guilty. He was just about to comfort Baozi when he felt his hand empty. Baozi let go of his hand and Xu Ran immediately turned back, seeing that Baozi was already in King Yans arms. Xu Ran glared at King Yan unhappily, King Yan, can you not show up so abruptly every time? It is very scary. King Yan smiled, Ive been here for a while. If you dont believe me, you can ask Tongtong and Gu Yu. You didnt see me because you were distracted. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong, who nodded at him, indicating that what King Yan said was true. Baozi, who was in King Yans arms, was looking at King Yan attentively. He was also very interested in the clothes he was wearing, pulling and plucking it constantly. When he saw King Yan staring at him, Baozi asked curiously, Who are you?! How do you look the same like my Daddy? King Yan seemed to like Baozi very much. He rubbed his head and said, Who do you think I am? Baozi thought seriously and then thought of Daddys brother that Xu Ran and the others had always mentioned. He couldnt help but blurt out, I remembered. You are Daddys brother. King Yan smiled, Are you called Baozi? Smart boy. Baozi was not modest at all. Being praised by King Yan, he immediately raised his head arrogantly, which amused King Yan greatly. The laughter attracted many people. Tangtang, Guoguo, Gao Quan, Shao Yu, Lu Qi and Du Xin all came over. Lu Qi said to King Yan, Your Highness, dinner is ready. Please have dinner first! It was getting late. In ordinary days, it was time to sleep after dinner. However, King Yan was excited today and didnt feel hungry at all. After Lu Qi reminded him, he remembered that it was time to have dinner. He remembered that Liu Tong and the others had been running around for so long, and then slept for one afternoon, so he said, Lets go eat first! After dinner, well have a good talk. Youve slept for the whole afternoon and you wont be able to sleep at night. As soon as he finished, Baozi in his arms yawned and King Yan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. However, such details were quickly ignored by King Yan. He asked Lu Qi to lead the way and then he followed him with Baozi in his arms. Of course, Xu Ran and the rest followed behind. Liu Tong must be a little nervous, as he kept holding onto Xu Rans hand. Xu Ran stroked his palm with his fingers as a comfort. King Yan didnt seem to pay much attention to the etiquette of eating. He dismissed all the servants and ask them to spare the ceremony and help themselves. Even Gao Quan and Shao Yu, who didnt usually eat around the same table with them, also had seats. As to King Yan, he kept carrying Baozi and would not let him go. Baozi had a good impression of King Yan, who looked the same as Daddy, and he didnt stand on ceremony with him at all, instructing him to pick this dish and that. At first, Xu Ran was worried that King Yan would be annoyed, which might affect Baozi. However, after Baozi ordering him about for a while, King Yan still wore a smile on his face. At this, Xu Ran was relieved. After dinner, King Yan clearly stated that they needed a good talk. Perhaps he had nothing to talk about with Xu Ran. He mainly wanted to talk to Liu Tong and his kids. But Xu Ran knew that Liu Tong couldnt accept it for the time being, so he said to King Yan, King Yan, let me talk to you! Let the kids go to rest or have someone show them around the palace. As for Baozi, let Tongtong take care of him! He has slept for the whole day, so its good for him to stretch his legs. Liu Tong naturally listened to Xu Ran. He walked over to King Yan and carried Baozi, then stood behind Xu Ran. In this situation, King Yan could not say anything. He had to agree and let Lu Qi show them around the palace. After all, they were only familiar with Lu Qi here and would not be on guard with him. After they left, King Yan took Xu Ran to his study room, and had servants get him some tea and desserts, and then got ready to sit down and have a good talk with Xu Ran. Xu Ran came to the point directly with King Yan. Your Highness, Tongtong and I have been ordinary commoners for more than 30 years. The most we have done is farming. I had an attitude of exclusion more or less towards youCa relatives coming from nowhere. We have no intention of seeking connections with those who have power, instead, we just want to live a peaceful life. If it werent for the plague, we wouldnt have come to Yanzhou. Thank you for giving us six years of peaceful life. Xu Ran paused and continued, Before we met you, we had always been suspicious. We didnt really believe that you were Tongtongs brother. After all, in the previous ten plus years he had been a commoner, and was really not used to the sudden appearance of a prince brother. Please dont mind me saying so, Your Highness. We have long thought about it. If Your Highness is really Tongtongs brother and treats us well, then we will acknowledge you. But if it you are not, or treats us badly, then we will consider it as a trip to Yanzhou and go back in a few days. By saying so, I am wondering whats Your Highness attitude? King Yan listened to Xu Rans words with a smile on his face, without a bit of annoyance. which only made Xu Ran feel unsure. He was probably the so-called smiling tiger. Xu Ran had a bad feeling. Xu Ran heard King Yan say, Now you have seen my look too. Zhenger and I are indeed brothers. Looks cannot be faked, and your status is of no use to me. I wont deceive someone who has no value to me. Ive indeed been looking for Zhenger for many years. As you said, I agreed to let you live a peaceful life, but the plague is coming. I cant bear to leave my brother in such a place. Although Yanzhou cant compare to the south, it is my own territory after all. No matter what I do, it is more casual, isnt it? Xu Xu nodded. Your Highness, once I accepted that you are Tongtongs brother, and then thought about what you have arranged for us before, I could also feel how much you have done for Tongtong. As you said, we are of no use to you, and not worth you to put in mind. Although Tongtong decided to follow my decision about whether to acknowledge you or not, I still want to respect his idea. We will stay in the palace for a while. After that, no matter Tongtong acknowledge you or not, we will move out to live. I want to trouble Your Highness find us an proper house nearby. King Yan said, No problem, you are a smart person. I hope you can stay. Although Yanzhou is not a big place, there is great room for you to exhibit your skills. Dont worry, I wont separate Zheng Er from you. After all, your kids have been so big. But I will consider other things too. I hope you dont mind when the time comes. King Yan then looked at Xu Ran with a faint smile. Xu Ran felt his scalp tingling. Chapter 243 Sure enough, what King Yan said next made Xu Ran speechless and even want to beat him up. King Yan continued after saying those words, But if Zheng fall in love with someone else, you cant stop him. After all, he is in a different position now.I can get him whoever he wants. Even though most of the childe with high status were SUB, but there were also a loft of TOP. If Liu Tong was not a childe, there would be a lot of people who liked him. What King Yan meant was that Xu Ran just one of Liu Tongs men-in-waiting . Xu Ran was thinking about how to answer King Yan, so that he wouldnt think so in the future when Liu Tong suddenly rushed in. I wont have anyone else. I only want Ran. If you are really my brother, then you shouldnt ruin my life. Im living well now and I dont want anyone else to intervene. King Yan and Xu Ran were dumbfounded, especially King Yan. His brother found out that he wanted to find a man for him and he was very angry. What should he do? Xu Ran reacted quickly and pulled Liu Tong over and comforted him, Tongtong, dont be angry. Hes doing it for your own good. I know you wont, just the two of us. When Liu Tong heard Xu Rans words, he felt a little aggrieved. He still remembered how sad he felt when he thought Xu Ran might marry someone else more. He had already felt it once, but now the king Yan had let Xu Ran feel it again. Liu Tong had never been so angry as now. Xu Ran hugged Liu Tong and buried his head on his shoulder. He gently patted his back and said, Its okay,Tongtong. Im not upset. I know what he said isnt true. You wont want anyone else. Dont be sad, okay? Ran, Ran, Liu Tong kept calling Xu Rans name when he was weak, as if to confirm his existence. All this travel has caused physical fatigue. When he saw the older brother, who looked exactly like him, he was not ready yet to accept him. When he heard this, Liu Tong couldnt help but feel more uncomfortable. Xu Ran comforted Liu Tong while dropping King Yan a hint, asking him to say that what he just said was just a joke and Liu Tong should not take it seriously. King Yan was also frightened. After he got Xu Rans hint, he said quickly , Zheng, dont be sad. I didnt mean that. Im worried that he will fail you, so Im scaring him like this. I wont say it again if you dont like it. And if anyone else wants to break you up in the future, I will punch him for you, okay? Ran wont let me down! Liu Tong replied to King Yan with certainty. King Yan covered his face. He made his younger brother angry before he could accept him. What should he do? Although he was misunderstood, Xu Ran was still very happy to be protected by Liu Tong. He said to Liu Tong, Well, Tongtong, please do not be angry. King Yan said that because he was worried that I would fail you. Dont be angry with him. There wont be anyone else anyway, right? Liu Tong nodded and said that he got it. He parted with Xu Ran and looked straight at King Yan. I was about to accept you, but you shouldnt say something like this. Ive lived with Ran for so many years and survived from the most difficult days. I believe he wont fail me.And I wont let him down, too. Let me think again whether I want a brother as a King. Liu Tong said that and took Xu Ran to leave, regardless of the reaction of King Yan. They walked along the way they had come, and as they walked Xu Ran laughed. Liu Tong looked back at him in confusion, Ran, what are you laughing at? Xu Ran said while smiling, Im laughing because my Tongtong is amazing! You just threatened a king. Speaking of this, Liu Tong patted his chest with have a lingering fear and returned to his usual temper. He asked Xu Ran, Ran, do you think he will blame us? After all, he is the king. Xu Ran shook his head. I dont think he will. He really wants you to accept him and is waiting for your response. He is actually very attentive to you. He found us seven years ago, but he never forced us to come to Yanzhou let us live in peace for so long.If it hadnt been for the plague, we should have been like before until Xu Ran didnt say until what because he didnt want him to hear it because it was too treason and heresy. After Xu Ran stopped, Liu Tong stared at him, as if waiting for his following words. Xu Ran shook his head and said. Nothing, Tongtong, you have to decide whether to accept this brother. I also told him to help us look for a house. Whether you accept him or not, we have to move out . Then we will start some small business and support the family. Yanzhou is much better than Xu Village and it is good for the children. We can go back in a few years. Liu Tong lowered his voice and said to Xu Ran, Ran, in fact, when I met him, I felt like he was really my brother. I want to get close to him, but I dont know if thatr right. Xu Ran scratched his nose and said with a smile, Whats wrong with that? You are twins, just like Tangtang and Guoguo. Its normal for you to be close. But Liu Tong hesitated. Xu Ran asked him, But what? Do you have any other concerns? Ran, Im still a little worried. Hes the king after all. Would he think I accepted him because of his status? I want nothing from him, you know that, Ran. Xu Ran pinched his face and said, Why do you think so much? If he really thinks so, he wouldnt try togo find you. Ive never seen you think that much before. If you want to accept him, I definitely wont stop you. In fact, you dont have much of an impression of your father. After so many years, its not bad for you to accept King Yan.You can talk to him sometime so that you can make a decision. Liu Tong thought about it and nodded. Ran, I got it. Xu Ran and Liu Tong did not talk too long, by the light of the lamp they walked back to the courtyard where they lived. It was very lively there. Baozi was talking to those two children who were older than him. Xu Ran and the others could faintly hear words like home, south, and road. He guessed that Baozi was telling people that he was not native and he was from the South. After Xu Ran walked in, he found that the two children looked very like King Yan. Baozi was talking with great enthusiasm, and the two children were sitting on the stone stools and listening attentively. They didnt notice the arrival of Xu Ran and Liu Tong. Xu Ran put his finger to his mouth and gestured for Liu Tong to be quiet. Liu Tong nodded understandingly. After a while, Xu Ran found that more and more people were gathering in the yard, but no one said a word. They were looking at the three children who were sitting on the stone stools and communicating with each other. However, the children noticed it. They stopped and looked up. Baoziand stood up in surprise after he saw Xu Ran and Liu Tong , Dad, Daddy, youre back! I met two new friends, Dad. Come here and Ill tell you. Baozi came over and grabbed Xu Rans hand. Xu Ran obediently walked over and listened to his introduction. Dad, they are the children of Daddys brother. This brother is called Yan Lan, and he is a childe like me. This brother is called Yan Hao, he is a kid, Yan Lan brother, Yan Hao brother, this is my Daddy. And the two that look exactly alike are my two brothers, you can also call them brother. By the way, what should you call my Dad and Daddy? Baozi seemed to be stumped by this question, and Yan Lan and Yan Hao also seemed to be considering seriously about it. Xu Ran laughed and patted him. Why are you acting like a grown-up? Who did you get that tone of voice from Yan Lan and Yan Hao are your cousin. As for what they should call me and your Daddy, I am not very sure. After so many years, Xu Ran still couldnt figure out what to call him. If you do it in modern terms, they should call him uncle, and call Liu Tong aunt, but it doesnt seem appropriate here. Xu Ran turned his eyes to Liu Tong, and so did the three children. Liu Tong had already made the decision to accept King Yan, so he didnt act coyly. I am the brother of your Dad. You can call me Uncle. As for him, you can call him Uncle, too. Yan Lan and Yan Hao are obviously good boys. When they heard Liu Tong say this, they obediently called out. Liu Tong met his relatives directly without informing King Yan. Xu Ran also understood that Liu Tong took himself as the kings brother, not sister, so he wouldnt have to worry about making a fool of himself in the future. Then Xu Ran called out all the people standing around to get to know each other. It seemed that Yan Lan and Yan Hao had a good impression of his family. They greeted everyone obediently. Then Xu Ran and the others also saw King Yans husband who came to find the children. He was a little startled to see his children were with a group of strangers, but after he saw Liu Tong, all the shock disappeared. He said with a smile, You look exactly like him. You are finally here, and the kinge can rest easy now. The King Yans husband looked very gentle, with a faint smile on his face, which was easy to make people feel good. The following part would not be long. It would be over at the beginning of next month, so everyone can start reading now. Chapter 244 King Yans spouse seemed to like Liu Tong very much. He kept talking with him. It was inappropriate for Xu Ran to interrupt the conversation between two Geers, so he started to play with the kids. Although it was quite late now, no one was sleepy. King Yan had no concubines and only two children, and they hadnt usually had playmates. Therefore, when they met Baozi, who was good at gabbing and quite playful, they got excited. Moreover, Xu Ran, the big child, also joined them. When they had grown up, Tangtang and Guoguo did not participate in any game that Xu Ran specifically designed for Baozi. But unfortunately, they were asked to play with them by Xu Ran today. In addition, another big child also joined the team, and that was Childe Du, Du Xin, who would appear in any busy scene. Lu Qi and Gao Quan crossed their arms and watched, while Shao Yu was talking with King Yans spouse. Joy was overflowing. Meanwhile, King Yan was reflecting on himself in his study. He found it necessary to make an apology to his brother tomorrow morning, and have a good chat with him. Then he decided to go to bed first. After all, it was a busy day for him. King Yans servants had been asked to leave. It was not until King Yan left his study that he called them again. The courtyard King Yan arranged for Xu Ran was next to his own. Therefore, he had to go through Xu Rans courtyard if he wanted to go back to his. The moment he walked over, he heard the laughter inside. King Yan asked his servant, Whats going on inside? Who is making a noise this late at night? Doesnt he know who is living here? King Yan was about to get angry as he spoke. Yan Chuan, who had been assigned by the old King Yan to the current King Yan, had been waiting upon him for dozens of years. King Yan trusted him, so naturally, Yan Chuan also knew about Liu Tong. Hearing the noise inside and sensing King Yans anger, Yan Chuan asked someone to go in to have a look at once. Before long, that servant went back. He whispered in Yan Chuans ear. Yan Chuan nodded, asked him to leave and then answered King Yan, bowing, Your Highness, its His Highness and the princes inside. They are playing with the children of Second Childe, and its their voices. King Yan knew his children very well. Usually, they were hard to please, yet they were laughing so happily right now. King Yan got excited and waved his hand. Lets go! I want to go in to take a look too. After that, King Yan went inside himself. He didnt ask Yan Chuan to notify them, and watched the happy scene afar under the lantern. King Yan might have been infected with the joy and also showed a sincere smile. It seemed that today, he had been laughing more than he had used to for a few days. At the same time, King Yans spouse was telling Liu Tong that King Yan didnt like to laugh, Well! He is always pulling a long face at ordinary times. He seldom smiles, as if someone owes him money. I dont know why I agreed to marry him back then. Liu Tong stared at him in confusion, not understanding what he meant. Thus, King Yans spouse started to tell Liu Tong about his love story with King Yan. King Yans spouse didnt come from a privileged family background. Born in a literary family, he was the Geer of the dean of Yanzhou Academy. His name was Xiao Qingyun. Since he was the only Geer in his family, he had been pampered from childhood. He had met King Yan by chance, and fallen in love with him. King Yan had had no intention of marrying a Geer coming of a noble family either. Besides, he had also had feelings for Xiao Qingyun, so they had got married. After getting married, Xiao Qingyun had changed his blustery personal style, stayed in the backyard quietly and started to do the housekeeping work for King Yan. King Yan had treated him very well. He had never mentioned that he would marry a concubine, even if Xiao Qingyun hadnt got pregnant in the first few years after marriage. Xiao Qingyun had felt guilty and even wanted a divorce, asking King Yan to marry someone else. King Yan was very affectionate towards his spouse. He had only said that, I had already thought of these when I married you back then. This is not your fault, and you dont have to blame yourself. We are still young. We could definitely have our own children. One year after that ruckus, Xiao Qingyun had actually got pregnant. Even though the first child was a Geer, they had still been very happy. Having giving birth to a child, Xiao Qingyun had put the backyard under stricter management after discussing with King Yan. It was always wise to play safe. There had always been social climbers who wanted to crawl his way up through marriage. Although King Yan wouldnt allow that, what if it really happened? It would cause trouble for the two. Fortunately, Xiao Qingyun was smart and had had several potential home wreckers punished. From then on, nothing had happened in the backyard. One year after Yan Lan had been born, Xiao Qingyun had got pregnant again. This time it was Yan Hao. The two were satisfied with one Geer and one man. They had been leading a good life. King Yan did not hide Liu Tongs story from his spouse. Even if he wanted to, he couldnt, because King Yan had been thinking about it all day long. Xiao Qingyun had heard King Yan nagging for a long time, so even he himself had started to think about it. Therefore, the whole family had been looking forward to the arrival of Liu Tong. Xiao Qingyun was speaking sincerely, not seeming to be faking it at all, and that touched Liu Tong. They had been talking for long and it was getting late. It was freezing in the winter nights. Everyones hands and feet turned icy cold after they had been sitting for a while. Therefore, Xiao Qingyun urged everyone to go to bed. The three children parted unwillingly and agreed to play together tomorrow. When Xiao Qingyun had greeted them, he hadnt brought any servants with him, so he walked towards his own yard with each kid in one hand. He took a few steps and saw King Yan staring at them under the lantern. Under the light, that man still looked so tall and straight. He could even see the faint smile on his face. Xiao Qingyun walked over with the kids. Satisfied? Will you have a good sleep tonight? King Yan knew that Xiao Qingyun was teasing him. Just because he had waited for Liu Tong and the others for a long time before they arrived, King Yan had tossed and turned in bed during night. King Yan talked back, Is Yuner jealous? Xiao Qingyun glared at him. What are you talking about? King Yan smiled and didnt speak again. He only shook his head with a smile, walked to Xiao Qingyuns side, and held Yan Haos hand. The whole family walked forward slowly. Yan Chuan, who was standing behind them, smiled at this scene and tears began to well up. Old King Yan, Second Childe is back, finally. Although Xu Ran and the others had slept for half a day during daytime, they hadnt slept well on the journey, so they still had a sound sleep at night. By the time he woke up the next day, it was already bright. Only Baozi was sleeping beside him and Liu Tong was nowhere to be seen. Xu Ran stretched out his hand to touch the bedsheet. It was already cold. He assumed that Liu Tong had probably been up for some time. Xu Ran rolled on the bed gently. He didnt want to get up. It was too cold, much colder than the south, and he might live here for another few years. Thinking of this, Xu Ran found it hard to take it. However, he had to get up even if he didnt want to. After all, this was not his own home. Moreover, King Yan was watching him now. If King Yan knew that Tongtong got up earlier than him, he might speak critically of Xu Ran. Xu Ran didnt want anyone to have anything on him. At that thought, Xu Ran didnt feel cold anymore. He sat up and got out of bed quickly. When he got dressed, he woke Baozi up. Xu Ran said, Baozi, you really can sleep. Youve been sleeping for a day and night, and you havent woken up yet. Rubbing his eyes, Baozi looked at his dad in confusion. Apparently, he didnt hear what his dad had said. Judging from that, it seemed that Baozi hadnt got enough sleep yet Xu Ran spread out his hands. Not only was Baozi a foodie, but he was also a sleep god. Somehow, Xu Ran felt that he was raising a pig. He didnt feel good about it. After all, he didnt want to be a pig daddy Xu Ran opened the door, went out and stretched himself before taking Baozi out. Gu Yu had been waiting outside. He saw them and greeted them. Xu Ran didnt like these overelaborate formalities and said, Its fine. We dont care about these formalities. You dont have to bow down to us from now on. It keeps us apart. Do you know where my spouse is? Gu Yu answered Xu Ran with his head lowered, To Second Brother-in-law, Second Childe is in the kitchen. He went there the moment he got up in the morning. He asked me to wait at the door for you and the little childe to wake up. Xu Ran frowned. It didnt take long before Xu Ran figured out what Liu Tong had gone to the kitchen for in such cold weather, not for warming himself anyway. The cold wind outside kept blowing. Xu Ran pulled his coat tighter and asked Baozi if he was cold. When he saw Baozi shaking his head, he said to Gu Yu, Do you know where the kitchen is? Could you take us to the kitchen? Gu Yu kept nodding. I do. Ill take you there now. Gu Yu brought Xu Ran and Baozi to the kitchen. Xu Ran saw Liu Tong kneading the dough, and there was a big pot of water which was about to boil next to him. On the other side, the cook was putting something in bowls of cooked sliced noodles. They were probably all cooked by Liu Tong, and there were several bowls of them. Xu Ran took Baozi in and no one stopped them. Xu Ran walked behind Liu Tong and called him, Tongtong. Baozi also called out, Daddy. Liu Tong looked back at him and asked with a smile, Its so cold. Why are you up so early? I havent even finished cooking the sliced noodles yet. Xu Ran said, Its so cold, but why did you come to the kitchen yourself? If you want to eat something, just tell them. If they cant cook it, tell them how. You dont have to do it yourself. Youve been with me for years, and I havent let you touch cold water in winter after you gave birth to Baozi. You cant do that to yourself. Liu Tong answered Xu Ran while kneading the dough, Im not that delicate. Besides, Im using hot water. I remember what youve told me. There are cooked noodles over there. Have them with Baozi first. When the water is boiling, I will slice the dough then. Breakfast will be ready soon. Xu Ran said, Im not hungry. Ill wait for you. Are you cooking for all? Liu Tong nodded. Seeing the water in the pot boiling, he told Xu Ran, Ive cooked a lot, and it should be enough. I asked the kitchen staff and no one had had breakfast yet. When I finish this pot, that would be enough for all. Xu Ran nodded. In that case, well have breakfast together. Ill have Gu Yu ask King Yan where to eat. Liu Tong nodded and went on cooking. Xu Ran went out with Baozi and talked to Gu Yu. After that, Gu Yu left at once. Chapter 245 On the other side, those who were still waiting for breakfast felt that todays breakfast was a little late. Even King Yan, who had been practicing martial arts early in the morning, started to ask when he felt hungry. Yan Xuan also felt that the breakfast was a little late. When he was just about to send someone over to look at it, he saw Gu Yu who he had asked to serve the Second Young Master running here. Gu Yu ran all the way, hurriedly, and still gasping when he stopped in front of Yan Xuan. Seeing him in such a hurry,Yan Xuan thought that there must be something happened. He asked Gu Yu to answer without saluting him, Gu Yu, you are in such a hurry, did anything happen to the Second Young Master? Gu Yu stopped panting and said, Second Young Master, Second Young Master is in the kitchen. Whats wrong in the kitchen?Did anything wrong happen to him? Yan Xuan asked anxiously. Second Young Master was in the kitchen early in the morning. He made breakfast for everyone and sends me to ask where the Master wants to have breakfast. Gu Yu finally finished his words. King Yan, who was paying attention to them, also heard Gu Yus words. Waving his hand, he said: Just eat in the front hall. Yan Xuan, you send people to invite the Lord and the others. We cant miss the breakfast Zhenger cooked for us. Hearing his words, the two of them ran off quickly in their respective directions . King Yan put down the sword in his hand and started to imagine what would Liu Tongs breakfast be like. Hearing Liu Tong make breakfast, everyone rushed to the ante-room to wait. As Tangtang, Guoguo, Gao Quan and Shao Yu had eaten the food Liu Tong cooked, they became the target of questioning by others. Xiao Qingyun seemed the most curious, waiting expectantly. Not long after, a servant came up with a tray. Inside the tray, there were some dishes and noodles which were different from the noodles they usually ate. Seeing this, Tangtang explained,This is called Knife Noodles. Dad first made it and Daddy learned later, but Daddys cooking skills are much better than Dads. On the way here, Dad told us that the food in the north was mostly noodles. That is why Daddy cooks it in the morning. Cooking noodles was very simple, just added some vegetables to the noodles. They didnt know what special things were in the noodles, it smelt delicious and they wanted to try it right away. However, Xu Ran, Liu Tong and Baozi didnt come, so they could not eat first. Xu Ran and Liu Tong came with a plate in each of their hands. What Xu Ran brought was the chili sauce he made in the kitchen and that in Liu Tongs plate was the pickled dish from the kitchen. People could feel warmer when they ate spicy food on cold days. As for the pickled dish, it was Xu Rans favorite every time he ate noodles. As soon as they sat down, everyone began to eat noodles, without saying a word. After a few bites, King Yan started to call out, Its delicious, much better than the chefs in the kitchen. After hearing King Yans words, Xu Ran continued proudly, Of course, Tongtongs cooking skills are the best. King Yan was very unhappy and retorted, How can you say its your Tongtong? Hes my younger brother. Xu Ran replied, not to be outdone, He is my spouse. When I call him, he will answer me. Can you? King Yan shut up instantly. Although he was not very convinced, he did not say anything. His younger brother had not recognied him, but he didnt worry about it, after all, there was plenty of time. Liu Tong was focused on blowing noodles for Baozi, ignoring Xu Ran and King Yan. While others were just eating their noodles, only Xiao Qingyun came to persuade them. Alright, alright, why do you quarrel in the early morning? Hurry up to eat, these are noodles Tongtong got up early in the morning to cook for you. It was clear that Xiao Qingyuns call of Tongtong made King Yan unhappy again. However, he was wise not to say anything, because he was afraid that if he did so, Liu Tong would be angry. After breakfast, when Liu Tong was about to clear the table, Xiao Qingyun stopped him and said, Tongtong, youve done breakfast, leave these things to the servants! Otherwise, they will think they are useless and will be sold. Being amused by Xiao Qingyuns words, Liu Tong stopped. After lunch, they all started their own business. Tangtang and Guoguo were no exception, one asked Lu Qi to teach him kung fu, the other let Lu Qi teach him to study, and plus a troublemaker, Du Xin, everybody got busy. As for Gao Quan and Shao Yu, they were also well treated. Gao Quan was an elder for King Yan. Although King Yan did not assign him anything, he lived and ate to the same standards as Lu Qi did. As for Du Xin, he was treated as Lu Qis family. Anyway, he was a attention-getter, even if King Yan left him alone, he could find a place to live in. As long as he didnt get into serious trouble, King Yan would turn a blind eye. Liu Tong and Baozi left with Xiao Qingyun, Tangtang and Guoguo left later, leaving Xu Ran alone. At this time, King Yan said to him, deliberately, Hey, since no one wants you, you may come with me to the Yanzhou Residence. I have said that the Yanzhou Residence is not big, but its enough for you. Xu Ran was tempted by his words. Being alone, if he didnt go with King Yan, he would have nothing to do, so he nodded and said, All right, lets go. King Yan took Yan Xuan and Xu Ran, the three of them left from the back door. Thinking of what had happened at the King Yan residence yesterday, Xu Ran understood why King Yan left through the back door. Xu Ran felt strange that he had never seen a nobleman build his house in the middle of the street! Wasnt it troublesome if someone visited the house or something happened, others would know about it? Xu Ran voiced his doubts. Yan Xuan was about to answer for King Yan, when King Yan stopped him and said, Let me tell you! This place was chosen by my father. He said that this place was close to all other places. No matter what happened, the Yanzhou Residence would know it as soon as possible. It was convenient for me to control the Yanzhou Residence. Second, the Yanzhou Residence will never hide anything from the common people. Only the common people can see us with their own eyes, they will trust us more. At that time, the Yanzhou Residence was not like it is now. Although I was young at that moment, I clearly remembered how run-down the Yanzhou Residence looked. King Yan sighed at the mention of the past. Xu Ran looked at the buildings he could see carefully. They were not rundown. Although it was cold, there were many people wearing heavy clothes, with smiles on their faces, coming and going on the streets. Xu Ran gave a hearty compliment, You did very well, at least the Yanzhou Residence is very good now. What the common people want is very simple. For them, it is good that they have clothes to wear, enough food to eat, and the family can live in peace. Hearing Xu Rans words, King Yan shook his head and said, Youre wrong. Im not as good as you said. The Yanzhou Residence is not as good as you see. It is just because here is the busiest place of the Yanzhou Residence. The Yanzhou Residence is in the northermost part of Great Xia. The weather here is cold and there is little rain, so many farmers cannot grow enough crops to feed their families, let alone pay taxes. Speaking of this, King Yan said, frowning, I once though of exempting people from paying taxes, but there are sill fifty thousand soldiers guarding the Yanzhou Residence and watching out for enemy attacks. Without taxes, how can I support the soldiers? However, if taxes are levied, the common people cant have enough to eat, so Ive always felt so incompetent. Maybe he regarded Xu Ran as his family and just wanted to complain, King Yan told him everything. Xu Ran remembered what Lu Qi told him about the Yanzhou Residence on their way here. Lu Qi told him about the situation when he left Yanzhou Residence. Xu Ran could tell from his words that the Yanzhou Residence was not rich. Now after hearing King Yans words, Xu Ran couldnt help but sigh. The gap between the rich and the poor had existed for many years. The only good news was that fewer people were going hungry now. Xu Ran said, King Yan, Tongtong would like to recognize you. I suggest you go back and talk with him! As for the Yanzhou Residence, just like youve said, it is small, but it is big enough for me. So as long as I stay in the Yanzhou Residence, I promise the common people of the Yanzhou Residence a good life. Can you trust me, King Yan? Hearing Xu Rans words, King Yan was quite excited. He said quickly, Of course, I always trust the people I chose, not to mention the relationship between us. Xu Ran said with a smile, Thats good. After you and Tongtong recognize each other, I will show you two things. Also, please find a house for us as soon as possible. Its inconvenient for us to live in the palace with such a big family. Also, youd better not announce Tongtongs identity to the public. Once someone knows about it, it will cause trouble for Tongtong. King Yan retorted, Zhenger looks just like me. The people of the Yanzhou Residence all know me. Do you mean Zhenger cant go out in the future? Xu Ran shook his head and explained, Of course not. How could he not be allowed out? Master, dont forget Lu Qi, his medical skills are so good, its easy for him to change a persons appearance. Tongtong doesnt have to make a big change, just a little is ok. King Yan thought that it was easy for Lu Qi to do this. After all, Lu Qis medical skills were taught by his father. Now he didnt contradict Xu Ran anymore. After all, what Xu Ran said was the truth. Anyway, King Yan was intimidating at the Yanzhou Residence. Chapter 246 Xu Ran had reached an agreement with King Yan on the matter of Liu Tongs identity, which was to keep it private. The reason that King Yan went out today was to visit the poor in Yanzhou. As winter had set in, it was getting colder. King Yan had seen no beggars on the streets this year and felt worried, so he wanted to make an inspection tour personally. Xu Ran teased, Others would get relieved when they find no beggars on the streets, but you, instead, get worried when you find no beggars on the streets. Maybe they have got food this year so that they dont need to go out to beg? Couldnt you wish them luck? King Yan remained silent. Yan Chuan, who had been following them behind, answered Xu Ran, Second Brother-in-law, you are not from Yanzhou, so you dont know about the weather here. Its extraordinarily cold this year, and it has turned cold early, which means those beggars might have been frozen to death or couldnt go out to beg, but not that they dont need to. Xu Ran frowned. Havent you thought of finding a way of living for these beggars? Although there isnt much rich soil in Yanzhou, you have much uncultivated land! You might ask these people to reclaim the wasteland, right? Yan Chuan shook his head. Second Brother-in-law, its not like His Highness hasnt thought about it before, but it didnt work. The wheat is some delicate crop, and nothing is able to grow on the wasteland of Yanzhou. Even if something grows, its yield would be too little to feed the growers themselves. It doesnt work at all. After that, Yan Chuan sighed, looking helpless. Xu Ran looked at King Yan and saw his grim face. It was then when he realized that Yanzhou might not be so good as it looked like, and could even be described as impoverished. The wheat was scarce to begin with, and it was not some high-yield crop. If nothing came out after one year of hard work, people might as well just give it up, or it would be a waste of seeds. There was little rain in Yanzhou, and the temperature here was low. Obviously, it was not a wise choice to grow rice either. Xu Ran thought it over. Now, it seemed that only corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes were the three sensible options in Yanzhou! Now Xu Ran only had potato and corn seeds with him. He hadnt found any sweet potato seeds for the time being, but it was enough to have these two. Corn could also be eaten as staple food. There were many beggars in Yanzhou, as well as 50,000 soldiers who defended the frontier here. Besides, there was a lot of wasteland in Yanzhou. There were people. There was land. At this thought, Xu Ran discovered that the reality was not that harsh. However, he didnt tell anyone about this. After all, it was not time yet. Xu Ran followed King Yan all the way to the place where the beggars lived. Out of Yanzhou town, there was a ruined temple. The walls were almost collapsed and couldnt break the wind at all. From the outside, there seemed to be no one here at all. King Yan wasnt bothered with this place and walked in first. Yan Chuan followed closely behind King Yan while Xu Ran in the rear. He looked around the dilapidated temple as he was walking. King Yan walked all the way inside. There were quite a few rooms in the broken temple. King Yan took a few turns before walking into a room with fire. There was a lot of hay in the room, on which many people were sleeping. The only few ones who were awake didnt move when they saw King Yan coming. It was unknown whether it was because they were too weak or anything else, none of these people said anything. Silence filled the room for a moment. King Yan didnt mind it at all. He sat down next to the fire and let Yan Chuan pass the package in his hand to him. It was at this time that Xu Ran noticed that there was a package in Yan Chuans hand. King Yan opened the package. Xu Ran found that it was filled with food, such as steamed stuffed buns, steamed buns or pancakes. They were probably bought by Yan Chuan from the roadside market when Xu Ran had been talking with King Yan. After all, there were a lot of food stands along the way they coming over. King Yan handed a steamed stuffed bun to the one who was awake next to him. Eat it! You wont starve today. That mans eyes widened when he saw the steamed stuffed bun. He snatched it, but didnt stuff it into his mouth. Instead, he woke up those who were sleeping. Get up. Everyone, get up. His Highness is here. He brought us food. There was some inexplicable excitement in his tone, with which the people around him were infected. The other few people also started to wake up those who were asleep. Some of them were woken up and took the food from King Yans hand, while the others werent woken up. Xu Ran stared at King Yan in confusion. Your Highness, what happened to them? King Yan frowned. They might have fainted from hunger. Yan Chuan, go over and check on them. Hearing King Yans order, Yan Chuan went to check those who were still asleep. Xu Ran watched his actions carefully. First, Yan Chuan put out his finger under that mans nose to check for breathing. If yes, Yan Chuan would try to wake him up. If no, Yan Chuan would pinch his acupoint until that man woke up. Yan Chuan ran through all those who werent awake and there were still three people lying there. Yan Chuan walked back to King Yans side. He shook his head when he saw King Yan looking at him. Once Yan Chuan shook his head, everyone understood what was going on. They had all been starved to death. Xu Ran took another look at the clothes on them and thought that they might have been frozen to death. The room was still filled with silence. Only the crackling fire and the sounds of people chewing and swallowing were heard. After a long time, King Yan sighed and shook his head. Yan Chuan, go back and ask people to come over and bury them! In addition, ask someone to send more food and winter clothes over. Its getting freezing recently. Yan Chuan accepted the order and left. Now, only Xu Ran, King Yan and a bunch of beggars were left. These beggars were probably really starved. They had finished off such a big package of food. After that, they also got the strength to speak. King Yan asked first, How long has it been since you last went out looking for food? The person closest to King Yan replied, Its been over ten days! For the first few days, we ate what we had saved previously. After we finished it off, we have been starving. Its too cold. Even if we go out, we might not get food. We are more likely to be frozen to death if we go out with what we are wearing, so we have been staying here. Your Highness, if you hadnt come today, we might have been starved to death already. Those three who are lying there, I talked to them last night. The man recounted in an extremely flat tone, as if he had long been inured to it. Even King Yan seemed to have been used to it. Xu Ran felt a little uncomfortable. He knew that these beggars were pitiful, but it didnt occur to him that people could really die from starvation. Seemingly, that man had no desire to share more. He shifted his eyes to Xu Ran. Your Highness, who is he? Perhaps it was because King Yan had come too many times, these beggars were not afraid of him at all. They hadnt prostrated themselves when King Yan had arrived, nor had they said thank you when they had finished off the food. Even their questions were so blunt. King Yan looked at Xu Ran and said, His name is Xu Ran, a guest of my house. Since he is free today, I have brought him over here. Dont worry. I will figure out a way to help you survive this winter. When King Yan gave a brief introduction to Xu Ran, he got back to the former topic. That man shook his head after hearing King Yan. Your Highness, youve been taking care of us all these years. Youre a lord, yet you have condescended to come over to this ruined temple to send over food to us. We are already very grateful to you. Your Highness, although we are just beggars, we still have some common sense. Besides maintaining an army, you also have to pay tribute to the royal court. How would it be possible for you to have spare food to support us? We just take these years as a gift. We have long been satisfied. This person seemed to be the head of this group of beggars. When the other beggars heard his words, they started to echo and praise King Yan. But somehow, their praise made one sad. King Yan also seemed touched and said, Dont say that. As long as you are alive, you can always think of a way. If you really cant, I will take the soldiers to plunder those barbarians. I cant just watch you starve to death. From what these people said, Xu Ran realized that King Yan was in a very difficult time now. How was it possible for him to support 50,000 soldiers and pay tribute to the royal court on Yanzhous land? But the most important thing now was to find something to eat, so that these people would not starve to death. Perhaps there were more of them. There might be more people starving on the vast land of Yanzhou. Suddenly, Xu Ran couldnt think it anymore. He looked up at the blue sky and the light clouds outside, which seemed to have nothing to do with this poor place. Xu Ran blinked his eyes and asked King Yan, Your Highness, is there a river in Yanzhou? King Yan looked at Xu Ran, confused, but still nodded. Yes! So? Xu Ran forced a smile. Thats enough. So you dont have to worry about being starved to death. Hearing this, King Yan suddenly had this expectant look on his face, but then he became a little upset immediately. There is a river. You are talking about the fish in the river, right? But a few days ago, there were a few heavy snows and the river is frozen. It has not melted yet. Xu Ran said, Thats even better, so that more fish can be caught. There are also mountains in Yanzhou and wild vegetables grow on them. They can dig for wild vegetables and boil them with the fish. Therefore, not only can they get warm, but also full. In addition to your relief, there would be no problem for them to survive this winter. Both King Yan and these beggars were listening carefully to Xu Ran. When the beggars heard that they were able to survive this winter, the light of expectation gleamed in their eyes. Xu Ran could tell that the light in their eyes was also called hope. Chapter 247 In winter, food could still be found in the mountains. When Xu Ran lived in Xu Village, he often ran up the mountains in his leisure time in winter. Occasionally, he would find some edible wild vegetables. Gradually, he knew more and more types of them. No matter how barren Yanzhou was, some edible things still could be found on the mountain. Xu Ran told everyone his thoughts in detail. King Yan and the beggars didnt know much about these, so more or less they hold suspicious attitude towards Xu Rans words. Xu Ran said, Now that the situation is already like this, lets just go to scour thoroughly. Besides the loss of physical strength, maybe we can really find something, right? King Yan thought about it carefully, then nodded. Youre right. We really dont have much to lose. So be it! After we returned, I will send some soldiers, together with a few farmers who often went up the mountain, to go and scour around. Some wild animals might be caught in winter. Xu Ran did not have any objections and just waited for King Yans arrangement. As soon as King Yan finished speaking, the beggar next to him said, Your Highness, let us go with them! If we have learned to know those wild vegetables, we can go up the mountain ourselves in the future. These beggars had been begging in Yanzhou since they were young, so they really werent familiar with wild vegetables. When the beggar mentioned it, everyone else nodded in agreement. King Yan agreed when he saw their eagerness. Self-reliance was better than living dependent on the whims of others. After talking about this, King Yan learned some other things from the group of beggars. When Yan Chuan brought people to bury the three dead bodies, he turned to go back to the residence. But halfway, King Yan suddenly changed his mind and took Xu Ran to the camp. There were many tents in the camp. King Yan pointed to the tents and said, There live the 50,000 soldiers guarding the Yanzhou. Be it winter or summer, they can only live in the tents. You know what the weather of Yanzhou is like. Summer is fine, but the days in the winter, you can imagine how hard their lives will be. Whats more, the Barbarians like to sneak attack in the winter. I have planned to build them houses, but to build the houses to accommodate 50,000 soldiers, it will cost huge regardless of manpower or material resources and financial ones, which are what Yanzhou is short of. King Yan was full of sorrow and regrets when he said this. Xu Ran couldnt help but wonder how Yanzhou was at first? The current Yanzhou seemed to be very good, but there were still so many problems. What should the dilapidated Yanzhou be like? What did the people here live on? Xu Ran thought about the small land coverage of Yanzhou mentioned by Lu Qi. He thought that King Yan might not think Yanzhou was small, instead he wanted to find a more suitable place for the people to live. If you have no hand you cant make a fist. Even if King Yan was capable, with pressure from the Emperor above and the burden of the people and the land below, he couldnt do anything. While Xu Ran was deep in thought, King Yan had walked to the other side. After walking for a while, finding that Xu Ran didnt follow him, he called him. Xu Ran came back to his senses and quickly followed. This time, the place King Yan took him to dazzled him. The place that came into view was a vast grassland, like an oasis in the endless snow peaks. However, in the winter, there werent many green grasses on the grassland, and all that could be seen were dried up grass. However, Xu Ran knew that in the next year, in spring, a whole patch of green grass would emerge in this place, which could graze countless cows, sheep and horses. King Yan stood straight, pointing at the grassland in front of him, as if it was his world. Xu Ran heard him say, In the coming year, not only will this place be full of green grasses, but it will also be filled with cows and sheep. When next winter comes, I dont have to worry that my people will starve to death or freeze to death. King Yan turned back and looked at Xu Ran with a serious expression. He asked him, Tell me, will this place be as good as I said in the coming year? Xu Ran was infected by King Yans tone and nodded without thinking, Of course, in the next year, it will become the biggest farm in Yanzhou, and this is the first step for Yanzhou to become rich. When Xu Ran finished, King Yan also calmed down and said: In the past, this place was about to turn into a desert. I accidentally found it. At that time, I came with Yan Hao. He pulled a grass on his way here, grabbing in his hand, and finally dropped it in this place. At that time, I was riding on a horse and felt something had dropped off. Hence, I looked back and saw the grass, about which I didnt put in mind. But the next spring, as I came to the military camp to drill troops, I got a little upset and wanted to walk around. Then I saw that the grass, standing in the midst of barren land, which was the position where Yan Hao had dropped the it. King Yan smiled and continued, At that time, I was still wondering why a grass survived and there was nothing else growing here. I didnt know why, but I pulled out a few more plants and placed them next to that one. Later, I often came to see these plants. I didnt do anything. After a while, the plants survived by themselves. At that time, an idea sprouted in my mind. I kept sending people to dig up the wild grasses and put them down here, until the grasses had covered the whole land. Now it was the third year, the grasses have taken root here. Next year, I plan to bring here big groups of cows and sheep. King Yans words ignited his lofty ideals and high aspirations. He glowed with confidence. Xu Ran didnt answer. He just looked up at the distant sky and at the grassland under his feet. He thought that King Yan was indeed smart and patient. It took him three years to create a patch of grassland. How many people was capable of such a thing? What King Yan needed was nothing but time. Sooner or later, Yanzhou would be filled with the prosperous scenery they saw, in every corner. At the blueprint of building a prosperous city together, Xu Rans heart was full of pride, so the two discussed in the grassland with the wind stroking against them. Xu Ran told King Yan about his thoughts in raising cows and sheep, and at the same time, he brought up the idea of reclaiming wild lands. Xu Ran said, Your Highness, there are many wastelands in Yanzhou. The soldiers have to rely on the land of Yanzhou to support them. Why not let some soldiers go to reclaim wasteland? Kung fu should be practiced every day and work should be done as well. They will definitely be happy to work for themselves. It doesnt take too many people. About a thousand per day will be enough. It wont take long for them to exploit wide stretches of fields. As to the choice of crops, I will select them, making sure that soldiers wont be starved any more. Select? What can you select from? With climate like Yanzhou, what else can you plant besides wheat, radish, and cabbage? King Yan asked in confusion. Xu Ran smiled at him, I have a good idea. Your Highness, just wait and see! We should go back now! It is almost noon. King Yan glanced at him and said, You must be hungry. Xu Ran didnt feel embarrassed at all. He said, Its already noon. How can I not be hungry? King Yan felt that he had gone too far. They had walked quite a long way the whole morning, plus they only ate a bowl of sliced noodles in the morning, so it was high time to go back to eat. Yan Chuan did not go with them since coming out of the Beggar Temple. There were only Xu Ran and King Yan on the way. They had grown familiar with each other with the chatting went on. Generally speaking, they both had a good opinion of each other, and it would be better to collaborate. Although Xu Ran was willing to keep low key, he would never refuse the opportunity to show off. By the way, he could teach his kids during the process. The two returned to the palace and found that everyone was waiting for them to eat. The dishes on the table had been warmed once. After sitting down, Xu Ran apologized, I didnt pay attention to the time when I went out. Ive made you wait for a long time. Im really sorry. Xiao Qingyun said, I dont blame you for this. Prince always goes out like this and comes back quite late. The food will be warmed again and again every time. This is all his fault. However I expect you to come back on time in the future. After blaming King Yan, he did not forget to remind Xu Ran. The husband of King Yan was quite tactful. In any case, he wouldnt have offended Xu Ran. As for King Yan, he was his husband. Plus, the people on the table were his own people, so King Yan naturally wouldnt say anything, since Xiao Qingyun was merely stating the truth. After lunch, Xu Ran went to accompany his kids and husband, while King Yan still had things to deal with. Sending some people to break ice and collect fish as he had talked about with Xu Ran in Beggar Temple, sending some other people to go up the mountain to scour the wild vegetables, though these were all trivial matters, he had to arrange people to do them. Plus the other things that he had to deal with, he was fully occupied from afternoon to evening. The things that Liu Tong had wanted to talk to King Yan were suspended too. After dinner, Liu Tong thought that the earlier it was said, the less awkwardness there would be in the future, so he asked Xu Ran to tell King Yan, who was naturally very happy about Liu Tong looking for him and immediately agreed. The place where the conversation took place was still in the study, and only Liu Tong and King Yan were in it, with Xu Ran and Yan Chuan waiting outside. The two spoke in the room for a long time. Xu Ran had felt his hands and feet being frozen and numb, then he saw Liu Tong coming out of the study. The rims of his eyes were red, but there was a smile on the corner of his mouth. Obviously, he looked happy, so Xu Ran did not ask. However, at night, he packed Baozi up and sent him to sleep with Tangtang and Guoguo, while he tormented and entangled with Liu Tong for a long time. Liu Tong might be affected by his emotions. Not only did he not resist, he was very cooperative and even took the initiative. This was quite fun. Xu Ran thought that he could try a few more times in the future. After all, men of thirties are like a tiger! Maybe he could have another child. It was all his wishful thinking, but it was not up to him whether to give birth to another kid. Xu Ran told Liu Tong his thoughts, which made Liu Tong flush. This night was especially beautiful. Chapter 248 After Liu Tong talked with King Yan, he acknowledged King Yan. However, according to the terms of address of the servant in the mansion, it seemed to be the same. The only difference was that Liu Tong didnt call King Yan brother before. On the second day, when they were having breakfast, King Yan mentioned the matter that Xu Ran had talked about breaking ice for fish and going up the mountain to find wild vegetables, and asked them who would like to go. Apart from the three kids, Xiao Qingyun and Shao Yu whose movement had been confined, everyone else said they wanted to go. But the problem was, were they going to break ice or go up the mountain? They actually wanted to go for both. It felt really hard to choose. In the end, Xu Ran made the decision on behalf of their family. When he was Xu Village, he often went up the mountain and dug wild vegetables, so he decided to watch the ice-breaking and fish-catching! Although this method was proposed by Xu Ran, he did not try it himself, so he did not know if it could work. Gao Quan and Lu Qi went up the mountain. As Gao Quan now had some study on weeds and herbs. he could be of some use on the mountain, while Lu Qi went to be the supervisor. After all, King Yan had to personally supervise the fish-catching. The group split up after dinner. Today seemed to be even colder than yesterday. The piercing wind whistled and their faces tingled as it blew across them. There were no protective measures, and they could only be exposed in the wind. With time going, they got used to it, but their faces might suffer a lot. Xu Ran covered his face and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, make a few scarves when we go back! In the future, we will wear some whenever we go out. If the wind is strong, we can shield faces with them. Otherwise, we would be shamed to be seen by people after being repeatedly mutilated by wind like that. Liu Tong nodded and said with a smile, No matter what kind of look Ran becomes, I wont dislike Ran. Xu Ran smiled too. Tongtong is able to sweet talk too. Im really afraid that someone will compete for you with me. What if I cant fight your suitors? Liu Tong waved his fist. Then Ill help you beat him up. I cant let anyone loot me away, right? After saying that, the two laughed at the same time. The more they lived, the more childish they became. They had never thought about such a problem before. King Yan took them to the riverside of Yanzhou, which ran through the entire Yanzhou. The name of the river was Zhou River, simple and easy to remember. There were already people waiting by the river. These should be the local people that King Yan asked Yan to find yesterday. When those people saw King Yan, they began to kneel down to greet him. King Yan quickly stopped a person at the front, No need to stand on ceremony. How can you kneel on the ground on such a cold day? King Yans considerate behavior would probably touch these people. King Yan pulled Xu Ran over and asked him, Ive found the people you need. They all have the experience of breaking ice to catch fish during winter. You also talk about your ideas as to where is the ideal place to get fish. Although the ice is thick, it is easy to crack if you knock too hard. It will be bad if anyone falls. Xu Ran said, Just pick the place where you usually get fish, draw a circle around it, then chisel along the circle. In the meantime, get some cold water to melt ice. In this way, it will work faster. It didnt snow today, but was a little windy. It was estimated that the water wouldnt freeze so quickly, so King Yan agreed to what Xu Ran said and let people get the water. These people were all experienced fishermen and often fished on the river, so they were very familiar with the river. Zhou River was very wide, looked more like a lake than a river. These fishermen walked on the ice, looked around carefully, and chose a location. After informing King Yan, they started to draw the circle. Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to go over to help. As they had learned kong fu and had much strength, they had to apply it once given the chance, in case it was wasted. After the circle was drawn, the water was also brought over. As Xu Ran said, some fisherman started to chisel ice along the circle, while some others started to pour water in the middle. Xu Ran reminded them to be careful, not to use force, and to slowly chisel the ice. He also asked Tangtang and Guoguo to pay more attention. However he held Liu Tong tightly without going to the ice. Firstly, it was too slippery. Secondly, he was afraid of the cold. He suspected that if he fell down, he would be frozen to death. In Xu Rans blind and disorderly conjectures, a sound came from the middle of the river. Xu Ran immediately came back to his senses and saw that a piece of ice had fallen into the water. It worked! There are fish, fish, Dad, there are really fish below. Guoguo shouted and ran to Xu Ran, wanting to pull him to see. Xu Ran shook his head. I wont go. Go and help them get the fish! Remember not to touch the water. Its too cold. Be careful not to fall, and look after your brother, remember? Guoguo turned back and saw that Tangtang was looking at him. He nodded hurriedly, Dad, I know. Then he slid forward. The fishing net and wooden buckets were all ready. The fishermen scooped up the fish with net and iron basins, then poured them into the wooden buckets. Soon, a bucket was filled with fish. By the time almost all the fish under this circle was scooped up, there were already two buckets full of fish. Even if the water inside was removed, there were more than half a bucket of fish. They were of big and small sizes. When the fishermen brought two buckets of fish to King Yan, Xu Ran said in surprise, I didnt expect there are so many fish in the river. Hearing Xu Rans words, the fishermen explained, This river is very long, and it is the deepest part of the river. We wont fish in this part when the weather is warm, so there are the most fish in this part. Look at the size, you cannot catch such big fish elsewhere! Xu Ran looked at the fish in his hand. It was the largest one among these fish, weighing four to five jin. Xu Ran nodded. As for wild fish, this is really big. The fisherman nodded. Tell me about it! Today, it was a good start. We should dig a few more holes. In winter, it doesnt matter even if the fish died. The fisherman left and went with the other fishermen to find a new location to start again. Xu Ran saw that Tangtang and Guoguo had been around the fishermen, saying something attentively. Xu Ran turned to King Yan, Your Highness, have you ever thought about breeding fish and shrimps in this river? These things are absolutely exquisite for foodies. Only those who are not picky about foods wont care about them. However, there is no shortage of foodies in Great Xia. King Yan pondered for a moment and asked, The towns close to Yanzhou have similar resources to the Yanzhou. The fish can not be sold out in these places. As to the farther places, how can the fish live for so long? Xu Ran smiled and said, Your Highness, dead fish are also edible. Yanzhou in winter is a natural ice house. You can freeze anything. In addition, we can dry up the fish. It is not a problem to make salted fish and fish slices. As long as you are willing to do it, Your Highness, dont forget that there are 50,000 soldiers in Yanzhou. Yanzhou is the least lacking in people. Xu Ran had always proposed letting the soldiers work, and King Yan himself had an idea in his heart. Indeed, with the 50,000 soldiers in Yanzhou, there was no shortage of people. Although the Barbarians would often come and harass the area, as long as he didnt allocate too many people one time, it wouldnt affect the whole situation, so this could be considered. Thinking of the idea of Xu Ran about breeding fish in the river and of the grassland he had planted in three years, King Yan suddenly felt that as long as Yanzhou made it through this winter, good lives would be expecting them. As he watched the people busy on the ice, King Yans eyes were full of smiles. Zhenger was really his lucky star, finding a smart husband. At this, King Yan smiled again. Although this winter was colder than before, it didnt appear as hard as before. The fisherman opened three holes on the river and took out seven buckets of fish. They didnt dare to continue. After all, the holes were too close to each other and the ice had the risks of cracking open. If someone fell in, it would be too bad. Seven buckets of fish were really quite a lot, and it could be eaten for a few days. Besides, it was not the only source of food. King Yan asked Yan to pay the fishermen, and then let them choose a few fish to take back to eat. Then he sent people to take the buckets back to the mansion. As Tangtang and Guoguo had worked very hard, their faces flushed rosy, looking even prettier. King Yan spoke to Liu Tong as he walked, wanting to communicate more with him. Xu Ran didnt disturb them and deliberately walked behind with the two kids. Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo, What do you think of Yanzhou? Guoguo said, Dad, although its a little cold, its pretty good. But Dad, I dont want to live in the mansion. Can we find a place to live by ourselves? Although uncle is quite good, it was after all a little uncomfortable staying in others home. Tangtang also nodded. Dad, although we are just here, my view is the same as my brother. I also think Yanzhou is very good. Dad, this place will eventually become prosperous. Xu Ran nodded and agreed with Tangtang, then asked him, What about you? What do you think of living in the mansion? Tangtang said, Dad, if we have to stay in Yanzhou for a long time, wed better buy a house. Wed better have a shop to sell some things. Otherwise, our silver wont last long. Xu Ran said, Ive also thought about this and Ive got an idea. You dont have to worry about the money. Itll definitely be enough. I will never let you starve. Think about it carefully. Do you want your uncle to find a master to teach you reading and martial arts? After all, the person he finds will be definitely better than me and Gao Quan. It is best to let Lu Qi teach you. Tangtang and Guoguo thought seriously, then nodded in unison. Guoguo said, Dad, we also have a similar idea, but Dad, the money-making method you mentioned, do you want us to help? If there is no need, I want to go to the military camp to train with the soldiers. This was a good idea. Guoguo was not worried, but how about Tangtang? Xu Ran looked at Tangtang and asked about his opinion. Tangtang understood his meaning and replied, Dont worry, Dad! If Dad can do it, I can too. I know that after he grows up, he wants to join the army. Then, wouldnt it be better to let him go to the military camp early to see and to learn? Guoguo was touched by his brothers unconditional support. Since the two kids said so, Xu Ran naturally wouldnt stop him. He said, Dont worry! Arent there Gao Quan and the others? Even in Yanzhou, the two were still part of our family. You can just be kids as you are. You dont have to worry about adults matters. The father and sons settled this matter while laughing and talking. Xu Ran also had a decision in his heart. He wanted King Yan to help them find a house as soon as possible. Chapter 249 When they returned to the mansion, those who went to the mountain to dig wild vegetables had not come back yet. When Baozi saw the fish in the bucket, he asked Xu Ran to cook fish for him. Xu Ran picked up Baozi and let him touch his face and said, Baozi, touch Dads face first. My face is so badly hurt, then do you still want to eat fish? Being blown by the cold wind, Xu Rans face was flushed. There were also some small wounds scratched by the wind. He didnt feel it when he was outside, but as soon as he was inside the room and warmed up, he felt itchy, painful and uncomfortable. Being held by Xu Ran, Baozi saw the wounds on Xu Rans face clearly. Touching Xu Rans face carefully, Baozi asked, Dad, does it hurt? Baozi will blow it for you. As he said this, he started blowing and asked Xu Ran quietly if it hurt. He was afraid to touch Xu Rans face. After blowing for a long time, Baozi saw Xu Rans face was still as red as before, he became worried and was about to cry. Xu Ran was just trying to tease Baozi, but when he saw his sons red eyes, he hugged Baozi tightly and comforted him, Baozi, dont cry! Dad feels no pain. I was just blown by the wind outside and it isnt painful. If Baozi cries, Dads heart will hurt. Xu Ran reached out to cover his chest as if his heart began to ache. Baozi was frightened by Xu Rans action at first, then he quickly understood. Looking at Xu Ran with a serious expression, he said, Dad, stop acting. Youve been lying to me since I was young. Its useless and I know your face must hurt. Xu Ran was embarrassed. Sure enough, he couldnt fool the kid and such tricks didnt work for him now. However, Baozi stopped crying and Xu Ran didnt mention it anymore. He took Baozi to read books and pointed at the bucket to ask him, Which fish do you want to eat? How about making hot pot fish for you tonight? Hearing the hot pot fish, Baozi licked his lips. Although he wanted to eat it, he still complained, Dad, I havent eaten it for a long time. You must cook more today, or it wont be enough for me. Seeing that Baozis attention had been diverted, Xu Ran began to think about how to eat the fish at night. When Liu Tong returned to the mansion, he went straight to Xiao Qingyun. Seeing him rushing over in a hurry, Xiao Qingyun thought something must had happened and asked quickly, Tongtong, whats wrong? Ah! Why is your face so red? Liu Tong shook his head and replied, No, Im just here to ask if there is any medicine in the mansion. Our faces were blown by the wind when we were out. They were not used to the weather of the Yanzhou Residence. As soon as they went out, their faces were hurt by the wind. Because these cuts were on their faces, so Liu Tong came to find Xiao Qingyun as soon as he came back. Knowing why Liu Tongs face was so red, Xiao Qingyun said, Yes, yes, master often gets injured by the wind, so Ive been preparing the ointment. Its prescription is given by Lu Qi and it is made with medicinal herbs. Wait a moment, Ill get it for you. Xiao Qingyun went to get ointment for Liu Tong. While Liu Tong waited, he rubbed his face to make it look less red. Seeing this, Xiao Qingyun stopped him immediately and said, Dont rub it. You didnt wash your hands and there are cuts on your face. Sit down. Ill ask someone to bring some water over and then wipe the medicine on your face. Liu Tong shook his head and said, Im fine. Ran ,Tangtang and Guoguos faces also hurt. Ill take the medicine to them first. Holding Liu Tong back from going, Xiao Qingyun said,Your face is hurt ,too. You only think about others, never care about yourself. He pulled Liu Tong down on the stool and asked the servant to get water. Seeing this, Liu Tong stopped talking. He sat down obediently and waited for Xiao Qingyun to wipe him medicine, but he still refuted, They are not other people. Ran is my husband and Tangtang and Guoguo are my babies. Pressing him to keep him from getting up, Xiao Qingyun agreed, Well, well, they are your husband and your babies, but you cant ignore yourself. You are already here, and putting some medicine on your face wont delay giving it to them. Seeing your face, they will worry about you. But Xu Ran wont say anything if he sees youve wiped the medicine on your face. Liu Tong thought what Xiao Qingyun said was reasonable, he stopped talking and waited for the servants to deliver the water. Soon the water came and it was warm. Xiao Qingyun wiped his face with a handkerchief, then gently applied ointment on his face with his fingers. He was so carefully that Liu Tong didnt feel any pain. It took some time to apply his whole face. Liu Tong didnt open his eyes until Xiao Qingyun said it was over. Opening her eyes, she saw Xiao Qingyun smiling at him and handed him the ointment. Alright, take the ointment to them now. Liu Tong stood up and wanted to thank him. But after calling him brother, he suddenly stopped, looking at Xiao Qingyun awkwardly, couldnt go on. Seeing this, Xiao Qingyun understood it immediately, and then said gently, You can just call me Qingyun. There arent so many rules in our family. I also feel embarrassed to call you brother-in-law. Liu Tong blushed and nodded, Qingyun, thank you. Pulling Liu Tongs shoulder to make him face the door, Xiao Qingyun said,Alright, Ive already said that were family. You dont have to thank me, go ahead.Their wounds need to be cured as soon as possible. Gripping the porcelain bottle with ointment inside, Liu Tong nodded, then he opened the door and walked out. When Liu Tong arrived at the ante-room, he found that only Tangtang and Guoguo were talking with King Yan, but Xu Ran was not there. Thinking about King Yan hadnt seen Xiao Qingyun since he came back, Liu Tong walked over and said, Bro, Qingyun is looking for you. Youd better come to see him. Being called brother by Liu Tong, King Yan felt his heart softened. Regardless of whether what he said was true or not, he nodded hurriedly, Okay, Ill go and see him now. Then he got up and left. After King Yan left, Liu Tong sent someone to fetch hot water and apply the ointment on Tangtang and Guoguos faces. Liu Tong asked when he finished dosing them, Where are your Dad and Baozi? Tangtang said, Baozi said that he wanted to eat fish and hotpot at night, so he asked Dad to bring the fish to the kitchen. Liu Tong nodded and walked to the kitchen. He hadnt gone a few steps when he heard Guoguo calling behind him, Daddy. Liu Tong turned to look at him. Guoguo asked him with a smile, Daddy, is what you just said to uncle true? Liu Tong didnt expect Guoguo to ask him this question, shaking his head, he answered honestly, No, but if hes here, I cant apply medicine for you. So I made an excuse for him to leave. But he hasnt seen your uncle since he came back, so Im right to let him do that! Liu Tong laughed to himself when he finished. He didnt know why he had this idea, but it definitely had something to do with Xu Ran. The first thing Xu Ran did when he went home was to find him. Even if he didnt say anything, they could look at each other and know that he was safe. It had become a habit imperceptibly. Seeing that King Yan didnt visit Xiao Qingyun when he came back, Liu Tong didnt feel quite used to it. He wanted to change the situation for some reason. He didnt know if he was right. After all, King Yans identity was still different from them. After answering Guoguos question, Liu Tong strode away. And the two children looked at each other after he left. Guoguo said, Brother, do you find out that Dads influence on Daddy is too great? Daddy has acquired many habits imperceptibly over the years. Tangtang took him to sit down and said, Thats good. Because what Dad did was for Daddys own good. Guoguo shook his head and continued, No, Im just thinking that Dad has done so well. How can we treat our spouses better than Dad did in the future? Tangtang said with a wider smile, How old are you to start thinking about this, and youre not ashamed. Guoguo retorted disapprovingly, Im the same age as you. Besides, why should I feel shy? Do you know Brother Hu? When he was as old as us, Wu Mei and Daddy started trying to get him married. Tangtang said, Then, how about telling Dad and Daddy and asking them to get you married? Guoguo shook his head immediately, No. I will find the one I like best, just like Dad, who will treat Daddy well for a lifetime. No, I must do better than Dad. After he finished speaking, he asked Tangtang, Brother, what kind of person do you like? Tell me about it. I want to know if the persons we like are the same. Patting his head, Tangtang said, Why do you think about these things at such a young age? If you mention it again, Ill tell Dad and hes bound to scold you. Guoguo snorted discontentedly, Dad wont scold me. Dad said that if I meet someone I like, I should chase him, no matter what his identity and background is. In this aspect, Tangtang was more rational than Guoguo. He said, Dads just saying that. Its not as we want. Were still young now, so we should focus on studying martial arts! These things will have to be thought of in the future. Dad also said if the fate comes, that person will naturally appear. Guoguo was still dissatisfied. Looking at the serious face, which looked exactly like his own, he said, You look so old, and you are not lively at all. Hearing Guoguos words, Tangtang rolled up his sleeves and was about to hit him, but Guoguo ran away quickly, and then Tangtang chased after him. As soon as they ran out, they encountered Yan Hao and Yan Lan, who were going to find Baozi. Seeing the two kids chasing, they thought that they were just playing, they joined them first and then some servants also joined in. As a result, the mansion became a mess. But the funny thing was, they didnt know the real reason. Last night, I was on Weibo till midnight . As for the reason, I think you all know! ()/817817. Chapter 250 Liu Tong found Xu Ran in the kitchen who was discussing with Baozi about how many fish should be cooked at night, applied ointment for him, then stayed in the kitchen together, not knowing what happened outside. While King Yan, after hearing what Liu Tong said, returned to his and Xiao Qingyuns room, and saw that Xiao Qingyun was drinking tea and reading a book, without any intention of looking for him. Then he understood that Liu Tong was sending him away with an excuse. However, since he had come, he didnt intend to leave immediately. He sat down and spoke to Xiao Qingyun, asking about the situation of the two kids. Xiao Qingyun said to King Yan in an envious tone, Your Highness, can you take me out with you next time? I havent been out of the mansion for a long time. There was a pitiful element in his tone, but King Yan still refused, Your body is not in a good condition. Its so cold outside. What if you catch cold? Zhenger is in good health, different from you. Xiao Qingyun was dissatisfied. Whats so different? I just need to wear a little more. Besides, Tongtong came from the south. Yanzhou is colder than the south, hes also fine. Xiao Qingyun stared at King Yan while King Yan stared back at him with a disapproval expression. Seeing that it didnt work, Xiao Qingyun started to act coquettishly. He hugged King Yans arm and said, Just let me go! You see that youre not at home every day, and kids have to go to Fuzis class. Im alone in the mansion and I dont even have a person to talk with. Please take me out, just once, once. If I get sick, I wont go out in winters, okay?! Hearing Xiao Qingyuns words, King Yan couldnt help but feel a little bitter. In fact, Xiao Qingyuns health was not bad. He just could not stand the coldness. So he restricted him from going out every year when it was winter. In the past, he had never said anything like this and never demanded to go out. This time, he should be envious of Liu Tong being able to get out. Having been married for so many years, with kids being so big, at this moment, King Yan felt that he didnt care enough for Xiao Qingyun. He held him in his arms and patted his back. I promise you to let you go out, but you cant get sick. Dont scare me. Do you know? Xiao Qingyun came out of his arms and nodded in a hurry. He laughed so happily that his tears came out. He said, I dont really want to go out. Its just that you were often out in the winter. Sometimes, you would stay in the military camp for a few days. I couldnt see you even if I want to. Forget it, why should I tell you this? After all, you have promised me to go out, I definitely wont let myself fall sick. I want to go out with you a few more times. Then he wiped his eyes, went to the cabinet to take the ointment to wipe for King Yan, and complained, Damn it, I have told you to wipe some each time you go outside, but you never listened. When you got back, you didnt send people to inform me in time. If the wound isnt handled well, you might have a scar left on your face in the future. As a prince, why dont you care about your face? King Yan smiled and shook his head. If my face is ruined, you should rest more reassured! If so, no one else will want to be King Yans concubines, right? Xiao Qingyun clenched his fists and gently punched him. You think the ones who really want to be King Yans concubines will care about what you look like. As long as you are King Yan, those people will not give up. You might as well make your face look better and make more people covet you. Anyway, they wont get their way. King Yan reached out and squeezed Xiao Qingyuns chin. Why are you so confident? Trust me so much? Xiao Qingyun said, Thats right, if I didnt have any confidence, I wouldnt have married you back then. Besides, it was said by you, not by me. Then, he smiled at King Yan smugly. King Yan was amused by his look and said, Yes, I said it. There will never be anyone else, you will be my only one. I will spare more time to accompany you in the future. As long as I return to the mansion, I will come looking for you, alright? Xiao Qingyun was both happy and shy, not knowing what to say for a moment. They could only continue their movements of hands. Then, the atmosphere between the two was interrupted by the noise outside. King Yan heard the sound from outside and said, Whats wrong? Why do I think that ever since Zheng Er and the rest came, the mansion has been very lively. Even the servants dared to mess around. Xiao Qingyun said, Isnt that good. It also increased the popularity of the mansion. Youve been so cold all day, the servants will feel afraid when they see you. They definitely dont want to tell you anything. King Yan, who had been disliked, touched his face unconsciously and started to doubt the truth of Xiao Qingyuns words. Then he thought about it carefully. It seemed to be true. Apart from a few people who often served him, everyone else seemed to be quite afraid of him, but he had never done anything too far! While King Yan was still confused, Xiao Qingyun had already figured out what had happened outside and came back. King Yan looked up at him, Whats wrong outside? Who caused the trouble? Xiao Qingyun covered his mouth and smiled. Your two nephews were brisk for a while on a rare occasion. They chased in the yard, and was seen by Yan Lan and Yan Hao, who ran together with them. Later, some servants joined them too. There are a lot of servants in our mansion. This is how things are. Hearing Xiao Qingyuns words, King Yan frowned, Didnt you say that Guoguo and Tangtang are very obedient? Why are they so abnormal today? Xiao Qingyun said, After all, they are two kids. How can you not let them mess around? Since nothing has happened, dont keep a straight face to the kids when you go out. Otherwise, I will definitely fix you, and Tongtong will do too. King Yans scalp tingled when he heard this. How could the brothers be so fierce now? He stood up and said, Ill go out and take a look. Xiao Qingyun looked at him without saying a word but his meaning was obvious. King Yan nodded helplessly, Dont worry, I wont scold the kids. You have said that they are still kids. Besides, arent our two little bear kids among the pack too? Xiao Qingyun was reassured and let him go. King Yan went out and went directly to Tangtang and Guoguo to inquire about the situation. In fact, Tangtang and Guoguo were also in a daze. Should they know that they would cause so many things by a casual running like this, they would never have run. So when King Yan came to ask them, the two honest kids told his what had happened, which amused King Yan a lot, totally giving up the idea of giving them a lesson. The only place that was not disturbed was the kitchen. Baozi negotiated with Xu Ran for a long time and finally set the number of fish at five. Xu Ran looked at the five big fish selected and said to himself that these were almost enough for the people of the whole mansion to eat. But this was also a good thing. They could also let the servants of the mansion taste the fish together. Therefore, when he opened his own store, they could help publicize it. Xu Rans mind was full of calculations, so he rolled up his sleeves and started to fiddle with the ingredients. As for the fish, it would be cleaned and dressed after lunch. In order to wait for Lu Qi and the others to come back for dinner, they waited for a long time, but no one appeared. As the children were too hungry, King Yan ordered them to eat first. As for the others, he asked the kitchen to put aside the dishes for them to eat when they came back. After lunch, King Yan had his own matters to deal with, so he took Yan Chuan out. Xu Ran was idle and didnt want to go out anymore. Thinking of the pain he suffered in the morning, Xu Ran felt that it was necessary to devise some equipments. He knew that after he promised King Yan, countless days of going out would be expecting him in the future. Xu Ran called Liu Tong and Shao Yu together and said to them, Tongtong, Shao Yu, since you are idle in the afternoon. I want you to help me make something. Liu Tong quickly asked him, Ran, what do you want to make? Xu Ran said, Tongtong, I want you to help me make three things, the first is called gloves, which are worn on hands. The second is a scarf, which is wrapped around the neck and could shield the wind and cover the face, very convenient. The third is a backpack. I guess that we will often go out in the future. The climate in Yanzhou is cold, so it is inconvenient to hold things in hands. Thus, we need a backpack. Liu Tong frowned. But Ran, I dont know how to make these things. Ran, can we make them? Xu Ran said, I know how, but we have to find some cotton and fluffy fabric. The cotton can be used to make gloves, the fluffy one can be used to make scarves. As for the backpack, we can use some cloth with dark colors to make it. Hearing Xu Ran say that he knows how, Liu Tong is relieved and says, Ran, since you know how to do, I will ask Qingyun to give me some fabric, as well as thread and needles, of which we have none. For some time, Xu Ran was trying to figure out who Qing Yun was. Then he got it he was the husband of King Yan! But how should he address the husband of King Yan? Xu Ran felt that this was a serious question and needed to be discussed cautiously. After all, he called King Yan Your Highness, but he had never seen the brother of the prince. When he came back to his senses, he found that he was only one left in the room. Liu Tong and Shao Yu had both left. They should have gone to find King Yan to get the fabric. It was not appropriate for Xu Ran to follow them, so he could only wander around the room alone. He thought that it was time to write a letter to Zhuo Yun and the others to report their safety. He was also wondering how the plague in the south was now. Xu Ran started to search for brush, ink, and paper in the room, but he couldnt find anything. The moment he opened the door, he saw that Gu Yu was guarding outside, so he said to Gu Yu, Gu Yu, can you get a set of brush, ink and paper for me? I want to write something. It was rare for Xu Ran to instruct him to do things, so Gu Yu naturally agreed in a hurry, Master Xu, wait a moment. Ill get the things for you right away. Xu Ran nodded. Fine, Ill wait for you. Gu Yu quickly turned around and left. Chapter 251 After Xu Ran waited in the room for a while, Gu Yu came back with pen and ink, and even helped him polish the ink. Xu Ran was about to write when he heard the voices outside. As soon as he heard the voice, Xu Ran knew that Liu Tong and the rest had returned. They had been away for a while, and it was time for them to come back. Xu Ran asked Gu Yu to wait outside the door. He didnt write the letter and went to the door to pick them up. There were a lot of people. Apart from Liu Tong and Shao Yu, Xiao Qingyun was also there. And there were also a few servants behind them. Each of them had a tray in their hands and there were different pieces of cloth in them. He guessed it was for him to choose. Xu Ran welcomed everyone into the door and Xiao Qingyun introduced the cloth on the tray to Xu Ran. Xu Ran was not very clear about the name of the cloth, so he had to look at them carefully to tell them apart. According to what Xu Ran said, there were cotton, plush, and some ugly fabrics, and it seemed theyve got everything. Xu Ran chose a black cloth that seemed to be made of sackcloth and said, Tongtong, you can use this to make a backpack. This sackcloth is very strong and you wouldnt use it to make clothes, so it doesnt matter if its good-looking. Liu Tong nodded and remembered what Xu Ran said in his mind. Xu Ran chose another cotton cloth for Liu Tong to make gloves. The last thing left was to make a scarf. Xu Ran was not very satisfied with these things they brought, mainly because they were not soft enough, if only there was woolen yarn. Woolen yarn? Xu Ran, tell me, what does woolen yarn look like? After hearing what Xiao Qingyun said, Xu Ran was stunned. He was still wondering how Xiao Qingyun knew he wanted woolen yarn. Xiao Qingyun said, Now dont you think about it, youve just muttered something to yourself, and we all heard it. Xu Ran touched his nose to show his embarrassment. Xu Ran told Xiao Qingyun what the woolen yarn looked like. Then Xiao Qingyun immediately asked his close male maid to go to his room to take it. Xu Ran asked, Do you have any woolen yarn here? Xiao Qingyun explained, This was obtained by the kiing from the Barbarian Branch. It was formed into a group. He saw that it was furry, so he took it back. I didnt know what it was used for, so I kept it. Lets see if it was what you wanted. Xu Ran nodded. Then, thank you, my Lord Xiao Qingyun was not very happy. Since were all family now, you should not call me Lord. Are you deliberately alienating us? I dont want to call you that either! But I dont know what to call you. Its not appropriate to call him brother-in-law! This is even more awkward. It is not polite to call a kings husband by his name. Xu Ran thought to himself. Xu Ran lowered his head and started to think how to call him. He was very confused. When Xiao Qingyun saw that she had put him in such a difficult position, he turned around and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, you have to think of a way. I didnt intend to make things difficult for him. Liu Tong stood up and smiled, Ran, just call him Qingyun like me! You didnt feel like this when you called Shuwen before! Xu Ran waved his hand. Thats different. Zhuo Yun and I are brothers. Its normal for me to call Shuwen by his name, but there is a king in front of the lord. Its inappropriate for me to call him like this. Xiao Qingyun said immediately, Why inappropriate? Its just an appellation. Besides, I dont care about it. Neither should you. Listen to me, just call me Qingyun as Tongtong does. Since Xiao Qingyun had said that, Xu Ran had to stop saying. He just nodded and told himself that he should call him less in the future. He felt that he was quite open. He didnt know why he had started to be restrained in this era. Its a very unpleasant feeling. When they were talking, Xiao Qingyuns maid had already taken the woolen yarn ball here. Xiao Qingyun asked him to hand it over to Xu Ran. Xu Ran looked at it and found that it was really woolen yarn. Xu Ran said happily, This is really woolen yarn. This is what Im looking for. Its perfect for sweaters and scarves. It can even be used to make gloves, but its a bit troublesome. Qingyun, is that all we have? Xiao Qingyun nodded. Yes. And if you want more, youll have to ask the king. He knows where it is. Xu Ran nodded, but he was still a little disappointed. Liu Tong comfortedd him, Ran,youd better not go out recently. We can definitely find it. Wait until you find it and Ill make it for you before you go out. Xu Ran shook his head and said. How can this work? I have to go out these days. Lets use something else before we get the woolen yarn! As long as they can caover my face. Xiao Qingyun was still wondering why Xu Ran insisted on making that scarf. When she heard that he was going out to cover his face, he said, Xu Ran, you can just wear a veil when you go out. Didnt you see many people outside doing this? Yes, yes! But he brought so many childe. And people would laugh at him if he joined them. Xu Ran didnt answer Xiao Qingyuns question. Xiao Qingyun thought of it himself. Although Xu Ran looked more like a childe when standing with Liu Tong,but the truth was that Liu Tong was the childe The reality was harsh. Though there was no woolen yarn, theyve got everything else here. Xu Ran started to tell Liu Tong and the others about what to do. In Xu Rans opinion, gloves would be quite simple to make. He went to get a piece of paper and drew it in the shape of his own hand. He said it to Liu Tong, Tongtong, you can make it this way. It can be a little bigger. Otherwise, it would be hard to put your hand in it because the cotton cloth doesnt have much flexibility. Liu Tong looked at the paper and cut a piece of cloth to make the shape. Xu Ran and the other two people were looking at him without blinking. Liu Tong has always been nimble, in addition, he had Xu Rans drawing, so he cut it very quickly. Liu Tong took the cloth he had cut and said to Xu Ran, Ran, all we need to do is to sew them together and make sure the middle is empty, right? Xu Ran nodded. Thats right,You are so smart. Liu Tong was a little embarrassed and he glared at Xu Ran with complaint. It was obvious that he was trying to say there were still other people here. However, the other two people seemed to have not heard it at all as they started to study the shape of Liu Tongs palm. And no one knew if they were sneering in their hearts. The first thing to do was gloves, and not just a pair. Liu Tong knew how to make it anyway, so Xu Ran left him and went to write his letter. There were so many people and so many things to worry about, and there were really a lot of things to write. Xu Ran wrote a few pieces of paper and greeted everyone. He also explained and arranged everything. He told them that theyve arrived in Yanzhou safely. Tongtong had found his brother and and recognized him. Except for the cold, Yanzhou is quite good. But they had been on the road for too long and it was impossible for them to return immediately, so the date of their return was uncertain. Xu Ran carefully read it again after he finished writing, then he blew the ink dry and press the paper to make it flat, and then stood up and stretched himself. But his feet were numb with cold and his hands were cold, too. Xu Ran felt that the room was very cold after sitting here for a long time,. Then he found that there was not a single brazier in the house. No wonder it was so cold. Even in the South, he still had a brazier in his room in winter. Yanzhou was so cold, why didnt they prepare a brazier? Xu Ran walked over to check their progress. Before he could see how much the gloves had been made, he saw Liu Tong and Shao Yu kept rubbing their feet. It was obviously they werev very cold. It could not go on like this. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, You guys stop and stretch your arms and legs. Im gonna go to the kitchen. Xu Ran left without waiting for their reaction. Liu Tong and the rest were really cold. After hearing Xu Rans words, they stopped and stood up. Xiao Qingyun smiled when he saw them like this. Youve only been sitting here for a while and look how cold you got. What if you went out? Liu Tong shook his head and said, Qingyun, this is different. We dont feel cold because were moving around outside. But we were just sitting in this room, there was also no brazier here. It definitely wont work. Were new here and we really cant get used to it.. Xiao Qingyun said, The King said that my health is poor. I think the two of you are worse than me. Ive been living like this and sometimes I have to sit all day and I still feel nothing. Xiao Qingyun was still a little proud when he said this. Liu Tong smiled and said, Yes, youve been brought up here, and Im sure you wont get cold any more. If we stayed here for a long time, we would definitely be like you. Xiao Qingyun, who had not get any compliment, pouted like a child. This time, not only Liu Tong, even Shao Yu laughed. Xiao Qingyun also loved to have fun, but apart from him and King Yan, the rest of people in the mansion were servants. King Yan was very busy and he could not see him much, and he also could not act like this in front of the children. It is rare for him to have a person to talk with. Xiao Qingyuncould be himself again. Even he was the Daddy of two children now, he was still very naive and innocent. Speaking of which, Xu Ran hurriedly ran to the kitchen and asked the men in the kitchen to find an abandoned iron basin for him. Then he ran to the stove and started to pick up the unburned fire. The chefs didnt understand what Xu Ran was going to do, so Xu Ran explained as he worked. At the same time, Xu Ran also reminded them, Remember to collect these flaming stones every day and get a jar with a lid, and put them into it with tongs, and when the fire is out, take them out of the jar, and put them in something else, so that it will be convenient for whoever needs them. After Xu Ran explained, these people also knew what he was doing. But they couldnt nod or shake their heads about it. Finally, a person who looked like a chief spoke. Dont worry, Im sure well get it done, but does Butler Yan know about this? Xu Ran guessed that the butler he said was Yan Chuan, and he said, Ill tell him later. Anyway, you should do it! If anyone blames you, you can say it was my idea. Xu Ran took two rag bags and carried the iron basin out of the kitchen after he said that. Chapter 252 Xu Ran quickly ran back to their yard with the iron basin in his hand. He also picked up three children on the road. Baozi was so happy to see the brazier, and he kept saying that he was freezing. Yan Lan and Yan Hao found it strange. They have never even been to the kitchen before, so they did not know what the brazier was. So the three children followed behind Xu Ranand entered the room. The door was always open. Xu Ran put down the brazier and asked Liu Tong and Shao Yu over to warm their hands and feet. Xiao Qingyun also came over because of curiosity. Xiao Qingyun pointed at the brazier and asked, Xu Ran, wont this go out? How long will it last? Xu Ran said, This one is not added. It wont last long.If only there were coal, I wouldnt have to ask them to get the fire-stone. Xiao Qingyun said, There is a lot of coal, but its too smoky, so I dont use it. Hearing Xiao Qingyuns words, Xu Ran also stopped the idea of using coal. On the other side, Baozi was very seriously explaining to Yan Lan and Yan Hao what the brazier was, how to use it, and how can the fire in the brazier last. What he said seemed quite reasonable. However, after he said that, he couldnt wait and started to look at the gloves that Liu Tong and the others had made. He put his small hands into the gloves and told them that his hands were missing. Yan Lan did not buy his words and directly pulled the gloves down. Isnt it coming out now? He looked very proud. This was the first time that Xu Ran has heard Yan Lans words so close, and his voice was very nice but loud. Thinking about his own Baozi, Xu Ran felt that he was also not bad, so he felt satisfied. Seeing that his trick was unraveled so quickly, Baozi felt bored and he stopped playing with it. He handed it to Xu Ran and said, Dad, what is this? Its so warm, can you make one for me? Xu Ran took the gloves and explained seriously to Baozi, Baozi, this is the gloves. It is used to warm your hands. However, this was not made by Dad, but by Daddy. If you want it, you can make a pair for yourself. Its very simple, let your Daddy teach you, okay? Baozi was thinking about this problem seriously . He was indeed a lazy person and he usually wouldnt do things which were too complicated . Usually, when he was seriously thinking about it there might be a chance that he would do it. Xu Ran continued to tempt him , Baozi, what Daddy made was too big for you. If you want it, you can make a small pair for yourself only. What do you say? Really? Baozi asked. Xu Ran nodded and asid, Of course. Baozi touched his chin and with his tiny hands and said, Okay then! I will make a pair of gloves for myself, but Dad, if its too difficult, would you please ask Daddy to help me to do it? Xu Ran reached out his hand and gave him a high-five. A word spoken is past recalling. Baozi touch his hand and said, A word spoken is past recalling. They had reached an agreement so happily. Yan Lan has been watching them talking and his eyes were full of envy. When Xu Ran looked over, Yan Lan had already turned his head, with a piece of cloth in his hand, and no one knew what he was thinking about. Xu Ran looked at Yan Lan and knew that he must be thinking of the way he got along with King Yan. Xu Ran dragged Baozi to him and whispered to him. After Baozi heard Xu Rans words, he went to Yan Lan and said loudly, Brother Lan, are you going to do it with me? Make yourself a pair, and then make a pair for Brother Hao. If I finish it first, I will help you! Xu Ran has been looking at them all the time, and the others also looked at Yan Lan when they heard Baozis words. So many eyes were focused on Yan Lan, but he was not being shy. The smile on his face was evident to everyone. Yan Lans behavior was much better than that of baozi, and he was only 10 years old now. Who knew what he would be like in a few more years. However, those who were from King Yans residence couldnt be too shabby. This must be taught by Xiao Qingyun intentionally. Xu Ran looked at Baozi and wondered if he would let Xiao Qingyun to be his teacher. Baozi had always been impetuous and restless like a kid. Then he thought of Baozis verbal engagement with Qingshu. He is definitely T when compared to Qingshu. And it would be inappropriate If he was too subtle. Xu Ran felt a little uncomfortable and worried about it. He was the only one who was worried. Baozi had long gone to learn how to make gloves with Liu Tong, and Yan Lan was also standing next to his Daddy, learning seriously, the only one who was as bored as him was Yan Hao. Xu Ran asked Yan Hao over and said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, I would go to see Tangtang and Guoguo. I dont know what they are doing. Ill come back soon. Liu Tong nodded and said. Okay! But you have to come back early to go to the kitchen later. You promised Baozi to cook fish hotpot for him tonight. Xu Ran was already standing outside the door when he heard Liu Tongs voice, and he replied to him, I got it. Then he left with Yan Hao in his arms. Yan Hao had never been in contact with Xu Ran like this. He was a little awkward and had no expression on his face and said nothing. Xu Ran said, Hao, can I call you so? Dont be so serious like your Dad. At this young age, you should smile more and be a smiling tiger. Yan Hao was curious about the smiling tiger and asked: What is a smiling face tiger? Xu Ran explained to him, A smiling Tiger is a person who smiles at any time, and he smiles the most happily when he is really angry or when he is playing tricks on other people. Yan Hao said that he still didnt understand. Xu Ran said, It doesnt matter if you dont know now. When you grow up in the future, you will understand. The moment Xu Ran finished his words, he felt that his hair was forcefully pulled. He called out aloud. Xu Ran looked at Yan Hao and saw him smiling at himself. Xu Ran rubbed his head and said, Youre so smart, but this is just not enough. Theres still a lot to learn. Go and ask your Dad. should know better than I do. Yan Hao nodded to Xu Ran and said. I got it, thank you. Xu Ran didnt respond. He was just a child and he really needed the love of the adults. Xu Ran actually didnt know where Tangtang and Guoguo were. It is not easy for him to find someone since it was not his house. And the two children have not looked for him yet. Xu Ran felt that it was really troublesome, and he urgently needed to buy a house and move out. Xu Ran held Yan Hao and went to Tangtang and Guoguos room but they were not here, then he asked Yan Hao where his Dad usually practiced martial arts. Yan Hao showed him the way, but they still couldnt find Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran thought for a while and asked: Hao, do you have a library or something here? Yan Hao said, Yes, my father has a lot of books in another place besides his study. Xu Ran touched his face and said, Then, can you show me the way? Yan Hao nodded and pointed the direction to Xu Ran. This library was too far from here. Xu Ran got so tired when they finally got there because he was holding Yan Hao all the way. Once he arrived at the library, Xu Ran put Yan Hao down, and then he saw a flash of contempt in Yan Haos eyes. It happened too fast, and Xu Ran even thought it was just an illusion. In order to comfort himself, he took it as an illusion. As for the truth, who would know. Xu Ran didnt expect that Tangtang and Guoguo were really here. They were reading a book in the house seriously. He didnt even know how they found this place. After seeing Xu Ran and Yan Hao, Tangtang and Guoguo immediately stood up and greeted them. Xu Ran walked to Guoguo and flipped through the book he had been reading. However, he found that Guoguo was reading a book on the art of war. Xu Ran returned it to him and asked, Do you like fighting so much? Guoguo nodded and shook his head, saying, Dad, you said that good men should make meritorious achievements. Im not good at studying, so I cant get success and fame like my brother. Even if I pass the exam, I am not fit to be a government official. But I like to learn martial arts. All I can do is to join the army. Now that I am young and still have time, it will be good for me to read more books on the war. Xu Ran was surprised by Guoguo words. He didnt know what was written on it. He had not read Master Suns Art of War much in his previous life, but fortunately, he still remembered what the Thirty-Six Stratagems was. Xu Ran found a seat and sat down. He told Guoguo to bring him a pen and paper. Although Guoguo didnt know what Xu Ran was going to do, he still went to find a pen and paper to give them to him. Since this was in the library, things like paper and pen were easy to find. After Guoguo helped him polish the ink, Xu Ran started to write on the paper. What he wanted to write was the Thirty-Six Stratagems. He privately thought that the Thirty-Six Stratagems was actually better than Master Suns Art of War . There was only one reason, and it was because it was easy to remember, but there were so many things to remember in Master Suns Art of War, and no one could remember so much unless he did it on purpose. As for the reason why Xu Ran could remember theThirty-Six Stratagems, it was because his nephew used to force him to watch cartoons with him. Only now did he realize that cartoons could be beneficial. Xu Ran wrote two copies, one for Guoguo and another for Tangtang. There was only the name of the Thirty-Six Stratagems on it and there was no detailed note on how to use it. Xu Ran said, I wont say much to you now. You should first memorize these words. Call me when you practice tomorrow morning and Ill go with you. Ill explain to you when you do it. They nodded obediently and went back to the yard to recite it. Yan Hao had been watching them. When Xu Ran finished talking with Tangtang and Guoguo, he walked over and looked up at Xu Ran, he asked. Can I have a look, too? Xu Ran looked at the childs serious expression and nodded. Then Ill write a copy for you, but I wont explain it to you. You have to understand it yourself. Youre too young to rush for quick success, do you understand? Perhaps it was because Yan Hao didnt know what rushing for quick success meant, or maybe it is some other reason. Yan Hao silently looked at Xu Ran for a while before nodding. Xu Ran always felt that it was very difficult to guess what a child was thinking, and only his son Baozi would show his emotions on his face. After Xu Ran wrote it for Yan Hao, he left the library alone and went to the kitchen. After all, he promised Baozi to make him fish hot pot at night. Qin Hao wanted to continue studying in the library, and Xu Ran did not stop him. It was not easy for one to understand things that he hadnt been through. Chapter 253 As soon as Xu Ran went to the kitchen, he started to workCmaking hotpot condiments, instructing the chefs to kill and clean fish, which lasted until nightfall. Lu Qis group came back when it was almost dark. When they came back, they went straight to the kitchen to seek for food. Even Gao Quan, with such a reserved manner, came with them. However, there was nothing eatable in the kitchen, because everyone was helping Xu Ran clean fish and prepare vegetables. There was only the leftover cold food from the lunch, with which the cook didnt dare to feed these people. Xu Ran handed his work to the cook, and then he went to make fried rice for these people. With no eggs, Xu Ran made sour spicy fried rice, letting this group of starved people to fill the stomach first. Xu Ran said while frying, You can eat a little now just to fill your stomach. Later, there will be delicious food. If you are full now and cannot eat anymore later, dont blame me for not reminding you. The moment Xu Rans voice fell, Du Xin screamed at the door, Dont say so much. Give me some food first. Otherwise, well starve to death. If so, no matter what you will cook tonight, we wont be able to eat. Xu Ran rolled his eyes at him, Isnt it that you have just skipped a meal? I dont believe you can really starve to death. If you really starve to death, I will definitely send you a burial ceremony. Instead of making Xu Ran act faster, only getting mocked by him, Du Xin was pissed off and hung on Lu Qis shoulder coquettishly, Lu Qi, Xu Ran is too annoying. Go beat him up. With so many people around, unlike Du Xin, who did not care about the others opinion at all, Lu Qi pulled him down from his shoulder and said, If you dont want to eat tonight, Ill beat him up for you. After weighing up the pros and cons, Du Xin pulled Lu Qi at his clothes and whispered to him, You can beat him up when Im full. Lu Qi looked at him with a confused gaze, Why dont you go by yourself when youre full? Doesnt that give you more sense of accomplishment? He wouldnt bully you in the future. Du Xin was also thinking about this question seriously, then he shook his head with a depressed face. I cant beat him. Even if I beat him, I am no match for his son. Lu Qi nodded, feeling that it made sense. However, then he heard Du Xin say, Why do we have no children? Lu Qi, can you bear me a baby? Everyone in the kitchen heard this and looked at Lu Qi unanimously. It all clicked. So youre the one below! Lu Qi just wanted to beat Du Xin up, then found a crack in the ground and got into it. He was so embarrassed that he would have no face to meet anyone! ! ! Du Xin did not realize his mistake at all. He continued, Or I can bear one myself. I really want a child, Lu Qi, maybe I can marry a brother! Let him bear us one for each. This time, without hesitation, Lu Qi slapped Du Xin on his head first and pulled him away. For some reason, Du Xin was still resisting. His voice could be heard from afar, Hey! Let go of me, I havent eaten yet! Hey, hey! Quickly let go of me As they gradually went further and further away, the people in the kitchen didnt hear what was said afterwards, but it wouldnt be anything good anyway. After Lu Qi and Du Xin went away, the work in the kitchen continued, however, the gossip got started too. It was estimated that soon, all the people in the Prince Residence would know that their Master liked men and was the one beneath. Whats more, the man Master liked wanted to marry a brother to bear them each a baby because Master couldnt give birth to a child. Such an explosive topic would probably be spreading throughout the entire Yanzhou! It was unknown whether Lu Qi needed to go out recently. It would be best if he didnt have to go out. If he did, the consequences would be unimaginable. After all, the power of the people is truly infinite. Xu Ran lighted countless candles for Lu Qi in his heart, wishing him good luck. No matter how they gossiped as they liked, the work had to be continued. After frying the rice, Xu Ran sent Gao Quan to bring it to Lu Qi and Du Xin. Although Lu Qi might have been fed with anger now, there was still Du Xin, who apart from having no taboo in mouth, had no bottom in his stomach too, which could be compared with Baozi. At night, Xu Ran prepared five hot pots. Two for themselves, and three for servants in the mansion. The food materials were all the same, since everyone had worked for a long time. Yanzhou didnt grow a lot of vegetables, and they were even fewer in winter. But meat was in sufficient supply, so the main dish tonight was fish meat. In order to save the cost, Xu Ran was prepared the ready seasoning for everyone and did not let them help themselves. With Tangtang and Guoguo around, there was no need for Xu Ran to explain what a hotpot was. Xu Ran mainly ran over to check the servants, afraid that they didnt know how to eat. However, he underestimated these people. With his few words of instruction, these people began to handle everything themselves, their movements looking quite skilled. Several chefs who had worked with Xu Ran for a long time asked Xu Ran to leave them alone. They knew how to eat. Xu Ran covered his chest and walked away, feeling a bit hurt. In the end, something even worse happened. When he came back, people had already begun to eat. Everyone was very happy, but why did they not notice that he was gone? The only person who remembered him was Liu Tong. As soon as Xu Ran came back, he saw fish meat in his originally empty bowl. Xu Ran sat down next to Liu Tong and smiled at him. However, as soon as Xu Ran sat down and stuffed a piece of fish into his mouth, he heard King Yan say, Lu Qi, when are you giving birth to a baby? It has been many years since our Princes Residence had a baby. You are also in your thirties, it is time for you to bear one. Eh-hem eh-hem The moment Xu Ran heard it, a thrill choked the fish into his throat, giving everyone on the table a start. Liu Tong quickly patted Xu Rans back and asked someone to bring him water. When Xu Ran finally recovered, tears had been out. Xu Ran waved his hand to let Liu Tong stop. He touched his chest, coughed violently, and finally felt better. Xu Ran said to King Yan, Your Highness, even if you know the kitchen gag, dont talk about it when eating hotpot, which will kill people, alright? King Yan did not take it seriously, It is nothing. Believe me. Soon, as long as you are in Yanzhou, no matter where you go, you can hear people talking about it, and there can be countless versions of it, even including the one in which Master may have given birth to several kids. Xu Ran agreed with this point. After all, the power of the mass was infinite, whose imagination was amazingly rich. As the two were talking, Gao Quan was the only one left on the table apart from the party involved. As to Gao Quan, one could never expect him to tell you these gossips. So everyone turned their eyes to Lu Qi, as if they wanted to see through a hole in him, then they could went inside to see what was going on. Lu Qi ate his meal with his head lowered, ignoring all the gazes on him. As for Du Xin, after being lectured by Lu Qi, he also obediently shut up. Although he really wanted to say something, his butt still hurt. He chose to keep shutting up, otherwise, it would hurt at night. Du Xin looked pitiful, and everyone could not bear to look at him. When they saw that no one wanted to explain what was going on, they stopped looking around and focused on eating fish meat. After all, they would soon figure it out. As long as they find a servant in the mansion to inquire about it, they would know, so there was no need to struggle now. Everyone was satisfied with this hotpot meal. The hotpot was divided into light soup and spicy one, so they could eat whatever taste they wanted. Although there werent many vegetables, the fish and other meat also filled their stomachs. After they finished eating, the servants came to clean up the table. The group of people went to see the wild vegetables that Lu Qis group had dug out up the mountain. Having worked for a whole day, the group of people had quite a harvest. Several baskets of wild vegetables, plus the fish they caught from the river, which should be enough for the beggars to eat for a while. Xu Rans idea was still hotpot, just using fish meat, A stall could be set up around the city gate. Of course, it would be better if there were brown rice as staple. After all, hotpot couldnt be eaten as the main food, which would not last long. However, the most annoying thing about Yanzhou was that they couldnt find grains. Xu Ran couldnt care about so much now, as long as these people didnt starve to death, it would be fine. Xu Ran told King Yan his plan and King Yan didnt object. He sent someone to clean the fish and prepare wild vegetables for use next morning. Xu Ran also took the opportunity to tell King Yan that they were going to move out. Xu Ran thought that after giving the beggars hot pot to eat, he had made the publicity, then he had to strike while the iron is hot. Although King Yan was unwilling, he still let Yan Chun find house for Xu Ran. Chapter 254 Xu Ran should have left when he finished talking, but he always felt that there was something he hadnt said, but he couldnt remember it for a long time. When he reached the door, he suddenly patted his head and immediately turned back. Do you know where I can find the woolen yarn Can you find me more of this thing? he asked. Woolen yarn? What is that? I have never heard of it before, King Yan looked very confused. It was only then did Xu Ran remember that it was not called woolen yarn here. So he explained once again and told King Yan that it was the thing that he brought to Xiao Qingyun. And King Yan finally got him. When King Yan heard this, he smiled and said, Yes! We have a lot of it. At that time, we robbed a lot of barbarians. How much do you want? Ill have it brought to you. It was useless so I let it in the military camp. Xu Ran was happy to hear that, and he quickly said, Then please give me all you have. This is a good opportunity to make a fortune. Oh? King Yan asked meaningfully. Xu Ran shook his head and said, Give it to me first! Then you will know. Seeing that Xu Ran was unwilling to say anything, King Yan didnt ask too much and nodded. Ill have it brought to you, but youd better make something useful by it. Otherwise, I will have to charge you for it. Of course, Xu Ran said and left. When he returned to the room, Liu Tong was still making gloves. Baozi was helping him thread a needles. Xu Ran walked over to take Liu Tongs hand and said to him, Tongtong, stop doing it. The dim light at night is bad for your eyes. Youve made a lot today. The needle was taken away and Liu Tong couldnt continue working. So he packed up his things and went to sleep. Xu Ran looked at Baozi who was playing alone, then he picked him up and said to Liu Tong, I will send Baozi to Tangtang and Guoguos room. I have something to discuss with you later. Liu Tong nodded without saying anything. Baozi was not unhappy to be sent away. He was going to sleep anyway, to sleep with his brothers was also okay. However, when Xu Ran went to Tangtang and Guoguos room, he found that they were still studying the Thirty-Six Stratagems he wrote under the light. Xu Ran was a little angry. Its late at night. You should go to sleep too. Dont read under the dim lights. Dont you remember what I said before? Tangtang and Guoguo hurriedly put the paper away and took Baozi from Xu Rans arms. They looked like they were going to sleep right away. Xu Ran was still a little worried and said to Baozi, Baozi, watch your two brothers for me. If they dont sleep right away, punch them and tell me tomorrow morning. Ill make something delicious for you. When he heard there would be delicious food, Baozi immediately patted his chest and promised, Dont worry, Dad, I will definitely take good care of my brother. Dad, you can go now. Were going to sleep. Xu Ran left the door without saying anything and shut the door for them. Then he heard Baozis laughter and another voice, which should be Guoguos. He said Baizi had no conscience because he wanted to sell them out in order to eat, and then was Baozis righteous words of condemnation. Xu Ran smiled and walked to his room. While lying on the bed, Xu Ran told Liu Tong, Tongtong, I told King Yan to find a house for us as soon as possible. Well move out, what do you think? Liu Tong definitely wouldnt object. He just asked, Ran, we have to get some work to do. Otherwise, the money wont be enough. Xu Ran said, Ive thought about this before. Well set up a hotpot restaurant. Its very cold in Yanzhou and the hotpot can warm up peoples bpdies. It must be very popular, but people only eat hotpot in the afternoon and evening. Well have to sell something ellse in the morning. Liu Tong asked him, What do you want to sell, Ran? Xu Ran said, Ive already thought about selling breakfast, such as pancakes and porridges. Its not difficult to make and the price isnt high. There should be many people who like it. If we cant handle it ourselves, we can hire other people. Liu Tong thought for a moment and cupped his hands into Xu Rans arms, agreeing with his statement. Xu Ran then continued to say, There are two more things. One is the gloves and scarves that I asked you to make. I want to sell these things out, but its not in the Yanzhou, but somewhere else. So you might have to make more these days. Let other people here, who has nothing to do, help you. You can buy more if you dont have enough cloth, okay? Liu Tong agreed with him gently. Xu Ran continued to say the third thing. As for the third thing, Tangtang and Guoguo told me that they wanted to go to the military camp to practice, Guoguo had always wanted to join the army. This is also King Yans army, so I agreed, Tongtong, do you have anything to say? Liu Tong came out of Xu Rans arms and said to Xu Ran, Ran, I know that the two children want to be successful, but they are still too young now. They would only get fourteen in spring next year. Im a little worried. Xu Ran touched his hair and gently teased him, We shouldnt have stopped the childrens choice. In fact, the military camp is really a good place to train them. If they cant hold on to it, they will tell us themselves. Im not worried. Ater all, theyre not stupid. Liu Tong frowned. He knew that Xu Ran was right, but he still couldnt help worrying. He felt that the child would suffer and get too tired. Xu Ran said, If you wish to be the best man, you should be to suffer the bitterest of the bitter. I have always said this to them, and they have never complained. They know it in their hearts. Tongtong, when children grow up, its time for them to spread their wings and fly. We just wait for them to come home. Liu Tong didnt say anything else. He knew that Xu Rans words made sense. However, he was still somewhat unacceptable about his children growing up. Xu Ran put his hand on his back and patted him gently, Tongtong! Were getting old too. And the children have grown up in the blink of an eye. His emotional tone was full of vicissitudes. Liu Tong couldnt help but laugh. When he laughed, Xu Ran also felt relieved. He continued to pat his back and said, Sleep now! Well have a busy day tomorrow. The next day, Xu Ran got up early because of Tangtang and Guoguo, then he followed them to the practice ground of the mansion. Tangtang and Guoguo had already memorized the name of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. Xu Ran randomly selected a few to explain it to them, and then gave an example. The two children were addicted to what Xu Ran said and they even forgot to practice martial arts. After a while, Lu Qi and Du Xin came over and sat on one side, holding their chins to watch them. Xu Ran didnt stop until breakfast. Theye had to get busy again after breakfast. Xu Ran went to the kitchen to get some seasonings, and then brought them to the city gate. A pot had already been set near the city gate, and there was already water inside. They were waiting for Xu Ran to tell them what to do. Since there was a big pot at the city gate, a lot of people came over to watch it, but they couldnt get too close because there were guards around the pot. Xu Ran put the hotpot condiment in and waited for it to be brewed. A fragrance was in the air, and everyone who was watching wanted to go over and take a look. When Xu Ran started to put fish and wild vegetables in the pot, a group of beggars came from the city gate and started lining up in front of the pot with bowls. People who were watching saw so many beggars rushing in. And when they saw King Yan, they knew that they were making porridge for the beggars. It was just that todays meal didnt seem to be porridge, and they were not used to it. More and more people were watching and they were attracted by the fragrance and wanted to go over and grab food with the beggars, but they could do nothing but swallow their own saliva. Large pieceS of fish and verdant wild vegetables with the spicy soup were scooped into the beggars bowls. And the beggars were eating with relish, making the food even more seductive. There were still fish and wild vegetables in the pot after in the end. Xu Ran began to call the people around to eat. But a lot of people were unwilling to come over. After all, this was for beggars. Seeing that no one had come, he gave it to the soldiers who were guarding the city. They didnt care so much and ate them all. Those who wanted to go but didnt go just now all regretted it. But whats the point of regretting? There was nothing left! Xu Ran started to put away the pot and leave, but someone from the crowd said, Good news! Good news! Good news of Yanzhou! Master actually gave birth to a child in a mans body. Its really great! As soon as he said this, everyone around gasped in shock. Then, they started discussing whether this was a good news or not. When Xu Ran heard this, the spoon in his hand almost fell to the ground. Although he knew that it would be ridiculous, he was still shocked to hear it. This sentence caught everyones attention,who had just been attracted by the hot pot. The discussion was very intense. Some asked who the Daddy was, and some asked how the child was born, and even asked whether the child was a childe or a boy. Anyway, there were countless topics about this topic. Xu Ran looked at the person who was discussing while working beside him, and then looked at King Yan who was obviously smiling. Xu Ran really wanted to say that the people of Yanzhou were so gossipy. And as the king, was he not really going to do something with that? Not only that, someone shouted again, Here comes Master. Get out of the way, dont touch Masters belly! Lu Qi, who was about to look for King Yan, fled away immediately when he heard that! It was fine if he just fled away, but what was wrong with the countless people who followed him to persuade him to be careful? In the face of this situation, Xu Ran could only pray for Du Xin silently in his heart, hoping that he would not be too miserable. King Yan, on the other side, felt that it was not enough. He came over and said to Xu Ran, Its been a long time since Yanzhou has been so lively. It seems that I have to reward Master and Masters child. What child! Where did the child come from? Xu Ran could not even imagine it. I always felt that something was missing if I didnt say a few words.Im actually a talker. n(*RQ*)n Chapter 255 It was also from that day that Lu Qi never left the mansion, and all the people who ever mentioned this in the mansion were drugged by him They all ended up kind of miserable. However, the most miserable man was Du Xin who had not been out of bed for three whole days. As for the reason why he could not get out of bed, no one would know. Apart from hotpot, there were also porridges and pancakes for Good deed in a day. The porridge was very ordinary, but the pancake was something that no one had ever eaten. However, it was also because of this that apart from the drama of the Master of Yanzhou, the daily food at the gate of the city had also become the second most popular topic. It was always discussed after tea. Taking advantage of this popularity, Yan Chuan also found a suitable house for Xu Ran. It was a small two-story building, and it was a stall downstairs. Its perfect for Xu Ran to set up the business, and it would be fine for the family to live upstairs . Xu Ran thought about it and finally decided that he still needed a small yard. After all, this building was not very big, so its better to use upstairs to make a private room. In addition, the smell of hotpot was very strong, and they might have to smell it all day, and they still had to sleep here at night. As for the money, it was to be spent anyway. Xu Ran was not stingy about it. The house in Yanzhou was not very expensive. One hundred taels would be enough for a small yard, which was even cheaper than their previous house in town. The location of this small building was also quite good. It would cost about 500 taels to buy it. In addition to the decorations, 600 to 700 taels would definitely be necessary. Aand Xu Ran intended to buy a yard about three hundred taels. He had made some money from the fruit trees and one thousand tael of silver would not be a problem for him. He calculated the cost of hotpot business and estimated that it would not be long before he could make ends meet. When it got hot, he would change the hotpot restaurant into a dessert shop, which could be regarded as a multi-purpose store. However, he didnt tell anyone about that yet. These things were what he had wanted for a long time. The only thing he wanted now was a house. Yan Chuan spent two days looking for a small yard according to Xu Rans requirements. This yard was still newly repaired. After Yan Chuan came back and told Xu Ran about it, Xu Ran took his family to check the house. It was a pretty large yard and there were plenty of rooms and two entrances. There was also a well in the backyard and a separate shed at the back of the yard. It could be used to raise chicken and ducks. There was an empty space on both sides of the front yard, which could be used to plant flowers or vegetables. It was up to them. The ventilation of the room was also good, and the kitchen was a little far away from their rooms, so they would smell anything which came out of kitchen. On the whole, they were quite satisfied. Xu Ran asked Yan Chuan, How much is the house? Yan Chuan stretched out three fingers. He had been looking for the house according to Xu Rans budget. Xu Ran could also accept it, but he still wanted to save a little more money, so he asked Yan Chuan, Can I get a discount? Even 10 or 20 taels less would do, Butler Yan. Yan Chuan was shocked by the way Xu Ran called him for a moment. How could he refuse him? So he said, Second Brother, Ill try my best, but I cant promise you how much of a discount youll get. Xu Ran said, Thats fine. I just wanted to give it a try. Its fine if it doesnt work. If its okay, then itd be the best. We want this house, and you can meet the person selling the house later! Seeing that he was so straightforward and decided, Yan Chuan couldnt help but ask once again, Second Brother, dont you want to look at it again? Xu Ran shook his head and said. Its okay. Its not easy to choose if you see too much. Its better not to look at it anymore. I can accept the price and it is not far from the small building. Thats perfect. And thank you, Butler Yan. Hearing Xu Rans thanks, Yan Chuan hurriedly waved his hand and said. Second Brother, please dont say so. This is what I should do. Im glad you two like this place. I will ask the owner of the house tomorrow to deal with the contract of this house. Xu Ran nodded and stopped saying thank you again. Xu Ran started to think about how to decorate these two places after ge went back. How long it would take, where to buy the additional things, what was the price and so on, all of these must be understood. He definitely couldnt manage it on his own, so Xu Ran simply wrote it down and divided it into three portions. He left one for himself, and the other two for Guoguo and Tangtang, let them investigate on the street. In any case, the final choice must be at the right price and the best quality. Xu Ran had been running outside every day. And Liu Tong had also been sewing gloves and backpacks. As for the scareves, Xu ran was too busy and to tell him how to make it, so he had not started doing it. On the second day, Xu Ran met the owner of that house, and he went to Yanzhous office to change the name of the title deed for the house. The business was concluded at the price of two hundred seventy-two taels in the end. Yan Chuan had made a lot of efforts for that. Coincidentally, that small building also belonged to this person. Since he was here, and Xu Ran wanted it too, so he talked about the price and bought it for 400 taels. A good part of his one thousand taels was spent, and it was still the price after the discount. Xu Ran couldnt help but sigh. Since theyve bought the house, what remains was the matter of decorating. What Xu Ran meant was that they could only find two masters for the decorations and left the other works for these beggars outside the city. It was also a favor for them becausehe would provide them food. King Yan was very happy to hear that. He said that he would pay for the decoration of the house. Xu Ran accepted his offer, so he could save some money. Xu Ran had been telling people how to decorate his house. They had to buy a large quantities of tables, stoves, and most importantly, coals. The table and stove were easy to buy, but it was hard to get coals. Xu Ran had almost looked everywhere in Yanzhou and still couldnt find any coal without smoke. And that with smoke wouldnt work definitely. Xu Ran could only roll up his sleeves and make it himself If he couldnt find it. He did not know if he could succeed. He learnt it on his way home from school when he was young. He saw someone else making it and he memorized all the steps and materials, Probably because of his good memory. Every time he needed to use his brain, Xu Ran hated how little he had learned in his previous life. If he had known about the transmigration earlier, he would have definitely force himself to study hard. Xu Ran remembered that it was called Honeycomb briquet. Because there was round holes in it and it was similar to Honeycomb. It was made of raw coal, soil lime and so on. And there were a lot of these things in Yanzhou. Everyone in the mansion opened their mouths in shock when they heard that Xu Ran wanted to make coals himself. They have even repeatedly dampened Xurans enthusiasm. Xu Ran was not confident that he could make it, but he just wanted to give it a try. It would be fine if he didnt make it. However, after being dampened by these people, Xu Ran was more determined to make it. However, none of the people who had dampened him expected it to turn out like this, which aroused Xu Rans fighting spirit. According to his memory, Xu Ran started to look for materials, and then made a model. If he didnt know how to do it, he would hire someone else on the street to help him. After a few days of busy work, Xu Rans early preparation was done, and the final step was all that was left. If he would make it depended on this step. He had distributed all the materials in proportion, then mixed them together. Then he used the model to make it into the shape of a honeycomb, and waited for the Honeycomb briquettes to dry. As long as it could burn after it was dry, it means that he had made it. There were rows of Honeycomb briquettes in the yard of the mansion. He had made all the efforts, and the only thing he could do now was to wait. However, Xu Ran didnt sit in the yard and wait. He still continued to go outside because he wanted to set up the hot pot restaurant as soon as possible and attract more guests to take advantage of the current topic of providing hot pot for beggars at the city gate. At the same time, the courtyard they lived in also had to be decorated. Apart from large furniture such as beds and cupboards, everything else was still needed. The whole family went shopping together. They bought things that they liked. Everything they had picked up would be sent to their house the next day. When they almost finished shopping, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong and Shao Yu to deal with the things in the kitchen. Xu Ran counted Shao Yu and Gao Quan as their family members, although King Yan was more obliged to take care of them. After all, they were under his fathers command, and they must feel very constrained to live in King Yans residence. It was better for them to live here. Xu Ran asked their opinions and they agreed without thinking. Xu Ran thought that it was better to have two more people at home, it must be more lively than usual. Moreover, he and Liu Tong would not be enough for the hotpot restaurant. It was not easy to hire people at first, so Shao Yu and Gao Quan were more suitable. Seeing that they were willing to leave with Xu Ran, King Yan definitely knew what they were thinking. So he wouldnt do anything useless. The decoration in two places were carried out at the same time, and the place where they lived was faster. The hotpot restaurant should only open after they moved in. As for Honeycomb briquettes, they were almost dry after three or four days in the yard. Xu Ran took one to try it in the kitchen. It could burn up, but it was extinguished soon. Xu Ran felt that it was a failure at the time. After such a huge amount of work, he would naturally be sad. He as so upset that he wanted to throw away the rest of the Honeycomb briquettes in the yard. Liu Tong immediately stopped him, Ran, dont be like this. Its probably because they are not dry enough, so it cant be burned. Dont worry, wait a few more days. Its cold in Yanzhou, and theres still frost in the morning. Itll definitely make the coals wet. Put it on the fire for a while. And lets see if it can burn up after its dry. Okay? Hearing Liu Tongs gentle persuasion, Xu Ran t was embarrassed to do impulsive things. He agreed to put the Honeycomb coals by the fire. Xu Ran went to grab two stools for Liu Tong and himself and sat beside the fire to wait for the Honeycomb coals to get dry. Happy Chinese valentines day! ! ! ! Chapter 256 After roasting for a while, Xu Ran took them with tongs to burn, but no matter what, it couldnt burn up, even if it was placed in the middle. About an hour passed and Xu Ran could not sit still. He threw the stongs away and walked out of the kitchen angrily. Liu Tong didnt go to chase him. He just sat quietly in front of the stove and watched the Honeycomb briquettes being roasted. Time passed by without being aware of it and Liu Tong didnt know how long he had been sitting. Suddenly, the Honeycomb in the fire burned up. Liu Tong hurriedly picked out the honeycomb briquettes from the fire and found that it still hadnt extinguished. He felt so excited because it meant that Xu Ran had made it. Liu Tong put the Honeycomb coal into the fire again to let it continue burning, and he immediately ran out of the kitchen to find Xu Ran. The first place Liu Tong went to was the courtyard where they dried Honeycomb coals. Sure enough, he saw Xu Ran holding his chin in a daze while the Honeycomb coal in the yard was not damaged. Liu Tong breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to grab Xu Rans hand. Xu Ran shook his hand away. Tongtong, Im not cold, and I dont want to move. I need to figure out what went wrong so I can fix it. Liu Tong said, Ran, theres no problem. Honeycomb coal is fine. Its already done. If you dont believe me, you can go to the kitchen to have a look. Liu Tong looked at him expectantly. Xu Ran was stunned and asked, Tongtong, are you serious? Liu Tong nodded and said seriously, Of course I am. Xu Ran shook his head subconsciously, then he seemed to think of something and immediately stood up. He held Liu Tongs hand and walked into the kitchen. Liu Tong explained to Xu Ran how the Honeycomb coal burned up. The more he said, the more obvious Xu Rans smile was. It was a real success. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong, Tongtong, did you see it burning? Was there any smoke? Liu Tong thought about it seriously and shook his head. No, Ran, I didnt feel any smoke. I didnt even notice it. Xu Ran said, Thats good. Its good that you dont have smoke. It could burn up without smoke. That was all done. He didnt have to think of any way to improve it. Xu Ran was really happy about this. When they returned to the kitchen, the Honeycomb coal was still burning in the stove. The color of it had begun to change from black to yellow. When the coal was burned out, exposing the loess inside. Xu Ran was so happy and he could not even hide his amile on his face. To prove that there was no problem,and not just a coincidence, Xu Ran went to pick a few more and put them on the fire. This time, it was much faster than the previous one, and lit up soon.They tried three or four in a row and they all burned up. Only then did Xu Ran could relax and pull Liu Tong out of the kitchen. He kissed him fiercely in a place where no one was around, Tongtong, thank you. If you hadnt been there today, I would have really destroyed those honeycomb briquettes. Liu Tong touched his eyebrows and said, Ran, youve been too tired recently, so you were in such a hurry. You should have a good rest. We just came here and weure not in a hurry. Do not get too tired. Xu Ran smiled and kissed Liu Tongs forehead again. Tongtong, I know that my health has improved a lot in the past few years and I wont be worn out. I need to have a home in Yanzhou as soon as possible, so that I can feel that I could really stay here. Tongtong, I think you should understand. Its what youre thinking, isnt it? Liu Tong thought so of course. Although he recognized King Yan, he was still somewhat distant. He was not free in the mansion, so he couldnt take that place as a home. They might have to stay in Yanzhou for many years, so only his own home can let his heart settle down. He knew how busy and tired Xu Ran was these days, and he hated himself for being useless and not being able to help him. The two of them secretly made out in a place that no one was around for a while, said some simple love words, and then held each others hand to get busy again. They had a simple wish, to have a home that belonged to them as soon as possible. The success of Honeycomb coal was a very big deal, and the happiest person was King Yan. Because Honeycomb briquettes were simple to make and the cost was not high, even the poor can use them. What King Yan thought was that there shouldnt be so many people frozen to death this year. Xu Ran was really a lucky star for him. However, Xu Ran said, This cant be burned in the house without ventilation. It is easy to get poisoned to death. When it is burned, it must be safe in a place with ventilation. Therefore, I dont agree with letting ordinary people use this as well. When my hotpot restaurant opens, someone will come and ask me. It wont be too late to sell it then. King Yan thought about it and felt that it made sense. After all, he didnt dare to say such words about the a case involving human life. King Yan said, When will your hotpot restaurant open? Are you ready? And is this hotpot restaurant only selling hotpot? It was fine when it was cold. If it gets hot, there would be no business. Do you have any other plans? Xu Ran said, Of course, there is. I wont have time to prepare until the next year. Now, the decoration is a little hurried. I have to wait until I could make end meet before I can decorate it. Im not in a hurry now. Xu Ran didnt say what he wanted to do next year. Although he had a general idea in his heart, he still had to wait until next year to tell them details. Who knew if it would change. It was December soon, and the New Year was about to be coming. Xu Rans hot pot restaurant was almost ready. Xu Ran went to choose the days, and finally set the date on the fifth of December. The hot pot restaurant was called Red Tower, which was according to the color of the hot pot bottom and the color of the small building. The outside of the building was painted red, which was very good-looking. The words on the Red Tower were personally written by King Yan. His floating fonts were carved on the crimson template, making the exquisite building more free and easy. The people who cut the ribbon for Xu Rans Red Tower that day were King Yan and King Yans husband. The sound of firecrackers added some joy to the Yanzhou that had not been so lively for a long time. The furnace had been ignited long ago, and the hotpot condiment on the table was starting to boil slowly. Xu Ran shouted loudly at the door, First day, 20% off, limited materials, first come, first served! The onlookers didnt understand what was the 20% off mean and asked Xu Ran, but more people were attracted by the fragrance. Xu Ran knew that he would be busy on the first day, so he asked King Yan to borrow some people to help him. Every person who entered would be served, making the guests feel that he was valued. First of all, this first impression was very good. Many modern stores are no longer selling food or anything else. They are selling services. They must insist that the customer is the Master, so they must treat them well. This is what Xu Ran said when he trained these servants, but it was estimated that these servants wouldnt have to work here for too long. When the number of people gradually stabilized, there will be no need for so many people. After Xu Ran explained what was meant by 20% off, the first floor was already filled with people. As for the private room on the second floor, there were not many bookings. Xu Ran had said before that hotpot required a lot of people to get together to have the atmosphere, and there were plenty of people on the first floor. So it was perfect to eat on the first floor. And these receptionists also said that to the guests, so no one paid attention to the second floor. However, there were only so many places on the first floor. And it took at least two hours to eat to eat the hotpot , so there were a lot of people waiting. However, these people were not just waiting. Xu Ran had already prepared stools and there was a stove in the middle, so they could sit around the stove.There was also melon seeds and candies next to them. Xu Ran even asked Lu Qi to tell stories there. In the end, they had managed to keep these people. No one would be willing to wait for two hours on such a cold day, and there was nothing to do. After someone was finished eating, the table would be cleaned up soon. Those with the old and children would go in and eat first. The others wouldl wait, so that they wouldnt have to wait for two hours actually. Xu Ran asked Tangtang to be the cashier and Guoguo would go wherever he was needed. Liu Tong and Shao Yu were busy cooking in the kitchen. It was scheduled to open at noon, and it was just time for lunch. The gap between the rich and the poor in Yanzhou was quite big. It was not a problem for the rich to come for a fresh meal. People were hurrying to and fro, this day has never stopped since the opening, all the way until dark. If it wasnt for the lack of ingredients, they would probably still be busy. Some people were stopped by Xu Ran when they reached the door, they were told to come over tomorrow. He would make amends by giving them a 20% discount. There was nothing they could do about the lack of the ingredients. After all, it was already too late to but them in the street. Plus, they would have a 20% discount if they came to eat tomorrow, so aside from being disappointed, they didnt have any other emotions, they all said that they would come back tomorrow. When they closed the door, everyone felt their backs aching and they were still hungry. Xu Ran and Lu Qi had been shouting for a whole day, and they were very thirsty. They let Liu Tong and the others make some food with the rest of the ingredients, so everyone would have something to eat. After they finished packing up, all the people from the Mansion went back, leaving Xu Ran and his family. I found Up Idol has good beginning. As for the rest, I didnt know for the time being, () Chapter 257 Tangtang took out the bill and money he had received today from the counter. He poured all the money on the table and placed the account books in front of Xu Ran. Tangtang said to Xu Ran, Dad, Ive received 2,815 taels in all today. Here are the account book and the silver, they were all on the table. Dad, would you like to check it again? Xu Ran opened the account book and looked at it. It was all recorded in Arabic numerals. Xu Ran checked it effortlessly. He roughly calculated it in his heart and found that it was the same as what Tangtang has said. He put down the account book and started counting the silver on the table. Most of them were copper coins, and the scattered copper coins were also strung together with thick threads by Tangtang. One thousand coins in a string. The others were the pieces of silver, but they were all one tael of silver, which was easy to count. However, these taels of silver covered quite a large area. Xu Ran took out the account book he had kept for buying materials. Apart from the Labor cost, the amount of money which used to buy vegetables and meat was nearly 100 taels. And that didnt include the cost of The Honeycomb briquet and other things. So todays profit is only a hundred taels. Xu Ran patted the table and said, Making100 taels on the first day of the opening is not very bad, but only for the first few days will there be a lot of people, and the traffic will level off later on. At that time, we dont need the people from King Yans Mansion. Then we can do it ourselves, everyone will have to work hard for a while. I will hire other people after we can make ends meet. After Xu Ran said that, Liu Tong continued to say, Dont ever say that agai, we are family. Ran, when will we start selling the breakfast that you mentioned before? When they heard Liu Tongs words, everyone looked at Xu Ran in confusion. How could people eat hot pot at breakfast? They had never heard of it before. They all seemed very confused, especially Baozi, but he was more like voracious. Xu Ran explained, Heres the thing. People ould only come at noon and evening to eat hotpot, and they would not come every day. But if they dont come, we wont have any income all day, thats not going to work. So I thought that we should also sell breakfast in the morning, and it would be the pancakes, porridges and noodles. Ill pass the porridge. There are only a few kinds of it, wll make some of each kind. And if it doesnt sell out, well give them to these people who come to eat hotpot at night. As for the pancakes, it might be different from the one we usually eat. The pancake I was talking about is called Wu Dahang Pancake. Its filled with food. Its delicious and thick after its fried, so a lot of people will definitely like it. Youll see when I cook it for you. Then, the last thing I want to say is noodles. You guys have eaten noodles before, and Ive made many kinds of it. We will mainly sell two types of noodles. One is Hand-pulled Noodles while the other is sliced noodles. There are many things that can be added to this noodles, such as fried eggs, pigs large intestines, or shredded meat. Those with added things would be more expensive. Ill fix the price in a few days, then wen can print some pamphlets and put them on the table. So people who come to the store can choose for themselves. And you have to remember the prices and tell them right away if anyone asks, okay? After Xu Ran said that, he quietly looked at the crowd and waited for their response. Tangtang andGuoguo was the first to nod. They were okay with that anyway, and the following was Baozi. He said, Dad, I can help you serve porridge. Xu Ran touched his head and said, Alright, Ill leave the porridge to you. Baozi was only seven years old and Xu Ran didnt care so much. Besides, Baozi was someone who would marry his husband in the future. It was impossible that he did nothing all day. Liu Tong said to Xu Ran, Ran, Baozi is a childe. There are so many people coming and going here, is that okay? Xu Ran shook his head and said, Its okay. Who cares about this? Can I marry Baozi to him? In Xu Rans opinion, this was quite normal. Anyone who runs a roadside stall these days, if they have children, would bring them. Liu Tong looked at Baozi and said nothing when he saw his excited expression. With regards to breakfast, Xu Ran started to assign tasks when he saw that no one had any objections. Xu Ran said, Gao Quan would mix the dough. It requires a lot of energy and could be hard work. And it is required in both pancakes and Hand-pulled Noodles and sliced noodles. Shao Yu would be responsible for cutting noodles, and you will do the pulling, try to make it even. The people here probably havent eaten these two things before, so we have to attract them at the beginning. Tangtang will collect the money. Guoguo and Tongtong take care of everything inside, such as serving porridge and noodles. Baozi will be responsible for packing. Then we should be able to make it. If there are too many guests, we will go and hire some other people. Everyone understood who he was referring to. And so the matter was settled, but everyone did not go back to the yard to rest immediately. Instead, they went into the kitchen to cook. There was not much left, just a little meat, and no vegetables at all. Xu Ran looked around and found a bag of flour. Xu Ran rolled up his sleeves and said, Then lets eat noodles! And we can go back to have a good sleep after we are full. We will have to get up early tomorrow morning to buy some vegetables. They had no choice but to agree with him. They went back after they finished eating. Xu Ran and the others had been living in the yard for a few days, and there was also a stove here. When they went out in the morning, they would put a big iron pot on the stove. The fire in the stove was covered by the pot, so it would burn slowly. So the water was hot when they went back at night. There was no problem with showering or washing their face. It saved them the time to boil water when they got home at night. The shower was necessary, or the smell of hotpot would stay. By the time they were ready to sleep, half the moon was already in the sky and it was too late. They all slept soundly. Xu Ran got up the next morning,. He went to the street with Liu Tong and Shao Yu to buy some food and meat. Tangtang and Guoguo continued to learn Kung fu from Gao Quan, so Baozi was the only one who was sleeping happily. Xu Ran was now very familiar with the market of Yanzhou. All the people who sell vegetables and meat in Yanzhou are gathered in one place. It was said that it was King Yans arrangement, so it really felt like a vegetable market. You have to get up early to get the freshest vegetables. This conclusion applied to any era. Of course, Liu Tong and the others bought all the vegetables. He mainly wanted to buy meat, suhc as chicken, duck, fish, as well as some dog meat and lamb. Xu Ran also bought the pigs internal organs, as well as the ducks intestines. Duck intestines, beef tripe, and pig brains, these three things were essential for the hotpot, so how could they be lacking? However, the trouble was that he had to deal with these internal organs agagin when he got back. After all, these were things to be thrown away. How was it possible that the slaughterer would deal with them seriously? No one would sell it if Xu Ran didnt aske them to keep it. Therefore, he was very busy this morning, and he had been working untill noon when there were guests. The three of them carried a lot of things but they still couldnt bring all the things home in one go, so they had to come a second time. Xu Ran planned to get acquainted with these people and ask them to send his things over. Otherwise, they would get exhausted. The meat was directly sent to the Red Tower. Without even bothering to eat in the morning, they started to work. Xu Ran was responsible for dealing with all the internal organs, and he had done it before, so he finished it quickly. The intestines of Chicken and duck were cut directly with a bamboo stick. Then he wouold clean up the things inside, and then wash them carefully with salt. As for the pigs internal organs, they have to be put in a big pot and boiled with boiling water before they were handled. He has to be busy for a long time for these things. Xu Ran started calculating in his heart when he was working. It was estimated that he would have to stop selling noodles after 10 oclock, or he would not have time to deal with these things. Think of this, Xu Ran sped up his again. It was not easy to make money. After planting the fruit trees for a few years, he could finally make money while seated. But the good days had not been long before an accident happened. It took them four months from Xu Village to Yanzhou. It was almost a third of one year. And the rest of the year seemed to pass by more rapidly. And they were always busy. After Xu Ran was done with his work, he went to help cut the meat. After Shao Yu settled the dishes, he went to make breakfast. It was a nice day today. The sun was hanging high and the sun shone on the ground. Although it didnt feel hot, it made people feel much better. There were quite a few people coming out to bask in the sun, and there were also many people chatting at the entrance of the Red Tower. After Shao Yu made breakfast, Tangtang and Guoguo came over. The family had breakfast and opened the door. They put melon seeds and candy on the table, then poured hot water, and everyone who was chatting sat down at the door. Some of these people had been here yesterday and some of them had not. The person who came yesterday asked Xu Ran, Boss Xu, do you have any story to tell today? Xu Ran answered with a smile, Everyone knows that the person who told the story yesterday is the Master of King Yan. It was already an honor to invite him here yesterday. I dont have the ability to do it today, but in the future, I will try my best to invite him over every month. If I am not busy during the day, I will tell stories for you, too. As long as you guys dont mind it. Xu Ran said with sincere and humble, leaving these people a good impression. The person who asked hurriedly said, No, of course not. Were all looking forward to hearing your story. Xu Ran cupped his hands together and said, There is no need to choose another day. Ill do it today! When there are more people here in the afternoon, I will tell everyone a story. This is a good thing. Boss Xu, you have to leave a seat for me downstairs today! Xu Ran nodded repeatedly. Of course, of course, there are so many seats, so you can sit wherever you want, Master Zhu. Xu Ran heard someone call him so yesterday, so he remembered it. When he heard Xu Ran call him Master Zhu, he was obviously very happy. Master Zhu touched his chin and said, Then Ill help myself. Xu Ran nodded and said in his heart,You dont need to be polite. You can even book the whole place. I really dont mind at all. r(s_t)q Say it again at night, Happy Valentines Day !! Chapter 258 Except for those who couldnt eat last night, which got a 20% discount, everyone else had paied the original prices at noon that day. There were still a lot of people today. Some of them came yesterday, and none of them came didnt. Xu Ran gave a performance on stage, which was different from other storytellers. This time, he told the Ghost Stories. Xu Ran changed all the Goblin-turned-women into childe and told a poignant and beautiful love story between men and the ghosts. He also told them how affectionate and kind these childe were, and it seemed that a lot of people were attracted by his story. Xu Ran only said half of it, and then said, To be continued. People who came to eat hotpot were having a good time while eating and listening to the story. Buw Xu Ran stopped suddenly, which made a lot of people dissatisfied. Xu Ran explained, Dont be impatient, you can not hurry to a goal by just one step. The same goes for listening to stories. Hearing the whole story at once is not interesting. You just have to leave some suspense and let everyone imagine what happened later. Wouldnt it be a more fun to listen to the answer after you thought about it? As the saying goes, Dont be angry to the person who in smiles., Xu Ran said these words with a smile, and it seemed to make some sense, these people who were complaining didnt say anything else, so they just asked Xu Ran when he was going to tell the next part. Xu Ran pretended to be a little embarrassed and said, Ah! This shop has just opened and I dont have any spare money to ask for help. Im afraid Ill have to do this myself. How about this? Since everyone loves to listen, shall I tell you thestory once in a week? Youve just listened to Master yesterday, and came here to listen to me today. Youve heard the story for two days , everyone must be able to do whatever they want. The days were set, and Xu Ran had also said nice things. In addition, everyone knew that he didnt made a lot of money from his newly opened shop, so they just let him go. When he turned around, Xu Ran wiped off the sweat on his forehead. The reaction of these people was really intense. It was as if they were going to kill him if he didnt finish his story. Xu Ran quickly slipped into the kitchen and could only sigh, Its really dangerous outside. Compared to the first day, the profit on the second day was 50 taels more, and the amount of money spent on the materials was about the same as yesterday. In conclusion, the net profit was 50 taels more than yesterday. This was indeed a good thing to celebrate. The door was closed earlier than yesterday. Xu Ran didnt do much work today and he still had strength, so he cooked pulled noodles for them. But this was pulled by Gao Quan. After all, Xu Ran was not strong enough. With the seasoning he made, the noodles tasted very good. In addition to the good noodles, they were of the same thickness. Xu Ran didnt know how to describe them specifically. In short, it was even better than the authentic Lanzhou beef noodles he had eaten in his previous life. After eating the noodles, everyone became more confident in the breakfast Xu Ran mentioned. These people often ate the food made by Xu Ran felt that it was delicious, so those who hadnt eaten must have liked it even more. On December 15th, Xu Ran proposed to start selling breakfast. It had been ten days since the opening, so the people who came here to eat hotpot could be stable. After all, they would not come every day, so after the first three days, they only made about two hundred or three hundred taels per day. Not much less than before. After getting familiar with it, Xu Ran and the rest could handle it themselves. And Xu Ran told people from the mansion that they did not have to come aggain, the family could handle it. After the spring of the next year, Tangtang and Guoguo were going to the military camp, and it is not too late for them to hire other people. To sell breakfast, there were a lot of things to prepare. First of all, the flour. Xu Ran went to several stores and chose one that he thought was pretty good, and asked them to send him a bag to Red Tower in two days. The next thing was the oiled paper that used to wrap the pancakes. The oiled paper here was very large, so it was not convenient to cut it himself. Especially when Baozi was responsible for packing. Baozi was too young and he didnt move not very fast. Oiled paper were easy to fall off for him, so it was better to process it. In modern times, as long as they had bought food by the roadside, they would definitely know the appearance of that kind of paper. After Xu Ran bought the paper, he folded one himself and brought it to King Yans redidence to ask Xiao Qingyun to fiind some people to fold it for him. There were a lot of childe in the mansion, so it is not difficult for them to fold the paper and stick it. They got a lot in two days, and it was enough for them for a while. After this was done, the next was the tools for fried pancakes, that was a pot and a shovel, and an iron shelf was also required. Xu Ran drew a general outline according to his memory and went to Lu Qi to draw a decent one for him. Then he took it to find a blacksmith to make it in two or three days. At the same time, they started to print the the booklet that was said before. Xu Ran made an advertisement to everyone who came to the store to eat hotpot to promote it. The preparation took a few more days, and they officially started selling breakfast on December 20th. This morning, at the entrance of the Red Tower, a wooden car with wheels was pushed out. There were many things on it, and the most eye-catching thing was naturally the big pot. There was also dough that had been massaged by the side. Xu Ran rolled the noodles into the shape of a cake. When the oil in the pot heated up, he put them down to get them fried. When it was fried, he put it on a little iron stand to drain them. Baozi started Shouting loudly, Pancakes, pancakes, freshly fried pancakes He said quite aloud, but it was clearly a childs voice, which made many passing by stop to walk over to take a look. Baozi was even happier than Xu Ran when he saw that he had called them over. He said hello to these people and told them the price of the pancakes, then he asked them how many pancakes they wanted. Also, Xu Ran picked up the fried pancakes and put it in front of Baozi. The height of the car was not high, so Baozi was just within reach. Taking out the prepared oiled paper, Baozi took one pancake in and handed it to the person who paid the money. He also kindly reminded him that it was hot, so hes better be careful. This made some of the childe who came to see him instantly overflowed in their hearts, and they quickly paid for it. Xu Ran was seriously frying the pancakes and seeing Baozis greeting guests seriously, he felt very funny. Since there were more and more people, Baozi could not handle it himself. Xu Ran quickly helped to pack some of them and continued to do his work after collecting the money. Seeing that his father was helping him, Baozi was completely focused on talking to these people. With a few words, most of them planned to core here to buy pancakes again tomorrow. People came in groups. In the short time of rest, Xu Ran said to Baozi, Baozi, I didnt know you were pretty good. Who did you learn this from? Baozi raised his chin proudly, Dad, Am I awesome? This was what Uncle Du Xin taught me. He said that as long as we said nice things, people would come over to buy our pancakes. Xu Ran said, Du Xin is right this time. Baozi, since youre so good, Ill leave this matter to you. And I will be responsible for fried pancakes. Baozi nodded and patted his chest to say, Dad, dont worry. I can definitely attract many guests over. These uncles of their husband who just spoke to me also said that they would come tomorrow. Dad, we dont have to worry about selling the pancakes. A guest came over from afar and Xu Ran started to get busy again. He didnt answer Baozis words. And Baozi thought that his father didnt believe him. His face was puffed out with anger and just as he intended to be angry with his father, he heard someone say, What is kind of pancake is this? How much is it? Baozi immediately put on a smile and began to introduce, Good morning, uncle. This is called Wu Dashang Pancakes. You can buy one with just five pence, a big one! Baozis small hand first drew five, then he extended his other hand and drew a big circle. The cake was on the surface, and the person could see it himself, but when he saw Baozis gesture, he couldnt help but smiled and said, Then Ill have two. Baozi took a bag of oiled paper and gave him two pancakes. He did not forget to say, Uncle, I promise this cake must be delicious. You will still want to come again tomorrow after you eat it. Weve been selling it here. Its called Red Tower. Uncle, if you canft find it, you can ask other people. Not only did he say that the pancake was delicious, he also promoted the Red Tower. Xu Ran listened to it from the side and thought to himself that if he didnt know that this was taught by others, he would regard his son differently. After the man paid, he glanced at Baozi again and said to Xu Ran, You are lucky. Your child is so smart. Xu Ran smiled faintly and accepted his praise. After all, he couldnt expose his sons shortcomings in front of outsiders. It was just buying two cakes, so the man couldnt say much. In addition, there were still people behind him, so he turned around and left with the pancake. Baozi shouted from behind, Please come again tomorrow! The man turned back and wanted to say okay to Baozi, but he found that Baozi was surrounded by a group of people who came behind. He couldnt even see his head. He sighed and shook his head. The child was good, but he was a little too short. Of course, apart from the business of selling pancakes outside, the business of pulled noodles and rice inside was even much better. So they had earned a lot this morning. Chapter 259 After the breakfast business had been started, people in Red Tower were always busy from morning to evening, because there were guests coming at any time. Xu Ran had promised that Lu Qi would come over to tell stories four times a month and he made it. It was not a problem. The problem was himself. He had to deal with the pigs internal organs just after selling the pancakes. And a large number of guests came to eat hotpot before he could eat and take a rest for a while. They wall asked him to tell stories. Xu Ran felt very regretful at this time. Why did he have to tell these stories? He had been busy enough before he started selling breakfast , and now he felt very exhausted. The thing that Xu Ran was most glad about was that the New Year was about to come, and he could finally have a rest then! Another day after closing of the doors, everyone was counting money when Xu Ran patted heavily on the table, scaring everyone else. Half of the copper coins in their hands were dropped down on the ground. They all looked at Xu Ran and asked what was wrong with him. Xu Ran had already prepared an excuse, but he suddenly couldnt speak under everyones attention . So Xu Ran could only change the subject and said, Lets close the door early this year! This is the first new year we would celebrate in Yanzhou. We should prepare for it well. Liu Tong didnt know what Xu Ran was thinking. He just felt that he didnt have time to prepare special purchases for the Spring Festival. Ran, dont you have to worry about this. Didnt we have ingredients delivered every day? Ive already told them to keep everything for us. Well just have to wait for the New Years Eve to get it. Our business is getting better these days. Lets not close the door for now! It was because of the good business that I wanted to close the door! Xu Ran said silently in his heart. However, he couldnt say this. It was all his idea. Even a child like Baozi did not complain, so it was even worse for him to say that, so Xu Ran could only hold back the words he had to say before. Xu Ran said, If thats the case, then lets keep it open as usual! But dont prepare too many ingredients recently. Im afraid that there were family reunion dinner already in some peoples homes. If we buy a lot of ingredients and only few people come, that would be wasteful. Liu Tong nodded and said. Ran, I got it. Right, Ran, everyone is very tired these days. Wed better employ a few people next year! A few days ago, quite a few people had already asked me about Honeycomb briquettes. There were also people who wanted to buy the noodles we had made and cook themselves. No matter if we sell these things to them or not, we wont be able to handle it ourselves. We might as well hire some people. Xu Ran looked at Baozi, who was propping up his chin, and saw that he was already nodding. He must sleepy now.. Liu Tong said exactly what he thought. So Xu Ran nodded without further ado, Mm, Ive mentioned before that we will open the door for business next year in the early tenth of the year. And we will start recruiting people then. If it gets is hot, we will stop selling hotpot, and we have to sell something else.The recruitment would be necessary. Although no one said anything, it was a fact that they were all tired. They got up and prepared from dawn until the moon hung up high in the evening. They didnt have a rest during the day, and the days had lasted for more than 20 days. It was impossible that they were not tired. Of course, no one objected to Xu Rans words. If they continued to work like this, he definitely wouldnt be able to stand it. It was true that they needed to make meoney, but they also needed to be healthy. Xu Ran looked at Baozi who was lying on the table and was afraid that he would get cold, so he held Baozi in his arms. Then he said to Tangtang and Guoguo, You check the money first. We will go back after that. Baozi already sleepy. Let him sleep for a bit more tomorrow morning, you two must take care of him. Tangtang Guoguo counted the money in their hands quickly while listening to Xu Ran. Hearing Xu Ran ask them to take care of Baozi tomorrow morning, the two children nodded and said, Dont worry about it! We will look after Baozi. But can you handle it if we dont come here? Xu Ran waved his hand and said, Its alright. Its just a day. We can handle it. Those come in the morning are all acquaintances, and they would understand. Hearing Xu Rans words, Guoguo and Tangtang were not worried anymore. They quickly counted the money in theur hands and gave the account to Xu Ran. Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to take the money and everyone went back to the yard together to sleep. Right now, the courtyard was really just a place to sleep, and they always came and went in a hurry. It had been almost a month and they had not get to know the neighbors. Every day, when they came back, their neighbors had already closed the door and been sleeping. When they went out in the morning, the others hadnt gotten up, so it was not strange that they didnt know each other. Baozi slept very soundly. His small face looked even smaller and he seemed thiner when he was sleeping. Xu Ran held him in his arms and his heart ached. He was too busy recently and he didnt have time to pay attention to Baozi. Fortunately, Baozi was lively and active every day. If he gets enough sleep and plays for a few days, hell be able to bring it back. Xu Ran gently patted Baozis back as he walked, trying to make him sleep more comfortably. After arriving home, Xu Ran didnt help Baozi take a shower. He just took off his clothes and let Liu Tong wash his face. After washing his feet, he put him on the bed and let him sleep. Xu Ran was also exhausted. He had to be sell pancakes in the morning, and then to deal with the internal organs. The rest was to go around. He hadnt stopped all day long, so it would be strange if he didnt feel tired. Liu Tong wanted to talk to him, but he said nothing when he saw how tired Xu Ran was. He suddenly regretted saying that they shouldnt close the door. He shouldnt have made Xu Ran so exhausted to make money. Liu Tong rubbed his face in annoyance. He didnt know if he should say to Ran that they would close the door tomorrow. Anyway, the Spring Festival was only two days away. He turned to see that Xu Ran was asleep and his breathing was steady. Obviously, he was asleep soundly. Liu Tong naturally couldnt wake him up in this case. He was also sleepy, so he fell asleep and without thinking too much. The next morning, apart from the three children, the whole family went to work. No one woke Baozi up but he still woke up himself. He was just a little later than usual. When he opened the door, he saw that it was bright outside and the sun was rising. Baozi knew that he got up late and ran to Liu Tongs room without even wearing his coat. There was no one inside. Baozi was a little anxious, and thinking aloud muttering, Dad and Daddy are gone and they didnt take me. is it because Igot up late? Tangtang and Guoguo suddenly appeared behind him. Guoguo picked up Baozi and Tangtang stood next to Guoguo to comfort him, Baozi, its not because you got up late that Dad and Daddy didnt bring you. Its because you had been too tired these days. Dad said that you should get more sleep. Are you awake now? Do you want to go back and sleep for a while? Baozi was just about to shake his head when he yawned. Seeing that he didnt even wear his coat, Guoguo carried him into the room. He put Baozi on the bed and covered him with a blanket. Guoguo said, Baozi, you should sleep first and your Big Brother will be with you. Ill go to the Red Tower to get you some food. Baozi yawned again. Guoguo nodded at Tangtang and left the door without waiting his response. Tangtang was still thinking about whether he wanted to coax Baozi to sleep. However, he saw Baozi wrapped himself in a blanket and fell asleep very soon. Tangtang smiled at him and leaned against the bed to look at him. As a result, he was too bored and fell asleep, too. No one has had a lie-in these days, so naturally they were very sleepy. When Guoguo went back, no one opened the door though he had knocked on it for a long time. He didnt bring his keys, so he found a place where no one saw him and went in over the wall, with pancakes in his hands. Guoguo entered Baozis room. The door was gently shut when he left. He pushed the door and saw Tangtang leaning against the bed with his eyes closed.No wonder no one opened the door, they were all sleeping. He could not let Tangtang sit and sleep like this on such a cold day. He had no chice but to wake him up because he didnt thinnk that he had the ability to hold his brother to bed. He could only gently touch Tangtangs shoulder. Tangtang was still vigilant at all times since he had to take care of his younger brother, Although he was asleep, he was woken up by Guoguos touch. Tangtang stared at Guoguo with his eyes wide open. Only when it was clear who it was did he let down his guard. Tangtang stood up and said to Guoguo, I just fell asleep, so I didnt open the door for you. How did you come in? Guoguo rolled his eyes and replied, I came in over the wall. Go to bed if you want to sleep! What if you got cold? Youre my big brother and you dont even know that. Tangtang was speechless when he heard Guoguos words and did not refute it. Guoguo was afraid he would say something else, so he simply handed over the pancakes in his hand and said to him, Brother, you can stay with Baozi at home! Ill go over there to help. When Baozi wakes up and if he is hungry, you can bring him over. Tangtang wanted to refuse, but as soon as he thought that it would be unsafe for Baozi to stay at home alone , he nodded and agreed. Guoguo was more healthier than him. They were the same at first, but after the martial arts, the gap was obvious between them. Tangtang accepted his offer, thinking that he could pick up Guoguo in the afternoon and let him deal with the bill. Tangtang wanted to continue to sit at the bedside and look at Baozi. Guoguo was worried that he would fall asleep again, so he said to him, Brother, eat this baker first, then go to bed. Its about the New Year, you cant catch a cold. Tangtang thought that he was right, he was a little embarrassed because he still needed his brother to remind him, so he just urged Guoguo to leave quickly. As his twin brother, Guoguo knew him well, so he didnt expose him. He just left with a smile and carefully closed the door. Chapter 260 When Guoguo arrived at the Red Tower, he saw that there were a lot of people waiting for Xu Rans pancakes. And Xu Ran was busy fring the pancakes wraping them on his own, and he also needed to collect money. It was obvious he could not handle it himself. So Guoguo run over to help him. It was a little strange for Xu Ran to see Guoguo coming alone, but he did not ask the reason because there were so many peolle. When there were fewer people, Xu Ran was just about to ask when Guoguo explained to him first. Guoguo said, Dad, Baozi woke up in the morning and ran out to find you guys. When he saw that you guys had left, he thought that he was too late, so you didnt take him. Aand after me and brother explained to him, he went back to sleep. Hearing Guoguos words, Xu Ran imagined the scene and suddenly smiled. This was indeed what Baozi would do. Then Xu Ran asked, What happened afterwards? Guoguo continued, Later, I let my brother look after Baozi. I came over to get them some food. Bue when I went back, no one opened the door for me even though I called for a long time. so I went in over the wall. I found that my brother had fallen asleep by the bedside. As soon as I thought that he wasnt as strong as me, I let him sleep with Baozi for a while longer. So I came here by myself. Xu Ran nodded and said, Okay, let them rest for a while! Theyve been too tired these days. If you feel tired, you can go back too. Ill take care of it. I would never make my children exhausted. Guoguo waved his hand and said, Dad, Im fine. You know me. Besides, well be able to have a good rest in the next few days. Its okay, Dad, Im going to help Daddy. He must be very busy now. Xu Ran looked inside and found that there were lots of people inside. He nodded at Guoguo, Okay! I will make you delicious food at night. After thinking for a while, Xu Ran said to Guoguo, Dont go over the wall in the future. Its not safe. Guoguo turned back and made a face to Xu Ran and ran away. He could not be tempted by Xu Rans words so easily, he was not Baozi after all. So he just ignored Xu Ran and walked in. Xu Ran was not satisfied with Guoguos attitude, but the buyer came over. He wanted to criticize Guoguo a little but could not get a chance. He was really unhappy. Baozi had a comfortable sleep and he just woke up until noon. Tangtang was also comfortable, too. And Tangtang woke up later than Baozi. The two brothers rubbed their eyes in the same way. One of them rolled over to gett out of bed, the other climbed out of bed and started to look for their clothes. After getting dressed, Tangtang got some water for Baozi to wash his face. Baozi hugged his stomach and said to Tangtang, Brother, Im hungry. Lets go find something to eat! Tangtang was a little embarrassed that he had slept for such a long time. He thought that now was the busiest time of the day, and he would come to help. So he wiped his face and led Baozi out. It was indeed the busiest time for the Red Tower. Coincidentally, it was the day that Master Lu Qi came over to tell stories, and it was his last time before new year, so the house was crowded in every part. Xu Ran and the others couldnt handle it themselves, so they went to King Yans residence to look for a few people to come over to help. And it was a little better. King Yan also came here today with Xiao Qingyun and his two kids. King Yan booked a private room and asked Xu Ran to serve him food personally. And he wouldnt let him go after the food was served. King Yan sat down with Xu Ran and said to him, It seems that your hotpot is selling well! Ive never eaten it before. Dont be stingy today. Give me what you have here. Xu Ran said, I have a lot of things here. Can you finish it? King Yan said, As long as you dare to serve, you dont have to worry about whether I can finish it. Dont worry, I will pay for it. Im not going to have free food just because Im Tongtongs brother. Even if you dont mention it, Im not going to let you eat for free. And since you said it now, its even more impossible. Since the King Yan said so, Xu Ran would not have to be sorry. So he chose the best things in his store and served them to him. However, Xu Ran didnt tell Liu Tong that King Yan was here.He and Shao Yu were busy at the back of the kitchen, so he wouldnt let King Yan disturb him. King Yan was full, but he was blackmailed severely by Xu Ran and he didnt even got to see Liu Tong, so he left reluctantly. Before leaving, Xu Ran also heard Xiao Qingyun say that he had a temper like a child. And King Yan did not refute it, which made Xu Ran a little shocked. Tangtang brought Baozi over. They planned to eat something before they went to work. But they saw many people waiting outside before they walked in. Tangtang rubbed Baozis head gently and said to him, We might not be able to eat for the time being. Lets wait until there are fewer people. Baozi also saw these people. He knew that they must be too busy to care about them. Even though he felt hungry, Baozi didnt make a fuss. He nodded obediently and said, Brother, I got it. Ill be good. Tangtang didnt say anything else. He took Baozi to wash his hands and went to the counter to collect the money. The person who replaced Tangtang was Du Xin, but Du Xin could not do this, so many people were lining up and waiting. Thinking that they had to wait to pay, some people were unhappy about it. Tangtang had been very skilled in calculating and keeping accounts in the past few days. Not long after taking over Du Xins job, it didnt take him long to settle all the accounts for the guests. Many people praised the little bosss capability when they left. Du Xin could only rub the wall by the side silently. It was so embarrassing that he couldnt even compare to a child. What Du Xin didnt know was that there were once two people who were beaten by Tangtang and Guoguo when they were six or seven years old. After two days of busy work, it was finally December 30th. And they wouldnt open the door definitely that day. It was new years eve and everyone had to have a reunion meal at home, so who would come out for hotpot! Xu Ran and his family finally cooked at their own home, They bought a lot of ingredients yesterday and there were many left, so they didnt have to buy it again. They just needed to cooke them. But they were too busy to prepare cured meat and so on this year. Baozi was still clamouring to eat them, so Xu Ran could only get him two kinds of meat on that day. It was quite lively in Yanzhou that day. there was no restriction on the release of firecrackers, so the sound of firecrackers rang from early to late. And the things that they usewd to do on the 30th are cancelled because there was no fruit tree here. Xu Ran had been doing this with his children every year for so many years. Gradually, it became a tradition of his family. They felt a little uncomfortable to stop doing it this year. They were too busy to have a good rest. But they still could not get used to it even when they finally had time to rest. After all, it was the New Years Eve! And they could not sleep in broad daylight. In order to kill the time, Xu Ran decided to take the family to visit other peoples home. The street they lived in was called Yan Ning Street, and the people lived here were all very rich and noble. After all, a house of more than 300 taels was a little expensive. There were still several houses near Xu Rans house. Xu Ran held Baozi in his hand and brought some food. He went to the house closest to them and knocked on the door. The day was bustling. Xu Ran knocked on the door and someone quickly opened the door. It was a young man who looked like he was in his twenties. And he looke good. He didnt know Xu Ran and Baozi, so he was stunned for a moment when he saw them and then asked. Who are you two? Xu Ran pointed to his house and said, Hello, Ive been leaving there for a month now. Weve been busy recently, so we didnt have time to come by. It is the New Years eve today and we thought you maight be home, so we came by to drop around. The person who opened the door didnt say that they wouldnt let them in because Xu Ran looked modest and courteous, and the child beside him was also very cure, but it seemed a little inappropriate to drop around at the New Years Eve. Just as he was hesitating, another person came out. Yu, who is it? After that person said that, he popped his head out to see Xu Ran. He was an old childe and he must be Yus Daddy. After Xu Ran saw him, he introduced himself again and asked Baozi to call him. Baozi was always well behaved in front of other people. He would do whatever you asked him to do, and was very obedient. He would also say nice words. Basically, he was the kind that everyone would like. When the childe heard Xu Ran say this, he immediately greeted them warmly and complained about Yu. Yu scratched his head and didnt reply, but he looked a little unwilling. Xu Ran saw all of this in his eyes. He felt that this person was probably spoiled, otherwise he wouldnt be like this. He couldnt even invite someone into the house in his twenties. After entering the door, Xu Ran started to talk to him. Hi, my name is Xu Ran. This is his youngest son. Hes a childe called Xu Nian and his nickname is Baozi. Whats your name? The childe smiled and said, My husbands surname is Liu. You can call Childe Liu. This is also my youngest son, called Liu Yu. He is about your age, probably a few years younger than you. Xu Ran looked at Liu Yu and nodded. Heshould be a few years younger than me. My child is almost fourteen years old. Childe Liu, please forgive us for bothering you at New year. Hearing Xu Rans joking words, Childe Liu also smiled and said. How can it be bothering? I knew it since you guys moved over, but I have never seen you. I also wanted to drop around. Xu Ran said, We run a hotpot restaurant, which is called Red Tower. You might have heard about it. Weve been busy since the business had just started. So we have to to work from morning till night. Since this is the New Years Eve now, so we just came over. Childe Liu had heard about teh Red Tower of course. When he heard that he was the owner of it, he was quite surprised and praised him for having good prospects. Xu Ran smiled humbly and handed over the dessert in his hand. After sitting at their house for a while, he got up and left with Baozi to go to another house. Recently, Ive become more and more lazy, and there was no medicine for it. ( Chapter 261 Liu Tong took Tangtang and Guoguo, Gao Quan was with Shao Yu. They divided into three groups to visite the people nearby in the afternoon. Those who were easy to talk to, and those who were not easy to get along with, they all told each other when they got home. At last, Xu Ran summarized which family they could associate with more, and which they neednt. And what kind of people lived in the house, they knew it all. Today was the Chinese New Years Eve, but there were still people selling things on the street. Since they had already figured out who to keep up with, Xu Ran took Tangtang, Guoguo and Baozi to buy presents on the street. It was New Year, so they would definitely visit people with gifts. They couldnt go to their home empty-handed, it was impolite. Not only these families, but also King Yan, they also had to prepare a gift. No matter what, Liu Tong was younger than King Yan, and he was sure to give gifts to his brother. Xu Ran was not stingy with the gifts. All he bought were good things, they were expensive and carefully chosen. Xu Ran went to the pharmacy to buy some soaked medicinal wine for the old people. And he also bought many pastries and toys for children. The gift for each family was different and they was chosen by Xu Ran himself. The three children were beside him to give him ideas. They were empty-handed when they went out, but came back with both hands full. Besides, there were also many people following them, carrying different things that Xu Ran bought. When they brought the things to the house, Xu Ran paid the servants who came to deliver the things. Then he did not check the things but silently calculated how much he had spent today. Some gifts were placed on the table, and some were on the ground. Seeing that Xu Ran was keeping accounts, Tangtang and Guoguo started to tidy up themselves. When they bought the presents, Xu Ran had told them which gift was for which family, with their good memories, they put everything in order soon. On the other hand, Xu Ran also finished accounting. The gifts given to King Yans residence were the most expensive. It cost nearly a hundred taels, and the others total was just more than one hundred taels. So in all, he spent nearly two hundred taels. They had to work hard for two days to earn so much money! They had been out for only four hours but spent two hundred taels. Closing his eyes, Xu Ran scolded himself in his heart for his extravagance. But looking at the gifts he bought, Xu Ran didnt feel so sad. After all, all the gifts were ready. People had to pay to get along with each other, otherwise, they moved here late and seemed powerless, no one would want to associate with them. Xu Ran checked the presents again, and then took out some paper and wrote their names on it. He placed the paper on the corresponding gift, in order not to worry about getting it wrong. Xu Ran said to Tangtang and Guoguo, Take these gifts and put them away. Remember to put them in a higher place which can protect them from moisture and rats cant reach them. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded and started moving the gifts into the house. Baozi still remembered the pastries Xu Ran bought for him, so he took them out in a sneaky way and stuffed some into his mouth. Seeing there were a lot of pastries, Xu Ran said to Baozi, There are children who are about your age here. Go and find them to play. Remember to share the pastries with them, then you wont be bored in the future. Baozi, stuffing another piece of pastries into his mouth, nodded in a daze. Although he didnt want to share the food with others, thinking about that he would not play alone in the future, Baozi immediately resurrected and ran out with the pastries in his arms. Liu Tong and Shao Yu were still busy making dumplings in the kitchen. There must be dumplings on New Years Eve. Every year, there must be a copper coin in the dumpings and everyones favourite dumplings were available as well. Watching Liu Tongs busy figure, Xu Ran who was standing at the door smiled. Life was just like this, daily chores and a home . On the first day of the New Year, Xu Ran and the others didnt visit other families but just stayed at home. Perhaps their laughter was too loud, it attracted the children from the neighboring families. Xu Ran asked Baozi to invite them to play together. Slowly, besides the children, adults also came out to join the fun. Seeing there were adults coming, Xu Ran was embarrassed to play with the children. He asked Liu Tong to take out sweet potato seeds, candy, and pastries, putting them on the stove, and chatted with them in the yard. Friendship was born out of communication. If the neighbors didnt interact with each other, they wont have any feelings. Originally, the people who didnt have much contact with each other, after sitting in the courtyard of the Xu Ran family and chatting, they became bosom friends. Most of the people who came here were Geers. It was not appropriate for Xu Ran to get involved, so he asked Liu Tong and Shao Yu to serve them. These two people had a feeling of familiarity, and were easy to talk with, in addition, they came from the south and could say many things that they didnt know.Then, imperceptibly, they became the central figures. Xu Ran hugged his arms and smiled behind them. In the past few years, Liu Tong had indeed changed a lot. He was very careful at first, but later he started to joke, refute him, and even tease him. It was a big improvement. Compared to the Liu Tong then, who once thought about others first, he liked the Tongtong now more, because these changes were all because of him. Hey! A group of Geers are chatting, why are you smiling here? The voice in his ear made Xu Ran immediately turn his head. He found that the person who came was Liu Yu and he was looking at him with a look of disdain. Xu Ran became unhappy and asked, Why are you here? Hugging his arms like Xu Ran did, Liu Yu said,Why cant I come? You didnt write that I couldnt enter your house! Xu Ran really wanted to hang a sign at the door on which wrote that Liu Yu and dogs couldnt enter. Seeing that Xu Ran getting angry, Liu Yu put down his arms and put a hand on Xu Rans shoulder, asking him, Hey! Youre angry! Dont be so petty! Im just joking with you. Xu Ran pushed the hand on his shoulder away and replied, Im not angry and I just think if I should hang a brand. Liu Yu asked curiously, What brand? Looking at him, Xu Ran answered seriously, Liu Yu and the dog cant enter the house, what do you think of it? When Liu Yu heard Xu Rans words, his face changed immediately and said angrily, Hey, you cant really hang up? Im just joking with you. Youre really so petty. Seeing Liu Yus wrinkled face, Xu Ran couldnt help laughing. Seeing Xu Ran smile, Liu Yu knew that he was teased, and became more dissatisfied. Xu Ran smiled for a while and then said, You can joke with me, then why cant I? You are the one who started messing with me. Liu Yu couldnt say anything. After all, what Xu Ran said was the facts. He came to provoke Xu Ran first. If he wanted to blame someone, he had only his own incompetence to blame! He was inferior to Xu Ran even in jest. Then Xu Ran asked Liu Yu, Tell me, why are you coming here? I dont believe you just came to chat with me. Xu Ran knew that Liu Yu didnt like him very much. Hearing Xu Rans straightforward words,Liu Yus face suddenly turned red, and then he made an ambiguous statement for a long time, but didnt say anything. Xu Ran waved his hand impatiently,If you have anything, say it quickly. A man shouldnt be hesitant. Looking at Xu Ran hesitatly again, then Liu Yu whispered, I come to ask if the Red Tower wants to recruit a waiter. My Daddy nags me all day, he said that all I knew was staying at home and he wants me to look for a job. But I have asked a lot of places, no one hired me. Liu Yu unconsciously lowered his head after he said this, like a child who had made a mistake. Then Xu Ran said, Raise your head, look at yourself. People like you who just keep their heads down without saying a word, I wont hire you. Others dont hire you, I definitely wont either. If you want to say something, just speak it out loudly. I havent asked you anything yet, but youre just like this. Being criticized by Xu Ran, Liu Yu looked up reflexively and explained,No, Im just afraid you wont agree. After saying this, Liu Yu wanted to lower his head again, but when he thought about what Xu Ran just said, he refrained. Xu Ran said, You werent like this when I went to your house yesterday. You said that you wanted to be a buddy at my hotpot restaurant. Then tell me what can you do? Hearing Xu Rans question, Liu Yu immediately lit up his hope and answered seriously, I can read, and I have a good memory. I can work hard and you can let me just serve in the hall. Serving in the hall? Looking at Liu Yus weak face, Xu Ran was sure that he definitely wasnt up to the job that serving in a hall. Xu Ran had wanted to recruit a few waiters serving in the hall and two working in the kitchen, in that case Liu Tong and Shao Yu could rest, and he would keep accounts. But he also needed someone at the door to greet guests. Xu Ran looked at Liu Yu up and down seriously, and found that Liu Yus appearance was good. If only he had a smile on his face and was a little more confident. The waiter that standing at the door should be good-looking, with a sweet smile, butter-tonsiled and have a good memory, that was the best.With more and more familiar guests, he must remember what different people liked to eat. He just needed to ask if they were the same as yesterday, then their dishes could be served quickly. For the restaurant, there might be some new customers, but more of them were old customers. Xu Ran had run the restaurant for a month, and there were quite a number of frequent visitors. He could remember a lot of them himself, and he needed to maintain these relationships. So Xu Ran wanted a waiter standing at the door to greet guests. Chapter 262 As for Liu Yu, who came to recommend himself, Xu Ran began to seriously think about this question, whether to use him or not. Xu Ran had his own plans. This neighbor, Liu Family had quite an influence nearby, thus, Liu family was also classified by him as one of the families worth associating. If he agrees to Liu Yus demand of acting as a waiter in the hotpot restaurant, Liu family would owe him a favor, which would be useful in the future. But the precondition was that Liu Yu could handle it. If Liu Yu couldnt, then it would be troublesome. He reckoned that if he recruited Liu Yu, and dismissed him after he worked several days without being qualified for the job, it was very probable that Liu Family would hold a grudge against him. The better result was that Liu Family were alienated from them. The bad one would be that they turned against him. If Liu Family were gossipy, then not only their family would not be able to live here anymore, but also the Red Mansion would be implicated. Xu Ran did not want such a thing to happen. It was not his fault for thinking too much. After all, he had witnessed the similar things, which was why he became more attentive. Xu Ran thought about it for a long time, and Liu Yu was already anxious. Whenever he asked for help from others, he was easy to get nervous. At this time, as he saw that Xu Ran was hesitating to give him an answer and even frowned from time to time, Liu Yu felt that there was no hope for it and was about to leave. Xu Ran just came back to his senses when he was leaving. Seeing that he was about to leave, he hurriedly pulled him back. What are you doing? Youre leaving before I have said yes or no. Dont you want to listen to my reply? Liu Yu shook his head and said, If you disagree, youd better not tell me! Im afraid Ill feel uncomfortable listening. Xu Ran laughed softly and said, How do you know that I will disagree? When he heard this, Liu Yu immediately looked back at Xu Ran. You mean that you agree? Xu Ran nodded and shook his head, which confused Liu Yu. He stroked the back of his head and didnt know what Xu Ran meant. Xu Ran said, Going to Red Mansion to be be a waiter, is it your idea or your Daddys? Liu Yu hesitated for a moment and told the truth, It was Daddy who asked me to ask. Daddy urged me to get married, and urged me to go out to find a job to make money, saying that I cant always let my brother support me. I felt bad at the words so I went out to look for a job myself, but none of the shops wanted me. Yesterday, when you came to my house, saying that you were the boss of Red Mansion, my Daddy thought that as Red Mansions business was so booming, you must need staffs, so I was sent here to inquire about it. After hearing what he said, Xu Ran said in his mind that the child was so honest, and said everything without any holding back. Was he clumsy in speaking or in thinking? But it would be convenient for him to deal with this. After all, Daddy Liu proposed it himself. He should know what kind of person his son was. Xu Ran also decided that he could accept this person, but whether he could do it for a long time would be up to him. Xu Ran said to Liu Yu, Well, come to my house later after you have lunch with your Daddy. Lets have a good talk. If its done, youll be a waiter when Red Mansion opens the door this year. At Xu Rans words, Liu Yu lighted up with pleasure, and the smile immediately climbed onto his face. Xu Ran said, Dont be so happy first. I have to tell your Daddy about this, or you can let your Dad or elder brother come over. Liu Yu shook his head. No, just tell my Daddy. Dad and brother dont care about me. As long as Daddy agrees, there will be no problem. Daddy will definitely not harm me. This childish tone was spoken from the mouth of Liu Yu, a man of more than 20. Xu Ran felt that it was a little weird and even began to doubt whether Liu Yu was telling the truth. However, it was just a flashing idea, after all, Liu Yu looked quite honest. After Xu Ran finished talking to Liu Yu, Liu Yu returned happily, and the brothers chatted until noon before going back to their separate home to cook. During lunch, Xu Ran told everyone about Liu Yu coming to him in the morning. As to employing the staff, it was under Xu Rans sole charge, and everyone else would not interfere. So he was just informing everyone that Liu Yu might be the staff of Red Mansion in the future. As for the other opinions, no one put forward any. Xu Ran also talked about his concerns. Liu Tong took the words as soon as Xu Ran finished speaking. He said, Daddy Liu is quite good. We just have to talk with him. It shouldnt be so serious. However, if you are really troubled, you can refuse him. Xu Ran shook his head and said, I still want Liu Yu to try it out first. After all, we have to recruit hands anyway. If Liu Yu can work, we can rest assured. After all, his family is here, we can find him when needed. Liu Tong thought about Xu Rans words and did not refute him. He nodded and said, Ran, it was up to you. Later, after Daddy Liu comes, if you feel ill at ease to talk with him, I will do. Xu Ran thought about it. It was really difficult for him to talk to Daddy Liu. It would be better to let Liu Tong talk about it. Not to mention that they were all brothers, after this half days time, Liu Tong had been familiar with Daddy Liu. Xu Ran told Liu Tong what he was going to say and Liu Tong took it down seriously. Not long after Xu Ran had lunch, Liu Yu and his Daddy came over. Xu Ran took Liu Yu away and let Liu Tong talk to Daddy Liu. Liu Tong told Daddy Liu what Xu Ran had said to him. Daddy Liu Tao was not an unreasonable person. Hearing what Liu Tong said, he agreed without thinking. Liu Tong, I know what kind of person my son is. Were it not that he couldnt find any work, we wouldnt have asked favor from your family. After all, this is New Year period. After saying that, Daddy Liu sighed and looked helpless. Liu Tong comforted him, Daddy Liu, Liu Yu is still young. When he gets married in a few years, having his husband and kids, he will definitely know better. Daddy Liu, you dont have to worry about it. Liu Tao sighed and said, Alas! How can I not worry? As you said, hes in his twenties, hasnt gotten married yet, and cant find a job. Im old now, and I cant take care of him for a lot more years. Im worried about his future! Liu Tong said, Daddy Liu, children can take care of themselves when they grow up. Rather than overthinking by yourself, you should ask Liu Yu whats in his mind. I dont think he is not a motivated person, but he didnt find a chance. Ran also told me that if Liu Yu can do the job of a waiter, let him be a waiter in the Red Mansion. As long as our hotpot restaurant opens, he wont be chased away. Daddy Liu wiped his face and said, Liu Tong, thank you a lot. If he doesnt qualify, you can send him back! There is no need to mind me. I will definitely teach him a lesson. Liu Tong said, Daddy Liu, we will find out about it after Liu Yu goes to work. If he really cant do it, we will not keep him. Daddy Liu, when you go back, talk with Liu Yu, let him be more courageous, and practice his speaking skills. It will work only when guests are satisfied. Okay, this wont be a problem. Ill let him practice when we go back, Liu Tao happily agreed. And on Xu Rans side, Xu Ran told Liu Yu the similar words. He said it frankly in front of Liu Yu. Whether he could stay or not, it would be decided by him. It was simple to make him satisfied, which was the guests needed to be satisfied first. Xu Ran also told Liu Yu some aspects to change. When Liu Yu heard that Xu Ran was willing to give him a chance, he was overjoyed. After all, he really wanted this opportunity. Xu Ran didnt want to dampen his enthusiasm, so he told him everything he needed to pay attention to. As to how much he could understand, it was his own business. In short, both conversations went on quite pleasantly. As for Liu Yus position, which was improvised by Xu Ran, which did not affect his original plan. The first day of the first month in the lunar year passed in the blink of an eye. On the second day, Xu Ran family went to greet King Yan. According to the customs, King Yans residence was supposed to be the liveliest today because there were too many people going to pay the new year call on King Yan, but this years King Yan residence seemed a little desolateConly several people were at the gate of King Yans residence. Some of them came empty-handed, and some carried a few things. However, it was King Yan who came out to greet them personally. Many people around remembered. Two months ago, when a carriage stopped at the entrance of King Yans residence, King Yan came out to greet them in person too. Many people had recognized Xu Ran and the others. They began to discuss in whisper with each other who Xu Ran and the rest were and King Yan would personally greet them. Many people recognized Xu Ran as the boss of Red Mansion, the rest were his children and husband. As for Gao Quan and Shao Yu, not many people knew them. Some people with acute eyesight saw that Liu Tong and King Yan looked somewhat similar, but because Liu Tong wiped the ointment made by Lu Qi before going out, they only looked a little similar, so that no one doubted anything. King Yan wished these onlookers happy new year, and then asked them to mind their own business, and have fun during the festival. Then he quickly let Xu Ran and the others enter the house. Chapter 263 After entering the house, Xu Ran started to complain to King Yan, Your Highness, no offence. You are a prince! How could you greet us at the gate on the New Years Eve. What if this made people suspicious? Knowing that his behavior was improper, King Yan didnt talk back. On the New Years Eve, Liu Tong naturally didnt want to see them make a ruckus, so he pulled Xu Ran to stop him. Xu Ran was only annoyed for the moment. As he said it out, he was not angry anymore. With Liu Tongs reminding, he was completely alright. Seeing that Xu Ran was not angry anymore, Liu Tong smiled and offered King Yan a New Year blessing. Brother, happy new year! At Liu Tongs words, King Yan was rident with joy. Xu Ran rolled his eyes in his mind and addressed him the same way following Liu Tong. King Yan was even happier. Next, it would be the turn for three kids. Xu Ran felt that King Yans face would convulse with such smiles today. Of course, he didnt want to curse him, but he just laughed too much. The moment they had offered King Yan New Year blessings at the door, Xiao Qingyun came out with the kids. When he saw Liu Tong, he expressed his hospitality. Similarly, several kids were also warmly welcomed by Yan Lan and Yan Hao, and the only one who got cold-shouldered was Xu Ran. Xu Ran silently retreated to the side and watched the others lively scene. Of course, he was not the only one being excluded. King Yan was ignored too after receiving Liu Tongs blessing. All attention was on Liu Tong. At this moment, King Yan was in a contradictory mood. He both wished that Liu Tong would come over often, and expected that they would not come over so frequently. The reason was simple, it was because he would steal away Xiao Qingyuns attention. After all, in the past, Xiao Qingyuns eyes saw nobody but him. King Yan felt that he was facing a huge challenge and he couldnt think of a way to solve it. He could neither ban Liu Tong from coming over nor forbid Xiao Qingyun not to like Liu Tong! This was definitely not possible. After all, the younger brother had finally acknowledged him. As he continued to struggle innerly, Xiao Qingyun had already led his men into the room, leaving Xu Ran and King Yan staring at each other. Xu Ran sighed helplessly, This is the first time I experienced this feeling. Tongtong used to think of me first in all matters before. King Yan also spread out his hands and said, The same as you. This feeling is really bad. The two felt helpless again. Xiao Qingyun and Liu Tong, who were walking in the front, snickered. Xiao Qingyun looked back at them and whispered to Liu Tong, Tongtong, look at the two of them. At ordinary times, they kept a straight face even when we talked softly. Today, we will give them a taste of being ignored. When Liu Tong thought about how Ran would never keep a straight face when he was talking to him, he suddenly felt a little guilty. Seeing his expression, Xiao Qingyun naturally guessed what Liu Tong was thinking. Xiao Qingyun said, Tongtong, dont think too much. Just for once. Liu Tong also looked back at Xu Ran and his companion. Seeing his bitter face, he felt a little funny, so he didnt bother about it. As said by Xiao Qingyun, just for once. The atmosphere didnt last long. It changed as they entered the house. As soon as he sat on his throne, the temperament of the prince on King Yan came out, making people unable to ignore him. Xu Ran sat next to Liu Tong, who obediently allowed Xu Ran to hold his hand and listened to Xu Ran talking to King Yan. Such an instant reversal! Xiao Qingyun was sipping tea at the side, growing unsatisfied again. He got up and was about to pull Liu Tong into the house to chat. The living room must be colder than their own bedroom, so Xu Ran agreed, and sent the kids to play on their own too. After everyone left, King Yan asked Xu Ran, Your hotpot restaurant is pretty good. I heard that youre also selling breakfast. Can you manage without hiring a few staffs? Xu Ran said, I can, but it is too exhausting, so I plan to hire some hands a few days later when it opens. King Yan frowned, Cant the people from the Prince Residence come to help? Xu Ran shook his head and said, Thats not the case. The servants of the Prince Residence are after all working for the Prince Residence. It is fine if they come over to help out occasionally, but its impossible for them to work there for a long period of time. Even if you dont say anything, you cant guarantee that the other people have no complaint in their mind. As time goes, they might say something bad, which you dont expect to see, right? King Yan frowned when he heard Xu Rans words. However, as he thought carefully, he felt that Xu Rans words made sense. It was likely that such things would happen. King Yan said, Then you have to choose carefully when you recruit staffs. Otherwise, if you hire some bad guys, it will be me to clean up the mess for you. Xu Ran smiled, Of course. Please rest assured, Your Highness! I definitely wont use inappropriate people. Today, the first reason we came today is to offer the new year blessing. The second one is to discuss with you about Honeycomb coal. Honeycomb coal? King Yan muttered, then asked, What is in your mind? Xu Ran said, Before the new year, many people asked me about the way to heat the hotpot, which can keep it boiling and the fire burning. I have told some frequent customers, who all wanted to buy some honeycomb coal back to keep warm. My idea is that you organize a gathering when everyone is available at home during the New Year, and then showcase the people of Yanzhou how to use the Honeycomb coal. In addition, get the beggars together and instruct them to make the Honeycomb coal. Thus, they can have a skill to live on. Are you willing to share the method of making Honeycomb coal? asked King Yan. Xu Ran stood up. Why not? It wasnt complicated at all. The publication of the method may enable countless people to have enough to eat, which is better than I maintain secrecy of it, isnt it? Besides, as you have mentioned before, although Yanzhou is small, there are many places for me to exhibit my talents. The Honeycomb coal will serve as my first step. Alright, since you said so, I will arrange this matter properly. However, you have to tell me first, if too much Honeycomb coal is produced, which exceeds the demand of the people of Yanzhou. What should we do? Xu Ran smiled and said, Your Highness, isnt this simple? This Honeycomb coal can also be transported to other places. As long as it can be transported, why do we worry that it cant be sold out? You should know that in the north, Yangzhou is not the only place that will be cold in winter. From now on, the days that the Honeycomb coal can be of use will last at least until April. In the four months, a lot of Honeycomb coal might be sold. The profit that can be brought to the Yanzhou is also considerable. As long as you calculate it yourself, you will know whether it will not work. Not to mention whether King Yan would make the calculation, Xu Rans words themselves sounded like a big cake, and it would take one a long time to chew it. Seeing that King Yan didnt say anything, Xu Ran asked him, Your Highness, do you know how many beggars are there in Yanzhou? King Yan thought for a moment and said, I dont know the exact number, but there are at least one thousand or eight hundred. Last year, I saw only a part of them at the city gate. Didnt you also find that many of them didnt come a second time? This was the rule among these beggars. Everyones idea was simple. As long as they could survive, eating less or worse was not a problem at all. Xu Ran remembered that he had indeed asked King Yan this question back then, because the amount they prepared was the same every day. Every time, they were exactly distributed, and many people would watch from the side without going over to take a portion. Xu Ran even discovered that people who came the previous day would not appear the next day. He thought it was strange and asked King Yan, but King Yan only smiled mysteriously and did not answer him. Now as he heard King Yan explaining it, Xu Ran suddenly felt touched. These people were not doing great deeds, but what they did allowed the others to survive. Xu Ran seriously wondered what would happen if these people rose in the world? He still remembered the old saying, Dont discriminate against a poor young man. Even if one wasnt young, you couldnt discriminate against him as being the poor. As long as one was alive, nothing was impossible. Xu Ran went to the door and asked Yan Chuan to get him pen and paper. King Yan looked at him in confusion. What are you doing? Xu Ran handed the pen and paper to King Yan, Draw a map of some nearby villages and towns and then I can arrange the route. Do you want to visit those beggars during the New Year? If you go, tell them our arrangements. If theyre willing to do it, its fine. If not, it doesnt matter. If fewer people went begging, the rest should have a better living. Xu Ran had always advocated self-reliance. If these people would come, Xu Ran would respect them, but if they would not, they probably wont leave any good impression on Xu Ran. King Yan could tell from his tone, but he didnt say much. King Yan drew a few lines on the paper with the pen, then wrote a few names to Xu Ran. Then he gave Xu Ran an introduction of the names and sizes of the places, as well as the living standards of the residents there. It seemed that King Yan really knew a lot about the neighborhood. Chapter 264 From King Yans words, Xu Ran knew that the living standards of some nearby villages were quite high. Honeycomb briquette should sell well in these places. Xu Ran thus discussed with King Yan about this idea and drew circles in these places on the map. After that, Xu Ran talked with King Yan about finding a place to make honeycomb briquette. The place was so-called honeycomb briquetteyard, named by Xu Ran. As King Yan had no objection to this, they both called it that way from then on. Honeycomb briquetteyard needed to be built on a huge place. There was no need to build a house. What they needed to do was just to make a tin shack, so that they could save a lot of things, and more importantly, they could save money in this way. Location and manpower were not a problem, either. The current problem for them was how to get the iron sheet. King Yan raised this question, and Xu Ran thought about it seriously. Iron of this era was forged by repeated hammering. Thus Xu Ran believed that since the people here could hammer the iron blocks into sharp knives, it should be no problem for them to forge the whole piece of iron! The reason why Xu Ran thought this way was because compared to other things, iron could be preserved for a longer time. The other was that the rows of tin shacks should be built in a relatively empty place. Of course, he didnt say what he thought. Actually, Yanzhou was not lacking in iron. King Yan also mentioned a secret that shocked Xu Ran, In Yanzhou Prefecture the weapons in the hands of 50000 soldiers as well as the armor they wear are all made by our own blacksmiths. Even the iron used to forge them all comes from Yanzhou Prefecture. Xu Ran was quite surprised to hear this. Just as he was about to say something, he heard King Yan add, Not only that, in Yanzhou Prefecture, they also dig out a lot of coal. The things you took from the mansion were dug out from the mountain over there. Hearing waht King Yan said, Xu Ran had some doubt in his heart. He thus asked, Arent these things rare? You will make a lot of money by selling them, wont you? Why dont you exploit them? Even if the emperor does not allow you to sell them, you can do it quietly! Isnt it OK to cast something else out of iron? King Yan shook his head, No. This kind of things may be done somewhere else, yet its absolutely impossible in Yanzhou Prefecture . As long as there is a slight movement in Yanzhou, the emperor will know everything about it. I dont want to cause trouble for myself. Besides, Ill keep the iron and coal for future use, and Im reluctant to sell them. Xu Ran understood King Yans situation. He asked King Yan, You said that you will keep them for future usage. What will you use them for, may I ask? King Yan smiled mysteriously and then replied, Arent we using these resources right now? With these things, isnt it much easier for you to do what you want to do? Xu Ran frowned. He was clear that King Yan didnt tell the truth. After all, he had just been here this year for about two months. He estimated that these coal and iron mines in Yanzhou Prefecture must have been discovered for a long time. For the usage of these resources, the King Yan must have other arrangements. At the moment, he didnt want to talk much about it, and Xu Ran certainly would not ask much. Xu Ran said to King Yan, In that case, Your Highness, its up to you to decide. When the time comes, youll put those people together. Ill then come and train them. Even if they are beggars, I can train them well. King Yan nodded satisfactorily after hearing that. He was obviously happy for Xu Rans work. Xu Ran did not seem to mind the work he had to do.He knew there were things that did not need to be tucked away.Now that he had promised King Yan from the start, he would naturally have to put his best foot forward, not just in language. Whats more, this was something he was happy to see that what he did could help improve the lives of the people in Yanzhou. Xu Ran understood this truthCWater can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. And the people in Yanzhou were the water. The lunch was prepared by Liu Tong, and Xiao Qingyun, who had never been to the kitchen before, also followed for fun. He was not Qin Shuwen, anyway, so he had no idea of learning cooking. Liu Tong couldnt cook too complicated dishes. What he had prepared was just simple home-made food. What Xu Ran and the family had daily were only hotpot or noodles, so they enjoyed whatever was available King Yan and the rest were even more satisfied. Although the chef of King Yans mansion was good at cooking, this meal was very different to them. It was prepared by Liu Tong. Yan Lan and Yan Hao completely felt that the food today was delicious. As for who made it, it was not within their consideration. What they cared was only that they could have nice food to eat. Baozi liked Yan Hao and Yan Lan very much. This was more or less because of their blood relationship. There was no doubt a sense of closeness among these three brothers. Thus after dinner, when Xu Ran suggested to go home, Baozi was not happy. Because he knew that he didnt have any company to play with when he went home, and his house was not big enough for him to play at will. Xu Ran had to let him be. At the same time, he also left Tangtang and Guoguo behind. He let Lu Qi give them advice. And he asked them to talk with King Yan about their plan of going to the military camp. Originally, Xu Ran planned to talk with King Yan about this matter himself, but Guoguo insisted on telling him himself. Xu Ran agreed to let him manage his own business. Anyway, he knew this was an exercise for the children. As the younger brother had already said so, Tangtang, as an elder brother, could not show the slightest timidity. Thus this became a matter for the two brothers. On the way back, Liu Tong asked Xu Ran, Ran, do Tangtang and Guoguo have something to discuss with Brother since they stay in the mansion? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, they have. Do you still remember I used to tell you that Tangtang and Guoguo wanted to go to the military camp last year? It is this matter. They have decided to talk about it themselves, and I agree to let them manage their own business. Liu Tong was a little worried about this. He frowned and then asked, Will my brother agree with them? Xu Ran didnt mind that Gao Quan and the rest were still behind them. He reached out to smooth Liu Tongs eyebrows and said to him, Of course, he will agree. Even if he doesnt agree, Tangtang and Guoguo will persuade him. As long as these two children think they are right, they will try their best to achieve it. Liu Tong was relieved to hear that. He was afraid that King Yan would not agree with the children and then his children would be upset. However, putting down this worry, Liu Tong began to worry about what would happen after Tangtang and Guoguo went to the military camp. Liu Tong recalled that Ran had indeed told him about it back then, and he had also nodded his approval. He knew that it was useless to worry about it now. Maybe it was because of these worries that Liu Tong began to feel uncomfortable. He couldnt tell his specific feelings clearly. Anyway, he just felt confused and flustered. Seeing that he looked so pale, Xu Ran quickly asked him, Tongtong, whats the matter? You do not look well. Liu Tong shook his head. Though he felt a little out of breath, he told Xu Ran, Ran, Im fine. I just feel a little flustered. However, his body suddenly shook, and he was even a little unsteady. They both realized that something was wrong with him. Xu Ran himself did not know medicine, so he was not clear what was wrong with Liu Tong. Seeing that Liu Tong looked so pale and that he did not even have the strength to speak, Xu Ran couldnt help but get anxious and want to find a doctor for him right away. He looked around the street and found that all the shops were closed. He realized that everyone was celebrating the New Year at the moment, and that there would be no hospital open for business. Lu Qi! Yes, he thought of that he could go and ask Lu Qi for help. Thus, Xu Ran quickly squatted down and carried Liu Tong onto his back. They then rushed back towards King Yans mansion. Gao Quan and Shao Yu had been following behind them slowly. When they saw Xu Ran suddenly stop, carry Liu Tong on his back and start running back without saying anything to them, they were shocked and soon guessed that something had happened. Thus they quickly rushed to follow them. Xu Ran didnt know where he suddenly got so much strength. Though Liu Tong was much taller and stronger than him, he rushed all the way back to King Yans mansion with Liu Tong on his back without even stopping for a while. At last, they arrived at the mansion. As Liu Tong was on his back, Xu Ran knocked on the door with his foot. Shao Yu, who followed behind immediately ran up to help knock on the door. Xu Ran had been carrying Liu Tong on his back, and his face was all wet with sweat. However, Liu Tong was still motionless there. No matter how Xu Ran called him, he gave no response. Shao Yu took a look at Liu Tong and then said to Xu Ran, Xu Ran, Liu Tong is unconscious now, and he closes his eyes. He might have fallen asleep. Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen? Xu Ran shook his head, Tongtong. He has passed out. Shao Yu, Gao Quan, you quickly knock on the door to find Lu Qi for help. When Shao Yu heard that Liu Tong was unconscious, he was anxious too. When he saw Liu Tong indeed look very plae, he was more worried and tried harder to knock on the door. Gao Quan even started to hit the door of King Yans mansion directly. Someone inside at last came to open the door. Before he could ask who it was, Xu Ran had already carried Liu Tong in while shouting Lu Qis name, Lu Qi, Lu Qi! Where is Lu Qi? Let him come over quickly! Xu Ran shouted in an angry voice because he felt something wet on his hand. He had an ominous premonition in his heart, but he didnt dare to judge whether it was true or not. At the moment, he just wanted to find Lu Qi right away and let Lu Qi see whats going on? Ran, Ran! The voice coming from his back stunned Xu Ran, because Liu Tong sounded crying. Xu Ran quickly responded, Tongtong, Im here. Im here. Xu Ran wanted to touch Liu Tong but he didnt dare to move his hand away because the wet feeling there became more and more obvious and hot. Xu Ran became more and more flustered. Ran, hes leaving, Ran Liu Tongs voice was heard again. Obviously, he was crying. Chapter 265 Lu Qi, Lu Qi, no matter where you are, get out at once! Xu Ran called Lu Qis name crazily, giving King Yan and the rest who had rushed from afar a start. Gao Quan saw Lu Qi in the distance and rushed over at the fastest speed to fetch him over. Being caught by such a baffling way, Lu Qi was initially quite annoyed, but when he saw Liu Tong who was on the back of Xu Ran, he couldnt utter any words. Lu Qi did not inquire about the reason. He reached out to check Liu Tongs pulse, and then changed his expression. Xu Ran couldnt see it clearly. Liu Tong did not have the strength to look. However, Gao Quan and Shao Yu standing next to him saw it quite clearly. Seeing his look, Shao Yu asked anxiously, Master, whats wrong with Liu Tong? What happened? As King Yan came over and saw this scene, his expression changed too. The solemn look on Lu Qis face made King Yan more anxious. Liu Tong shook his head and said softly, Its gone Liu Tong was unconscious and he had no idea what they were saying. Xu Ran closed his eyes at Lu Qis words and loosened his grip on Liu Tongs trousers. Slowly, everyone on the scene saw blood dripping down from his pants, onto the ground, tainting the green stone board on the ground. When they saw this scene, everyone knew what had happened. For a moment, everyone was in perfect silence, not knowing what to say. Xu Ran bit his lips and said, Your Highness, please get me a room and let Lu Qi give Tongtong an examination. The baby is gone. Let it be so. However do not let nothing happen to Tongtong. Even Xu Ran didnt know how he said out those words that sounded very flat. However, at Xu Rans words, King Yan also came to his senses. He asked people to prepare hot water and bring Lu Qis medicine kit over. The room was the same one they had been staying in before. Xu Ran walked step by step towards the room with Liu Tong on his back. Blood dripped onto the ground, leaving a long mark. After Xu Ran put Liu Tong on the bed, he moved aside to let Lu Qi examine Liu Tong. He took over the hot water from the servant and wrung out the handkerchief to wipe Liu Tongs face. Liu Tong frowned and even bit his lips in a coma. No one but him understood how much pain he was undergoing. Liu Tong knew that the child was gone and he knew better than any of them. However, he only had time to tell Xu Ran before he lost his consciousness, which was either owing to his discomfort or to his grief. Ever since he came in, Xu Ran had been quietly watching Lu Qi check pulse for Liu Tong without saying a word. Others waited anxiously outside. King Yan ordered the servants to find Tangtang and Guoguo who was practicing martial arts and Baozi who was playing with Yan Lan and Yan Hao. The three kids ran into the room gulping for air. Baozi cried as soon as he reached the doorway. His voice was quite loud and he kept calling Daddy. Although Tangtang and Guoguo didnt cry like Baozi, their eyes were red. The only movements inside was that basins of bloody water were brought out by a brother, and then clean water was brought in, which was repeated continuously. Even if one was just watching it, it might give one the feeling of numbness, as if it had been witnessed it countless times. As for what was happening inside, nobody knew. Apart from Baozis sobbing, there was no sound from either inside or outside the room. The quietness was frightening. Xu Ran earnestly and quietly helped Liu Tong clean his body according to Lu Qis instructions. Even if he had witnessed basins of bloody water sending out, he still did not change his expression. It wasnt until the blood was stopped and the cleaning job was done that Xu Ran slumped heavily in front of the bed as if he had used up all his strength. Lu Qi looked at him and wanted to say something but found that he was unable to do it. After a long time, Xu Ran said, The person who was in charge of opening the gate should be changed. Lu Qi frowned. He knew that there must be some reasons that Xu Ran said this. As he remembered that during the new year period, there was no guard at the gate of King Yans residence, his brow knitted more tightly. The meaning of Xu Rans words was also quite clear. The person who opened the gate must have gone late. As for Xu Ran, he sat quietly on the ground. He didnt dare to go out or look at Liu Tong who was lying on the bed. He was terribly upset, with sadness, remorse, and anger tangling together. Even the words blurted out previously were venting his anger. He knew that he needed to find a place to let off his feelings. Without a doubt, the person who opened the door had become the scapegoat. Lu Qi glanced at Xu Ran who was sitting on the ground quietly, shook his head and opened the door to ask for pen and paper to write a prescription. After finishing it, Lu Qi handed the prescription to the servant at the door. Hurry up. Ask the medicine boy in the pharmacy to fill the prescription. There mustnt be the slightest slip. If anything goes wrong, be careful of your lives! It has been a long time before Lu Qi came back, and it has been too long since he was so angry. For a time, these servants were intimidated by him and didnt dare move. Yan Xuan angrily shouted at the person who froze there for a long time, and the person came to his senses and hurriedly left with the prescription. Lu Qi wanted to close the door and enter the room, but he was stopped by King Yan, Hows Zhenger? How about the child? Lu Qi tried his best to speak in a calm tone, Second Master has bled heavily. Its stopped now. He can recuperate after taking some supplements and tonics. As for the child.. Lu Qi didnt continue and shook his head. Everyone understood that the child was gone. Although Baozi didnt know what was going on, he saw that everyone around him looked upset. His cry which was already curbed, began anew. Tangtang immediately covered his mouth and whispered to him, Baozi, dont cry. Daddy is asleep. Dont wake up Daddy. With Uncle Lu Qi here, there wont be anything wrong with him. Baozi cried too violently. Even if he wanted to stop after hearing Tangtangs words, he couldnt hold it in. Tangtang simply carried Baozi with his arms and left. Guoguo walked around anxiously and were steeped with cold sweat. After Lu Qi told King Yan about the situation, he went in and closed the door. He kept watching Liu Tong, afraid that something might happen. Xu Ran sat there quietly, his mind blank and he seemed to have lost consciousness of the outside world. Time passed quietly. Mmm The sound of moaning from the bed gave the two in the room a start. Xu Ran jumped up from the ground and looked at Liu Tong. Lu Qi reached for Liu Tongs pulse. For some reason, Liu Tongs sweat dripped down from his forehead. He frowned and looked uneasy. Xu Ran opened his mouth to try to speak, but found that he couldnt utter a sound. He grew even more anxious. As he turned his head, he saw the kettle on the table. Xu Ran poured himself a glass of water and drank up. After he cleared his throat several times, he barely managed to find back his voice. Xu Ran took a few steps back to the bedside. Lu Qi, whats wrong with Tongtong? He looks very uncomfortable. Examine him quickly. Lu Qi was also upset. He checked Liu Tong his pulse. Apart from the damage caused by the heavy bleeding just now, he didnt have any other symptoms, and his current performance looked more like a nightmare. Lu Qi said to Xu Ran, Xu Ran, wake up Second Young Master. Hes in a nightmare. We cant let him continue like this. Lu Qi then retreated to the side regardless of whether Xu Ran could understand or not. As soon as Xu Ran heard his words, he took over Lu Qis position and began to call Liu Tongs name. Tongtong, wake up, Tongtong, wake up, wake up Xu Ran wiped the sweat from Liu Tongs forehead with one hand and whispered his name, repeating it tirelessly. Maybe the calling was too bothering or for some other reasons, Liu Tongs look started to calm down, but he didnt open his eyes. Xu Ran felt that things were not right. Liu Tong didnt seem to be asleep. Xu Ran turned to Lu Qi and said, Lu Qi, come over and take a look, why isnt Tongtong awake? Lu Qi walked over to feel Liu Tongs pulse. After that, he rolled his eyelids and checked his mouth. Then he shook his head. Xu Ran, Second Young Master doesnt want to wake up. I cant help him. It has to rely on you to wake him up. Be faster, do not make it last too long. If he doesnt wake up today, Second Young Master will be in danger. He must wake up to eat and take his medicine. Lu Qi looked grave and Xu Ran knew the seriousness of the matter. He said to Lu Qi, Go out first and tell the people outside about the situation in case they will worry. Tongtong will wake up. Also, let people prepare some food. When Tongtong wakes up, he will eat. I will wake him up. Lu Qi looked at Xu Ran for a while, nodded and turned to leave. Chapter 266 Xu Ran and Liu Tong were left in the room after Lu Qi left. One was still lying on the bed and it was so quiet that Xu Ran could only hear his breathing. He squatted down by the bed, reaching out to hold Liu Tongs hand and called him softly. Xu Ran didnt say anything but looked at Liu Tong seriously. He looked at his eyebrows, his nose, his lips, his face, and his everything. The child had come so suddenly and gone so suddenly that before any of them knew it, he was gone. Xu Ran wanted to say that the child had no destiny to stay with them, but he knew that it was all because of them that the child would gone. Xu Ran could still clearly remember the situation that Liu Tong was pregnant with Baozi. At that time, Liu Tong was unconscious because he was too tired. He had taken care of him all that time so that the baby could be delivered safely. In the following years, Xu Ran has been paying attention to Liu Tongs health, and has been so careful. But this time, Xu Ran grabbed Liu Tongs hand tightly and closed his eyes. A tear slid across the corner of his eyes, and his face wes all wet. The journey from Xu Village to Yanzhou capital lasted four months, with no good food or enough sleep on the way. When they arrived at the Yanzhou capital, although they were on the ground finally, they soon started to get busy again. They were busy decorating new house, choosing furniture and going around. And then, it was December. They had been really busy for a whole month without stopping. That child should have been there on the night of their second day in Yanzhou. He had been in Liu Tongs uterus for almost two months, but he still couldnt come to this world safely. Xu Ran wanted to repent, but he didnt know whom to repent, because apart from the continuous blood from Liu Tong, he didnt see anything else. He felt so sad and painful in his heart, but he couldnt say it in words. Xu Ran opened his eyes, leaned over to kiss Liu Tongs forehead and said softly, Tongtong, wake up! You still have us. Did you hear it just now? Baozi was crying outside, and he was worried about you. There is also Tangtang and Guoguo. They must be upset, too. They probably dont even know whats going on and why youre in a coma. And there is me, too. Tongtong, are you going to sleep like this forever? Dont you want to see me again? Tongtong, I know youre sad. Youre sad because hes gone before you even knew he was there. And Im sad, too. All of us are sad, but what I want the most right now is that you wake up. So wake up and lets give a name to the child who has no chance to come to this world, ok? If he doesnt have a name, hell be bullied by other ghosts even when hes down there. Tongtong, lets give him a name and burn him some paper money, then he wont be bullied. Tongtong, can you wake up? Wake up and look at me. We havent spoken for so long. I miss you. Xu Ran did not believe in ghosts, but at this moment, he had to sat these things. He was guessing what Liu Tong would think. Time passed slowly. Xu Ran said so many things in Liu Tongs ears, from their initial difficulties to the days when they slowly recovered. He also talked about their small dispute over the years and the how good Liu Tong is in his mind. I have a feeling The sudden voice stopped Xu Ran who had been talking. Xu Ran looked at the bed and noticed that Liu Tong opened his eyes, which made Xu Ran ecstatic. Xu Ran said happily, Tongtong, youre awake. Ill call Lu Qi over to take a look. Xu Ran was about to get up when he said this, but Liu Tong put his hand on him and stopped him . Xu Ran looked at Liu Tong with a puzzled look. Xu Ran couldnt see the expression on Liu Tongs face. Xu Ran only heard him say softly, Ran, I didnt feel nothing when this child came. Ive been feeling a pain in my stomach but we were busy at the time, so I didnt say anything. Ran, he would not be gone if I told you. If I told you that you would definitely take me to see the physician, then we would know that he was there and he would be fine. Ran, its all me, its all my fault. I made him disappear. Ran, will he hate me? Liu Tong held Xu Rans hand more and more tightly as if he wanted to crush his hand. Xu Ran let him hold it without saying a word. He adjusted his facial expression and gave Liu Tong a smile that was uglier than crying, Tongtong, he is our child. How can he hate you? Tongtong, lets eat something first. Youve been bleeding a lot and youve hurt yourself. You need to recuperate quickly. Liu Tong could certainly see the worry on Xu Rans face, but as soon as he thought of the lost child, he lost all his appetite. Liu Tong shook his head and said, Ran, I dont want to eat. Ill take my medicine! I heard what you just said. Ill get better as soon as possible. Lets give him a name and burn him some paper money. There was a gentle smile on the corner of his mouth as if he had seen the picture. Looking at Liu Tongs smile, Xu Ran felt more and more distressed. It was not Liu Tongs fault that they lost the child, but his. It was his fault that he didnt notice that Liu Tong was not feeling well. It was because he let Liu Tong do too much work and made him too tired that the child left. Bang! There was a loud bang as the person outside broke into the house. Xu Ran looked back and frowned, but he couldnt say anything to blame them as soon as he saw the anxious expressions on their faces. He knew they were worried too. Baozi ran the mostq quickly. After the door was opened, he rushed to the bedside. First, he yelled for a while and stopped when he saw Liu Tong sitting on the bed. Baozis face was full of tears, his eyes were swollen like peaches, and his mouth was still twitching. You could see how sadly he was crying. Xu Ran held him in his arms and consoled him, Baozi, dont cry anymore. You wont look good if you keep crying. Daddy is fine as you can see. Just stop crying, okay? Baozi tried hard to speak, but he sobbed too hard to speak. There were many people standing beside Liu Tongs bed, so Xu Ran simply carried Baozi aside to comfort him. Baozi sobbed for a while and finally came over. He asked Xu Ran, Dad, whats wrong with Daddy? I saw a lot of blood outside. They said it was from Daddy. Thinking of all the blood that had flowed on the ground all the way, Xu Ran felt so painful. It was their child! However, Xu Ran couldnt say this to Baozi. He didnt let Baozi know that he should have a younger brother who died before he was born. Xu Ran said softly to Baozi, Its fine. Daddy fell when we went back. He was bleeding from his leg. The bleeding has stopped now and it will be good in a few days. Baozi, dont cry again. You are a childe. If you cry ugly, Qing Shu wont want you. Dont you want to look as good as Qing Shu? It was easier to distract Baozi than Tangtang and Guoguot. As soon as Baozi heard Xu Rans words, he tried his best not to cry. He wiped the tears on his face with his hand. Xu Ran helped him wipe and promised him that Daddy was fine several times before Baozi finally stopped crying. He nestled in Xu Rans arms with his eyes red, unwilling to move. Xu Ran looked at Liu Tongs bedside and found that everyone stood there was speaking to him. He carried Baozi to the door. Gu Yu was just standing at the door. Xu Ran told him, Go to the kitchen to see if Tongtongs medicine is ready, and send it to him as soon as it is ready. Dont forget the porridge. Gu Yu nodded repeatedly. As soon as he turned his head, he saw someone carrying something over. Xiao Qingyun followed behind him and his eyes were red, too. He probably had been aware that Liu Tongs child was gone. Xu Ran put Baozi down, took the medicine and went through the crowd to feed Liu Tong the medicine. Liu Tong saw that the medicine was very black and he didnt want to drink it at all, but he couldnt refuse it because there were so many people watching here. He felt sorry to let them worry about him. Liu Tong gritted his teeth and drank up the medicine. Xu Ran immediately brought the porridge to him. The medicine was probably too bitter, so Liu Tong didnt refuse Xu Rans porridge. After taking a few bites of it, he shook his head and said, Ran, I dont want to eat more. I have no appetite. Xu Ran frowned, but seeing Liu Tongs face turning pale due to excessive loss of blood, he couldnt say anything else. He put the porridge next to him and let him sleep. Liu Tongs mind was in a daze because of the excessive loss of blood. Now that Xu Ran told him to sleep, he immediately fell asleep as soon as he lay down. I went to the signing ceremony yesterday. There was only one idea in my head. There were really a lot of people in China. |O| Chapter 267 Xu Ran turned to look at the person staring at the bed and shook his head, You guys can go out first! Dont disturb Tongtongs rest. Ill just watch from here. Although they were a little reluctant, Xu Ran was right. So many of them here would really disturb Liu Tongs rest. King Yan spoke first, Xu Ran, Ill leave Zheng to you. We will go out first. Lu Qi, come over. King Yan waved at Lu Qi and asked him to come over. Lu Qi walked to King Yan and asked, May I ask what orders the king has? King Yan said, No matter what methods you use, no matter how rare and precious the herbs you need, you must make sure Zheng would recover, okay? Lu Qi nodded and replied, Dont worry about the it. There are precious medicinal herbs in the kings residence. I promise the Second Young Master would be fine. You dont have to worry too much. Second Young Master will definitely recover. Not only King Yan, but also other people felt relieved when they heard Lu Qis words. They looked worriedly at Liu Tong lying on the bed again, and King Yan was the first to leave the room. Tangtang and Guoguo did not say anything after entering the door. They were staring at Xu Ran when they were about to go out. Xu Ran nodded to them affirmatively and he did not seem to be worried at all. Dont worry! Dads here. I wont let anything happen to your Daddy. Tangtang and Guoguo could rest assured finally and followed the crowd out. Xu Ran saw Xiao Qingyun wiping his tears again as he left. He didnt know if he was affected or something, but he wanted to cry himself. Baozi was holding Xu Rans legs and didnt want to go out no matter what. Seeing this, Xu Ran did not force him to go out. He bowed his head and said to him,, Baozi, since you dont want to go out, you can stay with me in the house! But no matter what, you cant disturb Daddys rest, okay? Baozi nodded seriously and said with certainty, Dad, I promise I wont disturb Daddy. Xu Ran touched his head and held him up. He sat by the bed and stared at Liu Tong. Lu Qi also stayed in the room and did not dare to go out, in case there would be an emergency. By the time they returned, it was already afternoon. It was already dark outside. After being so busy for so long, Lu Qi was exhausted mentally and physically and fell asleep on the table in the room. It may be that he saw Liu Tong was fine and he didnt have to worry again, or may be that he was too tired, Baozi also fell asleep in Xu Rans arms, with his one hand clutching Xu Rans clothes tightly, and the other holding onto Liu Tongs blanket. Although the child did not know what was going on, he was extremely sensitive. Xu Ran hugged Baozis small body tightly, not letting him be cold. He just looked at Liu Tong quietly. To be honest, if Liu Tong was a man, he can definitely attract a lot of childe, but as a childe, he wont be very popular. However, Xu Ran had never thought that he was not good-looking. Perhaps he had been entangled at first, but his mind was fused with the memory of the fool. He knew what Liu Tong had done for the fool and to protect the two children, so he didnt reject him at all. Back then, the two of them had supported each other step by step. And its been quite a few years now. By July of this year, he had been in this world for exactly ten years. Ten years! What a long time! It had passed before you knew it. He didnt feel tired of living this life at all. Instead, he hoped that he would live this peaceful life forever. Unfortunately, things didnt work out. It rained heavily, and then the plague came, so they came to the Yanzhou and thought that they could live peacefully for a few years. And when the Yanzhou was rich, when Tangtang and Guoguo had been through things, when Baozi grew up, they would go back to Xu Village. Then they would let the children go out to explore their own career and they would live out their lives in retirement. With their fields, their orchards, and their houses of brick, which they had built at great expense, they would be waiting for the children to come back from time to time to see them. They would grow old slowly just like that, until their black hair turned white, and then they would be buried together after death with no regrets. This child who had come and gone suddenly was never within his schedule. Xu Ran even started to think that he would leave in a hurry because he never wanted to have this child. Xu Ran smiled bitterly and shook his head. He knew that these were all nonsense. The childs departure, after all, was because Liu Tong was too tired and didnt pay attention to his diet. The other reason was that they didnt expect Liu Tong would be pregnant again. Theyve always wanted another child after giving birth to Baozi. But Liu Tong didnt get pregnant again, so both of them thought they wouldnt have another child. Who would have thought that he could get pregnant in Yanzhou? Xu ran slowly closed his eyes, put aside all the distractions in his heart, began to think of the childs name. But he couldnt think of any, because he didnt think any of them was suitable. What he didnt see was that after he closed his eyes, Liu Tong, who had already closed his eyes on the bed, was staring at him. He was very sleepy and he also felt hungry, but he didnt want to eat and couldnt fall sleep. Carrying a child was a subtle feeling. It was the only child he had felt his existence three months ago, but it was the only child who had left him. Compared with the safe birth of Tangtang and Guoguo, there were also some setbacks when Baozi was born, but Ran had been taking care of them at that time, so there was nothing wrong with her. But this child had just left him. Liu Tong touched his flat abdomen and thought. Liu Tong couldnt say what kind of feeling he had in his heart because the child had disappeared before he could take shape. He couldnt even imagine what he would look like. Ran said he wanted to give the child a name, but he didnt know if the child was a Childe or a man. Liu Tong, who was lying on the bed, thought about it for a long time, but in the end, he couldnt help falling asleep. He slept for a long time. In his dream, he heard a child calling him Daddy. It was not Tangtang, Guoguo, nor Baozi, but the unborn child. However, he couldnt find where the child was no matter how hard he tried. Baby! Liu Tong yelled and suddenly woke up from his dream. Xu Rans hand was shaken by Liu Tongs scream. Xu Ran immediately woke up. Seeing Liu Tongs sweaty face, he reached out to wipe his sweat and asked him, Tongtong, whats wrong with you? Did you have a bad dream? Liu Tong looked at the room and couldnt see anything outside. There were candles in the room, and it was quite clear. Xu Ran was sitting on a stool by the bed, and apparently he was sleeping with his head on hands on the bed. There was only him and Xu Ran in the room. Liu Tong woke up and shook his head at Xu Ran. No, I just heard someone call me Daddy but I couldnt find him. I was so worried that I woke up in a hurry. Xu Ran put Liu Tong in his arms and patted him on the back to comfort him, Its okay, its fine. The child hasnt been shaped yet. How could you see him? Lying in Xu Rans arms, Liu Tong suddenly felt aggrieved. The child suddenly disappeared. Hes bled a lot himself and suffered for so long. Liu Tong actually started to cry in Xu Rans arms. Xu Ran just patted his back without saying a word. Because he didnt know what to say Liu Tong fell asleep in Xu Rans arms and he has been sleeping until dawn. Xu Ran has been holding him like that for the whole night. When he woke up in the morning, his hands and feet were numb and his throat was a little uncomfortable. It seemed that he had gotten a cold. When he spoke, he had to avoid Liu Tong subconsciously, so as not to get him infected, too. Liu Tong didnt know why he would do that. He thought Xu Ran was probably blaming him and he became even more gloomy. Xu Ran saw Liu Tongs reaction and knew that he was overthinking it. He had to explain to him, Tongtong, I didnt mean to blame you. Im the one who should be blamed after all. The only reason I didnt talk to you was that I had a cold. I was afraid that you would be infected. You are currently weak and it would get worse if you catch a cold. When he heard Xu Rans explanation, Liu Tong felt a litlle relieved. He stared at Xu Ran for a while before he was sure that he wasnt blaming him. Xu Ran had intended to ask someone else to take care of him, but seeing that he was so sensitive, he decided that it would not work. So the two of them could only talk with each other sideways or back to back. In the following days, Liu Tong stayed at King Yans residence to rest. He wanted to go back but no one agreed. They were worried that something would happen to him. Most importantly, there was Lu Qi in King Yans residence. And the plans of visiting neighbors at New Year were also canceled. Xu Ran just asked Shao Yu to bring his three children to send gifts to the neighbors. Liu Tong did not dare to say anything about the fact that he had bled. After all, it was a bad sign in the eyes of these people. Normally, it was not big deal, but it was completely different when it came to the New Year. But people in King Yans residence didnt care about this. King Yan and Xiao Qingyun would come over to accompany Liu Tong as soon as they had time. The three children were also by his side all the time. Xu Ran estimated that the time he could be alone with Liu Tong would be only at night. In the blink of an eye, it was already tenth of the month of the first lunar month calendar. The scheduled opening time was also delayed because of Liu Tongs health. Liu Tong was very sorry, so he told Xu Ran not to care about him and went to the Red Tower. However, Xu Ran denied him at once. He was still blaming himself. If he had not made Liu Tong so tired, the child would not have gone. Liu Tong also thought of the reason for Xu Rans rejection. He lowered his head and looked gloomy. Xu Ran hugged him and explained to him, Tongtong, nothing is as important as you in my eyes. How much money can we make if we start the business now? If you want the Red Tower to be open as soon as possible, then get better quickly. Well open the shop together when youre well again. Liu Tong looked at Xu Rans serious face and couldnt help but nod and whisper, Okay. Chapter 268 The matter of baby was a knot between Liu Tong and Xu Ran. In the meanwhile, it was also a knot for everyone. Everyone avoided mentioning the topic in order to let Liu Tong recuperate without disturbance. Liu Tong was anxious. He knew that because of him, too many things had been delayed. Xu Ran refused to let the Red House open for business because of him. Tangtang and Guoguo had also planned that they would go to the military camp to practice after the new year, and Lu Qi never got out of the house in order to look after him. The matter that King Yan had originally mentioned to Xu Ran to build a Honeycomb briquettes factory was delayed too. Even Xiao Qingyun had to visit him frequently while getting busy with the affairs of the mansion. As to Baozi, he had completely given up playing and stuck with him all day long. Liu Tong was really sorry, so he could only obediently take the medicine and allow Lu Qi to give him acupuncture. At the end of the first month of the lunar year, Liu Tong, who had been lying in bed for a whole month, was finally allowed to get out of bed and have a walk, which meant that he was fine. Not only him, everyone was happy. The first thing Liu Tong did after getting out of bed was to stretch his arms and legs. He twisted his waist and said to Xu Ran, Ran, I think my bones have gotten soft. Xu Ran smiled and pinched his waist. Tongtong, you have gained weight. Although it was a teasing tone, Liu Tong involuntarily pinched himself and found that Xu Ran did not lie to him. He did gain weight. Liu Tong was a little depressed, but he soon felt relieved. Because he was going to work soon, the meat on his waist could be gotten rid of quickly. Xu Ran saw the change of expression on his face and knew what he was thinking. Xu Ran quickly killed Liu Tongs beautiful whimsy. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, although youre doing well now, you still cant work. You can just make clothes at home. After all, after spring, we have to change into thinner clothes, but dont get too tired. If youre bored, you can come to the Prince Residence to chat with Xiao Qingyun. That meant that he was forbidden from going to the Red House. Liu Tong was very displeased at this, Ran, I can still go to the Red House. You must be busy with so many things, and you need time to recruit staffs. Xu Ran waved his hand and didnt give him any chance to negotiate it. No, it settled. I dont want you to be tired anymore. This incident has frightened us all. As for the manpower, dont worry about it. Ive already posted a notice to recruit people.Several people have come, whose I have met myself. Some of them are qualified, and can come to work when we open for the business. Xu Rans words made Liu Tong unable to refute. He knew what Xu Ran meant, but he still couldnt accept it in his heart. In fact, he also knew that he should just make clothes and cook at home like Xu Ran said. After all, the other brothers all lived like this. They would have their husbands accompanying them If they wanted to go out. It was because Ran spoiled him that he could do anything he wanted and Ran would not say anything against him. Looking at Xu Rans determined expression, Liu Tong knew that there was no room for negotiation. No matter what, he was more or less unhappy. How could Xu Ran not understand Liu Tongs thoughts, but even if he was unhappy this time, he would not agree. Xu Ran patted Liu Tongs hand and said to him, Tongtong, do you remember what I told you? I said that we would give our unborn child a name and burn him some spirit money. Although it was just a blood clot, Xu Ran still wanted to do it, trying to make up for the regret in his heart. Liu Tong was distracted by Xu Rans words and felt sad. However, he still agreed with Xu Rans idea of giving the child a name. At least, when he remembered this unborn child, he could call him by his name, even if he wouldnt know anything. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, Tangtang Guoguo and Baozis names are all picked by me. You can name this child! What do you want to call him? Liu Tong frowned and started to think about his name seriously. Xu Ran pulled him to sit down on a chair beside him, letting him feel at ease. After a while, Liu Tong raised his head and said to Xu Ran, Ran, I am not good at picking the name. Do you think we can call him Xu Si? Xu Si, Xu Nian, Si and Nian putting together was miss, whose meaning was too obvious. Let alone him, anybody could understand what it meant. Xu Ran nodded and praised him, Tongtong is so amazing. Little babys name and Baozis name putting together is miss. Think about itCevery time we call his name, it means we miss him. Tongtong is awesome. Xu Rans praise made Liu Tong blush. Then he asked Xu Ran, Ran, do you think he will like the name? Xu Ran replied with a smile, How can he not like it? Youre his Daddy. Does he dare not like it? At Xu Rans words, Liu Tong smiled again and nodded, Its good that he likes it. On the first day of the second month of the lunar year, Xu Ran family, who had been away from home for a whole month, finally returned. After returning home, the neighbors expressed their hospitality and wanted to treat them to dinners. They also inquired about where they had been during this month. Xu Ran only said that Liu Tong was sick, so they lived in the doctors house, who was friends with them. After saying that, Xu Ran didnt say anything more. So it was not good for others to ask him further. Instead, they began to ask when to open for business. Xu Ran said that it would be within these few days. Some people must have read the notice that was posted at the entrance of the Red House and asked Xu Ran if he still wanted a staff, some relatives of theirs could come. Xu Ran rejected all of them, saying that he had long hired enough people. He even mentioned that a half of the staff had been decided before the new year, and he only recruited one or two people after it. Had he known that their relatives were willing to go, he would not recruit other people. It was nicely said, so these people couldnt refute it. Since they were the matters of relatives, not their own business, they didnt care much. Xu Ran family had dinners at these peoples homes one by one, which lasted for a few days. After they finished it, Xu Ran officially started to work on the opening of the Red House. Tangtang and Guoguo were also sent away by Xu Ran, letting them go to the military camp. They wouldnt come back often once they went there. Xu Ran pulled their hands and instructed them a lot of things needed to pay attention to. On the 6th of second month of the lunar year, Red House officially opened for business. The whole staff were only Xu Ran, Gao Quan, Shao Yu, and Liu Yu, who was under training. Just like that, the four opened for business. The people recruited by Xu Ran came one after another on this day, plus Liu Yu, there were a total of eight people, which were a lot. Xu Rans plan was to let Gao Quan and Shao Yu manage the Red House in the future. He could just be the hands-off boss himself. After all, he had to be busy with King Yans affairs. There werent many customers on the first day. First, there werent many people who knew that they opened for business today and didnt come. Second, the new year month had just passed, after people had eaten a lot of fish and meat, it was normal for them to stay away from eating hotpots. Taking advantage of the occasion, Xu Ran took the new staff to get familiar with the Red House, and also familiarized themselves with their work. When Xu Ran recruited the staff, he had a requirement, which was literacy. He didnt require them to know a lot of words. As long as they could recognize some simple ones, it would do, since they needed to introduce the menu to the guests. People who could read usually would not come to be waiter, but Xu Ran offered a high salary, and there was always some people who would yield in front of money. These people were recruited after passing his interview. As to his judgement, Xu Ran had a blind trust, no matter how many people he had misjudged before. On the first day, these staff had the task of reciting the menu, and the etiquette language written down by Xu Ran. Liu Yu was the best one among these people who had completed the task. His good memory was fully displayed, remembering everything that Xu Ran had let him remember, which really surprised Xu Ran. Xu Ran looked at the eight staff who were standing in a row and reciting the menu as well as the price. He felt that it was necessary to get them uniforms, which had to be colorful and good-looking, so as to reflect the specialty of the Red House. Mm, yes, it should be red. It was best if it was embroidered with hotpot. However, this was a huge project and it was unknown when it would be completed. Xu Ran planned silently in his mind, thinking about going back and discussing with Liu Tong. Gao Quan and Shao Yu each had chosen two students to teach, while Xu Ran took over Tangtangs position to keep accounts and collect money. The first day passed uneventfully. They also closed earlier. As all the staff lived in their separate homes, they would have supper at home if the restaurant closed early; otherwise, they would eat in the restaurant, which was settled by Xu Ran at the very beginning. Of course, if they went back late, there would be extra pay, which was called overtime. Such an approach naturally made all very satisfied. Chapter 269 Xu Ran had just walked to the door when he saw Baozis expectant expression. Xu Ran picked up Baozi and asked him, Why are you standing at the door? Its so cold today. Baozi pouted and said unhappily, Dad, can you bring me with you tomorrow? No one can talk to me here. Im so bored. Xu Ran remembered that there were a lot of children nearby! How could Baozi still feel bored? Before Xu Ran could ask, Liu Tong came out of the room and explained to him, All the children in the vicinity went to school, the others are all childe and their parents wouldnt let them go out to play with other kids, so Baozi cant find his little friends. Xu Ran looked at Baozi and said in his heart, Only our childe can go out and play casually, but he couldnt find anyone to play with now. I dont know if its pitiful or what. Xu Ran asked Baozi, Baozi, do you want to go to school too? I dont know if the childe here can go to school, or what do you think if I send you to King Yans residence, so you learn the manners and how to manage a family from Qing Yun with Yan Lan? Baozi didnt know what manners and managing a family mean, so he looked at Xu Ran blankly. On the other hand, Xu Ran was still in the fantacy of the image of Baozi, who had been taught by Xiao Qingyun and looked like a complete childe. Xu Ran thought about it seriously and felt that it was really wonderful. He could imagine it by referring to the TV series he had seen in his previous life. Looking at the smile on his Dads face, Baozi felt that it was really good to learn the manners and managing a family. Xu Ran was picturing Baozi dressed in white, waving his folding fan and smiling gently in his mind. He could proudly introduce him to others that he was his son. Xu Ran instantly felt like he was gonna be proud of his son. Imagination was wonderful, but it was not for everyone. After Xu Ran came back to his senses, he saw Baozi looking at him with an expectant look. He laughed with his gums visible and looked so silly, so all the imagination in Xu Rans heart was instantly shattered. After reading the looks of the three children in his mind, Xu Ran felt that the only one who matched his imagination was Tangtang. Although Guoguo and Tangtang looked exactly the same, for some reason, there was a kind of ruffian style on Guoguo, which was probably related to him wanting to join the army. Of course, Guoguo would probably be more popular than Tangtang for that reason. Xu Ran was not worried about their future, as long as they would not be fickle in love. Xu Ran looked at Baozi who had been staring at him and sighed silently. He looked good too! But it felt like it was his behavior that had ruined his face. Xu Ran made a decision and said to Baozi, Baozi, do you still want to marry Qing Shu when you grow up? Baozi nodded affirmatively, Yeah, I do. even in my dreams. Xu Ran touched his forehead and wondered who had taught him all this. Really, how come he understood everything at such a young age? Xu Ran said to Baozi, Since you want to, listen to Dads arrangement, go to class with Yan Lan, let your uncle make you more powerful, so you can marry Qing Shu later when you go back. Baozi nodded continuously. All right, all right, Ill listen to you. Im going to become stronger and go back to marry Qing Shu. As he spoke, he clenched his fists at Xu Ran as a sign of determination. Although he mentioned it himself, but with Baozis reaction, Xu Ran still felt like he was going to have a headache. As for the reason, he didnt know, but the biggest one might be that he had misled his son. After Baozi agreed, Xu Ran told Liu Tong about it, and also told Liu Tong about his fantasies. Liu Tong was very supportive of the scene, and he even added a few words to it. Then, after imagining it for a while, both of them thought it was a very good idea. And Liu Tong didnt know when it started, but he didnt think that there was anything wrong with Baozi marrying Qing Shu when he grew up. Xu Ran even had a kind of feeling that they were made for each other. If they didnt get together, they would be inverse CP and be struck by lightning. He just couldnt stop imagining it. So, the next morning, Xu Ran sent Baozi to King Yans residence early in the morning. Xu Ran had been holding him all the way and Baozi was still not awake when they reached the door. When the new year passed, there were guards at the door again, but Xu Ran walked in without a notification. Shortly after King Yan got up, he heard that Xu Ran had come over with a child in his arms. Thinking that something was wrong again, the king of Yan was so anxious that he ran to the living room, completely ignoring his own image. King Yan rushed over and asked Xu Ran, What happened? Which child did you hold? Seeing that King Yan was in such a hurry, Xu Ran smiled. This was probably the sequelae of the incident with Liu Tong last time. Xu Ran said, Dont be so anxious, nothing happened. I just sent Baozi over to let him play with Yan Lan. All the kids in our street went to school. He is a bored at home, and it happens that he is old enough to go to school. I thought that he could come over and learn with Yan Lan. Is that okay with you, King Yan? King Yan was relieved when he heard Xu Ran say that nothing happened. He was really frightened by Liu Tongs incident last time. King Yan said, Why not? Yan Lan has always been taught by his Daddy. Just leave him here confidently! If you ask me, Baozi really needs to learn more about manners. No matter what you think, he is a childe after all. You cant raise him like Tangtang and Guoguo. Now that he is young, he still has time to learn that. Otherwise, when he grows up and goes to the capital to meet some dignitaries, he will be said to be ill-bred. Xu Ran heard what King Yan said and after thinking about it for a while, he knew that King Yan was right. Especially Tangtang, he would definitely be a government official in the future. Baozi cant avoiding visiting him anyway, but there would be a problem if he does. Xiao Qingyun was born in a family of scholar, so he was definitely not bad in manners and knowledge. Xiao Qingyun also had a good personal temperament and he had his own exquisite way of walking, talking and eating. Even though it was not obvious, you could tell with a closer look. When he walks, every step was the same distance. He must have put a lot of effort to practice. Xu Ran nodded at King Yan and said, I know, thats why I sent him over. If It works, Ill send him over in the morning and pick him back at night. And please forgive him for being a little naughty. King Yan waved his hand and said, Its okay. Its only natural that children like to play around. Besides, Baozi is not a troublemaker. He has been living in the mansion for two months. How can I not know about it? Xu Ran whispered in his heart, There are many things you dont know about. When he was in Xu Village, he was able to dominate as a childe. There were plenty of older boys in that group. He still didnt know how Baozi did it, but he must be very extraordinary. Of course, Xu Ran wouldnt say these things, so let King Yan understand it himself slowly! He would find out as time passed by. Xu Ran woke Baozi up and put him on the ground. Baozi was still in a daze when Xu Ran asked him to be good and to study hard. After that, Xu Ran left him with King Yan. He had to rush to the Red Tower himself and open the door for the business. It was time for the guest to come over. He could make a lot of money from breakfast in the morning. But the most important thing was that he had to train his apprentice. Baozi didnt come back to his senses after Xu Ran left for a long time. When he saw Xiao Qingyun, he realized that his father had disappeared. He looked up and asked King Yan, Uncle, wheres my Dad? It was clearly Dad who had been holding me. King Yan touched his head and said, Your Dad went to the Red Tower. You can play with your Brother Yan Lan here! Baozi also remembered what he said yesterday. He nodded to show that he got it. He didnt cry or make a fuss, and he looked very adorable. King Yan found that ever since Xu Ran and the others came, he liked children very much, especially his own. He always felt that other children were better than his. King Yan looked at Baozi, and then looked at Yan Lan and Yan Hao who were standing at the door to come in. They looked good, but he thought Baozi was cuter. The main reason was that Baozi dared to talk to him. His two children never asked him for anything, but he felt nothing about it. King Yan deeply felt that he needed to reflect on himself. After all, he was also expecting the birth of the two children then. The two children obediently ran over to call him Father King, then they lowered their heads and stopped looking at him, as if they were a little unnatural. At this moment, King Yan felt that he didnt care enough about the two children. Otherwise, the two children would not be afraid when they saw him. They didnt talk a lot and they didnt even know how to throw a tantrum. King Yan looked at the neat row of chairs in front of him, then carried the child over one by one and let them sat down. Then he said very seriously that Baozi was coming to have the class with Yan Lan in the mansion. When Yan Lan heard this news, the joy on his face could not be concealed any more, even Yan Hao smiled happily. Seeing the two children who were so easily satisfied, King Yan unconsciously smiled and stunned the two children. Yan Hao suddenly jumped off the chair and went to King Yans arms. He hugged him and said, Dad smiled. I have never seen Dad smile before. Hearing Yan Haos words, King Yan felt a little guilty. Sure enough, he cared too little about the two children. King Yan picked Yan Hao up and saw his smiling eyes. Yan Lan, who was sitting on the chair, also looked envious, but he did not come over because of his restraint. Xiao Qingyun came in from the door and saw King Yan holding Yan Hao. He smiled and said, Its really rare! Its been so many years since youve hugged both of them. Why are you so happy today? King Yan naturally wouldnt say that this was provided by Xu Ran because when he saw Xu Ran holding Baozi and waiting for him, he had an envious feeling in his heart. So he suddenly wanted to do this, to hug his two children at the moment. Chapter 270 King Yan did not explain to Xiao Qingyun, but walked to Yan Lan with Yan Hao in his arms and picked Yan Lan up too. He also smiled at Xiao Qingyun, which made Xiao Qingyun even more surprised. Apart from being full of joy, the two children in his arms could no longer find any other emotions. As for Baozi, he silently covered his eyes. It was better not look at this loving family. Alas! How sleepy he was! He really wanted to sleep Then he covered his eyes and fell asleep. King Yan put the two children down when he got tired and told Xiao Qingyun about Baozi. When he turned around, he saw Baozi was covering his eyes and sleeping soundly. The two adults could not help laughing. Although the two children were still confused, they also laughed. Only Baozi, who has been sleeping, did not know anything. Speaking of which, Xu Ran rushed to the Red Tower after coming out of the mansion. When he arrived, the door was already open, and Gao Quan, Shao Yu and the new staff were all there. The assignment of work for breakfast was different from cooking hotpot. Xu Ran gathered the eight people together and asked what they were good at. Xu Ran told them clearly, When everyone came, you all signed the contract and pressed the handprint. The term of the contract is three years. All of you can only work in Red Tower during these three years. As far as pay is concerned, I wont treat you badly, and I will let you learn my craft. But you must not teach your craft to others. According to the rules in the contract, this is a breach of contract. You must pay me fifty thousand taels of silver. So you have to think about it yourself. Xu Ran stretched out his finger and made a gesture of five. And these people were frightened by it. They were all people who could read and they had read it by themselves when they signed it, so there was no way to refute it. This contract was made two copies, one in their hands, and the other in Xu Rans hands. They all understood this in their hearts, so they just nodded when Xu Ran said that. Xu Ran didnt waste his time talking to them, so he just assigned the work according to what they said they were good at. Two of them were in charge of selling the pancakes outside, one packed up and collected money and greeted guests, and the other rolled pastry and fried them. If they could sell a lot, they would get a commission. There were also two people in the kitchen, one would learn to knead dough and pull noodles from Gao Quan and the other would learn to cook noodles from Shao Yu. Liu Yu was still in charge of greeting the guests at the door, and the other three were waiters. They went wherever they were needed, and all of them were good at dealing with people. Xu Ran, Gaoquan and Shaoyu were still the main force, and the rest was to help them and learn, but with more people, the slogan was louder and the they moved more faster, which brought more people over. In the end, business was better that morning than ever before. The noodles they had prepared should have been enough to sell, but they made more temporarily. Even those noodles that didnt have enough time to rise by fermentation had been sold a lot. After they were done, the counterjumper should be busy with other things. Xu Ran was with them, he also praised them. Even though they had come yesterday, they just officially started their work today. When they heard Xu Rans praise, they were all very happy. The boss liked them and there would be more benefits to come! How could they not be happy However, he wasnt sure if these people couldnt stand the praises or something else. The breakfast this morning was sold well. They were nimble in hand and in tongue. But they often went wrong when they were preparing the meat and vegetables for lunch and dinner. Xu Ran was also a man who liked to use both rewards and punishments. Not long after he praised them, he started to reproach them again. They knew that they were not doing well themselves , so they didnt say anything when they heard Xu Rans words. They just thought that they couldnt ruin their good impression in Xu Rans heart and tried their best to do their jobs well. Xu Ran was very satisfied with their attitude. Life went on so peacefully. Every morning, Xu Ran would send Baozi to King Yans residence. In the afternoon, either he or Liu Tong would pick him up. Liu Tong also often went to the Red Tower. Xu Ran didnt let him work, so he started to learn how to keep accounts from Xu Ran. He knew the rabic numerals that Xu Ran had taught Tangtang and Guoguo, but he was not very familiar with them. Xu Ran was very patient to Liu Tong, so he started to teach him slowly. As time went by, Liu Tong had learned a lot and he could write a small amount of money on it. Xu Ran was very pleased about it. It was still cold in Yanzhou. The gloves and backpacks that Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to make were not only for himself, but also were placed at the entrance of the Red Tower. Xu Ran asked a widowed old man to help him watch the stall. The scarf hadnt been woven out yet, mainly because they were too busy. Xu Ran didnt have time to teach and no one could do it. When the Counterjumper in the Red Tower started to get ready, Xu Ran would gradually stop going to Red Tower too often. Every day he went back and forth between his home and King Yans residence. Gao Quan and Shao Yu were in charge of the Red Tower. They did a great job and had not made any mistakes. The days went by in a flash from February to April. Tangtang and Guoguo had been away from home for two months and there was not even a message from them. Xu Ran asked King Yan but he would not tell him about their situation. He didnt even let them go and see them, he said it was something about Barracks area. Although Xu Ran knew that the two of them should be fine with King Yans protection, he still felt a little worried. He took Liu Tong to King Yans residence and asked King Yan to take them to see Tangtang and Guoguo. In King Yans heart, Liu Tong was much more important than Xu Ran. As soon as he said that, King Yan agreed. Xu Ran silently shed two drops of tears for such a huge and different treatment. Because Gao Quan and Shao Yu had to look after the Red Tower, they couldnt go with them. So Xu Ran took Liu Tong and Baozi to go with King Yan. Baozi and Liu Tong did not go out to take a look after they came to Yanzhou, especially near the military camp. The border of Yanzhou was vast and there was yellow sand everywhere, which was a different scenery. The grassy area that King Yan brought Xu Ran to see was now full of grass and green, but you couldnt even see the edge. Baozi shouted as soon as he saw this scene, Dad, look! There are a lot of grass in front of us. So big, Dad, can we raise a lot of horses here? Baozi was very excite and kept patting Xu Ran. What he said was true. Baozi couldnt use many words now, but these simple words were often the most realistic and direct to express what he wanted to say. Not only Baozi was excited when he saw it, but Xu Ran and Liu Tong were the same. Only King Yan, who had seen it many times, looked at Xu Ran and the rest without saying a word. Since there were no outsiders, Xu Ran asked King Yan directly, King Yan, since there is a lot of grass gere. Wheres your cow and sheep? When can I see them? When they heard Xu Rans words, Baozi and Liu Tongs eyes were focused on King Yans face. King Yan had a smile on his face. When he heard Xu Rans words, his smile became more obvious. He said, Cows and sheep are already on the way, and they will soon reach Yanzhou. The grass grows the best in April, and they can eat as much as they like when they come over. We will probably be able to have a lot of big cows and sheep in a year. King Yan said it confidentlys, just like when he told Xu Ran that everything would be better after the New Year. Xu Ran did not refute King Yans words, because he was also looking forward to seeing the scene of a cows and sheep being everywhere on the ground. This time, they mainly came to see Tangtang and Guoguo, so they didnt stay here for long. After they enjoyed the beautiful scene, King Yan took them to the camp. Childe and children were not allowed to enter the military camp. Regardless of their identity, King Yan did not make any special arrangements for Liu Tong and Baozi. He asked them to wait outside, and asked someone to get stools and make fire for them. He took Xu Ran to go inside. The soldiers here were highly self-aware. The men who patrolled and guarded were decent in gesture and manner, even if no one is staring at them. Many more people were practicing. King Yan himself did not know where Tangtang and Guoguo were, so he asked a vice general, whose surname was Luo and he was directly under the administration of King Yan. King Yan also asked him to manage Tngtang and Guoguo back then. The Vice General Luo bowed when he saw King Yan, then he turned his gaze to Xu Ran. King Yan introduced Xu Ran to vice general Luo, This is Xu Ran, Xu Qing and Xu Mus father. I came over to see the two children. Xu Ran. This is Vice General Luo and Tangtang Guoguo were under him. Xu Ran and Vice General Luo greeted to each other before finally entering the main topic. Xu Ran said, Vice General Luo, I wonder if I can see my two children now. Their Daddy and brother are here too. They are waiting outside the military camp. Please do me a favor. Vice General Luo was sweating in his heart. He was not sure what kind of relationship this King Yan had with Xu Ran. The children were sent by King Yan, and Xu Ran was personally brought by King Yan. Logically speaking, he must have something to do with King Yan.But King Yan also said that this is a military camp, everything is based on military orders, and no one has privileges. Vice General Luo looked at King Yan in embarrassment, not knowing how to choose. King Yan also thought of what he had said before. It was not good for him to use the privilege, then he would not be able to convince the public in the future. Xu Ran squinted at King Yan and knew that this person must have forgotten his rules. He spread out his hands and was quite helpless. Seeing them like this, Xu Ran couldnt say anything else about seeing the children again. He only said to Vice General Luo, I wonder if Vice General Luo can give my children two days off and let them go home to see everyone? They are only here for training. After all, they are not real soldiers. The soldiers also had time to rest. The two children have been here for two months and had never returned home. Xu Rans request was not too much. More importantly, he said these two children were just here to get trained. And More importantly, the two children must have a deep relationship with King Yan. Vice General Luo thought about it in his heart and knew how to deal with it, so he nodded at Xu Ran abd said. Dont worry,there was no problem with it, of course. They get one day off each month, and since they had not been off for the last two months, they will have three days off till now. Ill tell them about it. Xu Ran was excited that he could finally see the children. He had not seen them and said a word to them for two months. This was the longest time they had been apart. Chapter 271 Vice General Luo turned around and left the tent after he agreed. He probably went out to look for them. Xu Ran and King Yan sat in the tent and waited. When it was only the two of them, Xu Ran coukld fianlly ask King Yan, Why dont you remember the rules you set yourself? Why didnt you tell me about this from the beginning? Dont you know that Tongtong and Baozi are still in the cold wind outside now? King Yan didnt feel guilty at first, but when he heard Xu Rans words, his expression instantly turned bad. He rubbed his nose in embarrassment, I thought you would come alone and I just wanted to tease you. I didnt know that Zheng and Baozi were coming too. Besides, I had set so many rules. How could I remember them every day? He seemed to be a little aggrieved, which made Xu Ran speechless. The first part was not important, what was important was that he couldnt remember them. Xu Ran was just about to refute King Yan when he heard footsteps outside. Dad, Dad. Tangtang and Guoguo was calling him before they had showed up. Xu Ran didnt care about King Yan anymore and got up to greet them. The father and his two children met at the entrance of the tent. The two kids suddenly rushed to him, saying how they missed him, which made King Yan very envious. And this scene suddenly reminded Xu Ran of every time when he went out, they weould be standing at the entrance to the village, waiting for him to come back. They were still young and short at that time, and they could only reach his chest. They would jump at him when they saw him get out of the carriage, and he would catch the two children who approached him, take them in his arms, and kiss them on the cheek. And now, the two children were so tall. Only when they ran to him did Xu Ran realize that they were almost his height. Something flashed through Xu Rans mind, but it was too fast that he was not able to catch it. Xu Ran felt a little embarrassed to kiss them since they had grown up. So he just patted their shoulders and asked them, You havent been home for two months. Do you want to go home? The home Xu Ran mentioned naturally meant their home in Yanzhou. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded certainly. How was it possible that they did not want to go home? Xu Ran smiled and asked, How about your days in the military camp? Are you getting used to it? Can you bear these sufferings? He asked a series of questions, and the two children were patient enough to answer him one by one. They had just finished practicing before they ran over here, both of thyem were still sweating. Tangtang wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, Dad, dont worry about us. Me and brother lived very well in the military camp. We lived together every day and got along very well. Everyone would take care of us because since we were still young. We are fine here. Its human nature to hold back unpleasant information to people who really care about you and whom you care about, and that was also what Tangtang and Guoguo did. Xu Ran squinted and looked at them seriously for a while. Seeing that they didnt intend to continue to say, he nodded to show that he got it. Although there were no expressions on Tangtang and Guoguos face, they all felt relieved. So did the Vice General Luo. Because when King Yan had sent them over, he had only left them to him and did not explain anything else. Therefore, he had only left them with the Old Veteran and never cared about them. In the past two months, he had heard a lot of news about the two children. There was news that they were bullied, and there was also news of they bullying others for revenge. However, no matter what the news was, as long as there was nothing serious, Vice General Luo never asked about it. So when Xu Ran asked, he was afraid that the two children would tell him the truth, and fortunately, the two children didnt seem to be telling the truth. Xu Ran only glanced at Vice General Luo and understood everything. However, he did not say anything about Vice General Luo. Instead, he started to educate his two children in front of Vice General Luo. Xu Ran said, Its good that you didnt suffer. No matter what, I know that both of you arefine when I hear you say that. The road is for you to walk step by step. No one can help you, and you wont take a step less just because someone else stops you. It is the same in this military camp. Instead of using your fists, you can also use your brains to solve the problems. Ive taught you since you were very young, remember? Xu Ran emphasized the word brain particularly and pointed at his temple to let the two children pay attention. Xu Ran didnt say who did wrong . He just asked his two children to do everything with their own strength, but when Vice General Luo heard it, he thought that Xu Ran was hinting at something. He saw that King Yan had already come next to Xu Ranto talk to the two children. It was better for him to not chip in and ask what Xu Ran just meant, so he could only guess by himself. Vice General Luo took them here, which meant that he had agreed to Tangtang and Guoguo go home home and take a look. Since Liu Tong and Baozi were still waiting outside the camp, they didnt talk long before they went out of the camp to look for Liu Tong and Baozi. Liu Tong was fine, he was just a little excited. However, Baozi ran to Tangtang and Guoguo directly. He asked both of them to hug him at the same time. Finally, Tangtang and Guoguo had no choice but to cross their four hands to let him sit on top. Baozi said how he missed the two of them and asked about the situation in the military camp. He also told them what he had learned in King Yans residence. He literally told them everything, no matter how big or trivial it was. When he was finally done and Tangtang Guoguo had answered him, the two of them only had time to greet Liu Tong. Liu Tong touched the heads of the two children with a loving expression. I havent seen you for two months, and its dark now. When a child who had been away came home, parents would always say such a thing. Xu Ran had a deep feeling about it. Even if he had only been away for a few days, his mother would say it when she saw him. Looking at Liu Tong now, he really felt that he was like his mother. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and looked at the sky, feeling a little upset. He hadnt thought about her for a long time. Why did he suddenly miss his mother? Liu Tong did not notice his emotions and was still immersed in the joy of seeing Tangtang and Guoguo. It was still a little cold in April and they didnt stand for long before heading back. Xu Ran said that he wanted to go home and make delicious food, but Tangtang and Guoguo said that they wanted to eat hotpot at Red Tower. The family hadnt eaten together for two months. It was also warm and sweet for a family to eat hotpot together, and there were more dishes that could be chosen than cooking at home. Xu Ran has no objections, so all of them went to Red Tower. Xu Ran said to King Yan, Why dont we call Lu Qi and Yan Hao over? It would be more lively with more people, and they must miss Tangtang and Guoguo too. There was nothing better than a family meal together. King Yan nodded in agreement at once. However, when he came out, he came out alone, even Yan Chuan was not with him. But as a king, he would not invite other people himself. Not only Xu Ran coulldnt do it, even he couldnt do it himself, so the task fell on Gao Quan. Only Gao Quan, Tangtang and Guoguo ran fast among them. But they could not akt the two kids to do it, so they had no other choice except Gao Quan. It was not a big deal, and Gao Quan wouldnt have any objections. So Gao Quan went to invite these people. While Liu Tong and Shao Yu went to the kitchen to prepare the food. Baozi had been pestering Tangtang and Guoguo, and they were willing to spoil their little brother. They were answering his questions one by one, so Xu Ran and king Yan were completely unable to chipt in. The two of them just looked at each other in helplessness. Since they had no chance to chip in, they could only look for fun on their own, so Xu Ran and King Yan started to talk about the factory building. The place had been chosen and the iron had been drawn out from the iron mine. All that remained was to build the plant. This was not a simple thing and it would take quite a long time. At least three or four months. The hardest part was to make the iron sheet. Although Xu Ran had told him about this during the New Year, he had not prepared anything in the past, so it would be very efficient to be able to build it before this winter came. King Yan said to Xu Ran, Although the plague in the south has been solved, the masses there still have no means to live. They dont have enough food and clothing. Not long ago, a group of people came from the south, at least a hundred. They want to live and work in Yanzhou. I was investigating where these people from. If there was no problem, I would send them to build the factory. As you said, they are not maltreated as long as they get paid well. After all, these people dont have much money. Even if they arried in Yanzhou, they can only be beggars. I think they should be very happy to do it. Xu Ran nodded and said, Its true, but you have to confirm the identities of these people first. Otherwise, what will be leaked out is that there were iron and coal mines in Yanzhou. Then you will be in trouble if someone really wants to get in your way. King Yan smiled and said, Im not worried about this. According to my people in the capital city, the Emperor is about to be dying. He could only live no more than a year or two. Ive been waiting for so many years, so I could wait another year or two. When he sent our family to Yanzhou, why didnt he think that we might stage a comeback? However, Xu Ran frowned after hearing this. He felt what King Yan said a little strange. Staging a comeback? was it meant to be rebel? Perhaps the expression of the Xu Ran was too obvious, King Yan could see it. King Yan said, Its not what you think. I just need justice from the new emperor. As for the throne, I am not interested and I dont have time for that. After so many years in Yanzhou, I am getting lazy now, but no matter what, I have to ask the new emperor for justice.The future of these children must not be affected by this. you cant appreciate the love of your parents without having children of your own. Xu Ran thought that he could understand King Yan. At the same time, Xu Ran was also relieved. There were only about 70,000 words left. Some of the contents of the main text were not explained clearly, and I was wondering if I should write more about it. Chapter 272 The original topic was diverged because of the words just now, Xu Ran returned to it and asked King Yan, Hows the investigation of those people? Where are they now? King Yan said, They are still outside the city. I have someone arrange a temporary place for them to stay in and not let them enter the city. As for their backgrounds, Im not sure yet. Ive already asked someone to investigate. I should have heard from them within a few days, barring accidents. Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, I think you can find some trustworthy beggars to get close to them. As long as they are not too sophisticated, they will always give the game away. Those beggars are good at seeing which way the wind blows. Im sure they are more useful than your men. After hearing Xu Rans words, King Yan started to think seriously. He said to Xu Ran a moment later, Youre right. Whether it works or not, my men have already been sent out and the news will definitely come from them. As for finding some beggars to do these things, it wont be a loss for me even if they cant do it. Xu Ran nodded. Thats the point. You have nothing to lose. King Yan cast an appreciative gaze at Xu Ran and said, I really want to know where you learned all these crooked ideas. Its not some harmful, but it can always trick people. Xu Ran rubbed his nose and thought to himself, What kind of trick did I make to let King Yan think so? Before he could understand, King Yan spoke again, As for the factory, Im going to break ground on it these days, but we dont know what to do exactly. I guess youll have to talk to the people who will build it. Thinking that he had nothing else to do except to start thinking about summer dishes, Xu Ran nodded in agreement. It was a matter of once and for all to build the factory. It could also be used as a reference for other things in the future. What was more important was that the grass by the camp would soon be filled with cows and sheep. They will need a place for shelter in cold weather. They could have done it the same way to build the cowshed and sheepfold. It was not only a shelter for cows and sheep, it was also a kind of defense. However, Xu Ran did not say it, and it was useless to say it now. King Yan would not believe it, so hell have to wait until this is fixed before he can be convincing. The two of them didnt talk long before Lu Qi and the rest came over. They were already on the way to the Red Tower when they coincidentally bumped into Gao Quan, so they came over together, which saved a lot of time. Afterall they all arrived, Liu Tong and Shao Yu brought the hotpot condiment up. They used the largest iron basin and it was filled with red hotpot condiment, which looked very delicious. The food in the military camp was not too bad, but it was absolutely not good. In terms of taste, it couldnt compare with hot pot at all, so Tangtang and Guoguo were very excited. However, they could only feel the excitement in their hearts due to their age. After all, they still had to deal with Xiao Qingyun, Yan Lan and Yan Hao. Even Lu Qi and Du Xin came over to ask them about the military camp. What was more, the most terrible thing was Du Xins eager appearance, which had obviously shown that he also wanted to have a try. Lu Qi would never let Du Xin go to a military camp, so he gave him another good lesson. Du Xin was thick-skinned enough to feel nothing about it. But he was also smart enough to not mention it anymore. He just thouhgt that he could talk to him when they were alone. No one knew about this at first, but Du Xin unconsciously muttered it to himself. Then everyone heard it, but everyone pretended not to hear it. Lu Qi was so angry that he really wanted to punch Du Xin. Even Xu Ran felt that Du Xin was getting more and more stupid now. Although he looked stupid when they first met, he was worse now! He could still trick him when they were in Halfmoon Town. But for some reason,he had become like this now. Xu Ran could not help but cast a sympathetic look at Lu Qi. Lu Qi lowered his head to eat himself, pretending that he didnt see Xu Rans sympathetic gaze. But his heart was filled with bitterness. There were a lof of people and it was the hot pot they were eating, and they would talk with each other while eating and drinking. In the end, this meal lasted for two whole hours. All the dishes and meat were eaten, and they had no idea how many pots of tea they had drunk. After the meal, Gao Quan and Shao Yu continued to work, while Xu Ran went home. King Yan and Lu Qi also had their own things to do, so only Xiao Qingyun took the two children with him to go to Xu Rans home. They were in a hurry when they first moved here. And since they had just arrived, they did not have any banquet. So Xiao Qingyun and the rest had never been here. It was the first time they came, the three of them were so excited and Xu Ran showed them around the house. Since Tangtang and Guoguo had already grown up, Xiao Qingyun didnt have much to say to them, so she pestered Liu Tong to see the uniform of the staff of the Red Tower that was embroidered by him. It was designed by Lu Qi, he had drawn the styles so that Liu Tong could embroider according to it. Liu Tong accidentally let the cat out of the bag once when he went to pick up Baozi, so Xiao Qingyun remembered it and he had always wanted to have a look. Now that he had finally come here, he would not let go of this opportunity. Liu Tong thought that Tangtang and Guoguo had three days at home and agreed. Xiao Qingyun handed Yan Lan and Yan Hao to Baozi and let Baozi take them to play. He followed Liu Tong and entered the house, and he was still muttering something. On the other hand, Xu Ran could only get together with the two children, but it was just right. He was just about to talk to them, Guoguo and Tangtang also seemed to have something to say to him. Instead of talking what he was about to say, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo, Tell me! What do you want to ask me? The two children pushed each other a little, and finally decided that Guoguo would speak first. Guoguo took out the piece of paper that Xu Ran had written for them about the Thirty-Six Stratagems and put it on the table. Dad, we still dont understand a lot of it. I hope you can tell us about it. Xu Ran saw that they had drawn a lot of circle on it with pen, so he pointed at a drawing circle and asked Guoguo, Is this what you dont understand? Guoguo nodded. Yes, Dad, I have been thinking about it with my brother for a long time but we cant figure it out. As for the some of others, although we can understand the meanings of them but we dont know how to use them. Do you have any ideas abou it? Guoguo frowned when he said this, he was obviously distressed. His wrinkled expression made Xu Ran laugh. But Xu Ran didnt laugh too hard. After all, his son was still waiting for his reply. Xu Ran saw the circle around Relieve the state of Zhao by besieging the state of Wei. He had written the words from his memory and had not changed them. There was no State of Zhao and Wei here, so its normal that they dont understand it. So Xu Ran told the two children the story of Relieve the state of Zhao by besieging the state of Wei, so that they could not only hear the story, but also remembered the essence of this story. In fact, the Thirty-Six Stratagems was not very difficult to understand. You could tell the meaning of it from the name of each stratagem, but it would be a little diffifult to understand if no one explained them for you. In addition, they had never been through such things before, so Tangtang and Guoguo did not understand what they meant. There were 20 circles on the Thirty-Six Stratagems. There was plenty of time, so Xu Ran explained every single one of them. The two children had good memories, so they remembered it after Xu Ran explained it once. As for the meaning of this, they just needed a little more time to think about it and understand it . When he saw the last one stratagem heney-trap, Xu Ran was a little uneasy. He said, Dont you understand that this is the simplest and most useful one? Perhaps Xu Ran sounded too surprised, Tangtang and Guoguo were stunned for a moment, but they still shook their heads. The words looked simple but they didnt know how to use them. Xu Ran felt speechless and felt that his education had failed. People had already started to talk about love and marriage at their age, but they didnt even know what heney-trap was. The two children stared at Xu Ran eagerly, waiting for his answer. Xu Ran had no choice but to give them a few examples. After he said this, the two children looked at him strangely. In the end, Tangtang spoke first, Dad, is this honey-trap only for childe? Xu Ran looked at Tangtang seriously, then at Guoguo, who looeked exactly liked him, and said, You two can also use it as long as you look good. If you raise your temperament again, you will definitely charm everyone. Although it sounded a little exaggerated, Xu Ran really thought that Tangtang and Guoguo had such potential, especially Tangtang. Of course, it was not that he had a preference for Tangtang, but that ruffian aura from Guoguo was very unappealing! What Xu Ran didnt expect was that after he said that, Guoguo said something that shocked him, Brother, I agreed with Dad. You look better than those childe. Was he teasing him? Xu Ran thought. Tangtang said, Dont you forget, you look exactly like me., Tangtang said angrily. Guoguo instantly looked bitter and didnt say anything. Xu Ran smiled and looked at the two brothers, but he also knew that the two children must had understood what honey-trap was. The reason why they sayd they didnt understand it was for Tangtangs words. Both of them knew each other the best, so they knew what words would hurt each other the best. This feeling of mutual harm made Xu Ran laugh and amused. As for the wrong chapter name, it must because I was mad Chapter 273 Xu Ran spent almost the whole afternoon telling the two children stories and teaching them the application of Thirty-six Stratagems. Then he listened to the two of them bickering for a while, and it was already evening time. Since Tangtang and Guoguo were back today, Red Mansion closed early. Gao Quan and Shao Yu also returned early. When the father and his two sons came out of the house, they saw Baozi squatting down at the door alone, his chin on his hands. Xu Ran walked up to him and asked, Baozi, whats wrong with you? Its so cold. Why are you squatting outside the door? Baozi stretched out his hands for Xu Rans hug. Xu Ran held Baozi up and heard him saying, I was waiting for you to come out. Daddy said that you had something to say to my brothers, so he asked me not to go in and disturb you. Thats why I was waiting at the door. Baozi looked innocent. Xu Ran touched his hands and found them cold. He asked him, Did Daddy ask you to wait at the door? How long have you been waiting here? Seeing that Xu Ran seemed to be angry, Baozi told everything. But even if he had told the truth, Xu Ran didnt let him off. He smacked Baozi on the buttock. Its been a long time since I last taught you a lesson, right? Do you still remember the feeling of catching a cold on our way here? Do you want to try it again? Although Xu Ran was giving Baozi a lesson, Baozi didnt actually cry. Instead, he should be talking back, Why are you getting mad at me? Youre clearly the wrong one. The moment my brothers got back, youve stopped talking to me. You guys havent spoken to me for the whole afternoon. I just wanted to be the first one you would see when you come out, so Ive been waiting here. Baozi said in a righteous manner, but it sounded a little pitiful. He probably felt that he had been neglected, so he had been waiting at the door. Seeing Baozi staring at him with eyes wide open and looking unconvinced, Xu Ran felt a little guilty instead, because he scolded Baozi without asking why. Xu Ran stroked Baozis face and apologized to him, Baozi, Dads wrong. Dad should have asked you the reason before scolding you. I apologize to you. Could you forgive Dad? Baozis eyes turned red immediately when he heard Xu Rans apology. He pounded Xu Rans shoulder gently with his tiny hands and complained, Dad is bad. You scolded me without knowing the cause. Ive put on a lot of clothes and wont catch a cold. I just want to see you as soon as possible. Xu Ran held Baozis hands and coaxed, Okay, its Dads fault. From now on, Dad will ask Baozi the reason before talking, alright? Baozi looked at Xu Ran with red eyes, as if he was asking Xu Ran if he was being serious. Xu Ran nodded sincerely and promised, I mean it. Dont you believe Dads words? But Baozi, you have also done something wrong today. You could have just knocked the door if you missed us. Dad would open the door for you and let you in. Even if you dont want to come in, you should wait inside the room. You cant wait outside here. Do you understand? Baozi thought to himself. He had been squatting here for half an hour. There was no place for him to sit down, while the cold wind had been blowing from time to time. Daddy was busy cooking in the kitchen, and Yan Lan had gone back. There was no one Baozi could talk to, so he had felt wronged. Now Baozi heard Xu Rans words, and he nodded reluctantly. However, Xu Ran lectured him and had him make a promise. After that, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to play with Baozi, while he went to the kitchen himself. Seeing that Xu Ran had left, Baozi was so happy that he could play with his two brothers. But when he turned his head, he saw them giving him a meaningful look. Suddenly, a chill came creeping over Baozi and he wanted to flee, but Baozi could never run faster than Tangtang or Guoguo. Before he could move, Baozi was picked up and carried into the house. Baozi didnt dare to say anything during the process. Baozi found it impossible to escape his doom. He knew that it was useless to struggle, so he just gave up struggling. Baozi had known his two brothers very well since childhood. Without their ideas, he couldnt have been the head of the children of Xu Village. When in peace, Tangtang and Guoguo spoiled Baozi, even more than Xu Ran and Liu Tong did, but when giving a lesson, they were much harder on Baozi than Xu Ran was. The only one in the family who wouldnt punish Baozi was Liu Tong. Baozi was wondering if it would work if he rushed to the kitchen now and held Daddys thigh for help. Of course, he was just thinking about it. After all, he didnt even dare to move at present, nor did he knew what Tangtang and Guoguo would do. However, Tangtang and Guoguo did nothing. The two of them started to talk about Thirty-six Stratagems. Baozi couldnt hear them, nor was he able to interrupt, because he would be ignored anyway, no matter what he said. More importantly, he couldnt go out even if he wanted to, so he could only stay in the house and listen to his brothers talking about something he didnt understand. Time went slowly by, and it was getting darker and darker outside. The smell of food was already in the air. Xu Ran lit the oil lamp in the yard, but didnt call Tangtang or Guoguo or Baozi for dinner. Tangtang and Guoguo was confused at first. Then they thought for a moment and figured out Xu Rans purpose. Xu Ran intended to punish Baozi. Since the two of them had played the bad cop for so long, neither of them minded playing a little longer. The moment Baozi smelled the food, he began to say he was hungry. He even wanted to open the door and run out. However, having been ignored by Tangtang and Guoguo all the time, Baozi was still given a cold reception, so he could only put up with the hunger. At this moment, Baozi also realized that his two brothers were punishing him for squatting at the door for half an hour this afternoon. Baozi put on a bitter face and thought to himself. He had just squatted at the door for half an hour. Not only had he been taught a lesson by Dad, but he was also punished by his two brothers. What a cruel fate he had! The more he thought, the more wronged he felt. He almost started to cry. Even so, this failed to soften Tangtang and Guoguo. Both of them kept on doing what they were doing, ignoring Baozi. It was getting late, and Baozi was feeling hungrier, and also thirsty, while Tangtang and Guoguo were still minding their own business. Baozi had no other option but to compromise. Baozi thought to himself. Didnt Dad always say that he who suited his actions to the times was wise? Then he would be this wise man today! Baozi went to Tangtang and Guoguo in a pitiful way and whispered, Brothers, I know Im wrong. I wont do it again. Please let me out! Im starving. Tangtang and Guoguo had clearly heard him, but they had Baozi repeat himself a few more times on purpose. At last, Baozi was almost roaring. Probably he was even heard from the yard outside. It was then that Tangtang and Guoguo got satisfied. They told Baozi that they had heard him and took him out of the room. During dinner, neither Xu Ran or Liu Tong scolded Baozi. But there was still something different. Baozi was so sensitive that he found it out. That was, Daddy didnt pick out fishbone for him when Baozi was having fish. Daddy had used to pick out fishbone for him before. Although Dad would always ask Baozi to pick out fishbone himself after Daddy had processed one or two pieces of fish, the fish being treated today had all gone to the bowls of his two brothers. They didnt even bother ask him. Looking frustrated, Baozi held his bowl and reflected on the mistake he had made. He had a lively personality to begin with. The last thing he could put up with was being ignored when he talked to others. However, he had been ignored twice in a row today, and Baozi felt extremely anxious. But since he had made this mistake himself, Baozi could do nothing but play along. After this uneasy dinner, Baozi pestered Liu Tong to apologize to him. Anyway, he said everything he could and made an apology in every possible way, but Liu Tong remained indifferent to him. Baozi knew that Daddy was really angry this time. In the past, no matter what mistakes he had made, it was Dad who had punished him. Although Daddy would not intercede with Dad for him, he would definitely comfort Baozi afterwards. But this time, even Daddy ignored him. The more Baozi thought about it, the more wronged he felt. Finally, he started to cry. Liu Tongs heart softened and he was about to comfort him. At this moment, Xu Ran came in. He carried Baozi outside the door and put him down. Then he closed the yard gate and made sure no one would sneak in. After that, he turned to tell Baozi, who was crying out loud, Since you like staying at the door, then stay at the door! When you realize whats wrong with you, knock on the door. Ill be waiting for you in the house. Hearing this, Baozi dared not cry anymore. No matter how bold he usually was, he was a child less than eight years old. He was so scared that he turned pale. It was dark now. There was no one outside, but the lit lantern alone in the yard. Baozi rushed towards Xu Ran immediately, held his thigh and cried, Dad, I know Im wrong. Dont leave me alone in the yard. I wont do it again. Dad, I know Im wrong. Watching Baozi crying so miserably, Xu Ran softened, but still said in a harsh tone, Didnt I raise you better? You do nothing but cry when something happens. Come on and think of a way to solve the problem, alright? Hearing this, Baozi stopped making a sound at once. He bit his lip and tried hard not to cry. There were still tears in his eyes as he stared at Xu Ran with his eyes wide open. After a while, Baozi probably didnt really want to cry any more, and then he said, Dad, I know what was wrong with me. I wont make such a mistake in the future and I wont cry over trifles. Dad, please forgive me, okay? The sobbing tone sounded adorable, but also particularly serious. Each member of the family was sincere when making a promise. It was Xu Ran who had had them develop such habits since childhood. Hearing Baozi, Xu Ran grew tender, held him and said, Were not angry that you werent obedient, but that you didnt take good care of yourself, you know? Its freezing out there and youve squatted outside for so long. Tell me, how Dad and Daddy wouldnt be angry? Head lowered, Baozi remained silent. Xu Ran did not go on either. After all that had happened today, this kid might have learned his lesson this time. Chapter 274 Baozi had already fallen asleep when he was in Xu Rans arms. It was unknown whether it was because he had cried so hard previously or of anything else, his little nose was still twitching while he was asleep. It was after Xu Ran had crooned Baozi for a while that he slept sound, and then Xu Ran went back to his own room. Liu Tong was waiting for him. The first thing he asked when Xu Ran went back was, Ran, hows Baozi going? Xu Ran answered, Asleep. Hes probably exhausted. Liu Tong said worriedly, He has cried so hard today, and that scared me. If I had known that, I wouldnt have said that to him. Hearing Liu Tong blaming himself, Xu Ran walked over, hugged him from behind around the waist, and said over his shoulder, Youre not to blame. I had something to say with Tangtang and Guoguo to begin with. Even if Baozi wanted to talk with us, he could have waited in the room. He shouldnt have squatted outside for so long. He could even have hung out in the yard, but not squatted there like that. Liu Tong said, Actually, I didnt expect Baozi to be so serious about what I said. When Qingyun left with the kids, I told him I wanted you guys to see them off, but Qingyun said you were talking and asked me not to interrupt you, and then I repeated it to Baozi. Who knew that he would wait for you at the door for so long? I was busy in the kitchen and didnt pay attention to him. Liu Tong sounded guilty. He believed that it was because he hadnt paid attention to Baozi that Baozi had waited at the door for so long. However, Xu Ran disagreed with him. When Tangtang and Guoguo were at Baozis age, they hadnt done anything like this. It was not that Baozi was disobedient. Compared to other children of the same age, Baozi was already very docile. Baozi had grown up being doted on by all of them since childhood. Although he wouldnt make trouble out of nothing, he could be fractious at times. Xu Ran assumed that they might have been too strict with Baozi. Not all children were so obedient as Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, just let it go by. We wont scold Baozi any more. He has learned his lesson today. After all, he will be wiser when he grows older. Liu Tong nodded, indicating that he got Xu Ran, and then turned to take off Xu Rans clothes. Then lets go to bed early! Tangtang and Guoguo hardly come back, and I have to get up early tomorrow to cook some delicious food for them. Xu Ran chuckled, Its only been two months, though. If they go further away from home in the future, how will you miss them? Liu Tong said, That is a worry for the future! But we still have Baozi. He will always be by our sides. Liu Tong had a mind of his own. Tangtang and Guoguo were destined not to stay at home for long, while Baozi was different. In the future, Baozi would stay at home anyway no matter he married as a spouse or husband, but Liu Tong had never mentioned this idea to Xu Ran. Therefore, on this point, Liu Tong really hoped that Baozi would marry Qingshu home. During the three days Tangtang and Guoguo had spent at home, they had barely gone out. They were either eating or studying Thirty-six Stratagems with Xu Ran. Tangtang, who had not been interested in it before, also got interested after Xu Ran told them the stories. The twins had started to carry out their study plan to have a thorough research on Thirty-six Stratagems. Since the twins had to ask questions from time to time, Xu Ran couldnt go out. Baozi had also taken time off and hung on in home for days, but Xu Ran didnt blame him. After all, both Tangtang and Guoguo were at home. The kids could only spend time with each other for three days, and it was unknown when they would meet again. Three days later, Tangtang and Guoguo went back to the military camp, while Baozi continued taking the course in King Yans Residence. Meanwhile, Liu Tong went to Red Mansion from time to time. During the rest of the time, he was either in King Yans Residence or busy embroidering the work clothes alone. Xu Ran, on the other hand, went to the site where the workshop was being built. He spent the whole day on the site. He was out in the early morning and back in the late evening. But due to his supervision and guidance, the progress was much faster. In the blink of an eye, April had passed and it was May. It got rather hot in Yanzhou in May, and it wouldnt cool down until September. Yanzhou had the extreme rise and fall in temperature. It only had two seasons, summer and winter. In winter, it was bone-chilling cold, while in summer, it was scorching hot. It was hot, day or night, and the sun was fierce in the daytime. During this season, the people of Yanzhou missed the winter so much. In summer, if people wanted to cool down a little bit, ice was the best solution. The stoves and braziers were replaced with porcelain bottles filled with refreshing juice. The business in Red Mansion was even better than in winter. Xu Ran had spent much time in developing the products to sell in summer. Besides fanning themselves, people in Yanzhou could think of no other way to cool themselves down. Ice was an absolute necessity in summer. Many rich people in Yanzhou would store up a lot of ice in the cellar, and it could last till the hottest part of the year. When the hottest weather passed, the ice would melt completely, and the temperature would fall gradually, so the heat didnt make much difference to the rich. But not to the poor. They could only get through the summer like how they did it in winter. Xu Ran could feel the heat of this summer. He couldnt help but exclaim that it was not easy for King Yan to govern Yanzhou, a place with extreme weather conditions, and so far, he had done a great job. People always said that a great achievement was accomplished on three conditions, the right time, the right place, and the right people. However, Yanzhous climate failed to meet the first condition already, so King Yans contributions could not be unnoticed. It was not difficult to make ice. Long before, Xu Ran had learned from Qin Shuwu that as long as the right amount of niter was put into the water, the water would freeze after a while. Naturally, it was Doctor He who had told Qin Shuwu about it. Later, they had tried a few times, and succeeded. Afterwards, the ice had brought in a lot of business for Qin Shuwus shop. Therefore, Xu Ran was able to make ice with no difficulty now. With ice, as well as something else, the products Red Mansion would sell in summer could be developed soon. Fruits were also sold in summer here, but there werent many kinds. In addition, Xu Ran could get fresh milk from the cows. Besides, ewes milk was also available, which could be used to make milk popsicles. Moreover, they could also make red bean paste and green bean paste by themselves. In short, anything frozen would be very popular. They could also sell cold dishes, cold bean jelly and cold noodles. Xu Ran had also got in touch with a caravan to deliver fruits to him specifically. Frozen fruits were more popular than ordinary ones. They were still selling breakfast, and the only item that was removed was hotpot. If someone came for lunch, they could order a few dishes. The dishes werent exquisite, but absolutely delicious, because they were cooked by Shao Yu and Liu Tong. Fewer people came to Red Mansion for meals now, and most of the customers came for various drinks and cold dishes. The costs of drinks and cold dishes were less than that of hotpot. The customers usually finished the drinks in the restaurant. Sometimes, they also ordered some pastries, and that would cost them a little more than 100 pence in total. Now that there were more customers, they could also make more money. Of course, the customers could also have takeaways. Xu Ran just charged them another bottles price. Xu Ran had also designed the style of the porcelain bottles. Then he had asked the manufacturer to produce the first batch, which was quite good. At first, Xu Ran needed to explain to the customers what these new products were. After some time, the shop assistant in the restaurant could also do it, so there was nothing else he had to worry about. When it was getting warmer, someone asked Xu Ran if he would also sell hotpot in summer. Xu Ran told him that he would not sell hotpot in summer. After all, there was no air conditioner or iced beer here. Eating hotpot in summer was a rigorous trial, and wouldnt be accept by many. Xu Ran didnt tell them directly what he would sell. He just asked them to wait, and that had aroused the curiosity of many people. The best employee among the new staff was Liu Yu. He was able to memorize everything sold in the restaurant, their prices, even their looks, colors and flavors. He could even remember the customers, even if they had only visited the restaurant once. For those frequenters, he knew what they wanted, which made the job so much easier. Meanwhile, the customers were satisfied too. Xu Ran also thought that he had made the right choice in hiring Liu Yu. Since Liu Yu did the least physical work but the most talking and thinking, at first, he had always been target by some other jealous employees. Xu Ran solved the problem in a very simple way. That was, to have them try it on their own, and they were usually fired after trying, because they werent competent enough. Xu Ran handled the situation in a simple yet crude way. After two jealous employees were fired, the atmosphere of the restaurant was quite peaceful. Now it was summer, and six employees could totally manage the business, so Xu Ran didnt intend to hire more staff. After the winter, the business of Red Mansion had stabilized. Even if they only sold breakfast, the restaurant wouldnt fail. Thus, Xu Ran didnt have to worry about the livelihood any more. The flocks and herds that King Yan had mentioned were all delivered in mid-April straight to the grassland. Since the military camp was also there, ordinary people were not allowed to go there. Therefore, no one had known the existence of that grassland so far. The livestock were raised by the soldiers of the army. In King Yans words, they were their food this year. If the soldiers didnt take good care of them, they could only starve themselves in winter. In order not to be starved, they had been working very hard. King Yan had also invited some old hands to teach these soldiers who knew nothing about keeping cows and sheep. After studying for more than ten days, these soldiers were able to raise a large flock of livestock on their own. After all, they were their hope and anticipation of this year. As for the livestock, King Yan had arranged everything himself. Xu Ran did not step in, nor did he want to step in, because he was not good at it. Now, Xu Ran had to work on two things that he had brought from Xu Village, which were potatoes and corn. Because it was cold before, Xu Ran hadnt grown the potatoes, in case they froze to death. The seeds were limited, and there would be none left if they all died out of low temperature. Instead, Xu Ran had secretly grown the corn. He had asked Lu Qi to find the right land. He hadnt even told King Yan about it, because Xu Ran wasnt sure if these seeds were really able to survive in Yanzhou. In Xu Rans memory, the temperature here was quite similar to that of the Northeast. In the Northeast, potatoes and corn seeds were able to survive. The potato seeds were grown in May, while the corn seeds were also grown around this time. Therefore, Xu Ran had brought these two kinds of seeds with him. Now, Xu Ran was performing an experiment. If he succeeded, Yanzhou would not be short of food in two years. Now that it was getting warmer, the time was also enough. Chapter 275 The fifth of May of the lunar year was Dragon Boat Festival in modern times, but there was no such convention here. After Xu Ran had time-traveled to this world, he had never celebrated this festival. Since he was busy, Xu Ran had no time for celebration. On this day, he went to King Yans Residence with the potatoes. King Yan did not go out this day. When seeing what Xu Ran had taken out, he stared at him in confusion. What are these? Why do they look so weird? Xu Ran looked at the potatoes over and over but didnt find them strange. He shook the potatoes in his hand and said to King Yan, These are called potatoes, but how come they are weird to you? They are neither long or short. They have pot-holed surface. How come they are not weird? But you told me that they were called earth beans (potatoes), and now I see what you mean, King Yan said. Xu Ran didnt know why King Yan believed that the name earth beans matched potatoes, but since he thought the same, no more questions were asked. Xu Ran handed the potatoes to King Yan and explained to him, Your Highness, they are productive crop, and can be consumed as food. They can be eaten with rice, or alone, and can also be cooked as a dish. They are tasty. As soon as he heard that potatoes could be eaten, King Yan became interested in these ugly things immediately. He held them in his hands and looked at them over and over. They look ugly. Can they really be eaten? Xu Ran explained, We have to peel them first. After peeled, they look white inside. They can be eaten when they are cut into cubes and boiled with the rice. Since they grow in the ground, they are called earth beans. After explaining, Xu Ran asked someone to get him a knife, and chopped the potato in King Yans hand into cubes. Xu Ran picked up one of the cubes and explained patiently, There is a pit in each cube, in which there is a sprout. As long as it sprouts, it will grow. In autumn, you will be able to harvest a bunch of potatoes, big or small. They are delicious. At first, I made my familys fortune by growing potatoes in Xu Village. Otherwise, I couldnt have lived such a good life. You could ask Gao Quan about it. They all know my history, and Im not fooling you. King Yan shook his head. I didnt mean that way. I dont think you are fooling me. I just want to know how to grow this thing. The temperature of the south is different from that of Yanzhou. Can they survive here? Xu Ran answered, Ive done some research when I first arrived. Ive also consulted people about it. In the south, we start to grow them in January. In here, now is the perfect time. Besides, it happens to be raining during this period, so we may harvest the potatoes in autumn. No matter they will survive or not, we have to try it anyway. Apart from that, if you want to keep the seeds, we also have to plant them. If we fail this year, we can improve the method next year. After all, these seeds cant be kept to next year without being planted. King Yan agreed and said to Xu Ran, What should I do with this thing? Tell me how to deal with them, and Ill have people do it. Now we have to be discreet, and I wont have the people of Yanzhou grow them until we succeed. Xu Ran thought the same and nodded. Well then, Ill write down the steps later. We need the land first, and then Ill bring the seeds over here. In addition, there is another crop called corn. Now that Ive got the corn seedlings, the land is all we need. You might ask Lu Qi about it. Ive told him about this. He knows everything. King Yan didnt ask why Lu Qi, instead of him, was the first one Xu Ran disclosed this information to. He only nodded and asked Yan Chuan to go for Lu Qi. King Yan and Xu Ran had a further discussion about growing potatoes and corn. When he reconfirmed that these two things were easy to grow, productive, as well as edible, King Yan managed a weak smile. Speaking of which, I want to say that you are my lucky star. Ever since you arrived, I feel that everything has been going so much smoother. Besides, you can always come up with some strange ideas. It is a pity that you dont work for the imperial court to benefit the people. King Yan sighed. However, Xu Ran shook his head. Thats all I can come up with. Not only I can come up with the idea, many other people who have seen these things can also come up with this idea. The only reason you cant is that you dont know the existence of these two things, so its not because Im smarter than others. As for working for the imperial court, Id better forget it! Im not an ambitious man to begin with. I just want to live a peaceful life with my family. Im not made for power struggles. Its exhausting. And also, if you werent Tongtongs brother, I wouldnt have told you this. King Yan naturally understood that. Many people would be jealous of the one coming up with the fresh idea if he had no powerful background, and he might die accidentally because of it. Besides, the imperial court had been keeping an eye on Yanzhou, so they could never be too careful. King Yan and Xu Ran had talked for a while before Lu Qi came over with Du Xin. Lu Qi and Du Xin saluted, Greetings to Your Highness. How can I help you, Your Highness? King Yan pointed to the chairs aside. Take a seat. Where have you been? What took you so long? Lu Qi explained, Ive been to the mountain today, and I just came back. I heard Butler Yan say that you were looking for me, so I came over immediately. King Yan looked at Lu Qis shoes, which were stained with mud. It seemed that he had really been to the mountain. King Yan didnt ask why he had been to the mountain. Instead, he told Lu Qi what Xu Ran had told him. King Yan had grown up with Lu Qi, and Lu Qi had also given him advice and helped him find his younger brother. Therefore, King Yan was really grateful to him and trusted him from the bottom of his heart. Otherwise, among so many people in the world, why was Lu Qi the only one who lived in King Yans Residence? Even if he was with the ignorant Du Xin, King Yan had no objection. The reason King Yan explained to Lu Qi in person was because he wanted Lu Qi to give him an opinion on whether the operation was possible or not. Although Lu Qi had not been in Yanzhou for the past few years, they had sent letters back and forth, so that King Yan could know the situation outside Yanzhou while Lu Qi could also know the situation of Yanzhou. Of course, Lu Qi quite approved of this idea. Back when he had been in Xu Village, he had learned potatoes and corn. He had even tasted them himself. In his opinion, he found them delicious. In addition, they were productive crops, and perfect for Yanzhou, but the premise was that the seeds were able to survive in Yanzhou. When Xu Ran had given him a dozen corn seeds and asked him to sow them, Lu Qi wasnt confident of it. Then he had used the method that Xu Ran had written him. As a result, these corn seeds should have really sprouted and grown well. Xu Ran had said that he could move them into the pits when it got warmer. King Yan told Lu Qi about it, and Lu Qi told King Yan about the growth of the corn seedlings. After hearing this, King Yan said that he really wanted to see them, partly because he was curious, while it was also because he would like to find himself a reason to believe. After all, seeing is believing. Lu Qi said, Your Highness, I just went to the mountain to look over the corn seedlings. They are growing very well. If you also want to look over them, lets go now when the sun isnt high. Xu Ran also wants to go to the mountain to see where he can plant those potatoes. Xu Ran had no objection. After all, he would be more certain if exploring the field himself. The mountain was the exact one where Lu Qi and the others had picked wild vegetables before Spring Festival. The reason that they chose the mountain was because very few people came here. More importantly, there was a field of flat land on the other side of the mountain, and the soil of this flat land was quite fertile, which was perfect for growing corn. Lu Qi had discovered the land himself. He said that he had discovered it as a child when he had accidentally walked through the woods. He, together with Du Xin, Xu Ran and Liu Tong, had already sowed the corn seeds in this open land. Now, these corn seeds had grown into corn seedlings. When the covering cloth was lifted, a large field of green corn was shown. Xu Ran had planted a dozen corn seeds, which were many, and only kept two in reserve. He had planted the rest ones, because he had decided to take a gamble. Since the seeds had been sown, Lu Qi came to the mountain with Du Xin every day to check them. Meanwhile, the big-mouthed Du Xin had actually kept his mouth shut on this matter. He hadnt told anyone about it, nor had he mentioned to anyone the fact that they went to the mountain every day. It was rare that he should be so obedient. Pointing at the exuberant corn seedlings on the ground, Xu Ran explained to King Yan, Your Highness, these seedlings have to be transplanted to somewhere else after some time. They will become tall when they grow up, and in the middle of the cornstalk, there will be one or two corn cobs. If they grow well, the corn cobs will be large; if not, small. Similarly, the well-grown ones produce large corn kernels, while the ones that dont grow well small corn kernels. Corn can be made into steamed buns, corn paste or corn pancakes. A lot kinds of food can be made out of it, and its quite filling. All the seeds that we have sown this year will be used as seed stock. Next year, those seeds will be widely sown. The people without field will cultivate virgin land. When the first year ends, if the crop fails and the people need to pay taxes, the government will pay for it. In short, the people have to be confident on corn. They need to believe that corn is productive and edible. When this result is achieved, then it can be considered a success. After Xu Ran had explained for a while, Lu Qi also echoed his opinion, because he had seen the corn grown by Xu Ran before, and that was why he approved of this idea. King Yan knew that they were all doing it for the sake of Yanzhou, but after all, he was the king, the one who was really governing Yanzhou. He couldnt just believe them completely because they were close to him. However, he couldnt say that he didnt believe them either, because the result had not come out yet. King Yan said, Its still too early to talk about these now. Lets wait until we see the result! I will arrange for people to work with you, but this matter must be kept absolutely secret. Xu Ran and Lu Qi nodded. Naturally, they knew the importance of this matter. Xu Ran asked King Yan, Your Highness, whom are you going to arrange for to help us? King Yan replied, Just that bunch of outlanders! Even though Ive allowed them to enter my realm, I havent arranged anything for them to do. I cant let them stay idle and be freeloaders, right? This is just a test for them. If theres any problem, I will handle them all. King Yans last remark was meant for Yan Chuan, but Xu Ran and Lu Qi understood what he meant. They said nothing. Each monarch had his own way of governing, and this was not something they should step in. Chapter 276 For planting potatoes and corn, Xu Ran only showed them how to grow it, but did not plant it himself, because he had other things to do. However, reality was never so smooth. Sovereign, Sovereign, it is bad. Your distant cousin is here again and hes waiting at the door for a notification. Xiao Qingyun, who was studying how to weave the scarf, was startled by his words. He stood up from the chair and asked quickly, Did he come alone? Did he say who he came to see? The person who came to report was Xiao Ling, Xiao Qingyuns servant Geer, the son of the Xiao family. Xiao Ling had been by Xiao Qingyuns side since he was a child, they were close to each other. So he was very dissatisfied with this distant cousin who wanted to ruin the relationship between Xiao Qingyun and King Yan. She said angrily, Sovereign, Cousin Zhao Huanhuan said that he was here to see you. Its been a long time since he didnt see you, and he missed you very much, so he wanted to come over and visit you. We all know that he comes here for the master! If he gets to the mansion, he always says he is painful and reluctant to leave.He is a real pain in the neck. There were only the two of them, so Xiao Ling dared to speak so boldly. The purpose of Zhao Huanhuan was too obvious. Not only he, but King Yan also knew it. So King Yan was not happy with him. However, the person was Xiao Qingyuns cousin, so he couldnt reject him directly. Therefore, every time Zhao Huanhuan came, King Yan was not in the mansion, so that he wouldnt get into trouble. Xiao Qingyun thought himself a generous person in this respect, but Zhao Huanhuan came to challenge him again and again. Zhao Huanhuan was already eighteen years old, but he was not married yet, what he was waiting for was to marry into the King Yan residence. Since Zhao Huanhuan was 13 years old, she had come to King Yans residence every year. Many wealthy families in Yanzhou thought that Zhao Huanhuan was the elder cousin of King Yan. Marriing him, they would be able to get close to King Yan, so there were many people who came to propose marriage, besides, Zhao Huanhuan was a good-looking man. However, Zhao Huanhuan was determined to marry King Yan, so he asked his father to chase away all the people who came to propose marriage, and even said that he was going to marry King Yan. King Yan took it as a joke and ignored him. No matter whether Zhao Huanhuan intentionally or unintentionally appeared in front of him, he didnt look at him, let alone the idea of marrying him as a concubine. When Zhao Huanhuan was young, it was fine. With his growing older, and the number of people who came to propose marriage became lesser and lesser. After he was twenty years old, it would be impossible to find someone to propose marriage. Zhao Huanhuan was anxious too, so he went to the King Yan residence more often. He came twice last year. King Yan didnt want him to meet Liu Tong, so he found a reason to chase him back, otherwise, he probably would stay in King Yans residence till the New Year. It was that time and Xiao Qingyun guessed that he would come again, but he did not expect him to come so soon. Since Zhao Huanhuan had already arrived, he must let him in. King Yans residence was on the street, and Zhao Huanhuan didnt care about face, with so many people watching, no one knew what he might do. Xiao Qingyun said to Xiao Ling, Go and invite him in! And find someone to tell the master. Xiao Ling bent over and said, Yes, Sovereign, Ill do it now. After Xiao Ling left the house, Xiao Qingyuns face changed. He had put up with Zhao Huanhuan so much. If not for King Yans obvious performance, he would have thought that King Yan must be moved by his persistence. This year, Xiao Qingyun wanted to be ruthless to Zhao Huanhuan and let him never come to the mansion again. After arranging his clothes to make himself look proper, Xiao Qingyun walked out of the door and went to the living room to meet Zhao Huanhuan. Every time Zhao Huanhuan came, he was dressed very beautifully, and his face was painted with heavy makeup. Even his hair was tied with a beautiful hair rope. His purpose was very obvious, to attract King Yans attention. However, after so many years, he still didnt know one important thing, that was What King Yan hated the most was the taste of fat powder, especially the inferior ones, so Xiao Qingyun never made up. When he reached the living room, Zhao Huanhuan was already waiting for him. As soon as seeing Xiao Qingyun, Zhao Huanhuan rushed over enthusiastically. Cousin, Zhao Huanhuan missed you very much. Xiao Qingyun turned his head, covered his nose with his hand and said softly, Its been a few months since we last saw each other! You are really getting better at dressing up. Xiao Qingyun didnt know how many compliments he had ever said to him, but they were very useful for Zhao Huanhuan. Every time he said something like that, Zhao Huanhuan would let go off his body and bow to him. Of course, this time was no exception. Zhao Huanhuan whispered, Aiya, I forgot to bow to you. Nice to meet you, Cousin. He just bowed,without waiting for Xiao Qingyun to ask him to stand up, he stood up straight on his own. Xiao Qingyun had already be used to him. But today, Xiao Qingyun suddenly didnt want to let him go so easily. Sitting down on the chair, Xiao Qingyun took a sip of the tea Xiao Ling brought over and said,Cousin Zhao Huanhuan, youve been eighteen years old, but hasnt there been anyone taught you how to salute? Zhao Huanhuans expression changed. He didnt expect that the usually easy-going Xiao Qingyun would say this, and he really didnt know how to salute. I As soonas Zhao Huanhuan said one word, Xiao Qingyun took the words and said, Since Cousin Zhao Huanhuan is in such a dilemma, I know there must have been no one teaching you. Then Ill teach you, after all, I am also your cousin. Xiao Ling. Sovereign, Xiao Ling is here. After Xiao Qingyun calling, Xiao Ling replied immediately. Since my cousin doesnt know, then you teach him. Remember to teach him well, otherwise, we will lose face if someone knows. As the Lord of the mansion, I must protect the mansions face properly. Xiao Ling snickered in his heart and immediately responded, Yes, Sovereign. Turning around and walked over to Zhao Huanhuan, Xiao Ling bowed and said, Cousin Zhao Huanhuan, please watch my actions and learn from me. These days, there will be honored guests coming here. Cousin Zhao Huanhuan must learn as soon as possible. After saying this, without caring if Zhao Huanhuan understood or not, he started to do his own actions, and then stared unblinkingly at Zhao Huanhuan, letting him learn with him. Zhao Huanhuan was stunned by the master and the servant. He didnt understand what was going on but started learning from Xiao Ling. Xiao Qingyun was sitting at the back and drinking tea. There was a faint smile on his face, making him feel gentle. Xiao Ling wanted to help Xiao Qingyun, so those easy moves were also complicated by him to make things difficult for Zhao Huanhuan. Zhao Huanhuan had not done these things before. He did not know anything else, other than applying his face and wearing gorgeous clothes. Therefore, even though Xiao Ling complicated the movements, he did not know it and just followed Xiao Ling. Zhao Huanhuan shot Xiao Qingyun a few glances, but Xiao Qingyun ignored him. After all, this was the royal residence, and Xiao Qingyun was the ruler of the royal mansion. When King Yan was not in, he had the most power. Since Zhao Huanhuan had entered the royal residence, he had to follow the rules of the mansion. Even though he was unhappy, Zhao Huanhuan did not dare to say anything and she only looked at Xiao Ling angrily. Xiao Ling completely ignored Zhao Huanhuans reaction and let him do whatever he should do. After a while, Liu Tong and Baozi came in from outside. The reason why Xiao Qingyun was idle today was because he gave Yan Lan and Baozi a day off. Feeling bored at home, Liu Tong brought Baozi to the mansion to find Xiao Qingyun. The guards at the entrance of the mansion all knew Liu Tong, so they didnt need to report when Liu Tong entered the door. Seeing someone in the living room, he felt it a little strange. He often came to the mansion these days, but this was the first time he met a guest. Liu Tong was not so restrained now, so he led Baozi to the living room directly. Baozi threw himself in front of Xiao Qingyun. Aunt, Im here again. Xiao Qingyun smiled gently, he touched Baozis head and said, Our Baozi comes again. Do you miss aunt? Baozi nodded abruptly, Yes, Im bored at home, so I asked Daddy to take me over. Aunt, Wheres brother Yan Lan? Brother Yan Lan is in his own room, how about I ask someone to take you there? Xiao Qingyun asked. Baozi said, shaking his head, Aunt, I know where Yan Lan brothers room is. I will go and find him myself and you can just talk with my Daddy! Im leaving first. Then, Baozi waved at Xiao Qingyun and Liu Tong, and then left. Watching Baozi run out of the door, Liu Tong stepped forward and sat next to Xiao Qingyun. I dont think we should give them any more time off in the future. Even if they are off, hell run to the mansion. Then you wont have a day of peace. Xiao Qingyun covered his mouth and smiled, When they had no hodiday, both of them clamoured for a rest, but now they have nothing to do. Only blame Xu Ran for asking them to work and play together, otherwise, I wont have thought of giving them a holiday. Liu Tong thought of it, that was exactly what Xu Ran had mentioned first. He said it was important to make sure the children worked and played together, but he forgot that if they didnt have classes, Baozi and the others would have nothing to do Liu Tong and Xiao Qingyun were chatting happily. They completely ignored Zhao Huanhuan who was learning saluting with Xiao Ling, which made him dissatisfied. I even got the cousins names mixed up, but Ive corrected them, sorry. Chapter 277 When Liu Tong and Xiao Qingyun were laughing happily, Zhao Huanhuan rushed over and pointed at Liu Tong, Who are you? Seeing the Sovereign, why dont you bow? Its too impolite. Liu Tong was stunned, then he immediately looked at Zhao Huanhuan unhappily, Are you polite to question me so loudly and point at me with your finger? Also, Qingyun doesnt say anything, who are you to question me? Neither Xiao Qingyun nor Xiao Ling expected that Zhao Huanhuan would question Liu Tong. They were also stunned. Hearing Liu Tongs words, Xiao Qingyun reacted. Shut up Zhao Huanhuan! Who gave you the right to question Tongtong? He is the honored guest of the master. How can you question him? Youre really impolite, apologize to Tongtong quickly! Hearing Xiao Qingyuns angry shout, Zhao Huanhuan became very angry. Because of Xiao Qingyun, he couldnt be the legal wife of King Yan and he could only say that he would become King Yans concubine. In the end, after waiting for so many years, King Yan still didnt marry him into the mansion. He knew that it must be Xiao Qingyun who was messing around and didnt want him to marry into the mansion. Besides, Xiao Qingrun even shouted at him for someone he didnt know, which made Zhao Huanhuan very aggrieved. He became very angry and wronged, but he knew that he couldnt be angry with Xiao Qingyun, then he chose Liu Tong as his target. Zhao Huanhuan ignored Xiao Qingyuns words and answered Liu Tong, Who am I? Today, I will tell you who I am. I am the younger cousin of the Sovereign, a guest of the mansion, even you should call me cousin. Hearing what he said, Liu Tong unconsciously thought of what Xu Ran often said. This was a big joke. Liu Tong felt that Xu Rans words appropriate to this scene. Liu Tong turned his gaze to Xiao Qingyun to ask about the identity of Zhao Huanhuan, but Xiao Qingyun blinked at him. He was dissatisfied with Zhao Huanhuan and naturally wouldnt help him now. Seeing Xiao Qingyun blinking at him, Liu Tong understood what he meant and said to Zhao Huanhuan rudely, How could a cousin from afar shout in the mansion? Didnt you hear what the Lord said just now? I am the honored guest of the master, even he hasnt spoken to me like that, how could you? You! Zhao Huanhuan choked on Liu Tongs words and didnt know how to refute him. Liu Tong learned this from Xu Ran. Then he blurted out all the harshest words, with King Yan supporting him, he was not afraid to offend him. Seeing that he was no match for him, Zhao Huanhuan started to act coquettishly at Xiao Qingyun, Cousin, look at him, I just asked him a few questions, how could he say that to me? Cousin, you have to stand up for me! His voice made Liu Tongs goosebumps. Staring at Zhao Huanhuan, Xiao Qingyun sighed and then said, Zhao Huanhuan, its your fault. Ive told you many times that you should have a better tone and attitude when you talk to people. You cant criticize everyone and Ive also told you that Tongtong is the honored guest of the master. Even I havent treated him so much before. Youre 18 years old, why cant you be sensible? Xiao Qingyun looked helpless but he didnt make Zhao Huanhuan reflect on himself. Instead, he felt that Xiao Qingyun was siding with Liu Tong. Cousin, you must see clearly, hes a Geer, not a man. Even hes a little similar to the master, you cant seduce him just because youre lonely. But this is not your fault, its all the fault of this vixen. Cousin, you just wait. Ill give him a lesson today, then the master wont know. Xiao Qingyun was so angry that he almost took his breath away. He really didnt expect Zhao Huanhuan to say so. He said that he seduced Liu Tong and even called Liu Tong a vixen. Xiao Qingyun thought that if King Yan heard this, Zhao Huanhuan must be dead now. Liu Tong was also angered being called a vixen! No one had ever said him like that before. After coming out of the Xu family, no one had ever said anything rude to him in the past few years. Now hearing this, he suddenly couldnt stand it. How could he doubt his relationship with Xiao Qingyun?They were both Geers, how could they do such things? Not to mention that King Yan was his brother. Liu Tong didnt think even the most good-natured person could stand Zhao Huanhuan any longer. However, he was a guest of King Yans residence after all, he couldnt go too far. Liu Tong thought for a moment and said, Although you said that you were Qingyuns cousin, people like Qingyun shouldnt have a cousin like you. I dont know how your parents taught you. How can an unmarried Geer say that? How shameless you are! I advise you to leave now and never come back again. The master wont welcome someone like you. The master doesnt welcome you. Who are you to the master? How dare you say that to me? Let me tell you, the master will marry me as his concubine soon. I will teach you a lesson then. He was the person who didnt know about the immensity and always boast without shame, but how could he speak out such shameless words? Liu Tong sneered as Xu Ran did and said, Qingyun, has master really said so? How can he like such a person? Isnt he afraid to embarrass the mansion? Although Liu Tong was talking about King Yan, Zhao Huanhuan could understand it was him that Liu Tong was talking about. Before he could speak anything, Xiao Qingyun said to Liu Tong, I should know if the master wants to marry someone, but the master has never told me about that. Cousin Zhao Huanhuan has come to the mansion every year since he was 14 years old. Now he is eighteen years old, I still havent heard the master mention this. I really dont know if it s true. Xiao Qingyuns words instantly let Liu Tong understand the matter. Glancing at Zhao Huanhuan, he suddenly ignored him, thinking that he was too stupid. This was not very surprising, the most terrible thing was that Zhao Huanhuan still didnt realize his mistake and even started to refute Xiao Qingyun. Cousin, the master didnt tell you because he was afraid that you would be sad. Or he may think that you will be jealous of me and hurt me when I enter the mansion. But dont worry, cousin. I wont tell the master about these things. After I enter the mansion, I will get along well with you. Cousin, you are too old to have any more children, but I can. The more Zhao Huanhuan said, the more he felt capable. His face beamed with laughter. Is there anything we want you to do? Can you do it well? The sudden sound made everyone turn their heads to look at the door. They saw that King Yan had just stepped in from the door with a fan swaying, looked very handsome. Behind him was Xu Ran, Lu Qi, and Du Xin. The group of men walked into the house. They looked good in terms of temperament and appearance, but the only bad thing was their complexion. Seeing so many people come in, Zhao Huanhuan suddenly blushed. However, thinking about what King Yan just asked, he answered King Yan quickly, Master, Im Zhao Huanhuan! I just told my cousin that if I were your concubine, I will have babies for you. King Yans ugly expression became even worse after hearing this, and the faces of the few people behind him changed too. If it was normal times, Xu Ran would probably be able to joke with King Yan, but thinking about what they just heard at the door, he wanted to bite this person to death. Your name was Zhao Huanhuan (meant smile in Chinese), but you would cry later. King Yan said, I have never said that I wanted to marry you. Where did you hear the news? You even claimed that you were my concubine. How can you disgrace my reputation!? King Yans words shocked Zhao Huanhuan. Without waiting for him to explain, Xu Ran walked to King Yan and said, Ive never seen a person as shameless as you. Have you heard the sentence: a tree must die without its skin, but if a person is shameless, he is unbeatable. Im sure you are matchless, after all, it is too difficult to find someone who is more shameless than you. I wonder who gave you the courage to go to the King Yan residence to act wildly, bully the lord and my spouse. You called my spouse a vixen, do you fu*king know what a vixen is? But you definitely dont know because of your ugly look. Being so ugly, how can you say that you are King Yans conbubine? You dont know what you look like, I feel ashamed for you. You are really shameless! Xu Ran was so excited that he even spoke out f*cking. He didnt care if other people could understand it or not. Anyway, he lashed out at him from beginning to end, made everyone present stunned. Zhao Huanhuan didnt understand what Xu Ran said, but just what Xu Ran said made him cry. Holding his arms with both hands, Xu Ran said coldly, Youre already in your teens, why are you crying? Youre really doing such shameless things. Didnt you just say that you were the concubine of King Yan? King Yan is here now and let him beat me up! Zhao Huanhuan looked up at King Yan. However, King Yan didnt even look at him and walked over to reassure Xiao Qingyun. Originally, the two Geers were a little sad because of Zhao Huanhuans boast and shameless words, but when they saw that Xu Ran directly scolded him and made him cry, they laughed. Speechless, even the way he comforted people was so outstanding. Ive changed. Chapter 278 Considering he was after all a brother and Xu Ran needed to show Xiao Qingyun some respect, Xu Ran did not continue after he cried. Instead, he went to console Liu Tong. King Yan didnt even want to lay his eyes on Zhao Huan anymore. He turned to Lu Qi and said, Throw him out. Dont let him step into the Prince Residence again. If he enters without my permission, whoever allows him in should get out of the residence together with him. King Yan said these words without any mercy, and in a cold tone, so Xiao Qingyun naturally did not plead for him. As for Zhao Huan, he was in disbelief after hearing what King Yan said. He wanted to say something but failed to do it. Lu Qi following King Yans orders, carried sobbing Zhao Huan and went out. Zhao Huan was really thrown out by Lu Qi. Many people were around the entrance of the Prince Residence all the time. Among them, some were pleasure-seekers, some were vendors, and some were just passers-by. Lu Qi clapped his hands after finishing his throwing job. Everyone, listen up. This person who I threw out is called Zhao Huan. This person claimed to be the distant cousin of the lord and came to stay in the Prince Residence from time to time. He also claimed that he was the concubine of the prince. Today, he boasted of a lot of groundless things shamelessly in the Residence. Even I cant stand him anymore, and thats why he was thrown out. Everyone, remember this! In the future, if you see this person getting close to the gate of the Residence, make sure to stop him. Dont let him ruin the relationship between the prince and the lord. The prince has already said that he will never take a concubine. This guy with such a wishful thinking will never be allowed into the Residence anymore in his life by the prince. Lu Qi is asking the favor from everybody here. With a solemn look, Lu Qi cupped his hands together to salute. Lu Qi was a very popular person in Yanzhou. Naturally, nobody would refuse such a solemn request from him. More importantly, he had introduced in details the misdeeds of Zhao Huan. As long as one had heard them would know what kind of person Zhao Huan was. Hence, needless for him to make any further explanation, everyone already had a decision in their mindsCthe favor asked by Lu Qi would naturally be fulfilled. Many people even exclaimed to chase Zhao Huan out of Yanzhou. For an instance, miscellaneous things were cast on him. Lu Qi just looked on without any sympathy for him, not to mention saving him. After Zhao Huan ran away from the crowd awkwardly, Lu Qi turned around and walked into the yard. Then he saw Du Xin who was waiting for him at the door, was staring at each other with Xiao Ling. Just as Lu Qi was about to say that Du Xin was considerate, he saw four people inside were talking, two to two. Du Xin stood at the door only because he couldnt cut in. Lu Qi swallowed the words that had been on his lips. However, he didnt disturb the people inside. They had been at the door for a while and they had heard Zhao Huans words. While Liu Tong and Xiao Qingyun were in need of comfort, it was time for them to stay away, so Lu Qi left with Du XIn. Before leaving, he did not forget to remind Xiao Ling to inform King Yan that the trouble had been solved. At this, Xiao Ling was most pleased. As to the four people inside, although Xu Ran and King Yan were only saying comforting words, which were nothing but the belittling ones upon Zhao Huan, it was very pleasing to Liu Tong and Xiao Qingyuns ears. The two who usually disdained to say something like that. In order to cheer up their husbands, they indeed put in some efforts. After comforting the two, Xu Ran turned to ask King Yan, Your Highness, could that Zhao Huan be thrown out like that? Could there be any other trouble? King Yan said, Never mind. I believe that Lu Qi will handle this matter well. He used to abuse his power taking advantage of his identity as Qingyuns cousin. However, today as Lu Qi threw him out of the Prince Residence, the people of Yanzhou should know what was going on. He has offended many people before, and his days wont be smooth without our interfering. When Xu Ran heard him say this, he was relieved and nodded. Thats good then. Settle it once and for all, to avoid trouble in the future. I dont want to be harassed anywhere or anytime. King Yan understood Xu Rans meaning, and he felt that it was necessary to give Lu Qi another order to watch Zhao Huan closely. Zhao Huan, judged from the name, could not be a good person. King Yan and Xu Ran thought about it at the same time. Because of this unpleasant incident, Xu Xu Ran and the rest did not have dinner at the Residence at noon. Instead, they went to the Red House, along with King Yan and the others. This was an episode for them. As long as Zhao Huan would not reappear in the future, they were not affected much. The only person who was influenced was Xiao Qingyun. Every time Xiao Qingyun went out, he could embrace a lot of sympathetic gaze. As for the reason, he knew it well. As it had happened so many times that he had been used to it, and the spreading of this kind of thing would not last for long. With time passing, people would naturally forget about it. The potatoes and corn had begun to be planted on the mountain. Nothing unusual was detected in the group of outlanders, who finished the planting job quickly. After that, they quickly joined the factory-building group. The factory needed to be built before winter arrived. The business in the Red House was still booming. From time to time, Xu Ran could come up with some novel dishes to attract people. Liu Tong had made all the uniforms for the staff of the Red House, which became a unique scenery in the Red House. The uniforms gave people a relaxing feeling, and were divided into winter version and summer one. The former was embroidered with a hotpot in the front, and two words Red House in the back; while the latter differed in the frontCthe hotpot was replaced by a china cup with a tube in it, which could be understood at once by the frequenters of the Red House. Thus, they had become the walking signs for the Red House. Tangtang and Guoguo went home and stayed for two or three days every two months. The family had dinner together and shared feelings, and Xu Ran occasionally imparted them some knowledge that they didnt know. Xu Ran set the time of military camping drilling for a year. They were 14 years old this year, and they would be 15 next year. The triennial imperial examination was close, Tangtang would definitely participate in it. As to Guoguo, Xu Ran expected that he would at least get a title of Certified Student. Of course, the Second-degree Scholar would be best. He told Tangtang and Guoguo his expectations, and the two kids had no objection. After all, Tangtang, accompanying Guoguo had stayed in the military camp for a year, and Guoguo, accompanying Tangtang, would participate in the autumn imperial examination, which was pretty fair. The peaceful and uneventful days elapsed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was September and it got chill in Yanzhou. One might still wear summer clothes the previous day, but the next day he had to change into a thick winter gown. The temperature changed too quickly for one to react. The most fortunate thing for Xu Ran and the rest was that the Honeycomb Factory was finally completed. In this winter it could officially start production, and there was no need to worry about this winters coldness. Another unlucky thing was that the corn was still not reaped. As Xu Ran said, corn and potatoes were successfully planted. The potatoes had been reaped a few days ago and there were many in each pit. The worst part was that they were not big, but were suitable to be used as seeds. A bumper harvest. All of the seeds were stored in the Residence, waiting to be sown the next year. On the day when all the potatoes were collected, Xu Ran personally cooked an all-potato feast, which was for all the participants of the labor. King Yan was the happiest because just as Xu Ran said, potatoes could be eaten, and had the high production. Whats more, the seeds for the next year were all ready, and they could be planted in a large amount. If that was the case, the people of Yanzhou would be able to plant them in the year after next. Even if the harvest was not good, the masses would not be starved, and there would still be surplus after paying taxes to the court. They all could accept the taste of the potatoes. Xu Ran had intended to sell potato dishes in the Red House, but there were not enough of them, so he had to wait for another year. Unknowingly, he had planned several years life in Yanzhou in advance. It was also at this time that Xu Ran realized that their family had to live in Yanzhou for a long time, and the date of returning to Xu Village was postponed indefinitely. However, this was also good now. He could stay in Yanzhou and take root. After returning to Xu Village, he could still come to Yanzhou from time to time for a visit. Then again, after the potatoes were collected, they could harvest corn. The growth of the corn was better than that of potatoes. It was either because of the suitable climate or some other reasons, all the corn was big and plump. Putting aside the seeds for next year, there was still a lot left to eat for this year. However, none of them expected that the weather would change so quickly. In the previous day, the sun was bright and warm; in the next one, the cold wind was blowing, and the frost rendered the ground all white in the morning. Therefore, Xu Ran could only hurriedly find King Yan to organize people to move back the corn on the mountain. Chapter 279 It couldnt get hot again once the weather got cold. For several days, there was a biting cold wind. Every morning when you got up, you could see a vast expanse of whiteness on the ground, not to mention the mountains that were colder than the center of Yanzhou. But even if it was cold, there was no other way. The corn had to be carried back, otherwise the living corn would probably be frozen and broken on the mountain. Apart from it could not be eaten, it would be a disaster if the seeds didnt germinate next year. At this time, the gloves that Xu Ran had asked Liu Tong to make last year could be used. He handed out a pair of gloves to everyone who went up the hill to pick up the corn with them. Everyone got to work faster as it was not that cold. Xu Ran was very proud when he saw everyone in the field quickly picking up the corn with gloves because there was always a feeling that he had a foresight fortunately. Of course, this was purely imagination. If he really had a foresight, they wouldnt have to pick up the corn with gloves. It took five or six days to move the corn, and a lot of people were dispatched. The corns were all placed in the mansion, and of course, they were quietly sent in through the back door. Even though the corn had been sent to the mansion, it still needed further processing. It needed to be peeled and dried in the sun. It was still their job to peel the corn. Everyone came in the morning and went back at night. It took about three or four days before they finally fishished peeling. As for drying, drying in the sun was basically impossible, it was more possible to be blown dry by the wind, but the effect of drying by wind was different from that of the sun. No one knoew when the wind would stop and the sun would shine. They could only put the corn on the ground and dry the water vapor first. Xu Ran was also quite worried about the corn, but no matter how worried he was, there was nothing he could do. The word technology had not yet appear here. All he could do was to wait and wait until God blessed him to let the sun come out. According to King Yan, even in September there were still a few days of hot weather every year, so they just needed to wait for that few days and did not to worry at all. Xu Ran, who was very worried, saw that King Yan was not in a hurry, so he felt a little relieved. If he really couldnt make it, he would write to Zhuo Yun and the others and asked them to send some seeds to them. After all, Yamen runners in this era could send bags in addition to letters. Thinking of which, Xu Ran thought that he had not received a reply from Zhuo Yun and others. Could it be that Yamen runners send the letter as slowly as they did when they came to Yanzhou! It would take almost a year to go back and forth! Xu Ran suddenly became a little worried. Although the plague in the south had been cured in a few months, it was hard to say if anything else would happen. He was far away in Yanzhou and didnt know if Zhuo Yun and the others were safe. Thinking about the reply he didnt receive, Xu Ran unconsciously thinking that what he was worried about might really happen. King Yan was just passing by and saw Xu Ran in a daze, he patted him and sked, Xu Ran, didnt I tell you not to worry about it? Why do you still look so worried? Xu Ran shook his head. No, Im not worried about this. Im worried about something else. Oh, what is it? Tell me, maybe I can help you. Xu Ran looked at King Yan and said in his heart, What I need was really your help. The two of them entered the living room, where a brazier was placed in the living room. They sat face to face, then Xu Ran said, You know that I still have relatives and friends in Xu Village. When I first arrived at Yanzhou, I wrote a letter to them and had it sent to them, but I havent received a reply until now. Itll be about a year in November, so Im worried if something happened to Xu Village, do you know about it? King Yan really knew a lot of things. He had been aware of these news for several months, but he was very busy and Xu Ran was also very busy. Plus, this was not good news, so King Yan had never told him. However, Xu Ran was not a childe after all. He was not that weak. If he asked, King Yan would still say it. King Yan cleared his throat and said, I do know a little about Xu Village, but Im not sure what the specific situation is. I only saw in my letter that the plague of the time had spread to Xu Village. I heard that many people died in the village. As for whether your friends and relatives are safe, Im not sure. Xu Ran looked solemn, and then thought about the preparations they had made when they left. He felt a little relieved. He said, Before we left, we already thought that the plague might spread to Xu Village, so Lu Qi left a prescription for the plague and they also found a place to live on the mountain. As long as there is no massacre, they should be fine. Xu ran was more like to say to himself, to let him believe that Zhuo Yun and the others were fine. After hearing this, King Yan said, I believe in Lu Qis medical skills. It is all thanks to his father. You also said that before you left, they found a place to hide on the mountain. As long as they have enough food to survive from the plague, your friends should be fine. As for the letter you wrote before, I dont think this letter ever got to your friend. You have to write another one. Xu Ran nodded. Thats what I was thinking. When we came, we didnt dare to say that we were coming for you. We only said that we were looking for Tongtongs brother. As for the details of our trip to Yanzhou, they dont know about it. They probably dont even know who they could write to even they wanted to. King Yan said, If thats the case, then you should write another one, write a few more, and then send it separately. There will always be one that they can receive. By the way, you can ask Lu Qi about it. If he has friends near Xu Village, they can go and see your friends. After a moment of thought, Xu Ran found that all he knew were the village chief of Mr. Hus village and Du Xins family. After so many years, he was not sure if the village chief was still around. As for Du Xin, Xu Ran did not want to trouble him. He didnt know if Du Xin had contacted his family himself. Xu Ran said, Well, let me ask him! I will continue to write, and I hope God keeps them safe. King Yan didnt answer because he didnt know what to say. After all, this kind of thing was not his decision. Natural and man-made disasters. Xu Ran wrote three letters in King Yans residence. All of them were the same, then he handed them to Yan Chuan, and asked Yan Chuan to help him find someone to send them to Xu Village. It was not only to Zhuo Yun, but also to Wu Mei and her family. These names had not been mentioned for a long time, and in that instant, he missed the strawberry fields, and the orchards at home and the dogs he had raised for so many years. Xu Ran got emotional suddenly. Xu Ran blinked his sour eyes, pushed the door open and went out. Only then did he realize that there was a light rain outside. He finally understood why he felt so sad. It was because the rain. Now that the corn had been handled well, he could only wait for the sun to dry them. Xu Ran did not stay in the mansion any longer and went home in the rain because he missed Liu Tong. While walking, Xu Ran touched his chest and looked at the rain. He sighed with emotion. Xu Ran didnt tell Liu Tong about Xu Village, but when they slept at night, Liu Tong mentioned it himself. Ran, have you received Zhuo Yuns reply? It has been so long, and there should be some news. Xu Ran shook his head and said. No, I guess that there was too chaotic at the time. This letter was not sent to them at all. I wrote another one today and asked Yan Chuan to send it for me. Liu Tong held Xu Rans hands and said, I miss Shu Wen and the others. Baozi also missed Qing Shu. Hes still saying this to me today. Xu Ran held Liu Tongs hands and understood why Liu Tong suddenly mentioned people in Xu Village . It turned out that it was because of Baozi. They were used to Baozis talking about Qing Shu from time to time. Even when he was eating something that he had never eaten before, he would say that if only Qing Shu were here. Probably because of the rain today, the rain was drifting, making people sentimental. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Dont worry, didnt we prepare everything for them when we left? They will be fine as long as they survived from the plague. A few months have passed since the plague. The letter I wrote this time will definitely be sent to them. We should know the news of Xu Village by the time of the New Year. Liu Tong nodded and didnt ask much. He closed his eyes to sleep. Xu Ran estimated that Liu Tong was also a little sentimental, so he kissed him. He was still at peak sexually, so there was no problem to make another child. It was up to Liu Tongs cooperation. It would still be nice to have a baby when you were no longer young. Baozi could also have a younger brother so that he could bring him out for fun. Of course, these were all Xu Rans imagination, which happened when he was touching Liu Tong. Liu Tong would not reject Xu Ran, even when he was in a bad mood. Because of the collaboration of Liu Tong, Xu Ran became more and more motivated, clearly indicating that he was going for a child. Then, he said it out probably because he was too excited. Liu Tong said with a smile, It was not that easy to conceive. Im afraid that my last miscarriage will hurt my body, and Ill never get pre Xu Ran bit his mouth without waiting for him to finish, not letting him continue. The child was their forbidden area and hadnt been mentioned by them for a long time. Liu Tong also understood what Xu Ran meant. He kept his mouth shut and responded enthusiastically when Xu Ran kissed him. What a beautiful night! Chapter 280 September was the begining of winter for others, and it was time to add clothes and prepare food, but for Xu Ran, it was time to get busy. The factory had been built and and could be put into official production of honeycomb coal. The name of the factory was Yanzhou Coal Factory, which was unusually simple and rough. The staff in the coal factory were beggars from Yanzhou and a group of outlanders. The day the coal factory was opened, King Yan invited the people from Yanzhou to watch it. He also explained that in the future winter, there was no need to worry about having nothing to keep them warm on cold days. As long as they bought a furnace and bought some honeycomb coal, it would be solved. The honeycomb coal was produced in Yanzhou, so the price would be cheaper for the people in Yan Zhou. Most importantly, people were wanted in coal factory. Anyone who had no work to do, who could bear hardships and be obedient, could apply for it. The salary would be paid monthly, with bonuses for good work. His words caused a huge sensation among the crowd, and many people were eager to apply for the job at once. However, this was not King Yans business. After King Yan said this, he said another important thing, that was, it must be ventilated when burning Honeycomb coal, otherwise people would die. He deliberately emphasized that everyone should pay attention to it. There was a director in charge of everything in the coal factory. This person was selected by Xu Ran from this group of beggars. He was the one who spoke to Xu Ran in the ruined temple. The person was chosen by Xu Ran. He felt that he was competent and King Yan had a good impression of this person, so he did not object it. King Yan also gave him the surname Yan and gave him the name Yang. This name was the greatest recognition that King Yan gave to Yan Yang. Some things did not need to be said by King Yan personally, what comes out from other people was more likely to make people trust. Many firecrackers were set off on the opening day of the coal factory. Apart from King Yan, Xu Ran and Lu Qi made a few speeches. One was about the direction of the coal factory in the future and the other was about the personnel recruitment. What Xu Ran meant was very simple. Apart from the people who stayed in the coal factory and were in charge of production, they also had to form some sales teams. Modern knowledge would be needed then. Xu Ran had experience in this field and knew a lot about sales. He wrote a detailed information to Lu Qi and told him to study it slowly and ask him if there was a question. He was not going to interfere other things. He would just be a handsome man in the background who was in charge of planning. Xu Ran also saw the other side of Lu Qi in these things. As a military counsellor, he was really impressive. He gave advice and suggestions and plotted like everything was under his control. Xu Ran had a feeling that he had found his bosom friend. He immediately told him everything he had never said to anyone else before. The two of them discussed these things for a long time before they finally smiled with satisfaction and prepared to do it. These things were known only to them, and none of the others knew about these things. Xu Ran trusted Lu Qi and he didnt care to whom the reputation belonged when it was done. Anyway, he didnt care about this. All he requested was that Lu Qi didnt betray King Yan and the people of Yanzhou. After all, he didnt want Liu Tong to be sad. This days opening ceremony was very successful. After all, with King Yans attendance, no one dared to cause trouble. In addition to coals, the coal factory also produced stoves. The men who made the stove were the ones who made the stoves for Xu Ran at that time. King Yan had them hired. People here had never burned honeycomb before, and they certainly didnt have a stove at home, so they needed to buy it. As it happened, the first people to buy a stove would also get some complimentary coals. No one would complain the free coal even if it was not well used. But as long as it was well used, there would be absolute repeat customers. Lu Qi had always been worried that this would be too much of a loss. After all, they started sending coals out before they had even made money, and they didnt know when they would get their money back. Xu Ran said that this was called publicity. It was Xu Ran and King Yan who had invested the money. King Yan had no opinions and Lu Qi naturally couldnt say anything. However, he soon saw the results, because all the people who had bought stoves at that time came back to buy new stoves and honeycomb coals. After all, one stove was certainly not enough. Five days after the coal factory was opened, a shop called the Honeycomb Coal Store on the main street of Yanzhou was opened. There were only Honeycomb briquettes and stoves inside, but there were a lot of people coming to the store. Xu Ran stood on the opposite side of the street, with his hands around his chest, and said, You see, sometimes thats how the benefits come. As long as the publicity is good and there are a lot of people who know about it, even if your things are not that good, people still would followsuit to buy them, not to mention good things, so you dont have to worry at all. Lu Qi didnt say anything. He just stared at the shops where people were coming and going and started to think about why Xu Rans idea was so effective. He was right almost every time and rarely made a mistake, forcing him to think about it seriously. Xu Ran didnt know what Lu Qi was thinking. Seeing that he didnt answer him, he ignored him. He just held his hands to watch the scene of bustle himself. He had a strong sense of pride in his heart. Success here would mean that he hadnt wasted his time as a traveler, and that one day he might be able to return and show off. The corner of Xu Rans mouth turned higher and the smile on his face grew bigger. However, the doubts in Lu Qis heart were getting bigger and bigger. He had a feeling that these things were somehow contrived by Xu Ran. Of course he had done this himself before, but he had not always succeeded, so he began to wonder. Lu Qi looked at the smile on Xu Rans face and couldnt help asking, Xu Ran, Why are you acting like you knew this was going to happen? Lu Qis words called Xu Ran back to reality. Xu Ran looked at Lu Qi strangely and asked, Why do you ask this? Isnt this a matter of course? Because the initial preparation was done well enough, the means of promotion was good enough, the things were good enough, plus we still have the backing of Yan King. Isnt that normal? Dont you believe in King Yans influence? After hearing what Xu Ran said, Lu Qi was stunned. wasnt this normal? Why did he find it strange? Lu Qi thought about it several times again, but he didnt think of anything. So he simply didnt think about it because Xu Rans explanation was reasonable. Seeing that Lu Qi didnt ask anymore, Xu Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief and thought that he could not be too careless. However, since Lu Qi did not mention it, this matter could be over. As long as the sales team was organized and everything was on track, he could get rid of these things . He wouldnt have to come up with some novel idea all day long to arouse suspicion. He only told Liu Tong about his identity and would only let him know. As for the others, he would not let them know his secret, especially since King Yan had threatened him with something about Liu Tong. His eyes became cold and Xu Ran firmed his thoughts even more. Xu Ran decided to take a vigorous action. Early the next morning, after greeting Liu Tong, he walked out of the door and went straight to the coal factory. Xu Ran called all the people together, whether they were new staff or old staff here. Then he chose 20 people and took them to a small yard which was under King Yans name. They would not be conspicuous this way. Xu Ran decided to train people here. Fifteen of them were beggars and they didnt know one word. And three of the other five were part of the group of refugees from outside, and two were recruited later. The reason why Xu Ran chose these two people was because only they could read among all the people. In any case, the two men were able to do the accounting. As for the rest, they were either bold or strong or eloquent. After all, all three must be needed elsewhere. The training method was learned by Xu Ran himself. It was very general. Nothing was very important, but it could be used.Xu Ran would talk to them every day in a brainwashing way. Xu Ran estimated that it would take seven or eight days to produce a finished product. This group of people had been trained for seven days. After seven days, Xu Ran could feel their difference himself. Confidence, it was Xu Rans first impression, because what he had instigated them was to believe that their things were the best. Even if you didnt sell the best, you had to say that they were the best, and it was a complete trick, but was very effective apparently. Most modern sales models were like this. If you didnt believe in your own things, then you could go find another job. Xu Ran said all the things he should say, and he said many things he shouldnt have. Xu Ran also made the commitment that as long as they did well, they would get more money than those who did coolies in the coal factory, or even more. The most important thing was that they were a team, a whole, one won, all won, one lost, all lost. Nothing could be decided by one person, even if he was the captain. What Xu Ran wanted was this kind of binding method with a collective sense of honor. The best thing was that this kind of consciousness of the ancient was very strong. Xu Ran didnt need to say much and they could do it themselves. This was what Xu Ran saw from the training these days. When Xu Ran left the yard with his men on the eighth day, he looked confident. He had brought them out and the rest of the matter had nothing to do with him. How to assign the tasks, where to go, whether there was someone to take over, what to do after that Xu Ran would not manage these things. These people were under Lu Qis control now. Xu Ran took these people to Lu Qi and said to him I have brought them here, The rest will depend on you. Xu Ran turned around and left after saying that, without giving Lu Qi a chance to ask him to stay. After walking far away, he let out a long breath. He hadnt been home for seven days. And for seven days, he hadnt seen his Tongtong and Baozi. He really missed them. Recently, I have been working very hard to modify the wrong words. I would read it before I posted it, and then I could always find a few wrong words What made me very puzzled was that obviously there were not so many wrong words in the chat Chapter 281 The door to the yard was not related. Xu Ran gently pushed the door open and walked in. It happened to be lunch time when he got home. There was the sound of Liu Tong and Baozi in the kitchen. Liu Tong was talking to Baozi while eating, telling him not to steal to eat. Xu Ran leaned against the door with his hands in his arms and watched Baozi poke the plate from time to time. He wanted to grab it but didnt dare to. Xu Ran smiled so gently. It seemed that his gaze on Baozi was too obvious, which made Baozi feel something and turned back to look at the door. Just as Baozi was about to call Xu Ran, Xu Ran reached out his hand and made a gesture to stop him. Baozi immediately got him, he covered his mouth and sat back in his seat. Xu Ran could vaguely see the trembling of his shoulder. He must be sniggering now. Liu Tong turned around with the bowl in his hand and saw Baozi covering his mouth. He thought that he had stolen it again and said, Baozi, why dont you listen to Daddy? Didnt I tell you not to grab it with your hand? Didnt I tell you that you you would get sick if you grab food with your hands? There are chopsticks on the table. If you want to eat, pick them up with chopsticks . Ill have to hit you if I catch you grabing food with your hands again. Liu Tong subconsciously raised his fist. This action must have been learned from Xu Ran. Xu Ran was watching at the door. He did not expect that he would influence Liu Tong so deeply. Baozi, who was wronged, stopped smiling. He took his little hand away from his mouth and said to Liu Tong, Daddy, I promise I really didnt steal food. I just covered my mouth because of a smile. Dad also said that the unclean food wouldnt get me sick. Daddy, who do you want me to listen to? Baozis words made Liu Tong speechless. Thinking that Ran said these two sentences, he didnt know what to say now. Looking at Liu Tongs awkward expression, Xu Ran could not help but walked in from the door and patted on the back of Baozis head and said, Just listen to your Daddy. Who told you to talk back? Be careful or Ill punch you. Baozi was very dissatisfied with Xu Rans threat. He got off the stool and held Xu Rans thigh, saying that he was going to challenge Xu Ran. Xu Ran just ignored him and turned his eyes to Liu Tong. Liu Tong saw Xu Ran and his frown relaxed immediately. His face was full of smiles, Ran, youre back. Xu Ran also looked at him in full of silently conveyed tenderness and nodded, Yes. Was Baozi obedient during my absence? I told you to punch him, he cant beat you anyway. Xu Rans words made Liu Tong more happy and also made Baozi even more udisgruntled. He grabbed Xu Rans hand and fiercely bit it. Then he gritted his teeth after that, looking at Xu Ran with an arrogant expression. There was no bleeding, just a deep tooth mark on it. Xu Ran didnt feel much pain, but he didnt let go of this chance to teach Baozi a lesson. Xu Ran picked up Baozi and slapped Baozis buttocks. By the time Baozi could realize it, Xu Ran had already finished slapping. Baozi could only stare at Xu Ran and did not know if he should cry or not. Xu Ran put down Baozi and said, This is just a small lesson. You started to bite before we say anything to you. Ill never let this become a habit for you. Ill beat you up with a stick if you make this mistake again! There was a wooden stick in his home, which was specially used to beat someone, especially for Baozi. Because he was not obedient when he was a child. Baozi had been beaten with the wooden stick many times. It has been a long time since it was used. Baozi has almost forgotten about this. Hearing Xu Rans words, the first reaction of Baozi was to cover his butt with his hands. Xu Ran ignored him and sat down to eat with Liu Tong. Seeing that Xu Ran ignored him, Baozi felt that he was fooled and sat down with a bitter expression. Baozi carefully pulled the corner of Xu Rans shirt, Dad, I know Im wrong. Please dont ignore me. His pitiful look would have softened every ones heart, not to mention the fact that he was his favorite childe. Xu Ran rubbed his head and said, I havent been home for a long time and I thought that you would really miss me, but I never expected that when I came back, I would see you talking back to your Daddy. What can I say? Its not like Ive never hit you before, but your mistakes are different every time. I cant predict what kind of mistake you will make next time. When Baozi heard Xu Rans words, he felt even more aggrieved. He threw himself into Xu Rans arms, buried his head in his chest and sobbed softly with his shoulder. Xu Ran patted him on the back and said, Your two brothers were pushed to the ground when they were five years old and didnt cry. How could you cry so much? Did you drink too much water every day? Baozi immediately raised his head and retorted, No, I didnt drink drunk as much as Daddy. Im so young, I can only drink a little, Baozi even stretched out his hand to measure it. Seeing that he was in the mood to refute, Xu Ran was not worried that he would be upset anymore. He put him back on the ground and stood up to hold him. Lets go to wash our hands and we could have lunch after that. I havent had any of your Daddys cooking for a long time. Xu Ran was also good at pretending to be pitiful, but Baozi had already saw him through and said he would not fall for it. He shook off Xu Rans hand and went to wash his hands. Xu Ran smiled helplessly and followed behind him. Baozi must have been missing him since they hadnt seen each other for seven days. Not to mention Liu Tong. He kept saying that Xu Ran had lost weight when they were eating and picking food into his bowl for him. He even forgot Baozi, which made Baozi have a deep feeling that Daddy did not like him anymore. Xu Ran and the rest were probably unaware of his inner struggle. After lunch, the family gathered around the stove to talk, mainly to tease Baozi. Baozi had indeed learned a lot from Xiao Qingyun during thepast few months. He already known the basics of everything he needed to learn. Xiao Qingyun did not say what he should do exactly, so he did not know about it for the time being, but Xu Ran was still very satisfied with Baozis performance. After a while of busy work, Liu Tong got up and said that he was going to plant some garlic. Baozi had been clamoring to eat garlic bolt a few days ago. Xu Ran came up up this idea in Xu Village before. For several years, their family would plant garlic bolt in the house in winter. The children liked to eat it. They said that the garlic bolt in winter was more delicious. Xu Ran stood up and said, Then Ill join you! How much garlic is there? Lets plant more. Liu Tong went to get a little dustpan. Half of it was filled with garlic flakes. Liu Tong waved it at Xu Ran and said, Thats all we have. I bought it this morning when I went to buy some vegetables. Although there is garlic in Yanzhou , there arent many people who plant it. Xu Ran looked at the garlic flakes in the dustpan and said, That would be enough. We wont eat much. Well, Liu Tong nodded. Ive prepared the basin and mud. Its in the yard. Lets go and plant it. Liu Tong then walked out with a dustpan. Xu Ran followed behind him with Baozi, and three of them squatted in the yard to plant garlics. Baozi would occasionally make a fool of himself and make Xu Ran and Liu Tong laugh. The small yard was full of warmth. September passed in a full month of busy work. In early November, Tangtang and Guoguo returned home again. This time, they could only still stay at home for three days. After these three days, they would have to wait until the New Year before they could come back again. The whole family really missed these two children. A lof ot delicious food and drinks had been prepared for them. Xu Ran took them to the coal factory, to see the potatoes and corns stored in the mansion, and fried a lot of potatoes for them. He also took the two children to see the large number of cows and sheep raised by King Yan and the large field of grass. It took only a few months to raise the sheep that King Yan had sent from other places into twice the size of they were. There was still grass on the ground, and the cows and sheep were still resting on it. On the periphery of the grass, the cowshed and the sheep shed were to be built. By this time next year, this batch of cows and sheep could either be eaten or sold. As for Xu Ran, he was more interested in wool, goats milk and milk. Xu Ran pointed at the cows and sheep and explained to Tangtang and Guoguo how to make money by these things and not to harm them. Tangtang and Guoguo did not know anything about business and Xu Ran did not want them to get involved. He just told them some basic knowledge to let them understand. Tangtang and Guoguo had always listened to Xu Rans words seriously. They knew that Xu Ran was doing it for their good. The trust of the two children in Xu Ran was almost blind. In their minds, Xu Ran was capable of anything in their minds. Although it was a bit exaggerated, the that was what the boys really thought. Xu Ran took the two children to look at many places in Yanzhou within a day. There were all kinds of things, and they also met many people. Although they didnt know what was Xu Rans purpose of doing so, they took everything seriously. Xu Ran told them the reason during dinner. He said to Tangtang and Guoguo, Weve been in Yanzhou for a whole year. We have to stay here for a few years in the future. Im not sure how long it will be. Ive brought you guys to see many places today. I hope you can think about what to do to improve the current situation of Yanzhou and let the Yanzhou develop better, which is also a favor for your uncle. Although Xu Ran said it lightly, Tangtang and Guoguo did not dare to be as relaxed as him. They knew that Xu Ran was serious and he wanted a satisfactory answer from them. Tangtang and Guoguo nodded earnestly. Dad, we get it. Well think about it seriously. Xu Ran said, Take your time. Just tell me the answer when you come back for the New Year. Okay, Tangtang and Guoguo replied. Chapter 282 Both Tangtang and Guoguo returned to the military camp after staying at home for three days. These days, Baozi continued to go to King Yans mansion every day, while Liu Tong were travelling around. Sometimes, he would go out with Xu Ran. Since last time gloves were used when they moved corns, Xu Ran began to develop his glove business. He had got many older women in Yanzhou Prefecture to help make gloves. These gloves varied in quality, thickness, color and style. In addition to selling gloves in Yanzhou Prefecture, they would also sell them in other places. In this way, after a month, they got a lot of income from it. Of course, the income was not only from selling gloves, but also from the sale of scarves and backpacks. Among them, the backpacks were practical, which could hold a lot of things as well as bear weight. As for scarves, they were beautiful and attractive. As the people who bought scarves were mainly young Geers and Xiaozis, they naturally wanted to pursue beautiful scarves. Every month, these incomes added up to half of the Red Mansions total. Xu Rans family had no other expenses, so he put all this money in the bank. In any case, more money was not a bad thing. He was clear that there would always be a need for money in the future. Thats what he was considering anyway. In addition, Xu Ran had set up two teams that went to other places to sell honeycomb briquettes. And now the teams began to generate profits. At the moment, they came back once every three to five days. When they went on business again, they took with them more and more honeycomb briquettes. At first, Xu Ran meant to suggest King Yan to get two shops ready for the sale of these honeycomb briquettes, but King Yan rejected the idea. He was clear that only Yanzhou Mansion was his territory. As for other places, they were forbidden to him. If he ever got involved in other places apart from his mansion, he would easily attacked by his enemy. However, in any case, it could not be concealed that the honeycomb briquettes were products from Yanzhou Prefecture. Moreover, on the day of the opening of the coal plant, King Yan personally attended and delivered a speech. Naturally, this coal factory was King Yans property. For this reason, they could not be careless. This was what King Yan was concerned, but Xu Ran knew that he could not help about it. On second thought, Xu Ran realized that since they had not set up shops selling honeycomb briquettes, it would be good for them to let these businessmen do more business outside. In this way, it was more convenient for them to do business, and at the same time, they could easily send messages between different places. At the thought of this, Xu Ran would not mention it any more and just let these people continue their business! Like last year, the winter in Yanzhou over the past few years was still very cold. This year, however, life there was much better. At least there were no beggars on the streets or in the broken temples outside the city. More importantly, no one would starve to death this year. As Xu Ran not only supervised and trained the sales team for the coal factory, he instructed the team selling gloves as well. In fact, it might not be necessary for so many people to work in the sales team, but their main purpose was to find a way for these people to survive, so that they could support themselves through their own labor. Even if Xu Ran and others would earn less in this way they felt content. At the same time, this winter, they would have another very important work to do, which was to open up wasteland, where they had planted potatoes and corn before. They would open up a lot of wasteland and wait until the next year to plant more potatoes and corn. The people who worked on the mountain would be paid five pence everyday including a free lunch. The money was from King Yan, and the people who came were honest and capable. Those who wanted to cheat on the spot were all dismissed. The people who came to supervise their work were all sent by King Yan from the military camp, which was also a deterrent for the workers present. Ever since those few people who had cheated were caught, everyone there had been honest. They worked honestly every day, and then got paid for their work every seven days. Everything was going well and their life was peaceful. On October 20th, Xu Ran develped a new dish at the Red House, which was called fried pork with garlic sprouts. It wasnt made with hotpot but a different fried dish. This was the first fried dish that Red House introduced since it was selling hotpot. On the first day, Xu Ran invited several regular customers to have a taste of the dish for free. At first, Xu Ran didnt expect to sell this out, but there were a lot of garlic sprouts at home. His family couldnt finish them for a while. Thus he followed Du Xins idea and even sent some to Yan Kings mansion. For an eater, the thing he wanted to do most was to eat delicious food often. Similarly, they would also be considerate about others. Naturally, Xu Ran liked to share his favorite food with others very much. Hearing Du Xins praise, Xu Ran decided to come to the Red House and try it. If the food was apprecated there, he would simply plant garlic sprouts on a large area. The next day, after the few people who had tasted the food and praised about it, the Red House officially introduced this dish to the customers. Its price was not cheap, but it still received many peoples praise, mainly because it was fresh and delicious. The effect was clearly seen. In merely two days, garlic sprouts for the dish were out of supply. Xu Ran had to stop this dish that was loved by many people. However, it was not that there would be no longer the dish. As long as the new garlic sprouts came out, everyone would be satified. This was an explanation given by Xu Ran. Most people present were not satisfied with this explanation, but there was no way and they couldnt do it because there were no garlic sprouts left. Just as Xu Ran had mentioned in the beginning, this dish was just introduced and no one was sure about its effect. As for whether it would sell out in the end, no one was sure about it. If it received a good reception, it would sell well. If it was not good, then it would not sell again. The result proved that this dish was so delicious that people who had tasted it sang highly of it. Those who failed to try this dish could only express regret and hope to taste it once it came out again next time. In fact, Xu Ran was worried about the situation. Although they had garlic now, it needed time for garlic seeds to grow. Another important thing was that they had to find fields to grow so many garlic seedlings. Of course, they could plant some garlic seedlings around their own home, but the places were definitely not enough. At the moment, all were planted in pots and a lot of pots were thus needed. And more pots would take up more space. It was a real hassle. In fact, its not that Xu Ran didnt think of other ways, but that they hadnt tried outdoor planting. Thus he didnt know whether it worked or not. Xu Ran told Liu Tong about his troubles. Liu Tong thus went to King Yans mansion and asked King Yan for a yard as well as many pots. In this way, as long as they kept planting, the business should be fine this year. However, this method could only help the business this year, and he probably had to think of another way for the demand of next year. After a new batch of garlic seeds were planted, Xu Ran opened up a tract of land in his own yard, which was just about the size of two dustpans. Seeing this, Liu Tong was puzzled and asked him what he was doing. Xu Ran explained, Its too troublesome to plant garlic seedlings in pots. Ill try if I can plant them directly outside in the ground. If its done, we dont have to bother with one pot after another. Its really a trouble in that case. Looking at the hoar-frost that had not yet completely melted, Liu Tong said, Ran, it is so cold outside. Is it all right to do so? Xu Ran replied as he was waving the hoe in his hands, How can we know it if we dont have a try on it? Anyway, I wont plant much this time. Even if it doesnt work, its not a big loss. Hearing this, Liu Tong didnt ask too much. He trusted Xu Ran blindly. Thus, Xu Ran planted two rows of garlic seeds on this small piece of land, waiting for its roots to sprout. Of course, Xu Ran still tried to cover the seeds with some branches outside, otherwise the garlic would have been frozen to death before they grew out. The days went by quickly. It had been a whole year since Xu Ran and the others came to Yanzhou. To celebrate this, King Yan specifically invited their family to his mansion for dinner. Except Tangtang and Guoguo, who were in the military camp, the others in the family were all present. During dinner, King Yan personally opened a jar of wine, the unique almond wine of Yanzhou, which was the most popular among the people of Yanzhou. It was said that it was famous for its taste. King Yan knew nothing about what happened today. He sounded quite sentimental and people present finished a whole jar of wine. What King Yan said meant to thank Xu Ran. He said that Xu Ran was a lucky star. Not only did he take good care of his brother, but also helped improve everything in Yanzhou ever since he came. Even the old emperors illness had worsened. No one was sure whether the old king could survive this year. When King Yan said this, he looked obviously happy. He seemed to believe that everything would be good before the year was over. However, Xu Ran said, Its best to let the old king survive the new year. Otherwise, youll probably be in trouble this year. The barbarians have been casting covetous eyes on the Yanzhou Mansion. If theres any change in the court, the barbarians may come at any moment. I still hope that we can enjoy a peaceful new year. King Yan thought about what Xu Ran said and knew that he made sense, so he stopped talking about it. Although he really wanted to eliminate the barbarians if they dared come, it was still not the time to expose his strength. Alas! King Yan sighed. Sure enough, he still had to wait! He had been waiting for so many years, and he didnt want to wait anymore. Except the Geers and children present who didnt pay much attention to the situation around them, the others there could see all this. Xu Ran walked behind King Yan with a cup in his hand and patted him on the shoulder, King Yan, youve been waiting for so many years now. Why not wait for another year? It is just as what you said last year that as long as the old year passed, everything would be better. Thus this year will be the same and everything will be fine. Xu Ran sounded very certain. There seemed to be some kind of magic that attracted King Yan, making him unconsciously believe what Xu Ran had said. He became even more lazy. Chapter 283 The days passed in the midst of the flat busy work. Xu Ran and the others gradually adapted to the cold weather of Yanzhou. They were getting used to put on the ointment made by Lu Qi before they went out in the morning, so that they could stay outside for a whole day without feeling too cold. Baozi was a year older after November. Except gaining weight, everything else of him had been growing. The most obvious thing was his appetite. He ate much more than before, but he didnt get any fatter, which made Xu Ran quite confused. Xu Ran has been teasing Baozi, saying that no childe ate so much as he did. Baozi didnt agree with him, and went to encourage Yan Lan to eat with him and eat as much as he does, but the reality was very cruel. After eating with Baozi for seven days, Yan Lan has obviously put on a lot of weight. Then he said that he would never eat with Baozi again. Baozis plan failed, which led to him asking Xu Ran carefully every time he wanted to have more rice. And only after Xu Ran agreed did he dare to do it, which was very pitiful. Looking at his pitiful expression, Xu Ran also felt that he had gone too far. It was not like there was no food at home, so what was wrong with letting his children eat as much as they liked ? It wasnt not like he couldnt afford it. Anyway, Baozi didnt grow fat even if he ate like this. Plus, none of his family members was fat, and they probably wouldnt suddenly get fat in the future. As soon as he understood this, Xu Ran felt relieved and let Baozi eat how much he liked. Baozi was very happy about Xu Rans lifting the ban. The consequence of his happiness was that Baozi accidentally ate two more bowls during lunch that day, which made Xu Ran want to forbid him from eating again. Liu Tong did not get involved in the affair the whole time. He quietly acted as a spectator and watched the whole scene between the father and his son, but nothing had changed in the end. Liu Tong also knew that the reason why this thing happened was because they had nothing else to do. As long as they started to get busy again after the new year, Xu Ran would have no time to mind Baozi. On the 15th of the twelfth month of the lunar year, Tangtang and Guoguo finally returned home. Tangtang an Guoguo also joined in the team of teasing Baozi, and they could hear the loud protest of Baozi every day. Of course, Baozi wasnt always defeated by them. No matter how stupid he was, he was still Xu Rans son, so his IQ could not be low. Besides, Xu Ran taught him a lot of things. It was just not the same as what he taught Tangtang and Guoguo. The four of them had been like this until the New Year came. They thought about how to tease others every day and didnt go to help Liu Tong prepare new year goods. However, Liu Tong was also happy to watch the fun every day, so he did all the work by himself. When it was twenty-ninth of the twelfth month of the lunar year, Xu Ran remembered that he had to prepare a lot of things for the New Year. Then he went to the Utility room and found that everything necessary were prepared, and even the presents for his neighbors were bought by Liu Tong. Only then did Xu Ran had the sense of guilt. After whispering together with the three children, Xu Ran decided to give Liu Tong a surprise. However, surprise was really not easy to give. Xu Ran had done everything he should have, such as the food that should be made, the wedding that should be made up for. As for Liu Tongs birthday, they celebrated it every year. He also helped him find his brother and theyve already had three children. Xu Ran really couldnt think of what kind of surprise he could prepare for Liu Tong. The three children were also worried, and their opinions were all rejected by Xu Ran. The reason was quite simple. It was either inappropriate or not original enough. When the proposal was denied one after another, the three children gradually lost their interest in it. Xu Ran chased all three of them away and started to ponder on his own. After thinking about it all day long, Xu Ran came up with an idea, which could only be given to Liu Tong. Because of this, Xu Ran didnt sleep the night before New Years Eve. He took out a few dark-colored clothes and hid in the utility room while Liu Tong was asleep. The lights werent bright, there was only a faint light. He hadnt used anything like needles and scissors, so it was very difficult for him to operate. Xu Ran did not manage to make a not very good-looking finished product until dawn. In fact, it was not made by him. He merely altered the original dress. Although it was ugly, Xu Ran was still very satisfied with it himself . After all, it was his first time to do it, so it was good enough. No matter what, Tongtong would not dislike it. This was where Xu Rans confidence came from. No matter what he did, there was always someone who supported him. Xu Ran didnt go back to sleep since it was already daylight . He hid everything and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. When Liu Tong woke up, he felt that something was wrong. He felt that Xu ran had not been in bed last night, but he was too cold and sleepy to get up. He thought that he probably went to the bathroom. However, when he woke up in the morning, he found Xu Rans quilt was exactly the way it was last night. Liu Tong was able to confirm his guess even more. He knew that Xu Ran must be hiding something from him, but he didnt doubt too much. After all, he did not think that Xu Ran would do anything wrong with him now. Liu Tong got out of the bed after getting dressed, thinking that he would ask Xu Ran later. Xu Ran was talking to Shao Yu when he got to the kitchen. It was quite warm in the room, and there were noodles that had been cooked in the pot. Liu Tong frowned unhappily when he saw Xu Rans dark circles, but he didnt say anything because it was the New Year today. And he didnt have the chance the ask Xu Ran what he wanted to ask him because Xu Ran was avoiding him naturally or half unconsciously that day. They had given up the habit of staying up late or all night on New Years Eve since they arrived Yan Zhou. In addition, it was too cold now. They might catch a cold if they stayed up for the whole nigh. So they just sat around and talked for a while and then went back to bed. After entering the room, Xu Ran greeted Liu Tong and went out again with a mysterious expression. Liu Tong didnt stop him because he would wait till night to ask Xu Ran what he had been doing last night. He sat by the bed and waited for Xu Ran to come back. Then he heard the sound of knocking on the door after a while. Liu Tong couldnt wait to get up from the bed to open the door, but the person he saw after opening the door made Liu Tong stunned. Ran? Liu Tong asked with uncertainty. Xu Ran smiled slightly and asked. Yes. Why? You dont know me anymore? Liu Tong hurriedly shook his head and said. No, but why do you dress up like this? Its kind of strange. Liu Tong opened the door and let Xu Ran in while looking at him. After entering the door, Xu Ran turned around and asked Liu Tong to take a closer look, then he smiled and asked him, Tong Tong, how is it? Dont I look handsome? Liu Tong didnt know what handsome meant, but he still nodded obediently. You are very good-looking, Ran, is this the clothes you wear in another era? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, youre so smart to figure it out Liu Tong got a little shy when he heard Xu Rans praise, but his eyes didnt move away from Xu Ran. He kept staring at him and nodded, This dress looks really nice on you. Xu Ran was wearing a modern version of clothes he had made last night. Because the conditions were limited, he changed it to a casual wear. He had his hair done and looked really nice. Seeing that Liu Tong liked it, Xu Ran felt quite relieved and said that Tongtong would definitely like it. Xu Ran said, Tongtong, I have been busy playing with the children the days before, so I didnt help you. I apologized. I had discussed with the children to give you a surprise, but I really couldnt think of any good idea. So I made this outfit for you to see. Do you like it? Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong smiled unconsciously and said, Of course, I like it. But Ran, dont go out at night doing these things again. I would be worried. I dont care about surprise. All I want it you to be happy. It was rare for Liu Tong to say such affectionate words. Plus, it was New Years Eve today, so Xu ran suddenly had a bad idea in his mind. Xu Ran leaned over and whispered to Liu Tong, Tongtong, do you mind if I wear this to bed tonight? Liu Tong didnt expect that Xu Ran would ask such a question. He still felt strange in his heart. Why would Xu Ran ask for his permission for such a little thing? Looking at Liu Tongs confused expression, Xu Ran knew that he didnt catch his meaning, so he leaned over to kiss him and asked, Do you understand me now? Liu Tong also didnt understand, but Xu Ran suddenly pulled his clothes and Liu Tongs face suddenly turned red. It was impossible he still didnt understand him. After all, they have had three children already. Although Xu Ran sometimes did some tricks in bed, this is the first time hes had clothes on. Liu Tong was about to refute when he found himself lying on the bed and Xu Ran was buried in his chest. He still had to do something like this during the New Years Eve. But he could not stop Xu Ran. So he closed his eyes in embarrassment and simply didnt watch him. But he forgot that although he couldnt see this, his body could still feel it. Xu Rans hands were lingering upon him, and everywhere he touched made him hot. His hand was still moving, like he was about to ignite him. The feeling was getting more and more obvious. Liu Tongs face was so red as if he was about to bleed. It was particularly obvious under the light of the oil lamp. Xu Ran laughed as he watched Liu Tongs reaction. Tongtong, our Baozi is eight years old now. Why are you still so shy? Liu Tong did not know how to answer Xu Rans words, so he had to keep silent, but his movements were obviously more cooperative. Seeing this, Xu Ran did even harder. The New Years Eve passed away like this. Chapter 284 The schedule this year was the same as last year. The New Year passed without incident. By the 10th day of the first lunar month, the Red Tower was open for business normally, as was the coal factory. The efficiency of the coal factoryt during the last few months could be said to be excellent. At least King Yan could use this money to repair a lot of houses. These beggars who worked in the coal factory could also have a place to live. This was something that Xu Ran did not expect at first. They had known that it would be good, but they had not expect it to be so good. Most of the credit came from the people who work in the coal factory and the sales team who had to went out for business often. Most of the time, Xu Ran and Lu Qi were just giving advice and suggestions behind the scenes, and king Yan has never paid attention to the coal factory since he first came to it. This money was earned by these people, and it was reasonable to use it on them. It also made it easier for these people to settle down and work in the coal factory. It could also help King Yan cultivate a group of loyal subordinates, which might be useful one day. It was during the Spring Festival that King Yan told Xu Ran about his plan to build the house, and it would get started when it got hot next year. Because if it got hot, there was no need for honeycomb briquet any more. There were so many people who had to find something to do. These people were not likely to refuse to build a house to live for themselves . On the other hand, Xu Ran thought of a new way to make money during the New Year, which also could help many people get rich. In any case, Xu Rans current goal was to make Yanzhou rich. When the new emperor ascended to the throne, king Yan would have nothing to worry about, and the people of Yanzhou could also support him. And then, their family would be able to leave with peace of mind. What a good plan! As for the new method that Xu Ran came up with, it was from the alcohol they drank during the New Year. There were not many fruits in Yanzhou except for apricots, which were quite useful. Apricot flowers could be made into wine, and the apricots could be eaten and canned. Even these almonds were available, and in modern times, almonds were the most expensive. Xu Ran had nothing to do on the New Years Eve, so he went to the places where some poor families lived. He found that there were almond trees in front of every door and along the road. The trees were not small, and they were arranged in a long row, which was almost an avenue. Xu Ran was very happy about this scene. Because of this, he saw hope that the people of Yanzhou could make good use of these resources. He had kept the idea to himself. Even when he came to see these almond trees, Xu Ran also came with his family, saying that they were taking a walk to know more about Yanzhou. Liu Tong didnt think much about it. They had been in Yanzhou for more than a year, but they really didnt know much about Yanzhou. It was good to go out and take a walk. Anyway, there was nothing to do on the New Year. Xu Rans thoughts came to form in his heart after seeing it. After returning home, he hastily wrote down his plan and practice, and then took it to King Yan. At the same time, Xu Ran also got a good news from King Yan. It was a letter from Xu Village. Xu Ran was quite excited when he received the letter. It had been over a year and he finally received the letter, and it was on the New Years Eve, which was a very good New Years gift. Xu Ran couldnt wait to open the letter. It was written by Zhuo Yun and there were several pages of it. It was also very detailed. First, he mentioned some important things that happened to Xu Village after they left. Then he told them about the situation of these people and finally asked Xu Ran how they were in Yanzhou. At the end of the letter, the handwriting was obviously scrawled. Xu Ran guessed that Zhuo Yun was still angry, otherwise he wouldnt have greeted them in the end. The situation in Xu Village was just like what King Yan had said to Xu Ran. They was indeed infected with the plague, but because of their previous preparations, there was nothing wrong with Zhuo Yun and the rest. They hid in the mountains for a while, and when the plague was over they went back to their homes. That was good news. Of course, there was also bad news, and this bad news had to do with Xu Ran. His Daddy died in the plague, but the other three members of the his family were still fine. Seeing this, Xu Ran only paused for a moment and didnt think much about it. Daddy Xu was not very close to him. Even though his relationship with Xu Houcai had improved a lot over the years, he was still the same as ever. So looking at the contents of the letter, Xu Ran felt like he was watching a stranger die. He did not feel happy, nor did he feel sad. The rest of the letter was about some people he knew well, which was two or three pages long. The last line of words said that Qing Shu missed Baozi. Xu Ran couldnt help smiling when he saw that. It was estimated that Baozi would be very happy when he saw this, and then he might cry after that. However, the specific results would only be known after Baozi saw it. Xu Ran anxiously continued to read the following content, which was nothing more than complaints that they had been gone for a year and did not sent them a letter. After reading it, Xu Ran wrote a reply in King Yans residence, and still handed it to Yan Chuan. After reading the letter, Xu Ran was finally relieved. It was good know that they were fine. Xu Ran gave the plan he had written to king Yan and left it alone. After reading the letter, he returned home happily. As soon as he reached the door, Xu Ran called Baozi loudly, Baozi, come out, Dad will give you something good. Of course, Baozi was not the only one who called out but everyone at home. They all stood at the door and waited for Xu Ran to bring out what he called a good thing. Xu Ran walked over and took out the letter from his arms. This is a letter from Zhuo Yun. This is good stuff, right? Everyone nodded. Not only Xu Ran, all iof them were waiting for a letter from Xu Village, a letter that could reassure them. Xu Ran opened the letter, took one out of them out and handed the rest to Tangtang, letting him read it to everyone. Xu Ran lured Baozi to the other side with the paper in his hand. He waved the letter and asked Baozi, Baozi, do you miss Qing Shu? Baozi nodded without a second thought. Yeah, Dad, did he write a letter to me? Xu Ran shook his head. No. Baozi looked disappointed, but when he saw the paper in Xu Rans hand, he felt that Xu Ran was probably teasing him. Otherwise, why would he take this one out of so many pieces of paper? Baozi reached out to grab thepiece of paper in Xu Rans hand. But Xu Ran wouldnt let Baozi get it so he held it high. Baozi puffed up his face and tried to grab it. They went on like this for a long time when Xu Ran saw that Baozi was about to cry, so he handed the paper to Baozi and kindly pointed at the last sentence for him. But even if he didnt point, Baozi could see it at a glance. After all, there was the word Qing shu on it, which made him feel yearn day and night. As Xu Ran expected, Baozi was very happy when he saw this. He even jumped several times and acted very lively. But when the excitement passed, Baozi suddenly looked sad. He missed Qing Shu. He hadnt seen him for more than a year. Although he used to stay home often, it hadnt been so long! Baozi looked dispirited and asked Xu Ran, Dad, when can we go back? Im homesick. Xu Ran patted his head with a smile, I dont think youre not homesick. You just miss Qing Shu! Although it was exposed by Xu Ran, Baozi didnt think feel embarrassed. He nodded solemnly, yes, I miss him. I want to see him now. Dad, lets go back early! Its not as good as home here. Xu Ran reached out and rubbed Baozis face. Baozi, I know you miss Qing Shu, but we cant go back now and we have to wait a few years. By that time, youll be old enough to marry Qing Shu after we go back. So you must work hard these years or he wont like you in the future. Hearing Xu Rans words, there was a very a contemptuous disregard expression on Baozis face. He slapped Xu Rans hand and said, Dad, I didnt say such things because I miss Qing Shu. I really want to go home. This place is different from Xu Village. I dont like it here. Fallen leaves return to the roots. This idea suddenly popped up in Xu Rans mind after hearing Baozis words. And it was not hard to understand. After all, Baozi was born in Xu Village and was very familiar with every tree and grass there. And after living there for so many years, they suddenly decided to leave, so its normal for him to want to go back. As for the other point, Baozi said that this place was different from Xu Village. There were really a lot of differences. First of all, the temperature was different. second, the accent was also different. The last difference was the habit of eating. Just like some people in modern times who went out to work in big cities . They were still not used to staying in thsebig cities even when they had been working there for more than ten years. They would go home when they were old. Xu Ran didnt know how to comfort Baozi, because he suddenly had that idea in his heart, which he never had had before. Perhaps it was because of Xu Rans embarrassment, Baozi started to comfort Xu Ran instead. He put his little hand on Xu Rans face and pinched his face. Dad, you dont have to feel bad. Im just saying it. I know that you and brothers have important things to do. I will grow up here obediently. And I will marry Qing Shu when we go back. I made an agreement with Qing Shu that he would wait for me. For a moment, Xu Ran really thought that Baozi had grown up but he returned to reality when he saw Baozis bitter face. Seeing that Baozi was not that sad, Xu Ran felt a little relieved, but he also felt that it was a little funny. He had already pledged to marry without the permission of parents at such a young age. Perhaps he should have promised Zhuo Yun about Baozis child marriage. First of all, thank Xiaomi for finding the mistake. I went to flip through the original draft. It was younger male cousin at first, but I changed it into elder male cousin carelessly. There was also one thing that the elder male cousin and the cousin childe were different. I have already contacted the editor and it would be corrected later. Sorry for the inconvenience to all the readers. I am really sorry. Chapter 285 What Xu Ran did most in the New Year was to wander in the street. He also found a very good and reasonable excuse for what he had done, which was to investigate the situation of the people for king Yan. Of course, Xu Ran was not just wandering around. He had really found out many things. At first, he felt that it was a kind of fun. But became a kind of responsibility when more and more people started to believe in him, and it also became a habit for Xu Ran. Xu Ran did not care much about the apricot after handing it to King Yan, but he also often went to places with many apricot trees and saw many people picking apricot flowers. The flowering period of apricot flowers was only more than ten days. There were quite a lot of things to do in these ten days, but many of those picking the flowers were clearly not farmers. Xu Ran guessed that might be King Yane men, so he didnt pay much attention. He just kept wandering. This year, Tangtang and Guoguo didnt go to the military camp. Instead, they read books at home and prepared for this years Autumn Test. They hadnt read any books in the past year. No matter how many things they had leant before, it was necessary for them to review it. he two kids were committed to their goals, so there was no need for Xu Ran to worry about that. What made Xu Ran more satisfied was the answer to the task that he had assigned to them last year. Tangtang and Guoguo wrote everything they wanted to say when they came back in one day, and then showed it to Xu Ran. After reading it, Xu Ran praised the two children without hesitation. People could not be poor in Yan Zhou. They couldnt get rich by crops, but there was another way. From the ideas Xu Ran came up with, it could be seen that both Tangtang and Guoguo were very aware about it, and they also gave the examples to illustrate it. Since there was a meadow in Yanzhou, then there could also be more grass to raise more cows and sheep. There was also a wide, long river here. So it was not a problem to raise some fish in it, and there were so many desolate lands on the mountain and herbs growing in the mountains, which could be put to good use. The population of Yanzhou capital was not large, but with the help of the 5,000 troops, it was definitely not small. Therefore, it was impossible for King Yan to feed all the people of Yanzhou by him own. More capable men were needed to give advice to king Yan, to plot out the future of Yan Zhou together. They even thought about education, which was very comprehensive. They combined what they knew with what Xu Ran had taught them and wrote it all down. After reading it, besides the smile on his face, Xu Ran also felt very proud. He taught the two children himself. How could he not be proud of them being so smart and quick-witted? And it was also the reason why Xu Ran wandered on the streets. If he wanted to about peoples life and what they were thinking, he had to get close to with them. Perhaps it couldnt work in Great Xia, but it could in Yanzhou. Yanzhou was just like a trapped beast in a cage. It must break the cage and escape, or it wwould be trapped in the cage for life. Of course, Xu Ran wanted the Yanzhou to be the former. The thing he promised King Yan back then wasnt just saying it. Life seems to be going very smoothly. In the middle of April, people began to plant corn. In May, a large number of potatoes were planted, and the ground on the mountain was reclaimed one after another. Under the refurbished soil, there was an infinite life force, waiting to take root and sprout. King Yan also read the answer given by Tangtang and Guoguo, then picked some of them which weresuitable for the present, and began to get people to work on it, especially the grassy area. He can raise a meadow in three years, and he can also raise another one in another three years. Yanzhou belonged to him now, and it would be his sons in the future, so the things he left for them must be good. King Yan also began to think about the wool, milk and sheep milk that Xu Ran had mentioned before. He knew what sheep milk was and newborn babies had to drink it, but he had never heard of milk being drinkable. After Xu Ran explained it to him, King Yan felt that it was necessary to get this done. There have been quite a lot of big movements recently in Yanzhou, but no one came to ask them. Although they have not received any definite news, it was not difficult to guess that something was wrong. And things had dragged on until July, which was the hottest time in Yanzhou. That morning, Yan Chuan came to Xu Rans house and called Xu Ran to King Yans residence. King Yan was smiling like a psychopath when Xu Ran saw him. Xu Ran turned to look at Yan Chuan behind him, hoping that he could explain what was going on, but Yan Chuan just shook his head, indicating that he didnt know about it and left. Xu Ran saw a piece of paper in King Yans hand and guessed that King Yans abnormal behavior should have something to do with this piece of paper. Xu Ran was not afraid of being blamed by King Yan and took the paper out of his hand and looked at it carefully. After reading it, Xu Ran understood why King Yan laughed so strangely. It turned out that the old emperor was dead. And he was probably buried when King Yan received the note. How could he not be happy Xu Ran remembered that Lu Qi had told him about three things the King Yans father asked him to do, the first two were completed, and now the last one was also completed. Xu Ran patted King Yan on the shoulder and said, Dont be so obvious. You should be careful not to get too excited. King Yan looked at Xu Ran strangely. Why would I be too excited? Ive been waiting for this day for a long time. Am I not allowed to smile? Xu Ran was so speechless. If an outsider saw him like this, he would probably be scared to death. However, King Yan quickly put away his smile and said to Xu Ran, The coal factory will be shut down for a while. There are other things to pay attention to. Although the news of the old emperors death has not reached Yanzhou, the imperial edict of the new emperors enthronement will definitely be issued. Maybe I will have to the capital to meet the new emperor. Xu Ran asked King Yan, Do you not trust the new emperor? King Yan said, I dont trust anyone other than the prince. They are all fools, and there arent many capable people around them. No matter who was the new emperor, the Great Xia will be over in their hands. It seemed that King Yan had a good impression of the prince. Xu Ran couldnt help but feel curious and asked King Yan, Why do you think so highly of the prince? King Yan said, The prince is not particularly capable, but hes good at spotting and using talents . This is news from people in the palace. As long as the information is correct, I believe that within two years, the court will be completely under the crown princes control. Xu Ran was well aware of the importance of the teammates, and the best rulers would always let go and left things to those who were capable and trustworthy As long as the prince could do this and learn to control the overall situation, he would win. Xu Ran didnt ask King Yan how he get to know the prince so well. It was not hard to guess since King Yan even knew all about the palace. What Xu Ran could hope for now was that the prince would use people as King Yan said. In this case, King Yan would not be obstructed and they could also retire with success. Xu Ran always thought too far, but there were always some unexpected changes that they could not predict. Three days later, a messenger arrived from the capital. King Yan received an edict to go to the capital to pay homage to the new emperor. King Yans hand trembled with the edict. He said to Lu Qi beside him, I havent left Yanzhou capital for more than twenty years. I dont even know what it looks like outside. King Yans words made Lu Qi feel sad. Although he is a king, he was still trapped in the small place of Yanzhou like a trapped beast. Under the decree of the new emperor, King Yan must rush to the capital within a month. This time was not enough at all, and they had to run all the way without stop to get there. And the people who came to announce the decree also stayed at the relay station of Yanzhou, waiting to set out with King Yan. Instead of answering King Yans words, Lu Qi asked him, When are you going to leave and how many people are you going to take with you? King Yan thought about it and said, Im leaving tomorrow. You can arrange it today. A hundred people is enough. Im afraid people would notice us if I bring too many people. Ask the secret guards to hide well and do not appear unless something happens. I will bring Yan Chuan with me, and you will have to deal with the affairs in Yanzhou. Lu Qi wanted to refute after hearing King Yans words, but he was stopped by King Yan. You dont have to say it. I understand your thoughts. I know you can protect me if you go with me, but Ill be worried if no one stays in Yanzhou. The barbarians had been staring at the Yanzhou with a covetous eye. Im afraid that the barbarians will know that Im not here. You have to stay here and watch out for them. Lu Qi also thought of this, so he did not say anything else. King Yan continued to say, If they really come here and you cant handle it, go find Xu Ran. Although he doesnt know anything about Kung Fu, he is smart. He should be able to help you when the time comes, but you have to remember that in any case, their family must not be hurt. Lu Qi nodded. I know. I will definitely guard Yanzhou and wait for you to come back. King Yan nodded and gave Lu Qi all his trust. Chapter 286 In the afternoon of that day, Xu Ran received a message from Du Xin that King Yan was leaving Yanzhou for Beijing tomorrow. Xu Ran gathered the whole family and went to King Yans residence to see if King Yan had anything to tell him. However, King Yan just said that with Xu Ran around, he would be at ease, and then he didnt say anything else. Xu Ran was a little surprised at the kings trust in him. The news that King Yan went to the capital was not hidden from the people of Yanzhou. After all, the people of Yanzhou have already knew about the fact that the new emperor had ascended to the throne, so the whole street was filled with people who came to see King Yan off on the second day. What a farewell scene it was! Since King Yan wasnt around, people would go to Lu Qi if there was anything in Yanzhou. The rest of the time, everyone was busy with their own business. Every one lived as usual. The absence of the King of Yan did not make much difference. Lu Qi found Xu Ran and told him about King Yans concerns. The two of them discussed how to pay close attention to the recent security problems in Yanzhou. King Yan also left several secret guards for Lu Qi. Xu Ran asked Lu Qi to send two people to monitor the group of outsiders, and then left two to protect the mansion. The rest would wander the camp to see if there was any barbarians. Lu Qi made Xu Ran be in charge of the mansion, and he was monitoring at the camp himself. If anything happened, they could deal with it immediately. Xu Ran was okay with that. He was sure to help if he could, and it was at this time that he felt that King Yan was still very intimidating because Lu Qi had never been so nervous when King Yan was here. In the morning of July 13, Tangtang and Guoguo led the horse out of the door and said that they would run some laps on the grass. Tangtang and Guoguo didnt go to the military camp this year, so they would went out for a ride once or twice a month. In this way, they could not only exercise their riding skills, but also went out for relaxation. It was not good for them to stay at home all the time. Xu Ran agreed with them on this point, so it had become a habit for them. Tangtang and Guoguo had just led the horse out of the door and Xu Ran just closed the door, Liu Tong ran out in a hurry. He looked very anxious. Xu Ran stopped him and asked him, Tongtong, whats wrong with you? Liu Tong touched his chest and said, Ran, I felt a little nervous when I was washing the dishes, I felt that something was going to happen. Go and call Tangtang and Guoguo back first. Dont go out today. They can go out again tomorrow. Seeing Liu Tongs anxious expression, even if Xu Ran didnt believe that something would happen, he was still very cooperative and opened the door to find Tangtang and Guoguo. Xu Ran went out for a few steps but found that the two of them had long gone. Liu Tong followed him out, Ran, how was it? Did you see them? There was no one passing by outside, not to mention the silhouette of Tangtang and Guoguo. When Liu Tong saw that there was no one, he became even more anxious and called Xu Ran to ride a horse to find them. Xu Ran thought that Liu Tong was making too much of a fuss, but when he saw him like this, he could not say it to him. On the other hand, Liu Tong came to his senses and apologized to Xu Ran, Ran, I dont know why Im afraid like this. I felt so flustered and I always feel that something will happen. Intuition was always a mysterious thing, let alone Tangtang and Guoguo were Liu Tongs own kids. It is normal for Liu Tong to be worried. Although Tangtang and Guoguo had gone, Xu Ran still decided to go ou to look for them. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Tongtong, go in first. Close the door and dont let Baozi come out. If someone calls you to open the door, make sure you know who it is. Ill go to the mansion first. Regardless of whether something would really happen or not, we have to be careful. Liu Tong nodded and walked in. Alright, Ran, go quickly! Be careful. Xu Ran smiled at him and said, Dont worry! Ill be careful. You take care of yourself at home and Ill come back as soon as possible. Xu Ran quickly walked towards the mansion after he said that. Lu Qi was not in the mansion, and he was not also the one Xu Ran was looking for. He came here to find the secret guards who stayed at the mansion. After Xu Ran arrived at the mansion, he asked someone to take him to meet Xiao Qingyun. Xiao Qingyun called out the two secret guards and Xu Ran told them, One of you will immediately rush to the camp and let Lu Qi take a look around the grass, and the others must always be ready for the attack from the enemy. I will explain the reason to him when he comes back. If something happens, we have to deal with it quickly. After Xu Ran said this, one of them left, while the other continued to be hidden. Xu Ran turned around and wanted to leave but was stopped by Xiao Qingyun. Xu Ran, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry? Youd better tell me first, so Ill be prepared mentally. Xu Ran thought for a moment before explaining to Xiao Qingyun, This is what happened. Tangtang and Guoguo wass going out to ride this morning. As soon as they left, Tongtong ran out and said that he was flustered. He felt that something would happen and asked me to call them back. Its not the first time Tangtang and Guoguo go out to ride. Tongtong has never said such things before. But he was in such a hurry this time, I think something might happen. You know now that King Yan is not in Yanzhou, its easy for thinsg to go wrong. So its always a good idea to be on your guard. Xiao Qingyun nodded. He understood Liu Tong. After all, he was a Daddy and had two children. And Xu Rans words were right. Whether something was going on or not, it was always good to be careful. Xu Ran went home after he said that. Liu Tong was waiting anxiously for him to come back. After opening the door for Xu Ran, he asked, Ran, did you go to King Yans residence? Did you find Lu Qi? Hows the situation? A series of questions showed just how anxious Liu Tong was. Xu Ran entered the door and put his hand on his shoulder to comfort him, Its fine. Dont worry. Ive already asked someone to go to the military camp to find Lu Qi and tell him to take his men to take a look around the meadow. Tangtang and Guoguo will be all right. You have to trust them. And theyre very good at kung fu, dont they? Hearing Xu Rans words, Liu Tong slowly calmed down and became less anxious. Baozi had been in the room himself and didnt go out for a long time. When Xu Ran saw that Liu Tong was fine, he walked into the room to see Baozi. As soon as he walked to the door, his heart suddenly trembled. Thinking about Liu Tongs reaction, Xu Ran also felt a little flustered. Something was going to happen today. At the same time, Tangtang and Guoguo was surrounded by a group of barbarians, and the two of them were starting to seriously think of countermeasures. When they went out in the morning, they rode very fast so that they could get back early, so they had no idea that Xu Ran was chasing after them. They were riding horses outside the meadow, but when they ran to the edge, they suddenly found that there was someone hiding inside the grass. Not only did they see the men in the grass, but the men in the grass saw them as well. Before Tangtang and Guoguo could escape, they were already surrounded. These people were all dressed in foreign clothes. It was obvious that they were foreigners, and they were not from the Great Xia. Tangtang and Guoguo looked at each other and had only one thought in their mind, Barbarians. Not everyone could come to this camp. Usually, there were people watching the cows and sheep here, but it was unusually quiet today. There was no sound at all. Tangtang and Guoguo suddenly felt that something was wrong. They were surrounded in the middle, and they started to think of ways to escape. Then they would go to the military camp to inform Lu Qi and they could not let the group of people enter the city. Otherwise, the consequences would be unbearable. In the eyes of this group of people, Tangtang and Guoguo were obviously two children with the same faces. There was no deterrence although they were riding horses. Therefore, they did not take them seriously at all. One of them said in his not very fluent Chinese, Two little children on the horse, as long as you obediently get off your horse and surrender, we will let you live. Otherwise, haha Look at the two of you who are delicate and tender, Im afraid you are two childe! Guys, what are we going to do if they refuse to surrender? As soon as the man had said this, the others all smiled obscenely. How could Tangtang and Guoguo not understand what they meant? Althou they were furious, they didnt reveal anything on their faces. While these people were laughing, the two of them clamped the stomachs of their horses and rushed towards different directions. The group of barbarians were startled by the sudden action of Tangtang and Guoguo, and then quickly reacted to chase Tangtang and Guoguo behind them. Tangtang didnt have a weapon in his hand. They didnt want to escape but wanted to grab a weapon. They could resist the attacks of this group of people as long as they had weapons in their hands. It was difficult to defeat the enemy with only their fists, not to mention there are so many people on the other side.They have no advantage in terms of numbers, and these men had been in war. Neither of them had actual combat experience. They lost the game at the very beginning. Their horses were running back and forth. And they would get hurt if they were not careful. Although it was not serious, the horses would get can frightened. Both of them knew that this was not going to work and that they had to figure out a way to get out. Tangtang heard Guoguos shout while he was fighting with someone with a knife, Brother, hurry up and leave. Ill cover up for you. Go find Uncle Lu Qi and ask him to send someone over as soon as possible. Tangtang pushed away the man who were fighting with him. He looked back and saw that Guoguo was fighting against three or four people. Tangtang wanted to go over and help, but Guoguo spoke again, Dont worry about me. Just go and find Uncle Lu Qi. We cant let them get into the town. Dad had promised it to uncle when he left. Hurry up and leave! After Guoguo shouted, Tangtang saw a knife cut to Guoguos arm. Guoguo groaned and the knife in his hand was loosened, but fortunately, it did not fall. Seeing Guoguo like this, Tangtang gritted his teeth and rushed out. He could only ask reinforcements as soon as possible to get Guoguo out of danger. The text hasnt been edited yet, and the edit didnt seem to be here today. There was another important thing to say. Ill post a new article tomorrow, Ill post a new article tomorrow, Ill post a new article tomorrow! Something important must be said three times! Chapter 287 Tangtang ran all the way on his horse. The only thought in his mind was to be faster and faster, so that he almost bumped into the oncoming Lu Qi. Lu Qi saw the blood stains on Tangtangs face, and then looked at the tattered clothes and the big knife in his hand, he asked, Tangtang, have you met the barbarians? Tangtang gasped and said, Uncle Lu Qi, go save Guoguo. They were on the other side of the meadow. Yes we met the barbarians and there were about 100 of them. Lu Qi was shocked when he heard this. He did not expect that Xu Ran would expect this, but now it was not the time to think about it. Guoguo was in danger and it was the most important thing to save him first. Lu Qi said to Tangtang, Tangtang, you lead the way, and we will follow you. Tangtang turned his horse and started running forward without hesitation. It was not too far away, plus they was running all the way, so they arrived there very quickly. However, by the time they arrived, there was already no one there, or rather, there were only a few bodies lying on the ground. Tangtang was flustered, and he could not care about anything to dismounted to check the bodies. He touched his chest and didnt feel any pain. That meant Guoguo was still fine, but he was taken away by these people. After Lu Qi arranged for the other men to search around, he walked to Tangtang and patted him on the shoulder. Dont worry too much. There is no body of Guoguo here. It means that Guoguo is fine. These people may not have intended to kill Guoguo. Otherwise, they wouldnt have taken him away after Guoguo killed several of them. Lu Qi analyzed from the most rational point of view, but Tangtang couldnt accept it. He knew only too well whether these men were out to kill. Otherwise, they wouldnt have cut Guoguo in the arm. Tangtang didnt answer Lu Qis words. He was just wondering where they could take him in such a short time. Lu Qi asked his men to search around, and soon someone ran over and said. Military counsellor, the bodies of our soldiers have been found in the grass not far ahead. Lu Qi said with a cold expression, Lead the way. Ill go over and take a look. The man immediately turned around and walked in front, Lu Qi followed him closely, and Tangtang followed. He and Guoguo guessed that the person guarding the cow and sheep had been killed. They didnt expect it to be true and the body was hidden in the grass. No wonder they didnt notice at that time. And Tangtang now understood why these people were hiding in the grass. These people should have been ambushing here for a long time, otherwise they wouldnt have killed so many people so easily. There were at least twenty soldiers guarding the cows and sheep. They killed more than twenty people in silence, and the military camp did not receive any news. It was really premeditated. Now Tangtang was more worried about Guoguos safety. Lu Qi asked people to carry out the more than 20 bodies and put them in rows, letting other people search around and report anything suspicious as soon as it happened. Tangtang circled around the grass to see if he could find any clues, but after searching for a long time, he didnt find anything suspicious. The only thing was that there was a big hole in the middle of the grass, as if it had been hit by a stone. It was so deep you could barely see the bottom. This hole was too far in the middle, so Tangtang didnt think too much about it. He just glanced at it and went somewhere else. It made him feel strange that this place was a sandy ground, but he didnt see anyones footprints, let alone the footprints of the horses, which was kind of weird. When Lu Qi came to find Tangtang, Tangtang told Lu Qi about his doubts. Lu Qi took a few steps to the sand and found that his feet were clearly printed on it. So he got confused, too. But no matter how they looked and thought, they didnt find anything. The sun was shining brighter and brighter. It was estimated that it was noon. Lu Qi asked Tangtang to go back first and let Xu Ran know that he was safe. He would have to go to the military camp to deploy himself. If the Barbarian coulc come for the first time, then naturally there would be a second and a third time, so the patrol must be stepped up and he couldnt let these barbarians get what they wanted. Tangtang really wanted to stay and continue looking for Guoguo. When they went out there were two of them, but he had to come back alone. And he was his elder brother. Tangtang couldnt forgive himself for leaving his brother alone in danger. Lu Qi knew that Tangtang was upset, and he himself was also sad. Not only because they were King Yans nephew, but also the two children were extremely pleasing. Du Xin had muttered to his ear so many times that he wanted a child like Tangtang and Guoguo. Even he himself had this thought in his heart, but no one could expect that the two children would encounter such a thing when they came out to play. Lu Qi comforted him, Tangtang, Ill get someone to send you back first. Go back and tell your Dad and Daddy. Your Dad was worried that something might happen to you, so he sent the secret guard to me and asked me to bring people to find you. Otherwise, you wouldnt have met me on the way. Listen to me, just go back first, okay? In the process of looking for Guoguo, Tangtang had always been very calm. He spoke very neatly and even his eyes were not red. People would think that he didnt care about Guoguo at all if they didnt know that the brothers were usually very close. However, Tangtang insisted on staying to find Guoguo, and Lu Qi couldnt stop him. Lu Qi was helpless and had to say to Tangtang, Since thats the case, Ill send someone to talk to your Dad about the situation. Youll look for Guoguo here. How about I send a few people with you? Tangtang was okay as long as he could stay and look for his brother, so he nodded and said to Lu Qi, Thanks for the trouble, uncle Lu. Just tell my Dad and dont tell Daddy, or he will be sad. Lu Qi nodded solemnly and called a few people over to let them follow Tangtang to protect him. He sighed and went back to the camp. The sun was hanging high in the air. Apart from the grass, there was nothing to hide from, which made people feel dizzy. However, Tangtang did not feel hot at all. He kept moving and called Guoguo at every step. Later, his voice was hoarse but he didnt stop, as if he was possessed. Suddenly, there was the sound of horses hooves from afar. Apart from Tangtang, everyone behind him turned back to look at the person who was coming. They didnt know Xu Ran and surrounded him after Xu Rans horse stopped. One of them asked, Who is it? Why are you here? Xu Ran looked at the person who asked him and explained, Im Tangtangs Dad. Im here to look for him. Xu Ran said and pointed at Tangtang. Tangtang turned back after hearing Xu Rans words and called out in surprise, Dad! Hearing Tangtangs hoarse voice, Xu Ran frowned and ignored the people around him. He walked towards Tangtang and asked, Whats wrong with your voice? What happened? When he heard Xu Rans words, Tangtang was stunned for a moment. He remembered that he had been calling Guoguo just now. Maybe it was because he had shouted too much, so he became like this. However, he just shook his head and did not say anything. Xu Ran said to Tangtang, Lu Qi has sent someone to tell me everything. Its not your fault. I didnt stop you in the morning. If I stopped you, you guys wouldnt have been in trouble today. Go back first! Dont make Daddy anxious. You are Guoguos elder brother, you should believe in him. Although Xu Ran was so calm, he couldnt hide the fact that his hands was trembling non-stop. Tangtangs eyes suddenly turned red after such a long time when he heard Xu Rans words. He threw himself at Xu Ran and cried, Dad, Guoguo asked me to leave first. I saw that he was injured. If I hadnt gone, would I have saved him? Xu Ran patted him on the back and said, Silly boy, how could the two of you deal with so many people? If you didnt leave, maybe Lu Qi would see your bodies lying on the ground when he came over. What should I do if this really happens? What should your Daddy do? Tangtang cried more and more loudly like a spoiled child, or it was like he was looking for comfort.. Xu Rans hands tightened and he trembled uncontrollably. Even Tangtang felt it. In the strange eyes of Tangtang, Xu Ran let go of him and said, Go back first! Let your Daddy know you are safe. Guoguo is our family member. His home is where we are, and he always comes back. Xu Rans words gave Tangtang no room to refuse. He nodded obediently and agreed, but his tears were flowing non-stop, and he couldnt wipe them clean no matter how hard he tried. Xu Ran asked Tangtang to get on the horse and told to several other soldiers, Go back and tell Lu Qi that I took Tangtang home. Also, let him come to me tonight. I have something to say to him. he mounted his horse and rode away, regardless of whether these men agreed with him or not Tangtang walked in front of Xu Ran and turned to look back at the boundless desert repeatedly at every step. I will post new articles at twelve o clock, please pay attention. n(*RQ*)n Chapter 288 Tangtang was depressed all the way, and so was Xu Ran .They rode home without speaking the whole way. The courtyard door was wide open. Liu Tong, who was sitting under the eaves and picking up vegetables, he immediately stood up happily when he saw Xu Ran and Tangtang coming in from the door. Seeing Tangtangs messy body, Liu Tong asked, Whats wrong with you? How did you get into this? Seeing that no one else following them, Liu Tong asked again, Wheres Guoguo, Ran and Tangtang?Why didnt he come back? Tangtang turned his eyes to Xu Ran and Xu Ran shook his head at him, indicating that Liu Tong did not know about this. Seeing that both of them didnt say anything, Liu Tong thought about his panic in the morning and Ran hurriedly ran out of the house. His heart was filled with a bad foreboding. Shaking Xu Ran, Liu Tong asked, Wheres Guoguo, Ran? Tell me where Guoguo is? Xu Ran closed his eyes and didnt know how to face Liu Tong. He promised him in the morning that everything would be fine, but now he didnt bring his son back. He didnt even know if Guoguo was alive or dead. Seeing Xu Rans expression, Liu Tong let go of him slowly and said, Ran, tell me! Im fine. Tangtang turned away with his eyes red. Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, with his eyes closing, In fact, I didnt know what had happened. The person sent by Lu Qi just told me that Guoguo had an accident. I didnt see Guoguo when I arrived there and just saw Tangtang. Seeing Tangtang was looking for Guoguo, I brought him back. Tangtang would be the only one who could explain what had happened then. Being much calmer, Liu Tong walked up to Tangtang and asked him, Tangtang, tell Daddy, what happened to you? Tangtang didnt want to cry in front of Liu Tong because he knew that Daddy would be even sadder if he cried. Wiping his face and raising his head to Liu Tong, Tangtang replied, Daddy, when we rode to the grass, we found some barbarians in the grass. There were more than a hundred of barbarians there, but we were only two and without any weapons in our hands. So after fighting with them with the knives we snatched from their hands, we couldnt beat them. Guoguo asked me to get help when he was injured, then I met uncle Lu Qi on the way. But when we came back, apart from the bodies on the ground, everyone disappeared, including Guoguo. After this, Tangtang said no more. Liu Tong trembled and nearly fell over. Xu Ran hurriedly reached out to hold him, and let go of his hand after he stabilized himself. The sun was shining brightly, but they felt cold and unconsciousness. After a long time, Liu Tong recovered his voice and asked Tangtang, Tangtang, your brother wasnt on the ground, so your brother is still alive, right? Looking at Liu Tong, Tangtang didnt know how to answer. No one knew how was Guoguo now. At last, Xu Ran said, We havent seen Guoguos corpse, so Guoguo must be fine now. If they want to kill Guoguo, Guoguo must be dead and was lying on the ground. So the main thing now we shall do is to find Guoguo and then prepare to fight the Barbarian. Tongtong, as long as we dont see the corpse of Guoguo, Guoguo is alive, okay? Liu Tong was relieved to hear Xu Rans words, then he nodded and said, Ran, I got it. Ill wait for Guoguo to come back. You must find him and take him home. After this, Liu Tong walked into the house with the basket of vegetables. Xu Ran didnt follow him, he knew that Liu Tong was upset and it was better for him to cry alone for a while. Baozi ran out after Liu Tong entered the house. Seeing that there was only Tangtang without Guoguo, he asked Xu Ran, Dad, where is Second Brother? Where did Second Brother go? Tangtangs embarrassment made Baozi feel that something bad had happened, and the fact that he didnt see Guoguo reinforced his conviction. Xu Ran squatted down, reached out to grab Baozis arm and said, Your second brother has gone out to work. He will be back in a few days. Take your big brother to wash his face first. Look at him, how dirty and ugly he is now! As he spoke, Xu Ran gave Tangtang a look of disdain. Knowing that Xu Ran was trying to appease Baozi, Tangtang cooperated and reached out to hold Baozi. Although Baozi felt strange, he didnt think much about it, taking Tangtangs hand, and left. After they left, Xu Ran suddenly sank down on the ground, smiling bitterly. He was really afraid something would happen to Guoguo. Xu Ran was sitting on the ground, with his mind blank. He forced himself to think about something, but he couldnt focus on it. His hand was still trembling, couldnt stop. Even if the other hand held the trembling hand, it was the same. The big sun was shining fiercely, which made Xu Rans sweat drip down one by one, but he had no intention of moving. He didnt understand why the barbarian prefered aggression or why those people were unwilling to let go of the two children. The whole yard was silent. From the afternoon to the evening, Xu Ran sat for a long time. When Gao Quan and the others came back, they found him still sitting on the ground and pulled him up. As soon as Shao Yu entered, he saw Xu Ran sitting on the ground and asked, Xu Ran, why are you sitting on the ground? Gao Quan, hurry up and pull him up. Hearing Shao Yus words, Gao Quan reached out to pull Xu Ran up, he found that his face was red. It was obvious that he was suffering from sunstroke. Xu Rans forehead was hot, and he seemed unconscious, letting Gao Quan pull him up. When Shao Yu directed Gao Quan to get Xu Ran into the house, he heard a low snoring from inside. It was obvious that someone was crying. Shao Yu pushed the door open and saw that Liu Tong was sitting on the bed with his eyes red. Asking Gao Quan to help Xu Ran in ,Shao Yu asked Liu Tong what had happened. Liu Tong stopped crying when he saw Shao Yu and the others. Seeing Xu Rans red face, Liu Tong was worried and asked Shao Yu anxiously, Whats wrong with him? Shao Yu shook his head and answered, We dont know either. We saw him sitting in the yard when we came back. What happened to you? The door is wide open, Xu Ran is sitting in the yard while you are hiding in the house and crying. But where are the children? Liu Tong looked outside and found that it was dark. He had never gone out since he entered the house in the afternoon. He didnt know what had happened outside. How could Ran faint? How were Tangtang and Baozi? Liu Tong, who came back to his senses, thought of a lot of questions and became very anxious. Liu Tong ran out of the house hurriedly, leaving the three people behind, without hearing Shao Yu call him. Looking at Xu Ran, who was lying on the bed, Gao Quan asked Shao Yu, What should we do? Seeing that Xu Ran was still sweating, Shao Yu thought he must be very serious ill. Then he said to Gao Quan, Bring him some water to wipe his face and cool him down. Ill call a doctor. It was not proper for Shao Yu to take care of Xu Ran, so Gao Quan agreed and said to him, Its dark, take the lantern and be careful. Shao Yu nodded and replied, I know, dont worry, Ill be back soon. After saying that, he left. Gao Quan got some water to wipe the sweat on Xu Ran. As for Liu Tong, he went straight to Baozis room after leaving his room. He pushed open the door and looked around the room, but he couldnt find anyone there. Then he ran to Tangtangs room hurriedly and found Tangtang was sleeping on Baozis bed. Both of them slept sweatu. Seeing this, Liu Tong breathed a sigh of relief. He went to the room to find a cattail fan and fanned them. Seeing that the two children were about to wake up, Liu Tong stopped. Tangtang woke up first. Before he was fully awake, he called Daddy and got out of bed. It was so hot, being woken up by Tangtang, Baozi was about to cry. Liu Tong quickly fanned him again and said to Tangtang, Tangtang, look after Baozi and wash his face. Ill go to see your Dad first. He has fainted. Liu Tong was calm when he said this. He left after speaking, before Tangtang could even ask him why Dad fainted. Liu Tong did not know what was going on with him. He was not worried when he saw Ran fainting. He couldn t believe that he could say these words in such a calm voice. But this was just the idea of not stepping into the house. After entering, another kind of feeling emerged in his heart. Seeing Xu Ran lying quietly on the bed, motionless,Liu Tongs heart ached greatly. Suddenly a strange thought came into his mind that Ran would probably sleep forever and never wake up. This thought shocked Liu Tong, he jumped to the bedside and kept calling Xu Rans name. Gao Quan, who had just come in from outside, was shocked by Liu Tong. He hesitated for a long time before saying, Second Young Master, Xu Ran is fine. Hes just in the sun for too long and has got heatstroke. Shao Yu has gone to ask a doctor and Second Young Master will wake up soon. Gao Quan also had some medical skills. He had just checked for Xu Ran and made sure that he was not serious, so he dared to tell Liu Tong that Xu Ran was just basked for too long. Hearing what Gao Quan said, Liu Tong understood. Looking at Xu Rans red face, he realized that what Gao Quan said was true and stopped shouting. Seeing the water brought by Gao Quan, Liu Tong stood up and said, Gao Quan, wipe Ran first. Ill go to the kitchen to get some food. Tangtang hasnt even eaten lunch yet. Gao Quan nodded and watched Liu Tong walk out. The new article Wine Brewing Life of Metamorphosis has been published, asking for attention, asking for attention. Chapter 289 In a place where no one was around, Liu Tong sniffed a few times and then got up to work. Tangtang heard Liu Tong say that Xu Ran fainted. After washing his face and Baozis, he rushed to Xu Rans room with Baozi and saw that Gao Quan was wiping Xu Rans sweat. Tangtang went to get a cattail leaf fan and asked Baozi to fan for Xu Ran. He was about to ask for a doctor himself, but when he reached the door, he was stopped by Gao Quan. Tangtang, your uncle Shao Yu had gone for the doctor. Just go and take a look at the door. They should be back soon. Tangtang nodded and ran out of the door. Baozi asked Gao Quan while fanning for Xu Ran with the cattail leaf fan, Uncle Gao Quan, whats wrong with Dad? Why did he faint? Gao Quan shook his head and said. I dont know either. He was in the yard when we came back. Did anything happen today? Baozi thought about it seriously and then said to Gao Quan, I dont know either. I only know that my two brothers went out to ride in the morning. Dad went to pick them up in the afternoon, but only the eldest brother came back and the second brother did not. Dad said that the second brother went out to work and would have to come back in a few days. Uncle Gao Quan, what do you think my second brother is going to do? Gao Quan was silent after hearing Baozis words. He knew that Tangtang and Guoguo would go out for at least a few laps every month,all around themilitary camp. Baozi said that Tangtang was brought back by Xu Ran, and that he was the only one who came back. When he thought about Xu Ran and Liu Tongs abnormal today, Gao Quan instantly understood what was going on. Gao Quan said to Baozi, I dont know what hes doing there. Baozi pouted unhappily, All right then! Ill ask him myself when he comes back. Okay, Gao Quan said. After the two of them said this, Shao Yu came with the doctor and Tangtang followed behind them. Baozi grabbed Tangtangs shirt tightly with his small hands and stared at the bed nervously. Tangtang patted him and said, Baozi, why dont you go see Daddy in the kitchen? Ill keep an eye on here. Itll be fine. Baozi looked at Tangtang, then at the bed, nodded and walked out of the room. The doctor was quite experienced. He pinched Xu Rans philtrum to wake him up, then he gave Xu Ran some medcine and asked them to boil it for himto drink. He said that there was probably nothing wrong with Xu Ran, except that he had been exposed to the sun for too long. After all, Xu Ran was in good health. Gao Quan sent the doctor away after paying him. Liu Tong had already made the meal and called them to eat. He went to prepare medicine for Xu Ran himself. Gao Quan was going to ask Liu Tongwhat had happened, but didnt get the chance. The night passed in confusion. Although Xu Ran had woken up a few times, he had always felt dizzy. Besides, it was dark outside . So after taking the medicine, he did not wake up until midnight. However, he found that Liu Tong was still wake and was sitting by the table in a daze. Xu Ran got out of bed and walked over to him to pull him to the bedside. Tongtong, its time for bed. Or do you want to be sick like me? You still have to take care of the two children. Tangtang must be very sad and we cant let Baozi know about this. Liu Tong pushed Xu Rans hand away and asked him, Ran, why did they take Guoguo away? Why would they do to him? When can we find Guoguo? Xu Ran could not answer a single question. He could only hold him tightly in his arms. This was just an accident, but this accident might let Guoguo lose his life, let them lose a son, let this family incomplete. It took Liu Tong a long time to go to bed. The person who couldnt sleep this time was Xu Ran. He spent most of the night staring up at the roof. Xu Ran got up at dawn, and his sunstroke were almost cured by the medicine. Xu Ran made his own breakfast and told Gao Quan and Shao Yu to shut down the Red Tower recently and just stay at home. And he took Tangtang to the military camp. Xu Ran knew that what happened yesterday was just the beginning. These barbarians would unleash their armies to attack Yanzhou sooner or later, so they could not give them a chance. As for Lu Qi, he had been busy too. Since yesterdays incident was discovered, he began to call people to patrol around, and to guard against the enemy sneaking into Yanzhou, especially in some remote places. They had to check it very carefully. He didnt expect them to find some problems when they first checked. Some paths and holes have been found in some of the more remote places, and it was obviously artificial. After Lu Qi found it out, he immediately asked someone to fill the holes and cut off the road, and let all those who wanted to sneak in from these places return with nothing. At the same time, he also began to let the soldiers practice, so Xu Ran and the others heard bursts of shouts today. Tangtang explained to Xu Ran, This is the soldiers training. Vice General Luo said before that he would train the soldiers like this when war is about to begin. This is the habit of Yanzhou. Xu Ran nodded and didnt speak again. They were stopped when they reached the entrance of the camp. Fortunately, this person knew Tangtang, then he asked someone to report it after Tangtang explained his purpose directly. The man came out to let them in soon. Lu Qi was now in the main tent of the military camp, which King Yan usually used to use it, but King Yan was not here now, plus there were many things in the tent, so Lu Qi used it without permission. When Xu Ran and the others arrived, Lu Qi was frowning at a yellow map. It was estimated that he had encountered something difficult. Xu Ran no longer had the time to joke around, so he went over and asked him what was wrong. Lu Qi said, I found something yesterday, and Im trying to figure out how to fix it. Hear Lu Qi unclear words, Xu Ran frowned and asked him, What problem? Tell me. Lu Qi said, We found some trails in the mountains, which were made by people. We guess they were made by barbarians. Im thinking about ways to cut off these paths and put an end to future trouble. Xu Ran shook his head disapprovingly, Its better to cut them off temporarily. We can also use these roads to set up traps in there and put some thorns on the road. This can delay a lot of time. Or you can arrange an ambush there, and catch all who want to come along the path. Thorns, Lu Qi muttered softly, then gave the table a sudden clap. It reminds me. There is a special thorn tree in Yanzhou. The thorns on it are very big, and people will be scratched when they touch it. If I get some poison on these thorns, I dont believe that I cant handle these people. Lu Qi seemed to be surprised by his quick-witted thoughts, and his mouth was about to turn into a gully. Xu Ran didnt say that he couldnt do it because he was quite confident in Lu Qis poison. However, this was a huge project that needed to be deployed as soon as possible. Lu Qi immediately called Vice General Luo over and asked him to arrange this thing. After he finished his instructions, Lu Qi asked Xu Ran about their intentions. Xu Ran found a seat to sit down and let Tangtang sit down as well. Then he answered Lu Qi, Here is the thing. I hope you can send some people to guard over the grass. First, they can help find Guoguo, second, you should be wary of barbarians sneaking in. Third, you can also find out the situation of the enemy. Lu Qi nodded. I know all this. Do you have anything else to say? Xu Ran said, The third thing is to prepare for the war. The barbarians slipped in not long after King Yan left, which shows that they want to take over the Yanzhou when King Yan is not around. All of them should come to attack the Yanzhou soon. Lu Qi said, I know all these things too and Im also dealing with it. Xu Ran nodded and said. Since youve already known about it, then I have nothing to say. Remember to ask someone to call me when the war starts. Although I cant fight, I can still think and give some advice. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. All together, we can make a difference. Lu Qi went behind him and patted him on the shoulder. Of course, I wont forget. It is a severe situation this time. Yanzhou really can only rely on you and I. Lu Qi sighed. Apart from going to find Liu Tong, it was the first time he had taken on such a heavy responsibility. Xu Ran didnt think much of it. Things hadnt happened yet. Everything is just a precaution Other than worrying about Guoguo, he didnt worry much anything else. Xu Ran left Tangtang in the camp and asked him to get trained with the soldiers. He knew that Tangtang had some thoughts in his heart, mostly guilt . When the barbarian came over, he must have wanted to go to the battlefield. Xu Ran didnt want to stop him, as long as he could come back safely. Tangtang was very moved by Xu Rans actions. Even if he didnt say anything, Dad knew what he was thinking. Tangtang stayed in the camp because of Xu Rans words. After leaving the military camp, Xu Ran didnt go home directly. Instead, he went to the mansion to pick up someone. Right now, there were only Xiao Qingyun and his two children, and Du Xin in the mansion. Xu Ran planned to take them to his own home to ensure their safety. Xiao Qingyun didnt object because even if he didnt do it for himself, he would agree to it for the sake of his two children and the King Yan residence. Only Du Xin did not agree, and he gave a very good reason that someone must stay here to make the decision. Du Xins words were quite reasonable. It certainly wouldnt work if there was no master in such a large mansion., but even if Du Xin was left alone in the mansion, Xu Ran was still worried. It could be a disaster if he was not able to perform at crunch time. After thinking about it, Xu Ran decided to stay in the mansion himself until the thing was over. With Gao Quan at home, plus King Yans secret guards, it should be OK. Xu Ran told them his thoughts and no one else objected. In this situation, as a man, he naturally had to take on more responsibilities. Liu Tong repeatedly said one thing, that is to be safe. Xu Ran knew that Liu Tong was frightened. He naturally agreed to this request, and no one would want to get hurt. So Xu Ran stayed in King Yans residence. Chapter 290 On the fifth day after Guoguos accident, Xu Ran was called to the military camp by the people sent by Lu Qi. It was so urgent that there was no time for him to go home and explain. Fortunately, since Du Xin knew about this, Xu Ran entrusted him to take a message to his family. There was only one reason that Lu Qi called Xu Ran here in such a hurry. That is, the Barbarians came to attack Yanzhou. 30 Miles away from the military camp of Yanzhou, there stationed 50,000 enemy soldiers, the same number as the army of Yanzhou. This was a very serious matter. The masses of Yanzhou were still not aware of the presence of the army, and Lu Qi does not want too many people to get the news of it for the time being, because once all people know about it, it would cause panic. Although he was a Master, he was not the master of Yanzhou after all. As for Xu Ran, needless to say, in ordinary times, people might be willing to listen to him. However, who would take him seriously in such an important juncture of life and death? After the two discussed, they unanimously agreed that they should not let the matter spread out first. They would not release the news until they couldnt hide it any loner. It would be best to defeat the enemy troops before the masses had found it. This was also the purpose of Lu Qi looking for Xu RanCto discuss with him. In fact, it was not easy to deal with now, because it was not clear what the Barbarian was up to at all. They could only rely on their own judgement, and they had to be wary of being attacked. Lu Qi said to Xu Ran, According to the report of the scout, the Barbarian Army seem to be waiting for something, so they stay put. What were they waiting for? Xu Ran stroked his head and started to think what could be used by barbarians to threaten them. After thinking about it for a while, Xu Ran came to two conclusions. One was Xiao Qingyun, the husband of King Yan. Second, the Barbarian were preparing to sneak attack. After thinking about these two points, Xu Ran said to Lu Qi, First, immediately send someone to ambush beside those paths and places with caves. Maybe there would be some unexpected gains. As for the second thing, send a few people with good kung fu to guard the Prince Palace, where Du Xin was alone now. You have to send people to protect him. Lu Qi narrowed his eyes and said, I see. I will arrange it, but you have to do me a favor. Yanzhou has not experienced wars for more that one year. Im worried that there will be spies in the military camp, so help me find them out. The problem of spies was serious. Many people ended up being ruined by their own people, so they had to keep alert. In terms of helping to find spies, Xu Ran had no experience at all. After all, he had never been a detective in the past. However, as he was an outsider to the military camp, he might accidentally detect something. Hence Xu Ran nodded assent. Xu Ran stayed in the military camp and asked someone to bring a letter to Liu Tong to let them rest assured. Then he entrusted other things to Lu Qi, and his daily affairs were nothing but wandering around idly. At the beginning, the people in the military camp did not know him, but Xu Ran was so talkative that he soon familiarized himself with the people and the surroundings. The suspicious people and things were not discovered. On the contrary, the people sent by Lu Qi had a harvest. Nothing happened to King Yans residence. After all, King Yans residence was on the main street, and was secure with the armed guards, it was not easy to sneak into the Residence without being noticed. Their ambush around the paths was quite rewarding.The Barbarian, being either too confident or out of some other reasons, without sending anyone to investigate again in advance, directly sent soldiers over. As a result, they were annihilated by the ambushing Yanzhou soldiers. This was indeed worth celebrating. but after gathering his wits together, Xu Ran felt that something was wrong, because the enemy soldiers were detected in several places at the same time, but not one alive was left among so many people. Maybe the soldiers at the bottom were kept in the dark, but would the generals not know? But this happened so coincidentally, not one alive being left. There was not too much coincidence in the world, but too many people with ulterior motives. It only took a little thought to understand that someone must have done something. Xu Ran found Lu Qi and told him his guess, letting Lu Qi find out who gave the order. Lu Qi said, I can be sure that this is definitely not me, and among the ones who are aware of the matter and have the right to make these people obey, there is only one person leftC that is deputy general Luo. Lu Qi and Xu Ran looked at each other. They didnt expect that the deputy general Luo would actually be related to the spy, and it was very likely that he was one. If deputy general Luo was really a spy, then things would probably be serious. Putting aside the fact that he knew the militarys strength, he was also aware of many other arrangements. With a sour face, Lu Qi said to Xu Ran, Deputy general Luo is one of the most trusted generals of the prince. Apart from the matter of Second Master, he basically knows everything else. In this case, many of their arrangements had to be changed. Judged from the current situation, this person has not planned to be exposed for the time being, otherwise the Barbarian would not lose so many soldiers. Xu Ran thought about it and said to Lu Qi, Its best that this person is not deputy general Luo. If it is really him, we must finish him off as soon as possible. Find someone to find out who issued this order. We will make plans after we confirm it. Lu Qi frowned. Its really difficult for me to confirm this. You know my status. Once I give this order, that person will probably notice it. Its better for you to go. Xu Ran thought it was right. As soon as Lu Qi inquired about it, the people below would probably start to be nervous. Furthermore, it would disturb the military morale. It was better for him to go. Anyway, he was quite familiar with the people below. A random joke would bring out the question, without causing suspicion. After making up his mind, Xu Ran went out to work. As soon as he left, the deputy general Luo came in. As soon as he saw Lu Qi, he asked, Dont Master think this is weird? Lu Qi was slightly stunned, and immediately understood what he was saying, but he didnt show in his face at all. He asked, What weird thing is deputy general Luo talking about? Did something happen in the army? Deputy general Luo stepped forward to Lu Qi. He looked at him and said, Nothing happened in the army. It is about people who went out to ambush. There are so many enemy soldiers, yet not one alive was left. Dont Master think this is weird? Seeing the serious expression on the deputy general Luos face, Lu Qi almost wanted to help deputy general Luo clear his suspicion in his heart, but soon this idea was abandoned by him, because he felt that this was very likely another trap of deputy General Luo. Lu Qi frowned and responded to him. Yes, I also think this is quite strange. None of the people who came back mentioned how these people died and they never told me why not one alive was left. Do you know the reason for that? Lu Qi tossed the question back and looked at deputy general Luo with a meaningful expression. Deputy general Luo said to Lu Qi, I think its weird, so I asked these people before I came. They said that someone gave them an order. I personally mobilized these people, but I have never issued such an order. Didnt Master think there is something fishy about this? Lu Qi looked at deputy general Luo and saw that he had a serious expression on his face. His words did not sound fake at all. For an instant, he could not tell whether he was lying or not. Lu Qi was silent for a while and asked deputy general Luo, Deputy general Luo, did you know who gave the order? Who else in this camp could make them so obedient besides you and me? Lu Qi did not expect that deputy general Luo would give him the most unexpected name of all. He was referring to Xu Qing, which was Tangtangs name. Lu Qis face was full of disbelief, which seemed to stimulate deputy general Luo, who began to talk about Tangtangs abnormal behavior. He said that he felt that it was abnormal since the two entered the military camp last year. Moreover, the sneak assault of the Barbarians happened when the two were there. Between them, one was missing, and the other came back intact, which was quite weird, wasnt it? Deputy general Luos tone was very certain, and he even used reasonable evidence. After hearing him talk so much, Lu Qi understood what deputy general Luo intended to doC to get Tangtang out of the military camp, or to hand him over to the Barbarians directly. However this was definitely not deputy general Luos ultimate goal. The person he feared should be Xu Ran. Lu Qi narrowed his eyes and said to himself that this deputy general Luo had been quite observant. Before Xu Ran had done anything, he already set his eyes on him. Lu Qi thought that if deputy general Luo did not come to tell him this, he might not be so sure that Luo was a spy. After all, Luo had been following King Yan for many years, and he did not want to suspect his own fellows. However, he spoke ill of Tangtang in front of him. As to what kind of person Tangtang was and what his relationship with King Yan was, Lu Qi knew better than anyone else. Lu Qi was also a little glad that King Yan didnt tell deputy general Luo about the matter of Second Master. Lu Qi said to deputy general Luo, Since you suspect Xu Qing so much, then the investigation of this matter will be in your charge, but you have to remember one thingCyou must not let this matter disturb the military morale. As long as something is up, you are the one to blame. You also know that Prince have entrusted the matters of Yanzhou to me. The expression on the face of deputy general Luo changed again and again. He seemed to be very dissatisfied with what Lu Qi said at last, and his tone was very stiff when he responded. Deputy general Luo might feel a little uncomfortable, so he didnt say anything else and left. After deputy general Luo left, Lu Qi was going to return to the main seat. Then he saw Xu Ran come in, who looked at Lu Qi with a serious expression, I know who the spy is. Lu Qi looked shocked and quickly asked, Who is it? Xu Ran said, There are more than one spy, and the two spies dont know each other. Lu Qi asked, One is deputy general Luo, then who is the other one? Xu Ran said, Someone around deputy general Luo. I just went to ask the several heads who had led the soldiers out. They said that they were told to do so by the people around deputy general Luo. At that time, they even refuted and felt that it was unreasonable, and that person was very hard line. He said that this was the order of deputy general Luo, who instructed that they must carry it out, but in fact, it was not what deputy general Luo said. Lu Qi smiled after hearing this. These spies even worked unanimously. Then, his eyes turned cold and said, Then lets finish them off together! Xu Ran spread his hands, indicating that he had no objection at all. Chapter 291 The barbarians, having suffered a loss in the sneak attack, were finally ready to formally confront the Yanzhou army. It was also exactly what Xu Ran and the rest wanted because it would affect their morale if it was delayed too much. In the past, it was Vice General Luo who led the army, but now they suspected that he was a spy, so naturally it couldnt be him. Lu Qi finally decided to lead the troops to the war personally, and then he would leave other things to Xu Ran, while Vice General Luos task was to watch Tangtang who was thought to be abnormal. Tangtang didnt care at all about someone following him, and he would still do what he wanted. He was going to the war, but Xu Ran left him behindd. Tangtang, not everyone is cut out to charge from the front. Command from the rear is also important. Take you and Guoguo, he belongs to the former, but you are the latter. Do you understand what I mean? How could Tangtang not understand what Xu Ran said? He didnt really want to go to the battlefield, he was just angry and upset because of Guoguos incident, and he wanted to kill a few barbarians. Tangtang saw Vice General Luo, who had been staring at him, and thought for a moment and agreed to Xu Rans request. He accompanied him to watch from behind. He was worried that Vice General Luo would do something after he went to the battlefield, so he would wait until Vice General Luo was disposed of. Vice General Luo did not participate in the deployment of the operation, so he did not know what the situation was. It was only when Lu Qi said that he was going to go to the battlefield personally that he became anxious. He had talked to Lu Qi for a long time butt he could not make Lu Qi change his mind. He knew Lu Qi well, and he knew that Lu Qi was not only good at kung fu, but also very smart and his medical skill was excellent. The most importantly, he was also very good with poison. Therefore, Vice General Luo had been uneasy after the war was started. Xu Ran and Tangtang understood the reason, but they pretended not to see his performance and went about their business. Though the barbarians were said to have an army of fifty thousand, it was absolutely not so many. Similarly, Lu Qi brought only 20,000 troops with him. Standing on top, one could see the unspeakable scene below. There were roars, the sounds of knives and swords colliding, and the sounds of drums. Xu Ran remembered that there were a lot of drums in the military camp. He would definitely not want his own people to lose. The battle below was intense. Xu Ran suddenly thought of an idea, and he asked his men to move out all the big drums in the military camp and started to beat them. The drums rang and became louder and more regularly. One after another, it was transmitted from the high slope to the battlefield below. The sound of the drums buoyed the morale. Lu Qi shouted again and rushed into the crowd. With the leader, the rest would naturally be influenced, and then followed up. With morale came fighting power. What happened in come very naturally was that this battle would be unusually intense. In addition to paying attention to the battlefield below, Xu Ran also had to pay attention to whether there were any sneak attacks. More importantly, he had to be wary of spies collaborating from within with forces from outside to fight them back. At this point, Xu Ran felt that he had to worry about a lot of things. Also, seeing such a real battlefield for the first time, he found it hard to accept. After all, he was a person who liked peace in heart. However, he couldnt delay other important things for this small matter. The war was over after Xu Ran sent twenty thousand soldiers out for the second time. The damage was very severe. Out of twenty thousand, only ten thousand people were still alive. Three thousand of them were seriously wounded, six thousand were slightly wounded, and only one thousand were left intact. It was a terrible battle. However, relatively speaking, the barbarians were even more miserable. Out of every three corpses lying on the ground, two were barbarians. The only word that could be used to sum up this battle was that it is so destructive. This was true on both sides. But it didnt end there, and the big show was yet to come. This was just the beginning. Xu Ran mobilized more soldiers to patrol, demanding that they could not let go of any corner. The rest had to be on the lookout for a sneak attack. After discussing with Lu Qi, Xu Ran decided to dispose of Vice General Luo and his subordinates as soon as possible, so as not to cause trouble. However, there was no conclusive evidence. So Xu Ran decided that they would deliberately perform a sneak attack. But just as they were preparing, Tangtang caught Vice General Luo on the wrong foot, a letter addressed to the barbarians. The contents of the letter stated the previous deployment of the Yanzhou government army, the current strength, and the lossed in this war. It also mentioned Xu Ran and Tangtang, and he asked the barbariansto be watch out for them. Xu Ran smiled after reading it. Watch out for them? Tangtang could be the one who they should be watch out for, but he was just a weak scholar who did not look strong at all. Why should they watch out for him? However, none of these were important. The most important thing was that the letter had stopped before it had even been sent out. Not only did they have a reason to dispose of Vice General Luo, but they could also send a false message and played a trick on the barbarians. Xu Ran handed the Vice General Luo to Lu Qi to deal with him. He started writing the letter and posted it in the same way Vice General Luo had done before. Vice General Luo did not expect that he would be discovered. After all, he had already reached the position of vice general. Without Lu Qi, he would have the most authority here. Therefore, what he wanted to do would not be discovered by others. He blamed Lu Qi for appearing halfway. Not to mention Xu Ran, who suddenly appeared and disrupted his whole plan. Vice General Luo hate Xu Ran and Lu Qi so much that they couldnt get anything out of him. Lu Qi was worried that something would happen if he stayed alive, so he simply gave him a poison and put him to rest. As for King Yan, he could explain to him after he came back. After Vice General Luo had been disposed of, they would have no fear of attacks from behind. Even if there were some spies in the people below, their influence was certainly not as great as Vice General Luo and they would not be able to get any useful news. Xu Ran called Tangtang over and said to him, You will be in command of the next war and revenge for Guoguo. In addition, I will ask Lu Qi to take some people to give them a sneak attack on their stationed place and try to get it done at once. If the fighting goes on like this, the people will know it by then. Tangtang was a little hesitant when he heard Xu Ran ask him to command, Dad, do you really want me to command? Ive never done it before. Xu Ran waved his hand and said to him, Everything came from the first time. Besides, I have taught you a lot, some of which must could be used. You have to trust yourself. Looking at Xu Rans determined eyes, Tangtang nodded subconsciously. Xu Ran nodded with satisfaction and went to find Lu Qi. After arriving at the main tent, Xu Ran didnt have time to speak when someone rushed in from outside and said. Military counsellor, abnormality was found in the meadow. Lu Qis face was cold and he asked, Whats abnormal? The man knelt on the ground and said to Lu Qi in a low voice, To my military counsellor, the soldiers guarding the grass said that they have found more than a hundred dead bodies, dressed in barbarian clothes, and now their bodies are starting to rot. Lu Qi glanced at Xu Ran and thought back to what Tangtang had told him at that time. The people he and Guoguo met at the time were about a hundred people too. There was no difference with the place and number of people. Lu Qi suspected that they were probably the group of people at that time. It was just that he didnt know if Guoguo was in this group. Lu Qi said to the person kneeling on the ground, Get up first! Wait outside the tent. Ill go and take a look with you later. Yes! After the man said this, he got up and left the tent. Xu Ran asked Lu Qi, What did you think of? Lu Qi said, I suspect that these people are the ones who intercepted Tangtang and Guoguo at the time. Because they disappeared too quickly, I have always had doubts. It would made sense now if their bodies were found. Yuo call Tangtang, lets go and see whats going on. Xu Ran nodded, but he didnt feel anything wrong. He thought Guoguo should not be among these bodies. Xu Ran called Tangtang over and followed Lu Qi to the grass. From afar, they could smell a huge stench, and it was the smell of the corpse. Its normal to smell in such hot weather. The person who came to report wasnt wrong. The bodies were indeed rotten and there were even maggots squirming above it. It was sickening to watch. It seemed like they had been dead for quite a while. It had been quite a while since the day of Guoguos accident. If they died that day, everything would make sense. Although the bodies were rotting, thir appearance and clothes could still be told. Xu Ran asked Tangtang to see it. Tangtang made several circles around the rows of dead bodies, then he nodded and said, Dad, Uncle Lu, these are the barbarians Guoguo and I met the other day. But how did they die? Lu Qi turned to ask the person beside him, Where were these bodies found, and by whom? The person was supposed to be a little captain or something. He pointed to the direction of the grass for Lu Qi, and said, To military counsellor, they were found in a pit in the middle of the grass. The smell has been spreading to the cows and sheep lately. We didnt care it because the taste was not too strong at first, but it was getting stronger and stronger. We felt that something was wrong so we looked around. We didnt expect to find so many bodies in a pit, so we took all the bodies out. A pit? Tangtang thought of the pit he saw at the time. He was still wondering why there was a pit in the grass, but the pit was very deep and he didnt look carefully. So he didnt know what was in there. Tangtang looked at all the bodies and confirmed that there was no Guoguo. Then he sighed. He didnt know if he should be glad or disappointed. He couldnt find Guoguo, not even his body. Chapter 292 The corpse still had to be buried, because it might cause some problems due to the hot weather. It was better to bury it. They just needed to dig a big hole. Lu Qi asked his men to do it, then he went to see the big pit with Xu Ran and Tangtang. Tangtang pointed to the pit and said, Ive seen this pit before, but I didnt look at what was inside. And I find it strange that this pit doesnt look big, why can it accommodate so many peoples bodies? The other thing is why did these people fall into the pit for no reason? There was a silence when Tangtang finished speaking. Xu Ran and Lu Qi stared at the pit and looked down. It was still very stink and the places they could see were limited. They could vaguely see some scattered weapons below, even the weapons were there, and these people didnt seem to have been killed. Then they might actually fall into it. Did they just fall down and not climb up? There were still so many people. Tangtang and the others came back very soon and did not hear anything. The more he thought about it, the more strange this question seemed. Tangtang touched his chin and tried hard to think about the suspicious part of that time, but he didnt find anything wrong. The three of them looked at it for a long time and didnt see anything. Xu Ran shook his head and said, This is a good thing. At least Guoguo is not in this place. That means Guoguo probably escaped on his own. Didnt Tangtang say he was injured? He will go home after hes healed. Lu Qi nodded in agreement, Youre right, but Ill still have people watch around here and see if we will find anything strange. Xu Ran said that he had no objections, and he just stared at the pit with a thoughtful expression. However, these corpse were just a small episode in their current situation. The most important thing was to repel the barbarians back to their hometown. Xu Ran thought that they should take the initiative to attack. After all, the longer they delayed, the more beneficial it was for the barbarians. Lu Qi thought about it carefully and agreed. In addition to Tangtang, the three of them studied the combat plan in the tent for the whole night. The next day, they asked all the soldiers to rest for a day to prepare for the war. On the third day, in front of thousands of people, Lu Qi told Tangtang to command the battle, which got many objections. The reason was simple. Why should they be commanded by a fifteen-year-old boy who had never been on the battlefield? Let alone it was when life and death were at stake. Xu ran had already considered these problems and was ready to say what he should say, but he didnt say anything. Instead, he turned his eyes to Tangtang. Lu Qi also understood Xu Rans thoughts and did not mean to help him. He just looked at Tangtang like Xu Ran. Tangtang looked at the two of them helplessly. They were always unreliable at a critical moment and threw him out as a child. But there was nothing he could do. It would not work out if he did noy say anything. After all, he really wanted to go to the battlefield. He still remembered what Guoguo told him. One day, he would become the most famous general in Great Xia. However, no one knew he was still alive now. And he was Guoguos brother, which was enough for him. Tangtang took two steps forward and greeted everyone first, then he said, Hello all my soldiers, my name is Xu Qing. Last year, I came to the military camp fora year of training with my brother, and we are twins. I know that you dont agree with the words of the military counsellor. I can understand your feelings, because when youre in battle, a word from me can kill all of you. But I dont know if you remember the feeling of your first time on the battlefield. Do you think your legs are soft and you will faint when you see blood? And then some people died, some people are still alive. Everyone who came back felt lucky, with a sense of survival. But you have been accustomed to it after so many times. You dont even care about life or death anymore because your responsibilities are still firmly in your mind. But I am different from you. You are responsible for the lives of millions of people behind you, but Im responsible for your lives. I have no experience and I have no qualifications to say so. Because I havent even been on the battlefield yet. Compared to you, I am really too far behind. And as I stand here, the only confidence I have is what my dad has taught me over the years, even if I havent fully learned it, I will do everything I can to get you back. The real victory in a war is not how many people are killed to win it, but how many people come back after winning it. There is nothing more important than life. After Tangtang said this, he did not speak again. Although there was still a lot more to say, but he didnt want to say it, because he knew that was all he could promise. And what these people cared about was perhaps to run away from the enemy and suriveve and go home. There was silence and no one said a word, and Xu Ran couldnt bear it and said helplessly. And here I am. When you first went to the battlefield, your legs must have been trembling. But as youve done it more and more, you would naturally feel differently. I believe him because he is the child I personally taught. Its impossible for my son to know nothing for more than ten years of learning. More importantly, its still unknown if my other son is alive or dead. At the end of the sentence, Xu Rans tone became cold, as if he was extremely dissatisfied. Lu Qi also followed and said a few good words about Tangtang. They actually agreed to let Tangtang take command this time. Although Tangtang was not very good at Kung Fu, his brain worked faster than Xu Rans. It was just that he didnt like to fight. After the soldiers nodded, there was a long-lost smile on Tangtangs face. After Guoguos accident, Xu Ran had never seen him smile again. According to the plan that had been set up long ago, Tangtang led his troops out, and Lu Qi led his men to give the enemy a sneak attack, and Xu Ran stayed in the station to cooperate with them. Xu Ran watched Tangtang changed his armor and rode the horse to the front. He didnt bring many people. Tangtang said that the tactic he was going to use this time was called lure the enemy away from his base. Most people were with Lu Qi, and he was still the main force this time. Although Tangtang was the commander. Xu Ran didnt look at the battle below like the last time. He just walked around the military camp with his hands behind his back. He trusted Tangtang, but he was worried about him at the same time. It was his son, whom he had raised for ten years. However, he couldnt reveal his concern. He was the one who let him go and asked him to persuad other people in public. Now that he was on the battlefield, he started to worry again, which was a little ridiculous. There was nothing in the military camp and it was quiet. Xu Ran kept his daily routines and he would go for a stroll when he was free. He waited from morning to evening until his son came back. At the same time, there was a bright light from the enemys camp on the other side. And behind Tangtang, there was the man he took out. There were about a hundred of them when they left, and there were still more than ninety of them now. Some of them had wounds on their faces, some of them had wounds on their bodies, but they all had one thing in common. They all came back alive. Xu Ran didnt know what Tangtang had done but he could clearly see the admiration of the people behind him. At that moment, Xu Ran knew that he was right. He made the right bet on his son. Not long after, Lu Qi came back with a large force. The first thing he said when he saw Xu Ran was to let him lay out a feast to celebrate. Everyone was smiling but Xu Ran didnt agree to Lu Qis request. He said, Lets not celebrate yet. We can wait until you we sure that the barbarians are really leaving. Although the fire has burned their camp, there is no guarantee that there will be no fish that escapes from the net, we should be careful. Hearing Xu Rans words, Lu Qi calmed down. He was really overexcited just now. Xu Rans words were not unreasonable. Although the fire was still burning, they were not sure how many people were inside. Not to mention that it was not certain if there were any spies in the military camp. They could not be plotted at the last moment. When they heard that they couldnt celebrate, the soldiers were disappointed and sighed. Xu Ran laughed and said, Although there is no wine, there are definitely plenty of good dishes and good meat. You soldiers have worked hard, so you can go back and havee a rest. Later, when the food is ready, I will call you out. Although there was no alcohol, it was not bad to have meat and vegetables. The men were not dissatisfied, so they went back. After everyone left, Xu Ran went into the tent with Tangtang and Lu Qi. Xu Ran started to look at Tangtang seriously. Tangtang shook his head at Xu Ran. Dad, Im fine. Dont worry! After Xu Ran confirmed that he was really fine, he let out a long sigh. Lu Qi was looking at them bitterly, wondering why he didnt have such a good son? Well, he also didnt have a nice father like Xu Ran. Youre the one who said you wanted your son to go to war. Why are you worried now?Lu Qi held his arms and looked jealous. Xu Ran rolled his eyes at him. People like you who dont have a son will not understand. These words made Lu Qi feel like he was seriously injured. Tangtang watched them bickering and smiled unconsciously. This was the kind of life he wanted. His family was safe and peaceful, and they could chat when they were free. There was no need to worry about how to make a living. Everything was fine. Tangtang said silently to herself, Guoguo, come back! I miss you. If I would feel guilty for the rest of my life, and you wouldnt want me to feel so, would you? Chapter 293 It could be said that they had all the luck this time. They had waited for three days but the barbarians hadnt appeared again. The tents those barbarians had pitched were all burned to ashes and there were many charred corpses on the ground. Xu Ran was somewhat relieved to this situation. It had been a long time since he and Tangtang had gone home, so Xu Ran asked Lu Qi to supervise the army in the camp while he went home with Tangtang. Hardly had the two, who were anxious to return, gone out of the camp than they bumped into someone unexpected, Liu Tong. Xu Ran hid his excitement, walked up to Liu Tong and asked, Why are you here? Tangtang and I are going home today. Seeing Xu Ran, Liu Tong gave a long-lost smile and answered, I missed you guys, so I came over to see you. Baozi has been nagging every day. He wanted Daddy to take Dad and his brother home. Hearing Liu Tong, Xu Ran was flooded over by his yearning for his family welling up from the bottom of his heart. He wished he could take Liu Tong in his arms now and rub him into his skin. However, they were in the camp. To his disappointment, Xu Ran could only think about it. The two had talked for a while before Tangtang finally walked over to them. Daddy. Liu Tong took Tangtangs hand and looked at him very carefully. After a while, he said, You look tanned. Tangtang and Xu Ran cast up their eyes to heaven at the same time. It was so hot, and they had been under the sun every day, so how could they not have got tanned? However, Tangtang didnt dare to say that. Instead, he said to Liu Tong, Daddy, lets go back first! I miss home, as well as Baozi. Liu Tong nodded immediately. Alright, were going back now, right now. He sounded urgent. However, neither Xu Ran nor Tangtang was used to this kind of feeling. The father and son exchanged glances. Both of them could see the worry in each others eyes: Liu Tong was affected by Guoguos accident. But Xu Ran looked back when he mounted his horse. Even if they dug deep, Guoguo was still nowhere to be found. Even Lu Qi had said that back when he had raided the battalion commander in the barbarians camp, he had also asked someone to look for Guoguo, but failed. It had been almost a month since Guoguo had gone missing. Hope had withered away bit by bit. Liu Tong and Tangtang walked ahead. Liu Tong had been asking Tangtang and Xu Ran about the military camp, and Tangtang chose and told some stories that wouldnt make Liu Tong anxious. Tangtang also deliberately left out the part where he had led troops and gone out to battle because he didnt want to worry Liu Tong, even if he had returned safely. These children had never lied to their Dad and Daddy, so Liu Tong believed Tangtangs words without a shadow of doubt. In the end, Liu Tong even added, If your brother were here, he could have gone to the front too. Daddy Tangtang called gently and didnt know what to answer. Liu Tong wiped his face and said, Its fine. Im just missing him. I wonder how hes going and when he will come back. Liu Tongs each word was filled with his yearning for Guoguo, and Tangtang didnt know how to answer him even more. His eyes shifted to Xu Ran, who was walking behind them, for help. Although Xu Ran had been absent-minded all the time, he had still been following the conversation between Tangtang and Liu Tong, so he knew roughly what they were talking about. Xu Ran spurred the horse, raced up to Liu Tongs side and asked him about the situation at home, Tongtong, hows everything going when Tangtang and I havent been at home these days? Liu Tong stopped thinking about Guoguo anymore and started to tell Xu Ran what had happened in the family, including the mistakes Baozis had made these days and what he had learned. Liu Tong spelt it out. A smile had been hanging on Xu Rans lips. How wonderful it felt to ride with someone you loved while listening to him whispering. Tangtang followed behind them on purpose and stared at them. One was speaking while the other was listening, but Tangtang didnt know whether they were smiling or not. When arriving at home, Xu Ran and Tangtang were welcomed by Baozi with open arms. After that, they were greeted with blame. Baozi pouted and asked them why it had taken them so long to come home, and why they had left without telling him. Baozi was very unhappy about it. Xu Ran took Baozi in his arms and coaxed him for a while, and was finally forgiven by Baozi. Then Xu Ran left Baozi with Tangtang and asked him to cheer Baozi up. Xiao Qingyun and the others had returned to the Kings Mansion three days ago. Since King Yan was not at home, he was in charge of the mansion. The Kings Mansion couldnt be left alone with no master for a long time. Therefore, after receiving the news that the barbarians had been beaten off, Xiao Qingyun had taken his two children home. Fortunately enough, since Yanzhou had quite a unique terrain, the military camp was out of town, so ordinary people would not visit there. Therefore, few in Yanzhou knew about the battle. Of course, it was also possible that some had already learned of it, but that would not be a problem if no one talked about it. Because Lu Qi did not send them any more news, neither Xu Ran nor Tangtang visited the camp again. Red Mansion opened as usual. Xu Ran would do the storytelling from time to time, look after the restaurant, or keep company with Liu Tong at home. Life was simple but happy. The only thing was that, one of their children hadnt come home yet. Soon it was September. The autumn imperial examination, which happened every three years, was coming, but Tangtang refused to take the examination at this point, because he didnt want to go to the exam alone. Instead, he wanted to wait for Guoguo to come back. Xu Ran had never blown up at Tangtang during his growth, but this time he was really angry. He even ignored the fact that the presence of Liu Tong and the others would embarrass Tangtang. What have you learned from what Ive taught you in so many years? Didnt I raise you better? If your Dad, I, died some day, would you end your life as well? Ran! When Xu Ran finished his words and before Tangtang could speak, Liu Tong called out to Xu Ran. Xu Ran turned and saw Liu Tong staring at him seriously. Ran, dont use bad words! Seeing Liu Tongs serious face and his frown, Xu Ran didnt react for a moment. He just said something ominous in a fit of anger, but why would Tongtong care so much? However, Xu Ran realized what was going on soon. He pursed his lips and apologized to Liu Tong, Tongtong, Im sorry. I wont say those words again. Tangtang did not expect things to turn out like this either. In his opinion, he was still young. He was only 15 years old, and could wait for another three years. He wanted to take the exam with Guoguo when he came back. After all, they had been doing the same thing since they had been in Liu Tongs womb, so naturally he would take the autumn imperial examination, which was such an important event, together with Guoguo. However, Tangtang was frightened by Xu Rans outburst of anger. He dropped his head immediately. Later, since Liu Tong blamed Xu Ran and the latter apologized, Tangtang dared not look up even more. Xu Ran also realized that it wouldnt work if he educated Tangtang in front of everyone, so he simply drove Liu Tong and the others out. Liu Tong was unwilling to go out because he was worried that Xu Ran would say something bad again. It was when Xu Ran reassured him repeatedly that Liu Tong reluctantly agreed to wait for them at the door. When only Xu Ran and Tangtang were left in the room, Xu Rans face darkened again. Sit down. Lets have a good talk. Whats wrong with my education on earth? Hearing Xu Ran, Tangtang sat opposite him but still kept his head down without looking at him. Xu Ran was dissatisfied. Raise your head. Ive said that you have to stay upright no matter youre right or wrong. Look at me. Unconsciously, there was some hostility in Xu Rans voice. He had not flown into a rage in a long time, but it didnt occur to him that he would vent his anger on Tangtang. Hearing Xu Ran, Tangtang puckered his lips and looked up at Xu Ran. Xu Ran said, I know I should forgive you because we feel the same. Guoguo is my son, so my love for him is not any weaker than yours. Besides, he also bears my anticipation. Ive built up all the things Ive wanted to do but failed to do with you twins. It never occurred to us that such things would happen to you guys. Since Guoguos whereabout is a mystery now, his dream, my and your Daddys dream, everything has been moved on to your shoulders, but you should have said that. Youve really failed me. Tangtang didnt answer and remained silent because he didnt know what to say. He still remembered when Daddy had called Tangtang and Guoguo habitually for once and then become disappointed when he had turned around to see Tangtang alone. Tangtang knew that he shouldnt let Dad and Daddy down because he was not only Guoguos brother, but also Dad and Daddys son. Just as Dad said, he was the hope of his family. Tangtang closed his eyes silently and started to reflect whether his decision was right or not. Xu Ran also felt that he might have given Tangtang too much pressure, so he changed the strategy and began to guide him with tactful words. He mentioned his own goals, the twins hopes, as well as Liu Tongs expectations. Each word cut deep into Tangtangs heart. Before Xu Ran could finish his words, Tangtang stood up suddenly and said to Xu Ran, Dad, say no more. Ill take the autumn exam, along with Guoguos expectation. Xu Ran looked at Tangtang and nodded when he saw that Tangtang seemed not to be joking. Tangtang, youre already 15 now. Ill just put it straight. If Guoguo could never come back, you would be the hope of this family. Baozi is a Geer and has been spoiled by me for years, so I dont expect him to achieve anything. I just hope that he will be safe and sound. As for your Daddy, I will say no more because you know him. As for me, you dont have to worry about me. I will pull through no matter how hard or difficult the situation is. If you dont think politics is suitable for you, then come back. Dad will stay home and wait for you guys to return, no matter what. Tangtang didnt dare to look at his face while Xu Ran was talking, because he was afraid to face Xu Ran. He didnt even answer Xu Ran but only nodded gently, showing that he knew what Xu Ran meant. C Chapter 294 After Tangtang agreed, Xu Ran went for Lu Qi. Since their domicile place was not registered in Yanzhou, Tangtang had to ask the Yanzhou government to issue an identity certificate if he wanted to take the autumn imperial examination. Fortunately, their connection to King Yan made everything easier, so Xu Ran asked Lu Qi to get this done. On September 12th, it was neither hot nor cold, which was perfect for the exam. The winter of Yanzhou seemed to be late this year. It was already September but they still hadnt put on coats yet. The exam had lasted for three days as usual, and the exam subjects were still the same as the ones Xu Ran had done years ago. The only difference was the exam questions. The exam had taken Tangtang three days, while Xu Ran had also waited outside for three days. When the exam was over and Tangtang finally got home, he was greeted with a fancy dinner. That warm scene made Tangtangs heart pound. It seemed to have been a long time since they had experienced such a grand occasion. Back when they had been in Xu Village, Dad had been greeted with such great treatment each time he had gone back from a business trip. When they had grown up, they had been greeted with such occasion when they had been back from the spring imperial examination, but they had never experienced this after they had come to Yanzhou. Xu Ran asked Baozi to have Tangtang sit by his side. There was a glass in front of everyone, but the contents in the glasses were different. Baozi had juice in it while the others wine. When Tangtang took a seat, Xu Ran also poured him a glass of wine. Then Xu Ran picked up his own glass and said, These three days has been tough to Tangtang, and now we are going to celebrate you. Come on everyone, cheers! The rest of the people raised their glasses one by one. Even Baozi was mimicking what the others were doing and called out a toast. There were a few oil lamps in the room, and the dim yellow light lit up and warmed the entire room, giving people a dreamlike feeling. Xu Ran started to tell jokes cheerfully, and then people laughed while eating. Joy was overflowing. On November 20th, King Yan, who had been away from Yanzhou for more than four months, finally came back. Xu Ran got the news and took his family to King Yans Mansion. Although it had been quite a long journey, King Yan looked spirited. A smile had been hanging on his lips no matter whom he met. Xu Ran walked over and patted him. Your Highness, did someone cast a spell on you when you were in the capital? Why have you been smiling so brightly since you were back? King Yan got very annoyed with Xu Rans words. He glared at him and said, No one has cast no spell on me, but something great did happen to me. Xu Ran spread his hands and took a seat. Tell me, what makes you so happy? King Yan also took a seat and said to Xu Ran, Its nothing special. Its just that His Majesty gave me an extra piece of land. Xu Ran opened his mouth and thought to himself. How come this was not something special? That was an extra piece of land, not an extra piece of cake. Besides, judging from King Yans reaction, this land would definitely not be smaller than Yanzhou. Instead of asking King Yan which piece of the land it was exactly, Xu Ran asked, Your Highness, His Majesty was just enthroned and his position isnt steady yet, but he just bestowed a fief upon you so generously. Isnt he worried that you will revolt against him? King Yan waved his hand and said, Speaking of this, I also found it weird. Since His Majesty is so generous, isnt he really afraid that I will plot against him? I was quite confused then. But later I met someone, and then I got the idea. Someone? Who? Xu Ran wondered. The minister of Ministry of Works. He is quite young, just a little older than Tangtang and Guoguo. It was he who suggested His Majesty give me that land. He is quite close to him. Its said that he was His Majestys study parter when His Majesty was still the Crown Prince, so His Majesty trusts him. After listening to King Yans words, Xu Ran frowned and started to wonder. How capable an ordinary person should be if he was able to be the minister of Ministry of Works while he was still under 20? This was not the most important thing, but he was actually able to convince the Emperor to delegate his power to his subordinates. He was quite an able one. The most important thing was that this person was very bold. But that was just Xu Rans conjecture and he didnt say it. King Yan saw Xu Rans expression had changed again and again, so he asked him, Why that face? Are you also scared by this young minster of Ministry of Works? Xu Ran shook his head. No, I just think hes good, but this has nothing to do with me. Tell me, which piece of land did His Majesty give you exactly? King Yan smiled again and answered, The land I wanted the most back then. The land King Yan wanted the most was Xiangzhou, which was next to Yanzhou. It was also the place where honeycomb coal was sold mainly. No wonder King Yan was so happy. Xu Ran stood up and cupped his hands together to King Yan. Congratulations, Your Highness. Since you just came back, has Lu Qi told you what happened to Yanzhou? King Yan shook his head. Not yet. Did something happen to Yanzhou? Xu Rans face darkened. Itd be better if Lu Qi tells you about it! I will take a walk in the backyard to watch the snow. After that, Xu Ran left. King Yan frowned, his instinct telling him that something terrible must have happened. King Yan told Yan Chuan, who was waiting at the door, Yan Chuan, ask Lu Qi to see me. Yes, Yan Chuan accepted the order and left. Before long, Yan Chuan came back with Lu Qi. Lu Qi was very happy to see King Yan. Your Highness, finally you are back. King Yan waved at him. Take a seat first. Tell me if there was anything big happening in Yanzhou recently. Lu Qi raised his head and asked, How did you know that something big happened, Your Highness? King Yan replied, Xu Ran mentioned it to me, but he left without giving any details. Now, you tell me. Lu Qi rubbed his forehead, looking pained. Your Highness, not long after you left, the barbarians slipped into Yanzhou. Coincidentally, they bumped into Tangtang and Guoguo since they went out for a ride on that day. Guoguo went missing and is still nowhere to be found until now. King Yan changed color. What do you mean by still nowhere to be found until now? Was he kidnapped by the barbarians? Lu Qi shook his head. No, those 100 barbarians who intercepted Tangtang and Guoguo are already dead. We found their bodies but not Guoguos, so we dont know where or how Guoguo is now. King Yan sighed, not knowing what to say. Lu Qi continued, Not long after that, the barbarians mustered a force of 50,000 to attack Yanzhou, but we killed them all. Lu Qi omitted the hardship back then and just made a passing mention of it. He added, We found that Deputy General Luo was a hidden traitor. In order to prevent him from plotting against us, I discussed with Xu Ran and then executed him. The final battle was commanded by Tangtang, and we set fire to their camp. Nothing else happened. King Yan was still dwelling on the news that Guoguo had disappeared. He found the truth hard to accept. After Lu Qi finished reporting, he stared blankly at King Yan. It was after a long while that Lu Qi heard King Yan ask him, When did those 100 barbarians die? Was it because of their death that the barbarians mounted an attack on Yanzhou? Lu Qi answered, Im not sure when they died exactly, but I could get a rough estimation of the time, and that was not long after Tangtang and Guoguo had an encounter with the barbarians, because their corpses had already decayed when we found them. But according to my speculation, the reason that the barbarians launched an attack on Yanzhou might have nothing to do with these people, since they had already died before they could make time to go back and deliver the message. Lu Qi told everything in one breath. After that, King Yan nodded. I see. Continue the search for Guoguo. If hes still alive, I need to see him in person; if hes already dead, I need to see his body. Hearing King Yans harsh tone, Lu Qi knew he must be angry, because it had been a long time since Lu Qi had heard King Yan say such words. Lu Qi nodded at once. I see. Ive been sending people to look for him, but theres no news. King Yans forehead knotted in a frown. Liu Tong had just had a miscarriage last year, but unexpectedly, another child of his had gone missing this year. How grieved he must be King Yan stood up and said, Alright, go ahead with your work! I know what has happened. Also, tell the people that Im back. Besides, we must have suffered casualties during the war, so we need to recruit more soldiers. We also need to promote someone to be the deputy general. Ill leave all these work to you. Lu Qi opened his mouth and wanted to talk back, but he swallowed what he wanted to say silently when seeing King Yans gloomy face. Lu Qi cupped his hands together and said, Yes. Hearing his reply, King Yan had a satisfied look on his face, and then left. King Yan asked Yan Chuan where Liu Tong was, and Yan Chuan replied, Your Highness, he is with His Highness. OK, I got it. Go and tell the kitchen to prepare lunch! They are going to eat with us here at noon. Im going to the backyard. Yes, Your Highness. When King Yan arrived at the door of the room, he had a long-lost feeling. He could hear Liu Tong and Xiao Qingyun talking from outside the door, and there was also laughter from time to time. The servant, who was about to notify them of the arrival of King Yan, was also stopped by him. It was because King Yan didnt know if he should go in now. Liu Tong was laughing happily at this moment. If King Yan comforted him, he would touch Liu Tongs sore spot instead. Having thought for a while, King Yan decided not to go in first. It was better for him to see Tangtang. The twins had grown up together since birth. Tangtang had that deep love for him, as well as blood relation with him, so he must be the most sorrowful one! Tangtang went to the training field as usual. This was something he did every time they came to King Yans residence. Since he had done it so many times, it had become a habit of his. There was still no exception this time. When King Yan arrived, Tangtang was practicing his spear skills in the training field alone. There actually was some ferocity in his moves. It wasnt like King Yan had never seen Tangtang practice martial arts before, but he had never seen him like this. King Yan was astonished when catching sight of him. King Yan stepped forward, pulled out a sword and started to fight with him. Tangtang saw King Yans movements and understood what he meant. He whipped the spear towards him. King Yan also waved his sword to ward off the blow. After a round, King Yan found each of Tangtangs moves was intimidating. His fighting skills had not progressed, but his manner and movements became more aggressive. Because of Tangtangs change, King Yan got more motivated, but Tangtang had no intention of stopping. It wasnt until the two of them were soaked with sweat and exhausted that they stopped. King Yan said to Tangtang, I havent seen you for months, but it didnt occur to me that you should have changed so much. Tangtang smiled bitterly, Just for some little time, my brother was gone. C Chapter 295 For a moment, the field went silent. After a long while, King Yan asked, Did you change because of this? Tangtang answered, Maybe! Dad said that I am now the hope of the whole family. I should do something for Guoguo. King Yan asked, Are you tired? Tangtang shook his head, and then nodded. Even he himself didnt know whether he was tired or not. He knew that Dad had said those words to cheer him up, but he had kept them in mind. He really wanted to do something. King Yan himself had used to be a child too. When he had been at Tangtangs age, no one had ever told him what to do. King Yan had had made all decisions himself, no matter on what he should do or not. Therefore, he didnt know what to say to Tangtang now. King Yan sat quietly with Tangtang. No one spoke again, until it was noon. During lunch, King Yan did not mention what had happened to Yanzhou, because once it was mentioned, the lunch would be ruined. Instead, King Yan told some interesting stories of the capital. The other thing he mentioned was the new fief bestowed upon him by the Emperor. This was great news, and everyone was happy for it. The news also diverted everyones attention rapidly. Because of Guoguo, the Xu family were sad and regretful. After lunch, they hadnt stayed in King Yans Mansion for long and went back to their own home. This year, they had a rich harvest of corn and potatoes. Next year, all the people of Yanzhou could grow these two crops. Xu Ran also sold them in Red Mansion. Naturally, they were well accepted. The moment Xu Ran got home, he grabbed a writing brush and paper and started to write a plan. The Xu family still had to stay for a long time in Yanzhou because they had to wait for Guoguo to come back, but he didnt want to do anything else. Xu Ran decided to write down everything he could think of. Not only did he write down the development plan of Yanzhou, but Xiangzhou was also included. When Guoguo came back, and when Yanzhou broke away from poverty, Xu Ran would take his family back to Xu Village. The family would lead a peaceful life. Of course, he would also help Tangtang and Guoguo achieve their ambitions. He wrote very seriously, wanting to explain everything he wanted to make clear. After writing the plan, Xu Ran did not show it to King Yan immediately, but put it away himself. Now that Red Mansions business was on the right track, he did not have to worry about it at all. He did not intend to think of other ways to make money either. They did not want to be filthy rich. They just wanted enough money to live life. All that Xu Ran was thinking about now was how to develop the existing resources of Yanzhou so that the people of Yanzhou could live a well-off life. He was not the only one who was busy. The whole family were busy, but in different fields. October was the time when the fish and shrimps in the river were the fattest. They could definitely sell for a good price, and there were many of them. Lu Qi was busy with the military camp, so Xu Ran went to King Yan and talked with him about raising aquatic products in the river. There were fish and shrimps in the river, as well as many crabs. These three aquatic products could all sell well. Xu Ran also wanted to raise loaches, but they could not be raised in the river. He told King Yan all his thoughts. King Yan was quite satisfied with the plan, but he had one doubt. Were these creatures edible? Could they sell? Xu Ran replied, Please rest assured about it. Since Ive mentioned it, that means Im confident about what Im doing. I wont launch any project without having done enough preparations, and you could tell that from what Ive done before. What Xu Ran said made sense. King Yan nodded in agreement. In that case, lets carry out your plan. Ill find someone to do it, but when we see the result, you cannot give it up halfway. Xu Ran smiled, Of course not. This issue was settled for the time being. However, before long, Xu Ran came again. This time, he was going to talk about milk and wool. Watching Xu Ran gushing over his plan in front of him, King Yan could feel Xu Rans anxiety. After Xu Ran finished talking, King Yan didnt nod or shake his head. Instead, he asked Xu Ran, Why do you want to leave so badly? Xu Ran was stunned for a moment, and then he realized what King Yan meant. He shook his head. Im in a hurry, but not in a hurry to leave. Ill be staying here for two more years! If you make Yanzhou rich in two years, then I will have no more worries when I leave then. King Yan didnt answer. He remained silent for a long time and then sighed softly. Xu Ran ignored that and went on elaborating his plan. Since he laid all the details on the table and put them in an interesting way, King Yan finally agreed. And then, one plan after another was brought up by Xu Ran. King Yan agreed helplessly, and it could be seen that Xu Ran was really anxious. When Xu Ran finished saying what he should say, it was almost the Spring Festival. Xu Ran gave King Yan the plan he had written down earlier, but didnt bring any presents with him when visiting King Yan during the Spring Festival The next year, Xu Rans plan came to fruition little by little. It seemed that God had been kind to them this year, and everything had gone smoothly. The only bad news was that Guoguo was still missing, while Xu Ran and his family had never thought of giving up. For the third year, which was the fifth year since Xu Ran had come to Yanzhou, each plan was on the right track. Finally, Xu Ran felt that he could worry about nothing anymore, which also meant that they could go home. King Yan didnt want them to leave, but he also knew that he couldnt change their mind. They had lost two children here. One of them had never been seen ever, and could never be seen in the future, while the other one had been raised for over ten years, and it was unknown when they could see him ever. More likely, he could never be seen in the future either. To the Xu family, Yanzhou was a sad place. Therefore, King Yan wasnt surprised when Xu Ran mentioned that they were going to leave, because King Yan knew that day would come. In the past five years in Yanzhou, Tangtang had changed from the teenager to the current graceful childe. He always had a smile on his face, but no one dared to look down on him. Baozi had also changed from the young child to the beautiful teenager now. His each move was so unique and elegant. Five years had passed in a blink. Some had grown up while others old. Both Xu Ran and Liu Tong were about to reach 40. Wrinkles started to appear on their faces. Even if they were inconspicuous, it could still be seen that they were getting old slowly. Before they left, King Yan announced Liu Tongs identity to the people of Yanzhou and officially recognized him. Since the two of them had identical faces, no one doubted it. But it was until now that the people understood why Xu Ran had done so much for Yanzhou, and it was all because of Liu Tong. Xu Ran and Liu Tong had no objections to King Yans public announcement because they didnt know when they would meet again. After all, Yanzhou was too far away from Xu Village. King Yan also gave a banquet at his mansion to see them off. Many people came but they were all related to Xu Ran. Gao Quan and Shao Yu didnt want to leave Yanzhou, so Xu Ran gave them Red Mansion. If he came to Yanzhou again in the future, he wouldnt have to think of a way to make money anymore. Shao Yu really wanted to go back with Xu Ran. He had lived in Xu Village for so many years, and was familiar with the people there, so he must have been missing Xu Village. Besides, the Xu family had never treated him as a servant. However, Gao Quan was the last King Yans subordinate and belonged to King Yan. It didnt matter if he was not back to King Yans Mansion. Now that he was here, it made a difference. Xu Ran understood that, so he didnt force Gao Quan to go back. He even secretly suggested Gao Quan adopt a child. Ever since the loss of the last baby, Shao Yu had never got pregnant again. It would be a lie if they said that they didnt care. Gao Quan nodded without saying anything. He must have taken Xu Rans advice. In February of this year, the Xu family left for Xu Village from Yanzhou. King Yan had wanted to arrange for people to escort them, but Xu Ran declined him. It would be a long journey, and they might have to spend the rest of this year on the road. It was not worth it. They wouldnt flaunt themselves. They would drive two carriages and dispense with all unnecessary formalities. Besides, Tangtang was getting better at martial arts, so they didnt have to worry about anything. King Yans efforts were to no avail, so he could only agree to Xu Ran. On that day, he personally sent the family out of the city gate. Xu Ran waved at the crowd. After all, they had been living here for five years, and he was reluctant to leave. The return trip took them one month less than before. The new Emperor had done a great job administering the country and it was peaceful everywhere. There were fewer bandits robbing outside, so they arrived at Xu Village smoothly. When they walked in from the end of the village, it seemed to be another life for them when they saw the familiar scene. It had really been a long time since they had left this place. As soon as June came, everywhere was green. The strawberries in the field had been picked and only the leaves were left. The corn in the field was also flourishing, as if it was not afraid of the hot sun at all. The fruit trees in the orchard were also thriving. There were ripe apricots and green peaches. The fruits covered the branches while the birds were hopping from one branch to another joyfully. In the distance, smoke came out of the black-brick house. It was noon now, and someone must be preparing lunch. The bamboo house nearby appeared dilapidated because it had gone through so much wind and rain. Just like an old man, it would collapse at any time. Watching the bamboo house, Xu Ran sighed, Thats our first home. In the blink of an eye, it has been over ten years. Apart from Baozi, both Liu Tong and Tangtang remembered the days when they had lived in the bamboo house. Years had passed, but the only thing that remained unchanged was their memories. Giddyap! Xu Ran didnt feel more anxious when getting closer to his house. He sped up and the horse ran towards the black-brick house. The door creaked open from inside the moment the carriage stopped. A beautiful teenager popped his head out from inside. Seeing the carriage parking at the door, he covered his mouth in surprise. When he saw the people in the carriage clearly, the teenager seemed to be more surprised. Qingshu, you have grown up! Uncle Xu! Qingshu exclaimed, and then shouted at the inside of the house, Dad, Daddy, Uncle Xu and his family are back. Soon, the sound of footsteps came out from inside. Qin Shuwens eyes turned red the moment he saw the carriage outside the door. Smiling, Xu Ran stared at them and said, Were back. Chapter 296 Xu Rans family came back. The news spread from the moment they arrived at the Xu Village. Except for Wu Meis and the other families, they didnt deliberately inform others in the village. Still, all the villagers knew it right away. Xu Ran and his family arrived at noon. At night, there were a lot of people gathereding in their house, and they were all their acquaintances. They were Wu Meis, the village heads, Doctor Lius, Xu Houcais as well as Xu Huis and Xu Qiangs families. Da Hu from Wu Meis family had already got married, but children from both Liu Qings and Wu Lans families were still single. However, they were getting married and had their own families soon. Xu Hui and Xu Qiang were also married. Xu Ran was surprised that both ot them would come to meet him. After all, he had not treated them so well before. Still Xu Ran didnt appear excited before them. Thus all of them gathered and had a meal together, after which the guests went home. They would go on talking after they had a good rest. Xu Ran and his family had been on the road for a few months and they were all very tired, so villagers didnt force Xu Ran to tell them about their story in the past few years. Only Baozi was in the best spirits. As soon as he got home, he immediately got close to Qingshu while talking to him endlessly, as if he wanted to make up for what he hadnt said during those five years. Even Zhuo Yun and the rest did not ask too much and let Xu Ran rest first. Qingshu didnt try to keep Baozi at a distance. Instead, he smiled gently while chatting with Baozi attentively. As expected, Qingshu was growing more and more beautiful. Compared with Qingshu, Baozis quite good-looking face was completely eclipsed. However, Baozis temperament had shown itself in the past few years, so his light didnt dim in front of Qingshu. For this situation, the adults of the two families were very happy. Zhuo Yun knew Qingshu would get married sooner or later when she grew up and that they would worry about her. However, if Qingshu married Baozi in the future, such benefits should always be kept for their own people. Anyway, their two families had a close relationship, and the two children loved each other. So they would by no means object to this result. Considering that Baozi had run all the way and needed to rest, Zhuo Yun leaned over and said to him, Baozi, go to sleep first. You can play with Qingshu later after waking up. Dont worry. Hes always here. Zhuo Yun was actually a little jealous about their good relationship. After all, the person Qingshu liked most before Baozi appeared was him. As soon as Baozi came, he became Qingshus second favorite person. How could he be happy about this?! Baozi wanted to shake his head and say that he was not sleepy, but before he could speak that out, Qingshu helped his dad urge him, Yeah! Baozi, go to have a rest first. I can wait after you wake up. Baozi looked at Qingshu and appeared reluctant. However, he was afraid that Qingshu would be annoyed if he didnt follow his idea and go to sleep. And Baozi decided to go to sleep first. However, he felt he still had something important to do before sleeping. Baozi suddenly reached out and hugged Qingshu by the head and quickly kissed him in front of Zhuo Yun. After the kiss, he immediately slipped away. Standing by the side, Zhuo Yun watched all the scene. He was quite annoyed and had even wanted to pull Baozi away and beat him up. However, when he turned back, he saw his silly spouse covering his mouth and smiling sweetly. Zhuo Yun stroked his forehead and felt helpless. When Xu Ran woke up, it was already the next morning. Qin Shuwen had already got breakfast ready for them there. It was not until they were eating that Zhuo Yun dared to ask about Guoguo and Gao Quan. At the moment, three people didnt come back while Xu Ran and the others mentioned nothing about it. They felt strange. Although Zhuo Yun was eager to know about the situation, it was difficult for him to raise such a question. At last he took advantage of this casual dining time to seek the answer. However, as soon as this question was heard, the faces of the familys fell suddenly. Even Baozi stopped smiling. Xu Ran put down the chopsticks in his hand and sighed, Well, Guoguo! We dont know when he will come back. At that time, he went out to play with Tangtang and met some barbarians. Guoguo asked Tangtang to rush for help while he himself followed in the rear. In the end, when Tangtang and the rescue team arrived, Guoguo had disappeared with the barbarians. Later, they were only able to find the bodies of the barbarians but they couldnt find Guoguos. Although it was just a few words about the story, the atmosphere did not get better after they knew the result. Zhuo Yun wanted to slap himself. If he had not asked this question curiously, Xu Ran and his family would not be reminded again of the terrible truth. Before Zhuo Yun started to slap himself, Xu Ran spoke again, Gao Quan and the rest are staying in Yanzhou. I have opened a hot pot restaurant over there and left it for them to manage. Zhuo Yun nodded and deliberately changed the topic, Thats good. Do you plan to sell hotpot here? Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, Leave this to Baozi! My family business is probably inherited by him in the future. If he wants to get richer, then he will have to work harder. Zhuo Yun looked at Baozi and disagreed, Ran, Baozi is still so young. Can he do that? Xu Ran replied, He can even kiss Qingshu now. Why not? He should manage everything himself! Baozi pouted, thinking that this was his dads revenge, a definite revenge only because he saw his kissing behavior just now. Baozi quickly scanned the people at the table. He found his dad had a commanding presence and that he was authoritative, so he could not refute at all. Still, none of this was the key point. Baozi had to admit that the key point was that Qingshu was looking at him expectantly. Therefore, Baozi could only lump it and tried hard to nodded in agreemen, Dad, dont worry! You can leave this matter to me. The happiest person to see Baozi nod was Qingshu himself. Of course, he himself knew why he was so happy. After that, Xu Ran did not want to mention it more and let this matter go. However, since Baozi promised to open a hot pot restaurant himself, he didnt mean to say it for fun only. As he didnt understand many things about the restaurant, he pestered Xu Ran every day and asked him about this and that. Xu Ran was free anyway, so he told Baozi everything in detail, and he even talked about many other things. Having followed Xiao Qingyun for the past few years, Baozi had not only learned about temperament and etiquette, but also acquired much knowledge like how to regulate the family, etc. At the moment, he seriously pondered on the business experience Xu Ran had taught him and really came up with his own idea on the subject. However, the business of his hotpot restaurant still had to wait until winter. It was still hot and the time was not suitable. Furthermore, the fruits in the orchards were about to come out for harvest, so they were busy picking them up. They had to plan about this matter first. As for the hot pot restaurant, they would wait until the weather was cold. For the time being, only the people in the village knew about Xu Rans return. Even Wu Mei and the rest only met them during dinner at his house. As for the rest, they knew nothing. Xu Ran discussed with Liu Tong and decided to visit their friends one by one. They considered Wu Mei and the rest had immediately come to visit them once they fknew that they were back. They couldnt do nothing in return. But before this, they should go to the town to buy something as gifts. Xu Ran had not many acquaintances in town, except for Mr. Chen, Doctor He, and Qin Shuwus family. Xu Ran asked about Mr. Chen and Doctor Hes situation and knew that they were not affected by the plague. As for Qin Shuwu, there was no need to worry whether they were all right since Zhuo Yun and the rest were fine at the time. The day after they returned, Xu Ran and Tangtang each drove a carriage to the town. Xu Ran first went to buy some things and then went to visit Mr. Chen. The business at Mr. Chens restaurant was still good. Upon arriving at the door, they heard someone calling for a pot of potato stew. Xu Ran smiled unconsciously after hearing this. He did not expect that Mr. Chen was still selling potatoes, which should have been planted by Zhuo Yun. There was a person who was busy doing accounts at the counter. Xu Ran stood still watching there until Liu Tong standing behind noticed this and asked, Ran, whats the matter? Why are you standing here? Just then, Mr. Chen heard this and raised his head. At the sight of Xu Ran and the rest, he opened his mouth in surprise. Xu Ran walked up to him and put his things on the counter, Mr. Chen, havent seen you for a few years. Youre still so young! Mr. Chens expression changed after confirming that it was Xu Ran. Then he sneered coldly, Xu Ran, I say youre great! It has been a few years since you left. I thought you werent coming back. Of course, Xu Ran understood what Mr. Chen meant. He was probably blaming him for leaving without informing him first. Xu Ran lowered his head and smiled, Mr. Chen, Im coming to say sorry to you. I was in a hurry to leave and coincidentally it was the plague then. I wasnt able to inform you then. I know you are kind and generous. Please forgive me! Mr. Chen snorted again, obviously not planning to let Xu Ran go so easily. Liu Tong came up from behind him, Mr. Chen, Ran is telling the truth. Please forgive us! Mr. Chen looked at Xu Ran, then at Liu Tong. At last he said reluctantly, You lucky sod, since your spouse has begged for you, Ill forgive you. Let me tell you, theres no next time. If you leave for a few more years again, you probably wont see me when you come back. Xu Ran hurriedly waved his hand, Mr. Chen, dont worry. Theres definitely no next time. Besides, Mr. Chen, youre so young. Why are you saying this kind of things? Mr. Chen pouted and didnt want to argue with him. He turned his eyes behind him to look at Tangtang and Baozi. Both Tangtang and Baozi greeted him politely. Seeing Tangtang, Mr. Chen praised that Tangtang was growing more and more handsome, much better than Xu Ran. Seeing Mr. Chen complimenting his son while dispraising him, Xu Ran could say nothing. But upon seeing Baozi, Mr. Chens face changed again, Xu Ran! Im not criticizing you, but how can you take your youngest child out this time? Isnt he a Geer?! Hes already grown up. Do you really mean to raise the child up as a Xiaozi? Xu Ran was unhappy to hear this, Mr. Chen, why cant this child come out? Hes not unsightly. Yes, Mr. Chen, you may be right. I really take Baozi as a Xiaozi. Do you know the Geer in Zhuo Yuns family? In a few years, Ill be let them marry. Mr. Chens expression changed once more, but Xu Ran was obviously in a happy mood. In order not to make himself look so ugly, Mr. Chen decisively ended the topic and invited Xu Ran and his family to eat at the restaurant. Xu Ran shook his head, No, thank you. Well still have to go to visit Brother Qin. I just came back and I havent seen anyone else yet. Lets meet next time and Ill definitely come to see you again. Ill charge you twice as much next time. Do you still want me to treat you? Stop dreaming! Mr. Chen was fuming, his eyes glaring. Of course, there was a show element in it. Xu Ran laughed, waved his hand at Mr. Chen and left with his family. When Xu Ran and the others left, Mr. Chen invited them to come again. Perhaps, at the moment, his heart was softened. Chapter 297 Xu ran and his family left the restaurant and then turned to Doctor Hes pharmacy. It was hot in June and there were not many pedestrians on the street. There were no people in Doctor Hes pharmacy. When Xu Ran and the others arrived, Doctor He was holding a book and reading it on the lounge. Cough cough Xu Ran coughed twice before entering the door, which attracted the attention of Doctor He. Dr. He may have been too absorbed in what he was reading or he really didnt hear it and didnt even move. Xu Ran looked back at Liu Tong and smiled helplessly, Lets go right in! Doctor He didnt hear it. Liu Tong nodded. Well, then lets go in! Xu Ran still walked in the front and took the book away from Doctor He. After he took the book away, Xu Ran knew why Doctor He didnt respond. It wasnt that he was too immersed in reading books, but that he fell asleep. Even after Xu Ran took the book away, Doctor He didnt wake up. Doctor He, Doctor He, wake up, Im Xu Ran! And Im back. Xu Ran whispered to Doctor He, but it was still useless. Xu Ran pushed Doctor He a few times. What is it? Is anyone coming? Doctor He stood up in shock and almost bumped into Xu Ran. Xu Ran shook his hand in front of Doctor He and said, Doctor He, are you awake? Im Xu Ran and were back. Ah! Xu Ran, who is Xu Ran? Doctor He asked blankly. It seemed that he was still muddleheaded from the dream. Seeing that there was a kettle on the table, Xu Ran asked Tangtang to pour a glass of water. And Doctor He was finally awake after he drank it. Hey! Xu Ran, when did you come back? Xu Ran smiled and said. Doctor He, youre finally awake. I dont know how on earth you manage to treat people when youre so woozy. Doctor He was dissatisfied with Xu Rans words. Kid, what did you say? What do you mean by treating people? Let me tell you, my medical skills are excellent. If you dont believe me, just let me feel your pulse. I only have to feel your pulse to see whats wrong with you. He was going to grab Xu Rans hands while saying it. Xu Ran immediately hid his hands behind his back. Well, well, Im sure youve got it! I was wrong. I shouldnt have said that to you. Doctor He touched his chin in satisfaction and said, Thats more like it! Besides, Youve been away for so many years and didnt even sent a message. Now, you still have the courage to come over. Arent you afraid that I prescribe a drug to poison you? Xu Ran smiled again and felt a little helpless. The older you got, the more you were like a child. He remembered that Doctor. He was not like this at that time. However, Xu Ran was still very happy to see Doctor He in such high spirits. So he told Doctor He what he said to Mr. Chen again. Doctor He listened to Xu Rans explanation and was no longer angry. He just told him not to leave again without saying a word in the future. Xu Ran said yes repeatedly. However, Doctor He still took Xu Ran and his familys pulses one by one. After all, Dr. He said they must be tired after running all the way and their bodies needed conditioning, so he had better feel the pulse for them. After feeling it, Doctor He rescribed some medcine for them and asked them to boil it to drink when they got home. It was good for their health. This medicine was mainly for Liu Tong. Hes been hurt by the child he lost before. If he didnt get proper conditioning, he would have to suffer when he got old. Although Doctor He did not say it directly, Xu Ran understood what he meant. He remembered what Doctor He said and thought that he must find a chance to ask Doctor He in the future to see how to recuperate. Doctor He praised Tangtang and Baozi again, and he also wanted to keep Xu Ran for lunch, but Xu Ran refused him. After all, they still had to see Qin Shuwu, and they must have lunch at Qins home. They were going back in the afternoon, and there were many people in the village to meet. In this case, it would take them at least a day or two to meet everyone. After leaving Doctor Hes pharmacy, they went straight to Qin Shuwus fruit shop. I wonder if Brother Qins charcuterie is still open. I forgot to ask Zhuo Yun about it. Xu Ran muttered softly. Liu Tong, who walked next to him, heard this and said, Ive asked Shu Wen about it. He said it was still open, so dont worry! Xu Ran was glad to hear that. After all, he had spent a lot of effort in the charcuterie. No one wanted his things to be casually ruined. Since Qin Shuwus own fruit shop was not closed, the charcuterie should still be open as usual. This was what Xu Ran thought. Xu Ran thought he would be sad if it did close. In the summer, business at the fruit shop was as brisk as ever. The outside was filled with people picking fruits. The clerks were busy weighing scales and collecting money, and they had been busy talking and did not have a single moment of leisure in their mouths, but Xu Ran and the others did not see Qin Shuwu. When they turned their eyes to the charcuterie, Xu Ran and the others finally saw their acquaintance. Qin Shuwu and his husband were busy packing the cooked food for the customers, and there were people waiting outside in line, which had shown how good their business was. Seeing how busy they were, Xu Ran didnt go over to disturb them immediately. He just stood by the side of the road and talked to Liu Tong. As for Tangtang and Baozi, they were old enough that they could always kill time by themselves, so Xu Ran didnt care about them. Tangtang and Baozi rolled their eyes helplessly behind them. Dad was unreliable for a few days every month, so maybe he just started being unreliable this month. However, the two of them didnt say anything. After all, they saw that people opposite were very busy. It was better to wait a while. Tangtang and Baozi didnt say anything and started to look around. There were a lot of people on this street, and most of them were in the food business. Baozi wondered if they could open a hotpot restaurant here. The location here was good, more importantly, there were no restaurants here, which was a good thing for him. After watching for a while, Baozi turned to ask Tangtang for his opinion. Having been with Xu Ran for so long, Tangtangs vision was not bad. He nodded at Baozi, This place is really good. I just dont know if we can find a suitable house. There must be at least two floors, or there wouldnt be enough tables. Baozi said, Brother, lets go and find out! If they have it, we can buy it as soon as possible, and then decorate it so that we can open it up as soon as the weather cools down. Tangtang looked at the long queue opposite him and nodded. Okay, let me talk to Dad first. After Tangtang said to Baozi, he reached out his hand and gently pulled Xu Rans clothes. Xu Ran looked back at him and asked, Whats wrong? Tangtang said, Dad, Baozi wants to see the house nearby, and Ill go with him. Xu Ran thought they were bored, so he didnt think much and nodded, Okay! Look out for yourself. Do you have any money? Shall I give it to you? Tangtang shook his head and said. Dad, we have it. We just want to have a look, and we wont buy anything. Well come back as soon as possible. Then you can go! Ill wait here with your Daddy. After Xu Ran said that, Tangtang held Baozis hand and left with him. They look vry similar, too. In addition, Xu Ran wanted to raise Baozi as a boy, so it was nothing improper for them to hold hands. After all, there were a lot of people! However, Baozi was still a childe and had a red mole on his ear. It was obvious that there were many people watching them when Tangtang held his hand. At first, the two of them didnt care. When more and more people looked at them and started chatting, they finally reacted . Tangtang let go of Baozis hand and smiled helplessly, Why arent you a boy? I dont dare to hold your hand even if I want to protect you in front of so many people. Baozi pouted and said unhappily, Brother, Ill tell Dad that you dislike and avoid me as a childe. Tangtang hurriedly waved his hand, Please dont, I dont want to be scolded by Dad. Besides, Im actually talking about the situation. You saw what happened just now. You see, now that we dont hold hands any more, no one will look at us. at us. Baozi looked around and found that it seemed to be like this. Then he didnt know what to say. It wasnt his fault to be a childe! Well, these people were a piece of work! Seeing his dispirited expression, Tangtang consoled him, Come on, theres no need to get upset about such a trifle. Lets go and find out if theres a suitable house! Baozi looked at Tangtang, then nodded and followed him. Tangtang and Baozi left for a while. They hadnt come back when Qin Shuwu and the others finished their work. Seeing that Qin Shuwu was done with their work, Xu Ran said to Liu Tong, Lets go first! They know this place, and they will come back by themselves later. Liu Tong thought it was okay, so he didnt say anything and walked over with Xu Ran. Xu Ran took Liu Tong into the charcuterie. Qin Shuwu asked without raising his head, What can I do for you? Brother Qin, were back. Long time no see. said Xu Ran. Qin Shuwu suddenly looked up and was surprised to see Xu Ran and Liu Tong. Youre back. Chapter 298 Qin Shuwu was surprised when he saw Xu Ran and Liu Tong. After he came to his senses, he immediately let them enter the house to sit and asked his husband to serve tea and dessert, being totally thrilled. Xu Ran waved at him, Brother Qin, dont trouble your husband. Since we are already so close, do you have to stand on such ceremony? Qin Shuwu said, Thats different. Although we are close, you have been away for so many years. Hence you can also be counted as a rare guest. It is not worth mentioning that I asked him to serve some tea and desserts. Xu Ran smiled. Brother Qin, so you are saying now. We have no plans to leave in the short term since we come back this time. We will be sure to frequent your place in the future. Dont cold-shoulder us at that time. Qin Shuwu glared at Xu Ran. How could you say so? Didnt you frequent my place before you went out? Have I been annoyed? Xu Ran hurriedly apologized, No, Brother Qin has never given us cold shoulder. Im clumsy in words. Brother Qin is so magnanimous, so just ignore what I have just said. Qin Shuwu listened to him and felt a little better, but he still rolled him a white eye. Then he asked him, Why are you two here? How about the kids at home? Didnt they come together? As it has been several years, Tangtang and Guoguo should have grown up! As soon as they heard the word Guoguo, Xu Ran and Liu Tongs expressions were not very good. Qin Shuwu was also a meticulous person. He saw that something was wrong and asked, Whats wrong? Did something happen to the child? Xu Ran forced a smile and said, Tangtang and Baozi are here. Seeing you were busy just now, they went shopping. They should be here later. What about Guoguo? Qin Shuwu asked anxiously. Even Qin Shuwus husband, who had been listening to them, stared at Xu Ran nervously. Xu Ran couldnt even smile this time. Although he didnt want to mention this matter, considering that Qin Shuwu and the others were out of kindness. Xu Ran could not say nothing. Thus he had to repeat the whole story, and the conclusion was that Guoguo was missing. After Qin Shuwu heard what Xu Ran said, he suddenly stood up and slapped the table, Damn Barbarians! After that, he immediately told Xu Ran and Liu Tong, You dont have to worry too much. Didnt you say you didnt find Guoguos corpse? Then Guoguo must still be alive. He might have been rescued by some kind-hearted person. He will definitely come back. Although this comforting was a little farfetched, which was the only thing that Qin Shuwu could say. After all, Guoguo had been missing for almost two years, and none of them knew what was going on exactly. After Qin Shuwu said this, Xu Ran didnt say anything. Instead, Liu Tong said, Thank you for your comfort, Brother Qin. Ran and I have been used to it. We will wait for Guoguo to come back. He is our son. Xu Ran patted him on the back when he heard Liu Tongs words. The child was the flesh that had fallen from his body. Liu Tongs pain could only be more intense than his, and he couldnt say anything to comfort him. Both of them could only bury it in the bottom of their hearts. Sometimes when they could not hold it in anymore, they would talk to each other and vent it off. This topic was started by Qin Shuwu. In order to break the tense situation, he could only quickly change the topic. But before he could say anything, he saw Tangtang and Baozi standing at the door. Dad, Daddy, Uncle Qin, Uncle, were back, Tangtang smiled and greeted the group of people. Dressed in white, the 18-year-old boy, handsome and slender, seemed to have stepped out of a picture. The gentle smile on the corner of his mouth made people feel like spring breeze. Qin Shuwu was stunned. He didnt expect Tangtang to have changed so much in five years. Were it not for the little similar appearance as before, he would have almost never recognized him. Before Qin Shuwu could come back to his senses, Baozi jumped out from behind Tangtang. Baozis clothes were similar to those of Tangtang, but they were just miniature ones. Although Baozi looked quite little now, his luxurious aura couldnt be concealed. Standing next to Tangtang, he was not overshadowed by him at all. Baozi also greeted them obediently. Baozi, who was 12 years old, had yet to change his voice and his voice sounded particularly nice. Xu Ran waved at them and let them sit over. Qin Shuwu came back to his senses and teased them, I didnt expect you two to change so much. Uncle Qin is almost unable to recognize you. Tangtang didnt say anything. He was becoming more and more reticent now. He basically didnt speak unless it was necessary. Therefore, now their spokesman has become Baozi. Baozi and Qin Shuwu flattered each other for a while, which cheered up the latter so that he asked his husband to serve more delicious snacks. At this, Xu Ran gave his mouth corner a twitch unconsciously, feeling that he had got differentiated treatment. Of course, this was not an illusion. After Baozi and Tangtang came, Qin Shuwu didnt talk to him and Liu Tong anymore, which was quite obvious. Xu Ran touched his nose and felt that it was strange for him to be jealous of his sons. So he planned to talk to Liu Tong, but as he turned his head, he only found that Liu Tong had already been chatting with Qin Shuwus husband. Xu Ran spread out his hands. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he felt like he had been abandoned by the worldheartbroken. It was getting late when Xu Ran and the others came. After they had chatted for a while, it was noon. Originally, they wouldnt go home for lunch, because their business was booming and this round trip would take a while, which would delay business. However, since Xu Ran and the others came today. Naturally, it was different. Qin Shuwu simply closed the shop and took Xu Ran back to Qins old residence. On the way, Xu Ran was not ignored. Qin Shuwu told him many things that happened in the past five years. Five years was a long time. During the period, the kids grew up; the old men was full of grey hair. Even he himself was almost fifty years old. As Qin Shuwu talked about this, all sorts of feelings welled up in his mind. Hearing him say so, Xu Ran asked, Are adopted Dad, and Daddy well? The plague from back then did not affect them, right? Qin Shuwu shook his head. No, their health is quite good. We dont let the two elders do any work, who only seek something to do themselves every day, such as chatting with neighbors. Since they have nothing to worry about, they are quite healthy. Xu Ran said, At this, I can rest assured. As long as the elders are in a good mood, there will be no problems. Qin Shuwu answered, So it is! Xu Ran and others walked to Qins house. Qin Shuwu hadnt said that they would come back for lunch, so Qin granddaddy, who heard knocking on the door, felt a little strange. In the end, when he opened the door, he was so surprised that he couldnt utter a word. Xu Ran walked over and hugged Qin granddaddy. Daddy, were back. Qin granddaddys eyes immediately turned moist when he heard this. On the contrary, Xu Ran was a little helpless. However, Qin granddaddy did not cry. He just held Xu Rans hand and kept saying that it was nice that they had been back. Then he greeted Liu Tong, Tangtang and Baozi one by one. As for his own son, Qin granddaddy did not see him at all. Qin Shuwu had already be accustomed to the fact that he would lose his favour whenever Xu Ran came to his house. He rubbed his nose and pulled his husband into the house. Because they hadnt said that they would come back for lunch, their food was not prepared. Now that the Xu Ran family were here too, they had to make it soon. At the door, Qin granddaddy pulled Xu Ran and the others and kept chatting. After a while, Elder Dad Qin was also called out, followed by a lot of younger generation members who were almost as big as Tangtang. Among them, some were already mariied. Those who remembered Xu Ran came over to greet them one after another. Those who had married would introduce to them their husbands. They stood in the sun and talked for a long time. When he could enter the house, Xu Ran felt that he was almost cooked. After entering the house, there was naturally another round of chatting, which did not stop until Qin Shuwu and his husband finished cooking. Qin granddaddy and Elder Dad Qin really missed Xu Ran and the rest. Their eyes get moist with just a few words. After knowing about Guoguos matter, even Elder Dad Qin, who had managed to keep calm, couldnt hold tears in. To old men, the most unbearable thing was that their offspring died before them, not to mention that Guoguo was still a child. Fortunately, Qin Shuwu said that dinner was ready, thus the topic was diverted. After the lunch at Qin family, Xu Ran and others were ready to go back to the residence, but Qin granddaddy insisted on letting them stay for a night. Xu Ran did not want to fail the goodwill of the old man, but he did have something to do back home. He couldnt refuse Qin granddaddy directly, so he told Qin Shuwu instead. Qin Shuwu could understand him. After all, as they had just returned, there were many things to be busy with. So he spoke nicely with his Daddy to persuade him, and Qin granddaddy agreed to let Xu Ran and others go back, but he told them to come often in the future. Xu Ran nodded naturally. In the future, it is estimated that they would become more intimate, and they would naturally frequent their place. After they left Qin family, Xu Ran and the others bought a lot of things, all of which were gifts they would send away as they went back to the village. The sun was hot, but as they drove back home, without lingering any longer they headed home in the scorching sun. When they reached the gate, they saw a strange carriage. Xu Ran thought it was Zhuo Yuns guest, so he stopped his carriage beside it without much thinking. At this time, the gate opened and Xu Ran was stunned by the person who came out. Then he smiled and said, Lin Hua, Zhao Chen, long time no see. Chapter 299 The moment he saw Lin Hua and Zhao Chen, Xu Ran was shocked because he really didnt expect them to come. It was really a long time since they were together. Lin Hua and Zhao Chen were surprised to see Xu Ran. They had also been to Xu Village since the plague, but when they got there, they found that Xu Ran and his family had gone out. Later on, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen would come here once a year. The time was uncertain. And Zhuo Yun did all the recpetions of them. It had become a habit for them in last five years, so they really did not expect to see Xu ran this time. Lin Hua took the first step out and went to Xu Ran and patted him fiercely, You brat, youre finally willing to come back. Xu Ran smiled at him and said. This is my home. Of course Im coming back. But I didnt expect you to come here. Lin Hua was dissatisfied when he heard this. You dont want us here? Im telling you, you went out without a word, and been away for so many years. . You didnt even say goodbye. Im going to get even with you! Xu Ran smiled bitterly, I couldnt tell you even if I wanted back then. Lin Hua remembered that it was the time of the plague and he knew that Xu Ran was telling the truth, so he stopped tangling with the problem and said instead, Even if it was urgent, you havent written a letter to me for so many years. Did you really forget us? Xu Ran hurriedly waved his hand and said, No, no, how could I? if I really forgot about you, how can I call your name when I see you today? Yanzhou is too far away from here. Zhuo Yun and I have only two letters to each other all these years. It took a whole year to receive a letter! Its really not that easy. Xu Rans explanation reluctantly made Lin Hua less angry. Zhao Chen also came out to persuade him, Come on, theyre all back! Why do you care about this now? As long as they come back, well just come here more often. Xu Ran looked at Zhao Chen, then at Lin Hua. Seeing that both of them looked good, he thought that they have had a good time over the years, so he was very happy for them. The sun was shining outside and they did not speak long at the door before they entered the house. While no one was paying attention, Xu Ran quietly asked Lin Hua, Hows your relationship with Zhao Chen? Have you been affected by the plague? Lin Hua sighed and said helplessly, It was a blessing in disguise! He accidentally got infected with the plague when it was at its worst and it was a close call. At that time, we did everything we could to get him back. I had been with him and I got infected, too. His father had seen how much we loved each other. When he saw that, he said he would let us be together if we could only get through this. So we both managed to survive. Later on, his father really didnt stop the two of us. Were doing pretty well and we have a kid now. There was no helplessness on Lin Huas face when he talked about the latter part. Instead, he showed an extremely gentle smile and looked at Zhao Chen who was walking in the front. Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder. It was indeed a blessing in disguise! Congratulations to the two Jack shall have jill, all shall be well. After saying this, Xu Ran made a cupped fist gesture. Lin Hua didnt argue with him and raised his head complacently. After Lin Hua finished talking about his own business, he shifted the topic to Xu Ran. You said that you have been in Yanzhou all these years. I heard from Zhuo Yun that you went to find your husbands brother. How about it? Did you find him? Xu Ran nodded. Yes, we found him. He was really Tong Tongs brother, and looked exactly like him. Oh! So are you here just for a visit, or are you planning to stay long? Lin Hua asked. Xu Ran said, Were going to stay here. The children missed home and wanted to come back to see it. Tongtong had met his brother, too. If we have time in the future, we will take the children to visit them again. Although it was a little cold over there, its all right. Xu Ran didnt want to mention the matter of Yanzhou. It was a knot in his heart and a knot in his familys hearts. Yanzhou was very good, but he lost two children in that place, so no matter how much he liked it, his feelings had faded. Lin Hua could clearly saw that Xu Ran was not in a high mood, so he stopped asking. After all, we all had things that we didnt want to talk about. When they entered the room, Zhuo Yun was busy making bamboo baskets. When he saw Xu Ran and Lin Hua, he also stopped his movements. Youre back! Lin Hua also came over. What a coincidence! Xu Ran and the others had only arriced yesterday. In the past few years, Lin Hua and Zhao Chen would come to stay for a few days every year. They were quite familiar with Zhuo Yun now, and Zhuo Yun didnt treat Lin Hua as outsiders at all. After hearing Zhuo Yuns words, Lin Hua smiled and said, Its indeed a coincidence. Then he pointed to the bamboo baskets in the house and asked Zhuo Yun, What are you doing with so many bamboo baskets? Zhuo Yun explained, The fruit trees in the orchards are ready to be picked. These bamboo baskets are for picking fruits. By the way, you can take some of them when you go back. The fruits are big and nice this year. Okay! When the time comes, Ill pack one basket, but Im still here for the potatoes. I dont know why, but the ones I grow arent as good as the ones here. Zhuo Yun said, There are potatoes, all of them are left for you. As for the problem of how the potatoes grow well, you probably have to ask Xu Ran. He planted all the fields that produced the best potatoes, and I dont know how he made it. These two people who were talking like crazy finally remembered Xu Ran when they needed him. that he was here. Xu Ran touched his nose unhappily. However, Lin Hua couldnt care that much, so he asked Xu Ran directly, Xu Ran, tell me, does it matter where the potatoes are grown? Xu Ran rolled his eyes and found a seat to sit down. Then he said to Lin Hua, Of course, tell me what kind land you planted, when you planted it and how you planted it. Zhao Chen and Zhuo Yun also sat down, intending to hear what Xu Ran said. As for Liu Tong and the rest, they did not follow in. After putting the things down, they went to the kitchen to do theiir work. No matter how familiar Lin Hua and the others were, they were still guests. And the guests must be entertained when they came. People who used to be busy in the kitchen were Liu Tong and Shao Yu. Now that Shao Yu was not around, the person became Qin Shuwen . Over the years, Qin Shuwens cooking skills have been pretty good. He did all the cooking in their house by himself, and Chan-Shu would occasionally come and help. The two of them were busy in the kitchen. Qin Shuwen asked Liu Tong some interesting things about Yanzhou and the road while working. Liu Tong naturally wouldnt hide these things, so he told Qin Shuwen everything whihc made Qin Shuwen want to go out and take a look. Liu Tong said, We wont go to Yanzhou for a while. But you can come with us when we go next time, but we should probably be relatives by then. Qin Shuwen smiled and said, Okay! Ill go with you then and see what is going on outside. However, when it comes to the matter of relatives by marriage, our Qingshu was really like his father. He is an infatuated person, and has been missing Baozi with a deep heart. Liu Tong also smiled, Baozi is also the same. When we left, he said he would go back and look for Qingshu on the way, and he got beaten up by his Dad. Now you can see how he has changed. His father told him that if he wanted to marry Qingshu in the future, he would have to learn to read and manners with his uncle, and he did for many years. Qin Shuwen nodded, Yes, Baozis change is quite obvious. He really looked like a baozi when he left, except that he was thinner. Now he looks like a decent childe. If he is not a childe, he might have been attarcting a lot of childe. Liu Tong took the words and said, But the boys liked him just the way he was. However, Baozi only loves Qingshu, so he couldnt find a husband who satisfied me. Qin Shuwen said, What? Arent you satisfied with Qingshu? I can tell you, Qingshu is so gorgeous that many boys like him. Liu Tong said hurriedly, Theres no dissatisfaction. If Im really dissatisfied with him, Ran and I wouldnt give my childe permission to marry a childe. The two childe seem like a good match even when they are so young.If they were older, who knows how many people would envy them. Haha, youre right. Qin Shuwen agreed. In any case, both of them were very satisfied with this. By the time the two of them have finished their meal, Xu Ran and the others also finished talking and were waiting for dinner. Xu Rans original plan to go to Wu Meis home tonight had to be postponed. Xu Ran asked Lin Hua while eating, How long are you staying this time? Lin Hua said, Three days! Weve been busy lately, but since youve just returned, I have to show respect for your feelings. Hearing his words, Xu Ran laughed. Thank you. Dont worry, Ill definitely treat you well and make up for our lost five years of friendship. That didnt sound right, but Lin Hua didnt hear it. Of course, in the next few days, Xu Ran did entertain Lin Hua well and he didint lied. Due to Lin Hua and the rest, Xu Ran and his family did not go to Wu Mei and others homes. They just called them over for dinner and chatting, as if they had returned to the days before they left. There was a flat stone road at the entrance, and there was a dense forest behind the house. Next to it was an orcharland filled with fruits. It was as beautiful as always, as beautiful as a painting. Chapter 300 The moment he fell from the pit, Guoguo found himself unfortunate, but grateful at the same time. It was better for him to fall to his death than be stabbed to death by these people. If Tangtang were back with people and saw his body on the ground, how grieved he would be, and so would Dad, Daddy and Baozi. In general, falling was better. Once he fell, no one would know where he was. They would just presume that he vanished, and thus he would live in their heart forever. Guoguo thought to himself the moment he fell. However, it didnt occur to him that those barbarians would also fall after he did. But unlike Guoguo, the barbarians didnt fall voluntarily. This pit was different from what Guoguo had expected, because it had taken him a while to land. Besides, before he finally landed, he had assumed that he would land heavily on the ground, bleeding, but that was not the case. Instead, he fell into the water and floated down the stream. Later, he lost consciousness and knew nothing. When he woke up again, Guoguo didnt know what time it was. He only felt that the sun above him was so bright that he couldnt open his eyes. Youre awake. Do you want some water? Youve been sleeping for a long time. Suddenly, a gentle voice came into Guoguos ears. Guoguo forced himself to open his eyes and saw an extremely beautiful Geer in front of him. Guoguo stared at him blankly for a while before saying, Where am I? Guoguo was startled by his own voice when heard it because he sounded hoarse as if a duck was quacking, which was unpleasant to hear. That Geer passed his canteen over to Guoguo immediately. Drink some water before you speak. Youve slept too long. Guoguo wanted to take over the canteen with his own hands and drink the water himself. However, it was when he raised his hand that he found both of his hands were wrapped with white cloth. He remembered that his right hand had been slashed by those barbarians, while his left hand might have hit the stone in the water. Guoguo didnt know whether it was because it hurt so much that he went numb, and neither of his hands could feel anything now. That Geer explained with a smile, Your hands were injured, and I applied medicine to them. Since you cant move now, let me feed you! Guoguo looked at him and wanted to thank him, but then thought of his unpleasant voice, so he just smiled and nodded. Then Guoguo held that Geers hand and drank some water. When his throat was moist, Guoguo felt better. The Geer put the canteen away and said to Guoguo, This is the territory of Shanwai Clan. My name is Shanwai Muya, and you may call me Muya. I found you in the water. Youve slept for three whole days. You were badly injured and I almost failed to bring you back. Luckily, youre awake now. Badly injured? Guoguo looked at his own hands. Those wounds were not deadly, so he couldnt be badly injured! Thinking this, Guoguo felt a pain in the chest. The next moment, he started to cough at once. The more he coughed, the more he felt the pain. His guts hurt. It was very likely that he had hit his chest against something in the water. While Guoguo was coughing, Shanwai Muya was patting him on his back very gently, looking worried. Guoguo had coughed for a while before he stopped. Just as he was about to say something, Shanwai Muya interrupted him, Dont talk for now. I could guess what you are going to say anyway, but wait until you get better. Even if you want to go back, now is not the right time. Hearing Shanwai Muya, Guoguo fell silent. He knew that Shanwai Muya was telling the truth, but he was still very upset. He didnt know how Dad and Daddy were going, or how they felt when hearing the news that he was missing, and also his brother Seeing that Guoguo kept his head down, Shanwai Muya didnt say anything. After a while, it was when the sun was slowly sinking in the west that Shanwai Muya said, Let me take you back to my home first! Ive been out for a few days, and its time for me to go back. Now Guoguo raised his head and looked around. This was a forest and he was surrounded by trees. There was a cave not far from them, and he was leaning against a tree. Rays of sunlight shone through tree branches upon him. It was so bright that Guoguo didnt feel good under the sun. He didnt know why he was kept under the tree while there was a cave. Shanwai Muya could read Guoguos mind and explained, I dont know how long you had been in the river. Its gloomy and cold in the cave, so I carried you out to do some sunbathing. I carried you back into the cave at night. Guoguo was a little embarrassed when he heard Shanwai Muyas explanation. He, a man, should have been carried repeatedly by a Geer. How shameful! Fortunately, he had been unconscious back then and known nothing. Guoguo didnt answer him because he felt awkward, while Shanwai Muya just picked him up when he was awake, very easily. Guoguo, He couldnt be more embarrassed. Muya, put me down! I can walk by myself. Its just that my hands got hurt, but my legs are fine. Youll get tired from carrying me. Shanwai Muya didnt answer. He just spared one hand and pulled up Guoguos trousers, letting him see the white cloth wrapped around his leg. Guoguo, After seeing it, Guoguo closed his eyes silently. He hadnt felt the pain before, so he hadnt expected that his legs would also be injured at all. Now he realized that he couldnt even move. Shanwai Muya chuckled, You have difficulty in moving now, so dont think too much. Besides, you look younger than me, and no one will laugh at you even if Im carrying you. Guoguo remained quiet. Shanwai Muya didnt mind it at all. He carried Guoguo and walked forward along the path. Neither of them spoke on the way. Guoguo was too shy to talk. In addition, he was totally unfamiliar with this place and didnt know what to say. Meanwhile, he was in poor physical condition right now. He could feel that he was injured both on the inside and outside. He also didnt know when he could get well. They had walked for a while, and some bamboo houses could just be made out in the distance. Shanwai Muya said to Guoguo, That is the place of residence of Shanwai Clan. There are only thousands of us and we are a little clan in the north of Yanzhou. Usually, few people visit our place, while the people from our clan seldom go out either. We mainly move around within our own territory. You were so lucky that you fell into the territory of Shanwai Clan. Otherwise, I would have missed you. Guoguo rolled his eyes. He hadnt known where he would land while he had been falling. Shanwai Muya introduced Shanwai Clan to Guoguo in a soft voice, including their customs, language, culture, etiquette and food. He told Guoguo everything, no matter he could remember them or not. When he finished speaking, Shanwai Muya stopped in front of a two-storey bamboo house. He said, This is my house. Theres only one in my household, and no one visits me, so its fine even if Im out for two or three days. Guoguo nodded his head, the only thing that was still intact all over his body. Well I see. I was wondering why no one was looking for you while you had been out for days. Shanwai Muya smiled faintly, Otherwise, do you think that my Dad and Daddy wont be anxious when I, a Geer, have been out for days? Furthermore, Ive brought back a son of unknown background with me. Guoguo puckered his lips. Although Shanwai Muyas words made sense, Guoguo still didnt want to identify with him. Shanwai Muya opened the door, put Guoguo on the bed and said to him, Lie down and have a rest for a while. Ill go cooking. Lets talk when were full. Guoguo nodded, expressing his agreement with him, and lay on the bed peacefully. However, he was still thinking while lying on the bed. He knew that with his current physical condition, he would be unable to go back in a while. The best solution was to have someone send the message out for him. As long as Dad and everyone else knew he was still alive, that would be enough. He would go home when he got well. But Guoguo wondered whether Shanwai Muya was willing to send the message out for him? Guoguo could tell that obviously, Shanwai Muya hadnt told him everything while introducing Shanwai Clan to him. Guoguo was 15 now and could get married. However, Shanwai Muya, a Geer, should have dared to stay with him alone, carry him and take him home, which really confused Guoguo. Guoguo hadnt noticed these issues before. Now that he was lying alone, these doubts just popped up. He himself knew nothing about Shanwai Clan, so he was more or less worried, but he hadnt been worried for long before Shanwai Muya came in with food. Shanwai Muya told Guoguo as he walked into the house from outside, This time, I went out to find food at first, but I didnt expect to bump into you. Not only havent I found any food, Ive also consumed all the food I brought with me. Theres no food left at home. I just cooked a little rice paste. Make do with it! Later Ill go out to look for something else to eat. Shanwai Muya sat at the bedside as he spoke. He took a spoonful of rice paste and sent it to Guoguos mouth. Guoguo was just about to say that he could eat it on his own. Then he saw the white cloth wrapped around his hands and opened his mouth silently. Shanwai Muya seemed to have been amused by Guoguo. When Shanwai Muya was feeding him, a smile was hanging on his face. As a Geer, he was good-looking to begin with. Now that he was smiling, he looked even prettier. After feeding Guoguo the rice paste, Shanwai Muya notified him and went out. It had been a long while before he finally came back. Guoguo could tell that it was already dark outside by looking through the dense bamboo grove. Guoguo heard something baaing when Shanwai Muya was back. He could tell that Shanwai Muya had brought a sheep back, and quite a few other things. Guoguo heard his footsteps and assumed that Shanwai Muya must have run in and out several times. When Shanwai Muya had finally done the chores, he went in to see Guoguo in a sweat, while Guoguo was lying on the bed, smiling at him. Seeing that Guoguo was fine, Shanwai Muya walked out again, saying that he would do some cooking. To Guoguo, the rice paste he had had in the afternoon was far from enough. After all, he hadnt eaten for days. Besides, he was quite curious about Shanwai Muyas cooking skill. C Chapter 301 After another meal, Shanwai Muya was finally free. He moved a stool to sit by the bed and told Guoguo, We can have a good talk now, but you have to tell me your name before this. Xu Mu, Guoguo said. He had been called a nickname from an early age, and only used his first name on rare occasions. Guoguo was still a little unused to it. Shanwai Muya didnt dwell on his name. He continued, There is a very special rule our Shanwai clan. That is, no matter if you are a member of the clan or an outsider, you must leave a child for Shanwai clan before leaving this place. Just like me, if I want to leave the Shanwai clan, I have to give birth to a child before I can leave. Moreover, I cant come back after I leave. No one will care whether I die outside or not. After Shanwai Muya finished speaking, he looked at Guoguo, waiting for his reaction. Guoguo, though somewhat surprised, did not react much. Xu Ran had told them before that every place had its local regulations and they must learn to do as the Romans do. However, the only thing that made him unhappy was that he had to find a childe to have a baby here. He was worried that he wouldnt find the person he liked. Xu Ran also said that he would have a lover in his lifetime, so he could only have one future husband. Guoguo asked Shanwai Muya, If I have a child, can I take my husband with me when I leave this place? Shanwai Muya nodded. Yes, but you have to have two children. If you only have one, you can only leave alone. Guoguo frowned. Two children! How long would it take to leave this place? Can I send a message to the outside in this place? My family will be worried. I want to write a letter to them and tell them that I am still alive. Shanwai Muya shook his head and looked a little sorry. No, You cant, because no one has left here, and there is no way to send the letter out. And outsiders will not come here casually. His frowning got more obvious, and with his pale face, he looked particularly pitiful. Shanwai Muya couldnt help but reached out to touch his face. However, Guoguo did not see his intention and was just thinking about how to go home as soon as possible. Shanwai Muya said, You want to go home as soon as possible, so you have to get better as soon as possible, and then have a baby with me. Then you can go back. After Guoguo heard his words, he looked at him in surprise, Have a child with you? Shanwai Muya looked matter-of-fact, Yeah! Who else could it be but me? Youve already lived in my house. Do you still want to find another childe? I No, Guoguo was a little anxious. I have to have a child with you if I live in your house. Is this the rule here? Shanwai Muya shook his head and said. No, its just that Im old. The Patriarch asked me to marry a member of my clan, but theyre too ugly. I dont want to marry them, so Ive been putting it off. This year is my deadline from the patriarch. I have to get married this year. Take it as a reward for saving your life. Shanwai Muya was a straightforward person, so he explained it directly. Guoguo thought about it carefully. He did not lose out. Shanwai Muya was really good-looking, much better than the best childe he had ever seen, and he looked very capable. Dad would definitely be satisfied. The only bad thing right now was that he had not fallen for him yet. If he liked him, everybody would be happy. Since he had saved his life, he naturally had to help him. Besides, he was not only helping him, he was also helping himself. He must abide by the rules since he was here. Guoguo nodded and agreed, Alright then! Is there any ceremony for getting married here? I definitely cant do this now. Will the Patriarch say anything? Shanwai Muya said, The ceremony is definitely necessary. You wont be able to do this now, but I can explain to the Patriarch that the ceremony will be postponed first. Youre living in my house anyway. Then, I will recover as soon as possible. As soon as I can get up and walk around, we can start the ceremony. Shanwai Muya didnt reply. He knew that Guoguos eagerness had nothing to do with him. He just wanted to go home. Although they had been together for three days, today was the first time they met. He couldnt have gotten attached to him so quickly. Even he made this request because Guoguo was good-looking. The rules of the Shanwai clan was quite normal except that one. In addition, Shanwai Muya also told him a lot on the way back, so he didnt mention it much. After he finished speaking, Shanwai Muya went to grab two bottles and said to Guoguo, These are the special ointment of our caln. It can heal wounds very quickly and it wont cause any pain. I applied the medicine on your body three days ago. Its time to change it today. Guoguo lay down and said, Then Ill have to trouble you. Shanwai Muya carefully removed the cloth on Guoguos body. Guoguo saw the dark layer on his hand, just like ink, but it didnt smell bad. There was a faint fragrance. After removing the cloth strip, Shanwai Muya went out to get some water. Guoguo observed his arm and found it was swollen. In fact, it was very thick. There were obvious wounds in some places. One by one, they should have been scratched by stone. After the strip of cloth was removed, his arm started to ache. Previously, it was too tight and there was the ointment, so he didnt feel any pain. Just as Guoguo grinned, Shanwai Muya came in with a basin of hot water. There was a handkerchief next to the basin. Muya used a handkerchief to touch the water and then went to wipe Guoguos arm. The ointment was wiped down bit by bit, revealing the red arm, and the swelling, which looked a little scary. Muya said, Dont worry. Swelling means the ointment is working. You just need to apply it a few more times. Muya didnt seem to feel that his injury was serious at all. His tone was very relaxed. Guoguo didnt understand medical skills, so he didnt know the specific situation either. He could only believe in what Shanwai Muya said. After the medicine on his arm was changed, it was time to change the medicine on his leg. Guoguo was ashamed to ask him to change it, but he couldnt do it himself. Thinking that he had aiready seen everything before, he didnt hesitate to let Muya take off his pants and change his medicine. Of course, it would be good if his body wasnt that stiff. Shanwai Muya laughed. Were just changing your medicine and youre so shy. What do you want to do then when I carry you to the outhouse? Guoguo, who was not in a hurry to pee, suddenly wanted to go to the outhouse. He looked at Shanwai Muya helplessly, wondering how could a childe say such words. Shanwai Muya said, Why are you so shy? DDidnt we agree we were going to get married and have a kid? Guoguo was very helpless to see Muyas confused expression. Arent they still not married? They couldnt do that! However, Shanwai Muya didnt care much about it. After he changed the medicine on his leg, he carried him to the outhouse and took off his pants for him. He was not shy at all. When he saw that Guoguo was really shy, Muya said, Ill close my eyes. Just pretend that I dont exist. Guoguo said to himself, Even if you closed your eyes, I could still feel you hugging me. But on his second thought, it was better than to keep them open! Therefore, Guoguo still obediently peed. After that, he immediately asked Muya to carry him back, and Muyas laughter didnt stop all the way. After he carried Guoguo back to the bed, Shanwai Muya wiped his hands and face, which was very considerate. After being considerate, here came the problem. Guoguo lay on the bed and was ready to fall asleep. After lying for a while, he saw Muya coming in again and lying beside him with his clothes on. He opened his mouth, but nothing could come out. Muya looked at him and said, seemingly helpless. Alright, why are you so shy? Im the childe! Ill blow out the oil lamp to make it easier for you to turn around at night. You call me if theres anything wrong. Dont endure it alone. Im sleepy, so Ill sleep first. With that he closed his eyes and let go of his breath. Guoguo stared at the top of the bed. Why did things suddenly turn out this way? They are not married yet! Why did they sleep in the same bed? Guoguo was roaring in his heart, but it was just in his heart. It was useless to let him say it. Shanwai Muya would definitely find a reason to refute him. Guoguo had never been so frustrated before. Were the childe he came into contact before with too conservative? Guoguo just stared at the top of the bed. After staring for a while, his eyes turned tired, and then he closed his eyes to sleep. He slept until dawn, and did not turn over once Chapter 302 The wound on Guoguos body was getting better day by day. And the days were passing by. The autumn wind took the leaves away, and the north wind ushered in snow again. Everything was covered by snow. The valleys on either side were completely covered in snow, and the sound of the water below the canyon stopped. The entire Shanwai tribe was unusually quiet. It was also very cold here in winter, plus they all lived in wooden houses, wihich made it even colder when the wind blew in. Shanwai Muya has grown up in this place,in such an environment, so he had long been used to it. But Guoguo came from the south to the north, and it took him a year to adapt to the cold of Yanzhou. It was not long before he arrived at another colder place. It was a real test for him. For some reason, when the weather got cold, Guoguos wound started to recover slower. He had recovered a lot before, but it was still the same when the winter came. The cloth was still not completely removed, and he still needed a stick to walk, but his chest wouldnt hurt anymore. So Guoguo was glad that his internal injury had been well. But due to his health, his marriage to Shanwai Muya would be postponed until the spring of next year, which made Shanwai Muya, who was supposed to be married in winter, suffer, which was mainly from Shanwai Muzhu. Because Shanwai Muya didnt expect that Guoguos wound would be cured so slowly, and he couldnt let Guoguo marry him with wound, so he could only go find the patriarch to postpone the wedding day to next year. Coincidentally, Shanwai Muzhu found out this thing and he even laughed at Shanwai Muya in front of a lot of people. It was not his fault, but Guoguo was also innocent. Guoguo would get involved as long as Shanwai Muya retorted. This was not what he wanted, so he was ridiculed by Shanwai Muzhu severely. But he did said anything to Guoguo when he got back. Guoguo heard it from the person who came to him to listen to stories. He was not happy either. He had to care more about Shanwai Muya both emotionally and intellectually. Guoguo couldnt avenge Shanwai Muya directly, so he could only think of a different way. Shanwai Muzhu often came to listen to stories. But after that, Guoguo would refuse to tell stories as long as Shanwai Muzhu came. And as he did it more and more, people started to find it out. Everyone who wanted to listen to the stories had also started to reject Shanwai Muzhu and refused to let him in. After such a few times, Shanwai Muzhu stopped coming and he didnt bother Shanwai Muya any more. Every now and then, Shanwai Muya wouold wonder if Shanwai Muzhu was thinking of some other way to get back at him because he had not appeared for so long. Guoguo smiled without saying a word. By the time of the New Year, Shanwai Muya had already made the wedding gown of the two of them. They were made according to the style of the wedding gown of the Shanwai clan, which was red, good-looking and festive. After seeing the wedding gown, Guoguo had begun to look forward to getting married. After spending a few months together, he felt that it was not bad to have a smart and good-looking husband like Shanwai Muya. Guoguo couldnt help but think of the joke he made with Tangtang about getting married. At that time, he said he would find out as long as he gave it a try. He didnt expect this sentence to come true, and he was about to get married soon. New year was coming after the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. When the snowflakes landed, the year was over again before we knew it. The Spring Festival was very lively in Shanwai tribe . Everyone spent New Years Eve together and a bonfire was lit outside. Everyone sang and danced together, then made New Years wishes and had dinner that had been prepared long ago. After eating, they went back to their own homes. The people here did not celebrate New Years Day. After the evening was over, it was the same as usual, nothing special, but very simple. This was the first year that Guoguo had not spent with his family in so many years, he was a little depressed. It was so obvious that Shanwai Muya could tell that there was something wrong with him, but he didnt ask Guoguo why he was unhappy. Instead, he tried all he could to make him happy. He recollected all the games he played when he was young to ask Guoguo to play with him. It took not only brains but also physical strength to play games. Guoguo was too tired running around during the day, so he fell asleep very quickly at night. In that case, there wasnt much time for him to think about anything else. When his sentiment slowly passed, Shanwai Muya didnt take him out any more and Guoguo also understood his intentions. Although he did not say it, he was really touched. Guoguo felt that he should do something for Shanwai Muya, too. He didnt have as many ideas as his father and was not very good at speaking sugared words. So he went to cook for Shanwai Muya directly. It wasnt anything new, and it was all the dishes here, but he had never done it before. It wasnt that Guoguo didnt want to do anything else, but that he didnt have any ingredients and he was unable to do what he hoped. It happened that Shanwai Muya went out that day, and when he came back at noon, he saw a table of dishes and Guoguo coming out of the kitchen with a plate of dishes. He opened her mouth in surprise, Did you cook all this? Guoguo nodded. Yes. Ive never done it before. I dont know how it tastes. Go wash your hands first and Ill get the rice. After Guoguo said this, he went into the kitchen again. Shanwai Muya smiled when he saw the table of dishes that looked good. What a good feeling! There was someone who was waiting for him to go home every day. Occasionally, there would be a table of food waiting for him. He had never experienced such happiness, but he got it from Guoguo now, who had yet to marry him. Shanwai Muya found that he was more and more reluctant to let go of Xu Mu. The smile that he had just raised suddenly faded. He knew he could not keep him after all. What he has thinking about was his home, no matter how long it would take. But he could only stay in this place until he was dead. When Guoguo came out with the food, he saw Shanwai Muya was still in a daze. He urged him, Why are you still standing? Go and wash your hands to eat! This dishes were getting cold. Oh, okay! Upon hearing Guoguos words, Shanwai Muya came to his senses and went to the kitchen to wash his hands. While eating, Guoguo stared at Shanwai Muya all the time. Guoguo would look at him nervously every time he moved his chopsticks. Shanwai Muya was amused by his actions. Its delicious. Hearing Shanwai Muyas words, Guoguo felt relieved and said. Thats good. I havent cooked before. I learned a little while watching my daddy cook. Shanwai Muya picked up some food for him. Its amazing that you can cook so well the first time. I think the first time I cooked, even the rice was burnt. Guoguo smiled, But you cook very well now, I like it very much. Shanwai Muya suddenly blushed and said softly , Im glad you like it. In Guoguos eyes, Shanwai Muya, who was blushing, looked even better. Guoguo suddenly reached out his hand and grabbed Shanwai Muyas hands. Muya, I know youve been wronged recently. Ill get better as soon as possible. I wont break my promise. Shanwai Muya pulled out his hand and hid it behind his back. He didnt dare to look directly at Guoguo. He just lowered his head and whispered, Its okay. I know that, Ill wait for you to recover. Seeing him like this, Guoguo couldnt say much. He sat down to pick up some vegetables for him and urged him to eat more. At the beginning of March, the snow was melting and everything started to revive. It finally became a little lively in Shanwai tribe, and you could see a litttle green color here. Guoguos wound was healed too, which was a joyous thing. After Shanwai Muya found out about it, he couldnt even close his mouth. The first thing he said was, Xu Mu, I can finally wear my wedding gown. When Guoguo heard this, he smiled softly and touched his head. Yes, You can wear it finally, and Ill wear it with you. Also, you can call me Guoguo. My dad and daddy call me that. Shanwai Muya tilted his head puerilely and muttered softly, Guoguo. Then he looked at Guoguo and said, No, Ill call you Mu. I want to call you in a different way. Alrigh then, Guoguo rubbed his head a few more times again. He has been particularly fond of rubbing Shanwai Muyas head recently. Shanwai Muya wasnt dissatisfied about it, instead, he was smiling. Guoguos wound healed, which meant that they could finally get married, so Shanwai Muya went to the patriarch to ask him to pick a good day. Guoguo also went with him. This was the first time that he had gone to someone elses house after he came here. The patriarch liked Shanwai Muya very much. He said that he would marry him casually to a member of his clan before, but it was all just talk. He just hoped that Shanwai Muya would think about it seriously himself. The boys in the village were not as ugly as Shanwai Muya said. Some of them were good-looking and capable, but Shanwai Muya didnt like them. Later, when he went out, he brought back an outsider. The patriarch didnt like it very much in his heart. He was worried that this outsider would not be willing to stay in the Shanwai tribe, but he couldnt help it because Shanwai Muya liked it very mcuh. As soon as he rescued him, he rushed to tell him that he could not disagree with him. The patriarch was also the only person he had never met after Guoguo came to the Shanwai tribe. In fact, Guoguo also understood that the patriarch must have had some grudges against him, so when Shanwai Muya said taht he needed to meet the patriarch in the morning, he said that he would go with him. Guoguo also intentionally performed well in front of the patriarch. He did not mention that he would leave after having two children with Shanwai Muya. He only said that he would take good care of Shanwai Muya in the future and make their life better and better. Guoguos attitude was extremely good, and the Patriarch could not find fault with him. In addition, Shanwai Muya had been standing beside him and saying good things about Guoguo, so he could only choose a good day in front of the two of them. March 18th was the auspicious day for marriage in the zodiac, Guoguo and Shanwai Muya were about to get married on that day. Chapter 303 Guoguo woke up at dawn the next day. He turned his head to the side where Shanwai Muya was sleeping. It was already empty, and he had gotten up. Guoguo also smelled the fragrance outside. He didnt know what Shanwai Muya had cooked outside, but he felt a sense of anticipation. He couldnt move, so even if he woke up, he could only lie on the bed and smell the fragrance outside. After a while, Shanwai Muya opened the door and came in, carrying a tray with several things in it. Seeing that he was awake, he smiled and greeted him, So you are awake. Are you hungry? Ive got breakfast ready. Guoguo shook his head and said. Im not hungry yet. I ate a lot yesterday. ShNwai Muya said, You have to eat even if youre not hungry. Ill bring some water for you to wash your face. Then you can eat it. Someone should come to my house today. I hope they wont scare you. Guoguo shook his head. No way! After all, Im a boy. Im not so easily scared. Thats right, you are not afraid of falling down from such a high place. You just need to see a few people today, Shanwai Muya said as he walked out. Guoguo was bored lying on the bed, so he could only sit and wait for Shanwai Muya to return. However, he was still a little curious about the clansmen that Shanwai Muyan said would scare him. Shanwai Muya brought the water to wash Guoguos face and brushed his teeth before feeding him a meal. The breakfast was porridge with some pickles that she had made, which was light, but also appetizing. Guoguo ate two bowls in one go. After eating, he saw Shanwai Muya smiling. Guoguo knew what he was laughing at and he felt so embarrassed that he turned his face away. Shanwai Muya was right. It wasnt long before Guoguo heard the sound outside. There were many people calling Shanwai Muyas name, which all sounded very young. Shanwai Muya went out to greet them, then the voice outside sounded even louder. They were talking about everything, and most importantly, they were asking Shanwai Muya about the person he had rescued. Shanwai Muya told the patriarch about it when he went to his house to take rice last night. There were other people in the patriarchs home at the time and they all heard it. However, because it was already dark yesterday, they didnt come over to take a look. They had been curious and had arrived early in the morning. Shanwai Muya didnt hide it and brought the group of people into the house. Then he introduced Guoguo to them, His name is Xu Mu. He fell from the top of the mountain and was picked up by me. He cant move now, so he has to lie on the bed. Well get married as soos as hes recovered. He was extraordinarily proud when he said the last sentence. As for the reason, they did not know. The group of people entered the room. Guoguo smiled and waved at them stiffly. Shanwai Muya saw his movements and immediately walked over. He complained, Dont you know you cant move your hands? What are you doing? I told them that youre injured and they wont mind. When they heard Shanwai Muyas words, people who were watching Guoguo nodded one after another. For their understanding, Guoguo returned a gentle smile. The fifteen-year-old boy had gradually grown up. His fair and beautiful face made a lot of childe blush, which made Shanwai Muya a little jealous, but he couldnt say anything in front of so many people. They had seen him and he had already smiled at them. Shanwai Muya was just about to chase them away when one of them came over and told Guoguo, My name is Shanwai Muzhu. Im Shanwai Muyas friend. Whats your name? Shanwai Muya looked very angry. He had already known his name before he came in, but now he asked again. Shanwai Muzhu really couldnt be nice to him and wanted to snatch everything from him. Guoguo, who was keen enough, also noticed that something was wrong. He said, My name is Xu Mu. I heard that Muya had introduced me to you outside. Thank you for coming to see me. Ill go to you house to offer thanks when Im recovered. Guoguo smiled and changed the topic and other people told him not to be too courteous. They came to see him just out of curiosity. They would actually ask Guoguo to go to their houses to offer thanks. And because of that, Shanwai Muzhu was stopped from trying to make friends with Guoguo, which made Shanwai Muya very happy. She secretly glared at Shanwai Muzhu. Shanwai Muzhu also felt Shanwai Muya staring at him, so he stared back. The two of them were fighting hard, and Guoguo touched Shanwai Muya gently and helplessly. Shanwai Muya did not want to leave any bad impression on Guoguo, so he stopped staring at Shanwai Muzhu. After a few words to these people, he said that Guoguo was not feeling well and had to rest, then chased them away. After they left, Shanwai Muya stopped smiling and looked at the back of Shanwai Muzhu angrily. The person that Shanwai Muya hated the most was him. He would fight with him for everything since they were just kids, and he still fought with him after they had grown up. He often said that he had no dad and daddy, and that he had sprung from a rock. They have been fighting over this thing since childhood. And he had the guts to say that he was his friend in front of Xu Mu. How shameless he was! Shanwai Muya entered the room angrily and saw Guoguo smiling at the door, as if he had known he would come in. Seeing this, Shanwai Muya couldnt get angry anymore. He walked over to the bed and asked, You must be tired after all this talking! You can lie down for a while. Im working outside. Call me if you need anything. Guoguo was not that tired, but he had nothing else to do, so he just nodded. Shanwai Muya saw him lying down and turned to leave. Just as he took two steps, he was stopped by Guoguo. Muya. Shanwai Muya looked back at him. You dont have to be unhappy. If its yours, its yours. No one can take it away. I wont go back on my promise. After Guoguo said this, he turned his face to the other side, and Shanwai Muya didnt say anything. He just glanced at him and left. But when he went out, he was laughing with extraordinary pleasure. Just like that, Guoguo lived in the tribe as Shanwai Muyas husband. Just like Shanwai Muya said, there were indeed not too many people there. Every day, there were people who came to see Guoguo. He had almost met everyone of Shanwai clan in the days that he lay in bed. Among them, there were many people who liked Shanwai Muya. There were also many people who were not as ugly as Shanwai Muya said. They are all defiant when they met Guoguo. Guoguo was not angry at all. Even if he was angry now, it would be useless. He smiled at everyone and he didnt show any weakness when he spoke. He really didnt let those who came to trouble him gain any advantage. In the face of this situation, the happiest person was Shanwai Muya, because there would be fewer people around him in the future, especially those who didnt look good. The wound on Guoguos body were also recovering gradually. The medicine of the Shanwai clan was very useful both externally and internally. After a month he would at least be able to use his hands and feet, so long as he didnt use too much strength. After lying in bed for a whole month, he could finally get out of bed to walk around. The place where the Shanwai clan resides was in the middle of a gorge. The two sides were separated by a grand canyon. You couldnt see what was on it or what was in front. It felt a little constricted, but the scenery was not bad. Guoguo used a walking stick that Shanwai Muya had made for him, supported by him and slowly wandered around the tribe. After looking at the terrain here, he also understood why no one came in and no one went out. If no one led the way, it was easy to die, either coming in or going out. They almost never went out unless they were stupid or desperate. People here were self-reliant in terms of food and clothing. There was no need to buy it outside, and even the currency was useless here. They all bartered here. People who have been outside definitely wouldnt be able to stay here. There were very few people here who could read, let alone reading oyther books. Guoguo had wanted Shanwai Muya to find him a few books before, so that he could kill time when he was bored, but Shanwai Muya looked at him with a look of embarrassment. He told him that there were no books in the tribe and the only people who could read were the patriarch and the candidate for the next patriarch. Guoguo felt a little bad after he heard that, because it was too boring to lie on the bed. Shanwai Muya didnt have much to do every day. Apart from doing housework at home, he just went out for food and put cattle and sheep out to pasture. After Guoguo came, the most thing he did every day was to accompany him and talk with him. He was also a little afraid that Guoguo would be too bored alone, and he would want to leave and not mayy him when he recovered. Then he would be miserable. Therefore, he tried his best to make Guoguo not too bored. He asked people from the tribey to talk to him every day. The situation was better, but this kind of improvement was brought by Guoguo himself. When he was a child, Guoguo heard Xu Ran tell a lot of stories and he still remembered them. People came to him every day and asked him the same questions. He didnt want to answer them like that every day, so he started to tell them stories, and sometimes he incidentally said the story about the outside world. It could be seen that these people were very eager for the outside, but no one saids that they wanted to go out and take a look. No matter how good the outside was, it was not their home. They had never heard much of what Guoguo said, and how to survive after going out was also a problem, so everyone just laughed it off. However, Guoguo agreed with their thoughts because the people here were too innocent and it was difficult for them to survive in the outside. Ever since he found something to do, Guoguo was not as bored as before. And he was even more cooperative when Shanwai Muya asked him to take the medicine and changed the medicine for him, so his wound recovered quickly. He should be all right in another two months. It would be winter by then. This should be Chapter 7, and Chapter 7 should be Chapter 8. I posted it with my phone back then. So I made a mistake. Now Ill make it up for free. Chapter 304 Soon, ten days had passed. Having recovered from the wounds, Guoguos began to do heavy work. Muya just needed to do some housework like cooking and washing clothes. If Guoguo didnt know how to do it, he would ask Muya to teach him. The two of them had already lived a life that seemed like they had been together for a long time, even they hadnt got married. Laughing and talking on a daily basis, they felt life passed very quickly. According the rules of the Shanwai Family, marriage was a big deal and all the people of the family would come to the wedding. The two people who would get married didnt have to worry about anything, everything had been arranged by the elders of the family, especially for Muya, who had lost his father when he was a child. Not only the patriarch doted on Muya, the elders in the family also liked him very much. So their wedding must be very grand. While everyone was busy, Muya, as well as Guoguo, walked, rode horses and pastured cattles, which made them busy all day long. Their purpose was obvious, just to divert their attention, because the two people who were going to marry were very nervous. Holding the horse, Muya asked Guoguo as they were walking, When other people got married, they were very happy. But why am I so nervous now? Guoguo smiled, shaking his head, and replied, Im not sure about this either, but Im also a little nervous just like you. You know that I wasnt so nervous when facing more than 100 barbarians who wanted my life. Muya rolled her eyes and said, You mean Im even scarier than a hundred barbarians? Looking at him, Guoguo asked in confusion,Why will you think so? You said it yourself. Youre even more nervous than facing more than 100 barbarians. Am I really that scary? Guoguo leaned closer to him and said, Of course not. They are two different feelings. When facing the Barbarian, I was afraid, not nervous, because they will hurt me, but you wont. As for being nervous now, Im just the same as you. Weve never been married and dont understand anything, thats why we are nervous. Muya agreed with Guoguo reluctantly, and they continued to walk slowly. It was March 18th. The night before it, Muya didnt live in his own home and moved to the patriarchs house. On March 18th, Guoguo would ride his horse to the patriarchs house to pick Muya back. The process of getting married was very complicated. Before daybreak, Guoguo was called out from bed, and he changed his clothes. He always had someone around to remind him to pay attention to something. Being confused, Guoguo did whatever others asked him to do. As soon as it was light, he went to the patriarchs house to pick up Muya. The tribe, which rarely had entertainment, was filled with the sound of gongs and drums, throughout the valley. Around Muya and Guoguo, there was a person all the time, dictating what they should do and saying all kinds of good wishes. The two people who didnt know anything just needed to do what he said. The process of picking up Muya was very simple. The tribe did not have any special rules for marriage. People who came to pick up the bride only need to carry a chariot around the family a few times. Then it was the marriage ceremony. The host shouted particularly loud, and every time he shouted, there would be a clamor in the crowd. It was as if people were watching a good show. Guoguo took Muya and they did as they were asked. By the time the ceremony was finally finished, it was late at night. After having dinner and causing a ruckus, people would all go back homes. Although Guoguo didnt know many people in the tribe, there were many his romantic rivals as well as Muyas friends, so he had to drink with them. And he also had to give a toast to the elders of the family. By the time the banquet was over, he was already drunk. He reminded himself that this group of people would cause a ruckus at night and he couldnt fall down, so he held out until the very end. Shocking room! After a shouting by someone in the crowd , there was a roar from the crowd. People thronged Guoguo to the bridal chamber, while pushing open the door, Guoguos hands were trembling, maybe he was drunk or just nervous. Hey! Xu Mu, ask your spouse to come out and let us take a look. Otherwise, we wont leave tonight. Nodont come out! Guoguo retorted vaguely. Of course, the people around him would not let them go. Being stopped by Guoguo, who was standing in front of them, they pushed Guoguo forward. Muya, sitting on the bed, naturally knew the situation at the door. He guessed that Guoguo must have drunk too much. Judging from the momentum of the door, there must be quite a few people, so he stepped out, regardless of the rules. He couldnt see very clear with a cover over his head, lowering his head, he could only judge which person was Guoguo through his clothes. Seeing the new spouse come out, their voices became louder. The new spouse is here. He came out. The new spouse must have a heart for the bridegroom! He walked out by himself. Thats true, there has never been such a thing before in our tribe. The new spouse really likes his bridegroom very much! Thats for sure, the bridegroom was chosen by the spouse himself. Look at the face of the bridegroom, if I were the spouse, I would also protect him. Stop dreaming, look at your sloppy appearance. So these people started to talk to each other in front of Muya and Guoguo. Muya was unhappy with their words, but he only frowned and didnt say anything. Holding Guoguos hand, he was about to walk inside, but Guoguo refused, with his hand slipped from his, Dont hold me, I Im married, married Hearing this, Muya knew that Guoguo must have thought that someone else was holding his hand, so Muya couldnt help but laugh. Whether Guoguo loved him or not, he could say such words at this time, he was satisfied. With so many people listening here, these words would come out tomorrow. Of course, Muya was happy to see it. While the people changed their topic after hearing Guoguos words. They reached out to ask Guoguo to guess who they were, completely teasing Guoguo on purpose. Guoguo slapped all the hands in front of him, and groped his way inside. When he touched the edge of the door, he was about to close the door. Seeing his intention, the people at the door immediately reached out to stop him. Muya pulled Guoguo behind him and said to the people outside, You guys have made a ruckus, its too late and you should leave now. As soon as Muya finished, the group of people outside started to laugh. They said that the bridegroom was not in a hurry, but he, as the new spouse, started to worry. When Muya heard this, she really wanted to beat him up, but he couldnt. After all, there were elders outside. Seeing that they have been in a ruckus for so long and someone should have said that, the Patriarch chase them away. And then he said to Muya, Muya! Xu Mu was a little drunk, youd better look after him. Then he left. Closing the door and removing her cover, Muya supported Guoguo to the bed. Not long after lying on the bed, Guoguo sat up again, judging by his manner, he should be sober. Muya asked, handing him a glass of water, Why do you drink so much? Are you better now? After drinking the water, Guoguo handed the cup to Muya and said, Much better and I still have a headache. There are too many of them and they can drink a lot, so I am not their equal. Hearing his words, Muya felt both angry and amused, and he complained, Youre too honest, you drink when they tell you to? Guoguo smiled, shaking his head, and didnt say anything. Then the two of them, one was standing and the other was sitting. After a while, Guoguo raised his head to look at Muya and asked,Why did you expose yourself? I should do it. Muya waved her hands unconcernedly and said, Whoever picks is the same. Besides, youve already drunk like this. I dont even know if you can wake up tonight. If you dont wake up, would I just cover the whole night? Guoguo nodded, he knew what he said was right. Since they were married, there must be a lot of things for them to do, let alone he was awake now. Holding the edge of the bed, Guoguo stood up and walked to take over the cover. He covered Muyas head again and led him to sit on the bed. Now that Im awake, I should remove the cover myself! Let me see how beautiful my beautiful new spouse is today. Muya sat obediently on the bed and didnt say anything, waiting for Guoguo to cover him up. Slowly, Guoguo extended his hand and removed the cover. Before Muya looked up, he kissed him on the forehead, and then said, My new spouse is the most beautiful spouse. His word made Muya blush immediately. Then Guoguo went to the table to take two glasses of wine, handing one to Muya and said, My spouse, we should have a toast. Muya blushed even more, but he obediently cooperated with Guoguo and drank the glass of wine with him. Then it was time to go to the bed. This time, Guoguo was not calm either. Before marriage, the elders in the family had told him what they should say, so he knew what to do. Muya was the same, but he knew he shouldnt be reserved anymore. He decided not to worry so much, pushing Guoguo to the bed, and he said, Alright, lets not linger. Havent you said that you want to go back? If you want to go back, we have to have a baby, and today is just our wedding day. Seeing Muyas face, Guoguo knew that he couldnt be reserved any longer. A Geer had already taken the initiative, if he dawdled again, it was impertinent of him to do that. Guoguo flipped over and pressed Muya under his body. While he was taking off Muyas clothes, he said, This is my first time, let me know when you feel pain, then Ill stop. Rolling her eyes, Muya thought, what a fool he was. No one would have said that at this time. I really wrote it in a hurry. Sorry for any typos. Chapter 305 Ever since Guoguo and Shanwai Muya got married, the two of them had lived a happy life. They were immersed in love every day. However, there was still an elephant in the room. That was, no matter how hard Guoguo tried, Shanwai Muya just couldnt get pregnant. Not only Guoguo, but Shanwai Muya was also anxious. He went to see the doctor of the clan without letting Guoguo know. The doctor had confirmed the diagnosis again and again that it was not Shanwai Muyas problem, but the two of them just couldnt have a baby. Shanwa Muya had secretly cried several times. Shanwai Muya had had a crush on Guoguo to begin with. After they got married, the romance blossomed. Now they didnt want to be apart even more. Before Guoguos appearance, Shanwai Muya had never thought of leaving Shanwai Clan. However, after meeting Guoguo, he wanted to take the baby and go out with Guoguo, so their main priority now was to give birth to a child. But Shanwai Muya looked at his underbelly and pounded it angrily. He was such a disappointment! It had been almost a year since last March 18th when they had got married. When Guoguo came back with a hoe on his shoulder, he saw Shanwai Muya sitting in the yard alone pounding his underbelly. He threw away the hoe immediately, ran over to Shanwai Muya and grabbed his hands. Muya, what are you doing? Can you get pregnant by pounding your underbelly? If you were pregnant now, wouldnt you have miscarried? Shanwai Muya stopped with resentment and whispered, How could it be possible? I havent had any pregnant reaction at all. Guoguo reached out, took him in his arms and consoled him gently, How couldnt it be possible? Its not like I dont know how much my Muya has done. Take it easy. Children is a gift from God. The more anxious you are, the more slowly it would come. Lets wait patiently, and one day, it will come. Shanwai Muya said, How can I not be anxious? You have to go home! Youve been missing for so long. Your Dad and Daddy must be worrying about you. Guoguo pouted. How can I not be anxious? It has been my dream to go home and tell my Dad and Daddy that Im still alive, but this is not something to be achieved rashly. Next time when you go to see the doctor, bring me with you. Maybe its not your problem, but mine. Shanwai Muya pushed him away and asked in surprise, How can it be? Guoguo reached out, stroked Shanwai Muyas nose and said, How can it not be? You are a human and I am a human. You cannot get pregnant on your own, so how can it not be my problem? Shanwai Muya remained silent, but he still believed that it wasnt Guoguos problem. Guoguo picked up the hoe, then led Shanwai Muya into the house and said as they were walking, Dad has told us from our childhood that a Geer is no different from a son and they are equal. Since it could be your problem, it could be my problem as well. We will find that out when we go to see the doctor. Hearing Guoguos words, Shanwai Muya suddenly felt relieved. Just like Guoguo, he admired Guoguos Dad, who had always been mentioned by Guoguo but never seen by him, because every time Guoguo talked sense into him, he would add Dad said. Gradually, Shanwai Muya got used to it. Shanwai Muya reached out to hold Guoguos arm and said, Okay! Ill take you to the doctor tomorrow, but you also have to promise me one thing. You have to tell me about your family. Ive been asking you for so long, but you never want to talk about it. Guoguo stared lovingly at the person who was holding his arm and acting spoiled. In his memory, when he had first met Shanwai Muya, he had never talked this way, nor had he held his arm like this. However, somewhere along the way, he seemed to be highly skilled at doing that. Guoguo felt helpless. He didnt know what would happen to this beautiful and brave Geer when he left. It was not like Guoguo had never thought of taking Shanwai Muya away with him, but they would be away for a long time while the baby would be too little. How could a baby survive without its Dad and Daddy? However, Guoguo had to go back. He had a home. He had Dad and Daddy, who loved him so much. He had an elder brother, who was minutes older than him but had always stood in front of him to protect him from childhood. He also had a younger brother, who was a Geer and had been spoiled by the whole family since birth. It had been almost two years since Guoguo had last seen them. He had been thinking about them every hour and moment, waning to go home to see them. Should Guoguo tell the truth to his current spouse? Should Guoguo tell him that he had a wonderful family? Maybe his spouse, who had no Dad or Daddy since birth, would yearn for it even more! Maybe he would like to go home with him more eagerly! The two of them had spent more than a year together. It wasnt like Guoguo had no love for Shanwai Muya, and it wasnt like he couldnt spend the rest of his life with him in this place, but he couldnt do that. He couldnt let Dad and Daddy down. He couldnt be unworthy of the love and care his parents had given him for so many years. If only he could get the best of both worlds! Guoguo sighed. He stared at the person in front of him gently, but meanwhile, there was a hint of guilt in his eyes. Guoguo answered, Alright! Lets talk about it today. My Dad and Daddy are the ones kindest to me in this world. I remember that before I was five, my Dad was still an idiot. It was my Daddy who brought me and my brother up. At that time, my brother and I were always bullied, and no one would protect us when Daddy wasnt home. Later, Dad recovered suddenly. We were driven out from home by our grandfather and others, and then Guoguo talked about his childhood memories in a low voice. Even he himself did not realize that he could remember so many things so clearly. To Guoguo, those painful childhood memories seemed like some others stories now. However, he would remember everything that had happened after they had been driven out by his grandfather to the end of his life. When Dad had recovered, they had started to lead a good life, and it had got better day by day. Guoguo was submerged in his own thoughts as he was speaking, and Shanwai Muya was also fascinated by it. He didnt know what it felt like to have Dad and Daddy around, because his Dad had left Shanwai Clan the moment he had been born, while his Daddy had died shortly afterwards since he had missed his Dad too much. Then, Shanwai Muya had been left alone. However, Shanwai Muya didnt blame them, because he knew that his Dad had also come into Shanwai Clans territory by accident. If it werent for the strange rule of Shanwai Clan, Shanwai Muya wouldnt have come to this world, nor would he meet Guoguo. Therefore, Shanwai Muya was still grateful to them for giving him his life. Leaning against Guoguo, Shanwai Muya said, They are so kind. I really want to meet them. Guoguo didnt say yes or no. He just held the one in his arms tighter. The next day, Shanwai Muya took Guoguo to the doctor of the clan. The moment that doctor saw Shanwai Muya, he said helplessly, I told you its not your problem. Why do you keep coming over to me? At this moment, Guoguo came in from outside the door. The doctor stopped talking at once when he saw Guoguo. He gave Shanwai Muya a sharp look while Shanwai Muya blinked innocently. After all, it was not he who had asked Guoguo to come, but Guoguo wanted to come himself. Guoguo ignored their little interactions, walked up to the doctor and rolled up his sleeve. Doctor, since its not my Muyas problem, please check on me. If there really is some problem with me, give me treatment immediately. If not, then well just wait for it to come. The doctor looked at Guoguo. Seeing that he was being serious, the doctor could only say, Take a seat first, and let me take your pulse. Guoguo sat down obediently, stretched out his hand and let the doctor feel the pulse. Shanwai Muya was staring at the doctor aside. He was even more nervous than the two people, for fear that the doctor would say something about Guoguo. Thankfully, God was very kind to Guoguo. When he finished taking his pulse, the doctor checked on some other of his body parts, and then shook his head at Guoguo. Its not your problem either. Both of you have no problems. Just let time take its course. You two are still so young, and I dont know why you are so anxious. The doctor looked as if he didnt understand what the young couple were thinking about, which made Guoguo and Shanwai Muya let out a sigh of relief at the same time. It was great that there was no problem with Guoguos body. As long as they worked harder, they would have their own baby soon. After coming out of the doctors house, Shanwai Muya was so happy that he almost sprang. Guoguo, Guoguo, the doctor said theres no problem! Guoguo held the thrilled Shanwai Muya back and said, Alright, alright. I know theres no problem with me. As long as we sleep later at night from now on, well have a baby soon. Shanwai Muya didnt react for a moment, but Guoguo had already let go of him and left. When he caught on, he blushed instantly. But fortunately, no one saw him, and Guoguo had already been far away. Shanwai Muya didnt care whether he was blushing or not anymore. He ran after Guoguo at once. Guoguo, wait for me! Why are you walking so fast? From that day, the two of them really slept very late at night. The result of their hard work was that right after the next years Spring Festival, Shanwai Muya finally got pregnant. Chapter 306 When they learned the news, the two of them jumped excitedly. Guoguo had never lost his composure like this before. He picked up Shanwai Muya and spun around on the spot. However, Guoguo calmed down before long. He knew that he still couldnt go back now. The baby was in the womb, and usually there would be only one. If he wanted to leave, he had to leave alone, but could Shanwai Muya agree? Guoguo didnt know the answer, nor did he dare to ask. Guoguo had been troubled by this issue all day long. For several days, he had been spiritless, or in a daze from time to time. At first, Shanwai Muya assumed that Guoguo was unhappy about the baby, but he dismissed this suggestion soon because it was impossible. After all, Guoguo had been as anxious as him. Shanwai Muya thought it over and figured out why Guoguo had this abnormal behavior. It was nothing but the matter of going home. They had been married for two years. Besides, feelings were not something Shanwai Muya could control, and now all his attention was given to Guoguo. Shanwai Muya couldnt stand seeing Guoguo torturing himself like this, so he made a decision on his own. Shanwai Muya went to the patriarchs house. Patriarch, I have something to tell you. Seeing Shanwai Muya in a rush, the patriarch couldnt help but scold him, Youre pregnant. Why are you still running so fast like a child? Shanwai Muya said, Patriarch, I will be careful. I wont run like this again. I have something important to tell you. The patriarch glanced at him, as if he was an ignorant child. Do tell! What do you want to say? Patriarch, please allow Xu Mu to leave Shanwai Clan and go home! We are expecting a baby now. The patriarch stared at Shanwai Muya in disbelief. What are you talking about? I doubt there is anyone who will push his husband away like you. Shanwai Muya shook his head. Its not that I want to push him away, but he has to go back. He has to return to tell his Dad and Daddy that hes still alive. He has waited for this baby for a long time, and his Dad and Daddy have waited for him for a long time too. If I have it my own way, I cant bear to have him leave me at all. Itd be best if he could stay with me in Shanwai Clan for the rest of his life. The patriarch listened to Shanwai Muya and stared at him with regret and resentment. Well, you chose this man yourself back then, yet now youre pushing him away. Dont you know what the world is like outside? Will he come back once he leaves? Are you aware that as long as I agree to it, you may have to live the rest of your life with the child alone? Shanwai Muya shook his head. Im aware of that, but I cant stand seeing him worrying so much. He shouldnt have been worrying. Besides, theres not much I can do for him. His biggest wish right now is to go home and see his Dad and Daddy, so even if he never comes back, Im fine with it. After that, Shanwai Muyas eyes turned red. He couldnt bear it. He couldnt bear the thought of losing such a great man forever. He couldnt bear the thought of the man, who he loved so much, leaving him like this. He couldnt bear the thought of his baby losing its Dad since birth. Well, why must you do this? Now that youre expecting a baby, youll be expecting the second one in one year or two. Cant you leave with him when you give birth to the second baby? Shanwai Muya shook his head. Patriarch, that wont work. Itll take too long. He has been waiting for two years, and I cant let him wait for another two years. Hell be anxious. Hearing Shanwai Muyas words, the patriarch got so angry that he cried out, If he leaves now, arent you going to be anxious? Are you going to be waiting for him here your whole life? Shanwai Muya answered, Patriarch, I dont want that life either, but I have no other choice. I cant violate the clan rules. The patriarch sighed, Its true that the clan rules cant be violated, but the rules are not hard-and-fast. The last patriarch told me that as long as we could find a suitable place to live in, we could go out. Do you think the other people of the clan dont want to go out? Its just that our people dont know how to communicate with people of other clans, so we dont dare to go out. What a shame! How hard it is to find a perfect place for us to live in! To Shanwai Muya, the patriarchs words seemed to rekindle hopes, but actually not. As for hopes, it was because when the people of Shanwai Clan left this place in the future, Shanwai Muya would be able to go to Guoguo with the baby. However, the problem was where to find such place, and when he could find such place. What Shanwai Muya lacked now was time, because Guoguo couldnt afford to wait. Shanwai Muya sighed and compromised, Patriarch, please promise me. Ive already thought it through. Guoguo may come back after he visits home. Ill wait for him. When the patriarch heard Shanwai Muyas words, he didnt even know what to say. He waved his hand weakly. Alright, alright, I promise you. You can go back and tell him the news! Just remember not to come to me to cry when you miss him in the future. Shanwai Muya rubbed his eyes. Thank you, patriarch. I wont come to you to cry. I will definitely cry secretly, and no one will know. When Shanwai Muya finished his words, he turned around and left, for fear that the patriarch would go back on his word. The patriarch let out a sigh after Shanwai Muya left, feeling helpless. Shanwai Muya walked home happily. Guoguo was chopping firewood in the yard. He had been doing such chores for two years and was now quite skilled at it. Shanwai Muya pounced on him from behind and held him, Guoguo, Guoguo, let me tell you some good news. Guoguo put down the axe in his hands, turned around and took Shanwai Muya in his arms. What makes you so happy? Dont run so recklessly like this again. Remember that youre not alone now. Shanwai Muya pouted. Dont worry! I wont anymore. I will take good care of myself. Im just so happy, and thats why I behave like this. Dont be mad at me. Guoguo rubbed Shanwai Muyas head. Well! Alright, Im not mad. Tell me, what makes you so happy? Shanwai Muya heard his words and started to smile again. I just went to the patriarch. He has agreed to let you go home. Dont you think its good news? Seeing Shanwai Muyas expectant face, Guoguo was stunned and asked, Am I leaving alone? Shanwai Muya stroked his underbelly. Yeah! We only have one baby now. I cant go with you. Guoguo rubbed Shanwai Muyas nose bridge. Youre happy that Im leaving? Shanwai Muya shook his head immediately. Im not happy. I dont want you to leave at all, but I cant see you worried either. Youve been absent-minded these days, and Ive seen that. I know you want to go home. Dont worry. Ill wait here until you return. Guoguo held him tighter, as if he wanted to rub him into his heart. Muya, thank you. Touched, Shanwai Muya just let Guoguo hug him like this without moving or saying a word. The next day, Guoguo was chopping firewood. On the third day, he was still chopping firewood. He had been chopping firewood for several days in a row. He also carried water and filled up all the water vats at home. He asked others to take care of all the flocks and herds belonged to them, and told Shanwai Muya all the dos and donts, whether important or trivial. All this showed that Guoguo was preparing for his departure. When he had told Guoguo the news, Shanwai Muya was happy, but seeing Guoguo doing chores these days, he could no longer be happy. The Dad of the baby in his womb was about to leave them. On the first day of April, Guoguo finally said that he was leaving. Shanwai Muya had never felt that the days passed by so rapidly. He had watched Guoguo being so busy these days, and thought that it would take some time before he left. However, it didnt occur to him that Guoguo was actually leaving so soon. The weather in April was pleasant. Everything came back to life. It was neither cold nor hot, and perfect for traveling. It was also one of the reasons why Guoguo chose to leave at this point of time. However, when Guoguo said he was leaving, Shanwai Muya didnt stop him. He went to the patriarch and told him about it. He also asked the patriarch to arrange for someone to lead the way for Guoguo, and then packed up a large bag of food for him to eat on the road. Guoguo said to Shanwai Muya, Muya, Im not sure when Ill be back exactly. Itll take me a few months from here to Xu Village. If my Dad and the others are still in Yanzhou, then itll take me less time, so you have to take good care of yourself, OK? Shanwai Muya nodded. I see. Ill take good care of myself. Ill wait for you to come back. Somehow, Guoguo added suddenly, What if I dont come back? Shanwai Muya burst out laughing, If you dont come back in one day, Ill wait for you for one day; if you dont come back in one year, Ill wait for you for one year; if you dont come back forever, I will wait for you forever. Its because of your existence that I find the scenery of this gorge beautiful. Hearing this, Guoguo said nothing, turned around and left. The patriarch followed closely behind Guoguo. He stared at these two from the younger generation, speechless. Shanwai Muya waved at Guoguos back, but Guoguo didnt look back. Therefore, Shanwai Muya had no idea that the eyes of the man, who was not afraid of confronting the fierce barbarians, had turned red because of his words. When the patriarch and the others sent Guoguo to the entrance of the village, the patriarch advised him again and went back with his people. Then Guoguo rode towards Yanzhou. When seeing the bustling Yanzhou, Guoguo felt as if it was another life to him. Guoguo went back to his home in Yanzhou. The door was closed. He didnt know if anyone was living in it, so he rushed to Red Mansion. When he arrived at Red Mansion, Guoguo saw Gao Quan, who was doing accounts on the counter, and called out, Uncle Gao. Gao Quan looked up and saw Guoguo. He asked in astonishment, You are Guoguo? Are you OK? Guoguo smiled and nodded. Uncle Gao, Im Guoguo. Im fine, and Im back. Are my Dad and Daddy here? Gao Quan shook his head. Finally, you are back. Your Dad and Daddy have already gone back to Xu Village. Come on in and eat something first. Then go to King Yans Mansion and ask him to send a message to your Dad and Daddy. After that, you may go back. Guoguo nodded. Okay. Im hungry now. When Guoguo entered the door, Gao Quan called Shao Yu to come out at once. He also asked someone to prepare food. When they went into the room upstairs, Guoguo asked Gao Quan about what had happened in the past two years. Since he had been living in Shanwai Clan, he had known nothing. Gao Quan told Guoguo everything, and then asked Guoguo about the situation back then. Guoguo also told him everything, including his getting married and his baby. After having a good meal in Red Mansion, Guoguo went to King Yans Mansion with Gao Quan. Needless to say, Guoguo was naturally well treated in King Yans Mansion. Guoguo didnt ask King Yan to write a letter to his family. He only said that he would go back to see them in person, in case his family rejoiced too soon. After all, it was a long journey from Yanzhou to Xu Village, and who knew what would happen on the road? Knowing that Guoguo was eager to go home, King Yan did not ask him to stay. He only sent someone to escort him home. Guoguo did not refuse. The journey was so long and it wouldnt hurt if someone could take care of him. This journey had lasted from April to July. Finally, Guoguo arrived at Xu Village. Watching the scene that was almost same with the one in his memory, Guoguo showed a big smile instantly. Guoguo rode to his house. He shouted at the shut door, Dad, Daddy, brother, Baozi, its Guoguo. Im back. C Chapter 307 Guoguos shout drew everyone in the house out. The first one who heard him was Liu Tong. The moment he heard the name Guoguo, he stopped what he was doing and rushed to the door. Guoguo shouted loudly, so everyone else also heard him. They ran out one after another. When they reached the door, everyone saw Guoguo standing at the door with a horse. Seeing them, Guoguo smiled and said, Im back. Liu Tong was unable to hold himself back. He rushed over and took Guoguo in his arms with teary eyes. He held Guoguo tightly and called Guoguos name repeatedly. It had been almost three years since they had last seen Guoguo. Guoguo was now an adult, and nearly as tall as Liu Tong. Guoguo held his Daddy and patted him on the back gently. He didnt cry, but was echoing with Liu Tong, and saying, Im back. That made Liu Tong realize that Guoguo was back for real. Liu Tong was not the only one who was emotional and the others were no better. Guoguo saw his Dad, who seemed not to submit to anything, looking away and knew that his eyes must have turned red too. While the remaining ones, Baozi and Tangtang, were not acting reservedly at all. They rushed to Guoguos sides and held him. The other ones who rushed to Guoguos sides were the Zhuo family, who were muttering, Its great that youre back. They kept repeating these words. Guoguo had imagined how happy his family would be when he came back, but he had never imagined that they would be happy and expectant like this. They had been waiting for him to come home for a long, long time. They had been standing at the door for a while before Zhuo Yun said, Lets go inside the room first! Guoguo must be tired from traveling so far. Let him eat and have a rest first. Okay, okay, Liu Tong pulled Guoguo into the house while the others followed closely behind. At last, only Xu Ran was left alone, standing outside. It had taken some time before Xu Ran came back to reality and found that he was left alone. He felt a little helpless, but there was a smile on his face. His son was finally back, and the family was reunited again. Xu Ran glanced at the scenery outside and went into the house. In the room, Liu Tong had been staying by Guoguos side and refused to move a step away from him. Even the meal was cooked by Qin Shuwen. Since he hadnt seen his brother in a long time, Baozi, rarely, left Qingshu alone. Back then, Xu Ran had told Baozi that his brother had been on an errand and wouldnt be back in a while. However, Baozi had never imagined that this errand would cost his brother almost three years, while Baozi was not that naive and ignorant kid, who believed whatever Xu Ran said, anymore, so he could also guess why Guoguo had been missing for so long. Therefore, Baozi had been pestering Guoguo for the reason of his disappearance back then. Xu Ran happened to come in at this time. When he heard Baozis question, he also wanted to know why Guoguo had suddenly disappeared without any trace then. As for what had happened at that time, besides Xu Ran and Baozi, everyone else also wanted to know about it. Among them, the most curious one was Tangtang. Tangtang stared nervously at Guoguo, waiting for his answer. When Guoguo saw everyones curious face, he couldnt help but smile before saying slowly, Actually, I also fell into that pit then. Tangtang, you must know that pit. It was in the middle of that wood. At first, we knew nothing about it, and I fell into it while running away. Then I fell into somewhere else. As for those barbarians, I didnt know what happened to them. They seemed to have fallen down with me, but I didnt see them. Down below was a river. I fell right into the river and that was how I survived. As to them, I didnt know what happened to them thereafter. After listening to Guoguos words, Tangtang said, Those 100 barbarians died in that pit. It was when their corpses had decayed that we found that out. Now that I heard what you said, it seems that theres more to that pit. Guoguo nodded. Exactly. Otherwise, there would have been more people falling into that river along with me once we fell down into that pit together. Well then, Guoguo, where have you been for the past few years? Why have I failed to find you no matter how hard Ive tried? I asked King Yan to search every inch of Yanzhou, and he even sent people to the boundary of those barbarians territory. Hearing Xu Rans question, Guoguo blushed awkwardly. If he wanted to answer this question, he naturally had to mention that he was already married. Now Shanwai Muya was nearly five months pregnant, but his family knew nothing about him at all. Guoguo hesitated for a moment and told them everything that had happened in Shanwai Clan. If he didnt tell them about it, he would feel guilty himself. After all, it was not that he had no love for Shanwai Muya. After hearing what Guoguo said about what had happened in Shanwai Clan, the whole family was in a state of extreme shock, because none of them had expected that Guoguo should have been married The room fell silent, and no one said a word. Guoguo was shy while the others were astonished. In the end, Tangtang taunted, Im your elder brother. How can you get married before me? Tangtang broke the ice. Guoguo replied bluntly, Back then, you told me to give it a try and I would know about it. Now that Ive tried, it feels great. So, you can also marry someone now. Look, even our little Baozi has someone he likes. Tangtang turned to look at Baozi, who was sitting on the other side of him, and then at Qingshu, who was sitting next to Baozi. Finally, he glanced at everyone and found that he was the only bachelor left. In the face of Guoguos taunt, he was speechless. The atmosphere was livened up due to the conversation between the twins. Xu Ran asked Guoguo, You said that the reason you were able to come back was because your spouse was pregnant, and thats why you could leave. Are you planning to go back? Once you go back, are you going to have one more baby and leave them in Shanwai Clan while you two come back, or are you going to stay by your spouses side in that place your whole life? Guoguo heard Xu Rans question and a saying popped into his mind: What will be will be. It was not that he had never thought about this issue before, but no matter how many times he thought about it, he could get no answer. He couldnt leave his Dad and brothers alone, while naturally, he couldnt leave his spouse and baby alone. No matter whose side he took, it wouldnt work. He was in a dilemma now. Guoguo shook his head. I dont know, Dad. No matter whose side I take, its not going to work, and I cant figure out a perfect solution. It sure was a dilemma, but Xu Ran already got an answer after he heard what Guoguo said. He knew about his childs personality. Whats more, Guoguo did love his spouse. It was not that his spouse didnt want to go back with him, but he couldnt. Xu Ran sighed, Unless the clan rule changes, there will be no way out. Now that you just came back, you cant leave at once. Take some time off at home first! Your brother is going to take the imperial examination in the capital city next spring. If you are willing to take the provincial examination, you dont have to go with him. If not, go to the capital city with your brother. When this matter is over, I will go to Shanwai Clan with you and have a look. You have to think of ways to take your family back. Alright, eat something and then go upstairs to rest. After that, Xu Ran took Liu Tong away. Qin Shuwen served the dishes and let Guoguo have them. He told Guoguo to have a good meal and then left with Zhuo Yun. In order not to bother his brother while he was having meal, Baozi took Qingshu away. Finally, only Tangtang, the sole bachelor, was left. Guoguo picked up the bowl, looked at Tangtang, who was staring at him, and asked, Brother, why arent you leaving? Dont worry. Now that Im back, I wont disappear for no reason again. Tangtang spread out his hands and said helplessly, Because no one takes me away! When Guoguo heard Tangtangs words, he suddenly felt that his brother was a little pitiful. The other family members were all in pairs, while he also had someone to miss in his mind, but only his miserable brother had no idea who to miss. Guoguo patted Tangtang on the shoulder seriously, Brother, rest assured! Its only a matter of time before you find someone you like. Tangtang slapped his hand away. Im not in a hurry at all. Im just worried that no one will talk to me in the future. Brother, dont worry! After all, you are my brother. I will talk to you, even out of pity. Besides, you are leaving for the capital city to take the imperial examination soon. Since you cannot find the right person in the village, there must be one in the huge capital city. Maybe you will be back with someone else. Tangtang rolled his eyes. What nonsense are you talking? I dont want to get married so early. Otherwise, I will definitely have some scruples when I become a government officer in the future. Youd better mind your own business! After that, Tangtang stood up and left. Guoguo shrugged behind him, and then kept on having his meal. But before long, Guoguo was suddenly hugged by someone. Guoguo, its great that youre back. Guoguos heart melted into water uncontrollably. He hugged the person behind him and whispered into his ear, Brother, Im back, so dont blame yourself anymore. C Chapter 308 Guoguo decided not to take the provincial examination for Juren but to go to Beijing with Tangtang instead. It was at least a months ride to get to Beijing from the Xu Village. If Tangtang went there alone, the whole family would be worried about him. Besides, they had no relatives or friends in the capital. And Tangtang had never been away from his dad or daddy since he was young. The furthest place he had ever been to was to go to the Yanzhou Residence with the whole family. Therefore, he could not be allowed to go to the capital alone. Before Guoguo came back, Xu Ran had planned to accompany Tangtang to the capital. Now that Guoguo was back, it was fine for him to leave this job to him. The brothers were good at martial arts and they shouldnt be bullied thus. And it was also a good practice for them when there was no adults around. In April of the next year, after they two brothers came back from Beijing, they would go to Yanzhou to receive Guoguos spouse and children home. After that, he could also rest for a while. As for the matter that Tangtang was still not married even though he was the elder brother, Xu Ran felt that he should allow him to handle the matter himself. If he found the right person, he would get married if he liked it. If he couldnt find the one he loved, he would just be alone. Anyway, Xu Ran felt that he had no objections about this. It was a long time ago that he discussed with Liu Tong about this kind of matters after their children grew up. Liu Tong used to point it out that he was not like a dad. How could a dad deal with his children like that? Xu Ran did not take it seriously. He knew such a case as Tangtangs was normal in modern times. What if Tangtang went away from home because he forced him to get married? Then, he would turn to no one for help. Xu Ran sounded very reasonable and Liu Tong could not refute it. He could only sigh helplessly, instead. When Guoguo returned, the village was bustling with noise and excitement. Soon the village returned to its usual calm. The villagers returned to their normal life. And this peace lasted until the time before the coming of the Spring Festival. Xu Rans family had not enjoyed such a happy reunion on the new year eve for two years, so Xu Ran and the other elders were particularly interested in this coming Spring Festival. Thus special goods for the Spring Festival were to be stored at home early. From Dec. 23rd to the new years eve, food for the Spring Festival was being prepared busily. Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen were responsible for getting the food ready, while the others were responsible for eating and enjoying them. On the eve of the lunar New Year, Xu Ran invited all the Qin family over. He felt it was not easy for them to come back this year, so they should enjoy the festival together. The adults at the dinner table were talking about their business, while the children were having their concerns. Those married or unmarried young people also gathered together sharing their topics. When they heard that Tangtang and Guoguo would go to Beijing for the imperial test after the new year, the adults could not help repeatedly instructing them to be careful. The one who was most repeatedly exhorted was not the protagonist in the test, Tangtang, but Guoguo, who went to Beijing for company only. Guoguo was quite disturbed by this, but he understood these were the adults good intentions. Thus he could only listen to them caefully while keeping on nodding his head to show his agreement and obedience. However, what made him very unhappy was that he saw his brother sniggering at him by the side. Guoguo was in despair at that moment. He had hoped that Tangtang could help him get rid of the adults gossips. After lunch, Xu Ran led the team for the New Years Eve family dinner. Ever since they left the Xu Village for Yanzhou, they had never enjoyed such an important dinner. After returning from Yanzhou, their families were not united then, so they felt there was no atmosphere for the New Years Eve at that time. This time, however, everyone was home, so it was time for them to enjoy the traditional feast for the the special eve. This time, there were quite a few children, and they had a long team together. Xu Ran let Tangtang, Guoguo, Baozi, and Qingshu took the lead at the team, and each of them brought a few people to water the fruit trees in the orchards. It was a new year, and everything should be fine. This Spring Festival passed very quickly. It seemed as though they had only visited a few families and didnt get many red packets yet, and the festival was over. To attend the test at the beginning of March, they left in mid-January. They were delayed on the way for a month. When they reached the place, they would find a place to live, find food to eat, familiarize themselves with the environment, and make a few candidates who also came to the Spring Test. The living cost in the capital could not compared with that at home. Thus Xu Ran gave Tangtang some silver notes of a thousand taels and told him, Youll have to save the money you cant use up.If its not enough for you two, youll have to figure it out yourself.Anyway, you cant starve yourself. In fact, in any case, one thousand taels of silver should be a large sum. Even in the capital, this sum of money was enough for an ordinary family to live for a lifetime. Tangtang looked at the silver notes in his hand and said to Xu Ran, Dad, we cant spend so much money. A total of 100 taels will be quite enough for us. Guoguo and I will never starve ourselves. Xu Ran , however, insisted, Take it! Money matters when you are out from home. I wont agree that you will make money on your own this time. Its important that you wont suffer any hardship on the journey. Also, remember not to let others bully you. You have to remmeber what Dad has taught you and take care of yourselves, okay? Tangtang nodded, Dad, I know. Dont worry. We wont be bullied. Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder, I am glad if you can take good care of yourselves. At last, on January the eighteenth, Tangtang and Guoguo started their trip to the capital city. Hearing that they two were leaving for the imperial examination, all the villagers came to see them off. There had not been a Xiucai in this village for a long time. Later, Xu Ran got an official title, followed by his two sons. So far, there had been two Xiucais and a Juren in the village. The villagers estimated that before long, they would have a Gongshi and even a high-ranking official in their village. In this way, they felt more proud and superior to those living in the neighboring villages. Of course, neither Tangtang nor Guoguo knew what the villagers were thinking in their minds, but they were still very happy to see them coming. After bidding farewell, they both finally left home. The two brothers slowly drove the carriage while sitting out at the door of the carriage talking.. Guoguo asked Tangtang, Bro, what did Dad tell you before we left? You both looked mysterious. Tangtang didnt try to hide it from Guoguo. He said, Dad asked me to find someone in the capital if we encounter difficulties. He is the minister from the Ministry of Work. It is said that he is only in his twenties. He used to make a contribution to our uncles fief. Dad thinks that this person is a good official as well as a capable person. He thus believes this person can offer us timely help. Guoguo waved his hand carelessly, Dad thinks too much. We will behave ourselves and take our exams peacefully, after which we will come back safe and sound. How can we meet any trouble? Tangtang knocked Guoguo on the head, Are you silly because of these two years staying outside? This time, I am going to the Test for Gongshi, the top ten of whom can participate in the Hall Test. Those who pass the Hall Test will get their official positions in the government. Guoguo thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed the case. Still he was a little unhappy, Isnt it that were going to stay there for a long time in this way? If you can become a government official, when can you go back? Dad has planned to go to Yanzhou in April. Tangtang shook his head, Im not sure about it either. I dont know what will be going on with the test. I am also not sure whether Ill be an official in the capital or a local official. Seeing that his elder brother was in a difficult situation, Guoguo felt he couldnt go on talking about the business of Yanzhou. He just said, Bro, dont think too much. You can feel free to be a government official or a local one. The Xu Village is not far from the capital. If you are in the capital in the future, Dad and Daddy can come to the capital to stay with you for a few months when they are not busy. Anyway, life will be the same for all us. Tangtang nodded, I dont know anything yet. Lets talk about it later! By the way, what about you? Youve already have your own children, but you cant stay at home forever! Dad used to say that the family property will belong to Baozi and well have nothing to do with it, if you want to support yourself and your family, you must find something to do. Hearing Tangtangs words, Guoguo was a little embarrassed. He replied frankly,I dont have any good idea about it yet. I had planned to go to war after becoming a martial Zhuangyuan. Now that I have married and got children, I want to live a stable life. However, I dont want to give up my ambition. I reckon that after my spouse and children return home, I will go to the northwest. That place has always been a battlefield and I am sure I can always find myself a place there. Tangtang praised, Its good that you have your own idea. Dad always encourages us to go forward for our goal. Your spouse and children will surely not be a burden. Just like Daddy and us in our family, Dad has never thought that we are his burden and we shouldnt have such thoughts. Guoguo turned his gaze to the distance far away, I know and Ill always remember what Dad has said. I will think about it. Bro, you should think about it too. I am sure we can always think of a suitable method. Tangtang nodded and looked in the direction that Guoguo was looking at. There, were endless mountains. Their carriage slowly moved forward, heading towards the place of dreams, towards the place of hope, and towards the place of love. Chapter 309 No matter which dynasty it was, the capital had always been a prosperous place, where everything was available. It was full of rich people, the officials,nobles and the Kinsmen of the emperor were everywhere. Anyone who was walking on the street was of great status. Although that was a bit of an exaggeration, it was not a lie. Even Xu Ran told the two brothers not to provoke any people in case of trouble. After a whole month, Tangtang and Guoguo drove a carriage and arrived at the gate of the capital city at noon. Looking at the tall gate outside the city, they could feel the difference and prosperity of the capital city, let alone inside. There were many people lining up to enter the city gate, some carrying things and some empty-handed. Some came on horseback and some in horese-drawn carriages. Some of them were dressed in rags, others looked magnificent. There were various, all sorts of people. Tangtang and Guoguo lined up quietly and waited to enter the city, without a word. It was not because they didnt want to talk, but they had just arrived here and didnt know anything. They were afraid of saying something wrong, so it was better to enter the city first. They waited at the gate for a long time before they could enter the city. After entering the city, the first thing they would do was to find a place to live and arrange the carriage and luggage, so that they could familiarize themselves with this bustling and lively capital. Taking the carriage, the two of them wandered on the street aimlessly. They found a lot of inns that looked good but they were full. Of course, it was only more than ten days left for the Spring Test, there must be a lot of students coming to the city to take part in the examination. Therefore, the two of them led the horses around helplessly, hoping to find an inn with rooms available. Hey, Guoguo, look at an inn called Xian Sigh, sorry, I didnt see you coming over. Im really sorry. Brother, whats wrong? Guoguo hurriedly walked over from the other side of the carriage. He was just looking around when he heard his brother call him, but before he could reply, he heard his brother apologizing to someone, so he immediately walked over. There was a person standing in front of Tangtang, who looked very young. He was in his early twenties and wore a brocade suit. He looked tall,big and was good-looking, his face was plump just like jades. Tangtang had just saw an inn, but it was too far to see its full name, so he wanted to go over and take a look. He didnt pay attention to the surroundings and bumped into the person accidentally. Three handsome teenagers standing together, with a carriage next to them, it took up quite a big space, attracting the attention of many pedestrians on the road, many Geers blushed with excitement at the sight. Shen Qingling was resting today, so he wanted to walk around the street. Not looking where he was going, he bumped into someone as soon as he went out. Then he heard a gentle voice apologizing to him. He didnt mind being bumped, but was interested in the person who had bumped into him. He felt that the owner of such a pleasant voice must be an extremely good-looking person. Seeing Tangtang confirmed his guess. The people he bumped into were really good-looking, and to his surprise, such a good-looking person should have a twin brother. Shen Qinglings lips curved into a smile, then he said, Its fine and I didnt watch the road either. Do you come to the capital for the examination? It was obvious that he was trying to make a conversation, but Shen Qingling seemed to mean no harm, and Tangtang had just bumped into him, they should answer his question, so Guoguo replied, Yes, we just arrived at the capital today, but we seem to be late and cant find a place to live now, so we are wandering on the streets. Hearing this, Shen Qinglings smile deepened. He had a good impression of these two persons, so it should be good to have more contact with them. Since they hadnt found a place to live, he could help them. Shen Qingling said, I live in the city, if you cant find a place to live, I do have one. But its a private house, not an inn. I wonder if you are willing to pay to rent a residence? Hearing Shen Qinglings words, Tangtang and Guoguo looked at each other. Finally, Tangtang nodded and said to Shen Qingling, Brother, wed like to rent a private residence. There are more than ten days until the examination, and we still have to wait for the results. So we have to spend more than a month in the city. Its much more convenient for us to live in a residence than an inn. If you can help us find a residence to live in, wed be deeply grateful. It had been many years since Shen Qingling came to this world, and he was used to the way the scholar here spoke. However, the words of the person in front of him sounded very pleasant. Apart from the brother he called, this persons style of speech was somewhat similar to his. Shen Qingling had a smile on his face. He had proposed renting a house, now that they were willing, he naturally would take them to take a look. Since you are interested in the house, I will take you to see it. If you like it, you can rent it, or I will help you find another house. Thank you, brother. If its not suitable for us, we can live in the inn. In this huge capital, were sure to find an inn with rooms available. Haha, of course, lets go now! After saying that, Shen Qingling led the way ahead, Tangtang and Guoguo followed behind him, leading their carriage. Shen Qingling introduced some of the famous buildings to Tangtang and Guoguo as they walked. Tangtang and Guoguo knew nothing about this place, and now they were willing to be introduced to it, so they listened with interest. After walking for a while, Shen Qingling suddenly turned around and said, By the way, I dont know your names, Im Shen Qingling, work in the Ministry of Works of this dynasty. Tangtang and Guoguo were stunned after hearing Shen Qinglings introduction. They thought about what Dad had told them that they could come to the Ministry of Works if they had difficulties in the capital. However, they had never thought that the first person they met in the capital was Shen Qingling. However, apart from a little surprised, they didnt react much. Tangtang said, Hello, Brother Qingling. I am Xu Qing and this is my younger brother Xu Mu. Weve heard that the person who is in charge of the Ministry of Works is a young man, but Ive never imagined that Brother Qingling is so young. You are really young and promising! Knowing Shen Qinglings identity, Tangtang did not call him lord but Brother Qingling. From the bottom of Shen Qinglings heart, he started to have a good impression of this person. He had thought about conceding his identity, but he really wanted to make friends with these two people, so he told them who he really was, and now he felt it was right to do so. Hearing Tangtangs praise, Shen Qingling smiled humbly, and then said, Youre exaggerating, Qing brother. It seems that youre younger than me, but youre here to take the examination for the Ginger. If you pass the exam, you are much better than me. Oh, Qing brother, you wont mind me calling you like this, will you? Tangtang replied, shaking his head, Of course, I dont mind. Im just here to see if I can pass the exam. As for what will happen in the future, no one knows it. Even if I do pass the exam, I definitely wont be able to become a minister at such a young age as Brother Qingling. Shen Qingling shook his head and said, Qing brother, lets stop praising each other. Its a little awkward and lets continue on our journey! Tangtang nodded and stopped talking. Not only Shen Qingling, he felt awkward too. Later on, they didnt say much. Occasionally, Tangtang said a few words to Guoguo. Guoguo didnt say a word to Shen Qingling the whole time. Somehow, he felt a sense of crisis in his heart that this person would have a good relationship with his brother in the future. As for how good their relationship would be, he didnt know. Thinking about Dad and Daddy asked his brother to come to the capital and take a Geer which he liked back, Guoguo felt that, in the capital, no matter how good the Geer was, he would not take him back. His brother liked the minister, but no one would be younger and more talented than him in this capital. But unfortunately, he was not a Geer. Guoguo thought in his heart and the three of them walked to their destination slowly. Standing in front of the door of a courtyard, Shen Qingling pointed at the yard and said, It is here. I dont know if you like it. From the outside, the yard looked similar to the one they lived in in Yanzhou, but it wasnt as big as that one. There were only two of them, so it was big enough. Looking at the yard, Guoguo felt it was good, then he asked Shen Qingling, Can we enter and take a look? If it isnt too bad inside, we will rent this house. This was the first sentence that Guoguo said to him. At first, Shen Qingling had doubted if he had offended this person, but now it seemed that Guoguo was just a person who didnt like to talk. As twin brothers, their personalities were quite different. Of course they could enter the house, Shen Qingling told him. But they couldnt get in by the main road, because Shen Qingling didnt have the key to the courtyard, he needed to go home and get it. They just wanted to see the house, so they naturally wouldnt wait until he went home to get the keys. Therefore, the minister jumped over the wall with Guoguo and went into the yard, and Tangtang watched the carriage outside. When Shen Qingling proposed to flip the wall, Tangtang felt that this person didnt seem as reliable as he looked. The new novel, Wine Brewing Life of Transmigration, has already participated in the competition. Looking forward to your support, thank you very much (I promise that the update after I get on the shelf will be the same as the main text of this novel. Chapter 310 After entering the yard, Guoguo and Shen Qingling started to wander around it. Shen Qingling had been here before, so he introduced it to Guoguo as he walked. The daily necessities here were quite complete, so they could move in immediately. Guoguo was not a picky person, just like his family, so he was very satisfied with the house. Guoguo said to Shen Qingling, The house is very good. Ill talk it over with my brother, if he agrees, well move in today. But whoses this house? Do you have the key and how much should we pay for it? Guoguo asked, one question after another, causing Shen Qingling to laugh softly, You have so many questions and which one do you want me to answer first? His teasing tone made Guoguo look at him carefully, then he said flatly, You may answer one after another! But you have to answer every question. .Shen Qingling continued to smile, he nodded and replied,Thats right. I should answer all your questions, but I wonder why your temperament is completely different from your brothers. Rolling his eyes at the sky, Guoguo said, Of course, were different. Im me and my brother is my brother. But I can tell you clearly that Im married and my brother hasnt gotten married yet. Shen Qingling was more interested in Guoguos words and asked, Why are you already married but your brother hasnt yet? Could it be that no one likes your brother? Guoguo looked at Shen Qingling like he was looking at an idiot, he said with disdain, What makes you think that? Not to mention anything else, just my brothers appearance could charm a large group of Geers! As for why I told you, I think you will thank me in the future. So it doesnt matter if you can figure it out now. How could such a smart man as Shen Qingling not understand his words? Whats more, he came from another place that was much more advanced than here. With just a little thought, he could understand what Guoguo meant by saying this. However, he didnt know how Guoguo saw it. He only said a few more words to his brother. He had a soft spot for his brother, but he wouldnt force him. Although this was a mans world, there were still men and Geers. After being here for so many years, Shen Qingling had ever thought about marrying a Geer. He had been urged to get married for a long time now, but that was just an impulsive method. Deep down inside, he still rejected it. He wanted to marry a man ,just like himself, not a Geer. It should be better to marry someone who loved him. As he grew older, he had never met such a person in his twenties. Shen Qingling was wondering if he would be alone like this all his life. Today, he was lucky! As soon as he went out, he bumped into two interesting people. And the younger brother of the person who he wanted to date told him that his brother was not married yet. Shen Qingling couldnt help but laugh again. It was really interesting. Perhaps this time, he should take it seriously. If he missed out on such a person in front of him, he would regret it. Seeing Shen Qinglings smile, Guoguo suddenly regretted that he had spoken too much. Because Dad had mentioned this minister, Guoguo felt that he should be a good official. And this person did not hide his identity when communicating with them on the road, so he felt that this person was worth making friends with. And his attitude towards his brother was also somewhat obvious, just like the phrase Dad often mentioned, love at first sight. In the past, he might not had noticed it, but since he was married, he was much more sensitive to this kind of thing. However, this person was not so obvious and his brother was a little clumsy. Shen Qingling was an excellent person, if he could be married with his brother, his brother would be an official in the capital in the future, then his family would be relieved, Guoguo thought. Clapping his hands, Guoguo said, As long as you are sincere, Dad wont object. My Dad always made the decision at home, but if my Dad doesnt agree, there is no chance for you and my brother, so you can take it yourself! By the way, my Dad is a sensible person and he is just a little protective. After Guoguo finished speaking, he walked towards the wall and leaped out. Shen Qingling rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment. He wondered how the older brother would feel about being read by his younger brother. Shen Qingling did not know about it now, but he would definitely know it in the future. However, he did not understand why the hurt person was him. Tangtang saw Guoguo coming out and asked him immediately, Guoguo, hows the house? Looking at his brothers rare anxious expression, he smiled, Brother, its really rare. As for what was rare, he didnt say it. Tangtang could also realized his eagerness. Guoguo continued, Brother, the house is good. As long as you have all the questions you want to ask, we can move in. And brother, there are three rooms in this house, which is enough. Three rooms? Guoguo, even if we sleep separately, we only need two. Why do we need three? Brother, there will be guests. Guoguo said with a smile. Shen Qingling also heard the two of them talking, but they did not go up from behind. It was not until the two brothers finished that he slowly walked over. How is it? Have you two dicided yet? Do you want to live in this house? Blinking at Tangtang, Guoguo walked to the other side of the carriage and continued to act as a mute, not as he had just spoken to them alone. Tangtang thought about the questions Guoguo reminded him to ask, so he asked Shen Qingling, Brother QingLing, since we still dont know who owns this house, can we live in it? There is no key now and we cant always flip the wall! When he said the word flip the wall, Tangtang felt a little helpless, for he had never heard anyone seeing a room like this before. Shen Qingling thought about that he had not answered these questions in the house, it seemed inevitable now, so he could told them the truth, Qing brother, this courtyard is under my name. The key is in my house. I just need to go back and get it. As for the rent, you can pay the market price! I will not change it. It would be perfect. But Tangtang did not expect that this house was actually Shen Qinglings own. Tangtang smiled and said, Thats great, then Ill trouble you to make a trip. We still have a carriage here, so we need to put it in first. Its already noon. Weve been looking for a place to live since we entered the city. We havent had lunch yet, so we are hungry now. Shen Qingling did not expect that Tangtang, who looked so refined, would say something like this. However, he seemed to be more interested in him. With that thought, the smile on his face deepened. Shen Qingling said, Since thats the case, Ill go back and get the keys now. You can just wait at the door for a moment. Ill be back soon. Shen Qingling turned around and left. He walked so fast and Tangtang kept his eyes on his back. After he left, Guoguo came out and said to Tangtang, with a positive tone,He knows kung fu. Tangtang nodded in agreement, I see it too, and he should be good at it. We might not be able to beat him, so wed better be careful. Looking at the sky, Guoguo thought that his brother was really dull. He wondered how they could be twins. However, Guoguo thought that he should not give Shen Qingling an easy ride, so he followed Tangtangs words, We really have to be careful. Although Dad said that he had helped Uncle before, it was a matter of the court. Maybe it was good for him to offer help. We dont know much about it, so its better to be on guard. After all, there are few people introduce houses when they first meet. Hearing Guoguos words, Tangtang felt that he was reckless. He should not agree to live, with his brother, in the home of a new acquaintance, even though he would pay for it. He had completely forgotten that his brother was the same age as him. Therefore, when Shen Qingling came back with the key, he felt that Tangtang was a little strange. He even spoke more carefully than before he left. He started to wonder whether it was because he had kept them waiting so long because of his absence. Of course, this idea were completely unrelated to the truth. Tangtang and Guoguo lived in Shen Qinglings yard. And Shen Qingling took them to a restaurant for dinner. He had offered to introduce several better restaurants in the capital to them, but Tangtang rejected him. Now that they lived in the house, it was better for them to cook on their own. Although it was a little troublesome, they would feel more comfortable. Hence, they asked Shen Qingling about a few places where they could buy food. As soon as Shen Qingling heard that they would cook, the first thing he said was if he could come to dinner in the future. Hearing this, the two brothers didnt know whether to laugh or cry. How interesting the minister was. Chapter 311 After renting a house, Tangtang and Guoguo settled in the capital for the time being. Every day, they would go to the streets and walk around whenever they were free. They could enjoy the scenery or have a few words with the refined scholars they met. Shen QingLing would come over and stay for a while after the court every day. Sometimes he would sit for a while and go off to work, sometimes he would stay for dinner and then go back. Even though Tangtang and Guoguos cooking skills were not as good as their dad, they were still not too bad. Their dishes were quite fresh, and Shen QingLing was very satisfied with it. After all, there were some things he had no chance to eat in this day and age. This was the bad side of not being able to cook. So most of the time, Shen QingLing was willing to stay and eat, but sometimes he had to leave due to his official duties. Tangtang and Guoguo did not show any dissatisfaction about Shen QingLings having meals for free. After all, he had helped them before. It was just a few meals, and they were going to eat themselves anyway, so they let him in by the way. However, what made Guoguo both happy and unhappy was that when Shen QingLing arrived, he was always talking to his brother, and his brother was also willing to talk to Shen QingLing. On the face of it, their relationship looked very good. What made Guoguo unhappy was that every time Shen QingLing came, he would become useless. Even his own brother had put him aside, not to mention Shen QingLing would remember him. This feeling of being ignored made Guoguo feel very bad. They thought life would go on so peacefully until the Spring Test came, and Tangtang would do well in the exam, then he would be in love with Shen QingLing, and then they went home together. But life was not always so peaceful. At the beginning of March, Shen QingLing had left and someone had arrived. The person who had come was not someone else but someone who claimed to be Shen QingLings younger brother, a childe. The first thing he said after seeing them was, I heard that my brother was looking for a partner for me recently. Is that the two of you? I dont know which one it is, stand up and show me, After he said that, he stared at Tangtang and Guoguo directly. This childe didnt look old, and he was probably only fourteen or fifteen years old. He had a domineering manner, followed by many servants, and seemed to have been pampered by the family. Guoguo looked at Tangtang, Brother, did brother Qingling ever say he had a childe brother? Tangtang was confused as well. He shook his head at Guoguo. No, Brother Qingling told me about his dad and daddy. He also told me about his brother, but he never mentioned that he had such a childe brother. Hearing Tangtangs words, Guoguo also understood that he was probably Shen Qinglings distant cousin! He just didnt know what this persons purpose was. Therefore, the two of them looked at the childe without saying anything. When the childe saw that Tangtang and Guoguo ignored him, he got a little angry, Hey! I was asking you! Have you lost your tongue? Why dont you answer me? The two brothers rolled their eyes at the same time. Didnt he hear that they were talking just now? They didnt answer him because they didnt want to. Tangtang thought about it and felt that it was a little too bad for them to bully a childe. After all, this man came in the name of Shen Qinglings brother, even though he did not like this childe very much. Tangtang did not expect Guoguo to deal with this kind of thing. After all, he had never liked it since he was young. He was a lazy talker unless he knew this person well. Tangtang cupped his hands together at the childe, Young master, we are friends with Brother Qingling, but weve never heard him say that he wanted to find a partner for his brother. You must have misunderstood him. After Tangtang answered him, he looked a little better, but he still looked disdainful. He waved at Tangtang and said, All right, I knew it. When I go back, I will definitely punish those servants who were gossiping, I knew my brother wouldnt do that to me. He knows how I feel about him. When he said this, the childe also realized that he had said the wrong thing, then he turned away in a disguised way. Since thats the case, theres nothing else for you. As for this house, you cant live here any more. This is his favorite place. Ill find someone to find a new house for you. You can move away tomorrow! Then he waved his hand and told the servants behind him, Lets go! After the person left, Guoguo immediately closed the door. He turned his head and found that his brother was very angry. He thought that he was jealous, but he never imagined that Tangtang would say, I really didnt expect Brother Qingling to have such a younger brother. Looks like the life of marrying Brother Qingling would not be easy! Guoguo held back the words that he wanted to comfort Tangtang. The road ahead would be long. It seemed like Shen QingLing still had a long way to go! As for this insensible childe, Guoguo didnt like him no matter what his identift was. If Shen QingLing really became his brother-in-law in the future, he would definitely have to deal with this childe properly. He did not want his brother to suffer any grievances. Tangtang didnt say anything else but just muttered that sentence. Then came the question of whether to live in the place at all. Though they had paid for it, they should have been wise to behave since the host refused to let them live here. However, the other problem was that this host was not the person who rented the house for them. Even though the person who came was Shen QingLings younger brother, they did not know if it was true. If it was not true, then they must have been cheated. Tangtang felt a little embarrassed. He really wanted to make friends with Shen QingLing. After all, it was hard to find a bosom friend. In the end, Guoguo made his decision and said to Tangtang, Brother, lets not do anything yet. When Brother Qingling comes over tomorrow, well ask him about it. If he really wants us to move, well go to the inn. If thats not the case, we wont misunderstand Brother Qingling. Tangtang nodded after hearing Guoguos words, All right! I dont know how such a thing could have happened. He said the latter sentence in a whisper, but Guoguo still heard it clearly. He smiled and said. Brother, do you really not know or pretend to not know? Brother Qing Ling was a celebrity in the capital city. Recently he had come here whenever he got off the court, so he naturally attracted many peoples attention. It had been quite a few days now, so it was normal for people on the street to gossip about it. I just dont know how it would become choosing a partner for his younger brother. Obviously, what most people said was that brother qingling hid a beautiful childe in this house. After saying that, he glanced at Tangtang significantly. Tangtang immediately understood that the beautiful childe that Guoguo mentioned was him. Although he was not rough, he definitely would not be recognized as a childe. It seemed like these people were really bored. And there were clearly two people living here. He didnt know what these people were thinking. Tangtang was still a little angry at first, but when he saw Guoguos face, which looked exactly like him, he suddenly lost his temper. That was right. If you didnt know them well, they looked exactly the same, and if they didnt go out together, you really thought they were the same person. Tangtang didnt want to think about it anymore. It was nonsense. If he were to fuss about it, he would be angry. But though he did not care, Guoguo had other thoughts. He was thinking about the childe who claimed to be Shen Qinglings younger brother. This person was not similar to Shen QingLing, so he should not be Shen QingLings younger brother. In addition, this person said that words accidentally, it was obvious that he liked Shen Qingling, but he was also calling Shen Qingling big brother, which was very strange. If he was not his whole brother, why did he call him that? Guoguo thought about it and felt a little strange. It seemed that this childe has been sent by someone else. As for who was the person behind him, no one would knew. They were Shadowed before they had been in the capital for longo. This feeling was really not very good. Guoguo was worried that it would affect Tangtangs exam results. Although Tangtang would not overthink about it, he was not a no-brainer. Seeing Guoguos ugly expression, he understood what Guoguo was worried about when he thought about what had just happened. Tangtang went over and patted Guoguo on his shoulder. Come on, Im not even worried myself. Why are you worrying so much? I just want to be the top one in the literature examination. It doesnt matter to me whether I could be an official or not. He didnt believe that his talent would be buried because of this matter. If that was the case, he wouldnt take the title. If His Highness didnt know people clearly then why would he assist such an emperor? Although Tangtang didnt tell Guoguo his idea, he had already made a decision himself. Guoguo didnt say anything and just looked at Tangtang. After a long while, he said, Brother, if there really is an impact, you will definitely be in pain. Tangtang smiled indifferently, Doesnt dad often say that nine out of ten things are not satisfactory in our life? We have had a good time these past ten yearsand here should always be some frustration. There is always a way out, so why do you insist on this? Guoguo found that his brother had really changed a lot in the two years he was absent, especially his thoughts. But what he didnt know was that Tangtang had been through a lot before he had become like this. People always change, just like him. He wanted his brother to be happy too after he was married. It didnt matter if it was a boy like them. Chapter 312 The next day, neither Tangtang nor Guoguo went out. They had been waiting for Shen Qingling to come back from court, but before Shen Qingling got back, a group of people who wanted to drive them away arrived first. One of them was exactly the person who had come and called himself Shen Qinglings cousin yesterday, and he came again today. He was accompanied by another noble-looking person, who was also a Geer. Judging from his age, he should be of the elder generation. Besides, this person looked somewhat like Shen Qingling. If nothing else, this person should be Shen Qinglings Daddy. Tangtang and Guoguo didnt move. They watched the two of them walking towards them slowly, and thought to themselves. Dad had never told them that Shen Qingling was a trouble himself. If they had known, they wouldnt have got to know him back then, no matter what! Guoguo, who had originally wanted to pair his own brother and Shen Qingling off, also hesitated. If he really got himself a bunch of relatives like them in the future, it would be impossible for him to lead a peaceful life. He didnt want to throw his home into turmoil. When the two of them came near to Tangtang and Guoguo, they stared at them in a condescending way. Tangtang and Guoguo had wanted to greet them, but they gave up the idea when seeing their faces. Hey! Didnt I tell you to move away yesterday? How come you are still here now? Have you really taken this place as your own home? The one talking was the Geer who had come yesterday. After that, he turned to stare flatteringly at the elder Geer beside him. Uncle, its them exactly. I came here yesterday and told them to move away today, but it didnt occur to me that they didnt know their place and havent left yet. When the elder Geer heard what the younger Geer said, he put on a sullen face and said with a sneer, How shameless they are! Since they are unwilling to leave, we can only ask someone to drive them away. Although he was speaking to the younger Geer, his eyes were fixed on Tangtang and Guoguo all the time. Neither Tangtang nor Guoguo had expected that this person should say such words. They had originally assumed that since he was of the elder generation, they might be able to communicate if he talked properly. However, the moment Tangtang and Guoguo heard him, they were no longer in the mood. Guoguo wanted to speak, but was stopped by Tangtang. Let me handle this! Tangtang took a step forward and said, This Daddy, weve rented this house, and the lease runs for two months. Weve already paid the rent. Since the lease isnt up yet, even if the owner of the house wants us to move away, he should tell us himself. Besides, he has to return our rent back to us. This house belongs to my son, so how am I not the owner of the house? The reason you havent left yet is just because you want your rent! Zisang, give them the money and tell them to leave now. Zisang, who was called, took out a bag of silver and passed it to Tangtang. Tangtang saw the pouch in front of him and smiled suddenly. This Daddy, lets not talk about whether you are the real owner of the house or not first. Even if you are, we have to make the decision after we meet the owner of this house. This Daddy, I can see that you have an honorable identity. I hope you wont make trouble out of nothing. Shut up! Make trouble out of nothing? You actually said that I make trouble out of nothing! Do you know who I am? Im the spouse of the prime minister and the Daddy of the minister of Ministry of Works. How can you slander me like that! Now that the story was played out like this, Tangtang didnt intend to back down either. Although they had no background or connections in the capital city, they didnt allow themselves to be bullied at random. Tangtang said, This Daddy, slander doesnt come out of nowhere. If no one started the whole thing, I wouldnt have had the opportunity to slander anyone. Therefore, please pick your words with care, this Daddy. Each of your family is powerful, so be careful not to destroy their reputation. You, you, you Apparently, this person was angered by Tangtang. Nothing else had come out of his mouth except for you. Meanwhile, the young Geer next to him saw that his backer suffered wrong, he chimed in at once, What did you say? Is someone like you qualified to teach my uncle a lesson? Since you chose the hard way rather than the easy way, Ill just play along. Come on! Throw them out of the house! The two Geers were followed by many servants. After hearing the order, they surged up to Tangtang and Guoguo. Tangtang didnt want to fight with these people. After all, he was a scholar and had to take part in the Spring Imperial Examination, so it would be best for him not to fight. Therefore, Tangtang stood still, remaining unmoved. Seeing that Tangtang did not make a move, Guoguo knew what he was thinking. Guoguo drew everyones attention to himself, while Tangtang looked on. By the way, he looked over those two Geers. Tangtang thought of some stories that Dad had told him before. So this must be the so-called fraud on a power! Naturally, these servants were no match for Guoguo and brought down by Guoguo in a short time. Guoguo patted the dust off his hands, stepped back to Tangtangs side with ease and raised his eyebrows towards the two Geers, looking at them with challenge. Tangtang smiled and said to the two Geers, If the two of you really want us to leave, its fine. The two of you just need to wait here for a while. Brother Qingling drops by every day after he comes back from court. As long as Brother Qingling asks later, we will definitely move away at once without hesitation. Humph, the elder Geer snorted and said, Since thats the case, well wait a while! I dont believe that my son will turn against his Daddy for an outsider. Guoguo snorted with scorn. Who can tell what lies beyond? Now that you feel anxious and get to us, it means your son is already out of your control. Although you are his Daddy, your son should know how to deal with such a Daddy if he is wise. The elder Geer, who called himself Shen Qinglings Daddy, agreed to wait, while the younger Geer, who called Shen Qingling his cousin, was a little worried. Tangtang and Guoguo could tell that these two Geers must have come secretly without telling Shen Qingling. One of them was the Daddy, who was confident, while the other one was the cousin, who was not that confident, but he didnt dare to show disapproval. Tangtang and Guoguo did not invite them to come in and sit down. All of them just stood at the door. At the same time, there were already many onlookers on the street. It was probably because Guoguo had fought just now. They hadnt waited for long before they saw Shen Qingling running towards them from afar. Brother Qing, did something happen? How come there are so many people? Shen Qingling rushed straight towards Tangtang without pause and didnt see clearly anyone else or the onlookers for now. Tangtang shook his head. Theres no need to worry, Brother Qingling. Nothing happened. Its just that two Geers who claimed to be your Daddy and your cousin came here and asked us to move away. My brother and I were not sure if what they said was true, so we didnt move away and thus there was a little conflict between us. Brother Qingling, now that you are here, please confirm their identities! If you really want us to move away, please return our rent back to us, Brother Qingling. Shen Qingling looked around and saw quite a few servants from his residence, while his Daddy was indeed behind him. As for the other person, Shen Qingling had never taken him seriously. Shen Qingling walked up to his Daddy, greeted him and then asked him in a confused tone, Daddy, what are you doing? These two are my friends. I let them live here in the capital city. Dont you agree, Daddy? This Daddy of Shen Qingling was not his biological Daddy, who had passed away when Shen Qingling was ten years old. Although this step-Daddy had treated him well, he had always wanted to fix Shen Qingling up with a Geer from his own family, but Shen Qingling hadnt agreed. Therefore, his step-Daddy had asked his people to watch Shen Qingling. As long as someone decent looking or with a good family background appeared beside Shen Qingling, his step-Daddy would provoke him, no matter he was a Geer or a son. Shen Qingling glanced at the person standing next to his step-Daddy and knew what was going on. It must be because he had often visited this place recently that he was on the watch list again. Shen Qingling smiled. Daddy, I wont embarrass you on the street. You dont have to explain this to me either. You cant make the decisions on my behalf, and its not up to you to make the decisions. You just need to think about how to explain this to my Dad when you go back. As for the other people, let me clarify now. The Shen family dont welcome plotters. If anything happens to such people in the Shen family, the Shen family wont be responsible for it. Daddy, please think it over. Shen Qingling had become the minister of Ministry of Works at such an early age. He hadnt relied on his father or brother, but totally on himself. Even if he left the Shen family, it would not affect him much. Moreover, in his Dads mind, his son was much more important than his spouse, let alone a second spouse. The elder Geer, who had said confidently that he would wait until Shen Qingling showed up, was now speechless. As for the other Geer, he didnt even know where to look. Before his Daddy could explain, Shen Qingling walked up to Tangtang and Guoguo to apologize, Brother Qing, Brother Mu, please forgive me. My Daddy must have been misIed by someone, and thus deceived by rumors. As for the house, it belongs to me. Expect for me, no one else can decide the usage of the house. Its their fault today. But dont worry, no one will harass you in the future. Since Shen Qingling apologized sincerely, Tangtang and Guoguo could naturally say no more. After all, this was his familys fault, not his fault. They would just treat what had happened as a farce. Since the matter was resolved, they didnt have to continue standing at the door. Tangtang said to Shen Qingling, Brother Qingling, you must have hurried over once you went out of court! Come in and sit down first. Have a cup of tea! Lets turn the page. Shen Qingling let out a sigh of relief when hearing Tangtang say that he didnt care about it, so he followed Tangtang and Guoguo in immediately. As for the others outside, let them do whatever they wanted! Anyway, Shen Qingling was not the one to be embarrassed. Now the master of the family was his prime minister Dad, and someone would fix those who didnt know their place. Chapter 313 Shen Qingling stayed for meal before leaving. He also made a sincere apology to Tangtang and Guoguo and told them about his family. Tangtang and Guoguo could understand Shen Qingling. After all, it was his step-Daddy, and life must not be easy for him when he didnt have his own child to rely on in such an influential family. However, if he had known better and been kinder to Shen Qingling and his brother, their relationship wouldnt have been so tense, and Shen Qingling would definitely have saved him some pride. Nevertheless, the only thing was that he was too stupid. He tried to use this kind of method to control Shen Qingling. Had he ever asked himself how he was able to manipulate someone who had become the minister of Ministry of Works at such an early age on his own? After all, this was someone elses family affair, so Tangtang and Guoguo didnt comment on it. Since Shen Qingling had already apologized to them, and besides, it was not his fault to begin with, Tangtang and Guoguo wouldnt care much about it. They were just a little worried. There would probably be more people in the capital city knowing them from today, because the prime ministers second spouse had visited them in person. Those who were unaware of the truth might mistake them the twins as two Geers, whose sugar daddy was the prime minister. Otherwise, how could the prime ministers second spouse have visited them? However, Tangtang and Guoguo believed that they hadnt worried too much when hearing the rumors the next day. Even worse, rumor had it that Tangtang and Guoguo were the prime ministers illegitimate children. Rumors aside, when Shen Qingling had meal and got back to the prime ministers residence, hardly had he entered the door than the servant told him that his Dad was waiting for him in the study. Shen Qingling had originally wanted to return to his own courtyard, but instead, he made a turn and went to the study. The study door was closed. Shen Qingling knocked on the door and his Dads angry voice came out from inside, Come in! Shen Qingling pushed the door open and walked in. He saw that his step-Daddy was also there and seemed to have cried. When his step-Daddy saw Shen Qingling coming in, he gave Shen Qingling a smug stare. Shen Qingling smiled. He was speechless! Dad, you Before Shen Qingling could finish his words, he was interrupted by his Dad. Bastard, kneel down. You have disgraced the whole Shen family. Hearing this, Shen Qingling was stunned, looking confused, but deep down inside, he understood why his step-Daddy had that smug look. Naturally, Shen Qingling would not kneel down. He didnt think he had done anything wrong, so it was impossible for him to kneel down just because his Dad told him so. He had been the study partner for the Emperor for so long and hardly knelt. It was after the Emperor had been enthroned that he knelt down once a day. When his Dad saw that he didnt move, he picked up the cup on the desk and threw it at him. Bastard, dont you even listen to my words now? Shen Qingling still didnt react. He just stood upright, staring at his angry Dad. Suddenly, he felt like laughing. How sad it was that his Dads integrity had been ruined by this ignorant Geer. Shen Qingling didnt move, but his step-Daddy couldnt hold himself back anymore. He walked up to the prime minister. Master, dont be angry. Qingling is still young. Besides, nothing serious has happened today. Why do you have to be so furious? Intentionally or not, his step-Daddy mentioned the reason of his Dads anger. Haha! Shen Qingling was sneering in his mind, Ill just see if you dare to mention it again in a while. When Shen Qingling saw that his Dad had calmed down a little, he said, Dad, I dont know what makes you so angry. Please tell me. What have I done wrong? Watching Shen Qinglings ignorant face, Prime Minister Shen felt that his blood was welling up inside him, and he was about to spit it out. Bastard, dont you know what youve done? How shameless of you to ask me what you have done wrong! Shen Qingling still looked blank. He cupped his hands together and said to his Dad, I really have no idea. Please tell me, Dad. Alright, alright, alright. Since you really have no idea, let me tell you about it. Let me tell you what you have done wrong today. Let me ask you. Have you asked two Geers to live in the courtyard under your name? Shen Qingling nodded and then shook his head. Dad, I did have some people live in my courtyard, but the two people are not some Geers. Instead, they are students who came to the capital city to take part in the Spring Imperial Examination. The other day, I was wandering about on the street, and saw them looking for an inn. Dad, you also know that the Spring Imperial Examination is approaching and there are many students coming to the capital city to take the test. If they arrive later, the inns in the capital city will long be fully occupied. I chatted with those two students. They were both decent people, and I wanted to get to know them. Therefore, I offered them a place to stay. I rented out that courtyard at market price, not even one penny less. I wonder where did you learn that I let two Geers live in my courtyard? Prime Minister Shens face darkened. He turned to look at his second spouse. What is this then? Didnt you tell me that it was two Geers? You also said that everyone on the street has known about this. Shen Qingling watched his step-Daddys face turn pale at once after his Dad questioned him. I Those two looked exactly like Geers. Once he said that, Shen Qingling could feel that his Dad grew even angrier. You couldnt even distinguish between a Geer and a son, yet you were telling tales in front of me. Im afraid its a sheer story you made up that Qingling humiliated you on the street for the sake of two Geers! After that, Prime Minister Shen snorted, not wanting to listen to his second spouses explanation again. Instead, he moved his eyes to Shen Qingling. Linger, tell me what exactly happened. If Shen Qingling didnt complain of his grievances now, when else could he? He retold what had happened in the morning without hesitation, and also wept out both his and Tangtang and Guoguos grievances to his Dad. Shen Qingling had rented out the house to make friends. Meanwhile, Tangtang and Guoguo had clearly paid the rent but still been wronged like this. Now that Shen Qingling put it this way, his step-Daddy seemed to have made more mistakes. He had offended the students who had come to the capital city to take the imperial exam, and who knew what they would be in the future. As for his ignorant Geer cousin, Shen Qingling did not mention anything about him. But even if he didnt, someone would sort him out. Shen Qingling assumed that he would not have to see that disgusting face anymore. Shen Qinglings complaint had his step-Daddy punished, while his Dad also felt guilty about having wronged him. Shen Qingling acted very generously, saying that his Dad had been deceived by his step-Daddy, and that was why he had blamed him wrongly. After that, his Dad disliked his step-Daddy even more. Shen Qingling left his Dads study with satisfaction, and went back to his own courtyard. But just when Shen Qingling reached the entrance of the courtyard, he saw his brothers figure. Shen Qingling and his brother were on good terms, and the two shared something mutual: the disgust for their step-Daddy, and they would annoy him from time to time. Shen Qingling walked into the yard and called out to his brother, Bro, what brought you here? You have nothing to do? Shen Qingfei turned to roll his eyeballs at Shen Qingling. If I didnt come, I wouldnt know what rumors would be circulating in the capital city tomorrow. Shen Qingling walked over, put his arm around Shen Qingfeis shoulders and walked into the house with him. Bro, dont worry! Dad will deal with it. Anyway, I am not the one in the unfavorable situation. As for that unpleasant thing, he should be good for some time. Speaking of which, I wonder why Dad fell for such a thing. Hearing him, Shen Qingfei couldnt help but laugh, Enough, hes Dads second spouse, no matter what. Stop calling him a thing. If hes a thing, then our Dad is more of a thing. Even Shen Qingfei himself felt strange about what he said. Shen Qingling covered his mouth with his hand and that was how he stopped himself from laughing. His brother had a sharper tongue than he did! He even scolded his Dad along with his step-Daddy. Shen Qingfei gave Shen Qingling a ferocious stare and asked, Tell me, whats going on? Have you really kept two Geers outside home? Shen Qingling rolled his eyeballs. Bro, are you stupid? If I really wanted to keep Geers, would I have them discovered? Those two are my friends, and I met them not long ago. They are the students coming to take the Spring Imperial Examination. Since we got on with each other, I accommodated them. They have also paid the rent. As for why step-Daddy learned that, its all because I have visited them often. Step-Daddys family are all restless spirits. Zisang went for them once in the name of my cousin and failed to drive them away. The next day, he went to them again with that thing. How shameless of him to visit them and stir up trouble, even if he couldnt even distinguish a Geer and a son. Shen Qingfei understood what was going on after listening to Shen Qinglings explanation. It was nothing but some peoples wild dream. He patted Shen Qingling on the shoulder and said to him, Remember to apologize to your friends. Since you think they are great, they will probably get a good place in the Spring Imperial Examination. Now that the Shen family have a good relationship with them, we may take care of each other in the future. Shen Qingling nodded. I know that, and Ive already apologized to them. Just rest assured, brother! But I want to tell you something else, in case you get too surprised then. What is it? Shen Qingfei asked casually, but when he looked up, he found that Shen Qingling had put on a stern face, looking serious. Shen Qingling replied, Im afraid you may have a brother-in-law soon, but that one is not a Geer, but a son. As expected, Shen Qingfei was surprised. He stood up at once. Qingling, are you joking? Shen Qingling spread his hands. Bro, do I look like joking? Shen Qingfei saw Shen Qingling spreading his hands, and wanted to say yes, but he thought of Shen Qinglings stern face just now and knew that he wasnt joking. So he asked, Is he one of the two sons? Shen Qingling nodded. Yeah, its the elder one. The younger one is married. Shen Qingfei thought to himself. Shen Qingling had even known that his younger brother was married. It seemed that he had really put in time to know them. However, Shen Qingfei had no idea that it was Guoguo who had told him about it himself. Almost no one in the family could change Shen Qinglings mind, so Shen Qingfei simply saved himself the time and energy, As long as youve made up your mind. Anyway, Im with you, no matter what you do, but you have to think of ways to explain it to Dad. Im leaving. Its up to you now! Shen Qingfei patted Shen Qingling on the shoulder and turned to leave. Shen Qingling spread his hands behind Shen Qingfei again. He thought to himself, Im going to marry my spouse, not my Dad. Does he have any say in it? As for whether he really had any say in it, who knew now? Chapter 314 Because Shen Qingling drove his stepdaddy away, no one came to harass him until the Spring Test, nor did anyone bother Tangtang and Guoguo. Shen Qingling was very satisfied with this result. Of course, there was also one thing that he was unsatisfied, that was, ever since his brother knew that he was going to find a man to be his spouse, he followed him every day and went to Tangtang and Guoguos house for dinner, which made his feeling of being a family of three immediately disappeared. Furthermore, because of his brother, Shen Qingling had to pay attention to what he was saying. Every day, he could only talk about poetry and literature with Tangtang, dared not say anything else. He was afraid that his brother would think much. But he could only be bothered for a few more days. In the blink of an eye, it was the ninth of March, and the Spring Test started. Shen Qingling was going to the court this day, so he couldnt send Tangtang off, then Tangtang and Guoguo had to go by themselves. Tangtang went to take the exam and Guoguo waited outside. Fortunately, the March sun wasnt too hot. Otherwise, standing in the open air for the whole day, he would be burnt to death. Like Guoguo, there were quite a few people waiting outside, all of them had family members who were taking the exam. Guoguo saw most of the people dressed as servants. It seemed that the people who came to take the exam were rich boys. Guoguo didnt see many of his peers, so he didnt talk to anyone. He found a place and was about to sleep. But before he took several steps, he heard a commotion. Being free and at leisure, Guoguo went over to see what happened. People here were all waiting for someone and had nothing to do, so the sound attracted everyone. After listening for a while, Guoguo understood what was going on. It was just a quarrel between the servants of a civilian official and a martial general. The reason was quite simple; the servant of the civilian official laughed at the martial generals family for being reckless men, while the servant of the martial general abused the civilian officials were all sick men. Guoguo thought about it carefully. Although it was not absolutely, it was not going to make much difference. Many of the warriors had never read books, and there were also a few civilian official were breathless after a few steps, so it made sense. Of course, his family was different. His brother was going to be a civilian official, but he knew Kong Fu as well. And he was going to be a martial general in the future. Although he didnt know much, for him, reading was definitely not a problem. However, he was not going to get into the debate, they didnt quarrel with him, so he didnt have to worry about it. After watching for a while, Guoguo walked away, feeling bored. Guoguo had been in the capital for so many days, but he felt that Xu Village was more self-conscious, at least he could do what he wanted to do and say what he wanted to say. Guoguo found a big tree and jumped up to sleep. By the time he woke up, it was already noon. The first exam in the morning was over. Guoguo looked around but didnt see his brother, then he jump down from the tree to wait for his brother at the gate. When Guoguo was standing at the gate, he saw someone who was very familiar, it was Shen Qingling. Patting Shen Qinglings shoulder, Guoguo asked him, Why are you here too? Shen Qingling answered him with a smile, Of course I have to come. I should behave better at this moment to soothe your brothers nervousness. Dont worry about it, my brother wont be nervous. Otherwise, his learning of all these years will be wasted, and my Dad will definitely scold him, too. Dad has said that the more nervous he is, the worse he will do in the exam. Anyway, Ive never seen my brother nervous during the exam. Seeing Guoguos complacent expression, Shen Qingling couldnt help but smile again. He thought in his heart that you had only gone through a few exams, so naturally, you wouldnt feel nervous. If you took too many exams, no matter how well you studied, you would get dizzy when you heard the word exam. Of course, their experiences were different, so Shen Qingling did not intend to say anything more. Then the two of them, standing at the gate, waited for Tangtang to come out. Tangtang didnt come out alone. There were two people with him, the three of them laughed and talked as they walked out. As it was too far away, Shen Qingling could not hear what they were talking about. But he was eager to know, and wished that he could rush over immediately. While Guoguo stood by the side with his arms folded, watching the scene with a smile on his face. Guoguo would help Shen Qingling when he wanted to rush over. However, Tangtang saw them before he took a few steps and waved at them. Then Shen Qingling went up to him immediately. Guoguo followed behind, feeling very disappointed that he didnt see the fun. The first thing Shen Qingling said after he walked over was not to ask Tangtang how he was going through the exam, but to ask what they were talking about so happily. Hearing Shen Qinglings question, Tangtang laughed again, Were talking about some interesting things on the examination site. The person who was in charge of the examination spoke with a village voice. It sounded a little strange, and some students imitated him, which made everyone laughed. Shen Qingling knew who Tangtang was referring to as soon as he said this. There was such an elder man in Great Xia Empire and he was really funny. However, this person was excellent except for speaking with a village voice. He was so learned that he was in charge of most of the Spring Tests. Many people who were a little nervous were amused by his country voice. Then they would do much better on the test when they were relaxed than when they were nervous. Therefore, both the first and the current emperor prefered to have him invigilate the test. And this old man himself liked to be an overseer, so he offered to invigilate the Spring Test every time. He didnt care if the students laugh at his accent. Shen Qingling had a good impression of this old man. Hearing Tangtang mention him, he told him some more interesting things about the old man. Tangtang and Guoguo listened to it as a joke, but the two people who followed Tangtang didnt think so. They started to guess Shen Qinglings identity, because they had never heard of the news Shen Qingling said. The two of them were from the capital city. They should have heard the rumors on the street, so those that they had never heard of would not be able to spread to the street. But Shen Qingling, who spoke out one piece by one, it was as if he had seen it on the spot. In addition to his appearance and clothing, he couldnt be a servant, if besides the identity of a servant, he must be his relatives or colleagues. While his relative wouldnt expose their familys shortcomings, even if it was just a joke. Then both of them got the answer Of course, they werent stupid and didnt ask in front of him. Shen Qingling didnt finish speaking until the people around them all left. Shen Qingling said to Tangtang, You still have an exam in the afternoon and lets have lunch first. Then you should have a good rest and take the exam in the afternoon. Hearing Shen Qinglings words, Guoguo rolled his eyes behind him, listen to him as if his brother did not have a good examination this morning. Tangtang had no objection to Shen Qinglings suggestion, he nodded and said, Mm, we dont have to go home for lunch. Lets go to the restaurant. When Tangtang was about to ask if the other two people would like to have lunch with them, he remembered that he hadnt introduced them to Guoguo and Shen Qingling. He patted his forehead and said, Im so happy that forget to introduce you. Its all my fault, Brother Qingling and Guoguo, these two are candidates for the Spring Test like me. This is Wang Yi, and this is Qi Sang. They are both from the capital city, two brothers, would you like to have lunch with us? Wang Yi and Qi Sang had known each other before. After hearing what Tangtang said, they looked at each other and nodded at Tangtang. Wang Yi said, Since Brother Xu invited us, why shouldnt we go? We will follow Brother Xus orders. Qi Sang nodded and continued, Yeah! Well listen to Brother Xu. Oh, by the way, we dont know what the names of the two people next to you? Tangtang felt that he might have made a fool of the exam today and he forgot to introduce everyone here. Stroking his forehead, Tangtang smiled apologetically at Wang Yi and Qi Zang before introducing Guoguo to them. Two brothers, Im really sorry. I dont know whats wrong with me today. I shouldnt forget such an important thing. This is my younger brother, he is my twin brother and his name is Xu Mu. As for this person, hed better introduce himself to you, I dont know how to say it. Tangtang did not know if Shen Qinglings identity could be known to others, nor did he know if the two people knew him. After all, the young man who in charge of the Ministry of Works was definitely the talk of the people in the capital, so he asked Shen Qingling to introduce himself. Hearing Tangtangs words, Shen Qingling understood what he meant. He smiled and said, Hello,two brothers. My surname is Shen and I am also from the capital. After this, Shen Qingling didnt say anything more, but with a smile on his face. Seeing his friendly manner, they couldnt say anything more, even if he did not elaborate. After the introduction, Tangtang asked Shen Qingling to show them a place to have lunch. If it went on like this, it would be embarrassing. Shen Qingling was naturally very happy with what Tangtang had requested, so he immediately led the way. Having grown up in the capital, Shen Qingling was very familiar with this place. On the way, Shen Qingling finally asked Tangtang how he did in the exam. Tangtang smiled and replied confidently, Not so bad.Ill know it after the results are out. Seeing Tangtangs smile, Shen Qingling understood everything. Chapter 315 In fact, Shen Qingling didnt know much about the Spring Test. He was originally the son of prime minister and was the reading partner of the prince. When the crown prince came to the throne, he was given a minor position, and he worked his way up to his present position. He didnt have much experience to tell Tangtang, and Tangtang didnt care about these things. No one could say anything about the Spring Test now, so they didnt talk much about it. As for Wang Yi, both of them were guessing Shen Qinglings identity, so they didnt say much. It was quite quiet during the meal. After dinner, they separated. Wang Yi and his partner went back to their own home, Tangtang and Guoguo went back to their courtyard, while Shen Qingling said that he had nothing to do, so he also went to the yard with them. What he meant that Tangtang needed to have a rest but Guoguo could play with him. Tangtang didnt say anything. Shen Qingling was the owner of the courtyard, so no one could say anything if he wanted to come to his courtyard, let alone they were still friends. After he went back, Tangtang stood in the yard for a while to help digestion and then went to sleep so that he wouldnt doze off during the afternoon test. After Tangtang left, Shen Qingling walked over to Guoguo and asked him, Are you going to go back after the list is released? Guoguo nodded. Thats our plan. We have to go to Yanzhou to do something. It will take a lot of time for us to get back and forth. Besides, even if my brother do well on the test, he probably wont want to be the capital official. Because my dad doesnt want to move. If my brother is the capital official, he will be alone here. After hearing Guoguos words, Shen QingLing was stunned and said, I already guessed it would be like this, but I still feel a little unwilling! If you can leave later, I might think of a way that everyone can be happy about. Guoguo spread out his hands and said. This is impossible. Even if my brother stayed in the capital for a while longer, you cant follow my brother. After all, you wont be able to join our family anytime soon, and my brother will not join your family. Who made your daddy-in-law so annoying? My brother and I have always remembered the days when we were young. What Guoguo didnt say was that even without his annoying daddy-in-law, Tangtang couldnt join Shens family. Dad definitely wouldnt agree, and his brother wouldnt go against Dads wishes. Shen Qingling was in a bad mood at the thought of his bad annoying daddy-in-law, let alone others watching him. If Tangtang came to their home in the future, he woulfd surely be wronged, not to mention that he was a boy, not a childe. Shen Qingling thought that having a relationship was so troublesome, it would be better if he didnt traverse back then. Of course, this kind of thing was not his choice, he was just thinking about it. Shen Qingling sighed. Looks like I have to hurry up. Otherwise, who knows when well meet next time? Guoguo smiled without saying a word. His brother hadnt thought about it this way until now. Shen Qingling still had a long way to go! The Spring Test lasted three consecutive days, two subjects a day. During the Spring Test, Shen Qingling came over every day and was extremely attentive. Tangtang even asked Guoguo if he had been triggered by something after Shen QingLing left. At that time, Guoguo couldnt help but laugh. He covered Shen Qingling and said that he just wanted to make friends with him. However, Shen QingLing was mercilessly mocked by Guoguo the next day. Shen QingLing started to reflect on whether he had used the wrong method. He asked Guoguo, Arent you married? Tell you how you managed to get your husband back then. Guoguo thought about it seriously and then said to Shen Qingling, It was him who went after me,so I dont know how to pursue someone. Youd better figure it out for yourself! Shen Qingling didnt get the answer from Guoguo, so he focused his attention on his brother. After hearing Shen Qinglings words, Shen Qingfei looked at him like he was looking at an idiot. Then he said, Dont forget that youre not the only one who isnt married. If I have the ability, would I still be unmarried? Shen Qingling was speechless for a moment. And then before he knew it, his brother was long gone. Obviously his brother did not want to get married and be tied down. So every time a matchmaker came to propose a marriage, his brother would find an excuse to slip away. That was the main reason why he was still single, alright? Right now, Shen Qingling had the feeling that he was an idiot. It was said that people in love had zero IQ, but he was in no condition to be in love. At most, it was just unrequited affection and his IQ had already become like this. If he really fell in love, how miserable would he be? Shen Qingling felt worried about his future. What if the Emperor didnt let him be the minister because of his low IQ? Then he would be unemployed that way. He had never been able to get Tangtang, and the miserable state of being out of work would make it even harder for him to get his husband. Shen Qingling felt bitter just thinking about it. He walked around the house to figure out a way. People who have never been in love have suffered! There was no method to pursue people. The methods that he remembered others had used were also unable to be used because of the lack of material and limited conditions now, so he had to figure out other ways. Before Shen Qingling could come up with a good idea, someone came from the palace. The Emperor had announced that he would come to the palace to discuss the matter of the Spring Test. Shen Qingling also knew what the Emperor was thinking. After all, he had only been enthronement for less than two years, and the courts power was not completely in his hands. Now that it happened to be the examination that happened every three years , he naturally wanted to choose a few people who could be useful to him. Apart from the aristocratic descendants of the capital, there were also a lot of poor students who came to participate in the Spring Test, and these poor students had no friends and no factions. Of course, the most capable of them were the ones the parties wanted to recruit, and the Emperor naturally had this idea. In fact, in Shen QingLings opinion, it was not just poor students who could be highly used. Although these students had read a lot of books and done well on the exams, but they were certainly not as sophisticated as the aristocratic students of the capital. Environment was a very important factor and had a great influence. Not all of the capitals aristocratic descendants were involved in partisan politics. It was much more convenient to make good use of them than it wa of those poor students. After all, it might take only a few years for those from poor families to become successful, and many of the descendants of the aristocracy in the capital were able to get started immediately. Of course, there were a few excellent exceptions, such as Xu Qing. Tangtang was good at everything in Shen Qinglings eyes . He was also hesitating whether to introduce Tangtang to the Emperor or not. He said that the Emperor would definitely make his move first, not to mention that he would know it when the results were released, but he would not be the only one who knew it. If Tangtang wasnt sophisticated enough, he might offend a lot of people. Shen Qingling wanted to protect him, but he was afraid that his dad would see through his thoughts and make a move. Although his dad pampered him very much, he didnt think that his father would pamper him to marry a boy like him, not to mention that he might not be able to marry Tangtang. Shen Qinglings head ached at the thought of his fathers likely reaction. But no matter how much his head ached, he had to work. Shen Qingling entered the palace and the Imperial Highness was waiting for him in the imperial study. The eunuch standing at the door was someone close to the Emperor, and he was also the chief steward of the palace. When he saw Shen Qingling, the first thing he said was, Shen Shangshu,Well, youre here. His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time. Just get in! Dont keep the Emperor waiting. Shen Qingling thought to himself, was he to blame? No sooner had he received the decree than he entered the palace without delay, Even when he thought, he thought as he was walking. Usually, he entered the palace at this speed, but he didnt see the emperor anxiously waiting. The Emperor was definitely in a bad mood today. Shen Qingling pouted. It was not him who made the Emperor. angry The eunuch opened the door, and Shen Qingling walked in. The Emperor was circling inside. His irritable expression was just like him when he was at his own house, but he didnt know who the Emperor was angry with. Just as Shen Qingling was about to kneel down to salute, the Emperor spoke up, Come on! Dont be too courteous now. Qingling, give me an idea. These old guys in the imperial court were starting to draw people over to their side as soon as the exam was over. Shen Qingling smiled. Your Highness doesnt need to be impatient. Now that their results have yet to come out, it is not convenient for them to recruit people. Since the exam results have not been announced, it is not clear who will be the top scorer in the future.. This was the first exam since you ascended the throne, so you can designate the top three. If this news gets out, the person who gets the ranking will naturally be grateful to you, and the person who wants to recruit them will have to rethink about it. The Emperor thought about Shen Qinglings words and found it was not unreasonable. This was his first time and no one could say anything about it. He could not only know the people that those old guys liked, but also find a few people who were knowledgeable and could be loyal to him. He could kill two birds with one stone. The Emperor nodded. Qingling, youre smart enough to resolve my worries with just a few words. Shen Qingling smiled and shook his head. My Lord, I am not wise. I have been your reading companion for so many years, and there are some things that I know. Your Majesty, dont get angry when things happen. The answer will come out naturally. Just think about the circumstances under which you came up with those ideas before. As soon as the emperor heard Shen Qingling say so, he remembered that the more anxious he became, the less he could think of any good ideas. Shen Qingling continued to say, Your Highness, the world is yours now, and though you are not yet in full control, it will be yours sooner or later. If you have good officcials, you can use them. You dont have to worry that they will grow stronger as long as you can find someone to restrain them. Corrupt officials are too greedy, and honest officials are too arrogant. They are both unruly, but you can use them both and let them restrain each other. So you dont have to do a lot of things personally, and all you need to do is to know about it. When the Emperor heard Shen Qinglings words, he sat back in his seat and said to Shen Qingling, Im still too naive compared to you. However, what you said is true. The world is and will be mine, and the wise officials of the world are also mine! After hearing this, Shen Qingling merely smiled and did not reply. It was a good thing for an emperor to be ambitious, but he should resign from the government for a few more years. Chapter 316 After Shen Qingling gave the Emperor a useful suggestion, the Emperor did not recruit him into the palace alone until the result of Spring Test was released. There were still some injustices in this Spring Test, but not much. What can be changed was the ranking at the back on the list. No one had the courage to change the front rankings. After all, the one above had been watching the Spring Test. The ones who didnt have the power didnt dare to change it, and those who had the power had the same idea as the Emperor. They wanted to select a few capable men for their own use, so they didnt change it. So it turned out to be the fairest Spring Test ever. Those in the top ten of the written examination could take the royal examination, and then the Emperor would select the very best (champion scholar or Zhuangyuan), the second one (Bangyan) and the third one (Tanhua). Other people would also be employed by the court according to the corresponding ranking, given the corresponding official positions, but the treatment was not as good as the top three. Among the top ten students in the written test, except for Tangtang, everyone else was the aristocratic descendants of the capital. Tangtang did well on the test. He took the third place, not as conspicuous as the first, but much better than those behind. Tangtang came to see the ranking with Guoguo and Shen Qingling did not came with them. Most importantly, there were many aristocratic descendants who knew him. If he was with Tangtang, it would be too eye-catching. Tangtang didnt show much excitement when he saw his name. He lifted his eyes to look at someone else. Tangtang also saw the names of their acquaintances, Wang Yi and Qi Sang. Both of them did well, one fifth and the other seventh, and both of them were in the top ten who could attend the royal examination. After reading the name on the list, Tangtang felt that there were too many people here. He said to Guoguo, Come on, lets go back first. Guoguo had no objections and turned around to lead the way. However, the two of them didnt leave quietly because one of Tangtangs acquaintances saw him and even shouted his name, Brother Xu, Brother Xu Qing, wait, wait for me. I have something to tell you. They were all squeezing inside, and the only people walking outside were him and Guoguo. They were very eye-catching. In addition, Wang Yi was standing behind them, so when he shouted, everyone around them knew that he was calling them. Because of what Wang Yi said, Xu Qing, Tangtang felt that he was suddenly being noticed by many people, while at the same time, a lot of people were pushing towards him. Tangtang was very unhappy. Luckily, he didnt respond when Wang Yi called him and Guoguo was sharing it with him. Similarly, Tangtang also sensed Guoguos emotions and Guoguo seemed to be even more unhappy than him. The two of them were already surrounded by people, so it was impossible to walk out just like that. The people around them were all talking about who Xu Qing was and why they looked exactly the same. Because Guoguo was in front of them, someone even asked Guoguo if he was Xu Qing. The worse thing was, someone boldly went to hold Guoguos hand and pull his clothes. However, all of them were waved away by Guoguo. Guoguo didnt understand the meaning of these peoples actions, but it annoyed him intuitively. Guoguo looked more and more angry. Just as he was about to explode, Wang Yi finally squeezed his way to their side. Guoguo looked at Wang Yi coldly and said, Clean up the mess you made. You idiot. After Guoguo said this, he took Tangtang with him and suddenly fllew out. Tangtang didnt expect him to be like this and almost cried out. After Guoguo flew out of the crowd with Tangtang, they picked an alley where no one was around and landed. After they landed, Tangtang let out a sigh of relief. I dont know what these people are thinking. They keep pushing towards us. Guoguo also let out a sigh of relief. What else can they think? They just want to make friends with you. Most of them probably want to recruit you. Dont you see that all of the names in the top 10 are descendants except for you? We have heard a lot of things about these people after we arrived here. Of course Tangtang knew it, the names of these people were familiar to him. Tangtang said, Alright, I dont want to get in touch with these people. If someone really wants to force me?If someone really wants to force me, then I wont take the job. Dont I have to go with you to the Shanwai tribe to pick up your husband and child? Guoguo didnt answer him. After all, how could they control the complicated situation of the captal? The two of them stood silently in the alley for a while before Guoguo said, Alright, we can go back now. There should be someone coming to annonce the good news later. Okay, Tangtang nodded. On the other side, Wang Yi was dumbfounded by Guoguos words. At that time, he had called Xu Qing to congratulate him. How could he have thought that this call had attracted so many peoples attention? However, the last thing he could accept was what Guoguo said before he left. The situation in front of him seemed to remind him that he was as brainless as Guoguo said. However, Guoguo flew away directly after scolding him, which made Wang Yi even harder to accept. After Tangtang and Guoguo left, the crowd gathered around to ask Wang Yi who Xu Qing was and what background he had. Wang Yi was also annoyed by these people ang got impatient. He shouted angrily to ask them to move aside before pushing the crowd away and walking out. Qi Sang was waiting for him outside. Seeing Wang Yi awkwardly squeeze out from the crowd, he went to take him away hurridly. After walking for a long way, they found that no one was following them, so they stopped. The two of them went together when the results were released, but when Wang Yi called Xu Qing, Qi Zan Sang walked away. Before this, he had also pulled Wang Yi to ask him not to scream, but Wang Yi didnt listen to him, which was why the next scene happened. Qi Sang looked at Wang Yis disgruntled expression and asked, What happened? Why did I see the two of them flying out of the crowd? Didnt you talk to them? Wang Yi looked even angrier When he heard Qi Sangs words. Brother Xus brother is so unbelievably arrogant. He actually said that Im idiot! Wang Yi gritted his teeth and said everything. Qi Sang laughed after hearing Wang Yis words. He said, Wang Yi, its not me against you. Xus brother is really right. It is thoughtless of you to call brother Xu at that time. Wang Yi and Qi Sang have been good friends for a long time. Wang Yi was not angry when he heard that Qi Sang also agreed with Guoguo. Instead, he got confused. He asked Qi Sang, What did you say? Was he right to scold me? Qi Sang explained, I know you called him just now because you saw Brother Xus name, but you are not the only one who had seen his name. Just look at the top ten names, which of them are unfamiliar to you? But brother Xus name was the only one that other people were unfamiliar with, there must be many people paying attention to him. But you just called his name so loudly. Do you want everyone to notice him? Qi Sang paused for a moment before continuing, Dont you know what these people were thinking? Brother Xu was not someone who liked to be in the limelight. So of course he would not like this kind of situation. Besides, Brother Xu didnt say it, but his brother said it. Even his brother couldnt stand it anymore, not to mention Brother Xu. Wang Yi, you should really be thinking about it. After hearing Qi Sangs words, Wang Yi knew that he had done something wrong, but he still couldnt accept Guoguos words. Therefore, Wang Yi didnt say anything. Having been together with Wang Yi for so many years, Qi Sang naturally knew what he was thinking. He comforted him and said, Brother Xus talent is only revealed in the royal examination, so no matter what, it wont wrong for us to be friends with Brother Xu. You shouldnt offend him now. Lets go back now and apologize to Brother Xu after the person who announced the good news came. It is really your fault today. Qi Sang had always been more open than Wang Yi, and Wang Yi also felt that what Qi Sang said made sense. He nodded without refuting, Alright, lets go back first! The two people walked back side by side. As for the people who were left behind, they all went home to report. In an instant, Xu Qings name spread across all the aristocratic families in the capital and he became a celebrity. Everyone knew him, even the Emperor of the palace had heard about him. Because of this name, the Emperor also recruited Shen Qingling into the palace. When the Emperor saw Shen Qingling, he asked him without preamble, Qingling, are you acquainted with Xu Qing who got the third place on the Spring Test List today? His Highness already knew about him, so Shen Qingling did not hide it. He told the truth, I do know this person, and he is currently living in a courtyard of mine with his brother. We are on good terms. I also admire Xu Qing. He is a capable man. Shen Qinglings words were straightforward, directly expressing his view of Tangtang. The Emperor also appreciated Tangtang more because of Shen Qinglings words. The Emperor was very clear that Shen Qingling was a person who rarely praised others. So far, there were only two people he had said that he admired, one was King Yan, and he even asked him to grant King Yan a fief, and the other person was Xu Qing. In the eyes of the emperor, the person who could get Shen Qinglings favor must be pretty good. The Emperor began to be interested in this person, so he let Shen Qingling tell him in detail. Shen QingLing didnt have much to say in detail. He chose only some of the things he usually talked about with Tangtang to tell the Emperor. Tangtang had his own unique opinion. He, a modern soul, could not have thought of it. His Majesty listened to him with interest, which meant that he would definitely recruit Tangtang. After the Emperor heard about Tangtang, he remembered that he also had a younger brother. The Emperor asked, You know Xu Qing so well. Then how much do you know about his younger brother? Shen Qingling did not want to know him at all, but he couldnt say so since the the Emperor was asking him. Shen Qingling said, I dont know much about him, but I know that this person is good at kung fu and is very capable in military. If he goes to the battlefield, it wont be a problem for him to make meritorious contributions. The Emperor became even more interested after hearing this. Chapter 317 Qingling, do you think I could give his brother a job as well? The Emperor asked. Shen Qingling shook his head. No, you cannot. Xu Qings younger brother has no reputation and no military merits. If you really want to give him a job, it will definitely lead to a lot of resentment, and it will only harm him. The Emperor thought about it and found that it was indeed the case. The fact that he made a stranger an official for no apparent reason must have made other people confused. And if he was really capable of making achievements and career in the future, he would have the bad reputation of relying on relationships to get to the top because he had got his position for no reason at all. And that would be bad for him. The Emperor thought about it for a moment and found it was improper, so he said no more about it. Then, Shen Qingling added, Your Highness, lets not talk about Xu Qings younger brother. Lets talk about Xu Qing first. Do you want to give him the first name in the Royal Examination? The Emperor nodded. Thats what Im thinking about. What do you think about it? Shen Qingling cupped his hands together. Your Highness, forgive me if I have said anything disrespectful. The Emperor reached out his heand and asked Shen Qingling to continue, Qingling, you can just say it. Shen Qingling said, Your Highness, of course I hope he can win the first prize on the business side. And Xu Qing also had this ability to win the first place. However, on a personal level, I dont want him to be number one. With the title of Number One Scholar, Xu Qing, a person with no background, will have to survive in the intricacies of the capital and serve the emperor at the same time. It would be too difficult, and what worries me more is that he has not seemed to have any intention of becoming an official in the past year or two. His Highness immediately frowned. Why? Why woulld he come to take the Spring Test when he didnt want to be an official? Didnt he know that after the Spring Test, it would be the Royal Examination? Shen Qingling said. His Majesty, of course he knows, but he has his own difficulties. His brothers husband and child are still in a place far away and havent returned home. He wants to take part in the Spring Test and take his brothers husband and child back. It is said that the journey is long, and this round trip takes nearly a year. The Emperor nodded after hearing this. This person is very affectionate. At the same time, I have something to confess to you, too. I fancy Xu Qing and want to be with him forever. At first I thought of asking you to grant me to marry him, but later on, I thought that me and Xu Qing were both men, so there is no difference of who marrying whom. When he heard Shen Qinglings words, the Emperor was shocked. Qingling, what did you say? You love Xu Qing? Shen Qingling nodded. Yes, exactly. I love Xu Qing. But you are both men, how can you get married? Facing the Emperors question, Shen Qingling smiled helplessly. Your Highness, not only do you find this incredible, but I didnt think I would fall in love with a man at first sight. Your Highness, theres nothing we can do to stop a thing like feeling, if it comes. The Emperor waved his hand to show that he understood, Although I am the ruler of a country, I have no right to interfere with who you like. All these years I never said I would give you a marriage, because I want you to make your own decision. If you love Xu Qing, I will not stop you, but Xu Qing must be mine. Although the emperor said mine to mean that he wanted Xu Qing to listen to him, this word still made Shen Qingling feel a little uncomfortable, but he did not say anything. Shen Qingling said, Your Highness, the education Xu Qing received from childhood would not be worse than ours. He was involved in everything from court to battlefield to field geography, and he has his own unique opinions. It can be imagined that the man who taught him must be well-educated, and Xu Qingwen is very courteous. Plus, he has a good looking, hes really a charming boy. When it came to the end, Shen Qingling was a little off topic and the Emperor coughed softly to remind him. Cough Only when he was reminded by the Emperor did Shen Qingling realize that he had just said what was on his mind. When the Emperor saw that Shen Qingling lowered his head awkwardly, he laughed softly. Its said that even heroes fall for beauties. This is true, and the beauty might mean a childe or a man. Shen Qingling blushed a little when he heard this, but only for a moment. He quickly hid his emotions and looked up at the Emperor. Your Highness, you dont have to worry that Xu Qing will be disloyal to you. As long as you are a good emperor, Xu Qing will be loyal to you. Oh, why are you so sure? The Emperor asked. Shen Qingling said, I wonder if you have ever heard of such a sentence. Whether it is prosperious or in recession, the average people still suffers. If you only want to be the emperor who can keep the world peaceful and the people live and work in peace, those who really want to make contributions to the people will naturally do it for you. The Emperor was stunned for a moment, then he chuckled. Qingling, you are really worthy of being my virtuous servant. You are right. I just want to be the emperor who can keep the world peaceful. This is my wish to make the people live better. But it would be an injustice to your beloved brother. He probably wont be a general in his life. Shen Qingling smiled and shook his head. Your Highness, thats not true. Although you dont intend to attack other countries, you cant stop those countries from attacking the Great Xia. The border is always a indefinable place. There must be capable men guarding it, just like Yanzhou, only in this way can Great Xia be peaceful. The Emperor nodded in agreement. You are right. I dont believe that this huge Great Xia cant provide a suitable official position for the capable people. Well, lets not go that far. Lets get back to the Royal Examination. Do you want me to make your beloved brother the first, the second or the third place? Theres no meaning in being other than the top three. When Shen QingLing heard the Emperors question, he really did not know what to say. After all, he could not make a decision on Xu Qings behalf. After thinking for a while, Shen QingLing said, Your Highness, Ill leave it to you to decide. It is OK to decide according to the results of the Royal Examination, no matter what it is, I think he got it all by himself. In this way, he will be more concerned about it. Of course, the Emperor came to make the decision himself. No matter how close Shen Qingling was with him, this kind of thing could not go beyond him as the emperor. Therefore, he was just asking. Hearing what Shen Qingling said, he could also find a way out for himself. In that case, we will wait until the day of the Royal Examination. His Majesty is wise, Shen Qingling flattered him casually. The Emperor also let go of this matter and ask Shen Qingling to have lunch with him. And of course Shen Qingling couldnt not refuse. In the blink of an eye, three days passed and the Royal Examination came. Everyone in the top ten of the Spring Test had to enter the palace to participate in the Royal Examination. This time, it was the palace they were going to, and Guoguo naturally couldnt follow him. He sent Tangtang to the palace gate and left. Guoguo told Tangtang before leaving. Bro, be careful. You should see how it goes. Be stupid when you should be. If theres anything you cant handle, go find Shen Qingling. He will definitely help you. And if that doesnt work, youll have to get out. I will pick up you outside. Tangtang laughed. Im in the palace. How can you know if there is anything really wrong with me? All right, dont talk about it. I know what to do. Besides, Im the big brother. I should be the one to discipline you. You dont have to wait for me. Go back quickly, or you can go shopping on your own. Guoguo was dissatisfied with Tangtangs words. Bro, dont forget that we are twin brothers. If theres something going on, Im sure Ill feel it. If anything happens, I can definitely arrive in time. After Guoguo said a few words, he saw a few people walking in and out. He pushed Tangtang and said, Bro, go in now. As for me, you dont have to worry, Ill take care of myself. Tangtang also felt that it was about time, so he waved at Guoguo and went in. Guoguo watched Tangtang walked far away before turning to go away. Not away, but away from the palace gate. Then he made a circle round the wall as if he were scouting his surroundings. When he thought he knew it, he left and hopped off to shop. On this side, Tangtang followed the other nine people into the solemn hall. The Emperor sat high on the dragon chair, surrounded by ministers, and in front of them were tables. After the ten people saluted, they were given a seat. The emperor said a few words, and then someone handed them pens and ink and asked them to answer the questions on the spot. The questions were set by the emperor himself. The Emperor sat on the dragon chair and said, All the students can answer with those words. Whether it is prosperious or in recession, the average people still suffers. All students just need to say its main points. Theres no need for a long story. So, did I make it clear? The group answered in unison, To the Emperor, yes. Then they began to answer the questions. Regardless of what the students were thinking, even the ministers were having a lot of discussions. No one expected the Emperor to come up with such a question. After he said that, only three people were smiling. As the initiator, Shen QingLing was first one. And the second one was the Emperor who came up with the question. The third one was Tangtang, whose dad had traversed. The new article, Wine Brewing Life of Traversing, has been on display, and it is new and continued, please subscribe to it! ! ! I only feel that writing is smooth when Im writing V text, so you wont be disappointed. Thank you, mua (**** 3) (~) Chapter 318 As to the test question set by the Emperor, those students who had never heard of it before naturally didnt know how to answer it. In fact, this test question was very easy, but very difficult at the same time. It was easy because these twelve words could be understood literally. It was a straightforward test question. But meanwhile, that was why it was difficult. Just because it was a blunt question, and could be understood very easily, many students didnt dare to answer it, because they were afraid that any carelessness would incur the loss of their heads. Seeing that the students were hesitant to answer the question, the Emperor seemed to have read their mind and said, Everyone, feel free to answer the question. I wont blame anyone. As soon as the Emperor said this, several students who had already got the answer in their mind started to write. Only one or two students were still hesitating, and undoubtedly, Tangtang was the first one to start to write. Tangtang had known the meaning of this sentence when he was very young. It was Xu Ran who had told him about it. When talking of these topics, Xu Ran had never shied away from making his opinions known. He had also asked the twins to speak out their mind. They had been young back then, so he and Guoguo had understood its meaning literally. Rise, meant prosperity, while fall, collapse. No matter in which kind of situation, it was always the people who were suffering. Even though the Emperor was full of talent and ideas, he couldnt take care of everything in this world. He was at the peak, but couldnt see far enough. Therefore, he couldnt see all the hardships of the people in the world. His Dad had said that he had two favorite emperors. One was Kangxi, the other Qianlong. They liked traveling incognito to inspect peoples life. Tangtang had no idea who were Kangxi or Qianlong, but his Dad had liked them, and told them many stories about the two. He and Guoguo had used to enjoy the stories, and also remembered a lot of them. Tangtang remembered what his Dad had said. The reason why a good emperor was a good emperor was because he could win peoples heart and think for the people, and that was what a good emperor should do. A wise emperor would make both political and military achievements. Water could carry a boat, while it could also overturn it. Thus, water was the most critical factor. Tangtang did not answer this question straighforward. Instead, he gave two examples. One of them was about how the emperor chose the right person for the job. It was the story his Dad had told him before, which was about Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty and Wei Zheng. Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty praised Weizheng as the mirror. The other example was another story told by his Dad before. It was about a man called Qin Hui. Although these two people were both prime ministers, they made totally different choices. To put it generally, one of them made the nation rise, while the other fall. Meanwhile, Tangtang also analyzed the peoples lives respectively. When Tangtang finished writing, he put down his writing brush. Seeing that the students around him were still busy answering the question, Tangtang wanted to check his answer again. If he found anything wrong, he could correct it. But the Emperor, who had been paying attention to these students, had naturally seen Tangtang stop writing. He broke the silence, Someone has actually finished writing. Hand it in and let me see it! Another person was also staring at Tangtang, and that was Shen Qingling. When seeing Tangtang stop writing, Shen Qingling couldnt hold himself back and was eager to read Tangtangs answer. Now he heard the Emperors order, Shen Qingling stood up and took the initiative to play the eunuchs role, fetching Tangtangs paper for the Emperor. When Shen Qingling caught sight of the two names in the examples on the paper, he couldnt calm himself down even more. He wished he could read Tangtangs answer carefully at once. However, Shen Qingling also realized that the Final Imperial Examination hadnt finished yet, so he managed to hold himself back. When Shen Qingling passed the paper to the eunuch beside the Emperor, he was a little reluctant. The eunuch tried hard to take the paper over. The Emperor, who had been staring at Shen Qingling, also noticed his abnormal behavior. Suddenly, he became more expectant. This was the first time he had ever seen his minister of Ministry of Works behaving like this. The Emperor looked at the name on the test paper. It was Xu Qing. He thought to himself. Indeed, it was him. Only this person was able to make his minister behave abnormally. Since the Emperor only had one test paper at hand, he read it very carefully. When he started reading, he thought the writer was quite bold. There was a little discrepancy between his question and this answer. To put it bluntly, it was an irrelevant answer. However, when the Emperor finished reading, he understood why Xu Qing answered the question this way. Apparently, his style of writing was better than those papers that only elaborated the meaning of the twelve words, despite its unconventionality. Nevertheless, this little flaw was completely ignored by the Emperor. He showed a satisfied smile, and then asked the eunuch to pass the paper over to the former examiners of the Spring Imperial Examination. There were several examiners for the Spring Imperial Examination. They read the paper one by one, and had various expressions. Some were satisfied, others disdainful. But no matter what kind of face they put on, Xu Qing sat upright on his seat and acted as if he knew nothing, looking composed. Both the Emperor and Shen Qingling, who had been staring at him, were content with his behavior. When Tangtangs test paper was read by every examiner, the other students had also finished writing. They handed in their papers one by one. This time, the Emperor didnt show any expression anymore, as if he didnt want anyone else to read his mind at all. When the Emperor finished reading one paper, he passed it to the examiner, and then went on to the next paper. Tangtangs test paper was passed round among the officials. Finally, it went into Shen Qinglings hands. He couldnt wait to start reading its contents. Shen Qingling had previously seen the names of Wei Zheng and Qin Hui, so he had got a rough idea of the contents. Now that he finished reading it, his guess was confirmed. Shen Qingling had always doubted whether Tangtang came from the same place as him, but he never had the chance to ask. This time, Shen Qingling thought to himself, he wouldnt miss this opportunity. Shen Qingling held his test paper and wouldnt let go, so many people failed to read it. There were just ten students, so people finished reading their test papers soon. When the Emperor finished reading, he waited a moment till the officials had done reading. When almost everyone finished reading, the Emperor said, Each of you have read these test papers. Please speak out your mind. Who do you think is qualified to win the first place? The two people who had previously ranked ahead of Tangtang in the Spring Imperial Examination had strong family backgrounds. One of them was the son of the minister of Ministry of Revenue, while the other was the son of a prince. These two, according to Shen Qingling, were equally matched, and they had many supporters among the officials. The two were most recommended. Then came the fourth and the fifth, but the name Xu Qing was hardly mentioned. It wasnt that no one recommended him, but there were not that many. Among the examiners, only three of them recommended his work. The others either hadnt read his paper or had long taken his side. The Emperors face darkened once he heard what these people said. The Emperor was the first one to read these ten papers. No matter they were good or bad, he had read them all. The one he liked the most was naturally Xu Qings, while the rest of the students filled the whole article with the elaboration of those twelve words, but never offered any constructive suggestion. Many of the papers didnt even involve a bit of suggestions, and neither the first nor the second one had done a good job in their papers. The more the Emperor thought about it, the angrier he became. Just as he was about to pound the desk and fly into a rage, someone had already stepped forward ahead of him. Shen Qingling walked to the middle of the hall and knelt down. Your Majesty, I have something to say. When the Emperor saw Shen Qingling leaving his seat, he let out a sigh of relief. He knew that Shen Qingling must have come out to help Xu Qing. The Emperor raised his hand, Please speak out freely. Shen Qingling kept kneeling and didnt move, saying, Your Majesty, please allow me to tell everybody here a story. The Emperor said, If you have something to say, get up and say it. Shen Qingling stood up, looked around and then began slowly, Today, Im telling a story about an evil minister, who almost ruined the whole country. His name is Qin Hui. He was a prime minister, but a treacherous one It was not difficult for Shen Qingling to tell the story of Qin Hui, because it was in the textbook of junior high school. Even if he was not familiar with it, he could remember it roughly. It was hard for people to love Qin Hui, because he didnt care about the people. All he had in mind was his personal gains. He was also a coward. Perhaps the only thing that was appreciated on him by people was how differently he was remembered by the later generations since he had gone down in history as a symbol of infamy. People had also kept those loyal officials that had been murdered by him in mind. Looking solemn, Shen Qingling told the story very carefully, while those who had previously been dismissive of Xu Qings test paper changed their mind after hearing the story told by Shen Qingling. They didnt know who Qin Hui was, but Qin Hui had indeed committed some monstrous crimes, and he absolutely deserved to be beheaded. Besides, Shen Qingling told the story in a metaphorical language, which made those guilty ones even more guilty. However, Shen Qingling didnt stop when he finished Qin Huis story. He bowed to the Emperor again, Your Majesty, after the story of an evil minister, could I tell another story of a loyal minister? Since Shen Qingling asked, the Emperor had no reason to let him stop. He waved his hand and said, Please go on. Hence, Shen Qingling started to tell another story. It was about a minister called Wei Zheng, who was praised as the mirror by Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty. He was an outspoken person ,even in front of the Emperor. He was one of the most powerful officials in the Tang Dynasty. This time, just like before, Shen Qingling told the story very carefully with a solemn face. This story was about another minister, a loyal one, so the atmosphere among the officials became harmonious, but the students sitting there looked gloomy. Tangtang looked gloomy because he wondered why Shen Qingling knew about those stories. Tangtang had never read them in books, and only heard them from his Dad. Later, he had known that his Dad had come from a place very far away, so far that he could no longer go back. Therefore, these stories had never happened in this world, but how come Shen Qingling knew about them? Could it be that Shen Qingling, just like his Dad, also came from somewhere very far away? While Tangtang was wondering, Shen Qingling had already finished what he wanted to say. Then he sat back to his seat and remained silent, playing the role of a human background plate. However, the pond rippled due to his two stories. Chapter 319 Besides Tangtang, the other nine students looked gloomy too, especially those who were highly recommended just now. They even saw that these ministers changed their sides one by one due to the two so-called stories told by Shen Qingling. Meanwhile, Shen Qingling handed over Xu Qings paper to those who hadnt read it. Shen Qingling had been holding Tangtangs paper in his hands because he was reluctant to give it to others. Shen Qingling just told two stories without declaring where he stood, but the others couldnt. They had to air their opinions, because the Emperor was still waiting. The Emperor looked at the overly quiet ministers below and smirked, Have you heard the stories told by Minister Shen just now? What do you think of them? In front of Shen Qingling, the Emperor addressed him as Aiqing, while in front of the other ministers, the Emperor called him Minister Shen. Undoubtedly, the Emperor was reminding those ministers that Shen Qingling was the youngest minister in the court, as well as the former Number One Scholar, who was appointed by the former Emperor. All the three men in the Shen family were important officials in the court, and Shen Qinglings father was in the position of the prime minister. Therefore, there was no need to elaborate what it meant when Shen Qingling defended this man called Xu Qing at this point of time. Coincidentally, when the officials showed their attitudes just now, Prime Minister Shen was one of the few who said nothing. Although Prime Minister Shen usually didnt take sides, now there was more to his silence. The ministers below exchanged glances, believing that things wouldnt go as the way they wanted. At least, the candidates they had previously recommended were not the ones the Emperor wanted. As for those fence-sitters, they jumped on the bandwagon and started to recommend Xu Qing at once. They even explained why they hadnt recommended him before. It was because they hadnt read his paper, which sounded very reasonable. Shen Qingling looked on coldly. Did these people treat the Emperor as an idiot by playing such tricks? Even if the Emperor didnt call them to account now, it wouldnt take long before he did something to them. Meanwhile, there were more and more people recommending Xu Qing. Since some people had started it, others would follow up naturally. The reason these people were able to get into this hall was because they were all shrewd observers. Even though he had achieved his goal, the Emperor still wasnt happy. After listening to Shen Qinglings story, he felt that these people were like Qin Hui too. The Emperor did not agree with anyone. Instead, he asked Shen Qinglings father, Prime Minister Shen, Prime Minister Shen, what do you think? Prime Minister Shen stood up, got out of his seat and bowed, saying, Your Majesty, what the ministers said makes sense. I also think Xu Qings paper is the best one. However, I dont recommend Xu Qing because of the stories told by my son, but because I believe that Xu Qing is a real talent. Does anybody here know the backgrounds and ages of these ten students? As far as I know, among these ten students, only Xu Qing doesnt come from the capital city. Besides, he is not over 18 now. He hasnt even come of age. Such a youngster has such great insight in his paper, and I really appreciate him. Therefore, I think that Xu Qing is qualified to win the first place in the Final Imperial Examination today. Seemingly, Prime Minister Shen had said a lot, but if listening carefully, one would find his answer somewhat ambiguous, but it was fine to do so. However, something popped into the Emperors mind when Xu Qings family background was mentioned. Since Xu Qing came from a humble family, if the Emperor appointed him as the best scholar in the Final Imperial Examination, he could only rely on the Emperor in the future. After hearing what Prime Minister Shen said, the Emperor couldnt help but sigh that how similar Prime Minister Shen and Shen Qinglings opinions were. What father and son! After the Emperor asked Prime Minister Shen about his opinion, he asked another few ministers about their opinions. Some of them recommended Xu Qing, and naturally some recommended others. At the same time, they also disparaged Xu Qing, saying that he hadnt followed the rules in his paper, and that his answer was irrelevant. Shen Qingfei, who had been playing dumb, disagreed. Vocal person as he had always been, Shen Qingfei stood up and retorted, Lord Wang, I dont think what you said is right. I dont remember one has to follow the rules in his paper. I wonder when the Great Xia has such a rule? If Lord Wang, you really cant find any fault in Xu Qings paper, you might as well stay silent. Besides, in order to disparage Xu Qings paper, the reason you gave is irrational. You are embarrassing yourself by doing this, and you were saying that in front of those ten students. Save yourself some pride, Lord Wang. Shen Qingfeis remark made Lord Wangs face livid and pale at the same time. He also found it hard to retort upon Shen Qingfei, and finally, he could only sat down with rage. Now that Shen Qingfei had stood up, the Emperor had to ask, Aiqing, what about you? Since you dont agree with Lord Wang, what do you think of the other nine papers? Shen Qingfei seemed to have got himself into trouble again. Every time Shen Qingfei said something, the Emperor would pick a hole in what he said and then ask him to explain it. If it wasnt for the fact that the Emperor was already married, Shen Qingling would have thought that the Emperor was interested in his brother. But later on, he understood that the reason why the Emperor liked to do this was totally because he wanted to make fun of Shen Qingfei. The Emperor enjoyed it when Shen Qingfei was embarrassed while racking his brains for an answer. Shen Qingling could only light a candle to pay his respect to his brother in his mind. This time, he could light more candles for him. After all, Shen Qingfei was defending his future spouse now. Of course, whether Xu Qing was a spouse or a husband, this matter required much consideration. Shen Qingling could only imagine it at the time being. As expected, Shen Qingfei changed color when hearing the Emperors words. Now he looked gloomy. He was not a talkative person to begin with, but every time the Emperor asked him to say something, he had to say a lot until his mouth became dry. Shen Qingfei didnt enjoy this feeling at all. Shen Qingfei blamed himself for his own stupidity and then followed the Emperors order obediently, finding fault with the other papers. From Shen Qingfeis point of view, many papers were full of nonsense, especially the ones written by the first and second one in the Spring Imperial Examination. Shen Qingfei almost used the phrase good for nothing, and those two students turned pale. Of course, there were some good ones too. On the contrary, the papers written by the students ranking low in the Spring Imperial Examination were much better. Shen Qingfei not only pointed out the shortcomings, but he also pointed out some good qualities, which made those out of the limelight beam with joy immediately. Shen Qingfei didnt have any other skill in his life, but he had read many books. He was quite articulate, and his opinions were well-founded, so people found it hard to contradict him. Therefore, when Shen Qingfei finished speaking, the hall fell silent again. This time, no one spoke again because they didnt know how to start. Apparently, Prime Minister Shen and his two sons would like to recommend this man called Xu Qing. It was unknown how he had built a relationship with the Shen family, and they actually took him under their wing. Seeing that no one spoke, the Emperor felt that it was his time to speak. The Emperor said, Now that everyone has aired his opinion, Im going to say what Ive seen. Someone told me that as an emperor, I cant view things from the perspective of the ordinary people. I have to judge how to do things in a way that will benefit the people the most and is best for them. Today, Ive got a suggestion on governance. The writer tells me in his paper how to make the country prosper while having the people live a good life as well. He also tells me how a wise emperor should treat a vocal official. He tells me how much I should trust those who protect me and the people in the country so that we can live a peaceful life. If these twelve words are executed poorly, the situation will be the people suffer no matter in the rise or fall of the country. However, if well executed, the situation will be totally different. Once the country prospers, the people will live a happy life. Once the people prosper, the country wont fall. The people are always the ones who love the country the most. Where there is a country, there is a home. Where there is a country, there is a home. was the last sentence in Tangtangs paper. Everyone is responsible for his countrys rise or fall. His Dad had taught them so from childhood. Therefore, his Dad had had no objection to him coming all the way to the capital city. Therefore, his Dad had had no objection to Guoguo fighting on the battlefield. Tangtang suddenly started to smile after hearing the Emperors words. He didnt disappoint his Dads teachings. When the Emperor finished speaking, Tangtang suddenly stood up and walked towards the middle of the hall step by step. The young man had just become an adult. Manhood just started to exude from his features but there was still a trace of immaturity left. The young man was in white, and his shoulders were not wide enough, but he seemed to be qualified to be the backbone already. The young man was standing upright, walking steadily step by step. Such a small trip attracted everyones attention. Tangtang went to the middle of the hall, knelt down and kowtowed. Then he got up and faced up to the Emperor, Greetings from Xu Qing, the student, to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor. Tangtang kowtowed three times and then kept kneeling, remaining unmoved. No one had ever taught him what to do, but he did well. The Emperor was also fascinated by the image of Tangtang walking over. He hadnt even responded when Tangtang had extended greetings to him. It was when the eunuch beside him reminded him that he came to his sense. The Emperor coughed softly and said to Tangtang who was kneeling, Please arise. Thank you, Your Majesty, Tangtang expressed his gratitude and stood up. The Emperor asked him, Is there anything you want to say? Tangtang said bluntly, I want to ask Your Majesty for something. What is it? Tell me. Tangtang replied, I dont take the Final Imperial Examination this time for the title of the best scholar or anything like this. I just want to be a local official, in somewhere close to my home. Why? Isnt it good to be the best scholar? Or isnt it good to be an official in the capital city? The Emperor asked. Tangtang shook his head. Of course its great, but I have my own plan. Being a local official has its own advantages. If Im not able to run a region, how am I qualified to be an official in the capital city? Its not that I am not willing to be an official in the capital city. I just want to start from a local official, and then move up to capital official with my own efforts. I can affirm that as long as Im safe and alive, Ill come back to the capital city sooner or later. There was not a hint of conceit or arrogance, but he was full confidence. However, this was the most attractive trait. If Prime Minister Shen hadnt mentioned that he was only 18, who would have thought that such a man should only be 18 and hadnt come of age yet? From village graduate to provincial graduate, to state graduate and finally to the Final Imperial Examination now, he was only 18 years old, but now he dared to say such ambitious words. How many people could do this at this age? Chapter 320 Some were shocked, some marveled, and some, of course, was sad. Although Xu Mu had told Shen Qingling in advance, Shen Qingling didnt expect that this day would come so soon. He didnt even want a rank in the Final Imperial Examination. Didnt he know that as long as he got the title of the best scholar of the Final Imperial Examination, his tale would circulate among the people in the capital city in the future? Shen Qingling shook his head. No, it wasnt that Xu Qing didnt know that, but he just didnt care. He didnt want to be a government official, nor did he want power. What he wanted was nothing but a stage where he could prove himself. Undoubtedly, being an official was the best choice. Shen Qingling had heard Tangtang mention it more than once that this idea came from his Dad. Shen Qingling admired this person, who he had never met before, from the bottom of his heart. He admired him for having created a son like Xu Qing. Shen Qingling was also aware of the reason why Xu Qing had made such a choice. Once he became a local official near his home, he could often go back. He could also exploit his talent in a better way and show himself. It was indeed an excellent choice. Xu Qing was originally from the countryside, so naturally, he was not afraid of hardships. However, even though Shen Qingling knew that this was the best and most suitable choice for Xu Qing, he still didnt express support for him. After all, he didnt want to be too far away from Xu Qing. The relationship between them was still friends now, and there would be a long way to go. When Shen Qingling was absent-minded, the Emperor had already granted Xu Qings request, but he said that he had to give Xu Qing the title of the best scholar. The Emperor did this in an extremely casual way. However, everyone present understood that this was an inevitable outcome, and only Shen Qingling didnt know what Xu Qing had told the Emperor just now so that the Emperor would grant Xu Qing permission to leave the capital to be a local official. Shen Qingling felt that he couldnt wait any longer. He wanted the Final Imperial Examination to finish as soon as possible, so that he could have a good talk with Xu Qing. He wanted to ask Xu Qing so many questions, and he also wanted to tell Xu Qing his feelings for him. Before long, the Emperor announced the best scholar of the Final Imperial Examination, so it wouldnt take long before the rest of the rankings came out. The Emperor had already got his answer after reading the papers, so he could give the ranking directly. Therefore, he called the names one by one, deciding the placing. However, the placing this time was totally different from the one of the Spring Imperial Examination. The original first and second students became the ninth and tenth, while the original fifth and sixth ones became the second and third. Few had expected this, especially for the first and second students in the Spring Imperial Examination. Their color changed immediately. However, since they were in a public occasion, they couldnt lose their temper, so they could only choke back their anger. But they hated the Shen family and Xu Qing to the core. Xu Qing, who had already become the public enemy somehow, was still happy because he was granted permission to be a local official by the Emperor. He planned to ask the Emperor for a favor in a while since he wanted to take up the post one year later, so that he could bring Guoguos spouse and baby home first, and then have Baozi and Qingshu get married soon. As for anything else, he didnt have enough energy left to think about them. After the Final Imperial Examination, the students could go home. They only needed to wait for the announcement of examination result. Three days later, they would enter the palace again to attend the banquet held for the best scholar. Then they just needed to wait for the assignment of the positions. When the Emperor asked the crowd to dismiss, Shen Qingling was the first one to leave to wait outside. The Emperor had originally wanted to ask him to stay so that he could have a further discussion with him. However, before he had the eunuch speak to him, Shen Qingling was already nowhere to be seen. The Emperor sighed, feeling helpless. He was somewhat satisfied with the Final Imperial Examination today, but more dissatisfied. Finally, the Emperor gave the title the best scholar to someone he liked, but he wanted to be a local official, with his own efforts. However, it would take years before a local official was able to make an achievement. Therefore, the Emperor couldnt see the best scholar in years, while the best scholar might not be willing to come to the capital city then. The Emperor was upset, but since each of Xu Qings words hit the right note, he couldnt disagree, so he could only endure the pain silently and let go of the one he liked. However, what the Emperor was most interested in right now was how come Shen Qingling would know what Xu Qing knew. Furthermore, only the two of them knew about these things. Could it be that they were in cahoots with each other? The Emperor thought about it and felt that it was impossible. After all, he was the one who had set the test question and had told nobody about it. Even if the two of them had colluded in the Final Imperial Examination, they wouldnt have known what to do! Thinking of this, the Emperor became more and more confused and curious. On the other side, Shen Qingling, who had been waiting, didnt see Xu Qing as soon as he had expected. Instead, he had waited for a long time but failed to see him. Meanwhile, he found that there were few ministers walking out of the hall today. Shen Qingling thought about it and realized what was going on. That was, Xu Qing was mobbed, by those ministers who could go home but didnt. Therefore, Shen Qingling decided to go back and take a look. It was just as Shen Qingling had expected. Tangtang was indeed mobbed by the crowd. Shen Qingling knew none of them, but judging from the robes they wore, their official positions were not low. Probably except for those top-ranking officials, the rest of them all stayed around Tangtang, who wanted to leave but failed. However, Tangtang didnt know these people. Even if he wanted to have some small talks with them, Tangtang didnt know how. The most thing he asked was peoples names, and he had been putting on a smile the whole time. Not only these officials, but those students who had taken the Final Imperial Examination also came over to join them. Especially the fifth and sixth students of the Spring Imperial Examination, who had become the second and third of the Final Imperial Examination, both of them thought Tangtang was credited with their rankings, so they came over to express their gratitude. Tangtang was surrounded in the middle and found it difficult to say anything. He thought to himself. He would have left with Shen Qingling if he had known this would happen, so that someone could come to his rescue. At the thought of Shen Qingling, Tangtang heard someone outside the crowd saying, So everyone is here. The exam is already over. Are you all still here to discuss something? Youve been working too hard. Shen Qingling forced his way through the crowd as he was speaking. He glanced at the one in the middle of the crowd, and it was indeed Xu Qing. Shen Qingling squeezed into the crowd, reached out to grab Xu Qings arm and pulled him outside. As he was walking, he said, Lets go. Your younger brother is still waiting for us outside the palace. He must be anxious from waiting. The lords are discussing the state affairs here. You are just a best scholar and dont even have an official title yet. Be sensible and leave. Shen Qingling wasnt holding onto Tangtangs arm tight, but Tangtang followed him out obediently. He didnt really want to stay here anymore, so it was great that Shen Qingling came to his rescue. Then, Tangtang apologized to these officials with a regretful look, walking outside with Shen Qingling. When they left the crowd, both of them sped up, hoping to leave the palace as soon as possible. However, even when they had left the crowd, Shen Qingling didnt let go of Tangtangs hand. Tangtang wanted to speak but stopped several times, and he didnt say anything in the end. Although holding hands felt a little weird, but it was not that unacceptable. As a smart man, how would Tangtang not understand what Shen Qingling was thinking about, but he hadnt made up his mind yet. It was impossible for him to stay in the capital city for Shen Qingling, so if possible, he would rather not put everything on the table. It would also be great for them to be confidants. If they were meant to be together, Tangtang wouldnt refuse Shen Qingling in the future. Since his Dad and the others had approved of Baozi marrying Qingshu, there should be no problem if he took a man who was unable to bear children home! Tangtang was thinking with rapt attention. The two of them were still holding hands when walking out of the palace entrance. Many people were waiting outside the palace, including Guoguo. Seeing the two holding hands, Guoguo couldnt help but raise his eyebrows. It had been less than half a day, and they were already holding hands. Werent they fast? However, Guoguo realized that something was wrong after staring at them for a while. It seemed that someone had cast a spell on his elder brother because he was completely dragged out by Shen Qingling. Guoguo leaned over and waved his hand at his brothers face, but his brother had no reaction at all. Guoguo asked Shen Qingling, Has someone cast a spell on my brother? Hardly had Guoguo finished his words than his hand was heavily slapped. What are you talking about? You were cast a spell on. The one slapping Guoguo was naturally Tangtang. Guoguo stroked the back of his hand with grievance. You didnt react when I was waving my hand at your face, and now youre blaming me. Tangtang gave Guoguo a scornful stare. I was thinking. The person who was given a scornful stare clapped his hands generously, indicating that he was not bothered with someone who had given him a cold shoulder. However, Guoguo gave another teasing stare to the hands holding together all the time. Guoguos stare made Tangtang realize that they were still holding hands. He clearly remembered that Shen Qingling had held his arm, but when had he started to hold his hand? Could it be that he had been thinking too attentively just now? Now that they had already held hands, it was useless for him to think so much. Tangtang just withdrew his hand calmly. Shen Qingling had remained quiet the whole time. It was a funny scene to watch that two identical people were bickering. However, when Xu Qing withdrew his hand, Shen Qingling still felt a little disappointed. Then he comforted himself. Since they had held hands once, they would naturally do it again. There was still time, and he didnt need to rush. Chapter 321 Shen Qingling followed Tangtang and Guoguo. For several times, he wanted to ask Tangtang something he wanted to know on the way, but Tangtang changed the topic intentionally or unintentionally every time. Obviously, he didnt want to talk with Shen Qingling, while Shen Qingling could do nothing about it. He couldnt force Tangtang to tell him, so he could only find an opportunity to bring it up. This time, when they arrived at the little courtyard, Tangtang, uncharacteristically, didnt ask Shen Qingling to stay for lunch, and even urged him to leave quickly. Shen Qingling couldnt get it, nor could Guoguo. However, it was not appropriate for Shen Qingling to stay shamelessly, so he left with disappointment. Tangtang sent Shen Qingling to the entrance of the courtyard. When Shen Qingling took a few steps away, Tangtang said suddenly, Three days later, I will tell you my answer at the banquet for the best scholar in the palace. Upon hearing this, Shen Qingling looked back immediately. He saw that Tangtang was staring at him with a smile, and it seemed that there was something else in that smile. Shen Qing asked at once, Are you serious? Tangtang replied, Of course I am. You will get the answer you want in three days. Seeing that Tangtang didnt seem to be joking, Shen Qingling nodded earnestly. Alright then, Ill wait for three more days. Three days from now, you must tell me your answer after the banquet for the best scholar. Tangtang replied with a smile, Okay. Shen Qingling left while Tangtang stayed at the door. It was when Shen Qinglings figure could no longer be seen that Tangtang drew back his gaze. He closed the door but found Guoguo staring at him with sparkling eyes the moment he looked back. Tangtang stopped smiling. He didnt need to hide any feeling in front of his brother. He didnt want to smile now, so he stopped smiling. Seeing that the smile on Tangtangs face was gone, Guoguo also straightened his face and asked, What are you thinking, brother? Can I know that? Suddenly, Tangtang showed a helpless smile. Havent you guessed it? Why would you ask me? Guoguo answered, Im afraid we are thinking about different things, so I dont know how to start. Tangtang looked at him. Its exactly what youre thinking. Thats right. Its impossible for me to be with him, at least not now. As for the future, what will be will be! Guoguo shook his head. Brother, we are not thinking about the same thing. Im not thinking about this now. What Im thinking about is what he wants to know from you, and why did you keep changing topics to stop him from asking? Tangtang told Guoguo what had happened during the Final Imperial Examination honestly and said, I cant answer the question he wants to ask. The only one who can answer him is Dad, so I have to stop him from asking. Guoguo knew most of the things that Tangtang knew. During all these years, they had actually made some guesses. The current Dad they got, who had been kind to them and taught them carefully, was different from that idiot Dad they had used to got, who had turned into a blur in their memories. That idiot Dad was that idiot Dad, while the current Dad was the Dad that had brought them up, which was also their Dad. Although there were many things that were hard to understand, neither of the twins had asked their Dad about the truth, so they just acted as if they knew nothing of it. Therefore, it wasnt that Tangtang couldnt answer the question, nor could Guoguo answer it either. He knew that his brother was doing the right thing. Their Dad had no intention of being an official, so he wouldnt make friends with government officials like Shen Qingling. It would be fine if Shen Qingling was going to marry his brother, because Shen Qingling would be considered family then, but now their relationship was not established, and Shen Qingling was not family yet, so Shen Qingling could only know part of the story, not all. Guoguo stopped asking about this. Since his brother was able to deal with it, he might as well act as if he knew nothing. Guoguo shifted the topic to Tangtangs relationship with Shen Qingling. Bro, have you made up your mind? You dont have to go to Yanzhou with me. I can go with Dad. Tangtang shook his head. This is different. He is your spouse, my brother-in-law, and you also have a baby. As a brother, as an uncle, shouldnt I go with you? Besides, apart from you and Dad, others will go too. Daddy, Baozi, and Uncle Zhuos family will all go. We can visit King Yan at the same time. Its been some time since we came back, and its unknown when we will go there again. This was a done deal, so Guoguo didnt have a say in it. Therefore, they had to stick to the plan. As for his relationship with Shen Qingling, Tangtang could put it aside for the time being. Anyway, he was still young, and Dad had said that it would be fine if they got married later. Now that he had made a decision, Tangtang was more determined to do what he needed to do at the banquet for the best scholar in three days. From the Final Imperial Examination to the banquet for the best scholar, Shen Qingling had not showed up in three days, nor had Tangtang looked for him, and he had not bumped into Shen Qingling on the street either. The only ones who came to disturb them were Wang Yi and Qi Sang. These two were here to apologize for what had happened on the day of the announcement of the Spring Imperial Examination result. Even though he had been a little angry back then, it had been over ten days, and Tangtang had almost forgotten about it. Besides, since the two came to them in person to make an apology, Tangtang couldnt hold a grudge, so he just forgave them generously, and their relationship returned to how it had been before. In these three days, Tangtang had been hanging out with them all over the capital. They had had delicious food and had enough fun. Tangtang and Guoguo had also bought a lot of things for the family, and would take them back as gifts. Three days had passed in the blink of an eye and soon it was time to enter the palace to attend the banquet held for the best scholar. Guoguo sent Tangtang to the entrance of the palace as usual. We will leave the moment you get back. Im going back to pack up now. Tangtang nodded. Go ahead. Ill be back soon. After that, the twins turned around at the same time and strode away in different directions. The banquet for the best scholar was held every three years. Those ministers, who had been working in court for dozens of years, had attended the banquet many times, so they were used to it. Probably, the only ones who got interested in the banquet were the ten students who had passed the Final Imperial Examination and the Emperor. It was the first time Tangtang and the other nine students had attended such banquet, while it was also the first time the Emperor had held this banquet after he had been enthroned, so he was relatively excited. During the banquet, people would recite or write poems. As the new number one scholar, Tangtang was naturally bound to do it too. However, Tangtang wasnt really good at writing poetry. He had heard people do that a lot, but couldnt do it himself. Besides, his Dad had not taught him before. His Dad could only recite poems, but not write poems himself. Nevertheless, since Tangtang had got a first and become the number one scholar, he had to write something during the banquet, no matter what. Thus, Tangtang forced himself to say, Your Majesty, I feel ashamed. Since Im not good at writing poems, how about I write a pair of antithetical phrases! The Emperor looked at Xu Qing and said, Phrases are not bad either. Since the best scholar wants to write a pair of phrase, then go ahead! Tangtang cupped his hands together and said, The nation is prosperous and the people are strong; the army is powerful and the world is harmonious. This was not some outstanding phrase, but the Emperor was quite happy about it and complimented it repeatedly. Best scholar, do you have a title for it? The Emperor asked. Xu Qing answered, Please give it a title, Your Majesty. Of course, Tangtang had a title for the phrase in his mind, but in front of the Emperor, he couldnt say it even if he had one. The Emperor knew that well, so how could he not understand the situation? However, since Xu Qing asked, he naturally had to give a title, as a kind of support for his new best scholar. The Emperor pretended to be deep in thought and said after some consideration, Peace reigns over the land. Tangtang smiled. He thought the same way, so he knelt down. Long live the Emperor. The other ministers echoed. Actually, Tangtang didnt mean anything else. He just wanted to please the Emperor. Now that Xu Qing had written a phrase, those who had wanted to write poems started to write phrases. The banquet started at noon and ended after dinner. Although it was already late spring, the night in the capital city was still a little cold, so the Emperor asked no one to stay after the banquet ended. However, Xu Qing became the one who came without being invited. He found the Emperors personal eunuch and told him that he wanted to see the Emperor, hoping that the eunuch could announce his arrival. The mouth of the head eunuch twitched. He thought to himself. Not only couldnt this best scholar write poems, but he also didnt know how to ask for help, nor did he know how to use tactful words. However, the head eunuch felt that this best scholar was a kind person, and could be the Emperors man. Years later, he was happy that he had thought this way back then. It turned out that he was right. The head eunuch still went to announce Xu Qings arrival. Meanwhile, the Emperor seemed to be expecting his new best scholar s arrival, so he had long been waiting in the study. Xu Qing was taken to the study by the head eunuch, and then he walked out. Only the Emperor and Xu Qing were left in the study. Xu Qing knelt down behind the Emperors back and said, Greetings from Xu Qing to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor. The Emperor turned around, stared at Xu Qing, who was kneeling on the ground, and waved his hand. Arise. Theres no need for formalities. Thank you, Your Majesty! Tell me, is there anything you want to say to me? The Emperor asked. Xu Qing replied, Im here to ask for leave. I cant take office this year, no matter where. I hope Your Majesty could grant me permission to take one year off and assign the position to me next year. The Emperor laughed. A few days ago, you told me that you wanted to be a local official, but today, youre telling me that you want to take one year off. I want to ask you. Do you want to be this official or not? Xu Qing cupped his hands together. Of course I do. Otherwise, I wouldnt have taken the Spring Imperial Examination. Then why are you asking for leave? You have to know that no new best scholar has ever started his career from the position of a local official, nor has any new best scholar asked for leave before he is assigned a position. Xu Qing said, Your Majesty, I have my reason. I have to go with my family to bring my brother-in-law and nephew home. It will be a long journey, and Im afraid the round trip will take a year. Well, from where to where? Why will it take so long? The Emperor asked with interest. Your Majesty, from Xu Village to Yanzhou. Xu Village is my hometown. It takes one month to get there from the capital city. It really was far away. The Emperor thought to himself silently. However, it was not because the two places were far away from each other, but because they could only travel on the mountain road. There was not much state road between the two places, so it was a hard journey, especially for carriages, and it would take longer. Xu Qings reason sounded very rational, but the Emperor still couldnt accept that he, a new best scholar, postponed his term of office for so long in order to bring his brother-in-law home. What if I dont grant it? What would you do? The Emperor asked. Xu Qing thought about this question seriously and then said, I didnt expect that Your Majesty would not grant my request before. Your Majesty is a wise emperor, and you are good at making choices, so in my opinion, I dont think Your Majesty should ask me this question. The Emperor laughed. You all like to put pressure on me by calling me wise. You did so. Shen Qingling did so. All the ministers in court did so. But sometimes, I really dont want to be this wise emperor. Xu Qing lowered his head slightly. Your Majesty, I didnt call you wise, nor did the ministers call you wise, but the people called so. Therefore, I think that only the people can put pressure on you by calling you wise, and no one else can. The Emperor looked back, a meaningful smile on his face. Your request is granted, but I have my condition. Work yourself up to the capital city in three years. I wont help you, and I wont allow Shen Qingling to help you. You can only rely on yourself. Xu Qing was stunned slightly. This was the second time that the Emperor had mentioned Shen Qingling. It seemed that his knew something. Xu Qing hesitated for a moment and then nodded. Yes, I will follow your order! Three years is enough. Xu Qing knew that his request was granted by the Emperor, so he wanted to leave. Now it was dark, and Guoguo was still waiting for him, so he had to leave the palace quickly. The Emperor spoke again, Xu Qing, tell me. What do you be an official for? Xu Qing was stunned again, and then answered honestly, I wonder if you have heard this saying before: The rich mans house smells the reek of alcohol, while the poor freeze to death along the roadside. I just hope the people can be full and warm. I hope no one will pick up the money on the road or close the door at night while they are sleeping, because our country is peaceful enough. At that moment, the Emperors eyes were filled with admiration. He said, Thats my hope too. I will wait for you to come back in three years. Next year, you will be the magistrate in the province nearest to your home! Someone will tell you what to do then. As an official, I appreciate your grace! For the first time, Xu Qing called himself an official. The Emperor waved his hand, indicating that Xu Qing could leave, but he sighed in his mind that Shen Qingling was not wrong about him. Xu Qing walked out to leave, but hardly had he reached the door than he walked back and knelt on the ground. Your Majesty, I want to make another presumptuous request, and I hope Your Majesty could do me a favor. The Emperor couldnt help but feel amused. Someone actually dared to ask the Emperor for a favor, which made him quite curious. Im in a good mood today. Tell me, what kind of favor do you want to ask me for? Xu Qing took out a piece of jade pendant and put it on the Emperors bureau. I hope Your Majesty could give this jade pendant to the minister of Ministry of Works on behalf of me, tonight. The Emperor was not afraid that it was a poisoned piece of jade. He picked it up and took a look. There were four distinct words engraved on the jade, but he couldnt read these words. He stroked the engraved words and smiled. Alright, I promise you. Someone! Ask the minister of Ministry of Works to come into the palace. The person outside responded. Xu Qing expressed his gratitude to the Emperor and left. On the way out of the palace, Xu Qing hadnt met Shen Qingling, nor would he meet him. Meanwhile, in the little courtyard that Shen Qingling had rented them, a carriage had been waiting for a long time. Tangtang got into the carriage. The carriage started to move slowly and left the yard. One month later, Tangtang and Guoguo arrived at Xu Village, and Xu Villages people also knew that there was a best scholar in their village. Rarely, Xu Ran spent some good money and set a feast, which had lasted for three days. Three days later, both the Xu family and the Zhuo family left for Yanzhou. One year later, Guoguo finally brought his spouse and baby back home. However, Shen Qingling, who was far away in the capital city, had never imagined that the answer would be like this. Tangtang left a piece of jade pendant with an engraving of the phonetic spelling of the Chinese character Qing on it and disappeared without a word. Meanwhile, the Emperor sprinkled salt on Shen Qinglings wound by telling him that Xu Qing had asked for leave for half a year. He wouldnt take office until next year. Shen Qinglings face darkened while he was in the Emperors study. He clenched his teeth, wishing he could drag Xu Qing back and give him a good beating. This was the first time someone had treated him like this, and he had totally been playing the role of a fool. Shen Qingling took the jade pendant and walked out of the palace in depression. A big bright moon was hanging in the sky, making him smile ambitiously. Xu Qing, wait for me. You will eventually be mine. C C