“I’m back.”
Yuan Zhao did not return the ox cart first this time. He planned to first go into the mountains to cut grass to feed the ox, then cut a few more baskets of fresh fodder before returning the cart to the village chief’s house.
When they heard him return, Yuan Yuan and Shi Qingran immediately rushed out of the house and into his arms.
Noticing their expressions were a bit off, he quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen at home? Where are Mother and A Yue?”
“Second Brother is in the fields. Mother went to Zhao Hu’s house,” Shi Qingran said softly. “She said something happened there. A lot of people from the village went. It sounded scary.”
“I see.” Yuan Zhao relaxed a little and patted both of them. “Don’t be afraid. Have you eaten?”
Yuan Yuan nodded. “We ate already. There’s food left for you in the house. Auntie made a lot of meat—it was delicious!”
Yuan Zhao led them inside. The dishes on the table were still covered with bamboo lids. He was very hungry, so after washing his hands, he started eating immediately.
Although the meat dishes had gone cold, they were still very fragrant. He ended up eating two large steamed buns and drinking a bowl of water to settle his stomach before finally feeling his strength return.
Whatever had happened at Zhao Hu’s house, he did not care. As long as it did not involve his own family, that was enough.
After eating and drinking his fill, Yuan Zhao prepared to go into the mountains to cut grass.
“I want to go too,” Yuan Yuan tugged at his clothes, clinging to him tightly.
He had never liked being separated from Yuan Zhao. Usually, his brother would come back by noon, but today he was late, and it made him uneasy.
Yuan Zhao patted his head, then looked at Shi Qingran. “Then let’s go together.”
Their current home was a dilapidated earthen house, though it had been cleaned up and was still livable. Outside was only a simple wooden fence enclosing a small courtyard. A house this poor naturally had no lock.
Closing the door was enough to show no one was home.
Yuan Zhao also led the ox along, letting it graze in the mountain so it would not need extra feeding.
Villages were surrounded by mountains on all sides, and they went to the nearest back mountain. The ox ate as it walked, clearly starved.
Yuan Zhao handed the lead rope to the two children while he himself chopped grass rapidly. The basket on his back filled up quickly, but he kept piling more on top, then tied it securely so it would not fall.
After eating grass, one needed water, so they walked along the riverbank. During a break while the ox drank, Yuan Zhao also washed the wooden bucket he had borrowed, then placed the cut grass inside it.
“So many little fish!” Shi Qingran exclaimed.
Having grown up in town, the little girl rarely returned to the village, so even seeing small fish excited her.
Yuan Zhao said, “It’s a pity we didn’t bring a net. Tomorrow I’ll find an old one and make a net bag. Then we can come catch fish anytime.”
“Brother!” Yuan Yuan suddenly shouted, “There are shrimp!”
“Where?” Yuan Zhao immediately perked up. “Don’t move. I’ll catch them!”
River shrimp were delicious. He had been busy running to town recently and had forgotten about these small river treasures. If he could catch enough, the restaurants in town would definitely buy them!
With sharp eyes, Yuan Zhao spotted them immediately. He crept forward carefully, afraid of stirring the water, then slowly crouched down and plunged both hands into the water, suddenly scooping the shrimp into his palm.
“Got it!” he laughed. “We need something to hold them. Go look around and see if there’s anything usable.”
Yuan Yuan immediately ran up the bank, searching everywhere. After a while, he actually found a broken basket.
It was woven from vines, but it had already decayed from wind and rain.
Still, that did not stop Yuan Zhao. He neatly arranged the cut grass inside the broken basket, instantly making it watertight.
He grew more and more interested. With the children helping him find them, he went on to catch more fish and shrimp. Before long, he had gathered quite a handful—enough for a proper meal.
He even thought: would Ah Xiang drink alcohol? These would make excellent drinking snacks.
He exhaled on his wrinkled fingers and said, “We should head back. We still need to return the ox-cart. If you still want to catch fish, I’ll bring you again tomorrow. It’s getting too hot now.”
“Yay!” the children cheered in unison, not feeling any urgency.
After going down the mountain and reaching the fork in the road, Yuan Zhao let them go home first while he went to the village chief’s house to return the ox, planning to check whether Madam Shi Zhangshi had returned.
“Uncle Niu, I’m here to return the ox-cart,” Yuan Zhao called out loudly from outside.
Inside, Mrs. Niu Liu heard the sound and immediately came out. “It’s Zhao Ge’er. Lead the ox in.”
Yuan Zhao obediently led the ox inside as he said, “I took it up the mountain to eat grass. I also cut a lot of grass and put it in the bucket. Sorry to trouble Auntie to wash the bucket later.”
“It’s fine. It’s something meant to be used anyway,” Mrs. Niu Liu said warmly. She quite liked how sensible he was. The ox he borrowed was never returned hungry, and he even cut extra fodder for it and paid copper coins.
There’s no family more well-behaved than theirs!
Yuan Zhao said, “Then Auntie, I’ll head off first. I still need to go look for my mother.”
When he mentioned Madam Shi Zhangshi, Mrs. Niu Liu waved at him and lowered her voice. “You’d better not go looking over at the Zhao household. Zhao Hu is in a terrible state. Zhao Hu’s mother has gone mad—crying and cursing nonstop. Whoever goes over there gets scolded a few times. It’s just asking for frustration.”
“What exactly happened?” Yuan Zhao asked in surprise. What kind of incident could make things turn out like this?
Mrs. Niu Liu let out a sigh full of emotion. She had been there herself, so when she recounted it to Yuan Zhao, she described everything in vivid detail—even the flipped-out, blood-stained white flesh was not omitted.
In short, the injuries on Zhao Hu’s face and arms were minor. The real problem was his leg. It was a severe, crushing injury—the bone had pierced through the flesh. It was truly badly hurt.
Even if it could be treated, he would never walk like an ordinary person again.
The Zhao family only had this one son, and he had not yet married or had children. Originally, he had been a strong young man who could have married a good woman. Now that this had happened, if he still wanted to marry well in the future, he would have to spend a great deal of money.
Yuan Zhao had not expected the injury to be so serious. But Zhao Hu had always been careless—he had clearly suffered a loss in that very place before, yet still did not know how to avoid it.
Sigh.
There was one more thing Mrs. Niu Liu did not say: Zhao Hu’s mother had likely gone out of her mind. She was even cursing Yuan Zhao, saying that her son’s condition was all because Yuan Zhao had brought him bad luck.
Where could Yuan Zhao even go to reason with that?
It was simply unreasonable.
“I won’t go over then. Thank you for the reminder, Auntie. I’ll head back first,” Yuan Zhao said.
“Alright,” Mrs. Niu Liu waved him off, then suddenly remembered something. “Have you sold all your fish?”
“They’ve been sold,” Yuan Zhao replied. “That’s why I came back a bit late.”
Mrs. Niu Liu did not ask further, but in her heart she misunderstood. Yuan Zhao often borrowed the ox cart, and in the past, whenever he went to sell mountain goods, he would return early. This meant fish must be easier to sell than mountain goods.
When Yuan Zhao returned home, he did not rest. He changed into worn clothes and went into the fields with Shi Qingyue to water the crops. The dry fields absorbed water quickly, and before long they were dry again.
Shi Qingyue had nothing else to do, so he kept watering again and again, hoping for rain to come soon to nourish the crops.
By the time they returned home, Madam Shi Zhangshi was already back. She must have returned from the Zhao household with a belly full of anger, her expression still dark, which frightened Yuan Yuan a little. He was most afraid of people being upset.
“Mother, we’re back,” Shi Qingyue called out. “Is there anything to eat? I’m starving!”
Growing boys could eat a horse out of house and home. This saying was not exaggerated at all.
Shi Qingyue was still growing. All day long he was either eating or complaining of sore legs—he was likely going to grow tall.
Madam Shi Zhangshi took a deep breath. “There are a few buns left in the small room. I’ll warm them up in the pot later. Go wash your hands and change your clothes first.”
Shi Qingyue immediately perked up and ran off to wash.
Yuan Yuan carefully walked over to Yuan Zhao and looked up at him, his bright eyes filled with unease. “Brother… did we make Auntie unhappy? She came back so angry…”
In the past, Yuan Daguang’s family had been exactly like this—exploding in anger at the slightest dissatisfaction, hitting and scolding whenever they pleased. It had left Yuan Yuan deeply afraid.
Yuan Zhao said, “You’re so well-behaved. Why would Auntie be angry at you? Go help Auntie start the fire, alright?”
“I’ll go!” Yuan Yuan immediately ran toward the stove.
As long as he was working, he would not be disliked.
When Madam Shi Zhangshi came out, Yuan Zhao said, “Mother, steamed buns taste better fried. Why don’t we fry them? We happened to catch some small fish and shrimp from the river today—fry them together, crispy and fragrant, and it won’t waste oil.”
“Alright,” Madam Shi Zhangshi agreed readily. She loved her children deeply; as long as it was something they wanted and she could do it, she would try her best.
Dinner was set as fried buns. The steamed buns made from fine flour were already fragrant and slightly sweet; once fried until golden and crispy, they became even more delicious.
The leftover dishes from noon were not enough for Shi Qingyue alone, so Madam Shi Zhangshi made a large pot of stew with meat slices. The aroma was so rich it was almost intoxicating.
Shi Wuxiang returned home as usual, only after dark. Yuan Zhao told him to wash up first while he fried the remaining buns in oil and brought out the dishes and small shrimp.
“You went to the river—be careful not to fall in,” Shi Wuxiang said when he saw the fish and shrimp, immediately reminding him.
River water could be deadly. He had seen too many reports in his past life of children drowning in summer rivers, no matter how good their swimming skills were.
Yuan Zhao nodded. “I know. We only caught them along the riverbank. I didn’t dare go into deep water.”
He valued his life very much. Living had not been easy.
Shi Wuxiang gave a low acknowledgment and silently finished his meal. Before he even stood up, Yuan Zhao had already rushed over to clean up the bowls and chopsticks.
Shi Wuxiang: “……”
Could he run any faster? Was he trying to chase a cart with that speed?
That night, the two of them lay in bed talking quietly.
Yuan Zhao thought of what he had heard during the day and felt a little afraid. His imagination was vivid, and the more he thought, the clearer and more frightening the scene became—the broken bone piercing through flesh.
“I only heard from Aunt Liu,” he said, grimacing as he spoke, even inching closer to Shi Wuxiang. “They said the bone was shattered and poking out through the skin. Just thinking about it hurts.”
Shi Wuxiang turned his head slightly to look at him. “He used to bully you. Why do you care so much about him?”
Yuan Zhao huffed. “I’m not caring about him. I just find it unsettling, alright? I can’t even say a few words of emotion now? And you—why do you always sound like you’re lecturing me when we talk? If you keep this up, I won’t talk to you anymore at night!”
He liked these quiet nighttime conversations very much. In the darkness, it felt like the whole world belonged only to them, as if they were depending on each other to survive.
Shi Wuxiang didn’t dislike hearing him talk, so he softened his tone. “I wasn’t lecturing. I just thought you hated him.”
“Not exactly hate. He’s strange, and his mother is even worse. She’s going around saying he got hurt because of me—so annoying. But seeing someone so badly injured does make it hard not to feel uneasy,” Yuan Zhao sighed like an old man full of worries.
“Mm. His mother is indeed unpleasant,” Shi Wuxiang agreed casually.
Such a sharp-tongued woman should be taught a lesson sooner or later.
Yuan Zhao sighed again. “She probably just panicked and started talking nonsense…”
Shi Wuxiang paused, then almost laughed. “That’s called speaking without restraint.”
Yuan Zhao let out an “oh,” slightly embarrassed but more impressed. “You scholars really know a lot. By the way, how do you write my name? Do you know?”
“I do. I’ll teach you when I have free time,” Shi Wuxiang replied. He didn’t like making empty promises, so he added, “Next time I’m off duty. If I forget, remind me.”
Yuan Zhao pouted. “If you forget, how would I even dare to remind you?”
“I have my ways,” Shi Wuxiang said.
“It’s very hot these days, but it might rain anytime. Remember to bring an umbrella—you’ll get sick if you’re caught in the rain. I’m going to sleep now,” Yuan Zhao yawned, pressing himself against the cool wall.
“Sleep,” Shi Wuxiang said quietly.
The next morning, Yuan Zhao finally understood what Shi Wuxiang meant by “having his own way.”
On the earthen wall outside the door, a line of charcoal writing had appeared.
He couldn’t read it.
Only after Shi Wuxiang told him did he realize it meant: teaching Yuan Zhao to write his name during his next day off.
Yuan Zhao counted the characters, guessing which ones formed his name. He grinned happily, almost reaching out to touch them, then stopped himself for fear of smudging the writing. Instead, he pointed at it from a distance, laughing foolishly.
That day, Yuan Zhao did not need to go to town. Madam Shi Zhangshi had embroidered a few handkerchiefs the day before. The plain scraps of cloth in her hands had become delicate, beautiful squares—anyone could tell they were finely made.
After breakfast, Shi Wuxiang took the handkerchiefs and went to the village entrance to catch the ox cart.
A new day of labor began again.
Shi Qingyue was sore all over from the previous day’s work, his shoulders aching so much he could barely lift his arms. He had no energy at all.
Yuan Zhao couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him. “Then stay home and rest today. I’ll just go water the fields.”
“The more sore you are, the more you need to move your muscles,” Madam Shi Zhangshi said. “We’re all going to the fields. Even if you do less, you’re not allowed to skip it.”
Yuan Zhao awkwardly glanced at Shi Qingyue. “It’s fine. It might rain in the next few days anyway. We only need to water once for now. I can handle it myself…”
“I want to go too!” Yuan Yuan raised his hand eagerly.
“I want to go as well!” Shi Qingran said immediately. She also wanted her own little basket.
Yuan Zhao smiled. “Alright, anyone who wants to go, bring your baskets. Let’s set off.”
With the younger children insisting on going, Shi Qingyue naturally had no choice but to follow as well, taking responsibility as the older brother.
Madam Shi Zhangshi stayed behind at home, planning to finish embroidering the handkerchiefs first. She was confident in her skill—even if no shop accepted them, she could still sell them by the roadside.
Yuan Zhao led them up the mountain together. On the way, Shi Qingyue mentioned what he had seen yesterday—Zhao Hu and Zhao Hu’s mother—and spoke with clear dissatisfaction toward their family.
“Just don’t have dealings with them anymore. There’s no need to get angry over small matters,” Yuan Zhao said softly.
He had originally thought Zhao Hu’s mother was a kind aunt, especially since her gratitude back when she came to thank them had been so sincere. But no matter how good an outsider was, they could never compare to their own son.
Shi Qingyue let out a cold snort. “Karma comes around in cycles. Back then, he was saved from death but ended up clinging on and causing trouble. Now misfortune has fallen back onto them.”
Yuan Zhao nodded repeatedly. Those words were not wrong.
It really did seem like heaven had eyes—everything in this world was being watched.
Only when they truly began watering the fields did they realize how exhausting it was. Fortunately, Yuan Zhao had done even harder labor before, so carrying water and irrigating the land did not feel especially strange to him.
“You can go take a look over at the hillside,” Yuan Zhao said. “I remember there’s a wild cherry tree there, and a few mulberry trees too. If there are any, pick more.”
He had brought them along mainly for fun; he never intended for them to truly work.
“I know where it is!” Yuan Yuan immediately put on his small basket. If his brother told him to go, he would go.
In the end, Shi Qingyue still felt uneasy and followed along as well.
Meanwhile, Yuan Zhao went back and forth carrying water, but for land that urgently needed moisture, what he did was barely a drop in the bucket.
Yuan Yuan was very familiar with the mountains from following Yuan Zhao before. He led them toward the forest, and soon they saw a wild cherry tree on the hillside.
The wild cherry tree was not tall. Clusters of small red fruit hung among the branches—still slightly pale since they were not fully ripe. When they ripened, they would turn a deep red, almost purplish.
“I’ll climb up,” Shi Qingyue said first and immediately began climbing. Fortunately, there were low branches that could support his weight. He stepped carefully upward and began picking the cherries exposed to sunlight.
Since he could not throw them down easily, he bit the hem of his clothes and used it to hold the fruit, gathering a small bundle in his arms in no time.
“So many!” Shi Qingran’s eyes lit up. She picked one and put it in her mouth. “It’s sweet and sour—so delicious! Second Brother, try one!”
They were still slightly unripe, so there was a hint of sourness, but mixed with sweetness, it had a unique flavor.
“Delicious. Let’s bring some back for Brother and Auntie and Big Brother!” Yuan Yuan said happily. “Second Brother, keep picking!”
“Alright!” Shi Qingyue climbed back up.
The cherries were not fully ripe yet, so they only picked the more reddish-purple ones. The half-ripe ones were still too sour to take in large amounts.
After resting a bit, they went to look for the mulberry trees.
The mulberry trees were much taller, and there were no sturdy lower branches to climb. Shi Qingyue tried to jump up a bit because of his height… but slipped back down.
Shi Qingran could not help laughing, her clear laughter ringing through the sunlit forest.
“I can climb trees…” Yuan Yuan raised his hand eagerly. His small hands were still a bit swollen-looking, but the skin had healed. “I’ll climb!”
Shi Qingyue immediately crouched down. “Sit on my shoulders. I’ll lift you up a bit.”
After some hesitation, Yuan Yuan obediently sat on his shoulders. He was slowly lifted up and soon grabbed onto a small branch that was just within reach.
With a push, he climbed up. Carefully sitting astride a thick branch, he began picking mulberries. Only fully black ones were sweet—if they were still red, they were so sour they could make one’s teeth ache.
But mulberry juice stained easily; once it got on clothes, it would not wash out, and even hands would take days to clean.
Yuan Yuan picked a dark one and tasted it first. The sweetness was like syrup, making him instantly delighted.
“So sweet! I’m going to start picking!”
“Be careful! I’m right below you catching them!” Shi Qingyue was terrified. If anything happened to him, he would be scolded to death by their mother!
Yuan Yuan responded cheerfully and continued picking. He hugged the branch tightly with his legs, moving to another branch when needed. Soon, his hands were stained deep purple.
He even licked his palm from the sweetness and thought determinedly: I must pick more for Brother!
Yuan Zhao knew they would be gone for a while, so he kept carrying water to irrigate the fields tirelessly. By the time noon approached, his clothes were soaked with sweat and his eyes stung from perspiration. Only then did he rest under a tree root.
“Zhao Ge’er!”
“I’m here!”
Hearing Madam Shi Zhangshi’s voice, Yuan Zhao quickly stepped out from the shade.
“I’m here. A Yue took them to pick mulberries. They should be back soon.”
They had been gone for nearly an hour—probably enough to strip the trees bare.
“Mother! Auntie!”
“Brother! Auntie!”
Just as he finished speaking, the children came running back.
Seeing Yuan Yuan’s bright smile, Yuan Zhao felt the sunlight was a little too strong, stinging his eyes.
Fortunately, the Shi siblings were easy to get along with and enjoyed playing with him. When he had been at Yuan Daguang’s house before, Yuan Shuangshuang and Yuan Jiagen never played with him and always bullied him instead.
“Auntie, we picked a lot of mulberries and wild cherries for you!” Yuan Yuan said, turning his basket around to show a half-filled container of small fruits.
Madam Shi Zhangshi obediently picked one and tasted it. “As expected of our Yuan Yuan—it’s sweet.”
Yuan Yuan rarely received praise from elders, and his cheeks turned red in embarrassment, though his smile did not fade.
“Let’s go home for food,” Madam Shi Zhangshi said. “All of you are here anyway—bringing food back and forth is tiring for me.”
“I’m starving!” Shi Qingyue shouted again.
“You haven’t done much work today and you’re already hungry?” Madam Shi Zhangshi pinched his ear. “Take the tools with you. Don’t make your sister-in-law carry everything!”
The family laughed as they headed back.
But just as they descended the mountain, they ran into the village chief’s younger son, who came running toward them.
“Auntie! You’re finally back! The Zhao family is causing trouble at your house!”
Shi Qingyue’s expression darkened instantly. Without another word, he grabbed his tools and ran home.
When he reached the courtyard, he saw that the Zhao family had already broken through their bamboo fence and were making a scene inside. If not for the village chief stopping them, they might have already smashed the house apart.
As he ran, villagers were already speaking up in anger.
Shi Qingyue tightened his grip on the sickle and walked forward step by step. “What are you trying to do? Do you think our family is easy to bully?”
The blade in his hand was sharp—it had been carefully honed by his sister-in-law whenever she had free time.
He had worked hard to build this home, and yet someone dared to bring trouble to it.
Zhao Hu’s mother was immediately frightened into a cold sweat. Trembling, she said, “My Huzi rarely goes that way! He only went there because he knew Zhao Ge’er would be passing through! It’s all Zhao Ge’er’s fault—he has to take responsibility for my son!”
“Bullshit!” the village chief roared.
“Take responsibility? Should I send your son off instead?” Shi Qingyue sneered. The young man had already grown into someone capable of holding up the household. “You throw out a few words and expect to sentence my sister-in-law?”
Even Yuan Zhao and Madam Shi Zhangshi, who had just arrived, did not expect the Zhao family to say something like that.
For a married young man to suddenly be told he must support another man for life—it was either madness or stupidity.
Yuan Zhao pushed Shi Qingran and Yuan Yuan inside to keep them from seeing the chaos.
The villagers, hearing such absurd words, erupted in outrage.
“You Zhao family are out of your minds!”
“Your son got into trouble himself, why blame others!”
“If you keep this up, you won’t be able to stay in this village anymore!”
But Zhao Hu’s mother still clung to her claim.
“I don’t care! Yuan Zhao must take responsibility for my son!”
Yuan Zhao finally let out a laugh. He stepped forward, pulled Shi Qingyue behind him, and looked at her with a calm smile.
“Taking responsibility for him? I can’t manage that,” he said lightly. “But if it’s his burial, I can pay my respects.”
His words were sharp, and the entire crowd fell silent for a moment—before erupting in reactions.
Shi Qingyue was already so angry he wanted to hit someone again, but Madam Shi Zhangshi held him back. Seeing that Zhao Hu’s mother was completely unreasonable, if they really got physical now, even a justified situation would become impossible to explain clearly.
Village Chief Niu had originally been listening, hoping to see just how many more outrageous things Zhao Hu’s mother could say. But now he could not tolerate another word. He turned directly to Zhao Hu’s father and said, “Hurry up and take your wife away. Do you not feel ashamed? You’ve lived in this village for years and still dare to cause such a disgraceful scene! You have no shame, but I still do!”
Zhao Hu’s father kept a dark expression and said nothing. It was not that he did not want to persuade her—deep down, he too resented Yuan Zhao. If their son had not gone that way just to see him, none of this would have happened.
Village Chief Niu could see it clearly now: this couple had simply come here to act crazy.
“Your son fell down because he wasn’t careful, yet you still want to blame others? There is no such logic in this world!” Shi Qingyue stepped forward, taking responsibility as the current backbone of the family. “If you insist on making trouble, then let’s go report this to the authorities!”
He had long known there were unreasonable people in the village. He had thought the village chief could handle them, but now it seemed even that was difficult.
If it only ended in disgust for themselves, then better to report it to the authorities and be done with it—so they would not keep harassing them endlessly.
A toad crawling on your foot does not bite—it just disgusts you.
But reporting to the authorities was no small matter.
Everyone in the village feared officials. Whether it was tax collectors or encounters in town, people normally wished they could hide in a hole in the ground. Now hearing Shi Qingyue mention it—even if it was not directed at them—they still felt fear.
Village Chief Niu especially felt the pressure. He was the one in charge of the village. If he could not even settle matters here and had to let it reach the authorities, it would be a slap in his face.
“Zhao family,” Village Chief Niu said coldly, “your son fell on his own. That is his own fault. I understand you are heartbroken over his injury and broken leg, but you cannot be unreasonable—and you have slandered Zhao Ge’er’s innocence!”
He continued sternly, “You are both grown adults—together nearly a hundred years old—and yet you are still distorting facts like this!”
At this point, Zhao Hu’s mother could not hear anything anymore. She suddenly lay on the ground and began rolling around.
“It’s not his fault, then whose fault is it?! If it weren’t for him seducing my son, why would my son think about him and even send him vegetables and snacks?! That cursed star—he ruined my son!”
“And you people won’t help reason with me, and instead blame me? There is no justice in this world!”
Yuan Zhao trembled with anger. “Who seduced your son?! Even those vegetables were sent because Zhao Hu said it was repayment for kindness! Back when he was saved, you were all kneeling and thanking us like we were your ancestors! And now you’re settling accounts over a few vegetables?!”
Not to mention vegetables—even without life-saving grace, giving a few dishes in return for a mention of thanks was completely normal.
But in Zhao Hu’s mother’s mouth, it had become them taking advantage!
Truly inhuman.
Madam Shi Zhangshi exchanged a look with Shi Qingyue. “Go report it to the authorities. If this continues, it will never end—and it may even ruin Zhao Ge’er’s reputation.”
Once the word “seduce” was spoken, even if one was completely innocent, people could still use it to spread rumors.
This had to be resolved quickly. Going to the authorities was the best option.
“Report it!” Village Chief Niu said angrily. “Qingyue, go take my ox cart. Go immediately! I want to see how long they plan to keep this up!”
He was an upright and kind man. Ever since becoming village chief, he had handled matters properly, and the villagers respected him. But this was truly the first time something like this had happened.
He did not want the Shi family to feel disheartened, nor did he want the villagers to lose trust.
If this was not resolved, others would only follow suit in the future, making things impossible to manage.
By now, Zhao Hu’s mother had completely lost her reason. The shock of her only son’s injury had already broken her mind.
Hearing they were going to report her, she simply gave up entirely and escalated her madness. She rolled on the ground screaming and cursing—at Yuan Zhao, at the Shi family, at the village chief, and at all the villagers. Eventually, even those who had pitied her began looking at her with disgust.
Shi Qingyue quickly went to fetch the ox cart and rushed toward the town.
Meanwhile, Shi Wuxiang had felt an unusual unease since midday.
Perhaps it was the heat, but his heart would not settle.
In his past life, if communication had been convenient, he could have simply sent a message. But in this era of slow travel, good or bad news could only be waited for.
“Brother Wuxiang,” Zhang Xiang said, noticing his poor expression, “you’ve been restless since afternoon. Are you unwell? If you cannot continue, you should ask for leave.”
Shortly after, the shopkeeper also came. He valued Shi Wuxiang greatly and, knowing he planned to take the imperial examination next year, treated him with even more respect.
“If you are unwell, go home and rest for the day. Working while sick will only make things worse.”
Shi Wuxiang hesitated. “I—”
“Big Brother!”
Before he could finish, Shi Qingyue suddenly rushed into the accounting room of the tavern, a breathless clerk following behind him.
Shi Wuxiang immediately took over his unfinished sentence. “If I continue working while unwell, I may miscalculate the accounts. I should trouble the shopkeeper to grant me leave for a day.”
Shi Qingyue had always been sensible and proud, rarely coming to town after returning to the village. Seeing him in such a panic, Shi Wuxiang immediately knew something serious had happened.
The shopkeeper quickly waved his hand. “Go, go!”
As they left, Shi Wuxiang asked, “What happened at home?”
“The Zhao family is causing trouble!” Shi Qingyue said urgently. “Mother told me to report them. They’re insisting Zhao Hu’s injury is because of Sister-in-law and demanding she support him for life! Even the village chief cannot control them—we have to report it!”
“I understand,” Shi Wuxiang said, his expression darkening.
Without hesitation, he called over the patrol officers they encountered on the street, brought them directly onto the ox cart, and rushed back to the village.
On the way, the officers heard the story from Shi Qingyue and could hardly believe such unreasonable people existed. Only when they reached the Shi household did they see it with their own eyes.
Zhao Hu’s mother was still rolling on the ground, her clothes covered in dirt, hair tangled with straw and soil, shouting filthy curses like a madwoman.
“What is going on here!” a sharp voice rang out.
Everyone turned instinctively and saw two stern-looking officers walking forward with batons in hand.
The villagers were instantly intimidated. Few of them ever saw officials up close, and most would avoid them at all costs.
Zhao Hu’s father froze, desperately signaling to his wife—but she was too deep in her frenzy to notice anything.
Shi Wuxiang stepped forward, placing himself in front of Yuan Zhao. “Are you alright? Were you frightened?”
“I’m fine…” Yuan Zhao looked up at him, eyes red with anger.
“Don’t be afraid,” Shi Wuxiang said softly, patting his shoulder. Then he turned to the officers. “These are the people causing trouble. They refuse even to listen to the village chief.”
The officers were already displeased that they had been ignored earlier. Hearing this, they immediately lost patience and stepped forward to drag Zhao Hu’s mother up.
“Causing trouble without reason? We’ve received a report. You’re coming with us to the yamen!”
Zhao Hu’s mother instantly shrank back in fear, but still tried to argue. “Sirs! It’s all their fault! That young man harmed my son! He seduced him!”
“Do you think we are fools?” one officer sneered. “Their husband is a scholar who has even met the county magistrate. His future is bright—why would he look at your son?”
“Enough nonsense. Take her away!”
Without further words, the officers hauled her off. Zhao Hu’s father hurried after them in panic.
The courtyard finally fell silent.
The villagers stared at the Shi family, especially at Shi Wuxiang.
They had always known he was a scholar, but he had seemed gentle and unremarkable. Yet now even officials treated him respectfully—and he had even met the county magistrate.
That was something truly extraordinary.
“Everyone disperse,” Village Chief Niu said loudly. “Keep your mouths shut. Don’t say anything unnecessary!”
This was a warning—to not repeat Zhao Hu’s mother’s slander and ruin Yuan Zhao’s reputation.
The villagers quickly agreed.
Only now did they fully realize it:
Shi Wuxiang was a scholar—a scholar who could speak to the county magistrate, and someone even officials had to treat with courtesy.
How would they dare to spout nonsense?
“Uncle Niu, thank you for helping keep watch.” Shi Wuxiang spoke gently. “If anything happens at home in the future, we’ll still have to trouble you to look after us.”
The village chief Niu immediately responded, “Of course, of course! That Zhao Hu family is nothing but a troublemaking mess! Everyone in the village knows what’s going on. No one will be spreading nonsense.”
Shi Wuxiang gave a slight nod. “That’s good then.”
“Alright, I’ll head off first!” Village Chief Niu said, striding away.
Zhao Hu’s mother had been taken away, and Zhao Hu’s father had gone with her. Only Zhao Hu himself was left in the Zhao household, so naturally he had to go take a look.
This ridiculous farce finally came to a complete end, and the Shi family could finally breathe a sigh of relief. When they were in town, they had never encountered anything like this before.
Hearing the noise outside die down, the two children hiding inside finally dared to run out.
Yuan Yuan, eyes red and teary, threw himself into Yuan Zhao’s arms. The last time their home had been in such chaos was when his second uncle’s family had tried to force his brother into marrying that old man. Now it had happened again—he was almost frightened out of his wits.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” Yuan Zhao smiled and patted his back. “It’s fine now. It was their fault for being unreasonable. If you cry, they’ll think we’re afraid of them!”
Yuan Yuan was crying so hard his hair was soaked with sweat, sobbing, “I was afraid they’d sell Brother away…”
Yuan Zhao’s eyes stung, and he pulled him tightly into his arms. Feeling the frail little body trembling with sobs, his heart ached deeply, his brows tightly furrowed.
It seemed that the previous incident had left Yuan Yuan with a deep psychological shadow. Even Yuan Zhao himself had been affected, but as an adult he could suppress his emotions—children could not.
Yuan Yuan’s words made Shi Wuxiang frown. Although he had heard about their past hardships many times before, hearing it secondhand was never the same—the fear and suffering could only truly be understood by those who lived through it.
And all outsiders could do was offer comfort.
“Let’s not stand in the courtyard anymore. Go inside and talk.” Madam Shi Zhangshi gently stroked Yuan Yuan’s head, her voice especially soft. “It’s hot outside. You’ll get sick.”
Yuan Yuan was worried Yuan Zhao might fall ill, so he quickly pulled away from his embrace, wiping his tears as he took his hand and led him inside.
The room was slightly cooler, and the irritating heat quickly faded, along with those distressing emotions. All that remained was the family sitting together quietly, drinking sugar water.
“Mother, the cloth shop wants those handkerchiefs. Once they’re embroidered, we can just send them over.” Shi Wuxiang said.
“And the price?” Yuan Zhao immediately came back to his senses. “If they’re paying too little, we might as well sell them ourselves.”
Shi Wuxiang saw that he still had the energy to worry about business and knew he had recovered somewhat. He smiled faintly. “Two coins each, but they’ll sell them for one coin more than that.”
“That’s alright.” Yuan Zhao nodded thoughtfully.
If they sold them themselves, it would be about the same price anyway. Now that they could be placed in someone else’s shop, it saved them a lot of trouble.
Madam Shi Zhangshi also looked pleased. “Then I’ll start embroidering more handkerchiefs. A bit more income will help us rebuild the house.”
The matter of the leaking roof from last time was still fresh in her mind. Even though the rainwater that seeped in wasn’t heavy, it still hurt when it dripped onto them. If they didn’t fix it, every rainy day would be unbearable.
“How much does it cost to build a house in the countryside?” Shi Wuxiang wasn’t very familiar with this. After all, in his previous life, buying a house in a bustling city could cost millions.
But in the village here, perhaps a few dozen taels of silver would be enough?
“If we just rebuild it simply, we can cut our own wood. There are plenty of trees in the mountains, we can just chop them ourselves!” Yuan Zhao said excitedly. Though money was tight, having a clear goal made things easier to endure.
If they could build with wood, he could even go into the mountains to cut it himself!
But Shi Wuxiang disagreed. “If we’re going to build a new house, we should build a proper brick-and-tile house. What’s the point of rebuilding a wooden one over and over again?”
Besides, the countryside had more space—they could build it bigger, at least enough for each person to have their own room. They shouldn’t all be crowded together.
Madam Shi Zhangshi said, “If we build a spacious brick house, twenty taels of silver should be enough. But right now, we don’t have that much.”
If they could wait, Shi Wuxiang’s monthly stipend over a few months would be enough. But summer was rainy, and storms could come at any time. They couldn’t afford to wait day after day.
“I’ll figure something out,” Shi Wuxiang said. Now that they had a clear number, at least there was hope.
“I’ll help earn money too!” Yuan Zhao immediately said. “We can all go into the mountains to gather and sell wild goods.”
Yuan Yuan smiled shyly. “I’ve saved up a lot of copper coins!”
“Is that so? Good,” Shi Wuxiang praised casually.
He didn’t realize that this casual praise made the children even more excited—they were already looking forward to going into the mountains after the rain to gather more wild goods.
“Speaking of wild goods… where are the fruits we picked?” Yuan Zhao asked. “Let’s wash them and all eat together!”
When they brought them out, Shi Wuxiang finally saw they were cherries and mulberries. Especially the mulberries—small, but deep black-purple, clearly very sweet.
The family ate the fruit together, and the unpleasantness from earlier was completely forgotten.
Zhao Hu’s mother had already been taken to the county yamen. Normally she would have been given a brief reprimand and released, but because Shi Wuxiang was a scholar, they naturally had to show him some respect, so they planned to detain her for a couple of days until she calmed down before releasing her.
She was making a huge commotion in prison, disturbing everyone, and her mouth was constantly spewing filth, making the guards extremely annoyed.
“Brother Zhang, we can’t handle this properly if it goes on like this!” the jailer said cautiously. “If she keeps this up, it might alarm the higher-ups. This old woman is way too troublesome!”
Officer Zhang frowned. “Just keep her locked up for now. Later give her a few lashes and send her back!”
“Brother Zhang! Something’s wrong! That old woman’s husband has come to the yamen!”
“What!” Officer Zhang spat on the ground. “Damn it, so annoying. I’ll go take a look!”
Zhao Hu’s father was extremely agitated, kneeling in the hall and crying.
“My lord, please save us! My son was seduced by someone, which is why he broke his leg! We went to their house to demand justice, but we were beaten out and even had our wife arrested after reporting to the authorities! We poor people have nowhere to seek justice!”
People under extreme panic often became irrational, even thinking faster than usual. Zhao Hu’s father poured all the blame onto Yuan Zhao, claiming the Shi family was abusing their power, which enraged the county magistrate.
Officer Zhang Cheng and Wu Nian hurried over, afraid of being blamed.
“My lord, you called for us?”
“Tell me what is going on! You arrested someone without cause? Is this true or not?” Magistrate Zheng asked. He did not fully believe Zhao Hu’s father’s one-sided story; he had seen too many cases like this.
Zhang Cheng and Wu Nian felt deeply wronged and explained everything they had witnessed and heard.
At the end, they added, “My lord, if you don’t believe us, we can bring Shi the scholar here to confront them directly!”
“Shi the scholar? Shi Wuxiang?” Magistrate Zheng immediately reacted.
“Yes, him. Scholar Shi is an upright man, and his spouse is also decent. Even the village chief was there presiding over fairness. It is absolutely not as the Zhao family claims!” Zhang Cheng said, no longer holding back his frustration. “Zhao Hu broke his own leg, yet demands support from a married young man. Even in prison he keeps cursing—it’s truly outrageous!”
Upon hearing that it involved Shi Wuxiang’s family, Magistrate Zheng trusted him greatly and immediately ordered, “The Zhao family has been causing trouble. Give them ten lashes each and send them back!”
“Also, since this matter involves the Shi family, send for Shi Wuxiang to come to the yamen!”
“Yes!”
Zhang Cheng and Wu Nian were pleasantly surprised. The magistrate valued Shi Wuxiang so highly that he even ordered them to invite him personally—this was practically a chance to build goodwill.
They quickly borrowed a carriage and headed to Qinglan Village.
When the two officers returned again, even Shi Wuxiang couldn’t help feeling tense, wondering if something had gone wrong.
“Scholar Shi, our lord requests your presence at the county yamen!” Zhang Cheng said with a smile.
“What happened? Is it because of the Zhao family? I caused this trouble, I’ll go with you!” Yuan Zhao quickly stepped forward, afraid Shi Wuxiang would be implicated.
He knew that scholars with official rank could lose their status if they made mistakes, and Shi Wuxiang had worked hard for his scholar title—it couldn’t be taken away.
Wu Nian quickly explained, “You’ve misunderstood. Our lord just wants to ask Scholar Shi a few questions. He’ll be sent back soon!”
“I’ll go with you,” Shi Wuxiang said, then reassured Yuan Zhao, “The magistrate is fair and just. He won’t wrong anyone. Don’t worry.”
“I’m going too…” Yuan Zhao frowned, his brows drooping, looking both pitiful and reluctant.
But Shi Wuxiang still refused.
“You stay at home. Nothing will happen. I promise.”
“You’re so annoying,” Yuan Zhao muttered. Even if he wanted to draw a line, did he really have to do it now?
Was he so afraid Yuan Zhao would embarrass him?
Shi Wuxiang thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll change clothes later. Help me wash them clean—I still need to wear them tomorrow. Is that alright?”
On the carriage ride, Yuan Zhao was still upset.
“I won’t. I’m angry!”
“I want you to wash my clothes.”
That single sentence instantly wiped away all the anger Yuan Zhao had been pretending to hold onto.
His face broke into a smile. “Since you said that, I’ll stay home and do the laundry then. I’ll wash them so nicely they’ll smell good! Just come back soon!”
“Alright. Thank you.” Shi Wuxiang quietly let out a breath of relief.
Good thing he had once read books on child psychology—he still remembered how to coax children.
Only after boarding the carriage did Shi Wuxiang smile helplessly. Everyone had been so nervous, yet none of them seemed to think: if the county magistrate were truly angry with him, why would he send a carriage to fetch him? If anything, being directly thrown into prison would have been more likely.
The carriage traveled quickly, reaching the county yamen in about half an hour. Shi Wuxiang finally relaxed slightly. In his memory, the magistrate was sharp and perceptive—he just hoped he wouldn’t be caught on any mistakes.
Zhang Dacheng and Wu Nian did not bring him to the main hall, but instead led him to the back courtyard. Shi Wuxiang immediately understood that Magistrate Zheng likely only intended a private conversation.
“Student Shi Wuxiang pays respects to the magistrate.”
Inside the room, Magistrate Zheng, who had been drinking tea, immediately invited him in upon hearing his voice.
After entering, Shi Wuxiang cupped his hands. “Forgive me for keeping Your Excellency waiting.”
“It is nothing. It was I who summoned you on short notice. Sit and speak,” Magistrate Zheng said, then instructed a maid to serve tea. “Try this tea. If you like it, take some back with you when you leave.”
Shi Wuxiang immediately took a sip. At first, the flavor was light and understated, but upon further tasting, the aroma deepened into something rich and mellow, with a faint sweetness lingering on the tongue.
“Excellent tea.”
“I’m glad you like it.” The magistrate looked somewhat pleased as he studied him. “You seem more composed than before. I did not expect you to already be married. Is it the young lady from the Cui family?”
When he mentioned the Cui family young lady, Magistrate Zheng frowned slightly.
Shi Wuxiang gently shook his head. “No. It is a young male from the village—kind-hearted, simple, and very obedient and lovable.”
Magistrate Zheng raised his brows in surprise, a hint of amusement appearing in his eyes. “I have never heard you praise anyone so highly before. He must be quite likable indeed.”
“Indeed.” Shi Wuxiang smiled lightly. Even though he did not hold romantic feelings for Yuan Zhao, he could not deny that the boy was truly good-natured.
“Good, good.” Magistrate Zheng chuckled. “I had previously thought you were deeply attached to that Cui family young lady, and you said you had your own considerations, which reassured me somewhat.”
Shi Wuxiang cupped his hands. “I have troubled Your Excellency with worry.”
“No matter,” the magistrate waved it off. “I only wish to ask you—this young male you mentioned, is he the one you once called your destined person?”
He spoke teasingly, remembering how Shi Wuxiang had once firmly declared that he would only marry his destined partner.
Shi Wuxiang still wore a faint smile, but inwardly his heart tightened.
In his memory, this conversation had never happened at all.