"Shen Family Girl, have you packed everything?" Scarface walked over with a smile. "You rest for a while, I'll push the cart!"
Actually, even before Hu Dahai brought Shen Wan back, he had already guessed the general situation.
He just didn't expect this plain-looking woman to be so loyal and righteous, actually giving up the hard-won opportunity to leave.
"Then I'll trouble you." Shen Wan didn't stand on ceremony either, smiling as she handed over a towel. "Official, this is for you."
It was currently midsummer, and the weather was extremely hot. The sweat towels draped around the yamen runners' necks had long been so dirty that their original color was unrecognizable.
At the sight of this clean towel, Scarface immediately brightened up: "Thank you, sister."
"No need for formalities! You've been pushing my husband so diligently – what's one towel?" Shen Wan said with a laugh.
Thanks to Xiangyang Hou, who had stuffed large quantities of towels and worn-out tents into the dowry back then to put up a false front of prosperity.
At the market, she had taken the opportunity to retrieve some food from her Space, only to discover that large chest full of towels, so she casually took out a stack.
After returning, Shen Wan distributed towels to each of the yamen runners.
Looking at the clean, soft towels, the runners were almost reluctant to use them.
Hu Dahai accepted the towel, his gaze complex as he stared at her for a long time.
"Fine then." He let out a long sigh and said somewhat helplessly, "Since you've made your decision, I won't say anything more."
Shen Wan smiled and said, "I appreciate your kindness, brother, but I can't leave."
"You've seen my husband's current condition. If I'm not by his side to care for him, do you think he can last until we reach the Great Northwest?"
Big Beard couldn't help but smile wryly at her words: "You really are a silly girl."
Couldn't she see that the man had no feelings for her?
If that weren't the case, he wouldn't have been so determined to let her go.
"With you watching over me, what do I have to fear even if I'm a bit silly!" Shen Wan grinned playfully, handing him back a pouch of broken silver. "Don't think that just because you have the prescription you can shake off this sister of yours – I won't allow it!"
"By the way, the things you asked me to buy weren't available in town. The money's all here."
When she realized Hu Dahai intended to leave her behind, she felt deeply grateful.
Since transmigrating into this book, he was the first person who had been kind to her!
Looking at the pouch of broken silver in his hand, Hu Dahai felt overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
This was originally travel expenses for her journey, yet it had somehow found its way back to him.
"Alright, I won't dare to shake you off in the future." He smiled somewhat helplessly.
Sun Shi was severely injured.
The yamen runners hadn't held back their strength – twenty lashes of the whip had left her smooth back torn and bleeding.
If not for the money stained with excrement on her person, Zhou Yiniang wouldn't have gone to support her.
Li Shi had foot injuries, and the other two daughters-in-law had children to care for.
Therefore, Zhou Yiniang waved her hand magnanimously and agreed to let Xie Murong travel with them temporarily, on the condition that she take care of Sun Shi.
"There must be something going on between them!" Seeing Shen Wan and Hu Dahai chatting and laughing together, Sun Shi cursed with reddened eyes. "Who knows, maybe the fifth brother's head has already turned into a vast green prairie by now!"
Although Xie Murong disliked Shen Wan, she still found it somewhat hard to believe: "That can't be. The yamen runners aren't blind."
There were many young and beautiful women in the exiled group, and she felt that even if that ugly woman threw herself at him, Hu Dahai would definitely not be interested.
"You never know!" Sun Shi said with a malicious expression. "As the saying goes, every pot has a matching lid!"
"Just wait and see, sooner or later, there will be problems between them!"
Wang Qi had originally intended to wash his hands in a nearby ditch, but upon hearing this, he flicked his sleeves and left.
He was aloof by nature, and even in exile, he disdained mingling with these gossipy women.
Due to the excessive delay, the group failed to reach the village ahead before dark and had no choice but to spend the night on the road.
Shen Wan set up the large iron pot, lit a fire, and cooked a steaming pot of millet and wild vegetable porridge.
Thanks to their newly purchased supplies, the exiled convicts with a bit of money on hand were eating quite well.
Sun Shi was no exception.
Besides fabric, she had also asked Hu Dahai to buy some pastries for her.
Seeing that the ugly woman had been fussing for so long only to cook wild vegetable porridge, she couldn't help but sneer.
Of course, how much money could she possibly earn from selling a few herbs? Being able to have a bowl of porridge now was already quite an achievement.
Seeing this, Hu Dahai shared two of his freshly bought meat buns with her.
"No need, we have food!" Shen Wan quickly declined with a smile.
The Yamen runners didn’t have much money either, and it wouldn’t be right to keep accepting food from him.
Hu Dahai was somewhat displeased: "You keep calling me 'big brother,' but now you won’t even take a bun—clearly, you don’t see me as one of your own!"
With that said, Shen Wan had no choice but to accept.
"You’re too weak, so you should eat less meat!" She handed one bun to Xie Mubai and advised, "Drink more porridge later."
Xie Mubai took it and took a bite.
Though he was a scion of a noble family, he savored everything he ate with relish.
"By the way, you should keep this." Shen Wan handed the Jade Belt Hook over to him.
Xie Mubai glanced at it and said indifferently, "I don’t have the habit of taking back gifts I’ve given."
They had been husband and wife, and this ugly woman had never enjoyed a single day of comfort with him. The Jade Belt Hook could serve as a small compensation for her.
Seeing his insistence, Shen Wan had no choice but to keep it for the time being.
Just as she raised the bun to eat, she noticed a little girl nearby crying and refusing to eat.
In such hot weather, every meal consisted of dry and hard Wo Wo Tou—even adults couldn’t stand it, let alone a child.
A young, beautiful woman was holding her, while a man patiently coaxed her.
Seeing this, Shen Wan handed her bun over: "Give this to the child."
The man suddenly looked up, revealing a face as gentle and refined as jade.
Upon closer inspection, it was Wang Qi!
"No need," Wang Qi said coldly. "This bun is too precious. You should eat it yourself."
"It’s not for you!" Shen Wan insisted, stuffing the bun into the little girl’s hand. "Here, eat it quickly!"
The little girl didn’t eat it right away.
She blinked her tear-filled eyes, first glanced at the woman, then turned to look at Wang Qi.
Wang Qi hesitated for a moment but finally gave a slight nod.
Overjoyed, the little girl immediately began eating in big bites.
"Eat slowly, don’t choke!" Seeing this, Shen Wan scooped a bowl of wild vegetable porridge for her.
Only when the little girl was eating happily did Wang Qi stand up.
He didn’t offer any thanks but merely cast a cold glance at Xie Mubai before proudly walking away.
Shen Wan watched him go, unable to help but study him a few more times.
"My little brother-in-law is just like this, please don't mind him, young mistress." The woman quickly apologized with a smile upon seeing this.
Shen Wan was somewhat surprised: "You're not husband and wife?"
"Of course not." The woman laughed, "I'm his sister-in-law."
She wanted to say more, but the little girl in her arms started clamoring to go to the outhouse.
Helplessly, the woman could only look at Shen Wan apologetically: "I'm sorry, I must go ahead."
Shen Wan nodded, not minding it.
She tilted her head, her gaze falling on the young man standing not far away.
A gentle breeze blew past, ruffling his worn-out long robe.
Though dirty and tattered, it still gave off a sense of noble elegance.
"Stay away from him." Seeing this ugly woman continuously staring at the man, Xie Mubai's voice carried a hint of jealousy even he hadn't noticed, "Wang Qi inherently detests women the most."
This great scholar truly has many eccentricities!
Shen Wan couldn't help but feel curious.
In the book, Wang Qi was a supporting character with few appearances, so she didn't have much impression of him.
Without thinking too much about it, she served herself a bowl of porridge.
Sun Shi, who was crouched on the ground gnawing on a flatbread, saw this and deliberately said to Zhou Yiniang: "Look at that ugly woman, not giving the good meat buns to her own people, but instead to some unrelated outsiders!"
After eating flatbread for several days, Zhou Yiniang was also getting tired of it, but didn't dare to confront Shen Wan directly.
"Take out some more money, I want to eat meat buns." After thinking for a moment, she said to Sun Shi, "I'll repay you double when the time comes."
Upon hearing this, Sun Shi was so angry she nearly burst into tears.