Fu Zhiwen opened his mouth, and only then did the villagers act as if nothing had happened and raised their voices, “Zhiwen, you’d better remember all the things we talked about just now.
Make sure to have your elder brother bring them back for us, okay?”
“I have it all memorized, everyone can rest assured.” Fu Zhiwen said goodbye to the villagers and went with Qin Xiaoruo to meet Fu Hanwen.
Fu Hanwen stopped the ox cart and let the two of them climb aboard.
Over on the other side, Zheng Ahfeng had recovered her senses and, fuming with anger, chased after them, blocking the ox cart and demanded of Fu Hanwen, “Hanwen, you and Xiaoruo are not yet married, and it’s improper for a single man and woman to live together like this.
Send her back home at once!”
Qin Xiaoruo was stunned.
Where did Zheng Ahfeng find the courage to speak to Fu Hanwen with such a tone?
Qin Xiaoruo sneaked a glance at Fu Hanwen at the front of the cart.
Under the night sky, with his back turned to her, she could not see his expression, only hearing him ask indifferently, “Who are you?”
“Hanwen, I’m your Aunt Feng!” Zheng Ahfeng introduced herself belatedly, but with a tone full of arrogance.
“I don’t know you!” Fu Hanwen said coldly, raising the whip in his hand and snapping it with a low shout, “Giddy up!”
Zheng Ahfeng felt the whip cutting through the air towards her, jumped in fright, and retreated with a shout of alarm.
Watching Zheng Ahfeng stumble backward, Qin Xiaoruo had nothing but admiration for Fu Hanwen.
It was an absolute takedown!
Zheng Ahfeng had not expected Fu Hanwen to show her such disrespect and, furious, she stomped her feet on the spot, her curses traveling far, “Fu Hanwen, you scoundrel, your whole family are ungrateful wretches.
When Fu Zhiwen was attending the private school, my family even contributed five wen money.
Is this how you repay your benefactors…”
Zheng Ahfeng’s stinginess was well-known in Houling Village, and even Qin Xiaoruo, who paid no heed to affairs outside her window and focused solely on her work, had heard of it.
Thus, she asked Fu Zhiwen sitting on the opposite low bench in surprise, “She actually contributed money for your schooling?”
Fu Zhiwen had not taken Zheng Ahfeng’s words to heart, but since Qin Xiaoruo was his future sister-in-law, he didn’t want her to misunderstand, so he explained, “Indeed, she did contribute five wen money for my studies because my elder brother promised the villagers that whatever amount they contributed, he would repay them double.
Later on, when my elder brother earned some money by working as a Protector, we kept our promise and returned double the amount to the villagers.
However, no one wanted to accept more than they gave, and only Aunt Feng’s household took back the money doubled.”
After hearing Fu Zhiwen’s explanation, Qin Xiaoruo was speechless, “Aunt Feng really knows how to take advantage and still act coy.”
Was that what you call chipping in?
More like usury, right?
Fu Zhiwen smiled without commenting.
Regardless, without the villagers’ contributions back then, he would not have been able to continue his studies, so he owed it to Zheng Ahfeng.
Otherwise, he would truly be an ingrate.
“Elder brother, let me drive for a while,” Fu Zhiwen suggested as they left the village entrance and moved to the front of the cart to speak to his elder brother.
His elder brother would still have to drive back in the afternoon, so if he drove part of the way first, his elder brother wouldn’t be too tired.
Just as Fu Hanwen stopped the ox cart, a woman’s shouting could be heard from behind, “Wait…
wait…”
Fu Hanwen recognized the voice and glanced toward Qin Xiaoruo, “It’s your stepmother.”
Hearing that it was Lady Woo, Fu Zhiwen didn’t rush to drive the cart, as she quickly caught up.
“I’m glad I caught up…” Lady Woo leaned on the side of the ox cart, gasping for breath, and after catching her breath, she extended her hand toward Qin Xiaoruo, “Xiao Ruo, give me a hand.”
“What for?” Qin Xiaoruo stayed motionless, her response quite cold.