Lin Xiyue thought it would be safer to let Lu Yanqiu stay at home and accompany Liu Ruyun, which also gave her a chance to go up the mountain alone.
“That won’t do. The mountain is dangerous. I can’t bear to let you go alone. Don’t worry about home—they wouldn’t dare cause trouble,” Liu Ruyun insisted. She couldn’t trust a young girl like Lin Xiyue to handle the mountain on her own, so she tried to send both Lu Yanqiu and Lin Xiyue together.
“Go ahead, don’t worry about home. If they dare cause trouble, I’ll go see the village chief. Trust me,” Lin Xiyue replied confidently.
Reluctantly, Lu Yanqiu agreed to accompany her. While he worried about his mother, he knew that Lu Jiaojiao wouldn’t dare harm her. Yet Lin Xiyue alone in the mountains was dangerous, so he finally chose to go with her.
“Mother, you stay careful. We’re leaving now,” Lu Yanqiu said, waving goodbye to Liu Ruyun before heading up the mountain with Lin Xiyue, carrying their baskets.
Meanwhile, Lu Jiaojiao returned home after being defeated, and naturally launched into complaints and tears. Lu Zhanggui had just comforted his daughter when his younger daughter ran in, sobbing in frustration.
Old Madam Lu, who had always doted on her daughter, was upset to see her beaten.
“This is outrageous! That little wretch actually dared hit you? Second son, call the third and fourth sons. I want to see if she dares even hit me!”
Old Madam Lu was ready to gather reinforcements to confront Lin Xiyue, but Old Master Lu slammed the table and said sternly:
“Enough! Wasn’t yesterday humiliating enough? You didn’t even manage to gather eight taels of silver—why cause more trouble now? If you hadn’t stirred things up yesterday, none of this would have happened.”
He then looked at Lu Jiaojiao, scolding, “You’re foolish. Why argue with someone younger than you? You got beaten, ran back to complain, and now your mother and brothers come to fight for you—you’re happy with that? Do you even consider how this will spread through the village?”
Although Lu Jiaojiao was reluctant, she didn’t dare argue further.
“Father, I just wanted to stand up for Mother! But Lin Xiyue, that little wretch, is so sharp-tongued. She not only insulted me, she hit me. Look at my face, it’s swollen, and she kicked my stomach! How can you just watch your daughter be bullied?”
Lu Jiaojiao had always been spoiled and skilled at coaxing the elders; Old Master Lu often fell for her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed his dismissed daughter to live in her mother’s home.
He took a few puffs from his pipe and finally said,
“That girl may be fierce, but she was sold by her family for two taels of silver. If you want revenge, we don’t need to act ourselves. Let her family hear that she hunted a wild boar—then her family will surely come stirring trouble. They might even take her back.”
“She’s already been sold—how would her family come for her?” Lu Jiaojiao was momentarily confused.
Old Master Lu explained further: “The girl was sold for two taels to the old family. Her family surely thought she was only worth that. They didn’t know she could hunt. If they find out she can hunt, they wouldn’t sell her for two taels. That boar she hunted yesterday alone is worth two or three taels. Her family might come and reclaim her.”
Lu Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up. “Father, you’re brilliant! But just taking her back is too easy on her. That Lu Yanqiu boy also needs some discipline.”
Old Master Lu glanced at her, snorting. “That boy is part of our Lu family. You, as his aunt, shouldn’t fuss over him. Besides, Lu Wenxuan is a bright scholar. As long as he ranks in next year’s exam, he’ll bring glory to our family. So don’t stir conflict with the eldest son’s family now.”
Lu Jiaojiao didn’t care. “We already have An’er, a promising scholar. He’ll bring honor to the family; we don’t need that illegitimate child.”
“Rubbish. He is still your eldest brother’s child and part of our family. More children studying means more hope. You shouldn’t call him an illegitimate child.” Old Master Lu, though partial, understood the big picture.
Old Madam Lu, hearing her husband’s reasoned argument, calmed down. It was wiser to find a way to get rid of the troublesome girl rather than confront her directly. With her gone, the eldest son’s family would continue as before, under their control.
Lu Jiaojiao was persuaded, but Lu Qingqing still held a grudge. Remembering that Lu Xiaoyu, the village chief’s daughter, had once liked Lu Wenxuan, and now he had married someone else, she doubted Lu Xiaoyu would remain indifferent.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiyue and Lu Yanqiu, concerned about home, didn’t wander far after heading up the mountain. They dug wild vegetables and gathered dry wood, planning to return early.
Lu Yanqiu, recalling how Lin Xiyue had protected him today, suddenly found her more appealing. That previously unremarkable face now seemed full of vitality and energy.
“Xiaoyue, let me carry your basket,” Lu Yanqiu offered, noticing her load.
“You’re already carrying firewood. I’ll manage the basket myself. You’re small—if you get hurt, I’ll have to take care of you,” Lin Xiyue teased, instantly flustering Lu Yanqiu.
“I may look thin, but I’m strong. Not just a basket—I could carry you down the mountain too. Want to test me?” Lu Yanqiu pretended to lift her.
In his mind, Lin Xiyue must be light. He wanted to show her his strength so she wouldn’t underestimate him.
“Lu Yanqiu, what are you doing? The basket will fall!” Lin Xiyue exclaimed, surprised when he actually picked her up to prove his strength.
“See? I can carry you down easily. Question me again and I’ll—”
His words stopped abruptly. The sudden closeness created an awkward tension.
Lin Xiyue, flustered, thought, Could it be… he likes me?
“Lu Yanqiu, put me down!”
Patting his arm, Lin Xiyue made him snap back to reality. He quickly set her down, chastising himself for feeling her presence was somehow… endearing.
Lu Yanqiu scolded himself inwardly, refusing to look at Lin Xiyue again.