The news about Lu Zhiyao and Zhao Shijiao had even reached the cowshed.
Lei Zhenyu chuckled, his eyes full of admiration.“Zhiyao, that girl… she really isn’t the kind to be taken advantage of!”
Yu Qin smiled too.“Indeed, that girl has quite the sharp tongue.”
Shu Jingzhao thought of that Zhao Zhiqing and furrowed his brows.“I wonder what Zhao Zhiqing’s true intentions are.”
Shu Jingzhao’s wife, Shao Min, was also very averse to that man.“Anyway, he’s no good. Just listening to what he says, he’s clearly not someone decent. If we see him again, we should keep our distance.”
Lei Zhenyu snorted coldly.“Hmph. Who doesn’t know that everyone living here is a bunch of ‘bad elements’ and ‘stinky scholars’? What fool would come near us?”
Shu Jingzhao, unusually, made a joke.“Old Lei, are you saying little Zhiyao is a fool?”
Lei Zhenyu shot Shu Jingzhao a look, his expression screaming, what nonsense are you talking about?“How could Zhiyao be considered a fool? She’s Old Lu’s granddaughter. Old Lu’s granddaughter is my granddaughter! Honestly, even my own grandson hasn’t taken care of us like she has.”
Geng Liping nodded as well, beginning to consider taking on an apprentice. Otherwise, all his knowledge would go to waste—who knew when his life might end here?“Yes. From now on, little Zhiyao will also be my granddaughter. She seems to know a bit about Chinese medicine. I want to take her as a closed-door disciple. I just don’t know if she’ll agree.”“Right. I don’t know if I’ll have another chance in my lifetime to find a disciple for my skills. Little Zhiyao seems perfect.”
Lei Zhenyu felt the same. His martial skills had nowhere to be passed on either.“Let’s ask her. If little Zhiyao doesn’t want to, we won’t force her.”
Lei Zhenyu nodded, then remembered his family back home. His eldest grandson was out of luck. He had originally planned to betroth little Zhiyao to him—but, unfortunately…
“Keep in touch with home and have them send everything to this girl. We can’t let little Zhiyao support a bunch of useless people like us, after all.”“Yes, she shouldn’t have to support us. She’s just a little girl. It’s hard on her. I wonder how Old Lu is over there… that stubborn temper of his… really.”
Lei Zhenyu retrieved the fine rice and grains that Lu Zhiyao had previously sent from behind the wall. The ladies took them and began cooking. Thinking of Lu Zhiyao, their hearts softened. Such a lovely girl—how could she not be their granddaughter?
While these old men here had good intentions, things were less pleasant for Old Lu back in Jiang Province.
Old Lu, Lu Dianchao, sighed.“That brat! How can she just decide on a partner and set up an engagement? If it weren’t for Zhi Heng telling us, we wouldn’t have known a thing.”
Lu Zhengping (Lu’s father) was also helpless.“Yes, and the one she got engaged to isn’t even from the Pei family, but someone from the brigade, I heard.”
Ke Yun (Lu’s mother) worried more about Lu Zhiyao being alone there.“I hope my precious Zhiyao isn’t being bullied over there.”
Zhong Jie (Lu’s grandmother) quietly wiped her tears.“Yes, the only girl in the family. No relatives or friends by her side. Alone… it really worries me.”
“Zhi Heng said that when he saw Zhiyao that day, she wasn’t at all her previously spoiled, willful self. She was exactly as she was when she left home four years ago. Could it be…”
Lu Zhengping’s eyes lit up.“You mean, Zhiyao… has returned?”
Zhong Jie nodded.“I suspect so. When Zhi Heng went, he noticed a flicker in Zhiyao’s eyes and some indescribable emotions. I suspect she may have forgotten something.”
Lu Dianchao first relaxed, then sneered at the thought.“If this is true, it’s truly good news. That ‘Lu Zhiyao’ from before treated us like fools. Our child, whom we raised from birth, suddenly changed. How could we not be suspicious?”“It’s good that Zhiyao is back. That master’s prediction was accurate. If I weren’t stuck here, I’d want to hug my Zhiyao right now.”
Who present wouldn’t want to hug that little darling?
Lu Zhijun had come with them. He didn’t say a word but was very emotional. His sister had returned. Was she eating well? Sleeping well? Was that man treating her well?He wanted to go straight to Sichuan Province to see for himself, and maybe even confront or beat the man who had taken his sister.
But going to Sichuan was just a fantasy. He couldn’t even leave Jiang Province.
The family sighed until late into the night before finally sleeping. At dawn, they would get up to work again.This world… was too unfair!
No matter what, their family was living as best as they could. As long as they lived, there was hope of seeing each other. They believed the darkness wouldn’t last forever; there would always be a day of light.
Lu Zhiyao didn’t know these people were plotting to pass on all their knowledge through apprentices, nor did she know her grandparents and parents were thinking of her. She was only planning when to visit the black market. Though things were tense, she definitely had connections there… otherwise it wouldn’t run smoothly. Though most of the time, she had to watch out for the Red Armbands…
With this thought, Lu Zhiyao fell asleep.
The next day, after working half a day, Lu Zhiyao told the brigade leader she wanted to go to the county to send something to her eldest brother.Captain Wang immediately agreed.
Ignoring Zhao Shijiao’s dark glare, Lu Zhiyao headed straight for the county. This time, without an ox cart, she had to walk.Fortunately, she had been training her body recently, so walking to the county was not difficult.
She first sent some mushrooms, a few rabbits, a leg of mutton, beef—one especially large package—to Lu Zhiheng. It was about the same size as the package he had sent her before.
After sending the package, Lu Zhiyao found a secluded spot. She applied makeup, transforming from a fair-skinned young girl into a wizened old man.Even the neck and hands, the obviously visible parts, she carefully covered. As long as someone didn’t strip her clothes, her delicate skin beneath remained unseen.
Then, Lu Zhiyao took a basket full of rice, millet, and a rabbit from her spatial storage.
She walked slowly through the county, observing secretly. At a certain alley entrance, she saw someone standing there; those entering discreetly handed items to the person at the door.She knew this was the entrance to the black market. After watching for a while, she hunched her back, carrying the basket, and headed toward it.